Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 8, Episode 16 - Old Comrade - full transcript

(theme music playing)

(both guns fire)

ANNOUNCER: starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

General? General Marston?

Eh? Eh? Wha...?

What is it?

I'm sorry to disturb you, sir.

There's someone here
to see you, General.

Visitors.

Another one of them
book-writing fellers.



I ain't gonna talk
to no more of 'em.

They can make
up their own stories.

Now... now leave me alone.

Well, no, sir, it's
someone you sent for...

Colonel Wilson.

Sent for?

Old Gabe!

By gar, he did come
after all, and all that way.

Well... well, don't
just stand there.

Go on, bring him in
here! Hurry up! Step lively!

All right, sir.

Gabe, old hoss!

General, sir!

Now, you chuck that
"general" stuff, 'fore I plant you.



I warn't no general
or anything else,

when we first shared a blanket.

(chuckles)

Go on, sit down
over there. Hurry up.

All right.

(clears throat)

My, my, my.

Gabe, you sure have
aged a whole lot since then.

Well, now, wait
a minute. (laughs)

You ain't exactly the same buck

as chased them 'Rapaho girls

all down around the
willows, you know.

- (laughing)
- You remember that?

Them was the days, Gabe.

The wild free days
when the whole country

west of the Big
Muddy belonged to us.

Yes.

But you know something, Kip?

Them days are long gone.

Why, you're speakin'
about 50 years ago.

That was half a century.

- That long?
- Well, longer.

Let's see, up on the
Green... that'd be '22 or '22.

My goodness. We...
We're sure a couple of

- old hosses, ain't we, huh?
- (laughs)

About ready to cash
in on our beaver.

Ah, them Army doctors...
What do they know?

Oh, no, it don't take
no book learnin' on this.

They're right.

I ain't got a heap of time.

Ah, go on, Kip.

Uh... how's your boys?

(sighs)

Well, you heard about Charley...

died up in Taos.

And then Billy, he...

he got cholera, living
with the Cheyenne.

That leaves only Jim.

He keeps a store in Missouri.

He ain't much
satisfaction to me.

Well, just the same, it
must be a satisfaction

to have grandchildren.

I guess so.

It seems like you should have
some young'uns somewhere.

You, uh... remember
Sarah, my first wife?

Cheyenne woman?

Why, sure.

Her Cheyenne name
was, uh... Nahsetah.

Her father was a chief.

You left her when
you moved to Taos.

That was, uh... time
of the Mexican war.

I asked her to go with
me, but she wouldn't.

Said she wanted to
stay with her people.

Gabe...

there's something
that you don't know.

There was a child.

A boy.

I left him there, too.

My only son.

You don't say.

That's why I sent for you.

Well, I was wonderin'.

This boy, he'd be a
growed man, if he's alive.

'Bout 35, to my counting.

Sure worried me a whole lot.

I been tryin' to find out.

The Army helped me some.

Now I think I have.

What'd you find out?

Seems he's alive, all right,

and livin' on a ranch somewheres
near Dodge City, Kansas.

He, uh, goes by the
name of Billy Tooker.

Took the name of the white man

that married Sarah
after I left her.

Well, now, that
is news, ain't it?

I-I writ to him, but...

he didn't answer.

I'd go see him
if I wasn't ailin'.

That's why I sent for you.

You're the only one left

that I could ask
such a favor of.

You want me to go
to Dodge City, huh?

Yes, sir.

Find me my boy,

and bring him back
here to me, before I die.

Well, now, that's a...

that's quite a responsibility.

I know.

It's askin' a whole
lot of you, but...

I'm askin' it.

I'll do it.

Thanks, old hoss; thank you.

- (laughs)
- I'll bring your boy back

here in time, if it's
the last thing I do, Kip.

So you just sit
back there and relax.

- Yes...
- Time for your nap, General.

Oh, yes, yes, yes.
All right, all right.

Well, maybe today... for
the first time in a long while...

I can rest easy.

Well, good-bye, old hoss.

Good-bye, Kip. And
don't you worry now.

I'll find Billy Tooker, and
I'll bring him back here.

That's a promise.

Yes, sir.

Hey! Billy Tooker!

- Hi, Billy!
- BILLY: Hi, there.

Hi!

BILLY: Hey.

Billy... Billy, make
us some faces.

Billy, Miranda's belly's tore.

Can you fix her for me?

