Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 4, Episode 17 - Young Love - full transcript

starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

You know,

there must be easier ways
to die

than most of the men
up here took.

Like passing away
in one's sleep,

or gently dissolving
in old age.

Or even being carried off
by a disease of some kind.

But getting stabbed,
shot, hung,

kicked to death...

all the violent ways we have
of dying out here...

they leave a man
without any dignity at all.



And it's worse
when it happens suddenly.

When a man hasn't time
to prepare himself.

It's something I myself have
to face every day.

Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshal.

There he comes now, Rod.

Yeah, that's Jesse, sure enough.

I told you
he always drives home this way.

I just wish you would tell me

what we rode down here
to meet him for, Box.

Look, kid, we've been together
six months now, ain't we?

Sure.

In another couple of months,

we're going to be rich,
ain't we?

Not riding for old Jesse Wheat,
we ain't.



We're just about through
riding for Jesse Wheat.

What are you men doing
clear down here?

We're heading for Dodge, Jesse.

Dodge?

I ain't paying you
to spend time in Dodge.

You just been there.

I had business there.

Now, look, Box,
you and Rod turn around

and ride back to the ranch
and get to work.

We ain't been to Dodge
for over a week.

Are you trying
to get yourself fired?

For a man who don't carry a gun,

you talk mighty loud, Jesse.

I don't have to carry no gun.

Don't you?

Look at this.

Point that thing the other way.

What are you doing, Box?

- Point that thing the other way!
- Why?

I don't like it.
Quit your fooling.

But I ain't fooling, Jesse.

Oh, come off it, Box.

You're just going
to make him mad.

I'm going to do more
than that, Rod.

I'm going to kill him.

Now, see here, Box,
I have had enough of this.

You put that gun down, you hear?

- Oh, shut up, Jesse.
- Put that gun down.

You killed him!

He wasn't even armed.

He didn't do nothing wrong.

That's murder, Box.

Look, kid, you wanted
to get rich, didn't you?

You're in trouble, Box.

You're really in trouble.

Now, wait, kid.

If they catch us,

I ain't in no more trouble
than you are,

because we're in this together,
and don't you ever forget it.

But I didn't know
you was going to do this.

It's your word against mine.

But right now, we'll head
the horse back to the ranch.

By the time he
and Jesse get there,

we'll have our alibi set
in Dodge.

Alibi?

How?

We're going to have the marshal
set it himself.

What?

Pretty smart, huh?

Come on, let's get going.

Mr. Dillon, uh, maybe
they got some across the street.

Chester, I don't think
there's a store in town

that carries beer mugs.

Well, uh, they don't have to be
exactly beer mugs.

Just any good solid mug
would do, Mr. Dillon,

that'd keep the coffee warmer
a little whiles longer.

Chester, maybe you ought
to try making some yourself.

Well, how in the world
would I do that?

Well, somebody ought to know.

- Marshal?
- Yes, sir.

I guess you don't know us.

We don't get to Dodge much.

We work for Jesse Wheat.

I'm Jim Box, Marshal,

and this here's Rod Allison.

We was to meet him here,
but we can't find him no place.

Well, I saw him
around town this morning.

Maybe he's gone back out
the ranch.

That'd sure beat all,
wouldn't it?

Telling us to meet him here
and then forgetting about it.

That Jesse is getting too old
for his own good.

Why, we've been looking for him
the past... two, three hours.

Box?

Hey, Box?

That's Jesse's buggy.

It's empty.

What's it doing here?

Whoa, boy.

Look, it's Jesse.

He must be sick or something.

Get Doc, Chester.

Yeah.

He's dead.

He's been shot.

Oh, that's terrible.

Now, who'd have done that?

I don't know.

I-I can't understand
that horse coming right here.

Why didn't he go back home
to the ranch

like any other horse would?

How long you men say
you've been working with Jesse?

Couple of months or so. Why?

Well, you ought to know
his horses.

What?

Say, that...
that ain't Jesse's horse.

His is the XL brand, isn't it?

Well, sure.

Whose brand is that, Marshal?

This belongs to Moss Grimmick.

He runs the stable here.

