Gunsmoke (1955) s03e37 Episode Script

starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.
Ho! Now, look, Sarge, it ain't gonna do no harm to let these horses rest for a little bit.
Now, them horses ain't the ones to rest, and you know it.
Oh, Sarge, it's only ten miles to Fort Dodge, and we're early.
But the sooner we get there, the sooner you're going to get to unload them supplies.
The quartermaster's there a-waiting for us.
We'll get her there, Sarge, and I'll unload 'em fast, too.
You bet you will.
Sarge, I like this detail, I like working with you, I like everything about You like this detail, but as soon as that old leg heals up, we're going to be riding in the U.
S.
Cavalry, and then I'm gonna learn you the meaning of the word "work.
" Aw, Sarge, I ain't afeard of a little work.
No? But can't I keep driving this team to Dodge City for supplies? Just 'cause it's safe nights, huh? Just 'cause no Indians or nobody be a-shooting at you, so's you can sleep in that nice, soft bunk every night, huh? No.
No.
Well, I think them horses had enough rest.
Now let's go.
Yes, sir.
Yah! You killed two men for nothing.
I wouldn't say that.
A bunch of Army saddles, a little food.
I hope you hang, you yellow belly.
They didn't tell you everything, did they, Sarge? Jennie, I got it.
I got the money.
Look.
What's the matter? Everything turned out fine, didn't it? You said it was going to be a robbery.
You didn't say you were going to murder them.
Why take chances? Sure, I killed 'em.
It was them or me.
But you didn't give them a chance, Nate.
Jennie, you've got to get used to this kind of thing.
Come on, let's get out of here.
Mr.
Dillon? Hmm? Uh, how do you spell "lolliper"? Has it got one "L" or two "L"s? How do you spell what? "Lolliper," you know.
Does it have one "L" in it or two "L"s in it? "Lolliper"? I don't even know what the word means.
Oh, "lolliper," you know, like "Susie, I never seen such a lolliper as you.
" Well, I hope you're not going to write that in that letter.
Well it don't mean nothing bad, Mr.
Dillon.
It means, like, pretty or nice or Well, why don't you just say that? Well, that's what I was trying to say- "lolliper.
" Lolliper.
Chester, Marshal Dillon.
Well, hello, Major.
Hello, Major Harris.
Wait outside, Sergeant.
Yes, sir.
Major, how are you? Marshal, I want to talk to you about the affair last Saturday.
Oh, yes, you mean the robbery of the supply train.
It was more than a robbery.
Two soldiers were murdered.
Yes, I'm sorry to hear about that.
And a government payroll was stolen.
I don't suppose you've found out anything about it yet.
Well, no, we haven't heard anything around here.
You don't seem to take very much interest in the matter, Marshal.
Well, it isn't that, Major, but, uh, protecting the Cavalry isn't exactly part of my job.
The Cavalry can protect itself, Marshal.
I hear you only had two men on that supply wagon.
Where was the rest of the Cavalry? On maneuvers.
On maneuvers? In my command, troops remain in garrison as little as possible.
Well, then, you were kind of asking for trouble, weren't you, knowing the payroll was coming in? That payroll was a secret.
Even the two men carrying it didn't know it was there.
Somebody knew, Major.
Marshal Dillon, I consider this crime a demonstration of your inability to control these Dodge City bandits.
Now, wait a minute, you don't know it was Dodge City men that did this.
That doesn't matter.
Unless an arrest is made in this affair, I'll give these bad men a taste of real law, martial law.
Let me tell you something, Major.
You haven't been out here long enough.
You don't know these men.
Now, you run the Cavalry in here, you're going to be asking for a fight, and you're going to get a lot more than you bargained for.
I want whoever committed those murders and I want that money, Marshal.
I'll give you a week, and if any more crimes are committed against the Cavalry, I'll take this town over at once.
I'm sorry it took so long.
They were a little shorthanded in there.
Oh, Mr.
