Gunsmoke (1955) s04e14 Episode Script

starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.
Keep your eyes open.
This could be a holdup.
That log didn't get there by itself.
Want me to give you a hand? No.
You sit here.
I'll get it.
Sit still, folks.
Just a log in the road.
Drop that shotgun, mister, or I'll blow you off the seat.
And don't turn around.
You folks just stay put.
Now your six-gun.
Put your hands up, driver.
Turn around.
Get up by the stage.
You, throw down that strongbox, and hurry it up.
Give it to him, Hank.
He's got us good.
Tell the passengers to get out of there.
And tell them I'll kill the first one that makes a move.
Step down, folks, and step easy.
This man's got a shotgun.
Just keep your hands in the air.
You men line up over there and keep quiet.
What about me? Do you rob women, too? I want that saddle.
Fetch it down.
What? I said fetch it down.
Over here, miss, by me.
You men get back on the stage.
Go on, move.
Hey, now, wait a minute, fella.
You're really asking for trouble.
I don't want to have to kill you.
You wouldn't dare kidnap a woman.
I'll kill you if I have to.
You'll answer for this, mister.
Get aboard, driver.
I'll come after you myself.
Don't you worry, miss.
He won't have you for long.
Git! Move on, now.
Giddap.
I got an extra horse.
I sure wasn't planning anything like this.
Then, why are you doing it? Well, to tell you the truth, you're about the first thing I ever saw that I really wanted.
Where you headed for? Oh, I'm headed down to the Long Branch.
Told Chester I'd meet him there.
Well, I'll I'll go down with you.
Bartender down there owes me five dollars.
Maybe you ought to hire a bill collector, Doc.
Well, wouldn't do any good.
I'd then have to spend all my time looking for him.
Well, why don't you make your patients pay in advance? 'Cause the condition most of my patients arrive in, they'd bleed to death while I was making change.
Well, a lot of them do anyway There's Chester over there.
Why don't you get your money and join us.
Oh, no, not that.
If I did that, they'd have it back in about a half hour.
I'll see you later.
All right.
Oh, Mr.
Dillon.
Uh, this here is Mr.
Reeves.
- Franklin Reeves.
- How do you do? This is Marshal Dillon.
Buy you a drink, Marshal? Well, might have a beer, I guess.
- Bartender, another beer, please.
- Coming up.
Mr.
Reeves just got in from Pueblo.
Oh, is that your home? New York, Marshal.
I came out West recently to invest some money in land in mining and the like.
Mr.
Reeves is awful rich.
I might be if Mother Nature holds out, Chester.
Well His girlfriend is coming in on the stage today, you see.
- And that's - My fiancée, Marshal.
I see.
Well, that's I mean fiancée.
Anyway, he met her in Pueblo.
That so? I had to come ahead on business.
We're going to be married in St.
Louis.
Well, congratulations.
Thank you, Marshal.
Oh, uh, the stage is a little late, isn't it? No, not much more than usual.
You see, he's worried, what with his girl being on it and all.
Well, it's just that back home, the public transportation is somewhat more punctual.
Mr.
Reeves, did-did you ever ride on one of them there, uh, uh sleeping cars? Why, yes.
- You did? - Sure.
Well, you mean you just, uh you sleep in a bed while you're just riding along? Uh-huh.
Well, I'll swan.
Them, uh, trains sure got it over them stagecoaches, don't they? Marshal, do you think anything could have happened to that stage? An accident or something of the sort? Well, could have been a lot of things, but I wouldn't worry about it.
It's only an hour or so late.
Well, I think I'll just walk over to the depot.
See if they have any news.
Aren't you coming, Marshal? Well, my being there wouldn't bring it in any faster.
- No, I suppose not.
- Well, uh, Mr.
Reeves, I-I'd be right proud to go over there with you.
I-I don't think there's anything to worry about, though.
That Jed Grant is one of the best drivers we got on the High Plains.
