Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 14, Episode 8 - Abelia - full transcript

The Ward gang is on the run after a bank robbery. The gang loses one of the Ward brothers, shot in the stomach, while Abelia and another gang member go to Dodge for a painkiller. While in town Festus and Newly have a run-in with the pair. Festus has a tracking job which leads him to Abelia's home where the gang has already taken off south bound. One of Abelia's children is bitten by a snake and Festus stays on to help heal the girl.

Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Judd, a farm.

Yeah, I'd just as
soon we passed it up,

get him someplace where we can
get a bottle of whiskey down his throat

and get the doctoring done.

If you had a bullet in your gut,
you'd be asking for more than whiskey.

Just giving my opinion.

I'm cold, Judd. Awful cold.

Better walk the
horses in, check it out.

"With the return of the
princess, the king d...

d..."



Decided.

Thank you.

"decided to report the knight."

How'd you know that
was "decided", honey?

Remembered from the last time.

Well, this old book is
getting a mite handled.

Read about the
Billy Goats Gruff, Ma.

No, I think we'd
better save Mr...

Mr. Billy Goat Gruffs
for tomorrow night.

How well known are you in Dodge?

Nobody else here.

Bring Deeter in.

Where's your man?

I don't see it's none
of your business.



- She's one needing quick manners.
- Get some blankets.

I asked you, where's your man?

He's in the hills huntin'.

Put him over by the fire.

When do you expect him back?

I don't know.

Ma'am, you can expect
us to be gone by morning,

no harm done to
you or your kids.

Check that wagon by the barn.

- You get to Dodge very often?
- I ain't never been there.

- There's no cause.
- Well, you're going there tonight.

With him.

If the posse stops you,
you're just a farm family.

Now, get a coat for the ride.

Look here, I ain't going off
and leaving my kids alone.

You heard what
I said. Get a coat.

Deeter?

I'm... I'm dying, Judd.

Oh, no.

You ain't doing nothing your
older brother don't call in turn.

Judd.

Deeter, Deeter, we
gotta get some drugs.

Some of them painkillers
the docs are using.

Can't... Can't cut into you
without 'em, that bullet where it's at.

I'm sending Cole into
Dodge to get some.

You just hang on
now till he gets back.

I hear tell you got
a man in the hills.

You don't look like the kind of woman
who should be left alone too long.

There's something
about you, mister,

recalls to my mind the
pigs I slop in the morning.

Lady, that's my brother
over there with a bullet in him.

Now, if you've a mind
to try something foolish,

you just remember your
young ones here with me.

Well, Newly, what in
the tarnation happened?

Well, I took a spill
near Rock Creek,

my horse went down, I
had to leave the posse.

Hurt you bad, did it?

I hurt my wrist, can't
hold the reins too well.

Thought I'd better let
Doc take a look at it.

Well, old Doc, he
went out on call,

but I heard him say he'll be
back in about a hour or so.

Now, I'll go ahead on
and make my rounds,

and why don't you go into
Matthew's office and wash up,

and directly we'll have us some
coffee and a little sweetener.

Thanks, Festus.

What's holding you?

There's all kinds of
names here I can't read.

Laud... Laud...

Laudanum. That's
what they call it.

The times they've used
it on us, can't count 'em.

That's it.

Just stand easy,
right where you're at.

Ma'am, I'm gonna
have to ask you...

Making sure he
ain't gonna follow.

You're not gonna kill him!

I'm gonna peel
every inch of you.

Shut up! Get going.

Come on.

Yah! Yah!

Newly? Newly?

Help me get him upstairs.

Easy, now. Easy.

- Doc?
- Shh.

- Go on, just sit down there.
- What for?

Just sit down. I wanna have
another look at that head of yours.

Oh, it's all right.

I'll tell you whether it's all
right or not. Just hold still, now.

Well... I guess it's not
gonna bother you too much,

although you may have a pretty
good headache for a couple of days.

What about Newly, Doc?

Well, Newly's lucky.

Matter of two inches and...

Well, he's lucky.

What do you reckon they
could have been after, Doc?

- Laudanum.
- Laudanum?

Sure. Painkiller, you know.

It's the only thing that I
can see that's missing.

