 In a moment, you'll hear James Stewart as the sick shooter. Just one of many fine programs brought to you each week on NBC. Tomorrow night, there's top comedy entertainment with the Bob Hope Show, the Phil Harris-Alice Faye Show, and can you top this with Senator Ford? Bob Hope delivers rapid-fire comedy routines, while Phil Harris and Alice Faye bring both mirth and music. It's a great Friday night lineup of comedy programs, all of them heard only on NBC. James Stewart as the sick shooter. The man in the saddle is angular and long-legged. His skin is sun-died brown. The gun in his holster is grey steel and rainbow mother of pearl. It's handle unmarked. People call them both the sick shooter. The NBC radio network presents James Stewart as the sick shooter. A transcribed series of radio dramas based on the life of Britt Ponsett, the Texas Plainsman who wandered through the Western Territories, leaving behind a trail of still-remembered legends. It was a little over four years since last time I worked for the Wilcox outfit, but when George Wilcox wrote me about his cause death and said he needed somebody to handle the cattle drive, I wasn't exactly any other demands on my services, so I headed up to Adobe Junction and rode through the town to the Wilcox Ranch a couple miles beyond. I was getting on toward evening when I pulled into the yard, and I said, oh boy, oh scar, oh. Only about eight or ten stairs in the main corral over back of the house. Ah, maybe George hadn't finished the round up yet, or maybe he was going to start the drive from out on the rain. Whatever it was, he'd have to get started pretty soon or the weather'd be against it. Good evening, ma'am. Is George Wilcox out? Ponsett, don't you remember me? Why? I'm Viola Wilcox, George's sister. Viola? No, I just can't believe it. I guess I have changed since you last saw me. Changed? Why, see, were you practically growing up overnight, Viola? There are some folks around here who wouldn't agree with you, Mr. Ponsett. Who is it, Viola? It's Mr. Ponsett, George. Brick? Why, Brick! Boy, you old rattlesnake, it's about time you turned up here. Hi, George. Pretty good, pretty good. Put on another plate, Vi. Brick will be here for supper. Oh, I wouldn't like to impose. I mean, you probably won't expect me tonight. Why, we've been expecting you for the last week. Vi's had the spare room ready since Monday. Well, if you're sure, there's not food, Viola. Oh, there'll be plenty, Brick. Matter of fact, I will be eating supper at home tonight. Now, Viola, I told you, you weren't... I'll call you when everything's ready. I guess we might as well wait in the parlor, Brick. Sure, sure. I hope I'm not too late for the drive, George. Late? Well, you said you'd been expecting me for several days, and I... I can see my stock in the corral. Oh, the boys are still out on the roundup. They're a little late. I couldn't go out with them this year. Well, that's all. They'll probably show up sometime tomorrow, on Friday, at the latest. You can start off then. You, uh... you won't be going long. No. I'm gonna stick around here. Uh-huh. Uh... I was real sorry to hear about your father, George. He went easy, Brick. I'm thankful for that. Yeah, yeah. You know, I just can't get over how Viola's changed. Why, she's turned out to be a real pretty young lady, hasn't she? I bet she's got more bows than any other girl in the whole county. She could have, I guess, if she wanted them. Why? Brick, do you remember Judd Coffin? Coffin? Coffin? He was that outlaw from up around Cloud City. You had something to do with capturing him, as I recollect. Well, I was sort of in the neighborhood when it happened. I was just a kid then, but Pa took me over to Cloud City to see Coffin's trial and the hanging afterward. I guess he figured it'd be a good lesson for me. Uh-huh. He was right, too. I never forgot it. There's something else I never forgot, either. The way Judd Coffin looked. His eyes. His nose. Everything about him. He was born to be a killer. He was rid all over him. No, I don't know now, George. Well, I do. And now he's back here again. Well, what are you talking about? Judd Coffin was hung. You saw it yourself. You just said so, George. Judd had a brother. A few years younger. I don't remember his name, but I saw him at the trial, too. Yeah. Oh, yeah, shall not you mention it? It seems to me there was another Coffin boy. What about him? There's a young fella started working for the mercantile in Adobe Junction. And if he ain't... Come to your live table, George. Just ask the dishes when you're finished