Around Dodge City and in the territory on the 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.
Gun Smoke starring William Conrad, the transcribed story of the violence that moved west with young America. The story of a man who moved with it, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal.
Gun Smoke starring William Conrad, United States Marshal.
Gun Smoke starring William Conrad, United States Marshal.
Cut?
Sure.
I'll cut.
Well, Brewer?
Hit me.
That's enough.
Can you beat 19?
20 will do it.
You're lucky today, Brewer.
Against a dealer like you, Vint, that ain't luck so much.
What do you mean by that?
Well, I figure maybe you've been letting me win. And then later on things ought to change and you'll get all this back and I'll keep plunging till you got all mine, too.
Brewer, I've killed men for that kind of talk.
What kind of men?
You're in Dodge now, Mr. Gambler, you ain't gonna kill nobody.
Bless me, he's drunk and I'm sober.
I'll be back this evening, Vint, and I'll bring a friend, Jack Sawler, with me.
The game's open. Bring anybody you like.
Sawler won't be gambling. He'll just sit here and watch you deal.
Got any objections?
Why should I?
You shouldn't, if you like living.
Sit on, Vint.
Yeah.
You look worried.
I am. That fella Brewer just walked out of here with a lot of my money. He's coming back tonight to play some more.
And what are you worried about?
Sure, I was setting him up, man. Let him win a little and then take everything he's got.
But he's bringing a friend back with him to help watch me deal.
You mean he's on to you?
Yeah.
Who's the friend?
Jack Sawler. You know him?
A little.
At the end I've heard he's quite a gunman.
Oh.
Man, you gotta help me.
Help you how?
Brewer's got $500 on my money now. And if he hits a streak of luck, it could be more.
With both of them watching me, I don't dare deal cards my way.
What can I do, Vint? You're a gambler. I'm not.
There are ways of getting that money back without gambling.
How?
You just get him off alone somewhere and I'll take care of the rest.
Oh no, Vint, please.
Damn. This is our money, yours and mine. It's part of the money we're running away on.
If I lose this, we'll be a long time getting to St. Louis.
No, but...
You want to go on working in a saloon the rest of your life?
Supporting your child and that worthless husband of yours?
Or do you want to go with me back east and be free and have a decent home?
You know I do, Vint.
All right. And if Brewer's lucky and goes on winning, you got to play sweet to him.
Get him outside in the alley, alone.
You can do it, Nanny. It's for us, you know.
I'm afraid.
I'll do it, Vint. You know I will.
That's a girl.
I'm good, Vint.
Eighteen.
I got twenty.
This wind all the time gets tiresome.
I think I'll quit.
Whatever you like. You got about seven hundred of his money now, Brewer.
That much, sort of.
Well, we'll have another little game sometime, Vint. What do you say?
Any time, Brewer.
Give me your chips. I'll cash them.
Sure.
Now spread the word you're an honest dealer, Vint.
Real honest?
He sure is.
I'm going now, Brewer.
There's a little girl at Longhorn, Vint, waiting to dance with me.
See you later, Salter.
Sure.
So long, Vint. It's been a pleasure.
Goodbye.
Here's your money.
Thanks.
Quiff, buy you a drink, Brewer?
I don't know. It's a decent of you, Vint, but I'm the winner. I'll buy you one.
All right.
Mike, bring us a bottle of Irish.
Right.
Don't worry about tonight, Vint. I'll give you a chance to win it back. Maybe tomorrow.
A gambler like me is bound to lose now and then, Brewer.
Especially when he runs into my kind of luck, huh?
I hope you gentlemen don't mind if I brought your bottle of Jameson. It's nice business.
Oh, now of course we don't. Sit down, man. Have one with us.
Oh, thanks.
I was sort of hoping you might ask me.
You're honest anyway. I like that.
How'd you make out at 21?
Ask him. He won $730.
Oh.
Here. Best drink cup. Mud in your eye.
Thanks for the drink, Brewer.
I think I'll quit for the night.
