Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 8, Episode 37 - Jeb - full transcript

A prized Appaloosa, grazing alone and apparently without owner on the prairie, proves to be the ruin of more than one man.

Starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

♪♪

She's lying.

It weren't me.

She's lying, I tell you!

It weren't me who done it!

She's lying, I tell you!

No!

♪♪

♪♪



Whoa, boy.

Whoa...

Where'd you come from, old son?

Broke away, huh?

You trying it on your own, too?

Hello?

Hello?

Hello!

Like there's
somebody who'd hear.

Hello!

Speak up, or this
here son's all mine.

Oh, by golly, Kitty,
I'll tell you something.

That's a beautiful sight.

Why don't you drink it, then?



Well, I been thinking about
it for the last two hours,

and I thought I'd just kind
of enjoy it here for a minute.

If you'd have
been out in that sun

like I have...

Where you been?

Well, I had to go
to the Miller place.

Little boy got his
hand caught in a trap.

Oh... Is he all right?

Yep.

He's all right, and he
learned something, too.

He's not gonna fiddle around
with his father's traps any...

Doc! Margie's time's come.

Hurry.

Oh, for heaven's sakes, Codge...

Oh, come on, Doc, she needs you!

Now, Codge, hold it just a...

Are you sure this
time? Are you positive?

Oh, yes, sir, Doc.

She-she's regular timing.

Codge, if you drag
me all the way out

to your place again in this
hot sun for a false alarm...

Oh, no, sir, Doc.

Not this time.

She's due, and
no mistake about it.

Come on.

All right.

Oh, come on, Doc, hurry!

Whoa.

Whoa, there.

♪♪

Hey, look out!

Howdy.

Howdy yourself.

Sure is unseasonable hot.

Yeah, that it is.

You like him?

He's a fine horse.

He's mine.

He is?

Always wanted to
own me an Appaloosa.

Ain't too many a man'd
ever see like this one.

That's a fact.

No saddle and all,

that mean you're a
mind to make a sale?

Not likely.

Give you $40.

$40?

I figure that's top money.

No, I'm afraid not.

I'll hang on to him.

You change your
mind, the offer stands.

I'm glad you talked
me into coming along.

Well, it's good for a man
to get away once in a while.

I wish we could've
stayed longer.

You're the one
that couldn't spare

a couple of days, huh?

That's before you showed
me that fishing hole.

Oh, it'll still be
there. Come on.

♪♪

All right...

Santee.

Doesn't look like they
took anything but his horse.

That's not what
they came for, Matt.

How do you know?

I know.

They put these arrows
in him after he was dead.

When the Sioux
do that to an enemy,

they really hate him.

They haven't caused any trouble
around here for months, Quint.

This fella caused
his own trouble.

It's a bad way to die.

A man commits a crime,
he's got to pay for it.

They let this fella think
about whatever he did.

Well, let's get him buried.

Hey, Quint, you know, uh...

probably just as well
not to mention anything

about what we saw out there.

If you say so, Matt.

Well, people might get worried.

Might start an Indian
scare or something.

No reason to get scared.

What we saw out there wasn't
the beginning of anything.

It was the end of it.

Well, let's just leave
it that way, huh?

Sure.

Thanks for letting
me come along.

Sure. I'll see you later.

All right.

Hi, Doc.

Sam. How are you?

Ab.

Hello, Doc.

By golly, it's hot.

Sit down, Doc.

Doc.

How are you?

How's Margaret Collyer?

She's just fine.

Well, is it a boy or a girl?

How in thunder would I know?

It's another false alarm.

But Codge was so sure.

Oh, don't mention
Codge's name to me.

Too bad you couldn't have
gone fishing with us, Doc.

It was real cool out there.

You went fishing?

Yeah.

Well, why is it you
always go fishing

when I'm at my busiest?

Well, I don't plan it
that way, you know.

Well, it certainly
seems like you do.

Every time, I...

By golly, I guess it
does, at that, doesn't it?

You've missed out
on the past, uh...

two, three times,
now, haven't you?

Four times.

- Four times?
- Yeah.

Ah, and they were sure
biting good out there today, too.

Well, I don't think you show

very much consideration
for your friends.

Oh, I don't know about that.

Quint seemed to enjoy himself.

Oh, you...

took Quint, huh?

Well, yeah.

I had to take somebody along.

You're never around.

Doesn't anybody in this
town do any work except me?

