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.
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 chancy job, and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Matt? Oh, Matt?
I'm back here, Kitty. I'll be right out.
For a minute I thought you'd left town.
No, but it's a good idea. I just released a couple of your hangovers from last night. I thought I'd better get the cells straightened up.
Where's Chester?
At Delmonico's. I told him he got some food. He's awful puny this morning.
I tried to warn him.
That wouldn't be so bad, Kitty, if he'd stop selling that green beer.
It's all I can get and you know it.
He wants some coffee.
Has Doc come back yet?
No. I don't like him, Matt.
Don't worry about it, Kitty. He can take care of himself.
I know, but this is the fourth day.
It has been four days, hasn't it?
Yes. Matt, why don't you and I ride out to Emmett Bauer's place and find out where Doc was going when he left there.
How do you know he isn't still there? Bauer's boy could have had complications with that broken arm.
Well, at least with no. Something's wrong, Matt. I can feel it.
All right, Kitty. All right. Look, have you had breakfast?
No.
We'd better eat first. Come on, let's go over and join Chester, huh?
All right. Matt, look.
What?
Isn't that Emmett Bauer coming out of the dark house?
That sure is. Hey, Emmett! Hold up.
Hello, Marshall. I was just coming over to see you.
Morning, Miss Kitty.
All right.
I was just talking about you.
Is Doc out at your place?
No, no, he isn't. As a matter of fact, that's why I was coming over to see you.
Oh, how's that?
Well, Doc never did show up that day.
What?
That's right. I went up to his office this morning, but everything was locked up. I thought maybe you knew where he was.
I told you, Matt, something's wrong.
What about your boy, Emmett?
Oh, he's getting along all right. I said he's armed myself. But I want to talk to take a look at it.
Yeah. Well, Kitty, it looks like you and I won't be making that trip today.
Why not?
I'd better ride out with Chester. He and I can cover more ground.
That's all right with me.
It was nice seeing you, Emmett.
Yeah, yeah. I hope you find him all right.
I'm sure we will. Come on.
Bye.
Come on, Miss Kitty.
Bye.
You think Chester will feel like riding?
Maybe he doesn't. He'll go anyway. He'll be good for him.
I'm sure Miss Kitty is a stingy old lady.
How do you figure that, Chester?
My land, don't you think she would at least offer us a drink of water or something just to be hospitable?
If you wanted water, you should have asked her if she'd have given you some.
That ain't the idea. It's just polite to offer folks something when they drop in, on you.
You know, Chester, not many prairie people have the time to be polite.
Yes, sir.
Now, hold up.
What's the matter?
I think we'll split up here.
Well, I thought we were going on to Clooney Place.
Yeah, we are, but there's a couple of other ranches on the way that Doc could have visited.
Now, we can cover more ground if we split up.
The trail to the right leads by the Pope Ranch. I want you to go by there.
And I'll meet you at the Clooney Place later, all right?
Well, but how do I get to the Clooneys after I leave the Pope's?
Oh, Matt Pope can tell you. Just follow the trail. The Clooneys are about ten miles north of the Pope's.
All right. You know, I got me a kindly funny feeling about Doc, Mr. Dillon.
Oh? How's that?
You know how him and old man Clooney are such good checker buddies, and they don't hardly ever get to see each other.
Well, I just bet you Doc's been there with him these past four days, taking a little time off a playing checkers.
Nah, Chester, that's not likely.
No, I guess I was just wishing.
Yeah. Well, better get started. It'll be dark by the time we meet at the Clooneys.
All right, but what if I find Doc?
Hey, you just bring him out to the Clooneys with you. We can spend the night there and then head back to Dodge in the morning.
Yes, sir.
It's been an awful long time since I've been out this way, Mr. Dillon.
Just stick close to the trail. You won't get lost.
Well, so long.
So long.
And don't waste any time visiting with the Pope's, huh?
Yes, sir.
Get out.
If I knew I was going to be riding all day, I wouldn't have drunk as much beer last night.
How do?
Hi.
Are you Mr. Pope?
That's right.
I'm Chester Proudfoot.
Now, I know that. I seen you in Dodge.
The Marshal couldn't come, yourself, huh?
Couldn't.
