Anytime there is an episode that features Eileen Heckart you know that you are in for a fine performance. And with this script, the fine performance turns into a entertaining show. This episode has everything you need to make in one of the better shows in the series.
Hattie Silk (Heckart) and her niece Liz Beaumont (Katharine Ross) are on their way to San Francisco and have ran out of money in Dodge. Hattie gets a job at the Lone Branch being nice to the older clients. She tells Liz that when enough money is raised they will began their trek out west.
While on the trip into Dodge there was this man on the stage named Sam Hare that was being nice to Liz. However, Liz did not want anything to do with him. But when Hattie gets sweet on a widower rancher named Jud Brair (R.G. Armstrong) they decided to marry. This comes as a shock to Liz since she does not want to live in a hick town of Dodge. She turns into a big brat and wants her way. She turns sweet on Sam Hare and asks him to hire a gunman to kill Jud Brair. In return Sam wants Liz to marry him.
After getting the gunman who's name is Ray Pate, he goes and rough ups Hattie in order to make Jud come looking for him. Jud finds Pate but things do not go as planned. Also the niece gets her just deserts that is a thrill for viewers.
This is an excellent episode. It had everything you want in a 'Gunsmoke' series. Fine acting, interesting dialog, blackmail and a fine well-rounded plot. One of the better shows of the entire series.