Latest / The Lone Ranger | Old Time Radio / The Lone Ranger - "The Haunted Bunkhouse" (Old Time Radio, 1941)

Transcript

The Lone Ranger - "The Haunted Bunkhouse" (Old Time Radio, 1941) · The Lone Ranger | Old Time Radio

0:00
Speaker 1: At the neglected Collins Ranch, its owners believe the bunkhouse
0:03
Speaker 1: is haunted, but broken fences, shattered windows, and smoke rising
0:08
Speaker 1: from the ranch house point to trouble of a more
0:11
Speaker 1: earthly kind. On January 15th, 1941, the Lone Ranger brought
0:17
Speaker 1: this investigation to the air in The Haunted Bunkhouse, episode 1245.
0:24
Speaker 1: Earl Grazer stars as the Lone Ranger, with John Todd
0:28
Speaker 1: as Tonto. Together, they ride to the Collins Sisters Ranch,
0:33
Speaker 1: where an overgrown trail and unsettling reports await. The script
0:37
Speaker 1: is by Fran Stryker, with George W. Trendle producing. Ladies
0:42
Speaker 1: and gentlemen, the Masked Rider and Tonto are.
0:46
Speaker 2: On the trail.
0:47
Speaker 1: Here is the original broadcast.
0:53
Speaker 2: I'll seal the way!
0:54
Speaker 3: I'll seal the way!
1:10
Speaker 4: A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud
1:12
Speaker 4: of dust, and a hearty, high-o'ed silver, the Lone Ranger.
1:40
Speaker 3: THE END.
2:01
Speaker 5: THE END.
2:24
Speaker 3: THE END.
2:58
Speaker 4: With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the masked rider of
3:02
Speaker 4: the plains led the fight for law and order in
3:04
Speaker 4: the early western United States. His strength and courage, his
3:09
Speaker 4: daring and resourcefulness were always on the side of right
3:12
Speaker 4: against might. And in time, high old Silver became the
3:17
Speaker 4: battle cry of justice on the frontier. Return with us
3:20
Speaker 4: now to those thrilling days when the West was young.
3:23
Speaker 4: From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of
3:26
Speaker 4: the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again.
3:29
Speaker 3: Come on, sail away.
3:31
Speaker 6: We've got to hurry.
3:32
Speaker 2: Tonto's waiting in the trail ahead. I'll sail away.
3:51
Speaker 4: As the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode toward the main
3:54
Speaker 4: house of the Collins Ranch... They noticed signs of neglect
3:57
Speaker 4: on every side. Fences were broken down. There were broken
4:01
Speaker 4: windows in the buildings, and the trail was overgrown with
4:04
Speaker 4: grass and weeds. But the smoke that rose from the
4:08
Speaker 4: chimney gave evidence that someone still lived in the ranch house.
4:14
Speaker 4: The masked man and the Indian dismounted and knocked on
4:16
Speaker 4: the door.
4:22
Speaker 2: It's only a couple of years since this was one
4:24
Speaker 2: of the best ranches in the state, Hunter. I can't
4:27
Speaker 2: imagine what's happened to it. Nobody home? There must be
4:31
Speaker 2: someone here. I smell food. I'll rap again. Maybe people
4:38
Speaker 2: pray to Matt. That might be. Someone else coming. Looks
4:44
Speaker 2: like a traveler. Ah, himselfing. There's quite a wagon load
4:47
Speaker 2: of supplies.
4:48
Speaker 3: Hello there, mister. Anyone at home?
4:51
Speaker 2: I don't know.
4:52
Speaker 3: Oh, Kennedy. Oh, there.
4:56
Speaker 6: I suppose you're wrapped on the door. Must be someone there.
5:00
Speaker 6: Smoke comes from the chimney. By the way, my sakes.
5:03
Speaker 6: You don't be alarmed by my mask. Live and let
5:06
Speaker 6: live is my motto. You wear a mask if you
5:10
Speaker 6: want for all of me, mister. Fairchild's my name. Sidney Fairchild.
5:14
Speaker 6: I'm a salesman.
5:15
Speaker 2: Pots, pans, hardware, calico. Well, you name it and I've
5:19
Speaker 2: got it. Glad to know you. How do you do, Fairchild?
5:22
Speaker 2: Come now, the sisters must be home. Never known them
5:25
Speaker 2: not to be.
5:25
Speaker 3: The sisters?
5:27
Speaker 6: Yes, the Collins sisters. Couple of fine old ladies. Very fine, yes, sirree.
