Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 2, Episode 12 - Spring Term - full transcript

ANNOUNCER:

Starring James Arness
as Matt Dillon.

That's Dane Shaw.

Is he hurt bad, Mr. Dillon?

Well, he's bad enough.

Anybody see this happen?

You, Jed?
Not a thing, marshal.

Heard the shots is all.

Can't figure out
who'd do it.

Everybody in Dodge
likes Dane Shaw.

Marshal,
they got me in the back.



Dane,
who did this to you?

I don't know,

but I'm bleeding so much.

Yeah, I know,
but don't you worry.

You're gonna be all right.

We'll get you up
to Doc's office.

Jed, you and Barker
give me a hand here.

Now, lift him easy.

Oh, I never realized
how heavy a man is

till you try to hoist him.

Almost as big as you, marshal.

It could be worse.

You could be
lifting dead weight.

Now, go on, easy.



Now I- Now I know
how a jackrabbit feels

when you wing him.

Yeah, you're not gonna feel very
much like a jackrabbit

for a couple of days,
I'll tell you that, but I've-

I've patched up worse.

Well, I'll be doggone.

You know that bullet
went clean though?

It's lodged right here
under the skin, in front.

Here, come on.
Let's turn him over.

Certainly.

By golly, there it is.
You know, there's-

There's only one wound,

and I'd have sworn
I heard two shots.

There's just one bullet.
That's all I can find.

Never you mind, Doc. I'll-

I'll pay you same
as if there were two.

You're doggone right
you'll pay me.

I won't let you die till you do.

Now, you go right ahead there
and talk to old Matt,

and kinda keep your mind off
what I'm doing.

This may hurt
a little bit.

Now, Dane, is there
anybody you can think of

who might've done this to you?

Somebody you may have
forgotten about.

No, sir.

Nobody.

Well, did you see
anybody at all?

Or did you hear anything?

Try to think,
Dane.

He...

said something about...

stone.

Stone?

A man's name, you mean?

Could be.

Anyway-

Anyway, that's what I heard.

Stone.

By golly, there it is.

Well, I never heard of any Stone
around here.

Here, Matt. Hold that compress
right there a minute, will you?

Dane, does that name Stone
mean anything to you?

Not a thing.

I- I can't figure...

any...

part of it.

Well, I think he's
just about had it, Matthew.

You better not
talk to him any more.

He needs
a little rest now.

All right.

Don't you worry, Dane.
You're gonna be all right.

Doc here does some
mighty fine needlework.

I got the scars
to prove it.

Doc.

He is gonna be all right,
isn't he?

Oh, yes. Yes.

Well, he was hit
pretty hard, Matt,

but, eh...

Good, clean wound.

He should be all right
in a few days.

Come on, Chester.

Such a nice, peaceable fella,

It's a- It's a downright shame,
that's what.

Marshal!

I found Dane's hat
down by the alley there.

Are you sure
this is his?

He's been wearing it
for over a year.

Say, marshal, you think
I could go see him now?

No, Doc says
he needs to rest.

Yeah, sure.

You know, I just can't think
of anybody in Dodge

who feels meanness for Dane.

I know.

Yet he's laying up there, shot.

Chester.

Yeah.

It was a mistake.

A mistake?
Shootin' a man?

What do you mean?

This, for one thing.

His hat?

Look at that.

It's the same shape
and color as mine.

Yeah.

And Dane and I
were sure built enough alike.

Somebody could have made
a mistake,

especially in the dark.

Well, I don't understand
what you're trying to get at.

I knew a man named Stone once.

Down in Matagorda County.

He had a way with other people's
cattle. He's dead now.

Well, if he's dead
it couldn't have been him.

No, but he had a friend.

A friend named Danch.

They were both cow thieves.

Danch found Stone hanging
from an oak tree one day,

and he figured I did it.
Oh.

It was probably some cattlemen

that caught Stone
using a straight iron

and practiced
a little quick justice.

But Danch never believed it,

and he swore he'd kill me.

Here.
Where you going?

Well, it's all over town by now
that Dane's been shot.

