Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 17, Episode 12 - Gold Train: The Bullet: Part 1 - full transcript

The three-part story begins with Doc Adams returning to Dodge City after an absence, which lifts the spirits of the town. Later, Matt is shot by a criminal. The bullet is lodged near his spine. Doc says he's incapable of the intricate surgery necessary to remove the bullet. As a result, Doc transports Matt by train to Denver, where a specialist awaits. Kitty, Festus and Newly also decide to make the trip. The U.S. Army is also using the train to transport gold, which is the target of a gang led by Jack Sinclair -- who lost a hand because of Dillon. Matt, laying face down and virtually unable to move, would be a sitting duck if Sinclair discovers he's on the train.

Announcer: Gunsmoke, starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

- Hey, Matthew.
- Festus.

Gee, that old pony of yours looks
like he been caught in a stampede.

Yeah. Things quiet here?

Yeah, nothing stirring, Matthew.

Here, I'll put him up for you.

All right, fine. I'll be
back at the office.

Come on, Buck.

Hey, Marshal. I'm
sure glad you're back.

- What's wrong, Sam?
- Oh, it's that hide cutter again.

Starting to bust up
the Long Branch.



- Amos Potter?
- Yeah, drunk and as mean as ever.

Now, I just carved me
a carcass this morning...

and this old knife is just
aching to carve itself another.

Hold it.

Put the knife down.

You know, I... I
skinned and gutted

bigger carcasses
than yours, Marshal.

I want you out of town, Potter.

Come back again,
and I'll throw you in jail.

Well, it was quiet.

Doctor?

Doctor Chapman, we
been a-wonderin' what...

Doc?

Festus? How are ya?



Doc, you old scudder, you.
What are you doing here?

What am I doing?
Well, good heavens.

This happens to be my office.

- Oh, it sure is good to have to back, Doc.
- Wait! What are you doing?

Stop that! Quit it!

Seems like you been
gone for a hundred years.

What's the matter with you?

Why didn't you let us
know you was comin'?

Well, just for this very reason.

I didn't want all of this
fussin' around you're...

I didn't want that.

Oh, golly Bill, Doc.

I missed you somethin' fierce.

- You did?
- Oh, you betcha.

Hmm.

Well, I don't know why. Good
heavens. You had Dr. Chapman here.

He's a fine... fine doctor.

Well, he's a good enough feller,

but it just wasn't the
same without you, Doc.

Oh.

Oh, you mean he charged you?

All right, there you go again.

All that learning you was
supposed to have got in Baltimore

didn't change you
one little smidgeon.

You're still ornerier and
meaner than a teased rattlesnake.

And you're just blamed lucky
that I didn't take you for a thief

and shoot you in the head.

The way you come
a-slippin' into town.

I didn't come
slippin' into town.

- Well, you did too.
- I didn't neither.

You didn't even stop to say
howdy to Matthew or Miss Kitty.

I was getting ready to do
that when you came slippin' in.

Oh, you was?

Well, sure.

All right. I'll tell you
what I'm fixin' to do.

What?

I'm fixin' to take you over yonder
and buy you the tallest beer

there is in Dodge.

Hold on. Wait a minute.

You are going to buy me a beer?

I'm...

Well, of course,
if you don't want it.

Wait a minute.

I want it. I'm gonna... I'm
gonna go get it right now.

You're not gonna
change your mind on me.

- Oh, I...
- You won't get out of this.

I want you...

Festus: Hey, lookie
here who's came back.

- Look at him. He looks great.
- Hey, Doc.

- Kitty!
- Hi, Doc!

Good to see ya, Doc.

Well, I see you don't mind
Miss Kitty huggin' on ya.

Hey, Doc.

Have a drink, Doc.

- When'd you get back?
- I just got back.

Just got back a
little while ago.

Well, are you, uh,
planning on staying,

or are you gonna run out on us?

Oh, no. No, I'm gonna
stay. I'm not going anywhere.

Where's Dr. Chapman?

Well, I tell ya, Dr. Chapman don't
like goodbyes any better than I do,

So, uh, well, he's
back in New Orleans.

Doc, you'll never know
how much we missed you.

You can say that again.

Oh, you betcha, Doc. It wasn't
the same old Dodge without you.

