Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 10, Episode 31 - Gilt Guilt - full transcript

Drought and crop failure leave Dodge without fruit or vegetables and a farming widow and her son very ill with scurvy.

(theme music playing)

(both guns fire)

ANNOUNCER: starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

How long I got to wait?

You're being paid to wait.

Shouldn't be too much longer.

Funny way to earn pay.

Funnier than working?

You could be
crazy for all I know.

(laughs)



Look.

There he is now.

He's the doctor.

His office is right at
the top of those stairs.

I want you to go in there

and tell him to fix your arm.

Nothing wrong with my arm.

Sure there is.

It hurts.

Yeah, it hurts.

When he's through with you,

I want you to pay
him off with this.

This real gold dust?

It's real.



Now, hurry.

(door closes)

(knocking)

Not locked. Come in.

Well?

My arm hurts.

Well, bring it in here,

and we'll see what
we can do with it.

Sit right up there.

Huh?

Well, you can stand
there if you want to.

Which arm is it?

Which arm?

Well, yes, you got two arms.

Which one is it?

This one.

You sure?

Yeah.

Your gun arm, huh?

Yeah.

You hurt there?

Hurts there.

Sometimes up there?

Sometimes.

Once in a while, a
sharp pain in the elbow?

Sharp pain.

Nothing wrong with
your arm. Get out of here.

(stammers) Now, don't get sore.

I'm just too busy
to fool with you.

I'll pay you.

You don't owe me a thing.

Maybe there's something
wrong with your ears.

I said you don't
owe me anything.

That's gold dust.

That's yours.

Young fella?

But this is real gold dust.

I don't care what it is.

Now, take it, and
get out of here.

He knew right off my
arm wasn't hurting.

He wouldn't take it, huh?

I don't know what game
you're playing, mister.

But the doc ain't sitting in.

(laughs)

Come in, come in.

Doc Adams?

Yes. What can I do for you?

You don't recognize me, do you?

No, can't say as I do.

A doctor's most important
tools are his hands.

Excepting for his
brain, of course.

John Crail.

Have been all along,
Doc. Good to see you.

By golly, you look fine.

Do you know how long it's been?

Well, it's been, by
golly, 20 years, I guess.

You bet you it has.

Here, sit down, John, sit down.

You know, I took
one look at you tonight

and recognized you right away.

Oh, come on, John.

20 years ago, I was a
good-looking young dude.

I bet the ladies still think so.

Oh, yes, of course.

I lose more cases
from faint heart

- than I do diphtheria.
- (laughs)

Well, tell me, Doc.

How's Dodge been treating you?

Just the same. Just fine.

I'm still the only doctor here,

so I guess I'm the best.

Ran off all competition, huh?

Not exactly.

You know, there was a young
doctor here about 20 years ago.

Had a lot of promise.

And if he'd have
decided to stay,

he just might've
run me out of town.

But he decided to, uh,

go off and make himself rich.

I heard all about that.

Probably the smartest
move you ever made, John.

I wish I could be
sure of that, Doc.

By golly, it's a
tonic to see you.

Stopping here to see you
is the best idea I ever had.

Oh? Well, then you must've
had a whole string of bad ideas.

What does bring you here?

Well, I travel around a
great deal nowadays, Doc.

My home, if you want
to call it that, is in Denver.

But I, uh, I don't
light there very often.

I was back east, the stage was
coming through Dodge, so I just

had to stop by and
see if you were still here.

I'm glad to see that you're

the same kind of doctor now

that you were when I left town.

Well, I'm good enough to know

a sore arm when I see one.

I think I'll stick
around a while, Doc.

Sort of like being back home.

Welcome home, John.

(birds chirping nearby)

♪♪

FESTUS: Not only that,
but I caught all 14 of them

cottontails in the same trap.

- Festus?
- What?

I've been hit by flies
that hurt more than that.

Well, I'm laying back out
of respect for your age.

"Age"?

Age my foot.

I had the strength
when I was three

to snap your neck, you
little old scudder, you!

Well, come on now.

The war's just started.

You can g-give me a while now.

Sully?

I'm-I'm just, I'm just
resting, Ma, honest.

Well, well, you
got a bed for that.

I-I know... mind a minute.

