Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 6, Episode 14 - The Cook - full transcript
The cooking of a new chef at Delmonico's is popular with most in Dodge, but one dissatisfied customer ends up dead.
Starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.
Yourself!
Now what do you want?
Coffee. A pot of
it, if you don't mind.
I don't mind, mister,
but the boss might.
Business is about as bad
as it can get around here.
So is the food.
How about that coffee?
A whole pot of coffee, he wants.
Oh, you got a gall, mister.
I'm gonna ask the boss.
That deadbeat over there
wants another pot of coffee.
And he ain't gonna
pay for it, you know it.
Now, look here, cowboy...
Sandy King's the
name, Mr. Green.
Now, don't you "Mr. Green" me.
Okay... Hank.
What's on your mind?
Feeding you is on my mind.
Now, you've been eating
here on credit for a whole week,
and you ain't paid a cent.
- 'Course not.
- What do you mean, "Of course not"?
When a man eats on credit,
he's not supposed to pay, is he?
Why, you...
I'm broke. You know
I'm broke, Hank.
But I expect to run
into some money soon.
Yeah, well, that
ain't soon enough.
I'm broker than you are.
Look at this place.
Why, I haven't got enough
customers to pay my water bill.
Sit down, Hank.
Sit down.
What are you doing?
The food's bad, Hank.
That's the whole trouble.
Oh, the food's bad.
You've been eating
it a whole week.
Well, now, it ain't that bad.
Sandy, you got more nerve
than any man I ever met.
But nerve ain't money,
and I can't afford
to feed you no more.
So that's that.
Well, now, maybe I have been
kind of taking advantage
of you, Mist... Hank.
Oh, you got a real easy
way of putting things.
- I'll make up for it.
- Oh?
You go in the kitchen and
fire that drunken cook you got.
I'll take over for a week.
You'll take over what? Cooking?
Yeah.
Well, how do I know
you're any better than he is?
Well, I'm not a drunk.
That's some
improvement, isn't it?
All right.
I'll do it.
But you better be good, Sandy.
There's only one
way to find out.
One pot of coffee.
We've been standing
here for a long time.
Hey, where you going there!
Hey, that's far enough, mister.
What do you think
this line's for, anyway?
I hear the food's good in here.
Well, you get back in
line like the rest of us.
- Hey!
- What's the matter with him!
Hey!
What's the matter with you!
Golly, I'm telling
you this here is good.
It's just good, that's
all there is to it.
Well, it sure sounds good.
Hmm? What do you mean?
Well, Chester, good
food is not exactly
an excuse for bad manners.
Bad manners?
Well, golly, Doc, it's
so seldom you get
anything good to
eat around here,
when you do, well,
you just got to eat it,
that's the way I see it.
The point is, you
don't have to see it,
the rest of us do.
Oh, Doc, let him eat in peace.
It's the best food we've
had in here in years.
Boy, you know that!
Well, how you folks
getting along here?
- Hank, how are you? Wonderful.
- Oh, hi, Hank.
It's real good.
I tell you, I eat
in here every day
for the last week, it just keeps
a-getting better all the time.
That cook of yours
was a real find.
Yeah, Sandy's a
good boy, Miss Kitty.
I'm gonna start
paying him next week,
and I'm gonna pay him well, too.
Well, you better, 'cause
I'm gonna steal him
and take him over
to the Long Branch.
Oh, you wouldn't
do that, Miss Kitty.
Oh...
By golly, I
would, I'll tell you.
You're gonna be
a rich man, Hank,
when that trailer
gets into town.
I hear word's already
got clear back to Texas.
Well, things sure have
changed around here.
I'll tell you what I'd do,
Hank, I'd just handcuff him
every night and chain
him to the bedpost.
- That's what I'd do.
- I think I'll do that, Doc.
Good idea.
Well... I'm gonna be going.
- You ready?
- Yeah, I guess I am.
I'm not too sure
about Chester, though.
Golly, I don't know
whether I can get up or not.
You are paying for
this again, yeah?
Oh, put it on the
bill, can I, Hank?
Anytime, Marshal.
Thanks a lot, Hank.
- I'll be back at sundown.
- All right.
Come early. Avoid the rush, now.
Waiter!
Excuse me.
