 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 u.s. Marshall and the smell of gun smoke Gun smoke starring William Conrad the transcribed story of the violence that moved west with young America The story of a man who moved with it Matt Dillon United States Marshall He's just plain banny. There's no note anywhere Chester knows it nothing. I looked again all over well It's two days now. That isn't like doc. I still think he's just gone off on an emergency out in the country some horrors No, maybe but he's always left word before Well, what do we do Mr. Dillon? I don't know might start asking people Chester try the saloons in the store and Maybe the depot Well, I do declare riding right up front street is as big as life what? Why that old devil are you sure our site for sore eyes doc? We're in the world of you been anyway. Hello, Chester Matt. Oh, you had us worried doc. Oh, that's home. Well, you've been gone two days. I know next time leave word doc. I Will I surely will if I can sure would save us a lot of wait a minute. What do you mean doc? If you can just that if they let me I'll leave word Come on inside, huh? Okay doc. I'm curious you want to tell me about it. Well, I can tell you part of it the least important part I made a promise about the rest You know how it is man. No, but you tell me Well, the other night Wednesday it was I was peacefully asleep in my car when a couple of riders prompt right into my office They said a man was hurt bad on a place out past Fort Dodge Don't actually I get up and went along with them. Well, and why didn't you leave a note and say so? They told me not to they told you why let him talk just of course I figured then it must be a shooting but my job is to take care of everybody sitting here and save the life And so when we finally got to this place the next day who what place? That's part of what I promised not to tell you But like I was saying there was a young man there who'd got himself shot in the back The bullet large right in his spine. I dug it out and did all I could for him And then I just sat there for quite a spell Then I put my things away, and I I walked out into the other room Well doc, how is it? I did what I could What do you mean? He's dead The shock of extracting that bullet was too much for him. It's a bad place to spy and kill them. I'd die No No, I didn't kill him. He's dead any That boy wouldn't live more in a couple of days anyway with that bullet where it was Whoever put it there murdered him Want me to shut him up not yet Doc tell me something. You know that boy in there. I do The three of us here, you know any of us Him I've seen him around somewhere. It's dodged it. Well, that's settled Yeah, you know his name doc. No, I don't might come to me though Let me think you don't understand doc. He wants to kill you already and now you trying to remember his name It's just gonna make it worse You can't kill a doctor for following his oath. No Shut that boy to try to get away and shoot you just as he don't be a fool I'm a doctor and since there's nothing more I can do here. I got to be available to other patients Don't you know, I'm the only doctor within a hundred miles to dodge right now. That's one too many wait a minute Kind of thinking the doc's right You know, he ain't like ordinary man a doctor Well, it's almost like he ain't quite human somehow. He's human enough to tell what he knows that hard-headed Marshall they got in dodge Well, I figured it's us or the doc. I'm not interested in what you figure mister Right this minute. There may be some woman having a baby and need me real bad They may be several folks needn't help That's right. We can't kill him. Well, I can't you do what I say and nothing else you're here and doc listen to me If I let you go you promise not to tell her about anybody you recognize here and if I don't And doctor and no doctor. I'll kill you myself Yes, I suppose you would Alright, I'm here as a doctor and nothing else. I Promise word of honor die my word of honor. Okay, get out That's quite a story doc. Oh, you played it right smart if you ask me who were the doc But I only recognize one of them Chester besides the man that shot. Have you thought of his name yet? Chester, don't you understand? I gave my word. I wouldn't tell oh, but that was just so you could get away But still I gave my word. It doesn't matter how or why but doc they're just a bunch of killers I know leave him alone Chester, but I don't Yes, you Matt. Yeah Wouldn't you do the same viewer in my book? That'll be a hard choice doc, but Yeah, I suppose I wouldn't I think any man would at least why is any man on it? I guess I wasn't really thinking about it that way. Well, I'm gonna get myself some sleep Matt That was a good boy. They murdered I Hope they hang for it. Yeah How are we ever gonna find a mr. John? I Don't know Chester. They don't even know who they killed and just think Doc could lead us straight to him right now. It doesn't make him the doc happy Chester. No, sir. It sure isn't sincerely Matt Dylan You Marshall Like Jake worth why you haven't come to dodge in six months, and I know I'm here now marshal Trouble Jake, I'd call it that Well, you know that cottonwood big one down a branded bend. Yeah There's a hole down by the roots at the north side