Slim Pickens debuts as the charming yet roguish mountaineer Jim Leyton in his first appearance on the show. Injured in a jailbreak attempt, Jim’s path crosses with Hoss Cartwright’s when he tries to steal Hoss’s horse before collapsing from his wounds. Upon regaining consciousness, Jim attempts to shift blame onto Hoss for a murder he claims innocence of. As suspicions swirl, Hoss takes on the responsibility of proving their innocence while also managing the troublesome Jim, who is now under his parole custody. Bing Russell, later known for his recurring role as Deputy Clem, portrays the Sheriff in this episode. Penned by Arnold Belgard, “Half a Rogue” originally aired on January 27, 1963.

Explore the episode’s storyline and intriguing details, or enjoy the entire episode by watching it below.

Watch the Full Episode of Half a Rogue

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Main Cast

Half a Rogue, the eighteenth episode of Bonanza in its fourth season, features recurring and supporting cast members. The following actors are in this episode:

• Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
• Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
• Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
• Slim Pickens as Big Jim Leyton
• John Milford as Cal Stacy
• Judson Pratt as Jeb Nelson
• Bing Russell as Deputy Clem Foster
• Victor Sen Yung as Hop Sing
• John Breen as Barfly (uncredited)
• Jack Hendricks as Barfly (uncredited)
• Cosmo Sardo as Bartender (uncredited)

Full Story Line for Half a Rogue

The mischievous hillbilly, Jim Leyton, causes trouble by attempting to steal Hoss’s horse following his escape from jail. In a desperate move, Jim tries to shift the blame for the murder onto Hoss. With Jim now under parole custody, Hoss must clear his name while navigating Jim’s troublesome antics.

Full Script and Dialogue of Half a Rogue

♪♪

Mister, you just scared
a year's growth out of me.

Shut up and get
off of that horse.

Just what do you got in mind?

I want your horse.

Well, now, you ain't got

the politest way in the
world of asking for it.

Quit jawing and
get off of that horse.

No, I don't believe I will,


 


unless you think
you're man enough

to come down
here and pull me off.

I don't have to come down there.

I can shoot you
out of that saddle

from right here a
dang sight easier.

You mean you would actually
shoot a man just for a horse?

I declare, outside of me,
you're about the talkin'est person

I ever seen.

Now, I'm just gonna
give you a count of three

to get off of that horse.

One... two...

♪♪

All right, little man.

Here we go.


 


Put me down, or
I'll slit your throat!

Later, maybe.

Right now back into bed.

I'll tear you apart
with my bare hands.

Look, you may be a
wildcat when you're well,

but right now you ain't
got enough strength

to... to fight a sick rabbit.

Maybe some of Hop
Sing's stew will fix that up.

What's all these fancy diggings?

This is the Ponderosa ranch.

This is where I live with
my pa and two brothers.

How'd I get here?

Well... after you tried

to shoot me off of my
horse and steal him,

you passed out
from that leg wound,

and I brought you here.

Doctor in Virginia City
dug that out of your leg.

Got to give me my clothes
and get me on my horse.

- I got to get out of here!
- If you ain't

the orneriest creature
I ever run into!

Would you've liked it
better if I'd left you out there

- on the trail to have died?
- I'd have left you.

You're a liar.

Nobody calls me that!

If I was able to walk
around, why, I'd...

But you can't walk, and
you ain't gonna be able to

for a couple of weeks.

The doctor said
very few men could've

lived through what
you went through.

You're a tough one, all right.

I am, so don't you
go calling me no liar.

I'll go get that stew.

Maybe it'll help
your disposition.

By the way, what's your name?

Jim.

Smith.

All right.

Jim, stew coming up.

♪♪

How's your patient?

Aw, he's just as cantankerous
as he was out on the trail.

Hop Sing!

- Yes, Mr. Hoss?
- Hop Sing, do me a favor, will you?

Take a bowl of that
good stew of yours

up there to the sick man...
He's powerful hungry.

- All right, Mr. Hoss.
- Uh, Hop Sing?

You might better
make it a double portion.

Yes, sir... Just
like you, Mr. Hoss.

Right.

Uh, what are you gonna do
with that big moose, Hoss?

Yeah, we kind of
missed you today.