What's the trouble?
What's the trouble?
I ordered them eggs turned over.
Oh, come on, now!
Now, you get 'em back
here and be quick about it.
I can't stay here all day.
All the good things we got
to eat, and you order eggs?
Never you mind what I ordered.
You get them eggs
back here, done right.
The man wants his
eggs turned over, Sandy.
I ain't got time.
You'd better; he's
pretty mean about it.
I don't care how mean he is.
What'd he order
eggs for, anyway?
We ain't serving breakfast.
He's half-drunk... maybe
he thinks it is breakfast.
- Oh, go on, don't bother me.
- Oh, come on, Sandy.
There. They're turned over.
Now, Sandy, you'll
just make him mad.
Well, then tell him to
go eat somewhere else.
Cook! That was a smart
thing what you done.
I told you you'd
make him mad, Sandy.
You wanted your eggs
turned over, didn't you?
Only I don't like to
be fooled like that.
Here's what I
think of your eggs!
Now look what you done!
Well, he had it coming.
Sandy.
Throw some water on him.
Sandy, he's dead.
Get him out of here!
You've killed him!
♪♪
♪♪
Look, don't say nothing
to nobody about this.
- Are you crazy?
- I mean, for a while.
I need a half hour.
I got a couple of horses...
at the stable.
They'll never catch me.
Say good-bye to
Hank Green for me.
♪♪
I run everybody out
and closed the place up
soon as I heard
about it, Marshal.
Well, that's a good idea, Hank.
I just can't believe it,
Sandy killing a man like that.
Do you know anything about him,
where he was from or anything?
No, not a thing, Marshal.
He seemed like a
nice enough youngster.
And he sure was a good cook.
Oh, by golly, he sure was that.
Well, Chester, you
better go get the horses.
- Yeah.
- I'll meet you back at the office.
Look, Marshal,
now, that fella Fisher,
he started all this, throwing
them eggs at Sandy.
Uh, well, do you have
to go after the boy?
Well, Hank, it doesn't matter
if maybe it wasn't his fault,
but if Sandy killed a man,
he's gonna have
to stand trial for it.
Well, you couldn't maybe
kind of forget about it?
Afraid not.
Well, now, look, Marshal,
Sandy was pretty popular
with the folks around here, and,
well, they might not take good
to you tracking him down
like a common outlaw.
You speaking for yourself?
Well... I'm speaking for most
everybody that was eating here.
Now, most folks would
be kind of willing to...
well, forget the whole thing
and let Sandy come back to work.
The food's that good.
Can't do it, Hank.
It'll ruin me, not
having a decent cook
with the trail herds coming in.
Hank, I'm sorry about it.
I'm afraid I just don't
have much choice,
and I guess you don't, either.
♪♪
Well, golly, that sure
ain't gonna help us none.
'Course, if it was a river,
I guess maybe we
could swim across it.
Yeah, I guess we'll just
have to wait till they go on by
and try to pick the
trail on the other side.
Mr. Dillon, maybe he's seen him.
- Howdy.
- Howdy.
- Hey, uh, you're a lawman.
- Yeah, out of Dodge City.
I'm the marshal over
there. You headed that way?
Yeah.
My name's Purdy. Jack Purdy.
I'm trail boss of that outfit.
Whatcha doing out here, Marshal?
Well, we're tracking
a man, but your herd
went and crossed
in front of us here.
Well, he might've seen you
coming and done it on purpose.
Yeah, he's smart enough to.
I always like to see
a man get away.
Nothing personal, Marshal.
Well, it'll be dark in an hour.
Doesn't look like we'll
catch him tonight, anyway.
No, I don't believe you will.
Say, how's the cattle
market in Dodge?
Well, it's holding up good.
Good. This ain't no trail
to ride just for the fun of it.
You run into quite
a bit of trouble
out here, do you, mister?
Oh, no more than
usual, I reckon.
I better get back up there
and tell 'em to start
milling the herd.
I don't like pushing
cattle after dark.
I'd appreciate you not trying
to go through 'em, Marshal.
It's all right. We'll
pick up his trail
on the other side there.
Say, I heard there's a good
cook in Dodge, for a change.
Fella come down the trail
yesterday and told us about it.
- There was.
