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.
Music
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, 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.
Music
This is Frank Knight speaking for the world's most honored watch, Longines.
When the west was being won, Longines was there.
Old records show sales of Longines watches in the silver mining towns of Colorado and Nevada, the gold mining areas of California.
A fine gold watch, preferably a Longines, was one of the first luxuries purchased by a lucky prospector.
For then as now, the name Longines identified the world's most honored watch.
Longines watches won their first World's Fair grand prize in 1878.
Won grand prizes in Paris, Brussels, Philadelphia, and at many other places.
Right now, Longines watches are winning comparable successes in the accuracy competitions in European national observatories.
Today, you needn't make a gold strike to own a Longines.
Many beautiful models for ladies and gentlemen are priced as low as $75.
Visit your authorized Longines-Witnoh jeweler. He will be honored to serve you.
There's a man running toward the house!
Get back inside! Close the door!
What is it?
I don't know. Be quiet.
Don't! Don't shut me out! Please! Please don't shut me out!
Open the door! Let him in! Open the door!
Let me hide! Will you let me hide?
Rock!
Don't let him get me!
You hurt, mister! You hurt!
No use trying to hide, Rock!
Don't shoot him! Please! Don't shoot him!
We shot a dying man.
Well, he wasn't dying long.
You shot him in the back!
He was still dead.
You're a right smart boy, ain't you?
Where's your daddy?
Dad?
Let the boy talk. Where's your daddy, I said?
He's dead.
You two living here all alone?
We ain't scared.
Of course you ain't.
Too bad it had to happen right in your kitchen, ma'am.
Rorke has had that coming a long time.
What are you going to do, mister?
Well, just nothing, ma'am. Nothing at all, if you'll let me.
What do you mean?
You just remember this was my affair, mine and Rorke's.
And now walk right on out of here.
Forget about it.
As long as you two forget about it.
Marshall's going to come after you. You're not.
Dad!
Yeah, like I said, he's a real smart boy, ain't he, ma'am?
I guess you're right, though. I guess he does talk a mite too much.
No, no, he don't talk.
He don't. I might have glad to hear that.
Because it would be a shame for a bright boy like that to get his throat cut
because he didn't know when to keep his mouth shut now, wouldn't it?
Wouldn't it?
He won't talk. I promise.
That's good. Real good.
Both of you just stand quiet till I get away from here.
I won't be no trouble.
What about him?
Well, I forgot my manners.
Well, I guess I better get him out of here.
Oh, Matt.
Anybody here?
Oh, for heaven's chastor.
I'm a little late.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Oh, for heaven's chastor.
I'm out back here, Doc.
What's he in the world are you doing?
Well, hello, Doc.
What are you digging there, a set of graves?
Graves? My goodness.
Doc, don't talk like that. This here is a garden.
A what?
A garden.
It looks more like a buffalo wallow.
Does Matt know that you're doing this right outside of his back door?
Well, no, we don't. I'm kindly surprising him.
Besides, I ain't hurting nothing, Doc. Just fading up the dirt.
Well, I can see that.
Look, let me show you how my garden's gonna be.
Now, see, right here is where the beans is going.
And here is the carrot.
And yonder's pea.
I don't see anything.
Well, they ain't planted yet, but I got everything ready.
All I need now is a seed.
Now, where did this garden idea come from?
You.
What, me?
Well, sure. Don't you remember that time you was talking, Mr. Dillon,
about how people eat out here on the frontier and how they might get scolera...
Scolera?
Yeah, from not eating enough greens and sardines.
Oh, yeah, that scurvy chesty, not scolera, you know.
Whatever it is, I got thinking on it and decided to do something about it
so I don't get that disease, I mean.
Oh, well, that's fine, yes. But as I remember it, that talk we had was months ago.
That's right, it was. And I've been worrying about it ever since.
Oh, you're a man of action.
The trouble is, I'm broke. Plum.
I can't buy no seed.
Oh, a seed? Well, let me see. Oh, no, no, no. Now, don't look at me.
Well, now, Doc, you'd like a plate of greens every now and then, wouldn't you?
Oh, sure I would, but not enough to pay for the seeds.
You might get scolera, Doc.
A scurvy chesty and I won't get it.
Wouldn't take very much to buy them seeds from Mr. Jonas.
Just a few pennies is all, Doc, and then none of us would never have to worry again.
Well, now, Chester, now, suppose you did get those seeds.
Now, you think everything that you plant is going to bloom like a sunflower?
Well, my gracious, Doc, this ain't no problem.
You just kindly push that little old seed into the ground and before you know it, you've got vegetables.
Oh, oh, my, you're quite a farmer.
All right, now, Doc, ain't no need to smart off.
All right, all right, Chester. All right, here's some money.
There, now, go and get your seeds.
Well, thank you, Doc, and from now on, you're half owner of this garden.
You can have part of whatever I grow free.
Oh, well, that's good of you, Chester.
Hey, it's pretty warm, ain't it?
It usually is in the sun.
Must be near noon.
Yeah, let me see here. It's just about quarter to twelve.
Quarter to twelve. My gracious, I'm going to be late.
