Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 11, Episode 29 - Treasure of John Walking Fox - full transcript

Starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

One of these times,
I'm going to get you.

That was the closest
you'll ever come.

It's getting easier, Jacob.

No Comanche is man enough.

So why do you keep trying?

Time's on my side.

I can wait.

You saying I'm
getting old, are you?

It comes to us all.

Whew!



- There.
- All right.

There.

You know, John,

it'll feel good to
hole up come winter.

We have a fine grubstake.

Mmm.

Cash in them hides tomorrow.

You know, Jacob,

I've been wondering...

why don't I scout up some
buffalo while you're in Dodge?

We're going in together.

We always have.

Save time if I get some
meat while you're trading.

Mm-mm.



Howdy.

Evenin'.

We, uh...

smelled your cook
fire near a mile out.

You got any grub to spare?

We're getting a little low

at the end of trapping.

Uh, coffee'd do, if you got it.

Help yourself.

Very much obliged.

Some biscuits there in the pot.

Fire's sure invitin'.

It's been a long day.

That so?

Hiders, ain't you?

You look to have done
real well by yourselves.

I reckon.

Smells like the bottom of a
sour mash barrel around here.

Green hides always
smell like that.

'Pears like a couple of them
green hides are still moving.

These sourdough
biscuits are right passable.

Help yourself to some more.

Eat 'em while you ride.

Banjo, gimme some coffee.

Now, uh... unless
you object real strong,

we could spend the night here.

Yeah.

Banjo's a dummy.

Ran into Comanches
once and they...

cut out his tongue.

Now, uh... about our
spending the night...

Prairie's big enough.

Reckon you won't have any
trouble finding another place.

Well, now...

And my boys thought it
was hides they smelled.

We'll bid you good night.

An Indian throwing down on me

is something I
don't stomach easy.

Any trouble...

you won't see it happen again.

Any ideas we had of staying,

they're forgot now.

That suits us fine.

Come on, Gainer.

We ride a couple more hours,

we're that much closer to Dodge.

Maybe we shouldn't
go into Dodge.

We're going.

Just hold on, now.

- What was that last there?
- What?

What you just said.
What was that?

Well, I just said I'm
getting danged tired

of working so hard all the time.

That's what I thought you said.

You never worked two
consecutive days in your life.

What kind of days?

One day's work would enough
to put you in the hospital.

Doc, you ornery old scudder.

You're just a-faunchin'
for a ruckus.

A ruckus?

Just because I
call your attention

to some stupid
remark that you make,

I'm supposed to be
starting a fight with you!

I'm the most... What are
you looking at, anyway?

Will you look yonder,
who's in town...

You know, exceptin' for
that raunchy set of whiskers,

Jake's a-gettin'
to look more like

a Injun every day, ain't he?

Well, he's lived like one
for so long, it's no wonder.

Him and that Johnny Walking Fox

makes quite a pair, don't they?

Just never know what's going
to make a friendship, do you?

You know what's
so downright puzzling

is how a man like old Jake

could give up a civilized
way of living like he's did.

Yeah? I'll tell you something

that's even more
puzzlesome to me,

is how a fella can be
exposed to civilization

and not have any of
it ever rub off on him.

Well, yeah, that...

Well, there you go again.

It's me you...

You get me so mad, I
could just smoke a pickle.

- One of these days...
- I'll buy you a beer.

What?!

I'll buy you a beer.

You will?

Today.

Not tomorrow, today.

Right now. It's hot.

Well, howdy, Jake.

Sam. Miss Kitty.

Jake.

- It's been a long time.
- Yeah, heh.

How'd you do this trip?

More than 100 hides.

Good.

That ought to bring
you at least $50.

According to what
that hide buyer told us.

You recollect, Sam,

he promised us 50 cents
a hide 'fore we went out.

- That's right.
- Mm-hmm.

Ah.

See you, Sam.

Miss Kitty.

Miss Kitty...

do you suppose
old Jake really thinks

he's putting
something over on us?

Well, isn't he?

Ah...

Reaches right down
to the soles of your feet.

Anything good as whiskey,

I can see why they keep
it away from you heathens.

Is best.

White man's firewater
make-um Injun heap loco.

Ugh!

Get 'em heap drunk.

Scalpum whole town.

Well, it could be worse.

I'd sure like to know how.

Well, we could be living here.

I ain't seen a
thing I'd call "living"

since we hit this dust hole.

Oh, it's gotta pick
up come night.

That marshal we
heard tell about,

he can't keep a lid on
this tight all the time.

Well, it better pick up,

or we're moving on.

Where?

Who cares?

Anywhere away from here.

Well, looky yonder.

