Gunsmoke: The Boughten Bride

Around Dard City and in the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. Marshal and the smell of... Gun-spoke. Gun-spoke, starring William Conrad, the story of the violence that moved West with young America, the story of a man who moved with it, Matt Dillon, United States Marshal.

It had been some time since we'd had any real trouble Anything more than throwing a few juice step cowboys and jailed silver up for a few hours And I liked it peaceful for a change Well that morning I'd gone to take a few catfish out of the Arkans is When I got back to the office, I found a note from Chester

Saying he's at the allifer Gansa having a beer. Hello John Over here, Mr. Dillon. Any luck, sir? How about a dozen, Chester? We'll have them for supper. No, that'll be fine. Oh, I've been telling Mr. Carter here about you, Mr. Dillon.

Mr. Carter? Robert P. Carter. How do you do, Marshall? Hello, how are you? Are you a drink? Well, thank you. Yes, I believe I will. I think I'll have a beer. My tender? A beer.

Mr. Carter came in on the stage from Denver last Saturday. Oh, you live in Denver, Mr. Carter? Mr. Carter? Oh, heavens no, New York, Marshall. I've only been west a few months, investing money in gold mines and cattle and the like.

Mr. Carter's very, very well. Just, I will be if Mother Nature holds out. His girl is coming in on the stage today, Mr. Dillon. Oh, is that so? My fiance, Marshall. He met her in Denver, but she couldn't get ready in time to come here when he did.

Ah, I see. I had to come ahead on business. Couldn't wait. We'll take the Santa Fe to St. Louis from here. They're going to be married in St. Louis, Mr. Dillon. look mister dylan well congratulations thanks but it's the stage always this way he worried mister dylan with his girl on stage no it'll be a long list

to kind of you talking about the state hello Shiloh Shiloh says he's been sitting there by himself all morning mister dylan since last night yesterday you know something about the stage Shiloh only that it's carrying fifty thousand in gold are led though so maybe that's why it's late what do you mean man well somebody wanted that goal that have to stop the stage

long enough to get it unloaded wouldn't they bandits he means banding now hold it mr. Carter you're already bleeding the nobody's shot you all right nothing nothing just take it easy the stage will get here all right it's often a little but just man says it might have been held up why there may have been a shooting

Well, I know he's just daydreaming. Wait a minute. Listen. Well, there it is now. Oh, see, Mr. Carter, there was nothing to worry about. It got here. Yes. Hey, Marshall, come here. What is it, Jim?

It got healed up, Marshall. What? Lost 50,000 gold. Where'd this happen? About 20 miles back, the wood drawer. Anybody shot? Now they shot a priority trick. But now somebody's got it. Where's James? Driver. Where's the girl who was on this stage?

What's happened to her? That sort of started to kill you, Marshmaw. There's a tree across the road. We got down to move it. This rider got to drop off us. He's all alone. No, no, no.

Never mind. Oh, that was the girl. He took the girl too. What? He took Jane? You mean to tell me you let him take Jane? Well, now, mister, they want much choice. He held a shotgun on us.

They're gone, or we could do a thing. Oh, but this is impossible. Now, take it easy, Mr. Carter. We'll find him. You'll find him. You were off fishing when it happened. What kind of law is there around here anyway?

I took one of the team after Marshall, but it couldn't get near him. He had an extra saddle horse with him, put her on that. I see. But I don't think he planned on kidnapping that girl.

Where it was he just looked at her and told her to come along. Would you recognize him, Jim? No. Those horses are both sorrows. I, Heaven, Marshall, you better get her back here at once, or I'll pick this up with Washington.

I'll see you disgracefully. Shut up, Carter. Chester, go get our horses and a couple of rifles. I got a few more details from Jim here. Well, don't you want to paw him? No, they'd be too much shooting around that girl now. Hurry, will you?

Yes, or I'll hurry, Mr. Dilen. Knock my words. You'd better have Jane back here by nightcall Marshall. You care to ride along, Mr. Carter? No. No, I'm not equipped for that sort of thing. I'll take care of matters at the same.

Yeah. Alright now, Jim, now tell me first exactly what happens. Will, we just come down into the draw about a hundred yards in the creek. A blood-red sun was drooping over the edge of the prairie and Chester and I reached Cottonwood draw. We rode hard until night felling and we had to stop

week to daylight. But with morning we drew a heavy rain that washed out every track. We rode on anyway. For the next three days we scouted a big piece of that country. Well, it was hopeless. Finally, we headed back to Dodge. Empty-handed.