Hey, Marshal! Marshal! Whoa.
We were held up.
What? What is this? That's right, Marshal.
We were held up.
They took the strongbox and kidnapped one of the passengers.
What are you talking about? A young girl.
Not-not Laura.
That's right, a girl named Laura Church.
But that's impossible.
Why didn't you stop him? Oh, he had us cold.
He held a shotgun on us, and there was nothing we could do.
- Where'd this happen, Jed? - Cottonwood Draw.
Did you get a look at him? Did you recognize him at all? No, he had his face covered, Marshal.
All I can tell you is he took a saddle we was carrying.
So he must have had two horses hid out.
You've got to do something, Marshal.
Kidnapping a girl, Mr.
Dillon, that's bad.
Chester, you get a couple of rifles.
- I'll get the horses.
- Yes, sir.
- See you later, Jed.
- Good luck, Marshal.
He'd better have her back here by nightfall or he'll never work for the government again or anyone else, I promise you.
I wanted to get to the cabin by night.
I'm sorry if I pushed too hard.
Is is this the place you come back to each time? Oh, I've never been here before.
Just ridden by is all.
This is just an old line cabin nobody uses anymore.
Well, isn't this your hideout? You talk like I was a road agent.
Well, aren't you? No, I'm a cattleman.
At least I was until a little while ago.
I lost all my cattle with fever.
Tried to borrow money, but nobody would lend me any.
So you held up the stage? That's right.
Anyway, I figured I needed it more than those dudes.
That's a strange way of thinking.
It's my way.
Anyway, now I got money and I can buy some cattle.
And then maybe some land to put them on.
And a house and a patch of corn, a couple of chickens.
They'll come after you, you know, for taking the money.
They'll never find me.
They'll find me.
My fiancé will have the law after you.
Fiancé? The man I'm supposed to marry is waiting for me in Dodge.
I didn't I didn't know.
I I didn't know you was promised.
Would that have made any difference? Well, like I said, you're the first thing I ever saw in my life I really wanted.
I didn't know.
I Yeah, I'd do it again, sure.
Hey, Chester, will you take them over to the stable? - Where are you going? - I'm going in the Long Branch.
Maybe there's been some news.
That would be the first we've had in two days.
Yeah.
Hello, Kitty.
Well, hello, Matt.
I didn't know you were back.
Just now.
Any luck? It's a big prairie, Kitty.
We found their trail, but lost it.
Rained out the first night.
Well, nobody can blame you for that.
Nobody except this Reeves fella, maybe.
Well, he's no good.
He's really no good.
He's been drinking a lot the last couple of days, and last night he was in here bragging to Sam.
Bragging about what? Well, not much, to my way of thinking.
Seems that, uh, he and Laura's father got into some big deal over in Pueblo.
He got him all tied up, and then threatened to ruin him.
What happened? Well, he didn't ruin him.
He took Laura instead.
I see.
Well, maybe she likes him.
Oh, now, Matt, how could a girl like a man who would take her that way? It's like winning her in a gambling game.
Winning a horse or something.
Yeah, well, I guess that's not too much to bring her back to at that, is it? First, Reeves steals her, and then some outlaw steals her.
I feel sorry for her.
What are you going to do about it, anyhow? Well, Kitty, there's not much I can do right now.
Poor kid.
Come on.
Let's have a drink.
All right.
Well, I just can't get over it, Mr.
Dillon.
What's that, Chester? Oh, that that Reeves fellow.
Uh, he sure fooled me.
He seemed like such a nice fellow, and so, so rich, and and had so much money and all.
Oh, yes, yes, he's rich, all right.
Good clothes.
He's rich in money, but he was poor in spirit.
Well, I see you've been going to church again.
Yeah, I went last Sunday.
Oh, that's right.
Let's see.
It, uh it rained last Sunday, didn't it? Oh, yeah, it was just a Well, what are you? Hello, Chester.
