Original subtitles

Marshal, they're robbing the freight office.

Come on, come on.

Hold it.

Here. Stand aside, will you?

Help me, Festus.

Bring him upstairs, Festus.

All right, real easy, now. Real easy.

There we go.

Hold him.

Festus, don't... Hold on to him. Don't let him move, now.

There it is.

- I don't know. - What's the matter, Doc?

It's awful deep, but... I don't know...

All right, hold tight.

We're lucky.

Miss Kitty?

Is he all right?

- Will he be all right, Miss Kitty? - Miss Kitty?

Stay with him. I'll be back in a minute.

Doc.

Is he all right, Doc?

He'll be all right. He'll be all right. You can all go home now.

Kitty, I know this has been harder on you than anybody.

He's gonna be all right.

I promise you.

What about next time, Doc?

What can you promise me about that?

Doc, you gotta do somethin'. You gotta talk to her, tell her.

Tell her... Tell her what?

Tell her she's got no right to leave Dodge City?

She's not a ten-year-old.

She's a woman, Festus, with a mind of her own,

and she's got a right to do whatever she pleases.

But you know she's wrong, Doc, just as well as I do.

Of course she's wrong.

She's got a right to be wrong too.

If she wanted our advice, she'd ask for it.

- Oh, you finished? - Yeah, Doc. Thanks.

How you feeling?

Well, pretty good, considering the kind of medical attention I've been getting.

Doc, what's that pounding going on across the street there?

- Hmm? - It's been going on all morning.

There's nothing I can do about it.

Well, I didn't ask you what you could do about it.

- I just wanted to know what it was. - Some building across the street.

What building?

Now, how in thunder would I know what building? I'm busy.

I haven't got time to check up on all the carpenters around this town.

Pulse is normal.

Yeah, but you're not.

Doc, let's face it, it's been five days now.

Kitty hasn't even been in to see me.

And that pounding's coming from across the street, from the Long Branch.

Now, what's going on?

They're boarding it up.

Kitty's leaving town.

Where's she headed? Do you know?

No. But there's a very strong rumor that she's got a one-way ticket.

Nobody's seen her, Matt, not since the night you were shot.

She stood there and watched me take the bullet out of you and then...

she just turned and walked out, never said a word.

I see.

I wonder.

I wonder if you do see.

Yeah, I see all right.

But I got a feeling you're gonna explain it to me anyway.

Yeah, you bet I am.

Do you have any idea how many times she's stood and watched me

dig somebody's bullet out of you?

It's the kind of thing that's pretty hard to forget, Doc.

11.

11 times in 15 years she's watched me cut you open and sew you up.

Never said a word.

But each time she's died a little bit.

But, of course, you wouldn't think about that, would you?

I'm sorry, Matt. I... guess the older I get, the stupider I get.

Somehow I thought that maybe...

Maybe what, Doc?

Well, I...

Matt, you've been the marshal in this town for 15 years.

Best marshal this country ever saw.

Now, you could take that badge off right now, walk right out of here,

leave the whole thing, and nobody'd think any the less of you for it.

There's a limit. There's a limit to what any man can be expected to do.

I see.

So that's the reason you stay up here 24 hours a day doctoring people, is it?

Telling them you're 51 years old when you and I both know that...

My age has got nothing to do with it.

Nobody's shooting at me.

Keep sticking your nose in other people's business, they're liable to.

You're not gonna try to stop her?

I got no right to, Doc.

You know what I think?

I think you're a dang fool.

Well, then, that puts you in a pretty tough position,

'cause as far as I know, there's no cure for foolishness.

Just keep track of any offers that come in, Sam,

and I'll let you know where to contact me.

Oh, my.

Miss Kitty.

Newly.

I guess it... wouldn't do any good for me to ask you to...

No, Doc. No, it wouldn't.

Thank you anyhow.

I'll just be a minute, Don.

Doc...

you don't reckon maybe she's gonna...?

I don't think so.

Come in.

I was wondering if you were gonna come and say goodbye.

I was wondering too.

It isn't easy.

No, Kitty, it isn't.

Matt, I...

I don't want you to think...

Well, it isn't that it's...

Kitty, we've never needed explanations, have we?

