Meanwhile at the Fresno Palace Hotel, Nick is on a winning streak at the gambling table. Heath instructs their foreman Dace Edwards (Roy Janson) to move the cattle ahead and that they will catch up with him once their luck runs out.

     

           

While Nick and Heath unsaddle their horses, Bart excitedly reports to his father that they may have finally stumbled upon the mother load.

           

In the wee hours of the night, Nick reluctantly decides to call it a night. Seconds after he and Heath head out to the barn, Bart berates his father for not crashing the man’s skull. Jesse argues that he had to play it safe, especially with his brother dozing nearby. Seeing how Belle appears to have worked her magic on Nick Barkley, he decides on an alternate plan of action, on that involves a marriage and a promise of unlimited wealth.

           

At the ranch, Jarrod informs Victoria and Audra that three more corpses have been recovered from the river. They tell Heath that Dace never made it back with the cattle and worry that he might have fallen prey to the mysterious slaughterers.

Nick returns to the Bleeck house where Belle’s father encourages him to ask her daughter out to the barn dance tomorrow. Belle feels genuine attraction for dark-haired Barkley and for that reason she’s ill at ease about her father’s unsavoury plans.

           

Meanwhile in a peaceful setting by the riverbank, Nick courts Belle. The once brash girl turns shy at all the attention she’s getting from her knight in shining armour, one she believes will rescue her from her wretched existence.

She returns home with a glowing expression. Bart is worried that their chance at some easy money might be slipping through their fingers but his father is quick to point out that in the likely event Nick Barkley marries his sister, their wealth will be insured for life.

           

On the trail, once Fred gives the men their instructions, Heath suggests to Jarrod to ride to the Bleeck House and ask Nick to join in on the search.

Meanwhile at the cabin, Belle begs her father to forget their plans for Nick Barley and to hightail out of town before it’s too late.

           

Realizing it’s a trap, Nick tries to escape by fighting off the two men. Seeing how Nick is getting the upper hand, Belle hits him with a rod but pleads with Bart not to kill him

           

Minutes later they see their insentient brother being dragged bodily across they yard.