Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 19, Episode 6 - Kitty's Love Affair - full transcript

With...

And starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

Stambridge, Will Stambridge!

It's nine o'clock, Stambridge!

You'll be buying one
of two things, Lonnie,

a grave or a reputation.

Well, we all get us
a grave, eventually.

Stambridge!

I'm waiting, Stambridge!

Do you hear me?
It's nine o'clock!

Hey gunfighter, I'm waiting!



You hear me, Stambridge?

Hey, Stambridge!

He's the best there is.

I don't figure so.

Most people do, though, that's
why he's the one to go after.

You want a reputation that bad?

I want to be somebody besides

Dell Colby's son.

That's what I want.

All Dell left him, and
he don't see nothing

but the size of
his daddy's tracks.

Oh no.

Why didn't you stop him?

He was a man, Mrs. Colby.



And you're fired.

Get your stuff and get
off the ranch by morning.

Will Stambridge!

A thousand dollars to the one
who kills him, here and now.

One thousand dollars!

Somewhere there's
someone who'll stop you.

I swear I'll see you dead.

I'll pay to see you dead.

Men like you got
no right to live.

You meant that?
A thousand dollars?

You don't care how or where?

He's dead.

Every bump, every
jolt, every piece of dust

just puts that
much more distance

between us and Dodge City.

I still say we'd been better
off waiting for that train.

Take a chance on
something coming up?

Not on your life.

With that trial ending early
we got an extra two days.

If we live through it.

Oh, you'll live
through it or I'll kill ya.

Kitty, I still don't

see how you got ready so fast?

I've been packed for a month.

Did I tell you I love this?

Yeah, you make
that look pretty good.

St. Louis here we come.

It'll be a time 'fore he's
rode again. Frog's cut bad.

What'd you give me on
'em towards one of those?

Got too many stoved
up this past month.

Gotta hold on to the
sound ones. Can't sell none.

It's a long walk to nowhere.

The eastbound stage from Dodge

will be a long in an hour or so,

westbound's due early tomorrow.

One's the same as the other.

That horse ain't worth
more than $30 to me.

Put it toward a seat
on the eastbound.

How far?

Far as it goes.

Grub's inside and
bunk if you like.

That I would like.

Whoa! Whoa!

Oh, thank you.

Gonna be a few minutes Marshal,

just time enough to water the
horses and grease the axles.

All right, Hank.

Running a little late, gonna
try and pick up some time,

hope you don't mind Ms. Russell?

Oh, you've just
been dawdling along.

There's food inside, ma'am.

- You're Marshal Dillon?
- That's right.

I gotta a message for
ya here somewhere.

Sheriff down in
Greenberg had it wrote up.

Think I know, yeah here it is.

And there's hot
water on the stove

if you have the mind to wash up.

It's from Judge Brooker.

Now what?

Beckwith's lawyers filed
an appeal for a new trial,

it starts Monday. I'll have
to be there to testify again.

No.

It's my job, Kitty.

Oh Matt, don't use that
word with me, not now.

I don't know what else I can do,

I'll tell you what, we'll get a

fresh start as soon
as the trial's over.

Do you know what it
took to make this trip?

Yeah.

Well then you
must know that after

the trial there will
be something else?

I've had 18 years of
something else's Matt, please?

Kitty, I'm sorry.

So am I.

Look, I'll find us a rig to
get back to Dodge with.

I'm not going back to Dodge.

You have to go back but I
don't. I'm going to St. Louis.

Pulling out, Ms. Russell.

The stage is leaving
Mr. Stambridge.

Have a good trip, Ms. Russell.

Take it away, Hank.

Whoa!

Both hands where I can see 'em.

And don't nobody get excited
and won't nobody get hurt.

Climb on out of there.

Well, sweet Marie.

Throw down that
cash box old man.

Oh, you got the
wrong stage, mister.

We ain't carrying a thing.

Hey, you.

All right RJ, looks
like we found

ourselves something right here.

Stay away from me.

Peppers in the stew, huh?

Just like I like it.

Leave the lady be.

Huh, what I got here? A hero?

Take what you want
and leave the lady be.

