03x26 - The Challenge

[bunniefuu]

Here it comes now!

Whoa now!

[crowd cheers]

Senator Bannard!
I'm from the Stockton Eagle.

Sure didn't expect to see
you driving this stage.

Well, I had no choice, Sonny.

Something happen
to the driver?

A couple of fellas
held us up four or five
miles out of town.

They nicked the driver
here in the shoulder.

Couple of you boys,
give a hand.

Get him outta here.
Come on, Archie.

-All right, boy.
-Did you recognize them?

Didn't have time
to recognize them.

Just shot 'em.

Get that man over
to the doctor now.

A term in congress
doesn't seem to have
spoiled your aim, senator.

Why should it?

We're always takin'
potshots at one another
in the senate chamber, huh?

Well, I certainly didn't
expect anything like this.

A warm welcome homecoming.

I wanna thank you,
ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you,
one and all.

Stockton Eagle,eh?

Well, Senator.

Well, now, I hardly expected
a welcome from the opposition.

I'm not extending one,
I assure you.

I live here
at the hotel.

I thought maybe you'd
come to bury the hatchet,
Your Honor.

My party's never
gonna make peace

with gunslinger politics,
Bannard.

No matter how colorful
they may seem.

Sometimes I get the feelin'
that Judge Daggett doesn't
approve of me.

How about
a statement, Senator?

Why, uh...
Just one second.

I'd be glad to
oblige you, young man.

Thank you.

I don't make
no bones about it.

I've come back
to run for re-election.

I want the job,
and I can do the job

and I'm the best
doggone man in the world

for the job.

I'll second that.

-Victoria Barkley!
-Jim.

You are a sight
for hungry eyes.

I heard you were
coming to Stockton.

Is Amelia with you?

No. No, she's still
in Washington.

We thought the trip
might be a little
too much for her.

What are you doin' here?
I thought you'd be
at the ranch.

We're having the house
renovated,

and I'm staying here
till it's finished.

Family with you?

I'm beginning to wonder

if I have
a family this week.

Nick and Heath
are out on the range,

Jarrod's staying
in the bunkhouse,

and Audra's in
New York.

Little Audra,
in New York?

We do have a lot
of catchin' up to do.

Almost six years.

Say, what about
tonight, dinner, huh?

Just the two of us.

We can fill in
all the gaps.

It sounds wonderful.

About 7:00
in the dining room.

Fine.

Victoria.

Are you still fond of
pheasant and a chilled
bottle of Chablis?

Mm-hmm. And our Chablis
was particularly good

this past year.

It's a shame we can't arrange
for the hotel to furnish us with

a gypsy orchestra.

Your company
is enough, Jim.

See you.

Stockton Eagle,huh?

That's right,
Senator.

Thank you.

Oh, uh... Be sure and spell
the name right.

I knew Bannard once
courted Victoria Barkley
before he got married.

I never realized
their relationship
was so... So close.

♪ [theme]

Thank you.

Victoria, during the time
I was in Washington,

I think the most
difficulty I had

was trying to
learn two things.

First, how to
control my temper

and secondly, how to
balance one of those
silly little teacups

on my knee.

Well, apparently, you managed
both very well.

I didn't hear of
a single incident
while you were in Washington.

No. Otherwise,
there wouldn't have been

an opposition senator
or a teacup left
in one piece.

To you.

You know, you're
absolutely right, Victoria.

This Chablis
is excellent.

We had a lot of rain
last year, and that
makes a great difference.

It bears out
what I've always said.

Given proper irrigation,

there isn't anything
you couldn't raise
in California.

Why, it could be,
the greatest, the richest
agricultural center

in the world.

Well, I imagine we'll come
to that someday.

If...

If only we could convince
people like William Daggett

that the most important
problem is water.

What we need
is an aqueduct.

A canal system
of some kind.

No, all they can
think about is how much
money it's going to cost,

not how much money
it will eventually earn
for this state.

They're blind,
they have no foresight.

They're just not
in touch with destiny.

You really believe in
this state, don't you?

Yes, I do, Victoria.

Yeah, I was raised
in the Sierras,
as you know.

