Most Western fans consider Bonanza one of history’s most outstanding Western television series. The series lasted 14 seasons (430 episodes), airing from 1959 to 1973, with the all-male family, the Cartwrights, as the center of attention.

Carey Wilbur penned Bonanza’s fourteenth episode, The Sisters, which first aired on December 12, 1959. Among the featured stars in this episode are Fay Spain and Buddy Ebsen.

Sue Ellen Terry dies after someone shoots her as she leaves a stagecoach. The town drunk deems Adam Cartwright as the shooter, as he pays Sue Ellen’s court fees despite her dubious reputation. Adam protests, but the men of Virginia City—many of whom had benefited from the dead woman’s favors—turn against him.

Read the storyline of The Sisters, including some interesting trivia, or see the episode below.

Watch the full episode of The Sisters

Watch the full episode of The Sisters:

Main Cast

Aside from the main actors, Bonanza’s fourteenth episode, entitled The Sisters, featured some of the show’s recurring and supporting cast members.

The following actors appear in the episode:

• Lorne Greene as Ben Cartwright
• Pernell Roberts as Adam Cartwright
• Dan Blocker as Eric ‘Hoss’ Cartwright
• Michael Landon as Joseph ‘Little Joe’ Cartwright
• Buddy Ebsen as Sheriff Jesse Sanders
• Fay Spain as Sue Ellen Terry
• Jean Willes as Amelia Terry
• Malcolm Atterbury as Dixie
• John Stephenson as John Henry
• Victor Sen Yung as Hop Sing
• Charles Meredith as Referee at Duel
• Clarke Alexander as Man at Bar
• Bill Clark as Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
• George Ford as Duel Spectator (uncredited)
• Kenneth Gibson as Duel Spectator (uncredited)
• Augie Gomez as Townsman (uncredited)
• Michael Jeffers as Barfly (uncredited)
• Bob Miles as Deputy Sheriff (uncredited)
• Jack Perry as Townsman (uncredited)
• Cap Somers as Barfly (uncredited)
• Chalky Williams as Bartender (uncredited)
• Sally Yarnell as Saloon Girl (uncredited)
• John Zimeas as Barfly (uncredited)

Full Story Line of The Sisters

Despite his father’s disapproval, Adam still engages in a duel. John Henry, his opponent, fires first. He missed, but Adam didn’t even flinch. He then threatens to Kill him if he ever dares to insult Sue Ellen Terry again. Adam shoots into the air, drops the dueling pistol, and walks away.

Ben is displeased, and Adam asks why. Ben questions whether Sue Ellen Terry is worth it. It seems like he’s heard that Sue Ellen has “been friends with more than one male in Virginia City.” Adam knows this, but he likes her and wants to continue seeing her.

Sue Ellen Terry is a lovely saloon lady whom John Henry likes. He apologizes for causing a scene and intends to make amends by providing her with a luxurious necklace. She initially refuses to accept it but eventually does so after his insistence.

Regardless of the situation, Sue Ellen continues to meet Adam. They went on a picnic where she tried to inform him what sort of lady she truly is and how much she fancies expensive items. Adam is unbothered and kisses her instead. When he brings her home that night, a drunk man, Ol’ Dixie, sees them. Ol’ Dixie insults Sue Ellen but apologizes as soon as Adam’s hand is on his neck. As he staggers away, he claims he knew Sue Ellen too. Again, Adam ignores the hints. She worries that more guys like Dixie will emerge, hoping that Adam won’t dislike her because of this. Adam escorts Sue Ellen to her patio as her older sibling watches from a window.

Meanwhile, Adam meets Sheriff Jesse Sanders in town, who claims to have heard about the duel. Adam assures him that they’ve settled things out. Moreover, Adam tells Jesse that it’s none of Jesse’s concern whether he’s seeing Sue Ellen or not.

Jesse goes to see Sue Ellen, but her sister, Amelia, stops him. Jesse leaves a message for Sue Ellen, telling her to stop seeing Adam Cartwright.

Amelia delivers the message but notices how Sue Ellen and her beauty have grown. Amelia once thought she was the beautiful one, remembering how she could turn heads back then. Amelia alerts Sue Ellen to stay away from Adam, stating he does not belong in her class. This statement offends Sue Ellen, helping her realize her sister has become a bitter, lonely woman who drinks.

