Gunsmoke (1955–1975): Season 9, Episode 7 - Quint's Trail - full transcript

Starring James
Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

You're not gonna find a
better outfit than this, Mr. Neff.

Well, it looks
substantial enough.

Course, it's a long
way to Oregon, Clardy.

Seems like forever.

This rig will get us there
and back, if need be.

We won't be coming back.

Well, looks like there's
plenty of room in there.

Yes, sir.

My, uh, wife and daughter,



I'll want them to be as
comfortable as possible.

Well, ain't none
of 'em hammocks,

but, uh, your
womenfolk will be riding

the best there is,
you can bank on it.

I, uh... I don't know
much about wagon stock.

I've always had just a... a
horse and a buggy myself,

but, uh... they look strong.

Well, they have to be.

They'll pull a full weight as
high as 15, 18 miles a day.

Well, I've taken your word
on everything else, Clardy.

Now it's up to you and this
outfit to get us to Oregon.

All it takes now
is money, Mr. Neff.

Oh, yes. You, uh...

you said, uh, $3,000?



Yes, sir.

Any reason why we, uh,

can't get started
in the morning?

I'll meet you right
here on this spot.

All right.

I'm, uh, very anxious to
get started as soon as I can.

- I'll meet you here about sunup.
- Yes, sir.

- I beg your pardon.
- Yeah, sure.

You through messing
around with my rig, mister?

Uh, yeah.

Thanks for the use of it.

Had to eat breakfast anyway.

Easiest $50 I ever made.

It's a good-looking outfit.

Where you bound?

Colorado Territory.

Good luck to you.

Cyrus?

Why, Florie, what's wrong?

I hope you've brought
good news, dear.

Can we be packed by morning?

Dear, yes!

How, uh...

how is Belle, Florie?

She's so restless, Cyrus,

so troubled.

She paces that room
like it was a prison cell.

She'll be fine once
we get moving, Florie.

Come on, let's tell her.

♪♪

♪♪

Belle?

I, uh... I thought
you might be resting.

I'm sick of resting, Father.

I rest, and then
at night I sleep

so I can get up and
rest the next day.

Papa's brought good news, Belle.

I'll bet I can handle it.

You, uh...

you won't be just
resting tomorrow, honey.

I've bought our outfit, and, uh,

we'll be heading up to the
Oregon Trail tomorrow at sunup.

And I won't have to look out
on that dirty street anymore?

How can you deprive me of that?

I told Papa we
wouldn't mind packing.

Clardy got us two
fine-looking wagons,

and the stock is
good and strong.

What's he like?

We're gonna have to plan
what to wear, you know, Belle.

Traveling by wagon's
different than we're used to.

I asked what he's like,
Papa, this man, Clardy.

Well, he, uh... he's
just a man, Belle.

Oh, now, Papa...

you and I both know
there are all kinds of men.

And I'm asking
you what kind he is.

Well, he... he seems a
pleasant enough man, honey.

And how... old is
the pleasant man?

Well, he's... older than you are

and... younger than I am.

Now...

you're not to worry, Belle.

I know I'm not to worry...

but I do.

But we'll be with
you every minute.

Is that supposed to comfort me?!

You're not to talk to
your mother like that.

We always mean to comfort you.

Well, then you wipe out
all the shadows, Papa.

You blot out all the bad
things I've got to remember.

I would if I could, honey.

No one can do that for you.

Oh, Belle.

I'm not much for
being... touched.

All right, Papa...

starting tomorrow,
it's a new life.

I'm gonna hold you to that.

♪♪

♪ Walkin' down the road
with a pack on my back ♪

♪ Pack on my back,
pack on my back ♪

♪ A-walkin' down the road
with a pack on my back ♪

♪ Gettin' along
to Califor-ni-a ♪

♪ I never got farther
than Arkansas ♪

♪ Arkansas ♪

♪ Arkansas ♪

♪ I never got farther
than Arkansas ♪

♪ Gettin' along
to Califor-ni-a. ♪

Signed...

