 On Dodge City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers of the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of gun smoke. Gun smoke, starring William Conrad, the 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, and it makes a man watchful, and a little lonely. Well, you've been, you usually poke your face in him or up in the midst of scaring my customers. No, you complainin'. No, you usually cook for them into buying another drink. Well, I'm speaking of drinks, kiddie, I am. Sam? Yeah? One for the Marshal, Phil. Good to see you. Nothing to matter, Matt? Oh, no, nothing to matter, kiddie, it's just, it's just one of those nights, you know. No trouble? No, no trouble. No, nothing. Oh, one of those nights. Yeah, there you are, Marshal. Oh, thanks, Sam. You know, sometimes, kiddie, I think if I have to play one more game of checkers with Dodge, I don't know. Well, that's what you think. Sometimes you find yourself a little slender to silence. Maybe you shouldn't have complained. No, why? Here comes something. Chester with Tom Cowell, and he's probably looking for you. Oh, hello, Miss Kiddie. Uh, what's your name? Tom Cowell, here in the North Office. I didn't know if I would bother you about it or not. Yeah, I see you made a decision, Chester. Hmm? Never mind. Yes, sir. Well, anyways, why don't you just tell him what you've seen, Tom? Well, Marshal, I don't really know what it was, but, oh, it was down here in the Willis, crashing around like maybe it was some kind of animal or something. Well, I got to think maybe it was an engine or a road agent or something. Now, wait a minute, Tom, where was this? Down by the river, right under the bank. And what exactly did you see? Now, it was too dark to see really, but I could hear it crashing around, making a kind of a moaning sound. The way them Willis was bending and waving around, I knew it must be pretty big. Why didn't you go in and look? Now, how'd we know what it might be? It was dark, we. Well, me and the young lady, we just left there quick. Oh, I see. Just where was this, Tom? Well, out by the point, just west of town. Yeah, I've heard about the spuggies being parked out there. Tom, you're sure that this wasn't your imagination? Oh, no, no, sir, there was something there. I know that, an animal maybe or engine. That's why I thought I ought to come and tell you. Are you sure it wasn't some friends of yours playing a trick on you and your young lady? No, ma'am, they either showed themselves, I know. I think you ought to go look, Marsha. All right, Tom, just to go get a ladder, would you? Yes, sir. Come on, Tom, I suppose it's time to go. Well, Mark, we were starved for excitement. Yeah, some excitement there. You know what it sounds like to me? No, what? I think you're going on a snipe hunt. Who were they swaying, Marsha? Come on, Doc. It's a fine thing to get a man out of bed for. And he said there was a moaning sound you might be needed. Probably some bling gork and cowboy. You had nothing better to do. What about sleeping? It's near midnight. You're always complaining about not being able to sleep anyway, Doc. Right down there, Marsha. It was right down here. Chester, bring a ladder in her. Yes, sir. I'm going to get West Peak and he can cut his death, you know, like this. Over here, Chester. You're great. You'll find something there? Yeah, something for you, Doc. Come over here. Well, I'm going. Just do it. You recognizing? Yeah. So, Doug Marsh, that trapper who went through here with his partner last fall. Does it hold that ladder a little bit higher there, would it, Chester? I'm sure it does. That's very, very good. Any carer in there would recognize him. What could have done that to him, if you don't? Some big animal or some kind of bear. Maybe you're a wolf. It's close to town. That's possible. Well, Doc, what about him? He's alive. That's about all I can say. There's one thing though, Mayor. These wounds are crusted. Oh, what do you mean? I mean he didn't get them tonight. Or even today. This happened three, four days ago. Made him more. But then I don't see how. He's come a long way since then. Look at his knees and his hands, you see there? He's crawled for miles with wounds like that. Half naked and half dead. He was half dead when he started, man. He's a lot more than that now. He's hanging on by a thread. We'd better get him to my office. See what I mean, Mayor? You saw how he was not 12 hours ago. Who would have believed it? Yeah. Can I talk to him? Why not? I can't keep him quiet anyway. Howdy, Marshall. Why don't you make that dang doctor give me something to eat? I'm making you some soup, now shut up. Soup? I ate that in a week and he did his mid-dishwater. But he couldn't keep anything else down. And you need nourishment. Oh, dang it, if I could just get out of this dirt and say it. Take it easy, Doug. You've been through an awful lot. You're telling me what I've been through? Now I'm asking you. You want to tell me about it? I ain't no affair at all. Maybe not. I just happen to be curious. Man, if you had your brain, you could see a tango with a barrel. That's all. When was this, and where? Oh, maybe six, seven days down the nations out toward the shimmer on. Yeah, God, you eat this, Todd. Yeah, dishwater. It's good for you. You need something warm in here. Hey, Doug, you ain't told me. You think you can fix me up? There's nothing to fix up. Scar tissue