 dark city and the territory on west there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers and that's with the u.s. Marshall and the smell of gun smoke gun smoke 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 Marshall they told us a man we'd been looking for a murderer was in a cow camp on the north fork of the Canadian River about a hundred miles south of dodge so Chester and I rode down to take a look we found a fellow there with a right name but the wrong face so we started back first night we camped in a dry buffalo-rutted depression the next morning I woke shortly after daybreak to find Chester already cooking breakfast morning Mr. Dillon me to be done soon the coffee made Chester it's what I need I didn't make much though I thought I'd better save our water you know Chester I'll bet right now the Docs back there in St. Louis hold up and sometimes the hotel still asleep that's quite a thought sir yeah him right in the middle of St. Louis and us way out here on the prayer I bet he's even got sheets on his bed I wouldn't be surprised Mr. Dillon Doc said this was one vacation he was going to splurge on he's riding the Santa Fe both ways well meat's done I cleaned off this rock here to cut it on oh good oh you got a warm anyway well now meat shouldn't be overcooked Mr. Dillon that takes a taste clean out of it I don't want to be able to taste everything about this steer eggman's disappointment how's that Mr. Dillon never mind Chester how come you woke up so early this morning oh I always do seems as soon as it gets daylight my feet start to sweat and then I just got to get up that's as good a reason as any I guess wow looks like we got company Chester what oh boy right out there heading straight for us oh yeah some cowboy probably I don't know he doesn't ride quite like a cowboy well it's just a kid Mr. Dillon yeah it sure is sure needs a haircut same as you Dylan it's a girl what could she be doing out here I'm carrying a rifle to get on this and have some coffee who are you Mr. Hi this is Chester proud foot and I'm Matt Dylan how do you do you rustlers or what not exactly I'm the US Marshal out of dodge man US Marshal all that's good it is why I need help Mr. Marshal my daddy's awful sick sick but where is your daddy we got a homestead about a mile over that rise back there what's he's sick with it's his leg Mr. Marshal a horse threw him and he saddled both in the corral minute stepped on his foot now he's whole legs all funny he's got a fever too Dylan that's how yeah I know Chester tell me miss when the horse stepped on him did it cut his foot break the skin anywhere just a scratch Tory boot off though please Mr. Marshal please come see him I'm scared the way his leg isn't everything well sure sure will come your mother with him now I don't have a mother Mr. Marshal oh well then what are you doing out here if your daddy's sick we ran out of meat about three days ago and I don't have anything to feed him huh all right Chester I'll write back with him what is your name anyway Tara Tara Henry huh I'll be 16 that January well that's that's fine we'll go back to the hand tree place Chester you scatter on for some meat all right you and if you don't find any antelope shoot the first calf you see anybody's cat I'll do it Mr. Dylan he's in the sleeping room Mr. Marshall no daddy daddy I found a man and he's going to help us and daddy he's a Marshal are you at Marshal Matt Dylan Mr. Henry and how are you feeling Dylan I've heard of you you're from Dodge aren't you that's right well Marshal I ain't feeling so good my foot don't hurt no more but it my leg is all sort of well it ain't pretty I don't know much about these things but maybe I better take a look at it anyway sure sure Marshal there she is all right you can cover it up I was in the war Marshal I know what gangrene is guess you do too yeah well the first thing a friend of mine is out getting you some meat and then we'll load you in your wagon Ben took the wagon what been warling took the wagon when daddy got hurt said he'd find a doctor and bring him back who's been walling oh he's been sort of working here Mr. Marshall I should have run him off long ago that's what well where is he would he take the wagon for it where's he gonna find a doctor around here anyway closest doctors in Dodge I know yeah and he's in St. Louis and he won't be back for a couple of weeks I couldn't get to him anyway but tell me when did this happen about six days ago Mr. Marshall Ben left the day after well you think he's coming back did he steal the wagon or what he he comes back here and me not able to get around I don't know what I'll do I ought to take a bullet take him out take it easy Mr. Hand taken he won't cause any trouble so don't you get all worked up Tara we'll let him get some rest we'll have some food for you soon Mr. Handtree I ain't very hungry Tara what's he so riled up about this been walling for what's between him oh it's nothing Mr. Marshall daddy's sick and that's all look Tara you asked me to help you didn't you yes but you trust me don't you all right Mr. Marshall daddy hate Ben cuz Ben well Ben likes me oh I see he even wanted to marry me said he would how do you feel about Ben Tara you like him no of course it's time I had a man and all that but I'm afraid of Ben Mr. Marshall it's like there's something wrong with him he's always sneaking around when you don't expect him makes me uneasy like well we won't worry about Ben now you stay here in case your daddy wants anything I'll go outside and wait for Chester Mr. Marshall I'm awful glad you're here we'll see it through Tara don't you worry I won't now I went outside and walked over to the small corral that stood nearby there I rolled a smoke and looked out across the flat distances of the prairie and I wondered how anyone could survive and all that emptiness Handtree lying on his bed back there in the house he wouldn't survive the prairie got to him all right and its vast loneliness that put him out of reach of any help and Tara what could she do out here in this endless land of grass I was glad to get my mind off it when Chester rode in with an antelope across his saddle we hung it on the corral