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Bluff
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Andrew Rines
Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines. And let's get into this episode. This episode is going to be Gunsmoke. Original air date is October 13, 1957 and the title is the Margin. Hope you enjoy.
Grody Beck
Around Dodge City and in the territory on west, there's just one way to
Matt Dillon
handle the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the U.S. marshal and the smell of guns.
Andrew Rines
Smell.
Kitty
Smoke.
Grody Beck
Gun.
Matt Dillon
Sport.
Grody Beck
Starring William Conrad. The story of the violence that moved
Matt Dillon
west with young America. And the story of a man who moved with it. I'm that man. Matt Dillon, United States Marshal. The first man they look for and the last they want to meet. It's a chancy job, and it makes a man watchful and a little lonely.
Grody Beck
Flag Miller. Sure he's gonna be mad about all this, Mr. Jones.
Matt Dillon
I can't help that, Chester.
Grody Beck
He's coming up street right now someday, man.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, I see him. Get the keys, will you?
Grody Beck
Yes, sir. I can't say I blame him much at that, though.
Matt Dillon
There's not much to be done about it. The law is the law.
Grody Beck
I reckon so. But still, in all. Come on. That you, Marshal?
Kitty
Yeah.
Grody Beck
When am I gonna get out of here?
Matt Dillon
Right now, Grody.
Grody Beck
All right.
Matt Dillon
Unlock it, Chester.
Grody Beck
Yes, sir. So you finally come to your senses, huh?
Matt Dillon
I didn't decide anything one way or the other, Grody. It's a court order from Judge Event.
Grody Beck
Well, at least he had gumption enough to clear me.
Matt Dillon
You're not cleared. Exactly. He just ruled that there wasn't enough evidence to bring you to trial.
Grody Beck
There wasn't no evidence except for them lies. Flagged Mellor's girl toe.
Matt Dillon
Come on, Brody. I'll give you your gun back, Marshal. All right, Flag, just hold your horses. Watch your temper, Brody. He's gonna be pretty upset.
Grody Beck
He ought to be firing the way he done getting me jailed for stealing cattle just on the say so of that old maid daughter of his. Marshall. Do I understand right of you turning this young cattle thief loose?
Matt Dillon
The court Order. Flag. Judge Ben says there's no case.
Grody Beck
No case? My girl seen him come riding in at daybreak the night them cattle was took. Then he stood up and lied and said he hadn't been out of the bunk. It wasn't me doing a lie in your hard nosed old badger. You calling my dog?
Matt Dillon
Shut up, both of you. Enough. Like it might have helped your case some if your girl had come in and told her story.
Grody Beck
I told you why she wouldn't. She's too dang bashful to stand up in front of the public.
Matt Dillon
Well, maybe so, but the judge couldn't go on hearsay.
Grody Beck
You call that justice doing under the circumstances?
Matt Dillon
I do. Yeah. Chester, you got grotes cunning.
Grody Beck
Okay. Well, I got another name for what you're doing, Marshall.
Matt Dillon
How is that so? No thanks, Justin. There you are, Grody.
Grody Beck
Much obliged, Marshall. I called what you're doing Aidin and abetting an album.
Matt Dillon
What are your plans, Cody?
Grody Beck
I don't know. Hire on at some other ranch, I reckon. Ain't a rancher in Kansas that's gonna take on a branded thief. And I'll see to it that they know all about you. Flag, you better rein in that mouth of yours.
Matt Dillon
All right, take it easy, both of you.
Grody Beck
He shuts up, he won't be bothered.
Matt Dillon
But he's right, Grody. You're not gonna find a job around here.
Grody Beck
I wasn't convicted.
Matt Dillon
You weren't cleared either.
Grody Beck
You telling me to ride out, Marshall?
Matt Dillon
You think of a better idea.
