Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 12, Episode 12 - Quaker Girl - full transcript

When a dying deputy swears in Thad to capture killer Fred Bateman, he ends up in a Quaker town, in which the people can not tell which one is the wanted man.

(dramatic theme music playing)

(both guns fire)

ANNOUNCER: starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Been hanging on...

hoping somebody'd see my fire.

How did this happen?

I was taking a
prisoner to Alcatur.

"Unlock my hands,"
he says, "so's I can eat."

Kindness always been my undoing.

Well, just lie easy.

He jumped me.



Shot me with my own gun.

(coughing)

(groans)

Laughing to beat all.

You got to go get him.

Take my badge.

What's your name?

Thad Greenwood.

Wes Kester.

Raise your hand.

I swear you in, Greenwood,

and order you to
do what you're told.

Give me your word.

All right, I give it.



(sighing): Good.

He's about six feet, mustache.

Heading west.

Maybe about two hours.

Now, creep up on him carefully.

Take your gun out,

sing out his name, Fred Bateman.

Be sure.

Then shoot him.

Mr. Kester, I just can't
kill a man like that.

I'm dying, boy.

You gave your word.

That's sacred.

You kill him.

That's a real good boy.

(theme music playing)

(hoofbeats approaching)

Fred Bateman?

Off the horse.

Come on, get off the horse.

Now drop the gun.

Drop it.

All right, now put the hands up.

(laughing)

(grunts)

(groans)

(grunts)

You got to be crazy.

You know I could have
shot you back there.

Whoever heard of the flies

killing the honey?

(panting)

You ever hear of the
Mountain City mail robbery?

Sure. About three years ago?

Yeah, I recall
something about it.

Me and a couple others

made over $54,000 out of it.

Thayer got killed
fighting the posse,

and they beat me and
Lou up so badly in prison

trying to get the money,

he died of pneumonia.

Leaving me as the only one

who knows where
that money's hid.

I thought you knew.

Otherwise, I wouldn't
have jumped you.

Well, the deputy didn't
say anything about it.

Well, now you know.

Let's go.

Where to?

Dodge City. Come on.

Make me.

(laughs)

You aren't about
to kill off $54,000.

And beating me...

isn't gonna get it for you.

Come on, I'll put
you on a horse.

No, wait a minute,
wait a minute.

Thad, how does
$5,000 sound to you?

Hard cash.

Come on.

You don't believe me, do you?

If you were me,
would you believe it?

Hyah.

Hyah.

(groaning)

Now there goes our water.

Yeah.

You want to get
me to Dodge City,

you're gonna have to carry me.

I'm just going to tie you
up and leave you here,

and you can just hope that I
get one of those horses back

before you just dry
up and blow away.

The shape you're in,
you might not make it.

I'll walk.

Offer still holds.

You're just using up time.

You haven't asked
yourself why, if...

if I've killed as many
men as Kester said I did,

they didn't hang me,

instead of putting me in jail.

Well, ask yourself.

Dying deputy wouldn't lie to me.

Kester... he'd lie.

Kester paid $400
for the privilege

of escorting me
alone to Alcatur.

That's a fact.

Sort of a speculation
he could beat

the whereabouts of
the money out of me.

Well, he sure tried.

But he got careless.

And I got his gun away from him.

He was gonna beat me to death.

I had to kill him.

Well, it's not up
to me to decide.

Just by taking me to
Dodge City you're deciding.

They'll hang me for certain.

And I don't deserve it.

What you're doing is wrong.

Plus, you're...

throwing away $10,000.

The truth isn't in a
person's looks, Thad.

That deputy, dying or not,

can be telling a lie,

just the same as I'm
telling you the truth.

$12,500.

Isn't that worth a chance
that I'm telling you the truth?

(sighs)

Let's go.

I thought so.

That rib is busted.

It's just a bruise.

No, I know better.

It's busted.

(grunts)

Come on.

(sighs)

I don't believe I'll be
making you any more offers.

