Original subtitles

♪♪

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

Hi there, Doc! Hold up a minute.

- Whoa. - Ha!

Hi, Onie.

What's the matter, Onie? Something wrong?

Just a minute. Get down and I'll tell you.

Well, I can't do that, Onie. I'm in a hurry.

You look all right to me. What's the matter?

Oh, please, Doc, I can't talk to you up there.

Get down and I'll tell you.

For heaven's sake, I haven't got much time.

- What is it? - Well, it's over...

- Well, come on. - Huh?

Come on.

No, Doc... Lucretia.

Now you listen to me, Onie Hager, I'm not a cow doctor.

I know, but you've got to help us

because Lucretia's getting too thin and it ain't good for her.

And then her eye started to water,

especially first thing in the morning.

And I don't know... I'm just kind of worried about it.

I don't see how she's lived as long as she has.

Well, that's because I'm good to her.

You know, she's the finest river swimmer in the whole of Kansas.

I don't know anything about that river-swimming business.

Well, I'll tell you. Now you see, them trail-herds

hire Lucretia to take them across the river, Doc.

- Yeah. - Now they've got to have a good leader

and a fine swimmer, because all the cattle follow her.

Now if you tried to drive a herd into the river,

well, they're just as liable to panic and half of them get drownded.

You'd think they'd have their own river swimmers with them.

Well, some of them do and some of them don't.

Them who don't... why they take Lucretia and me.

I tell you, Onie, she just may not be getting enough to eat.

I've just never seen it so dry around here... no grazing.

Oh, this is one of the driest springs we ever had.

I doubt if there's a blade of green grass for miles around here.

Well, is she getting plenty of salt?

Well, I keep a cake handy for her all the time,

but I'll see now that she gets a good lick every day from now on.

All right, Onie, you do that. She'll be all right, I think.

Say, come in and set a spell and I'll make you cup of hot coffee.

No no, can't do it, Onie. I've got to be on my way.

Why, I just got the place readied up

and it's just as neat and clean as can be.

Well, thanks, but some other time.

- Ah. Oh, Doc? - Huh?

Next time you come by, I'll have a little...

Well, that'll be different.

Yeah.

Say, who are you looking for, Mr. Lee?

Gib Collins. He rode out to take a look at that blasted Arkansas River.

We're almost there, ain't we?

We are, boy, as well as them cattle.

Well then, what are you so worried about?

That river. If it's high, we're gonna need help leading the herd in.

Oh? What kind of help?

Onie Hager and his cow.

Look, boy, don't you know Bert Downey's driving a big herd

not more than a day behind us?

Yeah.

Well, he crosses that river and gets to them Dodge shipping pens first,

he gets the big price for his cattle; not me.

Oh.

I don't know as you'll ever make a cowman or not, boy.

Here comes Gib now.

What'd you find, Gib?

That river is higher than blazes, Tush.

I guarantee you that herd won't do nothing but drink from it.

Then we'll have to get Onie Hager.

They'll follow that cow of his anywhere.

I wouldn't want to try it without her.

Boy, you ride on back. Tell Jim Okie

that Gibbs and me are riding over to fetch Onie Hager and his cow.

Tell him to hold the herd a mile south of the river till we get back.

Okay. Yes sir, Mr. Lee.

I'll sure do that.

No reason why we can't cross tomorrow, Tush.

Yeah, but I should have sent somebody on ahead yesterday.

Could have had the cow waiting for us right now.

We won't never cross it settin' here.

You're right. Let's go.

Onie?

Onie Hager? It's me... Tush Lee.

Where do you suppose he could have got to?

I don't know.

You don't suppose Bert Downey got here ahead of us, do you?

He's a day's drive behind us, ain't he?

You said yourself we should have sent somebody on ahead.

You're right, Gib.

Better take a look inside.

What hit this place?

They sure had some fight.

Hey, Gib?

Blood.

You thinking what I am?

- Bert Downey. - Yeah.

Remember what I told you coming up the trail?

I found out before we left,

Bert Downey's got two or three good swimmers in that herd.

He can cross the river without that cow of Onie's.

And leave us a'settin' on the far side.

Yeah, that's what he done.

He come on ahead here and took care of Onie and that poor cow.

Took real good care of them, if you ask me.

He murdered 'em, Gib.

He murdered them in cold blood.

That's just what happened. It's as plain as anything.

What kind of a man would murder a cow, Gib?

This here's a case for the law.

It sure is.

We'll ride on into Dodge and get that Bert Downey hung...

That's what we'll do.

I tell you, Mr. Dillon, if things get much quieter around here,

this town is going to lose its reputation.

Yeah, I don't think it would hurt it a bit, Chester.

- Well, you could lose your job. - Well, I guess it's not too late.

I might be able to find myself some honest work somewhere.

Well now, I didn't mean that at all.

- Marshal? - Ah.

- Well. - Tush.

Getting in early this year, huh?

Marshal, I'd like to ask you just one question.

What's that?

Why don't you go out and hang the man who murdered Onie Hager's cow?

What are you talking about?