Going fishing all the time.

- Howdy.
- Howdy.

You want something?

Well, I was kind of hungry.

I was looking for
something to eat.

Well, this here
is a saloon, boy.

Yes, sir.

Maybe a... a beer?

A beer would do fine, thank you.

All right.

You're the boy
with the Appaloosa.

Hello.

How was your first day in town?

I bet I covered
every foot from...

How'd you know
it was my first day?

Just a guess.

Well, it was a good one.

My name is Jeb Willis.

Ab Singleton.

Ab, if you're alone, I'd
admire to have you sit with me.

Well, thank you,
Jeb. I'd admire it, too.

Who's that with Ab?

I don't know. Never
saw him before.

He sure is wide-eyed, isn't he?

Looks like a farm boy.

Should have stayed on the farm.

Well, if you two will excuse me,

I'm gonna go upstairs
and change and freshen up.

- Sure, Kitty.
- See you later.

Right.

I just kept after Pa till
he got tired of saying no,

and then I struck out for here.

In mighty fine style from
the looks of that horse.

Oh, Pa didn't give
him to me. I found him.

You found him?

Out on the prairie.

Standing there just
as proud as feathers

in the middle of nowhere.

I hollered, but there
wasn't a soul to say no,

so I rode him away.

Jeb, the first thing you do

when you find a horse
is look for the owner.

Caught afoot's a bad thing.

A cowboy could die from it.

It didn't have no
saddle or nothing.

I figured he most
likely wandered off

from some Indian herd.

You sure you ain't telling
me some cooked up...?

It ain't much, but
you're welcome to it.

Oh, no, sir. Thank
you. That's your supper.

- I don't want to take...
- Oh, no, go on.

You bought a
beer. It goes with it.

That sure was neighborly.

Yeah, Sam can be that way.

Lord, I am as truly grateful as
I am powerful hungry. Amen.

Pa wouldn't like it so quick,

but my insides wouldn't
wait for a long one.

What was that you was saying?

Oh, nothing.

I ain't ate all day
except for this afternoon.

That bread roll.

The Appaloose got half of that.

You go ahead and eat, then.

Sure beats all how
a person like me

can get so almighty hungry.

Pa don't hold with much
'cepting what's in the Bible.

He was right sore
against my leaving.

Well, if he taught you
good when you were a boy,

he got no worry now.

Oh, he's got no
worry, no cause to.

But, Pa, he's... you
know, he's never been

more than a hundred miles
from the farm in all his life.

He ain't? Not even
during the war?

He don't hold with killing.

Not that he's afeared;

it's just that he don't
believe in taking a life

when the Lord give it.

Nothing wrong
with believing that.

Course not. I agree with it,

but I believe
there's more to living

than just milking cows
and feeding chickens.

That ain't the worst life.

No, but it's a mighty small
world when that's all you know.

I figure the world is as big
as a man is inside himself.

I sure am glad I met you.

Thanks, Jeb.

Glad to have met you, too.

I ain't never had nobody
I could talk to before.

There's Pa, but there never was
much time for talking, it seems.

It can be that way with pa's.

Think you'll ever go back?

Oh, sure.

I just had to see what's
happening someplace else.

When I've seen enough,
I'll head on home.

With a prize horse, too.

I got him stabled down
at that Grimmick stable.

Looks like it'll cost
more than I can spend.

You can always get a job.

I suppose, working
on some farm or other.

My offer to buy
him still stands.

It'd sure be nice to take him
home, show him to my pa.

It would that.

Ooh.

Sorry.

- You done that a'purpose.
- No, sir, I didn't.

- You all right?
- You mouthing off to me, boy?

Now, he said he was sorry, Andy.

Well, sorry ain't enough.

An apology is all you're
going to get from him.

This ain't none
of your affair, Ab.

It come to that
if you bully him.

Please, Ab. It was my doing.

I am sorry, mister.

Boy, you need some
learning in manners

from your elders,
don't you? Come here!

You ease off!

Good night, Andy.

He would have tore my head off.

Well, Andy gets a little
mean when he drinks.

I sure am obliged.

Where you staying?

I figured to ask the stableman
could I sleep with my horse.

You can bunk in
with me if you like.

Oh, I don't want
to put you out none.

Oh, you won't put me out.

Then I'd be grateful.
I would for sure.

All right.

I'm sorry for the
ruckus, Miss Kitty.