Aw, well, let-let's
just get a look, here.

Let's see what
we can do about it.

Oh, why, sure.

We just get us a little
old piece of rag here

to tie it up with...

and we'll give
her a corset, here.

Just like that, there...

There you are.

Thank you, Billy.

You're nice.

Ah... Thank you.

Billy?

Do that Injun war
dance, will you?

Oh, well, now, uh...

I don't think I have
time for that right now.

- Oh, come on, Billy, please.
- Oh, please, Billy.

Well, all right.

But just a little one, though.

Okay, here we go.

(chanting)

Hey, you!

(Billy chanting, dancing)

Billy Tooker!

Hey...

Hello, Lem.

You call me?

Well, there ain't no other
Billy Tooker, is there?

None that I know about.

Wouldn't hardly be more than
one of that breed, would there?

W-What breed's that, Lem?

Well, you tell me.

Village clown?

Bone picker?

He's not bothering
you, leave him alone.

Oh, Lem, quit a-baitin' him.

You know how it always ends.

That's what I'm doin' it for.

I know the one, all right.

Squaw man... ain't that right?

Your squaw teach you
to dance like that, Billy?

Lem, you oughtn't to say that.

It ain't respectful to my Missy.

She's a Indian, ain't she?

Pretty or not, you married
a Indian, didn't you?

That makes you a
squaw man, don't it?

I don't like what you
mean when you say it.

So...

you won't say that
no more, Lem...

if you please.

Well, maybe you don't want
to be a squaw man no more.

Reckon you'd like to get rid
of that squaw of yours, huh?

(laughing)

You stop that, you hear me?

Reckon 'bout all she's
good for is crow bait!

Squaw man!

Why don't you bring
that squaw into town?

I'd like to learn
that war dance.

(grunts)

(men guffawing)

Mr. Green.

I didn't know it
was you, Mr. Green.

I sure hope you ain't hurt none.

Hurt none!

Billy, this time
you've gone too far.

Look at my-my smashed window

and my chair broke.

Well, it were Lem's fault.

I'll fix him!

Now, hold on a minute!

Billy! That's enough.

You let me at him,
Marshal! I'll show him!

You're not going to
show anybody anything.

- Now go on home.
- GREEN: No, no.

He's not going home;
he's going to jail.

'Cause this time,
he's gone too far,

and I'm bringing charges.

And I mean it, Marshal.

All right, Mr. Green.

That's your privilege.

Well, I didn't mean
him no harm, Marshal.

I know you didn't, Billy.

Chester, take him
to jail, will you?

Yes.

My Missy... she's a fine woman.

And I want you to know that.

You start this?

I didn't do nothing
to him, Marshal.

You don't have to bait
him like that, do you?

You know how he reacts to it.

Billy's a troublemaker,
if you want my opinion.

Well, I don't.

There's no more harmless man

in Dodge City than Billy Tooker,

and you know it.

You folks ought to be real
proud of the way you treat him.

Now go on, break it
up and get out of here.

Pretty nasty cut you got there,

on top of your head.

That ought to...

that ought to do it, there.

Thank you, Chester.

Yeah, you're... you're welcome.

Is it true, Marshal,
what he says?

I-I got to stay here a time?

Well, you caused
some property damage

and hit him with a
chair and all, Billy.

He can prefer
charges if he wants to,

and I gotta hold you.

For how long?

You'll have to stand trial,

and it'll be four or five days
before the judge gets back.

I don't want you
to think, Marshal,

I don't appreciate
your hospitality.

It's right pleasant
lodgin' here.

But it's Missy, uh,
that worries me.

How's she gonna know
what happened to me?

Well, don't worry
about that, Billy.

I'll have somebody stop by
there and tell her what happened.

Thank you, Marshal.

My mind's some relieved.

(cell door clanks shut,
keys jangle, lock clicks)

(sighs)

Mr. Dillon, I seen Abe
Martin down at Jones's store,

getting some supplies.

Now, he lives right
out close by Billy, there.

You want that I should tell
him to take a message out?

Yeah, why don't
you do that, Chester?

All right.

- Howdy.
- Howdy.

Hello there, Matt.

Well...

- Colonel Wilson!
- (chuckles)

Just call me Gabe. How are you?

Well, fine. Fine.

You don't look a day older

than the time we rode
together against Roman Nose.

Now, how long has that been?

Well, that was back
about the winter of '67.

