Gunsmoke: Home Surgery

And the territory on West, there's just one way to handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the US Marshal and the smell of gun smoke. Gun smoke.

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. They told us a man we'd been looking for, a murderer, was in a cow camp on the North Fork in the Canadian River about a hundred miles south of Dodge.

So Chester and I rode down to take a look. We found a fellow there with a right name, but the wrong face. So we started back. First night we camped in a dry buffalo-rudded depression.

The next morning I woke shortly after daybreak to find Chester already cooking breakfast. Morning, Mr. Dillon. Me to be done soon. The coffee made Chester. That's what I need. I didn't make much, though. I thought I'd better save our water.

You know, Chester, I'll bet right now the docks back there in St. Louis. Hold up and some fancy hotels still asleep. That's quite a thought, sir. Yeah. Him right in the middle of St. Louis and us way out here on the prairie.

I bet he's even got sheets on his bed. I wouldn't be surprised, Mr. Dylan. Doc said this was one vacation he was going to splurge on. He's riding a Santa Fe both ways. Huh? Well, meat's done. I cleaned off this rock here to cut it on.

Oh, good. Oh, you got warm, anyway. Well, now, meat shouldn't be overcooked, Mr. Dillon. That takes a taste clean out of it. I didn't want to be able to taste everything about this steer. Eggman's disappointment.

How's that, Mr. Dillon? Never mind, Chester. How come you woke up so early this morning? Well, I always do. Seems as soon as it gets daylight, my feet start to sweat, and then I just got to get up.

Well, that's a good reason to say anything, I guess. Wow. Looks like we got company, Chester. What? Oh, boy. Right out there. Headin' straight for us. Oh, yeah. Some cowboy, probably. I don't know. He doesn't ride quite like a cowboy.

Well, he's just a kid, Mr. Dylan. Yeah, it sure is. Sure needs a haircut. What? Say, Mr. Dylan, it's a girl. What could she be doing out here? I'm carrying a rifle too. Get on this and have some coffee.

Who are you, mister? All right, this is Chester Proudfoot, and I'm Matt Dillon. How do you do? You rustlers or what? Not exactly. I'm the US Marshal out of Dodge, man. US Marshal? Oh, that's good.

It is? Why? I need help, Mr. Marshal. My daddy's awful sick. Sick. Well, where is your daddy? We got a homestead about a mile over that ride back here. Oh, what's he sick with? It's his leg, Mr. Marshall.

Oh, horse threw him and he saddled both in the corrals, and then it stepped on his foot. Now he's whole legs, all funny. He's got a fever, too. What's your doubt on that, sound like?

Yeah, I know, Chester. Tell me, Miss, when the horse stepped on him, did it cut his foot, break the skin anywhere? Just a scratch. Tory's brood off though. Please, Mr. Marshall, please come see him.

I'm scared. The way his leg is and everything. Well, sure. Sure will come. Your mother with him now? I don't have a mother, Mr. Marshall. Oh. Well, then what are you doing out here if your daddy's sick?

We ran out of meat about three days ago, and I don't have anything to feed him. Oh. All right. Chester, I'll write back with the, uh, what is your name, Anyway, Tara, Tara, Henry. Oh.

I'll be 16 next January. Well, that's fine. We'll go back to the Henry place, just so you scatter on for some meat. All right, sir. And if you don't find any antelope, shoot the first calf, you see.

Anybody's calf. I'll do it, Mr. Dillon. He's in the sleeping room, Mr. Marshall. No. Daddy.

Daddy. I found a man, and he's going to help us. And Daddy, he's a Marshall. Are you at Marshall? Matt Dillon, Mr. Henry. How are you feeling? Dillon? I've heard of you. You're from Dodge, aren't you?

That's right. Well, Marshall, I ain't feeling so good. My foot don't hurt no more, but it and my leg is all sort of... Well, it ain't pretty. I don't know much about these things, but maybe I better take a look at it anyway, huh?

Sure. Sure, Marshall. There she is. All right, you can cover it up. I was in the war, Marshall. I know what gangrene is. Guess you do too. Yeah. Well, the first thing a friend of mine is out getting you some meat and then we'll load you in your wagon.

Ben took the wagon. What? He's Ben Walling. He took the wagon when daddy got hurt. Said he'd find a doctor and bring him back. Who's Ben Walling? Oh, he's been sort of working here, Mr. Marshall.

I should have run him off long ago. That's what well where is he what do you take the wagon for? Where's he gonna find a doctor around here anyway? Closest doctors and Dodge I know yeah, he's in St. Louis. He won't be back for a couple of weeks I couldn't get to him anyway. Well tell me when it has happened about six days ago, mr. Marshall

Then left the day after well you think he's coming back Did he steal the wagon or what he he comes back here and me not able to get around I? I don't know what I'll do. I ought to take a fool with him.