Chester Goode...

Marshal.

- Are you the marshal?
- Uh, no.

- Well, I must see him.
- Well, he ain't here right now.

Is there anything
that I can do for you?

Well, if you're in charge...

Well, I'm in charge
until tomorrow, that is.

Uh, what's the matter?

Well, a very great deal
is the matter, I'm afraid.

Well, here, uh, sit down

- and have a seat and...
- Thank you.

Does, uh...

does the name Clardy
mean anything to you?

Clardy?

Clardy. Clardy. No, no.

Well, he represented
himself to me

as qualified to guide me and
my family up to the North Platte.

Yesterday he, uh... he
showed me a trail outfit...

Stock, wagons,
all the equipment...

And, uh, I paid
him $3,000 for it.

We were to leave this morning.

You're, uh... you're
Mr. Cyrus Neff?

From Collinsville,
Illinois, yes.

Uh, Chester Goode.

Well, this morning,
there was no trail outfit,

no Clardy and...

of course, no money.

He stole away with it?

Well, I don't know
what else to think.

Everything is gone.

Well, how long
have you known him?

Well, I just met him for
the first time yesterday.

And you gave him $3,000?

Well, we did correspond,
as you can see.

Matter of fact, there was
this man back in Collinsville

who knew we were going west,

and, uh, he put me
in touch with Clardy.

Said he'd been a wagon
master on the Oregon Trail.

Well, it's all there
in the letters.

Well... Mr. Neff,

uh, folks bound for Oregon...
Coming from Illinois, that is...

They... they usually don't
come through Dodge here at all.

Oh, I know that,

but, uh, Florie...
That's my wife...

She has this sister in Meade,

and as we won't be
coming back this way,

she wanted to
see her once again.

And what with this Clardy
being from Dodge City,

well, it seemed ideal.

Yeah. Uh, would
you like a drink?

No, thank you.

Well, it would be ideal,
that is, if he was here.

Well, but...

I saw him here yesterday.

But you don't see him today.

I'll tell you, Mr. Neff...

I know just about
everybody in Dodge.

I lived here a long time.

If you're saying
that... I'm a fool,

I... I'm afraid I know
that better than anyone.

Well, I'm sure sorry for
what's happened to you,

and I'll do everything
I can to help you.

Me and Mr. Dillon, we're...

we're used to
handling cases like this.

Thank you.

Oh, uh...

I still need a trail
outfit and a guide.

Well, don't you think you
ought to take one thing at a time?

Well, it's very
important for us...

That is, uh, my wife and
my daughter and myself...

To get up to the Oregon
Trail as quick as possible.

So, if you know
of a guide, uh...

a reputable guide, I'm
at the Dodge House.

By golly, Mr. Neff, you
must be an awful rich man.

Nope.

I'm a desperate man.

Huh. Well, that oughtn't
to be too much of a trick.

As it turned out, there was a
trail outfit in Dodge yesterday,

but it belonged to
a man named Finch,

and he was on his
way to Colorado.

By golly, I think
that's just wonderful.

You know, Pinkerton
and his detectives

ought to... ought
to know about this.

Don't you think so, Kitty?

Well, if he keeps
up with work like this,

they're bound to
find out about him.

Well, I-I didn't do nothing

that, uh, would
interest the Pinkertons.

Oh, well, you found out

all about this Finch
fella, single-handed.

No, I just asked
Jonas about him.

He's the one that told me.

All good detectives are modest.

- Oh, Doc, for heaven's sakes.
- Well, no, I mean it.

Now, you add
modesty to your, uh,

natural intuitive
powers of deduction

and your normally
cool head, and...

Oh, my head ain't
cool the least little bit.

Well, go on, laugh.

I mean, ain't it handy
that you got me to laugh at.

