The hooded assailant responsible for the robbery and murder at the Goat Springs bank is revealed to be Adam Cartwright’s longtime friend, Bill Enders, portrayed by Jan Merlin. Despite Adam’s certainty of seeing Bill at the crime scene, another witness claims Bill was 90 miles away at the time of the incident. Unconvinced by this alibi, Adam takes it upon himself to investigate whether Bill could have covered the 180-mile distance to and from town in time to commit the crime. Additional cast members include Grace Gaynor as Mary Enders, Hal Baylor as Stewart, and Chubby Johnson as Toby Barker. Written by Ward Hawkins, The Ride premiered on January 21, 1962.

Explore the storyline, along with interesting trivia, or enjoy the entire episode by watching below.

Watch the Full Episode of The Ride

Watch the Full Episode of The Ride:

Main Cast

Apart from the main cast, “The Ride,” the eighteenth episode of Bonanza Season 3 presents various recurring and guest-supporting actors. The following individuals play prominent roles in the episode:

• Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
• Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
• Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
• Jan Merlin as Bill Enders
• Grace Gaynor as Mary Enders
• Ray Teal as Sheriff Roy Coffee
• Chubby Johnson as Toby Barker
• Hal Baylor as Arch Stewart
• Bob Harris as Sammy Yates
• John Bose as Townsman (uncredited)
• George Bruggeman as Townsman (uncredited)
• Bill Clark as Townsman (uncredited)
• Russell Custer as Townsman (uncredited)
• Betty Endicott as Brunette Saloon Girl (uncredited)
• Michael Jeffers as Townsman (uncredited)
• Ethan Laidlaw as Townsman (uncredited)
• Bob LaWandt as Townsman (uncredited)
• Wilbur Mack as Townsman (uncredited)
• Kermit Maynard as Townsman (uncredited)
• William Meader as Townsman (uncredited)
• Bob Miles as Jim Beckett (uncredited)
• Ernesto Molinari as Townsman (uncredited)
• Tony Regan as Townsman (uncredited)
• Cosmo Sardo as Bartender (uncredited)
• Bert Stevens as Townsman (uncredited)
• Bruno VeSota as Townsman (uncredited)

Full Story Line for The Ride

At sunrise, Adam lounges against the way station porch, his hat shielding his eyes as he sips coffee. Bantering with Toby Barker, the station manager, about fetching more coffee and the responsibilities of waiting on guests, their exchange is interrupted by the sudden arrival of two masked outlaws. With burlap bags concealing their identities, the bandits hijack Adam and Toby at gunpoint, seizing the strongbox before fleeing. Despite Toby’s courageous pursuit, one outlaw fatally wounds him.

Later, Adam confronts Sheriff Roy Coffee, accusing Bill Enders of the robbery and murder. Roy questions Adam’s certainty, given the assailants’ masked faces and their shared ownership of a mine. Undeterred, Adam aids in Enders’ arrest.

At the Ponderosa, Ben presses Adam on his conviction, to which Adam asserts his unwavering certainty, likening it to recognizing his brothers even with bags over their heads.

Roy reveals alibi evidence the following day, placing Enders in town shortly after the crime. Despite protests, Roy releases Enders. Determined to vindicate his accusation, Adam reluctantly agrees to a pony express rider’s attempt to replicate the journey time, hoping to validate his suspicions against Enders.

The pony rider embarks on the challenging journey, with Adam and Ben anxiously awaiting in town. Inside the hotel, Adam encounters Bill Enders and his wife, Mary. Despite Mary’s attempts to foster civility between Adam and Bill, acknowledging Adam’s intention to pursue what he believes is right, tensions persist. Mary optimistically predicts laughter over the situation by day’s end, confident in the pony rider’s failure to meet the time limit.

As expected, the pony rider falls short of the mark, yet Adam remains steadfast in his conviction that Enders somehow circumvented the journey time. Mary subsequently seeks a private audience with Adam, attempting to manipulate his feelings for her to sway his accusation against Bill. Undeterred, Adam rebuffs her advances, solidifying his belief in Bill’s guilt.