No.

Goodbye, Matt.

Goodbye, Kitty.

Whoa!

- Kitty. - Oh, Claire.

How are you?

Oh! Oh, Claire.

- You just don't even look a day older. - Oh! That lie's earned you a drink.

Come on.

Sheriff.

Papa wants to see you.

Uh, what's it about?

Business.

Uh, the room across from mine.

Well, now, Kitty, don't keep me in suspense. What's this all about?

I mean, your letter said you had to get away, but what does that mean?

Well, that about sums it up.

I've... I've got the Long Branch up for sale.

As a matter of fact, I boarded it up before I left.

The Long Branch for sale?

That's right.

Oh... Kitty.

I mean, it... it's none of my business,

but... the Dodge marshal, I mean, I thought that...

Claire, if it's all right with you, I'd... I'd just rather not discuss it.

We read something down here about a shooting in Dodge.

- He's all right, isn't he? - Oh, yes, he's fine.

Uh, Claire, if you don't mind, I... I've had a real long, long day.

I'd kind of like to turn in.

Sure. Your room's all prepared.

Thank you.

I'm not buying it, Dawson. It's no better than thievery.

It's the same as you pointing a gun at me. There's no profit left.

Don't talk to me about profit.

Last year was the best year you ever had.

We had a good year last year. So did Papa.

What happens in a bad year?

What happens when some puncher comes in here with a lucky streak?

Papa running over here to pay my losses?

That's the way it's gonna be. I don't run things. Papa does.

Take your complaints to him.

Well, why doesn't he walk right in here and take over my place?

- I mean, Dawson, it's just not fair! - Well, tell him it's not fair.

I do as I'm told. You do as you're told.

Papa smiles, you smile.

Well, I'm not smiling.

I mean, six months out of the year these tables are in action.

Now, how do you get 200 dollars a month out of a table gathering dust?

It gathers more than dust when those drovers are in here.

So don't poor-mouth me.

Dawson, look, you gotta go to Papa. You gotta tell him...

No, you tell him if you're not satisfied.

I get paid for wearing this and just keeping the law.

You get paid for turning on people you used to call your friends.

You get paid for not having the spine to stand up to Papa when he...

when he brought that slime into this town.

You get paid for being a gutless nose wiper.

That's what you get paid for.

Whatever happened to that pride you had,

inheriting your father's badge?

Oh!

Good night... Sheriff.

Well... Mm-mm.

I've been around long enough

to understand some of the things that were said.

Is, um, that the law in this town?

That's the law, such as it is.

Who's this Papa?

Papa Steiffer? Oh, well, he's our guardian, our father confessor.

Our protector from all that is evil.

I mean, I think you heard Dawson say that when he smiles, we all smile?

Well... that's a fair way of putting it.

John, you disappoint me.

We ask 30 cents. We don't demand. We're reasonable men.

You only ask.

Papa Steiffer's always willing to negotiate.

I'm just not sure that they'll stand for it.

A man who reaches halfway, John, gets no more than he reaches for.

You've got to learn to be firm.

And you've always got Locke and Keller here to back you up.

Well, I'm only saying that I'd play it safe over these Texas trail bosses.

You push 'em another ten cents a head for grazing rights,

they're liable to get their back up.

You had more than a few last year questioning where Steiffer land ended

and the government land began.

Simply state that where there's water, that's Papa's land.

They wanna dispute that, they can always go to the courts.

Meanwhile, of course, their cattle get thirsty.

- Yes... - That's enough, John.

Doesn't anybody, um, fight him?

Oh, Kitty. That is a very unfunny joke around here.

It there's one thing that Papa can't stand, it's an unfriendly person.

That keeps him awake night

trying to figure out how to correct that condition.

Well, I'm... I'm sure there must have been some people

who've stood up to him.

Well, over the years there's been a few.

And then all of a sudden you begin to wonder

whatever happened to Mr. So-and-So.

Where did he move to?

Or why did the feed store catch fire twice in the same month?

I mean, the message really gets through.

Yes, indeed.

It does have a way of getting through.

I don't know, Claire. It's... It's not my problem.

But, um... I'd sure stand up to him.

You'd stand up?

