Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 15, Episode 5 - Hawk - full transcript

Sgt. Hawk is a half-breed lawman who stops by to visit his mother, who bore him while being held captive by Indians 20 years before. He finds that she has nothing but hate for him.

Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Hello.

Hello.

What kind of uniform is that?

An Indian policeman's.

I didn't know there were any
Indian policemen around Dodge.

There aren't. I come from an
Apache reservation in Arizona.

- What's your name?
- Sergeant Hawk.

- What's yours?
- Amos. Amos Clifford.

You don't look like an Apache.

Have you ever seen
an Apache before?



No. But I've seen lots of other
Indians around Dodge City,

and you don't look
like any of them either.

Amos!

Amos!

- We're ready to leave now!
- I'm coming, sis!

Better hurry.

Pa's going to Dodge to catch the
stage, and I'm driving the buckboard.

Bye, Sergeant
Hawk. Come on, Sam.

Goodbye, Amos.

I wish you were
going with me, Phoebe.

I wish so too.

Here we are, Pa.

- I'm ready, Pa.
- All right.

Climb on in, we'll see what
kind of a job you can do.



- Take good care of yourself, dear.
- Now, Dave, don't you worry.

- We'll be all right.
- It's gonna be a long week.

For me too.

Pa, hurry up, you'll
miss the stage!

All right, son. I'll
be right with you.

Bye-bye.

I watched your
family drive away.

I thought this might be a
good chance to talk to you.

They call me Hawk.

- Hello, Festus.
- Howdy, Dave.

I just seen Amos and
Miss Rachel a-heading out.

That little old Amos
is sitting up there

prouder than a banty
rooster a-handling them reins.

Well, I had them leave now so
they could get home before dark.

- Where you headin', Dave?
- Omaha.

Cattle sale. I... I expect
to be gone about a week.

Well, you're sure lookin' mighty
dude-y in your Sunday duds.

Pretty near like one
of them big city fellas.

Thanks for the compliment.

By the way, Festus, if you get
out around our place while I'm gone,

I'd sure appreciate it if
you'd look in on Phoebe.

Oh, course I will. I'll
make it my business.

'Specially with Phoebe bein' the
best cook in this part of the country.

All aboard!

- Well, Dave, have a good trip.
- Thanks, Festus.

- See you in about a week.
- You betcha.

Well, if it ain't old
Sergeant Hawk.

- Good to see you, Festus.
- Good to see you too.

- Is your marshal in?
- He sure is.

He'll be tickled to see
you too. Come on in.

Matthew, look here
what the cat drug in.

Well, Sergeant.

Haven't seen you around
here for a long time.

Almost three years, Marshal.

Well, looks like you've been
spending some time in the saddle.

Yeah, I been following the trail
through the North Hills for a month.

Some of my own people.

Four renegades robbed
a reservation agent.

- How about a cup of coffee, Hawk?
- Oh, thank you, Festus.

Well, anything we
can do to help you?

That's why I came in.

This bunch is tired of having
me on their heels day and night.

Are they gonna make a stand?

Stand's not exactly the
word for Apache renegades.

They've been laying false trails,
backtracking, hoping to ambush me.

What I need is one man with
me, circling the trails I've scouted.

One good man who knows the
hills, and I think we can box them in.

Well, how about Festus here?

He knows those hills better
than anybody else around here.

I'd sure be glad to
go with you, Hawk.

Good. Can we start
a little after first light?

I'll be right out yonder in
the street a-waitin' for you.

- Marshal.
- Good luck, Sergeant.

Thanks.

Matthew, that there is one fella
that I sure wouldn't want on my trail.

Yeah, I agree with
you there, Festus.

When he's tracking somebody,
he's more Apache than white man.

I'm sorry about this morning,
I... I didn't mean to frighten you.

What are you doing here?
What do you want from me?

I just wanna see
you, talk to you.

Why? It's been over 20 years.

Is it so strange a son
wants to see his mother?

I'm not your mother. I
was never your mother.

I bore you, and that's all.

I was 16 years old when
your people captured me.

My mother and my father

were hacked to
death before my eyes.

A lot of terrible things
happened in those days.

A lot has to be forgiven
and forgotten on both sides.

You were a year old
when the soldiers came.

You were an Apache and I
was so glad to leave you behind.

I was so ashamed of
what had happened to me,

I only wanted to forget it.

To forget you.

And were you able to forget?

I had to forget so that I
could have a life again.

And my husband
knows nothing about you

and it's too late to tell him
now after all of these years.

We're a happy family.

I will not let you destroy that.

I don't want to destroy
your happiness.

Three times before
I've been up this way.