Yeah, I guess that was the
last time I rode with the cavalry.

I bet it was the
first time for you.

Just about.

- (Wilson laughs)
- Come on, sit down.

Thank you.

Say, you know, you sure thought

you was some punkins
in them days, as a scout.

Yeah.

That is, till you showed
me a few tricks I didn't know.

Well, don't forget, I did
have a few years up on you.

I hear tell you've
improved some since.

Done yourself real proud.

You know, I always said

if there was more
young'uns like you, Matt,

me and Kip Marston
and the others

would rest easy in our graves.

What brings you to Dodge?

A little private
business for old Kip.

You know, he's ailin' some.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

You remember Kip had a
Cheyenne wife, way back?

Well, there was a
child, a half-breed boy.

Now, Kip's traced him to
somewheres around Dodge.

And, uh, I've come
to fetch him back.

Around Dodge?

Uh-huh.

I don't know of any
Marstons around here.

Well, no, you see, the boy
took his foster pa's name.

He calls hisself Billy Tooker.

Billy Tooker?

You heard of him?

(wry laugh)

Yeah, I'll say I have.

Where do I find him?

Right now, I got him locked
up in a jail cell out in back.

- In jail?
- Yeah.

Is he a lawbreaker?

Well, nothing serious, Gabe.

Come on back.

I'll let you meet him.

So, this is Billy Tooker, huh?

Billy, this is Colonel
Gabe Wilson.

Howdy.

Where's his soldier's suit?

Well, he's not in the
Army anymore, Billy.

You've heard of Gabe
Wilson, haven't you?

Ought I, Marshal?

No, the Billy Tooker I
want lives on a ranch,

outside of town somewheres.

Well, I live on a ranch
and I got me a wife, too.

Her name's Missy.

Missy?

She's Injun... Cheyenne.

I growed up with them,
I'm half-Injun myself.

Do you remember
anything about that?

About growing up
with them, I mean?

Well, sure.

I liked it.

Only when they went away to
the reserve, they wouldn't have me.

They said I wasn't full-blooded.

What was your ma's name?

Nahsetah.

Only the white folks,
they called her Sarah.

Oh.

Son, you remember a
man named Kip Marston?

No, sir.

I don't reckon I do.

Ought I, Marshal?

I don't know, Billy.

Ah, he'd be lying
if he said yes.

Couldn't be more than a
year or two old when Kip left.

Why's he asking me all
them questions, Marshal?

He'll tell you.

Now, you ain't never
heard of Kip Marston?

No, sir.

And you didn't get no
letter from him, huh?

A letter?

Mm-hmm.

Well, maybe you mean this here.

The postmaster, he give it
to me three or four weeks ago.

Honest, Marshal,
he said it was mine.

Yeah, well, it's addressed
to you all right, Billy.

You ain't never even opened it.

Well, I ain't gotten
around to having

nobody read it off to me yet.

I sure couldn't
make it by myself.

Matt, could I talk
to you for a minute?

That's Kip Marston's son?

If you say so.

What's he in for?

Well, property damage,
assault and battery.

You mean brawling. (laughs)

Why, in my day, that was
nothing to jail a man for.

Times have changed, Gabe.

Well, I'll pay his fines.

I got to take him
to Omaha with me.

Well, he's gonna have
to stand trial here first,

- and that's gonna be a while.
- How long?

Well, three or four days.

Well, I'll put up his
bail... You name it.

Well, I don't guess there's
anything wrong with that.

Let's make it about $50.

$50... you got it.

Well, don't forget... you're
gonna be responsible for him

and he can't leave town.

BILLY: Marshal?

Marshal, what's this all about?

Well, Billy, I'm
gonna turn you loose.

You're gonna be in
Colonel Wilson's custody.

He's got some business with you.

All right, young fella.

Now the first
thing we need to do

is, uh, buy you
some new clothes.

Do I got to go
with him, Marshal?

Ah, nothing bad's gonna
happen to you, boy.

You just come along
with me and do as I say.

Come on now.

Good evening.

Well, we would
have waited for you

if we'd known you were coming.

Oh, heavens, that's all right.

I couldn't eat a thing.

I already ate down there at that

Mexican place at
the edge of town.

What'll be, Chester?

Oh, nothing, Joe, uh...

Well, wait a minute,
on second thought,

uh, did I see that you had
pumpkin loaf on the menu?