Well, I certainly wouldn't run or back off from him.

What about the situation in Dodge City? Did you meet that head-on?

Well, um... that's different.

Is it? Kitty, this is woman to woman.

There is no place I can go if I lose my place here.

I mean, you talk brave, but all you have to do is buy a ticket back to Dodge.

I run and I burn bridges.

You have a straight road back to Dodge, all the bridges intact.

And whether you know it or not, you are gonna return.

Except I'm not.

Claire, how would you like to have a partner?

What?

How much would you take for a half interest in this place?

- With all the trouble facing me? - How much?

- You do mean that? - Except for one stipulation.

I'm not gonna smile at Papa.

I'm gonna give him a big, round, fat no.

Shall we drink to it... partner?

Well, I... Don't you wanna think it over?

Here's to burning bridges.

- Thanks, Sam. - Say, have I got some news here.

- Sam, could I have some of that coffee. - Sure.

Thank you. This Oklahoma Courier just came in this morning.

Listen to this.

"An unconfirmed report from Ballard has it that Miss Kitty Russell,

owner of the Dodge City Long Branch Saloon,

has bought into the Ballard Nugget."

Ballard? She's a-headin' south.

"Most readers will remember the birth of the Long Branch in Dodge City

signaled that town into becoming one of the focal points for herd shipments."

"Now, is it possible that Ballard might now emerge as a booming cow town?"

"Isn't it possible that Miss Russell

is more the shrewd businesswoman than a mere saloon owner?"

"And another question is: where does Papa fit into all of this?"

- Papa? - Who's he?

Well, that's Papa Steiffer, and he's got something to do over in Ba...

He used to be in the cattle grazing business, I vaguely remember.

But the important thing is, we know now where Kitty is,

and I think we ought to go about finding out how she's doing.

Well, Doc, I ain't got nothin' to do that can't be put off.

I'll just take me a ride down yonder and see how Miss Kitty is.

That's a good idea, Festus.

But when you get there, you'll have to be very careful...

- Morning, boys. - Matthew.

- Coffee, Marshal? - Oh, no, thanks, Sam.

Festus, you'll have to look out after things around here for a while. I...

I got some business to attend to.

Sure thing, Matthew, exceptin' I was fixin' to ride down to...

Well, if you' got something to do, maybe Newly can take over for you.

- No problem. - All right.

Well, I'll... I'll see you later.

- So long. - You bet.

Doc, the onliest thing I was fixin' to do

is tell him I was gonna ride down to Ballard and see how Miss Kitty is.

Now, where in thunder do you think he's going?

He gets around to reading the out-of-town papers too, you know.

Oh.

Miss Russell.

Miss Russell, I'm so glad you were able to come.

- Special occasion? - Well, I consider it more than special.

That man you have running your jail

said you had some business to discuss with me.

Please.

First of all, I'd like you to know how delighted I am

that you're joining our little community.

Truly delighted.

Might interest you to know that I have many plans for Ballard.

But before we get into that...

to your newly formed partnership.

- Shall we get right down to business? - Of course.

As I was saying, Miss Russell, you've settled into a little town

where lots of good things are gonna happen and all because of Papa.

So many of my friends call me that, I sometimes slip into it myself.

You won't think any less of me if I call you Mr. Steiffer?

I will only hope that time may encourage us to be less formal.

- No. - I beg your pardon?

I said no.

The total license fees for the Long Branch in Dodge

were exactly 180 dollars a year.

You will receive that exact amount in the customary installments.

You're a beautiful person, Miss Russell.

180 dollars a year.

Unless somebody can prove to me that it takes more to run this town.

I pride myself on keeping accurate accounts of my expenses.

All my receipts are in order.

Dodge City has a chamber of commerce,

which is something I intend to form down here.

I take it you wouldn't have any objection

to this chamber going over your accurate accounts?

Miss Russell, I was born in a small mining town.

My father was an immigrant.

I went to work when I was nine years old.

Now, I know that's of no interest to anybody but myself,

but I want you to know that when I was 14,

I stopped using my hands and I started to use my head.

I've been doing it for 40 years now.

And, of course, in 40 years, with a background like that,

you learn a lot about the art or survival.

