 Around Dodge City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers in the spoilers. And that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke. Look, starring William Conrad, the story of the violence that moved West with young America, the story of a man who moved with it, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal. Ladies and gentlemen, later on tonight's program, you'll hear a special message from the Honorable Edward F. Arne, governor of the state of Kansas. But now we bring you the first act of gun smoke. Where is it going to be spring before we know it, Mr. Dillon? This weather won't hold, Chester. We always got a ripped snorter after a spell like this. I'm sure it don't look much like it today. I even heard a metal arc this morning. It's early for metal arcs, isn't it? Chester, that's what I'm telling you. Spring is downright staring us in the face. Well, the Texas Trail is kind of lively for this time of the afternoon. That'll be livelier if you're right about spring and those trail herds start rolling in. Well, that's who's here. And in the daytime, too. Well, howdy, Miss Kitty. Miss Kitty. Isn't it wonderful? And guess what, Matt, I heard a metal arc this morning. You and Chester. Huh? I've been telling Miss Kitty spring is just around the corner. Kitty? Yeah. How come there's such a crowd in here? Oh, you mean the boys at the bar? Well, it's some of the writers in the Cyclone Ranch. They're celebrating. Well, it seems to me they were celebrating Saturday night. They're making kind of a long weekend out of it. Jim Paulson said they all went back to the ranch Monday morning, but they got paid off. The ranch was sold. You mean old man Bartlett sold out? I hadn't heard anything about it. Well, that's what they said. The new owner had already taken over some stranger. He's the one who paid them off. He brought his own writers with him. Well, what's this stranger's name, Kitty? Well, I don't know, Matt. It was there over there was Bartlett's foreman. Ask him. Yeah, I think I will. Excuse me. Old man Bartlett. Howdy, Marshall. Figured on throwing us in the roost gal. No, Ed, I wasn't planning on it. Um, do you happen to know where I can find old man Bartlett? Well, afraid you're out of luck. Him and his wife's left the country. Please, that's what the fellow that bought the ranch told us. You mean he didn't even stay around to pay you off? Nope. Made up his mind right suddenly, I reckon. I guess his fellow Jed Wade made him a mighty good offer. Jed Wade, huh? Now, Texas man more than likely. Ain't from around here, anyways. None of his cowboys, neither. Then you haven't seen old man Bartlett since you left the ranch and came into town Saturday morning, huh? Very hard to hear. And he didn't say anything last week about planning to sell? No, he didn't. Sure can't figure old man Bartlett selling out. Said he put half his life into that place and planned on living out the rest of it right there. Listen, let me ask you something. What do you figure about all this? I don't know, Marshall. Said that it ain't quite right somehow. You don't think there's something crooked about it, do you? Marshall, I don't know what to think. But it just ain't like Bartlett to run out this way. If there's anything I can do. Yeah, sure. Thanks, Ed. Marshall, I don't even have to look it up in the records. There's been no deed of sale on the Cyclone Ranch filed in this office. If there had, I'd know about it. Yeah, well, all right, thanks. That's all I wanted to know. Furthermore, there won't be one filed. Old man Bartlett will live out his life and die right there. You take it from me. Yeah, that's what I figured. Mr. Dillon? Oh, come on in, Chester. Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Miffles. Oh, quite all right, sir. I believe our business is completed. Yeah, yeah. What'd you find out, Chester? I checked the depot and the stage line, Mr. Dillon, but nobody in town hasn't seen either one of them since last week. Mm-hmm. Well, all right, Chester, I guess we'd better write out to the ranch. I'm wasting no time slapping a brand on them either. Want to take a look at them? Uh, no. Let's write on up to the house. Figured, Mr. Dillon, working night and day to build up a good feeder ranch like this and then up and selling out, thought even thinking it over. Well, I can't figure it either, Chester. Better mount up and ride. Are you a Jed Wade? Name's Dallas. I'm the Raines Balls. Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal. Mr. Wade here? He's out in the barn. What do you want to see him about? Well, suppose I take that up with him, huh? And suppose you turn around and I tail it out of here. Whenever Jed's got business with the law, he'll come to you. Now, look, Mr.... Dad, you had not to talk to business that way. Jed, don't want strangers hanging around, Ms. Wade. If you don't want you talking to strangers either, you better go on back in the house. I guess I know better than you what my own son wants. I'm the only one that understands him. You come right on inside, gentlemen. Did you say that was the name? Yes, ma'am, that's right. This is my partner, Chester Proutford. How do, ma'am? How do? You fellas wait right there. I'll go get Jed. I think we'll accept the lady's invitation. After you, ma'am. Well, I thank you, Mr. Dillon. Just perk a body after they haven't called us in her own house. Especially when he lives so long from hand to mouth. I, uh, understand that you're new here, ma'am. Oh, yes. Yes, we were camped for three weeks down along the river. Nary a caller just living in a wagon. Oh, do receive it, gentlemen. Thank you. Ain't this a real pretty place now? Well, when Jed and Dallas rode back to camp Sunday morning and said they just bought a real bargain, I couldn't dream they met something like this. A body just can't figure why the owners would ever want to sell it and leave. Would you, gentlemen, care for some cold buttermilk? No, thank you, ma'am. You, uh, didn't meet the owners yourself then, huh? No, no. They already gone when I came over. Oh, you mustn't mind Dallas, Mr. Dillon. He's really a good boy at heart. Him and Jed just picked up a habit of talking mean like that sometimes, and seems like people just don't understand it. Mr. Dillon, Jed ain't got himself into some kind of trouble again, has he? Again, Mrs. Wade? Well, it's like I said, people just don't understand Jed lots of times. It ain't easy to bring up a boy alone, and a body don't always know what's the right way to do and what's not. But Jed's real good hearted down underneath. Won't you understand him like I do? Why, why, the way he even talks to me sometimes would make it difficult to hear his... Well, son, I... What'd I tell you about mouthin' off this stranger? But I was worried... Well, I might get in the kitchen. Well, all right, sir. It's gettin' old, and it's been a hard trip up here. Dallas told me you was here, Marshal. What can I do for you? What do you want? I'd like to see your bill of sale for this ranch, Mr. Wade. What for? Well, I'll tell you after I see it. Are you trying to accuse me of something? Not if you've got a bill of sale signed by old man Bartlett. Well... Satisfied now? Where did the Bartlett's go, Mr. Wade? They said they was leaving the country, and that's all I know about it. Yeah, you want to give me back my bill of sale now? Well, I'd like to take it into town and check the signature, if you don't mind. Hmm. Go ahead. He'll check. Well, then you've got nothing to worry about. Have you married, thing, Marshal? Now, I don't know what's on your mind, but you're balking up wrong treat. You ask me, Mr. Bill, and I'd say that Wade and his partner are ornary enough for anything. Just plumb, cuss it down right, sneak in mean. Ah, maybe so, Chester. But you can't jail a man for meanness, not as long as it only comes out in words. Ah, I suppose. There ought to be a law of some kind. Now, take like the way he talks to his mom. I don't see how she can put up with it. And she's his mother, Chester. Well, I know that, but there's no... Oh, hello, man! Oh, how ya, Doc? Just get ready to close up the office. How about feeding with me? Ah, later, maybe, Doc. I'd say, Doc, you still got that bill of sale on that horse you bought last fall from Oman Bartlett. Oh, sure, yes, Oman. Why? Well, I just want to check Bartlett's signature. Why, what do you got there? I know his signature pretty well. Let me take a look at that now, man. Oh, here. See what you think, huh? Eh... Oh, yes. That's Oman Bartlett's scroll all right, of course. Well, maybe I was wrong. It looks that way, Monsieur Dionne. But only about the bill of sale, Chester. We still don't know what happened to the Bartlett's. This time it is with great pride that Gunsmoke is able to bring you a specially recorded message by the Honorable Edward F. Arne, governor of the state of Kansas. Ladies and gentlemen, Governor Arne. It's a real pleasure for me on behalf of Kansans Everywhere to congratulate the CBS Radio Network, the writers, producers, directors, actors, and technicians on the