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 gun smoke.
Music
Gun Smoke, starring William Conrad, the story of the violists 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 chancy job, and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Music
I swear, Mr. Dillon, that cuss at Hayes City kind of reminds me of a puffed-up morning toad.
Ah, how's that, Chester?
Well, what I mean is, it's all blowed up clean out of proportion. People run around every which way, nobody knowing where they're running to.
Well, I guess that's what happens when a town grows fast.
I'd just soon spend a week in a buffalo war.
Mr. Dillon, look down here.
Yeah, I see him.
Seems like them folks' wagon broke down, don't it?
Uh-huh. Oh, come on, maybe we can give them a hand.
Music
Hello there.
We saw you were having trouble. We came over to see if you could use some help.
Much obliged to you for that, Mr.
Treadwell's my name, Cole Treadwell, and this is my miss, Beth Ann.
Hello.
How do you do?
Glad to know you. I'm Matt Dillon, that's Chester Proutford.
Hi, how do you do?
A real pleasure.
Say, you're the Marshal in Dodge, aren't you?
That's right.
Now, isn't that something we're headed there?
How's that so?
That wheel hadn't froze up. I expect we'd be there by now.
You could still make it before dark if the wheel's all right.
Oh, yeah, it's fine now. I cooled it off and greased it up good as new.
Trouble is, it's a mite heavy for me to set back on.
One man just can't get the job done.
Well, three of us won't have no trouble, Mr. Treadwell.
How about a cup of coffee before you men stop breaking your bags?
Beth Ann's a great gal for making coffee.
The minute we stop, she gets a pot on the fire.
It's got a right good smell to it.
Well, there's plenty of it, too.
Oh, thank you, ma'am.
I sure wouldn't want to pass up a good cup of coffee.
I don't get one very often.
What? There you are, Marshal.
Mr. Proutford.
Thank you, ma'am.
Thank you.
Ah, that is good.
Are you folks just traveling through?
You might say so, Marshal. We do a lot of that.
Traveling, I mean. Stopping a town here and a town there.
Well, you mean you ain't got no home or nothing?
Oh, someday we'll find ourselves a place that seems right.
Then I guess we'll settle down for good.
You see, my husband is a parson.
Well, I declare...
Now, Beth Ann, you shouldn't have said that.
Well, what's wrong with being a parson, Mr. Treadwell?
Well, there's nothing wrong with it, Marshal.
It's just that I'm not truly a parson.
I'm not ordained, never had the proper schooling.
Well, Dodge City is one place that could use a parson, ordained or not.
You know, Cole and I have always wanted to see Dodge City.
Well, there's some mighty nice folks in Dodge, ain't there, Mr. John?
Sure.
They're nice people everywhere.
Hold on now, Beth Ann.
You start lecturing the Marshal and Mr. Proutford.
They may change their mind about helping me with that blame wheel.
Well, my apologies.
Thank you for the coffee, Miss Treadwell.
It was our pleasure, Ma'am.
Well, come on. Let's get to work on that wheel,
or it'll be dark before we hit Dodge.
You go on and let Nate Bush out of jail, Chester.
He should be sober by now.
Well, you want me to take care of the horses first, Mr. Donge?
No, I'll do it.
I want to talk to Marshal about a saddle he has down at the stable.
All right, sir.
Oh, will you give Nate his gun back?
Yeah, might as well. I'll see you later.
Yes, sir.
Well, it's about time you come back and let me out of this fleet pen.
You got any fleas, Nate Bush.
You had them long before you got thrown in that cell.
Well, come you've gone so long anyways. I could starve to death.
Oh, if you wasn't so horny, you wouldn't be in jail in the first place.
And besides, Delmonico's brung your meals while we was gone.
Oh, Delmonico's. Call that slop food. I wouldn't fit for a hog.
I wish you had it.
It's your concerned pleasure to get rid of you.
Well, just you let me tell you something, Chester Proudfoot.
You ain't rid of me, no, sir. Not by long sight you ain't.
And just what's that supposed to mean?
I've got a special hate for smart alecks.
Well, if you've got such a special hate, you better tell Mr. Delmon about it.
He's the one who throwed you in here.
And you was the one who told him I was raising a rocus.
He was the one who caused me to be here.
Well, now that's the craziest piece of thinking I ever heard.
All the same, you'd just better watch yourself.
Because I might have a score to settle with you next time we meet.
Be sociable, look smart, keep up to date with Pepsi.
