 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. Marshall and the smell of gun smoke. 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 Marshall. The first man they look for and the last they want to meet. It's a chancy job and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely. I just don't understand Chester. He's missing a meal. Well, sometimes kidding when people get excited, the caddies. And Chester's mighty excited. We all know that. Don't worry about him. He's not missing any meals. He ain't supper early and I'm pledged to bring him a half a pie when I come back. Shouldn't expect Chester to react the way most people do. Of course he eats more when he's excited. Well, what's he doing and he couldn't have supper with the rest of us? Packing. He packed all day yesterday. Yeah, and he'll pack right up to leave in time in the morning. You taking a wagon up north? Just air horses. And a pack horse? No. Well, then he can't possibly take all this stuff with him. Well, he'll figure that out last thing tomorrow morning. Then he'll pick up his rifle in his bedroll and we'll start off. It happens this way every long trip we make. Can't seem to break him up. How long since you were up on the agency? A couple of years. Oh, yes. Yes, I remember too. You and Whit shot enough deer to feed us all with it. Chester stayed on with the squawks and made me a little pottery ball. Yeah, Chester's not much interested in hunting. Well, maybe that's good. You turn a wild man like Chester loose on the agency. He's lobbed a clean of the game in no time. You know if there's one couple I envy it's whipping ladders. You're hacken to be an Indian agent. But they're doing what they want to do. They believe in it and they're good at it. I sure never heard of Whit having any trouble with the Sue. Have you met? He's fair. Sue know it. They're a proud people with respect set. Glad it's a big help, too. No kidding. He's right. It's a good lad. I bet they'd be glad to see you. And it's a surprise, most likely. Surprise? Well, are you saying they're not expecting it? Well, I'm saying I didn't ride ahead telling them I'm coming. Well, I'm not dealing. They told me to come any time. They got something near 400 Sue on the agency. Two more people one way or the other. It's not going to matter much. It'd be a courtesy to Gladys. You got any mail from trail bosses or drovers telling you they'll be coming up from Texas? Well, no, of course not. Well, you know they'll be coming, don't you? Well, sure, I do. Well, you'd be glad to see them. I can feel welcome once they're here, right? It's not the same thing at all. Doc. I mean, hold on. No, no, no. You don't. I quit listening a minute ago. I'm not going to get drawn into this discussion, even if I have to go and help Chester Pat. Just sorry as I can be, Mr. Jones. Forget it, Chester. I don't know if I can ever forget it. Well, you can quit talking about it. That'd help. No, sir. I can't. Talking it out is going to be the one thing to make me see it clear. Of course, I had it packed in the first place. We both know that. Had it in the very same carpet bag with him new boots, my underwear, and a side of bacon. Then the time come to sort out what I'd take for sure. And mind you, you was hunting me not to bring so many eggs, please. Yeah, I remember that. So I figure who needs new boots? And that's the way I come to leave the coffee pot behind. Yeah. Well, we managed with 10 cans so far, and another three miles or so glad us will have a pot on the stove. I sure won't make that mistake again. Next time, bring your boots, Chester. Put them down, Mr. Jones. Come over that ridge. It's like a welcoming party. Am I B? My pair appears to me they're all Indian, Mr. Jones. Well, that's a Sue reservation, Chester. Well, yes, of course, Chester. Let's hold up a minute. I tell you, if they're riding toward you this way, it's competent to know they ain't hostile. Yeah, you bet it is. Get off horse. Mr. Jones. Get off, Chester. Look through packs. Make sure. What are you looking for, Mr. Jones? I don't know. I guess you don't remember me, Big Feather. Matt Dillon. You are a friend of white agents. Big Feather know you. You bring wagon? No. Bring pack mule? No, we're just as you see us. You find nothing? Nothing, Big Feather. Now, why are you come? To visit my friend, the white agent. He asked you come? No. What's wrong here, Big Feather? Has something happened to Whip? You asked him. He's all right, then. You asked him. Big Feather, I've come here before many times. You and I, we've putted together. I count you my friend, too. Why do you stop me now and search me? You have many questions. White agent has many answers. Now, I ask you questions. Why are you let me stop you? You have gone. Look, me, my braves. We have no gone. You're right, Mr. Jones. You know one of them has a gun. Well, who took your guns, Big Feather? You asked white agent. Will I be stopped again on my right end? My people will not stop you. I'm sure something will miss here, Mr. Jones. Yeah, I'm afraid so, Chester. I just hope Whip and Gladys are all right. Now, there's