Around Dodge City and in the territory on west there is just one way to handle the killers
of the spoilers and that's with a US Marshal and the smell of gun smoke.
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, United States Marshal, the first man they look for and the last they
want to meet.
It's a chance a job that makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Well hello stranger.
Evening Kitty.
Where you been?
I usually poke your face in here more often than this to scare my customers.
No, you complaining?
No, it usually coaxes them into buying another drink.
Well, speaking of drinks Kitty, I uh.
Sam?
Yeah?
One for the Marshal.
Yes Kitty.
Nothing the matter Matt?
Oh no, nothing the matter Kitty, it's just uh, it's just one of those nights you know.
No trouble?
Oh no trouble.
No nothing.
Oh, one of those nights.
Yeah, there you are Marshal.
Oh thanks Sam.
You know sometimes Kitty I think if I have to play one more game of checkers with Doc.
Oh, well that's what you think.
Sometimes you find yourself listening to the silence.
Maybe you shouldn't have complained.
Oh why?
Here comes something.
Chester with Tom Ciles and he's probably looking for you.
Hello Miss Kitty.
Uh, how you doing?
Tom Ciles here, just a little poppin'.
I didn't know if I would bother you about it or not.
Oh I see you made a decision Chester.
Hmm?
Never mind.
Uh, yes sir.
Well anyways, why don't you just tell him what you've seen Tom?
Well Marshal, I don't really know what it was but, well it was down there in the willows
fraction around like maybe it was some kind of an animal or something.
Well I got to think maybe it was an engine or a road agent or something.
Now wait a minute Tom, where was this?
Down by the river, right under the bank.
And what exactly did you see?
Now it was too dark to see really but I could hear it crashing around making a kind of a
moaning sound.
The way them willows was bending and waving around I knew it must be pretty big.
Why didn't you go and have a look?
And now how do we know what it might be?
It was dark, we.
Well me and, me and a young lady, we just left there quick Marshal.
Oh I see.
Now just where was this Tom?
Well out by the point, just west of town Marshal.
Yeah I've heard about the buggies being parked out there.
Tom, you're sure that this wasn't your imagination?
Oh no, no sir, there was something there, I know that, an animal maybe or engine.
That's why I thought I ought to come and tell you.
Are you sure it wasn't some friends of yours playing a trick on you and your young lady?
No ma'am, they just showed themselves, I know.
I think you ought to go look Marshal.
All right Tom, just go get a ladder will you?
Yes sir.
Come on Tom.
Well Mark, we were starved for excitement.
Yeah, some excitement huh?
You know what it sounds like to me?
Now what?
I think you're going on a snipe hunt.
Over this way Marshal.
Come on Doc.
It's a fine thing to get a man out of bed for.
He said there was a moment sound, you might be needed.
Probably some bling gork and cowboy.
You had nothing better to do.
What about sleeping?
It's near midnight.
You're always complaining about not being able to sleep anyway Doc.
Right down there Marshal.
I don't see anything now, but it was right down here.
All right Chester, bring the ladder now.
Chester?
We're going to get wet feet and you can cut these deaf ones out like this.
Over here Chester.
Ah, you're gracious.
You find something there?
Yeah, something for you Doc.
Come over here.
Where'd that go Mr. Dillon?
Do you recognize him?
Yeah, it's old Tug Marsh, that trapper who went through here with his partner last fall.
Can you hold that ladder a little bit higher there with you Chester?
Sure Doc.
That's very nice of you.
Any pair on there would recognize him.
What could have done that to him Mr. Dillon?
Some big animal or some kind of bear, maybe or a wolf.
This close to town?
That's possible.
Oh Doc, what about him?
Well he's alive, that's about all I can say.
There's one thing though, these wounds are crusted.
Oh, what do you mean?
I mean he didn't get them tonight or even today.
This happened three, four days ago, maybe more.
But then I don't see how...
He's come a long way since then, look at his knees and his hands.
He's crawled for miles.
With wounds like that, half naked and half dead?
He was half dead when he started man.
He's a lot more than that now.
He's hanging on by a thread.
We better get him to my office.
Morning man.