Could be things has
picked up already.

Pee-yew!

Aw, they even smell worse here

than they did
out on the prairie.

That figures.

They've had longer to get ripe.

Hey, Indian!

Where's that big rifle
you was waving around

the last time you seen us, huh?

Oh, come on, Gainer,

now you know
Indians ain't allowed

to carry firearms in town.

Whee!

Boy, what a sorry-looking
bunch of hides.

Yeah, they sure are, ain't they?

I'll bet they got some
better 'uns underneath.

John...!

You just go ahead and
start something, Indian.

It's been a dull morning.

Let it go, John.

Let it go.

I'll get these.

You get the wagon
over to the hide shed.

Hey... hey, Comanche!

What do you do
without your keeper?

Oh, I don't know.

Be with you in a minute.

Hey, ho there, Beamus!

- I heard you was back.
- Tigue.

Hey, you boys look like
you done real, real good.

How many you got?

More'n a hundred.

104, to be accurate.

Hundred and four!

All bull hides

and all in prime condition,
just like you wanted.

Good, good.

Hundred and four.

Well, that ought to put
some money in your jeans.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Hey, that is a mighty
fine-looking bunch of hides.

Hold on there, Tigue.

What's the matter?

This here is only $26.

That's way short.

We agreed on 50 cents a hide.

Yeah, well, the price is down.

What do you mean,
the price is down?

Just like I said...
The market is soft.

Best I can do is
25 cents apiece.

But that's only half
what they're worth!

Take what he offers, Jacob.

It doesn't matter.

The devil it don't.

I don't take kindly
to being cheated.

I ain't gonna argue with you.

It's the best I can
do. Take it or leave it.

Well, I ain't gonna do neither.

We got half a dozen witnesses...

Including Miss Kitty
and Doc Adams...

That you promised
us 50 cents a bull hide,

and that's what
you're gonna give us.

Or, by Harry, you're coming
with me to the marshal's office.

I ain't going no place
with you, Beamus.

Well, I say you are.

Jacob, don't.

It's all right.

We're just gonna have a
little talk with Marshal Dillon.

Come on.

Come on, now, move!

Jacob...

I wasn't gonna shoot.

F-Fool thing to do.

I should've listened to you.

Let me through here.

What's happened here?

Fair fight, Marshal.

He drew first.

All three of us seen him.

That's right, Marshal.

He drew a gun on me. I
was only defending myself.

That true, Jake?

What about that,
John, is that true?

Yes.

He drew first.

♪♪

♪♪

Kind of gives you
the creeps, don't it?

Bothers me is where
that Indian got the money.

Ah, didn't appear
to be so much to me.

You didn't pay no
attention to the coffin.

There's a $50 funeral,
if I ever saw one.

Is that a fact?

Set 'em up for the house, Sam.

A $50 gold piece.

That's right.

I haven't seen a $50
gold piece in quite a spell.

Sir, you ain't ever seen
one of those... look again.

A forty-niner panning gold...

and a rattlesnake.

Way I hear it,
there's only one coin

ever minted that
had them things on it.

Here, Sam, let me
take a look at that.

Golly Bill, Miss Kitty, I
wouldn't have believed that

if I hadn't saw it
with my own eyeballs.

Where'd you get this, Percy?

The Indian gave it to me.

You mean old John Walking Fox?

That's right.

He said he wanted to
give, uh, Jake Beamus

the best funeral he could.

Well, when I told
him it cost $50,

he went away and
come back with this.

I don't reckon you'd
know whether he's got

any more of them or not, do you?

No. When I asked him
where this one come from,

he... he just looked at me
without saying anything.

It is all right,
ain't it, Miss Kitty?

It is as far as I'm concerned.

Set 'em up, Sam.

Folks, the drinks
are on Percy Crump.

Uh, Festus.

Yes'm?

Um, take this over
and show it to Matt.

I think he might be
kind of interested.

Well, I'd be glad
to, Miss Kitty, only...

Only you're afraid you're
gonna miss a free drink.

Well, it ain't exactly that.

I'll tell Sam that
you've got one coming.

Oh, that's mighty
thoughty of you, Miss Kitty.

I'll see you directly.

Make way, make way.

Much obliged.

My pleasure.

That was a right fancy
funeral you had today.

I do the best I
can, but I'm working

under very primitive
conditions here.

Seems like an
awful fuss, though,

to make over a smelly
old buffalo hunter.

Well, he and the Indian had
been together over ten years.

Funny, when you
come to think about it.

They was almost like brothers.

I never seen a white man so
took with an Indian or vice versa.

I, uh, suppose the
Indian's gone now?