- What do you mean?
He's the fella we're
after; killed a man.
Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.
Men were looking
forward to a good meal.
- So long.
- So long.
By golly, heard about Sandy
King clear out here, Mr. Dillon.
You know you'd think that he
was the only good cook in Kansas.
You don't know of a
better one, do you?
Well, now that you mention
it, no, I don't guess I do.
I'll tell you, if this herd
ever gets through going by,
we're going to
cross over and camp
on the other side there
and wait till morning.
I don't want to lose
his trail in the dark.
♪♪
What are you doing here?
Well... say something.
I was wondering if, uh...
maybe I could
have a cup of water.
Now, that's close enough.
I ain't gonna harm you.
'Course you're not.
I got the shotgun, ain't I?
But you don't need it.
Why'd you put your
horses in our barn?
Well, I had to get them
out of the sun, didn't I?
Now, that's close enough.
Aw, don't be scared, miss.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
You just stand
right where you are.
You mind if I rest a
bit before moving on?
Well, I...
I guess that'd be all right.
Shotgun must be
getting awful heavy.
Well, I didn't know who you was.
My name's Sandy. What's yours?
Effie.
Gus Drayhorn's my pa. I
guess you heard of him.
No, can't say as I have.
Is he around the place?
No, he rode up north today.
We got a water hole
up by Shale Bluff.
And your ma?
I never knew my ma.
Oh.
Effie, you got any cold
water up to the house?
Yes, we do.
Could I have some?
If it's no bother.
I'm terrible thirsty.
Well...
I guess that'd be all right.
It's really no bother.
Come on.
You know something, Effie?
I don't really need
that drink of water.
You don't?
I was just riding by
through the trees over there.
I seen you come out of the barn,
and I wanted to
meet you, talk to you.
Why? What for?
You're the prettiest
gal I've ever seen.
Oh... oh, well, you
must know lots of gals.
Oh, I'm a lonely man,
Effie, a mighty lonely man.
Well, there's times
out there on the prairie
when I fair bust out crying
for want of somebody like you
to talk to, to set and look at.
But that must be terrible.
Sometimes it's a month or more
before I even see
another human being.
Well, what do you do?
I mean, why do you
stay out there so long?
Well, I'm a drifter, Effie.
I guess I've found no
good reason to settle down.
Oh, well, now, I don't think
that's good for a person.
I mean, well, I think everybody
should have somebody, don't you?
Well, it's not always
easy to find, Effie.
No. No, it ain't.
But it happens sometimes.
Just like that, when
you least expect it,
out of a clear blue sky.
Tell me about it.
All right.
All right, I'll tell
you about it.
♪♪
Stand up, mister.
Pa!
I'd shoot you right here, boy,
but I don't want to
mess up the place.
Oh, Pa, you can't shoot him.
He's as good as dead right now.
Pa, listen to me!
If you don't want to watch
this, get into the house, Effie.
Pa, you can't shoot
a man for one kiss!
It's all right, Effie,
you can't stop him.
Nothing can stop me.
Now, move right over there, boy.
All right, that's far enough.
Drop that gun, Pa.
You wouldn't shoot me, Effie.
Oh, yes, I would, Pa.
Drop it!
What's going on here?
Now you won't shoot him.
You're Marshal
Dillon, ain't you?
That's right.
How about putting those
guns away, shall we?
Okay, but that don't
mean I ain't gonna kill him.
You really gonna
shoot him, were you?
I was. I'll shoot any saddle bum
I catch messing
around my daughter.
Well, we'll take
him off your hands.
You mean he's wanted by the law?
For murder.
Oh, no.
So he's a murder, to boot.
Gal, you sure can pick 'em,
can't you!
Let's go.
I'll be at your hanging, mister!
How about that drink now?
Well, don't hog the bottle!
- Sandy's back!
- Yeah, he is!
- Who's Sandy?
- That's the cook I told you about!
- Give me a drink!
- What's the marshal doing with him?
- He killed a man.
- Well, he can still cook, can't he?
He's the best cook
Dodge ever had.
What do you say
we have a little fun
and break that
there cook out of jail!
Marshal!
Well, the word sure
gets around fast, don't it?
Yeah, especially
when it's about trouble.
Them Texans, they
sure must love their food.
