Gunsmoke (1955) s03e20 Episode Script

starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.
We gonna camp here, Mr.
Dillon? If we can find any water.
Well, we probably can't.
You know how these settlers are.
They build a camp in any old wheres and then start praying for rain.
We could have camped over by the Smoky Hill River.
Oh, no, I'd rather go dry, just as long as we get to Dodge by tomorrow night.
We'll make it.
I'll tell you, I never seen a place like that Fort Wallace before.
Man go plumb crazy living out there.
Well, they sure don't make army camps for pleasure, do they? Wonder if anybody's home.
Well, it looks deserted to me.
Hello! Oh, my goodness, Mr.
Dillon.
He's been dead for quite a while.
Well, what do you think could have happened? I don't know, but whoever it was didn't take much of a chance.
They shot him in the back.
Mr.
Dillon, it looks like he was trying to get to his gun there.
Yeah.
Well, I guess we'd better camp here after all.
Let's find a shovel and bury him.
Well, Mr.
Dillon, I sure wish we'd have knowed his name.
I hate to bury a body without even being able to put his name on his grave.
Yeah, I'd sure like to know the name of the man that killed him.
It sure is easy to get by with killing a man way out here, ain't it? Yeah, too easy.
Well, let's get started.
We got a long way to ride.
May be trouble, Chester, we'd better separate.
Yes, sir.
What are you fellas doing here? This your place? Shack like that? We got a real house over at Turkey Bend, mister, but that don't answer my question.
We stopped in here yesterday, found a dead man, and we buried him.
Dead man? Now, that must have been Bob Reilly.
What happened to him? He got shot.
Now, who'd want to shoot a nice fella like Bob Reilly? Maybe they done it, Giles.
Probably did.
Think we ought to hang 'em? Be easier to shoot 'em, leave 'em here as a kind of a warning.
Yeah.
Good idea.
You move that rifle, mister, you're liable to die for it.
Against the two of us? You ain't got a chance, fella.
You're calling it.
Wait, Dever.
What for? It ain't worth the chance.
He just might get one of us.
All right, mister, you and your friend get mounted up and ride out of here.
We don't want anybody hanging around here.
You might get the idea to settle down.
Better just keep moving, fella.
Chester, that pot of coffee you fixed this morning was weak as dishwater.
Come back and start the fire again.
We'll build another pot.
Yes, sir.
You've got a lot of nerve, mister.
We'll come by here later.
You'd better be nowhere around.
Next time, we won't ride up so close.
Come on, Dever.
Well, that was a close one, Mr.
Dillon.
I thought there was going to be trouble there for sure for a minute.
Yeah, so did I.
They acted mighty suspicious, didn't they? Yeah, but it's like you said.
It's awful easy to get by with killing a man out here.
Let's get riding for Dodge, huh? Howdy.
Morning.
Morning to you.
Get off and sit a spell.
I got no coffee, but you're welcome to this pot of chicory.
Got a spoonful of molasses in it.
Sounds good, huh? Well, it sounds good to me.
My name's Olie Ridgers.
I'm Matt Dillon.
This is Chester Goode here.
How do? Glad to know you.
How do? Don't get to meet many people out here.
You're raising hogs, huh? Oh, I got a few.
Where do you live? I mean, you got a house around here somewheres? I ain't lived in a house since I was nine years old.
No.
I like it outside.
I got to breathe.
You can sure enough breathe here.
I ain't gonna move either no matter what they say.
Somebody trying to get you to move? Yeah, them two fellas up Turkey Bend- Giles and Dever.
Here, you two sit down now.
Thanks.
Tell you one thing: they're going to have to shoot me out.
I got a mighty fine rifle eye, too.
What do they want you out for, Olie? Saying they need the land for cattle.
Well, what do they want- to own the whole country? Looks like it, don't it? Tell me.
You know, there's a cabin about a mile and a half north from here.
You know the man who lives there, Bob Reilly? He rides by here now and then.
We buried him last night.
Somebody shot him.
That's bad.
Real bad.
Maybe it was that Giles and Dever that done it, Mr.
Dillon.
I wouldn't be surprised.
You'd better tell the law about it if you're going anywhere.
I sure don't hold with murdering a man.
Well, Olie, I'm the law over in Dodge City.
I'm the marshal over there.
Is that a fact? Ever get over that way? No, never have.
I'm going today.
Going today? Mm.
It'll take you a week.
No, I'm going horseback.
Oh, where's your horse? You mean that mule? Right over there.
That there's Jim Branch.
He went and talked me into going to Dodge for a night with him.
I know I ain't gonna like it.
I'm just doing it to please Jim.
Sort of coddling him along, you know? Where does he live? He runs a few head of horses a bit west of here.
Jim's a cowboy, Marshal.
He'll be drifting along one of these days.
He's kind of like me that way.
Hello! Got company, Jim.
You're not gonna go back on your promise to come to Dodge? Ooh, I'm all dressed up like a sore thumb.
Can't you see? What'd you do, Olie, change your socks? Well, this here's a U.
