 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 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. We'll take good care of them for you. Mr. Dillon, look at that clutch of keys. He sure does use a lot more than we do back home. Yeah. Well, they always did things up fancy in Wichita. Isn't that right, Tom? Yeah. A lot of people who wouldn't agree with it. They're going to buy you two a drink. Well, say now that's mighty nice. No, thanks, Tom. Not right now. I got half the trail dust from here to dodge on me. Well, I need a bath and some sleep. I'm heading for the hotel. Sure, Matt. I'll catch up with you before you head back. Come think of it. I guess I could send and take a bath, too. Come to think of it, you could. I'll see you at the trial tomorrow. Yeah, good night, Matt. Good night, Mr. Bagley. Well, I guess you're right about going to the hotel, Mr. Dillon. I sure will be proud to get these boots off. Yeah, it's been a long ride. Seems to me like that ought to pay extra for it, too. What? Well, for doing all that traveling, harness to a prisoner, you sure don't get a chance to enjoy the countryside much. Well, there's so much countryside around here to enjoy. Well, that's true. Excuse me, gentlemen. You want to talk to me? I believe so, sir. I believe so. If I'm not mistaken, you're the Marshal from Dodd City. You're not mistaken. Matt Dillon, what can I do for you? I'm pleased to hear you offer your services, Marshal. I keep writing the folks back home. Some Yankees are gentlemen, but I swear I don't think they believe it. Look, Mr., you're keeping me from a hot bath. You've got something on your mind. You speak it out, huh? My name's Clayte Morley at your service. What? Mr. Dillon, ain't that the... I thought you'd recognize the name. I just brought a man named Reed Morley in from Dodd. Are you related? He's my brother, Marshal, my younger brother. Huh? He's in bad trouble. I'm bound to agree with that. I left him at the jail, Morley, if you want to see him. Oh, I'm not wanting to see him, Marshal, not tonight. I want you to get him released for me. A boy's being held for murder. Brother Reed didn't do that thing. I didn't arrest him without a reason. Nobody with the name of Morley would kill a woman, Marshal. Your brother'll be tried. He'll have his say. You'll be testified, won't you? Yeah, I'll be testified. Your words could have a powerful effect, one way or another. I'll be telling what I know. I think maybe you ought to know something else, Marshal. What's that? I think maybe you ought to know that if this stain on the family name hadn't removed, if Brother Reed doesn't walk out of that courthouse of free man, you won't live to see him hung, Marshal Dillon. What? Don't threaten me, Morley. Why, I'm not threatening you, Marshal. This is just a simple appeal to your sense of justice and honor, that's all. A sense with which I know you are highly endowed. Good evening, gentlemen. Well, now just what did you think of that? Not much, Chester. Come on, let's get some sleep. You know, Mr. Dillon, that place we're staying at ain't one bit better than the Dodge House. I must have chosen from, I guess. That smart Elkie clerk don't have no right to go putting on air, Joe. You've been bothering you? Oh, well, he ain't done nothing, but he acts like anybody from Dodge City coming right out of a hole in the prairie. He must have seen us when we came in last night. Well, yes, I know, but I got cleaned up as nice as I could. Never mind, Chester, just eat your dinner. And that's nothing. This piece of beef steak just ain't worth the fat to fry it in. Oh, you haven't had much trouble eating it. Well, no, sir, I was hungry, but I'll tell you something. Back at Delmonico, they really know how to fry up a piece of beef. That's not the way you talk back in Dodge, Chester. Yes, sir, and I've been thinking about that, Mr. Dillon. I'm sorry to hear that. I guess it must be all this traveling around the country that we do, up the Lawn Ad or to Hays City, all the way here to Wichita. Now, what about it? Well, it just kind of teaches a fellow about things in the world, makes him really appreciate a place like Dodge City. Oh, eat up, Chester, and let's get out of here. I trust you gentlemen are enjoying your dinner. Well, if we was, we ain't now. You, uh, got something else on your mind, Marley? Well, I know, Marshal, nothing new. Just my continuing interest in your health and welfare. Well, don't worry about it. I'm just hoping that you'll worry about it, Marshal. I told you not to get in my way. Well, now, I wouldn't want to. This is just a friendly reminder, Marshal, that I'm still in town, that I'll be here until after the trial. It's over tomorrow. You listen to me, Marley. I'll be listening tomorrow at the trial. And I just know that Judge is going to set Brother Reed free. I feel it in my bones. He'll set him free if he thinks he's innocent, Marley. That's the only way. Oh, I know that, Marshal. I know it, just like I know that Brother Reed couldn't have done that terrible thing. Just like I know that you want to go on living. Now, you stay out of my sight starting right now. I'll see you at the trial. Good day, gentlemen. That's where he's acting clear, crazy about all this. It ain't your fault that boy gets himself hung. No, it isn't, Chester, but