I'd like to give you a piece of advice.

There are times when in order to take two steps forward,

you just gotta take one step back.

That's very interesting, Mr. Steiffer.

You play chess, Miss Russell?

- No. Why? - Thought you might.

Good day, Mr. Steiffer.

You win.

What you don't say carries a great deal more weight than what you do say.

What's that supposed to mean?

That Dodge marshal casts a long shadow, doesn't he, Miss Russell?

Thank you.

- Business is picking up. - Yeah.

Some of the boys wanted a game tonight.

- Anybody come calling on you yet? - No. I don't understand it.

Kitty, do you really think that he's gonna leave the Nugget alone?

I think our next move

is to call together all the business owners in town.

If we stand together,

Papa will have to shoot up the whole town in order to get any place.

What are you doing here, Matt?

I got some business down south of here.

Just passing through?

Something like that.

Um, Claire, this is... this is Marshal Dillon.

- Miss Claire Hollis. - My pleasure, Miss Hollis.

Well, Marshal, can I buy you a drink?

Thank you.

- Thank you. - Claire.

Ah. Excuse me.

Kitty, how are things going for you down here?

I'll be doing all right, I think.

How's everybody back in Dodge?

Oh, they were fine when I left.

You know, Kitty, you've picked yourself a pretty rough town here.

It isn't anything that Claire and I can't handle.

Nobody draws two cards to a high flush.

Mister, we run honest games at the Nugget.

You take your business elsewhere if you don't think so.

What's the trouble, dealer?

- Ah, the man don't like his luck. - Don't you throw luck at me.

I'm saying not all your cards are coming from the deck.

Jackson!

Jackson. Jackson, I want an explanation.

The explanation was right up his sleeve.

Now, you got ten minutes to get out of this county.

Well, you know the town rule, Miss Hollis.

- Closed for a week. - What?

- It's a frame. - I don't hire crooked dealers.

Well, he's playing for the house. About says it.

All right, now, everybody, just clear out.

Just hold up a minute, Sheriff. You too, mister.

Just who might you be?

United States marshal. How is it you're not arresting this man?

Professional card shark like that belongs in jail,

and this man here's entitled to prefer charges.

Uh, no, Sheriff, I ain't pressing no charges.

All right, then I'll press charges as a witness.

Well, do you, um... do you wanna go through all that trouble?

Another thing, how is it that wearing a badge

gives you the right to close this place up without a hearing?

All right, you can... you can keep it open until the hearing, Miss Hollis.

Thanks, Marshal.

If you ever decide to run for town sheriff, you've got my vote.

What's going on here? You girls in some kind of trouble?

- Are they trying to close you down? - Trouble?

- My life's been full of it lately. - We can handle it.

Are you sure, Kitty?

I'm sure.

Well, thanks for the drink, Miss Hollis.

That's the... the first real man we've had in this town

and you're telling him he's not needed?

I'm telling you, we don't need his help, Claire.

How did I know a US marshal was in that saloon?

I pay you to know who comes into this town.

A strange face there talking to that Russell woman

and you have to open your stupid mouth.

It was too late to do anything, to say...

Too late to say it was all the dealer's fault?

That you wouldn't think of shutting down the Nugget

because of its fine reputation?

The next time it's too late for you to take care of a situation,

you'll extend your regrets to the good people of this town

and turn in that badge.

She sent for him, huh?

And the whole time we were talking here in this room, she knew he was coming.

Smart woman.

He's got no power in this town, not with our own law.

He doesn't have to claim any authority.

All he has to do is stay here long enough

for Kitty Russell to organize the town.

Really smart.

Question.

What does she think we'll do next?

What'd be our most sensible move under the circumstances?

Wait for time to pass.

Not make any moves with that marshal in town.

The expected.

So we do the unexpected.

Miss? Miss, what's the matter?

Here, here.

Marshal.

You better come with me.

Miss Russell. What a pleasant surprise.

- I'll just bet it is. - I'll be with you in a moment.

I'm just looking over a very interesting problem.

Checkmate in one move.

Slime doesn't even describe you and those... those...

Sit down.

I'm asking you straight out. What do you want?

You're not asking in quite the proper tone.

