Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 7, Episode 29 - The Summons - full transcript

Loy has always felt he could do what he pleased. When he shoots one of his gang members in the back just for the reward, he takes the body into Dodge to Matt Dillon who isn't as ready as he thought to give him his bounty.

Starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

You sure take good
care of that gun, Jake.

I ain't got a better friend.

You might as well come
out with the rest of it.

I just want a
understandin', that's all, Loy.

We got a understanding:
you work for me.

I say I work with you.

Now where'd you
get an idea like that?

It's fair, Loy.

I ain't like Cape and Dawkins.

No, you sure ain't.



They're a sight better
company than you are.

And I wish I'd have brought them

and left you back
there to simmer.

But it was me you brought, hmm?

And I know why.

Go on, get it out of your craw.

Cape and Dawkins...
they shoot well enough,

but they're short on thinkin'.

Now, I think, I plan and I act.

I work my head same as you.

You don't do nothin'
the same as me!

And you're a little
short on thinkin'.

Jake, you're wanted for murder.

You ain't got a case
of doing anything



but what I tell you.

My being wanted is
nothing to you, Loy!

Keeps you working for me.

Loy, you didn't even know
about that Kinsley bank

till I told you!

I give it the thought,

I fixed it how we got that
money without firing a shot.

That so?

Well, I've got an idea how

I can get me some more
money with firing a shot.

What are you talking about?

You're the one with the
brains, you figure it out.

I got plenty of brains...
and you know it!

How you fixed for
brains now, Jake?

Your marshal in?

Well, he's inside.

You tell him I got
something for him.

All right.

Mr. Dillon, looks like
you're needed out here.

I... got a wanted man
here for you, Marshal.

Oh, there ain't no question
about him being dead.

Doesn't look to me like
there's much question

about him being shot
in the back, either.

Well, "Dead or Alive"... that's
what it says on the poster.

And a thousand dollars
reward; it says that, too.

You're a bounty hunter, huh?

Course I am.

Who is this man?

That's Jake Moseley.

Now, come on, Marshal,
you seen the posters on him.

Never heard of him. Have you?

I can't place the name.

Well, they's posters on him.

I seen 'em all over.

You think you can get
him over to Doc's office?

If I can't, I'll get
some help, Mr. Dillon.

Come on inside.

Now don't get any ideas
about his horse and saddle.

I'm claiming them,
along with the bounty.

Huh.

How long has this Jake
Moseley been wanted?

Well, I seen the posters
on him a good month ago.

A thousand dollars
reward, did you say?

Yeah.

That's a lot of money.

Well, I don't mind
that, Marshal.

Mm-hmm.

All right, well, maybe

you'd like to look
through these.

Why?

Well, maybe you'll
see something I don't.

What is this?

Where'd you see the
wanted poster on him?

Smaller towns than Dodge...

Wellington, Sterling...

Where's the rest
of them, Marshal?

That's all there is...

for the past three months.

Well, I guess I'll just
take old Jake Moseley

and peddle him somewheres else.

Hold on a minute.

You're sure you're
the man that shot him?

Well, sure I'm sure.

What's your name?

Loy Bishop.

Well, Bishop...

I'm gonna have to
hold you for murder.

Murder?!

But he's wanted, I tell you!

Dead or alive!

That may be, but I've got
nothing here that says so,

and until I do, you're
gonna be in jail.

Jail...?

That's right.

Now let's go.

Oh, you can't
get away with this.

Hi, Doc.

Well, Chester said you
figured he was shot in the back,

and you was right.

This fellow Loy Bishop wanted
this man dead pretty bad.

Bishop... is that the
fellow that brought him in?

Yeah.

Chester said he kind
of seemed proud of it.

Well, he's not so proud
now; I got him in jail.

How do you do that?

Well, there's no wanted
poster on this man, Doc.

Well, Chester said there was a
thousand dollars reward for him.

Well, got no
proof of it, so far.

Well, it seems like that
Bishop would be awful foolish

to bring a man in
he'd shot in the back

unless he was
wanted, wouldn't it?

Well, that's what you'd
think, but I've got no proof,

and until I get some, this
Loy Bishop is gonna stay in jail.

I'll see you later.

I could've rode in
anywhere with that body.

And any lawman'd
see I get what's mine.

Oh, you'll get
what's yours, all right.

Don't worry about that.

Are you telling me that after
two days, you still got no word?

I told you I telegraphed Topeka,

and I haven't heard
back from them yet.

I'm getting a line
on you, Marshal.

