Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 8, Episode 3 - Quint Asper Comes Home - full transcript

(theme music playing)

(both guns fire)

ANNOUNCER: starring
James Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

Looky there.

Yeah, that fella's got himself
a nice little place there.

Yeah, he must've struck it rich.

By golly, you're right.

He's probably a gold miner.

Let's go over and have a look.

If he is, maybe we'll kind
of share his gold with him.



♪♪

Howdy.

Hello.

Are you a gold miner?

No, I ain't.

We kind of think you are.

Gold never interested
me very much, son.

There ain't no man
that gold don't interest.

That what you're doing up here?

We been out a whole month.

We ain't found nothing yet.

How much gold you got
hidden around here, old man?

(laughs)

That mountain's
probably full of gold,



but weren't me hid it there.

Don't get smart with us!

Well, I'll be.

What's that?

That's a Injun.

Why, you old fox.

You got a squaw hid out up here.

A real, live Injun.

You ought to keep
her in the cabin, mister.

Somebody might
shoot her, not knowing.

Topsanah is my wife.

Topsanah, huh?

That's a right pretty name

for nothing but an
old Indian squaw.

Maybe you didn't hear

what I just said
to your partner.

That she's your wife?

Dirty old Indian woman.

Get out of here, both of ya!

Shoot him, Davit!

(grunts)

John.

(gunshot)

(Davit screams)

(grunting)

(groans)

Pa. Pa.

Let's get him inside.

(crickets chirping)

I wish you'd forget that.

You must eat.

I ain't hungry, I tell you.

I'm worried about Pa.

We've done everything
we can for him.

Yeah.

Well, I'm thinking
that ain't enough.

Don't talk like that, Quint.

It's bad medicine.

I'm sorry.

It was white men
that did that to him.

Sit down now.

Eat.

I don't know why you
should be so forgiving.

You think I am?

No.

No, course not.

I always did say you were
the best cook there ever was.

It's easy, when
you've got two men

to provide the meat.

Yeah.

There's gonna go
right on being two men.

He's fevered some
now, but that's natural.

It's lucky those bullets
went clean through.

Except, clean through
what, we don't know!

(groans)

(weakly): Quint.

I'm right here, Pa.

How you feeling?

Quint...

you kill them men?

I killed 'em.

I killed both of 'em.

They was white men.

White men.

But don't forget
you're half white.

Don't never forget that.

I ain't forgetting, Pa.

Topsanah.

Yes?

You been a good wife,
Topsanah, all these years.

Best wife a man could have.

I tried to be worthy of you.

We raise us a good son, huh?

He'll take care of you.

Quint...

Topsanah, your mother...

you take her back to her tribe.

Back to the Comanches.

That's where she belongs now.

I will, Pa.

I'll take care of her.

It's been a good life.

I ain't complaining.

♪♪

You sure you don't want
some sort of a marker?

He was part of the mountains.

This way, he will
always be part of them.

In a month or two, this
grave will never be seen.

Nothing will ever bother it.

I'll see it.

I'll always see it.

Every white man's
face I ever meet...

I'll see it.

You must not be bitter, my son.

Remember, your father
was a white man, too.

Pa was different, you know that.

Yes.

We have a long ride.

You know where to find them?

Comanches?

We look for Chief
Running Horse's people

along the Arikaree River.

Come.

♪♪

♪♪

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

(dog barking in distance)

What did you tell him?

I told him who I am,
and that you are my son.

He will tell Chief Running
Horse we wish to talk to him.

You know, it's funny.

Me being half Comanche,

and I've never been in
an Indian camp before.

You like it?

I don't know yet.

(speaking Comanche)

Chief Running Horse
will see me alone first.

Chief Running Horse
will see you now, Quint.

(speaking Comanche)

He said, "Hello."

(repeats Comanche phrase)

You're learning.

(speaking Comanche)

I told the chief about
you and about your father.

He admire your father.

He say he was only good
white man he ever met.

Did you tell him I wanted
to join the Comanches?

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

He wants to know why.

My mother's Comanche.

White men murdered my pa.

The two I killed
were just a start.

I want to go on
killing white men.

