Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 3, Episode 15 - Kitty Lost - full transcript

...starring James Arness
as Matt Dillon.

Life's a hard thing
on a lot of people in Dodge,

but it's hardest of all
on strangers.

The stranger's got to prove
himself all the way

before anybody will
even suspect him

of being anything
but the devil in disguise

or treat him like anything
but a pariah dog.

That's a natural thing
on the frontier-

maybe even necessary,
but sometimes we're wrong...

real wrong.

That's something I know
from experience.



Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.

Bartender.

Whiskey.

Buy you a drink,
mister?

No thanks.

Come on, I'll buy you a drink.

I said no.

Too good, huh?

Take it slow, Pete.

Aw, he ain't even armed.

Don't be a fool.

Man like him's always
got a gun or two hid out.

They're mighty tricky.

Ain't that
right, mister?



I don't know
what you're talking about.

Oh, no?

Hello, Kitty.

Hey there, Bill.

Thought you had taken
the evening off, Kitty.

Well, I just thought
I'd drop by

and see how
things are going.

Well, we're not
going broke.

We're not getting
rich neither.

Excuse me, miss.

My name's Jim Rackmil.

I'm a stranger here
and I'm, um...

I'm wondering if I might
have the privilege

of buying you a drink.

Well, all right,
why not?

Set a drink up
for the lady, please.

I'll take a beer, Bill.

I'm Kitty Russell.

How do you do.

Where you from,
Mr. Rackmil?

New York.

I'm on my way to Denver.

Believe it or not,
I've never been west

of Chicago before.

You going to live in Denver? Oh, no.

No, no, I'm only making
some mining investments.

Then I go back to New York.

Here you are.

Thanks, Bill.
Thank you.

To a very kind lady.

Kind?

I've been called a lot of
things, but that's a new one.

You know, Miss Russell,

I, um, I really envy
you living out here.

Why?

Lots of reasons.

Fresh air for one.

Fresh air in this place?

No, I meant outdoors.

You know there's
a full moon tonight?

No, I didn't notice.

Miss, Russell,
I, uh, I have an idea.

You do?

Believe me,
I mean nothing wrong.

Well, then what's your idea?

Come with me and I'll show you.

Oh, now wait...

If you don't approve,
we can come right back.

Well, I got nothing
to lose in that.

Shall we go?

Well, good morning.
Morning.

Sit down. You want some breakfast?

Oh, no. I was, uh...

I'm just looking
for Miss Kitty.

You seen her?

Well, she wouldn't be in
here at this hour, Chester.

I went up to her room,
she ain't there.

Nobody's seen her around.

You make it sound
like it's important.

Oh, no, no.

It's just that I tore
my Sunday pants

and she was going
to patch 'em up for me.

I see.

She said they'd be
ready this morning,

and it being Saturday, I...

Why don't you go over
and check with Bill Pence?

He probably knows
where she is.

Oh, well, yeah.

Morning, Doc.

Morning.

I thought you was going
to wait for me in your office.

I got tired of waiting.

You got hungry, huh?

No, no, just trying to keep
from getting hungry, Doc.

Well, I'm the one
that's late anyway.

I've been waiting up
at the office for Kitty.

Kitty?

Yeah. She was supposed
to be in there

first thing
this morning.

What for?

Oh, toothache.

Wanted me to look
at a tooth.

I guess she hasn't
gotten up yet.

Everybody's looking
for Kitty this morning.

Chester was just up to her
room- she wasn't there either.

Oh, is that so?

Well...

Oh, let's see, Emmie...

Oh, just uh, bring me
a bowl of mush.

Mr. Dillon, I just run
into Bill Pence outside.

He said that she left
the Long Branch

about 10:00 last night
with some dude from back east

and she ain't
been back yet.

Well, who was he?
Did Bill say who he was?

Just some stranger.

But he was real rich looking.

Wearing real fancy clothes
and all, and...

Well, it just don't
seem like Miss Kitty

to go off with a perfect
stranger like that.

No, it isn't.

But Pence didn't say
what his name was, huh?

Well, I didn't ask him.

Man like that most
likely be staying

over at the Dodge House I guess.

Yeah.

Let's go over there
and check into it.

Oh, Matt, I'll wait
for you in your office.

All right, Doc.

Only one man fits
that description, Marshal.

A fella named Rackmil,
James Rackmil.

Got in here yesterday
on the Santa Fe.

Said he was headed
for Denver.

Is he here now?

No.

He wasn't here
all last night.

You know, Marshal,

I was kind of
wondering about him.

What's he gone
and done, anyhow?

Well, I don't
know, Mr. Dobie,

but if he shows up,

I want you to let me
know right away, will ya?

I sure will.

I don't trust
them dudes anyhow.

All right.
Sure.

Good-bye, Chester.

Look, you better check in
with the stage depot,

and I'll try the Santa Fe.

I'll meet you back
at the office later.

Yeah. If that fella's done
anything to Miss Kitty,

I'll shoot him myself.

You find anything?

No.

