Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 3, Episode 18 - Buffalo Man - full transcript

...starring James Arness
as Matt Dillon.

The lawman's got
a full-time job out here

that spans the whole field
of human problems.

One man came to me

because his sister had
stopped going to church.

And just recently,
another complained

that somebody had blown
his neighbor's head off

with a shotgun and left
the rest lying in the road

for the hawks to eat.

That one I solved.

But the girl is still spending
her Sundays



out picking berries.

Sometimes I think
I'd be better off

clerking
in a Philadelphia bank.

But that's not the way it is.

Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.

Oh, hey, Matt.

Hello, Kitty.

Where you going?

Well, I'm looking
around for Chester.

I think he's
hiding on me.

I can't say as
I blame him.

Yeah, the town's
filling up fast, isn't it?

It's gonna be
a big night tonight.

A couple of trail herds
in from Texas.



Sure is gonna
be a big night.

Well, these boys
are going to spend

everything they
got here, Kitty.

They sure go through
a lot of misery

for just a couple of nights
howling, don't they?

Yeah, they sure do.

I guess I might as well
get on over there

and start making it
worth their while.

All right, I'll see you later. Right.

Hey, Matt.

Look.

What's he got with him?

I don't know.

Doesn't look too good
though, Kitty.

Maybe you'd better go over
to the Long Branch, huh?

Matt, I found this man
on the Pawnee near Turkey Bend.

Dead?
Well, he was dying.

Must be a buffalo hunter.

He was camping there
and somebody came along

and went to work
on him with a knife.

A knife?
Yeah.

Well, was he alone out
there? Well, yes... well, no.

There was another camp
up the river a-ways,

but he was alone.

Did you try
the other camp?

No. No, I think
that's your job.

It's bad enough for
me to bring him in.

Why?

Well, this wasn't a nice
thing at all, I'll you.

Whoever cut him up,

meant for him to suffer,
and he certainly did.

About as brutal a thing
as I've ever seen.

Well, I better ride
out there, Doc.

I'll see you later.
All right.

Buffalo hunters, most likely,

don't you reckon,
Mr. Dillon?

Yeah, that's what's got
the Pawnees all stirred up,

ready to go on the warpath.

These buffalo hunters
coming down here

and working over the herds

that are supposed to
belong to the Indians.

Well, that's the
army's job, though,

and the Indian Service to keep
them hunters out of here.

Let's go down
and take a look.

Maybe they had trouble
with the Indians.

No sign of it.

Well, it's buffalo hunters
all right.

Yeah.

There was a fire here
sometime this morning.

Anybody here?!

Well, I'm... I'm sorry, ma'am.

I didn't mean to scare you.

Go away, please. Go away.

What's wrong?

Nothing. Just... just ride out
and leave me alone.

Now, look, ma'am,

I'm a United States Marshal.

If something's wrong,
maybe we can help you.

Don't make no difference
who you are.

If he catches me talking to you,
he'll beat me.

He'll beat you?

Who?
It don't matter.

Just... just go on, please.

Afternoon.

Howdy.

They're just...

just riding through.

They just now stopped
right this minute.

They're going right on.

You're working pretty
far south, aren't you?

Well, you got to kill them
where they are.

You know this is
an Indian reserve?

You saying that Indians
have more right to buffalo

than a white man has?

Around here they have.

What's more,
they're on the prowl.

We saw a lot of Indian signs
just over that ridge there.

Kind of a bad place

to go off and leave a woman
alone, isn't it?

Abby ain't my lookout.

She's Ben Siple's woman.

Who's Ben Siple?

Fella standing there
behind you.

Hold it, mister.

Get your hands up.

This thing will make an awful
big hole in a man, mister.

Turn around.

Get the gun, Ticks.

Stand easy now.

Don't turn around.

I can treat people
terrible, mister.

Ben, they was just
riding through.

He's the marshal.

Lawman, huh?

I don't like lawmen, mister.

Maybe you got
good reason, huh?

Mr. Dillon!

Tie them up, Ticks.

Ben, don't hurt them.

They didn't mean no harm...

Maybe I'll kill
them, Abby.

Make you watch.

Upset you something
awful, wouldn't it?

Yeah, maybe that's what I'll do.

Abby!

Are you through?

Yeah.

Get that stuff out of here.

You want I should feed them?

You just let me catch
you feeding them.

Reach me that jug.

Where you going?

I got to go down to
the creek to wash them.

Go on then.

Get out of here.

What do you aim
to do with them, Ben?

I ain't made up
my mind yet.

Ain't it bad business?

I mean, him being
a lawman like he is?

Bet he don't feel much
like a lawman right now.

You might as well
give up, Mr. Dillon.

That Ticks used
raw gleenhide.

Them knots ain't
gonna slip.

He knew what he was
doing, all right.

You know, he don't bother
me so much as that other one.

That Ben Siple...

