Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 14, Episode 23 - The Intruder - full transcript

Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

You Riley Sharp, are you?

That's right.

Open up your mouth.

I thank you.

Fill that up with water.

That fella out
yonder on the street...

Yeah?

Get out there and get them hand
irons off him and get him out of that sun.

Deputy, huh?

I'm surprised you can see this
little ol' badge through all that foam.



I thought Marshal
Dillon was to pick him up.

He's got hisself
some other business.

If he seen the way you was
treating that prisoner out yonder,

he'd knock knots on your head
faster than you can rub them.

Now, get up there
and do what I say.

Now!

When'd he get
that hole in his leg?

Four days back. He tried parting my
head with a cooking pot and escaping.

If he wasn't such a valuable
prisoner, I'd upped my aim a mite.

Saved you a long
ride if he had, Deputy.

Is he still a-carrying
your bullet there, is he?

Nope. Barber back
in Drycreek dug it out.

Here, here! Quit that.

Put it away.



All right, get astride
of your horse.

Now, let me tell you
something, mister.

If you're thinking
about rankling me,

you're gonna be riding
all the way to Dodge

with your bare hide to
the sun, do you hear me?

Don't you worry none, Deputy.

There was just something
in me that needed getting out.

Deputy, you'd better sleep with
your eyes open and cozy to your gun.

'Cause he's a handful.

All right.

Ol' sore sure grind an ax.

Whoa. Whoa.

Your leg a-bothering you, is it?

Yeah, it's starting
to fuss up some.

You don't happen to have
any whiskey, do you, Deputy?

I mean for this wound.

Well, let's have a look at that.

Sure use a clean
wrapping rag, all right.

Now, you looky here. You can
go to Dodge anyway you want to,

hogtied, drug or spurred till
you're rawer than a possum's belly,

but you're going
to Dodge, all right.

I had to try you.

Oh. Yeah, you try
me one more time,

you'll wind up flatter
than a wet sack on a slab.

Now, get up and
get on your horse.

Get up!

How come you ain't asked
me about the money, Deputy?

Two guards back up the road,
that's all they ever talked about.

In prison, most
everybody knowed about it.

Kind of hard for a fella not
to hear about 25,000 dollars.

Does have a
certain ring, don't it?

Well, you going to
ask me about it or not?

Marshal Dillon and Judge
Brooker'll be asking you 'bout that.

The way I heared it, the judge
has agreed to let you go free

if you turn loose to that money.

And I figure they'll want to
know the same thing as me:

if you got this money hid
like you claim you have,

how come you been
so long in giving it up?

Eight years behind the bars.

I was tough and I fought them.

I thought I could go 13
years for 25,000 dollars.

But they break
you, piece by piece.

First they take your
spirit, then your dignity,

and finally your manhood.

All you're left with is
survival, like an animal.

Then I start thinking of
things like planting seed,

good ground, watching it take.

Going out on a good
horse every morning,

coming back to a... a
good woman at night.

You start thinking
about things like that

that are more important
than any amount of money.

You ever notice the way a woman
hums when she's baking bread,

working around
in her own kitchen?

Or when she's combing
out her hair at night?

I like the sound of a woman
humming, Deputy, don't you?

Good night, Deputy.

Night.

Deputy!

Deputy.

Well, what kind of a
fool notion was this?

It started to fuss on me
and I... I tried draining it.

You've opened up a hole big enough
to drive a horse and buggy through.

It's all festered up there. If we
don't get you to a real doctor,

you're just liable
to be minus this leg.

Maybe we could try that house
we passed up the road a piece.

Well, it's a cinch we ain't
gonna get you to Dodge.

Now, you hold that till I break
camp and get the horses saddled.

Hold it tight.

Yes.

Evening, ma'am.

Sure hate bothering you like this,
but this here fella's hurt pretty bad.

I'd be ever so much
obliged for your help.

Oh, yes. Yes. Of course.

Bring him here.

Easy. Easy now.

Loosen that up a little bit.

What's the matter, ma'am?

Haven't you ever seen a
man in handcuffs before?

