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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, starring William Conrad, the transcribed story of the violence that moved West with
young America, and the story of a man who moved with it.
I'm that man, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal.
The first man they look for and the last they want to meet.
It's a chancey job, but it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
I'm sorry I'm so late, Mr. Dillon.
You know, it's five miles to Fort Dodge and five miles back, Chester.
Figuring the time you were gone, you traveled about two miles an hour.
Well Major Honeyman kept me waiting almost three hours, Mr. Dillon.
Well why didn't you leave the papers with the First Sergeant?
You told me to deliver them to the Major.
Well, I should have explained, I guess.
Well, that's all right.
Me and the First Sergeant enjoyed a couple of beers at the Suttlers.
Oh, well I trust Major Honeyman didn't mind waiting.
Him?
Oh, no sir, it was me, Mr. Dillon.
You see, when I got there...
It's all right, it doesn't matter.
It's all right, Chester, it's all right.
After all, it's a pretty hot day.
Oh, hot ain't nothing like it.
You know sir, I was wondering all the way back, do you think maybe someday they'll invent
a way to kind of cover up the sun a little?
What?
Who's they, Chester?
I don't know, the people that works on stuff like that.
Them fellows that goes to school and all.
You think they will?
Well, I think any man that went to school very long ought to have more sense than to
try to cover up the sun.
Oh, well, I didn't mean all the way up, I meant just part of it.
Oh, well I can think of one man that's already done that.
Really, who's that?
A fellow called John B. Stetson.
Oh, now Mr. Dillon, I'm serious.
So am I, Chester.
Marshal Dillon?
Ah, hello.
Jim Hill, Marshal, from Amarillo.
How do you do?
This is Chester Proudfoot.
Chester.
Glad to know you.
I'm looking for a man, Marshal.
Fella called Dan Gratt.
You know him?
No, never heard of him.
Have you, Chester?
Ain't no Dan Gratt around here.
Well, he's coming here.
Told one of his girls in Amarillo he was.
I'll wait for him.
What do you want him for, Hill?
Murder?
He shot three men in Amarillo, two of them in a fair fight, but he made a mistake with
the last one.
Gratt didn't know it, but the man wasn't even armed.
A friend of yours?
No, I didn't know him.
Some gambler.
Oh.
Then why are you after Gratt?
I thought maybe you'd heard of me, Marshal.
I'm sheriff of Amarillo.
Oh, I see.
Well, it's been a long time since I've been in Amarillo.
It's no quieter than it ever was.
But it'll get worse if I don't stop men like Dan Gratt, no matter how far they run.
You said he didn't know the man wasn't armed.
Well, why would he be running?
He found out after he'd shot him.
You see, it shamed him, killing an unarmed man.
One thing about Gratt, Marshal, he ain't no coward.
But he enjoys shooting people.
He's a gunman.
And I'll tell you something, Marshal, Dan Gratt ain't well known, but he's about as
handy with a gun as anybody in the state of Texas.
Men who watched him say he's the fastest they ever saw, bar none.
Well, I'll help you take him, Sheriff.
I only come here to tell you what I was doing in Dodge, Marshal.
I don't need no help.
Well, he's just a murderer.
Why take a chance?
I'm pretty good myself, Marshal.
I ain't afraid of him.
Oh, okay.
And if you run into him first, save him for me.
I'd hate to have made the ride up here for nothing.
I'm staying at the Dodge house, Marshal, if you want to find me.
So long.
Mr. Dillon, I don't quite make him out.
Why not, Chester?
Well, I mean not wanting you to help him, if it's true what he says about this Dan Gratt.
The sheriff's like a lot of men, Chester.
He's too proud, too confident in himself.
You'll get him in trouble someday.
Yes, sir.
It's a mistake some gunman make, too.
You mean like Dan Gratt?
Oh, I don't care about Dan Gratt, Chester.
It's Sheriff Hill I'm worried for.
Look, H consulted the chief
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Evening, Matt. Sit down. Oh, thanks, Kitty. Why didn't Chester come over? Oh, he's waiting
at the bar for a friend of his. Man or woman? A man. He owes Chester some money, he said.