Quit a-fretting your ma, boy.

Get up off of your back.

I ca... I can't.

I can't.

Oh, Festus, help
him! Help him inside.

- What is...
- Come on.

What is it ailing you, boy?

Huh?

What's the matter with you, huh?

No, put him in my room, Festus.

Yes, ma'am.

Be careful.

Easy now, Sully.

Don't strain yourself.

Let me in there.

I'll help you.

I'm-I'm sorry, Ma.

Oh, now, you, you stop that.

Just give in to it, honey.

And-and try to sleep.

Golly Bill, I don't
see how I done it.

Just one little bitty old shove.

You-you-you come
back tomorrow, Festus.

I'll-I'll break you in two.

It was like I just give
him a little thump,

and he-he crumpled.

I didn't hit him
hard, Miss Rice.

You seen me.

No, it was nothing
you did, Festus.

Sully's just been
played out lately.

I'm gonna go heist
Doc out here right now.

There's no money for doctoring.

Well, there's need.

That's all Doc wants to know.

There's need.

Fetch me the rabbits,
would you, Festus?

And-and a water bucket.

Yes, ma'am.

(door closes)

♪♪

He's a big strong boy, Doc.

He can't be sick.

Ow!

That hurt you that much?

Oh, I'm just a little
on edge, that's all.

You sit down right there.

Go on.

Tell me about Sully.

Let me see those eyes.

Well, Sully is
just like you said.

He's a big strong boy, but...

he's kind of sick.

Open your mouth.

- Oh, Doc, now...
- Come on.

Just-just open your mouth now.

That's your garden out there?

Yeah.

Pretty, ain't it?

Well, it's where we planted one.

Oh, we had beets,
onions, potatoes,

asparagus, rhubarb.

Out beyond that, we had berries.

Raspberries, currants.

We even had a strawberry bed.

But won't none of 'em
grow without water, Doc.

Well, that's what's
wrong with you, Mary.

Both you and Sully.

Scurvy?

Yup.

Saps the life out of you.

That's what's
causing that pain, too.

But then, we can fix that.

Right kind of food'll do it.

Good food'll get Sully
up out of that bed.

And it'll put some roses
back in your cheeks, too.

Oh, never mind
about the roses, Doc.

Just get my boy on his feet.

You put up any fruit this year?

We had that all eaten
up before winter set in.

No vinegar, pickles?

No.

Mary, I'm gonna have to
run along now, but here.

I want you to take that tonic.

I want you and Sully
both to have some of that,

tablespoonful after every meal.

And I want you to eat
those three meals a day, too.

Well, it ain't we're not
willing to eat, Sully and me.

I know that.

I'll be back tomorrow, I hope,

with some food.

Meantime, just don't
want you to worry.

I didn't get this fat and
sassy by worrying, Doc.

I know that.

And prayer won't
hurt none, neither.

It sure won't.

It never has.

I thank you, Doc.

You know that.

I sure do know it.

You bet you.

Let's go.

Did you cure Sully up, did you?

Cure him?

Oh, yeah, sure.

And then I baked a cake.

Well, you going with me or not?

You know, nothing you do
improves your nature, does it?

You got the orneriest
dang disposition

of anybody I've ever saw!

I reckon I could improve it,

but it'd mean spending a
whole lot of time with you,

and that idea just
gives me the willies.

No, you could do
something about it.

You could make all of
that hardpan out there

a nice fertile soil,

growing green
vegetables and fruit.

And you could've
made it rain last year.

Then that garden out
there'd be coming up

with a lot of
nourishing food in it.

And that would've improved
my disposition greatly.

Now, why didn't you do that?

Get up.

The only thing that
Sully's ever told me

is that his daddy's dead.

Did you know him, Doc?

Oh, yeah, Abel Rice.

Nice young fella.

And he loved Mary, too.

Just up and left, huh?

Well, he got the
gold fever, Festus.

He... That's before
Sully was born.

And he went off to Colorado,
and that's where he died.

You fretting about
Sully, are you, Doc?

"Fretting"? (chuckles)

Could say I am,
and I'm a little...

I'm plenty worried
about Mary, too.

But you say the right kind of
vittles would cure them up, huh?

Sure it would.

