October 22, 1960
Unknown
After being injured in a fight, Ben is nursed back to health by Matsou and his wife Hatoya. In return, Ben give the two Indians land to settle and farm. However Matsou's brother and a neighbor are set on making sure that Matsou and his wife don't succeed in their new life.
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When Matsou, the son of an Indian chief, and his wife, Hatoya, find and care for an ambushed Ben Cartwright, the Indian sets himself at further odds with his brother and the tribe, who are set on vengeance to the White Man for overtaking their lands. The couple's peaceful new life together is further complicated by a neighbor filled with prejudice for the Red Man.
This ranks among the top episodes for Season Two of Bonanza as far as acting, storyline, and character development. Ricardo Montalban does a fine job portraying a man with a true dilemma: he has been born and raised a warrior, but his love for a woman who is devoted to Christ is melting away all that he has known and held to be true. As he takes on his wife's new faith for himself, he is confronted with scorn and rejection from his brother and native people, and suspicion and hostility from some of his white neighbors. The struggle within as this new man in him emerges is portrayed intensely, and the ending depicting his return to the tribe amidst tragedy and hope is a brilliant finish.
The downside to this episode was Karl Swenson's character, Ike. He was way too one-dimensional as your stereotypical, Injun-hatin' old man, and came across as more comedic than cold.
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