 Gun Smoke, brought to you by Chesterfield, America's most popular two-way cigarette. What a pair. Chesterfield king size at the new low price. Chesterfield regular. Around Dodge City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers. And that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of Gun Smoke. Gun Smoke, starring William Conrad. The transcribed 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 chancey job that makes a man watchful and a little lonely. I'd sure like to meet whoever's running the kitchen in this place. Oh, why, Kitty? A cook that can make antelope stew taste like prairie dog ought to be something to see. Well, at least it's hot. No, it isn't. Well, mine is. You're forgetting you dumped half that bowl of chili peppers in yours? Well, I've eaten here before, Kitty. Oh, hello, Marshal. Hello, John. You know what I'd do if I owned this place, Matt? Uh, tear it down? No. Look, it's got tables and chairs and knives and forks and spoons. Now back, they got a kitchen all set up with a stove and everything. So? It's all here. I'd open a restaurant. You're spoiled, Kitty. Dodge isn't St. Louis, you know. St. Louis? I was there six months, four years ago. Hello, Matt. Kitty. How are you, Doc? Oh, I'm fine. I'm fine. Well, sit down, Doc. Sit down. Oh, thank you. Thank you. Oh, well, what are you eating? Stew? That's what they call it, Doc. Oh, well, I'll try a little anyway. Then I'm going to bed. At noon? I was up all night, Kitty, out at the brand place. Mrs. Brand have her baby? Uh-huh, boy. That's five I've delivered out there. You know, it seems to me it's about time they gave you one. Oh, no, no, no. Give me one. I've got enough trouble all by myself. But seriously, I'll tell you something, Matt. It's got so I'm afraid to be driving onto the prairie at all. More Indians, Doc? I ran into Sam Butler outside. He just drove in with his whole family and all his belongings loaded onto his wagon. Says he's quitting. Well, why? Pauline's wiped out another family up near his place on the Smoky Hill River a couple of days ago. Uh, that's the second raid in the last two weeks. No wonder he's scared. Matt, he's telling everyone who will listen that it's a shameful thing for the law to be hiding out in Dodge while whole families are being slaughtered in the country. He is, huh? Yes. I thought you'd like to know. You said with Kitty, Doc, I, uh... I'm going to have a talk with Sam Butler. Sure. I'll see you later. He's out there and exposes his family to them murder and savages. This is plum crazy. You can't fight a Pauline War Party all by yourself. And we sure ain't getting no help from the law around here. We can die and rot for all the law cares. Hello, Sam. Well, where you been hiding, Marshall? I, uh, hear the Paulines made another raid up near you. If you call shooting and scalping a man and his wife and their two boys a raid, are those men never had a chance to fight far as I say? Men? Well, boys, but they were coming on 14 or 15, holding up to handle a rifle. But they got caught outside and never even made the house. I seen them lying there with my own eyes, Marshall. And if you'd seen them, you'd be doing something about it instead of sitting around here and dying. I'm not hard to fight Indians, Sam. That's the Army's job. You ought to be out helping the Army. Every lawman in the country ought to. The Army doesn't need help. But there's something strange about those Paulines. Well, it's strange about them. They killed white men before. I'm sorry you're quitting, Sam. We need settlers out here. Not dead ones, you don't. No. No, not dead ones. What a pair. What a buy. They're talking about King-sized Chesterfield at the new low price. And Chesterfield regular. They're the quality twins. Either way you like them, you get the same highest quality, the same low nicotine, the same wonderful taste and mildness, a refreshing smoke every time. Yes, the Chesterfield you smoke today is the best cigarette ever made, and it's America's most popular two-way cigarette. So buy a carton today. King-sized Chesterfield at the new low price. Or Chesterfield regular. What a pair they are. They satisfy millions. They're best for you. Chester and I left Dodge that afternoon and toward evening the next day we ran across a troop of cavalry camped on the Smoky Hill River. It was commanded by an officer who was new to this part of the country, a Captain Starr. He was anxious to make a success of his first expedition, but so far he hadn't even seen an Indian. I decided to stay with him for a while, and I'm glad I