Original subtitles

Starring James Arness as Matt Dillon.

♪♪

Something's funny.

Where's the dog?

Yeah, he always comes running out

yapping his head off.

Hey, you coming on in?

Sure.

Been anybody around?

No, no, not a soul.

How was the hunt?

Well, got some meat.

Where's your dog, Ben?

Darn hound took off a bit ago running a fox.

He'll drag back tomorrow morning,

hanging his tongue about a yard and a half.

You had a lot of wind this afternoon?

No.

We rode out of here about four hours ago.

I don't see any tracks in the road.

You boys are really something.

For a fact.

You know how it is, Ben.

Hey, little Billy roped a hide a while ago.

He was dragging it up and down here.

Must have wiped it clean.

I kicked him bowlegged for raising the dust.

Well, you can just set there if you want to.

We're eating up at the house.

It still don't smell right.

I don't put much faith in Ben.

I've been holing up here off and on

for six years now.

He's all right.

It ain't costing enough money to suit me.

We're shelling him out 20 a day.

You wouldn't believe what it got to costing the Daltons.

And Jesse... 10,000 on his head,

and he couldn't buy a place to sleep.

Ain't natural he ain't squeezing you for more.

Maybe he's proud of the company.

Hey, Johnny, let me see you a minute.

Yeah, I'll be right there.

Ah.

Well, don't get your hopes up now,

but I swear there's a money-grubbing glint in his eye.

You're... you know, you're going to worry yourself

into an early grave, Harry.

Johnny, look out!

♪♪

I'd have staked my life on Ben.

You did.

How bad is it?

I haven't had the nerve

to pull it out and find out, or the time.

Milt?

Went clean through.

We're pulling out, John.

You're doing what?

You're the one they want, not us.

You've got $9,200 on your head.

You're a danger just to be around.

Jim?

I'm staying.

You'll get yourself killed staying.

You go to the devil, the three of you.

You'll see him first.

♪♪

- Hi. - Hi, Doc.

I ain't at all sure

I can pry myself loose from this saddle, Matthew.

No luck, huh, Matt?

No, not a bit, Doc.

Doc, we looked in every little old cranny

'twixt here and the end of creation

that a man could hide hisself in.

Festus, better take these on up to Hank's.

Sure, Matthew.

Marshal!

I've been keeping an eye out for you

the better part of the afternoon.

I got some information.

- What's the matter? - Matthew.

Oh. Thanks, Festus.

It's John Farron.

While you were scouring the countryside,

he ain't but ten miles from here, Marshal.

- I've seen him. - Where?

I'll take you there.

There's a spot where you can get a clean, easy shot at him.

What did this man look like?

Big man, Marshal.

Way over six feet.

Halligan, go on home and put that gun away, will you?

Now, wait a minute, Marshal, I seen him.

Halligan, I appreciate your trying to help,

but believe me, the man you saw is not John Farron.

He ain't mad at me, is he, Doc?

- I was just trying to help him... - No. Hush up.

Well, it's funny how they always make an outlaw

seem bigger than he is, isn't it?

Well, that's human nature.

Bigger the reward money, the bigger the outlaw.

$9,200 is an awful lot of money, you know?

That's enough to get a lot of folks excited.

I can understand how you feel

about him being bushwhacked, though,

you and him being old friends and all.

Well, it isn't that, Doc.

Actually, the murder charges against him

have never been proved.

I'd just like to see him get in

and have a chance at a fair trial.

Well, nobody's seen hide nor hair of Farron

since he shot his way out of that ambush last week.

You haven't the slightest idea where to go looking for him.

But suppose you do find him.

How do you know he's not going to shoot you?

I don't.

Well, if you go out and try to bring him in,

you may be the one that has to kill him.

Have you thought of that?

Yeah, I've thought quite a lot about it.

Excuse me. Marshal Dillon?

Yes.

I'd like to have a word with you, please.

It's important.

Oh, Matt, I have to get back up to the office.

- Excuse me. - All right, Doc.

Well, wouldn't you... would you like to sit down?

Thank you.

What can I do for you, ma'am?

I'm Edna Farron.

I told you it was important.

Yes, I'd heard John was married.

Six years ago.

