Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 13, Episode 4 - Vengeance: Part 1 - full transcript

Bob Johnson is a super fast gunman looking for revenge against the men who paralyzed his foster father and killed his foster brother, when they were attempting to steal a calf.

Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Too bad your aim
wasn't that good

with that little gal back
at the Crossroads saloon.

Well, I didn't have my
full mind on that little gal.

Now, what are you trying to say, Pappy?
You could have if you'd tried harder?

Well, I didn't see you
two doing no better.

Well, Pappy, we was just
trying to give you a clear road,

respect that gray
beard's entitled to.

Oh, is that so?

Well, you boys are gonna
learn one of these days

that a few gray hairs don't
keep a man away from the table.



Just makes him a little more
choosy. Now, start skinning that calf.

Hey, look at 'em
pushing them horses.

I'm Parker. Was that calf
dying when you shot it?

Well, we found it crippled.

We figured the wolves'd
get to it before nightfall.

Or one of my own riders maybe.
All right, drop your gun belts.

Up in the Dakotas
where we come from,

it's kind of understood you
don't leave a calf to the wolves.

If you find one crippled
or lost in the brush,

well, you have
yourself a feed...

You hold on.

You were told to drop
them gun belts, loose mouth.

Sheriff, you figure we have
legal right to take action?

Well, I... I reckon they are
guilty of butchering, Mr. Parker.



All right, help
them on their way.

Everything gets paid
for in this world, boy.

Maybe that's a lesson'll
stay with you now.

How are you doing?

My back ain't too good.

Never mind me. See to Floyd.

Floyd?

Rub his face.
Get him to stirring.

He's dead.

He's dead, Pappy.

Like the man said,
everything gets paid for.

Would you knuckleheads quit
flopping your jaws and put it up there?

Now, finish it up.

I'm just trying to tell you
this here banner's hind tail to.

Louie, Louie, I got more importanter
things to do to get ready for this party

than stand here and try to tell you
how to do these little simple things.

Festus, if you'll just
listen, we're trying to...

Glover, now, I ain't gonna
stand here and argue with you.

I want you to sink it right there
where I tell you to and do it right now.

Well, that don't
surprise me a bit.

- Howdy, Matthew, Doc.
- Festus.

What don't surprise you?

When in thunder are
you going to learn to read?

I just barely got to say
howdy and already...

Answer my question. When
are you going to learn to read?

All right, Mr. Smart Alecky High-Toe
Hoo-haw, I done started to learn.

That's kind of hard to believe.

All right, I'll just show you.

"Barn Party. Everybody Welcome."

Well, I'll be doggone. He's
right. That's what it says.

I guess I was mistaken.

Here all the time I thought
you were backwards.

Now I know you're upside
down and backwards.

What's that?

Hmm.

How are you making it, Pappy?

Well, there's plenty of feeling
in my back, that's for sure.

- You got a doc around here?
- I'm a doctor. What's the trouble?

Well, I guess I got some bones
pushed around in my back, Doc.

- How about your legs?
- Can't use 'em.

No feeling?

Feel's like about ten pounds
of lead hung onto my boots.

Best place for you is in
bed. Just stay on your horse.

Ma Smalley's right
here. Bring him over here.

- My friend needs an undertaker.
- What happened to him?

- Head hit a rock.
- Festus, give him a hand, will you?

I wanna know a little more about
this. I'll be over in my office afterward.

All right.

Matthew, looky here.

He did a heap more than hit
his head on a rock. Look at that.

Yeah, I'll tell you,

all three of 'em look like they've
been in some kind of a fight.

Have Doc check his
body over for a bullet later.

Right. Louie, I'll drag him
off. You get his legs down.

All right, Festus.

Whoa. Whoa.

Mr. Johnson, I guess
I don't have to tell you,

the less moving around
you do, the better off you'll be.

What I'm interested in, Doc, is how much
moving these legs are gonna be doing.