That's all right, Ab.

- Good night to you.
- Night.

Come on.

No, sir, you hold on.

I'm paying for
this here breakfast.

Oh, don't be silly, Jeb.

Won't be no other way.

Lets me say thanks to you
for putting me up last night.

Well, your money
ain't gonna last long

you start spending like that.

Could be I'll have plenty

if you still want to
buy that Appaloosie.

I thought you were
gonna keep him.

I figured on it last night, Ab.

That there's really more horse

than a person like
me should own.

I'd like you to have
him if you still want him.

I'll buy him, gladly.

Good, only $40 is too much,
way I come on him and all.

Now, I made the
offer, and it stands.

I figured $30 would
be more than right.

I said $40.

That's what you said.

- It's settled, then.
- Good.

You want to, we can go down

to the livery stable
and pick him up now.

If I want to? Let's go.

Hello, Doc.

You're up awful early
this morning, aren't you?

What do you mean, up early?

I've been up half the
night with Margaret Collyer.

Oh. What was it this time?

Well, she had a boy finally.

That makes about
nine, doesn't it?

Ten.

Six boys and four girls.

She ought to be getting
the hang of it by now.

You'd think so.

- Morning, Marshal, Doc.
- Ab.

This here is Jeb
Willis. Just into town.

This is Marshall
Dillon, Dr. Adams.

- Marshal.
- Jeb.

Dr. Adams, mighty proud
to know a man like you, sir.

That so? Thank you.

Yes, sir, just like my pa says:

Doctors and preachers...
Special people.

Hmm. Hear that?

Well, how do you like Dodge?

Oh, I ain't never seen
nothing like it, Marshal.

It sure is sizable.

Plan to stay here long?

Long as my money holds out.

Speaking of which, me and
Ab's got something to take care of.

If you'd excuse us.

- Sure.
- Sure.

- Nice meeting you both.
- See you later, Marshal.

Seems like a nice young fella.

Yeah. And he ought to
be staying on the farm.

- Hmm?
- Just repeating what you said last night.

Want to get some breakfast?

Yeah, that's what
I was gonna do.

♪♪

- Hi, Marshal.
- Sam.

Hi, Kitty, Ab.

- Hello, Matt.
- Hi, Marshal.

Well, uh, Ab and I

have just been talking
here about young Jeb.

You know, the two of them are
getting to be real good friends.

Yeah, he made quite an
impression on Doc this morning.

He's kind of hard not to like.

Yeah, he's green as a
gourd, though, isn't he?

Maybe so, Marshal, but I think
that's why people take to him.

That why you took
him under your wing?

Somebody had
to take care of him.

I best be going, Miss Kitty.

- Bye.
- See you later, Marshal.

So long.

- Hey, Sam, give me a beer, will you?
- Yes.

I thought you were
gonna get a haircut today.

Well, I did. What do you mean?

Looks the same
as it did yesterday.

Well, you know Teeters.

He does more talking
than he does cutting.

Well, if I were you,

I'd go get another haircut
or get my money back.

Hey.

Chambers, mon ami.

Hey, you.

Hey, one minute, huh?

You want something?

Where you think you
go with that horse?

Well, who the devil are you?

I ask you question.

I don't like the way
you asked the question.

Ah, no matter what you like.

This is my partner
Chambers' horse.

You come down from...

You horse thief.

I catch you!

You've got your
lines fouled, mister.

You steal that
horse from my friend!

You call this man a horse
thief, you'd better know!

I call you thief like you are!

Horse thief!

This man's no horse thief.

He was riding my
partner's horse.

And my partner would
rather sell his two arms

than sell that
horse. Horse thief!

Some of you men get him
to Doc's right away, will you?

All right, you,
you're going to jail.

Let's go.

Ab!

Ab?

Keep away, boy.

He's my friend. What happened?

Fella just stabbed him.

What are you talking about?

They was fighting
over that Appaloosa.

- What?!
- Yeah, a man called him a horse thief.

Stabbed him.

♪♪

Ab?

Ab?

Please don't die.

I'm awful sorry.

It's my fault.

It's all my doing.

You didn't steal that horse.

No, Ab.

I didn't. I swear I didn't.

Good.

Dr. Adams?

♪♪

Look, Marshal.

I am a stranger
in this town, huh?

I was to meet my partner here.

And I saw a man riding
away with his horse.

So I stop him.