Despite Adam’s rejection of Mary’s advances, Roy Coffee summons Adam and Ben to his office, revealing Mary’s allegations of Adam’s advances towards her and presenting a suspect found with stolen money. Dismissing the suspect’s claims of winning the cash in a card game, Roy’s suspicions deepen.

In a tense confrontation at the saloon, Enders, renowned for his quick draw, provokes Adam to a gunfight, alluding to his knowledge of Adam’s interactions with Mary. Adam steadfastly refuses to engage, prompting Enders to threaten violence regardless. Roy intervenes, ordering the Cartwrights to leave town to defuse the volatile situation.

Adam and Hoss venture to the way station, searching for clues to unravel Enders’ mysterious, swift arrival in town. They stumble upon a shortcut through rugged terrain and the corpse of an exhausted horse, evidence of a frantic journey. While investigating, they come under fire, narrowly escaping harm as they retaliate and neutralize the assailant—a comrade of Enders, suggesting collusion in the station heist.

Determined to expose Enders’ deceit, Adam resolves to replicate the journey, aided by a shortcut and a fresh horse strategically positioned along the route. As Adam embarks on “the ride,” Enders dispatches a hired gun to eliminate him. Fortunately, Hoss intervenes in time, thwarting the assassin’s deadly aim.

Meanwhile, Mary confronts Enders over his plot to kill Adam, refusing to condone his actions despite his threats. Their exchange escalates to a desperate embrace as Mary grapples with her loyalties.

Adam presses on toward Virginia City, striving to overcome the time deficit with Joe’s assistance. As anticipation mounts, Mary, torn by guilt, rushes to confess the truth to Sheriff Roy Coffee. Amidst the chaos, Enders attempts a desperate escape but is swiftly apprehended by Ben after shooting Roy.

Arriving just in time to witness the aftermath, Adam learns of Mary’s confession and realizes his mission was unnecessary. Amidst relief and congratulations, they adjourn to the saloon, marking the end of a harrowing ordeal.

Full Script and Dialogue of The Ride

(fanfare plays)

Hey, Toby, my cup's empty.

Seems to me like you ought
to be springing to your feet

and fetching me another, huh?

Can't spring a lick till
the sun's up for a full hour.

Got about 40 minutes to go yet.

Why don't you
spring for yourself?

Oh, that wouldn't be seemly.

You're the station manager.


 


Station manager's
supposed to wait on folks.

I wait on the horses.

Heck of a way to
run a stage line.

Heck of a stage line.

(grunts) I won't argue that.

Reno stage missed
its connections,

and I had to stay
here all night.

Straw to sleep on.

Bugs to bite me.

And you snoring.

And to top it all off, I had
to get up first this morning

and make the coffee.

Well, the right
kind of a customer

would've went out
and fed the stock.


 


(horse whinnies)

Seems to me I heard a horse.

Got a whole corral full.

No, this one was kind of
far off out there somewhere.

Reckon I left that
corral gate open again?

Mmm, it would be just like you.

Uh... Do you mind springing up

and going out and taking a look?

(yawns)

I don't mind as I do,

but I'm going to have to
get my strength up first.

How long that take?

Ooh, 'bout an hour.

Maybe two.

Horses will all be gone by then.

I expect so.

You know,

this is the third bunch I've
lost in the past two weeks.

(gunshot)

What in tarnation?

(hammer clicks)

(gunshot)

- They ain't gonna get away from me.
- Toby!

(theme song playing)

Oh!

Toby, that was a
foolish thing to do.

Y-You was gonna
let them get away.

They wouldn't have got very far.

Stay right here;
don't try to talk.

You could've helped me.

I never took you to be yellow.

No use going up
against drawn guns.

Besides, I knew one of them.

The short fellow
was Bill Enders.

Now, how far could he get
with me knowing who he was?

(whimpers)

Toby?

MAN: Who is it?

It's Toby Barker.

I'm not calling you a liar.

I just want you to be sure
you know what you're saying.

I know what I'm saying.