Let me know when you want another game, Vint.
Good night.
Um, man.
Yeah?
Aren't you and Vint, uh...
Oh, we both work here. Anything else is just the usual gossip.
Oh.
You're pretty.
Have another drink, ma'am?
No, no, thanks. I'm sorry, but I have to go home.
Oh, you can't do that.
You just got here.
Besides, it's early yet.
I always go home early.
You can walk with me, though, if you like.
Walk with you?
Mm-hmm.
Oh, sure. Fine. Let's go.
All right. I'll take the bottle back.
Here's some money. Give it a mic.
Wait for me at the back door, huh?
Back door?
Well, it's quicker to where I live that way.
Oh, okay. Well, hurry up, man.
Yeah.
All right.
All right. Let's go.
All right.
It's dark out here.
I hope you know the way.
Of course I do. I walk it every night.
Ow!
Oh, what?
Don't pull my ankle.
Oh, here, here. I got you. I got you.
I twisted it.
Oh.
Hold me. Wait.
No, I'll carry you.
Easy now.
All right. Now, just take it easy.
I'll get you home now.
Tell me where you are.
Right down this alley, Mr. Dillon, so to say.
You know, I see some people back there. This is.
Hold that light over here, will you, mister?
Yeah, I'll put you on.
Thank you.
What?
Oh, he's Charlie Brewer.
Yeah.
He's dead.
Somebody clubbed him, all right.
Who are you, miss?
I'm Nett Miller. I work at the Olliporgans.
What were you doing out back here?
Well, he wanted to take a walk, and we got out here, and then somebody jumped us.
Are you hurt?
They knocked me out, but I'm all right now.
They? How many were there?
I don't know. I got hit. When I came to, I saw him like that. I screamed.
That's all I know, Marshal. I didn't see anybody at all.
Chester.
Yes, sir?
Take her over to Doc's.
No, no. I'm all right. I want to go home. I'm all right.
Are you sure?
Yeah, sure. Sure. Don't bother about me, Marshal. I'm fine. I'm fine.
Okay, Nett. Chester, go find a piece of canvas. We'll take Brewer over to Doc's.
Yes, sir.
He's not back yet, Chester.
He's coming across Front Street right now, Doc.
It's not often a man gets killed around here without being shot.
Clubs don't make any noise, Doc.
It's murder. Just plain murder, that's what it is.
You all through, Doc?
I'm all through, Matt. We'll bury him in the morning.
Doc, did Brewer have any money on him?
A couple of dollars in change, Matt. I wrapped it up with the rest of his effects.
He won a lot of money from Vint James tonight.
Then he was robbed. That girl. That girl, Nan Miller.
She helped, Robbie, maybe. You think a woman could have clubbed him that hard, Doc?
Oh, no, I don't. My goodness, no.
I don't think so either. But I think she got him out in the alley so Vint could club him.
As soon as Vint got away, she set up a holler.
But Matt, just because Vint lost some money...
They say Vint and Nan are friends, Doc. Good friends.
You don't say. Well, what do you know? You're going to arrest him, Mr. Dillon?
There's no real evidence, Chester. You just go free again.
Mm.
Marshall?
Yeah?
I want to talk to you.
Now, you're Jack Salter, aren't you?
I am. And I'm a friend, or was, of Charlie Brewer.
I see.
You don't see nothing, Marshall.
No, what do you mean?
That gambler, Vint, he murdered Brewer.
Can you prove it?
I don't have to prove it.
Well, the law says you do, Salter.
I ain't interested in what the law says, Marshall.
I am.
Look, Marshall, Charlie Brewer won over $700 off Vint tonight.
That much?
I was there watching Vint so as he'd deal on us.
Oh?
I don't even have to ask you if you found that money on Brewer.
No, it was gone.
And why haven't you arrested Vint?
Wouldn't do any good, Salter. There's no legal proof he did it.
I told you I ain't interested in all that.
So?
So I'll kill Vint myself if I have to.
That's what I thought.