Grody Beck
Maybe you're right. And maybe I don't care to live around this big mouthed bull snake anyhow. Maybe I will ride out and good riddance. You've been lucky, Flag. Real lucky. Don't push it too far. I catch you within 10 miles of
Matt Dillon
my place, I'll put a bullet through you on s. All right, that's enough. Flag. The kids leave him. There's no call to get mouth.
Grody Beck
I'm just warning him.
Matt Dillon
Now you want to get going, Grody?
Grody Beck
Might as well, I guess. You treated me as good as you could, Marshall.
Kitty
Thanks.
Matt Dillon
Good luck, gry.
Grody Beck
So that's the kind of law we got here. Pat a cattle thief on the head and wish him good luck.
Matt Dillon
If he is a cattle thief.
Grody Beck
Are you doubting my word, Marshall?
Matt Dillon
Judge Bent doubted a Judge Bent.
Grody Beck
You and him's hand and glove. Coddle them. Give him a nice warm cell to rest up in. Then hand them back your gun. Send them out to do it again. Maybe it's about time some of us made some law of our own around Dodge City.
Matt Dillon
Don't try it, Flag.
Grody Beck
Wouldn't be the first time a rope and cottonwood limb cured a man of stealing cattle.
Matt Dillon
Do you hear me? I heard you and I hope you heard me good. For your sake, Flag. I hope you heard me real good.
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Grody Beck
It sure beats me, Michelle. It's like them cattle just disappeared into thin air.
Matt Dillon
That's awful rough country Soto Flags place. Must be a hundred or more draws and gullies where you can hide 50 head of stock.
Grody Beck
No, I'd swear we covered them all these past few days.
Matt Dillon
Yeah, Looks like we'll have to try here in town to see what we can turn up. Max one Max.
Kitty
Wait a minute.
Grody Beck
What's old Doc carrying on about now?
Matt Dillon
I don't know. I'll see what he wants. You go ahead and start doing what I told you.
Grody Beck
All right.
Matt Dillon
See you later. Now what's on your mind, Doc?
Kitty
Yeah. Say, Matt. What?
Grody Beck
Since I hear about you running young Grody Beck out of town.
Matt Dillon
You're behind the times, Doc. That was three days ago. Oh, well, I've been busy.
Grody Beck
Sorry to hear. Man,
Matt Dillon
you're sore because I ran Grody out of town. Flag Muller's sore because I coddled him. The truth is I didn't do either one, Doc. Anyway, when did you start taking up for Grody?
Grody Beck
I like him. He's a good kid. You know he helped set a broken leg out at Flagg's Range a couple of months ago. You can tell a lot about a
Matt Dillon
man when you work with him like that.
Kitty
Yeah?
Matt Dillon
Can you tell whether he'll rustle cattle or not?
Grody Beck
There wasn't a thing against him except
Matt Dillon
that fool girl claiming she'd seen him ride out that night.
Grody Beck
And then she wouldn't even show her face in town to tell the judge about it.
Matt Dillon
She's bashful, Duncan.
Kitty
Ah, bashful.
Grody Beck
Confounded man.
Kitty
If it's got to do with an
Grody Beck
outlaw or a killer or such like,
Matt Dillon
there's nobody better than you.
Grody Beck
But when it comes to women, you haven't got the sense that good lord give a rabbit.
Matt Dillon
Oh, what are you talking about?
Grody Beck
Why, anybody with a half a brain
Kitty
would know why that girl lied.
Matt Dillon
How do you know she lied at all?
Grody Beck
Partial. I've been lucky for you.
Matt Dillon
Hello, Flag. What's the trouble?
Grody Beck
I lost another hundred head of cattle last night.
Matt Dillon
Oh, well then Grody Beck wasn't guilty after all, was he? You're saying that I'm not Be kind of hard for him to steal cattle last night when he rode out of Dodge three days ago.
Grody Beck
He may have rode out, but he didn't ride far.
Matt Dillon
What?
