 In a moment, you'll hear James Stewart as the six-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, stroke of fate. What happened if fate had reversed historical facts? And be sure to keep tuned for the dramatic story of Last Man Out. It's a wonderful lineup of great programs, all of them heard only on NBC. James Stewart as the six-shooter. The man in the saddle is angular and long-legged. His skin is sun-dyed brown. The gun in his holster is gray steel and rainbow mother of pearl. His handle unmarked. People call them bull, the six-shooter. The NBC radio network presents James Stewart as the six-shooter, a transcribed series of radio dramas based on the life of Britt Ponsett, the Texas plainsman who wandered through the Western territories, leaving behind a trail of still-remembered legends. The rain sure was coming down that afternoon in Petersburg. It started all of a sudden, too, just after I left Scar at the livery stable and headed up the main street toward Dark Early's office. Real cloudburst. The wind was from the north and strong enough so that the water was beaten against the building, slam-wise. The way the wheel ruts in the street were turning into puddles. Rain barrels were sloshing over the sides. It was like the whole town had been pushed under a leaky sieve. The closest cover I could spot was the front porch of the Jackson Hotel. The minute I sort of shook myself off like a half-round pup, then I noticed the young fellow standing beside me. I didn't recognize him, though, not at first. Britt Ponsett? You are Britt Ponsett, ain't you? Yeah, yeah, that's right. I saw your gun. Now, I guess you don't remember me, Mr. Ponsett. Calvin Plummer? Oh, I sure remember you, Cal. Say, you really sprung up, haven't you? By George, you're taller than I am. How'd you manage to do so much growing so fast? I wasn't so fast, Mr. Ponsett. It's been six years since you were in Petersburg. Six years? Is that long? Right after my 15th birthday, that's when you left. Six years since I was here, huh? See, I must make you right about 21 years old, isn't it? Yes, sir. Oh, 21. Well, that's a man's age. It's supposed to be. Too bad everybody doesn't realize it. Well, sometimes it takes a while for people to get used to the fact that you've grown up. I guess so. Now, you're folks, huh? You're Mon Paul, aren't you? Didn't you know, Mr. Ponsett? Uh, died last summer. Oh, well, no, I hadn't heard that. I'm sorry, Cal. I'm awful sorry about that. He was a fine man. Yeah. At least I thought so. Well, everybody thought so. You know that. Did they? What do you mean, Cal? Nothing. Looks like it's letting up. You staying in town, Mr. Ponsett? Just over night, I kind of twisted my hand while I was branding the calf the other day. Swelling wouldn't go down, so I thought maybe, dark early, ought to have a look at it. If he's still practicing here, is he? Yeah, yeah, he's still here. I expect you've been moving around quite a bit, huh, Mr. Ponsett? Oh, more in my share, I guess. You ain't never been to a place called Elk Point, have you? Somewhere out in the New Mexico Territory? Oh, yes, yes. I was out there in Elk Point two waters ago, I think was. The kind of setup is a Quincy Ranch. Would you mind telling me? Quincy? Yeah, it's supposed to be one of the biggest outfits in those parts. You sure it's near Elk Point? Well, ain't it? I don't know. I don't know. I never heard of a Quincy Ranch around there. You're certain, Mr. Ponsett? Yeah, of course. That doesn't mean that there isn't. Yeah, I know. Well, goodbye. Say hello to your mom for me, Cal. She's alright, I trust. Sure. She's fine. I reckon your father was... Well, I must have hit her pretty hard, huh? He had a real fast recovery. What? Ten months ain't very long to mourn, is it? Not even a year. Just ten months. Bye, Mr. Ponsett. Cal Plummer had done a lot more than just grow up since the last time I saw him. Strange way he was carrying on, I sure couldn't figure out what caused it. When I talked about his mother, like Kara, Ned Plummer, was just about as well as soon as any two people I ever met up with. But you couldn't even think about one without thinking of the other. They must have been married on close to 35 years. Cal, he was their third child. He was the only one that lived. She, Ned, sure thought the world of him. Uh...Petersville wouldn't be the same without Ned. Oh, it's... Rain had stopped now. It even started to warm up a little, and the mud puddles out in the street were giving off little whips of steam. So I went over to Doc Early's office. It was just around the corner from the hotel. Britt, it don't look like you broke a thing, but it's a real bad sprain. The one you was even able to ride in