And that's the worst part of it.

I promised them some tomorrow.

By thunder, I don't know
where I'm gonna find any

in Western Kansas.

Then I'll take your rig
on down to livery stable.

Much obliged, Festus.

(clicks tongue) Get up, bud.

Hello, Doc. Come in.

Well, you look like you're
getting ready to go to bed.

Well, I am. It's after
midnight, you know.

Well, I was hoping
maybe you'd come up

to the Long Branch with me,
and I'd buy you a nightcap.

Well, I just came
from there, Doc.

They're closing up.

There's some whiskey in
the cabinet if you want it.

That would help.

You sound like you
had a pretty bad day.

Well... (clears throat)

I had a long one,
I'll tell you that.

It sure is amazing
how dadgum tiresome

a buggy can get after
about five or six hours.

Five or six hours?

Where you been?

Well... (clears throat) I
went out south of town.

I went over to the
Jamesons and the Weavers

and the Carps.

What for?

Was looking for food.

I have to have some vegetables,
fresh vegetables and fruit.

None of them have any.

None they could spare anyway.

Oh, you mean for
Mary and Sully Rice.

Yeah, bad news travels fast.

Yeah, it sure does.

I was out to Mary
and Sully's earlier.

Took them some tonic and
what food I could scrape up, but...

(clicks tongue) they've
got to have more.

They got to have a lot more.

You want some more whiskey?

No, I don't think so.

Gosh.

I'm gonna turn in, I'm tired.

Doc, I sure wish
there was something

I could do to help you.

Well, somebody better
start helping somebody.

I'll tell you that.

I don't mind you sitting up.

I'll say that, Sully.

I don't mind be able to, Ma.

- Well...
- It eats better.

Where's your dinner?

Oh, um,

well, I had mine while
you were sleeping.

Same as I got?

Every bit the same.

Doc brought it over
for us yesterday.

He says that some people pay

for their doctoring with food.

I'll be fit soon, Ma.
We'll pay our way.

Well, now, I know we will.

We always have.

And you'll get to
feeling good, too.

We're just full of
promise, aren't we, boy?

Yes'm, we are.

Did you get enough to eat?

Thanks.

Ma?

You don't talk much
about Pa anymore.

You know that?

Why, Sully, he's
gone this long time.

I-I know that, Ma,
but you used to say

you were keeping him alive,
telling me things about him.

(quiet laugh)

Oh, I... I still think
about him a lot.

I... Many's the day that I think

about little else.

But you're grown now, son.

And-and you know
that you had a pa.

You see, that's what
I wanted you to feel.

That you belonged to us both.

Maybe he could've
made the farm grow better.

Maybe, maybe he could've
made the garden come up.

Why, Sully Rice,
I'm ashamed of you.

And you got shame coming.

Why, the idea of you wallowing
around in pity for yourself.

It's not that, Ma.

It's nothing else.

You'd be pretty
important, wouldn't you?

If you could make it rain

when the Lord ain't
willing that it should.

I said no such thing.

I just want things
better for you, Ma.

That's no sin.

Well, then you eat your food.

And you spoon down this tonic.

And you get well.

That's how things'll
be better for me.

Don't you take some, too, Ma?

Oh, um, I got my
own bottle. (chuckles)

In the kitchen.

Ma?

You start a temp with me,
I-I know I'm getting well.

(laughs)

Then pray your thanks, son.

(door closes)

She something, God?

I'm mighty thankful for her.

Yes, sir, I am.

♪♪

Picture of a contented man.

I envy you, Doc.

Well, don't confuse
exhaustion with contentment.

I'm worn out.

You work hard
doing what you want.

You wear yourself out
helping other people.

I know that's got to feel good.

Oh.

Right now it feels tired,

but I think this is gonna help.

Do you know what
it's like not working?

No.

But I'm an open-minded
sort of a fella.

I'd like to find out.

You wouldn't like it.

I don't know whether
it's the brandy or not,

but you're not
making much sense.

Doc, I've got a lot of money.

But I've got no one.

Nothing to do.

Nobody needs me.

(clicks tongue) Well,
what you're saying,

I guess, is that your life

is just one big
rich void, is that it?

That's about it.

I'll give you a quick diagnosis.

