Gunsmoke (1955) s04e17 Episode Script

starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.
You know, there must be easier ways to die than most of the men up here took.
Like passing away in one's sleep, or gently dissolving in old age.
Or even being carried off by a disease of some kind.
But getting stabbed, shot, hung, kicked to death all the violent ways we have of dying out here they leave a man without any dignity at all.
And it's worse when it happens suddenly.
When a man hasn't time to prepare himself.
It's something I myself have to face every day.
Matt Dillon, U.
S.
Marshal.
There he comes now, Rod.
Yeah, that's Jesse, sure enough.
I told you he always drives home this way.
I just wish you would tell me what we rode down here to meet him for, Box.
Look, kid, we've been together six months now, ain't we? Sure.
In another couple of months, we're going to be rich, ain't we? Not riding for old Jesse Wheat, we ain't.
We're just about through riding for Jesse Wheat.
What are you men doing clear down here? We're heading for Dodge, Jesse.
Dodge? I ain't paying you to spend time in Dodge.
You just been there.
I had business there.
Now, look, Box, you and Rod turn around and ride back to the ranch and get to work.
We ain't been to Dodge for over a week.
Are you trying to get yourself fired? For a man who don't carry a gun, you talk mighty loud, Jesse.
I don't have to carry no gun.
Don't you? Look at this.
Point that thing the other way.
What are you doing, Box? - Point that thing the other way! - Why? I don't like it.
Quit your fooling.
But I ain't fooling, Jesse.
Oh, come off it, Box.
You're just going to make him mad.
I'm going to do more than that, Rod.
I'm going to kill him.
Now, see here, Box, I have had enough of this.
You put that gun down, you hear? - Oh, shut up, Jesse.
- Put that gun down.
You killed him! He wasn't even armed.
He didn't do nothing wrong.
That's murder, Box.
Look, kid, you wanted to get rich, didn't you? You're in trouble, Box.
You're really in trouble.
Now, wait, kid.
If they catch us, I ain't in no more trouble than you are, because we're in this together, and don't you ever forget it.
But I didn't know you was going to do this.
It's your word against mine.
But right now, we'll head the horse back to the ranch.
By the time he and Jesse get there, we'll have our alibi set in Dodge.
Alibi? How? We're going to have the marshal set it himself.
What? Pretty smart, huh? Come on, let's get going.
Mr.
Dillon, uh, maybe they got some across the street.
Chester, I don't think there's a store in town that carries beer mugs.
Well, uh, they don't have to be exactly beer mugs.
Just any good solid mug would do, Mr.
Dillon, that'd keep the coffee warmer a little whiles longer.
Chester, maybe you ought to try making some yourself.
Well, how in the world would I do that? Well, somebody ought to know.
- Marshal? - Yes, sir.
I guess you don't know us.
We don't get to Dodge much.
We work for Jesse Wheat.
I'm Jim Box, Marshal, and this here's Rod Allison.
We was to meet him here, but we can't find him no place.
Well, I saw him around town this morning.
Maybe he's gone back out the ranch.
That'd sure beat all, wouldn't it? Telling us to meet him here and then forgetting about it.
That Jesse is getting too old for his own good.
Why, we've been looking for him the past two, three hours.
Box? Hey, Box? That's Jesse's buggy.
It's empty.
What's it doing here? Whoa, boy.
Look, it's Jesse.
He must be sick or something.
Get Doc, Chester.
Yeah.
He's dead.
He's been shot.
Oh, that's terrible.
Now, who'd have done that? I don't know.
I-I can't understand that horse coming right here.
Why didn't he go back home to the ranch like any other horse would? How long you men say you've been working with Jesse? Couple of months or so.
Why? Well, you ought to know his horses.
What? Say, that that ain't Jesse's horse.
His is the XL brand, isn't it? Well, sure.
Whose brand is that, Marshal? This belongs to Moss Grimmick.
He runs the stable here.
What was Jesse doing with one of his horses? I don't know.
Maybe his went lame or something.
I never noticed the horse when we It don't matter, Rod.
It's a good thing that horse brought Jesse back here.
Now the marshal will find out real fast who killed him.
We'll help you, Marshal.
We sure don't like seeing poor old Jesse getting shot.
No, sir.
Give me a hand here.
Well, this is where the buggy stopped.
Then it was joined by another horse.
No, it was two other horses.
What did you find, Mr.
Dillon? Well, the buggy headed off toward the ranch, and then it turned over there.
Well, this must be where he got shot, then.
Yeah.
You know, Mr.
Dillon, I just happened to think of something.
What? Well, Jesse Wheat's a lot older than his wife is, isn't he? Well, about 25 years or so.
Well, you think maybe that she could have done it? I mean, maybe that she got tired of waiting for him to die to get his money.
Well, there were two other horses here, Chester.
Yeah.
And you know Anna Wheat as well as I do.
Well, who do you think could have done it, then? Well, it'll be pretty hard to prove, but seems mighty odd to me that two cowboys wouldn't even recognize a strange horse.
Oh, you mean them two in town.
They must have had something else on their minds.
Let's ride down and see what Anna Wheat's got to say, shall we? All right.
