Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 13, Episode 19 - Blood Money/II - full transcript

Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Hold it right there.

It's all over, Marshal.

Drop the gun belt.

Marshal.

Alan drew first.

His friend was just too slow.

I seen it all, Marshal.

That's the way it was.

Them two come looking
for a fight and he give it them.

- They're both dead, Matthew.
- Where you staying?



The Dodge House.

All right. You can pick that
gun up on your way out of town.

Been a long day.

That there is Nick
Skouras, ain't he, Matthew?

Yeah.

He's the coldest-eyed
scamp that I've ever saw.

This blood money...

I never knew where to return it.

Papa...

What... Oh, Papa.

You understand, Marshal? I don't want
to sign any complaint against my father.

Don't put him in jail.

It's up to you.

I want to see that
in the morning.



Ah, Doc, does it really
make any difference?

It might make a lot
of difference to you.

Oh, here. This is laudanum.
You're gonna want...

I know.

Been a time or two
I've had to take that.

How much I owe you, Doc?

We'll take that
up in the morning.

Ah, wait a minute.

My Papa used to say...

you take what's
owed while it's there.

It might not be
there the next time.

Much obliged.

Matt, I wonder if you could put that
table back there. Get it out of his way.

All right.

See you in the morning.

Thanks, Doc.

Don't mention it.

Doctor, will he be all right?

Well, he'll be
all right. Elenya.

I don't know about his hand.
He may never use it again.

- Good.
- Papa.

This way nobody else
will die because of him.

Well, it's pretty easy to see
your intentions, Mr. Skouras,

but I don't agree
with your method.

He just may have lost more
than the use of that hand.

What do you mean?

The bones were shattered. If the nerves
are destroyed, the hand will atrophy.

In that case, it'll be like walking
around with a lead weight

for the rest of his life.

I'm ready, Marshal.

Mr. Skouras, there's been
no complaint against you.

Your boy claims that the gun
went off when he was cleaning it.

You believe him?

No, but he's not
filing any charges.

- Can I see my brother now, Doctor?
- No.

Can I see him?

I said no.

Maybe it's better you don't
see him right now, Elenya.

Probably be better if you wait
until tomorrow to see him anyway.

If you think so, Doctor.

Nick Skouras hasn't got much
of a chance, has he, Matt?

He's as good as dead, Doc.

With the reputation he's got,
how can he defend himself?

I didn't ask when
you buried him.

I asked you who killed him.

His name is Nick Skouras.

Jesse?

Is he still in town?

Yes, probably
will be for a time.

What I heard, he...

Jesse?

Yeah?

What are you planning on doing?

What do you think?

Now hold on.

If you got an idea of our
going up against Skouras...

You owe it to Jake.

I never owed a man enough
so's to get killed over it.

You're ain't gonna get killed.

But Jesse, calling him out here in
Dodge is going to put Dillon on us.

Now, Skouras is one thing,

but I don't want no
dealing with Matt Dillon.

Jesse, they plant us
next to Jake and the kid

or we stretch rope.

Now either way, it ain't
gonna do Jake no good.

That's pure truth.

Nick Skouras is gonna die.

You gonna help me kill him?

Well, I ain't gonna
let you try it alone.

Well...

Nickolas.

Nickolas.

Hey, Elly.

I brought some kapama.

You brought kapama.

Let me see you.

Look at you.

Sure been a long time.

Never figured you
to be in Dodge.

This is something that we are,

brother and sister
avoiding each other.

It has to be.

It has to be.

I tried to help when
I send you money,

but Papa threw
it back in my face.

How could you
think he'd take it?

I hope you'd make him.

You know nothing. Even
if I could, I wouldn't have.

Well, what are you here for?

You feel guilty because dear
old Papa shoot me? Is that it?

I've missed you, Nickolas.

Ohhh.

I've missed you, too.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

- I'm so sorry.
- Hey, hey.

Shh.

It's all right.

He said you were drunk,

so drunk you didn't even
hear him come into the room.

Is that what killing
a man does to you?

If that's the way you feel,
why? Why do you go on?

I don't know.

Once you get started,
how do you stop?

How do you begin
killing other men?

Aw, Elly, ah.

The first one, he need killing.

It wasn't just me, the
whole town said so.

One day, it came to me
backing off or facing him,

then, after that, I don't know.

Always seemed to be
someone that needed killing,

somebody the law could
not, or would not touch.

Like those two
men here in Dodge.

Elly, they are paid to shoot
a ranch foreman up in Hays,

and they crippled the rancher's
son when he tried to interfere.

And you got paid
for killing them.

Yeah, I got paid.

One hundred dollars, I got paid.

I know it's no excuse for this,

but it nearly killed Papa when
he heard what you'd become.

And then last night when he saw
those two men dead in the street,

and then heard you shoot them...

Elly, Elly, don't, don't.

What's the point,
to go over and over?

That's kapama.

I have to go now.

Yeah, I guess so.

What are you going to do?

What am I gonna do?

Last three years, I only
know from day to day.

Then not much
has changed, has it?

Not much.

And everything.

Hey, Elly.

Don't go.

Come here. I want to see you.

You know, you look good.

You've grown into
a real pretty girl.

Except what...
what is this, clothes?

Hey, I want...

I want you to do
something for me.

I want you to take this and
buy yourself a dress, huh?

No. I... I can't.

- Papa wouldn't let me and I...
- But I want.

Not Papa.

For me.

It's important to me, huh?

Say, what you sharpen
this knife on, rocks?

Well, it's pretty old. I
guess I could use a new one.

No, no, there is
still plenty life in it.

Morning.

Good morning, ma'am.

If you're in a
hurry, I can wait.

Oh, no, I'm not a customer.

And sometimes
she's not daughter.

Daughter?

Oh, I didn't think I'd seen
you around here before.

My name's O'Brien,
Newly O'Brien, Miss.

Elenya Skouras.

Skouras?

My brother is Nickolas Skouras.

Well, Miss Skouras,
it's my pleasure.

This great big silent
man here is my father.

Right now he's not
too happy with me.

Are you, Papa?

Papa?

- See what I mean.
- All right. All right. All right.

If you take good care of this
knife, it will last a long time.

Yes, sir.

- How much do I owe you for it.
- Dime.

Elenya, go tell everybody
we're open for business.

Papa, Nickolas is all right.

I didn't ask.

Go on. Go on.

You mind if I go along with you?

It's for the barber. Come on.

There's a dance Saturday
night, Miss Skouras,

and if you're going
to be in town...

Can I help you?

You know them, Matt?

Yes. That's Jesse. He's
a sidekick of Jake Walker.

Do you think they know
about Jake and that other one?

Well, if they don't, it's
just a matter of time.

Percy buried them this morning.

I got me a little bone
in the back of my neck

that just starts hurting like thunder
when there's trouble brewing.

It's a-jawing on me
pretty good right now.

Must be after Nick Skouras.

You think they'll go after him?

Normally, they'd be afraid to, but
with that hand of his the way it is...

They ain't going to
be afraid no more.

Jesse.

- Hi, Doc.
- Nick.

Hey, you got some
of that coffee for me?

Sure. Coming right up.

Get.

You don't know me,

but I know you for dead sure.

Name's Jesse Hill.

Go on.

Well, howdy do, darlin'.

Brent.

What can I do for
you, Jesse Hill?

We were just talking
to a man here in town.

Yeah.

And I'm supposed to ask
you who that man was?

Undertaker.

Kind of set us back some

when we heard it was
Jake he buried, Jake Walker.

Is that a fact?

Yes, that's a cold fact.

You see, me and
Jake was friends.

And really good
friends, I'll bet.

You'd make money.

It's a sad thing
for a man to hear

his friend has been buried.

Indeed.

I knew Jake wouldn't
be that easy to take.

Mister...

he was as easy...

as a preacher falling to sleep.

I'm here to settle it.

All right.

But you've got to give me time.

Time?

I ain't got no time.

Let's go.

Hill.

Yeah?

First sign of trouble out of
you, you're going to land in jail.

- Oh, Marshal, we weren't...
- Hank.

First time.

- You want a drink, Marshal?
- No, thanks.

Skouras, you got any plans?

Could be they have
been made for me.

Uh-huh.

If it weren't for that hand of yours,
I'd run you out of town right now.

If it wasn't for this hand of
mine, Marshal, I wouldn't be here.

You want me to put you in
jail for your own protection?

You could.

All you got to do is ask.

What's the matter, Marshal?
You don't like your job?

What are you talking about?

Oh, it's not too permanent:

body guarding a
crippled gunfighter.

Doc, I'm telling you,
this here little old bone...

Yeah, the bone in your head
is hurting you something fierce.

It's in my neck, and it is.

Good afternoon.

Hi.

You want something, Mr. Skouras?

Yes, a good right
hand. You sell them?

Well, I'm sorry, I'm fresh out.

Yeah.

You got a cross-draw holster?

Well, we don't have too much
of a call for them around here.

Could you make one?

Yes, I could.

How long it take you?

Take me a couple of days.

All right. I'll be back
in a couple of days.

Uh, Mr. Skouras, would
you mind leaving a deposit?

All right.

I say, Mr. Skouras?

Are you all that fast
with your left hand?

I don't think so.

Well?

You like it, Papa?

It's very pretty.

That boy this morning, Newly,

he asked me to the
church dance Saturday.

Huh. And he give
to you a dress, huh?

No. We can stay
until then, can't we?

I suppose.

- Oh, thank you, Papa.
- Nah, nah.

Elenya...

the dress?

It's the prettiest
one I've over owned.

Yes, and I think maybe
the most expensive.

Well?

Nickolas gave me the money.

Sure.

He wanted me to have it.

And I want you to bring back
that dress and get back the money.

Papa, please.

No arguments!

Return the dress!

Give the money
back to your brother.

But, Papa!

Don't "Papa" me!

You know where
that money come from.

From the dead men
that your brother killed.

Well...

Looks like we're
busting up a family spat.

What you want?

- That depends, old man.
- I don't know you.

Well, lookee here.

Pretty little missy.

That's a pretty dress.

I heard you say
Nick gave it to you.

Nick Skouras, your brother?

Go away from here.

That means he's partial to you,

making things
nice, easy, cozy...

I don't know who you
are, or what you want...

Easy.

And I'll tell you
exactly what I want.

Jake Walker was near kin to me.

And your son killed him.

Then...

you should go fight with him.

That's a fact,

only you fixed things so the
settling of it ain't so easy to get to.

Please, leave us alone.

No. We can't rightly do
that and square things.

Anyways, old man,

it's because of you that
we're having to wait here.

Now why did you shoot him? Huh?

We figured whatever
happened between you and him

ought to bring him out of town.

Then we can set it right.

And while we're waiting for him,

you and me can get acquainted.

How about that?

No! No!

Papa! No!

No! No, don't!

Papa!

All right, that's enough.

Hold it.

Now get over there.

- Get their guns, Festus.
- Yeah.

Animals!

It was the old man
that started it, Marshal.

Nobody asked you!

Marshal, they're after my brother,
Nickolas. They're going to kill him!

- Let's get him over to Doc's.
- Come on, Mr. Skouras. Just take it easy.

- Here we go.
- Put all your weight right on me now.

Come on. Take it easy now.

Right here.

What are you going to do? Slap our
wrists for roughing up that old man?

Yeah, give us a couple of days
free room and board in your jailhouse.

That's probably what
Judge Brooke would give you.

Unless a little rough and tumble
is a hanging offense in your town.

You know, I think maybe I'll just
give you boys a head start out of town.

You've got as much time to get
out of Dodge as it takes to saddle up.

Get moving.

Marshal, we're going.

Yeah?

Elenya.

What's the matter?

Jesse Hill and those two
other men just beat up Papa.

What?

No, no, the marshal
will take care of it.

I'm going to find Hill
and you stay here.

Papa.

Elenya, you go back in wagon.

You feel all right, Papa?

You do what I say now.

Go.

I should have put that
bullet through your heart.

Yeah, lots of things
you should have done

you didn't do.

If those animals come back and
so much as touch your sister...

I take an oath, I will kill you.

Don't worry, Papa,
they won't come back,

'cause I'm leaving.

Well, good riddance.

You never change.

You only wear down.

But there aren't enough years.
We've only got one lifetime.

- We.
- Yes, Elly and me!

Elenya has nothing to do
with what is between us.

What?

Because she chose
to stay with you.

Because she felt sorry for you?

I need no pity.

Oh, you... you... you're like the
wetstone you got in the wagon.

You go round and round,
but you don't get anywhere.

And where do you get? You
with your guns and your killing.

Wherever, it's
quicker than your way.

Quicker, yes, quicker! But there is
no shame to the way I earn my living!

- No shame?
- No!

Papa, there is shame if you
can do better and you won't.

There's shame when you
turn your back on a dream!

There is shame in
what you do to Elly.

Like what? Do you know
what you're talking about?

- Yes, I know what I'm talking about.
- What?

The farm!

You never made no move to do nothing
about getting it and you never will!

Why? Tell me that! Why?

I explain nothing to you!

You animal!

Animal!

Animal!

Animal who kills for money!

You killed as good as me.

Only your way is slower.

Took Mama... a long time to die.

All that while, she's
waiting to see a farm,

a house for her to live in.

Well, I wouldn't wait.

How long you going
to make Elly wait?

Elly's my daughter.
She's not your business.

Pa, she is. If I
could make you see!

I take good care of me and mine.

How?

With promises? With empty words?

How many years you point
to a piece of land and say,

"That's gonna be ours someday."?

How many times I hear you say,

"Soon, we're not gonna
move around no more.

Soon, we're going to
have a place of our own."?

My whole life I hear that.

Well, Mama died.
Well, we buried her.

Why not there?

I don't know what
you're talking about.

Well then, tell me
how much longer?

Till Elly dries up
and wither away?

Till she's so old she
can't have a husband...?

I don't want to hear
no more! That's enough.

Wait a minute, Papa. I
want to ask you something.

What are you gonna
do with that money

you've been hiding under
the wagon seat, huh?

I've known about it
since before Mama died.

Is that afraid to fail? Huh?

Oh, Papa.

You're afraid.

Oh, Papa.

I don't mind saying,

Dodge is one town I'm going to
give wide berth to from now on.

Well, it ain't like we didn't
try to square things for Jake.

I want Nick Skouras dead.

Okay, Jesse. We'll kill him.

But there's time. He ain't
going to take root back in Dodge.

Neither is that old
man of his or his sister.

Huh?

So?

Every year...

him and his wagon
make the same circuit.

Tomorrow or the next day
they'll be leaving Dodge.

It'll be just like we planned.

I'm going to deliver
these knives to the store.

You continue to load.

Papa, I want to see
Nickolas before I leave.

No, no, there is no time.

I want to leave before
the day gets too hot.

You continue to load.

- Elenya.
- Nickolas.

- We're leaving.
- Yeah, I know.

It's not right,
after three years...

It may not be right,
but it has to be.

Here. I was going to get
somebody to give this to you.

What is it?

It's a deed to a farm a
few miles south of here.

A farm?

Yes. You don't let
him talk you out of it.

You make him take it,
and work, you understand?

But I can't. You
know what he'll say.

Ah, he'll say it bought
with blood money.

Well, you tell him some
of that blood was mine.

Elly, if he won't take it,

you're gonna wander
around with him year after year

and finally he's gonna die
and you're gonna have nothing.

You make him take it and work
it, right now. You understand?

- I'll try.
- Okay.

Maybe... maybe he will take it.
Maybe you'll be able to come back, eh?

Maybe, maybe, maybe. You
take care of yourself, huh?

And you take care of him, too.

- Bye-bye.
- Oh, Nickolas.

I'll see you soon,
Nick, on a farm.

On a farm. Bye-bye.

Are you going to tell me?

- Have to for now.
- What?

Will you hear me out all
the way without interrupting?

How I can say? I
don't know what it is.

Papa.

All right. All right.

It's a deed, a deed to a farm.

Hm.

Where it come from?

It doesn't matter.

You want this farm real bad...

huh?

More than anything I've
ever wanted in my whole life.

All these years things
were hard for you, huh?

- It doesn't matter.
- Yes, it matters.

Going from town to town,

not having a place
you can call your home.

Papa.

Maybe Nick was right.

Maybe I have
been afraid to fail.

Maybe it is easier
to... to dream.

You knew, he said that to me?
He said, "Papa, you're afraid."

That's what he said to me.

But if a man has dream he must
do something about that dream.

And if he has a woman-child,
he must do his best for her.

Papa.

We will buy that
farm, but not with this.

No, no, not with this.

I have money.

I have been waiting
for the right time.

Now in several years
my baby has grown up.

I suppose it's right time, huh?

We will go back to
that what...? what...?

- Dodge.
- Dodge.

We'll go back to
Dodge and we'll...

- Papa!
- Eh? Papa.

Yes! Papa!

Yes, Papa.

Yah!

What is this?

Hank.

There ain't no marshal out
here to play your hand, old man.

Nickolas! Nickolas.

- Anything wrong?
- My brother!

I have to find my brother.

He ain't here no more, Miss Skouras.
He checked out about 15 minutes ago.

Where'd he go?

Well, I couldn't say. If you'd hurry,
you'd catch him over at the stable.

Nickolas! Nickolas!

Elly, what's the matter?
What happened? What ha...?

Hey, where's Papa?

Where is he? Tell me?

- They got him.
- Who?

Those three men, they got Papa.

- Where'd they take him?
- I can't tell you.

That's what they want.

They want you to come for him.
That's why they sent me here.

- They want to kill you.
- Want to kill me, huh?

Where is he?

Tell me where he is!

North side of town.

You stay here.

If you ain't a caution, old man.

Tied up like a slab of beef.

Just to keep you down.

Here, let me take it.

Uh, Mr. Skouras, this
is twice what I asked.

Keep it.

Nickolas, don't go!

No. Don't go, Nickolas, please!

Nickolas, no!

Elenya. Elenya.

Uh... Please.

What do we do with the old
man after it's over, Jesse?

What do you think?

Seems to me we got to kill him.

I think you're right.

Shame.

That little girl is gonna
need a friend to look after her,

being she's got
no family and all.

Jessie, he's coming.

Nick... Nickolas, run away!

Nick, run away, don't come
here! Don't come here, Nick!

Papa, what they do to you?

Run away. They wanted you
to come so they can kill you.

Untie him.

Sure is touching.

You don't need him now,
you got me. Cut him loose!

You ain't in no
place to be telling.

Come on, Jesse.
Get it over with.

Skouras.

Hold it!

Papa.

It's all right, Papa.

The wetstone...

The wetstone, you...

You trade that for a dream, huh?

Just tear them all the way down
and give them a real good cleaning.

All right, sir. I'll get them
back to you as soon as I finish.

Fine, Newly.

- Good afternoon.
- Marshal.

- Hello. Mr. Skouras. Elenya.
- Hello.

Yesterday, Elenya
baked some psomi.

I said we have to bring
some for the marshal to taste.

- Psomi?
- Mm-hm.

Psomi, it's a greek bread. It's
the best bread I ever ate, Marshal.

Well, thank you very much.

- How are things on the farm?
- Oh...

Marshal, the last crop of wheat
was enough to pay for our new team.

Sure. And I got a new loan to
build a windmill for pumping water,

going to develop
the back 80 acres.

Good.

I'd say they were working
out pretty good as farmers.

- I guess so.
- I knew that all the time.

Listen, in the morning,
with a little bit of coffee.

Ah. Well, I'll give it a
try. Good luck to you.

- Goodbye.
- Elenya.

Elenya, tonight, 7:30?

- I'll be waiting.
- Okay.

Good afternoon, Mr. Skouras.

Good afternoon, uh...

- Newly, Papa.
- I know that, Newly.

I'm sorry, but it's
such a funny name.

It could be Nick or
Mike or... but Newly.

It's all right,
Newly, good name.

Marshal.

I'll... I'll see you
later, Newly.

Stay tuned for scenes
from next week's Gunsmoke.