 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 a US Marshal and the smell of 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 the United States Marshal the first man they look for and the last they want to meet It's a chance a job that it makes a man watchful and a little lonely Chester if you put any more chili powder on those eggs you'll go up and smoke. I like them good and hot More coffee, will you dad? Oh, yes, of course, my dear By the way, did Matt say when he'd be back? Well, they told me the end of the week After all doc, it's a two-day ride to Tascosa and he didn't leave here till two days I only asked a simple question Chester and in a way. How was I supposed to know nobody ever tells me anything No, they don't have to are you snooper on a snooper? I What's Matt doing in Tascosa kitty talking to the man that sent for him what? What man kitty the Tascosa citizens committee Something to do with hiring a new sheriff for the town. I guess I figured Matt would know where to find one hire a sheriff What in the world for the man they got a sheriff now is no good the decent citizens can't get rid of him Well, if he's no good why'd they hire him in the first place? My I do not understand it the whole frontiers an armed camp Shooting and killing everywhere you look nothing left but the quick and the dead doc. Would you pass the chili powder? For goodness here Thank you kitty. I'm gonna tell you one thing I don't know how bad the trouble is down in Tascosa, but Matt better get back here quick. Why doc? What's wrong? What's wrong? You ask that when the only vestige of the law we've got in this town is a chili eating Cherry rocker like the fool. I'm sitting next to what's wrong You look here. You just let me tell you something wait a minute wait a minute you two are worse than children They settle back now both of you have some more coffee. Well, maybe just a little bad But that's all it's a caution what happened to some people when they get out implied society. Oh drink your coffee both of you That's right the Marshall from Dodger. I'm Clegg Rollins Marshall I'm the man the citizens committee wants to get rid of what's on your mind Rollins Now a while back. They brought me here to Tascosa to kind of clean it up someone. I did that for him Now all of a sudden they want me out. I call that downright ungrateful Marshall. I go on I suppose they give you the money at the meeting last night Money to hire a new sheriff here. That's right Kind of forces me into talking business What I had in mind was Marshall don't make all the money in the world doesn't I wondered how long it'd take to get around to it Wait just a minute you might be missing a good thing the only thing I'm interested in is hiring a peace officer to come down here You're throwing Tascosa Rollins. I'll make up your mind man. Don't always give up that easy You're better Rollins. You got as much time left as it takes for the man I hired to get back here from that as short as that as short as that Dylan you know, there's an awful lot of prairie between here and Dodge Sure hate to see anything happen to you on your way back Get out It always seems kind of too bad when a man dies for something that ain't even his concern This is Bill Goodwin, you know someone once said humor is the true democracy And that's why we Americans can smile when we tell the stories of the legendary heroes who helped to build our country's great industries and Institutions such as the hero of our armed forces kill Roy Since the beginning of World War two kill Roy has popped up everywhere from Africa to Australia from quadriline to Korea Every serviceman claims to have met him some say he's tall and thin some say he's short and fat He's an Air Force pilot army infantryman a Navy seabee. He was on Guadalcanal in Climb, Moncassino We walked through Berkley's guidance and stormed Highbreak Ridge But more than that He's the spirit of the courage and the valor of the American men in uniform who accomplish the impossible and reach Objectives which are unobtainable the men who proudly say kill Roy was here Yes, it is a democracy which lets us tell the stories of such legendary heroes with a twinkle in our eyes and a chuckle in our Throat so long as we continue to laugh together as a people ladies and gentlemen. We live together as a nation Next morning I was in the saddle before dawn and by the time the Sun was up I covered a good 15 miles a Slight breeze blew apart the dust past my horse raves and I would be hard for anybody to follow me And for the same reason I knew that somebody could track me without being seen About noon I stopped in the shade of a grove of cottonwood to rest my horse I was easy and essential little when I saw a rider I'm fast. I pulled my rifle from the saddle boot and I waited and I put the rifle back I'll all right ride on in This is a long way out on the prairie for a lone woman. Can I have some water water sure? Yeah, thanks Thanks a lot You haven't said what you're doing out here. I followed you from Tascosa followed me You'd seen me sooner. You'd have sent me back and I can't go back Just who are you miss? Stella Stella Harkney. I'm one of the girls at the overland saloon You're lucky I might have shot you right enough on me that way. It was the only thing I could do follow you this way Besides, I didn't think you'd write out so early. That's why I did I Know all about your marshal and I know why they sent for you to come to Tascosa. That's so how I'm Clegg Rollins girl You're Rollins girl That's right Look you better turn her on and head back right now I can't Clegg it kill me if he found out I tried to run away. How do I know you're not still as girls? I'm a trapper some kind All right, I look Look at my shoulder We put those marks there. You think I'd stay with a man like that All I'm asking is to ride on to dodge with your marshal I've got a rifle and two rifles are better than one Clegg will come after you you can be sure of that seems to me you're awful anxious to help kill the man you belong to oh I belong to him right enough He brought me down here from Hayes City Gonna marry me as said, but I found out different. He just wanted me to work in this saloon He already has a wife down by Willis Springs Didn't exactly like that and I told