I think we just better
go into that tomorrow.

What's wrong with now, Doc?

Well, in 24 hours, I'll
know a good deal more

about how much damage
there is to those nerves.

Let's just hope that it's
temporary shock for the moment.

- Let's just have a look at you, now.
- I'm fine.

I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget,
don't move any more than you have to.

Thank you, Doc.

Well, it'd be me
laying in that bed there

if you hadn't jumped
in the way you did.

Bob, I got an idea
what's on your mind.

Maybe you'd better hand
it over to the marshal here.

Oh, no, Pappy.

You knocked into my
head a long time ago,

you never owe a
man, you pay him back.

Up to now I've been doing exactly that,
and I don't see much reason to change.

You don't kill men like
Parker to even things.

He ain't no gunhand.
He's a power in this state.

In the long run, it'd
be you'd get hurt.

Well...

I'm gonna go see to Floyd.

I guess we can
afford a stone for him.

Bob.

Go see the marshal.

Yeah, sure, Pappy.
I mean to do that.

Are you a maid or something?

I'm Angel.

Your name or you just bragging?

I kind of help with the
boarders. Kitchen help.

- That's for Zack.
- Figured he'd be hungry.

Zack won't be getting
around by himself for a while,

so you take this, make sure
he don't want for nothing.

You don't have
to pay me, mister.

One thing, I ain't old
enough to be called mister.

Another thing, Angel, don't you ever
do nothing in this world for nothing.

The thanks'll likely
stick in your throat.

- Well, how are you?
- Doc.

You said we had
some talking, Marshal?

Yeah, come on in.
Like a cup of coffee?

No, thanks.

I'd sure like to know more about
what happened to you out there.

Well, we butchered a
crippled calf west of the sink.

Some riders didn't take to it.

West of the sink? Well,
that'd be on Parker land.

Was it his riders?

Well, you see, we didn't
exactly get to know one another.

What about the
brand on the calf?

- Didn't notice.
- I see.

- What's your name?
- Bob Johnson.

Bob Johnson. What
about the dead man?

Floyd Binnes.

All right. The injured man?

Zachariah Johnson.

Any relation?

Well, yes and no.

What do you mean?

I was about six days
old when Zack Johnson

picked me off a Deadwood trash
dump where sombody'd left me.

He gave me a name, home,
shared straight down the line with me.

He's in bed with crippled legs
because he saved my life this morning.

That sound like a
relationship, Marshal?

I'd say so, yeah.

Johnson.

How would you like to ride
out to the Parker place with me?

That might be
interesting, Marshal.

I hear he's put together
quite a spread for himself.

Yeah. Runs for about a hundred
miles down into Oklahoma territory.

Most of it's out
of my jurisdiction.

So he does just about what he
pleases in them hundred miles.

Well, it's a legal township.

It was there while Dodge
was still a cattle trail.

It's always stuck
in Parker's craw

that his town went
downhill while Dodge grew.

I bet it does.

Caused himself a
whole lot of trouble

by insisting on being
his own law out there too.

Well, I can see a man
wanting to make his own rules,

tell the world to go to
the devil and make it stick.

That's something no man
does, make his own rules.

They're doing it all
the time, Marshal.

They stick a fat foot
in your face and push.

Oh, you can cry and
you can complain.

You ain't fast enough sliding
away from that big fat foot,

you just don't live out a life.

- You're pretty sure of that, are you?
- I've been there, Marshal.

I see the man getting in there
first and fast, man who grows up.

Sounds like you've been
shaving quite a while.

Reckon in some ways I
shave as close as you, Marshal.

- I'll be waiting outside.
- All right.

I think you'd be sick of riding
out to Parker's place by this time,

being told the same
story every time.

You got no jurisdiction
out there, Matt.

Doc, I'll tell you, Judge
Brooker's getting as tired as I am

of this so-called Sheriff
Sloan protecting Parker's men

every time they get in trouble.