did. The next afternoon while we were on the march, his scouts reported another settler's cabin burned. The family killed. At my request, Captain Starr filed his troop out and patrolled while he and Chester and I rode forward to the scene of the slaughter. My scouts say these people haven't been dead very long, Marshal. This morning probably, that dawn, Captain. Then those Indians can't be too far off. No, but Indians have a way of disappearing. There it is, Mr. Dillon, burned right into the ground. Just like that last cabin, their bodies scattered around out in front. Well, let's get up there. And their boy. Against the water barrel. Oh, my. It's a little girl. It's a little girl. They scalped them, every one of them. Even that little girl. They even scalped her. At least they didn't torture them. Did they torture the other families, Captain? No, they didn't, Marshal. They got them just like this and scalped them. Where are you going, Marshal? What is it? Captain Starr. Last night you told me this is your first Chura duty in Indian country. That's right, Marshal. I'll take a good look around here, Captain. I have. All right. All three of these settler families were killed in the open outside their cabins. Does that mean anything to you? Those ponies are pretty tricky. They really surprised them. Yeah, they sure did. There are not many arrows around. If these people had had a chance to put up a fight, there'd be a lot of arrows. They were shot, Marshal, with rifles. Ponies don't usually waste ammunition, Captain. There's a reason for it here, though. What reason? Look at the ground. There are no tracks. Every sign of tracks have been dragged out with a blanket. You're right. I had noticed that. Well, there's another thing you hadn't noticed Oh, what's that? That boy there. How old would you say he was? About the same age as the boys at the last place, maybe 12, 13. Oh, Captain, that's old enough to be a brave in a couple of years if he was a ponie. What do you mean, if he was a ponie? They usually keep a boy that age. They don't kill him. They take him and try to make a brave out of him. Oh, I didn't know that. I know what he's driving at, Captain. You don't think it was ponies that done this. Ain't that right, Mr. Dillon? Yeah, that's right. But the ponies are the only tribe around here we know of, Marshal. Captain, it's them tracks. Ponies wouldn't hide their tracks. No, they wouldn't. Why? A man wearing Marcusons doesn't care about his tracks, Captain. He's got nothing to hide. Freight, I don't understand. It wasn't ponies that did this. It wasn't Indians at all. There was white men. Marshal Dillon, it's impossible for me to believe white men could have done this. No white man would shoot that little girl over there and then scalper. Do you ever hear what Chivington did to the Cheyennes at Sand Creek? Kellen's Scalpomali said big and little. Knits make lights. Congress has repudiated that whole affair, Marshal. Well, it still happened. And it was still white men that did it. I suppose you're right. I'm right. But why did they do it? Horses. You see that corral out there? This man must have had six or seven head of horses. Yes, the other settlers did, too. They stole the horses and probably whatever they could find in the cabins, and right now they're sitting around camp somewhere drinking coffee and laughing at all of us Indian hunters. Well, I'll find them. Now, it's a big country cow. I got a troop of cavalry out there, Marshal. Over a hundred men. All right, suppose you do find some riders with a bunch of horses. How are you going to know that the men you're after? These horses are branded, aren't they? What, what brands? No, but they must be registered somewhere. Maybe. But while you're out finding out all that, some other family's going to be slaughtered. There isn't time, Captain. I didn't realize how new I am at this game, Marshal. What would you suggest? Well, there used to be a corral about five miles upriver from here. If it still stands and we'll... we'll bait it with a couple of dozen head of good cavalry horses. And then they'll come to us. Good idea. I'll have my troop deployed and ready to move in. No, it wouldn't work. You can't hide a hundred men, Captain. You'll have to keep your cavalry clear away from there. But how... Chester and I will be there. We'll wait for him. I'll throw him on the fire, Chester. Let's have some more smoke, huh? Yes, sir. Stand back, Chester. Yes, sir. Well, they ought to see that if they're anywhere this side of the Rocky Mountains. They're sure to be scouting