I think maybe you don't
like it 'cause your jail's empty.

And maybe this is
the first chance you get

to put anybody in
it for a long time.

Now, I ain't an
ordinary man, Marshal.

You're gonna feel mighty foolish
when you see how wrong you are.

No, I'll just be glad
to get rid of you.

Oh, you got the mail, huh?

Yeah.

I mean, no. I mean, yeah.

I mean, I-I, I got...

Well, what do you mean, anyway?

Well, I mean that I
got the mail, Mr. Dillon,

only it ain't today's mail.

It's kind of like
almost a month old.

You see, it's... see it's...

Where's it been?

Behind a barrel down
at Moss Grimmick's.

I guess Loy Bishop
was right, wasn't he?

"Jake Moseley:
Wanted Dead or Alive.

Thousand dollars reward."

Yeah. Seems like he killed
a banker back in Wellington.

Behind a barrel at
Moss Grimmick's?

Yeah, right there
behind the barrel.

I know, now, how it happened.

You see, I stopped in
there to clean my tack,

and I put the-the, the mail
right there on the barrel,

and-and it was on the edge,

and when I started
to clean the tack,

I guess I hit it with my elbow,

and it just fell down
behind the barrel...

All right, all right,
Chester, forget it.

Well, it's awful hard for
me to do that, Mr. Dillon,

since I just now remembered it.

Go get the prisoner, will you?

Well, um, guess we're gonna
have to turn him loose, huh?

Sure does seem a shame
to let a man go scot-free

after what he's done.

Not scot-free, Chester.

We got to pay him
a thousand dollars.

Oh, golly, that is sickening.

Let's go.

What's going on, Marshal?

Well, well, first mistake
you ever made, Marshal?

I never make 'em myself.

You'll have to wait a
while for your money.

Ain't no question
about it being due me?

I have to send another
telegram to Topeka.

You got a bank here.

You hedging on me, Marshal?

Get out of here.

When the money
gets here, I'll find you.

Well, you temper awful quick.

I'd say that's a bad
thing for a lawman.

All the right's on
my side, Marshal.

Whiskey!

Now don't you go
away, honey, hmm?

I'm glad you could spare
me a minute, Miss Kitty.

Looks like you're the prettiest.

And the busiest.

Now how would you go about
keeping a pretty woman busy?

Miss Kitty and I
are talking business.

Well, Miss Kitty, I
can talk business.

Why don't you just
go on back to the bar?

I won't keep you long.

Just stay where
you are, Mr. Yardell.

I'm buying you both a drink.

But don't keep me
waiting long, Miss Kitty.

I'll bet you talk a powerful
kind of business, huh?

Well, what'll it be, Chester?

Oh...

Chester! Well, I been
looking for a friend.

Why don't you just
keep on looking?

Uh, give me a
whiskey this time, Sam.

Don't you do it, Sam.

You just bring
him a clean glass.

- Chester's drinking with me.
- No, I ain't.

How do you want it, Chester?

I'll-I'll pay for it myself.

Now, Chester, ain't no reason
why you can't drink with me.

I don't know anyone
else here in Dodge,

except you and the Marshal.

Why don't you just leave me be?

I was in that coop
of yours for two days.

By rights, I should be
feeling pretty mean about it.

But I don't hold it
against you none, boy.

I mean it! Now I want
you to leave me alone!

What are you setting
up such a howl for?

'Cause I don't want
to drink with you.

I don't want to
drink with no man

that'll shoot another
one in the back!

Well, now... this just
can't be the only saloon

in busy little Dodge City.

I want a room.

We're all filled up, mister.

I want the best, the
worst, I don't care.

I want to get to bed.

I can't help you.

You can't or you won't?

Hey.

Wasn't that you
in that saloon today

with that Miss, uh, Kitty?

We met today, yes.

How come you ain't got no room?

Look, I can get the
Marshal if I have to, mister.

Oh, no, no, no.

No, no, tell him.

I want to tell him

what a fine town
I think he's got.

What are you all, related?

No, Marshal.

Nobody... Nobody'll
have me, Marshal.

So I come home to you.

What're you talking
about, Bishop?

Put me in jail.

I got to get me some sleep.

Now go on out of here,

and get yourself a
room somewhere.

I told you, nobody'll have me.

Now that suits you just fine,

don't it, huh?

You mean you can't
even buy a room?

I mean, I can't buy nothing.

The way you set
this town against me,

it's just like you're

forcing me to stay here.

Bishop, get on your
feet and get out of here.

Right now, go on.

Well... Where am I gonna sleep?