eating, and I'll do them when I get home. Why don't you hold up a minute, Viola? Over here to the window. What? There he is in that button. Now you take a good look. Well, I... Now don't he look just like Judd? Well, it's been quite a while, George. I've sort of forgotten Judd Coffin. Well, I ain't forgot him. I couldn't. Not ever. I can still see him when they led him up to them gallows. I can still see his eyes, killer's eyes. And that's his brother out there riding away with my sister, ain't it? Well, ain't it? Well, maybe he does sort of resemble Judd in a way, but Viola... It's more than a resemblance, Britt. I've seen him up close. He's a spitting image. I don't see what difference it makes, George, unless he's been causing trouble, and even then... Britt, he's only been around here for a couple of months. Just give him time. He'll cost plenty of trouble. Maybe so. Maybe so. But now listen, George... Britt, if a man's got bad blood on him, it's bound to come out sooner or later. It's bound to. George, it seems to me, a fellow ought not to be blamed for what his brother's done. If he ain't up to something, then why don't he admit who he is? What do you mean? Says his name's Hank Wallace. Says he never heard of Judd Coffin. Well, he oughta know. He's lying, Britt. You saw the resemblance yourself. Well, a resemblance doesn't always prove anything, you know? You think I want a man like that going around with my own sister? She's barely 18. She don't know nothing about the world or about people. I'm all she's got now. I can't let her throw her life away on Judd Coffin's brother. I've got to stop her. Yeah, I guess she is sort of your responsibility. But I... Say, uh... George, how about that supper? I'm kind of hungry. You go ahead, Britt. I ain't got much appetite. Oh, all right. Britt? Yeah? Maybe this sounds like I'm butting into Vye's business. But I got no choice. Just before he died, Paul Warren told me what would happen. No? Britt, it wasn't six weeks after the funeral before she started going around with this fella. I tried to talk sense to her. Don't do no good. Now I got to put my foot down. You understand how I feel, don't you, Britt? Yeah, George. Sure, I understand. Well, I went ahead and had some supper. Cold ham, potato salad, bacon in it. Stewed peaches for dessert. It wasn't anything exceptional, but it was strong enough. And afterwards, since George hadn't eaten anything, I decided maybe I'd go ahead and do the dishes. The dish pan was hanging right beside the sink, so I pumped some water in it. There was only a cup of plates and a cup to wash. But the handle on that cup just wasn't very substantial, and when it slipped, a dog got it. Well, it looked like it was beyond the glue on stage, so I kind of got the pieces swept together and put them in the garbage bucket. I wasn't exactly trying to hide them or anything like that, but there were plenty other cups in the cupboard. Anyhow, I walked back into the parlor and said goodnight to George, went upstairs to bed. I figured he was going to wait up for Viola, and I didn't suppose she'd like the idea, but it wasn't any of my business, so... I was kind of tired anyway. And Viola sure didn't like it either. At least that's how it sounded to me when I woke up about one o'clock and heard her and George going at it hammer and tongs and downstairs all the way. Have your brother, Viola. He's no good. If he was, he wouldn't keep you out until all hours of the night. Staying off was my idea. I didn't want to come home because I knew I'd have to sit here and listen to you. Well, you're going to listen. I told you who he was, but you wouldn't believe me. Now maybe you'll believe Britt. Don't drag him into this, please. Please, George. Britt? I do not, too. Britt? Yeah. Yeah, what's trouble? Would you mind coming down here? All right, George. All right, give me a chance to put my pants on. I sure didn't like the idea of mixing into a family argument, but I didn't like I was going to get any sleep until George had simmered down. So I pulled on my trousers and I slapped a little cold water on my face. Headed out in the hall. I could see Viola stand on the bottom of the stairs. Her face was real white. Her eyes were kind of wide open and determined. George was holding on to her arm. I was running around with some girl in town. I wouldn't care. I wouldn't care. It wouldn't be any of my business. Well, I do care. It's for your own good, Viola. Good evening, Viola. Mr. Ponson, I'm awful sorry that you have to get involved in this, and I'm ashamed, too. Well, you ought to be. Not for myself. I'm