 In a large 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. Jim Conrad, the story of the violence that moved west and the story of a man who moved 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. If you like this, that'll go pretty good. You sit still, man. I'll get it. I'll get a picture for you. Just in case. Thank you. Dog days, Matt. It's days like this I wish I was back in Kansas City. Just as bad there. Well, at least there's something happening to keep your mind off it. Mr. Dillon, quick. Come here. Well, what is it, Chester? There's an elephant out here in the street. Oh, oh. Alright, Chester. An elephant right here on the plaza. I could use an elephant in the street today, man. You're a signature, learn to do tricks and everything. Chester, would you get in out of the sun? He's gone. You know, Chester sees things even on a good day. Oh, hey, Matt, you in here? Yeah, Doc, I'm in here. That sun's bright out there. I can hardly see you, Matt. Well, I'm in here, Doc. Now, what do you want? Well, I thought it was Marcia around here. You'd be interested in knowing that there's an elephant out in the street. Yeah, so I hear it. But it's true, Matt. It's really true. Well, I can't stand it any longer. Neither can I, Kitty. All right, Doc, what's it really all about? You'll see, Matt. You'll see. An elephant out here. Yeah. He's advertising the circus. I see him. Wait a minute. You're with that man with Jenny. They're giving me this handbill. Jenny? Yeah, that's the elephant. Jenny. Oh, let me see the handbill. Bannock's Grand International Circus and Menagerie. Bannock. The show's going to be here tomorrow, Mr. Dillon. Two o'clock. I'll be back in a minute. Yeah, but, Mr. Dillon, what's the matter with you, Miss Kitty? Hey, mister. I'd like to talk to you. Me? Uh-huh. Oh, of course. Now, Jenny, salute the Marshal. Trunk up. I'm Jim Conger, Marshal. Maybe you're here to me. I used to be billed as a human fly. I could fly them anything, anywhere, but I got too old for it. Now, I'm the best bullman there is. Mr. Conger, are you with the Bannock show? Yes, sir. Now, you're planning to play here in Dodge? Yeah. Tomorrow, grade 10, show it, too. Of course, no tickets needed for the loss. You have to have a permit to play in Dodge. Well, we know that, Marshal. You wasn't in your office when I came looking for one. Mr. Conger, I'm responsible for the peace in Dodge City, and I'm not going to sign a permit for this circus to play here. Well, why's that, Marshal? You know as well as I do, why? For what happened in Hayes City and a few other towns where that show is played. I don't want any riots here in Dodge. Oh, you know about them things? Two people were killed in Hayes, weren't they? Well, I reckon so, but, Marshal, that don't say that it happened here. I can't take that chance. Now, you go on back to your boss and you tell him that I won't let you play Dodge. Oh, I can't do that, Marshal. Why not? She wouldn't listen to me. She's a strong woman. She? Yeah, Maggie Bannock. She's my wife, Maggie, is. She used to be known as Dainty Margarita, the strongest woman in the world. Well, Marshal, she could lift five men at one time when she was younger. Look, Mr. Conger. I'd rather not have to tell her what you said. All right, Mr. Conger. You show me where I can find Maggie Bannock. And I'll tell her. You know, Mr. Dillon, when I was back in Texas and the weather got extra dry and it was hot and people began getting on each other's touch bones more unusual, you know what happened? No, what? Well, sir, just when it seemed like everything else had gone wrong, the circus had come to town. Chester, what do you try to say? Well, back in Texas, after the circus had came and went, everything was different. It was? Oh, yes, sir. Somehow it didn't seem near as hot and as dry and you even forgot what you was fighting with your friends about. That's the way it worked in Texas, huh? Yes, it did. Chester, I know it's been hot and Dodge has been pretty dull, but this particular circus isn't going to help any. Why? Because there's trouble connected with this show. What kind of trouble? I don't really know, Chester, but two people got killed over in Hays and there's been trouble in other places. Yes, sir. Down to the creek. Just look at that string or wagon, will you, with a... Hey, looks me like one of them is stuck in the creek bed. Oh, come on, let's get down