I got a murder charge now.

If this boy here can make
a positive identification,

I'm going out there
and arrest those men,

I'm gonna jail 'em
right here in Dodge.

Good luck.

You're getting there, boy.

I figure I'm there.

Hey, Pa, look here.

- Parker.
- Marshal.

A man was killed out by
the west sink this morning,

another one pretty badly hurt.

You know anything about it?

Sloan.

The marshal has some law
questions to discuss with you.

I'm asking you, Parker.

Well, I'll tell you once again,
Marshal, we have a duly elected sheriff.

You have any questions, ask him.

Any of these men among the ones
who were out there this morning?

Marshal, I just don't think I ever
met any of these gentlemen before.

I have some cold beer inside if
this visit's turning into a social one.

That's the way you see it, huh?

If you don't mind, I think I'll
have some of that cold beer.

All right.

- What's your play?
- That cold beer you mentioned.

I seen that kid before
today. I know I have.

This is the first time I ever been
served in a saloon by a real sheriff.

I'll say one thing for you,
boy, you're no crybaby.

Oh, I learned a long
time ago, Mr. Parker,

a man plants his own feet
on the ground and digs in.

He don't go looking for a
lawman to hold his head.

Now, what's this about someone
getting killed out at the sink?

Well, that was Floyd, Mr. Parker.
A rock got in the way of his head.

Well, his death
wasn't intentional.

Oh, I didn't think you go
around killing people, Mr. Parker.

I'm not apologizing for my actions.
I want you to understand that.

I got a clear understanding
of you, Mr. Parker. Real clear.

You ever meet me before?

If we had, it wouldn't be
something I'd be bragging about.

You still got your
loose mouth, ain't you?

Look, we'll pay for
your friend's funeral.

That's something else about
me, Mr. Parker. Paying my way.

Includes burying a friend.

Why'd you ride in here, boy?

Mr. Parker, you almost
sound like you're afraid of me.

My pa's afraid of nobody.

You sure are pretty.

Bet there be notches
on that gun. Is that right?

You got a long
ride back to Dodge.

Well, thank you
for the hospitality.

Maybe someday I'll
be able to pay you back.

He's got some size.

He don't look like
too much to me.

Figure you've seen all that much,
you know what you're looking at?

It's like an itch, where
I seen that kid before.

- Festus, how's it going?
- Oh, fine as dog hair, Matthew.

You know, we gonna
raise a whole heap of money

on these folks taking a chance.

That there's a
pretty good prize.

Yeah, one thing we'll have plenty
of around here tomorrow is noise.

- Sure will.
- See you later.

- Johnson.
- Marshal.

Stay long in Parker Town?

Oh, I had my beer.

Johnson, I'd like
to help you if I can,

but I can't unless you
play it straight with me.

Marshal, you and me's
got a big difference.

I ain't never asked for help.

Now, I know you're paid for
helping, but I don't want none.

So that leaves nothing
between you and me.

How's Zack doing?

Uh, last time I went in
there, he was asleep.

Well, I won't bother him, then.

Uh, the room next to
his I made up for you.

I... bought it with the
money you gave me.

For that street party
tomorrow night?

Oh, well, I'm not
much for partying.

It's just...

I never had a
pretty dress before.

I never heard of a girl who
wasn't much for partying.

Well, I mean, me being
help and everything.

What are you trying to say? You
ain't good enough for a street party?

Nobody said that.

What, just you
knowing you ain't?

You're putting
it in a funny way.

How long you been
hiding in corners?

I don't hide in corners.

Angel, somewhere along the way
you gotta learn you don't lie to yourself.

Tell it the way it does
you the most good,

but don't never lie to yourself.

- You want this door open?
- I don't care.

Mr. Johnson, I want you to
keep your eyes closed now.

You just tell me if you feel a
tingling here in your fingers.

- There?
- Yes.

