11x08 - The Stalker

Episode transcripts for the TV show "Bonanza". Aired: September 12, 1959 - January 16, 1973.*
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Set during and after the Civil w*r, "Bonanza" is the story of Ben and his 3 sons on the family's thousand-acre spread, known as the Ponderosa, near Virginia City.
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11x08 - The Stalker

Post by bunniefuu »

Shut up and don't turn around.

Don't turn around.
I'm taking your wallet.

Hey, mister! Stop right there.

- Are you all right?
- Yeah.

Where is he?

Over here.

- It's Jim Campbell.
- He's dead.

- Did you know him?
- Yeah, a little.

He has a farm
near the Ponderosa.

This yours?

Yeah.

He slugged me and grabbed it.

The wallet's worth
more than what's in it.

Three dollars.

This coroner's inquest
is to learn all we can

about the manner and cause
of James Campbell's death.

Now... how well
did you know him?

I talked to him once or twice.
We had a drink together once.

When you saw him take
something out of Mr. Travis's coat,

did you know who he was?

No. It was too dark.

But you were certain
he had a g*n in his hand?

Yes. I could see that.

Did you know that a
robbery had been committed?

No, not until later. There was
one man lying on the ground

and another one running
away with a g*n in his hand.

He ran out of the alley, I shouted at
him to stop and he started f*ring at me.

That's all,
Mr. Canaday. Thank you.

I'll try to make this as brief and
painless as I can, Mrs. Campbell.

You and your husband bought a farm
on Red Spring Road about two years ago.

What is the condition
of that farm now?

Well, we were making a go of it.

Just barely.

Everything we made
had to be put back into it.

We were hoping that next
year might be a better year.

On the 11th, your
husband came into town.

Can you tell us why?

Our mortgage payment was due.

Jim was going to try to get a
loan from Mr. Morgan at the bank.

Against a crop of
oats we were putting in.

Did he have any hope
of getting that loan?

He'd been turned down
twice, but he was going to try.

It is the finding of
the coroner's jury

that Mr. Canaday k*lled
James Campbell in self-defense.

While we sympathize
with the widow,

it is clear that her husband
d*ed while committing a crime.

No charge will be made
against Mr. Canaday.

The inquest is adjourned.

Mrs. Campbell.

There's not much I can say.

Well, why don't you just say what
there is to be said and be done with it?

I'm, uh... sorry.

You're right.

That's not much.

Mrs. Campbell?

You dropped this letter.

I'll be glad to mail it
for you, if you'd like.

You do that, Mr. Canaday.

Mr. Cartwright...

I know this is a bad time of
the year to be asking for time off.

But there's something
I've got to do.

So, I'm gonna have to knock off a
little early every afternoon for a while.

- Any idea how long?
- Maybe a couple of months.

Don't worry. I'll do my share.

Just take whatever you
think is fair out of my pay.

Well... no question of that.

All right.

All right.

Anything else?

- No.
- Candy.

There's something
else I'd like to say.

That coroner's jury
declared you innocent.

Now, don't you go
off convicting yourself.

I won't.

But when I have
a debt, I pay it.

Hi there, young fella.

My name's Candy. What's yours?

Your mother around?

Thank you.

- My name is Kenny.
- I'll remember.

Whoa.

I'll do that.

- I can manage.
- Your furrow's not very straight.

But then, plowing's not
a woman's work, is it?

What are you planting?

Oats.

At least we had that seed
paid for. Now, if you don't mind...

If you're trying to
do this all by yourself

you've got to be behind
on your other chores.

Let me do the plowing
and you tend to them.

And, uh... Kenny.

Yes?

I'm finished for the day.

I took care of the team. I
left the plow up in the field.

I don't expect any thanks.

But you're gonna have to tell
me if you want me to come back.

I didn't ask for your
help, Mr. Canaday.

That's right, you didn't.

I thought you understood I
didn't want you around here.

You also thought you could keep
this place up by yourself, didn't you?

Well, look at it. There's no
wood for the kitchen stove.