I-I think that your lives
would be just a little bit skimpy

- if you didn't have me to poke fun at.
- Not a bit.

Yes, it would,
too. Mighty skimpy.

So you just stick around.

Well, I sure don't intend to.

No?

Yeah, no.

Where you going?

Well, I'm gonna
head up a wagon train

to the Oregon Trail.

Wait a minute,
did I hear you say

you're gonna head
up a wagon train?

That's right, I'm gonna
head up a wagon train.

I'm gonna scout
ahead and find the water

and get the campsites
and all such as that.

Are you serious?

Well, I ain't all just
chuckles and smiles.

I got... I got my
sober side, you know.

Well, by golly, you
better start using it.

You're not equipped
for a job like that.

Chester, that's a
big responsibility.

Well, I know that. I know
it's a big responsibility.

For heaven's sakes,
me and Mr. Dillon,

we've trailed to the
North Platte enough times.

Yes. You haven't been up
there alone with a wagon train.

Just two, Doc,
that's all. Just two.

Doesn't make any difference.

The wagons will
be lost, you'll be lost.

Chester, I think you ought
to talk to Matt about this

when he gets back.

Well, I certainly am
gonna do that, naturally.

Me and Mr. Dillon,
we-we talk about things,

but it would be nice if-if
once in a while I could feel like

that you've got
some faith in me.

We got a lot of faith in you.

Certainly. Just once
in a while, you act

like you haven't
got a grain of sense.

Well, that's a real nice
thing for you to say.

Thanks a lot, Doc.

Well, good evening
there, Mr. Neff.

Nice to see you
again, Mr. Goode.

Uh, I, uh... I'd like
you to meet my family.

- This is my wife.
- Mr. Goode. -Mrs. Neff.

And, uh, my daughter, Belle.

Miss Belle.

Uh, this is the man I
was telling you about.

He-he works for Marshal Dillon.

Oh. We'd certainly
be most grateful

for any help you could
give us, Mr. Goode.

Well, I certainly
intend to help you

in any way that I can.

As a matter of fact,

I'm gonna talk to Mr. Dillon
when he gets back,

and, uh, I'm not sure,

but I think that I'll trail you
up to North Platte myself.

Well, thank you.

Good evening to you.

This Clardy... whoever
he is... Sure could palaver.

You know, Mr. Dillon, I think
I'll spend the first night there

on the Pawnee, where
it kind of tails down.

Seems to me like I've
heard that name before.

Oh, it's-it's a real common
name. Real common.

- It is?
- Yeah, well, you know,

there's this crick
and the Indian tribe

and I guess, uh,
maybe a town or...

An Indian tribe named Clardy?

No. Pawnee. I was talking
about the Pawnee Crick here.

Well, Chester, I'm
talking about this Clardy.

Oh, well, I...

I, you know... I
didn't quite hear you.

My mind is kind of on my
planning my trip here, and...

Can't put a face with
that name, though.

I guess it must not have been
anybody I ever knew very well.

We could take on
water here at the Walnut.

That'd kind of get
us up to maybe...

well, to Smoky Hill River.

Chester, I'm going on
over to the Dodge House

and have a talk with Mr. Neff.

This Hackberry
Crick's a real nice place.

You-you remember that
little grove of cottonwoods

on the Hackberry, Mr. Dillon?

Now, Chester, look,

you're not seriously
thinking of yourself,

uh, taking the Neffs up
into this North Platte country.

Oh, I'm just as serious as I
can be about it, Mr. Dillon.

My goodness, it's just
three forks of the Solomon,

two forks of the Sappa and then
you're right in Nebraska there.

Well, yeah, but
that is a big job

taking even one wagon
up into that country.

We're gonna have two.

Chester, it takes a man
of great experience to...

to go on a trail like that.

You mean like Mr. Jim
Bridger or Mr. Kit Carson.

Well, yeah, something like that.

