Post Toasties, the Heat Good Corn Flakes, is proud to present Gunsmoke.
Around Dodge City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers.
And that's with a U.S. Marshal and the smell of Gunsmoke.
Gunsmoke, the story of the violence that moved west with young America.
The story of a man who moved with it, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal.
Say there, next time you hear a crackling noise in your kitchen, you better get up and investigate.
Maybe somebody just couldn't wait for his breakfast of crackling crisp Post Toasties.
And that's a treat you shouldn't miss.
Post Toasties, you know, are the Heat Good Corn Flakes.
Why, after one taste, I'll bet anything you'll agree with me.
Post Toasties is just the best thing that's happened to corn since the Indians discovered it.
There's nothing quite like sweet kernel corn flavor when it's toasted right in.
Toasted into crisp, fresh corn flakes.
Man, oh man, that's Post Toasties.
Heat Good Corn Flakes.
Better try them.
And now, Gunsmoke, starring William Conrad.
The Heat Good Corn Flakes
It's a darn shame, Mr. Dillon.
Oh, what is, Chester?
Well, for long it'll be too cold to sit out here of an evening.
Winter's too cold, summer's too hot.
How do you like spring, Chester?
Oh, spring's all right, up here.
But I remember back in Waco, we all got the egg you every spring.
Terrible fever.
Makes a man feel like a harp with a thousand strings.
Yeah, I know, I've had it.
That stage is mighty late tonight.
It sure is.
You know, my ma had a theory we'd be immune if we had three hard-boiled eggs on good price.
But if that didn't work and we got the egg you anyway, she'd tie salt mackerel onto our feet.
Well, that ought to toughen up your feet anyway.
We all survived.
Hey, look, here comes a stage driver.
Why, it's Jim Buck.
Oh, yeah.
Marshall.
Hello, Chester.
Hello, Jim.
All right.
Trouble, Jim?
I'd call it trouble, Marshall.
Got held up.
One passenger shot down in cold blood.
What?
The meanest thing I ever saw.
Where'd this happen?
On the other side of Wagon Bed Springs, clean there, and Jesse Daggett's...
Daggett's?
He runs a state station out there near the Colorado line.
And I got a mighty strong feeling Jesse Daggett's in on this, Marshall.
What makes you think so, Jim?
Oh, he knew I was carrying gold.
After we'd laid over an hour or so at the station, I seen Daggett talking to a man who just rode in.
Cussed looking at gunmen as he'd want.
Well, then what happened?
Another fellow rode off, left before we did.
Was alone?
Yeah, just him, with his face covered.
Never said a word.
He took the strongbox and robbed the passengers.
Then he got on his horse and turned around and shot one of them right through the head.
Why would a man do that, Marshall?
I don't understand.
Maybe he just likes to kill, Jim.
But I'll go back with you tomorrow.
Maybe we can find out.
We made the trip down to the Santa Fe Trail next day.
Through Wagon Pet Springs and on to Jesse Daggett's State Station.
I sat on the box with Jim Buck while Chester rode inside with the passengers.
And by evening everybody was glad when we reached Daggett's.
It was a typical road ranch with a large eating room and a row of sleeping quarters for the travelers.
Jesse Daggett himself was a tall, angular man.
Gaunt and gray.
He was quiet, but one could feel the trouble that lay inside him.
The first chance I had to talk to him was in the yard after supper.
Old weather be coming soon.
I'll have to lay in more whiskey.
You had this station long?
Three years come spring.
Built it myself.
Pawnees try to burn it down now and then, but I'm still here.
You plan to stay here, Daggett?
Man's plans are his own, Marshall.
Ah, I'm sorry. It was just an idle question.
It's all right.
I think I'd like it here myself.
No neighbors, but lots of company passing through.
It ain't all good company.
Lots of people travel, good and bad.
Through?
Like the man who held up Jim Buck's stay yesterday and shot that passenger.
What about him?
Well, you might call him the bad kind, don't you think?
What I think won't raise the dead, Marshall.
It might keep more people from dying, though.
I figure that's what you're doing here, looking for that fella.
