Gunsmoke (1955) s04e09 Episode Script

starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.
Oh, hello, Miss Kitty.
It's too high.
The price is too high.
Absolutely ridiculous.
I've never heard of such a thing.
Well, Kitty, what, uh, what seems to be the trouble this morning? Well, just take a look at that.
$2.
65 for a pair of shoes.
Kind of high, huh? Is it high? Wilbur Jonas is a bandit, Matt.
You ought to arrest him.
Well, now, Kitty, it's not as bad as all that.
I don't care if they are the latest style.
And I don't care if they're imported from Europe.
I don't care if they are the prettiest shoes I've seen in ages.
It's still too high.
Which pair do you like best? Oh, well, uh, I don't know Come on, which ones do you like best? Well, well, how about the ones with the laces on them there? What's wrong with the ones with the buttons? Well, nothing, I guess.
But, uh Well, you know, I'm not exactly an expert on these things.
Pair of 'em would look mighty pretty on you, Miss Kitty.
$2.
65 I want to talk to you, Mr.
Jonas.
Oh, w-well, yes.
I-I'd be happy to talk to you, Miss Kitty, anytime you want.
Mr.
Dillon.
Uh, this here is-is Mr.
Trumbell.
He come over to the office looking for you.
Marshal Dillon.
What can I do for you? I want a badge, Marshal.
I want you to make me a deputy.
Oh? Are you out of a job, is that it? Oh, I'm never out of work, Marshal.
At present, I'm leading a party of immigrants up onto the south fork of the Pawnee.
Oh Well, you, uh, you familiar with the country out there? Oh, I have some excellent maps, furnished to me by the railroad.
Oh, I see.
You work for the railroad.
No, I work for these immigrants, you might say.
You see, I got together some ten families back east, and then I arranged to buy five sections of railroad land for them.
Oh, 'bout, uh, 30 miles northeast of here.
I'm their legal representative, - and I'm guiding them in.
- I see.
And I thought a deputy's badge might be a good idea, just in case there's any squabbling after we get there.
You know, over who gets what land, that kind of thing.
Well, most immigrant parties draw straws for the land before they ever see it.
Oh, well, uh, we did that, too, of course.
Well, then what's the trouble you're expecting? Well, I'm not expecting it, exactly.
It's just that, uh, well, you know, Marshal it'd be worth something to me to have one.
I don't sell badges, mister.
Oh.
Well, I just thought, you know, some lawmen Forget.
All right, Marshal.
No offense.
Where's your party now? Oh, we're in camp, down by the river.
We're, uh, pulling out in the morning.
Maybe I'll just ride out there and have a look.
I'm kind of curious about this trouble you're talking about.
Oh, no, that won't be necessary.
You misunderstand me, Marshal.
There isn't going to be any trouble.
It's just that, in case there was, I thought Well, I won't take up any more of your time.
Good day to both of you.
Well, he sure had a lot of gall, didn't he? Yeah.
That fella can't seem to make up his mind whether he's expecting trouble or not.
Maybe we can help him find out, huh? What are you gonna do, ride out there? Yeah.
Let's get the horses.
Looks like a nice place for a camp, all right.
Yeah.
Looks kind of empty though, don't it? Well, there's something going on over there behind the wagons.
Let's go.
You have to go through with this, Cal? Make that knot tight.
I don't want it come loose.
What are they fixin' to do there? That's the way they got to fightin' on riverboats, Chester.
Bad way they'll probably both get killed.
You're wrong, Cal, you're just plain wrong.
Plenty other times I warned you about.
I couldn't have been wrong on all of them.
That's got nothing to do with Daniel.
- He didn't mean nothing.
- Don't you beg for me.
Ah, come on, you pigheaded fool.
Let's get this over with.
We was just talking's all.
Sure, talking.
I've been watching you two "talking" all the way out from St.
Louis.
And I warned you about it for the last time.
You're making a mistake, Cal.
There's no call for killing him! Get out of my way.
You're ready, are you? Well, just telling a fool don't seem to do no good.
I guess you got to have it cut into you.