Grody Beck
He was seen on my range this afternoon.
Matt Dillon
Now look Flag, it's possible your daughter's mistake.
Grody Beck
It wasn't my daughter that seen him. It was two of my riders. Or maybe you're claiming we're all a bunch of lies. I know that boy, Flag, and he's not a thief. Why don't you stick to doctrine and leave the law to them that can handle it.
Matt Dillon
Suppose you take that advice yourself, Flag.
Grody Beck
Marshall, I already seen what they expect out of you. Leaving it up to you and Judge Benz cost me another hundred head of stock. So now I'm aiming to use some of my kind of law.
Matt Dillon
There's only one kind of law here, Flag. It's got nothing to do with some riled up brainless mob.
Grody Beck
Got nothing to do with much of anything as far as I can see.
Matt Dillon
They may be slow sometimes, they may have loopholes, temporary ones anyhow. But you know, it's got one thing that your so called law never has. It's got a margin to take up the slack. A chance to back up and change a mistake before it's too late.
Grody Beck
Grody backs had all the margin he's gonna get.
Matt Dillon
That's no proof that Grody took him.
Grody Beck
And just what was he doing on my range?
Matt Dillon
Well, it's just possible he was looking for some way to clear himself. But I'll know that when I find him and talk to him.
Grody Beck
You better find him in a hurry if you're aiming to talk to him.
Matt Dillon
I better find him able to talk, Flag. If I don't, it's gonna be the sorriest day of your.
Grody Beck
Foreign.
Bluff
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Kitty
Well, look what this is in hello Kitty. Here, Matt, pull up a chair.
Matt Dillon
Ah, thanks.
Kitty
Where you been for the last three days?
Matt Dillon
Trying to find out who stole Flag Mueller's cattle.
Kitty
Any luck?
Matt Dillon
No, not yet. Chester around?
Kitty
Yeah, he's in that poker game over there in the far corner. Oh.
Matt Dillon
Oh, yeah.
Kitty
He's been acting real funny, Matt. The last hour and a half he sat in on every game in the house. He stays 10 minutes or so and then he moves on to another table.
Matt Dillon
Well, I told him to.
Kitty
What do you mean you told him to?
Matt Dillon
Just that.
Kitty
Oh. Got anything to do with those cattle?
Matt Dillon
I hope so. By the way, Kitty, Doc claims that Mellor's daughter was lying about Grody Becky. Of course she was. Well, why did she do it?
Kitty
Matt, when it comes to women, you haven't got the sense the good Lord gave a rap.
Matt Dillon
Oh, so help me, Kitty, if I.
Kitty
Now look, Matt. Grody is a very handsome young fellow, right?
Matt Dillon
Well, I suppose he is.
Grody Beck
I don't know.
Kitty
Well, he is. You take it from me and every girl in town knows it. He could have his pick of him.
Matt Dillon
All right, so he could have his pick.
Kitty
What about the Mellor girl? Her looks, I mean.
Matt Dillon
Well, she's not exactly the prettiest girl.
Kitty
Say it right out. She's as homely as a mud fence. She never had a man look twice at her in her life. You ever seen her in town on Saturday? The way she follows Grody around?
Matt Dillon
No, I never noticed it particularly.
Kitty
Well, I have. So there you are, man.
Matt Dillon
There I am what? Kitty?
Kitty
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. I know.
Matt Dillon
Are you claiming that she lied to get Brody into trouble just because he wouldn't have anything to do with it?
Kitty
It's been done before.
Matt Dillon
Maybe, but look, look, there's another thing now. Grody lied about leaving town. I just found out he's still here.
Kitty
Yeah, well, I knew he was planning to stay. He stopped in here the day you let him out of jail, just to talk. He has some crazy idea clearing his name.
Matt Dillon
Looks like you know more about this than I do.
Kitty
He's a good boy, Matt. He didn't steal those cattle.