Then they won't be friends for long. That's only two dollars. I lost friends for less
money than that. You must have lived among mighty poor people. Any camp I've been in,
most of the citizens went from rich to poor a couple of times every month.
Well, that beats working for a living. You believe that, why don't you take up gambling,
Matt? You know, sometimes I think that might be a good idea. It's safer than what you're doing now.
Out of being safe all I wanted, I'd take up raising hogs and potatoes, Kitty. That's about
what I figured. They told me at the bar you was Marshall Dillon. Yeah, that's right. I just rode
into town, Marshall. You're the first man I wanted to see. What about? It's like this, Marshall.
I'm kind of free and easy in my ways. Sometimes people don't understand. Understand what?
That they shouldn't try to stop me. Well, nobody's stopping you, stranger. You do whatever you want.
You sure to break in the law? It's the law I'm talking about, Marshall.
All right, say it plain, mister. Sure. I get in a fight. I kill somebody. I don't want no trouble
about it. That plain enough? Where are you from? Texas. Amarillo. How do you know? The sheriff,
Jim Hill, he's here waiting for you. Gratt. Where is he? I don't know. He'll probably be in here
later. Why don't you wait? No, I'll find him. After I do, we'll talk some more, Marshall. Gratt!
What? About breaking the law here. That includes resisting arrest.
You'll explain it to me later, Marshall.
Chester. Yes, sir, Mr. Dillon. Chester, go find Sheriff Hill and tell him Dan Gratt's in town.
The least we can do is warn him. Okay, sir. Where's your gun, Chester? My gun? Oh, it must be over
at the office. I'll go right over and get it. You better find the sheriff first and hurry. Yes, sir.
I'll try the dog house. Can't you stop it, Matt? I can't interfere with another lawman, Kitty. I
offered to help, but he wouldn't have it. Why not? You're too proud. Yeah, that's right, Kitty.
He's too proud. You think Gratt's going to kill him? Well, I think he'll try. You don't like not
being able to do anything about it, do you, Matt? No, Kitty, I don't. Yeah, you stay in here, Kitty.
Gratt found him, Mr. Dillon, right there in the street. He yelled at him and then he shot him. As
soon as he turned around and got set. Oh, that Gratt's the one fastest man I ever saw. I mean,
he... Well, he's a terrible fast... Keep out of the way, Chester. He's waiting for me. Yes, sir.
What's the matter, Marshal? I break one of your laws?
You just killed a man, Gratt. He ain't the first man I've killed. Jim Hill was a lawman.
He was here to arrest you for murdering an unarmed man in Amarillo. I didn't know he was unarmed.
Your mistake. I'd have killed him anyway. I can kill anybody. Like you. Right now.
See, Marshal, how easy it is.
How is he, Doc? Man, I can't tell yet, Chester. Oh, Doc. He was hitting the head as well as the
arm, Chester, and he's still unconscious. We don't know what damage it did when he comes to and not
before. I've done everything I can for him. Yeah, I know, Doc. Of course you have. Another fraction
of an inch, he'd be dead now. As it is, he may be all right in 10 days. Or, well, well, who knows?
I don't. Gratt hit him first shot. I can tell. Mr. Dillon's still got one off. I don't know why he
had to miss him. Of course he missed him, Chester. Matt was out on his feet when he fired that shot.
He dropped his gun before he fell. And who wouldn't with two bullets in his arm?
Is it ruined, Doc? His arm? No, no, it's not ruined. It'll be stiff for a while. Doc?
If I'd have tried to kill Gratt, if I'd have had my gun, I was going to pick up Mr. Dillon's and do it,
but Gratt kicked it away for me. It's a good thing he did. I wanted to kill him. I know,
Chester. I know how you felt. It's a terrible thing watching a man like Mr. Dillon get shot that way,
Doc. Of course it is, Chester, but killing Gratt won't help him now. Well, if Mr. Dillon dies,
I'll kill him. I'll get me a shotgun and I'll kill him. I'll blow him in half and we'll see how
doggone fast he is. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. Calm down, Chester. You mustn't get... I tell you,
you go put some coffee on the stove right over there here. We'll both need it before the night's
out. Okay, Doc. But I sure hate to think of Gratt standing around at some bar bragging how he shot
down Mr. Dillon. Bartender, give me some whiskey. Coming up.
