Original subtitles

[theme song]

NARRATOR: "Gunsmoke."

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

[SINGING] 40 times a day, I feed on her the best of hay.

Ha, ha, ha.

You and me, a little brown jug.

Oh, I love thee.

Ha, ha, ha.

You and me, a little brown jug.

Oh, I love--

[cow mooing]

Well, looky there!

[laughing]

Isn't that-- don't beat all.

There stands some of the nicest looking steak I ever seen!

Just waiting to be pan friend.

You listening to me, Fritter?

[dog whimpering]

Come on, now.

Nice steak.

Yeah.

That's right, Fritter.

We're going to get us a nice, little piece of steak.

You and me going to get along real fine.

Easy, fella.

Fritter, easy.

[gunshot firing]

[horse neighing]

Look at that prairie scum down there.

At it again!

This time, he'll dangle from a--

Oh, come on, Colt!

Let him have it.

He just ain't worth it.

Uh, maybe not.

But if we can get him close to feeling this noose,

tightening around his scrawny, little neck,

maybe that'll chase him out of the territory.

Ya!

[music playing]

Come on, Fritter!

[dog barking]

[screaming]

[horse neighing]

[dog barking]

Finally caught you, didn't we, Floyd?

Right dab up to your elbows.

Just a stray!

Just a stray!

Yeah.

They're always just a stray, ain't they, Floyd?

Every gentry cow that you butchered.

Wait, boys.

Didn't mean no harm.

What are you going to do to me?

Oh, please, Colt!

Wait, boys!

I didn't mean no harm.

What are you going to do to me?

You ain't going to hang me!

Get up on that horse.

Oh, please, Colt!

It's Mr. Gentry to thieving squatters like you!

[dog whimpering]

[crying]

Oh, please, Mr. Gentry!

Don't hang Old Floyd!

Please!

We find carcasses all over the prairie

ever since you come back from Dodge.

Now who we going to blame, huh?

That mean, old dog of yours?

I only took them that was lame or hurt.

Just enough for me and my partner.

Well, too bad he ain't here to hang with you.

I won't never do it no more.

I swear to it.

Oh, Floyd.

You are the swearing-est man.

I'm begging you, Mr. Gentry.

I seen a man hanged once.

Eh, Colt, maybe if he promised to get out of Gentry territory

and never come back?

I'll go.

Me and my partner, we'll go and we won't bother you no more.

I promise you that.

We won't bother you anymore.

His words are like he is-- ain't good for nothing.

Well, maybe we could trust him just this once.

All right.

But don't let us catch you around here no more.

Thank you.

I sure do thank you.

[music playing]

[horse neighing]

[screaming]

Cut him down, Colt!

Cut him down, Colt!

Floyd?

Come on, Floyd!

Floyd?

[dog whimpering]

He's dead.

Oh, no.

He can't be.

Except he is.

This was just a joke.

What are we going to do, Ben?

We got no choice.

Bury him.

Come on.

[music playing]

[theme song]

[wind blowing]

[wheezing]

Close the door!

[sneezing]

[coughing]

Jeez.

I knew this was too good to be true.

Here I was, enjoying myself and then you had to--

I-- I'm sorry, Doc.

I-- I-- I--

[sneezing]

Wait a minute.

What-- what's that-- what's that smell?

Well, I put this here.

Oh, [inaudible]!

What in-- I'd rather have the door open

than the smell of that stuff.

Why, what'd you put that on for?

Well, I ain't feeling good, Doc.

Well, then why didn't you stay home and stay in bed?

Here, I'll do this.

No.

I've done doctored myself.

Oh, well, then that's just fine.

That's just fine.

You don't need me at all.

You and your [inaudible] remedies.

[sneezing]

Oh.

Oh, boy.

Doc, you wouldn't have any bit of that little, high powered

sneezing medicine, would you?

What?

Well, just a little bottle of whiskey.

Yeah. A little bottle of whiskey.

No, I haven't got any and you don't need any of that!

What you need is to go home, take that thing

off, and take a good bath.

