Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 16, Episode 15 - Jenny - full transcript

Announcer: Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Coach driver: Whoa!

Here we are, folks. Dodge City.

- Let me give you a hand, ma'am.
- Thank you.

Morning to you, Newly.

Reilly, how you doing?

- There you are, Miss.
- Thank you.

Here, let me help
you with these.

Oh, I don't think that will
be necessary, thank you.

Here, let me give
you a hand there.

Excuse me, are you the marshal?



No, the marshal's out of town.

My name is Newly O'Brien.
I'm one of his deputies.

- And this here's Miss Kitty Russell.
- How do you do, Miss Russell?

- How do you do?
- I'm Jenny. Jenny Pearson.

The driver said I ought
to talk to the marshal.

You see, I'm going to Slater's Crossing,
only the stage doesn't go there anymore.

Slater's Crossing is deserted.

There hasn't been a stage
line in there for a long time.

No, ma'am. Are you
traveling all by yourself?

Yes, sir. All the
way from St. Louis.

Kitty: That's a long way.

You see, my mother died, and I'm going
to meet my father at Slater's Crossing.

Only the driver said that
the closest city was Dodge.

And so I don't know what to do.



Well, I know about stage coaches,
and I know they don't feed you.

What do you say we get you
some sweet rolls and milk?

Oh, yes, ma'am.

I think there's some
in the office, Newly.

Well, let's see here,
I'll take those for you.

Oh, thank you.

Let's go sit over there.

Well, now...

You mean to tell me that there
wasn't anybody on that trip with you?

Well, just two
cowboys and a lady.

- And Melissa.
- Oh.

How old are you?

Ten. Well, almost ten.

And your father lives somewhere
near Slater's Crossing, huh?

Well, I don't know. I just got a letter
from him telling me to meet him there.

He finally got a ranch, he said.

And we're gonna be having
cows and chickens and horses.

And there's a pony for me to
ride, and a creek to go swimming in.

He's even gonna take
me hunting with him.

Well, that sounds wonderful.

Pearson...

Pearson's Ranch?
Doesn't sound familiar.

Well, Pearson isn't
really my name.

It's just a game I'm
supposed to play.

My mother made it up.

My real name is Jennifer Pritchard,
but everybody calls me Jenny.

Thank you, Newly O'Brien.

You're welcome.

What's your father's name?

Lucas. Lucas Pritchard.

Would you like to
see a picture of him?

Yes. Mm-hmm.

Isn't he handsome?

Oh, he certainly is.

Well, you know, that
just looks so good,

I think I'm gonna have to
go get myself a cup of coffee.

- Newly?
- Yes, ma'am.

You just dig right in.

Newly and I are gonna try
and figure out what to do.

Mmm. Thank you, it
sure is good, ma'am.

You're so welcome.

There couldn't be any
mistake, could there?

I seen posters of him. He's the same
man I trailed in Oklahoma this spring.

How do you tell a ten-year-old
that her father is wanted

in practically every state
this side of the Missouri?

Don't worry about
it being hot, now.

The best thing to do when it's
hot is just don't think about it.

- Don't you see?
- That's exactly what I plan to do.

But of course, you know he's
just liable not to be there at all

when he sees that there ain't
no well water and there ain't...

Mr. O'Brien? Miss Russell told me
you're going out to meet my father.

I sure am.

And I was wondering
if I could go with you.

I mean, I think I could ride
a horse without any trouble.

I bet you can ride a horse,
Jenny, but I'll tell you something,

it's a pretty hot day, and I might have
to ride further than Slater's Crossing

if your dad isn't there.

Maybe when the stage didn't go
that far he went back to his ranch.

Could be. Excuse me.

This is Mr. Festus Hagen.

Festus, Miss Jenny Pritchard.

- How do you do?
- Howdy, Miss Jenny. Nice to meet you.

Festus, why don't you see if Mr. Lathrup's
got a new batch of root beer made up?

Good idea, Newly.

I could stand a little swallow
of root beer my own self.

You run over yonder
and see Mr. Lathrup

and be sure and tell him to get it out
of the cellar, where it's cool, will you?

- Okay.
- All right, darling.

Keep your hands
where I can see them.

Take the bit out of
the horse's mouth.

Do it.

What are you, a deputy?

That's right.

New, aren't ya?

- Yeah.
- Shows.

Could have had you ten
times over and then some.

She's in Dodge, Mr. Pritchard.

You sure don't look
like your picture.

She?

Your daughter. Jenny.

She came as far as she could,
then I come the rest of the way.

You got a name?

O'Brien. Newly O'Brien.