Well, I aim to take
time off, Mr. Dillon.

That is, if you can spare me.

I think this trip here
would just be the ticket.

I'll be over at the Dodge House.

This Clardy was a pretty
slick customer, wasn't he?

Yes, and I was pretty
naive, Marshal, I know.

Afraid you were, Mr. Neff.

Cyrus is no fool, Marshal.

We were making
decisions very quickly.

We needed help, and this
Clardy seemed to offer it.

Anybody picks on me has to fight

the both of us.

Good thing I didn't come
up here to fight, then, isn't it?

Well, it's just that Cyrus
has taken so much blame,

and he's got so
much responsibility.

Now, Florie, the
marshal is a busy man.

The thing is, I've got
to get another trail outfit

so we can start north
as soon as possible.

Well, I can understand that,
but seems to me, if I were you,

I'd, uh, just as soon catch
up with this Clardy first.

Well, I'll have to
leave that for you to do.

I'll do what I can, but, uh,

chances are he
was just a drifter.

Now, if he was, we probably
won't catch up with him,

either one of us.

Well, I think we've
already faced that fact.

Now, as far as getting
somebody to take you up north,

that's not gonna
be easy, either.

Well, uh, your Mr. Goode said
that he might undertake the job.

Well, I, uh...

I'm afraid I'm not gonna
be able to spare Mr. Goode.

Back home, we heard of nothing
but the wagons moving west.

There must be someone.

Well, if I tried to handle
it myself, Marshal...

I wouldn't recommend
that, Mr. Neff.

However, I do know one man

that might possibly
be interested in the job.

If he is, I'll have him
get in touch with you.

All right. Thank you.

Oh, uh, Belle, this
is Marshal Dillon.

This is my daughter, Belle.

How do you do?

Marshal. For a moment,

I thought we'd found the
man we've been looking for.

Well, I'm afraid not.

I'll have this man
get in touch with you.

- Thank you.
- Mrs. Neff.

We thank you for
coming, Marshal.

You're welcome.

Yes, we do, Marshal.

Miss Belle.

This wouldn't be your way
of getting me out of town

for a couple of weeks, would it?

Well, I got to get rid of the
troublemakers once in a while,

you know, give the
town a fresh start.

Uh-huh.

Well, North Platte's
a two-week trip.

These people know that?

Well, yeah, they're pretty
green, Quint, but they seem

like nice people, and they're
really anxious to get a start.

I hope you didn't pass me off

as a seasoned wagon
master or something.

No, I didn't pass
you off at all.

I just said you're somebody
who might be interested in the job.

I might be.

Hunting and fishing's
pretty good along the way.

Well, why don't you stop
over and see him, then?

His name is Neff.

I, uh, don't suppose it'd
make any difference to you,

but he's sure got
a pretty daughter.

No, that, uh... that
wouldn't interest me none.

Okay, well, I didn't
figure it would.

I just thought I'd mention it.

Say, uh, you don't
remember a fellow

by the name of Clardy, do you?

Well, if he was
in here, I, uh...

I didn't hear his name.

Yeah. Well...

I, um, find this
fellow Neff at the, uh,

Dodge House, you say?

Yeah, that's where
you'll find him.

If you want to.

Mr. Dillon.

What's the matter? Are you
expecting a herd of buffalo

through here or something?

I tell you, that
there is a heavy one.

- Well, it's about 18 pounds, yeah.
- Yeah. Just...

- Hey, what are you setting up for here?
- Oh.

Well, you... you'll want
to use your desk here.

I know that.

Now, just what are
you doing, Chester?

Well, I-I wanted to be
ready for anything, you know.

Well, looks like you are. Yeah.

Course, I don't know that I'm
gonna have to use all of these,

but Mr. Jonas had 'em, so I
just figured I'd get one of each,

just to make sure, you know.

Well, if you're figuring
to replace Fort Dodge,

you got a pretty
good start at it there.