Well, I'm... I'm sure
mighty glad and all that,

because, well, I
sure missed you.

Where... Where's Matt?

Why don't we go down yonder
and surprise the boots off of him?

Hold it there!

Get a stretcher.

Yes.

Doc?

You didn't get the bullet out.

I can't.

- I can't.
- Well, why can't you?

The bullet...

is lodged in the
spinal column, Kitty.

I can't do it.

Doc?

If you don't get the
bullet out, what'll happen?

Will he die?

Festus.

I want you to
send this telegram.

Dr. G.L. Harrington, Harrington
Clinic, Denver, Colorado.

Denver? But...
But... Never mind.

Departing Dodge
10:00 a.m. train,

this date.

Request you prepare

for immediate spinal surgery.

Bullet wound.

G. Adams.

Doc, it takes two
days to get to Denver.

I know. Just... Just send that.

Doc?

Why are you taking him
all the way to Denver?

'Cause, Kitty,
G.L. Harrington...

is the finest spinal
surgeon I know of anywhere.

And that's what it's gonna
take to safely extract that bullet.

Take him right on up there.

Clean on up at the
head there, Burke.

Real easy. Ease him
down. Ease him down.

Real easy.

That's fine. That's fine.

Festus, I want you and Newly
to nail this down real good.

I don't want it to
budge an inch.

Doc, don't worry. It ain't
gonna move a smidgen.

We... We got angle irons and
screws right from the hardware store.

- That's fine.
- Excuse me. Excuse me.

Miss Kitty, I left your
baggage in the passenger car.

- Thank you, Sam.
- Hold on a minute.

What baggage?

I'm going along, Doc.

And you're not
gonna talk me out of it.

I'm gonna see what's
holding up this train.

Good luck, Doc.

Bye, Miss Kitty.

Bye, Sam. Take care of things.

Yes, ma'am. I will.

There's your screwdriver.

All right.

Just get 'em in there
good and tight now.

Who's the man they
put in the baggage car?

That's the Marshal here
in Dodge. Matt Dillon.

He was wounded last night.

All right, just get this
train on the move again.

All right, get aboard, please.

Watch your step there.

Frank, let's pull out of here.

Right away, Doc. You
wanna get aboard?

All aboard, please! All aboard!

Whoa.

Nelson!

Feed the beast.
And keep feeding her.

Yes, sir.

Stokin' her up, Mr. Kelliher.

- Frank.
- Festus. How is he?

Just hope we get him there
in time to do some good.

Yeah.

Excuse me.

Doc, can I see you for a minute?

- Would you take over?
- Yes, sir.

What is it, Frank?

Well, I thought
I'd better tell you.

There'll be a stop
before we get to Denver.

- Where?
- Ft. Carson.

Why?

Well, this is
confidential, but, uh...

there's an Army gold
shipment on board.

How long will it take?

Well, that's hard to tell.

I'll make sure that they
unload it just as fast as possible.

I don't suppose the Army could unload
their precious gold on the way back?

Man's life's at
stake here, Frank.

Yeah, I know.

I already talked to the man
in charge, a Captain Darnell,

but you know how the Army is.

He said his job is to make sure
that that gold gets there safely.

And he's a very anxious man.

Gonna take a look around.

Yes, sir.

That's about the fifth time
he's had a look around.

Well, he's got a
lot of responsibility.

- Orely?
- Yeah.

Tell Secos we're ready, huh?

How's it look?

Sure is a good one.

Secos.

It's all done.

Pretty, ain't it?

I see.

It's very good.

- Well done.
- Won't be long now.

The rifles.

Newly, that's for you.

Thank you, Festus.

Miss Kitty. Some coffee.

Thank you, Festus.

Matthew, don't move.
Doc? He's waking up.

- Don't move.
- Matt.

Matt, be quiet. Be very quiet.

- Oh, man.
- It's me, Doc.

You're gonna have to
be very quiet, lay still.

Doc, I feel kinda strange.

You're pretty
heavily sedated, Matt.

We on a train?

Yes, you are.

You took a bullet, Matt.

Was Amos Potter
done it, Matthew,

but we got him, all right.

You're on your way to Denver.

See a specialist.

Doc, when'd you get back?

Well, we'll talk
about that later.

