The Wild Wild West (1965–1969): Season 4, Episode 9 - The Night of Fire and Brimstone - full transcript

( uneasy theme playing )

There it is again, Artie.
I tell you, something's on fire.

It sure is.

I guess they named it Brimstone
for a good reason, huh?

( both laugh )

Hey, Hannon.
Two men comin'.

Must be the ones
Colecrest talked about.

Yeah, I better
go tell Roach.

( tense theme playing )

Quiet little town,
isn't it?

There are
your fires, Artie.



Why would Colecrest want
to meet us in a deserted town?

Did he mention anything
in his letter to you?

No.

Just that he wanted us
to meet him here

on a matter
of the greatest urgency.

Come to think of it,
I remember reading something

about a fire in Brimstone.

That was 10 years ago,

in the deserted mine shafts
under the town.

Do you suppose that those

could still be smoldering
all that time?

Sure would account for why
there's nobody around anymore.

Artie, would you want to
live in this town?

( chuckles )



Let's find Colecrest.

A couple more good belts,
and he'll tell us everything.

Any more of your brand
of questioning

and Professor Colecrest
won't be able to tell us

anything at all.

Professor.
( coughs )

Professor, do you hear me?

Yes.

You've--

You've told us
so much already.

Surely-- Surely you won't
risk your life

just to save one last,
little secret.

No.

( sighs )

That's all I know.

You better start remembering
in the next 15 seconds,

'cause that's all
the time you got left.

( cocks gun )

HANNON:
Roach.

Roach, there are two strangers
ridin' into town.

Well, we haven't had
any visitors

for a very long time.

I wonder if they could be
those two federal men

that you were
telling me about.

What were their names?

Oh, yes.

West and Gordon.

Don't get your hopes up,
Colecrest.

Two dead federal agents
won't do you much good.

( dramatic theme playing )

( upbeat Western theme playing )

( tense theme playing )

No sign of anyone,
Artie.

That place hasn't been used
for five years at least.

Maybe he never made it
into town at all.

MAN:
Hello.

Hello, there.

Mr. Gordon, Mr. West.

I'm Mr. West.
I'm Mr. Gordon.

I'm pleased to meet you.

I've been expecting you.
My name is Philip Colecrest.

Oh, that's, uh,
Frank Roach.

He's been helping me
with my work.

Hi, Frank.

How do you do?

As a matter of fact,

that's why we're here,
Professor.

We got your letter
saying you needed our help

with some kind of find,

but you didn't mention
what the find was.

( chuckles ):
Well, I must say, gentlemen,

I'm terribly embarrassed
at your presence here.

GORDON:
Why so?

MAN:
It seems my excitement
was a little premature.

You see, I thought I had
discovered a large vein of gold

in one of the deserted
mines around here.

Unfortunately,
it all turned out to be

nothing of any circumstance.

I did send you
a following letter

hoping to stop
your coming out here,

but apparently,
it must have arrived

after you'd already left.

Yes, I'm afraid it did.

Well, Jim, it looks like
that long ride was for nothin'.

Right, Artie.
Well, now that we're here, sir,

is there anything
we could do for you?

Oh, no, really.
Thank you.

Everything is just fine.

I'm only sorry you had
to come all this way.

Well, then, professor, I guess,
uh, we'll be on our way.

Gentlemen.

Nice meeting you,
gentlemen. Mr. Roach.

I'll walk you
to your horses.

GORDON:
Thank you.

( tense theme playing )

( rock tumbles )

( dramatic theme playing )

( yells )

( tense theme playing )

I hope you believe how
sincerely sorry I am

about all of this.

By the way, when you
get back to Washington, D.C.,

I hope you'll give
my regards to Mrs. Colecrest.

By all means, professor.
It'd be our pleasure.

Be glad to.

The game's over, boys.

Hold it right there.

There is, unfortunately,
no Mrs. Colecrest.

But, of course,
as good federal officers,

you knew, didn't you?

You boys almost got by
with it, didn't you?

How sad for you that
there is no Mrs. Colecrest.

This is my department,
Morton.

HANNON:
Roach.

Roach.
The professor got away.

( horse whinnies )
He fell down a mine shaft.

( gunshots )

Surround that barn,
and don't let 'em get out.

( gunshots )

( gunshot )

( gunshots )

( playing honky-tonk )

How about that, Jim?

They're playin' us out
with music.

( gunshot )

Bad music, but music.

I find no comfort
in that, Artie.

Artie.

( sparse gunfire )

Wow.

Listen, if the town is
built over the mine...

And the professor's
in the mine.

Shall we?

No sense letting them
know where we've gone.

Right.

Cover me.

( gunshots )

Ready, Jim.

Which one would
you like to take?

That one.

Why that one?

Why not that one, Artie?

Good. I didn't think
you had a reason.

Where are they?

Well, it would appear that
our birds have flown the coop.

Nobody just disappears
into thin air.

MAN:
Hey, Mr. Roach.
Over here.

Well, that's just great.

That means they got away.

And I got a feeling
they'll be comin' back,

with lots of law
right behind 'em.

On the contrary,

I doubt very strongly
that they would run off

knowing that we have
Colecrest in our hands,

which we, apparently,
no longer do.

How could you let a man
in that kind of shape get away?

Oh, now, Roach--
What happened?

Look, Mr. Roach,
he didn't exactly get away.

You're contradicting
yourself, Hannon.

No, he-he was runnin', see,

and then he stepped
on these rotten timbers,

fell down
into another tunnel.

Another level?

Was Colecrest hurt?

I don't know.

I don't know, he--

Look, he looked pretty bad.

He was bleedin',
knocked out.

Another level.

Perhaps the day
is not lost after all.

Shall we go and rescue
the good professor?

( suspenseful theme playing )

( man moans )

This must be Colecrest.

Artie, we're gonna
have to move him.

They'll be back
for him soon.

Yeah.

Can you handle him?
Yeah, I got him.

Thanks, Artie.

( dramatic theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

I wonder what Colecrest
could have found that was

important enough to bring down
a whole pack of guns.

Artie, you think he really
could have found gold?

Oh, no, I don't think
it was that.

Everything I've read about
the place-- It's coal country.

The two never go together.

( dramatic theme playing )

ROACH:
It's empty.

Yes, so it would seem.

Yeah, but he couldn't move.
He was hurt bad.

A puzzle, Mr. Roach.

If we are to trust
Mr. Hannon there,

how is it possible that a man
who was injured so badly

that he couldn't move,

has suddenly disappeared?

ROACH:
What are you getting at?

What I'm getting at
is the fact

that if Colecrest was so hurt
that he couldn't move,

someone must have moved him.

ROACH:
The federal men.

MORTON:
Yes, that's my guess.

Somehow they got
down here ahead of us

and have carried
the good professor away.

Yeah, but where?

Since even they haven't had time

to get him back out of the mine,

I would obviously assume that
he's still down there someplace.

I suggest that you get
your men together,

institute a search,

and I think that we can,
uh, trust Mr. Hannon here

to guard
this yawning cavity

and to keep anyone
from getting out.

Oh, sure you can.
I-I can do it, Roach.

You better.

( moans gently )

Respiration's shallow,

pulse rapid and weak,

skin cold and clammy,

eyes out of focus.

I tell you, Jim,
it's all the classic symptoms

of a brain concussion.

If we don't get him
to a doctor soon, we're--

Artie, I remember where
there is a doctor.

Wait a minute--
That doctor's house we passed

on the way over here
through the cedar grove.

Right, and since we can't take
the patient to the doctor...

I'll bring the doctor
to the patient.

Come on.

See you, Artie.

( suspenseful theme playing )

Well?

Well, just in case, one of us
should stand watch outside.

Yeah, maybe somebody will
sneak up on us from behind.

Well, it won't take
brains in there,

just, um, muscle.

And guts.

( neighs )

( action theme playing )

( suspenseful theme playing )

( action theme playing )

Sir?

Lefty?

Come on. Let's go.

Let's get him.

( action theme playing )

( tense theme playing )

West?

Gordon?

I know you're down here.

You don't have a chance.

I've got too many men for you.

( tense action theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

( knocks )

Oh, uh, hello.

May I see the doctor please?

No.

No?

What do you mean, "no"?
Why no?

Well, because doctors
are only human.

They get sick too.
That's why not.

Oh, come in.

Thank you.

I'm sorry, but my father
is a very sick man.

I just want to see him
for one moment. Please.

You look healthy enough.
What's your problem?

It's not for me. I've got
a friend some ways from here

who's been badly hurt.
No. No traveling.

He's got a fever,
medicine to take.

He can't be running
around the country.

Who is it, Dooley?

Dooley?

Father, you remember
your promise.

Oh, I do. I do.

But can't we at least
hear the man out

before we turn him away?

Thank you very much, doctor.
My name is Artemus Gordon.

I, uh-- I'm sorry that
you're not feeling well,

but I've got a very
sick man back there.

My father is
a very sick man.

Now, now, Dooley,
let's not exaggerate.

It's just a-- Just a touch
of intestinal influenza.

That's all. It--

Well, it-it sounds
much worse than it is.

I'm not gonna let you go.

( sighs )

I'm sorry, sir,

but I did promise my daughter
that I wouldn't step foot

outside the house
until I was fit.

All right, sir.
Thank you very much.

Uh, is there any other
doctor around here

that I might
be able to use?

The nearest one
is in Paradise City.

Paradise--

That's 28 miles farther on

and then all the way
back to Brimstone.

Oh, sir, this man's been
in a very bad fall.

He'll die before I can get
back there with somebody else.

A fall?
Yes, sir.

That can present
all kinds of complications.

GORDON:
It already has.

He's in a coma.

Breathing shallow,
his eyes won't focus.

You're describing
a concussion.

I'd better go.
No.

Dooley, I am going.

I'll get my bag.

Thank you, doc--
Oh, doctor?

Yes?
Before you go,

there's one thing more
I think you should know.

There may be
some danger involved

in getting to the injured man.

I'm not saying there will be,
but it's possible.

Did you think
that would matter?

Beautiful, wasn't she?

Yes.

Your mother?

Yes.

She was a wonderful woman.

Miss Sloane,

if it weren't critical, I would
never have pressed your father.

Believe me.

Well, I knew
he was gonna go.

He always goes.

Would you have him
any different?

Well, I don't have
any choice, do I?

But it just doesn't
seem fair.

He's sick, and tired.

He's tired.

But nobody every worries
about the doctor, do they?

I wonder why.

I don't know,
maybe it just goes

with the diploma
and the black bag.

( carriage leaving )

Father, you forgot your--

--medicine.

( tense theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

( tense theme playing )

( clattering )

Stand to, soldier.

Breakin' and enterin' government
stores depot in time of war,

as proscribed
in Army regulations,

summary execution.

Keep your rifle
steady on him, sergeant.

In the presence
of superior forces,

I surrender, captain.

Captain Lyman Butler,
sir,

leader of the First
Virginia Cavalry,

now detached on an assignment
of highest importance.

Able-bodied young man
like you...

Why aren't you in uniform?

Oh, well, I, uh--
I was in uniform, sir.

Wounded, is that it?

Yes, sir, that was it.
I was, um, wounded.

Wounded and mustered out.

There's no dishonor
in that, boy.

Tell me, how's it
shapin' up at Five Forks?

Oh, you mean
the Battle of Five Forks?

There will be
a battle there, all right.

You mark my word.

You don't know
how it's gonna turn out?

How all this...

Armageddon will turn out?

No, sir, but I'd like to know
how it's gonna turn out.

There.

Right there
at Five Forks.

That's where we're gonna
break the back

of Sheridan
and his bluecoats.

And after that, the big one.

Pullin' all these reserves
out of Petersburg,

and out of Richmond.

The ol' Gray Fox is gonna
roll back Grant's line

in one mighty
flanking maneuver,

and end this war
once and for all.

Right there.

I don't have
my glasses, boy.

Where do my calculations
make that come out to?

It's in Virginia, sir,
at a place called Appomattox.

Appomattox.

You've served
your country, young man.

You know the sacrifices
men can be called on

to make in her name.

I'm gonna release you.

Can I trust you
to take a message?

Yes, sir.
To, uh--? To whom?

