 city and in the territory on west there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers and that's where the US Marshal and the smell of guns smoke and the story of a man who moved with it. Matt Dillon, United States Marshal, 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. He'll pick up fat, mighty sick boy though. Must have been in terrible shape all through the trial. Hell, he's in worse shape. No man, I just told you he's gonna be all right. That's not what I mean. Much future for him, is it? No matter how well you fix him. Do you think he did it? I don't even give a... I know Matt, but he seems like such a nice boy. It's hard to believe. I'm not supposed to believe, Doc. All I'm supposed to do is what the law says. I guess you're right. When do you deliver him to Hays City? So, is he's able to travel? How's that? Getting a kid in shape so that he can ride to his own hangin'. Mr. John? Yeah, what is it, Chester? Well, that fella's outside there. He wants to see you. What fella? That Romy Hawkins, the one that spoke up again young Maury at the trial. Chester, tell him to come in. I'll be going along in that. I'll look on him the boy in the morning. Yeah. Mr. Dillon says you can come in. Want to see me, Hawkins? The doctor has been here, hadn't he? Now, you just saw him leave, didn't you? Something wrong with the prisoner? Is that what you came to see me about? Tom Maury's health? Well, no, Marshal, it isn't that. What is it then? Well, Marshal, it was my understanding that you were to deliver the prisoner to justice without delay. That's what the law says, yeah. Then, sir, I find it hard to understand why Tom Maury is still here. You in a hurry to see him, huh? He's a condemned man, Marshal. I take the citizen's responsibility. Your responsibility ended at the trial, Mr. Hawkins. No delay is just... Now, you listen to me. You're part of this ended two days ago when you testified in court. Tom Maury's in my charge now. It's my duty, Marshal. Not anymore it isn't. The boy will get to Hayes City all right and he'll get to his hangin'. But how he gets there and when he gets there are up to me. You understand that? I have the citizen's right. And I've got work to do. Chester, open the door for Mr. Hawkins. I think he's leaving right now. Yes, sir. Now, Marshal. I said you're leaving, Mr. Hawkins. The fear and all. Is the Marshal here this morning? He's out to breakfast right now. I'll be back for a long, though. I'd like to see him. Probably him now. I'll fetch him. You wait here. I ain't going no place. I just come to fetch you. Ah, something wrong. You wouldn't know, sir. At least I don't think so. Tom wants to see you. How does that sound, Tom? Well, you know, Marshal, if you've got the time... Oh, sure. What's on your mind? I'll just take you to the dishes. All right, Chester. Marshal, we'll be riding up to Hayes City pretty soon. Yeah, that's right. Tomorrow, Doc says you're able. I'm all right. I don't have to be in very good shape for that trip. I'm not taking you up there, Tom, till you can stand straight. Thanks, Marshal. I'd like to ask you something. Sure, go ahead. Do you think I did it? Do you think I killed that man? Well, the court says you didn't. I'm bound by that. But you yourself, Marshal, do you think I did? I'll admit I don't want to think so, because I like you. But in my job, Tom, a man can't afford to like people. But I didn't shoot him. I swear I didn't. And I've got to remember that Romy Hawkins stood up and court and swore that you did, that he saw you do it. Romy Hawkins, he's a man with a lie on his belly. He couldn't have seen me. Marshal, I wasn't even there. You're a convicted man, Tom, and I got to do what the law says. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Well, anyhow, I want to thank you for treating me decent and getting Doc Adams and acting like I was at least human. It seems to me you've got very little to thank anybody for, Tom. Marshal, I got a letter here. I wrote it to my dad. He's over in Missouri. You want me to mail it to him? I'd be obliged if you would, not till it's over. I'm hoping he don't hear about it till then. We had some plans about the planning. I wanted to write him about. And there's a little money. Yeah, sure, Tom. I'll take care of it for you. Well, I guess that's about all. And Marshal, I didn't do this thing. But like you said, I'll try to stand straight. Just awful. Yeah, I know, kiddie. I wish the witness hadn't been a little weasel like Romy Hawkins. He seems to enjoy it so much. Has he been in here? Oh, sure. A couple of times a day. He doesn't look like a drinking man to me. Well, he doesn't take a drink, Matt. He just comes in to make sure everybody remembers