You know, I think
that Mr. Neff's

a little bit skitterish
about making this trip.

When he sees all the
protection he's gonna buy,

why, he'll feel a little
bit better about it.

But, Chester, I already
talked to Mr. Neff

about having Quint
take him on north.

Quint? Well, I...

I don't get the
drift of that at all.

He's a good man
for the job, isn't he?

Well, yeah. I mean, he's
good enough all right.

I just... Mr. Dillon, I just
as much as told Mr. Neff

that I'd do it.

Well, I know you did.

Well, and-and then I
told you, too, this morning,

standing right here.

I-I said if you could spare
me that I had that in mind.

Well, if I could
spare you, yeah.

And then I went ahead
and I got the guns

from Mr. Jonas, and-and
I talked to Hooker Gee

about the horses and
the wagons, and I...

Well, you can
spare me, can't you?

Well, what about Clardy?

Well, I don't know a thing
in the world about Clardy.

Seems to me, if we
want to help the Neffs,

we ought to find Clardy
and get their money back.

Well, I-I never thought
about it like that. I...

Mr. Dillon, you-you think

that Quint is better suited
for the job, don't you?

Chester, he's had
more experience

trailing than you have.

Well, I ain't no greenhorn.

No.

I'll tell you, Mr. Dillon,

it just... it-it grates on me.

I tell a body what I'm gonna
do, and they right away get busy

and either laugh right
in my face or tell me

that I don't know how to do
what I say that I'm gonna do.

Uh, it makes me tired.

Well, Chester, some men
are suited for one thing

and some men are
suited for another.

Well, there's more
to it than just that.

Well, I happen to think
you're better suited for this job.

Well, I...

I-I'm better suited
for being a lawman.

I mean, there-there ain't
no question about that.

I been helping you
here for quite some time.

That's right.

Well...

Mr. Neff will just have
to understand that...

duty comes first.

Well, he'll understand.

I already told him
I needed you here.

Well, you didn't
have to do that.

I could've handled it myself.

Here, let me give
you a hand here.

No, no. I got 'em
over here by myself.

I can... I can get 'em back.

Well, your terms seem
satisfactory, Mr. Asper.

Quint. I'm used to Quint.

All right, then. Quint.

That, uh... that's
an interesting name.

My mother was
Comanche, Mr. Neff.

Oh. I see.

If that matters to
you, say it now.

What matters to me is that my
wife, my daughter and myself

get safely to North Platte.

All right.

Take about two weeks.

That is, if
everything goes well.

Wagons break down sometimes.

There's always a chance
of renegades, white and red.

And the weather's
never on our side.

You... you don't sound
very encouraging.

Well, all of those
things could happen

or maybe none of 'em.

Can you get us outfitted?

We can leave in the morning.

Well, uh, how much do I owe you?

You pay the outfitter tomorrow,

and you pay me at
the end of the trip.

You trust me?

We have to trust
each other, Mr. Neff.

Yes, Quint, we do.

I'll see you in the morning.

What is it, Belle?

Is he the one?

Oh, well, now, that's
up to Papa to decide.

He knows best
about things like that.

I think maybe he does.

Well, good luck, Mr. Neff.

Good-bye, Marshal.

Sure appreciate
everything you done.

You bet.

Hello, Belle.

Help me up, Marshal?

Sure.

I have this wagon
to myself, Marshal.

All to myself.

I'll see you in a
few weeks, Matt.

Quint, have a good trip.

Thank you.

Ready to roll, Mr. Neff!

Hyah!

♪♪

♪♪

Course, I-I was... I was gonna
take 'em north myself, Moss,

but me and Mr. Dillon, we...

we got our work to do.

You're hard at it, I see.

Well, Mr. Dillon's doing
the spadework right now.

He's over there at the
telegraph office telegraphing

to see if any lawmen
know this-this Clardy fella.

Clardy? What Clardy?