My husband's told me a lot about you, Marshal.

It was a long time ago.

So he said.

You've been looking for him.

Yes, I have.

For the reward?

Not for the reward, Mrs. Farron.

It's my job.

I'd like to bring your husband in alive, if I could.

Marshal, you knew John Farron better than anyone.

Now, do you think he's capable of murder?

What about the Emporia Bank?

He didn't kill those men, Marshal.

Well, he led the raid.

His orders were not to shoot. There was no need.

Well, somebody did shoot,

and that's the reason the reward is close to $10,000.

Marshal, there's still a lot

of the old John Farron you knew in him.

What do you want with me, Mrs. Farron?

John wants to know if you'll make a deal

if he gives himself up.

Well, I... I don't know if the state

would be willing to make a deal.

Marshal, this may be the last chance I have

to keep my husband alive.

All right, Mrs. Farron.

I can't make any promises, but I'll...

I'll talk to the attorney general,

see what I can do.

Yes, if he could make any kind of a concession...

I'll try.

John was right.

You are his friend.

I'm very curious about a couple of things, Matt.

What's that?

You're not going to get anything out of this

except a chance to stick your neck out

and maybe a pat on the back from us,

which we both know you don't need,

so why bother?

Why did Mrs. Farron come to you in the first place?

Well, the fact of the matter is

that John and I go back quite a ways.

That's interesting.

Well, I guess it's no secret.

You're friends?

We were.

His family took me in one winter.

I was broke, near starving to death.

Wasn't much more than a kid, and Johnny was even younger.

Next summer, we went out chasing cows, and...

well, it was kind of like having a kid brother.

You haven't seen him since?

Once or twice.

Did you ever, uh, give him a break?

You know what I mean.

No, I never did.

Johnny's always stayed clear of my jurisdiction.

Until that ambush last week.

Yeah. We went after him.

By the time we got to the Leary place, the trail was cold.

Well, I get it every day.

"You got $9,200 working for you, Will,

so what's taking so long?"

I don't know.

Be a lot of hard questions if I make a deal.

No, I don't think so, Matt.

Besides, time is on our side.

Well, not altogether.

You know, you got an election year coming up.

You're going to be in a difficult position

if John's still running loose in November.

He'll probably be dead by then.

Wouldn't you rather have him alive in a courtroom?

Yes.

Make you look a lot better at the polls

than if he's shot in the back by some bounty hunter.

You would have made a good politician, Matt.

All right, I'll go along with you, but not far.

Good. Now, what can I offer?

♪♪

Well, the road's clear behind.

There's nobody following.

Let's go.

♪♪

We're to go inside and show a light and wait.

Stay where you are.

It's all right. It's Matt Dillon.

Hello, Johnny.

Did you know he was behind you?

What do you think?

I think he could very well be dead right now.

You're looking fit, Matt.

Johnny. Wish I could say the same for you.

Yeah, got a close one.

There's no denying that.

You bring more wrappings?

Bandages are in the buggy.

It's been a long time.

You've come a long way, Johnny.

Yeah.

After that first time, it got easier.

Came here to talk business.

Jim Gunther.

Yeah, I've heard of him.

That a fact?

He's been a friend, Matt... A good friend.

They're hard to come by.

Just some branches rustling. Wind's coming up.

I thought you'd brought a posse.

I'm sorry, Matt.

You heard what that Ben Leary tried to do to me?

Yeah.

Getting hard to know who to trust.

The marshal's your friend, John.

Yeah, I know that.

His being here says it.

Done pretty good for myself, didn't I, Matt?

Yeah, you sure did, Johnny.

Well, state give me a deal?

Well, they're willing to make a deal, Johnny,

but I don't know if you'll like it.

They won't drop the murder charges.

No, I'll come and stand trial for armed robbery,

but they got to drop them murder charges.

They won't do it.

I didn't commit those murders.

What evidence you got to prove that?

Well, I got some, but, uh, I'm not so sure

it'll stand up in court.

All right, seems to me the best thing you can do

is come in, present the evidence and take your chances.

If you're acquitted of the murder charge,

you could get off with five years.

I won't take those chances, Matt.

I got to have that deal.

That's as far as they'll go, Johnny.

If they try me on all them charges,

what does it mean?

They've agreed to waive the death penalty.

What do I get?

20 years.

20 years?

Did you know about this?

John, you'd be alive.

That's what you want me to do?

There's no other way.

Well, in a pig's eye, there ain't!

I got a lot of running left in me yet.

John, if you go on like this,

it's a question of time before you'll be killed.

Well, then I'll be killed.

I ain't going to get myself packed in salt

for the next 20 years.

Honey, I'll get a couple of things worked out.

John, there's no other way it can end.

Well, any way's better than being caged

for the best part of my life.

Jim?

Johnny?

Couple of weeks ago, you came into my jurisdiction.

For old times' sake, don't come in again.

Yeah, I been worried about that, Matt.

But it's getting harder and harder

to just find a spot to rest.

You just set there a bit, hmm?

♪♪

Did you read this, Shepherd?

Yes, Mr. Kerner.

Well, just who the devil does John Farron think he is?

With due respect, sir,

I was against the idea from the start.

So you were. So you were.

You gave him more than he deserved, sir.

I must admit my reasons were twofold.

Matt Dillon asked me, and as he so aptly put it,

we have an election coming up.

Your record will carry you, sir.

Shepherd, I want this matter cleared up.

As it should well be, sir.

I want you to go down to Dodge, see Marshal Dillon,

look into this thing firsthand.

Yes, sir.

- And, Shepherd... - Sir?

Marshal Dillon is not the kind of a man one can...

You handle it any way you wish.

I want John Farron.

How is it?

It's good.

Strong enough for you?

Yeah, just right.

Festus ought to be showing up with that posse pretty quick.

Why don't you just sit still and finish your coffee.

He'll let you know.

Well, good morning.

Doc.

You're in kind of early, aren't you?

Early?

Well, I didn't know you'd set up visiting hours here.

I wasn't aware of that.

Did she mention that to you, Matt?

No.

Well, probably just me, then.

But anyway, why don't you just let me know

when I'm going to be permitted to visit here,

and then I'll set my alarm clock

so I don't show up on you unexpectedly.

Be quiet.

Doc, what have you been up to?

I haven't been up to anything, but I've been up.

Been up all night out at the Cumminses'.

Why don't you go on home and go to bed?

Oh, no. No, you can't do that.

No, the minute I lay down and start to go to sleep,

why, somebody'd have a baby or break their leg or something.

That's ridiculous.

No, I'm dead serious about it. It...

Oh, I've noticed the same thing myself, Kitty.

Sure. I'll bet you that a fireman

no sooner gets his boots off and his pants hung up

than the bell rings...

Morning, Doc, Kitty, Matt.

- Hello, Thad. - Thad.

Matt, uh, there's a man down at the office,

and he says he's gotta see you.

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

I can't figure him out.

He's putting on like he's somebody,

and he sent me over here to come and get you.

All right. I'll see you later.

What did I tell you?

You see, Matt... It's the first time

he's had any kind of a chance to relax in over a week,

and, well, it never fails.

Oh, well, it's all right.

He was leaving soon anyway.

Where was he going?

He's got Festus

rounding up some more men for that posse.

He said he was going to bring John Farron in,

and he meant it.

What can I do for you, Mr. Shepherd?

It's what I'll be doing for you, Marshal.

Quoting the attorney general directly:

"Handle it any way you wish."

Handle what?

The capture of John Farron.

That letter there, as you see,

gives me all the authority I need.

Now, if Farron's decided to make a deal with us,

it's certainly something to hang our hat on.

What do you mean?

Would it be possible for you to arrange

another meeting with him?

I don't know. It might.

Are you willing to take a chance?

I'd have to know why.

Get word to him.

Tell him we're game to talk about

dropping the murder charge.

You're what?

We'll arrange to have you followed.

I'll instruct our men to try to make an arrest.

Forget it.

I can order you to do it.

You can, huh?

I'm here as the representative

of the attorney general of the state of Kansas.

Yeah, you said that.

John Farron is a murderer and a thief.

Give me one solitary reason

why we should play fair with him.

This is my jurisdiction, and I'll bring him in.

You can only try, and it's been tried.

I'm sorry.

I have got to be sure.

You've got to be sure?

It is not my intention to remain an assistant

to the attorney general forever.

♪♪

Good afternoon, Mr. Shepherd.

Don't underestimate me, Marshal.

There are other ways of handling this.

I'll not hesitate to use them.

Posse's about ready to ride, Matthew.

- Who was he, Matt? - His name's Shepherd.

He's from the attorney general's office.

Have they dropped the murder charges against Farron?

- No. - What did he want, then?

Well, he just joined a long line of people

who want to use Farron one way or another.

How's that?

Reward money, prestige...

now a political career.

Boys, I want you all to remember you're just deputies.

There's no reward money in this for you.

If possible, I want Farron brought in alive.

Thad, give me a couple extra badges, will you?

Ronald Miller and his boy are going to meet us

out there with Festus.

Well, we should be back sometime tomorrow.

Right.

Let's go, boys.

That's a shame.

Matt did all he could.

Well, Farron turning down Topeka's offer

forces Matt's hand, and that's just a shame, shame.

Well, from what Festus says, it's not surprising.

20 years.

Farron couldn't expect to get a better deal than that.

Well, for a man like that,

20 years is no different than hanging.

Well, they'll get him eventually,

but the terrible thing about that is

Matt will be the one that has to bring him in.

- Yes? - How do you do, Mrs. Farron?

I don't believe I know you.

If I could come in, I'll be happy to explain.

If it's about my husband, I...

It is about your husband.

I don't wish to discuss it.

Please, Mrs. Farron.

I'm not from the railroad or any of the banks.

What I have to say will be of personal interest to you.

Attorney general's office?

May I come in?

Yes, yes, of course.

Mr. Shepherd?

What is this all about?

Mrs. Farron, your husband has made certain demands

which must be met before he will surrender

to the authorities.

Only to protect himself...

Hear me out, please.

We're willing to meet those demands.

You're what?

I'm here to extend an amnesty offer to your husband.

Amnesty?

On the murder charges against him.

The robbery charges will remain in force.

You're going to drop the murder charge?

The offer is being made by Marshal Dillon

at my personal direction.

You're to get word to your husband.

The meeting is to be at 3:00 tomorrow.

Well, what if Johnny doesn't...

Well, he'd want to arrange the meeting place himself.

Mrs. Farron, I can rescind the offer.

That would leave no choice but to raise the reward.

Your husband must be apprehended.

One way or the other, it's in your hands.

That's what frightens me.

If he was willing to meet with Marshal Dillon once,

why not again?

All right, I'll... I'll see what I can do.

♪♪

Nights are getting colder.

Yep.

And longer and darker.

Jim, why don't you pack this in?

What are you talking about?

All this.

You'd have no trouble getting lost up north, maybe Mexico.

Why don't you?

We've been together too many years, Johnny.

Maybe one of these days,

they'll put a price on you as big as on me.

Nah, I'm what my pa used to call "small potatoes."

That would never happen to me.

What if it did?

I think I'd blow my brains out.

If I had the guts.

How long do you think she'll stay by you, Johnny?

What do you mean?

No offense to her.

My wife waited four years.

One time, winter it was, I went in to see her.

She was gone.

Never knew you were married, Jim.

Neither did she.

That's why she left me.

Well, Edna is different.

Oh, John. Oh, John.

What is it, honey?

They've agreed to drop the murder charges.

The marshal's waiting for you.

Johnny.

He's waiting? Where?

Cimarron, 3:00 tomorrow.

I talked to the attorney general's man myself, John.

What?

He came down from Topeka to talk with the marshal.

That's what you wanted

before you'd give yourself up, isn't it?

Could be a trap.

No.

Matt Dillon's your friend, John.

He wouldn't be a part of anything like that.

I don't like it.

It doesn't matter what you like.

It's our last chance.

It's our only chance, John.

Oh, please, don't throw it away.

All right.

I'll think about it.

♪♪

John, I'll wait for you

as long as it takes for you to serve a prison sentence,

but I can't live like this any longer.

I mean it, John.

You know, Jim might be right.

It could be a trap.

Anyone else, I'd be afraid, but not Matt Dillon.

♪♪

- Hello, Doc. Thad. - Matt.

- Doc. - No luck yet, huh?