It's pretty hard to believe.

If somebody came
in here an hour ago

and asked me what I
thought of Bill Enders,

I'd have told them that
he was a fine young fella

with a real nice wife,
well-thought-of around town,

pretty good businessman.

Well, Adam, you are in
business with him, ain't you?

We own shares in
the same mining claim,

along with two other people.

Proves right there that
you thought he was all right.

About the only thing a man
could say against Bill Enders

is that he likes Faro
more than he should,

but, shucks, you could
say the same thing about me

if you were a mind to.

But, Adam...

he is better with
a gun than most.

I know how good he is.

I got a lot of respect for
your judgment, Adam.

The whole town has;
you're a Cartwright,

but gimently, if you're
wrong about this thing,

it's gonna cause an
awful lot of trouble.

Folks are gonna say that...

Bill had a right to
go gunning for you,

for ruining his name.

What do you want me to do?

Back away from it?

Forget I saw him kill Toby?

No, I just want you
to be cold, dead sure

that it was Enders
you saw do the killing

before you stir
up a lot of trouble.

Well, I'm cold, dead sure.

Would you be willing
to go with me right now

and say that to his face?

Let's go.

Roy, what's going on?

Come on down to the jail, Bill.

What for? What have I done?

I want to talk to you about
the killing of Toby Barker.

I don't know
anything about that.

I've got a man says
he recognized you.

Recognized me? What do you mean?

He says you done the killing.

Now, come on.

Wait a minute, you
can't be serious?

I'm serious.

Are you coming willing or not?

Who says I killed Toby?

I say so.

Adam?

You're wrong, Adam.

No, Bill, I'm not wrong.

I recognized you
the minute I saw you.

Toby died a few minutes
after you shot him.

Come on.

Adam, to accuse a man of murder

without positive evidence

is a terrible injustice.

But to accuse a friend...

I have positive evidence.

I saw a man killed.

I know the man who killed him.

Is it an injustice not to want
Toby's murderer to go free?

Well, you, uh, know
the man who killed him.

How do you know him?

How do I know anybody?

I've seen him before.

It was Bill Enders,
and nobody else.

Now, he had a
hood over his head,

isn't that what you told us?

Yes.

Well, was he wearing
any special clothes?

No.

Did you see any scar
or a tattoo on his hand?

Was he wearing a fancy gun?

Anything brand him?

No.

Well, if there were no
distinguishing marks,

and he was wearing
a hood over his head,

how can you be so
sure it was Bill Enders?

'Cause I'd know Bill Enders
if he were wearing a sack

clear down to his ankles.

Adam, that's no
proof, no evidence.

Not to back the kind of
charge you're making.

Look, if I put a
sack on his head,

and I put a sack on his head,

it wouldn't make a difference

what kind of clothes
they're wearing,

you'd know who they
are; Hoss, Little Joe.

Because that's who
they are and nobody else.

There has to be more.

What do you mean by more?

Motive for the robbery.

Is Bill Enders in any
financial difficulty?

Enough to rob?

Now, you're his
business partner,

you should know.

I don't know.

You don't know.

You say he killed Toby.

In all the time
you've been with Bill,

have you ever seen him lose
his temper to the point of violence?

Of killing?

No, I don't think so.

But yet you accuse him
of robbery and murder.

You know he's guilty.

What do you want from me?

A denial?

You want me to
forget what I know?

I want you to
recognize the doubts

that will be in other
people's minds.

Well, I'm not really
concerned with their doubts.

They weren't there.

I was.

I know that Enders killed Toby,

and I'll live with that
as long as I breathe.

Pa, I don't know why you
got to be so rough on him.

Looks like you can
just take his word for it.

Adam's only doing
what he thinks is right.

I've got to be rough on him.

He's heading for a real
storm of trouble ahead.

If I can rattle him,
if I can shake him,

well then, maybe Adam isn't
so sure about his accusations.

But if he can hold his
conviction firmly against me,

that's a strong conviction,

probably a right one.

And he can hold
it against anyone.

Come on, come
on, will you hurry?

