Gunsmoke (1955) s01e39 Episode Script

ANNOUNCER: Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.
You've been mighty quiet the last couple of hours.
Well, I guess I just run out of something to talk about.
Not that I was quiet on purpose.
Just Well, it's been a long ride.
We'll be back at Dodge tonight.
Yeah, ought to get back there couple of hours after dark just in time to go to bed.
You got nothing better to do? Oh, no.
Boy, a big, old tall glass of beer would sure taste good about now.
What is that, brushfire? With smoke as black as that? Well, could be.
Seems to me I remember a ranch over in that direction.
Yeah, there's a fellow named Claiborne, come here with his family from Indiana about four years ago.
We'd better take a look.
Well, he's probably only burning brush.
Oh His wife too.
Oh, I hope she went fast.
The rest of the family.
Looks like they were trying for the cover of these trees here.
No sign of a gun.
They must have caught 'em unprepared.
A man with a family out here has gotta be prepared.
But I haven't heard of no Indian trouble around here lately.
Well, I haven't either, Chester.
But there is now.
Well, this couldn't have happened very long ago.
Them Indians couldn't be very far away.
That's right.
Come on, let's look for a shovel.
Well, that's a goodly sight, ain't it? Whoa! Ho! Hello, lieutenant.
Uh, hi, marshal.
What are you doing out here? Well, we were riding in from Pawnee and we saw the smoke.
I got here too late.
Well, so I see.
Anybody hurt? The whole family.
Yeah.
I was hoping we'd get here in time.
Well, we're pretty close on their trail now.
Maybe we can catch 'em before they find another ranch.
These arrows are Kiowa.
I didn't know there was any trouble with them.
These are renegades.
Can't be more than eight or ten of them.
They got all fired up and jumped the agency.
They've done some more damage.
But with any luck, we'll get 'em before nightfall.
Well, I hope so.
I don't much like grave digging.
Well, we'll take over for you.
Our horses need a rest anyway.
Sergeant, take a detail.
Help the marshal.
We were heading back into Dodge, lieutenant.
But we can ride with you if you think it'd be any help.
That won't be necessary, marshal.
We can handle the Indians.
The cavalry needs no help.
You can use these to bury 'em with.
You know, Mr.
Dillon, a little while ago it was all so peaceful and quiet.
I know.
Oh, it's a shame.
Them Indians can be just as peaceful as anybody.
And then some ornery white with a cheap jug of redeye gets after 'em.
Yeah.
I know, Chester.
But what was that lieutenant so uppity about anyway? Well, he's wearing a mighty impressive uniform.
Yeah.
Brand-new too.
All the same, I hope they catch up with them quick.
Well, that's a mighty pretty little valley.
Yeah.
It looks like settlers down there.
Yeah, the Claibornes musta had neighbors that I didn't know about.
Looks like the neighbors are leaving.
Maybe they heard about the Indians.
Tad, get your gun.
Oh, keep out of the way.
Come on.
Who are they? How do I know? They got white skins.
That's all that matters.
Howdy, folks.
Howdy.
I'm Matt Dillon.
I'm the U.
S.
marshal over in Dodge City.
This is, uh, Chester Goode.
I'm glad to know you.
I'm Sam Fraser.
This is my ma.
That's my wife, Alice.
That's Tad, my brother.
Howdy.
We're headed for Dodge ourselves.
Well, looks to me like you folks just got settled here.
We ain't staying, marshal.
We're moving on.
West.
Chasing rainbows, marshal, farm folk like us.
Now, Ma- Don't you "now, Ma" me, Sam Fraser.
If your pa was alive- Well, he ain't.
And it's up to me to make the decisions.
If you'll excuse me, marshal, I'll get back to loading up.
Well, uh if you're really set on going, why, Chester and I here can give you a hand.
No, thanks.
Tad and me will manage.
Looks like a nice piece of country you got here, ma'am.
Seems a shame to go off and leave it.