Sue Ellen receives an invitation to eat dinner at the Ponderosa. There she narrates outrageous stories concerning her father’s wealth in St. Louis, how they traveled the world, and have had numerous servants. Hoss and Joe kept quiet, embarrassed to hear her lies. Meanwhile, Ben is coldly polite, while Adam does not mind. Recognizing she’s humiliating herself, Sue Ellen asks Adam to take her home instead.

Once Adam drops her at her home, Sue Ellen admits her lies. Adam ensures her that it’s not meaningful to him. He kisses her, but unexpectedly, someone fires a shot, and Sue Ellen collapses in his arms. Adam sees a man shooting from across the street. He fires back and, after that, chases the shooter, crossing Ol’ Dixie along the way.

Jesse arrests Adam for murder. Dixie claims he saw Adam shoot Sue Ellen. Adam denies any responsibility for what happened and begins to take his firearm in pursuit of the killer. However, Jesse knocks him out and imprisons him.

The Cartwrights arrive to bail Adam out, but Jesse refuses. Ben, on the other hand, receives permission to visit Adam. He tells Adam that he’s sorry about what happened to Sue Ellen. Adam doesn’t understand why someone would want to kill her, considering that the other men in her life meant nothing to her. That’s when he realizes why Sue Ellen didn’t love him. Adam doubts Sue Ellen even knew what love meant.

Meanwhile, Ol’ Dixie entertains saloon patrons with his version of the story. However, he’s making it up as he goes. Ol’ Dixie rushes out when the crowd chooses to lynch Adam. He sees Amelia on her way in, dressed and made up. She finds John Henry, who later notices and remarks on her grieving process. She informs him that Adam didn’t kill Sue Ellen, but she believes she knows who did. John Henry refuses her attempt to blackmail him because he knows she despises her sister. Moreover, it appears she had more reason than he did to murder Sue Ellen.

The Cartwrights drag Ol’ Dixie into the sheriff’s workplace with Ben forcing him to announce the truth. He states that he saw a man shoot at Sue Ellen and Adam but could not figure out the shooter’s identity. Ben believes Jesse should release Adam, but Jesse believes keeping Adam in jail is safer. The crowd is talking about lynching. Ben heads out to defend his kid from the mob. Jesse hands Adam a small gun. He doesn’t wish to leave Adam unprotected, should the mob break into the place. Adam wonders why he doesn’t just use the weapon on Jesse right now. Jesse understands Adam knows better than that. If Adam were to flee, he must wait until evening when a single guard is on duty. Adam asks what Jesse would do in that situation. Jesse says he’ll give Adam eight hours before coming after him. He threatens to kill Adam once he catches him.

That night, Adam aims the gun at the deputy and leaves. He’s shot as soon as he gets his gun back and walks out to the front. The shooter escapes. Adam then goes to John Henry’s to know whether he shot her to death. John says no, but Adam should speak with Amelia.

A man enters Amelia’s room. She sees his reflection in her mirror and congratulates herself on recognizing him as her sister’s killer. For that, he will have to pay and pay and pay for it. However, it was too late for her to realize he wouldn’t pay.

Adam had just arrived when he heard Amelia scream—a scream suddenly cut short. He hurries inside only to discover Amelia’s dead body on the floor. The killer has fled through the window. Ben shows up, then asks why Adam broke jail. Adam realized he didn’t stand a chance there and needed to find the true killer. Ben says he has to turn himself back in as Jesse is organizing a posse. This news shocks Adam. Jesse had assured him eight hours of his time. He asks Ben to tell Jesse he’ll meet Jesse at his house.

Ben delivers the message, reminding him they’ve known each other for a long time. Jesse assures him that he’ll treat Adam well.

Adam waits for Jesse, sitting behind Jesse’s desk in his house. Adam asks whether Jesse intends to shoot him for attempting to flee. “Something like that,” Jesse reveals. Adam tells him that killing Adam outside the jail would have made things easier for Jesse. That marks Jesse’s first mistake. The second was to say he had eight hours but immediately gathered a posse. Jesse grabs his gun, but Adam has his firearm out, hidden behind the desk the entire time. Adam shoots first. Jesse collapses just as a crowd arrives. Adam asks why he killed Sue Ellen, and Jesse claims he didn’t intend to shoot Sue Ellen. Jesse and Sue Ellen liked each other until Adam came into the picture. He has his sights set on Adam. Then, he succumbs to death.