is already forming. I ain't going to be so pretty, huh? Oh, that bear took half your scalp and a good part of your face. So there's nothing I can do about that, Todd. Yeah, and there was two hands of many ways. That's all right. I'm a trapper, not a drummer. And then the Cheyenne squalls ain't scared off by a few stars. What about my arm? You lost some muscle, but you'll have some movement left. Todd, the main thing is that you're alive and mended. Yeah, now take some of that soup. Yeah, well, yeah. We've asked a little food. You'll be walking around again a few days. Maybe drop it again in a month. Yeah, I got something to do first. Todd, tell me what happened, huh? I told you, I tangled with a grizzly, walked into him in his thicket, and the critter attacked me before I get my gun up. Finally killed him with my knife, but not before he charred me. What about your partner, Billy Adams? Yeah, he couldn't wait. Couldn't wait? Found me near dead. Done what he could, but wasn't much. We both figured out I was a goner, and there's hostiles around. Comenches. He's nervous, I guess. Sitting beaver alone with a dying man on his hands. Only I wouldn't die for him so as he could bury me and have it done with. Give me the elliptic next morning. He took everything. Didn't even leave me a knife to slip between my ribs. And you wouldn't do that to an animal. Now, would you, Marshall, just leave him to die alone in the wilderness? You'd slit his throat for him, at least. But Billy wouldn't do that for me. And that's when I decided, what? That I wouldn't die. That I'd come after him. I'd live to find him. So I started crawling. Five days on my hands and knees without food or water. And when I find him, I'm gonna kill him. But not fast, no, no. Slow. Real slow. I can't say I blame you much, Doug. That there is one thing I'm thankful for. What's that? Billy Adams isn't in dodge. I'd hate to have to arrest you for murder. Well, then, as long as I'm here, you better see he stays away. Yes, he's actually edible today. Yeah. That's good. How's your patient these days, Doc? You mean a starboarder, don't you? I guess he's been around here long enough to be called, huh? Three weeks. He isn't even about to leave. He's still complaining of his aches and pains, Doc? No, no, it doesn't even bother now. He's just enjoying himself at Doc's expense. Matt even bought him clothes. Well, he doesn't have anything left, did he? I've seen him walking around town a couple of times, Doc. He seems almost back to normal. Well, yeah, considering everything, though, it has been a miraculous recovery. And I'm kind of surprised he doesn't want to be getting on about his business. Well, the truth is, he does. He's staying here in my orders. Well, medical reasons are you trying to slow him down. Well, if I can help to keep him out of trouble, why not? You've kind of taken a liking to your old coot yourself, haven't you, Matt? Right, I have, Doc. What kind of trouble are you talking about, Doc? The kind a man gets into when he's bitter about something. You mean Billy Adam? Yeah, maybe we could keep Tug here long enough. He could cool down, kiddie, but I don't know how long Tug can afford the expense. Are you still in? Are you still in? Yeah, what is it, Tug? You know who just rode into town? He's Donald Moss Grimmick who's right now. Oh, who? Billy Adam. Good day. Yeah, just goes to show you I'm not as smart as I thought. I should have sent Tug packing. Well, that's Billy Adams who's going to be sent packing, Doc. And right now, he didn't tell him anything about Tug being here or alive. Wasn't my business too, Marsha? Got passing through, paying the supplies, and going on west back to the mountains. Bye, Marsha. Well, last time he went through here, you had a partner, Billy. What happened to him? Oh, I didn't know anybody in Dodge heard about that. Somebody from Pueblo come through and told the story, huh? Suppose you'd tell it to me, huh? Well, just the way you heard, Marsha. Powerful, sad thing. Tug got killed by a bear. He got caught in a ticket with a big grizzly. Killed Tug outright with it. No. No, he lasted till next day. Well, nothing I could do for him, though. He was, he was clawed so bad. Oh, sir. So you buried him. Oh, that's it, huh? Somebody found the body. You know, I felt bad about that, Marsha. I didn't have time to bury him. There was command chief snuffing around, and I had to get out of there quick without no fuss or no noise. So I left him in that ticket. I figured he'd be just as safe there as in a shallow grave, what was left to him. Besides Tug, he didn't put much stock in ceremony. You made just one mistake, Billy. What? You should have made sure he was dead. What do you mean, Marsha? He's alive. He was? Right here in Dodge. He is? Oh, I'm right glad to hear that. Oh, I really am. I'm not so sure you will be, Billy. Maybe Tug didn't put much stock in ceremony, but he's sure looking for you. Yeah. Yeah, I guess he would be. My advice to you is to get on that horse and ride. Well, no, I couldn't do that, Marsha. Why not? Well, I, I got to see him. I got to explain to you. Billy, I don't care about you, but I don't want to see Tug up for murder or see him shot down or something. No, Marsha, it wouldn't be like that. I don't think maybe it would. And I'm telling you to get out of town now. All right, Marsha. I'll oblige you. I'll camp just outside town, just, just west. You