Around dark city and the territory on West there's just one way to handle the killers
and the spoilers and that's what the US Marshal and the smell of gun smoke
gun smoke starring William Conrad the transcribed story of the violence that
moved west with young America the story of a man who moved with it Matt Dillon
United States Marshal
over in sight of Dodge anyway Chester there's Ellen Henry's homestead wonder
how she'd take the servant up a breakfast mr. John I'm hungry I'll settle
for water in the horses I don't imagine Ellen has any extra food no sir it's
gone pretty hard for since Ethan died hasn't that's the talk look at her place
three lean twos and not a green thing growing I don't know how she makes out
well maybe Luther helps more than the folks give him credit for it for a son
he's not much good to my way of thinking I don't know when he turns a hand for
his mother between stops at the Texas Trail in the Long Branch and he's not
much like his father was or Ellen either for that matter that's a might early
nobody's stern we better just water our horses and ride on just yes quiet like
isn't it where'd you come from mr. Dylan from the house I think Luther I don't
know your trespassers get off my land it's Marshall Dylan Alan we just stopped
to water our horses I recognize you trespassing still goes Marshall you're
awful quick to fire Ellen Ethan and me never took the folks arriving unannounced
I still don't take to you well that's no cause to be firing on us that way miss
Henry especially since you recognized it quit whimpering I'd aim to hit you I'd
hit you all right Ellen get off my land and stay off just don't you get in any
trouble with that rifle Ellen I expect you'll hear about it if I do
Marshall now get I don't always aim high come on Chester
how old did you say she is mr. Dylan she can't be over 40 I guess if that she
looks like a old woman 60 or more she's dried up dead inside remember when
Ethan and her and boy came out here mr. Dylan right after the war she's not a
pretty little thing Luther was a little more than a baby then no mr. Dylan I was
just thinking Ethan was so proud of his homestead and his boy and Ellen now he's
five years dead the boy's gone bad his wife and his homestead they've just
dried up it's kind of sadding yeah it is come on Chester let's get on in the
Dutch
morning Marshall water oh Mitch well what it be I set up a bottle of rye
will you yes sir Marshall Dylan look there's Luther over there at the table
alone yeah I saw him thanks Mitch wait here Chester mine if I don't get to my
feet Marshall I got the feeling if I tried to stand up straight I'd fall over
first thing I knew sit still over I just don't have a lot of choice about it
Marshall I was out by your place this morning Luther I hadn't seen your mother
in a long time wish I could say the same a woman shouldn't have to run a
homestead alone not when her son's big enough to be a real help is this a
lecture Marshall do good talk but your own name on it Luther I can't make you
feel what you don't feel but in a way you're responsible for your mother and
what she does I'm real lucky Marshall I can quit listening any time I don't want
to hear something between the old lady and people like you I quit listening an
awful lot get it straight Luther I don't care what happens to you I done
something wrong you accusing me of something unlawful Marshall no but if
you have any feeling left for your mother or what happens to her you'll do
something about her living out there alone so much she's gone a little crazy
she's shot at you
yeah is that all is concerned in you Marshall half the time I do go home she
levels off at me I got a riot in under fire they're crawling on my belly she's
crazy like you said that's why she's crazy and you ought to bring her into
town get a keeper for her maybe I would if I cared what happened to her I don't
care don't care at all now that's up to you Luther now that's just another one of
them things I didn't hear you say Marshall
Luther just plain drunk isn't it sir that and just plain no good
yeah whatever you said drove him right out of here mr. Dillon mm-hmm well we
haven't been in the office since early yesterday Chester all right sir only
only what well sir Mitch has got a catalog in the back room and he's not
busy and he says it's just full of things you can order straight from St.
Louis I thought I'd well you got extra money have you just oh no sir well that
is not really extra money mr. Dillon it's just it well Mitch swears you can
get underwear from this catalog that don't rub your skin raw and I'd like
to take a look at it all right Chester I'll wait oh hello Cass now what's on
your mind talk I heard Marshall it's private like maybe we go to your office
we can do our talking here I thought you was always of a mind to get me inside
there Marshall where you could turn the key on me maybe I will someday Cass now
come on speak up yeah I heard talk at Luther Henry Road
catalog Carnes place last night I saw you talking with him just now I wondered
if you would heard the same I haven't heard a thing Cass odd you wouldn't
know I was out at Dodge last night all night I wonder if it's so Luther didn't
give himself away when you talked just now you're the one who's heard the talk
I got my rights I can ask questions you Marshall the man's herd ain't safe he's
got a right to know you worried for cons or for you if Carnes cattle can be
rolled off mine can now I didn't know you had much of a hurt what a man has is
his own business Marshall I'm asking about Luther and the other rider they
say there was two if Luther's wrong with the law I'll get him is there anything
else on your mind I think Marshall but I don't much like your attitude I can't
see that worry in me too much Cass all right just let's go yes
Mr. Dillon I was watching him from the back there he's a sniveling sort that
cast mm-hmm don't think of it though I don't know a single bad thing he's done
know any good he's done no sir can't say that to do mr. Dillon how about you
if I thought about your fancy underwear yes sir all right now we can tend the
business huh come on
hello Marshall I was waiting for you good morning mr. Carnes how did Chester
how do you got the key check yes sir well I don't see you in town much mr.