That'll do you more good than it-- that'll do you more--

[wheezing]

[sneezing]

Oh, keep away from me!

Ah!

Well, of all the old, saw bone, quack quacks!

Here I am, a practical guy with pneumonia,

and you say, go home and take a bath!

[sneezing]

Your taking a little cold, yourself.

Maybe Matthew's got some of that sneezing medicine.

Yeah.

Here, Doc.

Here, take yourself a little swallow.

Just keep away from me!

I don't need any of that.

All I need is some fresh air.

Well, then why don't you go out and get yourself some?

Because I was here first!

That's why!

I was warm, and peaceful, and quiet,

and minding my own business.

And then you had to come along and with that-- with that--

[wheezing]

[sneezing]

Doc.

Oh, Festus.

I'm glad I found you here.

You're going, uh-- have to take all the--

[sneezing]

I want you to take over for me.

That is, if you think you're well enough.

Oh, of course.

I got a letter from Orly Grimes.

I'm going to have to go down that way and talk to him.

Orly Grimes?

Isn't that that funny, old cook that used to live

out by Thunder Wash there?

Yeah.

That's the same one.

His letter was kind of confusing.

He said something about his partner disappearing

and then he finds him buried with a rope around his neck.

He, evidently, think it's a lynching.

Anyway, I'm going to have to cut us a White Oak stage.

White Oak?

Ain't that what they call Gentry country, Matthew?

Out yonder, close to the Colorado line.

That's it.

Gentry spread takes in that whole corner of the state.

Matt, that's-- that's an awful long ride over there.

Why don't you-- why don't you just wire the sheriff

over in Syracuse?

Eh.

Grimes claims that I'm the only one he'll talk to.

Well, Matthew, the way I've heared it now, that Gentry,

he kind of runs things to suit his own self.

And he don't want no outsiders coming in there,

especially wearing badges.

Well, he's kind of hard nose, all right.

I'll see you later.

Have a good trip, Matthew.

If you want me to, I'll go with you, Matthew!

Shut that door!

Can it.

Doc, the onliest thing I wanted to do--

And on second thought, I am going to get some fresh air.

[wheezing]

[sneezing] -Stop, now.

If you'd only do like I tell you and take

a little swallow of that--

Don't you prescribe for me!

I'll do the prescribing around here.

And I'm going to prescribe for you right now

and it won't cost you a cent.

It's free.

Go home, and take foul smelling stuff

off, and take a bath before you turn Dodge into a ghost town.

[sneezing]

[music playing]

Morning, Mr. Gentry, sir.

Afternoon.

[cows mooing]

Buel?

Yes, sir.

You seen anything of my two sons today?

They ain't come back yet, Mr. Gentry.

There's a lot of fencing up there in the Northwest quarter.

Yeah.

They got eyes that pay more attention

to the petticoats in Sedalia than they are to fencing.

No takers on that, Mr. Gentry.

[cows mooing]

[horse neighing]

Amos.

Matt Dillon.

That face threw me for a minute, but I know the voice anywhere.

Last time I saw you, you were just a green apple

deputy in Hayes City.

How long ago has that been?

I'll tell you, you were courting

Claire Eldridge at the time.

It goes back more years than ticks on a mule,

me knocking my boots together to get the mud off

to make myself presentable.

She's Mrs. Gentry now.

So I heard.

Well, come on up.

Let's get something to eat and some coffee.

Claire?

Who have I got here?

Matthew Dillon!

Well, it's about time that you come to see us.

Oh, Amos!

Where in the world did you find him?

Oh, I didn't.

He found us.

Matthew!

Claire.

Oh, my.

Well, you've grown right up to the ceiling.

Well, let me get you some coffee.

Sit down.

Sounds good.

We're sure glad to see you.

I bet you're starved.

Well, no thanks, ma'am.

The coffee will be just fine.

Well, don't ma'am me.

That's for old ladies and school teachers.

Matthew, how long are you planning on staying with us?

Well, I'm just down for a visit, Claire.

Actually, I came down here to investigate a death.

Law business?

Well, I got a letter from a fellow named Orly Grimes.