If it was Danch, he'll know
he's got the wrong man.

I'm gonna make a round
to the saloons.

Well, Mr. Dillon, I'll-
I'll check the hotel for you.

What does this Danch look like,

in case I run into him
'fore you do?

Well, he's tall
and thin, Chester.

He's got a big scar
that runs down one cheek.

Well, you think it's wise
to go lookin' for him?

Well, it's better than him
looking for me, isn't it?

Seeing as the way
he goes about it.

Your bill's 3.75,
including today.

Course that means you don't have
to leave till 11 in the morning.

Still the same,
3.75.

Take it out of that.

Bed's all made up.

That includes
breakfast tomorrow.

Seems a shame to pay for it
and not get it.

Besides, there's always fun
to be had in Dodge.

I've had my fun.

I'll pick up the change when
I bring my saddlebags down.

Evening, Mr. Uzzell.
Evening, Chester.

You heard about Dane Shaw
gettin' shot tonight,

didn't you?
No.

Now, who'd wanna
shoot Dane Shaw?

Well,
I don't know, exactly.

Mr. Dillon figures
it's a mistake, though.

He thinks somebody's
out to get him

and shot Dane instead.
Oh.

All we wanna know, though,

is if you've seen a fella
around here name of Danch.

He's a tall, thin fella.

Got a scar
alongside his face.

No.
No, can't say as I have.

But if I do,
I'll let you know first off.

Well, you do that,
Mr. Uzzell.

Thank you.

Changed my mind
about leaving.

Long as I'm paid up,

I might as well
have that breakfast.

Well, now,
I'm real glad.

Always makes me
feel bad

when a man don't get
what's coming to him.

Hello, Kitty.

Can I get you a drink,
Matt?

No. No, thanks.

I heard about
Dane Shaw.

He's gonna be all right,
isn't he?

I don't know.

You expecting
more trouble?

Maybe.

Sure I can't get you
a drink?

No. No, thanks.

Say, Kitty,

you ever heard
of a man named Danch?

Danch.
No, I haven't.

What's he look like?

Well, he's tall and thin.

Got a scar, runs down
one side of his face.

Oh, yeah.

There was a fella in here last
night that looked like that.

Came in real late
and had a drink and left.

Well, have you
seen him since then?

Not since
last night.

Do you want me to ask
some of the other girls?

Mr. Dillon!

Miss Kitty.

Uh, you know that rooming house
out the edge of the town,

the Prairie Dog Hole?
Yeah.

Well, I went every place else
lookin' for him,

then I tried there,
just a last chance, you know?

And sure enough,
he was there.

Well, let's go.

Well, wait, he-
He ain't there now, though.

He- They told me
that he rode in last night

and then he left
before dawn.

So I guess
it wasn't him after all.

Well, I'm going out and looki''
around town just the same.

Night, marshal.

Good night, marshal.

So long, boys.

Hey there,
old-timer.

You just about had your fill,
haven't you?

More than enough, marshal.

More than enough.

All right.

All right, then.

Let's get you moving.

All right, listen a minute,
you go on home.

Straight home.
Yeah, straight home.

L-l-let me go, marshal.

You're choking me.

Aah! Let me go.

I'll tell you, mister.
Let go of the gun.

Get your hands
up in the air.

What are you
jumping me for?

All right,
get walking.

Sure, I will.

And walk careful.

First, I wanna know
what this is all about.

That's what you're gonna
tell me, mister.

Get moving.

Sit down.

Now, I wanna know
what this is all about.

Who are you, mister?
Bill Lee.

And why did you
follow me into that alley

with a gun in your hand?
I wasn't following you.

It was dark. I didn't
wanna take any chances.

Why'd you shoot
Dane Shaw?

Oh, it's about that fella
who got shot, huh?

I asked you a question.
I never even heard of him!

Why'd I wanna shoot a fellow
I never even heard of?

You can't drag me in here and
accuse me of shooting someone

I never even heard of!
Did Danch hire you to kill me?

What is this?
You're cleaning house

and I'm the goat,
is that it?

