 Around Dodge City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers of the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke. I'm calling William Conrad, the story of the violence that moved West with Young America, and the story of a man who moved with it. I'm that man, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal. The first man they look for and the last they want to meet. It's a chance, a job that makes a man watchful and a little lonely. You need lots of dollars for an accident. You need that kind of collection at home. You need Mutual of Omaha's longer, stronger hospital insurance. Modern hospital insurance, that's right for you. Single men and women, entire families, even senior citizens, no matter how old, can be protected by Mutual of Omaha Hospital Insurance. Here's what you need. You need modern insurance to help meet today's higher cost, longer, stronger hospital insurance by Mutual Benefit Health and Accident Association. Call your local Mutual of Omaha agent in the yellow pages, or write Mutual of Omaha Omaha Nebraska for information on plans available in your state. And remember this, you can save money when you add Mutual of Omaha long-term coverage to your group insurance. The savings you make depend on your age and the type of group insurance you have. Write for details to Mutual of Omaha, Omaha and Nebraska. Talk to you about last Saturday's affair. Well, Saturday was a pretty lively day around here, Major, which affair do you mean? You surprised me, Marshal. Two United States Army soldiers were murdered while driving a supply wagon from here to Fort Dodge. The government payroll was stolen and you seem to have taken no interest in the matter. Well, Major, protecting the Army isn't exactly my job. The Army can protect itself. Well, if that's true, Major, how come there were only two soldiers carrying your payroll? You've got plenty of men out there and plenty of guns. Where were they? On maneuvers. On maneuvers? In my command, Marshal, troops remain in Garrison as little as possible. There are only five men left behind this time. Then you were asking for trouble, Major, knowing that there was a payroll coming in. The arrival of the payroll was secret. Even the two men carrying it didn't know what it was. The word must have got out somehow. What I want to know is what you intend doing about this crime. Nothing? Nothing. If I knew who did it, I'd make the arrest, but I don't, so there's nothing I can do. I see. Well, Marshal, I regard this crime as a demonstration of your inability to control these Dodge City Ruffians. Therefore, I should do it myself. How's that, Major? If no arrests are made in this matter, I'll give these bad men of yours a taste of martial law. We'll see how they like that. I wouldn't try that if I were you. These streets will be patrolled 24 hours a day. Now, you listen to me, Major, you don't know these men. Sure, there are some bad ones here, but most of them are just wild, free and wild. But you run the army in here and they'll all fight. Let them. You know, Major, your job is like mine to keep the peace, not to start trouble. Save your advice, Marshal. Then there'll be trouble, Major. Bad trouble. Nonetheless, the army will take over within the week. All before. Is there any more crimes committed against it? Good day, Marshal. Come here. Yeah, what is it, Charlotte? There's talk of dodge being run by the army, Marshal. So? So I don't like it. I and most of the men here got out back in 65. We had all the army we want. I know that. Maybe things will work out, though. And if they don't work out, which side are you fighting on, Dylan? What do you stand? I'm hard to keep the peace, Charlotte, not to answer fool questions. You calling me a fool? Well, you're drunk, Charlotte. You're telling me I'm drunk, Marshal? I'll show you how drunk I am. Now, when he comes around, you tell him that I took his gun. He can get it back first thing in the morning. And if he objects to that, you tell him to look me up and I'll throw him in jail. Did he must be out of town? It's a matter of fact she is. Went back to St. Louis for the week. But why? The only time you come to visit me. Sit down, man. I'll fix your toddy. Oh, thanks. You sang me best by buying a drink. It's a bar downstairs once in a while instead of spending all your time at the long branch. Why should I buy whiskey? I get better whiskey for free up here. Matt, you ought to get yourself a girl. Oh, no, Kate. Don't start on Kitty with me. Oh, thank you. All right, then. Someone else. Someone like, say, Connie Dell. Yeah, there's a real pretty girl, spirited too. I'm not looking for a wife, Kate. Connie's been dancing here about 34 weeks. But every time you come in, I notice she keeps one eye on you. There's a lot of fire in that girl, Matt. Sure, Kate, sure. I think she spends so much time with that corporal from the fort just to try to get a raise out of you. You're sure a conniving old woman, Kate. You're just no good at all. Yeah, you're gonna say worse than that. What do you mean? I told Connie she could come have a drink with it the next time you showed. Huh? Well, all right, if it pleases you. It does. She's just down the hall. Connie! Yes? Just fresh the guards in that box by your chair, Matt. Had them brought in by the railroad all the way from St. Louis. Excuse me, Miss