My husband settled it, not him.
Now, Ma, Sam helped.
Ha! Marshal, what do you say about a son that goes against his father's wishes? And him not hardly cold in his grave.
Ma, please.
When'd your husband die, Mrs.
Fraser? Three days, now.
He's lying right over there by that oak tree.
I'm sorry to hear.
We've only been here a couple of months.
Come all the way from Ohio looking for a spot of good ground to till.
Looking for a home, marshal, and he found it here.
Well, it sure is a pretty place, ma'am.
Called it Pleasant Valley.
Said he'd be grateful to spend the rest of his days here.
Only the Lord didn't leave him any days.
Denied him like Moses come to the Promised Land.
Well, that's too bad, you know.
I- I think this would have made a mighty nice homestead for you folks.
It would have.
Only some folks have ideas.
Now, Ma, lay off.
You stop talking to her like that.
Who are you to tell me? Stop it, now.
Don't worry, Ma.
He ain't got the guts to hit me.
Sam, don't! Please, Sam.
Come on.
Take ahold.
Fraser, this is none of my business, of course, but you must have pretty good reason for leaving this land.
Reason enough.
It's because of me, marshal.
Now, Alice, you ain't to blame.
Sam's worried because of me.
No Indians would scare him off if it was just these folks.
It's me he's scared for.
Me and the child coming.
It's a good reason.
But this is only a handful of renegades, Fraser.
Cavalry will stop them.
And who's to say what they'll do before the cavalry gets 'em? And who's to say how many like 'em that'll come after? No, marshal.
My family's gonna grow up in a safe place.
My ma borne me in the middle of the Ohio woods, thick with Delaware and Iroquois as fleas on a hound.
Maybe so, Ma, but my wife ain't gonna live like that.
Come on.
So you're heading on west, huh? To California, he says.
Might even look for gold instead of farming, he says.
Dress his wife in silks and diamonds.
You know I never ask for nothing like that.
I know it, girl.
You ain't to blame.
You're better stuff than he is.
I reckon most of that gold out there has been claimed already.
Twenty years or more.
Of course, you might be lucky.
We can always find a piece of land.
But nothing half so good.
This dirt's richer than molasses in a cook pot.
If it was made- Well, it ain't.
I was just- Shut up! You see how it is, marshal? Well, now, he may be right.
You know, Fraser, California might be fine, but, uh, there's an awful lot of open country between here and there.
With your wife expecting a baby, gonna make it tough going.
I know all that.
I aim to stay in Dodge till the baby's born.
It won't be long, now.
I see.
Now, look, marshal, I ain't gonna argue with you either.
Well, Fraser, I just want to say one thing to you.
Now, we have trouble out here sometimes, yes.
But, you know, in a few years this country's gonna be as safe as it is in Ohio.
It's gonna be mighty prosperous country too.
I know all that.
Right now, you'd be safer here than you would out in that open prairie.
My mind's made up, marshal.
Now, look, Fraser, anything that's good is worth fighting for.
Now, you got a gun.
You'll find that those Indians are no tougher than anybody else once you make up your mind to fight 'em.
I ain't gonna fight 'em, marshal.
Well, you will, Fraser.
Somewhere or somehow, in one way or another you'll have to.
Every man does.
But that's your decision.
Come on.
Let's get you loaded.
Thanks, marshal.
She all set? Everything's tight back here.
Got all hitched, Tad? They're ready.
Let's get started.
Sam? Where's Ma? She's over by the oak tree.
Crying.
To shame me.
Sam.
She ain't crying.
She's just standing, staring.
Tried to get her to come away, but she wouldn't.
Marshal, maybe if you was to You know, a stranger? Sure.
Mrs.
Fraser, uh Marshal, maybe if you was to pass by again you'd just take a look? See that the marker's still standing? I sure will, ma'am.
Forty years, marshal.
All I ever ask was to lie there beside him.
It's a lonely place.
