Gunsmoke (1955) s03e13 Episode Script

starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.
What if Ed don't get back with the wagon? Now, see here.
He's got to.
'Cause I'm going to get you all in to Dodge where I can take care of you.
It don't seem right.
A little baby Now, here, I'll mind the baby.
You come with me.
Here, Mrs.
Thorpe, I I told you I don't know about the baby, but there's not a doubt in the world about you.
You've got spotted fever.
I won't be a trouble, Doc.
I know.
But the baby Now, I told you not to worry about the baby.
You ain't had sleep the whole night.
Oh, well, I Or food.
No, no no.
And Ed How long has he been gone, Doc? Well, he's been gone just before sunup.
Don't you worry about that.
Now, I want you to, I want you to just lie here and get some sleep.
Sleep, that's the important thing.
You can do it if you try.
Doc Here.
Doc.
Ed! There there ain't no, no, no wagon, Doc.
I couldn't get as far as, as Emmett's.
I stopped at at Nadler's place.
He won't give us nothing.
Everything was going bla-black and Ed! Ed ain't got it, too, Doc? Not now.
Dead? Well, does it look inviting to you? Well, I said that I'd stop at the next house and bake some coffee, but that don't even look like anybody's living there.
Let's go find out.
Well, it won't take us long to cut back and hit Emmett Bowers' place.
You know, we waited this long, another hour ain't gonna matter none.
Hey, I thought I saw somebody out back there.
Well, that don't mean that they make good coffee.
Well, Ed Thorpe's place is between here and Dodge if we don't make out.
Well If anybody's living here, they're living on nothing.
Yeah.
Doesn't look like they're living on nothing, does it? No.
I wonder where they got that calf? Well, they sure didn't raise it in those weeds this woman is trying to hoe.
I get this calf butchered and get some meat on the stove, I won't have to put up with none of your foolishness.
That meat will turn sour in your mouth, Joe.
Now, what's the matter with you?! Stolen meat, it'll poison you.
You got no call to be so proud.
I've done a whole lot more than steal when I'm hungry.
Like that man in Leavenworth? I told you never to talk about that, didn't I? Didn't I?! Hello.
What do you men want? I'm the marshal over in Dodge City.
This is Chester Goode here.
Howdy.
Something wrong, Marshal? Leave it be.
You're liable to get sunstroke without a hat, aren't you? All right, that's Emmett Bowers' brand.
Look, we're starving out here, Marshal.
I had to steal that calf.
What's your name? Joe Nadler.
This here's my wife.
You ain't gonna arrest him, are you, Marshal? I don't think so, ma'am.
Not unless Emmett Bowers complains.
Joe had to do it.
We just can't go on unless we got some meat to eat.
Look where I been hoeing over there.
I can't plant enough for hardly anything to come up.
Can't afford to buy no more seed, our credit's run out in Dodge.
The ground doesn't even look like it's been plowed to me.
Well, I done the best I could.
It ain't easy.
Well, no, I don't guess it is.
Not for a woman.
Come on, let's do our stop at the Thorpes', Chester.
Yeah.
Bye, ma'am.
Oh, Marshal? Yeah? You know they got spotted fever over there.
Thorpe's dead.
Well, Joe, you didn't tell me that.
You didn't come from Dodge, Marshal? No, we've been out for two days.
We're just heading back.
When did Ed die? Well, this morning sometime.
I was by right after.
But his woman said the doc had been there.
You mean, you just left Mrs.
Thorpe over there with that baby? Well, she's got the fever, too.
I ain't gonna chance getting it.
But the baby.
She's always worrying about babies.
That's 'cause she can't have none, I guess.
Don't, Joe, you're putting shame on me.
Mrs.
Nadler, when you get in Dodge, you come look me up and I'll see that you get some seed to plant.
Thank you, Marshal.
We better get over and see Mrs.
Thorpe.
Mr.
Dillon, Doc wouldn't leave her alone like that with that baby.
Not unless he had some good reason.
He must've gone in for help, you know? They don't have a wagon over there.
Mr.
Dillon, Nadler's got one.