No, no.

You know, many more days like this,

and my tailbone's going to take root to my saddle.

Well, if you two want, I could get you something to eat.

Oh, no, thanks, Thad. Not for me.

If my innards quit flip-flopping,

I might be in the mood for some vittles myself.

Well, what you need, both of you,

is about ten or twelve hours good sleep.

That's what you need.

You know, I been thinking that very same thing

since early this morning, Doc.

We stayed in the saddle the entire night long.

Matt, do you suppose Farron might have left for good?

Well, if he hasn't, he sure will as soon as his wound's healed.

It'll be a blessing all around if he does go.

Well, I'll tell you this, he'd better leave

'cause the roundup's about over and the rope's a-gettin' short.

Marshal!

What happened?

Mrs. Farron?

- What happened? - What do you mean?

To John.

I don't know what you're talking about.

Mr. Shepherd told me that you were meeting with him.

Meeting with him?

To offer him amnesty for the murder charges.

Where was this meeting supposed to take place?

Oh, dear God!

Mrs. Farron, where was the meeting

supposed to take place?

Cimarron. He said you were there.

You were waiting there to meet with John.

Thad, saddle my horse, will you?

Festus, come on. Help me find Shepherd.

What'll it be, mister?

You have any good brandy?

Miss Kitty figures that anybody that'd order brandy

in the Long Branch would want the very best.

And that's just what we've got.

Then would you mind pouring me some?

Well, Marshal, any luck with your search?

You got a trap set for Farron up in Cimarron?

I'm doing what you and other lawmen

have failed to do.

In a courtroom or in his grave, as long as I put him there.

Mister, you better hope he doesn't get killed

in an ambush.

You're too late, Dillon.

You'd never get there in time.

Jim, what time you figure it's getting to be?

Getting pretty close.

I guess we'd better start in.

Johnny, I don't like it.

I got to stop running sometime, Jim.

What if it's a trap?

Then I'd say Matt Dillon's changed an awful lot.

What if he has?

You go on.

Go on where?

Go on, get out of here.

There's no sense you taking any chances.

I've stuck it this far.

All right, Jim.

Something happens we get separated,

we'll meet at that line shack near the lake.

Let's go on in.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Call it off, Aaron.

What are you doing in Cimarron, Matt?

Call it off. I want that ambush broken up.

Sorry, Matt. I got my orders.

They come from higher up than you.

You know, I might have figured a lot of men to go along

with something like this, but not you.

Go along with what? John Farron's a wanted man.

What, are they giving you part of the reward?

- Now, look here... - They must be giving you a cut.

You stand there straight and tall.

You know what I got to show

for 35 years of wearing this badge?

$15 a month and my meals.

Don't try to alibi it.

No alibi. Just plain, bitter facts.

Whatever I'm getting, I ain't being overpaid for it.

♪♪

Let's get out of here.

I'm going in.

Look at that street.

It's got ambush written all over it.

Johnny, remember Ben Leary's farm.

There was less sign there, and you saw it.

Well, there's one big difference...

Matt Dillon's here.

♪♪

♪♪

Hold your fire!

Johnny, get out of here!

- Johnny! - Dillon, you got no call!

Get out of here!

I said hold it!

No... no, don't shoot.

Get up.

They had us cold, and you stopped it.

This ambush wasn't my idea.

Let's go.

Send a telegram to Mr. Shepherd.

John Farron has escaped.

Matt Dillon has got Gunther.

♪♪

Thad, lock him up, would you?

Jim, where's Johnny?

Marshal, what happened?

Johnny got away.

- Was he hurt? - No, I don't think so.

Marshal Dillon?

You... you lied!

It's always the guilty who cry foul.

There's a stage at 10:00 tomorrow morning, Shepherd.

Be on it.

Don't order me around, Dillon.

Read this.

It's from Kerner himself.

It gives me authority

to remove Gunther from your custody.

You've been busy, haven't you?

You can send your own wire to confirm it, if you like.

What do you want Gunther for?

That's none of your business.

Let him in, Festus.

Leave us alone.

My name is Charles Shepherd,

from the attorney general's office.

Attorney general?

What do you want with me?

Quite a lot, Gunther.

Look, I'm just a small-time thief.