Lifting all them fence
rails sort of tired me out.

Well, he ain't gonna be
here long, and that's for sure.

He tried to talk me into
tying him onto a horse

so he could ride out of here.

Sure does seem to be in a
hurry to get away, doesn't he?

First he tries to steal
your horse, and...

I'd be careful of
him if I were you.

I can handle him, Pa.

What happened to him?

Who is he, anyway?

Well, all he told me was
that his name was Jim Smith.

Mm, Smith! There's
an unusual name.

Well, I wouldn't
suggest you go around

calling him a
liar, little brother.

Well, if I do, I'll
stand behind you.

♪♪

♪♪

You big, cantankerous,
hardheaded bull.

I'm getting dad-blamed
tired of packing you around.

- Howdy, Cal.
- Hi, Ben.

You know my lawyer, Jed Nelson?

- Certainly.
- Howdy.

- My son, Hoss.
- How do you do, Mr. Cartwright?

Well... why don't we go in
the house, have some coffee?

No, no, thanks, Ben.

We're out here on
urgent business.

Oh. Well, what can I do for you?

We understand you've
got a wounded man in there.

The doc told us.

Oh. Yeah, he sure is
wounded. Jim Smith.

Jim Smith?

That's Jim Leyton.

No, he says his
name is Jim Smith.

I don't care what he
says; it's Jim Leyton.

Name's got quite a
reputation behind it.

Well, you can add
two more words to it:

thief and a murderer.

How do you figure that?

Because he stole
$10,000 worth of my pelts

and killed my partner
to cover up for it.

Those are pretty strong
accusations, Mr. Stacy.

Can you prove 'em?

As Mr. Stacy's lawyer,
perhaps I can explain.

Mr. Stacy's in a
partnership with a fur trader

out of St. Louis by the
name of Amos Carter.

He invested rather
heavily with him

in an expedition to gather
beaver pelts from up north.

And they hired this Jim
Leyton as a hunter and a scout.

So, yesterday he dragged
himself into Virginia City

claiming that they
were attacked by Paiutes

and that Carter had been killed.

Well, when I found
Jim yesterday,

he had a bullet in his own leg.

I know. I helped a
deputy put it there,

when he broke jail.

So if you'll just
turn him over to us,

we'll take him back
to Virginia City and see

if we can get to the bottom of
what happened to Amos Carter.

No, no.

First place, he's too
badly wounded to move.

All right, we'll get the
sheriff and make it official.

I don't see why
you want to protect

a thievin',
murderin' half-breed.

That's enough, Mr. Stacy.

We'll do this through
legal channels.

Good day.

Pa, do you think I
did the right thing?

Yeah, you did the right thing.

The man is too badly
wounded to be moved.

Yeah, old Jim's a legend
in his own time, ain't he?

Yeah, well, the trouble
with being a legend

is that a man is
liable to outdo himself

trying to live up to it.

- Let's get to work.
- If you don't mind,

I'm gonna go up and talk to Jim.

I'll be back in a minute.

I want to ask you something.

Did you break out
of jail in Virginia City?

There ain't a jail in the world

can hold Jim Leyton when
he sets his mind to get out of it.

Last night...

you told me your
name was Jim Smith.

Last night I wanted
to get out of here

and you wouldn't let me!

You ever lie to me again
I'll beat you to a pulp

the first time you're
able to stand up.

Why don't you just go stick
your head in a rain barrel

if you can find one
small enough to fit it!

Anyhow, what do you care
what happens to a half-breed?

Jim, when that doctor and I
took the slug out of your leg...

your blood looked the same
as everybody else's to me.

♪♪

- Howdy, Hoss.
- Clem.

Glad to see you.

- Want some coffee?
- No, thanks.

I was just getting ready
to come out to your ranch.

Yeah, I know... that's...
that's why I came in here.

About Jim Leyton, huh?

Yeah.

Clem, how come you
had to throw Jim in jail?

Just because Cal
Stacy asked you to?

Hoss, if I hadn't
known you for so long,

I might take offense
at that remark.

- I'm sorry.
- I put him in jail

for his own protection.

Stacy was kind of riled up.

I don't trust any man,

especially when
there's $10,000 at stake.

Clem, let me ask you something.

