TV-14 | 30min | Western, TV Series | Episode aired 20 January 1958
A young man stranded in a remote town is looking for a job working with horses. Jim Hardie befriends him along with a cranky softy and he returns the favor by helping Hardie solve the murder of a Wells Fargo agent and a robbery.
Director: Earl Bellamy
Writers: Frank Gruber, L. Ron Hubbard
Stars: Dale Robertson, Chuck Courtney, Walter Coy
A young man stranded in a remote town is looking for a job working with horses. Jim Hardie befriends him along with a cranky softy and he returns the favor by helping Hardie solve the murder of a Wells Fargo agent and a robbery.
Director: Earl Bellamy
Writers: Frank Gruber, L. Ron Hubbard
Stars: Dale Robertson, Chuck Courtney, Walter Coy
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00This is Oak Flat, a sun-drenched little town on the edge of the great American desert.
00:05It's pretty desolate country, and the only reason there's a town here at all is because of a few mines up in the hills.
00:11Me? I'm Jim Hardy, special agent for Wells Fargo.
00:16I'm here temporarily because our regular agent cashed in his chips a few weeks ago.
00:21Lead poisoning.
00:24Good morning, sir.
00:26What's good about it?
00:28Well, the sun is shining. It's a nice warm day, and there's a fresh breeze blowing.
00:32So, the sun's shining, eh?
00:35The sun's been shining for 264 days without a drop of rain.
00:39And that fresh breeze you mentioned, you know what that does?
00:42It blows the dust, so it gets into everything.
00:45I got grit in my teeth right now.
00:47Anything else that's good this morning?
00:49Yes, sir. My health.
00:52Yes, sir. My health. I feel wonderful, and I hope you're the same.
00:56Never felt worse in my life.
00:57Got a crick in my back, my lumbago's been acting up, and I can hardly hold nothing on my stomach.
01:02Except three regular meals a day, plus all of the snacks in between.
01:06Oh, hello, Mr. Hardy.
01:08They used to be the circus, didn't you?
01:10Yes, sir.
01:11Circus comes around here, it's gotta go broke.
01:13People work too hard for their money to spend it foolishly.
01:17I thought your crowd left town yesterday.
01:19Those that had stage fare.
01:21I had to hitch a ride on a wagon.
01:23I'm looking for a job.
01:24Well, don't look at me. I got no jobs.
01:27Thought you might need some help here in the store.
01:29Any business I do in this store, I can handle myself.
01:31And he only has to work 16 hours a day to do it.
01:34A man don't keep busy, Mr. Hardy.
01:36He's got too much time to think of his trouble.
01:40Say, you handled those three horses with the circus, didn't you?
01:45Well, how would you know, Mr. Banks?
01:47Unless you were there.
01:48Just looked in, that's all.
01:50Give me a pass for putting a post in the store window.
01:53You wouldn't know anybody needed a horse trainer, would you?
01:55You might try the gopher hole outfit.
01:57That bunch?
01:59You said gopher hole?
02:01Here they got 60 or 70 of them out there that need 10.
02:05Could you tell me how to get to the place?
02:07Well, you ain't gonna like working for that bunch.
02:10I need the job.
02:11Well, take the left walk north out of town.
02:14It's about 10, 12 miles.
02:16Pretty stiff walk, boy.
02:18Better get your horse out of the livery stable.
02:20Mr. Banks here just happens to own it.
02:23I'm afraid I haven't got enough money to pay for the loan of a horse.
02:26Well, don't usually give credit for horse hire, but...
02:30Well, you can pay me after you get to work.
02:33Well, I don't buy nothing I can't pay cash for.
02:37Would this pay for the loan of a horse?
02:40Yeah, what good's a raincoat with a hole in it?
02:43I'll give you a dollar for it.
02:45Wells Fargo going into the clothing business?
02:48All right, you can have the horse.
02:52Gopher hole may or may not hire you.
02:54They're an ornery bunch.
02:56Do randle the boss. He's the worst of the lot.
02:59Well, I won't give them any cause to be mean.
03:01I need the job.
03:04I got a ranch up in Hood River, Oregon.
03:06I need the money to take it out of Hawke.
03:08That why you joined the circus?
03:10Yeah.
03:11If I don't get a big bundle come fall, we'll take the ranch.
03:14Any money you make from that gopher hole outfit, son, you'll earn.
03:18Say, if it's just a job you want, why, I can give you one run in the stable.
03:23Can't pay you much and you'll have to sleep in a stall.
03:26Well, if I don't land with the gopher hole, I may take you up on the job.
03:30But it's a big bunch of money I need.
03:35Good luck.
03:37You'll need it.
