Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 3, Episode 11 - Fingered - full transcript

Losing his first wife when she disappeared, Jim Cobbett tries marriage again. All seemed fine until she turned up missing too. Did he have something to do with her absence as some think he did with his first?

...starring James Arness
as Matt Dillon.

When you're hired to keep
the law in a bear cage

like Dodge City, you expect
to have to use your gun

now and then whether
you like it or not.

It's a thing
somebody's gotta do,

or no one would be safe
very long.

But when it comes to destroying
a man without killing him,

when you have to hollow him out
and leave him perfectly alive

but perfectly dead
at the same time,

then you wish you'd
never heard of the job.

Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.



Whoa.

You gonna try it
again, huh?

Ain't none of your
business, Hank Luz.

I just like to keep an eye
on my neighbors, that's all.

You'll get that eye shot out,
you go too far.

Always thinking
about killin', ain't ya?

Don't you try nothing.

We got laws
about killing in Dodge.

Get out of here.

Sure, I will.

Whoa, Mr. Dillon, that,
that cook must've had

a terrible night
last night.

What's the matter?

Well, I've never seen
more chili pepper



on two poor little o''
legs in my life.

He must figured everybody
in Dodge has got a hangover.

Well, looky there, Mr. Dillon,
would ya?

There's ol' Jim Cobbett.

Just, why, he's dressed up
fit to kill.

Got hisself a haircut
and everything.

Well, Jim's getting married.
Haven't you heard?

Getting married?
Yeah.

Oh...

Well, he's got a woman
from back East

coming into Santa Fe today.

Now, what sort of a woman

would come clear out here
to Dodge to marry him?

Now, Jim's a good man.

Just that he's been living
on the prairie for so long,

it's got him a little bit
out of plumb.

Living alone can do that
to a man, you know?

Well, I didn't mean nothing
against Jim.

It just... you know,

the idea of Jim
and a woman...

Morning, Marshal,
Chester.

Morning.

Hank.

What do you think of that
old goat Jim Cobbett

getting hisself
hitched, huh?

I'd say it's a mighty
fine thing.

Well, he ain't no older
than you are, Hank.

No older maybe,

but a lot less respectable.

Leave it be, Hank.

We've heard that nonsense
of yours before.

Nonsense, is it?

What about that
first wife of his?

Disappeared from the
place that he had up north.

She just plain
disappeared.

And he never explained
that, did he?

And she was never seen
again either.

You know, you're worse than
an old woman with that gossip.

Jim never done nothing to you.

No? All he done was stake his
homestead on the only spring

south of the Smokey River
that ain't dried up.

He cheated me
out of that!

Yeah, and he filed that claim
two weeks before you did,

and everybody knows it.

He sneaked into town
behind my back, that's what.

Sneaked into town
behind my back.

You ain't never gonna stop
telling your lies, are you?

Don't you start nothing.

Here's the law
sitting right here.

I never done a thing
to you, Hank Luz,

but I'm gonna
tell you something.

When Lila gets here,

and you start any
of your talking around her,

I'll hurt you.
I'll hurt you bad.

What you trying
to hide from her, Jim?

Maybe that business about
your first wife, huh?

Here now!

Get your hand
off that gun.

Arrest him,
Marshal.

You seen that.

Get up.

Put him in jail.

I didn't do
anything.

You go on and get
out of here, Hank.

You leave Jim alone today,
or I'll throw you in jail.

Fine law we got around here.

Protecting criminals!

Here, Jim,
why don't you sit down?

Sure, yeah,
you-you...

sure took a
chance there,

hitting a man that's
wearing a gun.

Well, I'm sorry
to cause trouble,

but I won't hold with his making

that kind of talk
around Lila when she comes.

Well, Jim, don't you
worry about Hank.

Tell me, uh, when,
what time's the wedding today?

Oh, the train's
due at noon.

We get married
around 4:00.

Least that's when the
preacher said he'd come down.

Come down?

Well, there's some do
or other at the church.

I rented me that big meeting
room at the Dodge House.

Well, fine.

That meeting room
sounds good, Jim.

Well, I tell
you, I...

Well, I just brought a
jug of corn in with me

just in case anyone happened
to come round, maybe.

Well, sounds, uh,
mighty good to me, Jim.

I'll be there.
Oh, me, too.

I sure do enjoy
weddings.

Oh, that'd be
awful nice for Lila.

Wilbur Jonas was the only fella
I was sure would come. I...

I don't get
to town much.

I don't know many
folks real well.

Well, I...
I'd better go.

Well, Jim, thanks
for the invitation.

Oh, you'll sure
be welcome, Marshal.

Well, we'll
sure be there.

Thank you.
Thank you.

Go get a drink,
you men.

Well, we'll, uh, we'll be
there in a minute, Jonas.

Uh, you go help
yourself, Chester.

Oh, well, uh, well,
maybe I will just go get

a little taste of it,
if you don't mind.

Now, Mrs. Cobbett,

you make Jim bring you on
into town once in a while.

He never came in much

when he was living
alone out there.

I know.