- There?
- Yes.

Let's try this other hand.

No, you keep your eyes
closed. I'll do all the looking here.

- How about that?
- No.

- There?
- No.

There?

No.

How soon am I going
to be walking, Doc?

Just let me know here
if you feel any pain.

You look like you've been
sucking persimmons, Doc.

Pretty tender right there.

I felt it some. Now,
what about my walking?

Still can't answer that.

Something wrong
with my innards too?

From the roughing up you got, I'd
say there was a pretty good chance of it.

Hey, Doc, don't you know?

No, son, I don't know.

Mr. Johnson, I hope
you want the truth.

Well, I wouldn't want you
to tell me anything else.

All right, you're just not getting
along as good as I hoped you would.

Now, it could be because
your nervous system

has been more seriously
damaged than we can see.

It's gonna take a little while.

Well, we got no plans
that need looking to.

We got the time, I reckon.

That's fine, because right now I have
a baby that just can't make up its mind

whether it’s gonna get born
tonight or tomorrow or next week.

But I'll drop in on you.

- I'm much obliged to you, Doc.
- Well, you're very welcome.

If you need me, Ma
Smalley knows where I am.

What's on your mind, son?

That town of Parker's maybe.

Well, if he's got the town
locked up out there like you say,

that ain't no place
for you to go again.

Well, that town is real
important to Parker.

It gives him law,
makes his name big.

So?

I don't know, Pappy.
I just don't know.

You generally talk a
lot straighter to me, Bob.

Parker's gotta pay.

I don't know how
and I don't know when.

But what would
hurt him the most?

Half the night I kept thinking about
it, what would hurt Parker the most.

You're liable to wind
up getting hurt more.

Maybe.

Which proves you ain't
near as smart as Parker.

Well, that sure
is near the truth.

Bob, could I get
you to do me a favor?

Yeah, what's that, Pappy?

I've been thinking about that dance
going on out there in the street tonight

and not being able to take
part, especially in the drinking,

and I was just thinking maybe
if I could get a bottle up here,

that sure would
take care of things.

Sure, Pappy, I'll get
you one right now.

And count to three.

Minute you figure
out how to hurt Parker.

During that count, you ask yourself
if what you're doing is real smart.

I got a good head
for counting, Pappy.

Yeah.

- You grow all these yourself?
- Been real lucky with geraniums.

If... If these take,
I'll plant daisies.

I like daisies.

Angel, what kind of flowers you
figure'd look good on a grave?

I buried my friend Floyd this morning,
and, well, it looked kind of lonely,

like nobody was
caring, you know.

- I'll plant some if you want me to.
- Good. I'll pay you for it.

You don't have to
pay for everything.

Angel, you sure got
some growing up to do.

People starting to come
in for the street party.

Angel, why don't you get that
frilly little dress of yours shook out

and... plan on meeting
me about eight o'clock?

Unless you got about six fellas fighting
for the opportunity of calling tonight.

You know I ain't.

Don't be looking so happy
because you ain't getting no prize.

Come on. Come on up here,
fellas. Come on. Six shots.

It's just one measly
little old silver dollar.

All right, friends,
step up here now.

Produce the dollar, you
might win the first prize,

this here handmade
special-made handgun,

and I got pistols for any of you
that ain't got guns of your own.

Here, get your
hands off of that.

Don't reckon you Lukens has got a
extra dollar betwixt you, have you?

It's for a good
purpose, you know.

We don't go for no sucker games.

Well, who's a-begging
you to, you knucklehead?

Probably got them guns fixed so
they don't shoot straight anyway.

Festus! That's
enough. Hold on, now.

All right, you two,
move along. Break it up.

Go on.

What happened anyway?

Well, it's them Lukens's, claiming
I got these here guns fixed.

- You don't, do you?
- Well, of course...

You know better
than that, Matthew.

Well, Festus, try to keep
everything nice and calm, will you?