Who are these men?

Henry, this man is hurt.

Woman, that's
none of your concern.

Who are you?

Name's Festus Haggen,
Deputy Marshal out of Dodge.

- Your prisoner?
- That's right.

- I don't want him in my house.
- Henry...

- The man's a criminal.
- But he can't be moved.

Shut up. Now,
get him out of here.

Just hold on, mister.

Now, this here badge says that I
can order you to help out if needs be.

Don't look like you're giving me
too much room to be polite about it.

That's right. I'm not.

Well, if you ain't willing to help
out, you're shackling the law,

and I can throw you in the
hoosegow just like this here fella.

Now, I'm a-getting kind of short
on polite and long on cussedness.

He's a-staying right here.

Henry...

Sure appreciate it, ma'am, if
you'd get us some hot water.

Yes, of course.

Looks like we're not
welcome here, Deputy.

Oh, you don't get touchy about welcome
when you're bleeding like a stuck hog.

Obliged, ma'am.

I hope you'll
forgive my husband.

Oh, that's all right, ma'am.

Yes.

Timmy.

Come here.

This is my son, Timmy.

Timmy, this is Mr...

I'm sorry, I've forgotten.

Haggen. Festus Haggen, ma'am.

Yes, Mr. Haggen.

And, uh, this is... Riley Sharp.

Mr. Sharp.

Where's Pa?

He's busy. Hey...

How'd you get those hands so
dirty just since suppertime, eh?

Come on, we have
to get them clean.

Better wash them up, or
else you can't have any pie.

Let's roll up your sleeves.

Oh, I'm sorry. Have, uh...

Have you gentlemen had supper or
would you like me to fix you something?

Oh, yes'm, we done that
on the trail. Much obliged.

Well, perhaps you'll have,
uh... some pie with us then?

Sure does smell
mighty tempting, ma'am.

Good.

Okay. All clean now.

Well, the mainest thing is
to get yourself a big, fat worm

or a lively, little
old grasshopper.

Are you fast enough to catch
a lively grasshopper, are you?

- Morning, ma'am.
- Good morning.

Mr. Haggen's
teaching me how to fish.

- Really?
- Oh, he's doing plumb good, too.

Just as good as if he had
did it his whole life, pretty near.

That's wonderful.

Get over here and see
if we can bait this hook.

- Good morning.
- Morning, ma'am.

You look tired.

Well, I didn't sleep well.

How's your leg?

It throbbed a mite last night.

I'm sorry.

Riley, how's that leg
feeling this morning?

Not so good.

Oh, I think I'd better
change this bandage.

It sure looks like it
needs a clean one.

We appreciate it, ma'am.

What made that
hole in his leg, Ma?

Timmy, I never did tell you about
that big old catfish I caught, did I?

Why, he was bigger than a horse.
You'd ought to have saw him...

I'm sorry.

You don't hum.

What?

When a woman's working in
her house, in her own kitchen,

she hums a tune if she's happy.

You don't hum.

And I'll never forget that day.

See, Matthew sent me over to
Getport to pick up this here prisoner.

And there was this here
little ol' pond outside of town,

and I'd heared about
this big scudder, see.

- So I thought, well I'll just...
- Ellie.

I'm telling you to
stay away from him.

Don't you go near him again.

Decker! What's
the matter with you?

It's one thing coming into my house,
another my wife fussing over him.

He's your prisoner.
You tend him!

Might help some to get
these hand irons off of you.

I could sure use some
more cold water, ma'am.

He's just a-fevering
up something awful.

Burning up.

That barber in Drycreek
wasn't such a good doctor.

Must have picked that
bullet out with a dirty knife.

Just could be the blood
poisoning has set in.

Them fellas that shot
him, they were just...

He's a murderer.

You... you brought a
murderer in my house, mister.

I rode to Dodge and
did some asking around.

Few years back he and two
other men robbed a freight office

and killed a clerk
in cold blood.

You... you want to
hold his hand now?

I don't want a
murderer in my house.

You... you get him
out of here now.

Fever's took him.