I went back up to her room
again, too,

and she still ain't there.

By golly, Matt,
Kitty just couldn't

vanish off the face
of the Earth like this.

She wouldn't do
a thing like this

without telling us.
No.

No, Doc, not if
she could help it.

What do you mean?

The only place I haven't
checked so far

is Moss Grimmick's stable.

I'm going over
there right now.

Well, Moss Grimmick's

over at the Dodge House,
Mr. Dillon.

I seen him on the street.

Huh. All right.

But...

Well, Doc, you...

I mean, Doc, you
don't think this fella...

No! No, no, of
course not, Chester.

Hello, Moss.
Oh, hello, Marshal.

You want to read the
paper, too? No, thanks.

I'm almost
finished with it.

Look, I wanted
to ask you

a couple of
questions, Moss.

Oh? What about?

Have you rented out
any horses last night

or early this morning?

You mean saddle horses, don't you? Yeah.

Don't suppose
you'd be interested

in anybody in a horse and buggy,
would you?

Well, I sure would.
Who'd you rent it to?

Oh, some stranger
last night.

A dude?

Oh, he was a dude,
all right.

Was there anybody
with him, Moss?

He had a girl with him,
but she waited outside.

I don't know
who she was.

But I want that horse and buggy
of mine back, Marshal.

They said they was only going
for a short drive.

Did they say where?

Well, they asked me how far it
was to Indian Springs

and I told him, oh, about

ten miles.

Thanks, Moss.

What are you stopping
for, Mr. Dillon?

Chester, we got to give
these horses a rest

or we'll be on
foot out here.

Better loosen your cinch.

I just hope that that buggy
don't get too far ahead.

I just hope
it's the right buggy.

It's got
to be.

Why, 'cause it's the only tracks
we've seen out here?

Well, it's just got to be.

I know at least half a dozen
ranchers that drive their wives

to town in buggies, Chester.

But there here are
fresh tracks, Mr. Dillon.

That still doesn't
tell us who made 'em.

Well, do you aim
to stop following them?

Not going to stop
following them-

it's the only thing
we got to go on.

Well, I sure
hate to stop

when Miss Kitty might
be needing us real bad.

Well, let's walk
them a while.

Why didn't I bring some matches?

It's a little late
for a fire, don't you think?

Could have had
one last night.

Cozy.

I'm going to give it
one more try.

Well, if it doesn't work,
flag down a train, will ya?

Sure a lot of horses
crossed here.

Yeah.

Look at the size
of those tracks.

Yeah, they ain't
very big, are they?

They're pony
tracks, Chester.

Indian?

Let's go.

Well, you all ready
to go?

Oh, it's impossible.

The axle is bent right
where the wheel came off.

All my fault, I suppose.

No, I'm not blaming you.

You're not...?
You're not blaming me?

Well, of all the...

Well, if you hadn't
slapped me,

I wouldn't have run over
that log and lost the wheel.

You had the slap
coming, mister.

For trying
to kiss you?

I don't want to talk
about it.

We went through
all that last night.

Well, what's wrong
with taking a girl

for a ride
in the moonlight

and trying to kiss her?

Nothing, except
I'm not the girl.

I know.

I shouldn't have come out here
with you anyhow.

Kitty, you were perfectly safe
with me.

Safe?

You call this safe out here
in the middle of nowhere?

with nothing to eat,
not even a blanket?

Look, Kitty, the only reason
I didn't let you ride the horse

back to Dodge last night
was because it's too dangerous.

Well, it's daylight now,
and I'm leaving.

I'll send Moss Grimmick
back for you and the buggy.

Now wait a
minute, Kitty.

You can't ride all
the way back to Dodge

even if it is daylight.

I'm not from New York, Jim.

I can ride.

Oh, you think I can't ride, huh?

Well, you're wrong.

My father taught me
when I was a boy.

Well, it's too bad
he didn't teach you

how to fix a bent axle
on a buggy.

Kitty, that prairie is no
place for a woman alone.

What do you want
me to do,

spend the rest
of my life out here?

No, but there's water here.

Somebody's bound to come by
sooner or later.

Well, good, they'll find you,
but they're not gonna find me.

All right,
now wait a minute.

If you insist on going,
I won't stop you.

You wait here.
I'll get the horse.

That's the first helpful
thought you've had.

Now what?

There's no saddle.
You can't ride him bareback.

I'm half Indian, mister,

and these skirts are all
the saddle I need.

All right.

? ?

Ho! Hah!

? ?

? ?

Maybe it's just
an old one

that somebody went
off and left.

No, Chester,
this is Moss Grimmick's rig.

Well, he sure must have
hit something awful hard

to bent the axle up
like that.

Yeah.

Knocked the wheel off.

You ever see
these before?

No. Sure is a fancy one, though, ain't it?

Yeah, looks like
a dude's to me.

Oh, Matt, Matt! Oh!

Ain't a sign of nobody
out there, Mr. Dillon.

No.

How's Miss Kitty doing?

Oh, she'll be all right
as soon as she's had

a little coffee,
I guess.

