Original subtitles

Two shots at close range. That's all I can tell you now.

Why didn't you tell us you came back to town yesterday ?

Because I didn't.

Why should I say I did ?

I see you're wearing a .45 caliber Peacemaker.

Yeah.

I got it when they first came out.

I don't think that's any of your business either.

"Colt .45.."

Produced by Warner Brothers.

From the entertainment capital of the world

produced for television by Warner Brothers.

It had been a long time since I hadn't had a federal case

on my mind, and I was enjoying the situation.

Big country, a good horse, peace all around

and ahead of me Scott City and a good friend

who knew me only as a Colt salesman.

He was a sheriff but he managed to bait his hook

for things other than bad men.

There was a great stream for trout fishing

around those parts he'd promised me

last time I'd seen him.

And I was going to take him up on it.

And just let everything kinda drift by me

for a few days.

Chris ! A long time since I last saw you.

- Good to see you, Ben. - How's the gun business ?

Not bad. Not bad at all.

You're gonna stay a while this time ?

Well, I got a few days with nobody prodding in.

I remember what you said about a stream surrounded by

blueberries and trout just waiting around

to jump at a hook.

It's still there. Now which do you want ?

The blueberries or the trout ?

Well, you can't go after blueberries with a fishing pole.

How about taking a few days off and joining me ?

Well, I just may arrange that.

You know the last time I was out there

I got me a trout this big.

Well, not really.

More this size b ut..

What's the matter, Mrs. Grant ?

It's Dennis Whittier.

He's been killed.

Dennis Whittier, he-he's the bookkeeper, isn't he ?

He worked for my husband at the mine.

Now he's dead.

Well, how did he die ?

He was shot.

Morgan Brent killed him.

'Are you sure it was Morgan Brent ?'

I saw him riding away.

What time was this ?

I don't know.

With everything else

I didn't think to look at the clock.

I ran into a fellow who called himself Morgan Brent

on my way into town.

Where ?

About 10 miles south.

Where is this mine ?

Well, darn close to there.

Heard two shots before I ran into Brent.

You think that could have anything to do with it ?

Well, it could.

Tell me how this happened, Mrs. Grant.

Our home is next to the mine office.

I saw Morgan go into the office and heard the shooting.

So I ran outside and saw Morgan riding away.

And then I went into the office and... found Mr. Whittier..

...dead on the floor.

You shouldn't have come here alone.

Wasn't there anybody to help ? What about your husband ?

He is in San Felipe on business.

'When's he coming back ?'

8 o'clock stage in the morning.

You know where I live just around the corner ?

- Yes. - Well, my wife's there.

I want you to go over and stay with her

till Mr. Grant comes back.

Thank you, sheriff.

Now you go over to my place

and you try and get some rest.

Well, I know better than hang himself in time.

There have been killings he's wiggled out of before

but this is the one I'm gonna get him for.

- Who is he ? - He's a gambler. And a crook.

The whole town will be better off without him.

- Looks like it may be. - Where are you gonna find him ?

He sure won't come back here.

I want you to show me the place where you met him.

Then we'll pick up his trail from there.

Vacation... relax... go fishing.

Look, we'll come around to that as soon as we clean up

this business. We gotta pick up the corn.

Well, this is the spot.

He headed off down that draw.

Yeah, he's got a friend who runs some cows out that way.

It'd slow him. Let's see what he has to say.

Hold up there, Brent !

- What for ? - What's your business here ?

Visiting a friend of mine. Why ?

Can I have my carbine ? I'd like to go.

No, you can't. You're under arrest.

I got you this time. None of your self defense claims.

'Cause Dennis Whittier didn't carry a gun.

- Dennis Whittier ? ? - Why did you Kill him ?

Kill him ? I saw him a couple of hours ago.

He was just as much alive than as you are now.

What gives you the idea I'd kill him ?

'You were seen coming out of the office where he was working.'

And you rode off in a big hurry.

Now get going.

Alright, sheriff, have your fun.

You've got no more on me now than the other times.

Ben, here are the slugs that killed him.

44-40 caliber.

That's the same caliber as this casing

I took from Brent's carbine.

Ha ! Another nail in his coffin.

Let's just see what he has to say about this.

- Oh, what about the widow ? - I told her.

She didn't seem too broke up.

She and Whittier were separated.

Yeah, it's a pitiful thing.

Pretty young woman left all alone in this country.

What ? Are you gonna turn me loose so soon, sheriff ?

Not much. I'm not.

How about giving us the whole story ?

What story ?

These slugs that killed Whittier are 44-40.

The same that fits your carbine.

Small world, isn't it ?

Still doesn't prove anything.

Nah, you're dead, Brent.

Why don't you save yourself and all of us

a lot of time and trouble and admit you did it.

Why should I admit anything ? I had nothing to do with it.

What about those two shots I heard out there ?

I told you about that. I fired at a wolf. And I missed !

You said you'd been with Whittier ?

- That's right. - Why ?

I was trying to collect some money he owed me.

He gave any proof of that. Did he sign any paper ?

