The Armed Forces Radio Service presents The Spend.
The Shot, starring Mr. Van Heflin, hoping once again to keep you in suspense.
Well, a cherry good morning to you, Mr. Tatum. And to all of you other gentlemen.
Everyone's here, I see. You're late, Rose. Dawn. A minute or two before and where the other
certainly can't make too much difference. Besides, I stopped to pick these. Cherry, anyone?
No? They're delicious. For a man who's about to die, you don't seem too concerned.
Oh, I am concerned, Peyton. Here's a whole hat full of delicious cherries that certainly
have to be eaten. On the other hand, Peyton, I'm not certain that I have to die.
We'll see about that. Did you bring a weapon?
Mm-hmm. Right here. And I noticed you're all ready.
Let's get on with this. You will draw lots, gentlemen.
Of course. It's customary.
That's sweet. The papers in this hat are numbered from one to ten. You will each draw a paper.
The man who receives the highest number will give the first shot. Is that agreeable?
Yes. Of course, of course. After you, Lieutenant Peyton.
And good, good luck, sir. Your draw, sir?
Mm-hmm. Mr. Peyton?
Eight. Oh.
Now, it seems I've won the first shot, Peyton. I've drawn a ten.
Then it's settled. Back to back. You will pace away until the count is completed. Mr.
Rawls has the first shot. Understood?
It's understood. Is there anyone present here who finds this
not an honorable way to settle the dispute between these two men?
Are you ready, gentlemen? All ready?
I'm ready. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven,
eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve. Mr. Peyton, are you all right? Are you hit?
Stand back. I'm all right. The bullet went through my hat.
It's your shot, Lieutenant Peyton. Yes, I know.
Sure is a wonder. Well, you seem so anxious to kill me, sir.
Do I have to remind you that you have a shot at me?
I wouldn't want to spoil your breakfast. Don't worry, Peyton. You'll never spoil anything
for me. Go ahead. Take your shot.
Well, you're going to shoot, and you understand they're aiming at me.
No, not now. Zachary has taken his shot at you. You have
to take your shot at him. Shut up. I don't have to do anything. Not yet.
You challenged him to a duel, Zachary. Splat.
Would you like to take it from here? No. You don't seem ready for death this morning.
Oh, you're wrong again, sir. I'm always ready for death. All life.
You've disappointed me, Peyton. Have I?
Or perhaps I've disappointed you. At any rate, all of these gentlemen witnessed that I went
through my part of the challenge. You owe me a shot, Peyton.
And if you aren't afraid, I'll always be ready for you to take it any day, any place.
I'll remember that, Rawls. Please do, sir.
Good day, gentlemen. It's a lovely morning.
Zachary, he'll tell everyone about this. You'll be ruined. You can't expect to stay in the regiment now.
What's the use of depriving him of life when he attaches no value to it?
Nevertheless, you entered the duel your way, and it's not an honorable way.
It's not ended. What?
I'm still going to take my shot. You hurt him, all of you. He owes me a shot.
I'll choose the day, and I'll choose that place. And I'll still see if he wants to eat cherries
and laugh down the barrel of my gun. Any day, any place.
Are you awake, Mr. Peyton?
Where do you want?
I want to speak with you. I've brought your maid.
Well, open the door.
Sit at the end of the table, Mr. Temple. Thank you.
Yes, sir. Oh, I didn't know you had a visitor.
Mr. Stockwell, this is Mr. Temple. He's my landlord.
How do you do, Mr. Temple?
Colonel Stockwell, Virginia Volunteer.
Mr. Stockwell now, Mr. Temple, there's no longer Confederate Army or Confederacy.
I forget sometimes, sir. I served under you in the 3rd Volunteers.
Mr. Temple had quite a career as a soldier. He's told me about it every day since I took this room.
Only thing left to talk about now, Colonel.
Oh, some Yankee.
We all know how it is, Willis.
Yes.
Was there anything else?
Huh? Oh, yes. That's a fine pistol, Mr. Peyton.
You've told me that before, Mr. Temple.
Don't you think so, Colonel? Mr. Stockwell?
