 In a moment you'll hear James Stewart as the sick shooter. Just one of the many fine programs brought to you Sundays on NBC. Later this evening listen to the NBC Star Playhouse with one of your favorite stars. Here meet the press America's number one news making program and be sure to keep tuned for the dramatic story of communism in America on Last Man Out. It's a wonderful lineup of great programs, all of them heard only on NBC. James Stewart as the sick shooter. The man in the saddle is angular and long-legged. His skin is sun-died brown. The gun in his holster is grey steel and rainbow mother of pearl. It's handle unmarked. People call them both the sick shooter. NBC Radio Network presents James Stewart as the sick shooter. A transcribed series of radio dramas based on the life of Britt Ponsett. The Texas Plainsmen who wandered through the western territories, leaving behind a trail of still remembered legends. I sure don't know where the town ever got that name. Quiet City. Every time I came through it was anything but quiet. In the old days the Apaches were always stirring up trouble. After the Indians were moved on to the reservation there was still plenty of excitement. It was shooting practically every weekend. At least that's how it was when I was here last. About four or five years ago I guess. Now the town did seem sort of different at first glance. Anyhow there were 20 or 30 new houses along the side of the creek there. The main street was a good four blocks longer than what I remember. Quiet City sure was growing up. Couldn't be any doubt about that. I figured the population must have reached the 1,000 marble, maybe even higher. And all that growing made the place seem well kind of settled and business like. To tell you the truth, Quiet City was almost quiet. Anyhow I headed scar over to the hitching rail in front of the sheriff's office and pulled up, whoa, whoa boy. Door to the office was open. Nothing I can do with you. Oh heck, how is it? Britt, you old son of a gun. Why didn't you let a body know you were heading this way? In Norma South to last week, Tim Parker came into some property over by Fulton. He asked me to sit on him for a couple of months so he could take charge. Oh, Fulton, huh? Yeah, yeah, it's real nice. Ah, farm and land. Well Tim wasn't certain. That's all there is over that way now. There ain't no more ranches, Britt, just farms. Well, I guess this part of the country is changing. Yeah, some I reckon. I sure wouldn't have recognized Quiet City, heck. It's not a small town anymore, is it? Well, we've done our share of growing, there ain't no doubt about that. Well, more in your share, I'd say. But the people of the same, Britt, oh, maybe they buy more ready-made clothes than they used to and send most of their kids to school, but that's just a skin change. Underneath ain't no difference. Still giving you trouble, huh? I've got them under tight rain most of the time. But if I was to turn them loose, well, we'd be right back to where we was 20 years ago. Oh, I don't know about that. Well, I do. Well, what I mean is, Britt, I can't expect human nature to start improving overnight, you know. Oh, that's true enough, yeah. But some folks don't see it my way. They think that just because we've got churches and a schoolhouse and a railroad depot, we're like them towns back east, peaceful and half asleep. We're all you need a sheriff force to lock up the Saturday night drunks. Why, back there, they don't even call them sheriffs. They call them peace officers. Well, I ain't no peace officer. I'm a sheriff, and this is still the West. Sure, sure. Just drop my guard once. That's all I'd need to do. They'd be killing each other right out there in the main street. Well, I guess you'd be the best judge of that. How's Buzz? How's he? Oh, about the same. Four grown, I'll bet. How old is he now? Twenty last birthday. No. That's a big fella, too. Six-foot-three. Oh, well, taller than you are, huh? Me inch or so. You made him a deputy yet? What are you talking about? You always said that when the time came, you were going to fix it so Buzz could just slide right into your boots. Don't you remember that? Yeah, yeah, I remember. But sometimes things don't work out the way a man plans. Uh-huh. Now, Buzz has got ideas of his own crazy fool ideas. I offered him a job working with me, but he wouldn't have none of it. He's aiming to leave Quiet City. Oh, that's odd. And you know why, Britt, so he can go to school. Uh-huh, I say... It ain't as if I didn't see to it that he got his learning. I promised his mom before she died. I promised her I'd