Kate. Come on in, Connie. I've growled the marshal for you. Sit down and I'll fix you a drink. Don't you let her talk, Bobby, Connie. I won't, Marshal. Yeah, Connie. Oh, thank you, Miss Kate. Well, good luck. Yeah, good luck to you. I guess a profession like yours means you've always got some kind of trouble, doesn't it? Oh, most always, yeah. Like this army business now. Yeah. The civilians down there are in a pretty mean mood about it. Will it be bad, Marshal? Well, it depends, Connie. On what? Major Randall finds out who killed and robbed those two soldiers. He might calm down a little bit. Are you going to help him? How can I? Only a soldier could have passed the word about that payroll money coming in. No, I figured it this way, Matt. Major's in trouble, and he's trying to cover it up by threatening to take over Dodge. Any more difficulties, and he'll do it, too. Hey, Connie, your corporal been in... Oh, he left a heart to what did he say? How do the soldiers feel about all this? Well, I don't think they want to mix it with all these buffalo hunters in their life, but in his case, he's not my corporal. He's just a lonely kid. All right. It seems like he spends more time here than a support. How does he manage it? Well, they made him a clerk, a sort of a bookkeeper. He's done pretty much his own. He's lucky. It's a good safe job, too. I suppose it is. Well, I'd better get back. Now that we've met, Marshal, you might stop and buy me a drink the next time you come in. It'll be a pleasure, Miss Connie. Good night, Marshal. Thanks, Miss Kay. Good night. Well, Matt. Uh, Kay, what's the name of this corporal that's been sniffing around? Well, that's a funny thing. I honestly don't know. Well, then find out for me, will you? If you want me to. In the meantime, let me warm that party for you. Everything quiet, Mr. Yes, sir. But it's just like everybody's holding his juice for the Army if it comes quiet and mean. Mr. Bill, that's what it is. Quiet and mean. All right, Chester. You go on to bed. I'll stay around for a while longer. All right, Jim. First thing in the morning, I want you to go to the telegraph office and send a message to the sheriff of the Hays City for me, though. Yes, sir. That'd be Mr. Hickock, wouldn't it? Yeah. You asked Bill to send me all the information he can about a dancehall girl called Connie Dell. She left there about a month ago. Connie Dell. Yes, sir. Can you bring me the answer as soon as it comes, huh? We already have it by tomorrow evening. I hope so. Good night, Chester. Good night, Mr. Jones. I got it. A minute, seven o'clock. Here you are. Oh, thanks, Chester. What's it say? Don't you know already? No, I don't. Pulled Charlie Roode out, sealed it up and never told nothing. Well, I guess what it says. Connie Dell worked Golden Horn Bar here. Left about a month ago with a stranger called Billy Grounds. Nothing against girl but believe Grounds a wild one. Hasn't anybody shot you yet? Regards, Hickock. What's that? Well, I don't know, Chester. I don't quite know. Tell you what, you go over and ask Big Kate if she's heard anything about this Billy Grounds, huh? Come on, Chester. Right down there by the alley. Back, please. Let me through here, will you? Are there any witnesses to this? I don't know. Anybody see it? I want to know who killed this man. Maybe nobody did see it, Marshal. Maybe nobody cares much about it. Anywho, he's just a soldier. All right, you men, I'm telling you this. If I don't find out who shot this man, the army will move in here for sure. Well, not the whole army, Marshal. They won't all move. Why not, boys? My sharps rifle killed Bullbuffle at 200 yards. I reckon it'll kill soldiers. Thank you, sir. Hello, Max. What have we got this time? Oh, soldiers. Yeah. He needs an autopsy just like anybody else. Where's another shot him? He hurt maybe? I don't even know him. This isn't a shooting. This is a murder. Are you all right? Oh, well, I'll get him up to my office. Here, would you give me a hand? Chester? Yes, sir. I'm right now at the Fort Dodge right now. Well, the Major say, Marshal, I can see them soldiers now, all in a bunch just like a stand-up buffalo. They're not coming, Bo. The Major's going to hold off for 48 hours. Now, Marshal, you didn't go and spar our fun. Where is he? Down there. Down there in the bar. Oh, he's made a ring. Oh, well, Doc. Oh, hello, Max. Uh, Samantha, the boy's name was Boone, according to the letter I found with him. Anything else? Yes, he does a couple of slugs out of him. Funny thing to remember, I hadn't happened on a lead like this in 65. What do you mean? I swear that boy was shot with a cavalry pistol. Ah. I'll see you later, Doc. Dusty-looking peacemaker, Matt. You want a drink? No, no, I can't. I got work to do. Check to see it? He did. Well? Matt, I get my information through the girls, and they get it from the men that grow careless and lose tongue-gone wisdom. Some of it's true, and some is bound to be just taught. I'll wait it out. Johnny's been seen right now at night toward the Arkansas down by Brandy Bend. Oh, what for? I don't know. Could be the feller Billy Brown. Yeah. His name's never been mentioned around here. My guess is he's never been in town. Anything else? One thing. Corporal Bowers and Connie went for a ride one night. When? The night before that payroll was robbed. Yeah, that