You're out of your mind.

That's what I thought you'd say.

You were right.

Well, Doc, I, um,

don't know what
you'll say to this.

I want to take up
medicine again.

(chuckles)

Same diagnosis.

You're out of your mind.

I mean it.

What I want most is to be

what I set out to be.

A doctor.

Well, I... I know you
think you mean that,

but do you realize
what you're saying?

I think I do.

Well, you're saying
you're rich and lonely.

Well, I can't think of a poorer
reason to go into medicine.

And I'll tell you
something else.

Well, go ahead because I, uh,

I don't think I like
what you just said.

Well, let's try this then.

Let me ask you.

How long's it been since
you practiced medicine?

20 years?

Something like that.

Well, it's changed a
whale of a lot, John.

Young doctors are
now studying medicine,

you see, not just reading it

like we used to.

They're studying, John.

With good doctors.

Good schools.

Belly ache is still a
belly ache, isn't it?

No.

No, could be an ulcer.

Could be appendicitis.

Maybe something we
don't know anything about.

Of course there are these
other ailments... scurvy...

Oh, you can cure scurvy, Doc.

Well, of course I
can with a proper diet.

But right now I don't
know where in the world

to get the right kind of food.

British Navy licked scurvy
with limes, didn't they?

Yeah.

And of course that's
very encouraging, too,

because you know
lime trees grow wild

all over Kansas.

For heaven's sakes, John,
get the stars out of your eyes.

Doctoring's hard
work, you know that.

Of course, certainly
you can save some lives.

By thunder, you
can lose them, too.

You don't give me
much hope, do you, Doc?

(clicks tongue)
Well, I'm a little short

on hope right now.

And I stand a very good chance

of losing a good friend of mine.

You remember Abel Rice.

Abel Rice.

Yes, he went to
Colorado with you

in that same bunch, you
know, that you went with.

Yeah, I, uh...

it-it seems to me I do remember.

I-I didn't see an
awful lot of him, Doc.

Once we got down
there, we sort of

went our separate ways.

Well, he died out there.

And his widow Mary right
now has got scurvy... bad.

I'm a doctor, John.

I know how to cure scurvy.

But there isn't a
thing in the world

I can do about this.

(knocking)

DOC: Roy!

(knocking)

(knocking continues)

Boy, 5:00...

Go away!

Come back in a couple hours!

Good heavens, Doc...

What the thunder
are you doing here?

Don't you know it's
5:00 in the morning?

Well, don't tell
me what time it is.

I've been standing there,
pounding on your door

for ten minutes.

Well, what do you want?

Well, I'll tell you what I want.

I've got to have some fruit

and I've got to have
some vegetables...

- Now, whoa, wait just...
- I'm not finished yet.

- I've got...
- You were finished before you started.

Now, there's not a bit
of sense in you going on.

Well, Roy, haven't you...

haven't you got any pickles,

or-or some vinegar...

I don't even have the
barrel they came in.

You know Mary and Sully Rice?

Well, sure.

Well, they got scurvy,

and unless I can get 'em some...

Well, Doc, the last fresh
fruits and vegetables

that I had was weeks ago.

And the medical
officer from Fort Dodge

commandeered the whole lot.

But if it's flour or
sugar or jerky...

No, no, no.

Wouldn't do a lick of good.

And I'll tell you something:
unless I can figure this out,

we're gonna bury some settlers,

and you can count on it.

(sighs)

Well, Doc, if it don't rain

so the folks can grow the stuff

and bring it in for me to sell,

there's nothing I can do.

Well... I know
it, Roy, I know it.

I wish I could help you, Doc.

Go back to bed.

You sure this can't
wait till a little later, huh?

Well, if it could, I
wouldn't be here.

I like to sleep as well as
the next fella, you know.

Well, I'll take
your word for that.

You know as well as I do,

if there's any food stashed
away in this country,

Jake Wirth'll have it.

Well, he's got the
biggest ranch around here,

but he's also got the
most mouths to feed, Doc.

Well, that's why I want
you to come along with me.

I figure the law'll kind of
strengthen my case a little.

Well, Jake's always
been a fair man.

Well, I'm counting on that, too.

Now, it's not just
Mary and Sully Rice.