I came by your house each time.

Don't you ever come to my
house again. Do you hear me?

I only watched you.

Once I saw you at
supper with your family.

I saw my brother and my sister.

Don't you call yourself their brother.
You have nothing to do with my children.

That's a lie.

We have the same blood.

No, you don't! There's
no Apache blood in them!

Their father is a
good, gentle man.

Their father.

Well, my father also
was a good man.

Was he?

I don't know who
your father was.

How could you?

- You're up early.
- Doc.

I'm fixin' to meet
Sergeant Hawk in a little bit.

We're going out and
do us some hill trailing.

Come on, let's see if Kitty
won't pour us a cup of coffee.

- That smells mighty good, Kitty.
- Thank you.

- It tastes good too.
- Much obliged, Miss Kitty.

You're so welcome.

Well, Festus, you act like you got
something on your mind for a change.

What is it?

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

Well, what is it you don't know?

- Well...
- Wait a minute.

Maybe you just better
tell us what you do know,

- then it won't take quite so long.
- All right, Doc!

I ain't in no
polly-foxin' mood now.

Doc, will you just wait a minute?
Uh, sounds serious, Festus.

Well, I just don't know
that neither, Miss Kitty. It...

It's something that I know
that I just don't know about.

And it's something that a fella
hadn't ought to even talk about.

Well, I'd say that he's doing a
pretty good job of not talking about it.

Doc, will you just hush up?

Festus, is it anything
we can help you with?

- Well, I just don't know, Miss Kitty.
- There, you see? He's doing it again.

All right, all right.

I kinda promised Dave Clifford

that I'd keep a eye out on his
family whilst he's out of town.

And right off the bat,
something pops up that I...

Well, that I just
don't know about.

For heaven's sake, would
you get around to something

that you do know something
about? That you can tell us.

- Doc!
- Well, good heavens.

Festus, is there something... is there
some trouble out at the Clifford farm?

Not out at the farm, no, ma'am.

Well, maybe you could tell
me if you figured it'd be all right

for me to tell you about
something that I seen

or maybe that I hadn't ought
to be saying nothing about at all.

Uh, you mean it's... it's
something that's confidential, huh?

Well, yes'm, I
reckon you could...

Well, for heaven's sakes,
if you want some advice,

why don't you just
come right out and ask?!

All... all right. All right.

Last night, late,

I seen Phoebe Clifford come
a-drivin' her wagon into town,

and she drawed it up on
a dark place on the street

like she didn't wanna be saw.

Then she pulled this here
lacey thing down over her face,

and then she kinda went
walkin' over to the hotel.

I saw what she done,
she went into the hotel,

like she didn't want nobody to be
seein' what she was doin', don't ya see?

- You oughta be ashamed of yourself.
- Why?

- Passin' a story like that around!
- Well, it's true, Doc!

- If I'm lyin', I'm dyin'.
- I don't care if it's true or not,

it's none of your business!
It's Phoebe Clifford's business,

and I'm not sayin' that what
she's doin' is right or wrong.

Well, I ain't sayin' that she
done nothin' wrong neither!

But you wanted me
to tell ya and I did!

Well, I never expected that you'd
get mixed up in any back fence gossip,

- that's for ladies!
- Well, Doc, I didn't wanna tell ya

in the first place, and I
let ya know right at the start

that I know'd somethin'
that I didn't know about.

No, wait, you're not gonna
start that with me again!

I'm not gonna stay
here and listen to...

I've got a patient I've got to take
care of and I'm gonna do it right now

so that I don't wind up in
worse shape than he is.

You already are,
you old knothead.

Festus, just sit down.
Now, just calm down now.

Well, Miss Kitty, I ain't wantin' to
start no story about Phoebe Clifford.

I'm just wonderin' if the
woman ain't in trouble.

- That's all I'm wonderin' about.
- I understand.

But now, look, Festus, now, if
Phoebe is in some kind of trouble,

then, well, maybe
you just oughta wait

until she... until she decides to
say something about it. All right?

- Yes.
- Now, now, you just sit here

and drink your coffee and help
yourself to some more if you want,

and I'll be back in a
little while. All right?

- Yes'm.
- Okay.

Here's your breakfast, Sam.

This time, don't
slop it all over.

- Good morning, Mama.
- Good morning.

- What are you looking at?
- Oh, just the morning.

- Is it gonna be a nice day?
- It looks like it.

Did you have a good visit
with Miss Oakes last night?

Yes. Yes, I did.

Poor Mama. I know
what's wrong with you.

You miss Papa.

Yes, I... I don't know what
to do without... without him.

Well, it's a good thing he
doesn't go away very often.