I ain't got all day to hang
around here with you, Adam.

I got a week's chores
I got to get done today.

Yeah, it seems to me, when
you find a job that you're good for,

that you want to
do your best with it.

Work hard, work up.

How you supposed to work up
when you're holding down a job?

Well, you could eat more,
get fatter, put on more weight.

First thing you know, somebody
wants you to bear down on a pole

that's prying up
the edge of a barn.

Don't you get smart
with me, young man.

I'm liable to lose my
temper and... decapitate you.

(hoofbeats approaching)

(creaking and clanking)

- Howdy, Hoss.
- Hi, Roy.

Adam, it turns out
that you were wrong

about Bill Enders
killing Toby Barker.

I wasn't wrong.

I'm afraid you were.

Now, it happened
about 20 minutes

after sunrise in Goat Springs.

Isn't that what you said?

That's right.

Well, I've got witnesses that
saw Enders in Virginia City

less than two
hours after sunrise,

so I had to let him out of jail.

Well, Enders couldn't
have been in Virginia City

an hour and a half
after killing Toby.

That's right.

A man couldn't travel that
far in that length of time,

so that proves that he
was not in Goat Springs.

It's quite the other way around.

It proves he wasn't
in Virginia City.

But, Adam, I've got witnesses.

Witnesses can be wrong.

Well, the witnesses
I'm talking about

are Mrs. Kramer
and her daughter.

Now, you don't find two finer

and more responsible
ladies anywhere.

In this case it just works
out that you were mistaken.

I am not mistaken.

Adam, why couldn't you be wrong?

You're only human.

You use human eyes, human
brains, human judgment.

Why can't you admit that you
may be made a human mistake?

You saw a man Enders' size,

something made you
think it was Enders,

you thought it was Enders,

but you, you can't
be sure it was Enders.

Oh, come on, Pop, of
course I know I'm human.

I make mistakes
but not this time.

I saw Enders kill Toby.

That's the truth, and
nothing you're going to say

is going to change it.

But the witnesses, boy.

Well, couldn't they
be honestly mistaken?

Both of them?

(sighs)

Well, if the witnesses aren't
lying and they're not mistaken,

there's only one answer left.

Enders killed Toby
in Goat Springs,

then rode to Virginia City

in time to be there when
the witnesses saw him.

Adam, it's 25 miles from
Goat Springs to Virginia City.

That road is uphill and as
crooked as a dog's hind leg.

There ain't no horse or no rider

in these parts that could make
that ride in an hour and a half.

You've got to be wrong.

I saw Enders in Goat Springs.

Mrs. Kramer and her
daughter saw him in Virginia City

an hour and a half later.

He's got to have made that ride.

Adam, you are plumb wrong

about seeing Bill
Enders in Goat Springs.

What are we going
to do with him, Ben?

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Look, Adam, you know Jim Beckett

the, uh, the Pony Express rider?

I know him well.

Would you say that
he's the fastest rider

and has the best string
of horses in the territory?

Yeah.

All right, we'll get Jim
Beckett to make that ride...

Test ride... tomorrow.

Whether it takes one
hour or three hours,

at least we'll know nobody
could have done it faster.

Well, if he makes it in
time, proves I'm right.

I'll go along with that.

You come into town
tomorrow to see how he does.

Meantime, you'd better
have a good apology ready

to hand to Bill Enders.

MAN: It ain't 25 miles to
Goat Springs, it ain't 28 miles.

If it's a foot more
than 20 miles,

I'll crawl it on my
hands and knees.

It's closer to 30 than it is
to 20... that's what I say.

Eh, you ought to measured
it 'fore you started betting.

How you gonna know
if you'll win or not?

Anyway, it doesn't matter
so much how far it is.

It's how much up and down it is.

Them hills would
kill a kangaroo.

All I got to say is, if that
pony rider don't show up here,

he's going to prove
young Cartwright's

as wrong as a five-legged horse.

Adam... they told
us you were here.

I insisted we come
and talk to you.

After all, we've been
friends for a long time.