He's just plumb crazy,
Mr. Dillon.

I know it.

If I'd known how crazy,

I think I'd have
taken my chances

when he jumped us.

Yeah. Well, what do you think
he's gonna do with us?

I don't know.
I don't know.

It's hard to tell
with a man like that.

He's got a big hate
gnawing inside of him.

It hasn't left him
with much sense.

He's capable of doing
almost anything.

Well, you know, I just
can't understand

why a woman like
that Abby

would stay with
a man like that.

I'm... I'm sorry I didn't
get you nothing to eat.

They wouldn't let me.

It's all right.

Abby...

Come here.

You know, it's not really food
that we need.

I don't know
what you mean?

Yes, you do.

If I was to cut you loose,
they'd kill me.

No, he wouldn't.

You wouldn't be here
to stop them.

You'll go off, and I'll
be here alone with them?

No, Abby, all men ain't like
Earl Ticks and Ben Siple.

My pa was.

He beat me.

I never know'd any other men.

Abby, listen, we'd find
some way to stop them somehow.

You can
trust us.

You really a marshal,
or you just saying it?

I'm a marshal.

If he was to find out,
he'd kill all of us.

He's mean enough to.

Abby, get away
from here quick. Go on.

Abby!

What are
you up to?

Nothing, Ben.
I wasn't doing nothing.

Talking to them,
wasn't you?

Planning something, maybe? No.

You ain't done nothing,
what are you scared of?

I'm not, Ben.

Sure you are.

You're scared half to death.

What have you
been doing?

Nothing. I was just...
coming back from the river.

Where's them dishes
you took with you?

I left them there to soak.

Sure you did.

I'll go finish
them right now.

That's a good idea.
I'll go with you.

No, Ben.

It's about time you was
taught another lesson.

You forget too easy, Abby.

Ben, please,

I didn't
do nothing.

Don't take it out

on her, Siple.

I was planning on taking it
out on both of you

before I'm through.

What kind of man
are you, anyway?

Man enough to put you
in the fix you're in.

You and anybody else
I take a notion to.

Nobody ever beat me out
on nothing yet

and nobody ever gonna.

Let me tell you
something, Siple...

Shut up!

You dirty pig!

Abby.

Mr. Dillon?

Do you feel
all right now?

Oh, yeah, I...

I guess I'm
all right, Chester.

I tell you, that Ben Siple,
he ought to be hung

for kicking a man like that
when he's tied up.

Well, I'll tell
you one thing.

I could hang him
myself right now.

I don't reckon
that we're gonna get

no help at all
from Abby.

No, no.

I just can't understand
what makes a woman stay

with a man like that.

Well, I guess it's
like she said, Chester.

She's never known
any other kind of man.

And Siple's not going
to let her know

any other kind either.

He's got her half
scared to death.

Oh, he just treats
her something terrible.

Just awful.

Well, he'll get
what's coming to him.

He's long overdue.

What is it, Mr. Dillon?

Wait a minute.

Well, that's just a coyote.

I've been hearing him
off and on

while you
was asleep.

Those last two weren't.

Well, that...

That last one
was an Indian.

Ticks!

What do you want?

Come here.

Don't you
try nothing.

All right,
what's the matter?

Did you hear that?

What?

No, I didn't hear nothing.

Well, it's coyotes, that's all.

If you're gonna hunt
in Indian country,

you'd better learn how
to recognize them.

Indians?

That's right.

What do I care about
a couple of Indians?

There's more than a couple
of them out there

and they're not scouting
this camp for nothing.

Listen, you trying to trick me
some way?

I'm not trying to trick you,
I'm telling you

there's Indians out there
and they're not friendly.

Sip...?
Sip...?

Siple!

Siple!

What's the matter?

There's Indians
out there

and they're yapping at
each other like coyotes.

I heard them, you fool.
I was out there in the bush

trying to spot them
when you yelled.

It's bad, Siple,
it's real bad now.

I told you the Pawnees

didn't like buffalo hunters
moving in on them.

Come on, let's get out
of here. Oh, shut up!

Let me think.

Probably take all night
working themselves up to it.

More than likely
come in about sunup.

Yeah, but I ain't gonna
be here at sunup.

We sure won't stand no chance
dragging that wagon.

You think I'm gonna
fight Indians

over a wagonload
of hides?

We'll have to leave it.

Where's Abby?

Never mind her.

You mean you're gonna
leave her here? Why not?

Well now,
what about them?

Maybe if we leave the Indians

something to pleasure
themselves with

they won't be too
concerned about us.

I hope they get you.

I hope they get you
and hurt you real bad.

Ah, you hope all you want.

You know they're gonna get you.

Come on, let's
get out of here.

So long, lawmen.

He ain't even human,
Mr. Dillon.

You know, I was
thinking that...

we ain't
no buffalo hunters.

The Pawnees ain't got
nothing against us.

Yeah, but do you know
how to speak Pawnee?