ashamed for you, George. For me? I'm not running around with no outlaw disgrace in my family. Tell her. Tell her who he really is. Now, George, I never saw the man before in my whole life. You noticed the resemblance right off, didn't you? You remarked on it. That man jugged Coffin's brother, Vi. Is that what you got, Mr. Ponson, down here to tell me? Well, ain't that reason enough? No, it's not enough. He's been lying to you, pretending to be somebody else. Don't you care? He hasn't lied to me, George. I know who he is. I've noticed since we first met. He told me he was Hunt Coffin. He... He told you? Look, the frayed folks around here would hold it against him. That's why he changed his name. And it looks to me like he was right. You knew who he was and you went right on seeing him? Do you understand, George? He's not to blame for something his brother did. They're two different people. The same bloods in him that was in Judd Coffin. And he'll turn mean and pull the same kind of stun his brother did and it'll end up the same way. Oh, that's crazy why he doesn't even carry a gun. You've seen him often enough. You know he doesn't. He can get a gun easy enough, but he will. This time he figures he needs one. Mr. Ponsett, won't you talk to George? Maybe you can make him see that I'm not a child that I know my own mind. It seems to me we've all done enough tarving for one night. Anyway, I... I sure could use a little more sleep. You know, things may look different in the morning. I would say so. Mr. Ponsett's right. We'd better go to bed, too. Things won't be any different as far as I'm concerned. I'm telling you here and now you're not to see young Coffin again ever. I'm going to marry him, George. What? I wasn't intending to tell you yet. I thought maybe later you'd come around. But I guess you never will. I promised him tonight. Promised him? You don't know what you're saying, Vi. George, let's go. You're just doing this to spite me, ain't you? Well, I'll teach you. I'm in love with him. In love with a man like that. George, I'll get a hold of your shop. You heard what he said. She's going to marry him. She'll be singing a different tune. Wait a minute. What are you saying? Get out of this, George. She's my sister. I don't care who sister she is. Now, let's go. All right, now, George. Come on. Let's go upstairs. It's for her own good, Britt, what I done. I guess you must have thought it was. Someday she'll realize it was for her own good. She can't marry him, Britt. She just can't. Well, treating her the way you did has to make her more set on it than ever. She'll get over that idea fast enough now that she knows I mean business. Someday she'll thank me for slapping her. Yeah, yeah. All right, let's get some sleep, George. Come on. You are listening to The Sick Shooter, starring James Stewart as Britt Ponsett. The Texas Plainsman whose name has become legend throughout the West. Now, act two of the story called Blood Relations. Well, it took me a little while to get back to sleep, but I didn't hear anything more out of George or Viola during the night, so that was something. When I finally woke up again, I just didn't feel like I'd had any rest at all, and it was late, too, nearly six o'clock. I got dressed and I went downstairs. Viola was fixing breakfast. Her eyes were sort of red, and there was a little spotch on her cheek where George had slapped her, but she didn't say anything about it, and I sure didn't see any point in opening up the subject. A couple of minutes later, George came in from doing his chores, and we all sat down at the table. He didn't eat much, just some coffee, and as soon as he was finished, he said he was riding out to the high grass to see if the roundup was on its way down. I offered to go along with him, and we got on our horses and started off. You see, Britt, what'd I tell you? She's all right now. She got that nonsense about young coffin out of her head. Maybe so, maybe so. She didn't mention him again, did she? I reckon if she were still thinking about him serious, she'd have said so. She's a will-cock, Britt. We don't go around making fools of ourselves. Not for long, anyway. We kept on riding for a couple of hours, until we got to the high ground. But we didn't see any signs of the roundup, so finally we turned around and headed back to the ranch house. I don't know what's taken them so long. They should have been down a couple of days ago. They don't show up by morning. We'll have to start looking for them. Whatever you say, George. Here we are. Whoa, Frenchie, whoa, boy. Hey, you know