I'm warning you, Marshall.
I'll give you till tomorrow night.
And if he isn't in jail by then, I'm going out and I'm gonna shoot him down.
That's murder too, Salter, and if you try it, I'll throw you in jail.
We'll see about that, Marshall.
After I kill Vint.
Don't do it, Salter.
Tomorrow night, Marshall.
You know I'll do it.
This table all right, Kitty?
Fine, Mac. It's as quiet as any.
Sure you don't want a drink?
Not tonight, Kitty.
What's on your mind, Mac?
Nan Miller.
Oh, I heard about her being with Brewer when he got killed.
She wasn't hurt, though, they said.
No, she's fine.
But they didn't hit her very hard then.
Knocked her out. So she's sad anyway.
I take it you don't believe her.
No, Kitty, I don't.
Tell me about her and Vint James, huh?
Well, Vint gambles at the Alpha Gamza, Matt, and she works over there too.
I didn't know him at all.
You know more than that about him.
Oh, there's a lot of gossip if you're interested in that.
Tell me what you think's true.
They're in love.
What else?
For some men, that's enough, Matt.
Kitty, I'm not interested in romance. I'm after a murderer.
That's about all I know, Matt. They're in love, and I'm sure Nan wasn't stepping out on Vint with Charlie Brewer.
I'd swear to that.
No, no, I don't think she was either.
From what I hear, she and Vint are serious enough to get married, if they could.
Well, why couldn't they?
Well, Matt, don't you know? Nan's already married.
What?
Sure. She's been married for years.
Where's her husband? Does he know about all this?
I don't think he'd care if he did. They say he spends all his time in that little saloon at the edge of town.
What's it called? The Eldorado?
He spends his time in her money, is that it?
Men.
No, Kitty.
It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the kid.
They have a child?
A six-year-old girl. Vicki, I think she's called. Nan hires some old woman to take care of her most of the time.
Little girl, huh? And you think Nan and Vint would get married if they could?
I don't know, Matt, but they act like it. So I hear anyway.
Yeah. I think I got an idea, Kitty.
What?
Well, I'll tell you later if it works, but it has to do with men.
Tell me, do you think Vint's a good man?
I don't think any man's any good. Not till you've put him to the test anyway.
Well, that's exactly what I'm going to gamble on. And I don't think Vint will test out very well.
I don't know what you're talking about, but why not?
He's a crooked dealer, for one thing. I'll see you later, Kitty. I'm going to have a talk with Vint.
Who is it?
Marshal Dillon.
What do you want?
Open up the door.
It's late, Marshal.
Is it?
I was about to go to bed.
This won't take long.
Well, okay, Marshal. What do you want?
I want you to leave town, Vint.
Why?
Get out of Dodge by tomorrow evening.
But what for? Why?
I always run crooked gamblers out.
But, Marshal, I don't deal crooked, and nobody can prove I do.
Yeah. You come from St. Louis, don't you, Vint?
Yeah. Why?
There's a train east at five o'clock tomorrow. Be on it. You understand?
All right, Marshal.
I'll go. I know you will.
Good night.
Good night, Marshal.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
Oh, Vint, you're early.
I said I'd be here at four, Nan.
I rented the wagon there to carry your trunk to the depot.
Oh, come on in. I'm not quite ready yet.
Well, the Santa Fe leaves at five. You haven't got much time.
Vint, I'm so excited.
It's like I told you this morning, Nan. We're mighty lucky getting out this easy.
Yeah, yeah, of course we are.
But let's don't talk about all that now. Let's just think about the future.
Wait till you see St. Louis. It's a real town with real buildings.
Not a lot of ramshackle old rookeries like Dodge.
Oh, I can hardly wait, Vint, and to see it all with you.
I just can't believe it's really going to happen.
Well, it won't happen if you don't hurry up and finish packing.
Oh, I'm almost ready. Come along. You take Vicky's things out now. I'll pack them first.
Vicky's things?
She's playing out back. I'd have never done a thing with that child in here.
