In this compelling episode of Gunsmoke, Marshal Matt Dillon is drawn into the whirlwind arrival of Mavis McCloud, a young woman with a mysterious past and an unexpected telegram. Mavis quickly finds herself at the center of Dodge City’s gossip when she announces her intent to marry, despite having just arrived. After a whirlwind romance, she weds Barney Wales, a hardworking cowboy, but the newlyweds’ happiness is soon threatened.

Lou Staley, a man from Mavis’s past, arrives in Dodge with vengeance in his heart, intent on confronting her husband and Matt. As tensions rise, a shocking truth emerges—Staley isn’t a scorned lover but Mavis’s unhinged brother, driven by delusions of control over her life. The climax unfolds in a dramatic confrontation that leaves Mavis wounded but alive, her secrets finally laid bare.

This episode explores themes of family, deception, and the complexities of love, with a narrative rich in tension and unexpected revelations.

Keywords: "Gunsmoke Mavis McCloud episode," "August 1954 Gunsmoke radio," "Matt Dillon Lou Staley conflict," "Dodge City family drama," "Mavis McCloud mystery," "John Meston Gunsmoke scripts," "classic Western radio series."

Cast: William Conrad, Parley Baer, Howard McNear, Georgia Ellis, Harry Bartell, Eleanor Tannen, Sam Edwards.