Gunsmoke (1955) s01e08 Episode Script

Kite's Reward

Announcer: Starring james arness as matt dillon.
They say that too much sun and not enough water, Or even the wind, can kill a man.
But these people, these boot hill people, It was man's violence killed them.
Most, you might say, deserved it.
But in dodge city over there, A man doesn't always get his choice About how or when he's gonna die.
That town It's like pitching camp in a lion's den.
Been here a week, nobody even knows his name.
Asked him the other night what he was doing here.
He said, "resting.
" From what, I'd like to know.
Yeah, or for what.
Well, you think he's up to something, Why don't you run him out of town? Well, he hasn't done anything since he's been here, Except sit on the street And walk over to the stable to look at his horse once a day.
Man that don't work's bound to get into trouble somehow.
Maybe I oughta run you out of town, then.
Huh? Oh, mr.
Dillon.
Who's that? Never saw him before.
Some trail hand come to lose his wages.
Probably.
So that's what he's been waitin' for.
Ridin' far? Yeah, far enough.
Turn around.
Keep your hand away from that gun.
I'm gonna take your gun.
No, you're not.
You wanna die? Don't matter none to me.
You go ahead.
All right.
Hold it! Self-defense, marshal.
You saw it.
I want your gun.
That ain't right.
It was self-defense, pure and simple.
I said I want your gun.
All right, take it.
Trouble sure come runnin' after you in a hurry, didn't it? Well, I wasn't runnin' after it.
What's a man supposed to do in this town? Stand there and take a bellyful of bullets? Ain't he got a right to protect himself? You're not under arrest.
I'm not? Then, why are you keeping my gun? I wanna know why that man went after you.
I don't know.
I don't even know him.
You mean, you killed a man you don't even know? I never saw him before.
You got no idea why he drew on you? He wanted to kill me.
Maybe he was crazy.
he was crazy all right.
Where you from, fella? West of here.
My name's andy travis.
Where'd you learn how to use a gun? What? That man had his halfway out of the holster Before you even bothered to start.
He did? Say, I'd like to have seen that.
Well, I saw it.
And I've seen few men to equal it.
All right! Well, what's that got to do with taking my gun? And bringing me over here? It happened to me once, andy.
And it's happening to you.
Anybody who can use a gun the way you can Has to make a choice.
You can go on using it, Or you can quit before you get blood all over you.
You think I like killing? No, I don't.
Well, I don't like getting killed either.
How'd you get so handy with a gun? Practice.
All my life.
It's kinda fun at first, you know? But it ain't fun no more.
Why don't you quit wearin' it? I don't know, I'd feel kinda naked, I guess.
Five minutes after you hit dodge, A man you never saw before tries to kill you.
The bartender's already telling everybody in town How fast you are.
He's up there right now building you a reputation.
Soon enough, Somebody else is gonna try to cut you down for it, And you're gonna have to kill him.
And then there'll be somebody else.
You're gonna have to go on killing All the rest of your life.
However long that is.
It's- It's too late already, marshal.
No, it isn't.
No, you don't understand.
Don't understand what? Nothin'.
Look, I told you I don't like it.
Well, it's gonna be one man after the other from now on.
You're gonna have to kill, whether you like it or not.
But I'm not gonna watch it.
Now you leave that gun off, or you get outta dodge And go do your killing somewhere else.
All right, if I give it a try, and I- And I don't like it, do I get this back? It'll be here any time you want it.
Well, it ain't wantin' it I'm worrying about So much as maybe needin' it.
Nobody's gonna go after an unarmed man.
I hope not.
Well, maybe it ain't so bad being naked.
I sure don't aim to starve too.
I need a job, marshal.
Moss grimmick's looking for a man Over at his stable.
You wanna show me? Sure, glad to.
Didn't expect you back till tomorrow, marshal.
Ah, I got homesick, moss.
You mean, you didn't find nothing.
Well, a couple of old man bent's steers walk off And he starts hollerin' The country's alive with thieves.
Took me two days to convince him he was wrong.
Yeah, he's crazy.
Hello, marshal.
Want me to put your horse up? Why, yeah, thanks.
Good trip? Oh, not bad.
He looks about bedrocked.
Yeah, I've been pushing him a little.
I'll have him back into shape in a couple of days.
You know, we don't feed thistles here anymore.
I made the boss buy some grain.
Yes, and I'll be bankrupt in a week.
He's all right, huh? I wish he was my son.
Say, you want to go fishing? What? Me and chester's going.
He's out digging up worms somewhere right now.
Well, I never heard of you going fishing before, moss.
Well, I never had anybody I could trust To leave the stable with before.
Well, I'd like to go, But I got some paperwork to do.
I'll see you later.
You work too much, marshal.
I'm the laziest man in dodge, And you know it.
Hey, Travis in there? Andy.
You must be the wrong man.
From what the barkeep at the long branch told me, I was expectin' something on fire.
Your name is travis, ain't it? Yeah, it is.
Well, You don't look like no tiger to me.
Where's your gun? Just a minute- stay out of if, moss.
I know this man.
He rides into town every now and then, Just to find somebody he can bully.
But he ain't gonna come down here And make trouble for you.
Not while I'm around he ain't.
Let me handle it, moss.
It's no good if you don't.
Now you got that over with, You gonna answer my question? Where's your gun? I took it off.
Why? My reasons.
Go get it.