Do you think that Jim
Leyton stole those pelts?

I don't know, Hoss.

I got my men
scouting the country,

looking for Amos Carter,
and I'm reserving judgment

until we find him or not

or find some evidence
of what happened to him.

But until then, I want
Jim Leyton to stick around,

even if I have to put double
bars on his cell door this time.

Sheriff, Cal here said he saw
Mr. Cartwright coming into town,

so we thought we'd drop over.

Have you decided to give
him up, Mr. Cartwright?

Nope.

I just came in to tell Clem

that I thought Jim
was too sick to move.

Besides,

Jim Leyton tells me he
didn't kill Amos Carter.

Just his saying so

doesn't make it absolutely
true, Mr. Cartwright.

Nope, and just
because you say he did

doesn't make that
absolutely true, either,

Mr. Nelson.

Everybody knows what he's like.

His mother's a Crow Indian.

He even brags about spilling
some white man's blood.

He's got jail records
all over the country.

Still doesn't mean that
he killed Amos Carter.

Well, I think he did,
and I think he's got

$10,000 worth of pelts
cached away somewhere.

He denied that, Cal.

Sure he did.

Jim Leyton would deny a
hundred things for a dollar,

let alone $10,000
worth of pelts.

Well, until I get some evidence
either on Carter or the furs,

it's your word against his, huh?

You mean you're gonna let him
stay out there at the Ponderosa?

Hoss says he's too
sick to be moved.

I do think he'd be
safer in jail, Sheriff.

Well, I think he'd be
safer on the ranch.

You got my word for it,
he ain't gonna get away.

Well, what makes you think

that your word is good
enough, Cartwright?

It's good enough for me.

I'm putting Jim
Leyton in Hoss' custody

until we find out
about Amos Carter,

one way or another.

Good day, gentlemen.

Thanks, Clem.

You don't have to worry about me

letting him get away either.

Oh, I'm not worried
about you, Hoss.

I just hope you're
right about Jim Leyton.

Thanks again, Clem.

So, when I was in town today,

the doctor gave me
this medicine for you,

and you're gonna take it.

I don't want your medicine,

and I don't want none
of your dang protection.

Anyhow, what gives you
the right to tell the sheriff

that you'd be
responsible for me?

Jim, let me ask you something.

How would you like it...

Do you want
to sit in a jail cell

until they find Amos Carter?

I don't have to
sit in no jail cell.

I don't have to stay here.

Once I get to the mountains,

why, there ain't
nobody can find me.

Now you listen to me.

If you leave here
before this thing's settled,

you'll be running like an
animal the rest of your life.

Well, there's a lot of people
think of me as an animal anyhow,

so what difference does it make?

Oh, shut up and
take this medicine.

I told you, I don't want to
take none of that medicine.

Look, Jim, when
I told the doctor

how you been getting up
out of bed and falling down,

now he's afraid you're
gonna bust that wound open

and get gangrene, and
if you do, it will kill you.

Now, you're gonna
take this medicine

whether you like it or not!

Why don't you take it yourself?

All right.

You want it the hard way,

you'll get it the
hard way, big boy.

Why, you... You son of a gun.

Get away from me, you big ox!

Get out of here.

You're gonna take this medicine

- Get out of here!
- If I have to stick it...

I was just trying to get him
to take his medicine, Pa.

You better tell this big ox

to leave me alone or
I'm gonna pound him

on top of the head
till he ain't two feet tall

in his high heel boots.

Well,

it's a good thing I built this
house out of strong timber.

Now, do you think you
two could take it easy

before you go through the
floor into Hop Sing's soup?

You fellas sure live high
on the hog around here.

I don't know when I've ever

had grub taste as
good as that did tonight.

Yeah, well, Hop Sing, you
sure outdid yourself tonight.

Thank you, Mr. Ben.

Too bad Adam and
Little Joe weren't here.

Although, after
watching you two eat,

I guess there wouldn't have
been anything left for them anyway.

I'll tell you something, Pa.

It's a real pleasure to
have somebody in the house

that makes me feel dainty.

Sometimes it ain't no pleasure

being a big man, is it, Hoss?

You know,

I've been a-battlin'
men all my life

just 'cause they wanted to
knock me down a little bit.

You, uh, sure picked
a rough life for yourself.