03:39Mr. Binks, I've just about arrived at the conclusion about you.
03:44You're a phony.
03:45But you'd like everybody to believe that you're as tough and ornery as they come.
03:49You ain't nothing but a softy.
03:51Don't kid yourself about that, Mr. Hardy.
03:53I'm ornery enough once I get started.
03:58I don't think we should have sent the boy out to the gopher hole.
04:01When that crowd's meaner than a bunch of hungry timberwolves.
04:04The gopher hole.
04:05When that crowd's meaner than a bunch of hungry timberwolves.
04:08They're new around here, aren't they?
04:10Yep.
04:11Dude Randall showed up about six months ago and bought the gopher hole spread for close to nothing.
04:17It's run down and not enough water for the raised cattle.
04:21Tell me something.
04:23They pay cash for everything they buy?
04:26Yep, gold coin.
04:30Talking out of turn.
04:31Why?
04:32Well, it ain't none of my business to say how my customers pay and...
04:36especially in view of the talk.
04:38What talk?
04:39This talk you ain't a regular Wells Fargo agent.
04:42Well, if I'm not, then what am I?
04:45Detective, maybe?
04:46Come to find out who killed Stoner and robbed the Wells Fargo stage?
04:51Is that what people say I am?
04:52Notice you're not denying it.
04:55I'm not admitting it either.
04:57Good day, Mr. Binks.
05:03You're a detective, all right.
05:06Binks was right.
05:08I had come to Oak Flat to get the man who killed Stoner.
05:11In two weeks, I'd found no lead, except the gopher hole outfit.
05:16That's why I'd encouraged Tim to go out there.
05:19He was my contact, even if he didn't know it.
05:22If he found out anything, I'd get it from him.
05:33I'll put him up in a light easy.
05:38Walk slow.
05:48Look at what I found.
05:49Just rode in without its mammy or anybody.
05:53My name's Binks.
05:54I'm a detective.
05:55I'm a detective.
05:56I'm a detective.
05:57I'm a detective.
05:58I'm a detective.
05:59Just rode in without its mammy or anybody.
06:03My name's Tim Farland.
06:04I heard you needed a horse trainer.
06:06A horse trainer?
06:08A real live bronco buster?
06:10I need the job pretty bad.
06:13Maybe we can make a deal.
06:16Are you in trouble?
06:18Well, I...
06:20That's all right, son. I understand.
06:22I've got quite a few head of horses that need a taste of leather.
06:25The government will pay me $20 a head for those horses broken.
06:29I'll pay you $5 a head to break them.
06:32Is that all right?
06:34Yeah, I'll gentle them.
06:35But it'll take me a month or so.
06:37Oh, no.
06:38You'll have to do it in a week.
06:40A week?
06:41Well, that's impossible.
06:42That's one week and no deal.
06:45All right.
06:46I'll do my best.
06:56Hold it, Danny.
06:58All right, Tim.
06:59Here's a chance for you to do your best.
07:01Take him in the corral.
07:15What are you trying to do?
07:16That's no way to make a saddler.
07:18You can do better.
07:20You lead him around for a couple of days.
07:22Then you work him with a bridle and then a saddle blanket.
07:24Sorry.
07:25I'm afraid you'll have to ride him now or no job.
07:30All right.
07:31I'll close the gate, Mr. Arnold.
07:36Do you really think he's a bronc buster?
07:40Well, we'll see.
07:52Come on.
07:57Well, there you are.
08:07Well, he's alive.
08:10Horse trainer?
08:12Charlie, you have to go into town for the mail.
08:14You'd better drop him off at the doctor's.
08:23Come on.
08:28The boy's hurt.
08:31Hey, Doc.
08:32We got a customer for you.
08:34Tim.
08:44This boy is badly hurt.
08:46And you brought him in like this?
08:48Yeah, we ran out of straw.
08:50If I was a fighting man, I'd take a call up to you.
08:53That's a very good suggestion, Mr. Binks.
08:59We shouldn't have let him go out to the golf course.
09:01Get him inside.
09:08Hi, Mr. Hardy.
09:09How are you, Tim?
09:11You look like you're gonna live.
09:13No thanks to dude Randall.
09:15You paid the doctor.
09:16Me?
09:17I might have if I'd have had a chance, but somebody beat me to it.
09:20Stingiest man in town.
09:22Mr. Binks?
09:23Who else?
09:24Why would he do that?
09:26I don't know.
09:27Unless maybe he wanted to charge the interest on the money.
09:34Just the man I want to see.
09:36Mr. Binks, I want to thank you for...
09:38I don't know what you're talking about.
09:39Still want that job?
09:40Yes, sir, but first...
09:41Delivery stable.