Who's watching Dodge?

Burke is till the deputy
from Hays gets there.

How you doing, cowboy?

Kitty?

Kitty, you shouldn't
have come here.

Just lie still, Matt. Please.

Just real still.

Well, howdy there, little missy.

Father, anything I can get you?

Father?

- Oh, yes.
- Anything I can get you?

A pillow or a blanket?

Oh, no, thank you. I'm fine.

Oh, conductor, when
are we due in Denver?

There'll be a delay. We
have another stop to make.

I thought this train
went straight through.

This is an unscheduled stop.

I was just on my way back to
see how the marshal was doing.

Well, he's awake, but
he could use some food.

I'll stir some up.

Listen, I wonder if
you'd do me a favor.

- What's that?
- You see that young lady there?

Well, she's being
annoyed, and...

and I wonder if you'd keep
her company for a while.

You bet. Tell Doc and
Festus where I'm at.

Yeah, I'll do that. Thanks.

Before we left Dodge, I
telegraphed your husband.

He'll be waiting in Denver.

Take it easy, solider.

Came out for a
smoke. That's all.

- Sorry, sir.
- That's all right.

It wasn't your idea
to sit here, was it?

Well, I was just passing
through here, and...

The conductor
asked you, didn't he?

Yes, he did, and I
appreciate him doing it.

Papa.

When my father
put me on the train,

I saw him talking
to the conductor.

This is my first time
away from home,

and he was asking
him to look after me.

Do you need looking after?

Oh, I don't think so.

But, you see, Papa's
been a farmer all his life,

and... and after five sons, he
didn't know how to treat a little girl,

which is how he
still thinks of me.

By the way, he told me
not to talk to strange men.

Well, I'm not strange, but I wouldn't
wanna get in trouble with your papa.

I promise not to say a thing.

All right.

What you guarding
in there, soldier?

Afraid I'm not at
liberty to say, sir.

You got a girl?

Yes, sir.

Ft. Carson.

How long since you've seen her?

Couple of months.

But I'll be seeing her in...

eight hours and 50 minutes.

Yeah. She pretty?

Yes, sir.

Can I help you, sir?

I hate to admit it, soldier,

but I sure could
use another hand.

Would you be so kind?

Now, you just take it
nice and easy, soldier,

and you do as
you're told, you hear?

That way, you're gonna
see your girl again.

All right?

All right, Kitty.

That's about enough.

You're going back in the coach
now, and you're gonna get some sleep.

- Come on.
- No. No, I couldn't sleep if I tried.

Well, you're gonna
try now. I mean it.

Go ahead on, Miss Kitty.

Matthew'll be took good care of.

You can count on that.

I'll see you later, Matt.

Kitty.

Come on.

Doc?

Yeah?

My legs.

What about 'em?

They feel numb.

I know.

Doc, you gonna be
able to get that bullet out?

Fair chance, Matt.

If we ever get in to Denver.

Yeah.

Well, I guess a fair chance
is better than nothing.

Yes?

It's Private Hopper, sir.

I caught a stinger in my eye.

Let him in.

Pick it up, put it on the bed.

Your turn, soldier boy.

Hold it!

But dead men can't
point no fingers.

Newspapers do.

One dead soldier's a corpse.

Two is an incident.

Three is a massacre. Right?

Now, Captain, up
against the wall.

Come on.

Now space out.

Keep an eye on 'em, Nebo.

Yee-haw!

Just look at it.

Just look at it.

Must be a billion
there at least.

I think it's just
what we expected.

The Army must have gotten smart.

This gold is alloyed
with something.

Make it more bulky,
harder to handle.

What is it, Captain?

Won't tell me, huh?

I guess from the
feel of it, it's like lead.

Lead? You mean it ain't no good?

Ah, it's good, all right.

This means that...

every bar has only
30% of gold in it.

And that means we're gonna
have to haul three times the weight.

So what? How much
longer could it take to lead?

It's not the loading, Nebo.

Well, then, what is it?

I'll talk to you
about that later.

After living in the country for
so long, Denver might scare you.

I'm already scared.

Where are you from?

I come from a small
town in Pennsylvania,

but I've lived in Dodge
City about four years now.

And what do you do there?

I'm a gunsmith.

Gunsmith?