5:32
Speaker 6: Both well past 60. Aggie and Bess is their names.
5:35
Speaker 3: Know them well.
5:36
Speaker 2: You've been here before, then? Oh, sure, sure. Stop here
5:39
Speaker 2: for a nice lodging when I'm past this way.
5:41
Speaker 6: Pay them for it. Helps them out some. They can
5:44
Speaker 6: use the cash better than the hotel in town. Spend
5:47
Speaker 6: where it'll do the most good, I always say. Here,
5:50
Speaker 6: let me try a hand at that door.
5:53
Speaker 2: Aggie!
5:53
Speaker 3: Bessie! Come on, Natch.
5:56
Speaker 2: Your old friend Sid Fairchild back again.
6:00
Speaker 3: That got him.
6:01
Speaker 2: Open the door now. Strange old ladies. Strange no end.
6:07
Speaker 5: Oh, Mr. Fairchild, it is good to see you again.
6:11
Speaker 5: My sake's been a long time.
6:12
Speaker 2: Hello, Aggie. How are things?
6:14
Speaker 5: Poorly. Poorly, Mr. Fairchild. Trouble no end.
6:19
Speaker 2: Where's Bess?
6:20
Speaker 5: Oh, she's tucked to her armchair. Plum wore out with worry.
6:23
Speaker 5: It's the haunt.
6:25
Speaker 2: These are a couple of friends of mine.
6:26
Speaker 5: Oh, my sake.
6:27
Speaker 2: Please, Miss Collins. My mask doesn't mean that I'm an outlaw.
6:30
Speaker 2: Nice spoken, Jet, Aggie.
6:32
Speaker 5: Better come inside. It's getting dark. This ain't a good
6:34
Speaker 5: place after dark.
6:36
Speaker 2: And what did you say about haunts?
6:37
Speaker 7: I didn't mean to say that, stranger. You'll do well
6:40
Speaker 7: to forget I spoke. Oh, here, what am I thinking of?
6:44
Speaker 7: You better put the horses where they'll be safe. Take
6:46
Speaker 7: them around the rear and lock them up.
6:47
Speaker 5: In the woodshed.
6:48
Speaker 3: The woodshed?
6:49
Speaker 5: It's better so.
6:51
Speaker 7: I wouldn't want man or beast to be on this
6:53
Speaker 7: land outside this house after dark.
6:56
Speaker 2: Oh, nonsense, Aggie. It's living alone this way that's got
6:59
Speaker 2: you all nervous about things.
7:00
Speaker 5: No, it ain't, Mr. Fairchild. I know what I know.
7:05
Speaker 3: Me picks horse.
7:06
Speaker 2: Very well, Tether.
7:07
Speaker 5: Step this way and I'll fix up some vittles for you.
7:10
Speaker 3: Now, that'll be right fine.
7:11
Speaker 7: Bess is in the kitchen talking to another traveler that
7:13
Speaker 7: wanted to stay the night here.
7:15
Speaker 5: He's like you, Mr.
7:16
Speaker 7: Fairchild. He don't take no stock from the things that's
7:19
Speaker 7: been going on around here. But he'll find out. He
7:23
Speaker 7: sure enough will find out. Just wait here a moment.
7:27
Speaker 7: I want to get a clean apron.
7:28
Speaker 5: Then we'll join.
7:33
Speaker 2: Him.
7:34
Speaker 3: Bess Collins, that's a downright fool story you're telling me.
7:38
Speaker 3: Sounds of spooks in the bunkhouse. Whoever heard such a thing?
7:42
Speaker 2: Laugh.
7:42
Speaker 8: Laugh, John Boston. Go on, laugh.
7:45
Speaker 3: Now look at here, Bess. There ain't never yet been
7:47
Speaker 3: a ghost that couldn't be stopped by a bullet. Why,
7:49
Speaker 3: you and Aggie are just a bit of.
7:50
Speaker 8: I suppose you think the car hands are left for nothing.
7:53
Speaker 3: Why did they leave? Didn't you pay enough?
7:55
Speaker 8: Paid top prices. They're the best food. Good beds in
7:59
Speaker 8: the bunkhouse. Not too much work.
8:02
Speaker 9: This was the best ranch around here two years ago.
8:04
Speaker 9: Now look at it.
8:07
Speaker 6: I did.
8:08
Speaker 3: I noticed it when I rode in. But you can't
8:11
Speaker 3: tell me the spooks and ghosts chased them in.