see that he was brung upright. And I kept my word, too. I sent him the very first day, Jane and Wetherby started teaching. And I didn't take him out when he'd learned to just read and write and figure. No, I let him keep on until he got his diploma. I guess that's where I was wrong. I should have took him out before he got too smart for his own good. Oh, heck, now the more education a man gets, the better he's off. I ain't so sure of that. Life ain't in books. How much schooling did you have? Well, a little more wouldn't have done me any harm. You've made out all right and so have I. So what buzz if he'd come to his senses and stay here where he belongs? When's he leaving? No, he was getting his things together when I left the house this morning. Maybe he's going by now for all I know. Oh, no, he wouldn't do that, not without saying goodbye to you. Britt. Yeah? I was just thinking. If Buzz still is here, if he hasn't left yet, maybe you could talk. Don't hold on. He won't listen to me, Britt. But if you were to... Oh. What do you want, Buzz? I'd like to speak to you if you're not too busy, that is. For a minute, heck didn't answer. Buzz stared at the leather satchel in his son's hand. Buzz was a big fella, all right? Husky, plenty of muscles. But somehow his face didn't match his body, especially his eyes. They were kind of tired-looking. And he kept blinking as though he wasn't used to the daylight. And there were wrinkles in his forehead too. Not the kind you get from riding against the sun, just little creases that made him look older than it really was. Well, Buzz, with all your fancy education, didn't you got managed enough to speak to Britt Ponsett? Oh, I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. It's been quite a spell. Well, I can't say I blame you, Buzz. I wouldn't have known you in a month of Sundays. Well, if you'll excuse me. No, no, there's no reason for you to go, Britt. I just wanted to tell Pa goodbye. I'm taking the four o'clock train east, Pa. I see. I'll be back someday. That's mighty considerate of you. So long. Just you hold up, I'm on it, young fella. You won't pay no attention to me. I know that. Well, Britt here ain't got no extra grind. If he says you're local, if he says you're going off in a wild goose chase, maybe then you'll- Now, heck, heck, this isn't any of my concern. Even if it was- You ain't heard it all, Britt. You don't know what he aims to do with this extra school. A lawyer. That's what he wants to be. Oh. That's what I'm gonna be, Pa. Tell him the rest of it, Buzz. Tell him how you're gonna come back here and practice law. Ain't that rich, Britt? Quiet city. He's gonna have a full-fledged lawyer. Look, Pa, do we have to go all over that again? Why, you'll be the laughing stock. This town ain't got no use for a lawyer. Never will have it. A sheriff. That's what the town will need, a new sheriff. I ain't getting any younger, Britt. First thing you know, I'll be 60. A 60-year-old sheriff won't be able to hold folks in check. Not for long. Yeah, sure. They'll need a new sheriff. And I'm sorry that I'm just not the man for the job. You could be that man if you wanted to. Yes, but I don't want to, Pa. I want to be a lawyer. And I'll be more used to the town that way. Oh, look, you've got to understand. These are different times. What's so different about them? Everything. You think we're still living on the frontier. You think that star in your vest and that six-gun in your holster is still the only law around here? Well, you're wrong, Pa. You're dead wrong. This isn't the frontier anymore. You're not the law. You're just supposed to carry it out. I think that would have been doing all these years. Ah, look, I'm not saying that your way isn't what the town needed once, but your job is done. You can't expect me to take up where you left off. I'm not you, Pa. This isn't the same town it was. These people aren't the same ones who settled here 20 years ago. Ah, Britt. You see what I mean, Britt. Well, maybe he's right, Ag. You think everything's changed, too? Well, some things, anyway. What about folks themselves? Deep down inside. They're still the same. Some of them are decent and law-abiding, and others as mean as the devil and always will be. You just won't believe the town's civilized now, will you? You'll see how civilized it is when the chips are down. You'll see, Mr. Lawyer. Well, it looks like we just don't agree, Pa, and we never will, so... It's nice seeing you again, Britt. Ah, yeah. Ah, good seeing you, Pa. So long, Pa. Good luck. Hey, Buzz. Hey, Buzz. Hello, man, man. Yeah, I hear, Doc. It's time to