Full Script and Dialogue of The Sisters

Morning, Ben. Morning, boys.

Adam, is there any
way we can stop this?

Well, that's up to John Henry.

He wants to fight.

You may fire at
the count of three.

One... two...

three.

The next time you
insult Sue Ellen Terry,

I'll kill you.

You were out there, weren't you?

I guess you're mad I
didn't get myself killed.


 


You tell me one thing.

Are you fixing to take
up with Adam Cartwright?

John, please.

No, you tell me.

It's none of your business.

You've been treating me
like a biscuit eating dog.

That's my business, ain't it,

getting treated
like that by you?

John, please don't make a scene.

I'll make a scene if...

Oh, I'm... I'm sorry, Sue Ellen.

I... I can't stay mad at you.

I got something for you.

It's beautiful.


 


Yes, beautiful.

I sent all the way
to New York for it.

You gonna take it?

I don't think I ought to, John.

I've hurt you enough already.

Hurt me more if
you didn't take it.

Thank you, John.

Look, I know you're angry,

and you think that kind
of thing is foolish, Pa,

but I had to do it.

Why?

He'd have called me a coward.

You let a fool like
that John Henry

take a shot at you just because

you think he might
call you a coward?

Well, you've had
your little duel.

You've made your grand gesture.

I hope you're satisfied.

Oh, come on now, Pa.

You've made a few grand
gestures in your own time.

At a different place
and at a different time.

Ah, then it isn't
really the duel

that's bothering you at all.

Now, what is it?

You made a fool of yourself.

He insulted a lady who
was with me at the time.

Obviously, you
think that this lady

is worth having a duel over.

Yes, I do.

Yes, well, I... I suppose she's
a pretty enough young thing.

But you're afraid

she's going to be
like her sister, hmm?

I've heard talk about her.

Now, Pa, you always taught
me that talk was cheap.

I've heard that
she's been friendly

with more than one
man in Virginia City.

I know all that.

What else do you know?

She lives with her sister
in a house on K Street,

she's very lovely, and
I like being with her.

But how serious
about her are you?

Well, I... I don't
think I really know.

Son, I've known
women like this before.

Look, Pa, what have
you got against her,

besides all the talk?

I don't like the kind
of life she leads.

Well, I don't like it either.

Neither does she
for that matter,

but that's not really the point.

Look, Pa, after all,
I am a grown man.

Adam, there are some women who
can bring a lot of trouble into a man's...

Oh, boy, you must
be getting old, Pa.

Some women are
worth a lot of trouble.

Hee-yaw.

Did you have plenty to eat?

Plenty.

Good.

Always like to know
I can please a man.

Why did you do that?

'Cause I wanted to.

Is that all?

I don't know what you've heard,

but I'm not as bad
as you think I am.

I don't think you're bad.

I guess you've also heard that
I have very expensive tastes.

Well, I never believe
that kind of talk.

It's true, you know, I do.

Very expensive.

Ask anybody.

Ask John Henry...
Just ask anybody.

Come here.

I'm just trying to
be honest with you.

I said come here.

Don't you want to know
what I am... what I really am?

I'm tired of talking. Come here.

♪ Where old times
are not forgotten... ♪

♪ Look away, look away ♪

♪ Away down Dixieland... ♪

Sir, I don't believe I have the
honor of your acquaintance.

It's my pleasure, sir.

Well... well, sir.

Accept my salute, sir.

And your lady, too, sir.

Oh, how could I make
a mistake like that?

I'd naturally suppose, sir,
that you'd be with a lady.

Adam, please.

I didn't say nothing,
sir! I didn't say nothing!

Now suppose you apologize
to the young lady, huh?

I surely do, ma'am.

I do apologize.

Get him out of
here, Adam, will ya?

Get out of here.

"Get him out of here,
Adam, get him out of here."

She didn't always
talk like that.

Go on, ask her
about me, Cartwright.

Adam... Go on, ask her.

Go on, ask her about
old Dixie. Go on.

Sorry this had to happen.

So am I.

Kind of ruined a beautiful day.

Forget about him.

There'll be others
like him, Adam.

Men out of the past who hate me.

Will you forget about the past?

But you won't ever
hate me, will you, Adam?