No, he's ordered a
headstone for Jake's grave.

I-I can't see him
leaving till it's finished.

- Give me another, will you, Sam?
- Sure.

Staying in town, is he?

No, he-he's got hisself a
camp out by Buffalo Creek.

Oh?

Well, I guess
there's no accounting

for what an Indian
will or won't do.

Nice talking to you.

- Let's go, Holtz.
- Where?

Never mind, just get
Banjo and I'll get the horses.

Say, did you ever see
one of these before?

Well, I'll be doggoned. A
forty-niner and a rattlesnake.

Where in thunder
did you get that, hmm?

John Walking Fox.

He paid for Jake's
funeral with it.

Well, that's kind of funny.

John Walking Fox and Jake
have been hunting buffalo for years

just to keep food
in their bellies.

Now, where'd they get that?

Well, that's what
I was wondering.

Tell me, Doc, what do you
remember about this story

of the gold shipment
that was lost

somewhere east of
Pueblo years ago?

Well... that was after the
gold strike in California.

Now, the story goes
that this bank out there

made up a whole shipment
of these just like this,

just what they're supposed
to be, with a rattlesnake

on one side and a
forty-niner on the other,

and they sent the whole
shipment east under heavy guard

and it vanished,
disappeared, in thin air.

About $100,000 worth.

Yeah... well, now,
if it disappeared

somewhere east of Pueblo,
it could've been near Dodge.

Well, that's what
I always figured.

Kind of funny how we keep

running into each
other, ain't it?

That was a real nice funeral
you threw for your friend.

I pretty near cried.

You, uh, come into
some money, Indian?

Like, uh, maybe
a trunk full of gold?

What do you want with me?

We just wanted to know if
you had any more of them

$50 gold pieces, like
you gave that undertaker.

You think I would
tell you if I had?

Well, we didn't think you'd
be any too willing to tell,

but then we thought
we might persuade you.

Right, Holtz?

Well, you know what
they say, Comanche...

nothing ventured,
nothing gained.

On your feet.

I said... Ow!

Get him up.

I ain't ordinarily the
kind of a man that enjoys

this kind of thing.

But you're making
it real easy for me.

You tell us where
that gold is hidden,

or you ain't gonna see so good.

Wait, there's a map.

We don't need no
map. We got you.

And you're gonna show
us where that gold is hid or...

You don't understand.

The coins were given
to me by my father.

The rest are hidden
in a secret place.

I need a map to find it.

You think he's
telling the truth?

Where is this map?

Where is it, in the wagon?

No, not here. I have it hidden.

Don't stall me,
Indian, where is it?

I'll show you.

Well...?

Drop it!

I said drop it.

I'm holding a
double-barreled shotgun.

If I pull the trigger,
there won't be enough left

of any of you to fill a bucket.

Hold it!

The gun belts.

Over here.

Mister, this ain't
none of your business.

You just do what you're told.

Now, all of you, move out!

I seen the way they looked
at each other when they heard

you'd give the undertaker
that there gold piece,

so I followed 'em.

Why?

Why, they'd have burnt your
eyes out if I hadn't stopped 'em.

Now, look, uh, I ain't
no Good Samaritan,

but the way I look at
it, I owe you something.

I had nothing against old Jake.

I didn't mean to kill him.

Sit.

That's a pretty rough
bunch out there.

I figured I'd be
a lot better off

if they didn't know who
it was that braced 'em.

You know, it ain't none
of my business, Indian,

but, uh, if I was you,

I wouldn't stay
camped out here alone.

Them saddle bums
ain't the only ones

who figure you could have a
lot more of them gold coins.

Thanks. Matter of fact,

about half of Dodge City
is feeling the same way.

But you don't think so.

Look, it just don't add up.

Anybody who knows where
100,000 in gold is hidden

ain't gonna be living
the way you are.

And still you wish to help me?

I told you.

I figure I owe you that much.

You cheated us with the hides.

No!

I broke my word, sure,

but the bottom dropped
out of the market.

Now, if I'd kept my
word to everybody,

I'd have gone out of business.

If a man knew of the existence
of many of these coins,

could they be taken
from him by the law?

Oh, I don't know, I don't know.

Uh, there's always
ways of getting rid of gold.

What kind of ways?

Well, by, uh, melting
it down, for one thing.

If them gold pieces was
made into little ingots,

there'd be no way of telling
where they came from.

Yes.

You know, if I was you, Indian,

and I knew where more
of them gold coins was,

I'd go get 'em, and I'd
hightail it out of here,

as fast as my legs
would carry me.

I can't.

Why not?

A white man must have a stone
to mark the place where he lies.

They have not yet finished
the one for Jacob Beamus.

I can't leave
until it is finished.

Whew!

Oh, you're taking a big risk.

What is the risk if I
do not have the gold?

Everybody may not
be willing to believe that.

Mm.

I'll do as you say
about one thing.

I won't remain here alone.

In the morning, I'll
go back to Dodge.

Well, in that case, I better
stay here with you tonight.

I don't need you.

Well, you never can tell.

Maybe them saddle tramps
might decide to come back.

If you wish.

And, uh, tomorrow, you and
me can ride into Dodge together.

Oh, I, uh, meant to tell you.

If you need any money,

you still got $26 coming
to you on them hides.

I hunted buffalo

because it was what my
friend Jacob wished to do.

I did not need the money then.

I do not need it now.

Hey, Gainer, look at there.

You reckon he's gonna
go to the marshal?

Nah.

It's only his word against ours.

Would you look who's with him?

Well, I sure do
recognize that shotgun.

Boy, he's sticking to that
Comanche like glue, ain't he?

Well, it sure ain't gonna
take no fortune teller

to figure out why.

My friend here wants a room.

There's... nothing available.

Don't give me that!

There's a half a
dozen keys back there.

- All reserved.
- Now wait a minute!

I don't make the
rules, Mr. Tigue.

I just carry them out.

It's all right.

No, it isn't all right.

It doesn't matter.

I'll go somewhere else.

Could you change this for me?

Well, the rules...

Mr. Tigue, were
made to be broken,

and we do owe your friend

some sort of a debt

for the unfortunate shooting.

Oh, rooms. Uh...

That one next to
me is empty, ain't it?

I believe it is. Uh...

Number eight.

Uh, we'll have your change
ready for you when you come down.

- Thank you.
- We appreciate your kindness.

Look at that!

That's my room.

You sure don't listen
very good, do you?

I've been trying to tell
you ever since last night

not to flash them coins around!

Don't you understand?

That gets people all excited.

But the coins are mine.

Why should they excite others?

Because everybody
ain't honest, that's why.

You just got to believe me.

It ain't smart!

What happened to you last
night should have taught you that.

But last night, I was
alone and unprotected.

Here there are
people all around me.

Surely I'm safe now.

You ain't never gonna be
safe as long as people figure

you know where that
there treasure is hid!

Now, look...

It's just too complicated to
try to explain to an Indian.

Okay, you just
got to believe me.

If you got any
more of them coins,

keep 'em out of sight!

Lock your door.

If you need me, I'll
be in the next room.

That's a nice, big coin.

Are you sure that's worth
the $50 that you claim?

DODGE HOUSE
MANAGER: Just look at it!

And he handed it over
without batting an eye.

And it's the second
one within 48 hours.

You know, I'll bet
that heathen knows

where the whole 100,000 is.

I'll bet he's got it
up in his room, too.

What is it?

Another gold piece, Marshal,

just like the one Percy Crump
brought into the Long Branch.

Where'd you get it?

Well, from the same
place Percy got his.

That Comanche,
uh, Jake's partner.

Where is he? At the hotel?

He sure is.

Thanks.

I've never seen
letters like that.

- Hello, John.
- Marshal.

- Come in.
- Thank you.

I, uh... I wanted to tell you
how sorry I was about Jake.

He, uh... he was a good man.

Pretty nice funeral
you gave him.

It was all I could
do for him, almost.

John, I, uh, don't exactly
how to get into this,

except just to ask you.

Now, you paid for that funeral

with a gold coin,
$50 gold piece.

Yes.

Then you gave another one
to the manager of the hotel.

Yes.

Now, John, these coins
were part of a federal shipment

that was lost between
here and Pueblo.

You think I stole it?

Well, I'm not saying that.

It happened in 1850.

You couldn't have been
much more than a baby then.

There was over $100,000
lost in that shipment,

and the federal government's
still mighty interested

in finding out what
happened to it.

Now, I'd sure like to know
where you got those coins.

Suppose I were
to say I found them

on the prairie, just
the two of them?

Did you?

Or that they were given to me

by an elder of the tribe as
talismans to ward off evil?

Is that what you're saying?

I haven't said anything,
and I haven't done anything,

but spend two coins
that belong to me.

Well, John, I'm afraid you've
done a whole lot more than that.

You got half this
town stirred up.

If they see water in the
desert where there is no water,

it's their eyes that
lie, not my mouth.

Well, John, I'm gonna
tell you something.

Just having any of those
coins in your possession is liable

to lead you to a lot more
trouble than you bargained for.

Have no fear for me, Marshal.

No man kills the bee.

He only wants to
follow him to the honey.