Grody Beck
Uh, Mr. Dunn, could I see you a minute?
Matt Dillon
Yeah. What is it, Chester?
Grody Beck
Well, I think maybe I spotted somebody fell at that table over where I was just playing. That name of Pete Crow. Well, he's got an awful lot of cash for a man that looks as raggedy as he does.
Matt Dillon
Pete Crow. Do you know him, Kenny?
Kitty
He's been in here the last two or three nights. Mike. Chester says he's free with money. He pays for everything with five dollar gold pieces.
Matt Dillon
Gold pieces?
Kitty
Mm.
Matt Dillon
That's what those cattle buyers on the strip pay off with.
Kitty
Oh, really? Then he's sure enough. You're a man, isn't he?
Matt Dillon
And I'm sure gonna find out soon. Kidding.
Kitty
Watch him, Matt. He carries a knife in the back of his shirt. He knows how to throw it.
Matt Dillon
Thanks, Chester. You will as much of goods or cash to stay in the pot and tossing your hand. The bet's on the table, boys. Been there long enough. Crow, I want to talk to you. Go ahead and talk, Marshall. Nobody's stopping you. Let's move into that game room at the end of the bar there. Sorry, I'm too busy right now. Chester, will you step behind him and take that knife out of his shirt. Keep your hands on the table crowd.
Grody Beck
I got it, Mr. Dillon.
Matt Dillon
All right, crew, get on your feet. You're making a big mistake, Marshall. I don't mind. I got going. You got no right to order me around. Inside.
Grody Beck
What do you think you're doing anyway?
Matt Dillon
I don't know where you got that money you've been thrusting around. I figure that's my business. Sure. Then your business might be cattle rustling. Got proof of that, have you? No, but I got a good hunch you're the man I've been looking for. The law don't convict nobody on hunch. No, but Flag Miller probably would. What are you talking about? You got a choice, Crow. You can tell me the truth and take your chances in court. Or you can walk out of here and explain to FL Meller where you got that money. You know what he'd do? He wouldn't do anything if he got a good explanation. If you didn't steal his cattle, I wouldn't have a chance. He'd know right off. He'd lynch me.
Grody Beck
Sure.
Matt Dillon
I'll tell you, Marshall. I'll tell you all about it. Okay, start talk.
Grody Beck
That must be them, Mr. Dillon. 15 or 20 of them. Just popping the ridge up there, see?
Matt Dillon
That's about the size of Flagg's outfit, all right. He didn't leave any of them at the ranch.
Grody Beck
They're starting this way, heading for home? Guess.
Matt Dillon
All right, trustee, let's wait for him here. I just want him up in the open and full moonlight in case he makes a move.
Grody Beck
You reckon he'll try him, but you don't.
Matt Dillon
We won't give him a chance to try if we can help it. You edge in behind him, Chester. So you can take his gun as soon as I call him on it.
Grody Beck
Yes, sir.
Matt Dillon
I'll do it.
Grody Beck
Here they come.
Kitty
Yeah?
Matt Dillon
Hey, Flag.
Grody Beck
Who is it?
Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon. Over here.
Grody Beck
The Marshall boys. Come on. You're riding late tonight, Marshall.
Matt Dillon
No later than you are.
Grody Beck
Well, me and the boys been out hunting cattle rustlers. That right, boy?
Matt Dillon
I've been hunting the same kind of game, Flag. Now, what's more, I caught one. You what? We rode out here to pick up his partner.
Grody Beck
Whose partner? Who are you talking about?
Matt Dillon
Your foreman there, Flagg. All right. Don't try it, Hawkins.
Grody Beck
I'll take that gun. Huck, what are you trying to pull? Are you claiming my own ranch foreman was partners with Grody Beck?
Matt Dillon
Grody Beck wasn't then on it. It was only your daughter's wild story that tied him in the first place. Hawkins. Partner is a man named Pete Crow. I got him locked up in Dutch. Ain't never heard nobody named Pete Crew. Yeah, that's not the way he tells it.