I'm talking about 1400 head of Circle-C cattle I gotta cross that river

and the buyer sitting in the Dodge House

just waiting to pay me any price I ask

for bringing in the first trail herd of the season.

Yeah, you want Onie's cattle to swim 'em across for you, huh?

Onie ain't there, Marshal. Neither is his cow.

Well, maybe he went visiting somewheres.

Wouldn't take the cow, would he?

Well, I don't know. He's awful fond of that cow.

That's got nothing to do with it.

Look, Marshal, Onie's shack is all tore up

and there's blood spattered all over anyplace.

Now him and the cow is gone.

They've been slaughtered and throwed into the river, and we know who done it.

We just come from there. We got all the evidence we need.

It was Bert Downey, Marshal. He's just a day behind me on the trail

and he wouldn't stop at nothing to get his herd in first.

He's just that low-down mean.

We figure they drove that cow down to the river, shot her and sunk her.

Chester, you'd better get the horses saddled up.

- Yes sir. - You going after him, Marshal?

Well, first I'm gonna stop out to Onie's shack and take a look around.

- Don't you believe us, Marshal? - Yeah yeah, I believe you,

but I can't go and arrest Bert Downey without some kind of evidence, you know.

We already gave you the evidence.

I'm sorry, Tush, it just doesn't work that easy.

Well, I'll go find that cow-murdering thief myself

and I'll hang him high, Marshal. I promise you that.

Tush, you know better than to try something like that.

Oh, Matt?

I was by Onie Hager's just a week ago. He was all right then.

See that cow of his around anywhere?

Oh sure. That's why he stopped me.

He had some fool notion that she was losing weight

- and awful sick or something. - That cow must be older than he is.

Well, she can still swim, Kitty.

Onie does right well with her every season, you know.

You know, a funny thing: Bert Downey was in here

- just before you and Chester came in. - He was?

Say, he must have had an awful good reason

to leave that herd and come on into town, huh?

I'd better find him and have a talk with him. I'll see you later.

- Bert wasn't there, huh? - No. Nobody's seen him.

Well, maybe he left town, rolled back out to his herd.

We'll try the Lady Gay. If he's not there, we'll ride out to Onie's.

It's the last chance we got anyway.

Mr. Dillon? Mr. Dillon?

Bert Downey.

Well, looks like Tush found him before we did.

Man ain't ought to say nothing about nobody unless he can prove it.

Everybody knows what kind of people some people are.

With them, kind provin' ain't needed.

Coming from a man nobody ever trusted in his whole born days,

that's sure fine talk.

You're plain greedy. That's what you are, Bert.

And this time it got the best of you. That's what it did.

I still ain't heard you name no names, Tush Lee.

You shut your face long enough and you will.

Now I'm claiming that you done away with Onie Hager and his cow.

That's a lie, Tush Lee.

You can draw that thing any time you're ready.

Hold it.

There's your man, Marshal.

- Now do your duty. - What are you doing in Dodge, Bert?

I thought your herd was a day's drive south of here.

- That was yesterday. - I'll tell you what he was doing.

I come into town to see the cattle buyer. That's what I was doing.

You came into town to kill Onie Hager and his cow. That's what you done.

Why would I? I got three good swimmers in my herd.

- I don't need that cow. - But you knew I did.

That's why you done her in.

Now are you going to arrest him, Marshal, or not?

No, I'm not. I can't arrest a man just on your say-so, Tush.

I'm gonna have to take matters into my own hands.

I gave you a chance, Marshal. Now if you're not going to do your job,

I'm gonna bring my men into town and do it for you.

'Cause he's gonna hang for sure.

Well, if a man's going to be bushwhacked, he shouldn't ought to stand around

and do nothing to protect himself, should he?

Bert, don't make things any worse than they are.

He's out to hang me.

I'm going back and get my men. Come on, boys.

I think that's all just talk, Mr. Dillon.

Well, we'll go on out to Onie's place, look around and see what we can find.

It don't look too bad, Mr. Dillon,

but somebody tore a door off there.

Let's take a look inside.

Well, that Tush Lee sure was right.

I'll tell you... for such a little feller, that Onie really put up a fight.

Look at this... blood.

Well, that miserable Bert Downey.

Can you imagine anybody killing anyone

just so's they can get more money for their cattle?

Chester, some men will do anything for a little more money.

I guess you're right.

- Well, there's only one thing missing. - What?

- Onie. - Oh, you mean his body?

Let's go outside and take a look around the grove.

Looks like they come in ahead of us, boss.

Yeah, look at 'em.

Tush Lee's private lynching party.

Ride down there shooting, they'll scatter like...

- Put the rifle away. - But boss...

I didn't bring you men here to get you killed.

I'll face Tush Lee alone.

Them Circle-C riders ain't gonna kill nobody.

We'll leave every one of them bleeding in the dust.

I said no. I just brought you men along

to make sure that Tush Lee doesn't hang me, that's all.

Well, he ain't gonna do that.

All right. We're gonna ride down there; I'm gonna call Tush Lee out.

But I don't want any gunplay, you understand?

Not unless they start it.