You said Dodge.
Where's Matt Dillon?

Out of town.

You're in charge, are ya?

Me and another deputy.

Well, O'Brien, I got
a proposition for you.

Jenny's the only
important one around here.

You and me, we
don't count for much.

But she does.

You're gonna bring
her here to me.

You don't shoot me if I
bring her back here, is that it?

Right on.

She'll still be in Dodge,

and you ain't about to ride
in shooting, now are ya?

So I'm gonna make
a bargain with ya.

The only bargain
I'm gonna make...

is you come back with me...

make your arrangements...

see that Jenny's
taken care of...

then you come
back and stand trial.

Now, you don't have
too many choices, do ya?

Come on, spill it out.
What are you offering?

I just did.

Two days in Dodge
of you being a father,

in return for you
giving yourself up.

Amnesty? You
offering me amnesty?

Call it what you want.

Two days as a free man?

I got your word?

If I got yours you'll
give yourself up.

You'd take the word
of a wanted man?

I'll take the word
of Jenny's father.

Is something wrong, Judge?

Pritchard.

The deputy just
brought in Pritchard.

Newly, you got him, huh?

Not exactly.

What do you mean, not
exactly? He ain't got you.

Let's go inside
and talk about it.

Festus, shut that door a minute.

Pritchard, I'll go get
Jenny. You wait here.

I think it's best you're
not seen in the streets.

I thought you said
as a free man?

You want someone to collect
that $2,000 reward on your head?

No.

All right, then.
I'll go get her.

Newly, will you
explain this to me now?

I want to know
what's going on...

Lucas Pritchard.

That's right.

You remember me.

Name's Franklin, Alan Franklin.

Yeah. Joplin.

That's right.

I'm the judge that indicted
you for robbery two years ago.

But you escaped before
you could be brought to trial.

Joplin's in Missouri. What
are you doing in Kansas?

Substituting for Judge
Brooker who's in Washington.

And now if we're finished
with the questions,

I suggest we get
this man locked up.

- Festus?
- It's true, Newly.

The judge here come
in on that noon stage.

Now, wait a minute.
Nobody's gonna lock me up.

Judge, there's a couple
things you ought to know.

See, Pritchard's daughter,
she's here in Dodge.

- What's his daughter got to do with...
- She's nine-years-old,

and she come here
to meet her daddy.

I give him a couple
days to take care of her,

and then he's gonna
give himself up.

Give himself up?
What's that mean?

- He's in custody.
- It means that I've got amnesty, Judge.

I got this deputy's word.

You got him here by
promising amnesty?

Yes, sir, for a couple of days.

Lock him up.

But, Judge, I promised
him two days' amnesty.

Not even two hours, lock
him up now. That's an order!

- I can't do that. I give my word.
- Deputy!

Festus, just a minute. I
said I gave him my word.

Wait a minute, Judge.

Now, Newly here... Well, in
this here part of the country,

when a feller gives his word, it
means something, don't ya see?

This man is under indictment for
robbery. There's a price on his head.

And I don't intend to risk the
safety of this or any other community

by having him at large.

Come on, Pritchard.

Here.

I think you need this.

She's got to be
told, Miss Kitty,

and I don't know how to
say it except straight out.

We don't have to tell
her tonight, do we?

I mean, can't we just spare
her at least one tearful night?

She'll think we were
usin' her, Miss Kitty.

Saying I'd be bringing her father to
her, knowin' he's a man we been huntin'.

Newly, you just shouldn't
be blaming yourself.

Appreciate it.

Sam, will you look after
things for a few minutes?

I'm going upstairs and tuck
the almost-10-year-old in.

Sure, Miss Kitty.

Let's get this
turned down for ya.

Here, let me get this.

There you go.

You wanna give me that bracelet?

Thank you.

Here we are.

Goodnight.

I love him.

Newly.

Jenny, you're a flirt. I
thought you liked Festus.

I do.

I like Festus.

But I love Newly.

Oh, I see.

You know, I'll never
be as pretty as you are.

You'll be prettier. But you
got to get your beauty sleep.

You lie down and
close your eyes.

Goodnight, Jenny.

Goodnight, Miss Russell.

Miss Russell?

Today sure was nice, but
tomorrow's gonna be even better.

Goodnight, Jenny.

Night, Melissa.

Miss Jenny, ain't
you up kind of early?

Oh, I'm in a hurry, Mister Sam.

I got to see Newly
about my father!

- Where's Miss Russell?
- She's still sleeping.

Newly?

Newly, you in there?

Hello.

Why are you in jail?