Grody Beck
And he's lying.
Matt Dillon
He says the two of you had run the cattle off into the river bottom during the night. And he'd hold him there for the buyer to pick up the next day. I tell you, I don't even know the man. He knows you, Hawkins. He's lying. Well, he wasn't lying when he told me where you had your share of the payoff hitting Chester and I just found it in the mattress of your bunk. Now Flag, do you believe it now?
Grody Beck
It wasn't just them two alone. Marshall Grody was in on it too.
Matt Dillon
Now you're wrong, Flag. Grody had nothing to do with it. Pete Crow told me the buyer was to pick him up tomorrow. Crow and Hawkins had him penned up in a dead end gully in the river bottom.
Grody Beck
But we caught him tonight with the cattle.
Matt Dillon
Grotty's been trying to clear himself. He probably found him and was driving them back to your place. That's what he claimed. Marshall. I guess you were right. You said this could be the sorriest
Grody Beck
day of my life.
Matt Dillon
What are you talking about?
Grody Beck
When we caught Grody with the cattle, we hung him.
Bluff
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Grody Beck
Sake produced and directed by Norman Macdonald Stars William Conrad as Matt Dillon, U.S. marshal the music was composed and conducted by Rex Corey. Sound patterns were composed by Ray Kemper and Bill James. Featured in the cast were Parley Bear As Chester, Howard McNear as Doc and Georgia Ellis as Kitty.
Matt Dillon
George Walsh speaking.
Grody Beck
Join us again next week for another story of the Western frontier of America in the 1870s on gun smok. This is the united states armed forces radio and television service.
Kitty
Foreign.
Andrew Rines
This has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate our shows in your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to otrwesterns.com Facebook subscribe to our YouTube channel by going to otrwesterns.Com YouTube and send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com you can call and leave us a voicemail 707-986-8739 this episode is copyright under the Attribution Non Commercial Share Like Copyright for more information, go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.
Bluff
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Safeway/Albertsons Announcer
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Podcast release: June 21, 2026 | Host: Andrew Rhynes
In this digitally restored episode of Gunsmoke titled “The Margin,” Marshal Matt Dillon faces the consequences of ambiguous justice when a young cowboy, Grody Beck, is accused of cattle theft on scant evidence. As the truth unravels, the episode probes the danger of acting too quickly—or too slowly—within the “margin” that separates lawful order from vigilante justice in the wild West.
Flag Mellor, unwilling to accept the court’s decision, threatens to take the law into his own hands:
Matt Dillon cautions against vigilante behavior:
Matt Dillon’s Solemn Warning:
“You know, it’s got one thing that your so-called law never has. It’s got a margin to take up the slack. A chance to back up and change a mistake before it’s too late.”
— Matt Dillon to Flag, [10:02]
The Tragic Realization:
“Grody’s been trying to clear himself... But when we caught Grody with the cattle, we hung him.”
— Flag, [20:49]
Kitty on Human Nature:
“She’s as homely as a mud fence. She never had a man look twice at her... Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”
— Kitty, [14:05] + [14:25]
On the Cost of Rash Justice:
“I guess you were right. You said this could be the sorriest day of my life.”
— Flag, [20:43]
True to Gunsmoke’s understated, sometimes gritty realism, the episode avoids melodrama, letting the weight of persistent doubt, the threat of mob violence, and the tragedy of irreversible error sink in through dialogue and pacing. The language is spare and tough, with wry interjections from Kitty and Doc providing insight and occasional comic relief.
“The Margin” is a sobering, sharply told tale about the thin line separating justice and vengeance in the Old West. It dramatizes both the danger of convicting an innocent man too quickly and the peril of lingering suspicion. The episode’s tragic conclusion—Grody’s lynching before exoneration—serves as a powerful warning about the cost when that margin for doubt is ignored.