No matter what happens?

How could I ever hate you?

I think I'd better
get you inside.

I think your sister's
waiting up for you.

She always does.

Good night, Adam... dear.

Come on.

Think you're
fortunate, don't you?

Just the luckiest...

Just the luckiest man in town.

But there have been a lot
of lucky men ahead of you.

A lot of 'em.

What are you doing, Hop Sing?

Catching chicken for dinner.

Way you're going about it,

we ain't gonna have dinner
till a week from Sunday.

Oh, yes. Chicken catch
corn, Hop Sing catch chicken.

Very smart.

No, no, no.

Here, let me show you.

Here's the way
to catch chickens.

Chickie, chick,
chick, chick, chick.

Chickie, chick, chick.

Chickie, chick,
chick, chick, chick.

Chickie, chick,
chick, chick, chick.

Chickie, chick,
chick, chick, chick.

Chickie, chick,
chick, chick, chick.

Chickie, chickie... Hey, Hoss...

what are you doing?

Shh. You're gonna
scare all my chickens off.

Chickie, chickie, chickie,

chickie, chick, chick.

Chickie, chickie, chick, chick.

Here, chickie, chickie,
chickie, chickie.

Don't squash him, get him.

Chickie, chick,
chick, chick, chick.

Chickie, chickie, chick, chick.

Chickie, chickie, chick, chick.

Chickie, chickie, chickie,
chick, chick, chick.

All right. That'll teach you
who can catch a chicken.

Very good. Very funny.

Too skinny, thank you.

Hey. Where'd he
get them two birds?

Oh, while you were crawling
around looking for that thing,

he was catching chickens.

What's all the fuss
about, anyway?

Chicken for dinner.
It ain't Sunday.

Well, Adam's
bringing his gal home.

You're kidding.

No. You mean Sue Ellen Terry?

Yeah. Boy, I'll bet
Pa is hopping mad.

Well, if he is, he
ain't showing it.

I've been looking
to see you, Adam.

Uh, what about, Jesse?

You and John Henry.

John Henry's a
upstanding citizen.

Belongs to the right party.

What I mean is, I sure
would hate to lose a vote

on account of you
having an itchy finger.

Oh, don't worry about it, Jesse.

Everything's settled
between him and me.

That's good. Mighty good.

Getting awful hard to round up
enough votes come election time.

Right kind of votes, that is.

Namely for you, huh?

That's about it.

I hear tell it was
about that Terry girl.

Forget it, Jesse.

You been seeing a lot of her.

Have I?

No use to get hostile.
I was just asking.

Now, you just back off.

Getting anywhere with her?

Now, look, Jesse, I
told you to back off.

There's no call for you
to talk to me that way.

Your Pa and me have
been friends a long time.

I got an interest in you.

Yes, but you haven't
got that much interest.

Howdy, Sheriff. Howdy, Dixie.

What you doing?

Calling on voters.

Well, just two women
in there, Sheriff.

Women don't vote.

Mighty thirsty day, ain't it?

Go get yourself unthirsted.

Thank you, Sheriff.

Howdy, Miss Amelia.

Your sister at home?

She hasn't the time for you now.

Oh, shucks, now.

Not now, Sheriff Sanders.

What's so funny?

The sight of you sober
and watering flowers.

It just don't seem to fit.

Maybe you can give Sue
Ellen a message for me.

Tell her to stop messing
with young Cartwright.

He ain't for her
and never will be.

Now, you speaking as a
friend of the family, Sheriff?

Why, sure.

And what if Sue Ellen
chooses not to mind

what you've got to say?

I don't want to see
Adam Cartwright hurt,

and I... I'd hate to see
your sister hurt, too.

She's such a
pretty little thing.

A real pretty little thing,
ain't she, Miss Amelia?

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Who were you talking to?

Jesse Sanders.

Oh. What did he want?

He doesn't like you to
see young Cartwright.

Oh, he doesn't? Well...

Well, speaking as a friend
of the family, of course.

Oh, of course.

Here lace me up, will you?

Oh, Amelia, have you
been drinking again?

Honey, just a little touch
of something for my quinsy.

I'd look out for
that Jesse Sanders.

He's an important man.

Not that important.

Any man is important.

Oh, not so tight!
I can't breathe!

Breathing isn't important.

Well, there. I guess
that ought to do it.