The door is falling off the hen
house, the plowing needs to be done,

the fences need to be fixed.

You had to stop trying to
keep up to do the washing.

I don't want your help.

- Well, you need somebody's.
- I'm doing just fine by myself.

- Nobody's come around, huh?
- Well, why should they?

It's a busy time. They've
got their own things to do.

Well, then it better be me
because you need help.

What makes you so pigheaded?

I was about to ask
you the same question.

Oh!

Ponderosa mail.

Uh... Most of it's for Ben.

Uh... Do you have
anything for Mrs. Campbell?

Mrs. Campbell, huh? I heard you
were doing the chores out there.

- Her mail?
- Chores and plowing.

Working two places at once
must be kind of exhausting.

- Just give me her mail.
- No offense intended. One letter.

Kenny, would you bring me
the rest of the milk off that table?

Careful now, don't spill it.

Thank you.

Mr. Canaday.

There was a letter for
you at the post office.

You didn't have to
go to that trouble.

It was all right. I
was going by anyway.

Won't you come in?

Look, you're sopping wet.

The storm will likely be over
by the time dinner's finished.

If you'd care to stay.

I would.

If you'd like to get out of those
wet clothes, I think I can find a shirt

and a pair of pants for you.

No, thanks. I, uh... I'll
just dry it here by the fire.

Food smells good.

It'll be ready in a minute.
It's not very fancy, but it's hot.

No hurry.

You didn't have
to help with this.

I enjoyed the dinner.

Ssh!

He looks like he's
had quite a day.

Yes.

He does that all the time.

Excuse me, I'm gonna
go tuck him in bed.

- Will you let me carry him?
- No, that's all right...

- No, please let me.
- His father used to do it.

I see.

The rain's stopped.

- I'd better be on my way.
- Thank you for bringing the letter.

You didn't even read it yet. Came
all the way from Wyoming, too.

- Good night, Mr. Canaday.
- Good night. Thank you.

Kenny!

All right, buddy.

Whoa, op, op, op, op, op.
This way, Kenny. Over here.

Get on on this side.

This foot.

- The stirrup. Up you go.
- Whoa!

Hey! There you go!

Well!

That looks like
one happy little boy.

Oh, well, I had one of
those when I was a kid.

I can still remember.

He can be a handful.

Sometimes I think raising a
child's harder than breaking a colt.

Oh, no, no, kids are easier. With a kid
you don't have to worry about a saddle.

Oh, maybe you're right. I
never thought about it that way.

Can you stay for dinner?

No, thanks.

Making a place for me at your table
takes food away from you and Kenny.

I'm used to feeding three.

I've invited a friend to dinner.

He hasn't answered me yet.

All right.

Good.

Hey, let me show you
how to hold those reins.

He was sound asleep before
his head touched the pillow.

The way that little guy goes
all day, I'm not surprised.

Another piece of pie?

Oh... No, I've had two, already!

That's a handsome
pie, Mrs. Campbell.

Lisa.

I've always been
partial to rhubarb pie.

Never found anyone who could
make it as well as Ann up till now.

Ann your sister?

My wife.

I didn't know you were married.

I'm not. It was over
a long time ago.

You never remarried?

No, I had too much wandering
to do. That's no life for a woman.

Now you, that's
a different story.

I don't think I know
what you mean.

You're young. You're pretty.

And you're a widow.

You've got a son.

You've got a farm you're dead set
on keeping and you can't do it alone.

It's time you started
thinking about a husband.

I think it's a little
too soon for that.

Now, how did I get on that
subject? That's much too serious.

Yes.

Yes, it's much too serious.

Come on, have another piece
of pie. It's gonna go to waste.

Go to waste with Kenny in there? He
could eat the whole thing by himself.

Yeah, maybe you're right.

Was it very long before you
stopped missing your wife?

A long time.

I guess maybe that's
why I started wandering.

Sometimes I still miss her.

Yes.

Thank you for telling me.

- I'd better get these dishes.
- Let me help.

No, no. You've got
a long ride home.

Come on.

Somebody tied
this across the trail

just high enough to
knock a rider off his horse.

