Gunsmoke by John Reeves (books for new readers TXT) 📖

Gunsmoke


1

There was a silence around Dodge City since Matt Dillon was named the town's Marshal. The guys who'd come to know Matt from the card table suspected he was ruthless. The guys who found themselves at the end of his gun knew he was. His presence alone was something intimidating. He stood six feet - seven inches in his boots. The rugged man had seen the twilight of the evening too many times.
When Matt put the badge on for the first time he said, "I went to bed mean, and woke up meaner." That was an indication of what the job of wearing the badge meant. Marshal Dillon was the only law left in Dodge City, Kansas after Sheriff Masterson left town. There had been a law abiding precedence set in town, and Dillon intended on seeing that it stayed that way.
Miss Kitty Russell who ran the Long Branch saloon. She was a good example of the kind of people who'd worked hard for something. The were landowners all over the prairies trying to get started. They were trying to build farms that would set up their futures. Those people who had dreams of owning their own ranch depended on there being a code of law to be followed. The hunters, outlaws, and Indians would wipe them out without law and order.
Dodge City was a thriving prairie town. There were lively businesses all along Main Street. Quint Asper was the towns blacksmith, and he was a good friend of Matt's. These legitimate business owners deserved there to be hard hand of law. Not only did they deserve it, but it was necessary for them to survive. Matt knew there were responsibilities that wearing the badge held. Putting his life on the line to provide the law was just part of the job.
Galen Adams was the town doctor. The folks in Dodge City might tell you he's god. With some of the miracles they've seen at his hands it's only natural. When he told you that you'd be fine, with the faint smell of whiskey of his breath, you knew you would be. Doc Adams was a small man with a neatly trimmed mustache. As part of his profession he felt keeping himself neat was necessary. Life had left the doctor ornery, maybe even snappy at times, but he was a man of wisdom and courage.
Some people came and went. They'd just stop off in Dodge City on their way to somewhere else. In those days coming and going could take months, perhaps years. Chester Goode had been a known figure throughout Dodge City. He was a right-hand for Matt. Chester had a long southern drawl, and even though he came across slow or lazy, nothing could be farther from the truth. Some people say he had an eye for things that weren't right.

2
Matt sat fairly new at the desk in the Marshal Office. When Chester came stumbling up. With booze on his breath he began trying to explain himself to Matt, "We'll I'm sorry I'm late'n all Matt, but the General wasn't up there."
"Well why didn't you leave the wanted posters with the Sargent?" Matt tried him with his little game. "OK, alright...I went over for a couple of drinks with the First Sargent." Matt laughed a little inside, Chester was so easy to crack. "I won't hold it against you Chester, it's been hot out there."
Just as Chester was about to tell Matt just how hot it was, the door opened. "Dillon" the man said as he entered the office. "I'm right here." Matt waived him over to the desk. "I'm Jud Black, a ranger from Texas. We've tracked a murderer 'Dan Grat' to Dodge City. I'm going to ask that you stand down Marshal, and let me take him out. He's an extremely fast gun."
"Well if he's brought his act to Dodge, he's become my problem too Mr. Black." Matt wanted the man to know he was the strong arm of the law. Jud Black had to notice the size of Dillon, even though he was sitting down. "If he's here you can check the bunk house, or the Long Branch, he's bound to show up there." Matt wasn't giving in. If they guy wanted to collect some bounty on the guy, or if he was a dedicated form of justice, Matt was going to see where the whole thing went.
Dan Grat was shooting whiskey at the Long Branch when Jud Black walked in. The day drunks were giving way to the night drunks. "Grat! You're wanted for murder." Dan Grat turns slowly around as he sat the shot-glass back on the bar. "I never shot a man who didn't have a gun." Grat said in the most mocking way he could. "Gun or no gun, they didn't stand a chance with you." Jud was holding his ground. There had to be a little fear in him knowing how quick Grat was.
"You don't stand a chance either, but if you intend on taking me. You're going to have to that chance." Grat walked out the doors into Main Street. I think that Jud knew his chances weren't good, but pride had brought him to Dodge City, perhaps even a true concern for justice. Maybe he knew that he was fixing to get gunned down, but he was obviously prepared to die when he came to Dodge City.
He walked out where Grat was standing in the street. "Come on out here and take me." Jud stepped off the deck walking out there. When he went for his gun Grat was lightning fast to his. In a swift motion he shot from the hip. The hit was fatal and Jud Black was dead on Main Street.
"That's it you're going to jail." Matt took one step before he took a bullet in the side of his ribs. He fell gingerly to the ground.

Doc took Matt in where he discovered the leather gun belt had saved his life. The shot was lower than Grat thought the hit had been. Marshal Dillon was down, and Doc made sure he stayed in bed to heal. "Doc you have to understand, with me in here, there ain't no law out there."
"You don't seem to understand, if you don't get some rest, there won't be much law out there anyhow." Doc was a shrewd little man, but he had to be with the strong minded people of the prairie.
When Miss Kitty came into the office the news wasn't good. Grat had been waiving his six shooter around as to taunt the law, or authority in Dodge City. "If that man doesn't like something, he just goes for his gun." Miss Kitty explained the situation as Chester walked in.
"Mr. Dillon, he's a quick gun. He's even faster than you." Chester didn't like admitting it, but the guy was faster. "That's true Chester, he's faster to his gun, but he relies on being close, so that he doesn't have to aim." Miss Kitty threw her opinion out there. To Matt her opinion held as much weight as anyone. When Matt thought about it, that was exactly how he'd killed his victims. He was fast, however at a distance he could be beat.
"Where is Grat? Where is he right this minute?" They could all see Matt had a plan. His facial expressions gave it away. "He's over at the Dodge House." Miss Kitty answered him with certainty.

As Matt walked across the street the residents of Dodge were running to Matt. They were tattling like school children. Only the issues were nothing of the school yard type. When Matt walked in Redd pointed upstairs. Then flashed two fingers to the Marshal.
"All right, come outta there Grat." Matt shouted loud enough to wake the dead. Only Grat wasn't in bed. He'd been waiting for the showdown with the marshal.
"Drop your gun belt and get down here." Dillon ordered the lanky gunman.
"Why don't you come up here and get me?" Grat hoped Dillon would take the offer. When he realized Matt wasn't that dumb, he went for his gun.
Matt went for his own gun with a rapidly working hand. Grat didn't get the first shot off, but he fired over Matt's head as he fell over the hand railing. Marshal Matt Dillon had beaten him, and was glad to see him on the floor dead. The man was too quick with a gun to be out there challenging people. Killing one man like Grat saved a whole lot of lives.

Text: I do not have permission to reproduce the Gunsmoke characters. These characters are based off, but not copied to the story of Gunsmoke.
Publication Date: 11-12-2010

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
This is a dedication to James Arness. The man known for his role as Marshal Matt Dillon.