Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 6, Episode 13 - The Wake - full transcript

Starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

Whoa.

Well, howdy there.

Howdy.

What, uh... what-what
do you got there?

Well, that? That-that's
a burying box.

And a mighty good one, too.

Built it myself.

Well, uh, you don't got...

I mean, there ain't
nobody in it, is there?

Well, now, that's kind of a
personal question, ain't it?



Seeing as how I don't
even know your names.

Well, I'm Chester Goode.

This here's Doc Adams.

How do you do?

Oh, how do you do?

My name's Gus Mather.

Say, uh, you a real doctor?

Well, it's been
argued both ways.

Now, there's an honest man.

Well, Doc, I sure do wish

you'd have been there
when Orson Boggs took sick.

Who's Orson Boggs?

Well, this is Orson
Boggs, right there.

Well, what did he die of?



Chills and ague.

Fought it for a
whole week, he did.

Then he just kind of give up.

Best friend I had in this world.

You live around here?

Oh, no. No, we was traveling.

Heading west, we was.

But...

gonna have to go it alone now.

You gonna take him
with you, are you?

Oh. Oh, no. No.

One of Orson's last requests was

that be buried in a
proper burying ground,

and that's what I'm
gonna do right here.

Well, you consider Boot Hill a
proper burying ground, do you?

Oh, it'll do, it'll do.

I'm gonna plant him today,

and then tonight, I'm gonna
fill his other last request.

What was that?

Well, you see, Orson here...

He left me his share
of the grubstake.

Now it isn't much, mind you,
but it'll serve for a good wake.

Wake?

Well, certainly.

It's only fitting and proper

that a man should have a
nice wake if he wants one.

Oh.

And old Orson here... He
said to hold a good one.

Lots of good drinking liquor
and lots of good company.

Well, now, don't they
usually hold the wake

before the burying?

Well, that's true, that's true,

but this is the way
Orson wanted it,

that's the way it's going to be.

I'll hire a room somewheres

and invite anybody
who wants to come.

You're both invited.

Well, thank you, Mr. Mather.

And, uh, incidentally,

bring anybody you
want to to the wake.

Lots of free liquor.

You know, Doc, I might
just go to that wake

and the burying.

Oh, I'm pretty sure you will.

Come on, let's have a drink...

Hey, hey.

All right, men...
let's fill it up.

Poor Orson Boggs,
whoever he was.

Just nothing but a bunch
of barflies at his burying.

Oh, Gus Mather's there.

Well, he's half
balmy if you ask me.

Well, grief sometimes does
that to a man, you know.

Grief? Well, look at him.

It looks like he's
burying his mother-in-law.

I can just imagine what
that wake's gonna be like.

Yeah, all that free liquor.

All right, men.

That does it.

Now, don't be forgetting the
wake at the Dodge House.

All the free liquor
you can drink.

Hyah!

Hey!

Whoa.

Well, Mr. Dillon.

Oh. Chester.

Sure is good to see you back.

Now what's going on
around here anyway?

I... I leave town for three
days, and I come back,

you're getting married.

Married? Me?

Who's the lucky girl?

Well, now, look,
Mr. Dillon, just because

that a body wants
to get dressed up

once in a while for
a party is no sign

he's gone completely
out of his mind.

Oh, just a party, huh?

Well, who's-who's throwing it?

I don't think you know him.

A fella named Gus Mather.

He's-he's, uh, having a
wake is what he's doing.

A wake? Who died?

Friend of his, fella
named Orson Boggs.

I don't think I ever heard
of either one of them.

Well, I didn't, neither.

Nobody else did,
as a matter of fact.

But Gus Mather... He's
inviting everybody anyway.

And you know, if I was you,
I think maybe I'd come along.

Why?

Well, there's something
funny going on here.

What do you mean?

Well, this Gus Mather... He
came into town this morning,

and had Orson Boggs
already in the coffin,

took him out to Boot Hill.

Buried him without no
preacher, lot of drinking and...

Well, listen, in that case,
maybe I better come along.

That is, uh...

if you don't mind
going with somebody

that isn't dressed quite
as fancy as you are. Um...

Oh, no.

Yeah. Well, I'll be with
you in a minute here.

Well...

Shut up, everybody!

Shut up!

Gentlemen.

Gentlemen.

I want to thank you
all for coming tonight.