That's not my worry.

Wake up, Bishop.

Come on.

Get up.

I just can't think of anyone

I'd rather see first
thing in the morning.

Get on your feet.

Now, just...

let's make no sudden moves here.

Get out of here.

I'm afraid I got some
bad news for you.

You ever carry any other kind?

I got a telegram from Topeka.

That reward money for
Moseley's been withdrawn.

Are you saying that I
got nothing coming to me

for Jake Moseley?

That's right.

Read it yourself.

Whoever put up
that thousand dollars

was willing to risk
it for just so long.

Says here it was withdrawn

as of a couple weeks back.

That's right.

You playing me
some kind of trick?

Now, Bishop, you're
a bounty hunter.

You know that money's
withdrawn every now and again.

Hasn't that ever
happened to you before?

This telegram,

how I do know it came
all the way from Topeka

and that it's government
business like it says?

Well, why don't you ride
up there and find out?

I guess you've got
people scared around here,

but you don't scare me none.

I figure that money's due me,

and I guess maybe

you don't get to see
a thousand dollars

all together too often.

Bishop, you better
get on your horse

and ride out of Dodge.

You leaving me with nothing?

You got Moseley's
horse and saddle.

You're ahead of the game.

Now get riding.

I don't stand to
forget you, Marshal,

not ever.

I don't think we'll forget
him too soon neither.

It'd sure be worth trying.

Man riding in.

Looks like Loy.

Loy's coming in.

Ain't Loy.

Jake would be riding with him.

It's Loy right enough.

I ain't wrong about everything.

Except when you think.

Loy's coming.

Where's Jake?

How would I know?

I was just asking.

When he gets
here, you can tell him

how we'd have
had meat for supper

except that you never once
butchered like he told you.

That Rose Ellen is one
big-mouthed woman.

Yeah.

Well now, sir,
welcome home, Loy.

Yes, sir.

Good to have you back, Loy.

Anything been
doing since I left?

We just been waiting for you.

What happened to Jake?

Old Dawkins here,
he's just full of questions.

Well, he went off with you, Loy.

And he didn't come back.

Is that good enough for you?

- Sure.
- Huh?

You handle that bank
alone, that's fine with me.

All right, now you
take that horse

and take him in the
barn. Come on inside.

I guess you didn't
get hurt none.

Now, Rose Ellen,
you don't want me hurt.

But there's always the chance.

Jake coming along later?

Jake ain't coming back,
and that's all we got to know.

My daddy used to tell about
a sea-going man he knew,

brought home some
kind of bird with him,

taught it to talk
just like hisself.

Now, you hear that, Loy?

There she goes with
that crazy blab again.

This bird, he couldn't make
up no words of his own,

he just said what
he was told to say.

I ain't to set a
place for Jake then?

Jake, he rode on West.

Fetch me a bottle, Cape.

Sure, Loy.

Where did you hide it
this time, Rose Ellen?

When did you start the whiskey?

Every time you go away, Loy.

Ain't livable here
with the two of them,

sopping up whiskey,
coming at me.

Rose Ellen, that's
the biggest lie

you ever did tell.

How come you used
Jake's saddle, Loy?

Bellyaching, questions,
and whimpering.

I don't know why
I come back here.

I been here five minutes,
and I'm sick of you already.

Did I miss something?

Oh, it's all her doing.

I find out that she ain't
lying like you said, Cape,

you and me is
gonna have a settling.

Huh? Huh?

Sure, Loy.

Now you fix up some grub.

Sit down here.

And you two listen.

I'm gonna get me a town.

A town?

A whole town?

Sounds big, don't it?

Old Loy, he never
plans nothing small.

I been thinking on it.

You don't take over everybody.

Just a few, just the right ones.

Like the sheriff's office,

the telegraph office, huh?

You get them, you got
all the town you need.

Once we get this town,
what do we do with it?

That's the best part.

I'm gonna show it off, Dawkins.

I'm gonna show it off.

Well, I-I can't send this.

It's signed "Sheriff Hale."

Sure you can.

And you send it just that way.

Howdy, mister.

How do?

Is Sheriff Hale around?

You'll have to do
your business with me.

I'm his deputy.

Well, I'm Marshal
Dillon from Dodge City.

Well, I heard of
you right enough.

Sheriff Hale's an
old friend of mine.

He, uh, sent me
a telegram here...

it said he's got a
prisoner for me.

We ain't got no prisoner.

You don't?

Well, you go look.

We ain't got the hair of
a prisoner, yours or ours.