Well, the one that
stole Mr. Neff's money

and run off with it.

Well, I knew a Clardy.

Came in here a few days ago
and paid me a big stable bill.

Well, why in the world
didn't you say so, Moss?

Nobody's been doing any
spadework on me, that's why.

- Well, where is he?
- I don't know.

But he said he wouldn't
see me for a long time.

I'll tell you one thing.

I've known this Clardy
for a good many years.

- He never had any money before.
- Well, does he live here or...?

He used to have a shack
down on Crooked Creek.

I can't say that he still does.

I was fishing down there once,

and, uh, that's how
I met up with him.

Yeah, well, can you tell
me where the shack is?

Oh, sure, sure. Here.

Here's the Arkansas.

Now, you cross the
Arkansas about here,

then you bear
south and west a little

till you come to Sublette.

- Yeah.
- All right.

You sure you can
remember all this to tell Matt?

- Yeah, I can remember it, Moss.
- All right.

Just, now, you've
passed Sublette there.

You've passed Sublette,
and about two miles beyond,

there's a grove of
cottonwood trees.

You pass on by them, and...

Oh, this is a beautiful
spot to camp, isn't it, Florie?

Yes. You know, all
day, I've been thinking.

We're on our way.

We're really on our way at last.

Things are better already.

I can feel it.

Oh, uh, can I give
you a hand, Quint?

You're bound and
determined to do all the work

around here,
aren't you, Mr. Neff?

I was just remarking to Florie,

I feel pretty good about today.

Well, you should.

You handled that team like
you were raised with them.

Yeah. Seems like I
got the knack all right.

But I had a pretty good
teacher, don't forget.

18 miles the first
day... That's good time.

Gonna give 'em some water.

Right.

What a curious ritual.

Don't you know
how to drink water?

Show me how.

It's easy. You'll catch on.

My parents seem very
pleased with you, Quint.

I'm not sure I am.

Well, I'm not working for you.

I'm working for your father.

Well, the ride was hot
and dusty all the way.

Well, it's not gonna
get much better.

What have they
told you about me?

Nothing.

That's a lie!

Told me your name's
Belle, you're their daughter.

That's not all.

That's all.

Oh, but it can't be.
They always explain me.

"Belle's not
herself these days."

"It's a restless time for her."

"She's quite nervous, you know."

What did they tell you, Quint?

I told you... nothing.

I can't see that
it matters, Belle.

Oh, it matters, Quint.

You'll find out how
much it matters.

♪♪

- Hi, Doc.
- Matt, how are you?

Kitty.

Say, you... either of
you seen Chester?

Not today. Have you?

No. Why?

As a matter of fact, um,

I haven't seen him around
here in a couple of days.

Well, I, uh, guess maybe I
ought to take the blame for that.

What do you mean?

Well, I-I told him he wouldn't
make a very good wagon master.

Well, I found this on
my desk this morning

when I came back
from the telegraph office.

Listen to this.

"Don't worry yourself none.

"I'm off doing law
work like I'm cut out for.

"Might be gone a few days.

Your friend, Chester."

I, uh, just thought
maybe he'd come in here

and given you one
of his heavy hints.

No, I don't think he'd come
to me if he had pneumonia.

What does he mean,
"doing law work"?

Well, he must have heard me

talking about
this fellow Clardy.

Now, I've telegraphed
every peace officer in Kansas.

Nobody's ever heard of the man.

I guess we were
pretty hard on him, Doc.

For heaven's sakes, we were
just joshing him like we always do.

You don't think he'd go out

after this Clardy
by himself, do you?

He might try, Doc, but, uh,

he wouldn't even know
what the man looks like.

It would be quite a
feather in his cap, though,

if he brought him
in, wouldn't it?

Feather? Good heavens,
he'd swell up like a peacock.

Well... I kind of
hope he does it.

Somehow or other,
I hope he does it.

Your name Clardy?