splendid job you are doing with Gunsmoke. Here is real adult Western drama without the usual horse opera cliches portraying an era and community of Kansas that graphically marked the formative years of our great state. Let me point out, however, the Dodge City of today is a far cry from the Dodge City so vividly brought to life in Gunsmoke. From those early pioneer frontier days, Dodge City has developed into one of the fine cities of our state, industrially, agriculturally, and historically. The folks of Dodge City, and indeed all the people of this great sunflower state, thank you for a good job well done. Thank you, Governor Arne. And now the second act of Gunsmoke. Must be the feel of spring in the air. Get the man on the prod, make him feel good. Not me, Chester. Yes, sir, I've been noticing that. You haven't said one dozen words in the last hour. You don't do a man any good to stay down in the dumps that way. You're a drinky beer. Well, now we just made a mistake. That's all done up the wind up over nothing. Now we know it's old man Bartlett's signature, but I just can't help feeling that we haven't made a mistake. Well, maybe I ought to make one, man. Everybody ought to make a mistake once in a while. Keep them from getting old. Or else help them along. What's your trouble, Matt? Feeling that somebody's guilty of not being able to prove it. It's that cyclone ranch business, Miss Kitty. I know Bartlett didn't sell her. His signature is on that bill of sale, Mr. Dillon. Yeah, but a man can be made to sign something, Chester. Well, why don't you find Mr. Bartlett and ask him? Well, I'd settle for just finding him. I don't think I'd need to do any more asking. Do you mean that the way it sounds, Matt? Yeah. I know I'm jumping at conclusions, but out of the way things add up, it's the only answer that makes any sense. Well, I hope you're wrong, Matt. So do I, but I don't think I am. Anyway, there's not much you can do about it right now. Why don't you forget it for a while? How about a round of drinks, Matt? In honor of Spring. Spring, huh? You and Chester. Well, it is, Mr. Dillon. Yeah, even the coyotes feel it. Did you hear him just after dark tonight yapping down along the river bottom? Yeah, I heard him. Kitty, would you mind if we had that drink later? All right, but where are you going? Well, I just thought that Chester might take a little ride, that's all. There are one of many's brothers out tonight all yapping their full heads off. Do you suppose those coyotes really know it's Spring coming, Mr. Dillon? That could be. They're sure scattered all over the countryside. There seems to be more of them off there toward the river bottom, though. Yes, sir. We'd be right, Mr. Dillon. Wonder why. I don't know. It might be worthwhile taking a look. Yes, sir. It sounds to me like most of those coyotes are up around those river bluffs there by the pen. Mr. Dillon, I believe it does. Come on, Chester, let's ride over that way. They're on the other side of that willow thicket. I guess they heard you, Chester. I think most of them are over there at the foot of the bank. Let's take a look. The banks caved off there, Mr. Dillon. Yeah, I heard what the coyotes didn't do. I've been trying to dig something up, not bury it. I wish there was more moonlight. Yes, sir. Well, if you'd have told me what we were up to, I could have brought a lantern. I didn't know we were going to run into anything, Chester. Yes, sir. See if you can find a stick and let's scratch her on in this loose dirt, huh? All right, sir. Anybody. Time to tell me this morning that I'd be out here in the middle of the night digging in that dirt like a groundhog. I didn't even know on what the same hill I was in. What is it, Chester? You find something? Yes, sir. I sure have. Here, let me see. Mighty lucky hunch you had, Mr. Dillon. Well, now we know why nobody saw the Bartlett's leave town. They killed him. They killed both of them. Yeah. After they made him sign that bill of... hit the dirt, Chester. Came from the edge of the bank up there. Watch for the next flash. Is that you, Wade? Just took a left of that sumac, Mr. Dillon. Yeah, I saw it. You're under arrest for murder, Wade. Now throw down that gun and come out of there with your hands up. All right, Chester, let's open up on him. Careful, Chester. He may be faking it. One thing, Mr. Dillon. It's not Wade. It's Dallas. Then let's go find Wade. Looks like they're all in bed. It may be easier that way. Yes, sir. I wish there was some way of keeping his mother out of it. I don't