get out to James Martin's place. There's been a shooting. Five-clamper done it. Folks say that James has hurt bad. Now tell your pa to get right out there. Okay, Doc. Got to him. There you are. That's how much quiet city has changed, Buzz. Folks still shooting each other, still taking the law in their own hands. Sure are civilized, ain't they? Well, I'll go with you, Pa. What for? So you can advise Pipe Clamper of his lawful rights when I arrest him? Get out of my way, Buzz. I've got work to do. Ain't been a shooting, Britt, for over two years now. Well, I reckon there's been one today. Yeah. Looks like Pa was right. All my talk about this town growing up is just what it was. Talk. Maybe so. Maybe so. Well, I better get over to Jason Orton's and see if Pa needs help. He's not as young as he used to be. He tries to take Pipe Clamper alone. Well, do you think he'd let you help him even if he needed it? No, no. I guess he wouldn't. With somebody. But now he wouldn't appreciate me interfering in his business either. Well, now, if you just happen to be riding out east of town, sort of stopped off? East, huh? Yeah. The Norton Ranch right next to Old Miss Bradley's place. Oh, is that so? That's so. Well, that's quite a coincidence. Oh? Oh, yeah. As a matter of fact, I was figuring on dropping in on Maddie Bradley before I left town. Maybe have supper with her if she invited me. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. It's getting on toward supper now. Oh, you don't say. Time sure does fly, doesn't it? I had no idea, though. We'll return to James Stewart as the sick shooter in just a moment. But right now, I want you to hear something that may startle you. At least, I hope it will. It's simply this. Within the next 20 seconds, a fire will break out somewhere in the United States. Lives may be lost, property damaged, homes or buildings destroyed. Yes, there are 4,600 fires in America each day of the year. They kill 11,000 persons, and this figure will severely burn thousands more. By obeying a few simple rules of fire prevention from now on, you and I can protect ourselves and our families from this devastating menace. Rule one is an obvious one. Don't smoke in bed or discard lighted cigarettes carelessly. Rule two, clean out old newspapers, magazines and other inflammable debris. Rule three, use only those cleaning fluids which will not burn. And last but not least, be careful with matches. Above all, keep them out of the reach of small children. Remember, it doesn't pay to gamble with fire. The odds are against you every time. Act two of the sick shooter, starring James Stewart as Britt Ponsett. Hack was standing on the front porch of Jace Norton's house when I rode in the yard, and there was a woman sitting on a rocking chair talking to him. Her face was dead white. It's like all the blood had been drained out of her cheeks. For a minute or so, Hack just stood there nodding, and then he shifted his weight and noticed me out of the corner one eye. Come on up, Britt. Easy, boy. Easy. I just on my way over to Miss Bradley that I, I thought... This is Britt Ponsett, Mrs. Norton. Ponsett. I'm pleased to meet you, ma'am. I sure hope your husband is... Jace is dead. Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am. I planned for murdering him. I seen him do it. I've seen it all through the kitchen window. I'm sorry. How did it start, Mabel? They's arguing about some cows that had strayed onto our land. Pipe said Jace was trying to steal them that he'd fixed our fences so they'd come through. But it wasn't true, Sheriff. It wasn't true. Sure, sure. Jace was aiming to take the cows back. He told me at breakfast this morning I've got to run some of Pipe's cattle back to him. That's what Jace said at breakfast this morning. Hadn't had time to do it yet. Been busy with chores and things. Mary was foaling. Jace hadn't had time, but he was going to take them back, he told me so. No, no, no. Don't get yourself all upset, Mabel. I heard him quarreling out and back. Pipe and Jace. I didn't think nothing of it. Pipe's always quarreling with everybody. You know that. Yeah, I know. And the next thing I knew, I heard a shot. I thought Pipe was just trying to scare Jace until I saw Jace fall down. Pipe right off toward his own place? No. Toward the canyon. Over that way. I remember asking myself why is Pipe heading toward the canyon? His ranch is out of the way. It just hadn't dawned on me yet. What he'd done, that he was running away. Yes. Well, it's turning chilly. You better go inside now, Mabel. Yeah? Doc Anderson is sending somebody out to pick supper and