Bartender, bring me a bottle with your mat. Where is she, Marshall? Is she all right? Carter, I'm sorry. What? You mean you didn't find me? Rain washed out their trail first morning. We never picked it up again. They could be anywhere. You came back without her. We did what we could Carter. I would just have to wait for

word of some kind. He'll be seen sooner or later. Wait. Well I won't wait. This will cost you your job Marshall. I promise you that. Look Carter if it makes you feel better what don't you write out yourself. It isn't my job to keep it all around here Marshall it's yours. Yeah. Say Marshall. Oh yeah what is the

shadow. Big Kate wanted to see you when you got back asked me to tell you. Big Kate. Oh alright thank you. Good luck, gay man. How'd you know Kate?

I can tell by looking at you. It's thousands and thousands of miles at prairie. Then just luck if we'd found them. Nobody's blaming you, Matt. No. Carter is. And I suppose it's hard on him.

His fiancé and all that. Carter's no good, Matt. Well, I never liked him, and suppose that doesn't matter. tell you why he's no good you know something okay card has been drunk a lot when you were out he was bragging one of the girls last night bragging about what not much to my way of thinking well go on well to make

it short seems Jane's father got into a big deal with Carter up in Denver yeah Carter got him tied up good and then threatened to ruin him oh so what I'm he didn't ruin him. It took Jane instead. Maybe she likes him. You don't know much about women do you, Matt? You think a boughton bride is likely to be in love with the man? So that's what I have to

bring her back to. Well, what are you going to do about it? What can I do, Kate? You just have to Wait. See what turns up? I waited. I waited a week. Carter was drunk the whole time telling everybody how he was going to fix me good. I'm not doing much about it except stay out of my way.

And things were fairly quiet. Chester and I spent most of our time in the office. Well, he sure fooled me, Mr. Don. No, Carter. Yes, sir. He seemed like such a nice fellow. I am so rich.

He's rich, all right. But poor in spirit, you've been going to church again, Chester. Yes, Mr. Dillon, last Sunday. Oh, last Sunday. Didn't it rain, Mr. Dillon? No, I like church, Mr. Dillon. But I sure do hate to get all dressed.

The Marshall? Yeah, I am. He's been looking for a man, woman. You know anything, Mr. My name's Chad Brown, just rolled in from Sotana. Yeah? There was a man and a woman about eight of miles back on the trail.

What color horses were they on? Well, since they saw me, they rode off, so I didn't get very close. But both horses were the same color. I guess maybe so. Are you willing to ride back with me, Mr. Brown?

I don't know, Marshall. I've got an awful third. That woman's out there against her will. i'll get our horse and i know i know chester the better few wait here this time will be back in a few days with luck let's go mister brown we will return for the second act of gun smoke in just a moment but first

frankfontaine all brings you comedy with four members of the frankfontaine family guest stars and a delightful cast of entertainers sunday night son cbs radio listen in for the frankfontaine show tomorrow night It's refreshing summer listening.

So just for fun, try the Frank Fontaine show, tomorrow night on CBS Radio. Now, the second act of gun smoke. The day and a half. The outlaws trail headed south for a few miles and then turned northeast back in the general direction of Dodge.

It was hot and still. On the horizon there were occasional flashes of heat lightning. Then in the distance we saw the long low clava yellow dust that spelled cattle. The Texas herd and the North.

The kidnappers' tracks led straight into it. An hour later we pulled up not far from the swing of the herd. Line a long horn stretch for several miles across our trail. We watched them looking for a lag to ride through.

All of a sudden the writer came hallowin down on us. You ain't damin' across that herd, are ya? Have you seen anything of a man and a woman around here, mister? Was they mounted? Yeah, a couple of sorrows.

No matter. I ain't seen nothin' but cattle and cowboys for six weeks. Besides, these cattle are plenty uneasy. They've been drizzin' just at a mornin' and that heat lightin' ain't soothing to them. This hurts across the trail of an outlaw and a kidnap woman, mister.

That's so. Well, it's just after weight. You can ride around a draw back there, but you can't cut through this herd, mister. Look, I'm a U.S. marsh a lot of dodge, and I haven't got any time to waste.

You think we can... I sure appreciate your problem, Marshall, but I can't help you. I'm trail boss of this outfit, and I got 3,000 head of cattle here, worth maybe $20 a head of dodge. They're too nerdy now, and I sure can't chance you're touching them off by riding through there.

I guess it's right, Marshall. Should be pretty risky from the look of them. They're moving too fast now. Yeah, I know. Just that I hate to lose the time. You got more time than I got cattle, Marshal.

Well, I don't know about that. But I won't tempt the stampede, Mr. Wheel, right around the drag. We're seeing Dodge. The Oliver Gantas are still running? Yeah, it is. Mostly on Texas, money. Body off.