I've already admired Mr. Peyton's firearm.
Would you believe how good Mr. Peyton is with it, Colonel?
Why, he lays right here on his bed and fires away the little old playing card stuck on the fence post out there in the back.
Hits it every time. Some shooting, I declare.
Oh, Mr. Peyton practices all the time.
Do you, Zach?
Every day for the last seven years. Is that all, Mr. Temple?
Huh?
I ask you if that was all. Is there something else you had to say?
Uh, well, I did want to ask, do you have to practice from the window?
I prefer to. You object?
Oh, no, no, no. Of course not. It's my wife. I mean Libby don't like it.
I keep telling her these are hard times and we sure appreciate getting a man in here who can pay us a little rent.
Well, then you tell her that I practice shooting at all kinds of light from all kinds of position. I'll continue to do that.
I only ask.
Good day, Mr. Temple.
Yes. Well, good day to you both.
Jim?
No, thanks.
You haven't changed too much, Zachary. A little gray.
Well, it's been seven years now.
Zach, maybe you have changed. That man who was just here.
Scared, shrinking little man.
He's frightened.
If I might comment, Zach, you didn't do anything to alleviate that fright.
It's not his wife, that's him. He's a frighten of my gun. He knows what I can do with it.
He means nothing to you, has no bearing on your life.
True, but he knows that a gun that can be pointed at a card stuck on a fence can just as easily be pointed at a heart stuck in a man's chest.
Well, am I right?
I suppose you are.
Would you mind putting him in the case?
Are you afraid too, Jim?
Don't treat me like a Willis Temple, Zachary.
I'm your friend. I came here to meet you because you asked me to.
Better?
Why am I here, Zachary? What do you want of me?
Nothing that'll interfere with your life, Jim.
We go, I got a letter from Norfolk, mentioned that an old acquaintance of mine's living here.
A man who was an officer in my regiment.
His name is Benjamin Rawls.
Oh.
You know him, Jim?
Oh, slightly. I've seen him about town, spoken to him once or twice.
Hmm. How's he look these days?
Not knowing how he looked when you know him, I'd say he looks mighty fine, Jim.
He's in good health, I think. And he's done better than most of us.
Rawls has always wanted to do very well.
How do you mean?
I understand his family lost all they had at Savannah, but there's an English branch that died off and filled in the inheritance.
He's very well off.
I suppose he would be.
He had a great deal of money when I know him. And other things.
You mean women?
Is he, uh, is he still ambitious and gallant?
Well, Marcia Pemberton's considered to be a very, very lucky young lady in these parts.
Marcia Pemberton.
The girl he married last week.
Last week, you say?
Yes.
Does he love her?
What?
Do you know if he loves this girl he married?
It's apparent to everyone in town that he loves her very much.
When he was courting her, folks in town saw them together often. I saw them.
I'd say Ben Rawls is in love the way a man loves only once in his life.
Is that what you want to know?
Yes.
Because I'm your friend, Zachary, I'm talking to you about Ben Rawls, but I'm uncomfortable.
I don't like talking about a man.
You see over there? Large White House on the hill?
Mm-hmm. I see it.
That's where Ben lives. He's right there, Zachary.
You can talk to him instead of me.
I'd rather talk to you at the moment.
I won't answer any more questions, Zachary. I think I'll be going.
As you will, Jim.
Zachary, I've asked no questions of you. May I ask one now?
All right, Jim.
Is it the duel? Is that why you want to know these things about Ben Rawls?
Yes. I want to satisfy myself that he's at last found something to live for.
I see. And you're going to call on him?
Tonight. I want to know if he can still laugh down a gun barrel.
I won't let you do this thing, Zachary. There's been enough killing.
Jim.
Yeah?
I'd hate to kill you too.
Zachary?
Jim Tocqueville?
Yes, it's me, Zach. I've been waiting for you to come out of the house, Zachary.
You haven't been waiting alone, Jim. Who are your friends?
This is Paul Geiger, Quince of Talbot.
We were in the Army together, Zach.
I'm glad you're here.