I want to thank you for
my friend Orson Boggs.

He would be very happy.

This is exactly the
way he wanted it.

Best friend I had in this world.

To the best man to come
out of the Red Bank country.

Orson Boggs.

Orson Boggs!

Play it!

Hello, Chester. I'm
glad you could make it.

Uh, uh, Mr. Dillon,
this here is Gus Mather.

Marshal Dillon, Gus.

- How-how do you do, Marshal?
- Mather.

You're welcome here.

Here, let me... let
me pour you a drink.

Marshal.

Thank you.

Chester.

Well, thanks a whole lot there.

Well, here's to Orson Boggs,

the best friend I
had in this world.

I was sorry to hear
about him, Gus.

Uh, where was he from?

Well, he was from a long
ways from here, Marshal.

As a matter of fact, he was
never in Dodge City in his life.

Well, uh, was he a
Kansas man or...?

Well, yeah, you could say that.

He was from Kansas.

You see, we was
traveling West together.

Gonna have to go it alone now.

Well, uh,

a minute ago, I
heard you talking

about that Red Bank country?

That's down near the
Pawnee Reservation, isn't it?

Red Bank. Uh...

Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's on
the Pawnee Reservation.

I... Uh, we drifted through
there once or twice.

Uh, we didn't stop, though.

We never stopped for
anywhere for very long.

You see, we was heading, w...

I told you that, didn't I?

Well, let's drink

to my old friend
Orson Boggs, huh?

That's what we're
here for, isn't it?

To Orson Boggs.

Excuse me. I got to keep
the boys oiled up, you know?

You ask me, I think he's
kind of oiled up his self.

A little oiled up
there, all right,

but he's also hiding
something, Chester.

Yeah, well, I don't think

that we're gonna find
out what it is tonight,

and, uh, in the meantime,

I don't see any reason
to be standoffish.

Hello, Kitty.

Well, you two come in
here to join the party?

Yeah, you got a couple of beers?

Sure do. Freddy,
couple of beers.

Now where would you...?

Tell me these boys were
drinking till daylight at that wake.

Yeah, they were.

Most of them are in here now
trying to cure their hangovers.

Huh.

Well, you just oughtn't to
give people free liquor, I reckon.

My, you're getting as free
with your money as Gus Mather.

He's been spending
it in here right and left.

Way he acts, you'd
think he had millions.

Tell me something. How much
has he been spending over here?

Oh, I don't know.

He's been buying all morning.

Why, what-what are
you thinking about?

Yeah. It seems like that's
a little too much money

for him to have come by easily.

You mean legally.

Yeah.

Well, he doesn't look like
a-a murderer or anything,

if that's what you're thinking.

Mr. Dillon, you ought

to just set him down
somewheres and make him talk.

It's not as easy
as all that, Chester.

I can't beat if out
of him, you know.

He's only let one
thing slip so far.

What's that?

About the Red Bank country.

Remember how he tried to
cover that up at the wake?

Yeah, I remember that.

Yeah. Well, it's a
long way over there,

but we might as
well get started.

Where?

- Red Bank country.
- We...

You get the horses, and
I'll meet you out in front.

Yeah.

So long, Kitty.

Oh, good luck, Matt.

♪♪

- Howdy.
- Howdy.

You a U.S. Marshal?

That's right.

Name's Dillon, out of Dodge.

I'm heading for
Fort Dodge myself.

My name's Brant, Marshal.

Oh, is that so?

Yeah, I do some scouting
for the army once in a while.

When I get broke enough.

Well, I, uh... I guess

you probably know the
country around here then.

Don't you?

Well, I ain't likely to get lost
in it, if that's what you mean.

Well, isn't the Pawnee
Reservation out up ahead here?

Yeah, it's right over
that way about 30 miles.

Just this side of the
Red Bank country.

Say, do you ever hear of anybody

by the name of, uh, Orson Boggs
down that Red Bank country?

Orson Boggs.

Yeah, yeah, I believe I did.

But I never met
the man, Marshal.

Well, can you tell me
anything about him at all?

Well, not very much.

Believe him and his wife got a
cabin on Ash Creek down there.

They never come out,
though, that I know of.

Live all alone,
just like hermits.

No neighbors or nothing.

I never even seen 'em.

Did you ever hear of a man
by the name of Gus Mather?