of it marshal I put a sack in that hole this morning It's got $20,000 and 20 fuck That's a lot of money Jake even for you. It isn't do Hank gets back all right Hank. Well, that's your youngest boy, isn't it? 18 last month He didn't show up the other night marshal the next morning I found a note tacked on the crowd said to leave the money or they'd kill him Come on Jake. We'll try to get there before they pick up the money Marshall, I won't take any chances. They shoot him sure if we did that You should have told me before you left the money. You should have come here first. You didn't hear what I said marshal I won't take the chance All I want now is for you to watch for anybody who turns up rich around here Jake listen to me You listen to me marshal. Nobody's gonna do a thing Till Hank's back safe on the ranch not one dang thing Jake if they killed Hank you'd want him hung wouldn't you? I'll hang them myself if it comes to that. All right, then let's go. Let's get on the brandy Ben and wait for him No, I already told you no I Think Hank's dead What I think they've already shot him and he's dead What are you talking about? Where is it? I? Don't know how come you think he's dead. Well, I I can't tell you marshal I've had about enough of this look we're wasting time here come on Jake I'll tell you what I can on the way to the river you better by heaven or one of us ain't never gonna get to the river Jake worth was known as a hard hot tempered man, but he was straight as they come He'd made one fortune in Texas cattle and another in Buffalo hives Now all he wanted was his ranch and his three sons to work it with him The words were good men. It didn't cause any trouble They worked hard It wasn't easy to tell Jake but without mentioning doc. I said what I could and When we reached the Arkans's we hit our horses in a clump of bushes and worked our way on foot up to the big cottonwood And then we saw it That's him. I think Yeah, I'm afraid so Jake They killed him they killed him all right He was a good boy Got his whole life to live yet. Why'd they do it? Not gave them the money. Why'd they do it? I? I'm sorry Jake Marshall I want the truth now every bit of it. Well, that's all I know Jake Hank tried to break in one of them shot him But we'll get him. I'll take care of myself soon. You tell me who they are Don't lie to me Marshall. You know a lot. You're not telling me. I've told you all I can't that's my boy lying there Marshall He's been murdered and if I didn't know you so well I'd begin to think maybe you had something to do with it yourself easy not Then why don't you tell me because the man who told me about it had to promise not to name anybody that's why man Who is he? I'll get it out of him if I have to cut it out. I know that's why I can't tell you who he is What kind of a lawman are you anyway? I've told you all I can Jake. No No, you haven't Marshall, I don't believe your story about nobody promising nothing. You know who'd done it You're gonna tell me I'm giving you 24 hours the name those men and me my boys are coming to dodge There'll be blood spilt more Jake. I give you my word. I don't know who did it. I don't believe you I'll help you take your boy home now go on back to dodge I'll manage here You're making a bad mistake Jake 24 hours more room. I'll be there We'll find you Wherever you'll be Jake I So long check Ladies and gentlemen at the conclusion of tonight's show our star William Conrad steps out of the character of Matt Dylan to bring you an announcement which we are certain will be of great interest to all our listeners So be sure to listen at the close of tonight's program for a special message from William Conrad And now the second act of gun smoke There was no use arguing with him the man's grief had destroyed his reason And the worst of it was I knew his sons would do whatever Jake told him to do Unless I could stop it somehow I'd have to shoot it out with three good and perfectly innocent men For no reason at all. I Thought about it all the way back to dodge By the time I got there. I had an idea I Went up to Doc's and I talked it over with him. All right, man I'll do whatever I can. Well, it might not work doc Then you'll be exposing yourself to a lot of danger. Have you thought about that? I have I've also been thinking about the men who killed Hank where we could wait till they start spending their money Or it'll one of them gets drunk and maybe talks too much somewhere as we could but Meantime you and the words will have a gun fight. Oh That'd be a terrible thing to let happen. All right, then doc. Let's go. I want to get to the ranch before dark You know Matt I haven't been out here since Mrs. Worth died much before five years now Place sure has changed. Yeah, I Don't say anybody around to you Maybe they saw us first Maybe they're here doc. Yeah, maybe that's far enough Marshall Jake I came here to stop a shooting not to start working stop at Marshall Tell me who killed my son if I knew I'd be on his trail Jake What doc doing here anyway? Tell him doc. I took the bullet out of Hank just before he died. What that's right Jake Now come down here where we can talk like friends and I'll explain it Say where you are boys. All right doc. Let's hear it. Well They got me out of bed Jake and they led