Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 8, Episode 25 - Quint's Indian - full transcript

(theme music playing)

(both guns fire)

ANNOUNCER: starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

(saloon music playing)

Barkeep?

What do you want?

Bring us two more beers.

You haven't even
finished what you've got.

I ain't asking you
how to live right.

I'm asking you to bring
us two more beers.

Beers cost money.



Serves us right, Feeney,

picking the cheapest bar

in this whole cheap town.

If you've got money,

you can have all
the beers you want.

Well, dadgum.

A 40-mile ride, and
one beer at the end of it.

We still ain't going
back to that outfit.

I ain't never going to
work for no man again.

Well, you got to
work for somebody.

Myself.

Jim Stope.

That's who I'm working
for from here on out.

(laughs) Well, Stope, but...



doing what, pray tell?

I'm thinking.

I'm thinking all the time.

Now, let's get on over
to that blacksmith's

and pick up my horse and
quit this old, rotten town.

(hammering)

Ain't you finished
that horse yet?

This is the last shoe, mister.

By the time you get that one on,

he'll have worn
out the other three

just standing on them.

You can have him the
way he is if you want.

I brung him here
to get him shod,

and I ain't taking
him till he is shod.

Then why don't
you leave me alone,

and maybe I'll finish.

Well, that's about the
stubbornest white man

I ever seen.

"White man"?

(chuckles)

Quint Asper ain't no white man.

He's half redskin.

He's a redskin?

What's he doing here in Dodge?

A lot of folks wonder
the same thing.

Should hope they do.

Yeah, yeah, you know,
I never yet thought

that a redskin could be trusted.

Especially here, amongst
children and women.

It's a crying shame
Dodge puts up with him.

Here's your horse, mister.

It's about time.

That'll be two dollars.

Two dollars, huh?

That's right.

He kind of hoodwinked
me, didn't he?

Yeah.

What are you talking about?

Well, it's real simple.

You see, I thought
you was a white man.

He's right.

We don't do no
business with no Injuns.

Not hardly.

And since you tried to fool me,

I don't figure I
owe you a penny.

What's the matter? Don't
you have two dollars?

Well, not for no
lousy redskin, I don't.

Maybe I'll just take
it out in your hide.

All right, take your
horse and get out of here.

You bet I will.

That was real
smart of you, Stope.

Like I told you, I'm
thinking all the time.

And I got a idea
now that's really good.

We gonna make us
some easy money,

some real easy money.

Come on.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

(distant whinnying)

♪♪

(horse neighing)

(hammering)

How's that stew coming, Mary?

It's gonna be
good. You'll like it.

If I don't die of hunger
before I get to it.

About half an
hour, it'll be ready.

- Good.
- (knocking)

Hello, Will. Come on in.

Bob.

How are you, Mr. Grissom?

Fine, thank you, ma'am.

We'll be having dinner directly.

We'd be proud if you'd stay

and have a plate
of stew with us.

Well, I'm beholden
to you, ma'am,

but I got to get
back to the ranch.

Just stopped by to say hello.

How are things, Will?

Oh, can't complain.

Say, you bought yourself
a good cabin here, Houser.

Well, we still got a
lot of fixing up to do.

I've got a root cellar to dig.

I just hope I get the whole
job done before snow flies.

Well, maybe I can get
some of the men together,

we'll come over, give
you a hand next week.

Well, that would be right
neighborly of you, Will.

Say, I rode down along
the river on my way over.

That your young
boy I seen fishing?

Jimmy... that's right.

Well, there's somebody's
horse right near him there,

running free.

A bay with a blazed face
and two white stockings?

- That's right.
- That's my horse.

Well, let me tell
you something, Bob.

Most folks are
keeping their horses

right close to home these days.

Why? What do you mean?

Injuns.

There's been a band
or two seen lately.

Not around here close,
but, well, they're around.

Hadn't heard about that.

Well, I'll go out and
fetch him in after dinner.

Rob, it worries me,
Jimmy being out there.

Now, Mary, don't you
worry about that boy.

He'll be along with
his string of catfish

just soon as his belly
tells him it's dinnertime.

(chuckles) I suppose.