They must have done it
sometime late last night.

Came along the trail in the
afternoon, it wasn't there then.

It's new.

Anybody bought it in Virginia City,
Mr. Thompson ought to know who it was.

The only thing he knows
about is local gossip.

Yeah, but why was it done?

If that's somebody's
idea of a joke

they'd have to stay around
and watch to enjoy it.

I didn't see anyone
around there.

Those tracks were
on that trail out there,

nobody ever uses except when
they're coming here to the house.

No, it wasn't done
for a joke, Candy.

I think you'd better
be very careful.

Where's Kenny?

He's, uh... with Mrs. Pardee.

I didn't want to bring
him here to the grave.

He thinks Jim's just gone away.

I guess he misses his father.

A little.

Now.

He'll forget after a while.

They do at that age, you know.

Maybe after a while I will, too.

It's been such a short while.

I can't even remember
what Jim's voice sounded like.

I loved him, Candy,
and I can't remember.

That doesn't mean there's
anything wrong with you.

But I loved him.

I know.

Please forgive me.

I didn't mean to embarrass you.

You didn't embarrass me.

But you got my shirt
a little soggy, though.

We'd better get back.
I have to get Kenny.

Mrs. Pardee will want
to get back to her family.

- Where's Mrs. Pardee?
- Oh, well, she left Kenny with us.

Said something about not having
any more time to wait for you.

She flew out of here with all her
feathers ruffled the wrong way.

I don't understand.

She went to the
cemetery looking for you.

She came back, just left the
boy with us and walked off.

- Hello.
- I brought you dinner.

Oh, Candy, you
didn't have to do that.

What have you got
behind the door?

Oh, that's just a little something
I picked up along the trail.

- What is it?
- Nothing you'd be interested in.

But what?

Oh, Candy, they're beautiful.

Isn't that just like a
woman every time?

The pretty over the
practical. This is dinner, eat.

You can't eat flowers.

Nobody ever gave
me flowers before.

I never gave anyone
flowers before.

There's a hole in the
north fence. I'll get to it.

You don't want any deer wandering
around trampling down your new crop.

I'll put these in water. They'll
look beautiful on the table at dinner.

All from the Ponderosa, huh?

I felt sure Mrs. Campbell
would be having some.

She's been sending a
lot of letters out lately.

Mrs. Campbell doesn't need you
to mind her business or her mail.

See here, Mr. Canaday, it's my job
to read what's written on these letters.

How do you think I can
stamp them right, anyway?

And then there's
the proper charge.

Call it whatever you want, just keep
your nose on that side of the counter.

Kenny.

Candy!

Hiya, buddy.

Kenny, I think you'd
better get down.

Sure is nice of Canaday to
help out the widow like he does.

Ain't that a picture?

Course, it used to be
her husband did that.

Three dollars and a nickel b*llet and
Canaday's got himself a lady friend.

Shut up, Devlin. Shut up!

- Goes to prove I'm right.
- Candy, please.

I don't blame you, Canaday.
She's a good-lookin' woman.

Get in the wagon. I'll
get your supplies. Go on.

Kenny, now change your clothes.

Now, why can't you
come out here anymore?

I didn't say that. I said it'd be
better if I didn't come out as much.

But why?

The planting's done,
the repairs are finished.

I don't have to be
out here all the time.

The Cartwrights are paying me, Lisa.
They expect me to work for it, for them.

I know, Candy. I know.
They've been very kind.

But we need you.

That's another thing
we have to talk about.

Don't you want to
see us anymore?

Yes, I do, and I will.

My coming out here so often doesn't
look good to those waggle-tongues in town.

Oh, it's only a few.

I know, and they're gossips.
Everyone knows it, but they do listen.

- Well, I don't care what they say.
- Yes, you do.

You cared when I had to flatten
Devlin just now to shut him up.

At least he talks out loud. What about
the ones who talk behind your back?

They're the ones that really hurt,
and you're too easily hurt now, Lisa.

You've got Kenny to think of.

What'll we do?