Jim Buck thinks it might have been that gunman you were talking to here the day of the holdup.
That was Nat Pilcher, but I don't care what Jim Buck thinks.
Now, everybody expects a stage to get held up once in a while,
but it's a different matter to shoot people down for nothing.
I don't figure this man, unless he's just a born killer.
He could have a lot of reasons.
Men are all different.
Yeah, sure.
Different reasons for doing what they do, living the way they live.
I guess it's what's happened to them in the past spells it out.
That's true.
I'll tell you something, Marshall, but ain't what you want to hear.
I believe in letting every man kill his own snakes.
Now, this business is between whoever the bandit is and me.
Is that it?
That's it, exactly.
Every man for himself, you might say.
I won't interfere, but I won't help.
I see.
Got to be like that.
Even though a man was killed for nothing?
Let dog eat dog, I see.
Yeah.
I hope you won't regret it, Daggett.
One more regret won't break me, Marshall.
Trying to get anything out of Jesse Daggett was hopeless, but I still couldn't agree with Jim Buck that he was partners with the road agent.
Daggett somehow wasn't that kind of man.
Anyway, there was nothing to do but wait and let things happen.
Two days passed while Chester and I sat in the eating room and played a game of cards.
Now we got mighty restless.
Late afternoon of the second day, however, Jim Buck drove back with his stage.
The travelers came in first, went to their rooms, and then Jim came over to say hello.
I wish I had a job like yours, nothing to do but sit around and play cards, drink whiskey.
Well, we do a lot of thinking, Jim. That's what makes up for it.
You do, huh?
Yeah.
Well, you done any about finding Jesse Daggett's friend?
Nat Pilcher.
Well, if we did find him, Jim, we couldn't prove anything.
No, neither could I, I guess.
But you might just shoot him for luck.
You're too suspicious, Jim.
He was probably just some cowboy riding through.
Maybe.
There's another pilgrim for supper. It was Daggett anyway.
Well, he went outside just after you pulled in. Didn't you see him?
I was busy with the horses. And I still got work to do. I'll see you at supper.
You know, that's a hard life, driving a stage, Mr. Dillon. I don't think I'd want to do that.
Well, you might give it a try for us, Chester.
Wait a minute.
I heard there was a marshal here.
Yeah, that's right. What can I do for you?
Me? You can't do nothing for me, Marshal.
Oh? Well, then what do you want?
I just wanted to see what a marshal looks like. Alive and...
Satisfied?
Sure.
Then get out of here.
You'll touch him, Marshal. Real touch him.
I don't want him to start no trouble. I want him to come in to say hello.
Friendly, like.
What's your name?
Pilcher. Not Pilcher.
I thought so.
Sure. I'm a friend of Jesse Daggett's. An old friend.
Where do you live, Pilcher? You got a job around here.
I'm a cowboy, Marshal. Know anybody needs a good hand?
What do you do besides riding?
Funny. You ask that.
Is it?
You being a lawman, dear. Have you heard of Charlie Hall, sheriff over in New Mexico?
I have.
They say Clay Allison showed him. That's what they say, Marshal.
But I know for a fact, it wasn't Clay.
Nice meeting you, Marshal. See you later.
Say, how are morning appetites at your house?
Well, if they're pretty drowsy, here's a real good way to wake them up.
Set a bowl full of post-toasties, the heap good corn flakes, at everybody's place.
Just watch your folks take notice when they see how crisp post-toasties are.
And wait till they taste that sweet kernel corn flavor toasted in.
Bet your whole tribe will agree with you.
Post-toasties are the best thing that's happened to corn since the Indians discovered it.
And here's a thought, if you'd like to make a good thing even better,
try topping post-toasties with your favorite fruit.
You'll find that's a mighty good way to start the day.
Fact is, it's a downright delicious way.
So next time you shop, be sure to ask for post-toasties.
They're the heap good corn flakes. You'll see.
Post-toasties heap good corn flakes.
The best thing that's happened to corn since the Indians discovered it.
Heap good corn flakes. Post-toasties heap good corn flakes.
Now back to Gunsmoke.