- Yeah.
- Yeah, well, give me just

a kind of a medium slice,

piece of that pumpkin loaf and

put a lot of thick cream on it.

Anything else?

No, that-that'll be all.

Cream? You don't...?

That's all you want? Just...

Well, you know, there's
nothing like cream to soothe

a stomach that's
burning a little bit.

Chester, did you ever
stop to think that, uh,

your stomach wouldn't
need quite so much soothing

if you didn't eat all
that Mexican food

and you stayed away from
those peppers and things?

Oh, heavens
yeah, a lot of times.

Of course, I don't think
about it when it's going down.

It tastes so good then.

Well, how are things

over in that end
of town, Chester?

Oh, fine, fine...
Everything's nice and quiet.

Course, uh, there is a lot
of talk about Billy Tooker.

You know, everybody's talking
about him, making him out

to be a real hero and
everything... you know what that

- Dobie's a-fixin' to do?
- What?

He's planning a
public celebration

just for him tomorrow.

(quiet laugh)

Well, I would think that
there would be an awful lot

of red faces around
here, considering the way

they've been treating
Billy in the past.

Well, you would think so.

Doesn't seem to
bother anybody a bit.

Well, it don't bother
Billy none, that's for sure.

Thanks a lot, Joe.

Well, Billy's not the
kind to hold a grudge.

It's funny, I've met
a lot of half-breeds,

but he just doesn't seem
a bit like an Indian to me.

(muffled): Mm-mm! Me neither.

Where'd Mr. Dobie say the
celebration was gonna be?

Oh, you mean the one for Billy?

Well, they're gonna have
it down at Sutton's Barn.

Gonna be a real big thing, too.

They're gonna have
a lot of speeches

and drinking and eating...

Everything.

You going?

Well, I don't know, you know,

living high off
the hog like that

can just do you in sometimes.

DOBIE: Crowning
an illustrious career

with the stars of a general,

and service to his country

in the War Between the States.

(applause)

Now in his declining years,

our great nation can
boast no finer hero

than General Kip Marston.

(applause, whistling)

Now, let us have a few
words from our guest of honor.

I give you our beloved friend

and fellow townsman,

the honorable William Marston.

(cheering, whistling, applause)

Get up, boy.

- Billy, Billy, hi, Billy!
- Billy! -Hi, Billy!

Hey, that sure is some good
eats that Mr. Green done brought,

and, uh, it's just going
to waste down there.

So why don't we eat it, huh?

Uh, uh, wait, wait.

We have some more speeches.

Wait, folks...!

Get yourself a piece
of pie... It's good.

You wouldn't know
he's Kip Marston's kin.

Well, I always did think
he came from good stock.

Oh, yeah, that's
why you were such

a good friend of his, wasn't it?

The way you was baiting
him, I wouldn't be surprised

if he never spoke
to any of us again.

Come on, let's get some grub.

You better go easy there, son.

Well, what's the
matter? It's all for me.

That's what Mr. Green done said.

But don't you understand, boy?

You got something
to live up to now.

You can't just go around
eating and drinking like a hog.

You're a Marston now,
you ain't a Tooker anymore.

Well, don't this Marston
fella eat nothing?

- Or drink nothing?
- It ain't just that, boy.

It's how you do it.

Now, you've got to
straighten up and act dignified.

- Remember, you're Marston's son.
- (children clamor happily)

- GIRL: Hi, Billy!
- Oh, hey.

BOY: Hi, Bill.

Billy, Miranda wants
to give you a kiss.

Why, sure, baby, sure.

Hey, Bill, will you
do us some faces?

Yeah, Billy, make us some faces!

Well, no, no, this
ain't the proper place.

I-I got to act dignified.

Aw, come on, Billy.

Just a couple?

Will you do us the
Indian war dance?

- Oh, the Indian war dance.
- Please, please!

Well, I don't know about that.

- (children pleading)
- What?

All right, all right, all right.

Come on, now, just
sit over there now.

Plenty of room, got to
have plenty of room, ready?

Here we go.

(chanting)

(girl shrieks)

Hey, what do you
think you're doing?

Oh, I'm-I'm sorry.

I didn't mean to mess
up your suit or nothing.

Wait a minute, we're
not supposed to fight.

We're supposed to act dignified.

Well, it's your fault, anyway.

I sure am sorry.

I didn't mean to
cause no trouble.

I guess you sure did
break up that meeting, Billy.

Yeah, I know.