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

He says you will have to
prove yourself, and doubly hard.

You must show you are
more Comanche than white.

I'll prove myself.

Just give me a chance.

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

You will start your
training at once.

(both speaking Comanche)

Come.

Howdy.

You men buffalo hunters?

Beats hunting men.

You got anybody
else here with you?

I got another man;
he's sleep in the wagon.

What's on your mind, Marshal?

You got a bad spot
picked to camp here.

Well, next time, I'll come
ask you before I make camp.

Four buffalo hunters were
killed just north of here yesterday.

Buffalo hunters?

Comanches are on the warpath.

They won't bother us.

So far, the only
people they've bothered

have been buffalo hunters.

Well, it ain't gonna
do them no good.

Us buffalo hunters
is here to stay.

All right. I warned you.

Now, look, mister.

I been shooting
Indians for years.

Every one I see...
Warlike or peaceable.

That's a good idea,
shooting peaceable Indians.

They're just so much meat to me.

Shoot first and talk
later... That's my motto.

Men like you make me
understand the Comanches.

That's fine talk for
a lawman, ain't it?

What's he, some
kind of a renegade?

Now, you never mind about him.

You go wake up Joe
and get your rifles.

If Comanches show up,
we're gonna draw some blood.

(gunfire in distance)

(gunfire, Comanches
war-whooping)

(horse neighs)

(gunfire stops)

I'll get you on your wagon,
get you into Dodge there.

Never mind, Marshal.

I'd spoil before
you get me there.

Hold it.

You stinking savage! I'll...

(grunts)

You just won't take no
for an answer, will you?

(crowd murmuring)

He got himself painted up.

Where'd you get him, Marshal?

North of here.

How come he's still alive?

Why didn't you kill him?

I didn't put that bullet in him.

What are you gonna
do with him now?

I'm gonna take him up to Doc's.

Doc... An Indian?

You're gonna have
Doc fix up an Indian?

That's right.

Wh... I never heard
of such a thing.

H-He ought to be
thrown in the river.

Since when did the law start
to care for murdering redskins?

Suppose you go on
about your business, huh?

All of you.

Oh, this is a disgrace,
that's what it is.

Marshal, this is an insult to
every white man in the country.

DOC: Well, this fella's had
kind of a busy day, Matt.

Well, he kept active as
long as he was able to, Doc.

I'll say that for him.

Well, it's gonna
be at least a week

before he's very active again.

Matt, did it occur to
you that this Indian

is just somewhat lighter than
any other Indian you ever saw?

Sure has, Doc. I been
thinking about that.

I just got a hunch maybe
this Indian isn't all Indian.

Well, if that's so,

what are your friends downstairs
gonna have to holler about then?

Yeah, they've probably
forgotten all about it by now.

I doubt that.

Well, I'm getting pretty sick
of looking at that war paint.

Bloodthirsty, murdering
redskin, and he's being treated

- like he was a hero or something.
- Well, I mean,

something ought to
be done about it, I say.

And the sooner, the better.

- (mutters)
- Marshal.

Evening, Kitty.

Mm, hello, Matt.

How's that Indian
of yours doing?

Well, he's gonna be all
right, according to Doc.

You know, some of our
good citizens are kind of upset

- about him.
- Yeah.

What are you gonna do with him?

Um, I mean, after he gets well.

Well, guess I'll
just turn him loose.

- Not in Dodge, I hope.
- No, no.

I'll take him out on
the prairie somewhere.

Just might do some good.

In what way?

Well, he'll probably be the
only Indian ever taken prisoner

and had his life
saved by a white man.

Just might have
some influence on him.

He ought to be taken out
and lynched, that's what.

Yeah, we're a pretty
poor bunch of men

if we don't do
something about it.

How long has this been going on?

Quite a while.

- Excuse me a minute.
- Mm-hmm.

You men have some
kind of a complaint?

You know we have, Marshal.

I'd just like to know which
side you're on, Marshal...

Your own people or them
murdering Comanches?

I'll tell you.

I don't believe in
murdering of any kind,

and that includes lynching.

It's no more than self-defense
to string up a redskin.