To General Lee.

It's not for me.
You understand that?

It's for my men.

We've been here
such a long time.

I don't know the last time
the sergeant saw his family.

I know they miss him.

Tell General Lee that
his shipment is still intact.

Tell him Captain Lyman Butler
is still on guard.

He'll understand that
it's my men. It's my men.

They-they've been here
such a long time.

Yes, sir. Why don't you--?
Why don't you accompany me, sir?

This is my command.

I can't leave my men.

Look, you go, quickly.

Quickly.

( tense theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

I'm gonna have to leave you
for a few minutes, doc.

After I do, those men
at the front of the barn

will leave too.

When they do,

you'll go in through
the side door, quietly.

I think I'm beginning
to enjoy this, Mr. Gordon.

Fine.
Try to keep it that way.

ROACH:
Well, what do you want?

N-nothing.

I was just tryin' to find out
what was happening.

Nothing is happening,
my dear Mr. Hannon.

We are merely sitting here
trying to figure out

a nice, safe way
to beard the lions

that await us below.

What does that mean?

It means--
You poor clod.

--that had you not
been run out of the caves,

we might be
sitting here talking

to our old friend Colecrest,

at this very moment.

Well, I'll tell you
what I'm gonna do.

Next time, I'm gonna
let you go down there,

just to see
what you can do.

As a last resort,
I may have to.

( woman giggles )

( giggling continues )

( whispering ):
Doc.

How did it go?

Artie, there have been
some strange things

happening around here.

So strange I doubt
if you'd believe them.

Well...

I think it's about time
we had a little talk

with the occupants
of the mine.

Do you really think
your fancy talk's

gonna do any good?

HANNON:
Hey, hey, someone's comin'.

Can you tell me where
I can find Dr. Sloane?

He must have just arrived
with a-a Mr. Gordon.

They came to treat a man
who is unconscious.

Unconscious? That means
he hasn't been able

to tell them anything.

It also means they found
another way out.

Yes, but obviously, if they
had to bring a doctor in here,

Colecrest is too injured
to take out.

So?
But, wh--?
So.

If Colecrest should die before
he can tell them the secret,

all that means is that
we have to outwait them,

then we can go in
and find it ourselves.

Yeah, but they already
got that doctor to him.

Where?
Don't worry.

I'll take
care of the doctor.

You boys,
tear this town apart.

Find the other way
out of that mine.

DOOLEY:
Now, wait a minute.
I don't understand.

Where's my father?
He needs his medicine.

Just come with me,
my dear.

We'll take you to him.

( ominous theme playing )

Butler...Butler...

There was a Captain Butler
that headed up

a relief detachment
for General Lee,

but it wasn't armaments
he was carrying.

( moans )

He's responding.

How soon before
he'll be able to talk?

MORTON:
Is there a doctor
down there?

By the name of Sloane?

Because if there is,

there's someone up here
by the name of Dooley

who's exceedingly
anxious to see him.

Hold it.

Dooley's his daughter.

MORTON:
Doctor?
Can you hear me?

You don't have
much time, doc.

What do you want?

Ah, Mr. West.

How good to hear
your voice again.

In answer to your question,

we want the doctor up here.

And we want him
right now.

What if he doesn't
come up?

( laughs )

If you could see
the expression

on Mr. Roach's face,

I don't think
you'd ask that question.

Doctor, I'll leave it
up to you.

If you value
Professor Colecrest's life

more than you value
your daughter's,

stay down there.

I will give you
exactly five minutes

to come up out of the mine.

Otherwise...

( somber theme playing )

Daddy. Oh.

Now, now, now, Dooley,

everything's all right.

( whispering ):
Don't give me away.
Just follow my lead.

MORTON:
Ah, Dr. Sloane.

This West-Gordon pair

are really quite something,
aren't they?

Right under my very nose,

they smuggle you in to treat
their precious patient.

I know nothing
about that.

I'm a doctor,
I go where I'm needed.

How very noble of you.

How is your patient?

He's not at all well.

A linear fracture
of the skull.

All the morbid trauma typical
of parietal concussion--

ROACH:
Never mind that.

Will he live?