Well, where is Sheriff Hale?

I don't know that.

Well, you must know something.

I mean, uh, when'd
you see him last?

I wouldn't like to say directly.

Seems like it's been a few days.

Well, this telegram was
sent yesterday, from here.

Well, that could be.

I just said it'd been a few
days since I'd seen him.

Well, did he leave you
in charge when he left?

When he ain't around,
I'm always in charge.

The sheriff's gettin'
on in years, you know.

Gettin' kind of forgetful.

Could be he sent that
telegram, then just clean forgot it.

Went off fishin'... like that.

♪♪

That's him.

I hadn't thought how he'd look.

Well, you ain't supposed think.

All you gotta do is see him.

Now, he ain't very
hard to pick out.

I see him.

You mind what Loy told you?

Ain't no need to touch me.

Ain't no need at all.

All right.

I'm gonna be around,
just to make sure you do.

You the man that
sent that telegram?

Are you Marshal Dillon?

That's right.

There was a gun
at my head, Marshal.

What happened to Sheriff Hale?

I don't know.

Well, who held the
gun at your head?

Do you know that?

No, I don't.

I-I never saw him before.

What did he look like?

Well, he, uh...
Well, I don't know.

Well, was he tall, short,
buffalo hunter, cowboy?

What was he?

Mister, I-I can't
tell you nothing.

Nothing at all.

Suppose I want
to send a telegram.

Well, uh...

why don't you just write
it out and leave it here,

and then we'll see.

Thanks.

Excuse me. I'm
looking for Sheriff Hale.

You got any idea
where he might be?

Really can't help you, mister.

Oh. Sorry.

I'm not.

If you was lookin'
for company...

I'm looking for Sheriff Hale.

Well, I ain't him.

Excuse me.

You made an awful mess of that.

It ain't easy to be
appealin' with you around.

You got more of
a piece to speak.

Now you go on
in there and do it.

How about that beer?

That's just what I'd like,
a nice cold glass of beer.

Ladies first all right with you?

Sure.

You can tell the
Marshal's a gentleman.

Somebody put you
up to this, did they?

Seein' you, a woman
gets her own ideas.

That beer's warm.

Oh, have some of
mine... It's chillin' cold.

I'll get some of my own, thanks.

You do have a way of
takin' over, don't you?

I'm afraid I'm not very
good company, ma'am.

You don't have very
good manners, either.

I offered you some of my beer...

Thanks.

'Morning.

I'm looking for Sheriff Hale.

Oh, uh... well, this is a hotel.

Now, to get to
the Sheriff's office,

- you go back a few doors and...
- Yeah, I know where

the sheriff's office is.

I'm looking for
the sheriff himself.

He's not in here?

Oh, no. No...

I think he may be in
trouble of some kind.

Well, I wouldn't
know about that.

Would you care?

Well, I don't like trouble.

How about a room?

We don't have any rooms,
I'm afraid we're full up.

You're afraid, all right.

Looking for George?

Well, he ain't here.

He's the clerk, and he's out.

You need something, sonny?

Why, yes, uh... either of
you men know Sheriff Hale?

Sure do... this long time.

Do you know
where I can find him?

Ain't he in his office?

No, he's not.

How long has it been
since you've seen him?

Let me see.

Two days, ain't it?

Three.

Three makes it Monday last.

Walked by the window
here, wove, and went his way.

No such thing.

How's that?

Never wove... nodded.

Well, either way,
you haven't seen him?

No, sir.

Me neither... and I
hope you're runnin' down.

I am.

Much obliged to you.

ROSE ELLEN Marshal.

Marshal.

We can't talk here.

I'll meet you
back of the saloon.

Why?

I know where the sheriff is.

You're sure trying hard enough

to get me into a
trap, aren't you?

I'm trying to help you.

Couldn't you just once look at
me like you'd seen somethin'?

I'm not dirt, you
know; I'm a woman.

Whose woman?

Loy's gonna kill you, and
I don't know why I care.

Loy, huh?

So that's it.

Loy Bishop.

Loy... please, Loy,
you're hurting me.

- I mean to, there's good reason.
- I didn't tell him nothing, Loy.

- I didn't say a thing.
- Don't you fool me, Rose Ellen.

I never planned it for
you to meet him here.

I told you, Loy...

A woman's word?
What good is that?

Well.

I guess it's time to take
him to meet Sheriff Hale.

Oh, Marshal...

nursin' that sick head of yours

for about ten hours.

It hurts, don't it?

You opened them eyes earlier.