Mather?

Oh, oh, no, I-I don't
place him right off.

Uh, it's a big country, Marshal.

Well, thanks a lot.

You've been a help to us.

Well, you won't have no
trouble finding Ash Creek.

You just ride straight
ahead about ten, 25 miles.

Thanks a lot.

Uh, I'll be seeing you around
Dodge sometime, Marshal.

Uh, I'm a terror
when I'm on whiskey.

Well, just pay your bills

and don't kill anybody,
you'll be all right.

Howdy do, ma'am?

I'm a United States
Marshal over in Dodge City.

You Mrs. Boggs?

Yeah.

Well.

We had quite a time
finding you, ma'am.

This is Chester Goode
here, and I'm Matt Dillon.

How do you do, ma'am?

It's awful nice to make

- your acquaintance. We...
- What do you want here?

I'm looking for
Orson Boggs, ma'am.

Is he your husband?

'Course he's my husband.

I'd like to talk
to him if I can.

Is he around?

He ain't here.

He ain't been
here for some time.

So you might as well tell
me what this is all about.

All right.

You know a man named Gus
Mather, friend of your husband's?

My husband don't
have no friends.

We come here to
lead a moral life.

To keep away from people

and sin, temptation,

worldliness.

Yeah, well, you-you sure
picked a good spot for that.

I picked it.

Ain't but seldom
anybody bothers us here.

You have any idea where
your husband is now, ma'am?

Said he was getting restless.

Went off on a hunting trip.

Did he go alone?

Of course he went alone.

What's this all about, Marshal?

Orson ain't done no wrong.

He's a good man.

Well, I'm sure
that he is, ma'am,

but he could still have
gotten into trouble.

Not Orson.

Well, I hate to tell you this,

but this, uh, Gus Mather...

He's in Dodge City right now.

He's telling everybody
that your husband is dead.

He ain't dead.

I'd know it if he was.

Somehow, I'd know it if he was.

Well, this Mather claims to
be your husband's best friend.

He's lying! He's got to be!

You sure you don't know him?

Oh, he's 45 or 50, man
about that tall, grey hair...

I told you, my husband
don't have no friends.

Well, then, how come Mather
would know Orson's name?

How should I know?!

I ain't responsible
for this Mather.

Now if you leave me
be, I got things to do.

That's about the cold-bloodedest
woman that I ever seen.

Well.

I think she's hiding
something, Chester.

Too bad it ain't her
face, if you ask me.

Yeah, let's go.

- Marshal, Orson ain't come home yet.
- Ma'am.

And this Gus Mather
you was telling me about...

I'd like to have a look at him.

Well, uh, Mr. Dillon, he's
over at the Long Branch.

At least, he was
a little while ago.

Well, that's the Long Branch
right over there, ma'am.

A saloon.

Earth'll open up one day
and swallow this sinful town.

Well, I... I'm afraid

they'd probably just build
another one like it, ma'am.

Bet you had a pretty long trip
for a woman traveling alone.

I've come longer.

Now, Chester, uh,
maybe you could go over

to the Long Branch and
bring Mr. Mather back here?

Well, yeah, sure.

Now wait a minute.

I said I'd like to
have a look at him.

But I won't talk to no man
with whiskey on his breath.

Well, you sure ain't gonna
be talking to him then, ma'am.

I can tell you that.

Well, now, just wait
a minute, Chester.

Look, uh, Mrs. Boggs,
you wouldn't mind, uh,

just getting close
enough so you could look

through those swinging
doors, would you?

No closer.

All right, let's go.

Oh, you're wonderful!

He's in there.

He's drunk.

A little, maybe.

Can't stand up without
leaning his back against the bar.

Well, I... I thought you said
that you didn't know Gus Mather.

I seen him.

I never knew what he
called his self before.

Uh-huh, and that man in there
is a friend of your husband?

That man in there's no friend
of my husband's... or mine.

Never was.

We wouldn't endure
such rotten sinful ways,

lying and living in corruption.

He's going down to
the everlasting fires,

and he's gonna stay
there for all eternity.

That's what's gonna
happen to him!

You feel pretty strong about
this Gus Mather, don't you?

My husband was a fine,
upright, moral living man.

Well, what's that
got to do with him?

Precious little, if
you want to know.

Nothing at all, in fact.