town today. Yeah, well, it wasn't any too comfortable. I'll tell you that much. What you been doing for it? Well, it wasn't much could do, Doc, out the ranch, you know. Well, some hot-water nets and saws might be a little help. I'll put the kettle on and get it warm. And with the darn chili during all that rain, I built me a little fire in the stove. Good thing that ain't your shooting hand, Britt. Well, I haven't needed a shooting hand much lately. Yeah, you never know. You never know? No, things look quiet enough around Petersville. Yeah, yeah, they're quite all right, considering that Sheriff Jay is out of town. Oh? Yeah, he had some business, took him over to New Mexico territory. He's taking up on some fellow there. Oh, well, that's kind of a coincidence. What do you mean? Well, I just ran into Cal Plummer on the way up to see you, and he was asking me about New Mexico. That wasn't no coincidence, Britt. Why? You see, the reason the sheriff went to Roswell, well, of course, officially, he's picking up a prisoner. But the reason he went himself, instead of sending somebody else, is so he can do a little inquiring about Cal's new pop. New pop? For sure. Cora was married again, didn't Cal tell you? No, no, it didn't. Well, I guess maybe he was just too ashamed to mention it. Well, by the way, that doesn't seem possible. Cora Plummer remarried. No, he was all mighty surprised. Nobody ever figured she'd look at another man much less take a new husband, especially so soon after. Well, it was less than a year. Oh, ever Quincy, that's the fella's name. Quincy, huh? Well, when did it happen, Doc? Well, I've seen him about a month ago. Maybe five weeks? Five weeks and three days. And it's as plain as day he married her, because she's got a little money. Ned left her a pretty well-fixed ranch, and all in Cal. What about Cal? Oh, he came in some money, too, enough for a good start in life. And Cal's a hard worker. He'll get along. I feel kind of sorry for him, though. You know, he just worshipped his paw. And Cora getting hissed again. Well, it was sort of like a slap in the face to him. Yeah. Oh, oh, sounds like that water's boiling. Yeah, that ought to be hot enough for you. Now, what kind of a man is it, all of her Quincy? Is that his name? Yeah, that's his name, all right. Oh, you know type, big fella, white hair, mustache, always smiling. Oh, here we are. A real poor plucker. That's what he is. You can spot him a mile off. Dresses like a dude use a lot of fancy words. Move that stuff. Now, there, there, let me see. Now, just stick your hand in here. Right here. Oh, ow, ow! All the way, Britt. All the way. He's good for spring. Holy shit. Folks, that's hotter than a further stop. Well, that's what draws up poison. You'll get used to it in the minute or so. It draws out the what? He claims that big grand is somewhere near Elk Point. Cora says he's worth more than she is. Well, maybe he's got her convinced, but he ain't fooling nobody else. She's not hot. It could be the truth. If he's so well off, why are they living on Cora's property? Just answer me that thing. I see what you mean. I guess that water's cooling off. Maybe I ought to pour in some fresh. No, no, no. That water's fine, Doc. That's just fine. It doesn't need to be a bit hotter. And the hand's feeling better already. Yeah, well, you leave it in a little while longer anyhow. It's feeling better. I reckon even Cora will get her eyes open up when Sheriff Jay comes back to New Mexico. He'll have the truth about Oliver Quincy. Of course, it's going to hurt her some. A woman don't like the idea of finding out she's made a fool of herself, but it'll be better for her to find it out now than later. Well, I just don't see how this concerns the sheriff, Doc. Man who tells a widow woman a batch of lies and finagles around so he can get control of her property, that concerns the sheriff, don't it? Tell her who knew that. He might do a lot worse, Britt. He might do a whole lot worse. You just marked my word. All right, let's have a look at that hand. Oh, sure. All right. Oh, now don't let the redness worry you ain't scalded. Well, it has gone dynamite. Well, I'll just wrap it up real tight and in a day or so it'll be good as new. I swear, I don't know how I'd get along without epsom sauce. Seems like there are remedy for almost everything. Put old Lady Murdock on him last year when her liver was acting up four or five doses and she ain't had a bit of trouble since. Why, she was even at the barn dance last Saturday carrying on like she didn't have no liver at all. Now, if you'll just hold out your hand, Britt. After Dawk early got through with his bandage and my hand did feel a little better. At least some of