Now, what else should
I have done, huh?

Did you think to ask him
where he got the horse?

I think nothing.

Except he tried to run away.

When I stop him,
he wants to fight.

He pulls a knife.

Well, I fight back.

Was that wrong, hmm?

It so happens I know this boy
and he wouldn't steal a horse.

Hmm, but I do not know him.

I'll find where he got it.

And while you do, I have
to stay locked up here?

For, uh, stopping what I
believe was a horse thief?

For defending myself.

Marshal Dillon?

I just saw Ab.

He's dead.

It's my doing he's dead.

He bought that there
Appaloosa from me.

Then you stole it from Chambers.

No, sir, I didn't
steal it from nobody.

I found it out on the prairie.

That is a lie.

He was just standing
there grazing.

He didn't have no
saddle or nothing.

Just a hackamore.

I rode him to town.

Ab offered to buy him.

I sold it to him this morning.

That is not true.

You stole it from Chambers
while he was asleep.

Or out of his camp.

It's like I said.

Where was this?

Ten, 15 miles east.

Wait a minute... what did
this Chambers look like?

Was he a big man with a scar?

Yes.

You have seen him?

Yeah, I've seen him.

We found him hanging
upside down in a tree

with three arrows in his back.

Well, then believe
this, Marshal.

Chambers was caught afoot

because his horse could
outrun the best the Indians have.

Hey.

If the horse had been
there, the Indians,

they would have taken it, no?

I suppose so.

Hmm, but they did not, huh?

Why?

Because he had stolen it,

and left Chambers afoot to die.

Now, what more reason
do you need to hang him?

Let's go, Jeb.

You let that fella
Chouteau go, huh?

Well, I had to.

The way it worked
out, it was self-defense.

Well, you think the
kid stole the horse?

I don't know.

Well, the Indians
could've spooked him.

Made him run off.

They could have.

You're not sure?

Quint, I want you to
do something for me.

What's that?

Bring this boy Jeb
over here with you

where you can
keep an eye on him.

The mood this
fella Chouteau is in,

it's either that or lock the
boy up for his own good.

Matt, I got things to do.

I don't want any kid
hanging around here.

Well, there's nobody
else I can ask, Quint.

If there's trouble, I want
somebody that can handle it.

All right.

I'll put him to work.

- Thanks.
- Where you going?

Well, I'm going out to look
around, see what I can find.

You're going after
those Santees.

Matt, that wasn't any
young buck's doing.

That was Santee revenge.

They're not gonna
take too kindly

to anybody coming around
poking, asking questions.

Boy's over at Doc's office.

I'll be back as soon as I can.

All right.

Well, how do you
like smithing, Jeb?

Takes doing,
especially in all this heat.

Well, it'll help you
work up an appetite.

I ain't too hungry.

Well, you get cleaned up,
you'll change your mind.

Yes, sir.

Jeb.

The marshal's
gonna work things out.

I know he is.

Not what I done to Ab, he ain't.

Nothing gonna work that out.

Whiskey.

Matt should've
kept him locked up.

Well, he doesn't got
any grounds for that.

Have you seen Jeb?

Yeah, I stopped by Quint's.

How's he taking it?

Taking it pretty hard.

He just couldn't
have stolen that horse.

That's right... I
don't think so.

When Jeb knew Ab was
dying, he told him then

that he didn't steal
the horse, and...

that's enough
for me right there.

That ought to end it.

Well, yes, except
that Matt's got

to prove it one way or another.

Hey, you.

Keep your hands off him.

You leave a man
stranded on the prairie?

There is nothing
worse one can do.

Nobody proved he did that.

I have... for myself.

Well, you're not the law.

Maybe not, but I know what to do

to one who has
done such a thing.

Well, you're gonna
have to get past me first.

Mister, the man you
killed was my friend.

I wouldn't sell him
no stolen horse.

And the man those Indians
killed... he was my friend,

but they would not
have been able to do it...

I didn't steal his horse!

Come on, Jeb.

Quint?

Why don't you come on
over here and sit down?

Kitty. Doc.

Hello. How are you?

Jeb.

Dr. Adams.

Don't pay any
attention to him, Jeb.

I reckon he has sorrow,
too, with all his hate for me.

Well, anyhow, don't
let him frighten you.

Miss Kitty, I'm sick with fear,

just like I'm sick with
what I done to Ab.

Look, I thought we came
in here for a glass of beer.