Well, I'm sorry it has
to be this way, Mary.

You're not as sorry
as I am, Adam.

Weren't for the wife here,

I'd have been gunning
for you before this.

MARY: Men.

How stupid they are sometimes.

I don't mean you, Adam.

I mean my husband.

He seems to think a gun
is the answer to everything.

She, uh, showed me the light.

Said that no decent man would
make an exception for a friend

when a thing like a
murder was concerned.

You're as decent
as they come, Adam.

You thought you saw
me gun down Toby.

You have to stick with that
until you're proven wrong.

I shouldn't blame
you for it or cuss you.

I should admire you.

I do, Adam.

It must be miserable for you
to call a friend a murderer.

That's right, Bill,
it's miserable.

All right, now, let's,
let's just leave it as it is.

Still a few minutes to go.

It's going to be all right.

Don't you worry now.

Well, we'll all be
laughing about this

before the day is out.

(door opens)

(door closes)

♪♪

(door opens)

Well... it's been more
than two full hours.

I know, I've been
watching the clock.

Change your mind
about Enders yet?

No.

Well, how do you explain
the difference in time?

I don't.

MAN: Here he comes!

MAN 2: Come on!

MAN 1: Here
comes the pony rider.

It's the pony rider, Pa.

(hoofbeats approaching)

(indistinct chatter)

Looks like he's ridden
that horse half to death.

(indistinct chatter)

Old Jim gave it a good try.

Jim did the best he
could, and it still took him

two hours and five minutes

to ride from Goat
Springs to Virginia City.

Now, that should
clear Bill Enders.

It seems to.

BEN: Only seems to?

Bill Enders killed
Toby Barker, Pa,

and nothing's
going to change it.

(indistinct chatter)

Adam.

Why me?

I keep asking myself that.

Why me?

Of all the men
in the territory...

A lot of them don't
know any better way

of making a living
except stealing...

Why'd you have to think of
me when you saw that thief?

I, uh, I always thought
we were friends...

Maybe not close friends

but better than just
"hello" and "how are you?"

We even got a little
business deal doing.

I just don't understand
why you thought of me

at a time like that.

I never tried to hurt
you or cheat you

or steal from you, did I?

Why, you never heard of me
do anybody wrong, did you?

No, you didn't, you couldn't.

Tell you what I'd like to do.

Now that Jim Beckett's
proved I couldn't have done it,

I'd like to forget
the whole thing,

take it like it never happened,
go on from where we left off.

Are you willing?

Bill, I saw you and
another man rob

the station at Goat Springs.

I saw you fire the
shot that killed Toby.

Now, I'm not going to
change my mind about it.

I'm not going to forget it.

I'm going to keep on
saying it and trying to prove it

until you stand trial...

or till they bury me.

Adam, what's wrong with you?

Why are you doing this to me?

You got to have a reason.

No man tries to lie another
man onto the gallows

without a reason.

Well, what is it?

Tell me.

You want me to hang.

You want me dead
and out of the way.

Why?

Is there something
about that mining claim

I don't know about...

A pocket of gold maybe,
a new vein of silver?

You know better.

Do I?

What about my wife?

She's a beautiful woman.

None prettier in
a thousand miles.

You've been kind
of friendly with her,

now I think about
it, real friendly.

Is she the reason you
want me out of the way?

So that you and
her can get together?

Give me your gun, Arch.

No, Bill, you asked for
that one, you had it coming.

Sammy, give me yours!

No, Sammy, don't give it to him.

Give me that!

Adam, you'd better
get out of here

before you get yourself killed.

♪♪

(sighs) Adam.

How far does a man have to go

to fulfill a moral obligation?

Does he ever reach a
point where he can say,

"Well, I've done everything

"reasonable men
can expect me to do.

"This is the end of it.

I'm through"?

Does he ever reach that point?

I shouldn't think
so unless it...

actually was the end of it.

Well, let's look at
this thing a little closer.

Except for your brothers, you
stand alone in this business.

Don't you?

What about my father?

Did you really have
to ask that question?