Carnes only when I got business Marshall now well come on in once you
my it's close in here we've been away a day and a night mr. Carnes sure gets
close that way I'll just open up the back once you have a chair mr. Carnes I
don't have a long piece to say Marshall it don't take long to say some of my
cattle were stolen last night I heard so soon yeah Cass Steader told me about it
a few minutes ago hmm well I don't know how Cass come by the information but it's
true this is the second time it's happened in the last few weeks you don't
keep much cattle do you hardly any I suppose a hundred heads the most I ever
had at one time but last night I lost five or six about the same time before
Cass was of the mind that Luther Henry did it I don't know Marshall one of my
hands said Luther was out of my place the other day just looking around I got
no real reason to suspect him only thing I know is that whoever it was rides a
horse that shot all the way around you don't see a lot of that on the prairie
no you don't you think there was just one rider mr. Carnes there was two from
the tracks but the boys and me lost him in the rain I thought I'd tell you about
it Marshall I can't afford to lose a little like God no I'll do what I can
mr. Kurt I I kind of hope it isn't Luther not for him so much as Ellen she's
had enough trouble yeah well Chester and I'll ride out to the Henry place and
look around mr. Carnes if Luther's guilty maybe some of Ellen's troubles
will be over or maybe they'll just be beginning
we will return for the second act of gun smoke in just a moment but first in the
17th annual poll of noted daily CBS radio won 12 first places the top pole
award champion of champions went to the Jack Benny show best comedian was Eve
Arden on our Miss Brooks best comedian Jack Benny best master of ceremonies
Bing Crosby Bing also won the nod as best popular male vocalist Doris Day was
rated best feminine pop vocalist and so it went in all 12 first places now for
the second act of gun smoke
I
swear mr. Dillon I feel like I was riding right into the camp of the enemy
coming back Ellen this way you think we should be flying a white flag as we ride
up Chester I feel a little safer to tell honest truth she's got no reason to fire
on us I'll agree that's pretty small comfort
look younger mr. Jonah think I saw her peering out it's all right Chester come
on I don't see Luther's horse around maybe he isn't here well afternoon Alan I
want to talk a bit about Luther I got work to do in the shed I'm going there
you want to talk
let me help out I'll get it he's got a loose shoe I am to fix it well we could
be a hand Ellen yes I'm proud to I'm to fix it myself all right he wouldn't have
shoes if I waited for a man to shoe him easy easy now easy oh you come to talk
Marshall yeah about Luther huh two nails clean out no wonder it's loose
Carnes lost some cattle last night two riders got off with five or six head one
of Carnes hands thinks Luther was one of them is he around Ellen I told you
before he comes and goes Luther does have you seen him since we were here this
morning don't recall that I have Marshall I've got other things to occupy
my thought I trying to get together enough money to go back to my people
what to do with those names here they are man oh I'd admire to help you miss
Henry I do that's a fine horse Ellen a real fine horse shot all the way around
and was Ethan's way that's your horse or Luther's mine what that was Luther mr.
