In the town of Smithville, Joe Cartwright's life is saved by Tracy Blaine (Robert Drivas), who then manages to sweet-talk his way into a job at the Ponderosa. Neither Joe nor the rest of the Cartwrights are aware that Blaine has formulated a diabolically clever scheme to rob Ben Cartwright, a scheme that includes incapacitating Ben and luring Joe and Hoss far, far away from the ranch. Conlan Carter and Leo Gordon appear as Blaine's crooked cohorts Clay and Fargo. Scripted by Arthur Dales, "Blood Tie" originally aired on February 18, 1968. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi