Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 11, Episode 15 - Gold Mine - full transcript

(dramatic theme music playing)

(both guns fire)

ANNOUNCER: starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

Thank you.

♪♪

♪♪

(crate thuds onto wagon)

(man grunts softly)

Giddyup. Hey.

Whoa.



Thank you.

Oh, um...

these bags, those three.

And thank you.

(men laughing)

I'd like a room if it's
not too much trouble.

Five dollars a day.

Five dollars?!

In advance.

Make up your mind, lady.
There ain't no place else.

(Kitty sighs)

Uh... six.

(Kitty sighs)

Thank you.



Uh, wait a minute. Um...

Oh, I... I-I'm sorry.

Um, it's all right.
I-I can manage.

Thank you.

(pouring water)

Do you think it's possible

to give me a room
with a lock that works?

The only room vacant, lady.

You take it or leave it.

(cackling)

(theme music playing)

Pickaxe?! You mean to say
you let her go to Pickaxe alone?

Golly bill, Matthew,
we tried to stop her,

but she wasn't in
no mood to listen.

Probably had something to do

with her being a
little upset with you.

Well, she didn't have any
reason to be upset with me.

Well, that's a point of view.

You figured you had
to get up to Hays City,

and she figured she had
to go look at her gold mine.

Gold mine.

I've told her 50 times

she shouldn't be fooling
around with that gold mine!

Yeah, she said that.

She got to thinking

the Long Branch was
practically in bankruptcy,

and she figured the gold
mine might just help support her

for the rest of her life.

I'd have followed her,
Matthew, you know that,

but fiddle, I can't get
on a mule with this leg.

Doc, says it'll be another
week 'fore I can use it.

Well, then you should have
sent somebody with her.

I keep a-telling you, Matthew,

she wouldn't let
nobody go with her.

She was madder than a wet hen.

Said she was a
big girl, and that...

And that she was
perfectly capable

of taking care of herself.

Yeah, in Pickaxe, a town loaded

with every low-down renegade
west of the Mississippi.

I've told her a hundred times
she shouldn't have gone there.

Yeah, she said that, too.

Y-You know, you should
have at least sent Thad along.

Well, I told you, he's not
here, he's in Spearville.

We told Hank over at the stable

to send him over here
as quick as he got back.

He was due this morning.

Now that you're here,
you can go yourself.

Yeah. Well, that's
fine, except I can't do it.

DOC: Why can't you?

Because I got a three-day
stay of execution for Billy Colt.

Now the sheriff at Jetmore

is bringing down the
man that confessed.

Well, now, did
you explain to Kitty

that Billy Colt's life depended
on you getting up to Hays City?

Well, what's that got to do
with her running off like that?

Oh, you didn't explain it.

Well, no, I didn't tell her.

She wasn't in
any mood to listen.

Festus, you should
have locked her up

in a jail cell if you had to.

Oh, foot, Matthew.

I'd like to see you
throw her in a jail cell.

Morning. Hank said that...

Thad, do you know where
the town of Pickaxe is?

Yes, sir. It's right...

All right, I want you to
go down to the stable,

have Hank give you
the fastest horse he's got.

I want you in Pickaxe
by tomorrow afternoon.

And as soon as you find
her, I want you to get a letter

on that stage saying
everything's all right.

- Letter?
- Come on, hurry up.

DOC: Wait a minute.

You've told him everything
except why he's going

and who he's going to see.

Oh, yeah. Look,
Kitty's up there.

Somebody's given
her a gold mine.

Now, she's up there alone
trying to prove claim on it.

I want you to find her,

stay with her until she's
got the title transferred,

then get her out of
there as fast as you can.

- Yes, sir.
- And don't forgot that letter!

No, sir.

Don't you have some
patients to take care of,

or maybe a sick
cow or something?

(knocking)

Who is it?

Come on in, Richard.

(Kitty sighs)

Thank you very much.
I sure appreciate this.

Tell me something.
Does-does your mother cook?

Well, I can't remember
the last time I ate.

Grab those valises
and show me the way.

Hey!

Hey, you stop using all
that good soap and water!

Why don't you take a
long walk someplace.

You use already more
than your dollars’ worth!

- (water stops running)
- Hey!

Now get out! Get out!

