In the Gunsmoke episode 'Johnny Red', the story begins with the return of a man named Billy Crail to Dodge City after a seventeen-year absence. He approaches U.S. Marshal Matt Dillon, claiming to be the long-lost son of Miss Crail, who has been waiting for her son's return. However, Dillon's instincts tell him that something is off about Billy's story. The marshal recalls a painful past where he had to inform Miss Crail of her son's supposed death during the Civil War, leaving him conflicted about the reunion.