life. You can feel it. Looking up on the lodges. But what they're doing inside this time of day, I sure don't know. Last time we couldn't hardly ride through here for the squaws and young men. Yeah. Now, take a look at the lodges. Looks like they're falling apart. You sure wouldn't want the same place? Found to find out some after here. It's done. Whip's house ain't looking too silly, sir. No, it isn't. There's Whip, too. You can't always tell what's there and what isn't. Made my mistake treating them decent, figuring them first human. Well, they're not. The more you do, the more they want. Like their guns? What do you know about their guns? Big Feather and some brave stopped us on the way in and searched our gear. How'd they stop you without guns? Well, that's what Big Feather wanted to know. I figured we were on your agency. I'd oblige them. Oblige? You got their guns Whip? I got them, or I send a lock and key in the storeroom. And I'm keeping them. I watch over them half the time and Gladys the other half. That's where she is now, the storeroom? She's there, all right. Let me tell you, Matt, this is no life. It's no life at all. Chester and I can spell Gladys for a while. You could both get some rest. No. I never even asked what brought you up this way. And I had in mind some hunting, but that'll come later. You won't have a drink. What was that? Oh, artillery, like this. We got army near here, you know. Yeah. Well, we'll head on out to the storeroom. You'll get some sleep, huh? You just might, Matt. You hear? I might sleep. I just might feel safe enough. You know, I got artillery to you, heaviest I ever heard of, too. I haven't heard it enough to be sure, but it sounds like dynamite to me. I guess Gladys will be inside here. You gave me a fright. You were scaring everybody half to death today. It is you. It is really you and Chester. Yes, my little lady. I just never thought I'd see any of my friends again. I'm sorry. Gladys, is it that bad? Oh, Matt, it's plain hell. Well, what happened? Have you seen him? Well, yeah, sure, we've seen him. I still don't get the straight of what's going on here. Well, don't expect it from me, Matt. I don't know. I honestly don't know. He's not the same. Whip's no more the man I married or any part of him than any stranger you could mention. Well, if the Indians have turned against him, maybe he's got cause to change. Well, maybe he has. I don't know. But he took their guns. They must have done something. Oh, taking their guns was the last he did. Before that, it was their food. You mean, say, Whip is holding that food from him? Yes, it came to him with some complaint. I don't know what it was. I don't know about their hunting grounds. Whip got enraged, really enraged, and he began to cut back their rations. Finally, their guns. I don't know what will happen next. How long has it been like this? Oh, months, months. I don't know. You hear that a lot, do you, Gladys? All the time. There must be big trouble somewhere. I never heard the army guns this close before. Oh, look, Gladys, we told Whip we'd spare you here so that you could get some rest. Oh, no. I mean, I'm not tired. And you must be riding all this way. I'm fine, really. Later, when Whip comes down, I'll fix your nice supper. Now, then, you just let us take over, like Miss Dillon says. You look kindly thinking of me. No, I'm perfectly fine. I won't let... There's, uh, where the guns are locked up, Gladys? I think so. I'm not sure. Please, mad, I wish you... You wish I'd stay out of it? Yes. Yes, I wish you would. All right. I know you're not afraid, Gladys. What makes you think I'm not? Well, Whip is. He's got a shotgun and he keeps himself locked and bolted in his own house. You're not armed. I never wore the hand with guns. You know that. The door here, it was open. We just walked in. I must have forgotten. You never wore a hand to lie, either? Oh, Matt. Matt, I'm afraid. I'm terrified. But I feel responsible. Please don't ask me to explain it. Just go on back to Whip. I really think he needs more help than I do. Maybe he does it that way. Morning over in my mind, the afternoon longness. Don't I just don't understand Gladys giving them guns back to Indian? I didn't say she did, Chester. I said the lock on that cabinet was forced. But she sure didn't want me to look any closer than I did. You think that's what she meant by feeling responsible? That's what you said? Responsible? No, I don't think that's what she meant. I'm hoping Bigfoot, I can shed some light on that. Maybe. Only it don't make sense. Say she did give Bigfoot and others their guns. Need to just turn on Whip, kill him, maybe? Chester, he's outnumbered 400 to one. If they wanted to kill him, they could have done it long ago. How come they had guns in the first place? The Sioux, Cheyenne, natural hunters, the treaty gave them the right to keep their guns for hunting when they came on the reservation. Are you saying Whip has broke the Indian treaty? I'm on the face of things, yes. Maybe he's had cause. Sure is, Bigfeather's Lord. It was the last time I was here. You come from White