Did you ever hear of him?

Mm.

I've heard of him.

He's, uh-- squatted up in Black Canyon

with a friend of his named Babcock.

They came down here from Ford Country about 18 months ago.

Right.

That's the pair.

Well, Grimes claims that Babcock was lynched.

I ain't heard about that.

Well, I guess I'll have to go have a talk with him.

Find out.

Well, trouble making and squatting, that's all they're

good for.

If they was both lynched, it would serve them right.

Well, I knew 'em when they were around Dodge.

They were always kind of bothersome,

but I figured them to be harmless.

Well, no matter how long it takes,

you're going to stay with us.

And I won't listen to nos.

Just yeses.

Well, thanks, Claire.

That's might nice of you, but I'm not sure just how much

I'm going to be moving around.

Well, you've got to eat and sleep someplace.

And it-- it might as well be here, isn't that right, Amos?

That's right, Claire.

I don't take kindly to government law in my land.

I mean, I've always taken care of everything

that need taking care of.

I can handle anything that needs handling.

Well, I'm sure we can work together

on this, all right, Amos?

Uh-- it's my job, you know?

I don't like big government.

Course, once it gets to rolling out and spreading,

God Almighty couldn't stop it.

That doesn't mean I got to like it though.

Well, Claire, thanks very much for the coffee.

I, uh-- guess I better get rolling.

Go and see what this fellow, Grimes, has to say.

Well, hurry back.

We're going to have chicken and dumplings for dinner.

Thanks, Claire.

So nice to see Matthew again.

You know, Amos, it really does bring back those days past.

I didn't hear about that Babcock getting lynched.

Amos, you know, it-- it seems like you're

more upset about not hearing than you are

about that poor, old man dying.

[music playing]

Orly!

Orly Grimes!

Who are you?

What you want?

Matt Dillon from Dodge.

I'd about given you up, Marshal.

I wrote that letter a week ago.

What happened, Orly?

Remember old Floyd?

Yeah.

One day he went shooting for something to eat

and didn't come back like always,

so I go looking for him.

I found him, buried like.

Come along and I'll show you.

Oh.

This tree must be where they done it.

I probably never would have found him,

if it hadn't been for Fritter. [dog whimpering]

You remember old Fritter, don't you, Marshal?

Yeah.

Floyd called him Fritter cause he always looked so tired.

Fritter will waste a day doing that.

Hey, old Fritter.

Dog sure loved old Floyd.

He won't come away long enough to eat.

I have to bring his vitals to him.

He wasn't much good for nothing, old Floyd.

Hardly ever took a bath.

Didn't shave his whiskers once a month.

I used to tell him, take a bath and shave

that ugly face of yours!

Took the hind leg of a jack ass, old Floyd

would, with his crazy stories nobody ever believed was true.

But he was some friend.

He was some friend.

The grave was all covered over with dirt, rocks, and brush

when I found him.

Where was this?

That's the rope I found buried with him.

Is it all for our kind, ain't it, Marshal?

Same as it is for Gentry.

What's Gentry got to do with it?

I found where Floyd butchered one of his steers.

He must have caught him at it.

You mean his ranch hands?

No.

I'm talking them two sons of his.

I saw them ride by that morning.

They lynched old Floyd.

Them two boys done it. I know it for fact.

[cows mooing]

This bull, heel!

All right, Buel!

[cows mooing]

Let's have another!

Buel?

See, you better take the iron on this one.

The Gentry got some good looking cattle this year.

How's our wire?

Oh.

Mostly tight.

Spliced some.

Took you long enough.

You boys stopped by Sedalia?

No.

No.

You, I don't believe.

No, we didn't, pa.

Spent the week covering the whole quarter.

Did you hear anything about old sporter Babcock getting hanged?

No.

Was he?

I don't like things happening on my land I don't know about.

Well, we didn't hear nothing about it.

Come on, Ben.

What happened, Ben?

What's the matter?

I told you, we didn't hear nothing--

[slap]

The lie's hanging from your mouth.

I said, what happened?