It was a sight to see.

Oh, you hurt... I know you do.

Tell him how he moaned and all.

- Yeah!
- Yeah...

All through the night
and most of the mornin'.

Oh, this... this has
been a sufferin' time.

Oh, them?

Oh, them's yours.

It was kind of you
to bring them along.

Are we still in Ashland?

Oh, no, we're, uh...
we're out on my farm.

We're sort of out and
away from folks here.

Yeah, you're some farmer.

Well, strictly
speakin', I ain't.

Strictly speakin', this
is Rose Ellen's farm.

Hers and her daddy's.

But then we come
along, and uh...

well, it's mine now.

Strictly speakin'.

What about Sheriff Hale?

Oh.

That's right.

That's how come
you're here, ain't it?

Now, Dawkins, you show
the Marshal the Sheriff.

You help him... You see now?

His head don't hurt no more.

The truth is, Marshal...

he never knew what hit him!

Yeah, I can
believe that, all right.

You probably shot
him in the back.

Hey, hey, now...

I just wonder if I'm gonna
be able to pay you back

for all I owe you, huh?

I owe you for a jail cot...

and for setting that
town against me

and for that miserable saloon
girl who wouldn't talk to me.

A man like me needs respect.

And he gets it.

Yeah. Now...

how'd you like a visit to
Ashland, Marshal, huh?

You scare a few people
and murder an old sheriff,

you're quite a man, yes, Bishop.

Yeah, I called a tune there,
just like you did in Dodge.

Yeah. Well, now...

we're gonna do things
your way from now on.

Tomorrow morning, sunup,

we're gonna have
ourselves a hanging!

Now, come on... let's
let him think on that.

♪♪

I tried to tell you,
I tried to warn you,

but you wouldn't listen.

Who did that to you?

Bishop, I suppose.

He must be your man.

Why... look, I, uh, I'm sure I
got you into all this trouble.

Trouble's no stranger to me.

No, I guess it isn't.

Don't pity me.

There's nothing worse.

What makes this
bottle so slick-like?

I can't hardly hang onto it.

Well, wipe it off.

She hides it most anyplace.

Where'd you dig this up?

Out of the flour barrel.

Well, you know, they ain't a
quality about that woman I like.

Oh, she don't trouble so
much now that Loy's back.

Wonder if his head still hurts.

You're gonna forget all about
that in a couple more hours!

Yeah, yeah.

Put an awful strain on
yourself, moving around like that.

Big man like you, a few
hours rest would do wonders.

What'd they do, Rose Ellen,

just walk in here one
day and take over?

Didn't seem that way.

Daddy and me, we
needed help; that was Loy.

I needed love.

That was Loy, too.

Then some after, Cape and
Dawkins come along and...

Daddy's heart kind
of broke and he died.

Then my heart
kind of broke; I...

I just ain't died of it yet.

Where's Bishop now?

Sleeping off the whiskey.

Getting ready for the hanging.

They told you
about that, did they?

Well, I can't worry
about every little thing.

I'd just give up, if I did.

Cape and Dawkins, they, uh,
they ain't getting no stronger.

Rose Ellen, you better
get out of here quick,

before they find you.

Need another one.

I'll find one; you
just wait right here.

♪♪

Dawkins!

Look out, Marshal!

Go ahead, Marshal!

Go ahead, shoot a woman!

Let her go.

Is the food ready?

Yes.

You meant it.

I can come to Dodge with you.

Sure.

You... you tell me how it'll be?

Well, all depends on
what you want to do.

I have a friend that runs a
saloon there... the Long Branch.

She hires quite
a few girls and...

well, I'm sure there are
people that need somebody

to cook or sew,
things like that.

You're gonna set me to work?

Well, gotta live somehow.

I ain't going with you?

I ain't gonna be your woman?

Well, no.

Rose Ellen, I...
well, I'm sorry if I...

You're sorry?

You think I got any
kindness left in my heart

for just any man?

Why do you think I saved you?

If you don't want me,
why did I save you?

Well, you saved me, yes.

You saved my life,

and I'll always be grateful
to you for that, but...

I certainly never, never
led you to think that...

that you were gonna
be my woman, did I?

You were...

you were some
gentler, that's all.

You showed a
quality... a decency.

Things I'd forgot.

Now...

Rose Ellen, you can
still come with me.

You don't have to stay here.

Oh, no, I gotta stay here.

I gotta stay here
for a while, anyway,

till I get fit to
go... anywhere.

I'm sorry, Rose Ellen.

Good-bye.

♪♪