Brought up, schooled,
in a gold mining town.

I guess I'm just
part of the dust.

And the dream.

I suppose
we all are.

Otherwise,
we wouldn't be here.

And so, to destiny.

Oh, I've missed you
and Amelia these past years.

I wish she were here.

So do I, Victoria,
put her doctor advised...

Are you blind, huh?

Why don't you watch
where you're going?

-It's all right, Jim.
-Clumsy fool.

Wait a minute.
I wanna make it up
to the little lady.

Take your hands
off her.

I said take your hands
off her!

Drunken fool.

Jim, Jim, no! No.

You all right?

I had that coming.

Sorry, ma'am.

Guess I haven't learned
to control my temper

as well as I thought.

Sorry, Victoria.

Mrs. Barkley.

Who is it?

Message from
Senator Bannard.

Just a minute.

He's in room 20, ma'am.

Jim.

Huh?

Victoria.

Oh. Yeah, I'll be
right there.

Coming.

Victoria.

What is it?
What happened?

What happened nothing.
What do you mean?

This note, it said
to come here right away.

I didn't write you
any note.

I don't understand.

Neither do I.

What is this?

Who brought
you this?

One of the clerks,
I guess.

I don't know.
I was half-awake.

I merely
glanced at him.

I don't like
the looks of this.

We better get you
back to your room.

Hold it, Senator.

MAN: Giddy up!

I had figured
Daggett was desperate,

but I didn't think
he'd be this desperate.

Judge Daggett? Oh, no, no.
I've known him for years.

I don't agree with him
politically any more
than you do, but this...

I'm afraid you've got
a lot to learn about
politics, Victoria.

His only chance
of winning this election

is to discredit me.

Yeah, it looks like
the honorable judge

has embarked on
a smear campaign.

What are you going to do?

Victoria, this is
gonna be bad enough
for me,

but I'll be...

I'm not gonna let 'em
drag you into it,

and the sooner he
knows that, the better.

But you haven't any proof.
If you start trouble...

I didn't start
the trouble, he did.

All right, all right,
at least talk to
Jarrod first.

Find out where
you stand legally.

This may not even
be politics.

There are some people
in this valley

that don't particularly
care for the Barkleys.

It could be aimed
at me.

All right.

Jarrod at the ranch?

We'll be there
in an hour.

Yeah, he had everything
all set up in advance.

The camera,
ladder at the window,

the rig waiting
outside the hotel.

All he had to do
was snap the picture
and run.

Did you get
a look at him?

Well, no. The flash kind of
blinded our eyes
for a minute, Jarrod.

It all happened
so fast.

And you're sure
there were no witnesses.

It was 3:00
in the morning.

How about outside?
Could anyone have
seen him use the ladder?

Nah, not even the town drunk
was up that late.

It was a mighty clever
frame, all right.

A married United States
senator traveling alone

meets up with
a beautiful widow

that he once
courted.

It fits just as neat
as a hook in a boot, huh?

It fits, all right.

You know what
bothers me the most, Jarrod,

is what this scandal
could do to your
mother's reputation.

Just smear it right...

Oh, hang my reputation.

I've been gossiped
about before.

Not like this,
Victoria.

They'll drag your name
through the mud in
every barber shop,

pool hall, saloon.

Everybody from preachers
to drunks will be
talkin' about you.

My name has probably been
mentioned in worse places
than saloons.

But the important thing is,

how will all this talk
affect your chances
for re-election?

Badly, I'm afraid.

If it can do what it did
to Andrew Jackson,

think what it will
do to Jim.

Yes, the political
consequences are
gonna be bad enough,

and then,
there's Amelia.

Amelia?

Sure. Newpapers'll blow this up
out of all proportion.

When she sees
that picture in the paper...

Oh, surely, she won't believe
anything like this.

You're a beautiful
woman, Victoria,

and Amelia 's known all along
that I've been very fond of you.

It could worry her,

and with her heart
as bad as it is...

Now wait a minute, Jim.

I think we're gettin'
a little ahead of ourselves.

Let's deal with what has
happened, not what might.

All right.

First of all, I think
you should stay here tonight.

-Here?
-Right here.