No, it was a friendly loan.

I thought collecting it would be friendly too

but he never got around to it.

Alright, sheriff, you can think whatever you like.

But you just remember this. You gotta prove I killed him.

And you're never gonna do that.

We'll prove it alright.

I had enough of him for one day.

I'm going out to home and talk to Mrs. Grant.

It's a bad thing for a woman to go through.

But she'll feel better when her husband gets here.

I'll wait here, Ben.

Oh, Wallace ! Wallace !

Kate, what is it ? What happened ?

Well, maybe I better tell you, Mr. Grant. It's bad news.

Dennis Whittier was found shot to death in your office.

Dennis !

- But.. But who'd kill him ? - Morgan Brent.

Oh, he won't admit anything but there's no doubt he did it.

I've got him locked up. Your wife saw him at the mine office.

Oh, Kate, this must have been a terrible thing

for you to go through alone.

We kept her at our place last night.

Thought it'd be better.

Thanks, sheriff.

I'll take her home now.

Sure, Mr. Brent, don't you worry.

Things will be evened out pretty quick now.

Don't know what I'm doing this for.

Doesn't look like I'll get a chance to use it

unless some of those trout come swimming through here.

Oh, we'll go tomorrow for sure.

We got our man lock, stock and barrel.

I'll just deputize somebody to keep an eye on this place

for a couple of days.

- What do you want, Mr. Grant ? - We want Brent.

What do you figure on doing with him ?

Make him pay for what he did.

You know the law. He is entitled to a trial.

Anybody who shoots a man down in cold blood

the way he did doesn't deserve one.

The court will decide whether he's guilty or not.

- Not a mob like you. - We don't need a court.

We know he's guilty.

He deliberately went to the mine

to kill Whittier.

How do you know that, Mr. Grant ?

Because he went to the mine after 5 o'clock

and I'll tell you why.

He knows the mine closes at 4

and there wouldn't be any workmen around

to see him do it.

And if my wife hadn't spotted him

he'd have gotten away with it too.

He says he went out to see Whittier to collect some money

he owned him from a card game.

Yeah, and when he didn't get it

he killed him.

He's got to be taken care of.

Now. Before there's any slip off.

Now, now, wait a minute.

You all know how I feel about Brent.

But we have laws in this state.

And they were laid down for the protection of all of us.

'The guilty right along with the innocent.'

'He'll stand trial.'

Our kind of trial.

He's my prisoner not yours.

And as much as I hate him I'll fight you to keep him.

Now go on home or back to the salon.

'Or wherever you came from.'

Nothing like this has happened before.

Seems like Grant who went and stirred up that mob.

Is he a special friend of Whittier's ?

Well, they're friendly enough but seeing his wife

in the state she was in, is enough to make any man wild.

And I guess it would.

What happened to those slugs the coroner brought in ?

I put them away. Why ? What do you got in mind ?

I'd like to take a look at 'em.

You got a magnifying glass ?

No. Well, not in the office. I got one at the house.

My wife use it sometimes when she reads the Bible.

How about a pair of binoculars ?

Yeah, I got that.

What do you wanna look at ?

Nothing very far away.

What in tarnation are you doing, Chris ?

I hate to upset the apple cart but it's beginning to look like

Brent didn't kill Whittier.

What's got into you ?

I don't see anything but a couple of pieces of leather

I saw before.

You don't see any rifling marks on 'em, do you ?

No, but what difference does it make ?

Well, 44-40 carbines are rifled and handguns aren't.

Are you trying to say these slugs didn't come

from Morgan Brent's carbine ?

These slugs came from a 44-40 pistol.

I don't believe it.

That's because you don't want to.

You don't like Brent, you've been wanting to

build a strong case against him for a long time.

'Thought you had but now you don't.'

When my late uncle's company put out

a .45 caliber armor revolver

the people on the Frontier took it up.

There was one hitch.

Ammunition for it was hard to get.

So the company put out a 44-40 caliber

'same load that the men out here'

'use in their rifles and carbines.'

After a while .45 ammunition got easier to get

so they discontinued the 44-40.

There's still a few of them around though.

That's what got Whittier not Brent's carbine.

You know more about guns than anybody I know

so what you say must be right.

What do I do now ?

Better start looking for a new suspect.

You got somebody in mind ?

Yes.

Except he wasn't in town yesterday.

Wallace Grant.

Grant ?

What has got into you ?

Well, what strikes me as funny is that

until he arrived nobody was excited about the killing.

Then he shows up and he's got a lynch mob ready to go to work.

Well, there's nothing strange about that.

Brent made a lot of enemies in this town

all they needed was somebody to get 'em started.

And it just happened to be Wallace Grant.

I think we oughta talk to a few more people.

Anybody in particular ?

I'd like to talk to Whittier's widow. Where does she live ?

Right behind the hotel, first house.

It's white with a picket fence around it.

Hello. Are you Mrs. Whittier ?

- Yes. - My name is Chris Colt.

I'm working with Sheriff Ben Mason

on your husband's case.

Do you mind if I talk with you for a moment ?