You, uh... you sure you
won't sit down and eat with us?

Uh, some other time,
Bob. Thanks anyway.

- See you folks real soon.
- Sure.

- JIMMY: Pa!
- Jimmy.

Jimmy, what is it?

What's the matter, boy?

- Indians. It was Indians.
- Indians?

How many, boy?

I only seen one.

Son, are you sure
it was an Indian?

Dead sure, Pa. I know it was.

'Cause he was half naked,

and he stole our horse
just like any Indian would.

- What?
- That's right.

He just threw a rope around
Old Blaze and led him off.

Those thieving savages.

Which way, son?
Which way did he head?

I don't know. I was
too scared to watch.

I just run for home.

Well, for Heaven's
sake, leave the boy alone.

This is no time for questions.

Come on, Jimmy,
let's get you washed up.

That boy's scared half to death.

He's got good reason to be.

Maybe we ought to be, too.

One Indian doesn't mean

there's a whole raiding
party somewhere near.

It don't mean
there ain't, neither.

I'm taking Mary and
the boy into Dodge

and have a talk
with the marshal.

Whoa.

Here, boy.

Marshal Dillon?

Yes. What can I do for you?

Well, my name's Bob Houser.

That's, uh, my wife and my
boy over there in the wagon.

Well, you folks
new around Dodge?

We're just getting started.

We bought the old Clampett
place down by the river.

But, Marshal, about noon
today, something happened

that I-I think you
ought to know about.

Well, what's that?

An Indian stole
one of my horses.

An Indian?

Yeah, the horse was running
free along the river, and I...

I'd just heard from Will Grissom
that there was Indians around;

otherwise, I would have staked
the horse out near the house.

Well, there have been
a few reports of Indians,

but they were a
long way from here.

Now, you just come
over here and ask my son.

My wife, Marshal.

- How do, ma'am?
- Marshal.

Now, Jimmy, you tell the
marshal here just what you seen.

Well, it was just
before noon, Marshal.

I was fishing, and
I saw this Injun

come up and rope
our old bay horse

and make off with him.

He was half naked
and everything.

Well, was he alone?

Well, I only seen one,

but I was scared half
to death, I tell you.

DILLON: What'd this
horse of yours look like?

He's a bay with a blazed
face and two white stockings.

Don't that beat all?

You know, I'm not plumb certain

that horse had two
white stockings, though.

Well, now... now
that you mention it,

maybe he didn't.

What are you men talking about?

Where'd you see my horse?

Well, I ain't entirely sure
it was your horse, mister.

Well, I am.

I'll guarantee it.

Well, where is he?

Well, down the street
at the blacksmith.

Well, what would he
be doing with my horse?

I don't know, mister.

I hear tell he's
part Injun hisself.

Is that true, Marshal?

I don't recall seeing you
men around Dodge before.

Well, I'm Jim Stope, Marshal.

My partner's Mark Feeney.

We just rode in yesterday.

Well, there ain't nothing wrong

with trying to help
folks, is there?

Is that what
you're trying to do?

Dadgum... I never
seen a lawman yet

that wasn't just plumb mean.

Come on, Stope.

All right.

You find his horse for him.

Hey, w-wait a minute.

I want to see this blacksmith.

I'll take you over there.

And, Marshal...

if this fella did
steal my horse,

I want him put in jail.

DILLON: Uh, Quint?

Come on out a second.

All right.

Mr. Houser.

Quint Asper.

He doesn't look much
like an Indian to me.

This the man you saw, son?

That's him. That's the Injun.

Only he was half naked.

What's this all about?

It's about my horse.

Where you got him?

Somebody stole his horse.

What's that got to do with me?

Come on.

HOUSER: Where have you got him?

- Now, look, mister...
- Hold on, Quint.

What's going on, Matt?

Hey, Marshal. Marshal,
come over here.

He's right outside,
right over there.

Feeney...

That's him, Marshal.

See that blaze?

See those two stockings?

That's him.

You didn't get away with it,
did you, you dirty horse thief?

- Just a minute, now.
- You arrest him, Marshal.

- Put him in jail.
- That's enough of that.

That's my horse, ain't it?
Just like I described him?