Well, if they was desperate
enough to kill for it,

they must be in trouble
with the law, don't you figure?

I've been wondering, it might be
that same gang that Matt's after.

You know, one of them got
shot in that Garden City holdup.

Yeah, but there wasn't no
woman with the Wards, Doc.

I'd better get to tracking.

Hold on. You can't
track a wagon at night.

I know I can't, Doc,

but that there was one of
them little old narrow hill wagons,

that they use up in
the north hills there

to get through them
narrow trails with.

Now, if I can get
out there by sunup,

it'll give me a head start on picking
up a fresh track, don't you see?

Doc, you take
care of Newly, now.

I'll take care of Newly.

You take care of yourself.

Judd, I got back
as soon as I could.

Why have you been away?

I just had to take
care of some business.

Why don't you... go
back to sleep now?

But it's morning, Ma.

Well, I know, but
this is a special day.

- What about our chores?
- Well, I told you, it's a special day.

You don't have to
worry about your chores.

Just you go on back to bed
while I fix you some breakfast.

Kids are all right.

You done your job.

Ma'am, my only interest
is getting us out of here.

We're leaving, but how do I
know you won't send for the law?

I got nobody's business
to mind but my own.

That's real fine, 'cause if we can't
get by those posses to the south,

we got no choice, we're
gonna have to come back here,

and if there's any law
around when we do...

I told you, I mind
my own business.

Mmm.

Ma'am?

Cole... he don't like kids.

- Howdy, young 'uns.
- Howdy, mister.

What's your business, mister?

You'd be the one all right.

You ain't said nothing yet.

Just who do you
think you're bluffing?

I'm sure as certain
you're the one.

Besides, them wagon tracks
led right smack dab to your place.

Get off my land!

That fella with you, the one
with the hard-barreled pistol,

he your husband, is he?

I ain't got no husband. I've
been a widow almost two years.

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

I'm talking about taking
you back to Dodge City,

that's what I'm talking about,

and this time you're gonna
see the inside of the jail.

I ain't never been nowhere but
here, and I ain't going nowhere.

You ain't even a passable liar.

Ma, Ma, Marieanne's
been bit! It's a rattler!

It's all right, honey. Now, don't
cry. It's going to be all right, now.

We'd better get this tied
off. It's all right, honey.

- It's a little tight, but...
- It's all right.

We'll get you all fixed
up. There you go. Just...

Better get her into the
house. Come on, darling.

You stay with me, John.

In here.

Shh. Shh, shh, shh, shh.

It's all right, honey.
Don't cry, now. It's all right.

It's gonna be fine.

What I want you to do is
just hold her real still, now.

- Don't let her move at all.
- Is she gonna die?

Son, go get the sheet off of
that bed and tear it up. Hurry up.

Now, honey, I'm just gonna
get all that old poison out.

Just grit your teeth, darling. It'll
be all over with in just a minute.

Shh, shh.

It's gonna be OK.

Go get some hot
water and fix a poultice.

Is she gonna die?

Of course she ain't gonna die.

Didn't you never hear? Little
girls don't never die from snakebite.

Jonathan, tear that sheet.

Is it gonna be all right?

Oh, of course it is, honey. It wasn't
nothing but a little bitty old scratch.

Why, you'll be up
a-jumping and a-hopping

and a-traipsing
around in no time at all.

- Really?
- Oh, of course.

Now, you can mark me on that.

Just as quick as you learn
how to say the magic word.

Magic word?

Golly gum beat a
polecat in the bear hollow.

Golly gum...

- Ouch!
- Now, there you go. See?

You're putting in extra words.
You ain't supposed to do that at all.

You're supposed to stay right
with the words that I told you, now.

You remember what they was?

Golly gum beat a
polecat in the bear hollow.

Golly gum beat a
polecat in a bear hollow.

That's right. That's good.
You done it just perfect.

My grandpa died
from a snakebite.

Well, shoot, that's a...
that's a whole different thing.

You see, he was a fella
and she's just a little bitty girl.

Besides, to make sure,

there's some snake oil out
on my mule in the saddlebags.

You run out and fetch
it for me, will you?

Their granddaddy did die of
a snakebite. I'll never forget it.