the problems seemed to go away. So I left his office and I wandered over the hotel. The time I got there, they were serving supper in the dining room. Not family style either. They had a real fancy layout. Separate tables, flowers on them. Two waitresses wearing little checkered aprons sort of matched the tablecloth. Of course, when a place is all fixed up like that they always make it up on you, you know, they... Well, you can figure on pan a little extra for your food when they have a place. Now, for instance, the steak I ordered, it was going to cost 35 cents. That's what it said on the menu, 35 cents. There you are, mister. Oh, thanks. Looks like you're going to have trouble cutting it. What's wrong with your hand? It's nothing serious. It's just a sprain. I guess maybe I should have ordered something I could spoon through. You want me to slice up the meat for you? No, no. No, no. I'll manage. I'll just get this thumb out of here. I'll be all right. Well, if you want anything, just holler. Oh, thanks. Thanks, man. I don't know. I'll give me the toughest steak in the whole kitchen. That's 35 cents. Ah, party, Britt. Oh, Doc, are you eating here tonight? No, Britt. I was looking for you. For me? Cal Plummer just came right in. The town says his mom's been shot. Been shot? Car. That's what Cal says. He don't think it's too serious, but I'm going out the ranch. Not if he doesn't do far. Oh, of course. Sure. Cal told me to bring you along. Me? What for? I don't know. He just told me to find you for good and bring you. He did, huh? That's funny. Oh, Britt, you coming or not? Well, I sure don't see where I figure in this thing, but Cal wants me. Sorry to drag you away from your supper. Oh, that's all right. That's all right, Doc. I'm afraid I was fighting a losing battle with that steak anyhow. We'll return to James Stewart as the six-shooter in just a moment. Every day, every one of us Americans has the satisfaction of knowing that right now we enjoy the highest standard of living in all history. And we've only begun. For it's a fact that our standard of living will rise still higher. And while we've made ourselves stronger economically, we've retained all of our basic freedoms. We work where we choose. We bargain collectively, contract our own affairs, and profit from our inventiveness and enterprise. That's the American economic system. And I'm for it. I'm sure you are, too. So let's keep things that way, friends. All of it. Now, act two of the six-shooter, starring James Stewart as Britt Ponsett. The Plummer Ranch was about half-hour ride east of Petersburg. Real big outfit, too. Maybe old 50 square miles grade land and all. The main ranch house just off the road was built to size. Two stories tall with giant, big windows face now. I remember hearing folks tell how Ned Plummer had to send all the way up to Chicago to have big enough for those windows. There was a couple of lamps burning somewhere on the first floor. You could see little lights going through the draperies. The rest of the place was dark. Oh, boy. And we left our horses in the yard, Doc and I. And he grabbed his statue as a medical instrument, and we walked up to the car of Mahogany door, the front door. Just a minute, just a minute. Yes? Oh, Doc, early. Even. Just what can I do for you, Doctor? Well, Cal said that Ms. Plummer, I mean that Ms. Quincy, your wife, she was hurt somehow. Oh, I see. Well, it's nothing serious, just a scratch. My gun went off accidentally, and bullet grazed her shoulder. But Korra's perfectly all right now. Matter of fact, I think she's already gone to bed. Is it Oliver? It sounds to me like she's still up. I guess I was mistaken. Oliver? It's Doctor, dear, and... My name's Ponsett. Brett Ponsett. Brett Ponsett? I'm sorry. That's right, Mr. Quincy. Well, I suppose you might as well come in, Doctor, and Mr. Ponsett. How you doing? This way. I told him there was only a scratch, dear. But as long as Dr. Early rode way out here, I suppose you might as well have a look at you, just to be on the safe side. Hello, Korra. Brie. Well, what are you doing in Petersville? When did you get into town? This afternoon. Didn't Cal tell you? Well, I don't know. It must have slept his mind. But even Korra... Let me see you here. No, Doc. You shouldn't be troubling over me. I'm all right, really. Well, of course you are, my dear. Of course you are. Bullet barely grazed her skin. I'm afraid the good doctor doesn't approve of my bandage. No, no, no. It's perfectly satisfactory. At least it appears to be. I'd like to take it off, though. Make certain there's no danger of infection. You want to step into the other room, Korra? Well, I... Go ahead, my dear. Go ahead. I'll see you