All right, you men, hold it! Stay out of this, mister! I said hold it.
This ain't nothing for the law to horn in on.
Drop the knives, both of you.
Go on, drop 'em! Yeah can't cut a man that ain't armed.
That the only way you men can think of to settle an argument? It wasn't my idea, Marshal.
You ain't using the law to hide behind, Keppert.
I catch you bothering my wife again, I'll shoot you on sight.
You hear me? Once a fool, always a fool.
You wish I was, don't you? Well, I ain't.
And you had the last warning you're gonna get.
Just a minute.
Now, you people are going to be settling within 30 miles of Dodge City.
I don't want to hear anything more about things like this.
That's up to Keppert.
Come on, Sidna.
I could tell that man plenty.
A man like that, it'd just be a waste of breath.
You'd better take my advice and stay away from him.
That ain't easy to do, Marshal.
See, he's the best friend I got.
Marshal, I'm Sidna Calhoun.
Yes, ma'am.
I think you're the first marshal I've seen out here on the frontier.
That so? I suppose you want to ask me some questions, seeing as it was my husband that Keppert wanted to fight.
Mrs.
Calhoun, I'm not in the habit of mixing in family affairs.
Oh, I see.
Well, I've got some coffee on the coals, if you'd like a cup before you start back to Dodge.
All right.
Thank you.
Chester, I'm gonna join the lady for a cup of coffee.
Maybe I can find out a little more about what's going on around here.
Well, all right.
I'll just talk to them fellers over there by the wagon, then.
All right.
Might be, uh, somebody from their home.
Thank you.
Marshal, I'm so ashamed of my husband, fighting out there in the dirt like any common drifter.
And his friend Keppert, too.
Well, maybe he's got a reason.
What reason? Oh, I don't know.
Maybe he thinks you got too many friends.
Oh, he's just a fool, just like Keppert told him.
I see.
And there's nothing between you and Keppert, huh? Marshal.
Is that a nice thing to say to a lady? Are you married, Marshal? Nope.
Thanks for the coffee, Mrs.
Calhoun.
Anytime.
You know, that feller I was talking to over there come all the way from Ohio.
Oh, yeah? Sure seem like nice folks.
You find out what you wanted to over there? I can tell you one thing.
I don't think the trouble's over with yet around here.
What do you mean? I'll tell you later.
Oh, Marshal? Marshal, I-I hope that little set-to hasn't given you the wrong impression of our group.
Oh, was that the trouble you were talking about? Well yes, yes.
But, uh, now that they've got it out of their systems, I'm-I'm sure it won't happen again.
I hope you're right.
One more river That cool river in Jordan One more river There's one more river for y Doctor? Dr.
Adams.
Oh, it's Mrs.
Meggs.
I just left your office, Doctor.
Oh.
Really? Left a basket of cakes sitting on your stoop.
Oh.
Well, now, that's very thoughtful of you, Mrs.
Meggs.
Thanks.
Oh, lands, it wasn't me.
Oh? It was Lavinia thought of it.
Oh, Lavinia.
- She made 'em, too.
- She did? Well, you thank Lavinia for me.
I will, Doc.
I certainly will.
Yes, you - Uh - You know, there's a girl with a good heart.
- Oh, yeah.
- A heart of gold, you might say.
- Yes, indeed.
- And what a cook.
Oh, yes, indeed You know, only the other day she was saying how nice it would be if you'd drop by and take Sunday dinner at her place.
Yes Well Like you say, Doc, Lavinia is a fine woman.
Oh, my, yes.
- A fine homemaker, too.
- Well Make a body a good wife, Lavinia would.
Oh, no young harum-scarum, mind you, but a man who is settled and has a position in the community.
Yes.
Uh Well, well, uh Well, uh, Mrs.
Meggs, sorry, I have to see Marshal Dillon right - Dr.
Adams.
- Oh, yes? Sunday? - Sunday? - Sunday dinner.
Oh, yes.
Well, uh, you know, I won't, uh I'm expecting to Soon, very soon.
Hello, Matt, Chester.
Hello, Doc.
Well, I see you found yourself a new lady friend, huh? Huh? Oh, I saw you out there with Mrs.