figures. Where's Connie now? Well, Delmonico was eating a steak. It's kind of late for dinner, isn't it? He works late. Matt. Yeah? Next girl I'll steer you into. I'll pull her fangs first. No, Kate. I like it better this way. Good evening, Connie. Well, this is a surprise, Marshal. Mind if I sit down? Of course. You sure Corporal Bowers won't mind? Don't be silly. Anyway, it's a fork. What time did it leave, Connie? I don't know about seven, I think, five. Anybody with him? Some private called Bones. What is his, Marshal? Well, Bones was shot before he got out of dodge, and I think I know who did it. Oh, I heard about the shooting, but I did not with Bones. Marshal, you think Bowers did it, don't you? You know any reason why he should, Connie? Well, no, he and Bones were friends, working the bookkeeping office together. I see. Tell me, Connie, uh... Bowers say much about his job there, what he doesn't know. No, Marshal, he never talked about it. Handle expenses for supplies and the like, figure out the payroll... I don't know. Bowers would be in a good spot to know when to expect payroll money in, wouldn't they? Even when it was kept secret. You'd have to ask him, Marshal. I don't know anything about the army. But, uh, this isn't why you found me, is it? No, of course not, Connie. I'm sorry. Well, thank you, Marshal. You really mean it? I have to work late tonight, but I can get off tomorrow evening. Marshal, would you... Would you go for a ride with me? There'll be a moon. Well, where would we ride to, Connie? I don't know anywhere, maybe along the archangels. I know it. Let's ride down toward Brandy Bend. All right, Connie. We'll ride down toward Brandy Bend. You want me to follow you tonight? Uh, thanks, Chester, but it wouldn't help. I'm riding into one ambush. It'll be over fast, real fast. All right, that's where you want it. That's the way it's gotta be. As soon as I leave with Connie Bell, I want you to ride out to Fort Dodge and see the Major. What about? Tell him to arrest corporal bowers for the murder of Private Bone. I think Bone found out where the leak about that shipment of payroll money came from, and Bowers had to shut him up. Major won't like that, will he? You tell him I'll prove it. And anyway, I think Bowers will confess fast enough when the time comes. Well, when that means... When I get back to town with Billy Grounds, you better get started for the Fort soon. Yes, sir. I feel another drunk coming on, Marshal. Then check your guns back there with Chester. What if the Army comes tonight? I'll need my guns. Then stay sober. But if the Army don't come, I'll have stayed sober for nothing. Well, every man's got his problem, Shiloh. But if I say you're drunken wearing your guns, you're gonna wake up brokenhearted and jail tomorrow. Some night I'm gonna get drunk enough to draw on you, Marshal. Oh? Then some night you're gonna die, Shiloh. I got off a little early. Shall we go now? Any time. I keep my horse at the national meet at the edge of town. Oh. You ashamed to be seen with me? Well, no, Marshal. But you know how people talk. Sure. All right, I'll wait for you to sound the trail. I'll hurry. Now, we've come pretty fast, Connie. You want to get on for a minute? All right. We'll let the horses blow a little, then we'll move on. You nervous, Connie? Well, no, why? Is there something on your mind? No, of course not. Why should there be? Well, I don't know. You tell me. It's nothing, Marshal, really. Let me ask you something, Connie. Have you ever seen a man killed? What? Why'd you say that? Well, did you? Yes, once in a saloon. Tell me, did he have a fair chance? Yes, he even drew first. Then you never saw a man shot in the back or ambushed. What do you mean, Marshal? Well, I just think it kind of goes against your grain, Connie. The idea of a man being killed without a fair chance. Marshal... Down by the river near Brandy Bend. Billy Grounds is waiting to shoot me in the back. Then why did you come, Marshal? That's my job. I don't know how, but I suppose you know about everything. I think so. What are you going to do? Connie, unless I made a bad mistake about you, I think you're going to let me have a fair chance at him somehow. Why should I? What does it mean to me? I don't know, Connie. What do you think about it? You think about it all the way to Brandy Bend. Now, come on, let's ride. Make a nice camp down here. Plenty of wood. Get your water right out of your canvases. Don't you think, Connie? A man could hide out for a long time down here. Marshal... He could be safe here, even while the army was trying to move into Dutch. A lot of men were being killed back there. It's peaceful here. It's quiet. Marshal, I can't do it. Oh, I've been telling you, Connie. A big cotton would have been hit on the left. Yeah, I see it, but I just keep moving. Now, when we get there, I'm going to ride fast. I'll hang on to the offside of my horse for cover, and when I start, you turn around and get back out of gunfire, huh? Yeah, sure is pretty down here, Connie. Maybe someday we can come down and go fishing, huh? River's full of catfish. You ever eat a catfish, darling? I can be mighty good if they're small enough. Go on back, Connie! Get rid of money. Then you can take me back to Dutch... to jail. But you won't be in jail for long. You have my word for that. Let's go, Marshal.