Ha! Ha.

WOMAN: I don't
care what you say.

You owe me one dollar, and
you-you are going to pay me.

I am sick and tired
of-of you rock hounds.

You spend all your money on
whiskey and then you come here

and you want to
weasel out of paying me

- when you use my best soap!
- (chuckles)

You come back here
and give me my money!

Let go of me, dummy.

His name is Richard!

His name'll be mud if he
don't keep his hands off me.

You owe me one dollar! You pay!

- Whistle for it, you old witch.
- Oh!

(speaks Spanish)

Ay, Richard, be careful!

Ay, get out of there.
No... (shouting in Spanish)

Ay!

(grunts) I told you I
don't like to be touched!

Oh, no! (shouts in Spanish)

You stop it? Ay.
Don't you hurt...

Get out of here! Oh!

- (man grunts)
- Ay!

(man grunts)

(grunts)

You still owe me one dollar.

(sighs)

(sniffs)

(water running)

(gasping)

Come on, come on!

(sputters)

Here.

Now, you get out of
here, Eb Gibbijohn,

and don't you ever come back!

Get!

Get out! ¡Ándale!

Boy, lady, you can sure
take care of yourself.

- (chuckles) -Well, I had
a great training ground.

I needed that.

I figured I owed
this town something,

and I'm sure glad he
was around to collect.

And I'm sure glad you got
here when you did, Miss, uh...

Russell. Kitty Russell.

Oh, yes.

Richard told me all about you,

how you got in in the old wagon.

- That's right.
- Yes, you know,

he makes signs and-and I teach
him how to write a few words,

you know? Oh, he's a smart boy,

even if God visit
him with this affliction.

Well, he sure is the
bravest boy I've ever met.

Well, for this kind remark,

you're going to get
the best chili con carne.

Oh, food. Wonderful.

I thought I was gonna
have to spend the night

in that miserable hotel room.

Querida, you wouldn't have
had a chance to think about it.

What do you mean?

You would have
been a-a sitting duck.

No, that's wrong.

They wouldn't give you
a chance to sit down.

You would have
spent the whole night

hanging on to your
feathers. (laughs)

I'll only be a minute.

Go in, register this

then I can go find
myself a miner.

Oh. Mining's hard work.

We'll see.

Saloon's up the street.

Joe Swanson left me his mine.

I'd like you to file for me.

Here's my name

and the deed,

and I think all the information
that you'll need is in there.

Eh, it's gonna take a day
or two to file all these claims.

A couple of days just
to transfer one claim?

Uh, where can I hire a miner?

Well, like I said,
saloon's up the street.

It's the most likely place.

I'm for hire, lady.

Where's the
location of the mine?

Eh, take the main
street towards the hill,

go up the north fork,

follow it as far as you can go,

right past the
Gibbijohns' cabin.

Eb Gibbijohn?

Yep.

Yeah, he's one
of 'em, all right.

If you're up near
the Gibbijohns',

you'd better get somebody
to guard that cabin door.

I'll do it for no wages at all.

(others laughing)

This is the dirtiest,
meanest, nastiest town

I've ever been in
in my whole life.

What do I have to
do in order to find

a half-decent man to help me?

(sighs)

I appreciate your
offer, Richard, but...

from what I've heard
about mining, it's...

ten hours a day in a creek

and hoisting a shovel and...

Oh. Well,

what I really need is...

What I really need is a man,

six-four with blue eyes

and blond hair and muscles

and a good friend of mine.

Thad!

Thad Greenwood!

Over here, Thad!

Oh.

You'll never know how
glad I am to see you.

I sure am pleased to
see you, too, Miss Kitty.

Marshal's quite upset
you came here alone.

Matt sent you?

Yes, ma'am.

Well, as you can see,
I'm perfectly all right.

But I'm still glad to see you.

Oh, I-I want you to
meet Richard Danby.

Richard, this is Clayton
Thaddeus Greenwood

from Dodge City.

Hi.

When did you leave Dodge?

Oh, yesterday morning.

Yesterday morning?

You couldn't have
gotten any sleep at all.

Well, the marshal said
to get here as fast as I can

and not stop, make
sure you're all right.

And you took him literally.

(chuckles) Don't think he
wanted me to waste time sleeping.