We caught him killing a steer, pa.

We thought we'd scare him.

Pretend to hang him.

The horse spooked, pa.

We didn't mean to do it for real.

It was you.

It was an accident, pa.

I swear it!

It wasn't like we really hung him.

Accident?

You don't hang a man out of hand.

Well, you got after squatters before yourself, pa.

Not so the law would get interested.

What law?

A US Marshal.

Just happens to be a friend of mine and your mother's.

Matt Dillon.

You ain't going to let him take us in, pa.

When did you boys have this accident?

Week ago, Sunday.

And why didn't you come tell me?

Scared mostly.

Figured we'd stay out in the quarter,

the way we was supposed to.

Figuring no one would hear about it.

His partner, Grimes, got wind of it somehow.

-How could he? -I don't know.

Unless he was there and you were blind as well as stupid.

I could have sworn no one saw us, pa.

We buried the body.

Eh.

He couldn't have seen you.

He'd a mentioned it in that letter to Matt.

Now here's what you do.

You were in Sedalia that Sunday.

All day.

Now get on up to Dry Creak line shack

and stay there till I send for you.

Dry Creek's 30 miles.

Would you rather ride 30 miles or answer questions

from Matt Dillon, who will catch you in a lie

quicker than I would?

Now get!

Yes, pa.

[music playing]

Claire, we're in a bit of trouble.

Ben and Colt, they're the ones that hanged old Babcock.

It was an accident.

Oh, Amos.

How can you hang a man by accident?

If there's a way, you can trust them boys to find it.

Hi, Matt.

A good sweat never hurt anybody, even a man my age.

Amos, I got to talk to your boys.

What about?

They were seeing riding in Black Canyon the day

Floyd Babcock was killed.

Who says?

Babcock's partner, Orly Grimes.

Orly Grimes. [inaudible] next to him.

When did you say this hanging took place?

Sunday before last, according to Grimes.

That's when your boys were seen in that area.

Oh. Sunday before last.

That lets my boys out.

There we're nowhere near Black Canyon.

There were in Sedalia that Sunday.

I'll have to talk to 'em.

Their riding fence.

I don't expect them back anytime soon.

I'll still have to talk to 'em, Amos.

What did you say to him?

Just what I said I would.

Did he believe you?

Matt's got a poker face that would

take the skin off a rattler.

Where are you going?

I got something I've got to do.

Amos?

Are you sure that you're doing the right thing, covering

up for the boys, like this?

You want the boys to go to prison

for maybe the rest of their natural lives

or even be hanged?

No.

Of course, I don't.

It's just that I never knowed you to lie before.

I never needed to before.

You lie, too, if it comes necessary.

Where'd you get the chicken, Grimes?

Steal it?

Where's your hired guns at?

Don't need 'em, do I?

Don't come any closer.

I only want to talk you about my boys.

Somehow, it just doesn't sound right.

Gentry's sons hanging a man?

Squatter and thief, though he was.

In fact, some folks might think that anyone spreading a story

like ought to be hung, too.

What do you think, Orly?

[stuttering]

Yeah.

You men work for Amos Gentry?

That's right.

Do you happen to know where his two sons are?

Riding fence, I figure, Marshal.

Yeah.

That's what I heard.

The point is, where?

Well, this is a big spread, Marshal.

Kind of hard to tell where they are exactly.

I mean, a fellow could ride for miles

and never happen to come on him unless he was real lucky.

See you, Marshal.

Hi.

Is there a telegraph operator in here?

You're talking to him.

We got to double up on a lot of jobs here at the station.

I'd like to send that.

Colt and Ben?

I can't be sending that without Mr. Gentry's say so.

I'm the United States Marshal, Miss.

I'm afraid you'll have to.

[music playing]

[footsteps]

[knocking]

Matthew, come in!

Claire.

We waited supper for you, just to-- just as long as we could.

Well, I had to stop by the way station.

Well, sit down.

I've kept it hot for you.

Sit down, sit down.

Well, Amos, I, uh-- wired up to the sheriff up in Sedalia.