All right.

Banjo, will you
knock that thing off?

When are we gonna
get out of here?

We'll be getting
out in a few minutes.

Run along, will you, honey?

I know what you're
thinking, Banjo, but forget it.

We need him till
we find that gold.

Then I don't care
what you do with him.

I may even turn him loose
and let you two go at it.

Listen, you think he's on
the level about that map?

Well, I don't know.

Since seeing that
other coin this afternoon,

I'm sure he knows
where the rest is hidden.

Yeah, and this time,
you keep your eyes open.

After last night, we don't need
no more unexpected visitors.

Evening, Miss Kitty.

Evening, Festus.

You're doing regular
land-office business, ain't you?

It's just like the
Fourth of July.

Seems like nobody's
got anything on their mind

except buried treasure.

Say, has anybody saw
old John Walking Fox?

Nope. He's still up in
his hotel room, I guess.

Well, how in tarnation
would anybody know that?

Festus, for your information,

the people in this town
are keeping a 24-hour watch

on his whereabouts.

You mean, so's he won't
slip out and pick up that gold

without them
knowing about it, huh?

That's right.

There's a guard
on that front porch

that changes about,
uh, every 30 minutes.

Well, let me tell
you this, Miss Kitty.

You know, folks can get to
be a regular herd of idiots,

if they're gave a half a chance.

Why, me and old Matthew
just talked ourselves plumb out,

a-tryin' to talk reason
into their heads.

Fact is, my old
guzzler is just as dry.

I can't hardly even swaller.

Whew.

A cold beer wouldn't
help, would it?

- Beer?
- Mm.

Well, now that you
mention it, it just might.

Well, how come I
didn't think of that?

Well, I guess you've
just been too concerned

with your civic
responsibilities.

Much obliged, Miss Kitty.

Ooh!

Oh, I'm sorry.

I disturbed you.

No, that's, uh, all right.

Uh, come on in.

No. I was going out.

But I began to think about
the things that you've said,

that dishonest men would
take from me that which is mine

and which I have in my room.

What about it?

The lock on my door
is not very strong.

I wonder, would
it be much trouble

for you to watch for
me while I'm gone?

Well, I'm...

It's all right, as long as
you're not gone too long.

No, I'll only be a short time.

All right.

Well, gentlemen,
finest rooms in Dodge.

A nice double or we could
put your whole party up in...

Oh, we'll see about that later.

We're not sure we're gonna
be around much longer.

Now, uh, we'd like
to see that Indian

you got staying here...
John, uh, Walking Fox.

- John?
- Yeah.

He does have a room here, but...

Well, we're-we're
friends of his'n.

Well, I don't think
he's in right this minute.

Likely you'd find him
at one of the saloons.

Now, which room is he in?

Number eight, upstairs.

Much obliged.

I think John'll be real glad
to see us, don't you, Holtz?

By Harry, Buffalo Creek.

Open up, Indian!

We know you're there!

He's going out the window!

Tigue!

Tigue, where's that Indian?

- Where is he?!
- Hey! Hey, looky!

Let's get out of here.

Banjo! This way!

Thad.

You...

♪♪

Gainer, the whole
town's gonna be after us.

They won't be able
to track us 'fore dawn.

By then, we'll be long gone.

Let's see that lantern.

Yeah.

An old dead tree.

There it is.

That's the old dead tree.

Rocks.

Rocks with a notch in it.

That could be them.

Notch.

Here it is.

Let's have the lamp.

Look through notch
of rock for oak tree.

There it is.

See it? Come on.

Bring that lantern
up here, Holtz.

Pace off three steps forward.

One, two...

three.

This is it. Look at
this fresh ground.

Let's get to digging.
Give me that shovel.

- Holtz! Take a look at that.
- What? What is it?

- No gold cache. It's a coffin.
- A what?

- I'm telling you it's a coffin.
- What's wrong with you?

The same coffin that
Indian buried his friend in.

- He's tricked us.
- Well...

well, wh-what if it is a coffin?

Maybe he hid the gold in there.
Can you think of a better place?

Yeah!

Festus, see if you can
work around to the left.

Gainer!

All right, drop the
gun! Come out of there!

Morning, John.

Morning, Marshal.

Nice-looking headstone.

It says Jacob is remembered.

Gainer...

he will hang?

Probably.

It is well.

Well, John, I guess
things worked out

just the way you
planned, didn't they?

Planned?

Over gold that doesn't exist.

There are those who say
it is out there somewhere.

You were Jacob's friend.

I shall think of you often.

I'll, uh...

I'll have a few
thoughts of you, too.

Good-bye, Marshal.

Good-bye, John.