Well, maybe you don't have much
faith in magic words or nothing like that,

but it sure wouldn't hurt
to have a heap of faith

that the Almighty's gonna
keep his eye on that little bug.

Mister, I couldn't
find no snake oil.

Gad-dumb, you reckon
I forgot to put that in?

Guess I did.

I'll fix you something to eat.

What's the matter, son?

I figured out you was just fooling
me about little girls not dying.

Oh?

You figured that out
all by yourself, did you?

Well, I... I kind of figure
it's up to us menfolk

to kind of keep the womenfolk from
a-worrying so much, don't you figure?

I'm sorry.

Well, that there's a mighty
manly thing for you to be a-saying.

Just let me tell you
something, ma'am.

If it wasn't for that sweet
little girl a-laying in there,

you'd be looking at the world
betwixt jail bars right now.

Besides, ain't your young
'uns a-wondering who I am?

They're asking who you be. I told
'em you're the deputy from Dodge.

I don't reckon you told 'em what
I'm a-doing up this way, did you?

I said you was looking
for a horse thief.

Oh, you got yourself mixed
up in that too, have you?

You know, you're
not so funny, mister.

Well, I ain't just a-cracking
no ribs over you neither.

You and that killer
fella from Dodge...

Well.

Figured out a story to explain this
fresh turned ground here, have you?

Appears like that medicine you
stole from old Doc didn't do no good.

Now, what have you
got to say about that?

All I got to say is them two kids in the
house occupy my time and my mind.

Been a long time I found anything
else worth a-thinking about.

There, now. That's a
mighty pretty leg, I'd say.

And I'll just bet you
that that old rattler

didn't have but a little
old bitty nip in him.

- It was a good magic word.
- Well, of course it is.

Golly gum beat a polecat in a
bear hollow always works, purt near.

I gotta go tend to the dishes.

Can you arrest anybody
you want, Mr. Haggen?

Well, the mainest ones is just
them scamps and scallywags

that ain't behaving theirselves.

Do you know any other
magic words, Mr. Haggen?

- Oh, of course I...
- We have our arithmetic lesson tonight.

You go to school, do you?

Ma gets books from the
preacher. She teaches us.

You can teach us tonight.

- Well, I don't...
- We're up to apples and oranges.

Adding the apples.

Yeah, well, adding apples always
makes good reading all right.

You mean you can
read upside down?

Well, that ain't the easiest
thing there is to do, you know.

You count the apples,
add them together,

and that's the right number.

Oh.

Well, let me see here, now.

We got one, two apples,

and one, two, three apples.

- Now, who's got the answer to that?
- Five.

See how easy it is? Just
like falling off a log, ain't it?

All right, now, here, we got us a
whole mess of apples this time.

We got one, two, three,

four, five...

five...

Well, it's your turn,
Jonathan. You...

Well, who's got the
answer to that one?

When we can't answer, Ma does.

Well, shoot, you ain't never
gonna learn nothing thataway,

somebody telling
you the answers.

You're smart, Mr. Haggen.

Reckon I know a thing or two.

You married, Mr. Haggen?

Well, that there's something
I ain't never got around to.

Wanna come courtin' Ma?
Johnny and me'd let you.

- Well...
- You'd look prettier if you shaved.

Well, who wants to look pretty?

I'm getting a
little tired myself,

and you two look like
you're plumb tuckered out.

Now, go on, get to bed with you.

Come on, sweetheart, you lay
down there and let me cover you up.

There you are.

- Good night, Mr. Haggen.
- Good night, darling.

- Good night, Mr. Haggen.
- Good night, Jonathan.

Ain't no call for you to be
feeling smug, Mr. Haggen.

Ma'am?

My kids look on any man that comes
along as maybe being a daddy to 'em.

Well, now, I wasn't
thinking nothing.

If you think for a
blessed minute that...

Especially the likes of you
after what you done in Dodge.

I told you, I ain't
never been to Dodge.

Ma'am, I got me a
feeling you're in trouble,

and I don't think you're
the kind of a woman

to go traipsing around with the likes
of that fella that shot my friend, Newly.

Now, if you are in trouble,
why don't you tell me?

Maybe I can help
you, don't you see?

Do you need three ears to
understand? I ain't never been to Dodge.

I'm saying you're lying.

And I'm telling
you you're wrong.

And you can take me into Dodge
and I will still keep saying you're wrong.

And I'm fixing to
take you to Dodge too,

just quick as that little
young' un in there gets well.

I'm not gonna use
that room over there.

I don't care if you use
it, if you got a mind to.

Much obliged.

- What do you want?
- I forgot my nightgown.

Well, you could have at least
gave me a chance to get decent.

Oh, hush. I've seen a man
in his long johns before.

I don't give a hoot if
you saw a naked jaybird.

A she-male ain't got no
business a-busting into a room

that's done occupied by
a fella of the opposite sex.

I knocked.

And you can just scoot
yourself on out. Get, get.

You know, Mr. Haggen,
I'll bet the folks in Dodge

feel real safe with you
wearing that badge.

Well... your man got back.

Why'd you fellas come back?

All the roads to the
river are blocked.

Gonna have to put
us up for another night.

I don't see, um...

Cole, that fella that
took me into Dodge.

What happened to him?

He's just doing a little job for
us. He'll be back before sunup.

Wells, see if the coffee's hot.

Judd, suppose we get that
posse taking a look up this way

before Cole gets back?

That's a risk we gotta take.

He'll be along as soon
as he checks that north rim

to see if the snow has
blocked them passes.

We better stand guard. You
take the back of the house.

I'll watch the front. Wells,
you get a little sleep.

Don't reckon you'd care
none if we shut the door

so we could get
a little bit of sleep?

You just act sensible like
your woman did last night

and we'll get along real fine.

Thanks.

Now, why couldn't you just
have came out and told me?

Them two young 'uns in
there are the only why in my life.

I'm not about to do anything
that's gonna get 'em hurt.

They'd already told me
that they might come back,

and they said if I had any lawmen
around here, they'd get my kids.

Well, I'll tell you this,
we'd better do something

before that Cole
fella gets back here,

'cause he's gonna remember me

as the fella that he rapped
on the head in Doc's office,

and they're gonna
see you as the woman

that's been a-fooling
them all this time too.

I know.

Suppose there's any chance
that... that he wouldn't recognize me

as, well, seeing as how it
was so dark in Doc's office?

You got a face that
ain't easy to forget.

Reckon it is one
of a kind all right.

It's a good face.

Obliged to you, ma'am.

My name's Abelia. You
might as well start using it.

Abelia, you reckon you
could wake the young 'uns up

and keep 'em quiet if need be?

Is there any hiding
place around here

where them gunnies
wouldn't think of looking at?

There's the cyclone cellar, but I
don't see what good it'd do to hide.

They'd just find us.

No, not if they thought
that you'd ran off.

Well, how are you gonna
make 'em think that?

Just leave the doing to me.

$1000 REWARD WANTED
TOM COLE ROBBERY ASSAULT

That's him all right.

Tom Cole. Well, he rides
with the Ward brothers.

- You sure about this, Newly?
- I'm positive.

It's hard to forget a man's eyes over a
gunsight when he's pulling the trigger.

At least now, for what it's worth,
we know who we're looking for.

Well, what about the woman?

There wasn't any woman with
'em, Doc, when they hit Garden City.

There was a woman with 'em here.

And Festus told me the wagon they
used wasn't a regular farm wagon at all.

It was one of those narrow
kind like the hill people use.

Now, do you think that maybe

they could have picked up a
woman hostage up there someplace?

Well, I guess they could have.

There's a few farms scattered
back in among those hills.

All right. Newly,
I'll tell you what.

You stay right there in bed and
rest up till he tells you to get out.

He'll stay in bed till I tell him, until
I finish playing checkers with him.

- Sounds like you're beating him, huh?
- Ask him.

Irish luck, just Irish luck.

Marieanne, wake up.

Why, Ma?

Why, Ma?

We're gonna go
hide in the cellar.

- Is a twister coming?
- Shh!

There's some men
outside, some bad men,

and we're gonna hide
until they go away.

And there's one of 'em
sleeping right in yonder

and we don't wanna
wake him up, now.

Just as quiet as a
cottontail on green grass.

Hear me? Shh, real quiet.

Don't stop! Keep
running, keep running!