Well, come in.

Morgan Brent's arrested. What more is there to do or say ?

It's beginning to look like Brent had nothing to do with it.

Everybody says he did.

Why do you say he didn't ?

I only said it looked like he hadn't.

Do you think he did ?

Well... everybody said that he killed Dennis

and he was arrested.

I didn't think there was anything more to it.

Would he have had any reason to kill your husband ?

- I don't know. - Do you know anybody who would ?

I hadn't spoken to my husband for almost a year.

Not about where he went, who he saw, who his friends were..

Anything about what he did.

You must have been hurt real bad.

Do you mind telling me how it started ?

Yes, I do mind.

It's all over now.

And I don't wanna talk about it or think about it.

Oh, the way I see it if Brent is brought to trial

you'll be asked a lot of questions under oath.

I'll wait for that then.

Do you mind telling me this ?

How long had your husband worked for Grant ?

I'll find out from somebody else if you don't tell me.

Oh, it... it was a year and a half I think.

How well do you know Grant ?

I don't know him at all.

I've hardly spoken to him.

What does this have to do with it ?

How well did your husband know Mrs. Grant ?

Mr. Colt, I told you

I don't know anything about what my husband did.

Well, thank you, Mrs. Whittier.

I hope I won't have to bother you again.

Where you've been, Chris ?

From the looks of that horse I'd say it was a long way.

San Felipe.

You know where I can locate Grant ?

Yeah. He's in the salon. What do you want with him ?

I've got a few questions to ask him.

Come on.

Why didn't you tell us you came back to town yesterday ?

Because I didn't. Why should I say I did ?

You took the stage from here to San Felipe.

Rented a horse, rode out of town. Where did you go ?

On private business. Mine. Not yours.

The stable owner says you brought the horse back

half dead, like you've been riding all night.

And you took the stage to Scott City.

You could have rode back to the mine.

Say, what's he trying to pull ?

Who is he and what rights he got to stick his nose

into what I do ?

He's name is Chris Colt and he's a friend of mine.

I gave him the right.

What makes you so sure that Brent was at the mine

at 5 o'clock yesterday ?

My wife told me.

We asked her what time Whittier was killed, she didn't remember.

Yet you say she told you.

Oh, come on, Chris, she was all torn to pieces

when she talked to us. She wasn't making sense.

I see you're wearing a .45 caliber peacemaker.

Yeah.

I got it when they first came out.

I don't think that's any of your business either.

How about a 44-407

You ever carry one of those ?

No, I, I never owned one.

What made you think I might ?

Just a guess.

Sheriff, I thought you run this town ?

He sort of helped me out.

Morgan Brent's in jail, what's he helping you with ?

There's no real proof against Brent.

My wife's words are proof enough.

Sure.

But if I happen to find a 44-40 handgun..

...the proof is liable to switch another way.

Sheriff, you know where to find me

if there's any... official questions.

I bet you 10 to 1 I know where he's gone.

Where ?

To get rid of a 44-40 pistol.

Where is it ?

The gun ?

I've got to get rid of it before the sheriff

and his friend get here.

Wallace, what are you talking about ?

Kate, I've done all I could.

But they're closing in.

What's the matter with you ? Who's closing in ?

Kate, it's no use.

I've suspected for the past year there was something

between you and Whittier.

I rode back from San Felipe yesterday.

And came out here, I heard you asking the man

to go back to his wife.

I heard what he said.

I saw you shoot him.

Oh, Wallace, you've got to help me.

I didn't mean for it to happen.

It just did. Oh, please you've got to help me.

Kate, I tried.

But I'm afraid it's too late.

Oh, darling, it isn't too late.

I made an awful mistake but..

...it wasn't all my fault.

You left me alone so much I began to feel like

like I didn't belong.

I had to look for something.

Kate I.. I know that now.

Darling, we can go away together.

Start all over again some place else.

Unless you don't care for me anymore.

Kate, why do you think I've stirred suspicion

away from you ?

I've done such a good job that this Colt fellow now suspects me

of the killing.

Kate, you've got to get rid of that gun

before they get here.

I'd like to look at that, Mrs. Grant.

Oh, Wallace, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

I did all I could to help you.

To help me ?

You can't blame my husband, Mr. Colt. No jury could.

He did what any man would do to protect his wife.

It's no use, Mrs. Grant.

I was standing outside for a couple of minutes

before I came in.

'I'll take that gun now.'

44-40.

I tried to help her.

You almost did..

...at your expense.

Would you like to get her ready to go into town ?

Okay, Brent, on your way.

Sure. Thanks for your hospitality, sheriff.

Better luck next time.

I'll just stay around town, give you another chance.

It's all over.

Nothing to keep us from going after those trout now.

Nothing but this.

A wire to report back to Fort Randall

the day after tomorrow.

If I'm gonna make it I'd better get started right away.

What about your vacation ?

Explain that to the fish.

Tell 'em to keep swimming around till I get back.

I'll do that. See you next year then.

I'll be looking forward to it, Ben.

Just don't let anyone get shot the next time I come to town.