We rode down along the herd and back up the other side about a four mile deep. But we picked up the trail again and followed it to a dock. Next morning we found the outlaws still headed straight for Dodge I was the figure was that we must be new to the country and just plain lost

Naturally he'd want to avoid asking questions of anybody By noon we were inside a town and during the last hour neither Brown or I said a word Finally we rode up front street got down at the jail We got him, Mr. Dillon. They rode right in here early this morning.

Gave himself up, huh? Yes, sir. I got the man locked up and back, and the money is over at the bank. Oh, good. How's the girl, Chester? Oh, she's fine. A little tired, but fine.

Yeah. Well, what's his story? Who is he? He calls himself Scott Cooley, but he won't say anything more at all, Mr. Dillon. I just gave up on him. I thought I'd better wait for you.

Yeah, all right. I'll talk to him first, and then I want to see the girl. Where is she? I didn't like it, Mr. Dillon, but I didn't see what I could rightly do about it.

What do you mean? What happened? Well, she sure didn't want to go with him, but that Mr. Carter came here and just the same as dragged her off. She went finally, but I sure don't like it.

Well, they didn't leave Dodge, did they? Oh, no, sir. There's no train till tomorrow. They're at the hotel. Oh, all right. I'll go over there later, Chester. Yeah, so you're Scott Cooley, aren't you? You knew around here, aren't you?

Well, anyways, I never saw you before, Marshall. I've tried hard enough to meet up with you, Cooley. You're in trouble, you know? Bad trouble. Marshall, you've got anything to say. Just say it right out.

I got nothing to say. I'm just curious why you rode into Dodge. That's all you care. I'm here. You've got the money back and what? Oh, leave me alone, Marshall. Just let me alone. You've got to talk sometime.

Now listen Marshall, I'm ready to serve my time. That's why I gave myself up. But talk, no, I don't have to talk. Not for you, not for anybody else. All right Cooley, have it your way.

Marshall. Yeah, Marshall you, you're going to see Jane. Yeah. What are you going to see her about? Find out what happened. Yeah. Marshall, I don't suppose you let me out of here just long enough to kill Carter. Now you mean the girl told you about it. I wouldn't care if I hang for it. It'd be worth it to kill him. Tell me something.

What makes you think what you did is any better? Well, you wouldn't understand Marshall. But you You do what you can for her, will you? Anything else you want to tell me? No, that's all.

Who is it? Matt Dillon. What do you want? Open the door, Carter. I want to talk to the girl. Come on there, Time-Ock! You want me to kick the door open?

You're asking for trouble, Carter. How do you do, Miss? I'm Marshall Dillon. How do you do, Marshall? I, uh, I know you've been through a lot, Miss, But I have to get the whole story from you so I can file the proper charges against this outlaw Scott Cooley.

You want to use me to put him in prison? Is that it? Well, he's committed two crimes, robbery and kidnapping. We'll warn him up for both. Well, doesn't the fact that he gave himself up and returned the money help at all?

I'm afraid I don't gather your drift. Then let it go at that, Marshall. We're leaving Dodge on the next train. So Jane won't be here to testify anyway. No. Is that what you have in mind, Jane?

No, I mean, I don't know. Oh, please. She's upset enough. Marshall, leave her alone. I want anything out of you, Carter. I'll knock it out, now shut up. You can't talk to me like that.

Wait, Marshall. I'll tell you all about it, but first. Yeah? Not in front of him. Make him go out, and then I'll tell you. All right, Carter. Outside. If you order me around, this is my room.

I'll throw you. I'll throw you. I open the door and find you around. I'll throw you all the way downstairs. Now get it. Jane, you can talk. Can I trust you, Marshall? Really trust you?

Well, that's up to you. But I'll tell you this, I know about Carter. About you and Carter, that is. Thank you. You know how I hate him. Yeah. Right now I'm curious about this kidnapping.

What happened? Why did Cooley give himself up? Because we decided we couldn't live being hunted down the rest of our lives. So you were in on it with him? No, Marshall. First time I ever saw Scott Cooley was when he held up the stage.

I'd like to believe that. Very simple, Marshall. I love Scott Cooley. What? I love you. Oh, now look, Jane, girls like you just don't go around falling in love without laws. Don't they, Marshall? No, they don't.

I did. Then either you're crazy or you're lying to me. And if you weren't a woman, I'd throw you in jail right along with him. I'm a woman, Marshall, but I have no objection to going to jail with Scott.

Oh, then the admixture is accomplished. No. I suppose it hides you to understand, Marshall. It is. I'll try to make it simple. You see, Scott doesn't know why he took me with him when he held up the stage.

He's never done anything like that before. It just seemed perfectly natural to him. He saw something he wanted and he took it. That's all. I'm afraid the court will look at it somewhat differently. All right.