Don't stop! Go on!

All right, hold it, farmer.

That's enough.

- What's going on?
- Looks like the woman got away.

- Kids too?
- I don't know.

- Did you see them?
- No, but I heard 'em, right over there.

- Wells, what happened in there?
- Huh? Well, I was just dozing and...

Mister, when we
catch up with them,

I'm gonna come back
here and fix you good.

Then that's gonna
give me a little time,

'cause they got places to hide
in there a pack rat couldn't find.

Take him inside and watch him
close. If he moves, shoot him.

Inside, plow pusher.

While we're waiting for Judd to
bring back your woman and your brats,

we might as well have
us some hot coffee.

Go on, fix it.

Well, they couldn't have
got much farther than this.

Too dark to read signs, Judd.

Better split up.

Call out if you see anything.

Well, how about it?

Ain't hot enough yet.

Well, it looks plenty hot to me.

What's the matter?

Judd?

It's Cole.

Judd, I'm back.

Where's Judd?

He and Gar are out looking
for the woman and kids.

Her man came back, slipped
her and the kids out the window.

That sure were a fool move.
Judd weren't gonna hurt 'em none.

So... had herself a man.

I had her pegged for lying.

Sit yourself down, Cole. The farmer
here was about to pour some hot coffee.

Sure could use some.

What took you so long?

My horse threw a
shoe, near froze.

Where's the coffee?

Get to pouring, farmer.

I figured you might want
some eggs to go with it.

Hustle it up.

You stay put. No matter
what happens, you stay put.

All right, hold it.

Now, call the other one.

Go on, call him.

Wish Judd'd get here.

How about them eggs?

Don't I know you from somewhere?

I... been down around
Panhandle some.

No, not that far back.

You being such a big fella, I
thought you might want a extra one.

That voice.

That voice.

- Deputy.
- Deputy?

He ain't no farmer. He ain't her
man. He's the deputy from Dodge.

- Say your prayers, Deputy.
- No!

Don't kill him, please!

Don't kill him!

Please!

Well, I'll be...

Judd and Gar are riding
around there out in the night

and you be right
here all the time.

Nice game you two played.

I got a game for you.

It's gonna have you dancing.

No!

Them's your last words, Deputy.

Come on, Abelia.

Matthew, there's a couple
more of 'em out yonder.

Yeah, I know, Festus.
They've been taken care of.

Abelia, this here is Matthew
Dillon, the marshal of Dodge City.

It sure is... good
to see you, Marshal.

Sure you can't stay
for supper, Mr. Haggen?

Well, I'd sure like to, ma'am,
but I reckon I'd better get on

and try to catch up
with Matthew on the trail.

You mean you ain't
coming back to spark Ma?

- Well...
- Uh... that old cow's loose again.

Why don't you kids go and
see if you can't tie her up?

- Goodbye, Mr. Haggen.
- Bye-bye.

My kids kind of speak up.

They ain't too much
for talking polite.

Oh, they... they
wasn't unpolite at all.

Fact is, you must be mighty
proud of them two young 'uns.

Yes, I am proud.

Well, it was sure plumb
pleasurable meeting up with you.

I just wish that we
could have met up

under more pleasuresome times.

But, then, Dodge City,
see, it ain't so far from here

to where you won't maybe
be seeing me ride by.

I could even get close enough to
where I'd wave down here to you.

Well, if you come that close,

well, you might as well come
close enough to holler a hello.

That's kind of what
I had in my head.

The fact is, Sundays I
always cook up more dinner

than me and the
kids can eat, so...

Just in case we happen to
get a neighbor passing by.

Well, I'm sure fixin' to keep
that in my mind all right.

Well, I reckon I'd
better be getting on.

You just take care of
them young 'uns, now,

and take care of
yourself, you hear me?

OK.

- Bye.
- Bye-bye.

Bye-bye, young 'uns.
Take care of your ma, now.

Bye, Mr. Haggen.

- Thanks.
- Bye-bye.

He's such a nice man, Ma.

He sure is, darling.

A very special man.

You said that about our pa.

Did I?

Will Mr. Haggen
ever be back, Ma?

I don't know.

I don't know.

Stay tuned for scenes
from next week's Gunsmoke.