If I'd had an opportunity
to operate, perhaps,

but since you
interrupted me, no.

Excellent.

You see, Dr. Sloane,

Professor Colecrest
has some information

that I want very badly.

Now, if he dies, I can
search it out for myself.

But it is important

that I have
that information,

and no one else.

If he dies, you die,

and your very charming
daughter dies.

And, uh,

very shortly too.

( tense theme playing )

( dramatic theme playing )

They're all yours.

How long have you
had Hanson's jaundice?

W-what?

It's none of my business.

You probably have
a doctor of your own.

Have the night palpitations
and the sweating started yet?

The deep, sharp pain won't
come until later, of course.

Jaundice? I?
Yes.

You must be
out of your mind.

GORDON:
Well, perhaps I am,

but I've been
an experienced enough doctor

to know a very serious
illness when I see one.

I-I-I feel fine.

I've never felt better
in my life.

Great Dane, that is
the worst possible sign.

W-what do you mean?

The patient never knows
when he has jaundice. Never.

That's what makes it
so deadly.

He hasn't intelligence enough
to recognize the symptoms.

Symptoms?

What--?
Wha-what symptoms?

Do you know that the whites
of your eyes have started--

Well, it's none
of my business.

W-what else?
What else, doctor?

Here, I've got a mirror.
You can see for yourself.

Hold it right there, doc.

You don't have a gun
in there, do you?

( chuckles ):
No.

Maybe I'd better
look for myself.

Lock that guy upstairs.

( action theme playing )

Artie, you fight pretty good
for an old doctor.

COLECREST:
No, it wasn't just arms
that Butler was carrying

when his detachment was
bushwhacked by the raiders.

Then Morton was one
of his raiders.

That's right,
and he's been searching

for Butler's hiding place
ever since.

But why,
Professor Colecrest?

I stumbled upon the why

shortly before Morton
and his men finally showed up.

If you will slip
that map aside, please.

( mischievous theme playing )
It opens up. Thank you.

It's a king's ransom.

Yes, raised
in a last-ditch effort

to save the Confederacy.

And only someone
as highly placed as Morton

could have found out
about the gold and silver

raised by the Confederacy,
and that Butler's detachment

was carrying it
to Jefferson Davis.

Somehow Morton
and his men missed this.

Yes.

The bushwhacking
was brilliant, deadly.

And yet Butler,
badly wounded,

with a couple of his men,
managed to escape.

And with the treasure
to boot.

Is it any wonder
that he's mad?

Hiding out here...

The sergeant, his only
companion, finally dying,

and leaving Butler alone
in these caves all this time.

Morton never stopped searching

for the money that slipped
through his fingers.

And poor, half-mad Butler
never stopped dreaming

that one day, officially,

he would be relieved
of this crushing burden.

Stand to,
the lot of you.

Breakin' and enterin' government
stores depot in time of war,

as proscribed and set forth
by Army regulation--

GORDON:
Captain Butler.

General Lee.

GORDON:
In the name of the Army
of Northern Virginia,

and the Confederate
States of America,

I hereby accept transfer

of your supplies.

And with it,

relief of your assignment

and a special commendation,
captain,

to be entered
upon your record.

For selfless devotion
to duty,

for notable skill
in the execution

of a difficult
and perilous mission,

and above all,

for an unflagging courage,

that never once faltered.

Well done, captain.

( triumphant theme playing )

( relaxed theme playing )

Hey, Artie.

I just left
Professor Colecrest,

and he tells me
that Captain Butler

is comin' along real well.

That's good.
What is this, Artie?

Some kind of war game?
GORDON: No, no, no.

I got to thinking
about that map

that Butler kept and the plan
he had for the big battle.

So?
Well, it occurred to me

that if the Confederates had
broken through at Five Forks--

Right?

--and if Grant had pulled

the reserves out of Richmond,

and then they had managed to
outflank Grant at Petersburg--

Artie.

He was very mixed up.

Yeah, but if the South
had been able

to implement his plan,

we could have all
been whistling "Dixie."

( whistling "Dixie" )

( whistling "Dixie" )

( upbeat theme playing )

( upbeat Western theme playing )