Drink light, refreshing Pepsi.
Stay young and fair and debonair.
Be sociable, have a Pepsi.
When friends drop in, let your hospitality show you're sociable in the modern manner.
Pepsi, you know, is the favorite of the smart and young at heart.
Be sociable, look smart, keep up to date with Pepsi.
Drink light, refreshing Pepsi.
Stay young and fair and debonair.
Be sociable, have a Pepsi.
Have you tried a Pepsi lately?
Chester, now that I've finished my coffee, I think I should tell you something.
What's that, Doc?
The bear grease you put on your hair is running down the back of your neck.
I'm afraid he's right, Chester.
That ain't bear grease, Miss Kitty.
That's rose pomade from the Tom Sorrel parlor.
I paid Mr. Teter 15 cents for that bottle.
15? Well, you were cheating.
Besides, why put on so much of the stuff?
Well, it's my dang cowlick up there. I've been having trouble keeping it down.
Well, I think you've got it beaten down, Justice.
Chester, where in the world are you headed for, all dressed up that way?
Black coat, boiled shirt. Must be something pretty special, huh?
In fact, it is. You know, Mr. Treadwell's been mighty busy,
and he asked could I escort Miss Treadwell to a prayer meeting.
Oh, well, then, no wonder you're so slicked up.
Yeah, she's a mighty attractive woman.
And a good cook, too.
And he's the best checker player in town. He beat me last night.
Well, I do declare. I didn't know anybody could do that.
Beat you, I mean, not as sly as you are.
Sly? Just what do you mean by that?
Nothing. Well, I better be going. Don't want to keep Miss Treadwell waiting.
Thank you for the breakfast, Doc.
You're welcome, Chester.
But next time, no rose pomade.
It's nice of you to escort me, Mr. Proudfoot.
I sure do wish you'd call me Chester, Miss Treadwell.
Everybody else does.
Well, all right, Chester.
I swear, I think the whole town turns out now
when they hear that school bell of a Sunday.
I never seen nothing like it.
It's wonderful the way everyone's treating us,
letting us use the schoolhouse for a church and all.
Well, my land, it was just going empty on Sundays.
You know, if we could build a home and settle somewhere,
Cole could finish his schooling and then truly become a minister.
Well, you ought to settle in Dodge.
You've been here more than six weeks already,
and folks would be mighty disappointed if you was to up and leave.
Well, we have been thinking about it.
Hey, you. Chester.
Who in the world is that?
Chester.
Just keep on walking, Miss Treadwell. Don't pay no attention to him.
I'm talking to you, Chester.
Now, look at here.
I told you I was going to fix you, and now I'm ready.
Think I'll start by pinching your nose off.
Nate, you better just go on home.
Hey, goodness, you got me.
Well, what a little thing, ain't she?
Mr. Treadwell, you best go on without me.
Oh, ain't you brave now.
You're going to send the lady away so she won't see no blood, is that it?
You're a bully, Nate, and you're drunk too, and you don't scare me one bit.
But this is a lady I'm with, and you keep talking like you are,
and I'm going to kick your belly right out through your backbone.
Please, Chester, don't fight on my account. Let's walk on.
Well, I'm not going to stand by you.
Please.
All right, man.
You sure might a big talker, Chester, but that's all you are, just a talker.
That fellow sure does need a lesson.
Don't you pay any attention to him, Chester.
A fight doesn't prove a thing.
Maybe not, but it sure would make me feel better.
There you are. Will there be anything else now, Miss Treadwell?
Got some real nice calico here.
Oh, my, that is pretty, but no, I don't think so.
I'll give you a real good price on it, five cents a yard.
Well, maybe just two yards.
You won't be sorry.
Oh, be with you in just a minute, sir.
I want some 44 shells.
Yeah, as soon as I finish here.
I want them now.
You'll have to wait until I finish waiting on Mrs. Treadwell.
Mrs. Treadwell?
Ain't I seen you somewhere before?
I'll take my packages now, Mr. Jones.
Oh, yeah, I know, I remember. You was with Chester the other day.
Now, listen here, boy.
Shut up, storekeeper.
May I get by, please?
Oh, now you ain't gonna run off and leave me, are you, ma'am?
Please, move out of the way and let me by, Mr. Bush.
Why, I thought.
You ain't got no Chester with you now.
Ain't nobody else around fool enough to tell me what I can do.
Well, there's me.