dressed it took a hind quarter at the Tara and we went back outside and sat down yes she's a plucky girl Mr. Miller fine girl yeah but this Ben fella I just don't understand his going off with the wagon like that well doesn't matter much now entry won't last long a day or two anyway it's that bad is it yeah blood poisoning just as soon as it reaches his heart he's done for it well isn't there any way to stop it yeah sure but his leg off too bad doc isn't here yeah with that stop it mr. Dylan cutting his leg off of me I don't know Chester I don't know maybe too late anyway I sure wish we could do something for him I don't take to just sitting around and waiting for a man to die and nobody does it isn't right somehow that poor fella and and Tara well I mr. Dylan that girl go crazy out here all along all right Chester what do you want me to do about it I'm not a doctor I'll shut up well I mr. Dylan you could do it I know you could do what be a doctor long enough to save mr. Henry's life you are out of your head no sir and what are you talking like that for the most I ever did was doctor a horse for the colic that's fine training for this I know I couldn't do it I just plain don't have the spirit but you do oh why does not leave you back in dodge it wouldn't have mattered anyway mr. Dylan because you would never just stand by and let a man die let's go talk to him just thank you mr. Dylan daddy fever is worse mr. Marshall I'm gonna get some more water how do you feel mr. Henry I don't feel much Marshall I outside of burning up I've been trying to tell Tara I just can't last long with blood poisoning she's just got to figure on it well that's what I came to talk to you about I I guess you know the only thing it'll give you a chance I know I've been thinking about it but I couldn't ask any man to do that you didn't ask me well it's up to you mr. Henry I'll try it if you're willing only thing is I I won't know much about what I'm doing I seen it done in the Union Army Marshall I could tell you some things all right the only thing is Marshall I I don't know I'd be much use around here with one leg well you'll have to decide that for yourself I know you could move to town mr. Henry you and Tara that's it Tara if it was just me I wouldn't do it but I can't leave Tara alone now if I can help but I can all right Marshall let's do it you're a brave man no no Marshall I just don't have any choice come on let's get it over with you got any liquor in the house there's a jug of corn out in the kitchen get it Chester you can start drinking it while we're getting everything else ready tell Tara to start boiling a lot of water yeah I'll talk to her in a few minutes I'll be right back now I want you to tell me everything that you know about this mr. Henry first I'll tell you what you'll need there's a straight iron out by the corral somewhere yeah you can heat it in the main room fireplace right what else Tara will find some claw for bandages and the rest of the stuff you can get in the kitchen the only thing worry in me is what do we use to tie off the arteries with plain thread won't hold well maybe some thin strips of raw high they'd soak through got to have some I know at least I think it'll work with about horse hair that's it Marshall pull it off the tail but work fine here's the judge hand tree and I brought you a cup to pour me some I want to get good and drunk here you are mr. Henry you know I ain't been drunk in the daytime since we got the news about President Lincoln in the spring of 65 you better have your talk with Tara for that takes hold ask her to come in with you come on Chester we got work to do yes sir good luck mr. Henry thanks well Marshall yeah Marshall I'll try to make it easy for you yeah sure shortly after noon I operated whether it was the corn whiskey or his own hard courage I don't know but hand tree never whimpered Chester stood outside the door and brought me whatever I needed Tara waited in the kitchen boiling more water and making her own thoughts maybe it was harder on her than any of us toward the end the entry mercifully passed out when I'd finally finish bandaging him I was kind of me myself I've done everything I could I just hoped I'd done it right how is he Mr. Dylan you'll have to clean up in there Chester I've got to get outside for some air yes sir I'll do it and put that fire out it's hot enough around here I don't know how you did it you don't Tara Tara would you come on outside for a while he's daddy all right is he all right mr. Marshall it's all over Tara we'll just have to wait and see now they're not Tara he's all right sorry but it took so long I thought you'd never finish he didn't feel much Tara the corn liquor worked fine fine will he get well now well I hope so Mr. Marshall are you gonna wait and see I'm not Tara you don't have to worry about that just and I'll be here as long as you need us I just wanted to be sure can I can I go see daddy now well as soon as Chester comes on Tara then you can all right I'll wait mr. Marshall beat me mr. Dylan how he can just lay there so quiet and peaceful that's only been four or five hours Chester the liquor hasn't worn off yet he drank nearly the whole jug now he needed it say mr. Dylan look yonder no somebody coming to the wagon oh yeah it's probably that Ben Walling they were talking about I'll bet that's who it is all right wonder what he'll have to say for himself now you'll think of something Chester is kind always to you recognize it no sir do you know I never saw him what are you doing here you've been walling that you know the hand trees they've been wondering about you oh yes sure hi his old hand tree anyway he's all right he is huh you've been gone a long time Ben where were you I don't know you mr. but you sure ask a lot of questions you can answer him one at a time now where were you who are you anyway mr. I'm a US Marshall they know US Marshalls around here is now generally I'm in dodge your name Dylan it is what are you doing here Marshall Tara run into us asked us to help seems the only able-bodied man around here took off in a wagon I went to fetch a doctor anything wrong in that not at all where is he well first night the