Late? Where you going?
Over to meet Mr. Dillon at Delmonico.
Lunch or what about our garden?
I'll get to it, Doc, but after all, if Dodge ain't had no green vegetables for all this time,
it ain't going to hurt us none to wait a little longer.
I don't mind a man making money, Mr. Dillon,
but by Jing, I don't think he should be making it all off of me.
Oh, what do you mean, Chester?
Why, that Zach Holden, charging fifteen cents for a meal like that.
I swear that steak still had a piece of the hide on it.
Oh, prices are going up, Chester. You just got to face it.
I bet he's getting so so.
A man don't hardly have nothing left after feeding himself a little, and that's a fact.
Look down here, Mr. Dillon, there's a lady going into the office.
Uh-huh.
Reckon what she wants.
And if she's like most women, we won't be long in finding out.
You wanted to see me, ma'am?
You're... you're the Marshal?
Yes, and that's right, Matt Dillon. This is Chester Proudfoot.
I do, ma'am.
How do you do?
I'm Cora Meadows, Marshal.
My boy and I live out west of town a piece.
Oh, well, why don't you sit down, Miss Meadows?
Thank you.
Uh, Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, what, Chester?
As long as you and Miss Meadows are going to be talking for a spell,
I believe I'll just go on back and see Zach Holden about charging that outlandish price for a meal
that's still sticking in my craw.
All right, Chester, you do that.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Now, Miss Meadows.
Marshal, I... I don't rightly know what to do.
Well, suppose you'll just tell me what's the matter.
Well, that's just it, Marshal.
I'm afraid of what'll happen if I tell you, and I...
I'm afraid of what'll happen if I don't.
You need help?
Yes, Marshal, I need help, all right.
Uh-huh.
Just speak right out.
Well, it's my boy.
My boy, Tad, he's missing.
Oh?
I think he's taken out after that man, and he'll kill the boy if he sees him,
and he'll kill me if he knows I've been here.
Now, wait a minute.
What man are you talking about?
The one that shot that fellow out to my place yesterday.
He shot him down just like he was an animal.
Are you telling me there was a killing there yesterday
and that your son may have gone after the murderer?
Yes, Marshal, I am.
Well, I think you'd better go back to the beginning
and tell me the whole story.
Did he tell you where the man was drugged from, Mr. Dillon?
Yeah, out the kitchen door, Chester.
The track should be along here somewhere.
Yeah, sure.
Ah, over here, Chester.
See there? Looks like heel marks.
Yeah.
Beating over in them bushes.
Yeah, they sure do. Come on.
I don't think he'd have taken much time with him.
Oh, yeah. There he is.
Seems you mean to get a tip of the towel to bury him.
When a man shoots you in the back, he's not going to worry about your funeral, Chester.
I've seen him before, Mr. Dillon.
He was at the Long Branch a lot, playing cards.
Yeah, it's a gambler by the name of Rourke.
Well, I guess the bury ends up to us.
Yes, Chester.
Oh, it's you, Matt. I'm glad you're here.
I came as soon as I got your message, Doc. Is there something wrong?
Yes, Matt, there is. Come to the other room.
Huh?
It's this youngster, Matt. I found him by the robo.
What's the matter with him?
He's been beaten. Cruelly, brutally beaten.
Look.
Yeah.
I didn't even know if I could bring him out of it for a while, eh?
Did he say who he is?
No, and that's the funny thing, Matt. He hasn't talked at all.
He's been conscious most of the day, but he won't say a word.
Huh. Yeah, I guess you can blame him.
Whoever did this was trying to scare him to death, even if it didn't quite kill him.
Uh, is it okay if I try to talk to him?
I guess it won't hurt him if he'll talk.
You know who he is? Yeah, I think so.
How about Tad?
Tad?
Uh, Tad, I'm Marshall Dillon.
Now, you don't have to turn your head away, Tad. I want to help you.
I want to help you and help your mother.
Now, you want me to catch the man who did this, don't you?
I can do it if you'll help me.
Look, Tad, I promise you won't get hurt anymore, and I promise that your mother won't get hurt either.
Tad, look, the only way to be sure that you're safe is to bring this man in.
He's not going to answer, Matt.
No, I guess not.
All right, Doc, let's leave him alone.
How long are you going to keep him here, Chuck?
Oh, I expect he'll be up by tomorrow if he's quiet.
The boy recovers mighty fast.
Would he be well enough to stay in town with Kitty for a few days?
Oh, sure, Matt, I guess so. But if you know who he is, why don't you take him home?
Well, I'll tell you later, Doc, but there are a couple of people I want to see first.
Hello, Sam.
Oh, Marshal, get you a drink?
No, thanks, Sam, is Kitty around?
Yeah, she's upstairs, Marshal.
I ought to be down in a minute or two.
Oh, well, I'll go on up, thanks.
Sure.
Hello, Matt, you looking for me?
Oh, yeah, I'd like to talk to you, Kitty.
I'm coming down.
All right.
Come on over to a table, we can sit down.
No, no, thanks, Kitty, I haven't got time.