But you don't wear a gun.

Well, not always.

You don't like guns?

I'm sorry, I...

Well, in this part of the
country, most men wear one.

Papa would never
allow one in the house.

They're good for
nothing but killing.

Well, you talk as though
every man that wears a gun

sets out to kill
somebody with it.

- Doc.
- Yeah?

The specialist in Denver...

Finest in the country, Matt.

No, he ain't, Doc. You are.

There ain't nobody
better than you.

He's right, Doc.

No, he's not right.

Matt, what you need is a
specialist. A young man.

With younger hands.
Younger than mine.

I'd sooner have you.

Well, you're not gonna have.

So you might as well
shut up about that.

- But, Doc, don't you see...
- You too.

Brace yourself, lad.

What was that, Doc?

Don't try it.

All right, get down.

I said get down!

What's going on?

- I'm gonna find out.
- Miss Kitty, you all right?

- Yes.
- All right, folks.

Settle back and relax.

Okay, move it.

Orely.

Put 'er down right
in there, soldier boy.

Nebo, count up the guns.

What's this all about?

Tell him, Captain.

The gold.

Now sit down.

I said sit down, both of you.

- The engineer.
- Where's Nelson?

They killed him.

They also killed a soldier.

That's two dead men.

That should give all of you a pretty good
idea of the way things stand around here.

Mister, the United States
Army will chase you into Hell

just to hang you!

Well, now, Captain, you just
said what's expected of you.

I'm sure everyone here
is gonna vouch for the fact

that you displayed the
proper amount of backbone.

Sit down.

- Orely.
- Yeah, Jack.

Help Nebo with the guns.

- What do you got in there?
- Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Come on, let me see it.

I bet you got sore kidneys carrying
that cannon around, huh, Tex?

Look at them pretty boots.
How much you pay for them?

$21. Wholesale.

$21? Get 'em off.

- What?
- Orely.

You heard me. Get 'em off,
or I'll put air holes in your toes.

Come on.

All right, folks, my name
is Sinclair. Jack Sinclair.

You might as well know.

Because once the law finds
out about this, they'll know.

And we've got some work to do.

Gold is all we're interested in.

And that's the Army's
concern. Not yours.

So don't interfere,
and don't be stupid.

That way, there's no reason for
anybody else to get killed, you see?

If you're finished,
can we go on?

No.

- But you said you were only interested...
- I said no.

You're gonna stay
here until help arrives.

According to my information, there's
another train through here in a day.

That'll give us
enough of a head start

before the Captain
here sics the Army on us.

Right, Captain?

They're sure tight,
but they're sure pretty.

All right, Orely.

Tell 'em to start unloading.

You bet.

You know who they are, Festus?

Just one of 'em, Matthew.

The leader of the whole pack just
come right out and said his name.

Jack Sinclair.

Sinclair.

Is his left hand missing?

Yes, sir. That's him.

Well, Matt, maybe somebody could reason
with him if all he wants is the gold.

Wouldn't work, Doc.

Why not?

It was my bullet that
took Sinclair's hand.

Back up a little more.

That's got it.

Come on, get busy.

Look at it. Look at it.

Oh, it's beautiful,
and I love it.

I love it more than
anything in my whole life.

Orely, you ain't gonna
spend it by just looking at it.

Start loading it.
Come on. Get busy.

First time...

I ever been glad I
never listened to my pa.

Wanted me to go into Uncle
Henry's fertilizer business.

There's a lot of money
in manure, Orely.

Yeah, and you sure smell
like a rich man, Roper.

Matthew.

There's some horses out yonder.

- If I could just get to one of 'em...
- No.

Well, why, Doc?

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

If they find you, they're
gonna want to search this train.

Now, if they do that,
Matt, you're dead.

If I just lie here and do nothing,
I'm dead anyway, aren't I?

Well, aren't I?

Matt, I don't know about that.

But I know if Sinclair
finds you here,

there's no doubt about it.

It's a long way to
Mexico, my friend.

Yeah.

With that alloyed gold, it's gonna
take us much longer than we figured on.

But we're gonna make it.

Pretty soon, amigo, you're gonna
be able to see that son of yours again.

Ah, sí.

You know, he made this.

For me.

For good luck.

This time, I'm
staying with my son.