You know, you're a
pretty little thing, Sue Ellen,

like Jesse says.

Never thought you'd
turn out as well as you did.

Thank you, Amelia.

You know, I was always
the beauty in the family.

That's what Papa used
to call me... Beauty.

You were just a
skinny, homely little thing

when Papa died.

Now look at us.

You're still very attractive.

Well, I... hold my years well,

if I do say so myself.

Oh, but Lordy, honey,

you should have seen
me when I first came here.

You told me about it many times.

I didn't have a thing.

Not a penny.

Just a little sister
and some clothes.

But men looked at me.

Yes, indeedy, they looked.

I had a special way
of coming into a room.

Never came through an
ordinary doorway, uh-uh.

Always came down
a flight of stairs.

Real slow.

Like a princess.

With just a little
stop near the bottom,

long enough for some lovely man

to come over and offer his arm.

Lordy, honey, the
tricks I could teach you.

You've taught me a lot.

Yeah, I've done
real well by you,

and don't you ever
forget it, Sue Ellen.

Don't you ever forget

that when you were just a
little thing and Papa died,

nobody to take care of you,

your big sister did
everything for you.

I know you won't, though.

You-You've been real
good to me, Sue Ellen.

I just don't know if I... like

you carrying on with Adam
Cartwright like you are.

What do you mean?

Well, you know what men are.

I've told you often enough.

Oh, yes, you've told me.

Uh, a man uses a woman,
and then tosses her aside.

So you have to be
very clever with them,

and use them the way you
used to use men and not get hurt.

Oh, Amelia, I've got
a surprise for you.

There's more than
one kind of man.

Adam's not like that.

Oh, no, honey.

He's not different. He's a man.

You really don't
like men, do you?

Well, honey, sure I like men.

It's... It's just that a girl like
you has got to be careful.

What do you
mean, a girl like me?

Well, now, Sue Ellen,

I don't want to say
anything to upset you, but...

a man like Adam
Cartwright... he...

Well, you're just
not in that class.

Because I work in a saloon?

There's nothing wrong
with being a saloon girl.

Oh, no, except that it makes me
not good enough to marry Adam.

No.

You're not.

It's just not for
you, Sue Ellen,

any more than it was for me.

What have you done to me?

Is that all I have to hope for?

I've done everything for you.

Oh, you taught me
to be a saloon girl.

How to tantalize men

and cheat them
into giving me things.

Well, things are important.

Not that important.

I won't be like that.

I'm not going to
be like you, Amelia.

Don't you dare
talk to me like that!

Not after all the
things I've done for you.

I've paid it all back.

I've kept you, Amelia.

I've used all the little tricks

that you taught me
to take care of you.

You don't know
what you're saying!

I know exactly what I'm saying.

You talk about men using me.

You're the one that
used me, Amelia.

But that's all over now,

because you're
just going to have

to take care of yourself.

'Cause I'm gonna marry
Adam, if he'll have me.

Well, Miss Terry, you, uh...

you say that your
father was a merchant?

Oh, yes. Uh, he had
one of the biggest houses

in-in St. Louis.

Well, I, uh...

used to visit St.
Louis rather frequently.

Perhaps I've met your father.

Oh, I don't think so, really.

We spent most
of our time abroad.

He was always getting
Amelia... Uh, that's my sister...

And I out of school, and

taking us off to Paris
and-and London,

and just everywhere.

Uh, some wine, Miss Terry?

Oh, thank you.

I love good wine.

Adam?

Ah, thanks, Pa.

Oh, my, it's so delicious.

Papa always said that
you could tell a gentleman

by the wine cellar he kept

and by the way he
trained his servants.

Yes.

I suppose, Miss
Terry, that, uh...

that you had many servants?

Oh, yes, yes, we had
lots and lots of servants.

We were very rich.

Um, we moved in
very exclusive circles.

Uh, Papa was one of the richest

merchants in St. Louis.

Oh, we had a-a
large house and...

Oops. Oh, I'm terribly sorry.

It's all right. Don't worry.

I'll get something
to wipe it up.

Don't worry about it. Don't...

No, it's all right.

Hop Sing will take care of that.

Adam, I don't feel very well.

I think you'd better
take me home.

I'm sorry, Miss Terry.

I'll get your wrap.

What are you thinking?

Oh, about you.