I'll come out on
Saturdays and we'll...

If there's any heavy work
to be done I'll do it then.

We've gotten used to having
you around here... Me and Kenny.

I know.

It's gonna be a long
time till Saturday.

- What are you doing here?
- Came out to see you.

You're drunk. Now,
get off my land now.

You don't mean that.

Just 'cause a fella had a little
nip, you wanna run him off?

I'm warning you,
get out of here.

Ha. Bet you don't
run off that Canaday.

Get off me!

Stay right there!

You ain't gonna sh**t me.

I wouldn't bet on
that. Now leave.

I'm betting that ain't loaded.

Well, you're just gonna have
to take your chances, mister.

Now, come here! I
ain't gonna hurt you.

You might even get to like me!

Come here! Come here, you...

You got no stake
in this, Cartwright.

Maybe not, but let's go see
what the sheriff has to say.

- No!
- Ma'am?

If you do that, everybody
in town will hear about it.

Well... You just want to let him
walk off, is that what you want?

- Please.
- Get outta here, Devlin.


Go on.


- He's likely to come back, ma'am.
- Oh, I don't think so.

Next time, I'm gonna
see that my g*n's loaded!

I hope you understand, Hoss.

There's been so much
talk about this already.

I'm hoping this way he'll be a little
too embarrassed to say much about it.

Well, I hope so, for
your sake, ma'am.

Forgive me, I haven't
even said thank you.

Guess it's lucky for me you
were coming by when you did.

I wasn't just happening by, ma'am. As
a matter of fact, I was on my way over.

Candy said that you might
need some help today,

so I thought I'd come
down and volunteer.

Well, how come he didn't come?

Well, the doctor wouldn't let
him. Candy had a little hard luck.

Fella took a potshot at him,
just grazed him here in the arm.

Nothing serious, but the
doctor won't let him out.

He's lucky. He
could've been k*lled.

Lisa, what's the matter?

Hoss told me you'd been sh*t.

Is that all? Don't let this
thing fool you. It's not serious.

- It's not Devlin.
- I know that.

It was a gunfighter.

I don't know what kind of game
he's playing with you, but he's serious.

How do you know all this?

He's Jim's brother.

I asked him to
come here to k*ll you.

I wrote a letter
before the inquest.

All I could think of
was that you'd k*lled Jim

and I wasn't going to
let you go unpunished.

It was the letter you
picked up and mailed.

I didn't know you, Candy.

All right.

All right, I understand
why you did it.

Lucky for you, you had
a gunman in the family.

Jim and I hadn't seen
Jake in over five years.

I wasn't even sure
I could reach him.

After you came to
help us I realized

I was only trying to hurt
you to make up for losing Jim.

I wrote and tried to stop Jake.

I thought I reached him
in time, but I guess I didn't.

Candy, I'm sorry.

So am I.

You should have tried
to k*ll me yourself, Lisa.

It's more honest, anyway.

I thought you ought
to know about Jake.

I don't know where he is, but at
least now you can be on your guard.

So I can go hide in the bunkhouse until
you call him off, if you can find him?

- No, thanks.
- Candy, he's gonna k*ll you!

Isn't that what you wanted?

Isn't it?

No.

No, not any more.

But I don't expect
you to believe me now.

Thank you, Mr. Scully.

No one in town by that
name, Mrs. Campbell.

Well, I'm sure you're
quite right, Mrs. Pardee,

since you seem to know
everything about everybody in town.

But you don't mind if I leave
it there, just to confuse you?

Here we are.

Good to be home, huh?

You wanted me?

Kenny, why don't you go
inside and wash up, OK?

Hurry along, now.

How long have you been here?

In town?

Or around here, watching you
cuddling with the man who m*rder*d Jim?

You had no right to spy on me.

Afraid I'd see something
you didn't want me to know?

- It's not like that, Jake.
- That's the way it looked.

- I sent you a letter.
- I got it.

Then what are you doing here?
I told you I'd changed my mind.

You changed your mind?

Canaday sh*t Jim
down, left you and the boy.