him so that that's when he beat me Look, let me ride with you, please I don't know still I'm not going back marshal Now all right, I guess it doesn't matter now that you come this far Thanks, you may be telling the truth, but you better write a little ahead of me anyhow before It's just easy to keep an eye on you like you said you've got a rifle Okay, let's get started you pretty tired still up I'll make it as a nesters cabin not far from here if we can find it before dark. Maybe he'll put us up for the night, huh? Sure sure feel good to walk around. Yeah You saddle weary Well dance all girls don't do too much riding marshal Just lie still now don't make a move Where are they? What did they shoot from? That's off to the left somewhere. I think Yeah Probably in that clamp a box elder over there dirty cards I can't get them from here with a six gun and I can't get to the horses for a rifle Look, uh, if we played dead, maybe we can draw him out Marshal, I'm sorry. Just lie still and don't talk now here. They come two of them Just hold still now I've seen those men before they work for plague Stella When I give the word you yell as loud as you can huh scream it'll throw them off You ready? All right now I did I don't know but the fight sure out of them And if Craig's with him, he's still in that grove. Come on. Let's get out of here fast. I Can't get up. I'm hit My leg. Yeah Here I'll put you on my horse will ride double We better get out of here before whoever's in those trees gets a little braver. Come on I'll get you to that cabin. Sorry miss You just lie back now. My morning. You'll be fit as a fiddle Thanks, Mr. But that that that coal oil you poured on my leg like to set me on fire Now that's the best way to clean a wound there is Stella Less niche whiskey, of course. Yeah, that would be pure waste wouldn't it now? You two can afford to make light of it. It's me who's got the bullets I'm gonna have to feed my pigs having company like this has told me clean off schedule. I'll be back direct me Marshall, yeah Having me along caused you a lot of trouble Slowed you down Click is probably gonna ride into dodge ahead of you. You'll be waiting there. Oh Why there cuz he's no good with a rifle. He needs a sixth gun on a town street Maybe he won't try again Stella after all there are other towns for him to take over It's more than that Marshall. It's a lot more now that he knows I'm with you He's a jealous man. He's crazy jealous and now he'll think there's something between us Between you and me I mean Let's not worry about that now You just better get some rest Foolish to think you might have any feelings about me, isn't it not knowing me any longer in your head I'm Stella. I don't suppose any man could take to a woman he'd known for only one day. Could he? Look Stella, you got some sleep. We've still got a long ride to dodge Yeah, I'm sorry Marshall Good night Good night. The next morning Stella's leg wasn't anywhere near well enough for her to ride So I borrowed a spring wagon from the nester and we started out for dodge It was a rough trip and a slow one Stella sat there not saying much just staring ahead Once or twice I saw a dust cloud on the horizon and I knew if it was clay growlings He'd be in dodge long before I would It was nearly dusk by the time we drove down the plaza and stopped outside Doc's office And it was a half hour later before Doc had clean bandages on Stella's leg And I waited with her while he went out on another call Marshall yeah, Stella I Had a lot of time to think today while we were driving in I was a rough trip for you not so bad, but What I wanted to tell you was I'm not gonna stay in dodge. Oh, where you going? Oh, I don't know Abilene, maybe even st. Louis Soon as I'm I'm well enough. I'm taking the Santa Fe out of here. There's no reason for you to leave Stella Yes, sir, it's like Rollins No What is it then? Well, it's not important. It's just easier if I go Easier for me. I mean Yeah, you can't forget somebody when you're living in the same town Marshall You you better go now Doc will be back directly and there's no reason for you to wait not no longer Yeah, well Goodbye Stella Goodbye Matt I've been waiting for you all the last time you sent a couple of your men to do the talking I don't know what you're saying. Oh, you're two writers who tried to drag gulch me. I Hope you buried them Rollins cuz I didn't have time I come here to tell you you and me can still work things out He didn't get me killed. So you still want to buy me off any man can use money the government pays me not as much as I listen Rollins So far I got nothing personal on you nothing I can prove anyway Now if you're a smart you'll saddle up and ride out of here and keep away from pass Cosa, too. We'll see Meantime Marshall, how was Stella? Now I'm telling you Rollins you get out what he can You shouldn't have tried it. Yeah, I know that now I Just thought maybe I see me back out the door. What happened? Who was he? It was a man named Rollins. What'd he do? He didn't want me to send a new peace officer to Tuscosa. Well, that ain't much of a reason to die. Is it? He figured it was Look Chester, you go tell doc about this. I got some business over at Del Vonicos. What you gonna do? Now doc told me there's a man. I want to talk to it on there. Who an ex-buffalo hunter I'm gonna ask to take the job of peace officer in Tuscosa Who is it? Mr. Dylan Slimtrant? No, it's somebody who just got in the town a little while back Kind of a hot-headed fellow, but he can get the job done. Well, who in the world is it Mr. Dylan? You don't know him Chester. It's a fellow named Hickok, Bill Hickok If you want you can come over and meet him after you get doc. No, I don't care about meeting no Bill Hickok I was hoping Slimtrant would get the job. I'll see you later, Mr. Dylan. Yeah, sure Gun smoke produced and directed by Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dylan U.S. Marshall The story was specially written for gun smoke by Mr. McDonald with editorial supervision by John Meston Featured in the cast were Virginia Christine Lawrence Dobkin and John Daner Harley Bear is Chester Howard McNear is Doc and Georgia Ellis is Kitty Join us again next week for another story on gun smoke We pause now for a station identification