It's... well, there's
an epidemic

of scurvy at Fort Dodge

and there's a whole lot
of farmers who's ripe for it.

Well, let's go out and
see what we can do.

Fine.

- Morning, Matthew.
- Festus.

- Doc.
- Hi.

Well, I never saw you up
this early before, Festus.

The trick is not to go to bed.

Say, is them what
I think they are?

Well, they're onions.
What's the matter with you?

They ain't poison, huh?

Poison? No, they're
just shriveled up.

I had in mind of takin'
them out to Miss Rice.

Well, that's a good idea.

It wouldn't hurt a thing.

And, say, I want you
to stop by my office.

Well... you ain't
there and I ain't ailing.

Well, I'm not
finished yet, either.

Stop by my office.

Now, on the top shelf
of my medicine cabinet

you'll find two
bottles marked "tonic."

I want you to take them
along out to Mary and Sully,

and have them take that
tonic according to directions.

Yeah. All right.

Where'd you get those things?

- What?
- Those onions.

Oh! We got Gert
to thank for these.

Gert?

Yeah, we was havin'
ourselves a little frolic

down on the riverbank
last night, and...

well, I'd done a little
something she didn't like,

and she give me a shove

face-down in
these little scudders.

They sniffed right to me,

but, uh, when I went back
to ask Gert what she figured,

she'd done flew the coop.

- Went off and left you, huh?
- Yeah.

- Yeah, well...
- And I never liked

flighty women
in the first place.

Well, I'll see y'all directly.

All right, Festus.

Come on now.

(clicks tongue)

You were out early, Doc.

I hope you ain't a-ailing,

'cause I ain't the doc.

Well, I see you're not.

No, he's went off somewheres.

Well, I'm a friend
of his, John Crail.

Festus Haggen.

Festus.

You read words, do you?

Yes, I do.

They mighty long
ones, I'll say that for 'em.

I can't read.

It don't show
none, I don't reckon.

Well, this is a
medical book, Festus;

this is hard for anybody
to read except a doctor.

It appears like you're
reading it all right.

Well, I used to be a doctor.

FESTUS: You did?

Mm-hmm.

But that was a long time ago.

Well, you must've
did good at it.

You dress rich as
churning cream.

Oh, I didn't get rich doctoring.

Oh. How'd you do it, then?

Gold.

Colorado gold.

Them's onions I'm a-toting
out to some friends of mine.

Say, I'm supposed to
take a couple of bottles

off of the top shelf here.

Doc called 'em "tonic."

Reckon this'd be them?

CRAIL: Well, let's see.

Yes, that's, uh, that's tonic.

Colorado gold, you say?

That's right.

You can't tell by looking,

but I've trapped and
skinned all over Colorado.

Is that so?

Yeah. I know gold fools aplenty.

Well, there were plenty of us.

(laughs) Still are.

Well, I reckon I'd better
head on out with these.

Pleased to meet you, Festus.

I didn't mind none, neither.

Say, you might know these folks.

Miss Rice and her boy Sully?

No, why should I?

Well, Doc says their man

run off to Colorado for gold.

Did you know him?

Abel Rice?

No, I didn't.

You said you were there.

It's a big place.

Well, Miss Rice and
Sully's awful sick.

Well, then, you'd better
get that tonic to them.

♪♪

Now, you're talking people, Doc.

Mary Rice and her boy

and a raft of
other dirt farmers.

Well, I'm gonna
talk people to you.

I got 40 or so men
working this ranch.

And there's me and my family.

Now, we're all people.

Yes, and you're all healthy.

Well, don't hold
that against us.

Jake, listen to me.

I'm talking life
and death to you.

Now, Mary Rice and her boy Sully

are apt to die if they don't
get the right kind of food.

Well, I'm sorry.

I got nothing against Mary.

She's worked hard, all alone.

And she's raised a good boy.

And he's flat on his back.

Well, you get him on his
feet and I'll give him a job.

Well, that's just great.

He's gonna get up out of bed

and ride over here
and ask you for a job.

What's the matter with you?

JAKE: Why are you
laying all this onto me?

You think there's
been no drought here?

You think my feed
crop's come up?

Think I got water for my cattle?

Your cattle?