Why, it's criminal to treat one

the way you're
treating this one.

Why, we're at war with
them Comanches, Marshal.

Are you trying to say that
we should save their lives

instead of kill 'em?

I'm not gonna stand
here and argue with you,

but you remember this:
that Indian is my prisoner,

and I'll protect him
any way I have to.

Well, that ought to hold 'em.

I don't know, Kitty.
I'm not too sure.

I think I better take a ride
up to Doc's. I'll see you later.

All right.

MAN: For the last time, Doc,

get him on his feet!

Duff, you're drunk.

Now, you're not
gonna touch him...

- You all right, Doc?
- Yeah, I'm fine.

Pretty glad to see you.

(groans) Marshal,
you likely killed me.

Well, next time I will,
Duff. Now get out of here.

I see... he's
conscious now, huh?

Yeah, has been for
three or four hours.

You speak any English?

Oh, Matt, I've asked
him that a hundred times.

I'll tell you something,

I'm getting pretty sick
of all the riffraff in Dodge

coming in here
drunk, threatening me.

Well, Doc, I'll tell you,

we'll just have to do
something about that.

Well, we certainly will have...

Matt.

Hold it, Doc.

(groans softly)

You're gonna have to walk
through me to get to that door.

(gun cocks)

Now, suppose you
give me that gun, huh?

(gun clicks empty)

(Quint yells)

(grunting): You
tricked me, white man!

I figured I could
get you to talk.

What's your name?

In English, it's Quint.

Quint Asper.

You're a half-breed, aren't you?

I'm Comanche.

My pa was white.

White men killed him.

I've avenged him many times.

Well, maybe it's
time you stopped.

Never.

What's the matter with
you? Matt saved your life.

He's saving me for
some sort of celebration.

Down in the street.

With me in the
middle of it, maybe.

You've lived with the Indians
a long time, haven't you?

Not long enough.

I'll tell you something, Quint,
we don't treat people that way.

We don't torture
and kill prisoners.

Doc, you know
Ed Kelly, don't you?

Yeah.

Well, I think I'll get
him up here as a guard.

He can just eat
and sleep right here.

Well, I'm in favor of that.

I'm gonna need all
the protection I can get.

- Long as he's here.
- Yeah.

I'll be back shortly,
but, uh, keep that handy.

Oh, don't worry, I will.

♪♪

It's me, Ed... Doc.

Well, by golly, this'll keep us

from starving to
death for a day or two.

How long's this going on, Doc?

Well, I just don't know, Ed.

Wish I did.

How are you feeling?

First chance I get, I'm leaving.

Now, I got something
to say about that.

So's he.

He won't leave.

Even if I have to tie him up.

Well, he's sure
feeling a lot better.

Better keep your eye on him.

You hungry, Ed?

Any time, Doc. I don't work up
much of an appetite at this job.

Well.

You watch him.

I'll be back later
and fix some dinner.

All right.

Now, you know it may
take a couple of months

to fill the rest of
that order, Miss Kitty.

Well, just do the best
you can, Mr. Jonas.

- Morning, Kitty.
- Hello, Matt.

Mr. Jonas.

Say, I hope it isn't gonna
take a couple of months

to fill this order.

Oh, no, Marshal, it's just
that, well, certain ladies' things

are kind of hard to
come by out here.

What is this you want?

Well, I got to have a hat and a
shirt and a jacket of some kind,

if you can fix me up; those are
the rough measurements there.

I'll see what I got.

Who are they for?

Quint Asper.

Oh, don't tell me
you've civilized him

that much in the last week.

Well, not hardly, but Doc says

he's about ready to
travel, and I'd like to get him

out of town in one
piece, if I could.

Oh, you mean he's
less likely to get shot at

in the clothes you
buy for him, huh?

That's the general idea.

Matt, aren't you gonna tell
anybody that he's half white?

I'm not telling
anybody anything, Kitty.

Well, I guess
you're probably right.

Marshal!

Well, you think these'll do?

Yeah, that looks
fine, Mr. Jonas.

Can you wrap them for me?

Oh, sure.

Oh, Marshal, uh, how's
that Indian of yours doing?

Well, he's all right.