Well, you must be exhausted.

Oh, no, no. I'm fine.

Just I, uh, been getting
a little light-headed

the last few miles.

Well, I can believe that.

I'll tell you what,

we've got all the supplies
we need for the time being.

Why don't we just
go on up to the mine

and then you can get some rest.

That'd be fine.

Your mother will let you
show us the way, won't she?

Good. Let's get going.

Well, I-I guess gold
is where you find it.

(wheels squeaking)

(grunting)

Who's that?

She's the one I seen
before up at the Danby place,

the one that hit me
when I wasn't looking.

Well, now...

maybe we'd better just
go and have a talk with her,

see what she's
doing on our property.

Uh, it don't pleasure me none

to have folks come
a-trespassin' on my claim,

especially when they
don't even have no invite.

Your claim?

Joe Swanson was
a friend of mine.

He left this mine to me.

I'm registering at the
claim office right now.

Ah. Uh-huh.

Oh, she's a catamount
just like you said, son.

I-I believe in, uh, talking
gentle-like to womenfolks...

I've, uh, learnt my boys
the same way... but...

I don't take it lightly when
some critter is not polite

to my boy on one day

and then, uh, comes around
calling me a liar on the next.

Now, look, just get off this
land before I call the sheriff.

(cackling)

We ain't got no sheriff!

(all laughing)

This town ain't got no
hankerin' for the law at all.

Miss Kitty.

You heard the lady.

Now clear off.

Uh, no, no, no. We, uh...

we ain't about to,
uh, pay no never-mind

to some fancy
female claim jumper,

especially when we
got squatters rights, uh,

working rights and, uh...

No, we, uh, aim to stay.

He's only talking big
'cause he's got a gun, Pa!

Thad, no.

It's all right, Miss Kitty.

I just want these
fellas to understand

that they can't talk
that way to a lady.

Well, boys,

it looks like we're gonna
have to teach this lad

something about manners,
Gibbijohn style, huh?

How 'bout it, boys?

Mister, I'd appreciate it if
you'd just let me settle this

with your boys.

I don't want to tangle with
somebody as old as you are.

Oh, don't let the gray
hairs fool you, boy.

It comes from iron in the blood.

Iron!

(grunting)

Oh, get him, Pa! Quick, get him!

Get him! Oh!

(grunts)

(grunting)

(shouts)

(grunts)

(shouting)

- Jud!
- Huh?

- Let's get.
- Come on, Pa! Come on!

(grunting)

I-I sure hope word don't get out

that us Gibbijohns got
ourselves whupped by one man.

Word ain't gonna get out.
I ain't finished with him yet

or that female neither. Yeah.

What are you
fixin' to do now, Pa?

Well, I ain't made
up my mind yet.

No female's ever got
the best of Pa Gibbijohn.

I ain't aimin' to
let one start now.

(sighs)

Oh, we sure did
whip 'em, didn't we?

Yep. We sure did.

I guess they...

they won't be back in a hurry.

- I hope not.
- (sighs)

Oh, Thad. Let me look.

Oh, your lip's hurt.

Wait a minute.
I'll get some water.

No, it's-it's all
right. It's fine.

- It's fine.
- (sighs)

Well...

I guess I got
strength enough left

to... fix some supper

if anybody's got strength
enough left to eat it.

I got to get back...

town. I got to get back to town.

What for?

Marshal made me promise
him to s... send that letter.

And if I don't
send it right away,

I don't think he's
gonna appreciate it any.

That letter's just
gonna have to wait.

You're not going anyplace

until you've had some food
and a good night's sleep. Now...

get your boots off!
Come on, hurry up.

Oh.

Thad!

Come on, I'll help you.

- Nothing?
- Nope.

Well, of course not. If
he'd have been a pigeon,

he couldn't have gotten
up there fast enough

to get a letter
back on this stage.

If he'd have gone
straight through,

he should have been
there yesterday morning.

What's he doing up there?

Miss Kitty?

Oh.

(grunts softly)

Miss Kitty?

Miss Kitty?

(shouting): Miss Kitty?!

KITTY: Hey, Thad, over here!

Come here, look what we got.

Gold, real gold.