The work on the house
is almost finished.

You planned to be back here
tomorrow anyway, didn't you?

I can't stay here, Jarrod,

especially after
what's happened.

People will be gossiping
even more than they are now.

That's exactly
the point, Jim.

You've always stayed here,
and if you don't stay here now,

it's gonna make people
wonder what you are hiding.

Jarrod is right.

Think about it, Jim.
Think about it.

If you do leave here now,
what do we do,

just stop talking
to each other,

and ignore each other
when we meet?

I just don't like
to be ham-strung.

I'm gonna find Daggett,
and I'm gonna stop this thing

before it even starts.

If you do that, Jim,
without proof,

Daggett won't need
those pictures.

He'll sue you for slander.

All right.

I guess maybe
you're right.

All right.
I'll stay here.

If I go back to that hotel,
I'd probably run into him,

and you know me
and my short fuse.

Exactly.
So you just sit tight.

I'll check around town
tomorrow.

I've got some pretty
good informants.

One of them
might know something.

Fine. Thanks, Jarrod.

Just try to remember,

waiting has never been
one of my strong points.

This silver dollar,
ladies and gentlemen,
I'm holding here in my hand,

weighs less than
half an ounce.

By measurement,
no more than
an inch and a half across.

It's small.

Nobody can tell me
how hard a man has to work

to earn one of these,

because, you see,
my family were farmers.

And at a very early age,
believe me,

I learned what it took
to put a dollar away

in my jeans.

I'll tell you something.
I haven't forgotten that.

I'm not ashamed to say
that I value money.

And I can't spend a dollar,
mine or yours,

without first knowing
where that dollar is going,

and whether I'm gonna get
a full dollar's value in return.

And I'm distressed,
my friends.

I am appalled by some of
the men in our government

who squander our taxes
as if it were so much corn seed.

Who, instead of being
the guardians of our money,

are ready to pour it out

in all kinds of
wild, fanciful schemes.

Now you take my opponent,
Senator Bannard, for example.

This man argues that
building aqueducts

is progressive,
is far-seeing.

There's no such thing,
my friends.

It is as reckless an idea
as I've ever heard,

and in the end,
could bankrupt this whole state.

Now that's not
a far-seeing idea, is it?

Senator Bannard
is no visionary.

I'll tell you what he is.

Senator Bannard is a man
of incredible impulse.

We all know of his record
of impulsive acts.

The g*n duels,
the fistfights.

Only the other night
at the hotel,

he almost battered
a man senseless.

Now some of you may admire
behavior like that.

But I want to tell you
that rashness

has no place in the Senate
of the United States.

We don't want a hair-trigger
temper in our representatives,
my friends.

We want stability.

We don't want scandal.

We want dignity,
we want sanity.

And if you agree with me,

and you know how
to mark your ballot,

defeat this man,
my friends.

Show him the only trigger
we respect is the vote.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, Jarrod.

Hello, Will.

Oh, thanks, Sam.
Give my best
to your wife.

Haven't seen you
in quite a while.

How have you been?

Busy, especially with
the elections and all.

I can imagine.

I don't suppose I can
count on Barkley support.

Afraid not, Will.

Politically, we're still on
opposite sides of the fence.

Well, that's what makes
horse races and elections.

I guess so.

Oh.

I didn't see Bannard
at breakfast this morning.

I understand he cut
quite a figure in
the dining room last night.

How is he?

When I see him, I'll ask.

Sombreno.

[whistles]

Ha ha ha!
Oh, Sombreno.

I knew you'd
remember me.

Look what I got
for you.

Remember me,
old Jimbo?

Sure enough.

Your old trail buddy.
You do.

I thought sure enough
you would.

How you been, huh?
Lookin' good.

How are ya?

It sure is mighty good
to see you again.

He's been waitin'
for you, Jim.

He hasn't answered
a whistle ever since
you left.

Is that so?

I'm sure gonna hate
to leave him.

We sheriffed a lot
of trails together,
me and Sombreno.

But then, if I shouldn't
win the election,

I wouldn't have
to leave him.

That would be kind of
a bright spot, wouldn't it?

Well, I see Sombreno
still remembers you.