You're just looking for somebody
to hang something on.

Well, let me tell you,
I never heard of no Danch.

Lock him up, Chester.
Yeah, lock me up.

I'm gonna walk outta here
just the way I walked in.

There'll come a day when you'll
be the one answering questions.

You want me to rot in your jail,
that's one thing,

but pushing me around
is another.

Get in there.

You ain't heard
the last of this, marshal,

but I know my rights.

Mister, you got one right left,
and that's to hang.

And I'm gonna see that happens
real soon.

Well, there's nothing
on his mind

that interferes
with his eatin'.

He dug in
that breakfast

like it was the
last hog in Kansas.

Killin' a man doesn't bother
scum like that, Chester.

I've seen all kinds of men
in this world,

but the rottenest there is
is a man who kills for pay.

Well, I don't know,
Mr. Dillon, he-

He argued awful hard
for a guilty man.

Chester, I can smell a man
like that a mile off.

Well, maybe old Dane's
feelin' better today.

I'll take his hat
over to him.

Well, you're just gonna
hold Lee then, huh?

Yep.

I'm hoping that Danch'll
hear we got him locked up.

Come back
to do his own killing.

Well, hello, Doc.

I was just on my way
over to your office.

I was gonna give Dane
his hat. Come on.

Well, wait a minute, Matt.
There's, ah,

no need of that now.
He, ah-

He died
ten minutes ago.

There's no way of knowing how
a man's heart's gonna react.

I'm sorry to hear that.

Yeah, I know.

Dane would be alive
if it wasn't for me.

Nobody wanted
to kill him.

What do you mean?

It was me they were after.

It's not a very nice feeling.

To know that an innocent man
has died in your place.

Yeah.

Well, I-

I gotta go over
and tell Dane's wife he's dead.

Doc.
Yeah?

You tell her this
for me:

you tell her
I'll get whoever

was responsible
for Dane's death.

I promise her that.

I'll tell her.

Get Lee, Chester.

What for?

Dane's dead.

Oh.

All right,
let's go.

Where's Danch?

You're wasting
your time.

Same questions,
same answers.

I never heard
of no Danch.

Where'd he make
this deal with you?

I don't know nothing
about no deal.

I'm an innocent man.

When I get outta here,
I'm gonna see

that the government
hears about this.

And while you're at it,
you tell 'em what it feels like

to kill a man
for pay.

You ought to know.
You get paid for it regular.

All right,
now you get outta here.

Here.

Take that
with you.

Pick it up
by the barrel.

Go ahead.

But you better be fast.

Huh?

You got me figured wrong.

I don't think so.

You said I get paid for killing.

Well, mister, you're right.

But killing you
is gonna be part self-defense

and part pleasure.

Killin' me?

What are you driving at?

Get out that door.

I'll be right
behind you.

I'm staying here.

Then I'll kill you
right here.

Now, I'd be a fool
to let you go, wouldn't I?

I'll give you
my gun.

No, don't touch it.

I'll make a deal with you.

I'll get outta town.

I don't make deals.

And I don't get shot
in the back either, mister.

Now, do you want it here?

Or do you want it
out in the street?

That lousy Danch.

He got me into this.

And I'm not gonna die for him.

I'll tell you anything
you wanna know.

Anything.

Only don't kill me.

Where's Danch?

Wagon Bed Springs.
It's on the Santa Fe Trail.

And he hired you to do this
as revenge for Stone?

Yeah, he told me to holler
"That's for Stone"

soon as I done it.

But don't tell Danch
how you found out.

He'll kill me
if you do.

Lock him up, Chester.

Yes, sir. All right,
let- Let's go, Lee.

Come on, let's go!

You was right all the time,
Mr. Dillon.

Well, he had a yellow streak,
Chester. I was counting on that.

But Danch won't be so easy.
He's no coward.

Well, if we start now,
we can make Wagon Bed Springs

by nightfall.

Not we, Chester. Me.

Now, lookit, Mr. Dillon,
don't get no notions

of facing Danch alone,
'cause I wanna be there.