Well, that's
wonderful, Miss Kitty,

but you promised
to wake me up before

so I could send that letter,
and it's way past noon.

I wasn't gonna wake you
up. You need your sleep.

- But you promised.
- You... Thad, you don't understand.

This is real gold. We're rich.

I got a whole sack full of
it just since this morning.

How much you think it's worth?

Got to be worth at
least $300 or $400.

Hmm. Do you know,
if... if we don't leave now,

I won't get the letter
on the stage today.

Well, the letter's just gonna
have to wait. Come on.

(Kitty laughs)

Look, we can probably have
another sack full before dark.

Must be $600 or $700 in here.

You know, Joe Swanson
said it was a good mine,

but I sure never
expected anything like this.

Do you suppose there's
a lot more in there?

Well, I don't know.

I don't know that
much about mining,

but it might be a pocket.

Of course there's no telling
how big that pocket could be.

(Kitty laughs softly)

Well, we're sure
gonna find out tomorrow.

You know, I just may give up
the saloon business completely,

show those Gibbijohns
how to run a mine.

Pa, you ought to
see the gold they got.

- It's all over the table.
- Shh.

Greed... that's what
it is, just pure greed.

That's right, Pa.

Now, you take us Gibbijohns.

There ain't a greedy
bone in the whole family.

Allst we ever took out of
them diggings was just enough

for some side pork and
a bottle of good whiskey.

That's all any
righteous folks needs.

You-you mean we-we ain't
gonna steal what they got?

Of course we're gonna steal it.

What-what-what kind
of people would we be,

letting them take what's
ourn and run us off?

It would just be
encouraging their vices.

Well, h-how are you
fixing to do it, Pa?

Uh... well...

Af-After they get to sleep,

they're gonna be mighty
tired after work they done.

And the... the catch on that
back window never did work.

Maybe I ought to just
sneak on down there and...

and make sure they
get to bed, huh, Pa?

(laughs)

You keep your mind
on the gold, boy.

She... she ain't
nothing but a...

painted hussy.

But I didn't mean a...

I know what you meant!

You just put the
devil behind you.

I'll...

just mosey on down
there myself after a spell...

see if the coast is clear.

Well, I got more moral
fiber than what you got.

I can, uh... I can look on that
Jezebel and not be tempted.

Uh, meantime, uh, skinny
up that tree and get me my jug.

There's a... there's
a chill in the air.

Okay, Pa.

(snoring)

(quietly): Well...
well, go on, boy.

What if the big fella wakes up?

- Uh, we'll cover you.
- How?

Never mind how! Get on with it!

Cut that out!

What's the matter, boy?

Uh... you getting yella?

I'm going! I'm going!

All right.

(Thad snoring)

What are you doing?!

- What?
- Couldn't hear you.

How can you cover me
with the window closed?

He's right, Pa.

All right, all right.
Well, go on, go on.

- Why can't Jud go?
- No.

Get on with it!

(whispering): Where's the gold?

Well, how should I know?

Well, you was looking
when they went to bed.

Oh.

Psst! Psst!

I know one thing.

She ain't got it.

(Thad snoring)

Hey, right there.

(snoring)

Hey.

- (shovel clattering)
- (indistinct shouts)

(Eb whimpering)

Thad?

Thad?

Oh.

My arm.

All right, sign that.

(indistinct shouting nearby)

Lock him up, will
you, Jack? I'll be back.

Nothing yet, huh?

Well, if Thad had
made it up there,

there should have been
a letter on this stage.

What are you fixin'
to do, Matthew?

Get my horse for
me, will you, Festus?

I-I... bent leg.

Oh, never mind.
I'll get it myself.

I don't believe I've
ever saw Matthew

in such a stew before, have you?

No, but I don't blame him.

Jack, you're gonna have
to do me a favor, if you will.

- Sure, Matt.
- Get him up to Hays City.

Tell the sheriff up there
to turn Billy Colt loose.

I'll be up to sign the
papers as soon as I can.

You got trouble, Matt?

I don't know. I'm
gonna find out in a hurry.

Now, easy. Just take it easy.

How long have I been lying here?

Oh, about 11 hours.

11 hours?

Now, just lie back.

You got a bullet hole in you.

Oh, yeah.

You know, I don't really
think he meant to shoot me.