I, uh, don't think you
should be in here.

I'll wait for
Mr. O'Brien out there.

Well, Melissa, I guess
we're just gonna have to wait.

Lucas Pritchard?

$2,000?

Robbery and assault?

Dad?

Jenny... let me talk
to you for a minute.

Please?

Jenny.

Pritchard, I got
your breakfast...

Jenny!

Honey, look at
me and stop crying.

Please don't cry, sweetie.

It's not gonna help things.

I didn't lie to you like
you think I might have.

You did lie!

Even my father and Festus!

And even Miss Russell!

You knew, all of you.

You knew all the time.

Oh, Melissa...

Would you mind
leaving that open?

It's close in here.

I'm sorry, Pritchard.

Yeah, you keep saying that.

I don't know what else to say.

The day her mother found out...

Smoke?

No.

Said the same thing.

I said I was sorry. Didn't help.

Couldn't talk to her any more
after that. She wouldn't listen.

This is gonna be worse.

Jenny's gonna be here and
she's gonna watch me stand trial.

And she's gonna
hear all the ugly gossip.

And all the lies.

Lies, Pritchard?

I never done half the
stuff I got credit for.

Anything happen, didn't
know who to blame,

say Lucas Pritchard did it.

If you're innocent,
it'll come out in court.

I'm not innocent, O'Brien.

But I'm not a killer either.

Now, I'm telling you something.

I didn't know Judge
Franklin was gonna be here

or that he wouldn't
honor that...

Well, we both made
a mistake, didn't we?

I got to see my daughter.

I'll bring her here.

No!

No, she won't come.

O'Brien...

I got to see her
someplace alone.

Where it's quiet.

So I can tell her
that I love her.

Now, come on, O'Brien.

You made a lot of
noise to that judge

about your word and
how much it means to ya.

What... Miss Kitty,
Lucas Pritchard.

How are you, Mr. Pritchard?

Uh, where is she?

Well, she's in that
room asleep, I hope.

Oh... Wait a minute.
Now, just a minute.

- Newly?
- I know the judge would have my head.

Well, Matt would
too, if he were here.

- I don't know what else to do.
- I just want to talk to her.

Ma'am, I got to see my daughter.

All right.

Thanks.

Now, Jenny.

Honey?

I know it was all a shock.

I didn't mean it to happen
this way. I sure didn't.

I thought I had it all
planned out real good.

Buying a little farm just
below the Texas border,

a woman there to
take care of the house.

I thought you'd never...
need to learn about me.

Oh, maybe when you got
older I'd be telling you the truth.

Maybe at an age that
you'd be able to understand.

Do you hate me so much, Jenny?

Mommy.

What about Mommy?

Even she lied.

But, honey, she was only trying
to see that you didn't get hurt.

And you telling stories...

about the ranch, and the
cows, and the chickens.

And my pony.

And me going hunting with you.

Nobody tells the truth.

Nobody.

Just lies.

Sure mixed up, O'Brien.

The bucket's been kicked over
real good between Jenny and me.

You know, I don't
know what to do.

Like I said, I'm sorry.

O'Brien, will you just quit
telling me that you're sorry?

Yeah.

Pritchard!

Stop, Pritchard!
Stop, or I'll shoot!

Newly, wasn't that Pritchard?

Is there anything wrong
with this gun, Deputy?

No, sir.

- Then it will fire.
- Yes, sir, it'll fire.

Mr. Hagen, get a posse together.

I want Lucas Pritchard
back here in Dodge.

Dead or alive, but
I want him back.

Oh, now, that there
ain't actual my place.

You see, Marshal Dillon left
Newly here in charge and...

Mr. O'Brien is no longer
in charge of anything.

He's under arrest for defiance of
authority and dereliction of duty.

Now form that posse.

You wait just a minute.

Do what the man says, Festus.

It's all right.

All right.

All them's got
horses, go get 'em.

We're forming up a posse
in front of the livery stable.

I believe you know where
the jail is, Mr. O'Brien.

I say that Pritchard's escape was
a deliberate and premeditated act.

That O'Brien posed with that gun

ready to fire a few
shots into the air for effect

if witnesses hadn't arrived
on the scene so quickly.

Oh, that's crazy.

Why don't you arrest me for
knowing that Pritchard was out of jail

and not saying anything?

Miss Russell, don't think that
thought hasn't crossed my mind.

Are you finished, Judge?

I believe I've
made myself clear.

All right, now I'm gonna
tell you a couple of things.

It so happens that Newly
O'Brien is not the kind of a man

that'd conspire to let
anybody out of a jail cell

for any reason whatsoever.