horses ran away and I've been chasing him ever since I didn't catch him till this morning and then I've been gone so long I thought I better get back to you right away I was worried about Tara and old hand tree of course I see well you better get your horses on hitch band you can see Tara later she's in with her father now gonna be all right huh I was kind of worried about that foot look to me like it might have poisoned him it dead what do you mean it did I took his leg off about noon today you want mr. Dylan did it all by himself just like a regular doctor but how'd you know what to do you might have killed him somebody had to do it Venice a sure thing Tara couldn't you're blaming me ain't you well I did everything I could in my fault was blasted horses run on Trace pretty sick then I wouldn't bother him for a day or two if I were you all I won't bother you oh now look Marshall you can leave now I'll handle everything here we'll leave soon as hand tree is able to take care of himself again all right stay as long as you like I don't care Mr. Dylan yeah I think that Ben is a no good liar you're right on both counts Chester now tell you something else you see that saddle over there well that belongs mr. hand tree I know I looked at it this noon somebody cut the cinch strap on it cut the cinch strap mm-hmm well one of that bronc bucked him in the saddle off bull well do you think Tara did it oh my goodness gracious no mr. Dylan Tara'd never do a thing like that to her own Ben wasn't it that'd be my guess you'd figure the old man had hurt maybe killed why should so he'd have a free hand with Tara why is that low down mr. Dylan let me arrest him not yet Chester there's plenty of time all right I'll wait it wasn't as much time as I figured and tree had a bad night and by morning he was so weak he couldn't lift his head I tried to take his pulse but I could hardly find it maybe maybe I'd operated too late maybe the poison had already moved up into his body I didn't know I had no way and no one saw there was nothing to do now but wait once more coffee mr. Dylan yeah thank you Chester will fill it up won't eat anything at all sir she just sat there by his bed hasn't slept a wink I know well well it's her father Chester he's all she's got I never thought much about it before mr. Dylan but see you and Tara I kind of wish I had a daughter you'd have to change your profession if you were going to take care of a daughter Chester why I don't have any profession Dylan mr. Marsha yeah what is it Tara daddy wants you I think he you better come to Chester can't you it's Matt Dylan mr. Handtree can you hear me Marshall I can't hold out no more I don't say that keep fighting man you pull through no Marshall I'm gonna die oh daddy daddy Tara about Tara Marshall don't leave her here been walling he's no good he'll try to keep her don't you worry about been walling mr. Handtree I promise you won't get anywhere near Tara now or ever thanks Marshall he's a bad one Tara can't stay here alone she can't work this place it's a bad way to die not now I want you to listen to me listen to me now I promise you something else too I'll take care of Tara I'll see she's all right I'll see she's cared for now I promise that I thank you Marshall I sure there's Tara daddy I'm right here daddy don't know Mr. Dylan I don't think they'd have made out on this place anyway why not Chester well they just isn't enough water that one little old spring is all I've got well if they had a lake it'd still be too much for Tara what are we gonna do with her mr. Dylan I don't know Chester we have to think of something I wish she'd come out of that house I don't like it her in there breaking her heart give her a little time just if you she'll be all right you're too moving finger you don't want to be well you're a mighty careless with that rifle then I'll get smart with me Marshall I know what I'm doing and what would that be I heard you in there heard you promise to take Tara away I was right by the window heard it all you got a curious way of courting the girl Ben trying to kill her father and I saw you yesterday looking at that saddle but I didn't kill him Marshall you did that's a lie Ben Walling and you know I won't shut up we just got here sooner mr. Dylan would have saved him that's all too bad you've got here at all because you're gonna die for it both of us put the gun down Ben you're under arrest for attempted murder you stay right where you are Marshall you know I have an idea you've smelled powder before Ben and that you're afraid of it Marshall I have an idea that's why you tried to get hand-tree like you did instead of facing it and right now you wish you didn't have that rifle at all don't you Ben because I might have to shoot you all right huh no don't Marshall you didn't even try Chester rifle went off when I knocked it aside that's all he was scared to death well I didn't feel exactly comfortable well tie him up and keep an eye on him I'll go see Tara yes your mr. Dylan late that evening we buried hand-tree out on the prairie out in back of the little homestead it would die now to fall apart without him the next morning we loaded everything we could get into the wagon with Tara beside me we started off for Dodge Ben Walling never said a word Chester led his horse and they rode along ahead of us I had plenty of time to tell Tara all about Dodge and how there were some good people there and how we find her a home family she sat there tight-lipped she didn't say much but she never once looked back gun smoke transcribed under the direction of Norman McDonnell stars William Conrad as Matt Dylan 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 with John Daner Sammy Hill and Larry Dobkin parley bear is Chester join us again next week as Matt Dylan U.S. Marshall fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in gun smoke in case you didn't know Jack Benny and his gang begin their new season tomorrow night Jack Mary Don Dennis and Rochester welcome a new member to the team the head man of CBS radio club 15 show Bob Crosby Roy Rowan speaking remember the top dramatic show of them all the Lux Radio Theater is heard Monday nights on the CBS radio network