there. See, we've been needing to move this wagon. You live large, won't you? Oh, sure. Chester? See what's in that wagon? Don't let that lion worry you. That's all terrible. Are you Dylan or Marshall? Yes, ma'am, that's right. Boy, help being what you are. Thanks. And, Dodge, are you? We're going to put on a show there tomorrow. Well, that's what I came to talk to you about. Well, then talk. You can't bring your show to Dodge City. Hey, you are a big-time Marshall, aren't you? Your performance in Hays left two people dead. They came looking for trouble, and they got it, Marshall. Now, get out of my way. I'm heading for Dodge. Who started the trouble, Maggie? I told you who started it. Over in Kinsley, too. And Atchison. Seems like trouble follows your show. Maggie, now, why? You got a big badge on you, Marshall. Why don't you figure it out for yourself? Let's go, boys! You're not going to play Dodge. Marshall, we won't play Dodge. That make you feel better? Let's go back to Tom. Yes, sir. You'll just have yourself a fit. Yes, sir. Oh, yes, sir. Where's Matt? Miss Kitty, he slept in this morning. I just think he got the heart to wake him to this prayer. That's where he's going to have a conniption fit when he sees that lady's plan to go ahead with her circus. Yes, sir. He's still asleep. Sleep with his parade man's circus at two o'clock. Why didn't you come and wake me up? Miss Dylan? You kind of go to pieces around the circus, don't you, sir? Oh, most people do, Matt. It looks to me like you didn't scare that circus owner too bad, Matt. And I don't mind admitting that I'm glad. I'd enjoy a little innocent entertainment for change. Innocent. The doc of this circus takes place. All the entertainment you're going to get will be mending ahead. Oh, Matt. Look at all the people on the street. The words for all the people come from miles around for this. Why would they make trouble? I don't know, Kitty, but there must be something that sets them off. It's happened too many times. And the doc? The doc, look at that clown. He's coming right under the heels of them horses. Big blooded funny. Oh, look at those people. You know me, man. There's something minding fine about hearing the music and seeing those animals in the clouds. Are you sure? There's the magic of the circus. It doesn't make any difference at all. I'm going to take that away from the hard-working people of this county. Doc, I like a circus as much as anybody. Well, then prove it. Don't try to stop it. You're not changing my mind. Oh, stubborn. That's what you are. I may be. The way I see it, Matt, you will have a riot on your hands if you do stop it. Mr. Dillon, look. Coming around the corner. Ms. Bannock riding a big white horse in the... Oh, oh, looking there where she's got to. She's carrying a Confederate flag. So that's it. That's where the trouble starts. Well, what are you going to do, Matt? Marshal, there's no law says we can't have the circus outside the town limits. That's not what's bothering me now, Maggie. It's that flag. Ah! That's the law. Don't do it. That's not what I mean. This flag is all I got left, Marshal. My son's died holding it high. Since then, I swore I'd hold it for them. No Yankee yet has told me I had to burn it. Are you going to? I'm not telling you to burn it. I'm just saying you shouldn't parade it through cancer. I'll do what I want, Marshal, whether it's Dodge City, Kansas, or Atlanta, Georgia. Let go of that bridle. All right. But if you keep showing that flag, I can't be responsible for what happens to you or your men. We take care of ourselves, Marshal. Don't do that, Mr. Dillon. I hope I'm wrong, Chester. It's about all I can do right now. Another hour and a circus will be starting, Matt. Yeah. Yeah, there's one thing in your favor, Matt. Oh, I'm glad to hear that, Doc. What is it? Yeah, we've been in the Long Branch almost an hour, and I don't think more than 10 or 12 men have been in for a drink. That'll help some. Where's Chester? Oh, I imagine he's watering the elephant by now. Matt, why don't you deputize 10 or 15 men and take them out there to the circus? Stop the trouble before it starts. I thought of that, Kenny, but it won't work. Why not? Do I put guns in the hands of 15 Yankees or 15 Southerners? This is it, boys. Last chance to win your rock. Yeah, I see. I'm really... Hey, Barkey, how about some service here? We're in a hurry. We've got