I would ask you to do a favor for me.
Sure, Matt, what is it?
I want you to take care of a small boy for me for a couple of days.
A boy?
What is he, a runaway?
No, not exactly, but I'd like to have you keep him around the long branch for a day or two
and give him a run of the place.
Doesn't sound exactly like the best surroundings for a young boy, Matt.
You're going to have to trust my judgment, Kitty.
Will you do it for me?
Oh, sure, I guess so, if you want me to.
I do want you to.
I'll explain later.
Thanks, Kitty.
Sure, Matt.
Who is it?
It's Matt Dillon, I'd like to talk to you, Miss Meadows.
Come in, Marshall.
Tad, is it about Tad?
Yes, it is, ma'am, I'm pretty sure we found him.
Where is he, is he all right?
He's at Doc Adams' office.
Doc?
He's all right now, Miss Meadows, but he's had a bad beating.
Beating?
I think the killer beat him to keep him quiet.
And it worked because Tad won't talk to anybody.
I'll go get him, Marshall, I'll fetch him home.
Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Miss Meadows.
I'd like to keep the boy in town for a few days.
No, a sick boy belongs in his own home.
I'll go get him right now.
Now, will you listen to me for a minute, Miss Meadows?
You've got to understand that as long as this man is on the loose,
neither you or Tad is going to be safe.
We're not going to get mixed up in that no more, Marshall.
Me and Tad will stay right out here and never say a word more.
Yeah, but if the killer gets worried about you, it won't matter where you are,
especially if he knows that you've been to see me.
I shouldn't have come.
No, you did right to come, Miss Meadows,
and if you'll let me keep Tad in town for a few days,
maybe we can get this man.
Now, I'm pretty sure that he's a gambler and he'll be back.
You mean you want Tad to help you?
Well, he won't know anything about it, ma'am.
He'll be perfectly safe, I promise you that.
Oh, no, Marshall, you've got no right to take it.
I'm not talking about rights, ma'am. I'm talking about...
I'm talking about maybe saving your life and your boy's life, too.
I want him here at home.
Now, you just let him recognize that gunman for us,
and he'll be home safe and for good.
He's been hurt bad enough already.
He won't be hurt, ma'am.
Now, Chester or I will be watching him every minute,
and as soon as it's over, I'll bring him right home.
Tad's a good boy. He never had a beating before.
And I want to see that he doesn't ever have another one.
Now, Tad, there's one thing about playing poker
that you might as well learn right off.
It ain't so much what you've got in your hand
as what folks think you've got.
Don't you understand that?
I think so, Mr. Proudfoot.
Some folks just has the face for it, and that's a fact.
Now, you know, lots of folks call me poker
because nobody don't never know what I got in my hand.
Um, give me one card, please.
All right. Now, don't you let on what you've got.
Yes, sir.
Now, that's good. That is good. You ain't letting on one bit.
Now, I'll take one myself.
Ah! Oh!
What's the matter?
A thing like this wouldn't happen in six months of Sundays.
But I thought you weren't supposed to let on.
You ain't, you ain't, but you take a hand like this,
a six and a seven and a nine and a ten,
and then you haul off and draw an eight and...
A minor all blue.
You getting hungry, Chester?
Yeah, yeah, no, I can last it out
when this kid of Mr. Dunn comes back.
Oh, he ought to be here pretty soon.
He went out to see your mother, Tad.
He wanted her to know that you've been doing just fine
these last few days.
Oh, yes, and I hope she's fine, too.
I should like to go home now.
Hello, Kitty.
Oh, hello, man.
Here, Mr. Dunn, you know what I just did?
How's Ma?
Oh, she's fine, Tad.
She said to tell you not to worry about anything,
and she sent you some clean clothes.
Did she say when I could come home?
It ought to be soon.
Why don't you take those clothes on up to the room, honey?
Yes, sir.
And when you come down,
we'll have Sam bring you some supper.
Oh, thank you, Mr. Dunn.
Mr. Dunn, do you know what happened just a minute ago?
No.
I was drawn to an inside street...
Marshall! Marshall!
What?
What is it, boy?
There he is!
Don't ever have any, Marshall!
Don't ever have any!
Kitty, that's our man.
Take the boy upstairs.
Yeah, sure, Ma.
Come on, honey.
Come on.
What's all the commotion, Marshall?
Can't a man walk in here for a drink?
We, uh, been waiting for you, mister.
The boy and I.
Well, I don't know what you're talking about.
I never saw that boy before in my life.
You never expected to see him again, either.
At least not alive.
After that beating you gave him.
Beating?
Now, you listen, Marshall...
You listen to me.
That boy knows you.
And so does his mother.
She ain't here.
She'll be here in good time.
Marshall.
You ain't taking me.
You better look out, mister.
Because I'm not turning my back on you like Roark did.
Oh, you...
You got him, Mr. Newman.
Yeah.
Well, anybody can shoot a man, Chester.
It's that boy's mother, what she did, that took real courage.
Well, come on, let's take Tad home.
I think his mother's waited long enough.
The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Marion Clark
with editorial supervision by John Messman.