 Don Dodge City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with a U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke, 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 chancey job, and it makes a man watchful, and a little lonely. Oh, Mr. Dillon, keeping up with his best of kin? Well, if that's all the compsion you got, you're better off back at the office. Well, just let me rest a little bit, Mr. Dillon. What's the matter? Are you sick? I just ain't got no spunk to me these days. What have you seen, Doc? Oh, I don't know. Last time I asked him to give me a tonic, he wanted to charge me a whole dollar for it, and I thought he wouldn't make no guarantee he'd cure me. Look, Chester, I'm only going to the telegraph office. There's no need for you to come along. No, I don't want to shirt my job. Would you go back to the office and lie down? I couldn't do that, Mr. Dillon. Lying down is the best cure I know for being tired, Chester. No, sir, it ain't... Pardon me. That's one of the worst things a body can do, lay itself down when he's tired. It isn't. For me, I get to hear myself breathing so hard on how tired I am, and it just clean wears me out listening to me breathe. I don't know what I do to Claire. What? Look down here. There's that nice little Ms. Curtin loading her wagon over to Joneses. Now, where at is Rob Curtin? He ain't loading up his own wagon. Well, I don't know, Chester, but I... Well, you may be able to stand by and watch a lady do a man's work, but I just cannot abide. Poor little thing like that. Lifting and hefting them big, heavy things. Now then, Ms. Curtin, you just leave them feed sacks to us. Ms. Curtin? Oh, Marshal, Chester. Well, they are my heavy. For a little bit of a thing like you, maybe, but for me, I... Grab the other end of that potato sack, Mr. Dillon. Well, you can make it, can't you? If you don't mind, you try it. No, Ms. Chester. That'd be better. All right. Thank you. I just waited until I tell Rob who gave me a hand. Anything else to go in, Ms. Curtin? Well, not that I know of, Chester. I was Rob, anyway. Fine. Thank you, Marshal. Well, you can see for yourself. Look here, Rob, all the nice help I've had. Come on, Marshal. Well, now, I didn't know but what you was home ailing and maybe working one or the other. Yes, you two took care of all the heavy stuff. I was waiting on Jonas. He went out back to fetch me these nails. And much obliged to you. You folks just never get out our way. I'd be pleased if you'd come take supper with us sometime. That's very kind of you, Ms. Curtin. We better be starting back. Thanks again for the help. Don't mention it, Rob. Small mention, all right? We'll hope to see you soon now. All right. Aren't you going to wave to him, Chester? Well, I'd like to, Mr. Jones. I declare I am just named and played out. What's his name, man? That's Dringer. Not I can unknow him by name. Might know him by sight. Miami, Texas. That's a new name on me. That's the town of the Panhandle. Last time I rode through it was too small to have a sheriff. I guess the cattle drives the fattened up some. Yeah, let me see that telegram again. Oh, yeah, sure. Let me see here. Bringing prisoner in, need your help, meet afternoon stage. And it's signed Abstringer Sheriff. And it's Miami, Texas. That's what I thought. Is something wrong? Well, it doesn't say anyone's wounded. It doesn't say anyone needs a doctor. No, but it says he needs help. If he's had trouble, somebody's likely to be hurt. Well, that fellow there is the last passenger they had. I sure didn't see two men get off together. I didn't either, but that one's wearing a star. Uh, you Abstringer, mister? Well, you're bound to be Marshall Dillon. Yeah, that's right. This is Doc Adams. Brought to meet you, sir. Yes, sir. Oh, where is he, Stringer? Where's who? The telegram here says you're bringing in a prisoner. Do you mind if I look at that? No, go right ahead. Thank you. Well, I declare. Oh, I do declare. Well, one thing, he got my name right. I got to give him that. Well, you sent this telegram, didn't you? Oh, I sent you a telegram, all right, Marshall Dillon, but you know that fool Slim Balloo. You know him? Telegraph operated down at Dalhart? Uh, no, no, I can't say. Well, I've known him. I've known him years, you know. We were drawing about me taking a fellow prisoner, all right. I guess that's what blew old Slim off of the track. Well, then you haven't got a prisoner then, huh? Well, yeah, I not only haven't got him, Marshall. I'm counting on you to help me get him. Aren't they, Marshall? Yeah, some of them look mighty rough, all right, Stringer. Of course, I say these wanted pictures, they served their purpose. Now, looking through them, keep a man in out of the heat, or the rain or the cold. Ain't worth dried beans to help a man find a no-county looking for. They start a pretty good fire on a cold morning. Don't say it, though. You haven't come across your man in these. No. Wouldn't be the first time I went fishing into a mess of these and didn't get my catch. Of course, my bee ain't stayed one place long enough to get his picture took. Uh, that name you gave me is Sam Frazier. That doesn't mean a thing to me. Well, changing your name is just like rolling over in bed. Marshall, painting their thing to it. Changing your face. That's another story that comes a mite harder. Yeah, but I've