You're Dan Gratt, huh? I don't know you, mister. No offense. I heard your name, Gratt. Everybody's
talking about you. What are they saying? How you shot the marshal and all. You're pretty fast,
Gratt. The man that beat me ain't found a father yet. How come you didn't kill the marshal?
He's still alive? They say he is. Whiskey. What's this, Bartender? Shot of whiskey. I said I wanted
some whiskey. Well, that's whiskey. Don't fool with me. Get me the bottle. This here's Dan Gratt,
Bartender. The fellow that shot Marshal Dillon tonight. He didn't say he wanted the bottle. Get it.
I don't know. What's the matter with him? Are you a friend of the marshal? Some is, some ain't. How
about you? Me? I don't care what we're telling. Make up your mind. Well, sure, Gratt. I'm on your
side. I wouldn't be talking to you if I wasn't. I guess I got some more convincing to do around
here about who's top dog. Not me, Gratt. You don't have to convince me. Then act like it. Sure,
sure. I was asking how come you didn't kill the marshal? He dropped his gun when I hit him in the
arm. Why that stop you? I don't shoot unarmed men. You don't? What? I said don't you?
You're armed, mister. Now, Gratt, I ain't done nothing. I don't like your talk. You know about me,
don't you? That gambler should have had a gun in Amarillo. I don't know what you're saying, Gratt. I
don't know nothing about you. Take out your gun, mister. Go on, take it out. No, Gratt. No. Do what I
tell you. But not me. No, I didn't. Your time's up. I didn't.
Come in, come in. Well, hello, Kitty. Hello, Doc. Oh, Matt'll be glad to see you, Kitty.
Is conscious? Oh, sure. He has been all morning since about dawn. Of course, he slept some since
then. Is he going to be all right, Doc? Kitty? Oh, there's your answer. Let's go back and see.
Hello, Matt. It's nice of you to come by, Kitty. I was going to make you some soup or something,
but I thought I'd see what you wanted first. A gun. You know, that's been worrying me, Kitty. I
was hoping somebody would come by in time to keep me from being poisoned by Doc's cooking. Oh,
poisoned by Doc's cooking. Oh, you watch what you're saying, Matt. I could decide you're too
sick to eat. Yeah, I could. I could keep you starved for weeks. It wouldn't be worth it to you, Doc.
Not with me taking up your bed the whole time. How long will he be in bed, Doc? Oh, maybe 10 days.
Five will do it. I said 10. I'll make you a bed, Doc. You ought to rest, Matt, especially with your
arm hurt. You wouldn't dare go out there. You can use it again. I hear Gratt killed another man last
night. Some stranger. They say Gratt slapped him and then shot him down, just like that.
Then he was standing real close to him. Why? What's that got to do with it?
Now, Gratt's the fastest man I ever saw, Kitty, and that's his weakness. What do you mean?
It makes him overconfident. He draws and shoots so fast, most men haven't got a chance.
Like Sheriff Hill. He didn't even shoot back. Well, how's that a weakness? Gratt was lucky with Hill,
but with me, a fraction of an inch, he'd have missed entirely. And if he had, I'd have killed him.
And if he had, I'd have killed him. Now, it's simple, Kitty. He doesn't take time to shoot straight.
He doesn't think he has to. And he'll die for that someday. Matt? Yeah? You're not going to face him
again? As soon as I'm able to. You can't with that arm. Gratt's so sure of himself he might not even
notice, my own. What do you mean? He already knows about it. He does? What? He'll see, Kitty,
when the time comes.
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It made Doc awful mad, but five days later I got up. And then for the next week I spent every day down
by the river, drawing and shooting, drawing and shooting for hours on end. Doc told me I'd have a
headache and the gunfire didn't help ease it, but I kept on. Gratt found a fight and killed another
man while I was at it. And I guess that spurred me some. Finally I'd had enough. Then I went into
the office, one known where Chester was waiting for me. I declare Mr. Dillon, your arm won't
never heal if you keep working it so hard. Oh, my arm's in fine shape, Chester. I don't see how it
could be. And I'm hoping Gratt won't see how it could be either. I don't understand, Mr. Dillon.