You think a husband of
mine would live like that,

all slimed up and evil in sin?

Drinking and thieving?

Thieving? Now what
makes you say that?

Well, he's a sinner, ain't he?

He's doing everything
that's bad. Why...

Why wouldn't he
be a thief, as well?

Well, I've seen
what I come to see.

My husband would be better
off dead than in there with him.

Well, w-what are you
gonna do now, then, ma'am?

I'm going home first
thing tomorrow morning.

Well, there-there's a hotel,
and a pretty good one, too,

right down there at
the end of the street.

Thank you. Good day.

Well, if that don't beat all.

Coming all this way

just so's that she could
take a look at Gus Mather.

No. No, there's more
to it than that, Chester.

What?

Well, I-I don't know.

Come on, let's go see Doc.

Maybe he can help us.

That ought to do it.

Doc, just grab a hold
of the rope over there

and give us a hand.

- Okay, ready?
- Oh, wait.

- You ready?
- Okay, heave ho!

Matt, you sure you
got a right to do this?

Dig up a grave like this?

This one I sure have.

Well, now, maybe
he wasn't murdered.

Maybe he did die of the
ague, like Mather said he did.

Well, then we'll know
that much at least.

Doc, why don't you
just get a pick over there

and help us out a little?

No. No, sir, I've done
all I'm gonna do now.

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

I don't like this.

Here, Chester, give me a
hand over here, will you?

I think I got this.

All right.

Well, let's see
what we got here.

A log?

Well...

His best friend, Orson Boggs.

Well, by golly, I knew
this was a fool's errand,

but I didn't think
it'd be that bad.

Well, we had to find
out somehow, Doc.

Well, now, just
what do you think

you've found out, huh? Matt?

Well, I tell you, I don't
know what we found out,

but there's one thing.

We're gonna have
to cover this back up,

put it in the
hole, and fill it up.

- Yup.
- What for?

What for?

Out of respect for
the dead, of course.

Well, doesn't look
like that he's here.

No.

Kitty.

Hello, Matt.

Have you seen Gus Mather?

Gus? Uh, yeah, he, uh...

Well, he went out the backdoor
about a half an hour ago.

He was mighty drunk.

I guess he figured
he needed the air.

Huh. Come on, Chester.

Well, what's wrong?

Well, if that ain't the berries.

He's been in that saloon

every night and every
day ever since the wake,

and now when you want him
to talk to him about something,

well, he just ain't
nowheres around.

Yeah, well, I think we better
still look for him, Chester.

Why don't you go down this
way, and I'll try the alley here?

All right, sir.

Chester?!

Yeah, yes, sir. You find him?

Is he dead?

No. No, he's just passed out.

Well, let's get him up to Doc's.

Maybe we can get him sober
enough to give us some answers.

Okay.

Oh, Matt, how are you?

Hi, Doc.

Well, how's the
patient this morning?

Uh, Marshal, this patient's
not the man he used to be.

Oh, I'll never drink again.

Never, never, never.

How about a cup of coffee, Matt?

Okay.

Get yourself a cup.

Come in.

Yes, ma'am?

Oh.

Uh, Doc, uh, this is Mrs. Boggs.

Oh, how do you do? Well...

You don't look so sick to me.

Well, by golly, he
has been sick, ma'am.

I heard about him
being dead drunk

in that alley last
night, Marshal,

and how you drug him up here.

By rights, that ought to be
your deathbed you're laying on.

Well, it would be
a blessed thing

if you was to have a little
forgiveness in your heart.

Forgiveness belongs to the
Lord, not to us here below.

Get your pants on.

I said, get your pants on!

Now, just a minute, ma'am.

Mr. Mather's been pretty sick...

He was sick, and
it done him good.

But he's coming home now.

Home?

He just tried to do
away with Orson Boggs,

but it didn't work.

No man can escape his self.

You mean to tell me
that that's Orson Boggs?

He run off, stole our savings.

Spent every penny,
the miserable sinner.

That true?

I thought it all up
myself, Marshal.

I just got plain sick and tired
of being good all the time.

Well, you're going
back to being good,

and you're gonna stay
good the rest of your days.

Now come on out of here.

Marshal. Doc.

I'll be doggone.

Well, Doc, at least we know
that Orson Boggs isn't dead.

Well, if you ask me,

he was a whole lot
better off when he was.