All this ruckus just because
Sandy's a good cook.
Well, that's only
part of it, Chester.
They also like to
show up the law.
Yeah, they're always wanting
to do that, that's for sure.
Especially when it's Kansas law.
Marshal!
- Marshal!
- Come on out!
We want the cook, Marshal!
You'd better turn
him loose, Marshal,
or we're gonna
tear this town down!
Purdy,
- these your boys, are they?
- Yes, sir,
I reckon most of 'em are here.
Marshal, folks tell
me that some drunk
threw a plate of eggs
at that cook's face.
They said he hit him, but they
said he didn't mean to kill him.
That's right. And he'll
get a trial, too, boys.
A fair one.
Well, we just want
him to cook us up
a mess of supper, that's all.
Well, I'd like to
help you out, boys,
- but I'm afraid I can't.
- Marshal, you got ten minutes.
If that cook ain't
out here then,
we're gonna start
shooting up this town!
That'd be kind of
foolish, wouldn't it?
Start a shootout over a cook?
A lot of other good
restaurants around, boys.
Well, now, we tried
all those other places
when we was here
last year, Marshal,
and from what folks tell
us, they ain't no better now
than they was then...
Swill, just pig swill.
Make a man sick, Marshal.
All right, now, let me tell
you something, all of you.
It's a whole lot better
to have a little bad food
than it is a belly
full of buckshot.
You better think about that.
Ten minutes, men,
that's all he's got, right?
Right!
If this cook is as
good as they say he is,
I'm gonna put enough
food away I won't have to eat
till I get back to Texas!
Hey, about that bottle
over here for a change, huh?
- You Marshal Dillon?
- That's right.
Joe Grisim, Marshal,
Texas Rangers.
How do you do?
I got a warrant here.
I heard the man
was headed this way.
It's a warrant for Ed Fisher.
Ed Fisher?
You know him?
He's wanted dead
or alive, $500 reward.
Well, I knew him.
He's dead.
Dead? Who killed him?
Got the man locked
up right inside there.
Is that what this is all about?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, you might as well
turn him loose, Marshal;
no sense holding him now.
Prisoner must be a popular man.
Yeah. He's a good cook.
Cook?
All right, men,
if you'll settle
down for a minute,
I got something
you'd like to hear.
This is a warrant for
the arrest of Ed Fisher,
dead or alive.
Now, that's the man
that Sandy King killed,
so it looks like you're
gonna get your cook back.
All right, now, just a minute.
Soon as you break this mob
up here, I'll turn him loose.
But we want him
right now, Marshal.
Yeah, we'd kind of
like him out, Marshal,
in time to cook us some supper.
The sooner you break up,
boys, the sooner I turn him loose.
Well, send him on down
to Delmonico's, Marshal.
We'll be waiting.
Come on, boys, let's go!
Chester, go get the
prisoner, will you?
Yes, sir.
Tell me, Marshal,
how did this Sandy King
kill Ed Fisher, anyway?
Hit him on the head
with a frying pan.
I don't think he meant to
kill him in the first place.
Judge would've
probably let him off easy.
Then you were
going to a lot of trouble
to bring him to
trial, weren't you?
Wouldn't you?
Yeah. Yes, I would.
Well, Sandy, this
is Joe Grisim here.
He's a Texas Ranger.
- Howdy.
- Hello.
Chester told me all about it.
I'm a free man, huh?
You sure are.
There's a $500 reward, mister.
Ed Fisher was
wanted dead or alive.
Well, now.
I'm mighty broke, but
I'm afraid that money
just wouldn't do me any good.
Thanks just the
same, Mr. Grisim.
Whatever you say.
Well, I guess I'll be moving on.
Moving on?
I've always had a
hankering to see California.
I guess this is as good
a time as any to go.
Well, what about, uh, the
boys down at Delmonico's?
They're waiting for you.
What do you think
this row was all about?
Tell them I'm sorry.
I was just cooking
to pay off a debt.
I didn't want to
make a living at it.
Besides... I hate cooking.
So long.
So long, Marshal.
So long, Sandy.
Well, I'll be doggoned.
Ain't you gonna stop him?
Can't very well do
that; he's a free man.
It's funny, isn't it?
