Ep 7. The Squaw

In season 7 episode 7 of Gunsmoke titled "The Squaw," Marshal Matt Dillon finds himself in the midst of a dangerous situation when a group of Indians unexpectedly arrive in Dodge City.

The episode begins with Matt Dillon (played by James Arness) and his friends Doc Adams (Milburn Stone) and Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake) going about their daily routine in Dodge City. However, their peaceful day is interrupted when a band of Indians arrive in town, led by a young, beautiful squaw named Oona (played by Jacqueline Scott).

The townspeople are immediately on edge, as relations between the white settlers and the local Native American tribes have always been tense. However, Oona assures them that her people are peaceful and simply looking for a place to camp for the night. Matt, always one to keep the peace, agrees to let them stay, but warns Oona that she must keep her people under control.

As the night wears on, tensions begin to rise as several people, including a local rancher named Pete Goss (played by Richard Carlson), begin to spread rumors that the Indians are up to no good. Matt does his best to quell the rumors and keep the peace, but it quickly becomes clear that someone is intent on stirring up trouble.

The situation comes to a head when a local boy is found dead in the woods, and Pete Goss uses the tragedy to incite the town into attacking the Indian camp. Matt and his friends try to diffuse the situation, but it quickly becomes a race against time as they must find the real culprit before innocent lives are lost.

Overall, "The Squaw" is an intense episode that examines the fraught relationship between Native Americans and white settlers in the American West. James Arness delivers a great performance as the calm and collected Marshal Matt Dillon, while Jacqueline Scott shines as Oona, a complex and sympathetic character who is caught in the middle of a dangerous conflict. The episode is a standout in the Gunsmoke series and a must-watch for fans of classic Westerns.