Now take it easy, Mr. Hand, take it. He won't cause any trouble, so don't you get all worked up. Tara, we'll let him get some rest, huh? All right. We'll have some food for you soon, Mr. Handry.

I ain't very hungry. Tara, what's he so riled up about this bin walling for? What's between them? Always. Nothing is commercial. Daddy's sick and... That's all. Look, Tara, you asked me to help you, didn't you?

Yes, but... You trust me, don't you? All right, Mr. Marshall. Daddy hates Ben, because Ben... Well, Ben likes me. Oh, I see. He even wanted to marry me. Said he would. How do you feel about Ben, Tara? You like him?

No. Of course it's time I had a man and all that, but I'm afraid of Ben, Mr. Marshall. It's like there's something wrong with him. He's always sneaking around when you don't expect him. Makes me uneasy like... Well, we won't worry about Ben now. You stay here in case your daddy wants anything. I'll go outside and wait for Chester. Mr. Marshall. I'm awful glad you

were here. We'll see it through Tara. Don't you worry. I won't. Now. One outside and walked over to the small corral that stood nearby. There I rolled a smoke and looked out across the flat distances of the prairie and I wondered how anyone could survive and all that emptiness.

Henry lying on his bed back there in the house. He wouldn't survive. But Prairie got to him all right. And its vast loneliness had put him out of reach of any help. And Tara, what could she do out here in this endless land of grass?

I was glad to get my mind off it when Chester rode in with an antelope across his saddle. We hung it on the corral, dressed it, took a hind quarter in the terra, and we went back outside and sat down.

Yes, sir? She's a plucky girl, Mr. D. Yeah, fine girl, sir. Yeah, but there's Ben fella. I just don't understand his going off with the wagon like that. Well, it doesn't matter much now. Entry won't last a minute. They're too anyway.

It's not bad, is it? Yeah, blood poisoning, Tristan. As soon as it reaches his heart, he's done for it. Will there's no way to stop it? Yeah, sure. Cut his leg off. Too bad Doc isn't here.

Yeah. Would that stop it, Mr. Dillon? A cut his leg off of me? I don't know, Chester. I don't know. Maybe too late anyway. Well, I sure wish we could do something for him. I don't take to just sitting around and waiting for a man to die.

And nobody does. It isn't right, somehow. That poor fella and Tara. Well, I miss you, Dylan, that girl will go crazy out here all along. All right, Chester. What do you want me to do about it?

I'm not a doctor. I'll shut up. Well, I... Mr. Dylan, you could do it. I know you could. Do what? Be a doctor. Long enough to say, Mr. Henry's lying to me. Are you out of your head?

No, sir. Then what are you talking like that for? The most I ever did was Dr. O'Horse for the colic. That's fine training for this. I know. I couldn't do it. I just plain don't have the spirit.

But you do. Oh, why did not leave you back in the dot? It wouldn't have mattered anyway, Mr. Billin, because you would never just stand by and let a man die. Let's go talk to him, just.

What's Mr. Billin? Daddy's fever's worse, Mr. Marshall. I'm gonna get some more water. How do you feel, Mr. Henry? I don't feel much marshal outside of burning up. I've been trying to tell Tara I just can't last long with blood poisoning. She just got to figure on it.

Well, that's what I came to talk to you about. I guess you know the only thing it'll give you a chance. I know. I've been thinking about it. But I couldn't ask any man to do that.

You didn't ask me. Well, it is up to you, Mr. Handtree. I'll try it if you're willing. The only thing is I won't know much about what I'm doing. I've seen it done in the Union Army, Marshua.

I could tell you some things. All right. The only thing is, Marshua, I don't know. I'd be much use around here with one leg. Well, you'll have to decide that for yourself. I know. You could move to town, Mr. Handy.

You and Tara? That's it. if it was just me, I wouldn't do it, but I can't be terrible alone. Now, if I can help it, I can't... You're a brave man. No. No, Marshall. I just don't have any choice.

Come on. Let's get it over with. You got any liquor in the house? Here's a jug of corn out in the kitchen. You got it, Chester. You can start drinking it while we're getting everything else ready.

Terrell, Terra, to start boiling a lot of water. Yeah. How tough were you in a few minutes? I'll be right back. Now I want you to tell me everything that you know about this, Mr. Andrews.

First, I'll tell you what you'll need. There's a straight iron out by the corral somewhere. Yeah. You can heat it in the main room fireplace. Right. Now what else? Terra will find some cloth for bandages.

The rest of the stuff you can get in the kitchen. The only thing worrying me is what do we use to tie off the arteries with plain thread won't hold. Maybe some thin strips are raw.

