 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, 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. I tried to warn him. That wouldn't be so bad, kiddie, if you'd stop selling that green beer. It's all I can get, and you know it. Do you want some coffee? Doc, come back yet? No, and I don't like it, Matt. I know, but this is the fourth day. Why don't you and I ride out to Emmett Bowers' place and find out where Doc was going when they left there? Oh, you know he isn't still there. Bowers' boy could have had complications with that broken arm. Well, at least with no. Something's wrong, man. I can feel it. All right, kiddie, all right. Look, have you had breakfast? Everything's locked up. I thought maybe you knew where it was. I told you Matt, something's wrong. What about your boy, Emmett? Oh, he's getting along all right. I say this arm myself. Kiddie, it looks like you and I won't be making that trip today. Why not? I better ride out with Chester. He and I can cover more ground. That's all right with me. Well, that's nice seeing you, Emmett. Yeah, yeah. Well, I hope you'll find him all right. I'm sure we will. I'll poke something when they drop in on you. People have the time to be polite. There's a couple of other ranches on the place later, all right? Well, but how about I get to the Clooney's after I leave the post? Oh, man, Pope can tell you. Just follow the trail. The Clooney's are about 10 miles north of the post. It's a funny feeling about Doc, man. About him and old man Clooney are such good checker buddies and they don't hardly ever get to see each other. Well, I just bet you, Doc's been as him in these past four days, taking a little time off of playing checkers. About you in the morning. Sometimes since I've been out this way, Mr. John. Now, just stay close to the trail. You won't get lost. All right, from under my nose. Well, man, Mr. John didn't know nothing about that. You left our journey this morning. I guess that was for your beat. Nobody ain't hurting. Awful worry. Well, did you say the Marshal was out with you? Yeah. He took the other trail at the fork about five... I'm to meet him at the Clooney Ranch later on. Well, you tell him about my mayors. Now, something's got to be done. Oh, yes, sir. I sure will. Say, how far is it to the Clooney place? Good nine or 10 miles right toward them clouds. Back looking over there, ain't it? Rain will hurt me. You can catch a good dose of fever soaking up rain. I got my slicker. You're going to need it. Getting no crack standing here, am I? I wish I had time to tell the Marshal about my horses. For how long I've seen your cabin, I figured I could ask you for cover before the rain started. I got no shell at all for a stranger. Now, Dak, that's no way to be. He looks tired. Won't hurt us to be friendly. Sometimes it don't pay to be friendly, Lily May. I don't cotton to a man wandering on to my place aimless life. I am aimless, mister. I'm not here for a good reason. See, I'm supposed to meet Marshal Lillman at the Clooney place. Now, that's about three miles from here, ain't it? You say Marshal Dillon? Yes, that's right. I work with him in Dodd City. I'm Chester Proudfoot. Well, a friend of the Marshal's ought to be welcome at our place. We ain't used to having visitors, Mr. Proudfoot, but we'd be pleased to have you join us for supper. What? Thank you, ma'am. If you're going in the house of Lily May, I'll put your horse in the shed. You'll stay dry. All right, and thank you. Come on, Mr. Proudfoot. Chester, ma'am, most of us do. You get some wild off the prairie in Gendelsen, and then he sells them. They're going too well lately, though. Two visit with people, him around to talk to. Don't think I'll ever get used to living out here. Dark Adams from Dodge. Dark Adams? Nope, never heard of him. Why? Oh, I was just wondering. Your horse will be all right so that I could go and meet Mr. John tonight. I'll bring you back to your first thing in the morning. That's supper. I better stoke up that fire, Lillman. Thank you, Dad. It's like it's starting to rain. Maybe you'll stay here with us tonight, Chester. Well, no, thank you. I guess not, ma'am. Mr. Dillon, don't get worried about me if I don't. What do you mean a trap? Just that. I suspected it when he told us who he was. Marshall sent him in here to borrow one of the horses so they'd have proof to hang me. They aren't to us. What are we going to do? Move out. First thing in the morning. Take us most of the night to the pack. We've been moving steady for three years. When does it stop? When I get enough money saved up to buy a decent farm. How many times have I heard that? What are you going to do with him? Tie him up and leave him here to rot. That's murder, Deck. Nobody