I ain't a-moving him
till he gets doctored.

The nearest doctor's in Dodge.

I know that. Doc Adams.

I'm asking you to
fetch him for me.

For murdering outlaw trash? No.

Then I'm ordering
you to fetch him.

No.

I wouldn't cross
the road for his likes.

Now, you... you can lock
me up, do anything you want.

I'm not moving a finger.

I figure no judge
would go too hard on me

for refusing to help a murderer.

If anything happens to
this fella while I'm gone,

I'm fixing to peel a mess
of hide off of your carcass.

Riley, you just hold on.

I'll get back with
Doc as quick as I can.

Appreciate it, ma'am, if
you'll look after him for me.

You're through
fussing over him, Ellie.

How long... were you
in prison, Sharp, hm?

Eight years, I heard.

Eight years.

I imagine after all that
time... coming into this house,

it's gonna make the next
five years a lot harder.

I guess it's depending if
you give that money back.

He's rich, Ellie. Twenty-five
thousand dollars.

That's how much he got after
he... after he killed that clerk.

Got it hid.

Five years, 20 years,
what's the difference?

What's the difference?
He's a murderer.

I'm putting you in the barn.

No. You can't. It's too co...

The barn it is.

That's good.

See, you understand.

You go on up,
Ellie. Wait for me.

I don't want to put you out
like this, but there comes a time

when a man and
woman want to be alone.

Why did you let me think
you were dead all this time?

It doesn't matter now.

Oh, it matters.

Timmy is your son.

Eight years ago, a man came to the
house and he said that you'd been drowned.

That he saw the current
sweep your body away.

I sent him.

Why?

Thirteen years, Ellie.

You'd have to wait
for me for 13 years,

and then you'd been
saddled with a convict.

I had to do it, Ellie.

I had to give you a
chance for a new life.

When I heard you was
married, I thought that best.

Till I heard what kind
of a man you married.

How did you hear?

A fella named Jed.

He worked here as
a hand for a while.

He was my cellmate.

He came back and
told me what he saw.

In the beginning, Henry
was kind, and he was gentle.

I thought he loved me.

It turns out all he was
ever after was the ranch.

Nine years ago I married
a man named Bill Crawford.

And as far as I'm concerned,
I'm still married to him.

No.

I've still got five
years ahead of me.

Then why did you come back?

To rid you of Decker.

To kill him?

Well, that'd be the one
sure way to do it, wouldn't it?

Bill...

That clerk, did you kill him?

No, one of the others
did that. Owens.

Clerk walked in on us
and Owens, he panicked.

The others?

Ranchers like myself,
just as desperate.

Posse killed them.

And I killed any
chance we had for a life.

I'm sorry, Ellie.

That drought backed me up against
a wall and I was mortgaged to the hilt.

Needed money for water rights...

Bill.

We were married.

It doesn't mean just
when things are good.

We could have started all
over again, we were young.

We could have done
anything together.

I know that now.

Eight years ago, I
couldn't think so clear.

You'd better go on back now.

I was going out to get you.

Next you'll be cozying up to
every saddle tramp passing through.

What happened out there?

What's between
you and that killer?

What?

He's my husband.

Why...

I thought your husband was dead.

So did I!

Well...

Well...

I suppose...

you're gonna claim now that...

our marriage wasn't legal.

That I... I just
got to clear out.

Well, I'm not leaving.

I got too much
sunk into this ranch.

Eight years of sweat.

This ranch doesn't
belong to you.

It belongs to me and it
belongs to that man out there!

It was... it was dying.
It was falling apart.

Come out of nowhere,
sending me packing?

No.

No.

No. No, don't kill him!

Ma!

Ma!

She told me.

You hurt her and I'll...
Go on, come at me.

That's what I'll tell that deputy when
he gets back and finds you dead.

Alive, you're a spur in my gut.

You just might get off someday,

come back and claim
what you think is yours.

Ellie, the ranch.

How much will it take, Decker?

Twenty-five thousand dollars?

I know you. You're a vulture.

Perched out on a limb, waiting.