Well, it doesn't really
make any difference

whether he meant to or not.

You could have
gotten yourself killed.

Is it that bad?

Well, it's not pretty.

But I've seen enough
gunshot wounds

to know it's gonna be all right.

The, uh, bullet went
all the way through.

You know, it's funny.

I've never been shot before.

And I always thought it would...

would hurt something
awful, but it...

(liquid gurgling)

I'm making a stew.

Do you feel like eating some?

- Yeah, yeah.
- Wonderful.

Oh... holy smoke.

What's the matter?

The marshal.

I haven't sent that letter yet.

Now listen, Thad,
you're just gonna have

to forget about that letter.

If you get up and start
running around, you're gonna...

Well, you're gonna
open up that thing again.

(sighs)

I guess I really messed
things up this time, huh?

- (liquid gurgling)
- What are you talking about?

THAD: Well, the marshal.

He sent me up here
to look after you.

And here I am flat on my back.

I mean, it would
be just great now

if them Gibbijohns come in here.

Well, I'm hoping
I took care of that.

THAD: How?

Well, I sent Richard into town
with some money and a note.

I'm just hoping that
he can find one man

that knows how to handle a gun

who'll come out
here and help us.

Miss Kitty,

I don't mean to
tell you what to do,

but I think we ought
to get out of here.

We can't.

Well, I know how you feel
about your gold and all, but...

The gold doesn't have
anything to do with it!

You're in no condition
to ride a horse.

I had enough trouble
stopping that bleeding.

(sighs)

So, we just sit?

Yeah, that's right.

We're just gonna sit here.

You're gonna eat.

Mmm.

Mmm, it's good.

(can clatters)

- Pa...
- Oh, shut up. Just...

- Don't say anything.
- I keep-I keep tell you

- Shut up!
- And telling you it wasn't my fault.

But you had it.

You had that gold
right in your hand.

And you dropped it.

Well, you said you
was gonna cover me.

And I would've, too,
except you got in the way.

Oh.

I should've known better

than to let the two of you

talk me into going down there

in the first place.

What are you
fixin' to do now, Pa?

I don't know.

You said you wasn't gonna let
no female get the better of you.

I ain't, neither.

I just got to have time

to think on it, that's all.

You think old Joe Swanson
really left that mine to her?

I... I reckon.

Then why-why don't
we just go down there

and claim squatter's
rights, like you said.

Aw, there ain't no such thing,

not-not when a
claim is filed legal.

I got to...

Only thing we can do is...

scare her off.

Well, you better think
of something better

than we done up till now.

- Yeah.
- Um... Eh.

U-Um, boys, I think

I'm beginning to get me an idea.

- What?
- Uh, got to have time let her

simmer until I got
this worked out.

I... I think I got
me an idea how to

take care of that Jezebel

once and for all.

I told you not to bother me.

I told you before.
I ain't got time

to recruit gunslingers
for that-that fancy female.

Well, don't just stand
there. Get on out of here

and quit pestering me.
Go on over at the saloon.

You in charge here, mister?

What do you think, mister?

I'm the United States
Marshal from Dodge City.

I'm looking for somebody, a
woman, a Miss Kitty Russell.

I ain't never heard of her.

Well, now, she has a claim
around here in this territory.

She would have had to come
in here and register it with you.

Well, look, Marshal,

we're over the
territory line, here.

I don't know how
far your law reaches,

but it seems to me that
this ain't official business.

We don't have to
talk about it, do we?

We don't cotton much
to lawmen around here.

Good day, Marshal.

Mister, you listen to me.

I've been riding for 36 hours,

and I don't feel
like fooling around.

Now, where is she?

Oh. Well...

Well, sir, she, uh, she
came in here last Tuesday,

wanting to transfer
the Swanson claim.

I-I ain't seen her since.

Where is she now?

Well, the last I heard, she
was... she was up the claim.

- Where's that?
- Uh, well, it's kind of hard to explain

- if you don't know the country.
- Try it.

Well, you... you go out
the south end of town

a-and you go to the creek
and you keep moving.

Keep moving, and then-then
you take the-the wagon road

up to the canyon... that is,
if it ain't been washed out...

And it'll lead you
right up to the place

where you can see the mine.

Thanks.