And didn't my boy say
this is the man he seen?

What more do you want?

Where'd you get the horse?

You asking a half-breed
where he stole a horse?

You expect him
to tell the truth?

Now, suppose you just
shut up and listen a minute.

Where'd he come from, Quint?

I picked him up
down by the river.

What do you mean, you
picked him up by the river?

Well, a fella came
in here this morning

and told me if I went down
there and brought him back

and shoed him,
he'd pay me double.

Some story.

Who told you?

I don't know his name.

He'll be along
here any time now.

He wanted his horse ready

- by 2:00.
- Ha!

You calling me a liar?

Now, just take it easy, Quint.

Boy said he was half naked.

How do you account for that?

Yeah, how come
you were half naked?

What difference does it make?

Let's get it cleared
up now, Quint.

I took a swim in the river.

A grown man taking
a swim in the river?

A bath wouldn't hurt
you, either, mister.

Now, look here...
I don't have to take

that kind of talk
from no half-breed.

Then why don't you
do something about it?

- Maybe I will.
- Houser.

You've got your horse.
Get him out of here.

You mean you
believe his crazy story?

I do, yeah.

How come he had the
horse hid out back here?

He was in the shop
when we seen him.

You two get out of here fast.

Just wait till folks
hear about this.

Yeah, the law
backing a horse thief.

Quint...

Too bad about all that, Quint.

But don't let it discourage you.

There's bound to be a few
rotten apples along the line.

Thanks for sticking
up for me, Matt.

They'll spread this story
all over town by tomorrow.

Then you just ignore it.

Let me handle things, will you?

Maybe I don't
belong here after all.

Sure, you do.

What happened now
was only the beginning.

I'm gonna start wearing a gun.

No, Quint, that wouldn't work.

You start wearing a gun,

now they'll be
after you for sure.

You're better off unarmed.

I used to think so.

Not anymore.

Leave this up to me, Quint.

I'm asking you.

All right, Matt.

I'll see what happens.

Good.

♪♪

Let's go, Hank.

The air's getting
bad around here.

Sir, what will you have?

Well, I'll have pork chops

and everything
that goes with them.

Okay.

MAN: Waiter.

You serve him, and
I'll walk out of here,

and so will the rest of
these honest white men.

That right, Hank?

Uh-huh.

That's all right. Forget it.

You want to step
outside, Bettis?

Or are you all mouth?

Huh?

(chuckles nervously)

Get me a beer, will you?

We don't serve horse
thieving breeds in this place.

♪♪

Evening, Kitty.

Well, Doc, sit down.

I will.

- (sighs)
- Want to join me?

Oh... Well, I will have
a beer. Sam, beer.

That all you got to do?

That's all.

I'm glad to see you, though.

Well, thank you.

I'm glad to see
almost anyone tonight.

Well, that didn't turn out to
be as much of a compliment

as I thought it was gonna be.

I see what you mean, though.

Business is off
a little, ain't it?

Mmm. That's putting it gently.

Only last week, I
was thinking of retiring.

Ah, well...

I think of retiring every day.

(chuckles)

Oh, you'd never do that.

People need you too much.

Well, they need what
you offer 'em here, too.

Well, how come they only show it

on New Year's Eve?

Oh, thanks, Sam. Thanks.

See, there's nothing
to worry about.

You just made a sale.

Well, there's some
mighty good whiskey

going to waste over there.

Oh, no, no.

I can't afford whiskey
except on special occasions.

Like New Year's Eve.

Yeah, well, that...

(chuckles) Speaking
of New Year's Eve...

there he is right now.

(Doc chuckles)

(Kitty chuckles)

Louie, how are you?

Hello, Louie.

Miss Kitty. Doc.

Go on over to the bar, Louie,

and Sam will give
you your drink.

I thank you, Miss Kitty,

but that ain't what I come for.

What?

I thought maybe the
marshal would be here.

What do you want
with the marshal?

I wanted to tell him
about them fellas.

What fellas?

I seen them about
a half hour ago.

Well, wait a minute,
Louie. What is this?

What are you talking about?

A bunch of them.

They was headed for
the blacksmith shop.

That's what they said.

And I been trying to find
the marshal ever since.

