Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there is just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
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Gun Smoke, starring William Conrad, the 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, the United States Marshal, the first man they look for and the last they want to meet.
It's a chancey job, and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Chester, if you put any more chili powder on those eggs, you'll go up and smoke.
Well, I like eggs good and hot, Doc.
Yeah, well, what you do to your stomach is your business, but Kitty and I have to sit here and watch.
Oh, my gracious, you don't have to watch.
When Matt has breakfast with you two, does he have to listen to this kind of nonsense?
Yeah, when Matt's around, Chester isn't so cheap.
There's one thing, sure, Miss Kitty, Mr. Dillon don't interfere with a man's natural pleasures like some people, I know.
Oh, I haven't said, Chester.
Follow me to more coffee, will you, Doc?
Yeah.
Coffee.
Oh, of course, yes, yes, yes.
Oh, by the way, did Matt say when he'd be back?
Yeah, he told me the end of the week.
After all, Doc, it's a two-day ride to Tascosa, and he didn't leave here until two days ago.
Well, I only asked him a question, Chester.
Anyhow, how was I supposed to know? No one ever tells me anything.
Nobody don't have to, the way you snoop around.
Yeah, um, what's Matt doing in Tascosa, Kitty?
Talking to the man that's in for him, that's what it is.
What man, Kitty?
The, uh, Citizens Committee.
Something to do with hiring a new sheriff for the town.
I guess they figured Matt had nowhere to find one.
Hire a sheriff, what in the world for?
To keep the town from running wild, that's what in the world for.
The man they've got a sheriff now is no good, and the decent citizens can't get rid of him.
Well, if he's no good, why'd they hire him in the first place?
Tascosa was a pretty wild camp a few years back, and they needed a rough man to clean it up.
Trouble is that after this sheriff ran the old gang out, he stayed on and took over for himself, and now it's worse than before.
It ain't the first time it happened, Doctor.
Ah, no, I just don't understand it.
The whole frontier is an armed camp, shooting and killing everywhere you look.
Nobody left but the quick and the dead.
Doc, would you please reach me that chili pine?
Oh, for heaven's sake, here, here.
Well, Kitty, I'll tell you one thing.
I don't know how bad the trouble is down in Tascosa, but Matt better get back here quick.
Why, Doc, what's wrong?
What's wrong?
You asked that when the only vestige of the law that we've got in this town is a chili-eating cherry rocker like the fool I'm sitting next to.
Oh, Doc, what's wrong?
Now, let me tell you something, Doc.
You two are worse than children. Settle back now both of you and have some more coffee.
Well, maybe just a dab, but that's all.
I swear to God, you know what happens to some people when they get out in plight society?
Drink your coffee, both of you.
It was a two-day ride from Dodge down to Tascosa. Now riding through the dust of the plaza, I was glad enough it was over.
The town used to be shaggy at best, and as I rode along in the heat of the late afternoon sun, I could see that Tascosa was still a pretty wild camp.
Some of the star windows were broken, others were boarded over to protect what glass was left.
The busiest building in the plaza and the one showing the least damage was the Oasis Saloon.
I tied up out in front and went in.
What'll it be?
I'll have a beer.
You new in town?
Uh-huh.
You just traveling through or are you going to stay?
I don't know how long I'll be here.
That'll be 25 cents.
25 for a glass of beer?
Pay it or go thirsty, mister.
Maybe I'll try another saloon.
You hear that, boys? You don't like the prices we charge.
If he gives you any trouble, we'll shoot him in the foot.
Might just shoot him twice to make sure.
Are these friends of yours, bartender?
We all work together here, mister.
I see. And just who is it you work for?
Clegg Rawlins. Sheriff. Clegg Rawlins.
Sheriff, huh? Now that's a pretty good title to hide behind, isn't it?
You never been in Tascosa before, have you?
No, not since Clegg Rawlins took over.
You act like kind of a troublemaker, mister.
I got a feeling he don't like the way this town is run.
Where are you from, stranger?
Dodge City.
What are you doing down here?
I don't think that's any of your business.