Now, there's been some mistakes made
here, and you've made the biggest one.

- Oh, what's that?
- Not using common sense.

I don't care for
your tone, Marshal,

nor placing a burden
of guilt on my office.

I'll tell you something else
you're not gonna care for.

I'm gonna turn him
out of that cell right now.

Dillon, you release that man,

it just may finish your career
as a United States Marshal.

Kitty, could you
get us some coffee?

Oh, y-yeah.

Sit down, Newly.

We have to talk about how many
mistakes a deputy of mine's entitled to.

First of all, you never should
have given amnesty to an outlaw.

However, under the conditions there, I
guess I might've done the same thing.

So we'll forget
about that part of it.

The main thing is that once
you had him locked up in that cell,

you never should
have let him loose.

Sir, he shouldn't have been
locked up in the first place.

Yeah, but he was.
That's the whole point.

The third mistake was that
when he escaped like that,

you should've stopped him
somehow, even if you had to shoot him.

In the back?

He was unarmed, Marshal.

Had a rifle in his saddle boot, but
he didn't have no gun in his hand.

Is it all right if I get
me some breakfast?

Sure.

I sure am sorry.

Newly, what are
you doin' out of jail?

That judge get hisself a
change of heart, did he?

Marshal Dillon come
back to town and let me out.

Seen any sign of him?

Oh, we picked up a few
piddly little old tracks up yonder

where Fall River splits

and then we lost them
over yonder by Turkey Tree.

We're fixin' to get
ourselves a bite to eat

and swap horses, and then
leave in a couple of hours.

You wanna go back up with us?

You bet.

All right, come on, fellers. We
can get a drink later. Come on.

Get these horses water
and something to eat.

Never did catch that
Pritchard feller, huh?

No, sir. A good horse and a
fast start, he's well on his way.

Good horse?

That was my old
mare he stole last night.

She's wind-broke.

Wind-broke?

Figure she'll run ten miles before
she whistles and comes to a dead stop.

- Ten miles.
- Not a foot beyond.

Did you tell this to anyone
in the posse, Reilly?

No.

Them posse fellers
never did ask me.

Pritchard!

Pritchard, I know you're
here. I found your horse.

Pritchard, you don't
stand a chance!

You don't have a horse,
and there's a posse after ya!

I'm not without a
horse now, O'Brien.

I got yours.

No more deals, Pritchard. This
time you're gonna have to kill me.

Except I don't
think you're a killer.

Pritchard?

I don't wanna have to kill you,
Pritchard, and you'd be a fool to kill me.

Taking on a murder charge.

I thought you said Jenny was
the most important thing to you.

Well, use your head... give yourself
up, come back and stand trial.

Stop thinking about yourself
and start thinking about Jenny.

Pritchard?

Pritchard?

I could have sworn
I didn't hit him, Doc.

You didn't, Newly.

This is a ricochet.

Bad?

Well, I don't
know. I'm afraid so.

Give me that probe.

♪ Melissa, Melissa... ♪

Jenny, there's somebody
here who'd like to see you.

Jenny, your father's been hurt.
I think you ought to go see him.

Soon it's gonna
be time to go home.

When we get home, I'm
gonna give you a bath...

Doesn't that matter to you?

You're...

Miss Kitty.

Jenny, you're
making a big mistake.

Howdy, Newly.

Festus, how's Pritchard?

Well, still hanging
on, old Doc says.

Reckon it will be a while
before we know, though.

She's still up there.

Won't talk to anybody
except that doll.

Won't even cry.

Sure is hot.

How am I doing?

I wouldn't have believed
it. You're pretty amazing.

You all right?

Yup, that Lucas Pritchard,

he's something
altogether now, isn't he?

You know something?

You really got hit.

What'd he shoot
me with, a cannon?

Ooh, that bounced off
of something, didn't it?

Well, he wasn't trying to
shoot me after all, was he?

Newly told me you
could have killed him.

Yeah, I could have.

Well?

I never killed a man who
wasn't trying to kill me first.

You don't believe me, do ya?

I don't think it makes too much difference
to you what anybody believes, does it?

No, it don't.

Except Jenny.

And she won't even talk to me.

How are you, Jenny?

Jenny, you know, this is my day
for taking care of sick little girls.

And you know, in
all of Dodge City,

you're the only
little girl who's sick.

And I understand you can't talk.

Well, we're gonna see
what we can do about this.

I wanna have a look
at your mouth here.

Now, open it... That's right.

Open real wide now.

Let me...

Hmm.

You know, I don't see any reason
at all there why you can't talk.