Jim, what made you decide

to become a mountain man?

Well, it wasn't exactly
my own choosing.

Yeah?

After they tarred
and feathered me

and run me out of town,

why, I figured that,

well, maybe living in town
wasn't for people like me.

They tarred and feathered you?

Yeah, you know how
it is when you're a kid.

They teach you
that if you do good,

why, you get your just reward?

Well, I did good.

I did real good.

I went and crippled a
feller for beating a horse,

and, well, they tarred
and feathered me

and run me out of town.

Guess that's when I learned
that rewards for white people

and half-breeds was
two different things.

Yeah.

Civilized white man.

You know, a red man
can be just as bad.

I learned that
when I went to live

with my mother's
folks, the Crows.

After the Paiutes
killed her in a raid,

why, I found out that,

well, I'd run out
of places to go.

So, I just pulled up stakes

and went to the mountains.

You know, living alone

in the mountains
ain't a bad life.

Well, no man can
live alone, Jim,

standing up against the world.

Well, I can.

Well, you don't have to,

'cause we ain't the world, Jim.

We're your friends.

Now, don't you speak
too fast, big feller.

That Cal says that
I killed white men.

Well, I have.

When I lived with the Crows,

I killed more than my share
of them fighting their battles.

I come close to being
lynched more than once.

I been in jail in
three different states

and two territories.

As near as I can remember,

I've killed at least three
men in showdown fights.

You know, being
friends to a man like me

ain't no easy proposition.

I don't need your help.

Like I told you, I can
take care of myself.

That ought to hold us till
about noon anyway, Adam.

Better start riding that fence.

- We'll see you, Pa.
- Hmm.

How about you?
You riding with us?

I got that wagon wheel to fix

over there on that
freighter, Adam.

Well, - I have a lot
of paperwork to do.

Jim, you got something
to keep you busy?

Oh, I'll stick around
with ol' Hoss here.

Give him a little
advice if he needs it.

Well, he could sure use it.

Change of scenery
would do you good, too.

I'll tell you
what, little feller,

let's check out these
crutches I made for you.

Sure hope you built them
strong enough to hold me up.

Well, they was before
you had breakfast.

How much would a
rig like this cost a man?

Oh, about $200 in Virginia City.

With or without horses?

Well, a good,
strong team of horses

cost a man another
$400, I imagine.

You mean to tell me
that it'd cost me, uh...

$700 to drive
out of Virginia City

in an outfit like this?

Yeah, maybe even more,

the way prices are going up.

Whew.

You know,

if you'd told me that
you could shrink iron,

I'd have had to call you a liar.

Well, it's a good thing
you didn't, little man,

'cause if you had, you know
what I'd have had to done?

I'd have had to
stuck your tongue

right down on that hot iron.

Just as soon as I
get off these sticks,

I reckon I'm gonna
have to show you

who's the king of the
mountain around here.

Well, I'm gonna be
waiting, little feller,

don't you worry about that.

$700.

Man, that's an
awful lot of money

for a feller to
lay his hands on,

especially if he
has to do it honest.

Yep.

But it could cost
you a whole lot more

if you tried to do it otherwise.

Hey.

That was mighty close, friend.

What did I tell you about
being friends with me?

You stuck that thing in
there and inch and a half.

Yep, I'm a little rusty.

Yeah, well, I think

I'd rather take my
chances with a six-shooter.

After that puny breakfast
we had this morning,

I gathered some walnuts.

You want some? Whoops.

Hey.

Let's see you hit that.

Hey.

Wow.

Wouldn't be much good
for skinning, would it?

I don't use it for skinning.

I got another knife for that.

You know, prime beaver
takes special handling.

Kind of like you and
this here wagon wheel.

You figuring on going
after more beaver

when your leg gets well, Jim?

Yep, if I can find me
a big enough wagon

and a stout enough
team to pull it.

You got to have a wagon
and a team to trap beaver?

No, but I'm sure
gonna need a rig

if I catch up with them Injuns

that went and stole that
load from me and Mr. Carter.

Yeah.

You just remember one thing.

I promised that sheriff
that you'd stay here

till he let you go.

That's what you
told me, little man.

What do you want, Cal?

Just came out to make
sure he's still around.