He sure did.

Good old boy,
isn't he?

Just as sleek
and sassy as ever.

I'll bet you he can still
outrun anything in sight.

Well, now, I don't ever remember
him outrunning Misty Girl.

Well, he never
really tried.

He didn't wanna
discourage her.

That has all the earmarks
of a challenge.

It is.

You got a race.

Length of the pasture
and back?

All right.

Heath's gettin' my saddle
out of the barn.

Do you think Misty Girl
will be able to make it

to the end of the pasture
and back?

h* h*! Let's go.

Did you find out
anything?

I've only had
one day.

No luck then,
Jarrod, huh?

Not yet, Jim.

I checked the hotel
and room next to yours
wasn't rented.

Then he must've had
a passkey.

And what about the valise
and that camera tripod?

What did the desk clerk
say about that?

There wasn't any.
The room was undisturbed.

I checked with
the housekeeper

when she went in this morning
to dust.

But that's impossible.
We both saw the equipment.

Obviously,
he had an accomplice.

Somebody else had to be
registered at that hotel

to cover up his tracks
for him.

That brings us
right back to Daggett.

Not necessarily, Nick.

This might answer
a few questions
for us, Jim.

It was left
at the hotel desk
this morning for you

while the clerk
was off duty.

Yeah, you're right.

It certainly does.

Here you are, Jim.
I'll have you saddled up
in just a minute.

You can forget the saddle.
Take a look at this.

Where'd this come from?

We don't know.

It was left at
the hotel this morning.

You still suggest
we wait, Jarrod?

Yes, I do.

This picture gives us motive,
but not proof.

One time when I was sheriff,

bunch of riff-raff tried to
frame me for cattle rustlin'

so they could grab this little
gold diggin's I was workin'.

I didn't have
any proof then, either,

until I beat the truth
out of one of 'em.

Jim, you're not
a local sheriff anymore.

You can't afford
that kind of direct action,
and you know it.

It's better than sittin'
around waitin' for that
trap to close.

Look, I kept my mouth shut
because you asked me to,

but I'm not gonna let
a thing like this
be passed around.

Nick, you so much as
go near Daggett,

and that's gonna give even more
validity to that picture.

Now I'm telling you
as a lawyer,

if you do anything foolish,
the opposition is
gonna welcome it.

I'm not gonna withdraw
from this election,

no matter what.

So Jarrod, you go ahead
and get the proof.

I don't care how,
and get it fast.

Come on.
Get over here.

-Where you goin'?
-Into town.

At this hour?
Business or pleasure?

Business, but somehow,
I think it's gonna turn
out to be a little pleasure.

Like breakin' into
Daggett's office,

tryin' to find
those pictures?

And the plate
that made 'em.

You know what Jarrod
said about direct action.

Heath, you know
I'm no politician.

That doesn't apply to me.

His office is in
the middle of town.

That's pretty
risky, Nick.

Then stay home.

What makes you think
I'm goin'?

Because you don't
trust me.

-That's right.
-Mm-hmm.

-I'll saddle up.
-Uh-huh.

Well.

I don't believe
you gentlemen
had an appointment,

but then, perhaps you Barkleys
are in the habit of calling
in the middle of the night.

This isn't exactly
a call, Judge.

Oh?

What then?

Oh, yes, apparently
you were searching
for something.

May I ask what?

Quit playin' possum, Daggett.
You know what we're here for.

Pictures of my mother
and Jim Bannard.

-Pictures?
-That's right.

Pictures? You gentlemen
amaze me more and more.

I'm a jurist,
not a photographer.

Breaking and entering
is a criminal offense.

I'm surprised you Barkleys
would stoop to it.

We're surprised you would
stoop to blackmail.

That's a serious accusation
to make without proof.

As a lawyer, I'd advise you
against repeating it,

unless you want
even more trouble
than you have now.

The sheriff will be passing
on his rounds soon.

You know, I've known
your family for years.

I'd hate to do anything,

shall we say,
to embarrass you,

so I suggest you leave
before he arrives.

Jarrod, no sense
you gettin' all riled up.
Just tryin' to help.

Help? Help who? Daggett?
You certainly didn't
help Jim.