Sure. Sure takes a lot
to get her down, you know?

Yeah.

Did you get
the buggy fixed?

Yeah, the axle was bent.

I fixed it enough to
get back to town anyway.

When are we gonna leave?

As soon as she's
ready to go.

You better keep a lookout
here, though, just in case.

All right, sir.

You sure carry
everything

in those saddlebags,
don't you?

Yeah, usually I got
a little jerky

with me, too, but...

All I want is coffee.

Now, Kitty, as soon as I get
a horse hitched up

to that buggy,
you'll be eating in Delmonico's.

Say, Matt, about how far is it
from Dodge?

Oh, it's about
ten miles.

Do the Indians usually come
that close to town?

Yeah, sometimes they do.

Here you are.

Now watch out
'cause that's hot.

I need this.

Well, I guess
I'll go harness

my horse up
to the buggy.

Matt, wait a minute.

I told you everything except
how Jim Rackmil happened

to drive the buggy
over the log

and break the wheel off.

I know it sounds silly,

but I gotta tell you.

I'll bet I can guess.

Well, he tried to kiss me,
and I slapped him,

and it made him
jerk the horse around.

Kitty, you got quite a temper.

I sure paid for it this time.

Bet you haven't learned a thing.

No, but Jim Rackmil's
gonna learn something

when I find him back in Dodge.

Well, maybe you won't have to.

Huh?

Well, you said you didn't watch
how far

those Indians chased him.

What makes you think
he got away?

I hope he didn't.
I hope he didn't.

Running out on

a woman
like that.

Mr. Dylan!

Mr. Dylan, come here.

Could that there
be Rackmil?

It might be.

What on Earth is he doing
coming back here?

I don't know.
Maybe he got lost.

Maybe he's been
going around

in circles
or something.

Fancy him trying to ride off
and leave Miss Kitty here.

Uh-oh.

Well, Kitty,
that your friend?

Yep.

Uh-huh.

No, Matt, you let
me handle this.

Kitty, you all right?

Who are those men?

Them? They rode in
a little while ago.

They been bothering you?

Bothering me?

Well, have they?

You're a fine one

to talk about
bothering a woman.

The lady's with me,
gentlemen.

Now, look here,
you tinhorn Lothario.

Kitty, hurry up
and get on the horse.

Come on. I'll keep them...

I'll keep them from
being distracted. Hurry.

Are you really crazy?

Will you hurry up and
get on the horse?

I'll keep them from following
you somehow. Come on.

I don't understand you!

Kitty, it's
perfectly simple.

I don't trust those men.

I've gotta get you out
of here. Now come on.

You've got to get
me out of here? You?!

Kitty, will you
be sensible

before it's too late?

You're the man who saw
those Indians coming

and jumped on his horse
and ran for his life.

That isn't true!

Well, I stood right
over there

and watched you do it,
didn't I?

Kitty, that was the only way
I could think of of saving you!

I rode out there so those
Indians would chase me

and leave you alone!

I was scared, sure.

I was so scared I didn't
even dare look back.

You bet you didn't.

Now wait a minute, Kitty.

Oh, no,
you don't, mister.

Now you two just get
on your horses

and ride on out
of here right now.

Wait a minute.
No.

No, wait a minute.

Maybe you don't
understand.

This lady, she's my wife.

Your what?!

Look, you idiot,

that's Marshal Dillon
from Dodge.

Marshal Dillon?

And that's Chester Goode.
They're friends of mine

and they came out
looking for me.

And what's more, I told them
everything that you did.

Now wait a
minute, Kitty.

You know, Rackmil here was ready

to protect you any way
he could just now.

I think that took a lot
of courage.

Especially seeing

he isn't even
wearing a gun.

Well, maybe, but he still
left me to the Indians.

Well, sure, but he had
his reasons.

And I believe him.

Thank you.

It's true, Kitty.

I wouldn't have done
a thing like that.

Sure, I was scared,

but I'm not that much
of a coward.

Well, I don't think you are,
either, Rackmil.

But I tell you one thing,

you were mighty lucky.

I sure was.

I don't think you know
what I mean.

If that had been a war party,
you wouldn't be here now.

What?

Those must have been
peaceable Indians.

No, I think they were
a hunting party.

They probably came down
here to the water hole

to look for game,
and when they saw you ride out,

they figured there wasn't any
so they just probably went away.

Are you sure about that, Matt?

Well, I,

I don't know what else
it could be, Kitty.

But you certainly couldn't
expect Rackmil here

to know that.

Guess I owe you an apology, Jim.

No.

I'm sorry. I know it took
a lot of courage

for you to do what you did.

I'm proud to know you.

Thank you.

Chester?

Yes, sir.

Hitch this horse up
to the buggy, will ya?

We want to be back to Dodge
in time for supper tonight.

Yes, sir.

Rackmil, will you drive
the buggy back to town?

Certainly.

Just try not to wreck it
this time.

How about having supper
with us tonight?

Kitty?

Well, it'd be
a pleasure.

Thank you.