Meggs.
Uh Not bad, huh? Oh, pshaw.
Good heavens.
Every time she comes to town, she tries to get me cornered someplace and marry me off to that Lavinia that sister of hers.
I think you could do a whole lot worse.
Well, I don't know how.
She's buried two husbands already.
Well, she's always bringing you cookies and stuff.
Probably fed 'em to death.
You'd better look out, Doc.
What? Well, you know, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
Oh, good heavens.
Say, I got time to play you about two games of checkers, I figure.
All right, you're on.
I've just been looking for a way to get out of finishing that report to Washington.
Well, the way I figure it, the less you tell Washington these days, the better off everybody is.
What's the matter with him? Oh, he's been like that ever since yesterday, Doc.
Think there's anything you can do for him? He hasn't been chewing jimsonweed, has he? I don't think so.
Oh, you don't have to be so smart about it.
I-I-I've been thinking, is all.
Can't a body around here think at all? He's in love, that's what it is.
Oh, I ain't, darn it.
That's exactly what it is.
He's in love.
And why shouldn't you be, Chester? Good heavens, you're young, you're chipper as a bronco and rosy as an apple.
Well, it ain't nothing of the kind, Doc.
It's more serious than I thought.
I don't think - there's a thing I can do.
- Listen M-Mr.
Dillon knows what the trouble is.
Oh, he does? Yeah.
It's just that some people don't go around sticking their noses into other people's business.
Well, if you're not in love, then you're sick, - that's all there is to it.
- Oh, I ain't neither sick.
It's-it's I've-I've got something that's on my mind that I've been studying about, so don't you tell me that I'm sick or in love.
Chester has to find $25 somewhere, Doc.
$25? Yeah.
Mr.
Dillon, I just don't know how I'm gonna do it, no matter how hard I think about it.
Oh, my, hey, $25 is an awful lot of money.
What are you gonna do with it? Well, I'm gonna buy some land, if you've got to know.
- Some land?! - Yeah.
What in the world is he talking about? Oh, Mr.
Dillon, you go ahead and tell him.
He probably wouldn't believe me, anyway.
He's smarting off so much about it.
Well, we rode out to the immigrant camp the other day, Doc, and he heard about the land sale.
Well, my gosh, you can't buy any land that's worth anything for $25.
What's it? Well, the $25 ain't to buy the land, Doc.
It's It's to give to this Mr.
Trumbell so's that he can fix it up with the railroad.
It It has to do with-with well, with taxes or something, but if I can get the $25 now, well, then, I I can get the rest of it later.
Oh.
Where? Well, uh, uh, uh Well, I-I can get it from the bank.
Mr.
Bodkin'll give it to me.
- Oh? - Loan it to me.
Yes.
My goodness, Chester, why-why don't you just forget this whole thing? Oh, well, Doc, no.
Now, this-this this land is real good bottom land.
Here, this immigrant feller give me the map, showed me right where my piece of land might be.
Well, you see, well, this uh, south fork of the Pawnee runs right along there.
Yeah.
Well, and the railroad comes right along there.
Sure.
Well, now, these immigrants bought these five sections that lay right next to each other right there.
Huh.
Well, I'm just hoping that this Mr.
Trumbell will-will sell me this little half section right there.
Well Wait a minute.
Did you say those five sections are laying right next to each other? Yeah, well, the Yeah, see where the immigrant marked 'em out for me? Well, that's very interesting.
Yeah, well well, is there something wrong? It sure looks that way to me.
Who was it told you about this? Was it Trumbell himself? Well, no.
Uh, I-I kind of got interested in it out there the day of the fight to begin with, and then, well, I seen Trumbell in here yesterday, and I got thinking about it all the more.
Hmm.
Well There is something wrong, ain't there? There's nothing we can't find out about soon enough.
Well, what is it, Matt? It's an old game, Doc, but I guess it still works.
Well, what game? Chester, let's get the horses.
Doc, I guess the checker game will have to wait, huh? Oh, yeah.
Well, Marshal I didn't expect to see you again this soon.