Marshal.
- Marshal, I got news for you.
- Oh, what's that, Jed? I ran into a fellow back at Rock Creek Station this morning.
He rode in from the south.
He mentioned seeing a man and woman on the way.
He did? Yeah, they rode off as soon as they saw him, so he didn't get too close.
But his description of the woman was good enough.
Could be this girl, Laura.
- Where was it? - I'll show you.
I want to go with you, Marshal.
Oh, no, you don't have to do that, Jed.
He took her off my stage, Marshal.
And I won't feel right unless I help get her back.
- All right.
Chester.
- Oh, yeah.
You better stay here and keep an eye on things.
All right.
You didn't lose him? No, no, we got their trail, all right, but there's something funny here.
What do you mean? Well, the trail seems to be heading back to Dodge.
By golly, you're right.
I don't understand that.
Not unless they're lost or something.
Well, it could be.
Let's keep going.
We'll find out.
Sure beats all, Marshal.
He rode right straight into Dodge.
He ought to be easy to find now.
Yeah, well, before I start looking for him, - I want to talk to Chester.
- Sure.
Howdy, Mr.
Dillon.
Jed.
Oh, you tracked him right into Dodge, yeah? What? How'd you know? Well, they rode in here a couple hours ago.
He give hisself up.
He did? - Yeah.
Yeah, I got him locked up in there right now.
The money's over to the bank.
Well, what about the girl Laura? Well, now, she's fine.
She's a little bit tired, but she's fine.
What's his story? Who is he? Well, he says his name is Jack Fitch.
But I'll tell you, Mr.
Dillon, that's all that he'll say.
I just give up on him completely.
Maybe you can get him to talk.
Well, where's the girl now? Well, this Reeves come and got her and took her over to the Dodge House.
She didn't want to go much, but he took her along anyways.
Well, I'll talk to them later.
Jed, thanks a lot.
We could have stayed right here.
So, you're Jack Fitch, huh? That's right.
You got something to say, Marshal, say it right out.
All right.
Why'd you give yourself up? What do you care? - You got the money back, didn't you? - Yeah.
Look, Marshal, I'll tell you one thing.
If I hadn't given myself up, I'd probably killed Reeves by now.
I see.
And the girl told you about him, huh? She told me.
Kind of wish I'd done it before I come in here.
Yeah, well, you'd hang if you did.
Well, it might be worth it.
Now, what makes you think that what you did is any better? You wouldn't understand, Marshal.
But do what you can for the girl, would you? All right.
You got anything else you want to tell me? No, that's all.
Okay.
Who is it? Reeves, it's Matt Dillon.
Open up.
Some other time, Marshal.
I'm busy.
You going to open this door, or am I going to kick it in? What do you want? Laura, I'm Matt Dillon.
How do you do? Look, I hate to bother you this way, but, uh, it's about Jack Fitch.
Well, what more do you want? He gave himself up.
He returned the money and me.
Well, I'm going to need your testimony in court, Laura.
Forget it, Marshal.
It's all over.
We're leaving Dodge on the next train.
No! Don't tell me no.
I said we're leaving.
Reeves, suppose you get out of here for a minute.
- What? - Go on.
You heard me.
- Now, look here, Marshal, I'm not - I said get out of here.
- Don't give me any trouble.
- I'm warning you, Marshal, - Go on.
- for the last time.
Now, you keep your hands off me.
You stay out of here till I call you.
Laura, I, uh I know about you and Reeves and, uh, why you're going to marry him.
I hate him.
Tell me something, Laura.
Why did Jack Fitch give himself up? Can I trust you? Well, that's up to you.
All right.
He gave himself up because we decided we didn't want to be hunted down the rest of our lives.
Well, that sounds like you're in on it with him.
I never saw Jack Fitch before he held up that stage.
Then, I don't understand.
Well, it's very simple, Marshal.
I love him.