I'll never ride off again.

After we sell that gold,

none of us are ever gonna
have to ride off again, amigo.

I'm Father Sanchez.

Yes, Father. What
can I do for you?

Those two men that were killed,

I would like to see that
they receive Christian burial.

That's a pretty good idea.

When that heat
hits in the morning...

they won't exactly start
turning into roses, will they?

I'll find you some
workers, padre.

You, come with me.

You heard him, cowboy.

And you.

You're gonna dig a couple
of graves for the padre.

I'm escorting a prisoner.

You a lawman?

Pinkerton.

You were escorting a prisoner.

Now you're gonna dig graves.

Now, get those irons off her.

I can't do that.

Don't be stupid, big man.

Or there'll be a third grave.

If I kill you, she's
gonna go free anyway.

I'll give you three seconds.

One.

Two.

That's better.

Sinclair, I'd like to join them.

Got a feeling
about you, Captain.

I think you're a troublemaker.
Now, you just stay put.

You got some shovels, engineer?

I know where the shovels are.

I'm gonna help.

On account of young Nelson.

Now, isn't that nice of you.

All right, you three. Let's go.

Secos.

You and Concho
keep an eye on 'em.

Come on. Move it.

Come on, cowboy, let's go!

Thanks.

All right, here it is.

Where are we?

I can't say for sure, Matthew.

We're in the middle of nowhere.

That conductor fella Frank
said something about a fort

where these here soldier boys
supposed to be taking that gold.

Fort Carson?

That's it.

Fort Carson's over in here.

Doc, what time did
we leave Dodge?

10:00 this morning.

And what time's it now?

11:00 at night.

13 hours. That... That should
put us right about in here.

Ft. Carson's up here.

Well, maybe I can get us
some help someplace, Matthew.

Festus, there's nothing
around here for miles.

I sure gotta do something.

Festus?

I'm going to try, Doc.

My husband would die
if he could see me now.

What would he think you were?

You know exactly
what I am, don't you?

I've had some practice.

You could tell with one look.

I was married to my
husband for three years.

He couldn't tell.

Not until I ran off with
$5,000 of his money.

Maybe he just cared.

He was blind.

Why'd you marry him?

I was forced.

I ran away from home.

My father found me
working in a saloon.

Best time I ever had.

He took me home and made
sure that I married a decent,

God-fearing man.

That wasn't so bad,
except that he was also old.

I was 18.

I had no say.

What'll happen now?

Maybe he'll forgive
me. Take me back.

If your husband sent the
Pinkerton men after you,

he's not in a forgiving mood.

$5,000 can mean
ten years in prison.

Well... he wouldn't.

I hope not.

I've been there.

And it stinks.

Can I go with you?

No.

Please?

Nope.

You'd just be in the way.

Now, please.

Sit down.

Poor, young lad.

None of you knew him, but...

he would have
made a fine trainman.

You know, most of us go through our
lives fearin' being crippled and scalded.

Being crushed between
a couple of railroad cars.

Not murdered by...
by a bloomin' savage.

Rest in peace, lad.

In the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

The dirt.

Oye, padre.

Yes.

You came from a
village, Galindo, in Mexico.

Yes. How did you know?

Your belongings.

There were many things there.

Including this.

The church sent you to Mexico?

No. I volunteered to go.

To the village of your father.

Yes.

I know that village.

People are very poor.

They need help.

Why didn't you stay
with them, Father?

I was needed somewhere else.

That is not what
you wrote in that,

padrecito.

You ran, didn't you?

I have known men
like you before.

They come with their
pious words and do nothing.

And they finally leave.

You are not a Mexican.

You're a gringo coward.

How dare you?

You are a thief. A bandit.

Like the village of your
father, mine was also very poor.

When a man wanted to
survive, he became a farmer.

When he wanted to live,

he became a bandito.

And when he wanted to
grow fat, he became a priest.

But you, padre,

you don't even have the
courage to be a good priest.

You all right, Father?

Yes.

Everyone, back to the train.

Move!

Don't twitch a whisker.

Go on.

Who's he?

He's a horse thief.

Where'd you come from?

Nebo, take Honcho,
search the rest of the train.

Make sure there's
nobody else on board.

Now sit down.

It's locked.

Break it down.

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