What the devil's the idea?!

I said, is your name Clardy?

Well... yeah.

Yeah, but I'd have told you
that without you'd roped me!

- I come for the money.
- What money?

Don't you rile me.

You stole some
money off of Mr. Neff

by selling him a trail outfit
that didn't belong to you.

Who are you?

I'm the man that's
gonna blow your head off

if you don't give me the money.

Oh. All right, all right.

I'm mighty serious, mister.

Yeah, you are. I see that.

- Come on.
- Oh, you'll cut me in two!

I want you to get the idea. I
don't want to be trifled with!

Ain't got no mind for it!
You got the money on you?

No. No, I ain't.

It's in the shack.

- I'll get it for you.
- Come on!

Hey, now, wait a
minute! Hold it, mister!

You're splitting me wide open!

- Mister, can't...
- Get in there!

Let up on the rope there!

- I'll get it! I'll get it!
- Get in there!

All right.

♪♪

I wonder if I could
disturb your sleep.

Something the matter?

It's a good time of night.

No stomp of horses' hooves
or drone of wagon wheels.

I like this time best.

You ought to get some sleep.

I want to know about you.

Well, I'm a man who likes
to sleep when he's tired.

Right now, I'm tired.

There's no way for
me to get to know you

with my parents around.

Well, I'm what I seem to be.

I wonder which part of
you is shy with women...

The white man or the red man.

Well, that's not a
mixture for shyness.

Shy is a woman's word.

Then you're afraid of me?

At least you smile at something.

Yeah, I even laugh
out loud sometimes.

You look at me,

you see nothing, feel nothing?

I don't believe you.

The Comanches, my mother...

She believed the man
should make the choice.

Then perhaps you don't see me

because I'm not a
Comanche woman.

I believe the fruit you
must reach for is better

than what falls at your feet.

You're a strange man.

A very strange man.

Do you know why
we need you at all,

why we left Illinois?

I told you it doesn't matter.

Well, I want you to know.

I want you to think about this.

I killed a man.

♪♪

Belle?

You about ready to start, Belle?

Belle?

Cyrus?

What's wrong, Florie?

She's gone. Belle's gone.

Well, now, maybe she's
down by the stream.

I'll have a look.

Belle?

Belle?

Belle?

Belle?

Can you hear me?

Belle?

Belle?

- She's not there.
- But she took breakfast with us.

Oh, where could
she have gone, dear?

Why has she done this?

I don't know, Florie, but
she can't have gone far.

I went down to the
stream to wash our plates,

and when I came back, I just
supposed she'd be in her wagon.

- I'll find her.
- Do you think you can?

Well, you said
yourself she can't go far.

You, uh...

- you talked to her last night, didn't you?
- Yeah.

Did she, uh, tell you
anything about herself?

She said she killed a man.

She did.

I had hoped you
wouldn't have to find out,

but if she's upset
enough to have run off...

You see, this man
forced his attention on her.

She-she just had
to protect herself.

Yeah, well, I better
be going, Mr. Neff.

There wasn't even a trial.

Everyone knows that
Belle had no choice.

But... this experience
has left its mark on her.

On all of us.

I'll find her.

Hyah!

♪♪

♪♪

Your parents are
scared half to death.

Is that what you wanted?

No one can talk to me
the way you do. No one.

All right, I'll make
it simple for you.

I won't talk to you anymore.

Now, come on.

They told you all about it.

I can tell.

They told me a man tried
to force himself on you

and you had to kill him.

It's true.

Don't you think about
anybody else but yourself?

I told you, they're
scared to death!

You don't believe me.

I believe you'd make
it very easy for a man

to force himself on you.

♪♪

Come on... you want
to stay here, don't you?

Well, you want to stay
with me, don't you?

Isn't that what you want?

He wasn't like I
thought he would be.

You smile at a man.

You move close to him.

You ask if he's a man.

That's not wrong.