Though they'd soak through. It got to have something to do. I know. At least I think it'll work well about horse hair. Well that's it, Marsh. Pull it off the tail. But work fine. fine. Here's Jeddon's hand tree and I brought your cup to for me some. What a good and drunk.

Here you are Mr. Hand tree. You know I ain't been drunk in the daytime since we got the news about President Lincoln in the spring of 65. You better have your talk with Tara for that takes hold. Ask her to come in, will you? Come on Chester, we got word to this.

Yes sir. Good luck Mr. Handtree. Thanks. Well Marshall? Yeah Marshall. I'll try to make it easy for you. Yeah sure. Shortly after noon I operated. Whether it was the Corn whiskey or his own hard courage, I don't know, but Henry never whimpered.

Chester stood outside the door and brought me whatever I needed. Tara waited in the kitchen boiling more water and... ...making her own thoughts. Maybe it was harder on her than any of us. I caught the end, Henry.

Mercifully passed off. When I finally finished bandaging him, I was... ...kind of faint myself. I'd done everything I could. Hope that done it right How is he mr.. Bill you'll have to clean up in that Chester up got to get outside for some air Yes, sir. I'll do it and put that fire out. It's hot enough around it. I don't know how you did it. Mr

John Tara Tara will you come on outside for a while? He's daddy alright Is he alright mr. Mercer? It's all over Tara when just have to wait and see now. He's alright But it took... I thought you'd never finished.

He didn't feel much, Tara. The corn liquor worked fine. Fine. Will he get well now? Well, I hope so, Tara. Mr. Marshall, are you gonna wait and see? Well, not Tara. You don't have to worry about that.

I'll be here as long as you need us. I just wanted to be sure. Can I go see Daddy now? Well, as soon as Chester comes out, Tara, then he can. All right. I'll wait, Mr. Marshall.

It beat me, Mr. Dillon, how he can just lay there so quiet and peaceful. That's only been four or five hours, Chester. The liquor hasn't worn off yet. You drank nearly the whole jug. No, he needed it.

Say, Mr. Dillon, look he on to her. No. Somebody coming to the wagon. Oh, yeah. It's probably that Ben Walling they were talking about. I'll bet that's who it is, all right? Wonder what he'll have to say for yourself.

Ah, you'll think of something Chester is kind of always to. You recognize it? No, sir. Do you? Oh, I never saw it. What are you doing here? You've been Walling. That you know. The hand trees, they've been wondering about you.

Oh, yes, sure. Hi's old hand tree, anyway. He's all right. He is, huh? You've been gone a long time, Ben. Where were you? I don't know you, mister, but you sure asked a lot of questions.

You can answer them one at a time. Now, where were you? Who are you anyway, mister? I'm a U.S. Marshal. You know U.S. Marshals around here? There is now. Generally, I'm in Dutch. Is your name Dylan?

It is. What are you doing here, Marshal? Terror ran into us. Sarah ran into us, asked us to help. Seems the only able-bodied man around here took off on a wagon. I went to fetch a doctor, anything wrong in that?

Not at all. Where is he? Well, first night the horses ran away, and I've been chasing him ever since. I didn't catch him till this morning. And then I've been gone so long, I thought I'd better get back to you right away.

I was worried about Tara and old Henry, of course. I see, well, you better get your horses on hitch band. see Tara later. She's in with her father now. Gonna be all right, huh? I was kind of worried about that foot. Look to me like it might have poison in it.

It did? What do you mean it did? I took his leg off about noon today. You were? Mr. Dillon did it all by himself. Just like a regular dog. How'd you know what to do? You might have killed him.

Somebody had to do it. Venice is sure thing. Tara couldn't. You're blaming me, ain't you? I did everything I could. Did my fault was blasted horses run off. Hand tray's pretty sick, Ben. I wouldn't bother him for a day or two if I were you.

Oh, I won't bother you. Oh, now look, marshall. You can leave now. I'll handle everything here. We'll leave. Soon as Hand Tree's able to take care of himself again. All right, stay as long as you like it.

OK. Mr. Dillon? Yeah. I think that, Ben, is a no good lard. Yeah, right on both, Constchester. I'll tell you something else. You see that saddle over there? Well, that belongs to Mr. Handry. I know. I looked at it this noon. Somebody cut the cinch strap on it.

Cut the cinch strap? Mm-hmm. Well, one of that brung bucked him in the saddle off bull. Well, do you think Tara did it? Oh, my goodness gracious. No, Mr. Dillon. Tara'd never do a thing like that to her own...

It was Ben, wasn't it? That'd be my guess. You'd figure the old man had got hurt and maybe killed. Why, sir? So he'd have a free handle of tarot. Why is that low down? Mr. Dillon, let me arrest him.