He wrote me.

How'd you two get to know
each other anyway?

Uh, if you don't mind my asking.

Well...

Marshal, it was
a long time ago.

Almost 20 years ago.

Before Jim ever
came out West.

Is that so?

Well, Jim, you, uh,
you gonna leave

for the ranch first thing
in the morning or...?

Well, no, Marshal, we'll start
back for my place tonight.

I brought the wagon in
on account of Lila here,

and it's a slow way
to travel.

But, Jim, where
will we sleep?

Well, I brought
some blankets.

You'll be fine.

Out-out on the prairie?

Why, sure.

I bet she's braver than them Indians. Oh.

Indians?

What Indians are you
talking about, Jonas?

Well, them Crows
the Army's been chasing

ever since they raided
the Gillette place- oh!

Oh, that was
last fall, Wilbur.

That's right, and they haven't
been heard from since.

What happened at
the Gillette place?

Well...

Oh, it was nothing,
Mrs. Cobbett.

Just a little trouble.

A little trouble?

Look, they killed Bob,

and they rode off with
Mrs. Gillette, didn't they?

Say, uh, Jonas, why don't you
fill up your glass?

Looks like it's getting
a little empty there.

You know, I was just thinking
about doing that, but...

They won't be so hard
on Mrs. Gillette

once she learns
to talk Crow.

After all, she
ain't the first

white woman to
be made squaw.

That's horrible.

Now, Lila, the liquor's
working on Wilbur.

Don't-don't you
pay him any mind.

Jim, is it true about
that poor woman?

Now, Lila,
don't fret about that.

I want to know, Jim.

Well, it's true.

Jim, uh,

why don't you stay in Dodge
tonight and you could leave

for the ranch first thing
in the morning?

No, Marshal.

Jim thinks it's best
we leave tonight.

Well, they ain't
nothing to fear, Lila,

but if you'd rather stay...

No, no, we're
going to go, Jim.

Now, if you'll excuse me,
I'll, I'll go to the room

and change into something
a little more suitable.

Jim, she's all right.

It ain't gonna be
easy on her, this life.

Come on, let's go have a
drink to the bride, huh?

Sure.

Marshal.

You think I was lying about
Jim Cobbett, don't you?

Well, guess what's
happened now?

What's happened now?

His new wife has disappeared,
too, that's what.

Seen it with
my own eyes.

I mean, I-I seen that
she ain't there.

What are you
talking about?

Well, I'm telling
you, she's gone.

Just like his
first wife.

She's plain
disappeared.

And how do you know?

Well, I...

See, I got
a runty bay mare,

and she's always
running off.

Well, I rode past Jim's place
the other day hunting her.

Jim was there
all alone.

I asked him about his wife,
he just walked away.

Oh, well... He wouldn't say a word.

Why should he talk to you
about his wife?

That's not
the point.

I was back next day,
and she was still gone.

All right, maybe she was
in the house.

No.

I looked.

And Jim didn't even
bother to stop me.

He just sat there
in front of the house,

staring out
at the prairie.

Now, Marshal, what I
come to tell you is

that I think you'd
better get out there.

I do my own thinking, Hank.

You've told me about it,
and now you can forget it.

Now, you stay away from the
Cobbett place, you understand?

All right, Marshal.

I done my duty, now it's
up to you to do yours.

Good-bye, Hank.

I'll be waiting
to hear.

So will
everybody else.

Sure is quiet, Mr. Dillon.

Think Lila's here?

Well, let's
find out.

Hello, Jim.

Marshal.
Chester.

How are you, Jim?

Come in.
Come in.

How have you
been, Jim?

Hank Luz told you,
did he?

Where's
Lila, Jim?

Hank Luz said I killed her,
didn't he?

Now, Jim, you
know I never

pay attention to
what Hank Luz says.

Why'd you come here,
Marshal?

I came here
to help you,

if you're
in trouble.

Lila ain't here.

I'm in trouble
all right.

Where is she?

I...

I don't know,
Marshal.

What's happened?

Indians.

Indians?

A party of Crows.

They... took her.

You mean to say you
were raided here, Jim?

Maybe ten days ago.

War party.

About 12 braves.

Tell me what
happened, Jim.

It was the end
of the day...

just getting dark.

The two of us are
having our supper.

Lila went out back to fetch
a little water for the dishes.

I was sitting by the fire

mending a saddle I'd torn
the stirrup off of.

Then I heard Lila come running
up to the house outside.

Jim!

What's wrong, Lila?

I saw something
out there.

I think
it was an Indian.

Here.

You stay right there.

Stay right there.

I don't see nothing yet.

What are we
gonna do?

Stand them off, Lila.

That's all.

Jim.

How many
are there?

Just a couple, Lila.

Don't you worry, now.

I'll get 'em.

Jim, if, if they get in here,

will they carry me off
like that other woman?

Oh, Lila.

I don't know if I
could stand it, Jim.

I don't know if I

could stand it.

Lila.

Lila?

Here, Lila. Here.

Take this.

Take it.

Yes. Yeah...