Come on.

Come on.

(grunts)

(groans)

Oh.

It's a bit chewy.

Why'd you save me?

No good reason I can think of.

Well, thanks.

Well, I've done
all I'm gonna do.

(grunts)

You lay up here awhile,

get some water into
you until it cools off.

Your best bet's
in that direction.

You might make it.

I wasn't gonna give
you the money anyhow.

♪♪

Lie down.

I'm gonna tie you up.

Lie down.

There's a wagon
track over there.

If somebody comes by
in time, you can holler.

(groans)

If they don't...

Well, I warned you
not to follow me.

(grunts)

(groans)

(gunshot)

Whoa, whoa.

(grunting)

Thank you.

How you feeling, Fred?

What's the matter?

Sounded like you said
Fred instead of Thad.

Why would I call
you anything but Fred,

Mr. Bateman?

(jaunty music playing)

Well, how about a beer?

That'd be fine.

Sounds good, Kitty.

Carl Torgeson's been
looking for you, Matt.

Oh, is he concerned about Thad?

He seems to think that
Thad sold his horses

and skedaddled with the money.

Oh, for heaven's sakes,

Thad would never
do anything like that.

What's the matter with him?

Well, you know
that, and I know it,

but Carl doesn't know it.

Well, I'm not concerned

with what Carl Torgeson thinks.

What concerns me is that
Thad should have been back

a couple of days ago, Matt.

How much money
was he carrying, Matt?

Oh, close to $600, I guess.

Well, that's an awful lot
of money for a young man

to be carrying
around with strangers.

Well, it might not
have been in cash, Doc.

It could have been a
check or money order.

What does it take
to worry you, Matt?

Well, Kitty, I'm worried,

but, you know, when
you're Thad's age,

you don't want somebody
tagging around after you

every five minutes.

I thought I'd give
him another day or so.

You know, an awful lot of
things could happen to him

down in that Gardner country.

A lot of bad folks down there.

Yeah, I suppose
you're right, Doc.

Well, I'll get Festus,

and we'll start out looking
for him in the morning.

He's Bateman.

He killed Kester yesterday.

They get pretty good at lying.

What I suggest is you telegraph

the warden at the
state penitentiary,

or the sheriff at Alcatur.

They'll verify I was
taking Mr. Bateman, here,

to Alcatur to testify.

There must be at least
three dozen people

in Dodge City who
know me by sight.

Unfortunately, neither
suggestion is very practical.

The nearest town is our
settlement at Dothan Springs,

and we have no telegraph.

Also, we need these supplies.

Benjamin, I don't
see that we have

any great difficulty here.

These are just two
strangers that need our help.

But one of them is a
convict and a murderer.

Well, neither of them is
liable to be much danger

to anybody for a few days.

In the meantime, we can
keep a close watch on them

until we get word
to the authorities.

That suits me.

Well, if that's the
best you can do.

We'll leave it at that.

Supper is about ready.

If you need anything,
Mr. Kester, Mr. uh...

Greenwood.

Just call out.

(laughing)

They don't believe you.

(laughs)

Now you know what it's like.

Morning.

Where's Bateman?

My name is Thad Greenwood.

And I'll prove that to
you, sooner or later.

To all of you.

Now where's Bateman?

He went outside
a few minutes ago.

You mean you let him
walk out of here by himself?

We're not animals.

We don't keep people in chains.

Then will you listen
to me a minute?

You've got a right to think
about me whatever way you want,

but there's something you
folks haven't figured out yet.

That as long as
you keep believing

I'm Bateman, you
won't be looking at him,

and that's exactly
what he wants.

Now, hasn't it occurred to you
that he's killed once already?

That he just might kill again?

He has no gun.

He doesn't need a gun.

All he needs is
a knife or a stick,

- or a...
- Rock?

Now, look,

the first chance he
gets, he's gonna take it.

And no matter who gets in
his way, it won't worry him at all.

Why are you telling me this?

Well, you've got
to warn your father.

My father's not
stupid, Mr. Bateman,

and neither am I.

Now, if you don't mind, I'd
like to get back to my work.

Well, no matter
who you think I am,

a little common
politeness wouldn't hurt.

Besides, that's not who I am.

Mr. Ellis.

What would you do
if he was to run off?

Or me?

You mean, since we are
Quakers and opposed to violence?

How would you stop him?

He would need a horse.

In this country, a man couldn't
go five miles without one.

Yeah?

But there are only four riding
horses in Dothan Springs,

and we have hidden them.

Well, I guess we don't
have much to worry about.

Blood.

There has been a scuffle.

Maybe yesterday, maybe earlier.

I swear he could track
a feather over a tin roof.

Buster's got Apache
blood, you know.

Yeah, yeah, I know,
you keep telling me.

BATEMAN: That girl of
yours sure can cook, Mr. Ellis.

Thank you, sir.

That there is the best
meal I ever had, Miss Ellis.

(Bateman chuckles)

You know what
they always say, boy,

you can't fool
dogs and children.

They always know a bad
man when they see one.

I know you're gonna try
and make a break for it

as soon as you're able to,

but don't, because
I'll be right behind you.

Keep your distance, boy.

Well, it seems you're
not the only one

who thinks I'm Fred Bateman.

Go home, both of you.

I'm sorry.

You can't blame
them for being curious.

Besides, I-I'm the one that
should be apologizing to you.

I don't see why.

Well, I was very rude
to you this morning.

You had good reason.

No, no, that's not true.

After all the things that
have been said about me,

I can understand you
feeling the way you did.

And I've thought
about it all day,

and I am sorry.

I've thought about it, too.

You're a guest in this house,

and you gave me no
cause to be sharp with you.

You folks haven't been
here long, have you?

Uh, we settled here last spring.

Well, where are you from?

Ohio.

Really?

Well, I'm from Oklahoma.

And you know that that
starts with an "O", also?

They both have
two "O" s in them.

So they do.

That's pretty remarkable.

Why'd you folks leave?

There were 11
families planning to...

come out here to Dothan Springs

to form a congregation.

Um, my mother died
nearly three years ago,

and, uh, they were all friends.

My father thought it
would be a good idea

if we joined them.

Oh, my mother's dead, also.

And my father died
about a year ago.

We used to have this
little store together, and...

Well, anyhow, I
wound up in Dodge City,

and I've been there ever since.

Well, (chuckles) that
can't be true, can it?

'Cause I'm supposed
to have been in prison,

and you're probably
sitting there thinking,

there's no end to the
lies that I can dream up.

No, that's not true.

Well, that's good.

You know, I think you
need a little help, there.

No, there's no need.

No, really, I think, uh,

if we can get it arranged,
it might be faster, and, uh...

(laughs)

somehow, it might be easier.

(both chuckling)

Uh, don't hold your
h-hands so far apart,

and lower them a little bit.

Why?

(laughing)

That's it.

THAD: Is there anyth... okay.

(both laughing)

Mr. Ellis, Mr. Thenly.

There's somebody camped
up there a mile or so.

I'm sure I saw some light.

Well, if they...
anybody got that close,

you'd think they'd
come on down here.

Maybe they got a good
reason for not coming down.

There's a lot of people know
about Bateman and the money.

Might be a good
idea if you didn't tell

just everybody that passed by

about him being here.

Might save you some
trouble until you get to the law.

Now, that makes sense.

I'll tell the other families.

Good.

A pretty girl like that,
and a good cook, too.

It's a crying shame

you're such an untrustworthy
character, Mr. Bateman.

(laughs)

Howdy.

Good day.

Just got some
fresh supplies, huh?

Yes, we were in
Dodge City yesterday.

I'm looking for a couple of men.

Maybe you saw them.

What do they look like?

Well, I don't know.

One of them's a deputy,

and the other one is
called Fred Bateman.

This here's old Thad's horse,
ain't no doubt about that.

Take a look in the
saddlebags, Festus.

Well, here's a whole
passel of money.

It couldn't have been no holdup.

Maybe that's the $600.

Whoa, looky here.

Deputy sheriff's badge?

Where you reckon he got
a hold of a thing like that?

Well, he could have
got it in Canyon City.

That'd explain
these handcuffs here.

You thinkin' Dan Kerstead
might have deputized him

to bring in a prisoner?

Well, he could have.

I can't imagine Thad taking
on a deputy sheriff's job.

Not when he knows he was
due back in Dodge City yesterday

with $600 of Torgeson's money.

No, sure ain't.

Well, maybe he just
plain old got throwed.

Yeah.

Well, if he did, the nearest
water's in Dothan Springs.

You know, these are pretty good.

Don't worry, uh, there's
more than enough here

to fill the baskets.

I know your father told
you not to talk to me,

but I don't think it'd hurt any

if maybe you were to nod
your head at me once in a while.

What do you plan
to do with them?

Make some grape jelly?

How about, uh, grape tarts?

I'm about running out of dishes.

I know what...

grapes and cream.

You didn't see that.

I'll do it again.

I know that may seem
a bit pointless to you.

You'd be surprised
what it does to the flavor.

Gives you sort of a
sense of accomplishment

as it's going down.

Of course, it takes a
bit of catching on to.

See, I spent the better
part of my childhood

in the vineyard learning how.

(laughing)

Well, that's pretty
good for a girl.

I bet I could do it
with my eyes shut.

(choking)

You all right?

It went down my Sunday throat.

(coughing)

As long as you've
said that much,

why don't you go
a little bit further,

and talk to me some more?

All right.

Well, say something.

You say something.

Are you unhappy?

No.

It's just that I...

I think something very
serious is happening.

Me, too.

And very important.

I'm coming back, Cora.

Once this is all over,
I'm coming back.

What's wrong with that?

I'm not gonna choose a husband

because of what
I know about him,

but because of what I feel.

But when we discover the truth,

they may take him away to prison

or to be hanged.

I don't believe it.

Can you honestly say

you know anything
about this young man?

You feel, therefore you believe.

Isn't that the nub of it?

I suppose so.

And therefore,
you could be wrong.

Poor child.

Have I ever withheld
anything from you willfully?

No, Father.

I'm not going to now.

I believe this young man

will disappoint you bitterly,

so I counsel you
to restrain yourself.

There's no need to
make a decision now...

To build hopes and plans,

to commit yourself.

Just wait a bit.

All right.

Is this one of them?

Yeah.

You're a liar, friend.

Here now.

He's the other one,
come in on the wagon.

You're a liar, too, old man.

You can go on out
there if you want to.

Do you know who they are?

No, only the breed.

Remember, whatever
they do out there,

you're carrying the wrong name.

(yells)

Get back, get back, Quaker.

Stay where you are, chico,
and you won't get hurt.

And that goes for
the rest of you, too.

Stay where you are.

(mumbling)

(yells)

Let her go.

You're all right.

I know you picked up
two men on the road

between here and Dodge.

And one of them fella's
name is Fred Bateman.

I think you've got him hid
somewhere until you can find

the whereabouts of
that money out of him.

That is not so.

Well, if it ain't you,
somebody's got him.

I'll give you half an hour.

Work it out any way you want to,

but if you or somebody
don't come up with him,

we're gonna start
busting up things.

But good, huh, patrón? But good.

Go, fetch the other men.

All right.

Don't nobody try to
sneak out of town,

or we'll burn the place down.

Whichever one of
you is Mr. Bateman...

You have been sheltered
here and taken care of,

and now we face an hour
of trial on your account.

I call upon you to step forward,

and make yourself
known to these men.

It is perhaps too
much to expect.

Well, then, could we
pick the one we think it is

and send him out?

No.