Who are you expecting, Mr. Elmer?
Well, I'm the
Marshal.
Who are you expecting, Mr. Elmer?
Sure I was.
Oh, is there something wrong, Mr. Pope?
Well, now, didn't my boy tell the Marshal?
Tell him what?
About the horse-thieving.
Horse-thieving?
Yeah. The boy went into town this morning to tell the Marshal to get out here.
I've lost three of my best broodmares within the last week. Stole right from under my nose.
Well, that young man didn't know nothing about that.
We left Dodge early this morning. I guess that was before your boy got there.
Well, what are you doing out here, then?
Well, we're out looking for Doc Adams.
See, nobody ain't heard from him in four days, and we've been awful worried.
Well, I ain't seen him.
Did you say the Marshal was out with you?
Yeah. He took the other trail at the fork about five miles back.
Time to meet him at the Cooney Ranch later on.
Well, you tell him about my mares. Now, something's got to be done.
Oh, yes, sir. I sure will.
Say, how far is it to the Clooney Place?
A good nine or ten miles right toward them clouds.
It is kind of black looking over there, ain't it?
But I don't suppose a little rain will hurt me.
You can catch a good dose of fever soaking up rain.
I got my slicker.
You're going to need it.
Well, I ain't making no track standing here, am I?
I wish I had time to visit with you a little bit.
Oh, yeah.
Don't you forget to tell the Marshal about my horses.
I won't.
Well, so long.
Yeah.
Well, I'll put the dogs on.
That limp ain't getting no better, that's for sure.
Oh. Oh.
Let me see that foot.
Oh, I've got to get that to work.
That's a good horse.
I can't get that to work.
I'll get the dog on.
Oh, I'll get the dog on.
I'll get the dog on.
Oh, my goodness.
Let me see that foot.
Easy boy.
Easy.
Stone brood.
That's a bad one.
And it looks like you ain't going to be no use to me at all.
If I ride you any more, you'll give out all together.
I ain't sure how long I'll last if I have to walk to the coonies.
It'll be a good five mile yet.
Well, come on horse, I can't afford to leave you out here on parrots.
You can walk, same as me.
Oh, me, I'm getting too old for such can on at this.
What will I do to Claire?
Looky there, that's a cabin hiding in them creeds.
Come on horse, I knew the good Lord wouldn't leave us for the rain.
You ain't hit him.
Get up and walk in here.
Come on, I said.
All right, all right, I'm coming.
I ain't armed.
Don't shoot.
I wanted to shoot you out of here in the first place.
That's far enough.
What are you doing traipsing on my land?
I didn't know it wasn't loud.
Dad?
Yeah?
What you shooting at?
A stranger.
Nobody just wanders up here.
Well, I did, mister.
Why?
I was on the trail and my horse got a stone bruised about a mile or so back.
When I seen your cabin, I figured I could ask you for cover before the rain started.
I got no shelter at all for a stranger.
Now, Dak, that's no way to be.
He looks tired.
Won't hurt us to be friendly.
Sometimes it don't pay to be friendly, Lily May.
I don't cotton to a man wandering on to my place aimless like.
I ain't aimless, mister.
I'm not here for a good reason.
See, I'm supposed to meet Marshall Dillon at the Clooney place.
Now, that's about three miles from here, ain't it?
You say Marshall Dillon?
Yes, sir, that's right.
I work with him in Dodge City.
I'm Chester Proudfoot.
Well, a friend of the Marshalls ought to be welcome at our place.
We ain't used to having visitors, Mr. Proudfoot, but we'd be pleased to have you join us for supper.
Well, thank you, man.
If you're going in the house of Lily May, I'll put your horse in the shed.
You'll stay dry.
All right, and thank you.
Come on, Mr. Proudfoot.
Just call me Chester, ma'am, most folks does.
All right.
My, you folks sure do have an awful big crowd.
Such a little ranch.
Oh, well, that's in the horse business.
He gets them wild off the prairie in Gentleson, and then he sells them.
Things ain't been going too well lately, though.
Oh, you been living out here long?
Not long.
Come on in.
Now, you sit down there at that table, and I'll pour you a cup of coffee.
Well, thank you.
I sure do appreciate you being so kind and all, ma'am.