Yes, my cattle!

I wish I was a medical
officer over at Fort Dodge.

I'd ride in here and
I'd commandeer

every ounce of food you've got!

Well, you go join the army!

You work yourself up

and you ride back out here,

and I'll still blow
your ears off.

All right, now,
just a minute, here.

You know, you two keep this up,

you're gonna have a stroke,

and if you do I'll
throw you both in jail.

That's a great
remedy for a stroke.

Yes. I might add
another charge, too:

disturbing my peace.

Now, Jake, I'll tell you
exactly what we're gonna do.

You're gonna take us
over to that food cellar

and you're gonna give us enough
food for Mary Rice and Sully.

That's more like it.

Well, you'd better have
some law on your side.

The law I got on my side is,
I'm big enough to get away with it.

And I think you're
big enough to let me.

(sighs)

I'm not so blamed sure of that.

Now, Jake, wait a minute.

Just hold it.

I know that we got no
legal right to come in here

and put other people's
lives on your conscience.

I know that and you
know I know that!

Well, of course I
know you know it!

You think I'm stupid?

Well, I'm not gonna answer
that till you give me the food.

(sighs)

Well, you're not gonna
get it standing here.

Come on.

(dog barking)

Well, by golly, Louie...

looks like you did it
pretty good this time.

You're alive, but...

I don't see how, if
you drank all that.

Huh.

(sniffs)

My gosh, that's hard cider.

Louie, where'd
you get this cider?

Listen, I... Louie!

I need about three
words out of you.

Where'd you get this cider?

Answer me!

By golly, I'll get some
answers out of you...

Where'd you get it, Louie?

Louie, where'd
you get that cider?

I can use it!

I'll drown him, by
golly, or I'll... Louie!

Get down in there!

Doc, what are you doing?

Well, give me a hand
with him here, will you?

Well, you're-you're not
gonna drown him, are you?

I'm trying to get him to talk!

Help me, here.

Well, you gotta get
him breathing first.

Matt... he's had a whole jugful

of hard cider to drink,

and I gotta find
out where he got it.

Well... he's not
gonna tell you now.

Matt, you see, cider's got
exactly the same properties

as vinegar and could
help cure scurvy.

And I gotta know
where he got it.

Well, whenever he comes to,

just-just try to find out
how he came by it, will you?

Hmm.

Thanks for the wet drunk.

Come on, Louie.

Here we go.

(clears throat)

Yeah.

I haven't even sniffed hard
cider since the Salter shivaree.

By golly, come to think of
it, I don't think I have, either.

Louie wouldn't
say where he got it?

Well, he wouldn't
or he couldn't.

Hmm.

Well, I'd like to
help Mary Rice.

I'd like to help
them all, but...

I don't stock homemade
stuff here, you know.

Yeah. Well, Doc's looking
all over the countryside.

He said he might
even stop at Fort Dodge

to see if he could get some
canned goods for them.

You know, if whiskey
cured something,

I could save the world.

Kitty, I believe
you could at that.

(quiet laugh)

Well, Doc says the thing to do

is to get a hold of
some hard cider.

You sure it's all right
if Sully tags with me?

Oh, yeah.

Air will do him good.

He's come on fine,
hasn't he, Festus?

Yes'm, he has.

You know, you're looking
a little peaked yourself.

Well, I've... (scoffs)

had some worry
about Sully, that's all.

I'm fine.

It sure is peculiar

that he'd keep a-perking up
and you're a-perking down.

When you're taking
the same tonic

and eating the same
vittles and everything.

I know you're
inclined nice, Festus.

And-and we appreciate
everything you've done for us,

but, uh, well, sometimes

you just get ideas on the wind.

Well, I have been wrong

more than once, but...

I've got a boy
to look after now.

Why wouldn't I
take care of myself?

Well, I wouldn't
know about that.

We'll stop by the
Vickers' place in the grove.

You know, Pres
Vickers lays by his cider

when he don't lay by food.

Well, see that you don't lift

nothing heavier than you, Sully.

Take in some sun,
why don't you, Ma?

It'll color up
your cheeks a bit.

Yeah, well,
maybe I will do that.

But now you all run along,
and-and mind yourselves,

both of you.