Marley thinks it is. That's enough for him. Well, they don't have to be enough for you, Mr. Dillon. I hope you're right, Chester. Ship for nothing, Matt. Yeah, well, old Bowers never has been a hanging judge. I thought this case had holed up, though. I was sure the boy was guilty. I don't think my testimony was much help to you. You couldn't help that, Matt. You weren't even in on it until a week after the murder. All you did was make the arrest when we asked you to. Yeah. And he didn't have any evidence on it. I hope he didn't do it. The law says he didn't. That's all we have to worry about. There's still a woman's death unanswered for it. Sure there is. We meet again, Marshal. Stand aside, Marley. Well, now that's not very manly of you pushing aside a man who's come to thank you. I don't want any thanks from you. But you've got thanks coming to you, Marshal Dillon. Brother Reed's a free man. And in the name of the family, I want you to know that we're grateful. Listen here, Marley, I didn't do anything for you or for your brother or for your family. That was a very nice testimony, Marshal. Nothing incriminating in it at all. Yes, sir, we are all grateful. I want you to get something straight. What I told the court was just exactly what I know about this case. No more, no less. You didn't influence me and I didn't try to influence the verdict in any way. Of course not, Marshal. Of course not. We're just glad to see that you believe in Brother Reed's innocence like we do. I don't. What? I don't believe in your brother's innocence or his guilt any more than I did before. But the judge says he's not guilty, so that's all there is to it. You get out of my way. I don't take kindly to... I'm sure listening to what you take kindly... Now, Marshal! And if you know what's good for you, you'll stay out of my sight. Want me to lock him up, Matt? Disturbing the peace? You do what you want, Tom. It's your turn. But I just let him lie there. It may do something for his family honor. I guess you're right, Sam. Better order some more glasses. I swear, it seems I just got some now. Customers ain't very gentle with him, Kitty. That's a fact. Customers aren't too gentle with anything around here. Oh, hello, Matt. Hello, Kitty. Sam. Hello, Marshal. You want to take your poison standin' up or sitin' down? Well, I think I'll sit down, Kitty. You'll pour a couple of beers, will you, Sam? Sure thing. How was the trip to Wichita, Marshal? Ah, not too bad, Sam. Little dusties all. Here you are. Thanks, Sam. You want to carry him to the table, Matt? Sure, Kitty. You look tired, Matt. Now that I spent the day helping Joe hatch, break his string, and cop on his, those horses are bigger than I am. And younger, too. Yeah, they sure are. Well, anything been goin' on around here, Kitty? Well, been pretty quiet, Matt. That's good. I'd like an empty jail tonight. Well, there is one thing that I've been kind of wondering about. No? What's that? What's that? Read Morley. The boy I took the Wichita? No. He's back. Huh. You know how to bet my last dollar that he wouldn't want to come back here? He didn't. What do you mean? His brother, that plate. Do you know him? Yeah, we've run into each other. Well, plate's insistin' that Reed come back here to live. How do you know of us, Kitty? Well, the boy spends most of his time in here drinkin', Matt. He says, plate's makin' him stay in dodge. Does he say why? Well, Reed says he has to stay here until folks stop talkin' about the killin' and that woman, till everybody's convinced of his innocence. Well, a family honor, huh? Yeah. How did you know? Oh, I heard about it somewhere. Hello, Kitty. We better enjoy the quiet around here while we can. What do you mean, Matt? It's my guess that either that boy or his brother's gonna blow up. And I don't know which would be the worst. Not on you that way. I coulda swore I'd put Coral all in it just yesterday. No, that's all right. No, I'm not sure it ain't all right at all. It oughta do the job he's bein' paid for to my way of thinkin'. Mm-hmm. Of course, some jobs, it's got just too many little details in them for me and keep up with proper know. You might seepin' out red enough makin' coffee and fetchin' mail, all that stuff. Sometimes it just gets to be too much for sure. Chester, what are you muttering about? I was just sayin', Mr. Dillon, that there's an awful lot for a body to do around here keepin' up the office know. Oh? You think there's too much work to do? Do you? Well, I was just kinda thinkin' that. You think I should hire a younger man, maybe, huh? No, no, no, no, sir. Mr. Dillon, indeed not. Then why don't you shut up and let me read through these papers, please? Yes, sir. Chester, quit that rattle and will you settle down someplace? It ain't me, Mr. Dillon. I am not doing nothin' at all. All right, Chester. I guess it was the wind. Mr. Dillon, that ain't the wind. Somebody workin' the door that way. We'll see who it is. Yes, sir. Oh, my lamb has done somebody land there. He's hurt bad. Here, help me get him in, Chester. Easy. Easy now. We'll put him down on the cot here. Mr. Dillon, get read morally. What do you suppose? I don't know, Chester. From the looks of it, he's not going to be able to tell us for a while either. Now go get doc. I tell you, man, what's about as bad