Paul Geiger, Quince of Talbot. We were in the Army together, Zach.
I do, Peyton.
I do.
Tocque and Quince were executive officers for me in the 3rd Cavalry.
We served together at Appomattox.
What is it you want, Jim?
You're on your way over to Ben Rawls' house now, is that right, Zach?
I told you I was going over there tonight.
I want to talk to you about that some more, Zach. Could we go back upstairs to your room?
No, Jim.
I'd like to very much, Zachary. That's why we waited here for you.
I think it's important we talk about it.
It's important enough, Zachary, that I've told Tocque and Quince all you told me.
They're close friends to me now. I've asked them to assist me.
That's right, Captain. Mr. Stockwell's told us everything.
We can talk right here, Jim.
Anything you have to say can be said right here.
Can't we go to the room, Zachary?
You could have come back to the room to talk to me. You didn't want that.
You wanted to meet me out here with Tocque and Quincey.
Come on, Jim. Speak up. I'm in a hurry.
The war did many things to all of us, Zach.
Everything we thought and lived for is gone now.
But we're still men, and we can all recover.
Tocque and Quincey and I are the only ones who know what you said to me in that room there.
You want to kill Ben Rawls tonight.
Then this is what the war's done to you, Zach.
This is what I want to talk about.
Wanting to kill a man in cold blood, a man you haven't seen for seven years or better, doesn't make sense.
And you and Tocque and Quincey are here to see that I don't call on Ben Rawls, is that it?
We're here to quietly see that you don't do anything foolish.
I'm your friend, Zachary. I knew your daddy.
I want to see what's the matter, what sickness the war gave you.
And I want to help you.
Go home, Jim.
Talk, Quincey, this is none of your business.
We can't do that, Zachary.
We can't let you kill a man in cold blood.
Let's all go upstairs to your room and talk a bit, Captain.
Quincey's got some fine whiskey. It's came in from England.
Haven't you, Quincey?
Sure I have, Captain.
Your men I'd be mighty proud to share it with.
Uh, Captain, Mr. Stockwell is your friend, and he's thinking of you.
Is Ben Rawls your friend too, Jim? You trying to protect him?
What I know of Ben Rawls, I told you this afternoon.
But you are my friend, and I won't let you go there and do this thing.
Now you get out of my way.
You'll have to kill me first, Zachary.
Kill these two boys who've never done you any harm.
But I won't let you go over there.
Park!
Quincey!
You're a fool, Zachary, a fool.
Now stop it!
Park, it's the only way.
Right, Mr. Stockwell.
Let me down there.
Quincey, hand me that whiskey.
Yes, sir. I'll get us hid, Mr. Stockwell.
I'm sorry, Zachary.
Sometimes we all go about things the wrong way.
I'm noted for my poor judgment in many matters.
You stop me, Jim, for the moment.
Ask them to wait over there.
All right, Paul, Quincey, over there.
You're sure it's all right, Mr. Stockwell?
Captain Peyton is a man of honor.
Come on, Quincey.
He'll be right over by the trees, sir.
I have to kill him, Jim.
I have to before I can ever live again.
There was so much killing. Look what it got him.
I hate him.
When you've lived with a hater, I've lived with it.
There's nothing else you can do.
Zachary.
Why do you think I resigned my commission
before the war was over?
Why do you think I disappeared from the Confederacy?
Why do you think I never returned to my home?
I heard you'd done all those things.
I didn't ask any questions, but I know...
Ben, Ben is the cause of everything.
Benjamin Rawls.
I know he had a reputation for being a man of honor.
I know he had a reputation for being arrogant and slick
when he was an officer, but for underhand...
No, no, no. It was nothing underhanded, Jim.
It was open-handed. It was a slap.
Rawls' slap?
Yes, one night in front of a whole regiment.
Over what? Why?
A girl, just a girl that we both liked.
I don't even remember her name.
Oh, everyone had seen it coming.
Until Rawls joined that regiment,
I was the most popular officer with my fellow officers
and the ladies...
Zachary, that was then.
And this is now, but my life stopped then.
Try to remember how it was then, Jim.