Let's drag him out of town, Ponce.
Good idea. I'll just...
All right, you.
You drag your friend out of here unless you figure on doing something.
No. No. I ain't gonna try nothing.
All right, get moving, then. I'll take him with you.
He kind of rough, mister.
I can be rougher.
What'd you say your name was?
Dillon, Matt Dillon.
I'll tell you something else, bartender.
After I put up my horse, I'm going over to the Tascosa house for a room and a bath.
You might tell that to anybody that seems interested.
Yeah, well, sure, Mr. Dillon.
How much did you say the beer was?
Twenty-five...
I mean, 15 cents, Mr. Dillon.
Keep the change.
Yeah, come in.
Your name, Dillon?
That's right.
Well, you're that U.S. Marshal from Dodge.
Uh-huh.
Well, I'm Clegg Rawlins, Marshal, the man the Citizens Committee wants to be rid of.
Yeah, I know. I talked to several of them earlier this evening.
You've been busy since you got to town.
Was here five minutes, you knocked the gold teeth up in Gil Ponce's mouth.
Maybe he won't be so free with his talk for a while.
I like a man like you, Dillon, a man that acts.
Ain't all just talk.
Why don't you come to the point?
All right.
I come up here to your room to tell you how wrong they are.
Mr. Parks and Mr. Sykes and Mr. Stiles and all those men on that Citizens Committee.
Uh-huh.
Oh, I know they paint a black picture.
I want you to know I'm a reasonable man.
Oh, is that so?
Oh, sure is.
In fact, people can do business with me.
Real easy.
Even you, for instance.
Well, what's on your mind, Mr. Rawlins?
No, a while back, they brought me here to Tascosi to kind of clean it up some.
Now, I did that for them.
Now, all of a sudden, they want me out.
I call that downright ungrateful, Marshal.
Yeah, go on.
I suppose they give you the money at the meeting, money to hire a new sheriff here?
Yeah, that's right.
Yeah.
Well, Marshal, it kind of forces me into talking business.
What I had in mind was I'm a rich man.
And a Marshal don't make all the money in the world, does he?
Hmm.
I wondered how long it would take to get around to it.
Just, just wait a minute, Marshal, wait a minute.
You might be missing a good thing.
The only thing I'm interested in is hiring a peace officer to come down here.
You're through in Tascosa, Rawlins.
Now, you might as well make up your mind.
Oh, man, don't always give up that easy, Marshal.
You better, Rawlins.
You've got as much time left as it takes for the man I hired to get back here from Dodge.
As short as that?
As short as that.
You know, Marshal, there's a lot of prairie between here and Dodge.
I sure hate to see anything happen to you on your way back.
Get out, Rawlins.
But like I say, it's a long ride.
There's just a few people around Tascosa might be real pleased to hear that you was dead.
And it always seems kind of too bad when a man dies for something that ain't even his concern.
The next morning I was in the saddle before dawn, and by the time the sun was up I'd covered a good 15 miles.
A slight breeze blew apart the dust puffs my horse raised, and I knew it would be hard for anybody to follow me.
And for the same reason I knew that someone could track me without being seen.
About noon I stopped in the shade of a grove of cottonwood to rest the horse.
That was easy and essential, little, when I saw a rider coming up fast.
I pulled my rifle from the saddle boot and I waited.
And then I put this rifle back.
I've got to talk to you, please.
All right, ride on in.
Here, let me help you down.
Thanks.
It's a long way on the prairie for a lone woman, isn't it?
Can I, can I have some water?
Yeah, sure.
Here you go.
Thanks. Thanks a lot.
You haven't said what you're doing out here.
Well, I followed you from Tascosa.
You followed me?
If you'd seen me sooner you'd have sent me back, and I can't go back.
Well, guess who are you, Miss?
Stella. Stella Harkney. I'm one of the girls at the Overland Saloon.
You know, I might have shot you riding up on me that way.
It was the only thing I could do, follow you this way.
Besides, I didn't think you'd ride out so early.
That's just why I did.
I, I know all about you, Marshal, and I know why they sent for you to come to Tascosa.