♪♪

What's this for?

Is she all right?

Can you take me to her?

(clicking tongue)

Yeah, all snug in the cabin.

Well, off you go. Well...
(speaks indistinctly)

All right, boys,
now let's skedaddle.

Well, hey, Pa, are you
sure this is gonna work?

- Course it's gonna work.
- Well, uh, the last time...

I said it all...
Well, that, J-Jud,

get over there and you
cut the top off that sapling.

- Eb, you go...
- What?

Build us a nice little fire.

Pa, there's got to
be an easier way.

Ah, well, maybe, but it
won't be near as much fun.

- Now, go, get-get busy.
- Oh, Pa.

Pretty good, Miss Kitty.

You want some more?

No, thank you. It's fine.

Well, anybody with
an appetite like that

can't be in too bad a shape.

How's that feel?

Oh, it aches a little.

But I'll tell you one thing.

You sure did a good job on it.

Well, I've watched Doc
patch up a bunch of these.

But I'm still not gonna be happy

until he takes a
look at it himself.

You know, I'm kind of
worried about Richard.

I wish he'd hurry
up and get back.

Uh-huh.

Uh.

There she is.

Reckon your pa's part Injun.

Now, you gather
around here, boys,

I'm gonna learn you something.

See, you take a rifle, you
can't shoot around a corner

or over a hill, but, uh,

with a bow and arrow, you can.

Pa, what are we hiding for?

They know who's doing it.

You want to get
yourself killed, boy?

Is that what you want,
to get yourself killed?

Step out there in plain sight,
let them take potshots at you

- while we're shooting at 'em?
- Well, no...

Well, just do what I tell
you. I got this all studied out.

Now, mind them arrows, there.

Uh, you-you got
the horses ready?

Yeah, Pa, I got 'em.

- Pa?
- Yeah?

What if something goes wrong?

You just do what I tell you
and nothing's gonna go wrong.

That's what you said last night.

Yeah.

I... I can't be held responsible

for the fact that you've
got three left feet.

Now, give me one of them arrows.

Uh-huh.

(mutters a tune)

(sizzles)

Where'd it go? Where'd it go?

It went in... It went in
the water barrel, Pa,

- but it was real close.
- Yeah, all right, then.

Give me another. Give another.

(muttering a tune)

What was that?

I don't know.

- Joe's...
- (whoops) Hey, Pa.

That's it. Right
smack in the middle.

- Danged if it ain't.
- Hey-Hey, it's blazing real nice.

(whoops) Look at that!

That sure is a pretty sight.

Told you your old pa
would fix us up right, huh?

If they're human, they got
to come out of there, now.

All right, uh, go get
them horses loosed.

- Uh, yeah.
- Hurry up, quick.

They won't be able to stay
in there much longer, Pa.

Well, not without being
smoked like a side of bacon.

All right,

remember what I told you,
now, get after 'em. Come on.

(flames crackling)

Thad... Thad, this
place is on fire.

They're trying to burn
us out of here. Oh!

(coughing)

No!

Stop it! Can't you
see he's hurt?!

(giggling)

Hey, Pa, let's nick her

a couple of times
just for fun, huh?

All right. (exclaims)
Go on, get...

(men laughing)

(laughter continues)

(gunshot)

Hey, Pa, that
looks like a lawman.

Let's get out of here.

(galloping hoofbeats)

(flames crackling)

Oh.

Kitty.

- Matt.
- Kitty. Oh.

Oh.

Oh, oh.

- Kitty.
- I'm... Matt,

If you say "I told you so,"

I'll never speak to you again.

So, I-I made this deal
with Richard and his mother

to run the mine on shares,

along with the men
that I sent up there.

She said she'd much rather
wash gold than clothes.

This way she don't
have to iron anything.

- (short laugh)
- (laughs)

- Hello, Matt.
- Hello, Matthew. -Boys.

DOC: How about a beer?

Um, uh... Maybe
in a few minutes.

Say, um...

I heard about a little
gold mine up near Abilene.

I, uh, I thought you
might be interested.

I never did thank you, did I?

Oh, I might settle for a beer.

That all the thanks you want?

Well, now, uh, maybe
what we ought to do

is get a little, uh, table
over here in the corner

and talk it over.