see how it can be... Dallas? Oh, he's awake. I heard the shooting in her. It's not Dallas, ma'am. Why, it's the Marshal and Mr. Brockford. At this time of night. Well, this is quite a surprise. Yes, ma'am. I reckon so. Is Jed here? Well, I guess so. Maybe he's out in the barn or somewhere. What's wrong, Mr. Dillon? I sure do hope Jed ain't in some kind of trouble. I just want to talk to him this way. Why don't you go on back in the house, huh? And we'll see if we can find him. Well, all right, if you think best. You just go straight on back through the barn. I reckon you'll find him all right. Thank you, ma'am. It's not going to be easy. Yeah, I know. Keep yourself covered. Well, well, it sounds like you're working back there. Yeah. Well, Bartlett put up enough prairie hay here to last for three years. Right on back, Dallas. Yes, Bob. He's got these here running irons finished. Dallas wants to be needing many running irons. Wait for anything else. He's dead. We found where you buried the Bartlett's. That's where that shooting was. You and Dallas. You're under arrest for murder, Wade. And if you make a move, you're going to end up the same way Dallas did. How could I do anything, Marshal? I've got no gun. I noticed it hanging on the wall there behind you. You leave it there. For sure. Now lay down that hammer and stick out your wrist. For sure. Anything you say? Smash the lantern, Mr. Dillon. Watch it, Chester. You'll have his gun now. Get back, Chester. Get back and talk the door. I can't see a thing at all this smoke. That haze is dry as potter. This burn's going to go up like a tinderbox. You haven't got a chance now. Come on out of there while you still can. Why don't you come back here and get this? You crazy fool. Come on out now. It's getting awful bad, Mr. Dillon. Back to the door, Chester. We're going to have to get out of here. What's that, Chester? Even for a man like Wade, that's not a good way to die, Mr. Dillon. I don't know what it is when you come right down to it, Chester. I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm afraid there's no use. I'll call him in. It's too late to help me. In fact, sometimes I'll always note it. I'm sorry, Ms. Wade. She had done something real bad, didn't she, Mr. Dillon? Him and Dallas. That's why you come back here. Yes, ma'am. I'm afraid so. They killed the people who owned this ranch. They buried them down along the riverbank. Those boys done a lot of bad things, Mr. Dillon. But I don't hold with killing. I'm sorry it had to happen this way, ma'am. Mr. Dillon, I'd like to ask a favor. No, I certainly, ma'am. I come out here in a wedding to help back the house. Now that it's getting light, if you'd hitch up my team to it, I'd like to go back to town with you. Chester, yes, Mr. Dillon, I'll do it. I'll just take what I brought, Mr. Dillon. Nothing else. Just as you like, ma'am. It's all in the trunk. Funny thing. I never did unpack it. Gun smoke under the direction of Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall. Tonight's story was specially written for gun smoke by Les Crutchfield, with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey. Featured in the cast were V.V. Janus, Harry Bartel, Lawrence Dobkin, Joe Cranston and Jerry Hausner. Polly Bear is Chester, Howard McNeer is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty. Gun smoke is heard by our troops overseas through the facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Service. Join us again next week as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall, fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in Gun Smoke. Theatre of Stars brings you Dana Andrews as the new England fisherman of the old school in a colorful, exciting drama of the Clippership Day, titled The Token. Here what happens when a determined young lady steals her sister's betrothal token and then sets out to steal the stalwart young fisherman as well. It's on Theatre of Stars tomorrow night on most of these same stations. A feature presentation of CBS Radio at the stars address. And you've heard of people stopping the show. Well, there's a show on CBS Radio every Sunday evening that stops the people. There's a show, of course. And when it comes on the air, practically everybody stops doing practically everything except laughing. So tomorrow night, just stop everything and listen to Jack Benny. He'll be on your favorite CBS radio station. George Wall speaking. And remember, Eve Arden as our Miss Brooks also teaches you how to laugh Sundays on the CBS Radio Network.