Looks like we got ourselves
two heroes, Mayhew.

Would you like to try for none?

That'll do just
fine for a start.

Here let me look.

Oh never mind.

What do you mean
never mind? Just sit still.

You've got a bullet in you.

Oh leave it be.

From the looks of this
you could bleed to death.

Here, hold this.

Yes, ma'am.

I don't think you
should do that.

You've lost a lot of blood.

Ever happen to ya when you're

stomach's trying to
keep from churning over,

and your head keeps
talking to you about

a large fried pork and such.

As matter of fact it has
happened a few times.

Ms. Russell, wasn't it?

That's right Mr. Stambridge.

Hardly seems fitting
not to say thank you.

It isn't necessary.

Then I won't.

You seemed a little
upset in the stage earlier.

Yeah, I guess I was
running from something.

Lady, we're all of us
running from something.

Some of us just harder is all.

I guess you're right about that.

You bet I am.

I guess you got
to stop sometime.

Maybe.

Morning.

Good morning. How you feeling?

Like it's time for us
to get out of here.

Well, I'll go see if I
can find some help.

I think there'll be a
stage a long later today.

I heard the station master
mention it back where I got on.

Well, you've got
to get that wound

looked after before
it gets infected.

Meanness will hold off the
infection for a few more hours.

You were half right, you know?

About what?

About running.

You never really
stop all together

but you can sure
slow down a lot.

Is that what you plan to do?

I will if you will?

I think it's the stage.

Has he said anything
to you, has he?

Who?

Matthew.

Well, sure we had dinner
together about an hour ago, why?

Well what did he say?

Say about what?

About him and
Ms. Kitty, of course.

He didn't say anything to me

about Ms. Kitty
and I didn't ask him.

I don't think you need
any lesson, Festus,

on how to be a friend.

When he's ready, he'll
say whatever there is to say.

Ma'am, the stage will be
here in about five minutes.

Thank you.

Does it look that bad?

Well you'll live.

There will be some people
real sorry to hear that.

You must know some
very interesting people.

I know very few people.

You should have a
doctor look at that.

Well, there'll be one in Dodge.

There's also a
United States Marshal.

Now what's that
supposed to mean?

I know a gunslinger
when I see one.

The laws got no quarrel with me.

At least none that I
can be arrested for.

I appreciate the concern.

Well under the circumstances,

Lady, you owe me nothing.

I guess you don't see
it the same way as I do.

You've evened that score.

I'd like to see you when
we get back to Dodge.

Of course, I wouldn't want my
seeing you to be an embarrassment.

Try the Long Branch,
it's a saloon. I own it.

Lathrop, what I'm
asking for ain't more than

a couple dollars
worth of supplies.

Well, it ain't the flyer
and the coffee cart

it’s the past due
bills, long past due.

I thought all these
years of trading here...

count for something?

It's all the years that's
carried you this long.

Mr. Lathrop, Corley.

- Good afternoon, Festus.
- Festus.

Well I ain't saw you around
in quite a spell, Corley?

Staying close to
the place, mostly.

What can I do for you, Festus?

Well, I was fixing to pick
up some coffee for the jail

but I can wait until you
and Corley gets done.

We're done.

Lathrop, obliged all the same.

I sure hated to
refuse him credit.

Well, I'll tell you
now Mr. Lathrop.

You ain't the onliest
one in town that's

put the kibosh on
his credit, ya know?

It's a sorry thing.

That farm of his has got the
richest bottom land around

for a whole year it's done
nothing but lay fallow.

It's terrible what
happens to some men

when they lose their woman.

Well, I reckon I'll take
some of your coffee.

Sure thing, Festus.

I could have told
you, begging ain't

gonna do you no good.

I didn't beg.

Uh huh.

Now, you show some respect.

You show some sense.
Get shed of that farm.

She was your ma.

She was your wife.

She stopped being my
ma when she married you.

Keep the hill you buried
her on, but sell the rest.

Then what?

Then we move into town
and get some decent work.

You haven't done
a decent days work

since, I don't know how long?

Oh, I know how long its
been since you last did.

Sell it, or I'll find a way
and I'll sell it myself.