I'm sorry though.

You gonna put me
back in jail, Marshal?

What good would that do?

I'd rather you put me
back in jail, Marshal.

DILLON: Why?

Well, this Marston fella,
I guess he's my daddy,

and I guess he's a
fine fella and all that,

but I don't want to go to no
Omaha with that old colonel.

I just want to go back
to jail and serve my time,

then go home to Missy.

I don't want to be
no Billy Marston.

I just want to be Billy Tooker.

Well, it's your decision, Billy.

Nobody can force you to go to
Omaha or take his name either.

The colonel says I got to.

No, that's up to you.

You remember that.

Can I go now, Doc?

Oh, yes. Yes, you can go.

You're all right, but
you're gonna have

a sore cheek there
for a day or two.

Thank you, Doc.

What do I owe you?

Oh, you don't owe
me anything, Billy.

But if you was somebody,
then I'd have to charge you.

Yeah.

Yeah, I guess so.

GABE: Oh, Matt!

Say, uh...

uh, go on over to the
hotel, will you, boy?

And wait for me?

I'm sorry, Colonel.

I don't blame you for being mad,

but I really was
trying to act dignified.

Well, I guess you
just ain't got it in you.

Never mind, go
on over to the hotel.

I'll-I'll be right over.

You know, Matt, this-this
kind of thing can't go on.

That boy's making
a fool out of Kip.

Oh, I wouldn't go as
far as to say that, Gabe.

Well, I got to get
him out of town

before he disgraces the name.

You know, I wired
Kip about finding him,

and the word I get back
is that the old man is

so excited he's
liable to have a stroke.

Now, in his condition,
he might not last too long.

I got to get that boy
to Omaha... quick!

Well, he still
has to stand trial

and the judge isn't back yet.

Aw, dang the judge.

Now, here's what I got in mind:

If you could put off that
trial for two or three weeks,

well, then I could take him
to Omaha and bring him back.

Can't do it, Gabe.

In the first place, I
don't have the authority.

In the second place,
Billy doesn't want

to go to Omaha with you anyway.

But he's got to go... I
made old Kip a promise

and I mean to keep that promise
if I have to hog-tie that boy.

Well, no, you're not... he's got
a right to make up his own mind.

Now, if you can change
it with talk, that's fine.

Well, supposing I do talk
to him, you just said yourself

you ain't got the
authority to let him go.

Well, there's one
thing I can do.

I can go see Mr. Green.

Maybe he'll drop the
charges against Billy.

(scoffs) You think he will
after what happened today?

Well, yeah, I think
there's a good chance of it.

You see, the fact that
Billy's Kip Marston's son

carries a lot of
weight around here.

And then Billy'd
be free... Released?

Yeah, but you'd still have to
talk him into going with you.

Without using any force.

Now, remember that.

You know, son, I got
your clothes all cleaned

and I got you a bag,

so you get 'em all
packed up, will you?

Well, what for?

We're riding out of
here to Spearville.

When we get there, we're
gonna take a train to Omaha.

I can't leave town.

Oh, don't you worry
about the marshal.

It's all arranged.

Well, he said it was up to me.

I don't have to go
if I don't want to.

He said that?

And I don't want to.

Well, now, the marshal put
you in my custody, remember?

So I say we're going to Omaha.

Yeah, but he told me
that I didn't have to...

Never mind what he told you;
maybe he changed his mind.

Anyway, son, it's all arranged,
and we're going to Omaha,

so, come on now
and pack your clothes.

Well, come on, boy, get going!

Uh, my shaving things...

I left 'em down the hall.

Ah, never mind.
I'll get it for you.

You just get on
with the packing.

You ready, Billy?

- Hello, Gabe.
- Hi, Matt.

- Say, where's Billy?
- Why?

Well, I'd like to tell
him he's a free man.

Mr. Green's dropped
the charges against him.

If you come on by the office,

I'll give you your
$50 bail back.

Well, that's good
news, ain't it?

I'll tell him.

Well, I'd kinda like
to tell him myself.

Well, he's, uh, he's
asleep right now.

He's kind of resting
after that brawl,

and I'd... I'd soon
not disturb him.

All right, but you
tell him now, for sure.

You tell him he's a free man,

he doesn't have to go to
Omaha or anywhere else.

Well, sure, I'll tell him.

Maybe I should've stayed there.

Went back to that jail.

I wasn't sure, though.