I will.

I will.

Now, don't you
fear, Lila.

We'll stand 'em off.

They're down at the corral.

They're after our horses.

That'll slow 'em down.

Jim...

they're, they're attacking.

They're jumping around a lot,

but it's getting too dark.

I'll wait, Lila.

Let them get in the open.

Then if they rush us...

Go on, Jim.

What, what
happened then?

What'd they
do to you?

Rush the house?

They must've got in one
of them windows behind me.

All I can remember is her
screaming, and me shooting.

Then I got knocked on the head.

When I...

come to...

Lila was gone.

I'm sorry, Jim.

I guess I was
out a long time.

It was... plumb
dark when I come to.

Well, y-you know that you're
lucky that they didn't kill you.

Did you try
to follow them?

No.

How could I? They
run the horses off.

Yeah.

Well, I guess there's
not much I can say, Jim.

Just... sure sorry
that it happened.

I'll go over and tell
Major Honeyman at Fort Dodge,

and he'll spread the word
around through the army post.

Don't you worry, Jim.
They'll find her.

So long, Jim.

Now, lookit here.

He sure wasn't lying about
there being a fight, was he?

Oh, no, them's bullet
holes, all right.

You know, it's a wonder
that he didn't get hit.

Well, Indian's aren't
very good shots, Chester.

You know, they
can't afford

the ammunition
to practice.

Well, they ought to stick
to bows and arrows.

Yeah. Let's be thankful
more of them don't.

It sure looks

like they made off
with his horses all right.

Yep.

Oh, looky there,
Mr. Dillon.

Them columbines.

Well, they're just
growing right in a row here.

Wait a minute, Chester.

What?

Wait a minute.

Well, what's the matter?

I, uh...

I wouldn't pick
any of those.

Oh.

He's over there
by the corral.

Looks like he's got
a new horse.

Go get him.
Will you, Chester?

Well, all right.

Think maybe there's
going to be trouble?

I don't know, Doc.
I sure hope not.

By golly, it just doesn't
seem like Jim Cobbett's

the kind of a man that'd
do a thing like this.

Nah, it doesn't seem
that way, does it?

Maybe none of us knew
him real well, Doc.

Being a lawman making you
a little cynical, maybe?

No, but I've seen good men
go wrong before, Doc,

when they were
pushed too far.

You're right about that.

Come on, let's go out back.

Hello, Jim.

What are you
doing here, Doc?

Well, Jim,
the marshal thought...

Doc, uh, came here to perform
sort of an autopsy, Jim.

"Autopsy"?

He wouldn't have
to do it, Jim,

if you'd told me
about that grave.

Marshal, I...

You want to tell me now?

No.

All right, Jim, let's you
and me go in the house, huh?

Where's
the grave, Matt?

It's right
over there, Doc.

Chester, would you
get a shovel?

No. No!

No!

No! No...

I'll tell you
all about it.

I'll tell you.

Good, Jim.

Not here.

Couldn't tell you here.

Inside the house.

Well, Jim?

You think I killed
her, don't you?

Well, I'd find that pretty
hard to believe, Jim.

Thank you.

Them Indians never did
attack the house.

They just made a show

out there
to cover for the ones

that run the stock-off.

They scared
Lila something awful.

She went kind of crazy,
she was so scared.

Then I heard a shot.

At first, I thought
she was shooting

at the Indians
with my six-gun I'd given her.

But she wasn't.

I didn't care after that.

They could've
come right in here.

I didn't care.

Well, after that, Jim?

After... well,
did they just

take the rest of the
horses and leave?

After they'd gone,
I dug the grave

and buried her.

I sat there
on the ground all night.

Well, why didn't you tell me
all this before, Jim?

I-I was shamed by it.

Scared.

I knew what
Hank Luz would say.

I knew it had looked bad.

It doesn't look
bad to me, Jim.

I believe you.

I put water on the grave.

Tried to hide it.

Except for the flowers.

I couldn't not
have flowers there.

So I just dug me up
some wild columbine

and planted them there.

Well, I'm not
arresting you, Jim.

Would you mind
leaving me here for a minute?

I'll see you out front.

Matt, by golly,
I don't know

whether we ought to
leave him alone in there

by himself or not.
Oh, he'll be all right, Doc.

You know, what I
can't understand is

why he wants us
to wait for him at all

if you ain't taking
him back to Dodge.

Where are you
going, Jim?

West somewhere.

Uh, Jim, you mean
to say you're just

going to walk off
and leave your place?

Leave your land?

It's like the other place
I had up north...

after my first wife rode off.

Just said "good-bye"
and rode off one day.

I was shamed by it.

I never told nobody
what ever happened.

I just left the place
like I'm leaving this one.

But, Jim, you can't always
be leaving.

You've got to say somewhere,
sometime.

No, I don't, Marshal.

I won't never settle down.

No more.

Jim Cobbett ain't

the luckiest man
that I've ever seen.

No way of holding him here, huh?

No, there's nothing
to hold him here anymore, Doc.

I guess there's nothing
to hold him anywhere.