around, Mr. Dillon. They ain't stolen enough horses yet to leave the country. Besides, they're feeling mighty safe. They'll come. Mr. Dillon? Yeah? I've been thinking. Now, what's bothering you? Well, sir, there's only two of us. I'm wondering how many there are of them. You want to go back and find the cavalry? I feel a whole lot safer. I'll go on then. You didn't answer my question, Mr. Dillon. How many do you think we're waiting for? There's no way of telling, Chester. Well, if there's a whole parcel of them, how in the world are we going to take them? I don't care how we take them. They're pretty mad, ain't you? I can't get that little girl out of my mind. Yes, sir, I know. Now, look up. Here comes somebody. He's all alone. Just some cowboy, probably. Maybe. Yeah, sure it is. If he's seen the smoke from our fire now, he's wondering what that old girl was doing full of horses. And he might be scouting it for the others. Those men don't take many chances. Well, how are we going to find out? Well, maybe we won't until it's too late. Heat up some coffee for him, will you, Chester? Yes, sir. I think I'll have a cup of it too, huh? All right, sir. Oh, get on, stranger. We'll have some hot coffee up in a minute. Good. Well, it's time for horse shit. Sure use some coffee. Had to make dry camp last night. Uh-huh. You couldn't have been very far away. Why didn't you ride on down to the river here? I'll tell you why, Mr. I was lost. A road till after dark. And I got lost. Now, your horse could have found it for you. Maybe my horse ain't as smart as yours. No offense. Sit down. Chester's bringing the coffee now. I've been sitting all morning. Here you are, mister. Oh. You mean, got no sugar? You men are traveling pretty light, ain't you? What do you mean? Here's your coffee. Oh, thanks, Chester. You mean all them horses? Might be big removed and no wagon. Not much grub, I can see. We're driving those horses to Cheyenne. There's only two of us. We couldn't handle a wagon and the hurt bull. Only two of you? Yeah, that's right. Well, mister, look, and I'm drifting. Maybe you could use another hand. There may be. Where are you from? Dakota Territory, name of Lee Stapp. I sure would like to see Cheyenne. I never been there. Well, why don't you ride up there alone? It'd be chasing a herd of horses all the way. Well, I'm broke, mister. Wouldn't have much of a party in Cheyenne broke, would it? No, I don't guess you wouldn't. I'm a good hand, I work cheap. How about it? You're a good hand, huh? Of course I am. Did you take a look at those horses we got? Yeah, I sure did. I ain't never seen none better. Well, they're good horses and we take good care of them. Well, okay. What's that got to do with hiring me? Mister, I wouldn't hire you to herd sheep. What? You said you made dry camp last night. How come you tie your horse up without watering him while you stand here slapping up coffee? Well, it's my horse, ain't it? Sure. How's the coffee? Coffee. Is it any good? Well, yeah, sure it is. Well, then have some more of it. Hey, what's that? Chester. Yes, sir? Here, catch his gun. Got it. We'll get some rope. We'll tie him up while he's still out. But, Mr. Dillon, you sure he ain't just a cowboy like he said? I was pretty sure, Chester, but this made me real sure. It was sticking out of his pocket. Oh, my. I'll get the rope. And we ought to hang him with it. We will return for the last act of gun smoke in just a moment. In regular or king size, you can get him either way. The best smoke ever made's the Chester field you buy today. Smokers coast to coast are changing. It's a cinch to do. Here's all you have to say to get the one that's best for you. Chester fields for me. Chester fields for me. You just say it's Chester fields for me. Friends, for your vacation, take along plenty of Chester fields. Buy them by the carton. Chester field king size at the new low price. Chester field regular. What a pair. They're the quality twins. The same highest quality. The same low nicotine. Either way you like them. They're best for you. Smok Chester field. It's America's most popular two-way cigarette. See anything yet, Chester? Yes, sir. There's some dust about a mile away. Is it moving? Right this way. I guess maybe a half dozen riders. Your friends don't take many chances, do they? They ain't friends of mine. Well, I'll tell them that when they get here. You better turn me loose, or else you ain't going to tell nobody nothing. You mean they won't like it? You're being all tied up that way? You ain't got a chance, Marshall. Well, God, he's about right, Mr. Dillon. How