Easy, Jim. Easy.

- Easy.
- I'll carve a smile

across his throat
from ear to ear.

He's the one that went
and shot me in the leg.

You're lucky it
was only your leg.

Of course that way,
you'll be able to still tell us

where you hid them pelts.

Why don't you ask them Paiutes?

Look, Cal,

now, you've seen
what you came to see.

Why don't you just clear out?

What are you so
touchy about, Cartwright?

You make a deal with him

to split those pelts
when he goes after 'em?

You're asking to get hurt, Cal.

If I wasn't a-hobbling
around on these,

why, I'd pinch your head off.

If I had it to do over again,

I'd shoot both your legs.

Jim! Jim! No, Jim!

Stop it, Jim!

Tell you, he should
have stayed in jail.

- Okay, yeah, come on.
- He's an animal.

Get out of here.

Why'd you do that, you big ox?

'Cause you'd have
killed him, that's why.

Sure, I'd have killed him.

I'm a finisher.

Any man that fights
Jim Leyton knows that.

Well, you better be glad
you didn't finish off Cal Stacy.

I told you once before that
I can fight my own battles.

Now, help me up here.

Well, I can see right now,
Jim, that one of these days,

I'm just gonna have to plain
beat the orneriness out of you.

Yeah, and when you try it,

remember what I said
about being a finisher.

I get it, Mr. Cartwright.

Good morning, Sheriff.

- Good morning, Clem. Good to see you.
- Thank you.

Hop Sing was just, uh,
getting me some coffee.

- Will you join me?
- Yes, I guess I will.

- I get it.
- Come on, sit down.

Thank you.

Now, to what do we owe
the pleasure of this visit?

Well, you, uh, still got
that Jim Leyton here?

Oh, yeah, yeah, just like
Hoss promised... he's here.

Hobbling around
on those crutches,

he couldn't get very far anyway.

What's on your mind?

I got bad news for him.

Oh?

We found Amos Carter
in the middle of nowhere

and shot in the back.

Hmm.

Well.

You figure, uh... you
figure Jim shot him?

I don't know, Ben.

But it gives Cal Stacy
just what he needs

to get a warrant out
for Leyton's arrest.

Matter of fact, both
of them are over

at Judge Flenniken's
office right now.

Clem... how come you, uh...

you didn't wait for that warrant
before you came out here?

Well, I thought maybe
if he came in voluntarily,

it might go better for him.

That's real thoughtful of you.

Boys went out working
the range this morning.

Jim went out in
the wagon with 'em.

Guess he got tired of
looking at these four walls

all the time.

I'll, uh... I'll ride out and
tell him you want to see him.

All right.

I hope you can
get him to come in.

Yeah.

So do I.

Hmm. Strange man.

Yeah.

Ben?

If he doesn't come in, you know
I'll have to come out after him.

Yeah.

Yeah, I know, Clem.

Thank you.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Oh, Hop Sing, me and old
Hoss forgot our noon day meal,

and I come back after it.

Mr. Cartwright looking
for you and Mr. Hoss.

He go south range. You see him?

No. Uh, that's where Adam
and Little Joe's working.

What did he want?

Sheriff... he come.

He say they find
Mr. Carter's body.

Want you go to town.

Mr. Carter's dead, huh?

You sure?

Very sure. Shot in back.

Is that right?

Uh, oh, when you fix that grub,

why, maybe you better
make enough for five.

We run into some other
fellas out there this morning.

All right, fix five more.

Good. Oh, uh, don't
take too long, huh?

Buh. Hyah.

You told Jim the sheriff was
looking for him, didn't you?

Yes, sir, and that you go
look for him in south pasture.

Yeah.

Hop Sing do right?

Yeah, you did right.

Thank you, Mr. Ben.

Thank you, Hop Sing. Thank you.

Well.

Looks like he
skedaddled, don't it?

Yup.

Sure does.

Maybe he had reason to.

Pa, do you think he
really killed Amos Carter?

I don't know, Hoss.

Killed a couple of other
fellas by his own admission.

Oh, but, Pa, in a fair fight...

Yeah, in a fair fight.

Now, he knew that you'd given
your word to keep him here,

and still, he skedaddled, hmm?

Yeah.

Mm.