That's the way
the boys wanted it.
♪♪
Arness as Matt Dillon.
Yourself!
Now what do you want?
Coffee. A pot of
it, if you don't mind.
I don't mind, mister,
but the boss might.
Business is about as bad
as it can get around here.
So is the food.
How about that coffee?
A whole pot of coffee, he wants.
Oh, you got a gall, mister.
I'm gonna ask the boss.
That deadbeat over there
wants another pot of coffee.
And he ain't gonna
pay for it, you know it.
Now, look here, cowboy...
Sandy King's the
name, Mr. Green.
Now, don't you "Mr. Green" me.
Okay... Hank.
What's on your mind?
Feeding you is on my mind.
Now, you've been eating
here on credit for a whole week,
and you ain't paid a cent.
- 'Course not.
- What do you mean, "Of course not"?
When a man eats on credit,
he's not supposed to pay, is he?
Why, you...
I'm broke. You know
I'm broke, Hank.
But I expect to run
into some money soon.
Yeah, well, that
ain't soon enough.
I'm broker than you are.
Look at this place.
Why, I haven't got enough
customers to pay my water bill.
Sit down, Hank.
Sit down.
What are you doing?
The food's bad, Hank.
That's the whole trouble.
Oh, the food's bad.
You've been eating
it a whole week.
Well, now, it ain't that bad.
Sandy, you got more nerve
than any man I ever met.
But nerve ain't money,
and I can't afford
to feed you no more.
So that's that.
Well, now, maybe I have been
kind of taking advantage
of you, Mist... Hank.
Oh, you got a real easy
way of putting things.
- I'll make up for it.
- Oh?
You go in the kitchen and
fire that drunken cook you got.
I'll take over for a week.
You'll take over what? Cooking?
Yeah.
Well, how do I know
you're any better than he is?
Well, I'm not a drunk.
That's some
improvement, isn't it?
All right.
I'll do it.
But you better be good, Sandy.
There's only one
way to find out.
One pot of coffee.
We've been standing
here for a long time.
Hey, where you going there!
Hey, that's far enough, mister.
What do you think
this line's for, anyway?
I hear the food's good in here.
Well, you get back in
line like the rest of us.
- Hey!
- What's the matter with him!
Hey!
What's the matter with you!
Golly, I'm telling
you this here is good.
It's just good, that's
all there is to it.
Well, it sure sounds good.
Hmm? What do you mean?
Well, Chester, good
food is not exactly
an excuse for bad manners.
Bad manners?
Well, golly, Doc, it's
so seldom you get
anything good to
eat around here,
when you do, well,
you just got to eat it,
that's the way I see it.
The point is, you
don't have to see it,
the rest of us do.
Oh, Doc, let him eat in peace.
It's the best food we've
had in here in years.
Boy, you know that!
Well, how you folks
getting along here?
- Hank, how are you? Wonderful.
- Oh, hi, Hank.
It's real good.
I tell you, I eat
in here every day
for the last week, it just keeps
a-getting better all the time.
That cook of yours
was a real find.
Yeah, Sandy's a
good boy, Miss Kitty.
I'm gonna start
paying him next week,
and I'm gonna pay him well, too.
Well, you better, 'cause
I'm gonna steal him
and take him over
to the Long Branch.
Oh, you wouldn't
do that, Miss Kitty.
Oh...
By golly, I
would, I'll tell you.
You're gonna be
a rich man, Hank,
when that trailer
gets into town.
I hear word's already
got clear back to Texas.
Well, things sure have
changed around here.
I'll tell you what I'd do,
Hank, I'd just handcuff him
every night and chain
him to the bedpost.
- That's what I'd do.
- I think I'll do that, Doc.
Good idea.
Well... I'm gonna be going.
- You ready?
- Yeah, I guess I am.
I'm not too sure
about Chester, though.
Golly, I don't know
whether I can get up or not.
You are paying for
this again, yeah?
Oh, put it on the
bill, can I, Hank?
Anytime, Marshal.
Thanks a lot, Hank.
- I'll be back at sundown.
- All right.
Come early. Avoid the rush, now.
Waiter!
Excuse me.
What's the trouble?
What's the trouble?
I ordered them eggs turned over.
Oh, come on, now!
