Bonanza (1959)

Episode Overview

Joe finds himself lost in the desert after his horse falls and breaks her leg. Overcome by exhaustion and dehydration, he collapses and is discovered by a Paiute named Swift Eagle, who instead of helping, steals Joe's gun and returns to the reservation. Chief Red Cloud, Swift Eagle’s grandfather, discovers the gun and insists they must aid its owner. He nurses Joe back to health and instructs Swift Eagle to escort him to town. Once there, Joe encounters the influential Frank Ryan, who generously offers him hospitality. Feeling grateful to both Red Cloud for saving him and Frank for his kindness, Joe is determined to prevent conflict when Red Cloud challenges Frank to a duel. The root of their animosity lies in a warbonnet that Frank has displayed in his saloon for fifteen years, a trophy from Red Cloud’s past. Now aging, Red Cloud seeks to reclaim his lost honor before his time runs out.