before you leave, Brie. No, sure. I'll wait around until the doctor finishes up. Nice of you to write out the doctor early, Mr. Fonsett. I imagine he appreciates having the company. Well, it wasn't his idea, Mr. Quincy. Oh. Now, Cal asked him to bring me along. I'm afraid I don't understand. Mm-hmm. Well, I reckon that makes us even. Whereabouts is he, anyway? Calvin? I don't know. He hasn't been here all evening. He wasn't around when the shooting took place. It was not his shooting, Mr. Fonsett. It was an accident. Well, whatever it was. And Calvin was not here. I met up with him while I was riding into town to get the doctor, and he offered to save me a drip. Oh. I guess I was under the impression you said Korra didn't need a doctor. No, she doesn't. But at first, I didn't know how serious the wound might be. Then, when I got back to the house, I saw it didn't mount anything. Uh-huh. By the time you and Dr. Earley showed up, I'd forgotten the whole thing. That's why I was surprised to see you. For a moment, I couldn't think what you wanted. Your gun just happened to go off, huh? I was going to clean it. I thought it was empty. I guess I don't know too much about fire. What mic do you carry? Oh, I... He doesn't carry any mix. But I do. I hadn't seen Cal coming on the front hall, so I didn't know how long he'd been standing there. He was holding a 45, using it to cover his stepfather. The gun wasn't moving either. Cal's hand was as steady as his eyes. Steady and cold and determined. It wasn't the first time I'd seen a man with a look like that on his face. Now, not the killers look exactly. At least, not the look of somebody who wants to kill. Or like somebody who hasn't got any choice. I was wondering how you'd lie out of it, Quincy. The kind of story you'd tell. You weren't very convincing either, considering all the practice you've had. Cal, listen to me. I know how you feel. You haven't got this slightest notion how I feel. You did you the left town like I told you a couple of hours ago. Yeah, take it easy, Cal. I gave him warning, Brit. I gave him fair warning. I said I'd kill him if he didn't get out and stay out for good. I don't know what it is he's got against me, Mr. Ponson. I suppose I don't measure up to his... Measure up to him? I ought to kill you for even comparing yourself. Well, now you're going or not, Quincy. Because if you're not, this time, I ain't here to get in the way. But was that what happened before? Is that how she got shot up? It was his fault. He's got us all mixed up. She doesn't see anything straight. She thinks he's fine to her the way she is to him. When she saw the gun, she ran forward yelling and screaming the way she grabbed my hand. That's what made it go off. I never meant to fire. At least of all, I never meant to hit Ma. If you're Ma's all right, Calvin, the bullet hardly touched her. I don't believe... Is that true, Mr. Ponson? That's right, Cal. Of course, fine. Doc Earley's in there now, just making certain. All right, Quincy. Start moving before she comes back. Now, now, hold on. Hold on right there now. This isn't any way to settle things. He's your mother's husband. She's got a right to know what's going on. You think I wanted to know what a liar he is? That he never cared for you? You think I want to break her heart? Well, what are you talking about, Calvin? I never lied to her. I never in my life... Then where's that big ranch you're supposed to own and all the money you're supposed to have? What? Tell Mr. Ponson about your holdings. He's been to El's Point. And I ain't no Quincy ranch. Oh, you're not making any sense, Calvin. I ain't gonna stand around here arguing. Now, put that away, Cal. Not until he leaves. He gives me his word. He won't be back. And if he don't keep his word, Cal... You don't think you're in this, Mr. Ponson? You got me out here. It was my idea. Well, nobody's keeping it. This bandage isn't on my gun, Ham, Cal. He's got you fooled into being on his side, too. I didn't say that. Look, ain't there nobody that sees him for what he really is? All he's trying to do is to get his hands on what my father left. Dad worked hard. And when he was dying, he told me to look after Ma. Told me it was my job. Well, I'm gonna do my job, Mr. Ponson. And nobody's... Calvin? You've made enough trouble for one night. I'm sorry, Ma. I didn't want you to be here. I didn't want you to find out. Find out what? Did my son turn into a lunatic? I'm only doing it for you, Ma. For me? Do you think you're helping me by carrying on like this? I've got my own life to live, Calvin. You've got to let me live it as I see best. Ma, he's no good! I was trying to get him to leave before Sheriff Jake and back from Roswell