This is a murder mystery where Little Joe is the obvious killer because he finds the dead man stuck with his knife, removes the knife, and it holding the knife in his hand over the dead man when discovered.
The story starts with very different people taking a packed stagecoach. Little Joe, a saloon singer, Laurie Hayden (Kathleen Crowley), a rough fur trader, Howard Benson (Kelly Thordsen), an arrogant son of a Baron, Roberto DeSoto (Mario Alcalde), a prissy, judgmental woman, Nora Whitley (Betsy Jones-Moreland) and an older man, Leon Henshaw (Dabbs Greer).
Howard tells them he makes a lot of money as a fur trader and has $5,000 in his pocket right now. The stagecoach driver has a heart attack and the stage is overturned with the horses running off. They all survive and begin walking with a little food and water and a wild wind. Only Howard and Little Joe are familiar with the country and which way to go. They find a cabin/way station and spend a night there. Howard makes advances to Laurie, which she rejects, so he gets rough and Little Joe intervenes. Near morning LIttle Joe finds Howard dead and is holding his knife when Nora starts screaming and everyone awakes. Little Joe is knocked unconscious and has his hands tied because they all think he is a killer. Unfortunately, Little Joe is the only one who knows which way to go and leads everyone further into the wilderness, into a cave where he tells them they aren't going anywhere until the killer confesses.
Everyone is thirsty, hungry and tired when Laurie tells the old man, Leon, to tell Little Joe.
SPOILER: Turns out there is some important information that the travelers hadn't shared with each other. Leon is Laurie's father and has just been released from prison, but he swears he didn't kill Howard and provides reasoning why he wouldn't, yet. Then Nora comes in with Roberto and a gun, they take the last water and prepare to leave when there is some gunplay between LIttle Joe and Roberto with Nora being gut shot. Roberto tells her he loves her, but where is the money? Turns out Howard had promised to marry Nora, but wouldn't do it and didn't have any money. Nora killed Howard because he wouldn't marry her. Nora is upset about Roberto's concern for the money and shoots him, then she succumbs to her wound.
In the end Little Joe is happy to be back at the Ponderosa and scolded by his father when he puts his boots on the table.
The story starts with very different people taking a packed stagecoach. Little Joe, a saloon singer, Laurie Hayden (Kathleen Crowley), a rough fur trader, Howard Benson (Kelly Thordsen), an arrogant son of a Baron, Roberto DeSoto (Mario Alcalde), a prissy, judgmental woman, Nora Whitley (Betsy Jones-Moreland) and an older man, Leon Henshaw (Dabbs Greer).
Howard tells them he makes a lot of money as a fur trader and has $5,000 in his pocket right now. The stagecoach driver has a heart attack and the stage is overturned with the horses running off. They all survive and begin walking with a little food and water and a wild wind. Only Howard and Little Joe are familiar with the country and which way to go. They find a cabin/way station and spend a night there. Howard makes advances to Laurie, which she rejects, so he gets rough and Little Joe intervenes. Near morning LIttle Joe finds Howard dead and is holding his knife when Nora starts screaming and everyone awakes. Little Joe is knocked unconscious and has his hands tied because they all think he is a killer. Unfortunately, Little Joe is the only one who knows which way to go and leads everyone further into the wilderness, into a cave where he tells them they aren't going anywhere until the killer confesses.
Everyone is thirsty, hungry and tired when Laurie tells the old man, Leon, to tell Little Joe.
SPOILER: Turns out there is some important information that the travelers hadn't shared with each other. Leon is Laurie's father and has just been released from prison, but he swears he didn't kill Howard and provides reasoning why he wouldn't, yet. Then Nora comes in with Roberto and a gun, they take the last water and prepare to leave when there is some gunplay between LIttle Joe and Roberto with Nora being gut shot. Roberto tells her he loves her, but where is the money? Turns out Howard had promised to marry Nora, but wouldn't do it and didn't have any money. Nora killed Howard because he wouldn't marry her. Nora is upset about Roberto's concern for the money and shoots him, then she succumbs to her wound.
In the end Little Joe is happy to be back at the Ponderosa and scolded by his father when he puts his boots on the table.