He hasn't seen a Gentry all year.

Oh.

That's not surprising.

The boys are probably sneaking around the back alleys,

knowing they should be riding fence.

They figured I wouldn't hear about it, but I did.

They got some lady friends in Sedalia.

Yes.

They-- they play around more than I'd like, Matt.

I'll have to keep looking for them, Amos.

Well, there's a lot of miles of fence out there.

You see 'em, you let me hear, hm?

You know, Matt, you was just toe headed boy when I come here.

I had holes in my pockets and more guts than brains.

But I come and I stayed.

I fought off Indians, Quantro, anybody who tried to take away

what was mine.

Had to.

There was no law to help me, but me.

Over 1,000 square miles of land and my say so was it.

Let a man live or put him in a grave.

Break Gentry's law, answer to Gentry.

Likewise, Gentry takes care of his own.

And that's the way it is.

A lot of men have been killed fighting change, Amos.

They fought it and died.

Hm.

I think a man stands for what he believes in.

And what he does.

Amos, would you like some more coffee?

I'll take a look at the stock.

They get a little nervous when the wind comes up.

Sometimes I have wished that I had a penny for every pot

of coffee that I ever made.

He's fighting for something that

doesn't exist anymore, Claire.

Yes, I know that.

You want to tell me about Colt and Ben?

Matthew, Amos is my husband.

And what he says is the way that it is.

[music playing]

Amos, I'm getting old.

I'm turning into an old lady.

Hm.

Your as young as you ever was.

No.

I count back over the years now and there's been a lot of 'em.

Back when we first got married, when we first came out here.

Amos, you know that I can't even remember

what my face looked like then.

Must've been a lot different.

Kind of ugly, as I recollect.

Well, it still isn't the prettiest.

It is, to me.

Amos, I want you to let the boy's

face up to what they've done.

We won't talk about that.

I'll take care of it.

Like you always do.

Colt and Ben are weak, Amos.

They're less than men should be.

They're not men.

They're boys.

They've got a right to some mistakes.

It's more than that.

They're Gentry's sons and they think

that they're above the law.

I'm the law here.

And after you, who says the law?

Colt and Ben, who hang a man by accident.

Oh, Amos, they have got to learn to be responsible.

I'll say what they've got to learn.

And protect them from murder?

Amos, what happens to them?

They'll live!

They'll live to give us grandchildren.

The name goes on.

The name will go on.

It's not too much to ask.

[music playing]

[dog whimpering]

Hey, do you think she'll grow, Marshal?

Well, I wouldn't be surprised, Orly.

I'll keep old Fritter tried for a ways and have him locked.

Dogs forget.

Where you headed?

Well, for the West.

I guess.

What about your homestead?

I ain't got nothing to keep me here

now that-- well, I'll be going.

Orly?

I'd like to get a statement from you, if I could?

Marshal, I've been thinking about what I told you.

My eyes ain't sharp anymore, like they was when I was a boy.

What are you driving at?

I don't believe it is, uh-- Gentry boys

that I saw that morning.

More than likely, some drifters who hung old Floyd.

Orly, there's nothing to be gained by running away.

I ain't running.

I'm just going.

There's a difference.

What do you think Floyd would say to that?

Floyd?

He'd say, go.

And I'm going to go.

Get over here a little ways, Fritter.

All right, Orly.

Now you're leaving.

You don't want to testify, but maybe you

could tell where a couple of boys

might go around here, if they wanted to hideout for awhile?

You got to make so much noise?

If you don't like it, you get your hind end over here

and do it yourself. -Oh!

Touchy, touchy!

Hey, what are you doing?

Don't let your pittance stop your mouth.

You want some?

I want this wind to stop, is what I want.

Is there any bacon left?

I ate it.

I said, I ate it!

Well, I'm looking for something else.

You got to throw things around like some sort of pig?

Look, what do you want?

Well, I want something besides greasy, undone cornbread.

And something to do besides play cards with myself

and you for company!

I want me something soft and cuddly.

And some music!

And something besides this old shack!

Yeah.