09:43Getting to be too dang much for me to handle.
09:45I keep running back and forth all the time.
09:49If it's work you want, and I can't pay you much.
09:52Yes, sir, but I...
09:53Know much about it.
09:54Well, you'll learn your pay, all right.
09:56The first month I'm taking out the eight dollars I pay Dr. Mills.
10:00Yes, sir.
10:01Yes, sir.
10:02Mr. Binks, would you trust me for the cost of a gun?
10:06What do you want a gun for?
10:07Well, everybody carries them around here, and I thought...
10:11Well, I'm not very handy with one, and I thought...
10:14And I thought...
10:16Well, the kind of people you meet in the delivery stable...
10:20You may need a gun.
10:22Now, here's one right here.
10:25Now, I'm not selling you this one, mind you.
10:27I'm just lending it to you.
10:29And, uh, use these up practicing.
10:32Then you buy your own car, Virginia.
10:44Tim hadn't been at the Gopher Hole outfit long enough to learn anything.
10:48Except that they were a rough crowd.
10:50It wasn't much to go on, but it was all I had,
10:53and decided to go out and look the situation over myself.
11:09Sounds like Charlie's in trouble.
11:14Hyah!
11:36Honest ranchers don't keep lookouts.
11:39And they don't try to kill the people who come to look them over.
11:41There were things about the Gopher Hole operation I wanted to see,
11:44and this looked as good a time as any to pay a little visit.
12:12Hello!
12:13Anybody home? Gopher Hole!
12:27All right, you can come out now. With your hands up!
12:31This is your last chance.
12:41Come and get me!
12:50I quit!
12:51Throw out your rifle, too.
12:59You've got some pretty spooky horses around here.
13:02What you need is a horse trainer.
13:03We have.
13:04Did you send that kid out here?
13:07He came on his own.
13:08Because he needed a job.
13:09He came snooping.
13:10He got exactly what he deserved.
13:13Well, he's working for me now.
13:14Oh, yeah?
13:40Oh, yeah?
14:11Doing pretty good.
14:12I'm no good left hand.
14:13But I hit the mark with my right.
14:16And that's the one you ought to use.
14:17When it's all healed up.
14:19It's good enough now.
14:21For dude ranting?
14:23He made a fool out of me.
14:25I wouldn't be ganged up except for him.
14:28Well, a man that lives around people wearing guns, he ought to know how to use one.
14:32Not necessarily, Tim.
14:35A man who lives by a gun usually dies by one.
14:41Hello, Tim.
14:42Hi, Mr. Hardy.
14:44Well, you seem to be getting adjusted around here all right.
14:47Yeah, but there's not enough work to keep a man busy.
14:49And Mr. Binks won't let me help out in the store.
14:51Yeah.
14:53Hey.
14:55Aniseed, huh?
14:56Golly, I didn't even know they were still using it.
14:58Aniseed?
15:00I wonder if that's the stuff my dad used to use.
15:02It smells terrible.
15:03It does, maybe.
15:04Golly, a horse sure loves it.
15:07One thing about a horse, too.
15:08You treat him right and he'll sure remember it.
15:11I remember a friend of mine, every night at feeding time,
15:14he used to whistle real loud and then throw the oats to his horses.
15:18And golly, they got to associating the whistle with the oats.
15:21Forever after he could walk out in the pasture and whistle,
15:23they'd tear a fence down to get to the oats.
15:26That makes sense.
15:28I'm gonna try that.
15:30Right now I gotta work on his leg.
15:32Seems a little sore.
15:34Yeah.
15:35Seems a little sore.
15:37Yeah.
15:44Oh.
15:45Looks like he wrapped himself.
15:46Mm-hmm.
15:48You love horses, don't you, Tim?
15:50Oh, I sure do.
15:52Nothing I'd rather do than work around horses.
15:54Yeah, we gotta get you back up on that ranch of yours before...
16:00I'll see you, Tim.
16:06That would be for Dude Randall.
16:09Wasting good cartridges.
16:12And who's giving them to him?
16:14Well, I'm charging it against his pay.
16:17How much you paying him?
16:19Well, not much. Can't afford it.
16:22Well, all right. What am I gonna do with my money?
16:25Let him have some fun.
16:27He got no wife, no children.
16:28Yeah, I know.
16:30Can't afford him.
16:32Take it easy, boy.
16:41Attaboy.
17:01Well.
17:03This is the horse tamer.
17:05How are you feeling, son?
17:06High horse.
17:08I don't know whether we should leave our horses here or not.
17:11Well, who knows we ought to.
17:13He might ride them, you know.
17:14Take the kinks out.
17:16I'm afraid we're stuck.
17:17It's the only livery stable in town.