Anna, did, uh did, uh, Jim Box and-and, uh, Rod Allison get back yet? They told me about Jesse.
Is that what you mean? Jesse was a good man.
Yes, Anna, he was.
He took me in when my parents died.
Married me.
But he always treated me like a daughter.
I'm sorry, Anna.
Is there anything I can do for you? Who killed him? Well, do you know anybody that might have had any reason to? Jesse had no enemies.
What about Jim Box and Rod Allison? How did they get along with him? Rod? Yes.
What about Rod? Well, they got along fine, Marshal.
You don't think he had anything to do with it? Well, what about Jim Box? Jim Box is different from Rod.
A lot different.
I don't like him.
I see.
But there hasn't been any trouble.
Uh-huh.
Well, where are they now? They're out with the cattle somewhere.
They said that they'd stay here as long as I need them, and, well, right now, with all the stock and everything, I-I really do need them.
Mm-hmm.
And, uh, that's all you know? I sure hope you find that killer.
I'd like to see him hang.
We'll find him.
Good-bye, Anna.
Marshal? Jesse didn't deserve to die.
Not like that.
No, ma'am.
Well, you didn't find out much from her, did you? Nope.
You going to wait to talk to Jim Box and that, uh, Rod fella? No.
I want them to feel safe, Chester.
They made one mistake, they'll make another one.
Course, it may be a long wait.
Huh.
Oh, by golly, it'd sure be a fine time to rob the bank.
How's that? Oh, you're awake.
Yep.
Ever found the man that shot Jesse Wheat? Nope.
Been about a week.
Well, do you figure he's going to come up here and sit down, and you can arrest him? Is that what you figure? By golly, one thing I'll say for sure.
Everybody in Dodge can see that you're sure trying hard to catch him.
Doc, you'd make a poor fisherman.
Why? No patience.
Patience?! Well, now, that's a new word for loafing.
Mm-hmm.
And just what have you been doing? Oh, nothing.
Nothing at all.
I delivered a baby at 4:00 this morning, and I set a broken leg about 7:00, stitched up some drunk's head about 9:00, and I just got through doctoring a sick horse.
- That's about all.
- Hmm.
What you got planned for the rest of the day? Well, more than you have, I'll bet.
Howdy, ma'am.
Or him, either.
Well, how are you, Doc? How you been? Why don't you go back where you came from? Well, what happened to you? Somebody pull you through a knothole? What you been doing? Oh, I've been over at the cattle pens.
You know, old Enoch Miller's buying up a bunch of that XL stuff.
- XL stuff? - About 30 head.
an awful lot of cattle for Anna Wheat to be selling this time of year? Yeah, it sure is.
Was Anna there? No, no.
Just that Jim Box fella.
Jim Box, huh? I'll have to drift up there.
I'm kind of curious about that.
Well, they're more than likely up at Enoch Miller's office by now.
Oh, good.
See you later, Doc.
Yeah, yeah.
Don't walk too fast.
It's kind of hot today.
They're in there, Mr.
Dillon.
Yeah.
Well, hello, Marshal.
- Enoch.
- What are you doing here? That a bill of sale you're making out? Yes.
Why? XL cattle, huh? How much you paying for them? We settled on $20.
Is there something wrong, Marshal? - Well, that'd come to $600, right? - Right.
What's the trouble, Marshal? Is there something wrong with my selling them steers? Not as long as Anna Wheat gets the $600.
Now, wait a minute.
I took it for granted Anna knew about this sale.
You got such a smart marshal.
Look at this.
Yeah.
You better read this, too.
Anna gives him and Rod Allison full authority to sell the cattle and collect the money.
Well, Marshal, I think you owe me an apology.
Enoch.
Any time Box here or Rod Allison tries to sell you more XL cattle, I want to know about it.
Whatever you say, Marshal.
I'm going to tell every other cattle buyer in Dodge the same thing.
That ain't much of an apology.
See you later, Enoch.
That Jim Box is kind of mad there.
Yeah, well, he ought to be.
I think he knows I'm on to his game.
Yeah, but what are you going to do about him, though? I mean, he had that note there from Anna Wheat that it was all right to sell that 30 head and collect the money.
Well, Chester, he's too smart to become a thief just for a few hundred dollars.
I'm afraid he wants more than that a whole lot more.
Evening, Kitty.
Hello, Matt.
Come on, let's sit down.
All right.
Sam.
Oh, thank you.
It's kind of quiet in here tonight, isn't it? Yeah, well, that suits me.
Well, you can't get rich on a half-empty saloon.
Well, I won't get old and worn-out, either.
Oh, now, it's not as bad as all that, is it, Kitty? No, but sometime you ought to try running a place jammed full of half-drunk cowboys and buffalo hunters and mule skinners, all red-eyed and looking for something to hit.
Then you'd find out.
What about me? I got a whole town full of them.
Yeah, but I can't treat them the way you do.
I got to make out like I'm having the time of my life, just enjoying every precious minute of it.
Kitty, why don't you quit? Why don't you? I'd like to sometimes, but something always seems to come up.
Hmm.
You mean like, uh like Jesse Wheat's murder right now? Yeah.