My stomach
couldn't hold nothing.

Took him over to
Delmonico's, Doc,

and he wouldn't have any supper.

Well, for heaven's sake, Jeb,
you-you can't go without food.

I'll have Sam fix you something.

I appreciate you, I surely do,

being so friendly and all.

Well, Jeb, you're...

a friendly sort of
a fella yourself.

♪♪

I speak some.

Waosh-ta.

Don't pay any
attention to him, Jeb.

He's more talk
than anything else.

Why won't he believe me?

Well, he's probably
like a lot of people.

Just sees things
the way he wants to,

and not the way they really are.

Inside, I feel like I'm standing

as lonesome as the
only person in the world.

You're not standing alone, Jeb.

We're standing
along right with you.

I know, and I'm grateful.

But the feeling's
there just the same.

Mr. Quint... the worst
trouble I ever had before was

my pa getting mad at me
'cause I was slow with the chores.

Things are gonna work out, Jeb.

Now, get on that
handle and start turning.

So, Chief, as you can
see, the boy's life depends

on what I find out here.

Is that your only
reason for coming here?

It is.

Mmm.

Come. We go.

Ask him what you will.

Do you know anything
about a white man

that was killed a few days ago?

Yes.

Was there a horse in his camp,

a large one, spotted?

You think more of the
horse than the man?

Right now I do.

You knew him?

No.

He committed a crime.

Was the horse in camp
when you were there?

It was.

It was frightened away.

We were not there to steal.

Thank you.

You go now?

Yes.

Would you like to
know the man's crime?

What was it?

In that tepee...

a woman lies dying
by her own will.

The man I killed
found her alone.

She is my squaw.

I'm sorry.

Both our laws
have been satisfied.

But I have not been!

If I killed him a
thousand times...

I still would not be.

♪♪

♪♪

Whew!

Just don't seem like this
heat will ever let up, Miss Kitty.

Sure makes you
forget winter awful fast.

I'm sure glad I'm
not out there in it.

Well, from the
looks of this place,

neither is anybody else.

You can't blame 'em.

You might know he'd be out.

Beer.

Hmm.

The sight of me
bothers you, huh?

As a matter of fact, it does.

Because I feel as I do

for the one who caused
my friend's death?

Because you're
hounding that boy.

Boy, man...

My friend is still dead.

He told you, he
didn't steal that horse.

You believe him?

Yes.

Well, I do not.

Why don't you let
the law decide this?

The law in this town

seems very little
concerned for strangers.

That just isn't true.

It so happens that
just a few days ago

Jeb was a stranger.

Yes.

But he's a boy...

young...

so you believe him.

I believe him.

Mmm. Tell me, mademoiselle,

if this boy, uh...

if he were big
and ugly like I am,

would you still believe him?

You see...

because of what
I believe he did...

to me, he is big and ugly.

And he will pay.

♪♪

Jeb.

Give me a hand, will you?

Mr. Quint.

Put these tools away.

What do you want?

I have no quarrel with you.

I've come for him.

If he's guilty,
that's up to the law.

There are no ifs.

And your law has been too slow.

Well, you're gonna have
to wait on it anyway, mister.

I do not think so,
Monsieur Blacksmith.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Hey, you.

Come out.

Come on, you heard
me... Come out!

Mister, please, you
got to believe me.

Why?

'Cause what I told you was true.

Now, please listen.

Huh! Story about
finding the horse?

It's true, all of it.

I found him on the prairie,
and I rode him to town,

and I... I sold him to Ab.

Now, please listen.

Matt!

What happened to you, Quint?

I'm all right. That
fella Chouteau

came looking for the
kid; I tried to stop him.

- Where are they now?
- Well, the kid ran out,

and Chouteau went after him.

Mister, please!

Don't come no closer.

I got me a gun!

Don't make me kill you!

You all right?

I killed him.

Well, it was either him or you.

On account of me, two are dead.

All I wanted to do was see
something besides the farm,

and two are dead
on account of it.

It's all right, boy.

Pa will never hold
with what I done.

We'll talk about it later.

Let's get you out
of here right now.

Why don't you go
have Doc look at him?

I didn't mean for nothing
like this to happen.

Just took a horse nobody wanted,

and the whole world come
apart right in my hands.

Somehow it just
don't seem to figure.

Pa will never hold
with what I done.

I didn't mean for nothing
like this to happen.

♪♪