What was Jesse doing
with one of his horses?

I don't know.

Maybe his went lame
or something.

I never noticed the horse
when we...

It don't matter, Rod.

It's a good thing that horse
brought Jesse back here.

Now the marshal will find out
real fast who killed him.

We'll help you, Marshal.

We sure don't like seeing
poor old Jesse getting shot.

No, sir.

Give me a hand here.

Well, this is where
the buggy stopped.

Then it was joined
by another horse.

No, it was two other horses.

What did you find, Mr. Dillon?

Well, the buggy headed off
toward the ranch,

and then it turned over there.

Well, this must be
where he got shot, then.

Yeah.

You know, Mr. Dillon, I just
happened to think of something.

What?

Well, Jesse Wheat's a lot older

than his wife is, isn't he?

Well, about 25 years or so.

Well, you think maybe
that she could have done it?

I mean, maybe that she got tired

of waiting for him to die
to get his money.

Well, there were
two other horses here, Chester.

Yeah.

And you know Anna Wheat
as well as I do.

Well, who do you think
could have done it, then?

Well, it'll be pretty hard
to prove,

but seems mighty odd to me

that two cowboys
wouldn't even recognize

a strange horse.

Oh, you mean them two in town.

They must have had
something else on their minds.

Let's ride down and see

what Anna Wheat's got to say,
shall we?

All right.

Anna, did, uh...

did, uh, Jim Box and-and, uh,
Rod Allison get back yet?

They told me about Jesse.

Is that what you mean?

Jesse was a good man.

Yes, Anna, he was.

He took me in
when my parents died.

Married me.

But he always treated me
like a daughter.

I'm sorry, Anna.

Is there anything
I can do for you?

Who killed him?

Well, do you know anybody that
might have had any reason to?

Jesse had no enemies.

What about Jim Box
and Rod Allison?

How did they get along with him?

Rod?

Yes. What about Rod?

Well, they got along fine,
Marshal.

You don't think he had anything
to do with it?

Well, what about Jim Box?

Jim Box is different from Rod.

A lot different.

I don't like him.

I see.

But there hasn't been
any trouble.

Uh-huh.

Well, where are they now?

They're out with the cattle
somewhere.

They said that they'd stay here
as long as I need them,

and, well, right now, with all
the stock and everything,

I-I really do need them.

Mm-hmm.

And, uh, that's all you know?

I sure hope
you find that killer.

I'd like to see him hang.

We'll find him.

Good-bye, Anna.

Marshal?

Jesse didn't deserve to die.

Not like that.

No, ma'am.

Well, you didn't find out much
from her, did you?

Nope.

You going to wait to talk to
Jim Box and that, uh, Rod fella?

No. I want them
to feel safe, Chester.

They made one mistake,
they'll make another one.

Course, it may be a long wait.

Huh.

Oh, by golly, it'd sure be
a fine time to rob the bank.

How's that?

Oh, you're awake.

Yep.

Ever found the man
that shot Jesse Wheat?

Nope.

Been about a week.

Well, do you figure he's going
to come up here and sit down,

and you can arrest him?
Is that what you figure?

By golly, one thing
I'll say for sure.

Everybody in Dodge can see
that you're sure

trying hard to catch him.

Doc, you'd make
a poor fisherman.

Why?

No patience.

Patience?!

Well, now, that's a new word
for loafing.

Mm-hmm.

And just what
have you been doing?

Oh, nothing. Nothing at all.

I delivered a baby
at 4:00 this morning,

and I set a broken leg
about 7:00,

stitched up some drunk's head
about 9:00,

and I just got through
doctoring a sick horse.

- That's about all.
- Hmm.

What you got planned
for the rest of the day?

Well, more than
you have, I'll bet.

Howdy, ma'am.

Or him, either.

Well, how are you, Doc?

How you been?

Why don't you go back
where you came from?

Well, what happened to you?

Somebody pull you
through a knothole?

What you been doing?

Oh, I've been over
at the cattle pens.

You know, old Enoch Miller's

buying up a bunch
of that XL stuff.

- XL stuff?
- About 30 head.