And all had to do was come
around here sweet-talking

and you changed your mind?

Well, sweet sister-in-law,
I ain't changed mine.

You were right to send for me.

Maybe Jim didn't mean
all that much to you.

That's a lie, and you know it.

Yeah?

Is that why Canaday's
all but moved in,

and Jim only dead a month?

Jake, you don't understand.

Look, when I wrote
to you I was upset.

I was grieving so much for Jim, I
didn't even know what I was doing.

I just wanted to get even.

Far as I'm concerned, that's
the only thing you ever did right.

I don't care how you
changed your mind or why,

but that boyfriend of
yours k*lled my brother.

- No, Jake!
- He k*lled Jim.

Now it's his turn.

Well, you know,
she lost her husband.

You've got to consider the
shock, the deep distress.

I... I agree it was wrong, but I can
understand why she wrote the letter.

How do you feel about it?

I'm not sure.

It's a little strange when someone
you think is a friend wants you dead.

Well, in a moment of anger,
yes, but that's long gone.

I realize that now.

I guess I was a little rough
on her when she told me.

Candy, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm
sorry. I was angry.

Come in, come in.

Candy, Jake was here.

I tried to talk to him, but
he's determined to k*ll you.

Don't you worry about it. I'm
gonna take care of it myself.

What I need now is an
exact description of him.

Get down! Get down!

- Get over here against the wall, quick.
- Kenny, stay down.

- Stay down. Come on.
- Stay low.

Get over in that corner.

Kenny, get down!

Canaday!

Come outta there!

Canaday, you hear me?

If you don't want those others to
get hurt, you better come outta there.

- Candy, let me try to talk to him.
- You tried that.

Maybe I can make him listen now.

Jake!

Jake, I know you don't care what
happens to me, but Kenny's in here!

He's Jim's son!

So much for that.

- Can you spot him?
- Not from here.

When I tell you, wave
that in front of the window.

Not bad, Canaday.

But not good enough!
You'd better come outta there.

- If I don't?
- That house is gonna look like a sieve!

Lisa and Kenny are in here.

They don't mean a thing to me.

You got two minutes
to come outta there!

Why? He's your
own brother-in-law.

He saw us together. He
thinks I didn't love Jim.

I'm going out. I'll circle out the
back door, run toward the barn.

Candy, be careful.

I'll try.

Canaday!

Drop it.

Why didn't you
sh**t me in the back?

This is gonna be
self-defense, if anybody asks.

No, your turn, Campbell. Get up.

- Candy?
- It's all right, Lisa. Get some rope.

You were lucky you
had help, ranch hand.

Get up!

Come in.

You said you needed some time
to think. It's been several days.

I did some thinking.

Kenny and I are leaving tomorrow.
I found a job over in Morgan county.

It's actually working
out quite nice.

Ed Randolph said he'd take the
farm on shares along with his own.

He's gonna take care
of the house, the barn.

Why?

Why, Lisa?

It's too much work for a woman.

I can't expect you to go
on helping me forever.

Helping's not the
word I had in mind.

I wanna marry you, Lisa.

No.

- Candy, it's too soon for that.
- Take your time. There's no rush.

Take all the time you want.

I'm the woman who sent for a
man to m*rder you, remember?

All right, you were
hurt, you were upset.

You wanted revenge.

You're human, Lisa. You made a
mistake. Show me someone who hasn't.

I made a very big mistake.

All right, but it's over
and it's behind us.

That's no reason to run, Lisa.
That's exactly what you're doing.

Yes, Candy, I'm running.

I'm running from
everything I want.

But there is no way in
the world it's gonna work.

We love each other.
We'll make it work.

No. No, Candy, just accept it.

No!

Tell me.

Kenny is five years old.

And every day he
asks me when his father,

his real father, is coming back.

If we got married,

what would happen
when he's 12 years old

and he asks me what
happened to his father?

What would I tell him?

That I k*lled him.

And that would
destroy all of this.

I'm sorry.

Betty Randolph is coming
over to help me finish packing.

Walk in sunshine.

Always.

Hiya, partner.
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