I'm sorry about tonight, Adam.

I tried to impress your
father and your brothers,

and I just made a
big fool of myself.

Doesn't matter.

Oh, it does matter.

Matters so much.

My father wasn't a big
merchant in St. Louis.

It doesn't make any difference

what your father
was or what he did.

He ran a small notions store,

and we weren't rich, and
we didn't have a big house,

and we didn't have a
lot of servants, and...

Are you very disappointed?

Question like that doesn't
even deserve an answer.

And you will come back?

You just try to keep me away.

Oh.

Hey, what's all
the shooting about?

What's happened?

You better get the
doctor. Looks like

somebody's...

Oh!

Sue Ellen, honey,

I knew this was bound
to happen someday.

Open the door!

It's been fired, Jesse.

Took a couple of
shots at the killer.

You and her have a fight?

No.

This fellow that you, uh, took
the shots at, uh, did you see him?

Well, I saw him, but it was
too dark to recognize him.

Then you was the only
one who saw anybody.

There wasn't
anybody else around.

Dixie was.

He says you killed the girl.

And you believe him?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Thing is, a lot of the voters
have been listening to him

and some of them believe him.

Just take off your gunbelt

and empty your
pockets on the desk here.

I'll fix up a receipt.

I'm sorry, Jesse.

I'm going after the killer.

Hated to have to do that.

You boys go ahead
and lock him up.

We'll hold him for murder.

Jesse?

Jesse, it's me, Ben Cartwright.

Put it away, Jesse.
You won't need it.

Just move easy and keep
your hands away from your guns.

Did you think I'd come
here to bust Adam out?

I wasn't worried about you, Ben.

But afraid some of them
voters might get ideas.

There's been some talk.

Oh, lynch talk?

Yeah, there's been
some mention of ropes.

Jesse, I want my
boy out of here.

I reckon that's kind of
natural for a pa to want

his boy out of jail,
everything considered.

Gimme two.

I'd like you to release
Adam in my custody.

Ben, you know I can't do that.

Just long enough for
the town to cool down.

Them voters would skin me alive.

Jesse...

we've always been
pretty good friends.

I hope we always will be, Ben.

But you won't release Adam?

I just can't do it.

Let's take Adam out of here, Pa.

You calm down, young'un.

How about it, Pa?

No trouble, Little Joe.

Not now.

Glad you cooled him off, Ben.

Hate for the voters'
and taxpayers' property

to get all shot up,

the way they would've been
if he'd hauled iron on me.

I reckon you wanna see the boy.

You boys wait here.

Guess it's safe to
leave you two alone.

Sorry about Sue Ellen.

I just don't understand it, Pa.

Why would anybody
want to kill her?

All the men she knew
never meant anything to her.

Adam... No, not a thing.

I'm sure they didn't, son.

I think the thing
she wanted most

was to belong somewhere.

Yeah.

She never loved
me, and I knew that.

I think she just liked the idea

of being married
to a Cartwright.

You know, it's funny, Pa.

I don't think she even
knew what love meant.

Guess I was... I was
kind of trying to show her

and sort of trying to
make things up to her.

On account of her sister
and all that, you know.

Adam, those men that...
that she was friendly with,

who were they?

Well, you know,
it was John Henry,

Leeds, Durkin over at the bank.

Oh, what difference
does it all make?

They got a witness
says he saw me kill her.

Witness? Who?

Oh, Dixie.

Dixie? That old drunk?

That's right.

Trouble is, a lot of
people believe him.

There's even talk
about starting to

do something about it.

Sorry, Pa, I just got kind of a
funny tightness in my throat.

Well, they was coming
up the street in a buggy.

I was standing there just as
near as I am to you fellows.

Didn't they see you?

Well, shucks no.

They didn't have eyes
for nobody but each other.

Besides, I was in the shadows.

And then...

Then he hands her
down from the rig like this.

Oh-ho!

And mighty slick about it.

Yes, sir.

He said something,
I didn't hear that part.

And she says,
"No! No, Adam, no!"

Just like that.

And then he says, eh, he says...

Go on, Dixie, what did he say?

He says, uh,

"If I don't get you,
nobody gets you."

Then he takes out his gun.

She drawed herself up

and she looked him
straight in the eye

and she says,

"Take my life if you must,
Adam, but... but spare my honor."