(sighs)

Nah, I guess not.

Well, in any case,
everyone you know...

The sheriff,
businessmen in town,

the housewives, the children...

All feel the same way.

They think you're dead
wrong about Enders.

I know.

And yet they are the very
ones for whom you're fulfilling

this obligation, aren't they?

(sighs heavily)

I expect so.

I don't think they
would find fault with you

if you decided to stop.

Right now.

As far as they're concerned,

you, uh, you're out
to destroy a man

most of them like.

I think they would
rather you quit.

True enough.

Well... what are
you going to do?

Well, I'm going
to think it over.

Maybe...

I'll turn out to be
a bigger coward

than either one of us thinks.

(knocking on door)

Adam. I'm so glad.

I was afraid you
hadn't received my note

or you wouldn't come if you had.

Well, I got here as
quickly as I could.

Please.

Come.

Sit here.

There is so much to say.

I don't know where to start.

Well, why don't you
try the beginning.

Of course.

Good, sensible Adam.

You always know what's best.

Adam, I want to ask you a favor,

a personal favor
for an old friend.

You the old friend?

Adam, almost everyone
in town seems to agree

that Bill is not the man
who killed Toby Barker.

In fact, you seem to
be about the only one

who won't accept that fact.

So?

Bill has been trying very hard

to make something of himself,

in a business sense, I mean.

I've tried to help him.

I think he has a
pretty good chance.

But you're Adam Cartwright.

Anything you say, anything,

even if you're
honestly mistaken,

is bound to influence
people to some degree.

If you go on saying that
Bill killed Toby Barker,

it... it might just be the
end of all his chances.

What would you have me do, Mary?

Stop saying it.

Even though I'm sure?

Yes, Adam.

Say to yourself, "I
was honestly mistaken,

but mistaken after all."

Won't you do that for me?

You're asking a lot, Mary.

I'm afraid not.

Oh, Adam.

Adam, Adam, Adam.

You've always liked
me, haven't you, Adam?

I know you have.

And I've felt the
same way about you,

whether you knew it or not.

Oh, Adam.

We could be much closer, Adam.

If we were careful about it.

It won't work, Mary.

All you've done is to
tell me that Bill is guilty.

I'm sorry.

- Is this it?
- Yeah.

Seems to me a man
could leave the road here,

come out on that flat down
below, cut over by that hogback

and go north and east.

I think it'd cut off at
least five or six miles.

Yeah, you reckon a man could
run a horse through there, though?

Yeah, let's take a look.

Come on...

Hey, Adam, come here.

There's fresh tracks

and a couple horses
by here recently.

Yeah, well, it could've
been anybody.

Let's take a look and
see if we can't find out

- where they came from.
- Right.

Hey, Adam, come here.

A carcass.

Horse looks to be like
he was rode to death.

See how he's sweated?

Could've been.

It's beginning to look
better all the time.

You're sure you ain't
overlooking nothing?

Not on your life.

The brand on that horse
won't be hard to trace, either.

(gunshot)

- HOSS: Yah! Yah!
- (gunshot)

Hah!

You all right, Adam?

Just tore my shirt and
a little hide, that's all.

(birds cawing in distance)

He's up in those
rocks somewhere.

Yeah.

Hey.

I think I seen something.

All right, let's smoke him out.

(bullet ricochets)

(bullets ricochet)

(bullet ricochets)

Who is it?

Stewart.

What do know about that?

He's the other one.

I never figured it to be him.

Yeah, well,

I reckon we might as well
get him on back into town.

The sheriff might not
have figured it either.

Yeah.

SHERIFF: All right,
Adam. All right.

I saw him. I know
it was Arch Stewart.

What are you going to
say, I'm wrong again?

That Arch Stewart
didn't have anything to do

with robbing and killing Toby?

Of course I'm not.

The brand on the dead horse
says it belonged to Stewart,

and he certainly wouldn't
try to bushwhack you

unless he had a good reason.

But I'm gonna say that...

I think you're doggone lucky.

Lucky to have stumbled
onto what you did,

and lucky to have
lived through it.