I thought he ought to know.

I think he ought to know, too.

You better hurry.

Go on and get your drink, Louie.

Thank you, Miss Kitty.

Good heavens, Matt.

DOC: Quint...

Looks like they hit him
with everything they had.

Quint.

Hey, it's Doc.

I see you, Doc.

I see Matt, too.

DILLON: Who did this to you?

It was eight men.

Did you recognize any of them?

They were white.

They tied me and beat me.

Let me up.

- DOC: Quint...
- Get your hands off me, Doc!

(heavy breathing)

I had a feeling

something like this
was gonna happen.

"Don't wear a gun," you said.

"Leave things to me," you said.

Quint, they won't
get away with this.

I'll get them.

Yeah?

Well, good luck, Matt.

(grunts)

Well, where do you
think you're going, Quint?

I don't belong here.

I never did think so.

I'm going back
where I came from...

back to the prairie,
away from all this.

DILLON: Now, Quint...

If I'd been wearing
a gun tonight, Matt,

I would've killed
me some white men.

Let's talk about it in
the morning, Quint.

There's been enough talk.

Quint! Hold on here a minute.

Oh, let him go, Doc.

Matt?

He can't go like
that. He's hurt.

Can't stop him.

Let's go.

There you are.

Well, I finally ran
into Louie Pheeters,

but he wasn't much help.

That's too bad.

What about Stope and Feeney?

Kitty, as far as I can tell, those
two have just disappeared.

Just keep your
ears open, will you?

I'd sure like to have
a talk with them.

I will.

I'm sorry about all this.

Well...

so am I.

Bettis.

Oh, hello there, Marshal.

Hey, uh, I'm glad
I ran into you.

Oh. Me, Marshal?

Yeah.

Where were you about
midnight last night?

Oh, now you're barking
up the wrong tree, Marshal.

I had nothing to do
with that business

at the blacksmith shop.

Where were you?

Home. Now, if you don't
believe me, ask my wife.

You think she'd lie for me,
you can ask my mother-in-law.

She was there, too.

And she hates me.

(chuckles)

Well, I got to admit that
sounds like a good alibi.

Yeah.

Now, everybody's
heard Bob Houser's story

and Quint Asper's excuse.

But like most people, I
can't stomach the idea of a...

of a horse thief, and
especially an Injun horse thief.

Now, but I ain't no
lyncher, Marshal.

I'll talk out like I did at
Delmonico's yesterday,

but I ain't no lyncher.

I'm plumb against what they
did to Quint Asper last night.

And if I'd have known about
it, I'd have tried to stop it.

Believe me.

You know something?
I believe you.

Well, thank you,
Marshal. (chuckles)

I'll tell you something else.

You're the worst
kind of fool, Bettis.

You're the dangerous kind.

(chuckles)

- Your move, Doc.
- Hmm?

Yeah.

It's bad business, Matt.

What, you mean about Quint?

Yes.

Been over three days now,

and we still don't know any
more than what he told us.

Well, you don't think
the fellas that did it

are gonna go around town
bragging about it, do you?

Yeah, well, I was kind
of hoping they might.

Well...

DOC: Grissom.

Marshal, is there still a
law against horse thieving?

Well, yeah.

Even if the thief's
a friend of yours?

Yours, Marshal, your friend?

What are you talking about?

I mean Quint Asper.

Three horses, Marshal,
night before last,

stole out of my barn all
wearing my brand: "3R."

What makes you
think it was Quint?

I didn't... till I rode
into town this morning.

I heard he left Dodge
a couple of days ago.

- That right?
- Yeah.

Well, I kept my
horses in the barn

'cause there's been a lot
of talk lately about Indians.

I didn't see or hear
nothing that night.

The next morning, I saw
moccasin tracks out there.

Hold on here just a minute.

That doesn't necessarily
prove that it was Quint.

It was only made
by one man, Doc.

Ordinary Indians don't go
around stealing horses alone.

Ain't that true, Marshal?

Yeah, that's true.

They say you're quite a
friend of, uh, Quint Asper.

Yeah, a good friend.

Well, Bob Houser told me
what happened with his horse.