They'll start it. That's what they come for.

All right, let's ride.

Well, it's your play, Tush.

I'm gonna hang you, Bert.

I don't care how many men you're trying to hide behind.

He ain't hiding behind nobody.

We just come along to make sure you Circle-C men

- don't try none of your sneaky tricks. - All right, Joe, be quiet.

Take it easy.

What are you trying to do, turn this into a real slaughter?

Well now, a bloody awful butcher like you shouldn't mind that.

He didn't say we weren't ready and willing to fight.

I got my eye on that'un, Tush.

Want I should shoot him now?

I'll give the word when, Gib.

Well, give it. I'm getting impatient.

All right, you men just sit here and be quiet for a minute.

They make a lot of noise, that little handful you brung, don't they?

All right, Tush Lee, what is this coward's game you're playing?

Ha! That's fine talk

from someone who murdered an old man and his cow.

Sneak up on him at night, did you? Catch him in bed asleep?

You'd better shut that big mouth of yours or I'll blow it shut with a bullet.

Well, I reckon you can try that anytime you want, Bert.

I sure will.

As soon as you draw, I'm gonna blow your head off.

Well, go ahead. What are you waiting for?

- You afraid? - I ain't gonna draw first.

You aim to get me hanged any way you can, don't you?

After you.

All right.

We'll both draw together.

How we gonna do that?

I'll count. When I get to three, we both draw.

All right. You sure you can handle it?

Handle what?

Countin' that high.

Why you...

Hey, Tush, we got visitors.

All right, hold it.

Now get on your feet.

What's the matter? You trying to start a range war or something here?

Just doing your job for you, Marshal. That's all.

My job's to stop fights, not start 'em, Tush.

He was trying to hang me like I told you, Marshal.

- That's because you deserve to hang. - Because you say so?

Look, the evidence is against you, Bert.

It's as clear as day. Anybody with a brain would know that.

Yeah, except for one small item, Tush:

We couldn't find Onie Hager's body anywhere.

- You ain't gonna find it either, Marshal. - Of course not.

'Cause you threw him in the river, didn't you? Him and the cow both.

Tush, I told you, I'm not gonna take any more of this!

- All right, hold it, both of you. - You're interfering, Marshal.

I aim to.

Don't you know one word from me and my boys will blow you to pieces?

Will they?

- All right. - Fine lawman, ain't you?

Do they pay you to get in the way of justice?

You're protecting a murderer, Marshal. That's what you're doing.

I'll take your gun, Tush.

- Only if you take his. - I'm going to.

- It's all right with me, Marshal. - All right.

Now till I get this thing settled one way or another,

you're going to jail... both of you. Get your horses.

All right, boys. The show's over. Get mounted.

- Onie? - Hello, Marshal.

Mighty pleasant day, ain't it?

Or maybe you don't think so.

Onie, where have you been?

Oh, Lucretia and me has been up the Kayawa Meadows for a spell.

Kayawa Meadows?

My goodness, it's all covered with green grass

and fresh clover up there.

Just the finest thing in the world for Lucretia

after she been on that dry food all winter.

Oh, tell me this, Marshal...

Has there been any excitement in town since I've been gone away?

Oh no, not a bit of it, Onie.

Well, Tush, are you satisfied? What do you say now?

What about all that blood in his cabin?

Yeah, Onie, it looks like somebody tore your place apart there.

Oh, well, that was Lucretia who done that.

Now you see, she didn't know where we were going.

She put up the doggonedest ruckus you ever seen

until I calmed her down. And you know what she done?

Look.

You see that big slash on there?

Well, she hit that on the corner of my bunk.

But that's just gonna heal up all right.

Well, how did she get into the house anyway?

Into the house?

Where do you think I keep her, outdoors?

Well... well, no no, of course not.

Tush, I ought to... you know, you...

Well, you sure made me look bad.

Well, how was I to know?

Look, Bert, when we get into Dodge,

I might set up the drinks for you and the boys...

That is if you're of mind to.

Yeah, that might be a pretty good idea.

Onie, you have that cow down at the river in a couple hours,

I got a job for her.

Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Lee,

but Lucretia can't go swimming today.

She's been eating too much green clover up there.

She ain't fit to go in the water until, well...

after tomorrow.

But that's too late.

I'm awful sorry, Mr. Lee.

Sorry? Look, Onie, you have that cow down at the river

- or I'll stretch you both over a log. - Now wait a minute, Tush.

You're always so all-fire ready to string somebody up.

Well, what else am I gonna do?

Well, you can throw your herd in with mine.

I've got three good swimmers.

Then when we get to Dodge, we can hold out for the same price.

Bert, would you really do that?

Sure. Come on, let's go to Dodge and have those drinks.

- Uh, that is all right, isn't it, Marshal? - You betcha.

Just leave enough of the town standing so's we'll recognize it.

- I don't know as we can guarantee that. - Well, I guess it doesn't matter.

This town could stand to be rebuilt anyway.

All right, come on, let's ride, men.

So long, Onie.

So long, Marshal.

Lucretia, let's you and me just go home.