Morning Doc, how's the patient?
Well, I don't know how, but he's alive.
And not just alive, but kicking too.
Hey Doc, I'm hungry.
See what I mean man?
You saw how he was not twelve hours ago.
Who'd have believed it?
Yeah, can I talk to him?
Why not?
He's eating quite anyway.
Hello Tug.
Howdy Marshall.
Why don't you make that dang doctor get me something to eat?
I'm making you some soup, now shut up.
Soup?
I ain't eating a week and he gives me dish water.
But you couldn't keep anything else down and you need nourishment.
Oh dang it, if I could just get out of this dirt and dead.
Take it easy Tug, you've been through an awful lot.
You're telling me what I've been through?
Now I'm asking you, you want to tell me about it?
It ain't no affair of the law.
Maybe not, I just have to be curious.
If you have any brains you can see.
A tangle with a bear, that's all.
When was this and where?
Oh maybe six, seven days down the nation out toward the shimmer on you.
Yeah Tug, you eat this Tug.
Yeah, dish water.
It's good for you, you need something warm in you.
Hey Doc, you ain't told me.
You think you can fix me up?
There's nothing to fix up.
Scar tissue's already forming.
I ain't going to be so pretty, huh?
That bear took half your scalp and a good part of your face.
So there's nothing I can do about that Tug.
Yeah, I never wish to ham some anyways.
But that's all right, I'm a trapper not a drummer.
And then the Cheyenne and Squaw's ain't scared off by a few scars.
What about my arm?
You lost some muscle, but you'll have some movement left.
Tug, the main thing is that you're alive and mended.
Yeah, now take some of that soup.
Yeah, yeah.
With rest and a little food you'll be walking around again in a few days.
Maybe dropping again in a month.
Yeah, I got something to do first.
Tug, tell me what happened, huh?
I told you, I tangled with a grizzly.
Walked into him in this thicket and the critter attacked me before I get my gun up.
Finally killed him with my knife, but not before he shot me.
What about your partner, Billy Adams?
Yeah, he couldn't wait.
Found me near dead.
Done what he could, but wasn't much.
We both figured I was a goner and there's hostiles around, Comanches.
He's nervous, I guess, sitting beaver alone with a dying man on his hands.
Only I wouldn't die for him so as he could bury me and have it done with.
Give me the elaptic.
Next morning he took everything.
Didn't even leave me a knife to slit between my ribs.
He wouldn't do that to an animal.
Now, would you, Marshall, just leave him to die alone in the wilderness?
You'd slit his throat for him at least, but Billy wouldn't do that for me.
And that's when I decided what?
That I wouldn't die.
That I'd come after him.
I'd live to find him.
So I started crawling.
Five days on my hands and knees without food or water.
When I find him, I'm gonna kill him, but not fast.
No, no, slow.
Real slow.
Well, I can't say I blame you much, Tug.
But there is one thing I'm thankful for.
What's that?
Billy Adams isn't in Dodge.
I'd hate to have to arrest you for murder.
Well, then as long as I'm here, you better see he stays away.
Well, Matt, you're late.
The food's getting cold.
Oh, sorry, Kitty.
Oh, Doc.
Hey, Matt.
Sit down, sit down.
Yeah.
The hash is actually edible today.
That's good.
How's your patient these days, Doc?
You mean a star border, don't you?
Yeah, well, I guess he's been around here long enough to be called that.
Three weeks.
He isn't even about to leave.
Is he still complaining of his aches and pains, Doc?
No, no, it doesn't even bother now.
He's just enjoying himself.
At Doc's expense, Matt even bought him clothes.
Well, he didn't have anything left, Kitty.
I've seen him walking around town a couple of times.
Doc, he seems almost back to normal.
Well, yeah, considering everything, though, it has been a miraculous recovery.
You know, I'm kind of surprised he doesn't want to be getting on about his business.
Well, the truth is, he does.
He's staying here on my orders.
Oh, medical reasons, or are you trying to slow him down?
Well, if I can help to keep him out of trouble, why not?
You've kind of taken a liking to your old cooch yourself, haven't you, Matt?
Yeah, I'm afraid I have, Doc.