tell Tug that, huh? You tell him I'll be waiting right there for him. No. Oh, there's things we got to talk about, Marsha. There's money I owe him for his split of the furs and all. I'll tell him nothing, Billy. There's Marsha. He was partners, Tug and me, and friends, even if he was a lot older than me. Now, I guess this here is something that's got to be settled between us, one way or the other. I'll be waiting. Ah, Chester. Did you see Billy? Did you tell him? Yeah, I told him. The whole town's outside, Mr. Dillon. Hold their breath and see what's gonna happen. Chester, you didn't tell him. I didn't have to tell nobody. Plenty of folks seen him riding right down Front Street. Well, I suppose Tug knows. I don't know. He's out there dark. Is that where you're going? Yeah. You reckon he'll be shooting, Mr. Dillon? Not if I can help it, Chester. You let go of me now. I don't want to wait for you. No, no, no. Oh, man. Oh, I'm glad you're here. Now, don't try to stop me, Marsha. Get out of my way. I see you've heard the news. I heard all right. Ain't nobody gonna stop me. You don't even have a gun. You're gonna tackle him with your bare hand. Maybe you will. I could break him in two. Well, he's got a gun, so maybe you better think it over, huh? Nothing you can say is gonna stop me, Marsha. Now, wait a minute, you obstinate old fool. Billy was your partner. He was your friend, so he deserted you. All right, maybe you got a cause for a grudge. Maybe. All right. But what good's it gonna do for one of you to get killed just to satisfy your need for revenge? He wants to give you your half of the profits from the frozen trapping outfit. You talked to him? Yeah, I did. And he told me his side of it. He thought you were already dead. Yeah, that's a lie. Maybe it is. But he seemed mighty surprised that you were alive. Cheers. And he was glad, too. Glad? Yeah, that's true. And he wouldn't take my advice to run away. He's waiting for you outside town. He told me to tell you that he wants to see you, Doug. Yeah. I'll see him all right, soon to get me a gun. I guess there's anything I can say that'll stop you. Then none of your business, Marsha. I got a right to go after him, Ada. I guess maybe you have. All right, then. I'm going to find me a gun. Maxwell, what are you going to do? Not much I can do, Doug. They'll tangle sooner or later. I'm just going to be there to see that whatever happens, happens fair. I came to warn you, Billy. Doug's on his way. Yeah. Well, sit down and have some coffee. Are you cooking? Oh, I might as well. I take it you're going to stay for the show. What are you planning on doing, Billy? Well, you'll see, Marsha. I don't think it's none of your business. Look, Billy, there's still time. Why don't you get on that horse and go? It's going to save an awful lot of trouble for everybody. You don't know Doug real good, do you, Marsha? He'd only get madder if I run. He'd just keep hunting until he found me again. Besides what? Well, I guess he's got a right to... He's got a right to hold a hate for me. I've done a wrong thing, leaving him like that. You really don't think he was dead, did you? You know what? But I thought it was just a matter of minutes and I... There was minutes might have meant I'd be dead, too. I guess it was wrong of me to think of saving my own life. At least that was a human mistake to me. I'm just glad now that I didn't go ahead and do what I almost did or thought I should have done, what do you mean? Well, you know what you do for any dying animal? Took out my knife, I held it up to his throat. I couldn't bring myself to it and I'm glad now. Yeah, in a way me being recovered that way, you know, that saved his life and I'm glad of that. He done a lot for me, Marsha. He was like a father to me. Taught me all I know. I could just go up and leave him, Billy. Maybe I just couldn't stay and see him die. I don't know what... Well, he's out there. What? Well, you sure? Oh! Marsha, him and me living the way we do, we hear things, we see things that town folks miss there. Don't you worry none now. He'll come out the way you want. What do you mean? Well, I can't fight him, Marsha. But I'll make it look alright so you won't have to arrest him. Now wait a minute, Billy. Tug! Come on in, coffee's hot. Hello, Billy. Biscuits be ready directly, Tug. Now listen, Tug. Don't worry, Marsha. I didn't need him getting gone. I guess I couldn't have used it if I had. Billy, a trapper needs a partner. Woodwinds is hard to find. You can't expect them to be perfect, not make a mistake or two. Tug, now just pour the coffee, Billy. Plenty of time for talks later. For sure, Tug, sure. Won't you have some coffee, Marsha? I don't mind if I do. Produced and directed by Norman McDonald, start William Conrad as Matt Billan, U.S. Marsha. The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Dunkel with editorial supervision by John Meston. Featured in the cast will Ralph Moody, Lawrence Stockin and Vic Perrin. Harley Bear is Chester, Howard McNeer is Doc and Georgia Ellis is Kitty. Our thanks to TV Radio Mirror and to you, our listening audience, for selecting Gunsmoke as the best dramatic program on radio for the fifth consecutive year. The results of this annual poll appear in the current issue of TV Radio Mirror. This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week for another story on Gunsmoke. This is the CBS Radio Network and KNXRate.