Dylan and he took your horse yeah I make a run after him sir not when he's wild
Chester I don't want you shot or him either I just want to talk to him
how they just comes and goes huh Ellen believe what you want Marshall I didn't
know he was around like I said I never know quit carrying don't worry Marshall
Luther again he's had it coming to him for a long time well I guess we ride
back double Chester yes sir we sure do
Luther sure cut out quick mr. Dylan maybe he did run those cattle off car
in place last night maybe he's running away from something wonder where he'll
hide everybody around here knows your horse oh he's made a lot of mistakes
he'll make more nothing says he's gonna turn bright all of a sudden you're
not worried about your horse and mr. Dylan I don't think so Chester what kind
of a woman is that mr. Dylan Ellen yes sir I don't know I'm not much of a hand
to understand women Chester any woman I don't know you think she knew Luther was
home all along maybe I just don't understand it mr. Dylan it's not right
somehow a woman not caring about her own son you hear she said right out I quit
Karen you just don't seem right
still might close in here I believe I'll leave them back windows up a spell but
you don't I think I'll go up to a most blacksmith shop Chester and see if he
has a horse to spare all right there's some paperwork to catch up on if you get
the time yes of course you'll want to write that place in Chicago about your
underwear the first thing that's your mr. Dylan I'll be back just
well I may not need that horse after all how's that mr. Dylan Ellen Henry's
riding up the street leading my horse well bless my soul it sure is there's
something thrown across her saddle mr. Dylan it looks like wait here Chester
hello Ellen I brought your horse back Marshall he's been running hard he looks
all right you you found Luther did you he's dead you found him dead he had it
coming a long time here I'll lift him down Chester easy easy there
yes mr. Dylan Chester take the body up to Doc's will you yes miss Henry I'm
real sorry I'll be going now Marshall I'll take my horse then Ellen you uh you
got any plans for Barry and woofer put him in any ground you like only don't
tell me where it is and when you do it you know how he died Ellen he was shot
look it's near dark Ellen you could put up in town for the night if you don't
put him near Ethan Marshall I wouldn't want that come on Doc's working on Luther
now mr. Dylan he's just plumb full of holes yeah I know poor miss Henry even
though she don't act like it I just know she feels terrible yeah she's grieving
her heart on where you going mr. Dylan I don't think I expressed my sympathy to
poor miss Henry proper
I followed Ellen Henry West to her homestead the Sun was down now but I
could see her ahead riding hard there were clouds to the south and the smell of
rain on the easy wind that blew in little circles around me
Ellen bore west and I lost her past a clump of cottonwoods near Carnes place
so I rode harder when I came even with the trees there was just enough sun ray
left to see her head south toward the dark clouds she wasn't going home
it was dark now I couldn't see anything the storm clouds stretched black from the
south and fastened over half the sky I rode hard against him so I saw the
flicker of lantern shine ahead it was Cass stutters place left my horse out
away from the house walked in as softly as I could
Cass and Ellen were having their talk in a cattle shed near the house trusted me
before about money Ellen what's the rush this time I worked done Cass was done
last night when Luther and me drove them last few from Carnes place over here I
want my share and Luther's him not cold dead yet you want to share ain't a
mother entitled to whatever her son leaves mother you never had no mother
feel for him and him no love for you either huh ain't you the one talk about
love it takes courage to love to love with all of you when the love goes they
take it buried in the ground there's nothing left but hate I wouldn't kill my
own kin you wouldn't be that honest you won't even steal cattle yourself buy it
off of them as has the courage to ride in and rustle yeah how'd it feel killing
your own Ellen like it'll feel killing you Cass if you don't give me the money
here and now like nothing at all Luther's dead and gone because he tipped
his hand showed his face around cards place talk big in the saloons he was no
use no use at all he is no woman in you at all
I've been dead five years and your time is running short to Cass I'm in a hurry
too late to hurry on hot tea too late to move forgotten so well I'm sure glad to
see you Marshall how are you Cass oh I sure am I guess I call a trick on Luther
all right didn't I yeah you were a big help you and Luther stole the cattle
all and then brought them to Cass for pay is that it only sometimes like now we
didn't get paid don't believe her Marshall you wouldn't take the word of
one as murders your own son I don't have to Cass
Carnes brand won't be hard to find on any cattle you got here Cass was just slow
to move him on Marshall he'd have gone on toward Abilene with him last night
like we planned you're lying Helen Henry are you lying now get your horses both of
you wait well why are you taking me Marshall well there's some kind of a law
Cass about buying and transporting stolen cattle yeah Marshall knows his law
Cass did you you know what she did to Luther don't you Marshall yeah I know
now come on you'd like it better wouldn't you Marshall if one of us made a move so
you could use your gun I said come on Ellen I think I'd like it better if you
used your gun Marshall I ain't going to get back East now anyway you'd be taking
a coward's way out Ellen if you made me kill you
I said get your horse Cass
now make your choice Ellen but I don't think Ethan I'd think much of you all
right Marshall I'll go and mind what I said don't put Luther near Ethan they
wasn't the same kind
gun smoke transcribed under the direction of Norman McDonald stars
William Conrad as Matt Dillon US Marshal tonight's story was specially written
for gun smoke by Kathleen height with music composed and conducted by Rex
Corey featured in the cast were Jeanette Nolan Sam Edwards John Dana Harry
Bartel and Herb Vigran parley bear is Chester gun smoke is heard by our troops
overseas through the facilities of the Armed Forces radio service join us again
next week as Matt Dillon US Marshal fights to bring law and order out of the
wild violence of the West in gun smoke
this coming Monday evening here Richard Widmark is one of the desperate Spencer
brothers riding against time and death in a suspense drama well calculated to
keep your interest high also Monday night you want to hear CBS
radio's Lux radio theater is starring Joan Fontaine and Joseph Cotton in the
strange drama September affair remember both this Monday night and most of the
same CBS radio stations suspense and Lux radio theater this is Roy Rowan
speaking America now listens to 105 million radio sets and listens most to
the CBS radio network