"Days of Wrath"

(Original air date 01/08/68)


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Jarrod brings his new bride home but she is soon killed
by a man seeking revenge

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Writer: Ken Pettus

Director: Virgil W. Vogel



On a train bound for Denver, Jarrod shares a romantic dinner with schoolteacher Beth Randall (Sandra Smith) whom he met while in Washington. When the train pulls over at the station, Jarrod and Beth kiss goodbye and she alights the wagon. Smitten with the pretty woman, he asks the dining car waiter Charles (Bobby Johnson) to take his luggage out of the train. Instead of heading to Stockton, he will stay a few days in Denver.

Back in Stockton, while Nick hauls supplies onto the rig, he catches a glimpse of Cassidy "Cass" Hyatt (Michael Strong) walking past, a murderer who was granted pardon by the governor. Jarrod failed to mention it probably because he didn't want to worry the family. Nick hopes for the man's sake that his home is the only reason for returning to town.

           

At night, over a game of billiards, Nick informs Heath and Victoria about Cass Hyatt's release from Quentin prison. Victoria worries that he might still hold a grudge against Jarrod for prosecuting him.

A dog bark announces Jarrod's arrival. He is accompanied by Beth, whom he introduces as his new bride.

Nick and Heath go get a bottle of champagne to celebrate the happy occasion while Victoria leads Beth into the living room. Suddenly, she happily realizes that she has become a mother-and-law.

           

The next morning, with Silas (Napoleon Whiting) at her side, Victoria fusses over the breakfast tray she intends to bring up to Jarrod and Beth. Nick barges in with his usual holler and she jumps on him, ordering him to keep quiet for the newlyweds are still asleep. Nick has trouble keeping up with his mother's pacing, while she rambles about the wedding reception, the planning, the invitations, Audra's absence and so on.

When everything is set and finally to her liking, Victoria picks up the tray. As she's about to carry the breakfast upstairs, Heath comes down, informing her that Jarrod and Beth left early to go into town and that he'd forgotten to tell her. Nick bursts into a guffaw.

           

While in town, Jarrod and Beth run into Hyatt. The man is surprised to learn that Jarrod didn't interfere with the governor's decision to release him from jail. Beth questions Jarrod about Cass but he dismisses him as a old court case.

In the kitchen, Victoria gets acquainted with her new daughter-in-law over a not stove, preparing one of Jarrod's favorite dishes. Beth realizes that she knows so little of her husband, like why he won't tell her about Cass Hyatt. Victoria reacts, but before she can say anything, Jarrod calls Beth into the foyer to ask her to go on a ride with him.

           

As they reach a quiet spot by the river, Jarrod escorts her bride to the bank where they sit in the grass and talk about their future together. A suspicious character looms in the bushes not far ahead. A gunshot resounds. The bullet kills Beth.

           

At Sheriff Madden's office (Douglas Kennedy), Hyatt swears he wasn't near that river when the shooting occurred. Madden checked his alibi which appears to be solid.

In the ranch living room, Beth's cameo in hand, a grief-stricken Jarrod sits alone, vengeance mirroring in his seething eyes.

Sheriff Madden drops by the ranch to inform Jarrod that Hyatt's alibi held and had to let him go. Jarrod argues that it was him who killed his wife and therefore intends to hunt him down and make him pay for what he did to Beth. Victoria tries to calm her son, convincing him that vengeance is not an answer. Beth wouldn't want him to destroy her love by destroying himself.

           

Jarrod rides up to the riverbank where Beth was shot. Her sweet voice still echoes in his mind.

After the funeral, Jarrod arms herself with rifle and bullets to go on a manhunt despite Victoria's pleading.

Nick enters and asks Victoria to leave him alone with Jarrod. He tries to talk some sense into his seething brother but Jarrod is so incensed that he jabs Nick in the jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. He then leaves.

           

Jarrod goes to the train station and questions the stationmaster (Carl Prickett) about Hyatt's whereabouts. He won't say anything but Jarrod helps himself to the schedule and traces the train's route on a map. One stop is Price Junction. Jarrod remembers Hyatt had a brother staying in that town.

Jarrod’s hunch is right on the nose. Hyatt sought refuge at his brother Cliff's (Peter Hobbs) house. Cliff informs Cass that Jarrod Barkley is in town asking around about him. Cass swears he hasn't killed his wife but Cliff knows that his brother never comes for a visit unless he's in trouble, so he throws him out of his house.

           

Later, Jarrod shows up at Cliff's house, looking for Cass. With gun in hand, he searches the house and threatens Cliff with a hot iron to reveal the location of his brother. Then he goes after him.

           

Jarrod catches up with Cass. Hiding behind bushes, but the man shoots him in the head. Jarrod falls off his horse and Cass, thinking he'd kill him, rides away, contented. He heads back into town where he stops at a saloon.

At little later, Jarrod regains consciousness. Luckily the bullet only grazed his temple. Weak, he staggers back to his horse and heads into town.

In town, Jarrod slumps down his horse in the middle of the street.

           

He awakes in bed, a bandage wrapped around his head. Doctor Saxton (Jon Lormer) comes into the room and introduces him to Zach Fain, (Kevin Hagen) the town's sheriff. Jarrod states that he's in Rimfire to kill the man who cold-bloodedly murdered his wife. Jarrod is surprised to learn that Hyatt is already in jail. Fain arrested him last night for disturbing the peace at the saloon.

Meanwhile, Nick and Heath are on Jarrod's trail.

           

Sheriff Fain goes to Cass held behind bars and says that Jarrod is still out looking for him. Fortunately for him, he won't be able to get to him for thirty days until the circuit judge gets into town. Cass continues to swear up and down he didn't shoot Beth.

Jarrod tries to convince the Sheriff to let Hyatt out of jail by bribing him with money. Fain is tempted but refuses. Jarrod leaves the money on the table, just in case he changes his mind and says he'll be waiting outside.

           

Fain has a change of heart. He grabs the money and orders Hyatt to walk out of his office. The man panics, knowing Jarrod is out there, waiting to kill him.

Across the street, Jarrod spots Cass walking out of the sheriff's office. He starts shooting at him. Cass dodges the bullets and hides behind a barrel, pleading with the sheriff to haul in back in jail. He admits to killing Beth. Jarrod's anger boils over and lunges at Cass, beating him to a pulp as Nick and Heath ride up.

           

With his gun, Jarrod threatens Nick to stay out of his way. Nick doesn't budge. His eyes darken as he calmly informs Jarrod that he'll have to kill him in order to get to Cass. Jarrod yields reluctantly. He lowers his gun and wanders away while the sheriff drags Cass back in jail.

Back at home, Victoria informs Jarrod that Cass Hyatt was just sentenced to life imprisonment, but the news is little comfort to her son who discovered he had a dark side lying dormant within him and that he prays to God to never rouse it again.

           


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