Dillon, uh, did you notice them two buffalo hunters? No.
Marshal.
What's this talk around town about the Cavalry moving in? Everybody's saying it.
We want to know.
Is it true? Now, don't you fellas worry about that.
Nothing's going to happen at all.
Oh, now, that's kind of too bad, 'cause we was hoping for a little fight.
Weren't we, boys? We'd blow 'em sky-high.
Ain't nobody gonna tell us what time to go to bed.
Look, why don't you boys go get yourself a drink and forget about it, huh? We ain't about to forget nothing.
Come on, boys.
Now, how did they hear about it so fast? Oh, well, you know how the Cavalry is once they get a couple of drinks under their belt.
That sure got around in a hurry.
Well, that's just what I started to tell you about them two buffalo hunters.
They said just about the same thing, all stirred up over it.
Let's go.
You about ready for another drink, Jennie? Uh-uh.
Hadn't you better be getting back to Fort Dodge? The Army doesn't run me.
You know that.
I know, they're a bunch of fools.
We'll show 'em, huh, Jennie? You know, I bet there's nothing you can't do.
What are you staring at? A trooper, a dad-blamed trooper.
What's wrong with being a trooper? You're going to run Dodge, huh? You're going to take over? Hey, look, mister, why don't you go down the bar and have a drink, huh? I could cut you up into little pieces.
We're going to get rid of the whole lot of you.
I might just start doing it right now.
Hey, now, mister, you take it easy.
Hold it, Hank.
Hold it right there.
Drop the knife.
Go on.
Now get out of here.
You're on their side, ain't you? I said get out.
Keep this for him, will you, Bill? Right.
Trooper, you'd better get out of here, too.
He started it.
You can go out the back door.
You can't order me.
Go on, right now.
Whoo! Jennie, this is Marshal Dillon.
This is Jennie Lane, Matt.
How do you do? Well, this is a pleasure, Marshal.
Jennie's new to Dodge, Matt.
Oh? Mm-hmm.
Three weeks.
Came down from Hays City.
Well, I thought I hadn't seen you around before.
No, and I'm sorry.
She hasn't been working here very long, Matt.
Well, how do you like it in Dodge? Fine.
But now with, uh, all this trouble everyone's expecting, I don't know.
You better tell that corporal of yours to spend his time out at the fort for awhile.
He's not my corporal, Kitty.
He's just a lonely kid.
Yeah, well, he manages to get in here to see you pretty often.
Well, they made him a clerk, sort of a bookkeeper.
He's lucky.
Nice safe job.
Hmm, I guess.
Well, I guess I'd better get back to work.
Nice to have met you, Marshal.
Yes, I hope I'll see you again, Jennie.
I'm here, Marshal.
Anytime.
Well She doesn't act that way with everybody.
Yeah? What, what are you talking about? I'm serious, Matt.
Except for you just now, and that Corporal Stark that you just threw out of here, she hasn't shown any real interest in anybody.
Yeah? I don't think it's any romance between 'em, but I don't know, there's something about that girl that bothers me.
What do you mean? I don't know.
I don't have any idea.
Except that I know that she's not the kind that would do anything without a reason.
A selfish reason, I mean.
Well, maybe you're just imagining things.
Look, Matt, one woman knows about another woman.
Where'd she say she's from? Hays City last.
Well, it might be worth looking into.
You know, you could probably find out something yourself if you wanted to.
How? Get her to talk.
She's pretty close-mouthed, but I'll sure try.
All right.
I'll see you later, Kitty.
Hi, Kitty.
Evening, Jennie.
Hello, Whitey.
Evening, Kitty.
Evening, Bill.
Busy night, huh? Yeah, it's the way we get rich.
Oh, I was wondering how we did it.
Least it's better than working for wages.
You stay here.
I'll see what that is.
It's a soldier.
There'll be trouble now, sure.
He's still alive.
Somebody go get Doc and Marshal Dillon, too.
I said somebody go fetch Doc.