stay with you tonight. You'll find Pipe, Sheriff. You'll find him. Bring him back. Sure, sure. I'll find him. You want me to help you out? No. I can manage. Yeah, here we are. I'm pleased to have met you, Mr. Ponsage. Thank you, ma'am. I've heard of you, haven't I? He's the sixth shooter, Mabel. Sixth shooter? Mm-hmm. Oh, of course that's why. I'm glad you're here, Mr. Ponsage. I'm glad you're going with the sheriff. I wouldn't want Pipe to kill somebody else. Even if he wasn't punished for what he did to Jake. I wouldn't want there to be another killer. Glad you're going with the sheriff. Well, looks like I've got me a deputy after all. Well, Buzz was willing to come hack he wanted to. I'd rather have you, Brit. Let's go. Well, we picked up the Pipe Clamper's trail about sundown. At least it was the only freight trail heading toward the canyon, so we figured Pipe had made it. The next couple of hours was pretty dark, so we had to move slow, keeping our eyes glued to the ground. Then long about eight o'clock the moon came out and we could make better time. We were in the canyon now. The way the hoof marks were spaced, we could tell that Pipe's horse was getting tired and Pipe had to be forced to ride a little ease. Looks like we might be gaining on him, Brit. Yeah, yeah. Any place around here he could hole up? An old train post about a mile ahead been deserted since the Indians moved south. He could be there. Brit, maybe you think it's funny I wanted you to go along with me tonight, but it's not that I couldn't bring Pipe Clamper in alone, but there's more to it than that. It's when we get back to town but that's when I'll need you. You see, Jason Norton was a well-liked man. He lived in quiet cities, well, practically from the very beginning. Everybody knew him, everybody liked him. But nobody has any use for Pipe Clamper. Like I told you, some fellas are just mean. Pipe's one of them. Anyway, what I'm getting at is this. Jason's a brother, Abe Norton, and he'll be fighting mad when he finds out what happened. He'll be killing mad and the whole town will go along with him. You mean they might try and lynch Pipe? They'll try. Well, you can't be certain of that, Hank. I know the town, Brit. There hasn't been any trouble for two years, and that's a long time. A lot of pressure builds up in two years. Now, Jason's murder, that'll set folks off. I hope you'll be willing to give me a hand. Well, you know I'll do what I can, Hank. It's him, Brit. It's up there behind the tree. The bullet smashed into Hex's leg and tore him right out of the saddle. I dived off scarred to cover behind a rock. There was a clump of trees hanging on the side of the canyon about a hundred yards ahead. I can make out something that looked like a building with a carved totem pole out in front of it. I figured that was the trade-in post Hex had been telling us about, but the shots weren't coming from inside. Whoever was firing was using the Indian post for a shield. You all right, Hex? It's just my leg, Brit. I'm afraid I can't move it, though. Well, I'll get over to you. No, no. You stay where you are. I'm... I'm out of his range. There's a tree between me and him. But it looks like you'll have to take him, Brit. I said I wouldn't need you till we got back to town, but... It looks like... It sounded like Hex had passed out. I raised my head up to the edge of the boulder when I couldn't see Hex. There's a great big fir tree right in front of him. Well, that meant pipe clapper couldn't see him either. He sure could see me, though. That moonlight was just pouring down on that rock where I was hiding, and if I so much as moved, I was right in plain sight. I waited a couple of minutes. I hadn't done any firing yet. Maybe he'd think I was hit. Maybe he'd come over after me. Yeah. Yeah, that was my best chance. I listened hard. I couldn't hear anything. He was still behind that totem pole, still plain as safe. And as long as the moon kept me pinpointed, I... Oh. I looked up in the sky just in time to see a great big cloud float toward the orange circle over my head. It ain't big white cloud. Big enough to give me a minute of dark. It was still moving, sweeping across the stars now. And then it hit the edge of the moon. I swung out from behind the rock and I headed toward the trees between me and the trading post. The pipe pole heard me all right. Not in time, though. Not until I was up beside one of the trees, about 30 yards from where he was waiting. And this guy was beginning to lighten up now, and I saw pipe's arm inch in around the edge of the totem pole. I knew a slug in his arm wasn't