Well, no,
of course, I don't.

Then how are we
gonna tell them?

It's funny, Mr. Dillon,
what a body will think of

at a time like this.

Yeah. You know, crazy things like...

things that you haven't
thought of in years.

Things like what?

Oh...

like when you was a
kid, you know, and, uh...

I used to think about running
away and joining the circus.

You did?
Yeah.

Oh, I used to dream
about it a lot, you know.

Dream about the lions and
the tigers and all like that.

Well, that's
pretty good dreams.

Yeah.

Yeah, I liked them fine.

I... I always thought
that maybe someday it'd...

You hunt buffalo?

No.

Buffalo hunter gone.

Leave us like this.

For Pawnee to kill?

Why?

We and buffalo hunter
are big enemies.

You no hunt buffalo?

Never?

Never.

We kill all
buffalo hunter.

Teach white man
leave buffalo to Pawnee.

Another camp, find hunter.

Cut him bad... with knife.

Mr. Dillon,

they's the one that
killed that other hunter.

Yeah, I know.

Buffalo hunter
wants you kill us.

But buffalo hunter gone.
You no find him.

Let us go, we find
buffalo hunter for you.

Big enemies.

We punish
buffalo hunter for you.

Boy, that was taking
a chance, wasn't it?

Yeah.

We're lucky

'cause, you know, they
didn't even take our horses.

Come on, let's
get out of here.

Chester, we got
to find Abby first.

Well, whoa.

Abby...

My gracious, I...

I plumb forgot
about her.

It may be too late anyway,
but we got to look around.

Come on.

Chester.

Yeah?

Abby.

Ben, please don't hurt me
no more.

Abby, Siple's gone.

Nobody's gonna
hurt you now.

Marshal, Ben hit me.

He hit me something awful.

I know, but don't
worry about that now.

Better go hitch up
the horses.

We'll take her back to
town in the wagon. Yeah.

Please don't...

don't let him
hurt me no more.

Please.

Abby, now listen to me.

We're gonna take you
back into Dodge

and nobody's ever gonna
hit you again.

I promise you that.

Do you think
you can move?

All right, come on.

Well...

I heard you
were up there.

I thought I'd come up and
see how you were doing.

Just fine, Marshal.

I guess Doc can't find
nothing more to fuss about.

Well, no, I think I've done
about all I can

for this young lady.

I think turning her
into a raving beauty

is about all that could be
expected of me anyhow.

Now, Doc... She sure looks different

than that girl we picked up out
in the prairie a few weeks ago.

Well, most of it's
the dress

and Kitty gets
the credit for that.

She helped me make it.
Well now, I'm in favor

of Kitty getting credit
where credit is due,

but it took more than that dress
to fix you up

after the shape you was in
when Matt brought you upstairs.

I know.

I didn't have no idea
just plain living

could be so nice.

I guess I have both of you
to thank for it.

I'll tell you, you drop by
the office in about a week

and I'll have another look
at you just to be sure, huh?

All right, Doc.
Good-bye. Good-bye.

Good-bye, Marshal.

Bye, Abby.

An amazing vitality.

That's youth for you.

There's no medicine
like it, Matt.

Guess you're right.

That's something you and I just
know about from memory, huh?

Well, speak for
yourself, Doctor.

Well, all right, I know I'm
a little older than you are.

But you lived
a lot harder.

Yeah, you don't seem to strain
yourself too much, do you?

What do you mean by that?

Well, I mean, you always
seem to get a lot of rest.

I get a lot of rest?

Well, I'd like to have you
follow me around

about 24 hours sometime.

Your feet would be dragging

and your tongue
would be hanging out.

I never figured passing
out a few pills

was very hard work.

Passing out a few pills?

I want you to know that 90%
of everything I do is surgery.

Setting broken bones,
digging bullets out of people,

delivering babies in
the middle of the night.

Mr. Dillon!

It's them!

Them?
What do you mean?

Ben Siple
and that Ticks.

And they seen Abby
and they grabbed her

and they're just treating her
something terrible.

Come on.

Putting on airs, are you?

Think maybe you're
too good for us, huh?

About time you was taught
another lesson, Abby. No, Ben!

Please!
Come here!

Hold it!

Ah, so you really
are a marshal.

Abby, you want to go with him
or you want

to stay here in Dodge?

I never want to see him again
as long as I live.

All right, then you go on over
to Long Branch and find Kitty.

What do you think
you're doing?

This ain't no business
of the law, mister.

You know, Siple,
you made me break a promise.

I told her nobody'd ever
hit her again.

Planning to interfere with
a man's natural rights?

I'm gonna teach you a lesson.

Well, you made
your mistake, mister.

You get him on that wagon
and get him out of town.

And don't ever come back.

I sure will, Marshal.

I ain't never knew Siple
could ever be beat.

? ?

Hyah.

Hu-yah.

Giddup.