me out into the country Hank had been shot in the back and I extracted the bullet But it was no use. He'd have died anyway. There were three men there and I recognized one who was he I Had to promise I wouldn't tell Jake or are there to kill me? I don't matter now think about it Jake doc gave him his word and you're asking him to break it and I'll think about it for a minute I'm thinking and I'm thinking about my boy too. Thanks dead Jake. We can't help shot in the back in the coward Who did it's running free? You want to help get him Jake? Don't ask cool questions Marshall the course I want to get him. All right, then listen to me those men told doc if he talked they'd kill it Yes, and they meant it too. All right, so I got an idea Jake We'll spread it around that doc has identified the killer the news will reach him soon enough and Meantime, I'll lay low and have Chester tell everybody I've written out after them go on Then we'll just wait one or two or maybe all three of them will come at a dodge to kill doc some night soon They still might get away. I'll deputize you and your boys right now when you can wait for them with us But you're gonna have to stay hidden like me. We won't mind that not if we get a chance of them We won't good Funny thing though, what man like doc here? Rather than break his word, he'll make himself a target for those killers Yeah Look Jake doc and I are gonna go back to dodge now I'll see that the story gets started and then the day or two you and your boys can write in but separately though Otherwise it might cause talk. I understand and come straight to Docs We'll get there For the next few days doc never left his office. I Figured that it make him look scared and draw the killers right into his place The rest of us sat around in his back room and waited Chester kept us supplied with food and coffee And on the sixth night about midnight We got our game I think it's saying well just rolled up front street three of them. They're tying up outside right now They acted to deliberate like for ordinary writers. I run up the back way to tell you good doc come on in here, huh? What do you want me to do man take cover in here and stay out of sight or whatever you say Let's go downstairs and meet them more. No, we might just scatter them that way Jake now listen One of them will probably stand guard on the street while the other two come up here to get doc Chester you and the two boys go down the back way Jake and I'll wait in doc's office now. Don't jump that man until we go into action up here You understand all right then move and move fast All right, come on Jake Now what? Well, we'll just wait here in the dark good I'm gonna bunch up Doc's blanket on the couch here, so they'll think he's in it What? They're on the stairs now All right get back in the corner. Jacob will be shooting each other. Yeah Not quiet and don't start shooting till I do wake up you lying doll Let's just shoot him and get out of here Get your hands up You all right Jake I got one of them Doc doc come on out They're dead light the lamp will you doc? All right. You okay mr. Dylan. Yeah, come on in Chester We got him he tried to get away when he heard the shooting up here, but he runs smack into one of the worth boy He's dead bring the lamp over here doc. No, either one of these men Doc you can call us now with one of these the man you recognize This one here. I remembered later. I treated him for a broken. No sometime back I never didn't know his name. He came up the trail with a herd. I think yeah Doc will you take care of things sure well Jake Marshall and me and the boys will be getting back to the ranch now sure Marshall I What Jake I doubted you I'm sorry for that. I'll forget it. No No, it's best. I remembered a man shouldn't make mistakes like that. Well, there was no harm done way it worked out I'll buy you a drink before we leave I think I'd like that Jake come on. Let's go Now a special announcement here is our star William Conrad Thank You George You know, I believe this is the first time I've ever sat aside the character of Matt Dylan to speak to you But this is important to all of us here on the show and I hope it will seem so to you Starting next week Gunsmoke will come to you at a new time on a new day sponsored by Chesterfield cigarette Chester doc kitty and I together with all of our strong-minded brawling hard-living citizens of dodge Who will come to you next Monday, July the 5th? So from now on that's when you'll hear gun smoke on Monday's and We like to think that all of our listeners will find time this coming Monday night July the 5th to tune in to their local CBS radio station for gun smoke until then good night Gunsmoke transcribed under the direction of Norman McDonald stars William Conrad as Matt Dylan US Marshall Tonight's story was specially written for gun smoke by John Meston with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey Featured in the cast were John Daner Lawrence Dobkin and Harry Bartel Farley bearish Chester and Howard McNeer is doc join us again Monday, July 5th as Matt Dylan US Marshall fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in Gun smoke George Walsh speaking for the top tunes of rural America here Saturday night country style every week on the CBS radio network