Maybe the marshal
did change his mind.

I don't think he'd throw
in with that colonel fellow,

but I just couldn't be sure.

Anyway... I was awful homesick.

They don't have no cooking
like this at all in that there town.

Them hotel cooks
ain't got no idea how

to fix hog and pan bread.

Mmm!

You want more, Billy?

No, this is a-plenty for now.

This man, this, uh, Colonel...

He will come after you?

Eh, like as not.

He don't give up easy.

(slurps)

(sighs, groans)

And them beds...

no dern good at all.

Too dern soft or something.

I didn't get no
night's sleep at all.

You not leave your Missy?

Go away?

Ain't I proved that already?

Now, don't you worry about it.

I just ain't going, no
matter what he does.

Maybe you like Omaha.

Big town...

you be somebody.

Lots of money,
many pretty girls.

Now what are you talking about?

Why would I care
anything about that?

Missy, ain't you my woman?

Ain't that the way it's been, as
long as both of us can remember?

And that's just
the way things is.

Ain't nothing gonna change that.

(horse approaches)

(chickens clucking)

Come on in. It ain't locked.

Billy?

You stay right there.

What you doing
with that gun, boy?

You ain't being very hospitable

to a man that's
trying to help you.

I don't want no help
from you, Colonel.

Now you just turn
around and get out of here.

- Now...
- Go away and leave me be!

Now listen, son...

I ain't a shooting man, Colonel,

but if you try to take me
away, I'll plug you sure.

Boy, you just don't understand.

I understand it all.

You're trying to tell me

somebody's my daddy
when I know he ain't.

I don't know why
you're doing it,

'cause I remember my
daddy, Mr. Tooker, right well.

He used to take me hunting with
him sometimes, before he died.

I was only 22 years or
so, but I remember that.

But Tooker wasn't
really your father.

He was only your foster father.

I ain't never heard of no
man called Kip Marston,

and neither has Missy.

Now that name don't
mean nothing to us.

And I ain't just ain't gonna
leave Missy here and my ranch

to go to Omaha for
no complete stranger.

Now so you just
get on your horse

and get on back
to that there town.

Boy, you just listen to me.

You don't seem to
realize the trouble you're in.

You forgetting
you're out on bail;

the marshal told you
not to leave town?

Now, when you ran away,
you became a wanted man...

A fugitive from justice...

And that's a very
serious crime, Billy;

one they could put you
in jail a long time for.

Years.

And she won't be
there with you, either.

You ain't gonna be
separated just a few days.

It'll be for years, Billy.

But if you come with me,
ah, everything'll be all right.

Nobody need know you ran away.

I'll tell 'em you was
with me the whole time,

in my custody, just
like the marshal said.

But if you don't, boy,
you're in bad trouble.

I'd have to tell the
marshal about it myself.

Of course, you could kill me.

But they'd find out, and
then they'd hang you for sure.

(sighs)

You don't want him to
go to jail, do you, Missy?

For years, maybe?

Wouldn't just a few days in
Omaha be a whole lot better?

Wouldn't it, Billy?

Sure, it would.

Come on, son, let's get started.

Come on, boy.

- Hi, Mr. Dobie.
- Matt.

Gabe come back yet?

No, I haven't seen him
in three or four hours.

What about Billy?

I haven't seen him either.

You mean, they haven't
even come down to eat?

No.

Say, that's kinda
funny, isn't it?

We better take a look upstairs.

They took all their clothes.

But they didn't check out.
They didn't say anything.

Marshal, I hardly
know what to say.

Look, if he shows up at all,

let me know right
away, will you?

Sure.

- Evening, Marshal.
- Huh...

Oh, Mr. Dobie, I'm
looking for Gabe Wilson.

Got a very important message
for him over the telegraph.

It's so important, I
thought I'd bring it myself.

What's so important
about it, Jason?

Well, I guess I can
tell you, Marshal.

The whole town will
know soon enough.

Kip Marston's coming to town.

He'll be on the morning train,

and he's coming to see his boy.

Say, what do you
know about that?

Hey, that'll set
this town on its ear.

Yeah, especially seeing
as his son isn't even here.

(knocking gently)

(knocking louder)

(rattles door)

CHESTER: Wonder where they are?

DILLON: Let's try the back.

Stop right there!

Hello, Missy.

Ooh, Marshal.

(sighs)

Billy not here.

He not run away.