When I first walked up here, I thought I'd got into a hornet mess.
Well, that don't trust people as easy as they should.
Yeah, well, sometimes it's better that way, I suppose.
Not for me, it ain't.
I like to visit with people, have them around to talk to.
Don't think I'll ever get used to living out here.
Do you by any chance know Doc Adams from Dodge?
Doc Adams?
No, never heard of him. Why?
Oh, I was just wondering.
Your horse will be all right.
I'll give him some grain.
Well, thank you.
Sure.
Say, I've been thinking.
It's going to take a few days for him to get over that bruise.
Would you be willing to loan me one of your horses so that I can go on and meet Mr. John tonight?
I'll bring it back to you first thing in the morning.
Well, sure. Sure, we can talk about it after supper.
I better stoke up that fire a little bit, man.
Thank you, Dad.
Looks like it's starting to rain.
Maybe I'll stay here with us tonight, Chester.
Well, no, thank you. I guess not, ma'am.
Mr. Dillon will get worried about me if I don't.
Yeah!
Doc, you killed him.
He ain't dead.
What got into you? Why'd you hit him?
It's a trap, Lily May.
What do you mean, a trap?
Just that. I suspect it was when he told us who he was.
Marshall sent him in here to borrow one of the horses so they'd have proof to hang me.
They're on to us.
What are we going to do?
Move out. First thing in the morning.
It'll take us most of the night to pack.
Oh, Doc, we've been moving steady for three years.
When does it stop?
When I get enough money saved up to buy a decent farm.
How many times have I heard that?
What are you going to do with him?
Tie him up and leave him here to rot.
That's murder, Doc. Nobody ever comes around here.
You serve him right.
Are you losing your senses?
You going to start killing now, be a murderer too?
Shut up!
I'll do what I have to do.
Marshall!
Hello, Mr. Molyneux.
Molyneux, my man!
How nice to meet you.
What a nice block.
Is Chester here yet?
No.
He's been here a long time.
Is he here?
Yes.
I've been here a long time.
Good.
Could you take me to the
kitchen?
Yes.
What a nice block.
Is Chester here yet?
No.
Is he coming too?
He's supposed to meet me here.
Hang your slicker there.
Thanks.
What brings you out in this weather?
Doc Adams.
Have you seen him?
I reckon I have.
Come on back to the kitchen where it's warm.
All right.
Well, Mac!
What?
Doc, there he is, Marshall.
Doc, have you been here all this time?
Ever since Monday.
What happened?
Sit down, Marshall.
Get the load off you, do you think?
Well, Chester was right.
Chester was right?
How's that?
He said you probably decided to take a few days off and come out here to play checkers
with Clooney.
Oh, he did.
Yeah, that ain't it exactly, Marshall.
That looks pretty clear to me.
Now, don't be too hasty.
I didn't get these circles under my eyes just sitting here staring at this checkerboard
for four days.
Don't tell me you've been sick, Doc.
You've never been sick a day in your life.
He sure was this time, Marshall.
I seen it.
He had the fever.
If it hadn't been for the good care Clooney gave me, I'd still be laying out.
There was always powder in the doctor.
It was the wizard.
Powder that snapped.
How did you end up out here anyway?
You left to go to the bar's place.
I know, but I got caught in a thunderstorm and got on the wrong trail.
The next thing I knew, I was here.
Yeah, he was awful pitiful.
Oh, well, all right.
Did you hear from Bowers, man?
Yeah, the boy will be all right.
Bowers set the arm himself.
Must not have been too bad.
Well, thank goodness for that.
I was going back to the dock this afternoon when those clouds came up.
I figured I'd best wait till morning.
I guess it's a good thing you did.
Yeah.
Okay, Marshall, you say Chester is going to meet you here?
Or Chester come out with you?
Uh-huh.
We've been scanning the whole countryside for you, Doc.
Yeah, he took the east trail.
He ought to be along any time now.
I see he decided to stay at the moors because of the rain.
Gentlemen, please stand.
Oh, my head.
Where?
Glad to see you come out of it, and that's a fact.
What?
Put a hand on my head?
Why am I all tied up like this?
Dak hit you on the head and he tied you up.