seen them try. Oh, yeah, man, there's a time. Then they get by with it now and again. You know, I found out a long time ago, if a man sets out to fool you and he's half-bright about it, he can get the job done. But you know this Frazier, you'd know him outside. Oh, and he'd know me. Well, here's the latest batch of wanted posters. Thank you. Well, isn't it them? We'll have to try something else again. We're used to that, you and me. Is that a fact? No, it's trying something else. Yeah, that's a job. No, sir, Marshall. No, sir. You just ain't got a picture of Sam Frazier in your collection. Well, if you're pretty sure he's in dodge, you better have a look around, I guess. Now, Marshall, I didn't come all this way on pretty sure. I know he's in dodge. Or was. Sandy here, fellas. About 30. That's Sam. Yeah. And about half the other men in dodge. Well, just this one tiny difference in Sam, Marshall, he robbed a bank and killed a man. I tell you, Matt, wouldn't hurt to study Abba while. He's the best natured lawman I've ever seen. Oh. You've got some kind of idea. I'm not Jovey, old kitty. You've got some kind of idea, y'all. No, no, I haven't. I'm about half serious, though, Matt. Last night, he was the last to walk out of here on his own two feet. Sam mooned and carried the other two out. Who were they? Roof Connors and Ed Crouch. Springer spent most of the evening with him, did he? Didn't seem to need us playing any favorites. One time or the other, he played a hand of poker or had a drink with Evelyn here. Why? I was just thinking. Roof and Ed both fit to the description of the man's stringer's trailer. Tall, sandy-haired, about 30. Oh, what a Keaton from the rest of one of them. Nothing, if he was the right man. Uh, Sam Frazier. Does that mean anything to you? Hmm, my particle. As long as I've lived here, I can't remember anyone named Frazier. Well, where's Abba today? He hasn't been in here. He went off early this morning with Doc on some calls. I had an idea, since he can't seem to find this Frazier in town, he might have hired on with some spread near here. Not a bad idea. A man wanted for murder likely wouldn't stick in a town like that's too long. Well, I'll sit down. Where's Abba? Rob Curtin just came in. I bet he hasn't been in here three times since he and Sarah got married. Doesn't look like he'll make any money off of him. He's not stopping at the bar. Hello, Rob. Good to see you. Miss Kitty? Marshall? How are you, Rob? Sarah asked me to drop this bye for you, Miss Kitty. Huh? It's that mending she was to do. Well, thank you very much for bringing it in. Will you have a beer with us? Oh, thank you, no. I gotta get back home. It just came in to switch those nails I bought from Jonas the other day. See, when I was coming, Sarah said I should bring this bye. Well, you tell her I'll have more for her to do next time she comes in. She's got the time. Oh, Sarah makes time, Miss Kitty. I don't know how she manages. She says she just can't abide idle hands. She'll be coming into town tomorrow or the next day. Fine. Sam will pay you, Rob. Oh, much obliged to you. Oh, Rob, you don't have any new hands at the ranch, by any chance, do you? Same old hands, Marshall. Mine and Sarah's. You run that spread alone? Now, you see something wrong in there? No, nothing except the hard work of it. Oh, we're willing for that, Sarah and me. Well, afternoon to you. Oh, that'd be a full thing for me to try. It's the truth, Chester. Just ask Marshall Dill and he'd been all through that part of Texas. You mean tell me the whole of that town is dug out storm cellar? There are two buildings in that town that stand above the ground. That's what I'm telling a man riding through at night and swear there's no town there at all. And riding through in the light of day, he'd be sure of it. Well, that makes folks living like sacks of potatoes. Of course, that's cool living, dug down in the earth that way. And a panhandle somewhere will give you cause to want cool living. But it's the winds, you know. It's the cyclones. How come they live that way? Well, a cyclone can't blow away what's not standing there in first place. I can see that. Now some folks say that that's how come nobody can talk a Texan down. Cause you see, anybody learns to talk against the wind like that, he ain't gonna be outtalked by no mortal man. Well, now, you got me so I don't know what's joshing in there. Well, that don't really bother you, does it, Chester? Oh, those are I can admire it. All his laughing and funding. Seeing you got trouble, you're hiding. Well, everybody's got troubles right enough. You just ain't one bit closer to finding that same pleasure, now, alright? Well, I haven't found him yet. But now, you know, with all this looking behind me, I must be getting closer. Now, wouldn't you say? I do, because you've got a way to see in the bright side. Oh, I'm sorry. Well, Miss Curtin, oh, I am sorry, man. Oh, my fault, Chester. Rob says if I don't quit backing out of doors, I'll get trampled one day. We'll be together up and good before you. Thank you. Oh, Miss Curtin, this here is Mr. Ab Stringer. Well, you're mighty kind to help, Mr. Stringer. I'm very pleased to meet you. That's Mrs. Curtin, is it? Yes, sir. Mrs. Curtin. Well, won't we should just put these parcels in your wagon for him, ma'am? Well, if you don't mind. Seems like you load my wagon