Now, look, Marshal, I
want my horses back,

and I want that
half-breed in jail.

I ain't fool enough to
threaten you personally,

but even you got to admit

this whole business
makes you look pretty bad.

So long, Marshal.

I can't believe that Quint's
taken to horse thieving.

Ah, neither can I.

Well, then why didn't you
tell him where to get off at?

'Cause it wouldn't have
done any good, Doc.

I got to get out and
prove that Quint was right.

Well, how you gonna do that?

Well, I got to find him,
let him prove it for himself.

Well, you mean you're
gonna look for him now?

As soon as I can get saddled.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

DILLON: Howdy.

You're a lawman.

U.S. Marshal, out of Dodge City.

Then I'd make you
out to be Matt Dillon.

Yes, sir.

You must be Jake Sooner.

All my life.

Well, Jake, what
you doing out here?

Looking for Injuns.

Injuns?

Comanches.

A few of them left the
Darlington Agency a while back.

Not a war party; just
maybe half a dozen braves

out looking for
whatever they could find.

Probably got tired
of being cooped up.

Likely did.

Not that I'd blame 'em.

But the colonel
sent us out for a ride.

Hmm. Well, I wish you good luck.

- So long.
- So long, Dillon.

♪♪

♪♪

(horse whinnies)

♪♪

- (horse whinnies)
- Easy, boy.

Hibbelo. Po-ome, wah-hein.

DILLON: Hook-nah-hay.

- DILLON: Hook-nah-hay.
- Vip-pe-nah-hah.

DILLON: Mah-son-ne vip-po-nah.

United States Marshal.

You speak English.

And you speak Comanche.

A little.

What do you do here?

Well, I'm, uh... I'm looking
for a friend of mine out here.

He's, uh... he's half Comanche.

You have friend
who's half Comanche?

His name is Quint Asper.

You haven't seen
him, by any chance?

We leave Darlington Agency.

Return north to our homes.

We do not know this Quint Asper.

Uh-huh.

Well, you're... you're
not a raiding party, then?

No raids.

We go to Walnut Creek to hunt.

And then we return
north in peace...

unless army try to stop us.

What do you plan to do with me?

We go in peace...
you go in peace.

All right. And for that,
I'll tell you something.

The army is looking for you.

I ran into a patrol yesterday.

Then we fight.

O-ne-o na-wa'sst.

Mah-ke-o-hih i-sto-met!

♪♪

♪♪

(horse whinnies)

♪♪

What's going on here?

What's this all... about?

Where's your partner?

Feeney?

He ain't around, Marshal.

You better give me a
straight answer, Stope,

or so help me, I'll
beat you to a pulp.

He's out on the
prairie somewhere.

He... he'll be back directly.

Out rounding up more
stolen horses, is he?

We ain't horse thieves, Marshal.

You're not gonna have
a tooth left in your head.

I'm gonna make an old
man out of you, Stope.

I'm gonna beat you
something awful.

- Nah...
- Well, you better start talking.

Now, I don't have much time.

You had something to do

with stealing Houser's
horse, didn't you?

I'll tell you. I'll
tell you, Marshal.

Gus Syker... you know Gus Syker?

From Dodge? What about him?

Well, we promised to
pay him if'n he'd tell Quint

to pick up that
horse and shoe him.

Why were you out to get Quint?

We wasn't.

Just trying to get
him to take the blame

for your horse
stealing... Is that it?

Yeah.

And you did pretty good.

Will Grissom still thinks it was
Quint stole those three horses.

You were off to a
pretty good start.

Till you come along.

Let's get in that shack.

♪♪

Find anything?

I didn't see a thing.

I guess people are keeping
their horses real close to home.

Hey, let's take them three
outside and head north, huh?

We can sell them someplace.

Besides, I don't like
hanging around here.

We should've left yesterday.

Well, it ain't too late
to leave right now.

Yes, it is... you're covered.

All right, get around there
and bandage up his arm.

I don't want him
bleeding to death.

Then we'll stop off and
get Grissom's horses

back to him on
the way into Dodge.

You know, he sure was
right about one thing.

Indians don't go out
stealing horses alone.

Let's go.

Crying shame to let them in
town... should have them out.