But we're gonna be
on the safe side about it.

I'm gonna give you
some medicine here

that'll cure just
about anything.

I've never tasted this.

But folks says it's the worst stuff
they've ever tasted in their lives

and it's kind of thick, too.

Sticks to the roof of your
mouth, but I'm gonna give...

I don't need any medicine!

Oh, is that so?

Well, now, maybe...

Maybe I'll have
another look here.

Let me see your eyes.

You know something, Jenny?

By golly, I just don't
think you're sick at all.

I am, too, sick.

I'm... I...

I just don't talk...
'cause I don't want to.

Well, why don't
you want to talk?

Well, now, just a minute here.

Let me tell you
something, Jenny.

You don't have to
talk unless you want to.

You know, sometimes there's
a big disadvantage about that.

Not talking, I mean.

'Cause, you see,

folks kind of get the
wrong impression about it.

If you're not talking, they
see you looking unhappy

and they don't
know how you feel.

Of course, that makes
them unhappy, too.

Now...

I don't know, maybe you don't care
about those folks and what they think,

but I think it's kind
of important to you

that you know how
they think about you,

how they feel.

Now, you take Kitty.

Well, I'll tell you, she
got so upset that, uh...

well, she went out
and got you a present.

- Present?
- Mm-hmm.

She got kind of a
special present for you.

Of course, if you don't want
it, I can take it back to her.

A special present?

Mm-hmm.

Pretty special.

Oh...

Lucas: You know, the difference
between people and God, Jenny,

is that people make mistakes.

When I was a young boy,

not much bigger than
you are right now, I...

I lived in a big old ugly
house with a lot of other boys

who didn't have parents either.

And I hated it, so...

one day, I up and ran away.

And I got awful hungry.

And so I stole from
a general store.

Well, there wasn't
anybody around

to tell me that that mistake
I'd made could be corrected.

And I made another mistake,
and then another and another.

And before I knew it, I was...

I was all growed up...

and what they call an outlaw.

Then, when I met your mom...

and you were born...

well, I tried to be good.

But all them
mistakes that I'd made,

they just kept running after me

and catching up.

So I ran away again.

And I been running ever since.

Do you understand what
I'm trying to tell ya, Jenny?

I think so.

Well...

the only way that I can
be a real father to you...

now...

is to pay for all them
bad things I done.

And it's not gonna be easy.

And you're gonna
have to be really brave,

and understanding, too.

Can you do that?

I'll try.

Okay.

Oh, there's one
other thing, too.

Newly O'Brien made
a kind of small mistake.

I think that, uh,

he feels really bad
for hurting you...

and me.

And there must be something
we can do to help him out.

Daddy, why do people
have to make mistakes?

Baby...

Isn't it good that people do
make mistakes once in a while,

so that we can forgive them?

- Oh, I'm sorry.
- No.

- Newly.
- Marshal.

This just came in for ya.

See, I wired the attorney general's office
yesterday before you brought Pritchard in.

"Conduct of Deputy
Newly O'Brien unorthodox

but in the absence
of U.S. Marshal,

within discretionary
powers of acting lawman.

Abrogation of those powers
by circuit judge invalid."

What does that mean?

Newly, I think it means
you get your badge back.

I appreciate all
you done, Marshal.

Thank you, sir.

- Hello, Marshal.
- Hello, Jenny.

- Newly?
- Jenny.

The difference between people and
God is that people make mistakes.

And I made a bigger
mistake than you did, Newly.

I love you. Don't
you forget that.

And you won't forget where I am?

I got the address memorized.

Anyway, Newly will be back here
just as soon as he gets you settled in.

And he'll have it
down even better.

And everybody says that
Mrs. Martin is the nicest woman

and she runs the best boardin'
school in the whole country.

But, Daddy, I don't wanna
go. I wanna stay here with you.

Now, it's not gonna
be for that long.

But, uh, you're just
liable to forget who I am.

No, I won't.

Well, I just might knock on
your door one of these days

and you'll come to
it and you'll answer it

and you'll not even
know who I am.

Oh, Daddy, I'll
remember you forever.

Well, you just better
now, you hear?

Okay, come on, we
better get you on that stage

before that driver
spanks both of us.

- O'Brien, take good care of her.
- Yes, sir.

- Matt: All right, driver.
- Bye, Daddy.

Stage driver: Ride
on, Marshal! Hyah!

Five years.

Maybe four with good behavior.

Quite a difference. I
wonder how she'll be.

Pritchard, I'll tell you something,
you got quite a daughter there.

She's gonna be all
right wherever she is,

don't you worry.

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