something, Britt? I've got kind of an appetite. I don't doubt it the way you've been eating lately. Easy, Carl. Easy. And I'll sure make up for it this noon. I wonder what she's fixed for us. Vi? We're back, Vi. Must be out in the kitchen. She's upstairs. That's why she didn't hear me. How about some food, Vi? I didn't know you'd be here. You didn't say anything when you left. I'm usually here for dinner, ain't I? Yeah. Well, it'll take a couple of minutes to get something ready. I just got back from town. You what? Well, I guess I'll go wash up. What were you doing in town, Vi? I wanted to see Hunt. Oh. Well, I suppose you did have to explain things to him. I guess he was entitled to that much. How'd he take it? When you told him you couldn't marry him. I didn't tell him that, George. We're going to get married as soon as we can. He's coming to get me tonight. Well, I sure didn't feel like sticking around for another one of their arguments. So I sort of sneaked out the front door and climbed into the saddle. Let's go, boy. I figured I'd ride in town and get me some to eat while I was at it. Maybe while I was gone, George and Vi all would come to some sort of an understanding. I hope they would. Took me about 30 minutes to reach Adobe Junction. Hmm. Looks like there's only one café. Molly's Home Cooked Meal. Right next door to the mercantile. Whoa, boy. Whoa, who's got... Tossed the reins over a hitch and rail and started into the restaurant. Mr. Ponsett? Hmm? You're a... You're a Brit, Ponsett, ain't you? That's right. Viola told me what you looked like, but I'd have recognized you anyway. Oh? You're a... you're a six-shooter. I've heard a lot about that gun. How fast you are with it. My brother, uh... Well, he found out firsthand. Your brother? Judd Coffin. I see. My name is Hunt Coffin, Mr. Ponsett. Yeah, I sort of figured that. I, uh... just wanted you to know I sure do appreciate what you did last night. Taking Viola's part with George. Well, George was pretty upset. I don't think he meant to carry on that way. He's real fond of his sister when you get right down to it. If he ever hits her again, I'll kill him. Well, I guess you and Viola won't have to worry much about George any longer. What do you mean? Well, she says you're gonna get married right away. You're coming out after tonight, is that right? She told you that? Oh, sure. That's true, isn't it? Oh, I didn't want him to know. He'll try to stop us. I told her not to say anything. We could have been gone before he ever found out. Now, Viola's not the kind of a person to do a thing behind anybody's back. Yeah. Well, maybe there's something else he ought to know. I bought me a gun this morning, Mr. Ponsett. Is that so? I'll be out at the Wilcox Place as soon as I get off work tonight. I'll have a gun with me. And George said you'd get a gun the first time you figured you needed one. Well, he was right. Yeah. He sure looks like he was. Well, so long, coffin. What's under-happened to you, Brett? Oh, I thought maybe you and Viola ought to have a chance to talk this out in private, so I rode in town. You're needing a father, huh? Tried to talk to her, but she just wouldn't listen. She wouldn't, huh? I don't know what to do, Brett. I just don't. After last night, I thought she'd see things my way. I guess you were right. She's more set in marrying him now than ever. Paul was still alive. He'd find some way of stopping her. I guess I'm letting him down. Well, where's Viola now? Upstairs, packing. I thought about locking her in her room, but it just wouldn't do no good. Besides, she ain't to blame, not really. That's right, George. A person just can't help it. Everything that's happened, and it's him I'm going to take care of. As a matter of fact, I ran into Hunt coffin while I was in town. You saw it? Yeah. Yeah, we had a little chat. He, uh, he's kind of upset about what happened last night. He's upset. He'll have something to get upset about if he comes around here tonight. Well, maybe you ought to know, George, he's got himself a gun. There. What I tell you, just like his brother. Vi? Vi, your friend's coming out here with a gun. He needs to kill me. A man who'll take up a gun once, he won't stop not as long as he lives. Now what do you think of it? Viola didn't answer, George. She just stayed upstairs and went on with whatever she was doing. George walked into the hall. I heard him rummaging around in the closet. He was gone for a minute or so and then he came back into the parlor. He was carrying his paws, old Winchester rifle. He jammed some cartridges into the magazine and