What kind of trouble are you talking about, Doc?
The kind a man gets into when he's bitter about something.
You mean Billy Adams?
Yeah.
Maybe we could keep Tug here long enough he could cool down, Kitty, but...
I don't know how long Doc can afford the expense.
Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, what is it, Chester?
You know who just rode into town?
He's down at Moss Grimmages right now.
Oh, who?
Billy Adams.
Good, eh?
Now, just goes to show you I'm not as smart as I thought.
I should have sent Tug packing.
Well, it's Billy Adams who's going to be sent packing, Doc.
And right now.
Hey, Moss.
Oh, hello, Marco.
He's out back.
Chewing his horse.
You didn't tell him anything about Tug being here or alive?
It wasn't my business to, Marshal.
Good.
Billy?
Yeah, what?
Oh, oh, Marshal.
What are you doing here in Dodge, Billy?
Oh, we're just passing through.
Chewing a horse, buying supplies.
And going on west back to the mountains.
Why, Marshal?
Well, last time he went through here, you had a partner, Billy.
What happened to him?
Oh.
I didn't know anybody in Dodge heard about that.
Somebody from Pueblo come through and told the story, eh?
Suppose you tell it to me, huh?
Well, just the way you heard, Marshal.
Powerful, sad thing.
Tug got killed by a bear.
He got caught in a ticket with a big grizzly.
Killed Tug outright, didn't it?
No.
No, he lasted till next day.
Oh, nothing I could do for him, no.
He was, he was clawed so bad.
Oh, sad.
So you buried him, huh?
Oh, that's it, huh?
Somebody found the body.
You know, you know, I felt bad about that, Marshal.
I didn't have time to bury him.
There was Comanche snuffing around,
and I had to get out of there quick without no fuss or no noise.
So I left him in that ticket.
I figured he'd be just as safe there as in a shallow grave,
what was left to him.
Besides, Tug, he didn't put much stock in ceremony.
You made just one mistake, Billy.
What?
You should have made sure he was dead.
What do you, what do you mean, Marshal?
He's alive.
Right here in Dodge.
He is?
Oh, I'm right glad to hear that.
Oh, I really am.
I'm not so sure you will be, Billy.
Maybe Tug didn't put much stock in ceremony,
but he's sure looking for you.
Yeah.
Yeah, I guess he would be.
My advice to you is to get on that horse and ride.
Oh, no, I couldn't do that, Marshal.
Why not?
Billy, I got to see him.
I got to explain.
Billy, I don't care about you,
but I don't want to see Tug up for murder
or see him shot down and so on.
No, Marshal, it wouldn't be like that.
I think maybe it would.
And I'm telling you to get out of town now.
All right, Marshal, I'll oblige you.
I'll camp just outside town, just west.
You tell Tug that, huh?
You tell him I'll be waiting right there for him.
No.
Well, there's things we got to talk about, Marshal.
There's money I owe him for his split of the furs and all.
I'm telling nothing, Billy.
Listen, Marshal, we was partners, Tug and me, and friends,
even if he was a lot older than me.
Now, I guess this here is something that's got to be settled between us,
one way or the other.
I'll be waiting.
Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, Chester.
Did you see Billy? Did you tell him?
Yeah, I told him.
The whole town's all inside me.
Don't hold a near breath to see what's going to happen.
Chester, you didn't tell him.
I didn't have to tell nobody.
Plenty of folks seen him riding right down front street.
And I suppose Tug knows.
I don't know.
He's up there, Doc.
Is that where you're going?
Yeah.
You reckon there'll be a shootin', Mr. Dillon?
Not if I can help it, Chester.
Now, wait a minute.
Now, you let go of me.
Now, wait.
Oh, Matt.
Oh, I'm glad you're here.
Now, don't try to stop me, Marshal.
Get out of my way.
I see you've heard the news, Tug.
Yeah, I heard all right.
Ain't nobody going to stop me.
You don't even have a gun.
You're going to tackle him with your bare hands?
Maybe a way to lie could break him in two.
Well, he's got a gun, so maybe you'd better think it over, huh?
Nothing to worry about.
I'm not going to let you get away with this.