Let's go!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Will, wake up, we're in Dodge.

Marshal?

I just saw Ms. Kitty.
She's coming in on a stage.

Thanks.

I got your message, Burke.

You just sit there and
I'll go get some help.

Oh, I don't need any help Kitty.

Just sit there.

What's happened?

Stage hold up, I'll
explain to you later.

He needs some help.

Will this is Marshal Dillon.

This is Will Stambridge, Matt.

Marshal.

Um, it's a gunshot
wound. I did what I could.

Couple you boys
give me a hand here.

I'll see you in the morning.

How bout dinner tomorrow night?

Well, Doc said that you'd be

up in a day or
two, but I don't...

Maybe now that you're back you'd

rather have a little time?

It's gonna take
a lot of time, Will,

but I'm not gonna stop living.

How bout eight o'clock?

I don't know the town, so
you'd have to pick the place.

Sleep well.

Kitty you all right?

All I need is a hot tub
and a good night sleep.

Hmm. Well that's been
known to cure a lot of things.

Matt, I owe you an apology
for storming off like I did.

Well just as long as
you're all right, Kitty.

I'm fine.

- I'll walk you to Long Branch.
- All right. Goodnight, Doc.

Goodnight, Kitty.

Kitty, I'm sure
sorry about the trip.

Well, like you
said, it's the job.

Anyway, what does it
matter in a hundred years?

Guess you're right.

Kitty, about Will Stambridge...

What about him?

I'll guess you'll find
out sooner or later.

That he's a gunfighter?

Just so long as you know.

As matter-of-fact, I've learned

quite a bit about him
in the last two days.

He's not on any wanted posters?

None that I know of.

Well then, what
people talk about

really doesn't
interest me a bit.

Goodnight, Matt.

I'm gonna have us a new pot
of coffee before you can say

"Right over the
roof of the house

with a piece of raw liver
in his mouth," Matthew.

And this here is going
to be Aunt Tori Heebs'

special brew, Matt.

Just stout enough to
float a smithy's hammer.

Matthew, how blamed
much longer are you...

Are we gonna have
to wait 'fore we get

them there new Wanted
posters from Wichita?

They usually get
here first of the month.

Well, they done already
four days late, then.

Yeah, and they
were three days late

when you asked yesterday.

Besides, Stambridge isn't
going to be on any of 'em.

Who said anything
about Will Stambridge?

You know, Festus, that
coffee is not gonna cook

unless you put it on the fire.

I'll tell ya something,
just betwinxed you and me

and that water trough yonder,

I'm getting filled clean up to
my goozler with Will Stambridge.

I guarantee ya, I am.

Well, the talk is
she's sweet on him.

On a gun fighter? The
ma'am saved her life, that's all.

What bothers me is a man like

Will Stambridge
being in our town.

And I agree with Turner.

You know the trouble
his kind can bring.

Aw, the Marshal can
handle that and him.

Then why in blazes
is he standing by

doing nothing if what
Burke here says is true?

I mean, him and Ms.
Russell, after all these years,

what more reason does he need to

hand Stambridge
his walking papers?

When you think about
it, any other gunman

he would have sent packing
days ago, it don't make sense?

Unless Stambridge has his
number all the way around.

Aw, Mr. Grimes...

Listen Burke, I'm not the
only one been thinking that.

There was an old trapper

I started wandering
with back in the 40's,

I was about 17 or so, I guess,

and he used to say,

"The further down the
mountain a man goes

the more clearly he
remembers the view from the top.

I never forgot that.

It does go by fast, doesn't it?

Yeah.

The older you get
the faster it goes.

It's frightening to look
back and see all the years.

I wish there were more than
memories to show for 'em.

What else could there be?

A family, a home.

Well I guess we all
have to make choices.

For most of us, there
comes a time when...

we question the choice
we made, whatever it is.

I think the mistake
is in not making

a change if we really want it.

It's taken me better
than half my life

to find out I wanted to change.

Not now, Will.

You let me know when.

I've joust cows til
my rump ain't nuthin

but a solid callous

and I'm going back to Texas

with nothing but that
callous and empty pockets.