He go with colonel to Omaha.

The colonel tell Billy
that he didn't have to go?

Well, he say if Billy not
go, he in bad trouble.

Go to jail long time.

That's what I was afraid of.

It not true?

DILLON: No, it's
not true, Missy.

He's free... He doesn't
have to go to Omaha,

or jail or anywhere else.

That colonel big liar.

Yeah, and we gotta
catch up with them.

Where'd they go?

They go to east,

to place where they
catch train in the morning.

I not know name of place.

You better go down,
back to town, Chester,

and tell the dispatcher
to send their descriptions

along the line.

Have the
stationmasters hold 'em.

Don't let them get
on that morning train.

Yes, sir.

Where-where you
gonna go, Mr. Dillon?

Well, I guess I'll
head for Spearville.

That's probably where they went.

- Maybe I can catch up with them.
- Yes, sir.

Marshal, can I go with you?

Well, no, you don't
have to do that, Missy.

I'll bring 'em back to town.

Why don't you
come on in to Dodge?

♪♪

You lagging behind a lot, boy.

Maybe you could use a rest.

Tie the horses up here,
and they can rest, too.

Maybe we'll get some fresh
ones, up the way a piece...

find a ranch.

You know, Billy...

I guess I owe you
an apology, kinda.

You see, this here means
so dern much to old Kip.

We...

him and me, we been
friends a real long spell.

I made him a promise,

the kind of promise
a man can't break.

Hey, now wait a minute.

What you think you're
doing, young man?

Turning things around,
I guess, Colonel.

I'm going back to Dodge.

Now listen, boy, I
just been telling you...

Ain't no use to argue.

Did you forget what I told
you? It'll mean jail for you.

That's the way it'll have to be.

The marshal's a
old friend of mine;

I'm just going back
and tell him all about it.

You dern fool, he
won't even listen to you.

He'll put you in jail and
he'll throw away the key!

Maybe.

But if I done wrong,
I didn't mean to.

I'm gonna tell him that.

Now I'm going back to Dodge.

You go back to Dodge,
I'll come after you.

I'm taking you back to
Omaha, if it's the last thing I do!

Colonel, I'm just asking
you to be reasonable.

I'm just asking
you to leave me be.

Uh, you g-go on back to
Omaha and you stay there

and don't ever come back.

Now I'm just asking
you to promise me that.

No, I ain't gonna do that.

I can't leave you be
until I do what I gotta do.

There's only one thing to do.

What?

Kill you.

They'll just hang you.

No.

Way out here, they ain't
likely to find your body.

I can hide it and
nobody'll know.

Now, boy, you, you
really don't mean this.

Yeah, I mean it.

Less'n you get on your
horse and ride out of here

and don't never come back.

Oh, I ain't gonna be
beat by the likes of you.

Go right ahead.

You kill me.

Go on.

Well...

all right.

Billy!

Put the gun down.

I was all ready to
come back to jail.

There's no need
to, Billy. You're free.

I told him to tell you that.

Whew! He sure is a liar.

I'm afraid that just
about sums it up.

Oh, Matt, I was only trying
to keep my promise to old Kip.

I didn't break no law.

Maybe I lied, but he come
this far of his own accord.

Well, there hasn't
been any harm done.

Anyway, we're all going
back to Dodge. Come on.

How am I gonna
face up to old Kip?

Oh, I think you'll
manage all right.

And probably a whole lot
sooner than you'd figured.

What do you mean?

Well, he's on his
way to Dodge now.

If you'd gone to Omaha, you'd
have missed him altogether.

That's yours.

Yeah. Thank you.

Mr. Dillon! Well, I
see that you got 'em.

Yeah.

Kip get into town all right?

Yeah, he's over at the
Dodge House, Mr. Dillon.

He's kinda resting up there.

He don't look none
too hearty to me.

What am I gonna tell him?

What would you have
told him in Omaha?

Say, Marshal, can I
take Missy home now?

Well, Billy, aren't you gonna
stop over and say hello to Kip?

Nah, I don't care
much about seeing him.

Now, Billy, I don't
know for sure

whether Kip Marston's
your father or not.

Maybe he isn't.

But on the other
hand, maybe he is.

No matter what his shortcomings

to you and your
mother, you know,

he's an old man,
Billy, probably dying.

He's come a long
way to get here.

It would make him feel real good

to see the man
he thinks is his son.

Billy, you know, Kip's
been a great man this time.