I see.
Jack doesn't know why he took me with him.
All he knows is that he saw something he wanted, and he took it.
Well, Laura, that's still kidnapping.
Jack won't go to jail for kidnapping.
And why won't he? Because I'll testify that I went with him of my own free will.
I think you mean that.
Jack's been wild, I know that, but he's going to straighten out now.
In fact, he's already started.
Well, Laura, look, uh, maybe you're better off with him, I don't know.
All I do know is that I'm a lawman, and I have to bring him in for trial.
What you do, that's your own business.
He'll make out, but I'm I'm still afraid.
What, uh, afraid of him? Frank Reeves.
He'll kill me.
He swore he would, and he means it.
If you try to leave him? Please, Marshal.
Please help me.
Well, that depends on whether you, uh, trust me or not.
Hello, gentlemen.
Um, how would you men like to make $50 apiece? Who, me? Yeah, uh, for maybe an hour's work.
Are you trying to rib us, mister? Oh, I've got the money right here.
$50? For doing what? Oh, for, uh, joining ten or 12 other men I'm going to hire.
Let me buy you a drink, and I'll explain it to you.
Bartender.
Well, here's how.
Ah.
Now, all you got to do is wait here till I get the other men together.
And, uh, then I'll let you know when we move.
It won't take long.
And for one of you men, there's going to be a nice bonus.
If you're interested.
And he said $50 a man, Mr.
Dillon, apiece.
Just for an hour's work.
Now, what are you going to do? Well, I could try to hold them off, but I got a better idea.
Well, what? How long would it take you to get Fitch's horses? Well, just long enough to saddle them.
All right, get them, and bring them around back, will you? - Yes, sir.
- Okay.
All right, Fitch.
What's this, Marshal? I'm turning you loose.
Turning him loose? Yep.
Reeves is getting a bunch of hired guns together, and they're going to come over here and try to break you out of jail, and they'll probably try to kill you in the bargain.
Oh, but can't you stop them? I hope he don't ever try.
This way, I go free.
You're forgetting everything we talked about.
No, no, I ain't, Laura, but if I don't go to trial, we got nothing to worry about.
Now, Jack, I'm afraid you don't quite understand.
I don't understand what, Marshal? I'm turning you loose to save your life.
You're still going to have to stand trial, whether you turn yourself in later or somebody catches up with you.
Oh.
I was going to take you to Hays City for trial, and I was going to bring Laura along as a witness.
I told you I wouldn't testify.
They can't make you testify, Laura, but they can hold you in contempt.
All right, then, I'll lie.
Well, that's worse.
That's perjury.
Just leave her out of this, Marshal.
And how do you figure to do that? Just leave her alone.
I'll ride up to Hays and turn myself in.
Sign a confession.
But leave Laura out of it.
I don't understand you, Marshal.
You said you were going to help me.
Well, Laura, there's only one way that you can keep from testifying against Jack.
But that's something you two will have to decide for yourselves.
Wait a minute.
Is there a preacher in Hays City? There was the last time I was up there.
If we were married now, and didn't wait, I wouldn't have to testify.
You'd marry me now, Laura? You know I would, Jack.
We'll get married in Hays City.
Well, Marshal? Let's go.
Wait a minute.
This is what you had in mind all the time, isn't it? Laura, I'm a lawman, not a matchmaker.
Seems to me you do both pretty good.
Jack, there's two horses waiting in the back for you.
Thanks, Marshal.
Good luck, Laura.
Will we see you in Hays City, Marshal? Well, if you get there.
We'll get there.
Yeah, I think you will.
Marshal, I've got 12 men waiting outside, and I want Jack Fitch.
He's gone.
Gone? Where? To marry Laura.
You did this.
You planned it.
Yeah.
Then, we'll get him.
Those men of mine will run him down.
Reeves Good gracious, Mr.
Dillon, what happened? Couldn't hold his liquor.