We wanna have a
nice pleasant party here.

All right.

All right, step up here
and put your dollars down.

You gonna make a try? Much
obliged. Now, take a good aim.

Brought your supper
in, Mr. Johnson.

Well, thank you, Angel.

Hey, that's a mighty pretty
dress you got on there.

Spin around out there and
let me take a look at you.

Yes, sir, if I wasn't
strapped down here,

why, I'd be
hand-rassling old Bob

for the pleasure of taking
you to that dance tonight.

And I might be just
wishing that you'd win.

You're a female woman all right.

- I'll be looking in later, Mr. Johnson.
- Thank you, dear.

Well, Doc, you sure called it.

Angel?

Well, when your mama
named you Angel,

well, she sure knew
what she was doing.

Now, that's real nice.

There's gonna be some
jealous fellas at that party tonight.

I'm off, Pappy.
You want anything?

No. No, thank you.

You sure, now?

Be off with you.

- How about some punch, Louie?
- Thank you, Miss Kitty.

- It's punch.
- Yes, fruit punch.

I thought it was punch punch.

Wait just a minute.
Let me have it.

Have some punch punch, Louie.

- Sorry I can't dance so good.
- You were doing just fine.

First party I've ever been to.

Excuse me. You be
having a good time.

See what I mean? One
out of six you got there.

You just done plumb
good, Mr. Whittaker,

seeing as you been having
so much liver trouble and all.

Why don't you just...?

Parker, how about you?

You wanna take a chance on
this special-made hand gun?

Put your money
up and go right to it.

All right, everybody stand
back. Give me some room.

Move back, everybody. Just move
back. Give him plenty of room, now.

Don't... Get out of his way now.

You didn't only bust 'em all,

but you did it faster than
anybody I've ever saw.

Cost a dollar?

I'm kind of keeping track of the time
it takes a fella to empty out his gun.

Mr. Parker, you
sure got them all.

I generally do.

Oh, you got a little
bit of your pa in you.

That didn't sound right. I said
that didn't sound right, cowboy.

Time's important, huh?

Well, you seen what
Parker done there.

He shot six shots and there wasn't a
split second in betwixt any two of 'em.

There's something
personal in what you said.

Do I have to be talked
to while I'm shooting?

No, no, whenever you're
ready, just go ahead on.

The wind ain't right, I guess.

Well, you target shooters
always got an edge.

Nobody in front of you.

You eyeing the wrong
end of the barrel.

I don't get your meaning.

Well, I was just saying that
you're the best I ever saw.

Like riding a greased
pig, placing him.

He didn't mean that.

Oh, he was digging
his spurs in you all right.

Yeah, well, I don't like it.

Oh, Burke, Burke.

You wanna take a chance on
this special-made handgun here?

- Just a dollar.
- No, I just came by to relieve you.

Relieve me?

Yeah, you're calling out
the dance tonight, aren't you?

Of course I am, but I ain't
doing it till nine o'clock.

You're late. Look.

The big hand's past 11
and the little hand's past 13.

Well, you don't have to be
such a smart alec about it.

Look out.

Hey! Bow to your pardner.

Bow to your toe.

Wave across the
room to your ma-in-law.

♪ Hang onto her hands
and swing her to the south

♪ And let a little
sunshine in your mouth

♪ Back there, hold some
Fantail back, Indian style...

You saying I can't
face your gun?

I sure want no trouble from
a gun like yours, Mr. Parker.

You backing down?

- Oh, I never backed up, Mr. Parker.
- There you go, doing it again.

I can't grab hold of the way you
talk. Are you putting me down?

No, I'm just saying I don't wanna
fight with the kind of gun you handle,

that's all, Mr. Parker.

Maybe you ain't got the
right to talk like you do.

Talking never hurt
no one, Mr. Parker.

You got some apologizing to do.

No, I don't figure it that way.