Yeah.

Hello, Kitty.

When did you get back?

Oh, about an hour ago.

Did you find him?

No, got to go out again
first thing in the morning.

Right now, I'm
looking for Gus Syker.

You haven't seen him, have you?

Well, he was... he was
here a few minutes ago.

He must have left...
Probably without paying.

He's done it before.

(door opens)

Here he comes.

Good.

You, uh, might
want to listen to this.

It's kind of interesting.

Hello, Syker.

Marshal.

What you want?

You know, I feel
sorry for you, Syker.

For me? Why?

Don't you feel
sorry for him, Bettis?

(laughs) Why should I?

He's not gonna get
paid for the job he did.

What are you talking about?

Stope and Feeney.

I got them in jail.

What?

Yeah, I caught them
with Will Grissom's horses.

They admitted stealing them.

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

They told me everything.

All about hiring you to
go out and get Quint Asper

to go down and pick up
that horse by the river.

They're lying.

I got them right over in jail.

- Let's go over and ask them.
- No.

Maybe you'd like to
come along, Bettis.

You've been
interested in this case.

No, I ain't going over there.

I don't have to.

You can't arrest me for nothing.

You'd be surprised
what I can do to you.

Oh, well, so I-I
told Quint Asper

a little lie.

That ain't exactly a
hanging offense. (laughs)

You don't fool me, Marshal.

That enough for you, Bettis?

You really got them men in jail?

I already have, yeah.

Tomorrow morning,
I'm gonna take him out

to tell Bob Houser his story.

Quint Asper is in the clear,
and I'm gonna expect you

to tell everybody you run into.

I'm telling you to.

(laughs)

Yes, Marshal.

All right, you come
along with me.

You're gonna be my
guest tonight, Syker.

I'm gonna be sure you're
around in the morning.

Let's go.

(both speaking Comanche)

- Hook-nah-hay.
- Hook-nah-hay.

Welcome to our camp.

Join us. We eat.

Well, thanks.

(speaks Comanche)

You don't think I killed him?

You killed him.

- Now, look, I...
- I told you

we go to hunt on Walnut Creek.

White soldiers find us there.

They knew where to look.

Kill all but three of us.

He die here.

I haven't even seen
the cavalry again.

Wa-nah-bian.

(groans)

(men speaking Comanche nearby)

(speaking Comanche)

Quint?

They want to kill you, Matt.

Eye for an eye, huh?

Something like that.

They tell you the story?

I haven't seen that patrol

since the first day
I ran across them.

They don't believe you.

Well, I guess I can't
blame them for that.

Far as they're concerned,

I'm just another
lying white man.

Besides, they killed
all them but those two.

What about the one that
died here... did they bury him?

Yep.

How did you get here?

I came in here looking
for a place to rest.

I've been traveling
a lot lately.

Yeah, I know... I've
been out looking for you.

Why?

Been some more horses stolen?

They have, yeah.

We have decided.

Come.

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

(Dillon sighs)

You must've had
something to do with that.

I told them I
believed your story

about not sending the
cavalry down to Walnut Creek.

If I hadn't have, I
wouldn't have helped you.

They're still my people.

How's your head?

Well, I guess it's still there.

(sighs)

You said there were
more horses stolen.

Is that why you're
looking for me?

Partly.

I'm not about to
let you take me in.

You're in the clear,
Quint... All the way.

Bob Houser's waiting
to apologize to you.

So is everybody else in Dodge.

That's why I came
out looking for you.

What about those men
who beat me half to death?

They waiting, too?

I doubt if we'll ever
find them, Quint.

Near as I can figure, they
were a bunch of drifters.

They got drunk and
they heard the talk.

Well, the talk's changed.

If I know their kind,
they've run for it.

You sound like you're
trying to get me to come back.

Well, I'd be a fool to try that.

You're too hardheaded.

Say, uh, you're not hungry
by any chance, are you?

I usually am.

Well, just figuring, you know,
maybe we could shoot us

a young antelope here and,
uh, build a little fire tonight

and sit around and stuff
ourselves till we fall asleep.

What do you say?

Like I said, I'm usually hungry.

Come on.

♪♪