I'm going to get away with this.
Nothing you can say is going to stop me, Marshal.
Now, wait a minute, you obstinate old fool.
Billy was your partner.
He was your friend, so he deserted you.
All right, maybe you've got a cause for a grudge.
Maybe.
All right.
But what good's it going to do for one of you to get killed just to satisfy your need
for revenge?
Tug, he wants to give you your half of the profits from the furs and trapping outfit.
You talked to him?
Yeah, I did.
And he told me his side of it.
He thought you were already dead.
Yeah, it's a lie.
Maybe it is.
But he seemed mighty surprised that you were alive.
Yeah.
And he was glad, too.
Glad?
Yeah, I bet.
It's true.
And he wouldn't take my advice to run away.
He's waiting for you outside town.
He told me to tell you that he wants to see you, Tug.
Yeah.
I'll see him all right soon to get me a gun.
Tug, isn't there anything I can say that'll stop you?
It ain't none of your business, Marshal.
I've got a right to go after him, Ada.
Yeah, I guess maybe you have.
All right, then.
I'm going to find me a gun.
Maxwell, what are you going to do?
Not much I can do, Doc.
They'll tangle sooner or later.
I'm just going to be there to see that whatever happens, happens fair.
Well, Marshal, what are you doing out here?
I came to warn you, Billy.
Tug's on his way.
Yeah.
Well, sit down and have some coffee.
Are you cooking?
Oh, I might as well.
I take it you're going to stay for the show.
What are you planning on doing, Billy?
Well, you'll see, Marshal.
I don't think it's none of your business.
Look, Billy, there's still time.
Why don't you get on that horse and go?
It's going to save an awful lot of trouble for everybody.
You don't know Tug real good, do you, Marshal?
He'd only get madder if I run.
He'd just keep hunting until he found me again.
Besides what?
Well, I guess he's got a right to...
He's got a right to hold a hate for me.
I've done a wrong thing, leaving him like that.
Billy, you really didn't think he was dead, did you?
No, but I thought it was just a matter of minutes and I...
There was minutes might have meant I'd be dead too.
Well, I guess it was wrong of me to think of saving my own life.
At least that was a human mistake of me.
I'm just glad now I didn't go ahead and do what I almost did,
what I thought I should have done.
What do you mean?
Well, you know, what you do for any dying animal.
Took out my knife.
I held it up to his throat.
I couldn't bring myself to it and I'm glad now.
Yeah, in a way, me being a coward that way, you know,
that saved his life and I'm glad of that.
He'd done a lot for me, Marshall.
He was like a father to me.
Taught me all I know.
How could you go up and leave him, Billy?
Maybe I just couldn't stay and see him die.
I don't know it.
Well, he's out there.
Where?
You sure?
Oh, Marshall, him and me living the way we do,
we hear things, we see things that town folks miss there.
Don't you worry now, now, it'll come out the way you want.
What do you mean?
Well, I can't fight him, Marshall, but I'll make it look all right
so you won't have to arrest him.
Now, wait a minute, Billy.
Tug, come on in, coffee's hot.
Hello, Billy.
Biscuits be ready directly, Tug.
Now listen, Tug.
Don't worry, Marshall.
I didn't even get a gun.
I guess I couldn't have used it if I had.
Billy, a trapper needs a partner.
Good ones is hard to find.
You can't expect them to be perfect, not making a steak or two.
Now just pour the coffee, Billy.
Plenty of time for talk later.
Sure, Tug, sure.
Won't you have some coffee, Marshall?
I don't mind if I do.
Music
Gunsmoke, produced and directed by Norman McDonald,
stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.
The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Dunkel,
with editorial supervision by John Neston.
Featured in the cast were Ralph Moody, Lawrence Stockin, and Vic Perrin.
Harley Bear as Chester, Howard McNear as Doc, and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
Our thanks to TV Radio Mirror and to you, our listening audience,
for selecting Gunsmoke as the best dramatic program on radio for the fifth consecutive year.
The results of this annual poll appear in the current issue of TV Radio Mirror.
This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week for another story on Gunsmoke.
This is the CBS Radio Network.
And K-N-X ready.