Agent? I come on my own, Bigfeather. You and I make talk. You talk. I want you to take me hunting tomorrow, like before. You and I hunt together. No good hunt. What do you mean? Game run. All gone. No good hunt. What happened to the game? That's White Agent. Now listen to me, Bigfeather. I want some answers out of you. Everything's changed here and I want to know why. I want you to tell me what's wrong. You will not believe game all gone? Not until you show me. I don't believe, no. Tomorrow, with the sun, I show. Good, with the sun. You bring your rifle, we hunt. Not have rifle. No guns. You sure? No guns. Or maybe your friend, the White Squad. Hey, no friend. Take Papoose. No friends or Indians. Now what do you mean? First hunting grounds, then food, then guns. Now take Papoose. Take Papoose. You will hunt with me tomorrow, Bigfeather? With the sun. That's what we're doing. I'm just about to give up. I clean, don't get a thing through my skull around here. Why don't you go on up to the house and go to bed? I mean, you ain't going to? No, not yet, Chester. I'll go on right now. It sure ain't been the day I looked forward to. Good night. Good night, Mr. Dome. You were talking to Bigfeather earlier. What did he tell you? I guess you know. He says you're going to take their Papooses. Oh, I knew it. I told you, I feel responsible for so much of this. I could make him understand. But it only made things worse. Understand of what? Things have been so bad here. I thought I could offer them a little hope. They used to trust me. I told them we'd start a school for the youngsters. And they took it to mean that you were going to steal their young ones away, huh? A year ago they'd have understood. But now the hate that's built up, the fears, the mistrust. I was a fool to say it. You were trying your own way, Gladys. Nothing wrong with that. I was sharp with you, Matt, telling you to stay out of it. But I was afraid. Afraid I'd find the guns gone? No, no, the lock. It was forced. Yeah, I saw that. But the guns are still there. I checked. I wanted you to leave so I could replace the lock before Whip found out. Believe me, Matt, the guns are still there. Whip's in there now? He's still front up. I spell him then. Matt, what can we do? I don't know yet. Tell me that says Whip ever asked the army to come in and straighten this out. Never want. I've asked him to, but he says it's his business. Maybe tomorrow I'll know more whose business it is. Good job. Glad you're back. This is a terrible thing. What is it, Chester? He's had him standing there since he found out. Oh, man, women all this day in the hot sun, no water, no food. Oh, what's the devil for? Chips and fool guns have been stolen. He's been hitting out at everybody. He'd be glad it's a death warrant or three of it. When did it happen? Right after summer. Right after Gladys fell in. He went back to the store room and found them gone. Oh, he has been so mean. All right, where is he now? He under, turned their lockers apart, looking for them guns. He better look out upon his drunk and what? He better look out for me. There he is. Yeah, I see him. Clean on this, too, Dylan. If you've got trouble, you're asking for every inch of it. They got their guns back. I can't find them, but I will. I will, and I'll turn them on the lot of them. You're out of your head, Whit. Oh, what kind of a friend are you? I've seen the miners with blast and holes all over the reservation driving the game away. That big artillery you were telling me about. They tell me they pay you pretty good to let them mine on government property. You hear me? They got their guns back and I got to find them. I'm not going to help you look. The rotten thing you've done treaty breaking. This could start an uprising, sure. All they need is their guns. Matt, you're a friend. I was a friend. I looked through every lot, twice over. They've got them, but where? Where? You better give them a look and over, long as they're lined up here. Where's the Indian going to hide the guns? You walk down this line with me. See anything? A lot of mangy Indians. So, come on, let's try another line up. Why? What for? This is just a waste of time. You're crazy blind, drunk, mean blind. You take a good look. Up and down all the lines with the beads the squaws are wearing, and the bracelets, their shells, cartridges. The old men are leaning on canes, only their gun barrels. The kids got arrowheads hanging from their belts and right along with them gun locks, hammers. The gun is apart. They're wearing them. Yeah. And if you're lucky, maybe the army will get here before they get a chance to put them together. Yeah. You threw a whip up at Fort Kearney on our way out. And we'll be taking Gladys with us. She'll go. Houston, directed in Hollywood by Norman McDonald, stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall. The story was specially written for Gunsmoke by Kathleen Height with editorial supervision by John Meston. Featured in the cast were Virginia Christine, Vic Tarran, and Ralph Moody. Harley Bear 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 Gunsmoke.