What's the matter with you men? You know what'll happen if this soldier dies.
Let him die.
We ain't afraid of no Army.
Come on, I'll take care of you.
They said it's a trooper.
Not one of those men would even go for Doc.
Well, I will.
I couldn't help him, Doc.
There was nothing I could do.
Yeah, well, there's nothing anybody can do for him now.
I guess this may mean trouble, huh? Yup.
I'm afraid so, Doc.
I'm gonna ride out to Fort Dodge.
Well, do you think it'll do any good? Well, I don't know, but it's worth a try.
I'll send Chester over to help you.
Mr.
Dillon? I-I heard about the shooting.
Is it true, somebody shot a trooper? Killed him.
He's out there in the alley, Chester.
Oh.
Would you go help get him up to Doc's office? Yeah.
Oh, Mr.
Dillon, this just-just come for you.
It's an answer to the telegram you sent to Hays City.
"Jennie Lane left Hays about a month ago "with a stranger called Nate Brand.
"Nothing against the girl, but I hear Brand's a wild one.
Regards- Clint Adams.
" Well, I never heard of no Nate Brand.
Did you? No.
Look, I got to get out to Fort Dodge.
I'll see you later.
Come in.
Marshal Dillon to see you, sir.
Come in, Marshal.
Major.
Sit down.
Well, what brings you out to Fort Dodge? Well, Major, there's been a murder in town.
One of your men.
Who? I don't know.
Some private.
Have you arrested the murderer? Nobody saw it happen.
I see.
Well, Marshal, you leave me no choice.
Now, wait a minute, Major.
I didn't come out here just to bring you the news.
I came out here because I want to ask something of you.
Something from me? I want you to keep your troopers out of Dodge for 48 hours.
Put it off limits.
That's not exactly what I had in mind, Marshal.
Major, Dodge City is an armed camp.
It's full of men who fought Indians and fought the war and fought each other as far back as they can remember.
Now, they're gonna fight you next.
And they're gonna make you hate it.
They can't fight the Cavalry.
Yes, they can, and they will.
And a lot of good men on both sides are gonna die.
Now I want to make a deal with you.
A deal? You give me 48 hours to catch those killers.
If I can find them, it's gonna save a lot of useless bloodshed.
All right, Marshal.
But I want you to bring those criminals here to me.
All right, Major.
Oh, Matt? Hello, Doc.
I've been waiting for you.
I took a letter off of that Cavalryman, and his name is Ravitch.
What else? Well, dug a bullet out of him.
You know something? I haven't seen lead like that since I was mustered out in '65.
What do you mean? He was shot with a Cavalry pistol.
He was, huh? That'd narrow it down a little, wouldn't it? Well, not necessarily, Doc.
There's about 1,000 men out there at Fort Dodge.
Well, it'll give you something to work on.
Yeah, well, I better get something to work on before this whole frontier explodes.
I'll see you later.
Kitty? Oh, hello, Matt.
Say, I found out something for you.
Good.
Yesterday wasn't the first time that Jennie's been out riding, and she always goes to the same place.
Where is that? Down by the river near Turkey Bend.
Turkey Bend? Mm-hmm.
It might have something to do with that man she left Hays with, that, uh, Nate Brand.
Yeah, maybe.
Could he be hiding out down there? Well, I don't know what for, Kitty.
He's not wanted for anything.
Well, Corporal Stark and Jennie have ridden out there together a couple of times.
They did? Mm-hmm.
When was that? Well, the last time was the day before the Army payroll was robbed.
Wow.
You have been finding out a lot of things, haven't you? Where's Jennie now? Oh, she's over at Delmonico's having dinner.
Kitty you ought to get a medal.
Oh.
Hello, Jennie.
Well, hello, Marshal.
Uh, won't you sit down? Thank you.
I hope Corporal Stark won't mind.
Don't be silly.
Anyway, he's out at the fort.
Well, when was the last time you saw him? Uh yesterday.
Why? Was he alone? No.