No, I don't feel that
would be proper at all.

Certainly.

Not until we know what
these men intend toward them.

It's very simple.

If he doesn't tell them
where the money is,

they'll take him out,

they'll torture him,

and then they'll kill him.

We cannot allow that.

These men are
strangers among us,

we owe them such
protection as we can give.

But, Benjamin, we
must do something.

These men will burn the town.

We could rush them all together

and take their guns
away from them.

You'll just get
yourselves killed.

That is a chance we must take

if it comes down to protecting
the women and children.

Are there any further
thoughts from anyone?

Then I believe it is
the sense of the group

that there is nothing we
can do for the moment.

I suggest you all
return to your families

and pray for strength
and guidance.

(mouthing)

MAN: Time's up.

A little more.

I cannot help you.

Dave, let's go.

(bellowing)

Take your hand off me, Quaker.

Stop it, stop it.

That's all the food we've
got till we make a crop.

Seems you were telling
the truth about the money.

It wouldn't have made any
difference to you anyhow,

would it, boy?

Does it ever occur
to you that everything

these people have worked
for is being destroyed?

What's the matter with you?

You think this is
some kind of game

where everybody
plays by the rules?

Those people out
there saved our lives.

Well, you go out
there and stop them.

All you have to do is tell
them you're the one they want.

(chuckles)

Of course, it will upset
your girlfriend a little,

but we can't have
everything, can we?

You know I can't do that.

All they want's the money,
and I don't know where it is.

That's true.

Well, the way I look at it, boy,

sooner or later
something's got to give.

Why don't we wait
and see what it is?

(laughing)

That give you
some idea, old man?

We're gonna start
down at that end,

and set fire to one
house every ten minutes

until somebody comes
up with Bateman.

Now you've got until
dark to think it over.

Do you know where
they've hid the horses?

Well, I want to try
and leave this place,

ride to Dodge City
and get Marshall Dillon.

Now can you get me a horse?

No, I can't.

Why not?

I can't be sure.

About what?

That you will truly go for help.

Cora, what's come over you?

Did you really try to kill
that other man with a rock?

Where'd you get that idea?

My father; he saw you.

Yes, I had a rock in my hand.

And Bateman had a gun in his,

and he'd already
taken a shot at me,

and all I was trying to do

was to knock the
gun out of his hand.

Now, according to your rules,

I am allowed to
protect myself, aren't I?

Yes.

I know you set a big
store on being peaceful.

And I don't think you
and I differ that much.

In fact, I don't even
think I've been in a fight

that I could get out of,

but that's not
important right now.

You still have got to trust me.

You've got to feel that
I'm telling you the truth.

Cora, you felt
something this afternoon.

I still feel the same.

I'll get you a horse.

Now, try and give me
as much time as you can.

As soon as you see them
setting the first torch...

No!

I cannot let you run away.

I'm not running away, Mr. Ellis.

I'm just trying to
get some help.

But they will burn the town.

They won't burn the
town down if they see me.

They'll come kayaying after me.

I cannot allow it, Mr. Bateman.

Oh, for Pete's sakes.

They're gonna burn you
down one house at a time

unless you let somebody
do something about it.

No.

You're wrong, Mr. Ellis,
now give me the reins.

No, I will not let you leave.

- (thud)
- No!

(horse whinnies)

No!

(grunts)

Easy does it, mister.

Well, a couple of faces
we ain't seen before.

And a horse all saddled up.

I think we've got it
narrowed down considerable.

Let's take a crack at
both of them, patrón.

Do you hear that?

We might.

We might just do that.

Now whichever one
of you is the deputy

can save yourself a
lot of pain and misery,

if you just hold up your hand.

We'll let you go on
about your business.

I promise you.

No point in being noble
and trying to protect

a piece of trash
like Fred Bateman.

'Cause we're gonna
get to him anyhow.

Somebody knows.

Somebody will speak up.

You picked them up.

Which one was he?

You heard him.