And I'm also going to say

if people would leave the
sheriff's work to the sheriff,

I think we'd all
be a lot better off.

Is that all that's
bothering you?

No, it ain't.

You know why your Pa's here?

I asked him here, that's why.

Something has
come to my attention

that's just about ruined
my faith in human nature.

In fact, I didn't know
which way to turn.

That's why I asked
him in... For his advice.

Well, what is it?

It's Mary Enders.

She come in here and told me

what you had
been up to with her,

and I swear, I was never
so shocked in my whole life.

You, of all people.

And what did Mary Enders say?

Well, sir, she was sitting
right in that chair there,

where you are, with the
tears trickling down her cheeks,

all broke up, a-wishing
she were dead.

A decent, happily married
young thing like that.

Adam, how in the world
could you do such a thing?

Now, wait a minute, Roy.

Look, I told you before,
this is absolutely ridiculous.

I don't believe a
word of that story.

Maybe you're right, Ben,

but people are still going
to say that the reason

Adam was claiming
that Bill Enders shot Toby

was to get Bill out the way
so's he could get married.

Now, just hold
on there, will you?

Now, I'll go along with you

in your criticism of
Adam's stubbornness...

I criticize that myself...

But this is not... it's
absolute nonsense.

Now, are you saying that
Mary Enders was lying to me?

- Yeah.
- She was lying!

She knew Bill was
away that morning,

she knew that he and Arch
Stewart robbed that station,

and she knows
that Bill shot Toby.

Well, of all the buttheaded,
stubborn numbers

I've ever come in contact with
in my life, you are the worst.

Now, Bill Enders
did not kill Toby.

And I've got two witnesses
who have already proved

that he was in Virginia City

at the time the crime was
being committed in Goat Springs.

And furthermore, I've got
the man who did kill Toby

in a cell behind them doors.

Well, it it's not Bill Enders,
you got the wrong man.

(Sheriff groans)

There he is... Sammy Yates.

Did Sammy admit he was guilty?

Of course not... Do
you expect a man

to admit to something
that's gonna hang him?

Well, what about the gold coin?

We found $1,500 of
the Goat Springs money

hid in a mattress on his bed.

And what did he say
when you found it?

Just exactly what
you'd expect him to say.

He he didn't know
nothing about it.

Well, he was
telling you the truth.

Sammy didn't rob the
station, and he didn't kill Toby.

Enders did and planted the
money to make Sammy look guilty.

Oh, the devil he did.

Look, Sammy fits your
description, don't he?

He's the right size.

Yeah, he's the right size.

He was Stewart's errand-boy.

Don't it makes sense that
he'd help him out in a holdup?

Then what makes you so
dad-blasted sure it wasn't him?

Because it was Enders.

Oh.

Ben, this is your son.

Can you talk some
sense into his head?

Well, I think it would
be a waste of time, Roy.

Pretty hard to change his mind

once he has that
look on his face,

particularly when
he may be right.

Gentlemen, I've had just
about all of you Cartwrights

that I can take for one day.

Now, it's my job to
save your life, if I can,

but I'm not gonna
argue with you anymore.

I'm gonna lay
down the law to you.

Now, from now on,
you stay out of this case,

and you stay away
from Mary Enders,

and you keep your mouth
shut about Bill Enders.

Now, that's an
order, you hear me?

I hear you.

Now, get him out of here.

And if I was you,

I'd take him clean
out of the country,

because he ain't
apt to live a long time

if he lingers around here.

(Ben sighs heavily)

Where's Hoss?

He took the body over
to the funeral parlor.

I told him I'd meet him
later over at the saloon.

Yeah, well, let's go get him.

I could do with a little
something after that session.

You could do with
a little something?

(horse sputters)

(laughter and chatter)

Adam, Pa, you fellas look tired.

Sit down and have a beer.

That's what we're doing.

(Ben sighs)

All right, Adam.

I know why you've been trying
to lie me onto those gallows.

I know about you and Mary.

She told me what
you've been doing.

Now step out here and
let's see what I can do to you.