Music
Jesse Daggett's stage station lay on the prairie miles from anywhere.
It would be an easy thing for a man like Nat Pilcher to ride in long enough to check on a stagecoach
and the value of its cargo, and then ride up the road a few miles and wait for it.
But I still didn't believe Daggett was in on the deep,
even though he and Pilcher had obviously known each other somewhere before.
The next morning at dawn, Jim Buck loaded his passengers aboard and pulled out.
Daggett and I stood there and watched the little cloud of dust as it moved up the Santa Fe Trail toward Wagon Bed Springs.
Make dodge tonight and you'll be back here tomorrow.
I met your friend Nat Pilcher last night, Daggett.
Pilcher rode out before supper.
Yeah, I know. Seems like he only came in to tell me what a hard case he is.
He warned me about it.
Didn't have much effect. You're still here.
You don't think I scare that easy.
You're all right, Marshal. Things will work out here without you.
Daggett, I don't know what's going on down here, and if I'm meddling in your affairs, I'm sorry, but
a stage has been robbed and a man's been killed, and that makes it my affair too.
I want to thank you for not thinking I got anything to do with all that, Marshal.
Well, I wasn't sure at first, but I am now.
Even so, I'm not going back to Dodge without a man.
No, no, I suppose you won't.
Well, let's go inside.
Sure.
You ought to plant some trees there, Daggett. It sure improved the place.
Not enough water.
Dig for it then. You'll never get a woman to come out here and marry you unless you've at least cut some trees.
How's that?
There's no offense. I was just remarking that women like things grow on around the place.
Let's say I meant it generally.
No offense.
I thought to have a woman here once when I first planned about running a state station.
It was over in New Mexico.
Seemed like a long time ago.
Things don't always work out.
I was mighty fond of her, Marshal, but I lost her.
I've been a little lonely ever since.
You came close. That's better than some men do.
I don't know about that.
It is funny how a man goes right on living, even when his luck's about run out.
Yeah.
Come on inside. I'll heat up some coffee.
Good.
Got him, Chester.
Mr. Dillon, do you mind if we don't play anymore? I'm beginning to see things.
It's okay with me.
The stage ought to be here soon anyway.
Jim Buck's been all the way to dodging back, and we've just been sitting here another two days.
Well, waiting's always the hardest part.
There's the stage now. There'll be some people around here.
Yeah.
Hello, Jim.
Come out here, Marshal.
What? What? Trouble, Jim?
Stop me again, Marshal.
By heaven, I'm going after him now, if you don't.
Take a look in the coach here.
Why? What, the woman? Is she dead, Jim?
Of course she's dead. She's got a bullet in her.
Where are your other passengers?
There ain't any. She's the only one this trip.
Look at her, Marshal. He killed her.
There's some blood sucking through your jacket, Jim. You hit bad.
In the shoulder. Knocked me off the box. I wasn't going to stop at all.
And he just rode up and put a bullet in her and rode off. Never said a word.
You think it was Pilcher?
Let's ask Jesse Daggett here who it was.
No.
Take a look in the coach, Daggett.
Take a good look.
Well, Daggett, what do you think of killing women?
Look at him, Marshal. I told you, you ever see a gilded looking man?
You're wrong, Jim. Doesn't even make sense.
Well, he didn't do it. No, but he's in on it somehow.
Chester, I'll help you bring the woman inside, and then we'll see what we can do about your shoulder, Jim. Come on.
It doesn't make sense. None at all. But I figured it would soon.
And after I did what I could for Jim Buck's shoulder, Chester and I buried the woman.
But across over a grave. We'd find out later who she was.
The rest of the night we took turns watching for a move from Jesse Daggett.
And sure enough, an hour before dawn, he saddled up and rode out onto the prairie.
We let him get a little start and then took a couple of his horses and followed him.
You think he's gonna meet Pilcher?
If he can find him.
He must have come ten mile already.
Yeah, about that. We shouldn't have let him get so far ahead of us, though.
We're right on his trail.
Yeah, I know.
Hey, what's that up there? Look.
What, the man?
Yeah, come on. Come on.
Where's Daggett, Mr. Dillon? He's been shot.