stared out of the window. The sun would just begin to drop behind the hills to the west and the shadows on the slopes would turn on orange. George pulled up a chair and sat down. The rifle was lying on his lap, the barrel pointing toward the open window beside him. George? Yeah? You use that gun, you'll be doing the very thing you accuse him of. There's a difference, Brit. This is my property. Pa left it to me outright. Sure. If Aunt Coffin sets foot on it, he's trespassing. I got a right to shoot a trespasser, ain't I? Oh, you haven't. Not under these circumstances. You gonna end of fear? You gonna take his side? I'm not taking anybody's side. I'm riding into town, I won't be back. You'll have to hire somebody else to handle your cattle drive. Suits me. I'll be able to handle the cattle myself now. I won't have to stay here after the night. You know, George, he might kill you. At least, if he takes after his brother, there's a good chance of it. Well, it looks like you're gonna be around for it, whatever happens. What? There he is now, pulling into the yard. Coffin! Get out of here, Coffin! I don't want no trouble, Wilcox. Well, then start moving! I'm taking Viola with me. You're not taking anybody! He can't cough him through the window over George's shoulder. He was climbing down from his buggy. It looked like he was carrying a .44 on his holster. George Wilcox stood up. His back shot off my view of Hunt. He shoved the stock of his rifle against his shoulder, and his finger curled around the trigger. He shifted his weight on the one foot, and I got a glimpse of Hunt again. His right hand was inching toward that .44, but he hadn't pulled it out yet. I'm coming in and get her, Wilcox! Go on and draw! I know you got a gun! Go on! Use it! I don't think I'll need it! I gave him a chance. You heard me, Brady. There wasn't much time to answer him. His finger was already squeezing back. There wasn't even time to get over to him. I grabbed from my gun. The bullet hit him right in the arm, spun him half around. For a second, I didn't know what had happened. I hadn't fired at him. I hadn't even had a chance to finish drawing. And then I saw a little spiral of smoke on the hall stairs behind him. Viola! Look down that rifle, George. You're crazy, Vi. Vi! Are you all right? Stay there, Hunt. I'll be right out. Put it down, George. Now, I'm going away with Hunt. And if you come after me, it won't be Hunt who will stop you. It's kind of funny, isn't it? You always said Hunt would turn out bad because his brother was that way. And they both had the same blood in them. What about it, George? Would you be willing to shoot me? What are you talking about, Vi? You know I'd never do a thing like that. Why not? I was willing to shoot you. We've got the same blood, haven't we? Goodbye, George. Goodbye, Mr. Ponson. Goodbye. Good luck. She wasn't making any sense. Brett asking if I'd shoot her. Well, that's just plain foolishness. Yeah. Yeah, well, I'll take you into town, George. You better see the dark about that arm. My own sister. My own flesh and blood. I sure had her figured wrong. Well, maybe you had young Carvin figured wrong, too. Come on, let's go. Well, the next morning the boys brought in George's herd and what with that arm of his and all, I agreed to drive them north. It was nearly three months before I got back to Adobe Junction again. Viola and Hans there were married and had a little house in town. But George, he hadn't been there with me. Hadn't sent a word to Vi since that night she left the ranch. Vi was kind of upset about it, but she kept telling herself that sooner or later George would see where he'd been wrong and he'd come around. I don't know. Maybe he will. Sick Shooter is a transcribed NBC radio network production in association with review productions. It is written by Frank Burt and is based on a character created by him. Mr. Stewart may currently be seen in the Universal International Picture, the Glenn Miller story. Others in the cast were Barbara Eiler, Herb Ellis and Sam Edwards. Special music for this program was by Basil Adlam and the entire production is under the direction of Jack Johnstone. All characters and incidents were fictitious and any resemblance to actual characters or incidents is purely coincidental. Oh, by the way, you'll be interested in knowing that the Sick Shooter has been chosen for broadcast to our men overseas through the facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Services. This is John Wall speaking. MacDonald Kerry stars in Jason and the Golden Fleece tonight on the NBC radio network.