We would had something else, you didn't

get that-- that knee slapping idea

to pretend to hang old Babcock.

Oh, now you're blaming me, huh?

Well, I ain't blaming Methuselah,

that's what I ain't!

Oh!

Now they're all sticky!

This ain't to my liking.

If pa ever figured that we just--

Aw, come on!

We'll be in Sedalia by dark, back maybe tomorrow.

And we won't be running into no marshal up in Sedalia.

Some beer, some girls to talk to, and then we'll head out.

[horse neighing]

[gunshot firing]

[music playing]

Shot the marshal?

Well, he was coming after us.

He's still moving!

Come on!

We've got to tell pa!

[punch]

Amos, what's happening?

He shot Matt Dillon.

I just grazed him.

He's still alive.

You better pray he is, boy.

Well, he was coming up to the shack.

We had to do something.

Now will you believe me?

Do we sit around and wait till they kill somebody else?

Leave it alone, Claire.

It's my business.

Your business?

You going to hit me, too?

I am telling you that I will not have back shooters

and cowards for sons.

It is up to you.

Ma!

Leave her be.

Come here.

She's right, you know?

You're just a couple of milksops not fit to be called

by the name of gentleman.

And this time, you're going to face up to it.

Now you get on down to White Oak and wait for the stage there.

And you get on it, and you go to Sedalia,

and turn yourself into the jail there, and wait for trial.

Trial?

Pa!

Shut up.

Won't be no jury of strangers up there.

And you'll be doing the judging?

You open your mouth once more boy and there's a toss up

just how deep you wind up.

Now you get down to the White Oak station

and you get on that stage.

[music playing]

Claire?

Amos, we had two babies.

And they were just like any other two babies.

Except they were prettier than most because they were ours.

What happened?

They turned out bad.

Was it bad blood, Amos?

Was it bad bringing up?

[horse neighing]

It's Matt.

Now you stay there, Claire.

You look a might worse for wear, Matt.

What happened?

I asked you once and you lied to me.

Now I'm asking you again. I want it straight.

Where's your boys?

The White Oak way station.

I'm taking them in, Amos, for the hanging of Babcock.

My boys were protecting me and my beef from getting butchered.

Besides, it was an accident.

A judge will decide that.

Matt, we got a right to protect what's ours.

And who was old Babcock, anyway?

Ask his partner.

Well, no stage in sight.

Winds gone to the South.

Ain't surprising they're late.

You got to be sucking your teeth all the time?

They're mine, ain't they?

Hey, Colt, why don't we ride out of here?

Pa says we take the stage.

Sure are edgy, ain't you?

Hey, look, Lela, maybe you ought to wire up ahead

and see when that stage left the East Crossing, huh?

You paying for it, Ben?

You'll find out who's paying, you don't get to it!

Hold it!

It was an accident, Marshal.

I-- I hope pa told you.

Shut up.

We-- we didn't mean to hang that old guy.

All right.

Outside.

Pa's taking us up to trial up in Sedalia.

We ain't going to no place strange.

I said, outside.

All right.

Mount up.

Let 'em go, Matt.

Now, Matt.

Like I said, Marshal, you ain't taking us nowhere.

We'll get 'em a jury trial in Sedalia.

I'm taking them to Dodge, Amos.

No.

No, you ain't.

[gunshot firing]

Don't try it!

I always thought you was a better shot, Matt.

Maybe owe you something, maybe I don't.

It ain't over yet, Matt.

Claire, get out of here.

I said, get out of here!

Where do you think you're going?

Dodge with my sons.

Amos, I wish you'd come along, too.

You ain't going nowhere.

Is that the law according to Gentry?

I'm going, Amos.

I-- I guess that I'm bound and determined.

Pa, you ain't going let him take us!

Son, you're through whining.

Matthew, you ready?

I remember a long time ago, Amos,

you said something about a scrawny calf

being better off than a healthy one that's overprotected.

I never forgot that.

I guess you did.

Let's go.

[music playing]

NARRATOR: Stay tuned for scenes from next week's, "Gunsmoke."

[theme music]