Gunsmoke (1955) s01e04 Episode Script

Announcer: Starring james arness as matt dillon.
Morning, chester.
Coffee's strong and hot.
I can't ride all day On nothin' but coffee, mr.
Dillon.
Ah, we'll find somethin' to eat.
Where? There ain't nothing between here and dodge, And that's at least a hundred miles away.
I ain't even seen so much as an antelope track.
Well, I wasn't figuring on a restaurant, chester.
This is what we get for ridin' all the way to tascosa, Just to return a prisoner? Well, somebody had to do it.
I didn't want to keep him in dodge.
Did you see him? No.
Sounded like a sharps.
44 to me.
Well, that's big enough.
We ain't buffalo.
Well, you gonna shoot us? Who are you? You put that rifle away, I'll tell you.
Put your guns away.
You want some coffee? Strong and hot.
You rustlers or what? Is that why you shot at us? Thought we were rustlers? Saw something move, Didn't know you was human.
Didn't know we was human? Only shot once.
Didn't hit you, did I? What were you lookin' for, miss? Haven't told me who you are yet.
Well, this is chester goode, and I'm matt dillon.
Means nothin' to me.
I'm a u.
S.
Marshal, Out of dodge.
A u.
S.
Marshal.
That's nice.
It is? I need help.
I need help bad.
What's the trouble? My daddy.
He's awful sick.
Sick? Mm.
In bed, at home.
Over that way a couple of miles.
What's he sick with? It's his leg.
Horse threw him.
Him and his saddle both out in the corral, And the horse stepped on his foot.
Oh? His legs all funny now, And he's got a fever too.
Well, mr.
Dillon, that sounds like it might- Look, miss, uh, When the horse stepped on him did it cut his foot? Did it break the skin anywhere? Just a little scratch.
Tore his boot off though.
Please, marshal Would you come and see him? I'm scared, The way his leg is and everything.
Well, sure.
Sure we'll come.
Is your mother with him now? I don't have a mother.
Oh.
Well, if your daddy's sick, what are you doing out here? Well, we ran out of meat about three days ago.
I didn't have anything to feed him, So I came out to shoot something.
Yeah.
All right.
Chester I'll ride back with, uh- What's your name, miss? Holly.
Holly hawtree.
All right, holly.
You scout around for some meat, chester.
Yes, sir.
And if you don't find any antelope, Shoot the first calf you see.
Anybody's calf.
I sure will, mr.
Dillon.
That's daddy's saddle.
Where's the horse that threw him? We got a couple acres fenced out back behind the wagon shed, I turn him in there.
Well, I'll turn ours in there later.
Let's go see your daddy.
Marshal, You'll help him, won't you? I mean, you won't just look at him and go away.
No, of course not.
He's in here.
Dad, I found a man, he's gonna help us.
A u.
S.
Marshal.
Matt dillon, mr.
Hawtree.
Dillon? I heard of ya.
Holly tell you what happened? Well, marshal, I don't feel so good.
My foot don't hurt no more But, it and my leg is Well, it's sorta Well, it ain't pretty.
Well, I don't know much about these things But, uh, maybe I better take a look at it.
Sure.
Were you in the war, marshal? I guess we both know what gangrene is, huh? Yeah.
I think we better get you loaded on your wagon and- Ben took the wagon.
Ben walling, he- He said he was gonna get a doctor And come right back.
Who's ben walling? He's sort of been working here.
Hires himself out.
He ought to hire himself out to the devil, that's what.
I should've run him off long ago.
Well, where is he? When did this happen? About a week ago.
Well do you think he's coming back, or do ya- D you think he just took off and stole your wagon? Comes back here and me not able to move around, I don't know what I'll do.
I oughta take a bullwhip to him, that's what.
A bullwhip- Now, look, You just take it easy, mr.
Hawtree.
He won't cause any trouble around here, I promise you.
Come on, holly.
Let's let your dad get some rest.
We'll have some meat for you soon, mr.
Hawtree.
I ain't very hungry.
Why is he so riled up about this ben walling? What's between 'em? Daddy hates ben, 'cause ben likes me.