♪ Swing her high and swing
her low and do-si-do by her toe

And I'm saying you ain't
got the kind of backbone

that goes with that
wide mouth of yours!

Kind of pushes me in
a corner, Mr. Parker.

- Well, I'm ready anytime you are.
- Hold on, there. That's enough, Parker.

He can't back up that
wide mouth of his, Marshal.

I said that's enough.

Give me your gun.

All right, Johnson, outside.

Festus.

- Get your pardners.
- Let's go.

Form a square. We're fixing
to go again. Get in. Go ahead.

Hey! Bow to your pardner.

Bow to your toe.

Wave across the
room to your ma-in-law.

I almost made a fool
out of myself, Pappy.

I suddenly got that feeling,

like I'd eaten something
sour, a real sick feeling...

to hurt Parker, kill his kid.

I mean, I was deliberately
getting that kid to draw on me.

You asleep, Pappy?

Pappy?

It shouldn't have happened.

It shouldn't have
happened that way, Pappy.

It shouldn't have happened.

Matt?

Bob, what's the matter?

You wanted time.

It just ran out. Zack's dead.

He didn't deserve
to die like that.

There's times
nothing can be done.

I wasn't even there
when it happened.

There. Big man
with his big mouth.

You start any trouble in Dodge,
your pa's gonna sit tight on you, boy.

Let go.

Johnson!

Got something besides
some talk, Johnson?

You show these people
you got some backbone?

Draw, Johnson, you coward!

Draw!

- He's dead.
- How'd it happen?

The Parker boy called
and drew, Marshal.

The other boy'd sure have been
dead if he hadn't pulled a hand quick.

That's true, Matthew. Pure self-defense.
Parker here even creased Johnson first.

- Doc?
- Dead.

All right, you men, better get
him on a buckboard, get him home.

Marshal.

The funny thing, liquored up or not,
Leonard was the fastest gun in town.

Don't figure, the
way he got beat.

Johnson, I'd like your version
of what happened out there.

Guess Leonard proved it don't
pay to mix drinking with shooting.

Why'd he come after you?

Could be he didn't like me.

There's more to it than that.

Marshal, there's always
more to everything.

Like Zack used to say, you
kick a stone down a hill...

a lot more is gonna wind
up at the bottom of that hill

besides that one stone.

Well, I figure a long time back,
Parker kicked too many stones.

Mr. Parker riding in, Marshal.

I tried to stop him, Mr. Parker,
but he grabbed my gun.

- Who did it?
- Parker.

I'm sorry this had to happen,
but your boy provoked the fight.

- He fired the first shot.
- Gotta go along with it, Mr. Parker.

- I asked who did it.
- It was me, Mr. Parker.

But your son's got a
special gun coming to him.

Now, maybe he won that
prize and then maybe he didn't.

The Medicine Show Kid.

Abilene. Trick shooter
for the medicine show.

Parker, get your
boy out of here.

You heard him.

Johnson.

- Figure you're even with Parker?
- What do you mean?

We're burying
Zack in the morning.

After that I want you
out of Dodge for good.

Not sure I care to be told there's
a place I can't come to, Marshal.

You see, up to now I've been as
free as the wind moving around.

Tomorrow morning.

Looks nice, Angel. Thank you.

If these don't take,
I'll... I'll plant some more.

Well, guess I'll be heading out.

Never coming back?

Parker sent me in with a
message for you, young fella.

He'd like to see
you in Parker Town.

I've got my own message
for you. Stay out of that town.

If it ain't one giving
me orders, it's another.

Well, that ain't no order from me.
Fact is, I'm... I'm quitting Parker.

I'm not even going back.

So it's just friendly advice when
I say to you stay out of that town.

You ain't going to Parker Town?

I guess I don't need
that kind of trouble.

I move around a lot, Angel.

I'll be coming
through Dodge again.

Reckon I'll still be there.

Stay tuned for scenes from
the conclusion of tonight's story.