- You'd be downright miserable.
- Yes, I would.

I sure hope it's that way
with me when I get married.

Which way is that?

Two people sharing themselves,
I mean, so completely.

Most people, even when they're
married, don't know each other.

But everything important
to you is important to Papa.

And everything about
Pa is important to you.

I guess I mean you don't
pretend with each other.

Why don't you call
Amos for breakfast?

And, uh, see if we've
got any eggs in the barn.

Hold on, Festus.
We head to the north.

Well, I just wanna stop
by the Clifford place.

It ain't but a minute
or two from here.

I'll meet you on
the north trail.

Hawk, that there don't appear
too smart to me, us seperatin'.

'Sides, I know a shortcut from the
Clifford place up to them north trails.

Come on.

- Hello, Festus.
- Morning, Amos. Miss Rachel.

Morning, Festus.

Amos, I believe you've put on an
inch or two since I was out here last.

Why, if I didn't know you was eight,
I'd swear you was ten going on 11.

I'm nine going on ten.

- Hello, Sergeant Hawk.
- Good morning.

Sergeant Hawk is
an Apache policeman.

We met yesterday.

- Pleased to know you, Sergeant Hawk.
- Ma'am.

Festus, you came by
just in time for breakfast.

Oh, well, first, Miss Rachel we... we
didn't just come by for no breakfast.

You're having sausage meat
and eggs and hot muffins.

And you can tell us some
Indian stories, Sergeant Hawk.

Now, just wouldn't be polite
to turn down an invite like that,

would it, Hawk?

Rachel, you and Amos get to the table,
we've got a lot of things to do today.

Ma, we just invited Festus
and Sergeant Hawk to breakfast.

Uh, Festus, it'll have
to be another time.

There's just not
enough food prepared.

Oh, fiddle, that's all
right, Miss Clifford, we...

we wasn't too hungry no how.

- Mother!
- Get in the house, Rachel,

and get Amos fed.

Fact is, Miss Clifford,
onlyiest reason we came by

is 'cause I'd kinda promised
Dave that I'd keep a eye out

in case you was to
be a-needin' anything.

Thank you, Festus,
everything is just fine.

Yes'm.

Amos.

I'll bet he knows a lot of
stories about Indian fights.

Amos, come on in the house.

Hawk, I feel bad that got
embarrassin' back there,

but you can see that Miss
Clifford was a little bit out of sorts.

Let's get on.

I wish Sergeant Hawk
lived around Dodge.

We're almost friends.

I mean, if we got to know each
other, then we could become friends.

A little less talking would
get the day started sooner.

When I get big, that's what
I'm going to be, a lawman.

Go all over and visit places
Sergeant Hawk comes from.

Track Indians maybe.

Amos, finish your breakfast,
we've got a lot of chores to get done.

- Aren't you eating, Ma?
- No, I am not hungry.

Now, when you finish eating,
I want you to clean the barn.

I'm finished now.
Could I go fishing later?

Sure, if you've
finished cleaning it.

It will be.

All right, Rachel, say it.

Ma, that was more
than just plain rude.

I know you don't like Indians,
but to act the way you did,

and right in front
of the sergeant.

I didn't want him in this house.

There was no
other way to put it.

And to embarrass
Festus the way you did,

after all the times he
did you and Pa favors.

All right, Rachel. Now we've
said it, now let's forget it.

I know what happened
to your pa and ma.

But you can't keep hating
all Indians for what happened.

I can keep hating all
Indians. I do hate them.

But it happened so long ago.
You've got to forget someday.

Forget, forget,
forget. Would you?

I think so. At least I wouldn't be
holding it against every Indian that...

I was your age.

I was held captive
for two years.

But you always said it was
the same day the soldiers came.

I lied.

Even your father
doesn't know that I lied.

That's right. I was a
captive for two years.

I was a slave in
that Indian village.

Now, my daughter, you're old enough
to have a woman's understanding.

Just how quickly do you
think that you'd be forgetting?

Well, they ate here last night.

Jackrabbit.

Uh-oh.

Looks like they
washed it down with this.

Whiskey in them.

That's something I
hadn't counted on.

Let's go, Festus.

Whoa. Hawk, fresh blood.

This here limb's
been busted off too.

False trail. One cut
himself deliberately.

They got theirselves all kinds
of little ol' tricks, ain't they?

True trail heads this way.

They used that for cover.

They may be splitting up.

This here brush runs on
through there quite a ways

till it hits a gulley
on the other side.

Why don't you circle
around that gulley, Festus?

If they're in there, I can flush
them out in your direction.

Well, Hawk, I don't like to see
you being going in there by yourself.