S.
marshal, Jim.
I already forgot his name.
Matt Dillon.
How do? How do? Chester.
Good.
How do? You fellas heading for Dodge? Yep.
Good.
This is a big thing, I tell you.
I been talking Olie into going into Dodge for three whole months.
I'm happy right here.
I don't need to get cooped up in no town.
A little civilizing ain't gonna hurt you none.
I gotta be back here tomorrow night like you promised.
Them hogs will starve if I'm not.
You treat them hogs like they was children.
But we'll be back on time, I promise.
Oh, uh, say, the Marshal here tells me that Bob Reilly got shot.
Oh.
Yeah.
Giles and Dever done it.
No, I said they might have done it.
If I could prove it, why, I'd have them on the way into Dodge right now.
Gonna have real trouble proving it, Marshal, knowing them.
Well, they'll make a mistake sooner or later.
I'm used to waiting.
They threatened Olie.
That's what he told me.
Well, come on, come on.
Let's get this dang trip to town over with.
All right, we'll ride in with you.
This sure beats beans and salt pork.
I never did like cooking for myself nohow.
Yeah.
Yeah, food always tastes better when somebody else cooks it, doesn't it? It sure does.
I don't know why it is, but every time I cook something, it always winds up like the back cinch on a pack saddle.
What's the matter, Olie? Oh, just, just not hungry, I guess.
Well, you're half starved and you know it.
This being inside.
What's the matter with it? I ain't had a meal indoors in 15 years.
It took my appetite away, that's all.
You won't stay in a hotel, and I ain't gonna try to make you.
What about drinking? You gonna do that in a back alley? No.
I'll be all right in a bar.
Couple of drinks I wouldn't mind at all.
Wouldn't mind nothing.
You sure? Sure.
All right, you don't want to eat in a restaurant, you don't have to.
Marshal, didn't there used to be a bench out back of this place? Yeah, it's still there.
We're gonna use it.
Seems like it's a mite too hot in here.
All right.
You two go on ahead.
We'll see you over at the Long Branch later.
You bet you will.
Come on, Olie.
Let's get out of here.
Well, hello, folks.
Hey, Matt.
Sorry I got here a little late, but I had a few things I had to take care of.
Where's Chester? Well, he had two drinks and left.
He said he'd had about enough of everything for one day.
Here, Marshal, have a drink.
Thanks, Olie.
Let's go over to a table and sit down.
Hey, Olie, where're you putting all that stuff? A man like me can work up a powerful thirst.
You having a good time? Sure, I'm fine.
Now, I told you I would be.
Uh, Miss Kitty? Hmm? I'm gonna make bold and ask you something.
All right.
You know the saying how there's worms in apples and worms in radishes? Yeah.
Well, to the worm in the radish, he thinks the whole world's a radish.
Well, you talking about you or you talking about me? About everybody, maybe.
See, we we all got our own radish.
Well, I guess that's all right.
Just might be a good thing to to be content and happy in your own world.
Yeah.
As long as we don't hurt anybody else, what difference does it make? Hey, mister.
Yeah? Ain't you the fella that raises them hogs up around Turkey Bend? That's right.
Well, I got some bad news for you, mister.
Bad news? I don't like to be the one to tell you this, but I came by your camp about noon today, and well, somebody had shot that mule, all your hogs and took your wagon to boot.
I'm sorry, but it's the truth.
I figured you ought to know.
I'm sure sorry.
Olie, we'll leave now.
We'll go back tonight.
No, we won't.
I promised to spend tonight in Dodge and I'm gonna.
Come on, everybody, drink up.
He ain't said a word the whole ride out.
Not all day.
Well, he thinks a lot, though.
Seems to me like he never quits thinking.
And he's lost about everything he had.
Ain't that, marshal.
I mean, it ain't the value of it all.
It's just having his hogs and mule killed, and leaving them here to rot.
That's hard for a man like him to understand.
Well, I'd say that's hard for anybody to understand.
Well, there's not much more we can do about it tonight, boys.
Let's get some sleep, huh? Come on.
Olie? Olie? Hey, Chester, wake up.
Hmm? Jim? Huh? What is it? Olie's gone.
He took a horse with him.
Well, where in the world would he go? Wait a minute! I don't know.
Well, I never heard him get up and leave, did you? No, but he's probably half Indian when he wants to be.
Well, why would he want to run off like that, though? That's it.
Just as I thought.
Had a rifle head back there, it's gone.
He's after Giles and Dever.
That's right, marshal.
Can you take us to their shack at Turkey Bend? Sure can.
Well, let's get going.
Stay here and watch the horses, Chester.
It's their cabin, marshal.
Where's the corral, out back? Yeah.
When you step around the house, you see if their horses are there.
Yeah.
Wait a minute, look.
Olie! Olie! Olie! Hole your fire.
That's Dever in there.
I got him trapped.
Where's Giles? Right there by the door.
Oh, Olie, you shouldn't have done it.
Only took one shot.
He didn't even know it was me.
Just like slaughtering a hog.