Now, you get 'em back
here and be quick about it.
I can't stay here all day.
All the good things we got
to eat, and you order eggs?
Never you mind what I ordered.
You get them eggs
back here, done right.
The man wants his
eggs turned over, Sandy.
I ain't got time.
You'd better; he's
pretty mean about it.
I don't care how mean he is.
What'd he order
eggs for, anyway?
We ain't serving breakfast.
He's half-drunk... maybe
he thinks it is breakfast.
- Oh, go on, don't bother me.
- Oh, come on, Sandy.
There. They're turned over.
Now, Sandy, you'll
just make him mad.
Well, then tell him to
go eat somewhere else.
Cook! That was a smart
thing what you done.
I told you you'd
make him mad, Sandy.
You wanted your eggs
turned over, didn't you?
Only I don't like to
be fooled like that.
Here's what I
think of your eggs!
Now look what you done!
Well, he had it coming.
Sandy.
Throw some water on him.
Sandy, he's dead.
Get him out of here!
You've killed him!
♪♪
♪♪
Look, don't say nothing
to nobody about this.
- Are you crazy?
- I mean, for a while.
I need a half hour.
I got a couple of horses...
at the stable.
They'll never catch me.
Say good-bye to
Hank Green for me.
♪♪
I run everybody out
and closed the place up
soon as I heard
about it, Marshal.
Well, that's a good idea, Hank.
I just can't believe it,
Sandy killing a man like that.
Do you know anything about him,
where he was from or anything?
No, not a thing, Marshal.
He seemed like a
nice enough youngster.
And he sure was a good cook.
Oh, by golly, he sure was that.
Well, Chester, you
better go get the horses.
- Yeah.
- I'll meet you back at the office.
Look, Marshal,
now, that fella Fisher,
he started all this, throwing
them eggs at Sandy.
Uh, well, do you have
to go after the boy?
Well, Hank, it doesn't matter
if maybe it wasn't his fault,
but if Sandy killed a man,
he's gonna have
to stand trial for it.
Well, you couldn't maybe
kind of forget about it?
Afraid not.
Well, now, look, Marshal,
Sandy was pretty popular
with the folks around here, and,
well, they might not take good
to you tracking him down
like a common outlaw.
You speaking for yourself?
Well... I'm speaking for most
everybody that was eating here.
Now, most folks would
be kind of willing to...
well, forget the whole thing
and let Sandy come back to work.
The food's that good.
Can't do it, Hank.
It'll ruin me, not
having a decent cook
with the trail herds coming in.
Hank, I'm sorry about it.
I'm afraid I just don't
have much choice,
and I guess you don't, either.
♪♪
Well, golly, that sure
ain't gonna help us none.
'Course, if it was a river,
I guess maybe we
could swim across it.
Yeah, I guess we'll just
have to wait till they go on by
and try to pick the
trail on the other side.
Mr. Dillon, maybe he's seen him.
- Howdy.
- Howdy.
- Hey, uh, you're a lawman.
- Yeah, out of Dodge City.
I'm the marshal over
there. You headed that way?
Yeah.
My name's Purdy. Jack Purdy.
I'm trail boss of that outfit.
Whatcha doing out here, Marshal?
Well, we're tracking
a man, but your herd
went and crossed
in front of us here.
Well, he might've seen you
coming and done it on purpose.
Yeah, he's smart enough to.
I always like to see
a man get away.
Nothing personal, Marshal.
Well, it'll be dark in an hour.
Doesn't look like we'll
catch him tonight, anyway.
No, I don't believe you will.
Say, how's the cattle
market in Dodge?
Well, it's holding up good.
Good. This ain't no trail
to ride just for the fun of it.
You run into quite
a bit of trouble
out here, do you, mister?
Oh, no more than
usual, I reckon.
I better get back up there
and tell 'em to start
milling the herd.
I don't like pushing
cattle after dark.
I'd appreciate you not trying
to go through 'em, Marshal.
It's all right. We'll
pick up his trail
on the other side there.
Say, I heard there's a good
cook in Dodge, for a change.
Fella come down the trail
yesterday and told us about it.
- There was.
- What do you mean?
He's the fella we're
after; killed a man.
Oh. I'm sorry to hear that.
