Ep 2. Brush at Elkader

In Gunsmoke season 2 episode 2 titled "Brush at Elkader," we see Marshal Matt Dillon and his faithful deputy Festus Haggen pursuing two notoriously dangerous outlaws named Lyle and Jeb. The two bandits have been causing trouble throughout the town of Dodge City and have recently robbed a bank in the neighboring town of Elkader.

As Dillon and Festus ride through the brush, they come upon a stranger named Frank Davis who is in a heated argument with his wife Mary. Frank explains that he's been cheated out of his rightful land by a wealthy neighbor named Culver and has been trying to make ends meet by working odd jobs.

Dillon and Festus continue their search for Lyle and Jeb, but they soon realize that the outlaws are nowhere to be found. They decide to head back to Dodge City, but they hear gunshots and realize that Frank has been shot. They rush to his aid, but it's too late, and Frank dies in Matt's arms.

Dillon and Festus suspect that Culver may have been involved in Frank's murder, but they have no proof. As they continue their investigation, they discover that a local rancher named Driskell has been terrorizing the town and has been behind many of the recent crimes, including the bank robbery in Elkader.

Dillon and Festus finally track down Lyle and Jeb and bring them to justice, but it's not until they confront Driskell that they discover the truth behind Frank's murder. Driskell had hired Lyle and Jeb to rob the bank in Elkader in exchange for killing Frank, who was planning to testify against him in court.

In the end, justice is served, and Culver gets his comeuppance as well when it's revealed that he had paid off the judge to rule in his favor in the land dispute case. "Brush at Elkader" is a thrilling and action-packed episode that showcases the lengths that Dillon and Festus will go to protect their town and its citizens.