Why?
Why in the world did he do that?
Got you figured.
The marshal sent you in here to borrow one of our horses, didn't he?
No.
What are you talking about?
Don't lie to me, mister.
I've been nice to you.
I almost got myself bruised up for being so nice.
I ain't lying.
I don't know what you're saying.
The marshal knows about Dak.
Knows he's wanted for horse thief, and he wanted proof, so he sent you here.
No, no, no.
That ain't so.
But if your husband is a horse thief, Mr. Dillon will catch up with him sooner or later.
No, he won't.
We're going to move on, away from here.
You want to go?
He's going to leave you here, tied up.
It ain't that up, is it?
Oh, he'd come too, huh?
Yeah.
Maybe I ought to give him something to eat.
Forget that.
We got work to do.
I finished up in the barn.
Now let's get started in here.
You think we're going to get any sleep tonight?
When we finish packing, we can take turns sleeping.
I ain't going to take a chance on that marshal sneaking in here.
If he so much as puts a foot on this ranch, I'll shoot him.
Not Dak.
He's a sim of me, Lily Mae, and it ain't going to be me.
Oh, my land.
Lily Mae?
Yeah?
What you want?
Could I have a drink of water?
I'll get you.
Where's your husband?
He's outside loading the wagon.
Here you go.
Good.
I'll hold it for you.
Thank you.
How long has it been daylight?
About a half an hour.
My head hurts something fierce.
You want some more?
No, thank you.
You're going to let him leave me tied here?
I can't persuade him one way or another.
Once he makes up his mind, he never changes it.
What about you?
There's nothing I can do about it.
Yes, there are.
You could cut me loose before he comes back in here.
He won't know the difference.
I'll make like I'm still tied up.
He'd kill me and you too.
But he won't know the difference.
I'll make sure he don't.
No.
No, I can't do it.
You've got to do it.
You've got to.
I'll die sure.
You won't try to leave before we get out of here?
No, I won't.
I'd give you my word.
He'd kill you if you did.
I know that.
All right.
I'll get a knife.
Just cut your arm through it.
You can untie your feet after we leave.
Help me find it.
There.
Now you keep them behind you, we'll both be dead.
There's a buggy down on the trail.
It's like that fool Marshall riding behind it.
Come here, this friend.
Get that rifle.
Now wait a minute.
What do you got in your hand?
Nothing.
I see that.
A knife.
Why, you were going to cut him loose, you little wench.
Don't, Jack, don't be.
Shut up.
I'll tell you later.
Right now there's a marshal we've got to take care of.
Grab that rifle over there and cut that window here.
No.
No, I ain't going to do it.
What?
I ain't going to do it.
I'm tired of running, living like an animal.
Let that marshal come in.
What kind of talk is that?
You're in this as deep as I am.
I didn't steal any horses.
They won't hang me.
All right.
No, Jack.
Jack, please, no.
No, no, please, no.
All right, Jack.
Leave her alone.
I got your rifle.
What?
I'll shoot you if you hit her again.
So she did cut you loose.
So you've really done it this time, Lily Maeve.
Back over towards the door.
What for?
So you'll be there when Mr. Jones comes in.
Go on.
All right.
Sure.
No.
Jack.
See, he tried to grab the rifle.
I didn't want to shoot him.
I'm sorry, Maeve.
You don't have to be sorry, Tester.
There's no reason for you to apologize.
Suddenly, it don't seem to matter.
Yes, ma'am.
Anybody in there?
It's me, Mr. Jones.
Yes, sir.
Tester, what in the world is going on here?
Who is this?
Well, see, I saw him.
But he's going to be all right.
Mr. Jones, you just won't believe it.
Maybe you better try me, huh?
Yes, sir.
Well, it's, see, I was riding long down the trail towards this place,
and it seemed to me that my horse was getting kind of gimpy.
So I got off, and sure enough, he's had a real bad thing.
So I had to go back.
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 Frank Terrace,
with editorial supervision by John Meston.
Featured in the cast were Harry Bartel, Lynn Allen, Vic Tarrin, and Bartlett Robinson.
Harley Bear is Chester, Howard McNear is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty.
This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week
when CBS Radio presents another story on Gunsmoke.