Oh, he's feeling
mulish strong, Festus.

So, you, uh, keep an eye on him?

Of course I will.

Come on, Sully.

Take care of yourself, Ma.

♪♪

Pres did say there was a
jug down here, didn't he?

Near as I can tell he did.

Of course, he'd been
a-swilling out of one, you know.

That's all he does.

When there's
apples on the trees,

he just sets and swills
hard cider till they fall.

Then mixes up another batch.

Sits and swills some more.

Well, that don't sound

like a bad kind
of life, does it?

You find anything over there?

Nah, just...

seems to be a pile
of junk's about all.

A couple of empty jugs here.

Got some over here.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

I think I found something here.

Can you lift it down?

(grunts)

Can't hardly even
shake the dust off of it.

Let me up there.

Then they even
broke the cork off it.

(sniffing)

It's hard cider all right.

Oh! Mighty heavy.

(grunts) I can't figure out

how that scrawny, little old
man got it up here by hisself.

Now, you push it out toward me.

- Pu-Push...
- Okay.

(speaks indistinctly)

(both yell)

Fiddle.

If that ain't a plain fright.

- Where's Doc at?
- I don't know.

I've been waiting
for him all morning.

He figured to go out
to Fort Dodge today.

I reckon that's what he done.

Well, you come on then.

Mrs. Rice is awful bad sick.

There's nothing I can do.

I'd like to, but I...

You said you was a doctor.

Well, that was a long time ago.

I couldn't do
anything now that...

Now, wait a minute! We found her

out in front of the
house pert near dead,

Sully and me, we
carried her into bed,

but she knows we
can't do nothing.

I know, Doc told
me all about it.

But there's nothing I can do!

Well, at least you're
somebody she can call Doctor!

Come on now.

♪♪

We could be running a big risk.

You know that.

It appears to me,

Mrs. Rice is the one
that's running all the risk.

(knocking)

Sully, this here's a
friend of Doc Adams.

He knows doctoring hisself.

(moans)

It's all right, Mary.

I'm an old friend.

"Friend"?

John Crail.

A long time ago, Mary.

Remember?

John?

Why, Dr. John.

Such a long time.

Here.

These will make you feel better.

I can't believe it's you.

Just take those, Mary.

(groans)

Thank you.

I just can't believe it's you.

It's like I was back
all those years

with you and Abel.

You'd better not
talk much, Mary.

Try to get some sleep.

Did you meet our son Sully?

A fine boy.

Abel never saw him.

I know.

He'd have been proud.

Be proud of you, too.

I wish we could visit.

Another time perhaps.

Yes.

It's time for Sully now.

Dr. John, will you
get him for me?

Your mother wants to see you.

How is she?

I'd go to her now.

Can't you say nothing?

You'd better stay on now.

Well, John, I...

I realize you've been out
of medicine for 20 years.

But you still did all
you could for Mary.

You gave her
something for her pain.

That's all you could do.

Why, uh, why you
taking it so hard?

You don't know, Doc.

You just don't know.

Why don't you tell me?

It's not just the 20 years.

Do you know why Abel
Rice died in Colorado?

No. No, I don't.

He died because...
I didn't treat him.

He died of bitter
cold and no food

because this doctor
heard about a gold strike

in Colorado.

And this doctor...

left him there to die.

Well, say something.

Call me all the names
I've called myself.

Hit me.

Kill me.

Do something.

I will.

I'll go see Mary.

To tell her?

No, just to sit with her.

And if she's gone,

to try and comfort Sully.

That's part of
doctoring, too, you know.

But I guess you
forgot it all, didn't you?

(door closes)

He won't take them from me.

I know that.

He won't even see me.

I don't know why
you're doing this, John.

If you don't think
Doc will take them,

then why are you
leaving them with me?

Well, he might
take them from you

once he's had
time to think it over.

He might see the good
he can do with gold.

I can't seem to do any.

Well, I'll try.

But you know Doc's
a mighty proud man.

Yeah.

Well, if he doesn't take them,

will you see that
Sully Rice gets them?

Of course I will.

Tell Doc that pride is

a kind of a cheap commodity.

Like guilt.

Tell him that's a
gift from a poor man

to a rich man.

(door closes)