I suppose you'll go to prison for the holdup, but not for kidnapping. Why not? Because I'll testify that I went with him of my own free will. I almost wish you two hadn't ridden back to Dodge.

Marshwing? Yeah. You said you know about Bob Carter and me. Yeah? Well, Scott's been wild and he's done wrong, but... But he's never done anything really evil. Well, maybe you're better off with cooling. If he straightens up.

You know I am, don't you, Marshall? It is. No business of mine. I'm a peace officer and not a matchmaker. My job is to keep cooling under arrest and get him up for trial. That's all. Now what you do is your own business.

You can testify any way you like. I can't stop that. Oh, please, Marshall, help me. There's no one else can. Yeah, who is it? It's Carter. Welcome this door. Well, gentlemen, there are four of us here, Marshall.

We figure you've talked to Jane long enough. Yeah. Yeah, I think I have, Mr. Carter. You're leaving. Yeah. Yeah, we're leaving. Are you ready, Jane? Oh, thank you, Marshall. Yes. I'm ready. Jane isn't going with you.

I've just put her under arrest. Under arrest? I arrest anybody I think needs to arrest in Mr. Carter and I'm not gonna have it I've explained in the wine. There's a law about that, you're on charge.

Mr. Carter. Come along, Jane. You can't do this, Dylan. We don't stand for it. Ah, you're a fool, Carter. I know these three bums you got with you and they don't want to draw on me any more than you do.

You fed them some liquor and promised them more for that they'll do anything, anything but face me in a gunfight. Am I right, boys? I take it I am. All right, now get out of my way.

You go first, Jane. You stay here, Jane. Take your hands up, I'm sorry. Just step over him, Jane. Dylan, I don't like saying anything. Well, then don't, Chester.

But I can't help it, Mr. Dylan. This is the first time you've ever jailed a woman, and I just don't like you. Good. What? But what? I don't like it either, Chester. What's this all about, Mr. Dillon?

Chester, Jane and Cooley, for in love. Don't look so joy-eyed about it. Cooley's got to stand trial yet, too. I don't know part of this, Marshall. Now what, Shyla? I never did like that, Carter.

Well, what's he up to? Oh, sir, he's drunken. He's buying liquor for everyone. He's making a lot of talk. There's about 20 men with him now. Where? Texas Trail. Nobody likes it about this girl.

Looks like they'll come over here and try to bust her out of jail. Eh. Chester. Yes, sir? Those horses still out back. Yes, sir, I was gonna put them away later. No, leave them, leave them.

Now, will you get over to the Texas Trail and stall those men for a while? All right, Mr. Dillon. Come on, child. Not me, I'm going to bed. I got two of them last night.

Holy. Mm-hmm. Come on up. What is this for? Just hurry it up, will you? Let's go, change. No, stay where you are, Jane. You'll do what I tell you, Cooley. It's all right, Scott. We can trust you.

Yeah, but I don't know what he's got. Got. Well, all right, Jane, if you say so. All right, now, off back. Here that way. Now, come on, let's move. All right, you take the Grey Horse, Jane.

He's gentle enough. But hurry, will you? Hurts. Come here. Where are we going, Marshall? We're going to Hay City. Cooley's going to stand trial there. Yeah. I got the money back, Scott. They can't do much to you.

I know. But there's that kidnapping too. I won't testify. That's all. Jane, you're gonna have to testify. You'll be in contempt accord if you refuse. Then I'll lie. Anyway, I could go of my own free will.

After a while anyway. That's perjury. But you don't have to do that either. There's an easier way. Ah. Well, for right of Posit Cooley and the Hays City Jail we might just make a little stop.

What do you mean Marshall? Stop where? We uh, we're gonna stop at the preachers. You know a married woman can't testify against her husband. Gah. Gah. Ha ha ha. Come on honey, let's ride. Gun spoke. Transcribed under the direction of Norman Mcdonald's stars, William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall.

Tonight's Story was especially written for Gunsmoke by John Messon with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey. Featured in Tonight's cast were John Stevenson, Larry Dobkin and Patricia Walter, with Mary Lansing, Herb Ellis, Jonathan Hall, Jim Nusser and Frank Gerstle.

Parley Bear is Chester. Join us again next week as Matt Dillon, US Marshal, fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in Gunsmoke. The features added to CBS Radio's On a Sunday Afternoon program when Eddie Gallagher introduces the Main Street Music Hall with handsome Bob Carroll and pretty Eugenie Baird as your singing

star. On a Sunday Afternoon is heard on most of these same CBS radio stations. This is Roy Rowan speaking and remember Daytime is a Gay Time with Arthur Godfrey on the CBS Radio Network.