Yeah.
You followed me, Marshal.
How about your hurt, Daggett?
Pretty bad.
Pilcher?
I'd have killed him, but my gun didn't go off. And he got me easy then.
No luck left at all. Right?
Any idea where Pilcher is now, Daggett?
Said he was going back to the station to get you.
Took my horse with him.
I'd have come with you this morning.
It wasn't your business.
This was between me and Pilcher.
I'm here looking for a fight. I didn't want to kill anybody no more.
Not even him.
So he drove me to it.
Finally, that woman yesterday.
You knew I couldn't stand that.
You mean he shot her and the other passenger just to prod you into a fight?
Well, I'll tell you now.
I had a woman out in New Mexico.
And that Pilcher tried to run off with her.
I didn't shoot him, nor shot her instead. I figured it made more sense.
You killed her?
I don't think he'd have minded so much if I'd have killed him, but I figured...
he wasn't doing nothing I didn't want to do myself. I didn't blame him, then.
I blamed her.
Pilcher's been after me ever since.
I could have stopped all this if you'd told me sooner.
Every man's got to kill his own snakes, Marshal.
I tried. You can have them now.
I ain't gonna live long.
I'm sorry, Daggett.
Chester will stay with you. I'm going back to the station.
You can both go. I can die alone. I ain't afraid now.
Goodbye, Daggett.
Goodbye, Marshal.
Chester.
Yes, sir.
Do what you can for him.
Poor fellow.
I'll send somebody out to help you bring him in. Later.
Yes, sir.
It's about time you got here, Marshal.
Where's Pilcher, Jim?
He's out back looking for whiskey.
Where's everybody else?
It's been a busy morning. How's your shoulder?
It hurts. I gotta get up to dodge some hounds.
Morning, Marshal.
Hello. Hello, Pilcher.
You been riding?
So have you.
Man like me rides a lot, Marshal.
You should have kept going.
Hound to see you again, before I left.
That's what Jesse Daggett told me.
He wanted to kill you.
And then Jim here.
Wait a minute.
Shut up, Jim.
Pilcher, you can drop your gun belt and take your chances in court.
If you like.
Now chances are better right here, Marshal.
It's your choice.
It's always been my choice.
Except for the night Jesse Daggett shot his wife.
Did he tell you about that?
It doesn't matter now.
To me, it does.
No!
You killed him, Marshal?
Yeah.
You hit?
No.
What's this all about anyway?
A woman.
Jim, I'm gonna hitch up the stage and drive you into dodge.
I'd be grateful for that.
We'll have to go out of our way, son.
Why?
Daggett's luck ran all the way out this morning, that's why.
In just a moment we'll tell you about next week's adventure on Gunsmoke.
Say, Mother, want to see your small fry eat a better breakfast than ever?
Well, may I suggest that you dish him up some sugar crinkles to start with?
Sugar crinkles, you know, make breakfast more fun than a circus.
Sugar crinkles is the sugar rice treat that's just right sweet.
It's high time to forget these sugar-coated cereals that seem too sweet to you,
and those others that don't seem sweet enough to the kids.
Just pour out crisp, golden sugar crinkles and see how just right sweet a sugar-coated cereal can be.
Just right sweet.
Be sure to get several packages of sugar crinkles, because they're great for snacks.
Kids love them that way. Kids love them anyway.
Try sugar crinkles, and you'll love them too.
Remember, new sugar crinkles is the sugar rice treat that's just right sweet.
Music
Gunsmoke under the direction of Norman MacDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
Tonight's story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Mesdon,
with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey.
Featured in the cast were Jack Edwards, Lawrence Dobkin, and John Danaer.
Parley Bearer is Chester. Ken Peters speaking.
Our freedom to worship God is a precious national heritage.
Attend the church or synagogue of your choice with your family and support it actively.
Light your children's life with faith. Bring them to worship this week.
Join us again next week as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal, tracks a renegade
during his fight to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in Gunsmoke.
Music
Listen next week at this time when Gunsmoke will be brought to you by sugar crinkles,
the sugar rice treat that's just right sweet.
Music