Gratt's so sure of himself, I'm gambling he won't notice it. Notice what? My gun. Your gun?
Why, you're wearing it in your belt, Mr. Dillon. What'd you do with your holster? It's hanging on
the wall over there, Chester, where it's been all week. Well, forevermore. It's easier on your arm
drawing it from your belt, is that it? Well, that's part of it, Chester. Have you seen Gratt today?
Yes, sir. This morning over at the alafaganza playing Pharaoh.
All right, Chester, go find him, will you? Yes, sir. But what'll I tell him? Tell him that
I'm going to arrest him about sundown. Let's say five o'clock, and I'll start looking for him in the
plaza. That way the word will get around and nobody but us will get hurt. I swear, Mr. Dillon,
it just gives me the jumps for us to be sitting out here all alone. It ain't hardly five o'clock yet
and Dodge already looks like a ghost town. Ain't one person here in the plaza. I can see a few heads
peeking out here and there, Chester. Vultures, that's what they are, waiting for somebody to die.
Sorry, Mr. Dillon, I didn't... Somebody usually does die in a gunfight, Chester.
It ain't fair. You with a bad arm. Can't you wait a while, Mr. Dillon? No.
No. Gratt's killed too many men already.
No, I've waited long enough. Well, I'll fight him. If I go ahead, I'll fight him.
You would, wouldn't you, Chester? Yes, sir.
Thank you.
Uh-oh. There he comes.
All right, Chester, get out of the way now. No. You heard me, Chester.
You heard me, Chester. Yes, sir.
All right, that's far enough, Gratt. I was just going to shake hands with you, Marshal.
What? Before I kill you.
You're a brave man, Marshal. I shot you down once and you're back even before you're well.
You're either brave or you're crazy. Doesn't matter, does it? No. I'll kill you anyway.
I'll kill you anyway. You're pretty sure of that, aren't you, Gratt? Why shouldn't I be?
I already know I can outdraw you even without your arm being bad. Yeah.
Yeah, that's right. You can. Never saw a man wanted to die so much as you do.
What's the matter with you, Marshal? Wait a minute. You ain't wearing a gun. It's stuck in my belt.
Oh, yeah. Well, that'll make it even easier, won't it?
Let's find out, Gratt.
You got him, Mr. Dillon. You got him. Yeah. You hit him all three shots. I could see every one of them.
Well, that took more time than he did. And he took plenty. But he was too sure of himself, Justin.
That's what I was counting on. He drawed first, though.
Yeah, he wasn't only hurrying to get the gun, he was also trying to get the gun.
He knew I couldn't do much with a bad arm. Well, he was sure wrong. You killed him with it.
You don't see any better than he did, Chester. What? The gun in my belt, Chester, the butt's pointing to the left.
That's going to be weeks before I can use my right arm again. My golly, that's right, yeah.
You used your right arm. You used your left arm. You used your right arm.
My golly, that's right, yeah. You used your left hand. It wasn't until I started to draw that he noticed it.
And when he did, it gave me an extra second. And it cost him his life.
And now our star, William Conrad. Thank you. If you're a filter tip smoker, you should be smoking L&M's.
Everyone agrees L&M's are just what the doctor ordered. The first filter that really does the job.
And a real good taste to go with it. Maybe you'll prefer L&M king size as I do, or L&M regular.
But either size, I know you'll like them and I know you'll stick with them. L&M's. Try them.
Gunsmoke, transcribed 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 Meslin, with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey.
Featured in the cast were Vic Perrin, Paul Dubov, Harry Bartel, and John Danaer.
Harley Bear as Chester, Howard McNear as Doc, and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
Join us again next week as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal, fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in Gunsmoke.
Here, Gunsmoke every Saturday, this same time, this same station.
Here, the great new Perry Como radio show every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, also on CBS Radio.
This is the CBS Radio Network.