Now, if I lay out the
likes of Will Stambridge

I go back with a name, right?

Right.

Not to mention doing this
town a favor, getting shed of 'em.

Marshal too huh, Coots?

This town and your
Marshal can go fry.

At least I'll go back
with something, right?

Right.

Well men, the Marshal
is right over there

at the Long Branch
Saloon, right now.

Are you talking Texas or are
you gonna show us some grit?

He's going back to his herd

and you two are
clearing out of here.

He was talking
about you Marshal?

Let's go.

Well Marshal, I
really don't take

to that clearing out 'cause
you ain't got no right to tell us so,

me and Coots here,
we haven't done a thing.

That's right.

Hey!

Ahhh!

If anybody what's to use
their gun, now is the time.

All right boys,
back to your herd.

It's Corley Deems place.

I understand it's for sale.

I'm going to buy it.

You needn't look so concerned,

I'm buying a piece of land
with some buildings on it.

It means more than that, Will.

It means you're
putting roots down here,

- and you'll be...
- Underfoot?

Does that bother you?

You have the right to
live any place you want to.

That's not what I asked you.

I know it isn't, Will.

And I don't have the
answer, at least not yet.

Nobody's pushin'.

Like hell you're not.

Stambridge.

Good afternoon, Marshal.

Got some strange gunmen
after you in this town.

What do you mean?

Gunslingers I can understand
but these Texas trail hands?

I guess you didn't
hear, Marshal.

The last town I was in

a woman offered a $1000
for me, no questions asked.

And you think these
men heard about it?

Somebody has.

I could understand if you
ordered me out of town.

Comes to that, I will.

About Kitty...

What about her?

Is she really her own women?

Mister, if you don't know
that you got a long way to go.

Thank you, Marshal.

You got a minute, Matt?

Sure.

I need some answers.

The scales are
getting all out of wack.

It's hard to throw
away 18 years.

Yeah.

I know what that
badge means to you,

to this town, to everyone.

But I'm thinking of us.

I was just a kid
when we met, Matt,

and I was going to live forever.

I knew how things
had to be with us

and it was all right.

But, I thought that someday,

some far off someday.

That things would change.

And Matt, my some
days are almost gone.

I guess what I'm asking is...

for you to tell me to say
no to Will Stambridge.

Kitty, you know how I feel.

But that's a decision you’re
going to have to make yourself.

I know Matt. I know.

Did you bring it in
cash, like we said?

Here it is, $650.

I made out a Bill of Sale

for your share of the
property, Mr. Deems.

The balance I'll settle with
Mr. Bodkin in the morning.

I get to keep the hill?

It's been arranged,
you keep the hill.

My wife, she's buried
there, you know?

He knows, he knows, you told
him a dozen times. Now sign it.

We can be out of
here in a day or two.

For all of me, we're
out of here right now.

There is no rush, Mr. Deems,

you take all the time you want.

Sign it.

Thank you, Mr. Deems.

Mr. High and Mighty Gunfighter
bought himself a pig sty.

Don't talk like that, Sheb.

I'd go pound sand
down a rat hole.

This was a might fine
home, a lot of years.

Yeah, it's a pig sty now.

All right give me
the money, Sheb.

What for?

So, we can figure
out what we owe

and take it out and
see what is there left.

- What we owe?
- To Mr. Lathrop and others.

They get nothing!

You're a living shame to
the memory of your mother.

You ain't nothing
like she ever was.

Ugh.

Here's to your new home.

I was hoping you might come out

and give me a hand fixing it up.

Well, now that's not
gonna take an hour or two

that might take quite a while.

I was hoping it might.

Can't ever tell, you might
get attached to the place.

Will?

Not afraid are ya?

No. I'm not afraid.

That's good.

Because the new owner
thinks very highly of your taste.

Well, in that case,
here's to the new owner.

Ms. Kitty?

Come on in, Festus.

Ms. Kitty, I sure hate'd to
bustin in on your supper here.

That's all right. What is it?

Well a, Matthew he ain't here

and ain't gonna get
back for a couple of hours

and he told me to
look out after the town.

All right?