Oh.
Even wants to marry me, said he would.
Well, how do you feel about it? You like this ben? Something wrong with him.
He's always sneaking around when you don't expect him.
It's kind of like puttin' your hand in a flower bed And gettin' bit by somethin'.
Know what I mean? I think so.
You stay here in case your daddy wants anything.
Uh-huh.
I'll go take care of the horses.
All right.
I couldn't find no real meat, mr.
Dillon No? No, I brought in a couple of prairie chickens, And a few rabbits but that's all.
That's enough.
I, uh, saw mr.
Hawtree just for a minute.
He looks pretty bad, don't he? He can't last more than a day or two.
It's what we thought, huh? Gangrene.
Soon as that poison reaches his heart, he's done for.
Ain't there no way to stop it? There's only one way I ever heard of.
What's that? Cut off his leg.
Well, would that stop it? I mean, cutting off his leg? I don't know, chester.
I don't know.
It may be too late anyway.
Well, I sure don't take to just sittin' around doin' nothin' Waitin' for a man to die.
Nobody does.
Well, you could do it, mr.
Dillon, I know you could.
Are you out of your head? No, sir.
Well, what are you talkin' about then? The most I ever did Was to doctor a horse for the colic.
That's fine training for- For this, isn't it? Well, I know I couldn't do it, I just plain don't have the spirit.
Daddy's fever is worse.
I'm gonna get some more water.
Feeling pretty bad, mr.
Hawtree? I don't feel nothin', marshal.
Outside of burnin' up.
I've been trying to tell holly, I can't last long with blood poisoning.
That she's just got to figure on it.
That's what I wanted to talk to you about.
I guess you know there's only one thing That'll give you a chance.
Yes, I know.
I've been thinkin' about it.
I couldn't ask no man to do that.
You didn't ask me.
It's up to you, mr.
Hawtree.
I'll try it if you're willing.
I don't know I'd be much use around here With only one leg.
Well, you'll have to decide that for yourself.
If it was just me I wouldn't do it.
But I can't leave holly alone.
Not if I can help it I can't.
All right.
Let's do it.
You're a brave man.
No.
Just haven't got any choice, that's all.
I won't know much about what I'm doing.
Well, I seen it done in the union army, I could tell you a few things.
First, there's a straight iron out by the corral somewhere.
You could heat it in the stove.
And what else? Well, holly could get you some cloth for bandages.
And there's a saw and everything else you need Out in the kitchen.
You You got any liquor around? I always keep a jug poured over there by the stove.
I'll get it.
The only thing that's worrying me is, What do we use to tie off the arteries with? Plain thread won't hold.
How 'bout some, uh- Some thin strips of rawhide? They'd soak through.
I gotta have something.
What about horsehair? That's it.
Pull it off the tail where it's long.
That'll work fine.
Get the rest of the things, will you, chester? Yes, sir.
Well.
I'm thinkin' I'm thinkin' I ain't been drunk in the daytime Since they brought us the bad news About president lincoln.
That was back in the spring of '65.
You'll wanna have a talk with holly Before that takes hold.
Yeah.
Yeah, I wanna see holly.
I'll give you some more of this later.
Oh.
Marshal, Yeah? I'll try to make it easy for you.
Yeah, sure.
Holly- I know.
Chester told me.
Oh.
Now, don't you worry now.
It'll be all right.
I won't worry.
Lot's of men get along The way I'll be.
Lots of them.
We'll manage.
Sure.
We'll manage.
Now, you- you get out there And get that fire going good and heat up some water.
It's already heated.
Well, Now, you keep busy now, huh? Give me that.
Why does it take so long? Oh, it ain't been long.
It just seems long.
Besides, the last time he called me in He was nearly finished.
Honest he was, holly.
Wish he'd let me do something.
It's had waitin', ain't it? He's doin' fine.
Take care of things, will you, chester? Yes, sir.
Come on outside, holly.
You can see him later.
Beats me how he just lays there, Peaceful and quiet.
Well, it's only been four or five hours.
