Ep 17. Ride the Wind, Part 1

Hoss and Little Joe become involved in the affairs of a group of Chinese immigrants who have come to the Virginia City area. Hop Sing finds himself in a conflict between his own people and an organization of hostile "citizens," who are considering violence to drive the Chinese out of the area. Hoss and Joe try to help the Chinese workers find jobs, while Ben and Sheriff Coffee try to keep the peace. Meanwhile, Adam is away on business and unaware of the situation. As tensions rise, the Cartwrights become increasingly involved in trying to prevent the situation from escalating into violence. But their efforts are complicated by the arrival of a group of gunslingers who have been hired to intimidate the Chinese workers. The first part of the episode sets up the ongoing conflict and introduces the various characters who are involved. The tension builds as the situation worsens, and the episode ends on a cliffhanger, with the fate of the Chinese workers hanging in the balance.