I just hope she isn't getting dirty. She's all dressed up for the train.
Vicky?
Of course. Why are you looking like that?
You're planning to take Vicky?
Vint, what do you mean?
You never mentioned taking Vicky along.
You didn't think I'd leave her here.
We never talked about it.
Talked about it? She's my child, Vint. Of course I'll take her.
No. No, I don't want a child alone.
Vint!
Nan, look, we can't be bothered with a kid. We're going to see things, do things, you and me.
Well, Vicky's better off here anyway.
Better off here? With a drunkard for a father and no mother at all? Are you crazy?
Well, give her to somebody.
Give her to... She's my child, Vint. Don't you understand?
Sure, but I don't want her with us, Nan. I can't stand kids.
Oh, no you can't.
Go on, get packed. We're going to be late.
Vint, I won't leave Vicky.
Why?
I won't leave her.
You mean that?
Yes.
All right, then. Stay with her. I'm going.
Oh, no, Vint. You can't. You can't leave me now. Vint, no.
Oh, yes I can. I can do anything.
Vint, no. No, please.
Goodbye, Nan.
You're really going, aren't you?
Of course I am.
I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.
Oh, God. I love my daughter.
I don't feel bad.
The ad-libs with the decode.
Once again, please, will this come out of the music into the ad-libs on the train?
Really, it'd be not happy, but they're there.
Okay, once again.
Here he comes now, Mr. Dillon, just in time.
Yeah. He's alone, too.
What do you mean, he's alone?
Chester.
What?
You go tell the engineer not to pull that train out of Dodge until I give him the word, huh?
What?
Go on, hurry up. Tell him.
Yes, sir.
Well, Marshal, I'm leaving.
Are you satisfied?
Not quite, Vint.
Oh?
And here comes a man who isn't satisfied at all about your leaving.
Who? Where?
Right over there.
See? Jack Seller.
You remember him.
Solder? Well, what's he doing here?
Well, he'll probably tell us.
I seen him driving around in that wagon with his bags all dressed up.
You can let him go, aren't you, Marshal?
You can let him ride that train right out of Dodge.
What are you talking about, Solder?
Shut up. I'll take care of you later, Vint.
Later?
Yeah. I just got a sudden idea to go to St. Louis, too, Marshal.
I see. What's this all about?
Solder here wants to kill you, Vint.
Kill me?
Yeah. He says you murdered a friend of his, Brewer.
Well, that's a lie.
Don't you call me a liar.
All right, hold it, Solder. I'll handle this, not you.
Mr. Dillon? Oh, Mr. Dillon?
Yeah. What is it, Chester?
This lady here wants to talk to you.
Nan, it's Nan.
Excuse me, gentlemen. I'm coming with you, Marshal.
So am I by having you.
You wanted to see me, Nan?
Yes, Marshal, I do. I got something to tell you about Vint and me.
Wait, Nan. Don't.
Why not, Vint?
Look, this time I'll go over to the house and get Vicky right now.
We'll take her. Of course we will. I was just joking.
Were you, Vint?
Well, you know I was, Nan. Come on. You come with me. We'll go get her.
No. I don't trust you, Vint. You're no good. No good at all.
Nan, listen. Shut up, Vint. Let her talk.
All right. Go ahead, Nan.
Vint killed Brewer last night, Marshal. Look out. He's got a gun.
You got in the way, Marshal. God has shot him.
He almost shot Nan.
You jumped him just in time, Mr. Dillon.
Yeah. All right, Chester. Pick up his gun. And bring him to jail when he comes to.
Yes, sir.
Well, Salter. You satisfied?
I'm satisfied, Marshal.
Vint's no good, Marshal. He's no good at all.
I was counting on you to find that out, man. All right. Come along.
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 Meston, with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey.
Harley Bear is Chester, Georgia Ellis is Kitty, and Howard McNeer is Doc.
Gunsmoke has been selected by the Armed Forces Radio Service to be heard by our troops overseas.
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.