Till you saw Ellie, a
widow, expecting a baby,

no money or means
or support for the ranch.

And you swooped in.

Oh, I know that you
worked hard. It shows.

Twenty-five thousand dollars
ought to more than make up for it.

You'd be willing to spend five more
years in prison on Ellie's account?

I came here to kill you, Decker.

But that boy in there,
he changed all that.

I'm offering you
five years of my life.

You can spend that
money in Mexico.

Mexico agrees with me real good.

I want you out of here tonight.

- Soon as I see that money.
- I'll draw you a map.

Uh-uh. You'll take me to it.

Send me on a wild
goose chase, I come back,

you'll be waiting for
me, loaded for bear.

That's your style,
Decker, not mine.

You'll take me.

Hand over the money,
and I'll be riding for Mexico.

Now, if we don't get a move on,

that deputy'll be back tomorrow,
you'll be going back to prison.

I'll still be here.

Show me.

Why don't you help me
get some of these boards up.

Didn't think I'd leave you alive to
tell who had the money, did you?

You couldn't be lower to the
ground if you was a snake, Decker.

I can't figure you.

You're even willing to die
for that woman and boy.

Gave up 25,000 in the doing.

Well, you're dying for nothing.

I'm not going anywhere.

I'm staying on the ranch.

With Ellie.

Spend the money at my own
leisure. A little here, little there.

Ellie won't even know I got
it. She'll think like the law.

They'll think you got it,
disappeared into Mexico.

You can yell till your
lungs give, nobody'll hear.

A few hours, this'll
be your grave.

Woah.

Festus. Festus,
where's your prisoner?

Never mind, Burke.

Festus.

Festus, the freight company are
counting on getting their money back.

- Festus, if he's escaped...
- Doc?

- Doc's not here.
- Well, where's he at?

There was a shooting over in Spearville,
and he and the marshal went there.

What do you want Doc for?

Riley Sharp's been shot.

Shot? You mean you shot him?

- No, I didn't shoot him, Burke.
- Festus, if he dies,

that money will never be recovered.
He was your responsibility...

Burke, if you don't
quit your blabbering...

Now, get over there and get
me some medicine for pain killing

and some for blood
poisoning. Go on, get.

I want you to get a new window put in
here before Doc gets back, you hear me?

Festus!

Bill?

Bill?

Bill!

Where is he?

Where's my husband?

I told you, he's gone.

He didn't care about you
or that boy, only the money.

No.

He wouldn't do that.

Whoa.

Please help me.
My husband's gone.

No.

Riley Sharp is my husband.

Her husband. She's loco.

I'm her husband. You
know it and I know it.

Riley Sharp is my husband.
His name is Crawford.

Bill Crawford.

He's my husband
and Timmy's father.

- Where's he at?
- Why you asking me?

'Cause I got a feeling
you know where he's at.

Now, that fella's got
blood poisoning, bad.

If don't get to him
quick, he's liable to die.

Where's he at?

He's probably halfway to Mexico
by now. She took a shine to him.

She must have slipped him a gun,
'cause when I went out to the barn...

- Barn?
- I moved him out there.

You saw the way the two of them
were looking at each other, Deputy.

Anyway, when I got
out there, he had a gun.

And he got on a
horse and rode out.

Now, you can go
out there and look.

But you won't see that horse
that he came in on still out there.

He wouldn't run
away. You killed him.

Timmy, did you see
anything last night?

Well, go on. Tell me if you did.
Ain't nobody going to hurt you.

Timmy, if you know
something, tell him.

I seen him beat up Mom last night
and I seen him ride out with that man.

Riley Sharp?

See anything else?

I seen him come back real
late last night by himself.

Oh, he's just a boy.

They're always
making up tall tales.

Where'd you and Sharp go to?

The old MacGregor mine.

How'd you know that, Timmy?

His boots.

I used to play there till he
gave me a really bad whipping

for tracking all that
black stuff into the house.

Charcoal.

That old mine burned
out a few years back.

Timmy used to play there.

Decker, you're taking me there.