a beating as a man can take? Somebody. He's gonna be sore for a while. Awful, sir. I shouldn't want him with all that water I splashed, huh? There we are. That'll do. I won't be needing any more hot water, Chester. You can take the rest of these things out. Can he stay here for the night, Matt? He should be able to limp away by morning. Oh, yeah, doc, sure. No talk shouldn't hurt him. Just don't go slappin' him on the back, though. I'm gonna go back to the office. I'll try not to have any more riots tonight. Will you, Matt? I'm short on sleep. I'll try, doc. Matt. Yeah, doc? You better hope that this fella was the loser in that fight, because if he wasn't, the other man is sure to be dead. Thanks, doc. Can I? Yeah, doc. You better lock that door. You're all right, Reed. Just settled on. He'll be after me. Who'll be after you? You gotta protect me, Marshall. Now, come on. Speak up. Who's after you? Clayte. Clayte? Your brother? He's gonna kill me. You gotta stop it, Marshall. Well, what happened? He beat me. And he said he's gonna kill me in the morning. He'll do it, too, Marshall. Now, you gotta stop him. He was trying to save your neck back in Wichita. Yeah. He found out. Well, what did he find out? About that woman. You killed her. He won't tell him, Marshall. I bet you didn't. I was drinking. I ain't been able to do nothing but keep on drinking since I got back to Dodge. Every place I go, I see your face, except when I got drunk enough. And Clayte was making you stay here? Yeah, Marshall. Yeah, I didn't want to. I wanted to go anywhere, anywhere else. That's what happened tonight. Go on. I was trying to get him to say I could go away. Just move on. He was being bullheaded the way he's always been. Going on about the family name, the way he does. Well, I wanted to shut him up about it. So you told him? Yeah, I told him. I thought he'd throw me out and tell me never to come back. That's what I wanted. Looks like you did a pretty good job of it. Well, he's not finished, Marshall. He's coming after me. Now, you've got to protect me. Now, that's where you're wrong. Now, what do you mean? I don't have to protect you. But you don't understand, Marshall. He's crazy. He'll kill me. Now, the law's got to take care of him. The law tried to take care of you once. But I was acquitted. I'm all square on that, ain't I, Marshall? Yeah. All you got to worry about now is the family name. Now, you can stay here tonight, but that's all. Morning, Chester. I land that read morally back there. Sure, sleeping like he was dead. He ain't showing no sign to moving at all. He's sleeping off a bad beating. Oh, say, did you mean to leave that cell door open that way? Yeah, I meant it. He isn't a prisoner, Chester. Now, I kind of think I would have guessed he hated that. Funny thing, ain't it, Mr. Dillon? Oh, what's so funny? Well, the law can't touch a man again after it's tried him, even if it does turn out to be guilty of sin. Now, the law's stood up for a long time, Chester. I guess it knows what it's doing. Well, these children won't make no sense to me. Oh, uh... You been needing me for a little bit, Mr. Dillon? No, Chester. You can go ahead and eat. All right, sure. Ain't you coming? No, not yet. All right, I won't... Oh, say, you want me to close the door into the back door? No, never mind, Chester. I'll do it. All right. This is not an easy call for me to make. No, I guess not. I want you to know, though, Marshal, when Amali makes a mistake, he admits it. I want to apologize to you and to the law. That's a little late for that. I know that, Marshal. I found out last night that my brother did kill that woman. That's too late, too. He can't be tried again. No, Marshal. It isn't too late. I mean to see justice done, even if the law was unable to do it. Just how do you intend to do that? I will take care of my brother, Marshal, for the honor of the family. All right, you take care of him, just so you keep him away from me. Oh, he'll be away from everybody, Marshal. What do you mean? He'll be dead. Now, listen here, Amali. I don't blame you for wanting to skin him alive. I don't blame you for beating him the way you did. I got no mind to protect him, but I can't stand still for a killing. You better understand that. Did you just mention a beating? How did you know about that? I saw him. He's here. He came to you for help. I should have known. Yeah, Clay, he's here. I didn't expect you to hide a killer, Marshal. Stay out of there, Clay. I'm not hiding. Not anymore, you're not. Fool, Morley. You've killed him. Had to be done, Marshal. It was a matter of honor. The law will call it murder. I'm locking you up, Morley. You're saying I'll stay in trial? And this time the court will make it stick. I won't hang, Marshal. There's never been a Morley hunt. Don't be a fool, Morley. Drop your gun. Mr. Dillon, Mr. Dillon, I heard them shot. My gracious, are you all right? Yeah. They both dead? Yeah, like he was saying. Morley is never hung. It's a matter of family honor. As William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal. The story was specially written for gunsmoked by Marion Clark with editorial supervision by John Meslin. Featured in the cast were Harry Bartel, McParen and Jack Moyles. Barley Baer 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 gunsmoked.