At least we did somethin'.
We didn't sit around
talkin' about it.

Whose hare-brained idea
was this anyway?
It sounds like one of yours.

Now, wait a minute.

What makes you think
Daggett is gonna be
stupid enough

to leave those pictures
in his office?

If he has got 'em,
they're gonna be in
a safer place than that.

What happened?

Go ahead, Nick.
Tell her.

All right,
what is it?

Well, Heath and I ransacked
Daggett's office tonight.

Ransacked his...?

Did you get
the pictures?

All they got
was caught.

Caught?!

Now wait a minute.
Don't blame Heath.

It was all my doin'.

He only went along with it
because he couldn't
talk me out of it.

Where is Heath?

Out in the stable
unsaddlin' the horses.

Nick, you've really
done it this time.

Not only have you
broken the law,

but you've handed Daggett
a nice present all wrapped
up in blue ribbons.

If he isn't involved
with the pictures,

he knows now that
we've got something to hide.

And if he is involved,
he knows that we're scared.

I guess we sure messed up
things, didn't we?

That's putting it
mildly.

With your kind of help,
you've already got him
elected.

Jarrod, I admit it...

Nick, you are the most
stubborn, mule-headed...

Wait a minute.
That'll be enough of that!

All right, boys,
all right, all right.

Now you listen to me.

We're a family.

Mistakes or not,
we stand together.

Now I suggest we all go to bed,
get a good night's rest,

and discuss this in the morning
when we're calmer.

You're right.

I'm sorry, Nick.

I guess I got
a little carried away.

Well, I guess we both did.

Let's turn in.

Good night, Mother.

-Jim.
-Good night.

-Good night, Jim.
-Jarrod.

Victoria, the last thing
in the world I want to do

is cause any bitterness
between your sons.

I'm sorry.

Yeah. It's gonna be
like old times, isn't it?

You and me ridin' out
together.

Come on.

Come on, boy.
Come on.

Jim!

Well, now, where in
blazes is he goin'?

Probably goin'
for a ride.

This early
in the mornin'?

Sure. Best time
of day to go.

Maybe we best
follow him.

Nick, I think we better
mind our own business
for a change.

Yeah, well, all right.

Well, this is
an incriminating picture.

I don't wonder that
you and the Barkleys
are concerned about it.

You deny seeing
this picture before?

Are you insinuating
that I have?

It's pretty obvious
from the message on it

that the opposition party's
behind this.

And you are
the opposition, Daggett,

whether you're willing
to admit it or not.

Bannard, you seem to be making
a pretty serious accusation.

I hope you're prepared
to prove it.

I'm prepared to back it up
with action.

Ah. Action.

My dear Senator,
without proof,

that would be as indiscreet
as being photographed

in your hotel room
with Victoria...

Who said it was
my hotel room?

Well, isn't that
the obvious place?

I simply assume that
you and...

Is it?

Obvious?

Victoria had a room
in the hotel, too.

How do you know it wasn't
in her room?

Your room, her room--
what difference does it make?

The point is,
you finally slipped up.

Finally been caught
in something that
will show the voters

what an unprincipled man
you are.

You're a liar
and a blackmailer, Daggett.

I might not be able
to prove it,

but one thing I'm not
gonna stand still for,

a smear campaign.

If you're gonna try
and discredit me,

you're gonna have to do it
not only in public,
but at gunpoint.

Do you understand
me, Daggett?
At gunpoint.

Violence.

You think that's
the answer to everything,
don't you, Bannard, violence?

Well, I'll
tell you something.

It isn't gonna
work this time.

You're not gonna force me
into a g*n duel with you,
no matter what you do.

I'll be waiting for you
tomorrow morning

at the south edge
of town, Daggett.

And if you're not there,
I'm gonna come and get ya.

You do, you'll
meet the sheriff.

Sheriff won't be able
to keep me away from you
forever.

Tomorrow morning.

Oh, and remember,

the only man who's gonna
withdraw from this election

will be the dead man.

[horse whinnies]

Well, finally.

I was beginning to think
you weren't coming, Gill.

I wouldn't have if
your message hadn't said
it was so important.