Yeah, it's been over a month.
It's enough to try a man's patience, even mine.
Well, you ought to send them over to me.
I'll tell them how patient you are.
Evening, Miss Kitty.
Hello, Enoch.
- Enoch.
- Why don't you sit down? It's all right if I talk in front of Miss Kitty, ain't it, Marshal? Oh, it's all right, Enoch.
She finds out everything anyway.
It's about Jim Box, Marshal.
What about him? You remember a few weeks ago, you said you wanted to know about the sale of any XL cattle? Yeah.
Well, Jim come into my office this afternoon, offered to sell me 500 head.
- 500 head? - Yeah.
That's about everything Anna Wheat owns.
Maybe she's selling out.
No, Miss Kitty.
He offered to sell them to me real cheap, about half what they're worth provided I didn't tell you, Marshal.
What'd you say? I said I'd take them.
He's hired a couple of men from someplace.
They're driving the herd in day after tomorrow.
Thanks, Enoch.
I lied to them about not telling you, but I don't feel bad about it.
Because of those men Box has hired.
That's what give them away.
What do you mean? Yeah, they can probably ride good enough, but they ain't real cowboys, Marshal.
Well, I think I'll just take a ride out there tomorrow and find out about that.
Glad I ain't got your job.
Not going against them gunmen.
Anna? Anna, you there? Hello, Marshal.
Chester.
Come on in.
I just put some coffee on.
Oh.
Now, wait a minute, Anna.
Uh, where are the men? Well, they're both out on the prairie.
Both? You mean to say that, uh, Jim Box and Rod Allison are the only two men here? Well, yes, of course.
Why? Chester, you better go and get the horses around in back.
Yes, sir.
Marshal, is there something wrong? Yes, I'm afraid there is, Anna.
It's not Rod.
He's not in trouble, is he? You always seem to be very concerned about Rod.
Well, I can't help it.
I don't know why you're here, Marshal, but before you tell me, there's something I want - to tell you.
- What's that? Rod and I are going to get married.
You are? We fell in love right off.
Oh, I I told Jesse about it, and, well, he understood.
He was always like a father to me.
The only thing he asked was that we wait a while.
He had a bad heart, and well, he knew he wouldn't live very long anyway.
I see.
We didn't do anything wrong, Marshal.
Well, that may be, Anna, but I'm here to arrest them.
Both of them.
Why? Because one of them killed Jesse.
Oh, no, Marshal, not Rod.
I know him.
He'd never do that.
Maybe he just got tired of waiting for Jesse to die.
Oh, Marshal, I swear it wasn't Rod.
I know him! He'd never do that! Take it easy now, Anna.
We'll find out soon enough.
I got them tied behind the house, Mr.
Dillon.
Oh, well, you better sit down, Anna.
Keep an eye on that window, Chester.
Yes, sir.
Mr.
Dillon! Mr.
Dillon! Mr.
Dillon, come here.
Jim Box is a-coming, but that Rod ain't with him.
And he just got two strangers with him there.
Yeah, they probably left Rod out with the herd.
Are you sure he's not with them? No, no, just Jim Box and them other two.
Well, I'm afraid it wouldn't matter anyway, Anna.
We'll have to go out after him.
Not if Jim Box kills you, you won't.
- Chester? - Yeah? Better take Anna out in the kitchen.
She tries to warn them, stop her.
Yeah.
Marshal I'm sorry.
I didn't mean what I said.
It's all right, Anna.
Let's go, ma'am.
Please.
This won't take long.
I'll tell her some fancy story about Rod, and we'll get moving.
Anna? Anna, where are you? I'm in the kitchen.
Come in here.
You come out here.
I'm busy.
Hold it.
You wouldn't shoot me in the back, would you, Marshal? Get your hands up.
I don't trust you, Marshal.
Is he dead, Mr.
Dillon? Yeah.
You want me to get our horses? - Let them go, Chester.
- Let them go? I don't want them.
It's Rod I want.
Well, they're probably going right straight to him right now! Gunmen aren't very loyal, Chester.
Those two probably won't stop - till they hit the Rocky Mountains.
- Marshal.
Yes, Anna? You killed Jim Box.
Well, I I had to, Anna.
Now Rod's all alone.
He's the only one left to blame it on, isn't he? Well, I'll know more when I find him, Anna.
Anna? Anna? Anna! Sounds like Rod.
Careful.
He may be using her for a shield.
Where'd he come from, anyway? I don't know.
Marshal? Marshal, hurry! I ain't about to use that, Marshal.
What's happened? He's been shot.
How bad is it? I ain't going to die.
Who shot you? Jim Box.
Jim Box? Why? I found out he was going to steal Anna's cattle, and I had an argument with him.
He left me for dead, but I got back here.
Now do you believe him, Marshal? He's innocent! Who shot Jesse, Rod? What difference it make? I never done it, but now they're going to hang me anyway! Is that true, Marshal? What are you going to do? Tell me! Well, I'll get Doc out here to take care of him.
And then, when he's well, I'll expect you to bring him into town, Anna.
To jail, you mean.
Well, you might stop by.
Give me an invite to the wedding.
Come on, Chester.