Well, you know, Mrs.
Fraser, in the springtime, that whole hillside is covered with a blanket of sunflowers.
Pretty as you ever saw.
Thank you, marshal.
I'll go now.
Ma, I'm sorry.
There's no need, son.
We all do what we have to, and you're no different.
Now, let's get this girl into town.
Her time's almost come.
All right, Ma.
Well, marshal.
We'll see you safe into Dodge, Fraser.
Get going.
Thanks.
Giddyup.
Come on.
Come on.
Come on.
Hyah.
Now, look, Chester, you ride point and keep a good watch ahead into the north.
Yes, sir.
I'm going up the top of the hill and look around.
Then I'll cover the soft flank and the rear.
Yeah.
You know it sure seems a shame, Mr.
Dillon.
Look.
They ain't bluecoats this time.
They're sure not.
They're Kiowa.
Come on.
Hyah! Hyah! Fraser! Fraser! Whoa! Whoa.
Fraser.
Go on back.
What?! Hyah! Come on.
Hyah! Use your rifle.
It's too far, Mr.
Dillon! Let 'em know they gotta fight.
Whoa.
Get 'em into the house.
She's hurting.
I'll be all right.
Oh, put me down.
Alice.
I'll be all right.
You go on.
Go on, boy.
I'm all right now, marshal.
It looks like you got a fight on your hands now, whether you want it or not.
I wonder where they are now, Mr.
Dillon.
Having a powwow, maybe? You figure they'll rush us? Nah, they know we got rifles.
There's only eight or nine of 'em.
Now, they'll either go away and leave us alone, or else they'll attack before dusk.
We can use the time to unload the wagon.
But, marshal- Look, there's no telling when we'll get away from here now, Fraser.
And they may be needing things in there.
Let's go.
Sam?! Get some water and make a fire, quick.
Don't stand there! Get moving! Alice.
All right.
This is just what I've been afraid of.
My wife's in there having a baby, and they're out there.
Now, Fraser, your wife is going to be all right.
Don't worry.
Ma's gotta have more water.
Cover me.
Go ahead.
I'll go with him.
I should have gone two days ago.
I wanted her to have the best.
That's why I talked about California.
Now, Fraser, believe me, you are going to have to fight in California as much as you fight here.
Mr.
Dillon! Come on.
Tad.
It's all right, Sam.
Go back.
You all right, son? Yeah.
Thanks, marshal.
How is she, Sam? I don't know.
Ma chased me away.
Mr.
Dillon, that cavalry patrol can't be very far away.
They's on a trail.
I know.
I've been thinking about that.
We'll have to signal 'em.
Burn the wagon.
You'll what? It's like burning your bridges, Fraser.
It's the only thing we got.
There's a can of kerosene in it.
All right, let's go.
Marshal, up there.
That's only a horse.
We keep watching.
If they're gonna hit us, they gotta do it soon.
It's close to dark.
There's one.
All right, now, hold your fire as if we didn't see him.
Let 'em charge.
Isn't that taking a chance? Yeah, it's a chance we gotta take, Fraser.
Besides, a running Indian can't shoot very good.
Now, hold it.
Hold it.
Now! Do you think we got 'em all? Well, two of 'em went over the hill.
But I don't think they'll be back.
We better check on the rest of 'em.
Well, Fraser, that's a mighty healthy-looking boy.
Yeah, and Alice is fine.
I guess we'll be moving along.
Oh, uh I could send out a new wagon for you.
There's no hurry, marshal.
We won't be going anyplace.
You mean, we're staying? We couldn't leave now, could we? You were right, marshal.
Thanks.
So long, Fraser.
Mr.
Dillon, would you look at that? Hello, marshal.
We saw the smoke.
Any trouble? Trouble? Yeah, we had some trouble.
You'll find your Indians right over there.
Two of 'em went over the hill.
You better round 'em up.
Come on, Chester.
Let's get home and get that glass of beer.