are we going to fight six men? You know, I've been thinking, Chester, we could use step here as a hostage. No, no, Marshall, don't do that. I don't aim to step. They wouldn't care whether you die or not, men like you don't have that kind of friends. I mean, Mr. Dillon, we wouldn't have a chance. No, we wouldn't, Chester. I'm going to do something I never did before in my life. What? You'll see. But first get a bandana and fix step up so he can't talk. That won't do you no good. Shut up and get on your feet. Here's a bandana. Here, I'll do it. All right, on your feet. Now turn around. Get our rifles, Chester. Go on. There, that'll keep you quiet, step. All right, now walk. Are you sure, Mr. Dillon? Oh, thanks. You get on behind that log over there, Chester. Yes, sir. Now keep step here with me. All right, lie down, step. And if you make any noise, I'll split your skull. Oh, oh. Now go on, lie down. Chester. Yes, sir, fine. Keep the son off your rifle, they're getting pretty close. Now quiet. Mr. Dillon. What? What are we going to do now? Fight it out from here? Chester, I'd hate for either of us to get killed by men like them. When I start shooting, you start. Take whoever's on your side first and then work in. Yes, sir. Surprise them, huh? So they'll never know it. Shut up now. Here they come. Over the river. We'll get down and wait here for them. Step's done. Killed them already. We didn't hear no shooting, did we? I don't like this. It should have been back a long time ago. Step knows what he's doing. I'm sure find horses. Now, Chester. Now turn around and get your hands up in the air. Chester, come over here. We killed four of them, Mr. Dillon. Four of them. Rod, step up and bring him up to the fire. I'll handle these two. All right, you two stop just in time. You can turn around now. What the ambush is for? Well, you went and killed four men. I'm a U.S. Marshal, Mr. You're lying. Am I? What kind of Marshal would ambush a bunch of men like that? My kind. You got your bandana, Mr. Dillon. No reason you shouldn't talk now. That was murder. That's what that was. That was plain murder. Sure was. Even if he is a Marshal, he'll hang for this. He'll never give us a chance. You're right, Mr. I didn't give you a chance. There were too many of you. Besides, I never knew any man that deserved a chance less than you. What are you talking about? We ain't done nothing. You haven't, huh? Well, I found this on your friend's stab, Mr. There. Take a good look at it. What's this? It ain't nothing. It's just a little yellow ribbon. Burn the rest of it. Stab? I didn't get nothing else. It was just kind of a souvenir. I told you to get rid of everything. Stab, I'm sorry you came in alone. I wish you had been with the others. But I'll see you hanged. All three of you. Then it's that little girl's yellow hair ribbon that's gonna hang you. L and M goes king size. Yes, L and M goes king size. Now, L and M is king size as well as regular. Both have the same low price. Both have the miracle tip for the effective filtration you need. Yes, it's the filter that counts. And L and M has the best. You get much more flavor, much less nicotine, a light and mild smoke. Yes, this is it. L and M filters. Just what the doctor ordered. Biocarton, king size, or regular. Both at the same low price. L and M filters. America's highest quality and best filter tip cigarette. Gun smoke produced and directed by Norman McDonald as William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall. Tonight's story was specially written for gun smoke by John Meston with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey. Featured in the cast were Lawrence Dobkin, Joseph Kearns, and Harry Bartel. Harley Bearish Chester, Howard McNear is Doc, and Georgia Ellis is Kitty. 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. Although the physical danger of war is over for your friend in the service, his morale is threatened now more than ever. He worries about being the forgotten man. And when there's no mail from home, that's when loneliness really settles in, and it's tough to be lonesome. The U.S.O. knows there's nothing like a letter to make a fellow feel better. Why don't you let your friend in the service know you're thinking of him? If you're a cousin, neighbor, schoolmate, or a member of his church, club, or union, write to him today. Remember, it's tough to be left out at nail call. And remember, too, next week at this same time, Chesterfield will bring you another transcribed story of the Western Frontier on gun smoke. This is the CBS Radio Network.