Maybe the liquor hasn't worn off yet.
He drank darn near a whole jug.
He needed it.
Mr.
Dillon, somebody's comin'.
Whoa.
What are you doin' here? Are you ben walling? Who are you anyway? I'm a u.
S.
Marshal.
Ain't no marshals around here.
Generally, I'm in dodge.
Your name dillon? That's right.
What are you doin' here? Seems like the only able-bodied man around here Took off in the wagon.
Yeah, I went to fetch a doctor.
Anything wrong in that? Nope.
Where is he? Well, first night these dang horses run off.
I been chasing 'em on foot ever since.
I didn't catch 'em till this mornin'.
I been gone so long I got to worryin' about holly and- And old hawtree of course.
I see.
He's gonna be all right, huh? That foot of his Looked to me like it might've had some poison in it.
It did.
What do you mean "did"? I took his leg off about noon today.
What? Well- How'd you know what to do? You might've killed him.
It had to be done.
It's a sure thing holly couldn't do it.
You're blamin' me, ain't ya? I done everything I could.
It ain't my fault these blasted horses run off.
Hawtree's pretty sick, ben.
I'd stay away from the house for a day or two if I were you.
Oh, I don't bother nobody.
And look, marshal, you can leave now.
I'll handle everything around here.
We'll leave.
Soon as hawtree's able to take care of himself again.
All right, stay as long as you like.
I don't care.
Go on.
He's a no-good liar.
Come here.
This is the saddle That busted loose with mr.
Hawtree.
Huh? Well, that's been cut.
Yeah.
Well, no wonder that bronc throwed him and his saddle both.
Ben figured mr.
Hawtree would get hurt, maybe killed.
But why? So as he'd have a free hand with holly.
Marshal? Marshal, my daddy wants you.
I think he You stay here with chester.
I'll call you.
Mr.
Hawtree.
It's my heart, marshal.
I think the poison's there.
Operated too late.
No, your gonna be all right, mr.
Hawtree.
You've been through a lot, that's all.
It's been hard on you.
I can't hold on anymore.
Holly.
It's about holly I wanna talk to you about.
What? Don't leave her here.
Ben walling, he's no good.
Now, don't you worry about ben walling.
He won't get anywhere as near holly, I promise you.
Holly can't stay here alone.
She can't work this place.
It's a bad way to die, not knowing- Now, listen to me mr.
Hawtree.
Listen to me.
I'm gonna promise you something else.
I'll see that holly's cared for, I promise you that.
I thank you, marshal.
Where's holly? Holly? I'll get her for you.
Holly? Holly.
Daddy? Dad? How is he? Is he gonna die? Yeah.
Oh, my.
Well, what about holly? What are you gonna do about her? Well, we'll take her to dodge.
Find her a home.
Maybe a family.
Turn around, both of you.
Don't you try nothin'.
You're getting mighty careless with that shotgun.
Don't you get smart with me.
I know what I'm doin'.
And just what would that be? I heard you in there.
I heard every word.
I heard you promise to take holly away.
I was standin' right by the window.
You got a mighty curious way of courtin' a girl, Trying to kill her father.
And I seen you a while ago, lookin' at that saddle.
I didn't kill him, marshal.
You did.
You put that shotgun down.
You're under arrest for attempted murder.
Stay right where you are.
You know I got an idea you've smelled powder before.
And you're afraid of it.
And an idea that's why you tried to get hawtree The way you did, Instead of shootin' him.
Stop there.
Go ahead.
Shoot.
I'll do it.
Sure.
You can kill me.
But you can't kill me quick enough.
What? I can get a bullet in you before I die.
I can take your shot and still get one off.
You're holding that shotgun too low.
And if you move it, I'll draw.
Talked.
You should aim it at my head.
This way we can both die.
You couldn't do it.
I know what I can do.
You ready? You're beginning to wish You didn't have that shotgun at all.
You're not ready to die, are you? I going in to try to ease holly.
I took just a few from his grave.
You think that's all right? I think he'd want you to have them.
He's got a lot of flowers, a whole prairie full.