I don't know.

You better tell me
who he is, old man.

Leave him alone.

He kin of yorn?

He's my father.

(laughing): Well,
Buster, go to work on her.

No, wait, wait.

There's no need.

I'm Fred Bateman.

You know where
that money's hid at?

That's right.

Well, now, you stepped
up just like a little soldier

and saved the girl, didn't you?

Let's get on with it.

I will. I will.

From what I hear, Bateman
wants this money something fierce.

You were sentenced
to 20 years in prison,

and I don't know
how many beatings.

And he ain't give it up yet.

Of course, if I had
that much money

I'd hold on to it
pretty tight, too.

I don't think you
are Fred Bateman.

I think you're a
fine, noble lawman.

No.

He's the one.

Ain't he?

Ain't he? Ain't he?

Yes.

I figured it.

Get him.

Andele, amigo.

Andele. Come on.

All right, go home.

You heard me, go home.

The poor boy passed out.

I'll go get some
water to pour on him.

FESTUS: What in the
tarnations went on here?

WOMAN (quietly):
Marshal, Marshal.

Marshal, can you help?

Can you do something?

Now, suppose you tell
me what this is all about.

There are three of them.

They're hurting another man.

Where?

At the Ellis's.

In the stable.

Here.

Pour some of this on him.

Mighty fine.

Dave, now,

keep a close watch on them.

How much longer?

I don't know.

Hold it.

(gunshot)

(gunshots)

All right, throw your guns
down and come out of there.

(gunshot)

Check the side.

(gunshots)

(groans)

(gunshot)

Hold it.

Don't shoot.

FESTUS: Just drop your pistol.

Now get up.

Let's see how
really rotten you are.

You don't look near
so mean no more.

I have him.

Go over yonder, turn around.

Put your hands behind
you and sit down.

Matthew killed the
other one out in the barn.

What about Bateman?

Lord.

He's the one who
started this whole thing.

He killed a deputy,

and I was trying to
bring him in when these...

MATT: Hold it.

You know who I am?

Fred Bateman.

Then you know I can make
it worth your while, Marshal.

No, you can't.

I'm the only who knows
where that money's hid.

Keep your hand
away from that gun

or there won't be
anybody that knows.

I guess you're right.

I'll just take this.

The odds are on your side.

Guess you win after all.

You know, he could have
left me out there to die, Matt,

but he came back for me.

You're a bad
influence on me, boy.

Even got me to
admit as to who I was

trying to save all
those nice people.

You trying to pretend you
didn't know what would happen

when you said you were Bateman?

Well, I guess we'll
never know, will we?

(laughing)

I'm sorry, Bateman.

Well, I wouldn't
feel too badly, boy.

It's a long way to Dodge City.

(laughing)

Thad, it's not
always easy to figure.

No... I guess it isn't.

Well, good night, Kitty.

Good night, Matt.

- DILLON: Sam, good night.
- KITTY: Good night, Doc.

Hello, Thad.

Howdy, Matt.

How's fishing?

Huh?

Fishing, huh?

Oh, it, uh, went fine.

- Fine, Doc.
- Oh, that's good.

Good, well see
you in the morning.

All right, good night, Doc.

Hello, Kitty.

- Hi, Thad.
- Sam, how are you?

Fine.

It's nice to see you back.

Well, I saw the lights
on when I rode by.

We, um, were all wondering
what happened to you.

Well, it took a little time
to clear some smoke away.

Dothan Springs?

(chuckles) Matter of fact, yeah.

Took a bit of time for
my coming around to it,

but I had the thought that
if something's really right

most times it will be.

Most times.

And if it's not,

I mean, if something's missing,

like a trust, or...

Well, it... it could be very
disappointing for a while.

It passes.

If you let it.

And I felt that Cora
should know that also.

So I, uh...

Well, anyways, uh,
things are much better now

than they were before.

ANNOUNCER: Stay tuned for
scenes from next week's Gunsmoke.