Not yet, Chester. There's plenty of time. All right, sir. I'll wait. There wasn't as much time as I figured. Henry had a bad night, and by morning he was so weak he couldn't lift his head.

I tried to take his post, but I could hardly find it, maybe. And he had operated too late. Maybe the poison had already moved up into his body. I didn't know. I had no way in knowing.

Sorry there was nothing to do in a hospital. Wait. Want some more coffee, Mr. Dillon? Yeah, thank you, Chester. We'll fill it up, huh? I won't eat anything at all, sir. She just sat there by his bed.

Hasn't slept a wink, I know well. Well, let's her father, Chester. He's all she's got. I never thought much about it before, Mr. Dillon. See you in her eye. Kind of wish I had a daughter.

You'd have to change your profession if you were going to take care of a daughter, Chester. Why, I don't have any profession, Mr. Dylan. Mr. Marcher. Uh, yeah, what is it, Tera? Please, please, sir.

Daddy, want your... I... I think he... He... You better come to Chester, can't you? It's Matt Dylan, Mr. Henry. Can you hear me? Marchesle? I can't hold out. No more. I don't say that. Keep fighting man you'll pull through.

No, Marshall. I'm gonna die. Who, Daddy? Daddy? Tara. It's about Tara, Marshall. Don't be over here. Ben Walling. He's no good. He'll try to keep her. Now don't you worry about Ben Walling, Mr. Henry. I promise you he won't get anywhere near Tara. Now or ever.

Thanks, Marshall. He's a bad one. Tara can't stay here alone. She can't work this place. It's a bad way to die. Not now. I want you to listen to me. Listen to me, now. I promise you something else too.

I'll take care of Tara. I'll see she's all right. I'll see she's cared for. Now I promise that. Hi. Thank you, Marshall. Hey, sure. Daddy, I'm my dear Daddy. Daddy? Daddy. Daddy? Well, don't let you down. I don't think they'd have made out on this place anyway.

Why not, Chester? Well, there just isn't enough water. That one little old spring is all I've got. Well, if they had a lake, it'd still be too much for Tara. What are we going to do with her, Mr. Dillon?

I don't know, Chester. We have to think of something wrong. I wish she'd come out of that house. I don't like it her in there breaking her heart. Give her a little time, Chester, if you...

She'll be all right. There's two more. Pang, are you the one of these? Well, you're mighty careless with that rifle, then. Don't get smart with me, Marshall. You know what I'm doing. And what would that be?

I heard you in there. Heard you promised it takes terror, are we? I was right by the window. I heard it all. You got a curious way, a court and a girl, Ben, trying to kill her father.

father. I saw you yesterday looking at that but I didn't kill him. You did that to lie Ben Walling and you know I won't shut up. We just got here sooner Mr. Dillon would have saved in that's all. But too bad you got here at all because you're going to die for it. What's the gun down Ben you're under arrest for

attempted murder. You stay right where you are Marshall. You know I have an idea you've smelled powder before Ben and it's you're afraid of it Marshall I have an That's why you tried to get entry like you did instead of facing it.

And right now you wish you didn't have that rifle at all, don't you Ben? Because I might have to shoot you. No, don't push him in. You all right, Mr. Dylan? It didn't even try Chester.

Rifle went off when I knocked it aside. That's all he was scared of today. Well, I didn't feel exactly comfortable. Well, tie him up and keep an eye on him. I'll go see Tara. Yes, Mr. Dylan?

Late that evening we buried Henry out on the prairie, out in back of the little homestead. They would die now to fall apart without him. The next morning we loaded everything we could get into the wagon. Well, terrible sight me. We started out for Dodge. Ben Wallen never said a word. Chester led his horse and they wrote

I had plenty of time to tell Tara all about Dodge and how there were some good people there and how we'd find her a home family. She sat there and I'd lived. She didn't say much, but she never once looked back.

Unsmoked, transcribed under the direction of Norman McVannell's stars, William Conrad at as Matt Dillon, U.S. Marshall.

Tonight's story was specially written for Gunsmoke by John Messon with music composed and conducted by Rex Corey. Featured in the cast with John Dana, Sammy Hill, and Larry Dobkin. Parley Bear is Chester. Join us again next week as Matt Dillon, U.S.

Marshall, fights to bring law and order out of the wild violence of the West in Gunsmoke. In case you didn't know, Jack Benny and his gang began their See you in tomorrow night. Jack, Mary, Don, Dennis, and Rochester.

Welcome a new member to the team, the head man of CBS Radio's Club 15 Show Bob Crosby. Roy Rowan speaking. Remember the top dramatic show of them all, The Lux Radio Theater, the third Monday night on the CBS Radio Network.