Why didn't you stop him?

Well, 'cause, uh, i-i-it
all happened too fast.

And then, well, then
he up and shot her.

Shot that pretty young
thing in cold blood.

Bang! Bang!

What else?

She stood there
holding herself like this

and looking at him
sad and mournful-like.

Did she say anything?

She says, uh, "I
forgive you, Adam."

"I forgive all my enemies."

And then, then she fell down.

And she died.

We ought to take that Cartwright

out of Jesse Sanders'
jail and hang him right now.

Hello, John.

That your mourning
dress, Amelia?

I think I'll let you
buy me a drink.

Sure.

Joe, another glass.

You surprised to see
me like this, John?

Seems a funny way to
be grieving over Sue Ellen.

Oh, I am grieving, inside.

But life goes on.

Yeah, I know.

A girl has to live.

Don't be unkind, John.

You were never unkind to me.

I was very fond of you.

Very fond. Cut it out, Amelia.

Look, I bought you a drink,

I'll buy you another one,
then you better go home.

You are being unkind, John.

That isn't very wise of you.

Now, what do you mean by that?

You know Adam Cartwright
didn't kill Sue Ellen.

You came in here
looking for me, didn't you?

To tell me they
got the wrong man

for your sister's murder.

Maybe you know who did kill her?

I've got some
good ideas about it.

Maybe you think those
ideas are worth something.

I wouldn't laugh, John Henry.

If you ain't the beatin'est
woman I ever did see.

Your own sister hardly cold

and you out dressed
in her own clothes

trying to squeeze
a little blackmail.

Well, it won't work, Amelia.

I'll tell Jesse Sanders
you hated her.

You did, John.

Hated her enough to kill her.

There were some closer to
her than me that hated her more.

How ridiculous!

You hated her
because she was young.

And you're getting older.

Oh, that's right, Amelia.

You still look good
in soft lights, but

you ain't as young
as you used to be.

Crowd's getting
kinda het up out there.

Reckon' we'll be looking for
a tussle along about sundown.

Open up, Jesse!

It's Ben Cartwright!

What'd you bring
that trash in here for?

Tell him, Dixie.

Tell him what you told me!

I didn't tell him
nothing, Sheriff.

Never said a word.

Tell the truth! I told it.

What did he tell you, Ben?

He told me there was

someone else on the street
when Sue Ellen was killed.

Is that right?

You tell me the
truth, you hear?!

Did you see somebody
else out there?

You ever get a good look at him?

No, sir, I-I did not.

Before the Lord,
that's the truth, Sheriff.

I never seen him clear
enough to know him.

But you did see
someone out there

and you saw that person
shoot at Miss Terry and my son!

Tell the truth.

Yes, sir.

Yes, sir, what?

What Mr. Cartwright said.

How'd you ever get
it out of him, Ben?

Shook it out of him.

Now, turn my son loose, Jesse.

I can't do that, Ben.

What do you mean, you can't?

He's innocent!

You're holding him
because of what this

drunken liar told you.

You just heard him
admit that he lied.

Now, what more do you want?

Like to see you get your
boy back safe and sound.

Listen.

Tell them, Jesse.

Tell them the truth.

Too late for that.

They're too hot to
listen to anybody.

Adam's safer where he is.

Might help, though,
if you and your boys

step outside and kind
of show them voters

what kind of trouble
they're asking for.

Well, how is it?

Not so good.

Lord, I wish you was outta here.

Hmm, so do I.

If it comes to the worst
I'm gonna have to kill

some of them voters out
there just to keep you alive.

Getting harder and
harder to get elected

each election day
without killing voters.

Take this.

If they do bust in
here, I don't want it said

I left you helpless.

Kind of taking a chance,
aren't you, Jesse?

What's to stop me from
making you open the door,

now that I got a gun?

Just plain horse
sense, if you got any.

See, if a sensible man was
figuring to bust out of this here jug,

he'd wait till nightfall when
things kind of quieted down...

and there was only
one deputy on duty.

Deputies always carry
the keys to the cells.

A man ain't gonna argue
about opening a jail door

when he's got a gun
stuck under his nose.

Now, there's only one
thing that bothers me, Jesse.

Why are you doing it?

Your pa's a friend of mine.

Put that gun under your blanket

and don't use it
till the time's right.

And what happens
after I bust out?