Is that so?
I'm Clegg Rawlins' girl.
Rawlins' girl?
That's right.
Now look, Stella, you better turn around and head back right now.
I, I can't go back. It's too late.
Clegg would kill me if he found out I'd tried to run away.
How do I know you're not Stella's girl, setting a trap of some kind?
Well, look, here, look, my shoulder.
He put these marks there.
Now do you think I'd stay with a man like that?
All I'm asking is to ride on to Dodge with you, Marshal.
I'll, uh...
Look, I've got a rifle, and two rifles are better than one.
Clegg will come after you. You can be sure of that.
Seems to me you're awful anxious to help kill the man you belong to.
Huh. Well, I belong to him right enough.
He brought me down here from Hay City, going to marry me, he said.
I found out different.
He just wanted me to work in his saloon.
He already has a wife down by Willow Springs.
Didn't exactly like that.
I told him so. That's when he beat me.
Let me ride with you, please.
I don't know, I...
I'm not going back, Marshal.
All right, I guess it doesn't matter now that you've come this far.
Thanks.
You may be telling the truth, but you better ride a little bit ahead of me, anyhow.
What for?
Just be easier to keep an eye on you.
Like you said, you've got a rifle.
Okay, let's get started.
You're pretty tired, Stella?
I'll make it.
Now, there's a Nester's cabin not far from here.
If we can find it before dark, maybe you'll put us up for the night.
It sure feel good to walk around a little.
Are you a saddle-weary?
Well, dancehall girls don't do much riding, Marshal.
Get on, get on, get on!
Just lie still now and I'll make a move.
Where are they? Where'd they shoot from?
Off the left, somewhere.
It's Clegg. I know it's Clegg.
No, it's more than one man. They're probably in that box elder over there.
Teddy cowards.
I can't get them from here with a six gun.
I can't get to the horses for a rifle.
I knew, I knew, Clegg, good fellow, I knew.
Look, if we play dead, maybe we can draw them out.
Marshal, I'm sorry.
Shh, you just lie still and we'll talk.
Yeah, yeah, here they come, two of them. You just hold still now.
I've seen those men before. They work for Clegg.
When I give the word, you yell as loud as you can and scream, it'll throw them off.
You ready?
All right, now.
Ah!
Are they dead?
I don't know, but the fights sure are on them.
If Clegg's with them, he's still in that grove. Come on, let's get out of here fast.
I, I, I can't get up.
What?
I'm hit, my leg.
Here, let me see.
Oh yeah.
Oh, can you make it to your horse?
I'm afraid I can't ride.
I'll have to put you up on my horse. We'll ride double.
Marshal, are you blaming me for this?
No, Stella, but we'd better get out of here before whoever's in those trees gets a little braver.
Come on now, let's get you to that cabin.
Hey, Miss, you just lie back now.
The morning will be fit as a fiddle.
Thanks, mister, but that coal hole you poured on my leg like to set me on fire.
Yeah, that's the best way to clean a wound there is, Stella.
Less than it's whiskey, of course.
Yeah.
But that'd be pure waste, wouldn't it?
You too can afford to make light of it. It's me who's got the bullet.
Now, like they say, Stella, a bullet hole in your leg's not serious. It's too far from your heart.
Well, I'm going out to feed my teeth.
Having company like this has showed me clean, well scheduled.
I'll be back directly.
Having me along has caused you a lot of trouble.
It slowed you down.
Craig's probably going to ride in to dodge ahead of you.
He'll be waiting there.
Maybe.
And he won't go back to Tascosa without trying to kill you for sure.
Well, maybe he won't try again, Stella.
After all, there are other towns for him to take over.
Oh, it's more than that, Marshall.
A lot more now that he knows I'm with you.
He's a jealous man. He's crazy jealous.
Now he'll think there's something between us.
Between you and me, I mean.
Well, let's not worry about that now.
You just get some rest.
It's foolish to think you might have any feelings about me, isn't it?
Not knowing me any longer than you have.
Now, Stella...