A real hero, no fake about it.

He came out west as a boy,
one of the very first white men.

He was a trapper
and a mountain man

when it took a mighty
brave man to live like that.

He was a friend to
the Indians, all of them,

not just your Cheyenne
that he lived with.

He was a trader,
an Indian agent,

and later, he was a senator
and a territorial governor.

He was a great
soldier in three wars.

He really earned
his general's stars.

He served his country
and a lot of people well,

for a lot of years, Billy.

Almost any man'd be
proud to be called his son.

Now he deserves a lot
of respect from all of us.

Don't you think you could go
over there and shake his hand?

Can I bring Missy along?

Sure.

All right, I'll do it.

Oh, Billy, uh...

uh, don't you think maybe
you ought to clean up

a little bit and
change your clothes?

You can use my office.

Go get your bag, son.

(flash powder pops)

PHOTOGRAPHER:
Thank you, General.

MAN: That was a good
one, wasn't it, General?

KIP: I don't know why they
have to shoot me like that.

MAN: Well, it goes
right straight up

in the air, like that.

Well, Gabe, you old
hoot, where you been?

Kip, old hoss, I had to go out
and round up a maverick for you.

Billy? My son?

I knew I could depend on you.

Thank you, Gabe, thank you.

Kip, you remember
young Matt Dillon?

Why, sure, sure, howdy, son.

Hello, General. It's
good to see you again.

Come out here, boy.

Kip, this here's your son Billy.

Howdy.

I don't rightly
know what to say,

but I'm mighty glad
to know you, sir.

I really mean that.

Uh, Billy...

I wanted to see
you; I had to see you.

Something I want to ask you.

Can you find it in your
heart to forgive an old man?

Forgive?

For leaving you and your mother.

For not coming back.

And for forgetting.

It's been the one big
regret of my whole life,

and it just fills me with
misery just thinking of it.

Can you forgive me, boy?

Sure.

There ain't nothing
to forgive. Honest.

Well, that sets my mind at ease.

Yes, sir.

Gabe, he don't look
very bright, does he?

Well, maybe he ain't
had much schooling.

Well, t'ain't your fault.

You did what I said.

I seen my son and I
got his forgiveness.

You ought to feel
some better, anyways.

Yeah, I guess so.

But, uh... now what?

Sir...

this is my wife Missy.

This here's my
daddy, Mr. Kip Marston.

Uh, how-howdy there, ma'am.

Him?

Him not your pa.

Now wait a minute, Missy.

You don't understand. You see...

I remember him.

I not know name "Kip
Marston," but I remember face.

Him at Cheyenne camp, I little.

Him not Billy's father.

Him before.

Mr. Tooker Billy's father.

Are you sure of that?

Billy come to Cheyenne
with Mr. Tooker.

Him maybe five, six years old.

But Nahsetah had
a son by the general.

I remember.

Then he go away.

Baby little.

Pretty soon, winter
come, baby die.

That long before
Mr. Tooker come, bring Billy.

I play with him,
take care of him.

We grow up, get married.

Then... then he ain't my son?

Well, I guess not, General.

Missy here ought to know.

I'm awfully sorry.

Yeah, yeah.

Oh, ain't that a shame?

And then it ain't
nobody's fault, though.

It is a shame, though, Kip,
you coming this far and all.

Yes, I know.

I didn't find my son,

but I found out
that I ain't got one.

I found out how it happened.

But it ain't nobody's fault.

I sure hope you don't
hold no grudge against me.

Oh, no, no, no, no, son.

It-it wasn't your
fault at all; no.

But I'm, I'm awful glad to
have met you and the missus.

Thank you.

Gabe... my, my, my,
wasn't that a relief?

I reckon. (chuckles)

Let's get out of
this town quick.

Buy some tickets
for Kansas City.

Kansas City?!

Yeah! Great place
for a celebration.

Or ain't you up to a
little celebrating yet,

you old coot, you?

Well, you know
what they say, Kip.

There's many a good
tune played on an old fiddle.

(both cackle)

KIP: Yeah.

PHOTOGRAPHER: Mr. Marston?

Mr. Marston, would
you pose for a picture?

Sure.

Uh, but the name's Tooker.

Billy Tooker.

- Remember that.
- Yes, sir.

(flash powder pops)

Thank you, Mr. Tooker.

Come on, Missy.

Let's go home.

All right, Billy.