I told you, he's not there.

We're going just
the same, ain't we?

Sure Deputy, I'll
take you there.

Fresh air'd do us both good.

I want to go, too.

No, ma'am, you stay
here and look after Timmy.

We'll be back directly.

Ma?

Is that man my
father? Riley Sharp?

Yeah.

He's your father.

And his name's Crawford.

Bill Crawford, same as yours.

Ma, let's go to the mine.

This is as far as I'm going.

No telling when it might cave
in. Even breathing could set it off.

I ain't listening to no
more of your nonsense.

- Go on.
- He's not here!

That story Ellie and
that brat fed you...

- Show me where he's at!
- Deputy.

You're wasting your time,
this mine's dangerous.

- Now, I'm telling...
- Deputy.

Deputy!

Deputy.

Riley?

Deputy, I'm here.

Riley?

Underneath those boards.

How's Ellie?

She's fine. I left her
just a little bit ago.

Here, get this rope,

tie it around you and get
yourself a good tight hold.

Just get it around
your good leg.

Easy now.

All right, watch that leg there.

Get this over here.

- Now, you wait right here.
- Yes, Ma.

Put that gun down, woman.

No.

- Ellie.
- Where's my husband?

Stop.

I'll shoot.

No, you won't.

You're not the killing kind.

No matter what, I
was still your husband.

You couldn't shoot.

Now... Ellie, give me the gun.

Where is he?

Right here.

Well where's that
money at, Decker?

Money?

Oh, he took it all right.

Left me down at the
bottom of that shaft to get it.

His word, a convicted
murderer, against mine?

He's lying, Deputy.

I left it down there in
a pair of saddlebags.

- No way to prove it.
- Yes there is.

He was carrying saddlebags
when he came back last night.

Had 'em when he went into the
barn, didn't when he came out.

You're lying, boy.

You've nothing to
be afraid of, son.

I'm not lying.

Well, I'm not sure that I understand
it, but you're gonna be all right.

Pretty close to a
miracle, though.

Oh, well, us Haggens, we
come by doctoring natural.

I have saw many a-time when
the doctor just plumb give up.

Oh, shut up!

Well, it's all worked out
for the best anyway, Riley.

What with Judge Brooker
pardoning you and all.

Mrs. Crawford, you and Timmy
can stay here for a little while.

But then I'd like for
him to get some rest.

All right, Doctor. Thank you.

Good luck, Riley.

Festus.

Thanks a lot.

Oh, fiddle, it
wasn't nothing at all.

As my Aunt Tory used to say,
"It don't make no never mind

what happens alongst the way,
as long as there's a warm fire

and some vittles when you
get to the end of the trail."

Matt, I want you to arrest him.

- What?
- I want him arrested!

For breaking and entering,
practicing medicine without a license,

malpractice,
humbuggery and just...

just plain ol' jeopardizing
the life and limb

- of a fellow human being.
- Doc?

What'd you use to
sew up that wound with?

- Well...
- What'd you use? Answer me!

Well, I... I just used
the onlyest thing I could:

- fishing line.
- Fishing line, you see?

That's why I want you
right now to take him and...

Oh, forget it.

You mean you don't
want me to arrest him now?

No. No, I've changed my mind.

- Well, I'd think you would.
- It wouldn't do any good.

There's no jury in the
world that would convict him

and put him in jail
where he belongs for that.

I'll tell you what they
might do, however.

They just might recommend that
his brain be removed and pickled

and sent to some school of
medicine so they could study it for...

That wouldn't do any good
either, come to think of it.

I have, in all my practice,
never seen a microscope

that was strong enough to
examine a little pea brain like that.

Fishing line! Matt, I want
to tell you something.

I have worked hard all
my life. I've worked hard!

And I think now, in
the twilight of my days,

I deserve a little
something better than this.

I think that it ought to be so
that I don't have to be pestered

by a pea brain like that.

Hanging around all...

Pea brain? Why, that
blabberty-mouth old stutter.

Here I go...

Stay tuned for scenes
from next week's Gunsmoke.