Well, I think we'll just borrow that for a while.
Oh, my goodness, Mr.
Dillon.
I never thought we'd make it back to Dodge tonight.
How's the baby doing? Well, he's still asleep.
I guess I been holding him right.
Just like a mother.
Matt Oh, Doc.
That fella catch up with you all right? Oh, yes.
Yes, he did.
And he told me you were bringing them in in a wagon, and I was awful worried before because that's what I would've I figured it was something like that happened, all right.
Oh, Mrs.
Thorpe here Look, you better hold the baby there, and we'll help you down with him in a second.
Well, I hope it don't wake up.
We covered her up the best we could, Doc.
She's been asleep most of the time.
Yeah, well Mrs.
Thorpe? Well? Matt, now we we got a baby to take care of.
Chester.
Yeah? Here.
Yeah, okay.
Just Poor little thing.
Here.
I'm right sorry, young fella, just as sorry as I can be.
Doc? I think she had an idea she might not pull through this.
Just before we left out there, she said that if anything happened to her that this baby was to be put in Ma Smalley's care, that Ma was to have complete charge over him.
Yeah.
Well, that's a pretty good choice, all right.
Ma's a widow, and she's had lots of experience with kids, but she's pretty old to be raising a youngster all by herself.
Well, we're gonna have to worry about that later.
Chester, I think you better take the baby over to Ma's right now.
Who me? Yeah.
Doc and I got work to finish here.
Well, it's a little late, ain't it, to be going up to Ma's? I mean, you know, I feel kind of funny going up there alone this time of the night and waking Ma up Well, Chester, we have to do something She just might not take Here, here.
Now listen.
We've got to do something about this baby tonight.
You just take the baby over to Kitty, to the Long Branch.
To Kitty? Yes.
She's a woman, she'll know just what to do.
Oh, no.
I mean, uh I know that she's a woman, Doc.
My graces, but it-it Well, it ain't that at all.
It's just Well, what is it? Well, how would you feel walking into the Long Branch carrying a little baby? You're acting like a mother hen.
Well, I wouldn't be surprised.
I kind of feel like a mother hen.
Matt Chester, just tell Kitty that we'll take the baby to Ma Smalley's in the morning.
All right.
(lively murmuring Is that Chester? Is what Chester? Well, there's about half a head out there Well, that half is Chester all right.
Well, that's pretty peculiar behavior even for Chester.
Drink your drink, Kitty.
Maybe he'll go away.
Excuse me.
Uh, uh Just go on with what you're doing.
It ain't no concern of yours, none at all.
Go on.
Oh That's a baby.
Yes, ma'am, Miss Kitty, it's sure enough a baby, all right.
Uh, Mr.
Dillon wants that you should have him.
Matt wants me to have him? Yeah, well, that's because you're a woman.
It's just for tonight.
We're gonna take him down to Ma Smalley's in the morning.
Just go on, hold him.
Well, that's the Thorpes' baby, isn't it? Oh, yeah.
They're They're both dead, you know, Mr.
Bowers.
Dead? Yeah.
Oh, the poor little thing.
Well, Doc said they had the spotted fever out there, but I didn't dream it was that bad.
Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.
They had a little piece of land right on the south edge of my ranch.
Well, you know we was gonna come by your place and pick up a wagon to take them into town with, but we used one at Mr.
Nadler's instead.
I guess we'll have to take it back out there to him in the morning.
Ma Smalley's gonna take him, huh? Well, it's just for tonight, Miss Kitty.
I mean, you don't mind keeping him for tonight, do you? Oh, I don't mind.
I just hope he doesn't mind.
I'm not much of a hand with babies.
Oh, you'll do fine.
You know, I mean, once you get the knack of it.
Just come to me just natural.
Well, I better get him upstairs.
This isn't exactly the proper place.
Well, good night there, you young fella.
Don't you fret none.
You all keep it quiet down here, you understand? Well, Chester, I shipped out on the Santa Fe this morning.
I guess I can afford to buy you a drink.
Oh, well thank you kindly, Mr.