There's you?
Oh, just what do you think you could do, storekeeper?
Nobody talks to Miss Treadwell that way, Bush.
Not in my store or anywhere else.
Matter of fact, you know, Miss Treadwell,
you are beginning to interest me.
You really are.
Seems like most everybody want to protect you all the time.
Now, maybe there's a good reason for that.
Hello, Mr. Jones.
Oh, Cole.
Is something wrong?
Take me home, Cole.
What is it?
Nothing. Please, Cole.
Hey, hold up there.
Cole is the first half of your name. What's the last half?
Who are you?
Bush, Nate Bush.
I asked you what your last name.
Treadwell?
Treadwell.
You her husband?
That's right.
Huh.
You dressed like maybe your preacher.
That what you are?
That's right.
Ain't that something?
Hey, you better watch his little wife for yours, Preacher.
I seen her out running around with a man the other day.
Be careful, Mr. Bush.
And you know, I was even thinking buying her a drink just now myself.
I bet she'd have took me up on it, too.
You hadn't come in.
You ought to be running out of town, Bush.
Just who's going to do that, storekeeper? You?
Hmm?
A preaching man?
Now, you know, I got me a notion to take little Miss Uppity out here with me right now.
Just so I can see which one of you peacemakers is going to stop me.
Come on, Bethann. We're leaving.
Hold up.
Take your hand off me.
I ain't finished talking to you.
Yes, you are, Mr. Bush. You're through.
Get in your hands.
Sorry you made me do that, Mr. Bush.
But I want you to understand something.
Nobody mistreats my wife.
Nobody insults her.
Mr. Jonas, I'll pay for any damages.
You forget about Parsham.
But worth it, you're seeing that.
Come on, Beth.
Hold it right there, Preacher.
I don't carry a gun, Mr. Bush.
I see.
You're a good man, Mr. Bush.
Come on, I don't carry a gun, Mr. Bush.
That's the only reason you ain't going to die now.
But you're going to get a bullet in both your legs.
Maybe that'll keep you from standing up preaching for a while.
You better think real careful before you pull that trigger, Bush.
Because the second you pull it, I'm going to blow you in two with this shotgun.
Now, you put that gun back in your holster real easy.
I sure ain't going to argue with no scatter gun, you stoner keeper.
Now, you get out of here.
When you walk out that door, you better just keep right on going.
Because if anything happened to the Treadwells, you might find yourself hanging from a tree.
I got me something to say to Mr. Treadwells.
You just get out.
That's all right, Mr. Jonas. Let him speak.
There's something about you.
I've seen you somewhere before. I can't remember where.
But I don't think you was no preacher.
You want some of this miserable coffee I make, Mr. Dillon?
At least it's hot.
Oh, thanks, Chester.
Say, did you hear about the fracas Parsons Treadwell and Nate Bush had in Mr. Jonas' store yesterday?
Mm-hmm. I heard.
I sure would like to have saw that.
I guess Bush got what was coming to him.
You ought to be running out of town.
Hey, Marshal.
Speak of the devil.
What's on your mind, Bush?
I'll tell you what's on my mind.
That preacher Treadwell?
What about him?
Well, he ain't no preacher. His what? And his name ain't Treadwell.
His name is Trankin, Cole Trankin. He's a wanted man, Marshal. He's a gunfighter.
Well, now, if that ain't the craziest thing I ever heard of...
Look, Bush, you've been nothing but trouble ever since you came to Dodge.
Why don't you get out of here?
Well, now, it's true, I tell you. I've been thinking on it all night till it finally come to me.
Look, Marshal, I served time once, a long time ago. Arizona Territorial Prison.
Well, I ain't surprised you hear that.
And Cole Trankin was there, and he busted out of that prison.
And this is him, Marshal. It's your Cole Treadwell. He's the one.
Get out of here, Bush.
Huh? All right, Marshal.
But you ought to check on what I told you, because it's sure enough true.
Well, I declare, I never heard such a tale in all my life.
Now, he's mad, Chester, because of that beaten Cole gave him.
Yes, sir, but there sure ain't no truth in what he says.
Are they?
Mr. Dunham?
Well, you sure don't believe him, do you?
I don't know.
Well, I sure wouldn't believe nothing Nate Bush told me.
No, but would you believe what the Arizona Territorial Prison told you?
I guess you do have to check, don't you, Mr. Dunham?
No. Yeah, I have to check.