Well, I'm gonna
go after him, too.

Huh. If he went up to
those mountains of his,

you're not gonna find him.

He didn't go up
to the mountains.

Now, how can you
be so sure of that?

'Cause he told me

if he could ever lay hands
on a wagon and team,

he was going after those
Indians and those pelts,

and that's where he is.

Hoss, how can you be so
sure that he didn't kill Carter?

Well, first of all, Pa, he
couldn't kill a man to steal.

And secondly, Jim would
never shoot a man in the back.

Hoss, I know how
you feel about him,

but he's a dangerous man.

Yup.

But I gave my word, Pa,
that he wouldn't get away,

and I'm gonna go get him.

He ain't big enough to stop me.

You get Hop Sing to get
me some grub together.

I'm gonna go out
and get a fresh pony.

♪♪

Hyah.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Howdy, Jim.

Howdy, big feller.

You got enough grub
there for an extra?

Yeah. You never can tell
when friends is gonna drop in.

Pull up a chair.

You'd have got here
a couple hours earlier,

you could have helped
me load my pelts.

Well, sir, if you'd have invited
me back at the Ponderosa,

I'd have been happy to.

Help yourself.

Looks like good stew.

Want some coffee?

No, thank you.

All right, out with it.

What are you doing out here?

Jim,

how many times
have you told me that...

the Indians stole these pelts?

Well, they'd have done it, too,

if... if I hadn't
have hid 'em first.

What are you figuring
on doing with them?

I'm gonna take 'em to
Kansas City and sell 'em.

Jim, I got no mind to use
this, but I will if I have to.

I had to get the drop on you

because you're so blamed
fast with that frog sticker.

I told you once before, Hoss.

Don't you never
start nothing with me

unless you're a finisher.

Well, why don't you try me out

and find out
whether or not I am?

My bare hands against that gun?

Against my bare hands.

Now I know why you
come up here all alone.

You want to find out who's
the king of the mountain.

These pelts, Jim...
They come first.

You mean, you
want 'em for yourself?

If I can whoop you,

we'll take 'em back to the ranch

and let my pa judge
what to do with 'em.

Ain't no way you can whoop me.

All right. If you whip me,

then you get on this
wagon, and you head east,

and I'll claim I never
caught up with you.

Bargain?

There ain't nothing that's
gonna stop me short of murder.

Now, hold on.

Don't get in no rush.

I don't hold with
fighting on a full stomach.

All right.

First thing in the morning?

It's gonna be a little dandy.

Yeah.

No hard feelings, Jim.

No hard feelings.

Aah!

♪♪

Well, at least... you look like
you've been in a fight anyhow.

You ought to see
yourself, big feller.

When you gonna head east, Jim?

I ain't a-heading east.

You ain't?

You earned the right.

I wish I could,

but I finally found a
man that I couldn't whup.

That you couldn't whup?

I just happened to
come to before you did.

Hoss, I ain't never
gonna lie to you again.

Jim.

Did you kill Amos Carter?

No, I never, but Cal Stacy

and that lawyer of
his is sure gonna try

to make it stick that I did.

Don't you worry.

You'll get a fair trial,

and you taking those
pelts back in on your own...

That's gonna help.

I don't believe
that, Hoss, but...

you're the king of the mountain.

Let's go.

Well, that does it, let's go.

Jim... I've been
doing a little thinking.

You sure do things the hard way.

Yeah.

Now, Amos Carter was killed...
Shot in the back, mind you.

Now, you didn't kill him

and you say you
chased the Indians off

a-an hour or so after he left.

What are you driving at anyhow?

Just this...

If you didn't kill him and
the Indians didn't kill him,

then who did kill him?

Well, maybe somebody that
stood to make some money

out of him being dead.

That's exactly right.

Like Cal Stacy.

Hey, you've got
muscles in your head.

It don't take muscles to figure
that Cal Stacy'd be the only man

to benefit from his
death and yours,

and that's how come
he's been accusing you so.

Hey, maybe we'd
better have a little talk

with that gentleman, huh?

Hyah...

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Well, came to your
senses, Cartwright.

Brought him back, huh?

Must have been
quite a battle doing it.

No, no, no battle.

Matter of fact, when we
learned who killed Amos Carter,

why, ol' Jim came in
as peaceful as a dove.