ever comes around here. You serve him right. You losing your senses? Are you going to start killing now? Be a murderer, too? Chester was right. He said you'd probably decided to take a few days off and come out here to play checkers with Clawney. Oh, he did. Yeah, that ain't it exactly, Marshall. That looks pretty clear to me. I don't be too hasty. I didn't get these circles under my eyes just sitting here staring at this checkerboard for four days. Now tell me you've been sick, Doc. You've never been sick a day in your life. He sure was this time, Marshall. I've seen it. He had the fever. If it hadn't been for the good care Clooney gave me, I'd still be later. But I got caught in a thunderstorm. I got on my own trail. The last thing I knew I was here. Yeah, he was awful pitiful. Oh, man. Did you hear from Bowers, man? Yeah, the boy will be all right. Bowers set the arm himself. Must not have been too bad. I wasn't going back to Dodge this afternoon. When those clouds came up, I figured that best way to the morning. I guess it's a good thing you did. Yeah. Marshall, you say Chester was going to meet you here? Or Chester come out with you? We've been scanning the whole countryside for you, Doc. I checked the East Trail. He ought to be along any time now. I see he decided to stay at the Moors because of the rain. He tied you up. Marshall sent you in, hit a bar with one of our horses, didn't he? No. What are you talking about? Don't lie to me, mister. I've been nice to you. I almost got myself bruised up for being so nice. I ain't lying. I don't know what you're saying. The Marshall knows about Doc. Knows he's wanted for horses. And he wanted proof so he sent you here. So, what if your husband is a horse thief? Mr. Don't catch up with him sooner or later. No, he won't. We're going to move on away from here. So what are you going to do with me? He's going to leave you here tied up. It ain't light up, honey. Oh, he'd come too, huh? Yeah. Maybe I'd have given him something to eat. Forget that. We've got work to do. I finished up in the barn. Now let's get started in here. You think we're going to get any sleep tonight? When we finish packing, we can take turns sleeping. I ain't going to take a chance on that Marshall sneaking in here. If he's so much as puts a foot on this ranch, I'll shoot him. Not that. It's him or me, Lily Mae. And it ain't going to be me. Let him leave me tied here. I can't dissuade him one way or another. Once he makes up his mind, he never changes it. Well, what about you? There's nothing I can do about it. Yes, there are. You could cut me loose before he comes back in here. He won't know the difference. I'll make like I'm still tied up. He'd kill me and you, too. He won't know the difference. I'll make sure he don't. No, I can't do it. You've got to do it. You've got to. I'll die sure. You won't try to leave before we get out of here? No, I won't. I'll give you my word. He'd kill you if he did. I know that. You can untie your feet. Absolutely. That'll be fine. Now you keep them behind you and we'll both be dead. There's a buggy down on the terrace like that fool Marshall riding behind it. Let me have this friend. Get that rifle. Hey, wait a minute. What do you got in your hand? Nothing. Let's see that. What? You were going to cut him loose, you little wench. Now there's a Marshall we've got to take care of. Grab that rifle over there and cut that windy head. No. No, I ain't going to do it. What? I ain't going to do it. I'm tired of running, living like an animal. Let that monster come in. What kind of talk is that? You're in this as deep as I am. Why didn't you steal any horses? They won't hang me. Jack, please don't. No, no, please don't. I only got your rifle. What? I'll shoot you if you hit her again. So she did cut you loose. Well, you were really done at this time, Lily Mae. Back over towards the door. What for? Well, you'll be there when Mrs. Jones comes in. Go on. He tried to grab the rifle. I didn't want to shoot him. I'm sorry, ma'am. You don't have to be. Sorry, Tester. There's no reason for you to apologize. Suddenly, it don't seem to matter. Yes, ma'am. Anybody in there? It's me, Mr. Jones. Yes, sir. Tester, what in the world is going on here? Who's this? Well, see, I saw him. But he's going to be all right. Mr. Jones, you just won't believe it. Well, maybe you better try me, huh? Yes, sir. Well, see, I was riding along down the trail towards this place, and it seemed to me that my horse was getting kind of gimpy. So I got off, and sure enough, he's had a real... C. Bartel, Lynn Hallen, Vic Tarran, and Bartlett in Georgia Alice's Kitty. This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week when CBS Radio presents another story on gun smoke.