more than Rob does lately, Chester. Oh, he ain't with you today, huh? No, he's at the ranch. I had just these few things to get and some errands to run. Rob says there wasn't any man's work to it. Now, you tell the Marshal I was serious as could be about you taking supper with us. Just any time you're out our way. Oh, yes, ma'am. I'll do that all of mine, I'm sure. Oh, and I thank you kindly for your help, Mr. Stringer. I'm glad to oblige you, lady, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Let me give you a hand up. Oh, thank you. Here's your lines, ma'am. Next thing you know, you'll be driving me home. Goodbye to you. Goodbye to you, ma'am. Goodbye. Now, I declare if we don't get back to office, Mr. Young will think we walked clean out of town. Are you gone, Chester? I'm just going over to the stable for a spell. Well, you ain't thinking of riding off and leaving us now. If I told you, Chester, you'd swear I was funning you again. A lot of told you sooner, but you and Clay was talking the first long, Mr. Young. That's not your call, Chester. And we don't know if he followed Sarah Curtin. We just think he did. I swear, I just can't get it through my head that he ain't Ab Stringer the way he's been saying. Clay says he can't be. And he ought to know he's just up from Texas. He was there when they found Ab Stringer's buddy. And they're pretty sure this fella we've been calling Ab was the one who killed him, huh? Well, Ab Stringer was bringing in a prisoner. And this man we know showed me abs credentials. So he must have killed him and stole his papers. Just don't see how it could be. I swear, I never met a nicer fella. And I sure never laughed so much. Yeah, he's kept us all laughing, Chester. Maybe a little too much. This all about. You shouldn't be out here in the barn, Sarah. You'll kill you, too. All you've got to do is throw out the money, Sam. He keeps calling you Sam. Tell him you're not who he thinks you are, Bob. Tell him you... You spare my wife, I'll give you the money. Hang on, nothing against her. I'm coming out. You wait for your hour. It'll take me a minute to fetch the money. One minute. And then I start shooting again, Sam. Bob Curtin, will you tell me what this is about? What money is there? Why did he call you Sam? Well, it is Sam. A long time ago. Before you, Sarah, I was Sam Fraser. And this money, it's not mine. Well, if it's his, why do they have to have a gun to get it from him? It's not his, Sarah. Bob, then why? What is it? I don't understand. Sarah, there isn't time. Maybe later. Maybe I can help you understand. Now, you stay here. You lie down flat while I take you to him. I want to help you, Bob. Let me help you. Then you stay there, Sarah. That kind of thing, Sam, Bob. Thought you were dead. But now, what kind of greatness is that between old friends? Of course, I can see you'd a lot rather I was dead. You could have kept all that money. You got your share years ago. Well, you were always more frugal than me, Sam. When I got to running again, I knew I could count on you for help. How come you still got it? Most of it's there, but not all. I've been working. My wife's been working. I was going to send it all back. I got a life. I wanted to live it clean. What? And taking your ma's name, hiding behind it, that your idea of living clean? It helped. Till now? Well, Sam, we killed a man. I know. I'm paying for that every day and night of my life. The minute I heard that name, meeting your woman, I knew my worries was done and gone. You can live with what's past, can't you? The killing, the taking of the life. Oh, I got more killings than that to fret me. But I can live with them all fine. Now I got this money. There's blood on it. But not enough, Sam. The way you're thinking, you're going to worry yourself to death, and I got to spare you that. I haven't even got a gun. Oh, I see, Sam, boys. Oh, I see. Bye, Sam, boy. Well, Marshall Dillon. Hey, we had an accident here. I told you that I couldn't stop you in time. You got to jail for m- Now look here, Marshall. Rob Curtin, was that time- I said you're going to jail and I'll get your hands up. Not hardly. It was helpful, you and Chester. Mind, I told you, if a man sets out to fool you and he's half-bright about it, he can get the job done. And I- I've seen it all. They're both dead. It was too late. No matter. Not now anyway. You'll do no such thing. You're good as killed him. You'll not touch him now. But you can't manage it, sir. How you come here now is more gold than I understand. And telling me what I can manage. You got no idea that, Marshall? Sir, I'm- I'm sorry. I didn't know who he was. A few miles from Rob and didn't know who he was these two years now. I lived with him night and day these two years. He was Rob Curtin. And that's all he was. There was no Sam Frazier about him. And he had that money. He offered it back. A friend, Chester's friend. Your good is let him kill my Rob. Your good is give him your leave. Easy. Living with it, sir. I hope it isn't. I hope you crawl with it the rest of your days. I'm sorry, sir. Terribly sorry. You're a Marshall. And I know. Only the question is... Sarah don't quite fix things, does it? Harley Bear is Chester. Howard McNeer is Doc. And Georgia Ellis is Kitty. This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week when CBS Radio presents another story on guns smoke.