It's risky meeting
this close to town.

I didn't have any choice.

I want some more prints
of that picture right away.

I told you to let me make
more than just two copies.

I didn't think I was gonna
have to use 'em.

But Bannard refuses
to withdraw.

Here's the plate.

I want enough prints
for every newspaper
in the state.

All right.

But you'll have
to pick them up.

I'm not coming out here
from Oxville again.

With a man like Bannard
involved, it's just too
dangerous.

All right, I'll tell you what.

I'm driving to Sacramento
in the morning.

I'll pick them up
at your shop on my way.

Oh.

Our original deal
was for $200.

That's right.

This'll cost you
a little extra.

What are you talking about?

Our deal included
as many prints as I wanted

and you know it.

It didn't include
two trips.

All right, I'll give you
another $50.





Bannard would probably be
willing to pay even more.

All right.

You just better
make those prints legible,

or you don't get a cent.

Your clerk said you'd
be back in a few minutes,

so I decided to wait.

I presume you came for
the same reason Bannard did.

Jim was here?

Oh, yes.
A couple of hours ago.

He showed me that rather,
shall we say, interesting
picture of the two of you.

I didn't know he was
planning to discuss
this with you.

We discussed nothing.

He insulted
and threatened me.

That picture
is a fraud, Will.

I came here to ask you
to put a stop to it.

Indeed.

And what makes you think
I could?

It may not be your doing,

but obviously, someone in
your party is behind it.

With your influence, you could
certainly put a stop to it.

Last night, your sons
ransacked my office

and accused me of
arranging for the picture.

Now you come in and ask me
for my help.

What Nick and Heath did
was wrong.

But they were trying to end
a vicious smear,

and so should you.

No matter what you think
about Jim,

I can't believe you would
condone such dishonest tactics

to defeat him.

Jim Bannard
is an impractical man

with plans that will
ruin this whole state.

He's also a violent,
unprincipled k*ller.

He proved that today
when he threatened
my life.

I feel that anything
which defeats him
is a service to the people.

Then you're willing
to allow this fraud
to go through.

Fraud?

I wasn't in
that hotel room,
Victoria.

Only you and Bannard were.

You'll regret that,
Victoria.

Believe me.

I doubt it.

Victoria.

You can tell your
Senator Bannard

I won't be at the edge of town
tomorrow morning.

I'll be driving
to Sacramento.

By the time I arrive,

I'll expect word of his
withdrawal from this campaign.

I knew we disagreed
on politics, Will,

but not on principle.

Obviously, I was wrong.

Good morning, Jim.

Morning, Victoria.

Breakfast
will be ready--
What are you doing?

You said Daggett was
driving to Sacramento this
morning.

I'm going after him.

-With those?
-Mm-hmm.

That message he sent
was a threat, Victoria.

It's carefully disguised,
yes, I'll admit,

but nevertheless,
a threat.

So are those pistols.

At least they're honest.

Daggett is not
going to fight
a duel with you.

He told you that
yesterday.

Then I'll just have to
make him change his mind.

What do you want, Bannard?

Victoria gave me
your message, Daggett.

I'm here to give you
one last chance

to settle this thing
honorably.

Honorably?

I couldn't outdraw you,
and you know it.

All right.

We'll even the odds.

I'll give you first shot
with a dueling p*stol.

You're even more of a fool
than I thought you were.

I don't deal in g*ns.

Get out of my way, Bannard.

Very well.

You leave me no choice.

But first, I'm gonna
have to relieve you
of those pictures.

You'll relieve me
of nothing!

Heeya!

Ride!

He's dead, Jim.

Gotta find
those pictures.

Nothing.

They must be
in his valise.

Got to be in here.

One.

There's got to be
more than one.

It just doesn't make sense.

Maybe the sheriff
will find more.

What are you talkin' about?

A man is dead, Jim.

We have to report it.

You know what
that could mean.

Huh? They'll accuse me
of m*rder.

But it was an accident.
I saw it.

You saw it?

You, the compromised woman.

The woman who was
photographed in
my hotel bedroom

in the middle
of the night.

Don't you realize
what the prosecution
can do with that?