30 head? Isn't that
an awful lot of cattle

for Anna Wheat to be selling
this time of year?

Yeah, it sure is.

Was Anna there?

No, no. Just that Jim Box fella.

Jim Box, huh?

I'll have to drift up there.

I'm kind of curious about that.

Well, they're more than likely

up at Enoch Miller's
office by now.

Oh, good. See you later, Doc.

Yeah, yeah.

Don't walk too fast.

It's kind of hot today.

They're in there, Mr. Dillon.

Yeah.

Well, hello, Marshal.

- Enoch.
- What are you doing here?

That a bill of sale
you're making out?

Yes. Why?

XL cattle, huh?

30 head.

How much you paying for them?

We settled on $20.

Is there something
wrong, Marshal?

- Well, that'd come
to $600, right? - Right.

What's the trouble, Marshal?

Is there something wrong
with my selling them steers?

Not as long as Anna Wheat
gets the $600.

Now, wait a minute.

I took it for granted
Anna knew about this sale.

You got such a smart marshal.

Look at this.

Yeah. You better read this, too.

Anna gives him and Rod Allison
full authority

to sell the cattle
and collect the money.

Well, Marshal,
I think you owe me an apology.

Enoch.

Any time Box here or Rod Allison
tries to sell you

more XL cattle,
I want to know about it.

Whatever you say, Marshal.

I'm going to tell
every other cattle buyer

in Dodge the same thing.

That ain't much of an apology.

See you later, Enoch.

That Jim Box
is kind of mad there.

Yeah, well, he ought to be.

I think he knows
I'm on to his game.

Yeah, but what are you going
to do about him, though?

I mean, he had that note there
from Anna Wheat

that it was all right
to sell that 30 head

and collect the money.

Well, Chester, he's too smart
to become a thief

just for a few hundred dollars.

I'm afraid he wants
more than that...

a whole lot more.

Evening, Kitty.

Hello, Matt.

Come on, let's sit down.

All right.

Sam.

Oh, thank you.

It's kind of quiet in here
tonight, isn't it?

Yeah, well, that suits me.

Well, you can't get rich
on a half-empty saloon.

Well, I won't get old
and worn-out, either.

Oh, now, it's not as bad
as all that, is it, Kitty?

No,

but sometime you ought to try
running a place jammed full

of half-drunk cowboys

and buffalo hunters
and mule skinners,

all red-eyed and looking
for something to hit.

Then you'd find out.

What about me?

I got a whole town full of them.

Yeah, but I can't treat them
the way you do.

I got to make out like
I'm having the time of my life,

just enjoying
every precious minute of it.

Kitty, why don't you quit?

Why don't you?

I'd like to sometimes,

but something always seems
to come up.

Hmm.

You mean like, uh...

like Jesse Wheat's murder
right now?

Yeah.
Yeah, it's been over a month.

It's enough to try
a man's patience, even mine.

Well, you ought
to send them over to me.

I'll tell them
how patient you are.

Evening, Miss Kitty.

Hello, Enoch.

- Enoch.
- Why don't you sit down?

It's all right if I talk
in front of Miss Kitty,

ain't it, Marshal?

Oh, it's all right, Enoch.

She finds out everything anyway.

It's about Jim Box, Marshal.

What about him?

You remember a few weeks ago,

you said you wanted to know
about the sale of any XL cattle?

Yeah.

Well, Jim come into my office
this afternoon,

offered to sell me 500 head.

- 500 head?
- Yeah.

That's about everything
Anna Wheat owns.

Maybe she's selling out.

No, Miss Kitty.

He offered to sell them
to me real cheap,

about half what they're worth...

provided I didn't tell you,
Marshal.

What'd you say?

I said I'd take them.

He's hired a couple of men
from someplace.

They're driving the herd in
day after tomorrow.

Thanks, Enoch.

I lied to them
about not telling you,

but I don't feel bad about it.

Because of those men
Box has hired.

That's what give them away.

What do you mean?

Yeah, they can probably ride
good enough,

but they ain't real cowboys,
Marshal.

Well, I think I'll just
take a ride out there tomorrow

and find out about that.