Bowers, but I just I don't think that I want to drink tonight.
It's been a long day.
There they are, Mr.
Dillon, down by Jonas's store.
Now, why wouldn't they come in the office anyway? Oh, well, you know how Ma Smalley is.
She thinks it's unladylike going into a man's office.
All right, Chester, will you go get the mail? Yeah.
Hello, Ma.
How are you, Mrs.
Nadler? Pretty good, Marshal.
It isn't everyone can send for the marshal and bring him on the run.
Now, Ma, you know your word's always been law with me.
Listen to him.
Ain't he the terror, Mrs.
Nadler? Well, it's true, you know? Marshal, Mrs.
Nadler wants to adopt the Thorpe baby.
Now, Ma, Mrs.
Thorpe left that baby in your care.
That's up to you.
Well, I've I've had him over a week now, and I aim to keep him a while longer so's he can be near Doc just in case.
But Mrs.
Nadler here seems like a mighty fine woman to me, and I'd I'd let her take that baby, only I'm worried about one thing.
I told her the truth, Marshal.
She seems to think that maybe Joe and I couldn't make a go of it out there.
You remember what you said when you was leaving the other day? Well, I said you'd come in to see me, and I'd find out about getting you some seed.
Well, that's all I'd need.
I figure if I could get some corn up, I might even raise a few hogs.
I'll work awful hard, Marshal.
I promise you I will.
I'll pay you back.
I'm not begging.
I'll pay you back every cent.
Mrs.
Nadler, I tell you what you do.
You stop over to my office before you leave town.
I'm going in to see Mr.
Jonas right now.
I do thank you, Marshal.
Come on back to the house.
You can look at him a little.
Bye, Ma.
Good-bye, Marshal.
Hello, Marshal.
Jonas.
Well, what can I sell you today? Well, I, uh, I want to talk you about Mrs.
Nadler.
You you know her.
Of course I do.
You know, Joe Nadler's out back in the storeroom right now.
He is? Hey, Nadler! Come in here! Buying himself a new pair of boots, Marshal.
Well, I thought his credit had run out.
Oh, Nadler's doing a lot better now.
He started bringing meat into Delmonico's and a couple of other eating places.
Paid up part of your bill already, ain't you, Nadler? I don't know if I like you talking about my private affairs, Jonas.
Well, there's no harm.
It's only Marshal Dillon.
Pretty good-looking pair of boots you're wearing there, Nadler.
Well, them ought to be.
The best I stock- them's $20 boots.
$20? Would buy a whole wagonload of seed, wouldn't it? You telling me how to spend my money, Marshal? Does your wife know you've been doing better lately? Family affairs ain't no concern of the law.
Yours are.
And if it wasn't for your wife, I wouldn't just be warning you, but because of her, I'm telling you to take off those boots and buy yourself some seed and whatever else you need to grown corn with.
Now, wait a minute.
Shut up.
Now, I'm gonna give you a chance, Nadler.
I'm gonna ride out to your place three days from now and find out what you've done with it.
And it's up to you whether or not you'll be riding back with me.
It's Thursday already, Mr.
Dillon.
We gonna ride out to Nadlers'? Oh, I guess we can wait another day, Chester.
Well, I don't think you want to go out there at all.
You're right, I don't.
Hello, Marshal.
Hello, Emmett.
Chester.
Mr.
Bowers.
I was just up to Delmonico's, Marshal, having myself a feed.
Oh.
Well, how was it? Fine.
Till I went out back and started talking to the cook.
Now, look, Marshal, I guess any man's got a right to complain when he goes to a restaurant and finds himself eating his own beef.
Yeah.
Yeah, I know about that, Emmett.
You do? Then why ain't you done nothing about it? Well because of Mrs.
Nadler, I guess.
Now, look, Marshal, I'm a rich man.
I don't mind some nester slaughtering one of my cows when he's starving, but ain't nobody gonna start selling my beef.
I'll kill him, he keeps that up.
All right, Emmett, I'll handle it.
Now, I admire that woman, too, Marshal.
Chester.
But letting him get away with rustling ain't gonna help her any.