Just spell it out.

- Papa. - What?

A softer tone of voice, and Papa.

I'm asking you what you want!

Papa.

Papa.

Marshal Dillon, my name is Steiffer.

I have nothing to offer you but apologies.

Now... no hysterics, young lady.

Just take a good look at this gentleman and be very careful what you say.

Took me an hour to calm her down, Marshal...

Shut up.

Speak.

No. He...

I remember. He only wanted to help me.

It was somebody else.

What can I say, Marshal? Except to extend the apologies of the entire town.

Maybe you'd like to question the girl.

No, I have an idea she's been through enough.

All right, that'll be enough, thank you.

I hope you won't think too badly of us, Marshal.

Aren't you curious as to why I'm here, Steiffer?

Well, I assumed you and Miss Russell...

Well, that's part of it.

But I also came down here to talk to some of those trail bosses

that are coming in,

about things like water rights, grazing fees and so forth.

Good night, Mr. Steiffer.

Grazing fees? He's gonna talk to them about...

I know, John.

I know.

Yes?

Matt.

Door's open.

Kitty, why did you do it? Why'd you sell out to Steiffer?

I had him right where I wanted him.

Who said it was a sell-out?

Kitty, I had a chance to get a federal judge down here

to override their so-called law.

Steiffer didn't want me on trial. It would have been a disaster for him.

He was bluffing you.

Be that as it may, it's over.

Don't you have some business someplace else?

Yeah, except I'm not leaving.

Matt.

I want you to leave this town.

I didn't come all the way down here

to see you lying in the street again with a bullet in you.

- I didn't... - You've run a saloon for a long time.

Did you ever water a drink, run a crooked table, roll a drunk?

- Of course not. - Why not?

Well, because I'm proud of what I stand for, and I'm proud of...

Claire was sure right about one thing.

What?

My old man.

He was all badge.

Died with his boots on, but he was all badge.

You're living and breathing. Shows you're a lot smarter than he was.

He sure had guts.

Along with a stupid head.

Marshal?

Evening.

I'm a reasonable man, Marshal.

And surely nobody can look at you and say otherwise.

Two reasonable men talk, don't they?

- What about? - Oh, water rights, grazing fees.

Misunderstandings, really.

Talk is always good.

I've always operated all my life on pure reason.

Ambush doesn't bother you, Locke?

No. But you're beginning to.

What point are you making, Steiffer?

I believe every man ought to be happy,

able to look at his fellow with a smile on his face.

And that's why I have tried to make everybody around me happy.

You're a fraud, Steiffer.

I don't know how you can say that, Marshal.

Matt, behind you! The balcony!

Both stupid, my old man and me.

Marshal.

Do me a favor. I've got an empty cell.

Let me take care of him.

You're gonna be sorry for this, John.

Oh, no, I won't.

Oh, it just don't make a lick of sense, Matthew,

somebody a-comin' up to a deputy United States marshal like I am

a-squawkin' about 17 chickens a-gettin' stoled.

17, Matthew.

Now, how does somebody know that it wasn't 15, or 12, or 14,

instead of 17 chickens that got stole?

Except maybe the mama hen. Now, she might know.

Festus, why don't you forget about the chickens,

maybe go out and check the street?

Already done did that, Matthew.

Well, then, why don't you go on to bed, Festus?

Don't worry about any more of those chickens tonight, huh?

All right, Matthew.

- See you in the morning. - Sure, Festus.

Festus, I thought I told you to...

Hello, cowboy.

Well, I was beginning to wonder when you were coming back.

What made you think I'd be coming back?

Well, I don't know. A lot of people around town miss you.

I mean, Doc, Festus, Newly...

It's nice to be missed.

Kitty, I... I'm afraid I don't even have a drink to offer you.

Oh, that's too bad.

And I... I noticed the saloon was all closed up.

But, well, even if it wasn't, it'd still be after hours.

They tell me the lady that owns that saloon's

got a lot of influence with the marshal.

Hmm.

You mean you don't think he'd mind

if she did open up to buy an old friend a drink?

I don't think he'd mind at all.

Mmm.

Smell that air, Matt.

Something different?

Mm-hm.

Dodge City.