17:19Give them all a good rub down.
17:21And feed them plenty of grain.
17:23I'm afraid we're stuck.
17:24It's the only livery stable in town.
17:26I'm afraid we're stuck.
17:27It's the only livery stable in town.
17:29Give them all a good rub down.
17:30And feed them plenty of grain.
17:31Now, you hear me?
17:33Plenty of grain.
17:34That'll be a dollar apiece.
17:35All right, son.
17:36Bring them in, boys.
17:39Here you are.
17:40Hey, uh.
17:42What's that stuff you're using?
17:44Liniment.
17:45Sheesh.
17:47Smells like skunk oil.
17:54Hello, Tim.
17:55Hi, Mr. Hardy.
17:57Those old horses are still here, I see.
17:58Yes, sir.
17:59Three days now.
18:02Who do you suppose is running that ranch for them
18:03while they're in here living it up?
18:05Not much out there to run.
18:07They have a few head of wild horses,
18:08but that's about all.
18:10I know one thing.
18:11They don't do enough ranching to put in your eye.
18:13They seem to have plenty of money to spend, though.
18:15They've been paying for their horses every day.
18:18You didn't happen to hear
18:19when they were leaving, did you?
18:21No, sir.
18:22You want me to tell you when they leave?
18:24I want you to tell me before they leave
18:25if you get a chance to find out.
18:26I'll do that.
18:28I'm not very fond of that gopher whole bunch.
18:31Neither am I.
18:45Oh, hiya, horse.
18:47My name is Tim.
18:48Tim Farland.
18:50Oh, sorry, Tim.
18:52Old horse.
18:53Come on, help me saddle up the horses.
18:55You're leaving?
18:56Yeah, sometime tonight.
18:58The boss gets through playing poker.
19:00I want to be ready, though.
19:01Come on.
19:02You'll have to pay for another day.
19:04You don't miss a trick, do you?
19:09Our dude will pay you.
19:10Come on.
19:24Mr. Hardy.
19:25It's me, Tim Farland.
19:27Mr. Hardy.
19:31Yes?
19:32You said you wanted to know
19:33when the gopher whole bunch were leaving.
19:34It's tonight, now, I guess.
19:36Charlie just came over and saddled their horses.
19:39Thanks.
19:40Can I help, Mr. Hardy?
19:42You've already helped more than you know.
19:44They're going to try and rob Wells Fargo, aren't they?
19:46A mine payroll was shipped in here last night
19:48to pay everybody off first of the month.
19:50It may be what they're after.
19:51I owe them something, Mr. Hardy.
19:53I know, but this is my job, Tim.
19:55It's what I'm paid for.
19:57They keep calling me horse.
19:59I know that, too.
20:01But I may be completely wrong about it.
20:03Nothing may happen.
20:04You go on back over to the stable and wait.
20:06We'll see.
20:08Good night, Mr. Hardy.
20:21Good night.
20:52Mike, you and Andy go get the horses.
20:55Charlie,
20:57go around the back of the Wells Fargo office.
20:59Use the back door.
21:01Mose, you come with me.
21:22You guys taking your horses?
21:34Randall!
21:37Open up, Mr. Hardy.
21:39You open that door and I'll see to it
21:41you never close it.
21:52Hold it, Hardy!
21:55That's very sensible, Mr. Hardy.
21:57What good's a dead man?
21:59That's right.
22:22Tim!
22:24What's going on?
22:26What happened?
22:27The Comfort Hole gang.
22:29They're going to rob Wells Fargo.
22:31We got to help Mr. Hardy.
22:41Move.
22:44Tim!
22:46Tim!
22:48Tim!
22:50What's that?
22:54Let's get out of here.
23:20Hold it right there.
23:22Throw down your guns.
23:35What did you do to those horses, boy?
23:37One minute they're all set,
23:39and the next minute they're gone.
23:41I'm going to get them.
23:43I'm going to get them.
23:45I'm going to get them.
23:47I'm going to get them.
23:49I'm going to get the high-tailed out of here
23:51the next minute they come busting back.
23:53I whistled to them.
23:55And when you whistle to a horse, he comes?
23:57Sure.
23:59I guess you are a horse trainer.
24:01Well, I told you I was.
24:03I told that gopher a whole bunch, too,
24:05but they wouldn't believe me.
24:07You know, it was an aniseed.
24:09Horses just love aniseed.
24:11And every time I used that liniment, I whistled.
24:13They connected the liniment and the smell with the whistle.
24:15And that's why they bust loose and come back.
24:17That's using your head all right.
24:19Good seeing you, Mr. Binks.
24:21Goodbye, everybody.
24:23Good luck to you, horse trainer.