Not today, Bill.

Draw.

No.

You dirty yellow back!

Nope.

You sneaking,
thieving, lying coward!

No.

Stand up like a man, or I'll
gun you down where you are.

I'm not gonna draw
against you, Bill.

I'm gonna count to three, Adam,

then I'm gonna draw.

I'm not fooling, yellow
back. I'll count to three!

You just count to one, Enders,
and I'll cut you square in half.

There'll be no gunfight today.

Ben, you get your
boy out of town.

- Come on.
- Come on.

Well?

Well, I've got nothing to say.

What about you?

Ah, wouldn't have been
a fair fight anyhow, Adam.

He's faster on the draw.

Ain't no use in
getting yourself shot.

You still think I should have
given him a try, though, huh?

I don't know.

Folks are gonna
say you were scared.

Folks'll be right.

I didn't want him to get
away with three killings.

What do you mean, three?

Well, he killed Toby
Barker. That's one.

If he killed me, that'd be two.

And with me gone,
they'd hang Sammy Yates,

and that makes three.

Now you tell me... is the
family pride worth three lives?

I don't know...

I'll give Enders a shot at me
if it'll make you feel any better.

But right now, I'm gonna
prove that he killed Toby.

How are you going to do that?

I'm gonna start out
by making the ride

from Goat Springs
to Virginia City

in an hour and a half.

(horse sputters)

Hyah!

I have exactly 8:00.

So do I.

He's on his way.

He's on his way...
to kill himself,

trying to make a
lie look like the truth.

Hmm. I'll be in the hotel
lobby if you need me

before the hour
and a half's gone by.

All right, Ben.

I was getting worried you
wouldn't get here in time.

I'm here.

You know the area
above Birch Creek?

I looked it over on the way in.

You can see a pretty good
piece of the road from there.

Think you can stop
Cartwright from that point?

MAN: That's what
you're paying me for.

On your way, then.

I heard that, Bill.

I won't allow you to do it.

Not another murder.
I won't let you!

What's the matter, Mary?
Conscience... or fright?

Either one, it's too late now.

I've been bothered with both...
My conscience and my fright...

Ever since Adam Cartwright
accused you of killing Toby.

I'm not going to
argue with you, Mary.

What's done is done, what's
got to be done can't be stopped.

I didn't know about the other
one until after it was over.

This I know about!

All right, Mary, what
do you want to do?

Tell the sheriff about me?

You want to see
your husband hang?

Then what?

Live with that for
the rest of your life?

You see?

What would you do without
me for the rest of your life?

(door closes)

♪♪

(neighing)

(Adam mutters)

Adam, you're running
ten minutes behind.

I'll kick him harder.

(whistles)

♪♪

♪♪

(gun chamber cocks)

Easy.

I don't miss much at this range.

Drop it.

(neighing)

MAN: He's gonna make it!

Adam's gonna make it!

MAN: Here he comes.

He's going to make it.

Sure surprised me.

Sheriff?

Sheriff, I lied to you.

Adam Cartwright had
nothing to do with me.

And my husband, Bill
Enders, killed Toby Barker.

SHERIFF: Bill!
Bill, hold on there!

Stand clear, boys.

- Hey, you hold on!
- (woman screams)

BEN: Bill.

Bill!

Oh!

(crowd chatter)

(neighing)

(Mary cries)

(crowd murmuring)

What happened?

I didn't make it.

You didn't make it? We
were right behind you.

Mary Enders confessed

to Sheriff Coffee
before I got here.

Mary confessed?

Bill's gonna stand
trial for Toby's murder.

BEN: Well, thanks to Adam.

Thanks to what we
call his stubbornness.

For a man to hold on to his
convictions takes courage.

It was a good ride, son.

All the way.

Now, come on, let's get home
and get those chores done.

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

Bonanza provides family-friendly entertainment perfect for individual enjoyment or group gatherings. The Ride marks the 84th episode out of 430. NBC produced Bonanza, which aired on their network from September 1959 to January 1973, spanning 14 seasons.

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