he was the key witness at the trial. I don't think he ever felt so important in his life. Hawkins should have been born a buzzard feeding on another man's killer. Oh, there's Doc, kiddie. Hey, Doc, over here. Yes, Matt, hi. Hello, kiddie. See, Matt, I thought maybe I'd find you here. How are you, Doc? Sit down, Doc. Oh, thank you. That's on your mind. I've just been at the jail, Matt. Checking Tom Mori over. Well, how is he? I'm sorry to say he's all right. Able to ride? Yes, Matt, he is. Well, I guess I can't put it off any longer. Leave tomorrow more than sooner. Matt, can't you do something? Kiddie, it's a sorry thing, all right, but there's nothing anybody can do about it. Not since Romy Hawkins spoke his piece. Hawkins was a legal witness, kiddie. Oh, no. You know what's a funny thing about him, Matt? I keep thinking I've seen him someplace before, but I can't remember where. Now, you take my advice, Doc. How's that? The best thing to do about Romy Hawkins is to forget him. We're going to get back. Have you two been sitting here in front of the office? Been tending things, just like you said. You've been advising him, I suppose, aren't I? Well, now, Matt, it seems to me that you'd be the last man to speak up against a little relaxation in the middle of the day. We're just keeping the chair warm for him. Can everything go off all right? Return from a city, Marshall. I just wanted to know if everything had been carried out all right. Fire responsibility now. If you want the details, why don't you ride up to his city and get them? But you were gone salon, Marshall. Really longer than necessary. I couldn't help wondering. Well, it's done, Hawkins. The boy's dead. Well, it was just that I didn't know it takes a long. Well, it takes a while to hang a man, even if he's only a boy. Now, look, Marshall, I'm an important witness, and you're a public servant. I'm not your servant, Mr. Hawkins, and don't you forget it, and the trial's over, and I can't you get that into your head. You're not an important witness anymore. Well, now, Marshall, why don't you get away? And you like it, you sure are awesome now, won't you? See, I remember now where I saw that fella before, tripped down to Meade to take care of Moss Brimmick's sister. Yeah, it was a year or so ago, wasn't it? That's right. Well, Matt, I was here at the same time Judge Wharton was there on the circuit. He was holding court. Oh, yes. And that roomy Hawkins, and I'd swear it was, he was there, too. Well, what was he up to that time? Well, it's not very nice to think back on this, but he was a witness, Matt. Just the same as he was here. That's right. The money got the man a home. Javier sent your trip to Hay City last month. Well, I haven't been around. I guess not. Anyway, I enjoyed the ride. I was asking if I'd seen you. Did he say what he wanted? He didn't exactly say. Something about Ned Miller. Ned Miller? Oh, I'm not sure, Marshall, but I think he's bad old. It happened to Ned. He's a good man. It's about Ned Miller. I saw it. Who shot him? It was a big man with a scar on his cheek. I'd know him anywhere. Riding a white-footed rung. I wait a minute. Of course I'm sure. I was riding by, and I heard the shots. Saw the man right away. I could identify him easy. The thing you say. Kidding, you better go on down to the long branch. I'll let you know about this later. All right, come on. It's a little chestier. How and why did you do that? In the long branch, I was looking for you. It took time to have a beer. I think he was there, too. I wasn't listening to their conversation. All right. An awful bad shape, Matt. I asked if you'd come out to see him. Oh, what's the matter with him? I saw who did it all right. You saw what? What's the matter with him, Dark? It's his leg, Matt. He cut it on the side. I don't think I can say it. He'd be lucky to pull through it all. And he wasn't shot? Three, four days ago. By the time he called me, it was badly infected, a terrible looking thing. He says that he saw who shot him. He says he could identify him, and that means you could tell him. Marshall, I guess, had made a mistake. Yeah, you bet you know there's a place where you... Well, no, Marshall, but you don't understand. And you didn't see that boy. Somebody had to pay. I just had to. But you see, Marshall... Oh, sure, I see. Just so you could stand up there and test us a truth or if it was a lie or if they noticed, really took care of me. Yeah, well, I'm gonna see that they take care of you for the rest of your life. Marshall... As far as I'm concerned, you're as guilty as if you'd shot those men in cold blood, and believe me, you're gonna pay for it. What'll they do to me? I think you will join us again next week.