No, Private Ravitch was with him.
But he didn't kill him, Marshal.
They were good friends.
Worked together in the bookkeeping office.
That's a pretty good job, isn't it? Making out the payroll, handling expenses, things like that? I don't know.
He never talked much about it.
Man on a job like that would have a pretty good idea of when the payroll money was coming in, even if they were trying to keep it a secret.
Well, you'll have to ask him about all that, Marshal.
I don't know anything about the Army.
But that isn't why you found me here, is it? Jennie, you look real pretty today.
Thank you, Marshal.
You really mean that? You bet I do.
Marshal, I have to work this afternoon, but I'll be free tomorrow afternoon.
I know this sounds a little bold, but maybe we could take a ride together, huh? I'd like that.
Where do you want to ride to? Hmm.
Anywhere.
Maybe down along the river.
I know.
Let's ride down towards Turkey Bend.
All right, Jennie.
We ride down towards Turkey Bend.
Mr.
Dillon? Mr.
Dillon! Well, here they are.
I sure don't like it none, though.
You're riding right into a trap.
Maybe.
Well, you know that that Jennie rode down there last night, and she's probably got that Nate Brand just waiting there to ambush you.
It's just plum crazy for you to let her do it to you.
Well, there's no other way, Chester.
Uh-oh.
Here she comes now.
I'll see you later.
We stopping here? Yeah, let's stretch our legs for a little while.
Shall we? Here, I'll help you down.
They won't run away, will they? No, they won't run away, Jennie.
We'll get to Turkey Bend all right.
Sure, of course we will.
Jennie, you seem kind of nervous.
No.
Why should I be? No reason.
Come on.
Why don't you sit down? All right.
There.
That better? Sure.
Well, it's, uh, kind of a nice afternoon out here, isn't it? Yeah, beautiful.
Jennie, you seem to have something on your mind.
No.
Want to tell me what it is? It's nothing, Marshal, really.
Jennie, did you ever see a man killed? What? I mean, did you ever really see it happen? Marshal, I Did you? Yes, once.
The man have a fair chance? What are you driving at, Marshal? I'm just thinking about people, Jennie.
How some of them aren't really bad.
They just fall in with the wrong company.
Well, what's all this got to do with me? I just don't figure you to be the kind of woman to let a man be killed without a fair chance.
Why'd you come with me, Marshal? It's my job.
I suppose you know about everything.
Well, I figure that Corporal Stark probably told you about the payroll and you told Brand.
It was probably going to be a three-way split till this Private Ravitch found out about it somehow.
It was Stark that killed him, wasn't it? You in love with this Brand? I was once.
Well, what are you going to do now, Marshal? I'm going to ride out to Turkey Bend with you.
Why? 'Cause I'm gambling you're going to give me that fair chance I was talking about.
That's a pretty big gamble, Marshal.
We'll ride slow.
Give you a chance to think about it.
Well, that'd make a nice camp down there, Jennie.
Plenty of firewood.
Man could get his water right out of the river there.
A lot of places to hide.
Marshal.
Yeah, a man would be real safe down there, wouldn't he, Jennie? Even while the Cavalry was trying to take over Dodge, and a lot of men were being killed uselessly.
Of course, I guess that, uh, wouldn't bother a man hiding out here, would it? Would it, Jennie? Okay, Marshal, I can't go through with it.
Where is he? Right down there beyond that big tree.
All right.
You stay here and keep out of the way.
He's dead, Jennie.
I'm sorry, but I had to do it.
I know, Marshal.
I had to do it, too.
I just couldn't stand to see anybody else murdered that way again.
Again? You mean you saw him ambush that supply wagon? Marshal, I know where the money is.
All right, Jennie.
Now he's dead- and you and I could take that money and nobody would know, and then maybe we could go away someplace later.
It wouldn't work, Jennie.
But you said I was pretty.
You are.
Well, then Sometimes I have to use people too, Jennie.
Oh, well, come on, I'll show you where the money is anyway.