Well, if he acts like a man...

then you kill him.

I was frightened.

I told you, he wasn't
like I thought he would be.

Well, you wanted
me to come out here.

I came.

But you're not like him.

I know you're not.

I'm going back now, Belle.

Are you coming?

Wait!

♪♪

Oh, Mr. Dillon?

Chester.

Where you been?

There's your Clardy
feller, Mr. Dillon.

Clardy?

Where'd you get him?

Well, I staked him out at a
cabin that Moss told me about

down on the Crooked Creek.

Well, I'll be.

It doesn't look like he
gave you much trouble.

How the devil could I?

He roped me and threw me
and blame near shot my ear off.

I got pretty near $2,000
off of him, Mr. Dillon.

Course, it... it
belongs to Mr. Neff.

Well, Chester, you
did a mighty good job.

I'm proud of you.

Well, I...

Well, Mr. Dillon,
you go ahead and do

what you know
that you got to do.

I... I got to be moving on.

Moving on? Where?

I'm going up to North Platte
to give this money to Mr. Neff

before he gets on
the Oregon Trail.

And I'll, uh... well, I'll
be back when I get back.

I'll be darned.

I'd join you in the
laugh, Marshal,

but the way I'm rigged,
I can't barely breathe.

♪♪

End of the line, Mr. Neff.

Well, just give me a
hand down, young fella,

- and your job is finished.
- All right.

That's got it.

There we go. Thank you.

- Mrs. Neff.
- Thank you, Quint.

Well, that was... a
wonderful job, Quint.

I... I just can't
thank you enough.

Thank you.

Well, what in the
world kept you there?

Good afternoon
to you, Mrs. Neff.

Mr. Goode! This is a surprise.

- Mr. Neff.
- How are you?

What are you
doing here, Chester?

Oh, well, I-I come up
here on a little business.

I, um... I don't
think that I was able

to get it all for you, Mr. Neff,

but there's close
to $2,000 there.

You mean... you got this
much of my money back? How?

Well, I had to find
that Clardy first,

and that took a little
bit of doing, I'll tell you,

but, uh, once I found
him, I got the money,

and, well, that
there's the size of it.

Well, I-I... I just can't tell you
how much this means to me.

But... I can sure try.

You, uh... you think
that's enough for a reward?

Oh, no, no. I-I
couldn't do that.

Heavens, doing a job
is reward in itself. I...

Please take it, Mr. Goode.

Please.

Please?

Well, I mean, if that's...

that's the way that you want it.

My goodness, I... I certainly
do thank you for that.

You know, I was doing a little
checking before you got here,

and there's a wagon train
that's coming through here

day after tomorrow...
Now, you could hook onto it

and go clear to
Oregon if you wanted to.

Fine, fine.

You've kind of got things
all figured out, haven't you?

Well, you know,
there's certain men

that's suited for certain jobs.

Yeah.

You know, I'll ride back
to Dodge with you, Quint,

if you... won't drag your feet.

I sort of found
myself a shortcut.

All right, I'll, uh,
get my horse

and meet you down the street.

Wonderful. Well, have
a nice trip, Mr. Neff.

- Good-bye, and thanks.
- Good-bye, Mr. Goode.

Good-bye, Mrs. Neff.

Um, bye, Mrs. Neff.

- Take care.
- Thank you.

- Mr. Neff.
- Good-bye, Quint, and thanks again.

Thank you, sir.

Help me down, Quint?

All right.

Thank you.

Sure.

You've given me
a lot to think about

since that day I ran away.

A woman that looks like you
has got a lot to think about.

Like letting a man
make the choice?

Like the fruit you reach for

is better than what
falls at your feet?

Take a good look
at yourself, Belle.

You're a beautiful woman.

The man you want
will come to you...

when you want him to.

I'd like to believe you.

I know I'll never forget you.

I'll think about you, too.

Sometimes.

♪♪