He's still alive.

You know, there's
been a lot of talk.

I know.

I'm on your side.

I-I think you done
the right thing.

But what you're gonna do
with him when he gets well,

I sure don't know.

Well, I guess I'll just
have to think of something.

Well, there it is,
Marshal, all wrapped up.

All right, and can you, uh,
put that on my bill, Mr. Jonas?

- Sure.
- Good. Coming along?

No, I've got some
other things I got to get.

All right, well,
I'll see you later.

- See you later.
- Bye, Marshal.

Uh, Mr. Jonas, have you
got the new catalog there?

Help yourself, Miss Kitty.

Oh, thank you.

(sighs)

I brought him, Marshal.

Quint.

Need me for anything else?

No, no, thanks, Ed.

Why don't you come
on around tomorrow,

I'll give you your pay.

- All right.
- Ed.

Fewer people know
about this, the better.

I understand, Marshal.

So long.

So long, Quint.

Well, Quint, you look
pretty good in those clothes.

I don't feel so good in them.

You could get used to them.

I was used to them
once. Never again.

Quint, you know,
we're your people, too.

Just as much as the
Comanches are, maybe more.

A man usually
takes after his father.

I'm your prisoner.

What are your plans for me?

Why don't you stay here.

I'll help you.

I got a choice?

Well, certainly
you got a choice.

Then I'll go back
to the Comanches.

(sighs): All right.

I'll wait around till
dark, then I'll slip out.

Quint, you remember
last week here,

and you thought I
was setting you up

for some kind of a killing
out there in the street?

I changed my mind.

Well, that's something, anyway.

See those rifles over there?

Any of them appeal to you?

Gunfight between you and me?

No, not a gunfight, Quint.

I'm not a Comanche.

I'm giving you a rifle

to protect yourself
with on your trip.

Now, go on and take one.

Go ahead.

This one.

All right.

It's loaded.

Come on with me.

That one's yours.

♪♪

Well, Quint, this
is far as I'm going.

You're on your own.

What about your horse?

The rifle?

I usually don't go
around giving away

horses or rifles either.

Especially to Indians
that might turn around

and use them to
kill white people with.

I don't understand you.

Quint, the next time
you're faced with

killing or not
killing a white man,

you're gonna have
to make a decision.

It's gonna take some courage.

Kind I don't think
you've had to use before.

Why should I change?

I made my choice when
they murdered my pa.

Maybe.

So long.

Marshal.

Thanks.

You know where to find
me if you want to, Quint.

♪♪

(Quint whooping)

(horse whinnies)

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)
Running Horse.

(speaking Comanche)

♪♪

(dog barking)

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

(shouts in Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

♪♪

I can't!

(panting)

You speak English, huh?

Yeah.

(sighs)

You was gonna cut my throat.

Why?

I'm half Comanche.

They wanted to see if the...
whites had changed me.

You-You've been with the whites?

Yeah.

They captured me.

I got captured, too.

Right off my ranch, near Winona.

Up on the Saline River.

Did they... they
hurt your people?

No.

No, they'd all gone
to town, thank God.

But they're gonna
kill me, ain't they?

Yeah.

Look, mister.

I got me a wife and four kids.

They sure need me.

I don't know what
they'll do without me.

Ain't there nothing you can do?

After this, I'll be lucky
if they don't kill me.

Yeah, well, maybe you
better go ahead and do it.

Sure ain't no sense
in us both dying.

A week ago... I could have.

Real easy.

Mister?

Which one was white?

Your pa or your ma?

My pa.

Oh, then your ma's still
here with the tribe, huh?

No.

She died.

Last winter.

Sure sorry to hear that.

(speaking Comanche)

(shouting in Comanche)

(speaking Comanche)

♪♪

(crickets chirping)

Listen, don't kill...

Ain't there a guard outside?

Not now.

There's horses
down by the creek.

Remember, any
noise, and we both die.

♪♪

♪♪

You mean, you can hear that way?

Sometimes.

Well... they'll be here soon.

Can they outride us?

These are squaw ponies.

They're all I could get.

They'll ride us down.

Quint, if we just had
something to fight with.