In the early stages when the North was dying, not the South.
It was so fashionable to be young and reckless and brave
and an officer in the Confederate Army.
And then to be slapped by a man.
More brave, more reckless.
More... more of everything.
It was... it was too much.
Zach, those days are gone. Forget them.
The whole way of life is different now.
It's no different for him.
And it's no different for me, Jim.
You have no right to stop me. You know that.
That's true.
But Zach, can you kill a man for something that happened then?
I can and I will.
He shot at me once. Now I owe him a shot.
Don't I?
Don't I, Jim?
Yes, Zachary, you owe him a shot.
Go ahead.
Letting him go, Mr. Stopwell?
Yes, I can't stop him. I can see that now.
If we can't, then?
It's between him and Ben Rawls now.
I understand you have some business with me, sir.
I don't usually receive people who refuse to give their names to my servants.
Hello, Rawls.
Well, don't you recognize me?
Peyton. Zachary Peyton.
Exactly.
And I do have business with you.
What are you doing here?
Well, I owe you a shot, Rawls.
And I've come to pay off.
I see.
Are you ready?
I'm ready. I told you I always would be.
Yes, you did.
And you asked me to remember it.
Well, you don't seem quite as certain as you were the last time we met.
What's the matter? Is there something wrong?
I believe we were at twelve paces before.
Yes.
You mind if I count?
I'll count.
As you will, Rawls.
Back to back?
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve.
Shoot, man. Shoot and do it quickly.
Well, you seem in a hurry to die, Mr. Rawls.
Marsha, my wife, she'll be coming home any minute.
Well, in that case, we'd better get on with it then.
Sure.
I apologize, Mr. Rawls, that this pistol isn't loaded with cherry stones.
You have no idea how often I've dreamed of cherry stone bullets since last we met.
I think they'd be somewhat lighter than lead.
Oh, this doesn't seem to me like a duel anymore, but just plain murder.
And if I'm anything, I will not be called a murder.
You must understand that I've had quite a long lecture on why I shouldn't be doing this.
I don't like shooting an unarmed man.
Rawls.
What?
There's another pistol in my case. It's all loaded.
Would you please take it and then we could start over?
Will you hesitate, Mr. Rawls?
I do not hesitate, sir.
I'm ready, sir.
Go ahead, Mr. Rawls, you're shot.
What?
You may have the first shot.
I'm ready.
Well, sir, you've broken a candle holder and ruined a picture.
Now I truly owe you a shot.
Sam, Sam, dear, what is it? What's the matter?
Oh, Benny, you're all right.
I'm fine, boss, you're fine. Truly I am.
But the shot, this man.
Now, dear, there's nothing to worry about. Can't you see we're just joking?
Don't be so frightened.
I'll tell you what.
You go out and find Abram and ask him to bring up some nice wine.
And then I'll introduce you to my old friend here.
Tell me, sir, is my husband telling the truth?
Is it true you're just joking?
Oh, he's always joking, Miss Rawls.
Once he slapped me in the face for a joke,
now the time he put a bullet through my cap for a joke.
Just now he fired a gun at me and missed.
That's another joke.
Now I think I'll have my little joke. End joking.
It's a dupe. This is the man Peyton you told me about.
Marsha, this is between us. Now leave the room.
This man has a right to shoot at me. I wouldn't have any honor if I didn't allow it.
Oh, shoot Peyton, shoot man and stop making her suffer for me.
Will you fire or not?
No. No, I won't fire, Rawls.
I'm satisfied.
I've seen you afraid. I forced you to fire at me. That's enough.
You'll remember me all of your life, Rawls.
I leave you to your conscience.
Oh, as for that shot.
Here it is.
Goodbye, Mr. Rawls.
Zachary.
You did it.
You took your shot.
Yes.
I put it in the picture right next to his shot.
Zach.
Zachy's alive.
You could have killed him, but he's alive.
Oh, he's fine, Jim.
And he's still the bravest man I ever met.
Let's go, Jim.
Let's go.
The Span has been a presentation of the United States Armed Forces Radio Service.
The Span.