before the whole thing came out. I guess it's too late now. I guess you'll have to know. No, Pa. He hasn't got a ranch. He ain't got any money. If you don't believe me, ask Rick Ponson. He only married you because of what Pa left you. Now, all I said is that I didn't know about any Quincy ranch near El Point. That's all I said. I haven't been around there for a couple of years. Maybe by now. I ain't no such ranch now either. Here's their Quincy. Oh, no, no, of course not. There you see, Ma. Calvin, listen to me. He's admitting it, Ma. Why don't you face facts? Everybody else has been on to him. Everybody but you. It's all my fault. I should have told you in the first place. I know that Oliver isn't rich. I never thought he was. You could never thought. Ma? Well, it might be dark night, not a good day. No. No, I'd like you to stay a bit. Calvin is right about one thing, though. I've been making a fool of myself. What's worse? I've been making a fool of Oliver, too. Oh, Cora. You see, Calvin? I've known Oliver for a long time. Your father and his aunt. Well, we were all friends back in Kansas. All three of us. Of course, that was before I married your dad. You've known each other all these years? Once. Oliver asked me to marry him. But I chose your father. And I've never been sorry. I made that choice. I guess you know that, Ollie. Sure, sure, Cora. But after Ned died, well, it was like part of me had died, too. And I felt all hollow and useless, lonesome. Not a very romantic way of putting it. Lonesome, but that's how I felt. It's like I couldn't go on by myself. Oh, you did your best, son, to keep me from thinking about your father and about myself. But it wasn't enough. And I kept remembering what your father said when he first took sick, and he knew he wasn't going to get well. He said he'd take it as a compliment if I had to marry again. That it would mean our marriage had been a good one. But more than that, I think he knew I wasn't kind to live alone. So I wrote to Oliver, asked him to come out to Petersburg just for a visit. And then, well, us getting married was my idea. Your idea, Cora? Ollie was afraid of what folks would think. Me having a ranch and him not worth very much. He's afraid they'd get the idea he was marrying me because of my money. So I told everybody that he'd get a ranch of his own, even bigger than mine. Why, Cora? Well, I was just trying to make it easier on him, but he wouldn't leave me. Embarrassed, uncomfortable. Of course, Oliver didn't know what I was up to. Well, you shouldn't have done it, Cora. I'm sorry, Ollie. But I'm not sorry, I married you. Oh, my. He's got to understand, Calvin. It's true, I'm an old lady in a foolish one. And it's true, I don't feel the same way toward Oliver that I felt toward your father. And you only feel that once in a lifetime. And some folks aren't even that lucky. But it's better for me not to be alone in this time that's left. I think it's better for Oliver, too. You should have told me, ma. Yes. Yes, I see that now. But I wasn't sure how you'd take it. Too bad you were dragged into this bit. You and Doc, but I wanted you to hear it all before you left. Sure, Cora. You knew Ned. You were a good friend of his. He thought a lot of you. I sure hope so. What do you think? How would he feel about my marrying again? Oh, it's pretty hard to speak for somebody else, Cora. But Ned loved you. That was plain to everybody. So I guess he'd want you to be happy and content. That's what Ned would want. Thank you for your time. Well, Doc, there's about time we're getting back to town, isn't it? After that, I guess Cal and Oliver started hitting it off real well. Anyway, the last time I was through Petersville, folks were all talking about how much Oliver Quincy had done for the Plummer Ranch. Practically doubled the size of the herd. And I was building a house down on the south pasture for Cal to live in when he got married. As for Sheriff Jay's story about Oliver not owning any property around Elk Point, well, the people just wouldn't believe that. The Sheriff just hadn't done enough shackling or so. A man like Oliver Quincy, why, he just had to be rich. He was written all over it. The six-shooter is a transcribed NBC radio network production in association with Review Productions. It is based on a character created by Frank Burtz and is written by him. Mr. Stewart may soon be seen in the Universal International Picture, the Glenn Miller story. Others in the cast were Virginia Gregg and Jean Tatum, Robert Griffin, Parley Bear, and Bert Hollins. 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. This is Hal Gibney. Tonight here, Margaret O'Brien in the NBC Star Playhouse on the NBC radio network.