Oh, say.
Here comes Ma Smalley across the street.
She came in with some pies at Delmonico's while I was there.
She wants to talk with you.
Oh.
Hello, Ma.
You riding out to the Nadlers', Marshal.
Yeah, I'm riding out there.
Then tell her I'm sorry.
Tell her I think she's a good woman, but I can't let that baby go to the home of a cow thief.
Well, that's gonna break her heart, Ma.
I've got a trust put on me, Marshal.
All right, I'll tell her.
Your husband home, Mrs.
Nadler? No.
He's been gone since morning.
Mrs.
Nadler, uh do you know that your husband has been slaughtering Emmett Bowers' cattle? Oh, he's complained about that, about that calf.
Well, I'm afraid it's more than just a calf, Mrs.
Nadler.
He, uh well, he's been selling beef in Dodge.
Oh, no.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I know you had nothing to do with it, Mrs.
Nadler.
I I hate to have to tell you this, but Ma Smalley said she's not gonna let you have the baby.
Well, she's right, Marshal.
It just wouldn't be fittin'.
I I'm sorry, ma'am.
Mr.
Dillon, look.
It's Emmett Bowers.
I'll be back.
I'll go talk to him.
Them other, other two must be riders of his.
Yeah.
I thought I'd find you here, Marshal.
Something wrong, Bowers? One of my men's been murdered, that's all.
What? We found him over yonder about five miles.
He was left for dead, but he talked a little.
What happened? Well, he's dead now, Marshal, so you'll have to take our word for what he told us.
All right.
He run onto Joe Nadler- slaughtering another one of my steers.
Well, Nadler shot him? That's what he said.
Well, what else? Nothing.
Only Nadler got on his horse and headed for Dodge.
Guess he figured he'd get caught anyway, so he might just as well get drunk one more time.
Well, he'll get caught, I promise you that.
Well, I'll tell you, I never realized how many saloons there is in Dodge till you start looking for somebody who's supposed to be in one of 'em.
Well, there's only one left, Chester.
Let's give it a try.
There he is, Mr.
Dillon, over at the bar just a-swilling it down.
Well, it's been taking us long enough.
You'd think everybody in town would know we're after him by now.
He ain't hiding.
It's just that we've been looking in the wrong places.
Nadler? Just stop right where you are, Marshal, don't you come no closer.
Put the gun away, Nadler.
I been waiting for you.
I figured you'd come.
Why? Why would I be coming after you? You don't fool me.
You know all about it.
You admit killing that rider? I knew when I shot him I couldn't get away with it.
My horse's tracks were all over the place.
Don't make it any worse than it is.
I told you not to come no closer.
Put that gun on the bar.
You watch what I'm gonna do with it.
Don't be a fool.
Why not? Oh, are you hurt bad, Mr.
Dillon? No.
I think it's all right, Chester.
Oh.
He's dead.
Yeah.
Look, I, uh I better go over to Doc's and have him take a look at this.
I'll, uh, I'll be back in a couple of minutes.
Marshal Dillon! Hello, Ma.
You've been hurt.
Yeah.
I'll be all right, though.
What about Joe Nadler? Well I'm afraid he's dead.
I figured he would be.
I heard you was out looking for him.
That's why I been looking for you.
Well, that's, that's fine, Ma, but, you know, I, uh You'll hear me out first, Marshal.
All right, Ma.
You'll be the one to tell Mrs.
Nadler, will you not? Yeah, I guess so.
Take a wagon with you, Marshal.
What do you mean? The woman can't live out there alone in that God-forsaken I've got an extra room in me house if she'll help with the work.
Well, that's fine, Ma.
But, uh, what about the baby? It'll be her baby.
You can tell her that.
And I'll not be interfering.
I've got me own business to look after.
All right, Ma.
I'll tell her that, and I'll ride out there first thing in the morning.
You'll go nowhere if you stand here talking all night.
Well, I That arm's bleeding, Marshal, and you ought to get it fixed.
Do you hear me, now? Yeah, Ma.
You're right.
But then, you you pretty often are.