Well, we didn't expect to be back this soon.
There's no need to worry.
Calhoun ain't even been around.
I reckon he cooled down some after he thought things over.
Yeah? Doesn't look that way to me.
Better get my rifle.
Hold it, right where you are.
What are you doing? Riding herd on him 24 hours a day, helping him get away with it? Put the rifle back in the boot, Calhoun.
A man's got a right to defend his home.
Sidna in that wagon? Why don't you look for yourself, you think so? There's no place to hide around here.
You can see for yourself.
Well, she's gone.
Since-since early before noon.
She-she took some of her clothes and her things with her.
Well, that's not the worst trouble you're in, either of you.
What do you mean? Do you men or any of the rest of these settlers have bills of sale for this land you just bought? Well, no, not yet.
Trumbell said they'd send it on to us, soon as they made it out.
But you've paid the money, huh? Yeah.
Yeah, well, sure we did.
Each one of us give Trumbell $400 for a half section.
And $25 extra for his services.
What are you getting at, Marshal? Something wrong? Well, now, as I understand it, these, uh, pieces of property are adjoining.
- Is that right? - Yeah, that's right.
There's five sections right in a row.
The railroad come on one side, and the river on the other.
Mm-hmm.
Well, I guess you didn't know it, but when the government sold this land to the railroad, they sold alternate sections.
Every other one.
What are you saying? Well, the railroad couldn't have sold you adjoining sections, because they don't own 'em.
Then Trumbell robbed us.
He sure did.
That's why there haven't been any bills of sale and why there won't be.
$425 apiece.
Ten of us.
That's over $4,000 he got.
You got any idea where he is now? I don't know.
I ain't seen him since early this morning.
I have.
I seen him about three miles downriver.
I was over there with the team getting some logs.
They was on the other bank, riding back towards Dodge.
Come on, let's go.
Cal? Cal, uh Uh, there was a woman with him.
Woman? What woman? You weren't wrong about Sidna.
It wasn't me.
I wouldn't have nothing to do with her.
So she took up with Trumbell.
You're lying.
Cal, I sure wished I was.
We ought to go over there ourselves.
Mr.
Dillon said to wait here and keep out of it, and that's what we're gonna do.
I reckon the marshal can handle Trumbell if he finds him.
Well, it don't look like he's having much luck.
Well, there's no sign of 'em, but they must be here, because Trumbell bought two tickets about an hour ago.
Their baggage is on the coach.
Well, maybe he got scared, changed his mind.
There's no reason for him to.
He wouldn't have been expecting this.
Mr.
Dillon.
Now, you two men stay here and keep out of this, you understand? Trumbell, I'd like to talk to you a minute.
I'm sorry, Marshal.
We have an appointment, and we're late now.
Just a minute, Trumbell.
The stage isn't leaving yet, and besides, you're not gonna be on it.
Well, if you're saying that just because of Sidna here, Marshal, she's decided to go with me.
I don't think it's any of the law's business, anyway.
It's got nothing to do with Sidna, Trumbell.
You're under arrest.
Why, what are you talking about, Marshal? I'll take your gun.
No.
Now don't make it any worse than it is.
I said give me your gun.
You're not arresting anybody, Marshal.
Trumbell! See, does he have that money on him? It wasn't my fault, Cal.
Looks like it's probably all here.
He made me go with him.
He threatened me.
I was scared not to.
Be all right if I take my share now, Marshal? Yeah, I guess so.
What was it, $425? That's right.
It's true, Cal.
It's true.
You know I wouldn't run from you if it wasn't a reason like that.
You believe me, don't you, Cal? Here, take it.
What are you saying, Cal? You know what I'm saying.
Oh, Cal, please.
Take it and get out.
Where'll I go? What'll I do? That ain't no bother of mine.
I don't owe you nothing now.
I've been a fool, Danny.
I'm sorry.
Forget it.
Do me a favor, will you? Tell the rest of those folks out there they can come to the office and pick up the money? Glad to, Marshal.
Yup.
Yeah, one more minute, and he would have been gone.
Trumbell almost got away with it, huh? Yeah.
Almost.