something to do, ain't we, boys? You stay here, Kenny. I'll talk to him. Yeah. The circus lover himself. I want to know why you're dressed that way. This little old Confederate coat, Marshal. What do you care? I've never seen you wear any part of your uniform before. He ain't had reason to wear it since the war, ain't he? Then why today? Why, ain't you heard? This is my passport to the circus. All us Johnny Rebs. Maggie lets us in free, as long as we got a piece of the old uniform on. A piece of the uniform and a gun. That's your ticket to the circus, Marshal. You're making a big thing out of this. We just came in for some drinks. The long branches closed, Baxter. Since when? Since just now. Your boys have had enough to drink. Just drinking our way out to the circus, Marshal. You ain't going to try to kill that fun, too, are you? What is that supposed to mean? Well, the whole town knows how you try to keep the circus from playing. People are saying you're stepping outside your duties, Marshal. Ain't that right, boys? You're saying it, too, Baxter? Yeah, I'm saying it, too. The only difference is I'm saying it this way. Now, does anybody else want to try me? Get him, boys. He's just another dang old Yankee. Come on, Yankee. The next man that makes a move. I'll shoot him in the leg now. All right, start walking all of this. Walking? Where to? Jail. Marshal, you can't lock us up. We're going to the circus. Well, what? We ain't done nothing. Doc, these men look drunk to me. What do you think? Never seen anything worse. What are you talking about? All right, you men, the doctor said you're drunk. I'll start walking. You want a piece of this apple? Here's that, Ginny. That was my music from a climbing act back in the old days. Yes, sir, I'd go in there and climb that center pole faster than any man in the business. What the fuck, Ginny? You're the only woman I ever loved outside of Maggie. Here. That's some more apple. Come on. Hey, Jim. Oh, howdy, Marshal. Didn't know anyone was around. I suppose you heard me talking to Ginny here. Yeah, I heard you, Jim. You probably think I'm kind of crazy. I know, I thought, Jim. Look, I need your help. That crowd's getting me in there, and I got to slow them down. I know, Marshal. You hang that bag off the top of that center pole, and then they fight the war all over again. Maybe if Maggie had sons in the war, she would have let it in properly. What? She told me her sons died. No, no, no, Marshal. We never had no children. We always wanted some. When the war came along, Maggie went in as a nurse. She saw a lot of the boys die, and each one was just like her own. And she just never got over it. So that's it. What can I do, Marshal? This thing has got to stop. I've tried to tell them, Maggie, but she just won't listen to me. Well, I'll tell you what you can do, Jim. You can find me six men that think the way you do and have them meet me by the main tent right away. And what I want you to do? Yeah, they got it, Marshal. They cut the rope when you give the word. That crowd's getting meaner every minute. Yeah. All right, then you men go on before it's too late. Well, what do you want me to do, Mr. Jones? You just follow me and do what I tell you. Where are you going? In there. All right. Have it. Come on, Chastute. See, before the show's over, I'll have them cut the ropes and drop the tent. It's that flag up there that's causing all this trouble. I'm going to bring you down. I'll go with Jim. Why did you try? Maggie, darling, I had to... You wouldn't let the war end. But I will, Jim. Don't die. I will, I promise. I never put the flag over again, Jim. I'm sorry. I lost the last of my boys, Marshal. Jim was the last of them. Would you lay him out gently? And Marshal, you can bury the flag with him. U.S. Marshal. The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Tom Hanley with editorial supervision by John Meston. CBS Radio is proud to announce that effective with today's programs seven new stations have joined the network. They are stations WKMH Detroit, WKMF Flint, WKHM Jackson, WHLS Port Huron, WLEW Bad Acts, and WSGW Saginaw all in Michigan, and station WTOD in Toledo, Ohio. More listeners than ever in the Midwest are now able to enjoy the superior programming of CBS Radio. This is George Walsh inviting you to join us again next week for another story on Gunsmoke. News follows in Mitch Miller on the CBS Radio Network.