I don't suppose any man could take to a woman he'd known for only one day.
Could he?
Look, Stella, why don't you get some sleep?
We've still got a long ride to dodge.
Yeah, yeah.
I'm sorry, Marshall.
Good night, Stella.
Good night.
The next morning, Stella's leg wasn't anywhere near well enough for her to ride,
so I borrowed a spring wagon from the nester and we started off to dodge.
It was a rough trip, and a slow one.
Stella sat there not saying much, just staring ahead.
Once or twice I saw a dust cloud on the horizon,
and I knew if it was Quake Rollins, he'd be in dodge long before I would.
It was nearly dusk by the time we drove down the plaza and stopped outside Doc's office.
It was a half hour later before Doc had clean bandages on Stella's leg.
And then I waited with her while he went out on another call.
Marshall?
Yes, Stella?
I had a lot of time to think today while we were driving in.
I mean, it was a rough trip on you.
Oh, not so bad.
But what I wanted to tell you was I'm not going to stay in dodge.
Oh? Where are you going?
Oh, I don't know. Abilene may be, or even St. Louis.
You don't have to worry about that right now.
Yes, I do.
As soon as I'm well enough, I'm taking the stage out of here.
There's no reason for you to leave, Stella.
Yes, yes, there is.
Craig Rollins?
No.
Oh, what is it then?
It's not important. It's just easier if I go.
Easier for me, I mean.
Oh.
You'd better go now.
Doc will be back directly and there's no reason for you to wait.
Not any longer.
Well, uh, goodbye, Stella.
Goodbye, Matt.
Marshall.
Hello, Rollins.
I've been waiting for you, Marshall.
Last time you sent a couple of your men to do the talking.
I don't know what you're saying.
Your two riders have tried to drag-ulch me.
I hope you buried them, Rollins, because I didn't have time.
You don't know that they were my men, Marshall,
and you can't prove nothing about me being their neeker.
Not hiding in that grove like you were, no.
I come here to tell you, you and I can still work things out, Marshall.
You didn't get me killed, so you still want to buy me off, huh?
Any man can use money.
The government pays me.
Not as much as I could.
Listen, Rollins, so far I got nothing personal on you,
nothing I can prove anyway.
Now, if you're smart, you'll saddle up and you'll ride out of here.
And you'll keep away from Tascosa, too.
We'll see.
And in the meantime, how is Stella?
I'm telling you, Rollins, you get out where you can.
Oh, sure.
Oh, you're... you're my fast, Marshall.
You should not have tried it.
Yeah, I know that now.
I just thought me...
Mr. Dillon?
Mr. Dillon, I seen it.
I seen the whole thing.
What happened? Who was he?
A man named Rollins.
Oh, what'd he do?
He didn't want me to send a new peace officer to Tascosa.
Well, my land, that ain't much reason to die, is it?
He figured it was.
Look, you go tell Doc about this, huh?
I got some business at Delmonico's.
You gonna eat now?
No, there's a man over there I want to talk to.
Who?
An ex-Buffalo hunter.
I'm gonna ask to take the job of peace officer in Tascosa.
Who is it? Flim Trent?
No, somebody who just got into town a while back.
He's quite a ladies' man.
Kind of hot-headed, that he could get the job done.
Ladies' man.
He's got an offer to go up to Abilene, but I think he might take this job first.
Well, who in the world is it, Mr. Don?
You don't know him, Chester.
There's a fellow by the name of Hickok, Bill Hickok.
You want to come meet him after you get Doc?
No, no, I don't care about no Bill Hickok.
I was hoping Flim Trent would get the job.
See you later, Mr. Don.
Yeah, sure.
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Guns and Smokes.
Produced and directed in Hollywood by Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dillis, U.S. Marshal.
The story was specially written for Guns and Smokes by Norman McDonald with editorial supervision by John Messner.
Featured in the cast were Virginia Christine, Lawrence Dobby, Barney Phillips, James Nutter, and Vic Perrin.
Harley Bair is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
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This is George Waltz. You're invited to join us again next week when PBS Radio presents another story on Guns and Smokes.