But the picture
is a fraud.

All we have to do
is find the photographer.

The photographer is gone.

Victoria, don't you...

Will you please
just listen to me?

Don't you see?
Without a witness,

your testimony means
absolutely nothing.

They'd just
tear you to pieces.

They'd say you were lying
to protect your lover.

They might even accuse you
of being an accomplice.

No, the best thing for
us to do is just walk away.

Walk away?

Sure. There's nothing here
to connect us with Daggett.

No pictures, no nothing.

They'll find the body,

they'll assume
it was a robbery,

and nobody will ever know
any different.

We'll know, Jim.

Victoria...

If it was only my life
that's at stake,

or my political career,

I wouldn't ask you
to do this.

But there's no point
in reporting this now
to the sheriff.

Daggett's dead.
We can do nothing
for him.

But if I have to go through
a m*rder trial,

even though I won't
be convicted,

but the excitement,
the tension, it could...

It could very well
k*ll Amelia.

I'm sorry, Jim.

I can't withhold evidence,

even for Amelia.

No. What are you doing?

I won't let you do it,
you understand?

You can't.
And won't!

Vict...

Victoria.

Forgive me.

Please.

I lost control.

Do what you have to do.

Anybody here?

With you in a minute.

Good evening, ma'am.

What can I do
for you?

Now don't pretend
you don't know me.

We met the night
you delivered that note.

Note? I don't understand.

There must be some mistake.

There's no mistake,
and you know it.

How'd you find me?

Judge Daggett is dead.

This picture was found
in his valise.

Daggett's dead?

It was an accident.

What kind of accident?
Was Bannard involved?

Yes. But it didn't happen
the way you think.

I saw it.

Now I need your help.

Unless I can prove that
this picture is a fraud,

my testimony
won't mean a thing.

Oh, no. I'm not getting
mixed up in any m*rder.

I've got enough trouble.

You're indirectly responsible
for this tragedy.

One man is dead,
and another's life is at stake.

Doesn't that mean
anything to you?

Not when it's him or me.

You know, just being part of
a blackmail plan

is a jail offense.

It wouldn't be
my first one.

All right. If you won't
testify willingly,

I'll have you subpoenaed.

Mm-mm.

I'm getting out of here
just as fast as I can.

You won't get
very far.

Once I report this,
every sheriff in this state

will be after you.

Well, we can't
have that, can we?

Not for a while.

Not for quite a while.

[screams]

Oh, I wish Jarrod
would get back.

I'm as spooky as
a cow pony with a burr
under his blanket.

Can't even write
a letter to Amelia.

Would you like me
to write to her?

No, thank you,
Victoria.

The words'll come.

Maybe I'd be better off
to wait till we hear
what Gill had to say.

Victoria...

Suppose he won't admit
that the picture
was a fraud?

He can say that Daggett
hired him just to get a picture

that proved
that we were lovers.

We won't be any better off
than we were before.

But Jarrod has the note
Gill wrote

the night he took
the picture.

He can't deny
his own handwriting.

In his boots, he'd be smart
to deny everything

and stick to it.

Jarrod's handled
tougher cases than this.

He'll break him down.

I hope so.

You can pour me
one of those, Jim.

Jarrod, I thought
you'd never get back.

I'm sorry it took
so long,

but that photographer
was a little tougher
to crack than I thought.

But did he confess?

All of it.

Oh, Jim.

Thank you, Jarrod.

Thanks.

It was my pleasure.

Of course, there'll be
an inquest.

Maybe even a trial.

But with Gill's testimony,
and mother as an eyewitness,

you haven't got a thing
in this world to worry about.

Well, Jim, it looks like
your chances for re-election

are better than ever.

Provided, of course,

that the voters are willing
to accept the testimony

on its face value.

Well, of course
they'll accept it.

They like you.

What was it you said
that night at dinner?

That you wanted to be part
of the dust and the dream.

Jim, I think these voters
want that dust irrigated,

and they figure you're
the only man who can do it.

I hope you're right, Jarrod.

I sincerely wanna be a part
of this state's destiny.

You will, Jim.

You will.

I'll drink to that.

♪ [theme]