The Badge

Originally Aired: April 26, 1959 Gunsmoke #368, "The Badge," finds Marshal Matt Dillon ambushed on a lonely trail by two outlaws, Rack and Augy. The simple-minded Augy shoots Dillon and becomes obsessed with claiming the marshal's badge for himself, believing it will make people think he's important. However, the cunning Rack has other plans. Rather than killing Dillon, Rack decides to keep the wounded marshal alive as insurance, reasoning that no lawman will risk harming their own U.S. Marshal as the outlaws make their way to the border with stolen holdup money. Rack crudely digs the bullet from Dillon's shoulder and promises Augy he can have the badge once they cross into safety. As Dillon recovers in an abandoned shack, he begins working on the weak-willed Augy, subtly playing on the outlaw's resentment of Rack's dominance and the beating he's endured. Meanwhile, back in Dodge City, Doc Adams, Chester, and Kitty Russell grow concerned when Matt fails to return from his trip to Larnage as expected. The episode builds tension as the wounded marshal attempts to manipulate the volatile relationship between his captors while they continue their dangerous flight toward the border.