This here ain't quail we're
flushing out, you know.

Yeah, I know what they are,
Festus. I think we're close. I'll gamble.

Never mind me. Get after them.

Leave you here to bleed to death?
No, sir, we're gonna get you to old Doc.

We'll get them later.

Festus, what happened?

Sergeant Hawk, he got
bushwhacked. Is your ma around?

Well, she and Amos went out
after the cow. She busted loose.

Well, he can't go no much
further with the blood he's losin'.

I was hopin' you could
bed him down here

till I can go fetch
Doc and Matthew.

Well, let me help.

Now, Amos, you see that that
barn door is closed hereafter.

Now, come on, run along. Go.

She sure likes to
take walks for herself.

Ma, you better tear
the sheet for bandages.

- Why, what happened?
- Sergeant Hawk's been shot.

Festus rode to town
to fetch the doctor.

He's been unconscious
since Festus brought him in.

Why is he here? Why didn't
Festus ride on with him?

- Mother!
- Why is he here?

He'd have died
before reaching Dodge!

Ma, we got any kind of
medicine to clean the wound?

I need your help!

Ma, he's a human
being, not a dog!

At least the
bleeding has stopped.

It'll be two hours or more before
Festus gets back here with Dr. Adams.

He may not be able
to leave even then.

Got the water, Ma. Want
me to put it on the stove?

Yes, please. I'm sure that Dr. Adams
will need a lot when he gets here.

I don't know what
else we can do for him.

Don't move, Sergeant
Hawk. You've been wounded.

You've lost a lot of blood.

Festus is on his way to Dodge to
fetch the marshal and the doctor,

so just lie still
until they get here.

I'm sorry. I never meant
to come back here.

- They followed.
- What? Who followed?

The renegades we were tracking.

- What are you doing?
- Renegades? What kind?

Apache. Miss Clifford.

Apache? You let Apaches
track you to my house?

- Mother!
- Rachel, get your father's gun.

Amos, close and bolt the shutters
in the bedroom! Now, quickly!

- What for, Ma?
- Amos, do as I say! Hurry!

Rachel!

Rachel, get in here!

Bolt the shutters over
there, that far window!

The breed Hawk! Send him out!

Send Hawk or you sorry!

It sounds like
they're in the woods.

Oh, no, you can't
get up. You can't!

They've been drinking.
Means they could do anything.

You send Hawk or we burn house.

Everything's locked
up, Ma. Sergeant Hawk!

- I have to get out there.
- You can't do any such thing.

You don't understand the kind
of people we're dealing with.

I do. Now, Rachel, you
get away from that door.

- Ma, what are you saying?
- I say that he is going out there

because we have got
ourselves to think about.

- Ma, you can't mean that.
- I can help fight, Ma.

Nobody is going
to do any fighting.

Now, I know what those people
out there can do. So does he.

Now, you can go along the side of
the house into the woods at back.

Ma, how could you?
How could you?!

Rachel, you don't know
what Apaches can do!

But it's like killing him
ourselves. It's like...

I've got my own to think
about! My own children!

Your mother's right, miss.

- Oh, Amos, help me.
- You come out, Hawk.

We give one minute.

They're in the barn!

You hear? Send us the Hawk.

We've gotta get him back
to bed! He's bleeding again!

Amos.

Now, you stay watch
here. You watch the barn.

And if anything moves,
you call me. All right?

If they show face,
I'll sure show them.

You're not the least
bit afraid, are you, son?

Just Indians, and
we've got guns.

Just Indians.

Remember all the stories Pa
used to tell me going to bed?

- Times he was fighting the Indians.
- But they were stories.

I know.

Now, if you see anything
move, you call me.

- You mean I can't shoot?
- You call me.

- Where are they now?
- Still in the barn.

I placed you all in
danger, Miss Clifford.

Nothing you could help.

And maybe you should
be calling me Rachel.

When people are in a fix, it seems
to me we should be using first names.

Rachel.

How did you become
an Indian policeman?

I mean, there aren't many
Indians who do that, are there?

There are many Indian
policemen on the reservation.

Well, how did you become one?

I mean, maybe... what's it like
growing up on a reservation?

Actually, I spent
very little time there.

My father died when I was ten.

I had no mother.

Kind of running wild, I guess.

Finally got caught stealing
from a store down in Tombstone.

Turned out to be the best
thing that ever happened to me.

This priest from a
mission school took me in.

So I got an education.

When I was old enough,
I joined the police force.

That's about it.

I finally had a sense of
belonging someplace.

You said your father died,
but you had no mother.

You mean she
died too, don't you?

No.

She, uh...