Men were looking
forward to a good meal.
- So long.
- So long.
By golly, heard about Sandy
King clear out here, Mr. Dillon.
You know you'd think that he
was the only good cook in Kansas.
You don't know of a
better one, do you?
Well, now that you mention
it, no, I don't guess I do.
I'll tell you, if this herd
ever gets through going by,
we're going to
cross over and camp
on the other side there
and wait till morning.
I don't want to lose
his trail in the dark.
♪♪
What are you doing here?
Well... say something.
I was wondering if, uh...
maybe I could
have a cup of water.
Now, that's close enough.
I ain't gonna harm you.
'Course you're not.
I got the shotgun, ain't I?
But you don't need it.
Why'd you put your
horses in our barn?
Well, I had to get them
out of the sun, didn't I?
Now, that's close enough.
Aw, don't be scared, miss.
I'm not gonna hurt you.
You just stand
right where you are.
You mind if I rest a
bit before moving on?
Well, I...
I guess that'd be all right.
Shotgun must be
getting awful heavy.
Well, I didn't know who you was.
My name's Sandy. What's yours?
Effie.
Gus Drayhorn's my pa. I
guess you heard of him.
No, can't say as I have.
Is he around the place?
No, he rode up north today.
We got a water hole
up by Shale Bluff.
And your ma?
I never knew my ma.
Oh.
Effie, you got any cold
water up to the house?
Yes, we do.
Could I have some?
If it's no bother.
I'm terrible thirsty.
Well...
I guess that'd be all right.
It's really no bother.
Come on.
You know something, Effie?
I don't really need
that drink of water.
You don't?
I was just riding by
through the trees over there.
I seen you come out of the barn,
and I wanted to
meet you, talk to you.
Why? What for?
You're the prettiest
gal I've ever seen.
Oh... oh, well, you
must know lots of gals.
Oh, I'm a lonely man,
Effie, a mighty lonely man.
Well, there's times
out there on the prairie
when I fair bust out crying
for want of somebody like you
to talk to, to set and look at.
But that must be terrible.
Sometimes it's a month or more
before I even see
another human being.
Well, what do you do?
I mean, why do you
stay out there so long?
Well, I'm a drifter, Effie.
I guess I've found no
good reason to settle down.
Oh, well, now, I don't think
that's good for a person.
I mean, well, I think everybody
should have somebody, don't you?
Well, it's not always
easy to find, Effie.
No. No, it ain't.
But it happens sometimes.
Just like that, when
you least expect it,
out of a clear blue sky.
Tell me about it.
All right.
All right, I'll tell
you about it.
♪♪
Stand up, mister.
Pa!
I'd shoot you right here, boy,
but I don't want to
mess up the place.
Oh, Pa, you can't shoot him.
He's as good as dead right now.
Pa, listen to me!
If you don't want to watch
this, get into the house, Effie.
Pa, you can't shoot
a man for one kiss!
It's all right, Effie,
you can't stop him.
Nothing can stop me.
Now, move right over there, boy.
All right, that's far enough.
Drop that gun, Pa.
You wouldn't shoot me, Effie.
Oh, yes, I would, Pa.
Drop it!
What's going on here?
Now you won't shoot him.
You're Marshal
Dillon, ain't you?
That's right.
How about putting those
guns away, shall we?
Okay, but that don't
mean I ain't gonna kill him.
You really gonna
shoot him, were you?
I was. I'll shoot any saddle bum
I catch messing
around my daughter.
Well, we'll take
him off your hands.
You mean he's wanted by the law?
For murder.
Oh, no.
So he's a murder, to boot.
Gal, you sure can pick 'em,
can't you!
Let's go.
I'll be at your hanging, mister!
How about that drink now?
Well, don't hog the bottle!
- Sandy's back!
- Yeah, he is!
- Who's Sandy?
- That's the cook I told you about!
- Give me a drink!
- What's the marshal doing with him?
- He killed a man.
- Well, he can still cook, can't he?
He's the best cook
Dodge ever had.
What do you say
we have a little fun
and break that
there cook out of jail!
Marshal!
Well, the word sure
gets around fast, don't it?
Yeah, especially
when it's about trouble.
Them Texans, they
sure must love their food.