We know who killed Carter.

Get over to the sheriff and
tell him that Leyton is here.

Why, Cal, now, you know
dad-gum good and well,

the sheriff is out there

scouring the whole
countryside for us now.

But he's looking in the
wrong place, ain't he?

I'll tell you what, Mr. Nelson,

you go on over there
and you wait for the sheriff,

and when you see
him, you tell him

that me and Jim's
got Mr. Carter's killer

all plucked,
dressed and cleaned.

You heard him, git.

- Think I'll go with him.
- Oh, no, no, no, you won't.

Matter of fact, that's why
Jim and me came into town.

We want to talk to you,
Cal, kind of private-like.

Why don't we move over
here to this other table?

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

- Just what do you think you're doing?
- Sit down, sit down.

I'll tell you, Cal.

Me and ol' Jim ain't
much on talking,

especially when there's
something we want to hear.

Right, Jim?

Now, why don't you just tell
us how you killed Amos Carter?

You two must have beat
each other senseless.

I don't know what you're
talking about. Just let me out...

Sit down.

Look, I'm a free citizen,
I can do as I please.

You're a murderer.

You know, Jim, I saw
a funny thing one time.

I saw a couple of
cowboys get into a scrape.

And you know what they done?

One of 'em took his
boot heel just like this

and he came down just like
this on that feller's instep... boom!

He crippled that poor
feller so he hobbled around

the rest of his natural life.

- Aah!
- You won't need this no more.

You know, Hoss,

it's real interesting
what a feller can learn

just from watching other people,

like you watching that
cowboy with the busted foot.

I lived with the Crows
for quite a while,

and they taught me
all about scalping.

Ain't never had a chance
to use that lesson yet.

Tell you what, Jim.

Wouldn't be fair for me and you

to tear up ol' Bill's
saloon here with Cal,

so I'll cut the cards with you
to see who takes him outside.

No, you take him, Hoss.

I got a terrible temper,
and, well, it'd just be our luck,

winding up with nobody to
try for Mr. Carter's murder.

But, Jim, Cal here accused you.

I think it'd be fairer
if you took him.

No... all right, go on, cut 'em.

You rascal, you, you
beat me fair and square.

Well, you go ahead
and take him, Jim,

and I'll just hang around
here and wait for you.

This ain't gonna take too long.

Come on, partner.

Wait a minute, what
are you gonna do?

Now, Cal, if you don't
know that by now,

me and ol' Jim sure
have wasted a lot of telling.

Sure enough, ain't you got
something you'd like to tell us?

It was self-defense.

We quarreled over
the pelts and I shot him,

but it was self-defense.

He was shot in the back.

Your lawyer sure is
going to have a dandy time.

Well, Jim, he's yours.

Why don't you take him?

I ain't much good at
words right now and, well,

there ain't a whole lot of
people that I'd say this to,

but, you know, Hoss,
you're a real man,

almost my equal.

Almost your equal?

Why, you big, overgrown,
no-good-for-nothing...

All right, look, haven't you
two had enough of this?

Just 'cause this outsized
son of yours thinks

he whupped me
in a little ol' fight...

Little ol' fight?

It'll be nursing these
bruises for six months

from that little ol' fight.

Well, when you get
your health back,

why don't you come
on up to my mountains?

You know, this here low altitude
sure has been bad for my wind.

Jim, you have yourself
a good trip back,

and, uh, stay out of
the way of them Paiutes.

Thanks a lot, Mr. Cartwright.

Oh, say good-bye to Adam
and Little Joe for me, will you?

I sure will.

Uh, by the way,

when the sheriff
gives you my money,

why, just take out the
price of my horse and outfit.

Oh, never mind about that.

I'm going to charge
that to his account.

Jim, so long.

You know, Hoss, even from
up here, you're a big man.

Why, you no-good-for-nothing...!

I've been wanting
to do that myself.

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

Bonanza is a beautiful, family-friendly show for solo viewing and shared enjoyment. Half a Rogue marks the 118th episode out of the total 430 in the series. Bonanza, produced by NBC, aired on their network from September 1959 to January 1973, spanning 14 seasons.

You can find more about any of the 430 Bonanza episodes here>>