going to be enough. I pushed up on him a hunch as I ran forward. He raised his gun, ready to get off another shot. I twisted one side of that fire. His shot was close, but he missed me. I hadn't done much better. But I was as flat as I could, moving real slow. Not more than a foot every two or three minutes, and he'd strain on my ears, grinding ear and breathe. He had ease in a... Now get in your feet! He stood up. His face came into the moonlight, and he took a step forward. And then his left hand jerked out toward me. My bullet hit his shoulder and spun him around, and he crashed into the totem pole. And for a second, I thought it was going to topple over with him, but it held firm. No, as a matter of fact, Doc Anderson said you ought to become two about now. My leg... No, it's going to be all right. Doc says for you just not fuss about it. It'll be all right. You're bringing me home, Bruce. I don't know how you manage, but... Oh, Pa, I feel it. Fine, Buzz. Just first rate. See, you didn't leave town. Nope, nope, didn't leave. Well, I guess maybe what Pipe done wasn't all of the bad. Not a bit brunger to your senses. It's something, anyhow. You killed him, huh, Bruce? No, no, no, he's kind of worse for wear, but he'll be patched up in time for a trial. Well, where is he? The Doc's looking after him. You mean he ain't in jail? You mean nobody's guarding him but Doc Anderson? Well, we weren't very worried about him running off. That ain't what I'm talking about. Britt, I told you what had happened. I told you what Jace Norton's brother would do. Oh, all that. Well, you see, heck, Abe Norton's already been around. He's gone back to his ranch now. Gone back? See, folks just wouldn't pay any attention to him. Oh, sure, they all feel real bad about Jace. Like you said, they wouldn't. They all think that Pipe deserves a hanging, but they're pretty convinced that's what the judge will give him. The judge? Oh, but that don't make sense. Well, that's the truth for everybody satisfied that there'll be a fair trial and that Pipe will get what's coming to him. Why? Why, in the old days, they wouldn't have stood still but not for five minutes. Well, I guess these aren't the old days. Then... then Buzz was right. Let's talk about quiet city being civilized. Don't fret yourself about it now, Pa. Oh, it just don't seem possible. This ain't the same town. These folks ain't the same. Well, what happened to him, Britt? Oh, I don't know. I guess maybe a town grows up just like a person, Hank. And, uh... and I guess maybe you had something to do with it, too. Me? Mm-hmm. You see, somebody taught him to respect the law and to try to live up to it. And if it wasn't you, I sure don't know who it was. Well, Buzz stayed around quiet city until the heck was on his feet again. And then Heck himself sent the boy east to college. That was all, let's see, three, four years ago, yeah? The last time I was through that way, Buzz had come home. You see, Buzz was running for county attorney. Yes, and the way Heck was managing his campaign, well, if that election didn't turn out to be a landslide, I sure missed my guess. Until recent years, misconceptions prompted many to feel that a diagnosis of heart disease was a death sentence. But today, thanks to medical science and the educational work of your Heart Association, we're learning that most people with heart disease can work and lead happy lives. But the real answer to heart disease lies in heart research and community heart programs which can be expanded through your continued support of the Heart Fund. This is not only Valentine's Day, but it's Heart Sunday. So make it a point to give to your local Heart Association now. And remember, when you help your Heart Fund, you help your heart. The Sick Shooter is a transcribed NBC radio network production in association with review productions. It is based on a character created by Frank Burke and is written by him. Mr. Stewart may currently be seen in the Universal International Picture, the Glenn Miller story. Others in the cast were Virginia Gregg, Robert Griffin, Lamont Johnson, and Will Wright. Special music for this program was by Basil Adlam, and the entire production is under the direction of Jack Johnstone. All characters and incidents were fictitious and any resemblance to actual characters or incidents is purely coincidental. By the way, you'll be interested in knowing that the Sick Shooter has been chosen for broadcast or men overseas through the facilities of the Armed Forces Radio Services. This is John Wall speaking. Listen to Jan Murray in Sunday at home on the NBC radio network.