There he is, Mr. Dunham. Not working in the yard.
Yeah.
Hello, Matt. Chester, what are you two doing out here?
We came out to see you, Cole.
Come on inside. I'll have Bethann make some coffee.
Uh, maybe you better read this first.
Telegram?
Mm-hmm.
Cole Trankin, escaped from his prison eight years ago, is still at large as a date.
Your description, Cole, tread well fits.
Nate Bush said that he's seen you in prison.
I guess I shouldn't have hit Nate like I did. He said he'd get me.
You, you mean you are Trankin? And you did escape from prison?
Do you have to take me in?
I'm sorry, Cole.
I didn't do what they said. I was innocent.
I'm not the judge of that.
No. No, of course not.
Matt, what about Bethann?
You mean she doesn't know about this?
That you're being Trankin?
She came from gentle people.
She's never known me as anything but a traveling preacher. I couldn't tell her. I just couldn't.
Well, you're gonna have to now, Cole.
I know, but please let me do it alone.
If it came any other way to kill her, I know it would.
Will you come down to the office afterwards?
As soon as I talk to Beth, I promise you I'll come.
All right, Cole. Come on, Chester.
Matt?
Now come on in, Cole.
I couldn't tell her. I just couldn't do it.
She has to find out, you know that.
No, it'll kill her if she knows.
Don't make it worse than it already is, Cole.
All my life I wanted to be a minister. Ever since I can remember.
But my pa and brother, they didn't hold with preaching, so they taught me to use a gun.
Soon as I was old enough to hold one, they taught me.
Did they teach you good?
Too good, maybe. I got in some scrapes later on, and then I was put in prison for killing a man, only I didn't do it.
After you broke out, you turned to preaching, huh?
That's right. For the first time in my life, I started doing what I really wanted to.
And it's been that way ever since. I've done a little good, I think.
What do you have in this town? A lot of people are going to be disappointed.
Matt, do they have to know? Does anybody?
Can't you send a telegram to Arizona and tell them I'm not trying to?
You know I can't.
I only came back here to your office because I promised you I would.
Now I'm going to ask you just one favor. Let me get Beth Ann and leave Dodge.
Give us a head start, that's all I ask. Just that one favor, please.
I'm sorry, Cole.
Beth Ann's not going to know. I won't let her know.
There's no way to keep it from her, not now.
There's one way.
That'll be a fool.
I'm good with a gun, Matt. Don't try to stop me.
Even if you kill me, do you think Beth Ann won't find out?
I'll keep it from her somehow.
Don't do it, Corey.
I'm sorry, Matt.
Been a long time since I used a gun.
Matt?
Yeah?
Don't tell him that, please.
You can make up a story, anything, only don't tell her.
I'll try, Cole. I'll try real hard.
You're funny.
All my life I could face anything.
Anything at all, but...
What am I going to say to her, Cole?
You didn't tell me.
Why, hello, Marshal.
Cole's gone into town for a while, but he should be back soon.
You just come right on in and I'll make you some coffee.
Miss Treadwell, I...
What is it? Something wrong?
There was an accident.
Accident?
Cole's dead, Miss Treadwell.
Oh, no.
Cole was with me. I was cleaning my gun.
I went off.
Cole. Cole.
How can I tell you how sorry I am?
Marshal, how long have you been using a gun?
What?
Ten years, twenty, and you left a bullet in the chamber while you was cleaning it?
Well, I...
Yes, that's what happened.
You're lying to me, Marshal.
Miss Treadwell, I...
You found out, didn't you, about Cole breaking out of prison.
You mean...
You mean you knew all about it?
That's what happened, isn't it?
You had to shoot it out with him.
Why did he do it, Marshal? Why?
He didn't want you to know.
He took a chance of dying rather than let you know.
That's... that's kind of funny.
I knew about it before we were married.
The only thing Cole ever kept from me, and it was the only one thing I wanted him to tell me.
I hoped. I prayed he'd tell me.
Then everything would have been all right.
Yes, ma'am, I guess so.
But now he'll never be able to tell me.
Really, Marshal.
Gunsmoke.
Produced and directed in Hollywood by Norman McDonald, stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Ray Kemper, with editorial supervision by John Messner.
Featured in the cast were Harry Bartel, Virginia Christine, Lawrence Stodkin, and Ralph Moody.
Harley Bair is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
This is George Walt, inviting you to join us again next week when CBS Radio presents another story on Gunsmoke.