Ain't never had more than $100 on my head at any one time.

Before I get through with you, Gunther,

there will be a bigger bounty on you

than there ever was on John Farron.

What for?

Murder, for a start.

Murder?

That's right.

Those two men that were killed in Emporia.

I never had nothing to do with those killings.

But you were there.

Sure, I was there.

But I never fired no shot.

No more than Johnny did.

That's your story, Gunther.

But tomorrow morning, there'll be a dozen men

to testify that they saw you

cut down those two guards in cold blood.

Ah, that's a lie.

There are a couple of killings in Tascosa I could tie you to.

Why are you doing this to me? Why?

Because I need you, Gunther.

And unless you do exactly what I say,

I'll tear your hide off and tie it to a wall.

I'll make your name a dollar sign

to every lawman, drifter and bounty hunter

west of the Mississippi.

What do you want from me?

Farron.

I want John Farron.

I want him dead.

You're asking me to kill Johnny?

No.

I'm not asking you anything.

I'm telling you.

♪♪

No.

No, I won't do it.

You will.

Because you know what'll happen if you don't.

No.

Let me tell you something about yourself, Gunther.

You're a thief because you haven't got

the moral fiber it takes to become an honest man.

And you're a small-time thief

because you haven't got the guts to be anything else.

And shall I tell you why?

Because your miserable little life

means more to you than anything else in this world.

More than money, fame

or the life of John Farron.

That's not true.

Well, I'm going to give you that life, Gunther.

I'm going to give you that life on a silver platter.

Amnesty.

Complete amnesty

for all the petty, dirty crimes you ever committed.

And $9,200 in your pocket.

New name, new deal, new life.

But if you cross me, Gunther,

I swear I'll see you hang in the public court

just as sure as I'm standing in this cell.

♪♪

♪♪

You can put the gun away, Jim.

I'm alone.

How many did you bring with you?

Nobody.

You going to kill me, Jim?

That's right, Johnny.

Well, who put you onto me?

Wasn't Dillon.

What in the world did they have

that they could have offered you?

It's what they would've done to me if I didn't go along.

No, Jim, you could have ridden away once you were free.

He swore he'd put a bounty on me,

bigger than the one on you, if I did.

We talked about that once, remember?

I didn't have the guts.

You know, you and me go back a long time.

The price must be awful right.

It's come right down to this, Johnny.

Right down to the line.

It's your life or mine.

It has come down to that, hasn't it, Jim?

Your life or mine.

Get out of here.

I tell you, you got nothing to worry about.

He's coming in.

- How do you know? - I know Johnny.

Is this another one of your tricks?

He's got no place else to go.

I'm telling you, he's coming in

to give himself up to Marshal Dillon.

No good.

- Why? - I want him.

I'm going to be the one who brought Farron in, not Dillon.

Nobody's bringing him in.

He's giving himself up.

And I tell you he's not giving himself up.

He's my ticket to the top.

And you'll see that I won't lose out.

I'm very grateful to you, Marshal,

for what you tried to do for John.

Well, I'm sorry it didn't work out.

What are you going to do now?

Wait for him to contact me.

What then?

Then I'm going to go with him wherever he goes.

Just a matter of time till they catch up with him.

Yes, I know that.

But that's why I'm going with him.

He's running out of time, Marshal.

And whatever is left, I'm going to be with him.

That makes things pretty difficult for you, doesn't it?

I love him.

♪♪

You sure called it.

Yeah.

Just as though I knew him.

Expected to see you before this, Jim.

Along the trail somewhere.

I'll shoot.

Johnny!

Johnny. Johnny.

Johnny, fight me.

Kill him!

Oh!

Johnny...

Oh, Johnny.

I came in, Matt.

Nobody left to turn to but you.

I'll have your badge for this.

After Cimarron and tonight, I'll have your job, mister.

You're under arrest.

Arrest?

We always knew it would end like this.

We knew.

I'm glad it's finished.

I love you, Johnny.

All of a sudden,

there's so much I got to say to you.

There's no time.

Oh, Johnny...

It's done.

I'm sorry.

Shh.

I'm sorry.

♪♪

♪♪

Stay tuned for scenes from next week's Gunsmoke.