Your home along the
Saline River is that way.

Now, you get going.

Alone?

Yeah. I'll take
'em off your trail.

It's me they want
most now, anyway.

You mean, you're gonna
bring 'em right down on you?

Something like that.

Maybe when they
get there, I'll be gone.

No, no, I'm going
with you, Quint.

I can't run off now.

You're not running off.

Besides, I know
every trick they do.

Maybe some they don't.

Now, you get going.

Well, maybe you would
be better off without me.

Where you going
if you do get away?

I don't know. I'm a
real renegade now.

I don't have any people.

Well, look, Quint,
you're ever up my way,

you got people.

Thanks, friend. Good luck.

(horses approaching)

♪♪

♪♪

(Doc sighs)

- Hello, Doc.
- Morning.

You got this morning's mail?

Yeah. Yeah, it came
in pretty early today.

Hmm.

I didn't get any.

You got some coffee here?

Yeah. Help yourself.

I'll be darned.

What's the matter?

Well, it's from the
sheriff up at Winona.

Winona? Where's Winona?

It's up north on
the Saline River.

- Mm.
- There's some rancher up there

by the name of Jim Grant
got taken by the Comanches.

They'd given him up, but he
rode back about a week ago.

- (chuckles)
- Says he'd been saved

by some half-breed.

Well, I'll be doggoned.

What do you think of that?

(men clamoring, running outside)

What's that out there?

Sounds like the town's on fire.

Hey, cowboy, what's going on?

Going Indian hunting,
Marshal, up Slade Canyon.

Indian hunting?

Yeah. They say
there's a lone Comanche

hanging around up there;
we're gonna flush him out.

A lone Indian?

That's what they say.

You better come along,
Marshal; it's gonna be fun.

Yeah.

Could that... could
that be Quint?

It could be, Doc.

I'm going out there.

I told you this would
be fun, Marshal.

Who's the leader of this bunch?

There ain't no leader;
it's every man for himself.

22 against one, huh?

Don't be a spoilsport, Marshal.

♪♪

♪♪

(men chattering)

Anybody find any sign?

- (men murmuring)
- No tracks at all?

Well... here comes our marshal.

Now, you men listen to me.

I... I came up here
to put a stop to this,

but it's hopeless anyway;
you're not gonna find that Indian.

Anybody wants to ride
back to town with me,

I think it'd be a good idea.

That's mighty doubtful, Marshal.

How about you, cowboy?

Yeah, I could use
a drink, all right.

All right. Let's go.

I guess this game's a
little rough for some men.

Well, like I said, I'm thirsty.

Let's get back to work!

Now, look here, men, he's
got to be in there somewhere!

We're not gonna find
him if we're all bunched up,

so let's spread out!

Well, you all set?

What am I gonna do
with these clothes I got on?

I guess we'll have to bury 'em.

You sure can't give them back
to the fella you took them from.

Well, not hardly.

How about a cup of coffee?

All right.

Thank you.

You know, Marshal,
it's a funny thing.

What?

Well, those clothes
I took off that fella...

It's plain robbery, ain't it?

Yeah, I suppose it is.

What would the
people around here say

if they knew you were
in on such thievery?

Well, about the same
thing they'd say if they knew

I was harboring a
murdering redskin, I guess.

I'm gonna have to...
leave Dodge soon.

Go someplace else.

Why?

Well, I... been enough
trouble to you already.

Well, I think the way to
keep you out of trouble

is have you around where
I can keep an eye on you.

Well, I'd have to get a job.

I never had a job before.

We can find a
job for you, Quint.

Well, I could never work inside.

No reason for you to have to.

(men clamoring outside)

What's going on out here?

(chuckles)

Say, come on, you
got to see this, Quint.

There goes your friend.

You know, I feel
right mean about that.

You do, huh?

Well... not mean enough not
to do it over again if I had to.

(Dillon chuckles)

Quint, I'll tell you something.

Long as I'm breaking
all these laws,

I think I'm just gonna
break another one.

How's that?

I'm gonna buy an
Injun some firewater.

Well, you're just
bound and determined

to get us into
trouble, aren't you?

(chuckles) Come on.