Olie I'm going to have to arrest you for murder.
Give me the gun.
Wait till I kill Dever.
I'm in trouble now, and I can't hang twice.
I said, "Give me the gun, Olie.
" You really mean it, don't you? I mean it.
All right.
I won't fight you.
I'd like to have killed Dever, too.
Dever! Hold your fire.
I'm coming out with my hands up.
He'll kill you, Marshal.
You two stay here.
I'll cover you.
Come on out of there, Dever! U.
S.
Marshal.
I've disarmed Olie Ridgers.
Olie's under arrest.
Well, now, you really are a marshal, ain't you? I am.
Killed my partner, Marshal.
Murdered him.
He admits that.
Say, wait a minute.
Ain't you the fella we ran onto the other day at Bob Reilly's cabin? That's right.
I thought there was something about you.
Didn't you wreck Olie's camp and slaughter his animals? That ain't no reason to murder a man, Marshal.
Didn't you murder Bob Reilly? Marshal, you're talking wild.
You're coming into Dodge with me, Dever.
Not me, Marshal.
You stand a better chance in court.
Let's see how good you really are, Marshal.
Good, Marshal.
You killed him, and now they're both dead.
Yeah, they're both dead.
And you murdered one of them, Olie.
No.
I can't go to jail; I'd go crazy.
I'd go crazy in jail.
Don't you understand? I got to be outside.
I couldn't live in jail.
What in the world's the matter with you? Stop pacing; you're getting nervous.
You know Judge Blaine isn't gonna hurry that trial any no matter what you do.
Well, I don't know what I'd do, Doc.
If he didn't let Olie off, I think I'd throw a fit right here.
Olie killed a man, Chester.
Well, I know he killed a man, but Olie's suffered enough, just waiting in jail there, waiting for the trial the last few weeks.
I know, I agree with you.
Olie? Well, Olie, can I can I get you a cup of coffee or anything? I want to thank you, Marshal, for everything you said.
Didn't have to do that.
Well, Olie, I just told the judge I thought you kind of went crazy and didn't know what you were doing.
I knew what I was doing.
I told him I did.
Yeah, I heard you.
I told him to hang me.
I wanted him to hang me.
Why wouldn't he do it? Well, Olie, the judge thought he was doing the right thing.
He-he didn't think you deserved hanging.
I told him I told him it was better than this.
I don't know how I've stood it this long.
I'm sorry, Olie.
Wish there was something I could do for you.
Marshal they got windows in the penitentiary? Sure.
Sure they do, Olie.
Look, uh, I'll be back later.
How how long did the judge give him, Mr.
Dillon? Life.
Life? Well, that-that that's the worst thing he could've done to Olie.
I know it.
I tried to tell him that, but he wouldn't listen to me.
Well, where's Jim Branch? Oh, he slipped out right after the verdict.
You mean that he didn't come over and say nothin' to Olie or nothin', just? Nope.
Matt come on, I'm gonna buy you a drink.
No.
Come on, come on, now, I said.
I mean it.
Well, all right, I'll You know something, Matt? A man like Olie can just go crazy locked up like that.
He Well, nothing I can do about that, Doc.
Oh, I-I know there isn't- that's not what I meant.
It's just that he's been used to the open prairie, you know Oh, look, let's talk about something else.
You know, we have been on that subject for an hour.
Hey, you know something? You ought to go away someplace- Kansas City, St.
Louis or something like that- and have a little rest, a little vacation.
Mm-hmm.
Maybe I don't like being cooped up, either, Doc.
That's exactly what I mean - you need a rest.
Mr.
Dillon, you'd better hurry, quick! Over at the jail! What is it? It's Olie! It's terrible! In the cell, Mr.
Dillon.
He's dead, Matt- he's been shot.
Oh Now, where'd this thing come from? Well, I don't know, Mr.
Dillon.
I didn't see nobody, I didn't hear nothing, I Do you think he shot himself, Doc? Well, could've been.
There are powder burns on his forehead- yes, he could've.
Well, either that, or else somebody called him over to this window and shot him, then threw the gun in.
Oh, but who would want to kill poor old Olie.
Somebody who knew what it meant to him to be cooped up the rest of his life- some good friend.
Well, you mean somebody like Jim Branch, maybe? I don't know which one of 'em uses this gun.
Jim Branch is gonna have to stand trial for it.
The prisoner will rise.
It is the opinion of this court, based on all the evidence and the testimony here presented, that no case beyond mere circumstance has been proved against the accused.
It is therefore the verdict of this court that the case be dismissed, the prisoner released.
Court's adjourned.
Well, Jim, you're free.
You went to a lot of trouble, Marshal.
Looking for me, having me up for trial.
That's my job.
I don't hold it against you.
Kind of figured if way back I'd let things well enough alone hadn't made Olie come into town Well, moving on, Marshal.
Going west.
I'm just a drifter, you know.
Like Olie, huh? Yeah.
Just like Olie.
Only I'm not the man he was.
He's the best man I ever knew.
So long, Marshal.
So long, Jim.