All this ruckus just because
Sandy's a good cook.
Well, that's only
part of it, Chester.
They also like to
show up the law.
Yeah, they're always wanting
to do that, that's for sure.
Especially when it's Kansas law.
Marshal!
- Marshal!
- Come on out!
We want the cook, Marshal!
You'd better turn
him loose, Marshal,
or we're gonna
tear this town down!
Purdy,
- these your boys, are they?
- Yes, sir,
I reckon most of 'em are here.
Marshal, folks tell
me that some drunk
threw a plate of eggs
at that cook's face.
They said he hit him, but they
said he didn't mean to kill him.
That's right. And he'll
get a trial, too, boys.
A fair one.
Well, we just want
him to cook us up
a mess of supper, that's all.
Well, I'd like to
help you out, boys,
- but I'm afraid I can't.
- Marshal, you got ten minutes.
If that cook ain't
out here then,
we're gonna start
shooting up this town!
That'd be kind of
foolish, wouldn't it?
Start a shootout over a cook?
A lot of other good
restaurants around, boys.
Well, now, we tried
all those other places
when we was here
last year, Marshal,
and from what folks tell
us, they ain't no better now
than they was then...
Swill, just pig swill.
Make a man sick, Marshal.
All right, now, let me tell
you something, all of you.
It's a whole lot better
to have a little bad food
than it is a belly
full of buckshot.
You better think about that.
Ten minutes, men,
that's all he's got, right?
Right!
If this cook is as
good as they say he is,
I'm gonna put enough
food away I won't have to eat
till I get back to Texas!
Hey, about that bottle
over here for a change, huh?
- You Marshal Dillon?
- That's right.
Joe Grisim, Marshal,
Texas Rangers.
How do you do?
I got a warrant here.
I heard the man
was headed this way.
It's a warrant for Ed Fisher.
Ed Fisher?
You know him?
He's wanted dead
or alive, $500 reward.
Well, I knew him.
He's dead.
Dead? Who killed him?
Got the man locked
up right inside there.
Is that what this is all about?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, you might as well
turn him loose, Marshal;
no sense holding him now.
Prisoner must be a popular man.
Yeah. He's a good cook.
Cook?
All right, men,
if you'll settle
down for a minute,
I got something
you'd like to hear.
This is a warrant for
the arrest of Ed Fisher,
dead or alive.
Now, that's the man
that Sandy King killed,
so it looks like you're
gonna get your cook back.
All right, now, just a minute.
Soon as you break this mob
up here, I'll turn him loose.
But we want him
right now, Marshal.
Yeah, we'd kind of
like him out, Marshal,
in time to cook us some supper.
The sooner you break up,
boys, the sooner I turn him loose.
Well, send him on down
to Delmonico's, Marshal.
We'll be waiting.
Come on, boys, let's go!
Chester, go get the
prisoner, will you?
Yes, sir.
Tell me, Marshal,
how did this Sandy King
kill Ed Fisher, anyway?
Hit him on the head
with a frying pan.
I don't think he meant to
kill him in the first place.
Judge would've
probably let him off easy.
Then you were
going to a lot of trouble
to bring him to
trial, weren't you?
Wouldn't you?
Yeah. Yes, I would.
Well, Sandy, this
is Joe Grisim here.
He's a Texas Ranger.
- Howdy.
- Hello.
Chester told me all about it.
I'm a free man, huh?
You sure are.
There's a $500 reward, mister.
Ed Fisher was
wanted dead or alive.
Well, now.
I'm mighty broke, but
I'm afraid that money
just wouldn't do me any good.
Thanks just the
same, Mr. Grisim.
Whatever you say.
Well, I guess I'll be moving on.
Moving on?
I've always had a
hankering to see California.
I guess this is as good
a time as any to go.
Well, what about, uh, the
boys down at Delmonico's?
They're waiting for you.
What do you think
this row was all about?
Tell them I'm sorry.
I was just cooking
to pay off a debt.
I didn't want to
make a living at it.
Besides... I hate cooking.
So long.
So long, Marshal.
So long, Sandy.
Well, I'll be doggoned.
Ain't you gonna stop him?
Can't very well do
that; he's a free man.
It's funny, isn't it?
That's the way
the boys wanted it.
♪♪