Glad I ain't got your job.

Not going against them gunmen.

Anna?

Anna, you there?

Hello, Marshal. Chester.

Come on in.

I just put some coffee on.

Oh.

Now, wait a minute, Anna.

Uh, where are the men?

Well, they're both out
on the prairie.

Both? You mean to say that, uh,
Jim Box and Rod Allison

are the only two men here?

Well, yes, of course. Why?

Chester, you better go and get
the horses around in back.

Yes, sir.

Marshal,
is there something wrong?

Yes, I'm afraid there is, Anna.

It's not Rod.

He's not in trouble, is he?

You always seem to be
very concerned about Rod.

Well, I can't help it.

I don't know why you're here,
Marshal,

but before you tell me,
there's something I want

- to tell you.
- What's that?

Rod and I are going
to get married.

You are?

We fell in love right off.

Oh, I... I told Jesse about it,

and, well, he understood.

He was always like
a father to me.

The only thing he asked
was that we wait a while.

He had a bad heart, and...

well, he knew he wouldn't live
very long anyway.

I see.

We didn't do anything wrong,
Marshal.

Well, that may be, Anna,

but I'm here to arrest them.
Both of them.

Why?

Because one of them
killed Jesse.

Oh, no, Marshal, not Rod.

I know him. He'd never do that.

Maybe he just got tired
of waiting for Jesse to die.

Oh, Marshal,
I swear it wasn't Rod.

I know him! He'd never do that!

Take it easy now, Anna.

We'll find out soon enough.

I got them tied
behind the house, Mr. Dillon.

Oh, well, you better sit down,
Anna.

Keep an eye on that window,
Chester.

Yes, sir.

Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon!

Mr. Dillon, come here.

Jim Box is a-coming,
but that Rod ain't with him.

And he just got two strangers
with him there.

Yeah, they probably left Rod
out with the herd.

Are you sure he's not with them?

No, no, just Jim Box
and them other two.

Well, I'm afraid it wouldn't
matter anyway, Anna.

We'll have to go out after him.

Not if Jim Box kills you,
you won't.

- Chester?
- Yeah?

Better take Anna out
in the kitchen.

She tries to warn them,
stop her.

Yeah.

Marshal...

I'm sorry.

I didn't mean what I said.

It's all right, Anna.

Let's go, ma'am. Please.

This won't take long.

I'll tell her some fancy story
about Rod,

and we'll get moving.

Anna?

Anna, where are you?

I'm in the kitchen.

Come in here.

You come out here.

I'm busy.

Hold it.

You wouldn't shoot me
in the back, would you, Marshal?

Get your hands up.

I don't trust you, Marshal.

Is he dead, Mr. Dillon?

Yeah.

You want me to get our horses?

- Let them go, Chester.
- Let them go?

I don't want them.
It's Rod I want.

Well, they're probably going
right straight to him right now!

Gunmen aren't very loyal,
Chester.

Those two probably won't stop

- till they hit
the Rocky Mountains. - Marshal.

Yes, Anna?

You killed Jim Box.

Well, I... I had to, Anna.

Now Rod's all alone.

He's the only one left
to blame it on,

isn't he?

Well, I'll know more
when I find him, Anna.

Anna? Anna?

Anna!

Sounds like Rod.

Careful. He may be using her
for a shield.

Where'd he come from, anyway?

I don't know.

Marshal?

Marshal, hurry!

I ain't about to use that,
Marshal.

What's happened?

He's been shot.

How bad is it?

I ain't going to die.

Who shot you?

Jim Box.

Jim Box? Why?

I found out he was going
to steal Anna's cattle,

and I had an argument with him.

He left me for dead,

but I got back here.

Now do you believe him, Marshal?

He's innocent!

Who shot Jesse, Rod?

What difference it make?

I never done it, but now
they're going to hang me anyway!

Is that true, Marshal?

What are you going to do?
Tell me!

Well, I'll get Doc out here
to take care of him.

And then, when he's well,

I'll expect you to bring him
into town, Anna.

To jail, you mean.

Well, you might stop by.

Give me an invite
to the wedding.

Come on, Chester.