You get eight hours head start.

After that, I come after you.

If I catch you,
chances are you'll hang.

♪ ♪

Don't go away.

And don't reach for it... just
turn around nice and easy.

Unlock the door.

Let's have them.

♪ ♪

Don't try it.

I just busted jail, and
I'd as soon kill you

as look at you, understand?

What do you want?

One straight answer.

Did you kill her?

Who have you been talking to?

Amelia Terry? Why her?

'Cause she's got the
same kind of crazy idea.

Thought it was good enough
to work a little blackmail.

Well, I'm telling
you what I told her.

Talk and guessing ain't facts.

I can prove I wasn't
nowheres near her

when Sue Ellen got killed.

I'm sorry, Henry...
but I had to try you.

Cartwright.

I don't like you,

but I guess I owe you something

for not killing me when
you had the chance.

If I was you, I'd
talk to Amelia.

I intend to.

'Cause she didn't
like Sue Ellen.

Oh, I know she
put on like she did,

but the truth was,
she always hated her.

Maybe enough to kill her.

♪ ♪

Come in.

I've been expecting you.

It was clever of you
to come after dark.

I don't look bad, do I?

Little slimming here and
there, I'll be as good as new.

For a talky man,
you're awful quiet.

You never did like to part
with your money, did you?

Real tightwad.

Oh, don't worry about it.

I won't ask for any more.

Not unless I really need it.

Wasn't it lucky for me
I thought about you?

You know, I al... always
knew you liked Sue Ellen,

but... not enough to kill her.

You have to pay for a
thing like that, my friend.

And pay and pay...

No.

No.

No!

No!

♪ ♪

What did you do a
fool thing like that for,

break out of jail?

I had to, Pa.

I didn't stand a
chance locked up.

And what chance
do you stand now?

Amelia had some
idea about the killer.

She tried to
blackmail John Henry.

I know... he told me.

Told me you were
on your way here.

Does anybody else know?

No, I don't think so.

I better get you
back into that jail.

Jesse's organizing a posse.

He's what?

He's organizing a posse.

He's ordering them to
bring you in dead or alive.

Come on.

No, wait a minute.

You tell Jesse
I'll give myself up

if he'll meet me alone.

Alone?

Yeah.

Tell him I'll meet him
in his room in one hour.

Ben?

Why don't you go back to
your hotel and get your rest?

You're doing no good
hanging around here.

I want a word with you, Jesse.

Excuse me, fellas.

Don't you go peeking at my hand.

Playing a little Pedro
to pass the time.

Now, then, what
can I do for you?

I just saw Adam.

It's all right, Jesse.

He's ready to give up.

Where is he?

He'll be at your
place in an hour.

I see.

Over at my place.

Hey, Jesse, we...

we've been friends a long time.

Remember that, will you?

Don't worry about a thing.

I'll take good care of the boy.

Your pa said I'd find you here.

Guess you're fixing
to give yourself up.

How long would I live

if I did give myself up, Jesse?

Not long.

Shot while trying to escape?

Something like that.

You know, it'd been
neater if I'd been killed

when I busted out of your jail.

That's where you
made a mistake, Jesse.

Your first one.

You bustin' jail
convinced the voters

you was the killer, all right.

What was my second mistake?

Gettin' up a posse

after you promised
me eight clear hours.

Now, it began to look

as though you wanted
me dead awfully bad.

Don't try, Jesse.

Is it bad?

It's bad.

Tell me, Jesse, why'd
you kill Sue Ellen?

I never figured
to kill Sue Ellen.

Pretty little thing.

I used to watch her.

Used to see she got home nights.

Used to wait outside her house

till the light went
on in her room.

One time, she said...

"Jesse, honey, I want
to give you something...

for being so nice."

And I said, "That's a
pretty hat you got on."

And she give it to me.

It was just nice
having something...

that was close to her.

Like them lacy shawls
she used to wear

and a glove.

Everybody else was
always fussin' over here,

givin' her things.

But not you.

You was young, like her.

I never meant to kill Sue Ellen.

It was you I was gonna k...

♪ ♪

Looking for More Bonanza Episodes?

Bonanza is a fantastic show to watch alone or with family. NBC produced Bonanza, televised on their network from September 1959 to January 1973. The much-loved series lasted 14 seasons in total. The Sisters is 14th out of 430.

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