Well, fact is, somebody's
brang up a charge

of murder against
Will Stambridge here.

Murder?

I never seen him hit, Pa.

Well, what did you
actual see, then?

I knew he and Pa
had been talking

about his buying the farm.

And, well, Pa told
me he was coming out

and well... I left
before he got there.

But, when I got back, like I
said, I seen him driving off.

He never saw me, though.

Then, when I got inside, I
saw Pa lying dead on the floor.

How much good will it do to tell
you everything's he told ya is a lie?

Well that's why
we're all adjoined here

so that you can tell
your side, don't you see?

I was there, I bought the
place, I paid $650 cash.

The paper Mr. Deems
signed is in my hotel room.

You able to prove that, are you?

Festus!

Your Mr. Bodkin cashed my draft,

the money I gave to him.

No sir. Festus, I
never seen no money.

All I saw was Pa lying
dead there by the fireplace,

and if he signed the paper,

he signed it at gunpoint.

You believe that?

Well, it's Sheb's story here.

It's the truth.

He's lying. Look at
him. Listen to him.

Ms. Kitty, I sure hope
you never come home

and find one of your kin
lying dead on the floor.

See how smooth talking you'd be?

I don't believe you.

Well, believing is going to be
up to Judge Brooker and a jury.

And I sure hate
to do it, Ms. Kitty,

but I'm gonna
have to lock him up.

Now Matthew, he ought
to be back any time now

and he can sift through it and

find out what the answers are.

But til then...

I said it right from
the start, didn't I?

I said this man was trouble.

I knew as sure
as Satan loved sin,

he would be the cause
of somebody getting killed.

Who'd a figured
it would have been

somebody like poor
'ole Corley Deems?

Now if he'd been run out of town

the day he came, like
he should have been,

none of this would
have ever happened.

Lord knows, the Marshal had
reason enough to run him out.

Personal reasons.

Get the hell out of here.

All of ya, now!

I'm sorry for you kid,
your old man was all right.

Well, I like that Festus cared.

He didn't raise one eye with
that Will Stambridge, no sir.

He sweet talked Ms. Kitty.

Next he gone smooth
talk Judge Brooker.

And it's all gonna be forgotten.

I wouldn't say that.

No, no, it's a terrible thing

enough to make a man's
innards turn hind side out.

If Dillon can't get
rid of him for us boys,

maybe we ought to
get rid of him ourselves?

Yeah.

All right men, come
on let's get him.

Don't do anything foolish.

If it comes to it deputy,

do you think you could
shoot any of those people,

your friends, protecting me?

I'll do the job that this
here badge tells me to do.

All right boys, we been waiting
around long enough. Let's get 'em.

Looks like it's gonna
be rough, Festus.

It's sure looking
that way, Newly.

All right that's far
enough right there.

Now Deputy, we've come
to get Will Stambridge.

You ain't fixing to get him.

Hush up, hush up all
of you. Get on home

before somebody gets hurt.

You ain't gonna
shoot nobody, Festus.

Yeah, we're your friends.

Simmer down. Back off. Go home.

He killed Corley Deems.

And it's been proven
he shot Lon Colby

over to Newton, in cold blood.

There was 20 or 30 witnesses.

Yeah, that's right.

That ain't been proved yet.

Seems to me you'd be
glad to see him got rid of?

What he's done to
your friend the Marshal,

taking his woman and all.

He's gone!

Go now!

Festus? Festus?

Move out of the way
we're coming through.

We're taking him Newly.

We got him.

You hold it right there.

Now let him go.

All right men, get that rope.

Hang 'em.

Hold it!

Get that rope off him.

I mean it! Get it off! Now!

I want everybody off
this street right now!

Move!

You better hope
Judge Brooker has

more faith in your
story than I do.

Well, like the lady
that once said,

there are things
that just can't be.

I remember, Will.

As long as there's hope we
never know for sure, do we?

No.

That's what keeps us going.

I'll never forget you, Kitty.

- Goodbye, Will.
- Goodbye.

You know something?

I know a lady who
could sure use a drink.

Well, I know man
that's ready to buy.

Stay tuned for exciting scenes

from our next Gunsmoke.