She disappeared when
I was about a year old.

Then you don't remember her.

It's strange, but I do.

Ma! Ma!

I thought that they'd set it afire
and push it against the house.

They don't want
no fire. It'd be seen.

While you were using the rifles on
the wagon, they slipped out of the barn.

Rachel, check the other end
of the house. The shutters.

Now, see that they don't break in.
And Amos, you watch from your room.

What do you think
that they'll do now?

It may be on their
minds to wait till dark.

I hope it is.

Why did you lie to my daughter?

You don't remember me.

I remember you.

Maybe not your face
or how things were...

but your warmth.

I grew up thinking
about you often.

Sometimes, I even thought
I knew how you looked.

A person who...

who would cry when we met again.

You didn't cry.

Sam.

Come on, Sam!

Sam!

Come on, Sam!

That's a fella.

Come on!

Ma!

- Ma, where's Amos?
- He's in his room.

- I thought I heard him calling.
- Amos.

Amos!

- Oh, no!
- Ma!

Oh, dear God!

You stay still.

We trade now!

For Hawk, we trade!

No!

- Where are you going?!
- I have to go out there.

- They'll kill you!
- It is Amos out there.

You send out Hawk,
we give boy back.

Hawk?

You'll have to help
me open the door.

I can't.

Oh, I can't. I can't. I can't.

Oh, Hawk.

I am so sorry.

You come, Hawk! Now!

Oh...

You come here, Hawk.
We go to mountains.

- Let the boy go.
- First you come.

I'm standing here
where you can shoot me.

I want the boy free.

We no shoot, Hawk.

We go to mountains.

Hear Hawk cry like breed.

Matthew, Indian ponies.

We'll leave the horses here.

You come.

Hiding behind a boy.

You stay. Wait for horses.

Come on, Festus!

Small Wolf has stopped
hiding behind women's skirts.

He now uses frightened boys.

I'm not scared.

All right here, boy?

It's all right, Ma.

Amos is all right.

And so is your other son.

Well, Hawk, you're
in pretty good shape.

You can head out any time you
want to, as far as I'm concerned.

That's good news, Doc. It's not
that I don't like your hospitality.

I know what you mean.

- Well, what's the verdict?
- He'll be all right.

- Doc says I can head to Arizona.
- Good. Glad to hear it.

Hey, Hawk, if you was figuring
on droppin' by the Clifford place

- on the way out...
- No reason for that.

We said our goodbyes.

Well, I was fixin' to
save you some trouble.

See, I just seen Phoebe and
the young 'uns come in to town.

Dave's comin' in
on the stage today.

- Thanks for everything.
- Don't mention it.

Well, good luck to you.

Appreciate your transporting
my prisoners for me.

Makes an easy ride back.

Festus, thank you.

Good luck to you, Hawk.

I don't know. There's
something I just don't know about.

- What's that?
- Oh, no. No, no, Matt!

Don't ask him anything like...
that's... I'm gettin' out of here!

- And I'd advise you to do the same.
- Wait just a minute, Doc!

You leaving now, Sergeant Hawk?

On my way, Amos.

Want you to know I wasn't
scared at all. No time.

You didn't even
have to tell me that.

When I get big, I'll
bet we'll meet again.

I'm going to be a
marshal, riding all around.

You'll make a good marshal,
Amos. No question about it.

And maybe you and me... I mean,
someday I bet I'll be down in Arizona

and we'll meet and
maybe ride together.

And maybe you'll be
telling me Indian stories.

I'm sure we'll meet again, Amos.

- Goodbye, Amos. Yah!
- Bye, Sergeant Hawk.

- Thank you.
- Dave.

Phoebe! Oh, it's
so good to see you.

- Well...
- Hello, Rachel.

- Was it a good trip?
- Yes, I think it was.

I think the sale went very well.

Are we gonna see you again?

Well, not likely I'll get
around this way again.

You could write me.

Not much on
writing, Miss Clifford.

I thought it was Rachel.

Rachel.

I'm glad to have
known you, Rachel.

Matthew, when a fella knows
something that he just don't know about,

well, then he just plain
ol' don't know, right?

- Well, that makes a lot of sense.
- Just hold on here a minute.

Now, hold on.

I'm gonna tell you something right
now that you should know, but you don't,

- but I'm gonna tell you.
- What?

You're standing on my foot.

Come on, Matt, I'll buy you a
beer. Watch where you're standing!

Well, if you didn't have
such big ol' blamed flat feet,

a fella could tell if he is
a-standin' on 'em or not!

And I hope your blamed beer
is just as flat as your flat feet is!

Stay tuned for scenes
from next week's Gunsmoke.