All right, Chester.
You go tell Jed and Barker.

They can keep school for us
here while we're gone. Right.

And Chester.
Yes, sir.

When I find Danch,

you stay out of the way.

Oh, I will, Mr. Dillon,
I will.

Unless he's got
a friend.

Well, Matt,
glad to see you.

What'll it be,
beer or whiskey?

Rye whiskey.
I'll take a beer.

Just about
to close up.

Not much doin'
this time of year.

Muleskinners,
mostly.

Heh. And them
with short wages. Heh!

Ain't nobody
can stay over drinks

as long
as a muleskinner.

Strangers,
ain't you?

We're just passin' through.
Supposed to meet a friend here.

Well, you ain't gonna
have much trouble

if he's in Wagon Bed Springs.

Sure ain't much of a town.

Now you take Dodge,
there's a town.

You fellas ever been
to Dodge?

Well, me neither. Heh-heh!

But I sure would like
to see that town.

Say, maybe our friend
went to Dodge, huh?

Oh, yeah. Yeah.
Maybe he did.

Maybe you saw him
passing through town here.

He's a tall man
with a scar.

Big scar, clear across his face?

Yeah. Name's Danch.

Why, sure, I remember him.
He was in here quite a while.

Didn't say nothin'
about Dodge, though.

Pulled out yesterday,
on his way to Texas.

Texas?

He tell you that?

Yeah, I was standing right here
when he said it.

Thanks.

Glad to help.

Gonna be in town long?

Not long.

Say, uh, is there a good place
to eat around here?

Why, sure,
right down the street.

Thanks.

Come on, Chester.

Say, uh,

we'll be back as soon
as we're finished eating.

All right.

Mr. Dillon, you're sure
not looking for a place to eat

at a time like this,
are you?

That bartender said
he'd never been in Dodge?

He was there two months ago.
I remember his fat face.

Well, why would he lie
about being in Dodge?

'Cause he knows
who I am.

Danch is in town
somewhere, Chester.

And that barkeep
is gonna get word to him

as fast as he can.

Come on.

He sure ain't
in any hurry, is he?

He's giving us
plenty of time

to get in the restaurant,
Chester.

There he is.

Let him get a good
head start on us,

and he'll take us
right to Danch.

Come on.

Check the back.

Yes, sir.

You sure it was Dillon?

If it ain't,
you don't owe me a cent.

You're sure.

They say everybody
loves a fat man.

Well, I hate
your insides.

You don't
have to like me.

You just gotta pay me,
that's all.

All right.

Here's half.
The rest when I get him.

When Dillon comes back
to the bar, you buy a drink.

I'll pay for it.

It's gonna be his last.

There's no way that they
can get out the back.

That means there's only
one way in and out.

Get over there.

You fat fool,
he followed you here.

I didn't see him. I-

I thought
he was gonna eat.

I ought to kill you.

You're trapped, Danch.

Come out
with your hands up.

You gotta let me out, Danch.
I got nothing to do with this.

All right, get out.

Get out
before I kill you.

Marshal, I'm coming out!

I ain't got a gun.
Don't shoot!

Open it more.
I can't make it!

All right, get out.
Get over there.

Keep your hands up.

I won't do nothing.

I just got paid
to warn him, that's all.

Get back there.

Come on, get.

Take him around
the corner, Chester.

You're in a bad spot,
Danch.

You can rot in there.

Is that what you figured
when you hung Stone, Dillon?

That he'd rot?

I was in Galveston
when Stone was hung.

That's a lie.

Why'd you send Lee
to gun me, Danch?

No guts?

Didn't make any difference to me
how you got it then.

But it does now.

I'm coming out.

I'm coming with a gun.

I'm gonna hang anyway,
and I just might get you.

Mr. Dillon!

It's all right,
Chester.

I-I- I saw it.

He shot first.

It was self-defense,
pure and simple.

What do you want me
to do with him, Mr. Dillon?

Let him go, Chester.

Let him crawl
back under his rock.

All right, you heard him,
didn't you?

Yes, I sure did.

Hey.

He paid you.

Bury him.