You got any particular reason for proddin' me, mister? I never heard of you before today.
But I didn't like what I heard.
That so? You got yourself a reputation.
But you ain't gonna keep it.
I don't want it.
You killed a man, then you Take your gun off, So that nobody else can give you a try.
You know, I don't like that.
Where you going? Listen, you're wasting your time.
I quit fightin'.
Listen, I quit gunfightin'.
If you wanna take that off, I'll oblige you some other way.
Matt dillon.
Hi, doc.
Hi.
Well, You look about as pleased as a rat in a grain bin.
What happened? Government finally send you your pay? Now, what would I do with money, doc? You owe me $20.
Ten.
Interest.
Where'd you learn doctoring, in a pawn shop? Doctors are human.
We like to eat too, you know.
Try the stable.
What? There's a job waitin' for you over there.
Fella needs a little comforting.
Who? That bearcat, jim beecher.
Hm.
Somebody finally shoot that bully? That's why I'm lookin' so pleased.
Well, I don't understand you.
You will, doc.
You lookin' for me? Mm-hm.
Well, what can I do for you? A lot.
I don't like strangers sittin' at my desk, mister.
That so? Get outta that chair.
Coffee? What is it you want? Take a good look at me.
I want you to remember me, marshal.
What? I mean it.
Take a good look now.
Who are you, mister? Kite.
Joe kite.
The desk Get off it.
Sure.
All right, kite.
Say your piece.
I did.
I want you to know me, so's you'll recognize me.
Why? 'cause the next time you see me, I don't want you to shoot me, Buffalo me, Or treat me in any kind of a hurry at all.
Why? I might have to shoot a man, marshal.
I can't explain now.
I'll tell you after I've done it.
Are you drunk? Now, there's no need for you to get all fretted up.
I ain't gonna do nothing wrong.
Now, just where did you get the idea That shooting people isn't wrong, mister? I-it's kite.
You know, like I told you.
You look like some kind of a bar bum to me.
I doubt if you even own a gun.
Oh, I'm gonna get one.
I see you wearin' a gun, I'll take it off you and throw it away.
Now get outta here.
All right.
But you're gonna talk a lot different, marshal.
Listen, you.
I've seen your kind before.
You stand around in saloons, Sucking up strong talk and cheap whiskey Till you get the idea that you're a man.
But don't let that fool you.
You came in here as nothin', and you go out as nothin'.
And all the talk you hear and the whiskey you drink Doesn't fill you out one little bit.
Now get outta here.
And go sit in the dark where you belong.
Well, a man spends a hard afternoon out fishing, He deserves a little relaxation afterwards.
Well Yes, sir.
Where's moss? Well, he went back to stable, so andy could come over.
Oh.
Anything you want me to do now, mr.
Dillon? I mean, right now? Stay here and finish your beer.
I'll pick you up when I leave.
All right, sir.
Sit down, andy.
No, I gotta get back to the stable.
I just come in for a beer.
Well, that's a compliment.
miss kitty, I- I didn't mean it to sound that way.
I know.
I'm kidding.
It was real nice talking to you.
Come back when you can.
I sure will, thanks.
You know something, marshal? What? You was right about me not wearing a gun.
I'm glad I took it off.
Good.
Bye, miss kitty.
Bye, andy.
See you later, andy.
You want a beer, matt? No, I just stopped over to say hello.
Andy's a good boy.
Yeah.
You know, I think andy's made more friends Since he's been here than any man I ever saw.
He's got most everybody on his side.
And the few that aren't are learning fast.
Like that jim beecher? yeah.
Well, I gotta go, kitty.
I'll be back later.
Sure, matt.
Well, here's marshal dillon.
Maybe he'll help you, I sure won't.
What's the trouble, stranger? There's no trouble, marshal.
Forget it.
I'll ask somebody else.
He's lookin' for andy.
Hold it.
You lookin' for andy travis? No.
He described him perfect, mr.
Dillon.
What do you want him for? Well, nothin', I tell you.
It ain't important.
It's important to me, mister.
There's been too many men lookin' for him.
And you're gonna tell me why, or I'm gonna tear it outta you.
Now start talking.
Well, I- Go on.
He's wanted.
Up in laramie.
Used to belong to the fisher gang.
There's posters up for him all over wyoming.
So that's it.
His name ain't travis, it's haker.
And he's worth $1,000.
A thousand dollars, dead or alive.
So you're a bounty hunter, huh? I ain't doing nothing wrong.
"nothing wrong.
" Both you and kite.
You gotta let me take him.
I told you about it.
You're not taking anybody, mister.
You can pick this up at my office later.
Just before you ride out of town.
Hello, andy.
Who are you? Don't matter who I am.
It's andy haker that counts.
Bounty hunter? Mm-hm.
Is this how you make your living? My duty as a citizen, haker.
You're more turkey buzzard than citizen, mister.
You can't rile me.
You ain't takin' me.
I'm taking you.
Right now.
No.
You gonna use that gun again? No.
Course I ain't.
That's too bad.
I almost wish you'd try it.
Now, look, marshal.
That man's wanted.
I got a reward comin'.
Shut up.
Throw that gun over there.
I- I forgot Forgot about my gun.
I went for it afore I remembered.
There's a reward out for me, marshal.
I quit the gang too late.
I'm gonna get you over to the doc's right away.
It's too late for that too.
Didn't work out so good, did it, marshal? Not so good.
Just 'cause I'd forgotten and went for my- He went for his gun.
I had to kill him.
No, you didn't kill him.
What? I killed him.
What are you saying? That don't make sense.
You're trying to cheat me out of the reward money.
You're trying to cheat me.
Get out.
Go steal yourself a mule and ride outta town.
No.

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