8:13
Speaker 2: They did.
8:14
Speaker 8: You can hear them most every night around the bunkhouse.
8:17
Speaker 3: You got to show me.
8:18
Speaker 8: You can see for yourself, John Barton. At least hear
8:21
Speaker 8: for yourself.
8:22
Speaker 3: When did all this spook business begin?
8:24
Speaker 9: It started soon after the curse of Lyman Durek was
8:27
Speaker 9: put on us. I hardly dare to talk about that
8:31
Speaker 9: frightful night.
8:32
Speaker 3: The curse of Lyman Durek. I've heard of him.
8:35
Speaker 6: Did you say that... Oh, it's all right, Vance. This
8:38
Speaker 6: man's a friend of mine.
8:39
Speaker 3: Vance, eh?
8:40
Speaker 2: Well, I bet you... And this is Mr.
8:42
Speaker 8: Fairchild, a salesman that comes through here from time to time.
8:45
Speaker 7: Hmm.
8:46
Speaker 3: Howdy.
8:46
Speaker 6: Glad to know you, Barton. Mighty glad to know you.
8:48
Speaker 6: Friend of the Collins girls and a friend of mine. Yes, sirree.
8:52
Speaker 3: Mr.
8:52
Speaker 9: Barton is an old friend of ours, but we ain't
8:54
Speaker 9: seen him much these past few years.
8:56
Speaker 3: I was downright set back when I saw the shape
8:58
Speaker 3: this ranch was in.
8:59
Speaker 2: Didn't you mention Laman Durek?
9:01
Speaker 8: Don't tell me you know him, stranger.
9:03
Speaker 2: I've heard the name. He's wanted for a robbery, isn't he?
9:05
Speaker 8: Yes, but on the other hand, we.
9:08
Speaker 7: What Bess is trying to say is that we'd sooner
9:11
Speaker 7: let the Polecat have the jewels he stole or to
9:13
Speaker 7: see him brought back here.
9:14
Speaker 2: Are you the ones he stole from? That's right. Hold on, stranger.
9:17
Speaker 3: Just stand still.
9:18
Speaker 2: What's the matter, Barton?
9:19
Speaker 3: Maybe you're Lyman Durek. Hardly. Or a friend of his
9:22
Speaker 3: come here to see how things are.
9:23
Speaker 6: Put your gun down, Barton. You won't need that for me.
9:26
Speaker 6: I was here the night Durek made his escape. What
9:29
Speaker 6: a time that was.
9:30
Speaker 3: Remember, Aggie?
9:31
Speaker 5: I do not remember it, Mr.
9:33
Speaker 3: Fairchild.
9:34
Speaker 2: My excitement no end. I'd like to hear more about it.
9:37
Speaker 3: I'll tell it.
9:38
Speaker 6: This man Durek was a foreman here. One night when
9:41
Speaker 6: all of their hands were in town on a spree,
9:43
Speaker 6: he stole some fine old jewelry.
9:45
Speaker 3: Worth a fortune.
9:46
Speaker 8: Things we'd had in the family since the Revolution.
9:49
Speaker 5: Jewels that belonged to our mother and grandmother.
9:51
Speaker 3: Yep.
9:51
Speaker 2: And this Lyman Derrick, potent cat that he was.
9:54
Speaker 3: Stole it all.
9:54
Speaker 1: It was Mr.
9:55
Speaker 7: Fairchild that caught him at it. Never as long as
9:59
Speaker 7: I live will I... forget that awful night.
10:01
Speaker 5: It was raining. The wind was.
10:04
Speaker 3: Look, Peggy, look.
10:05
Speaker 2: There.
10:07
Speaker 8: Oh, my check's alive.
10:08
Speaker 2: It's an injury. That's my friend's head. Nothing to be
10:11
Speaker 2: alarmed about. Poor song, fixed now.
10:14
Speaker 8: Saw the door moving, opening slow like a... Like a
10:17
Speaker 8: ghost was doing it.
10:18
Speaker 3: Doggone it, Bess. Your nerves are in bad shape. You've
10:21
Speaker 3: got to get control of yourself. Forget this talk of ghosts.
10:24
Speaker 8: I wish to mercy I could, John. But we hear them.
10:27
Speaker 8: Take no imagination.
10:29
Speaker 2: You were telling about the night of the robbery, fair child. Oh, yeah.
10:31
Speaker 6: Yeah, so was. I said it was a fearsome night.
10:35
Speaker 6: I was sleeping in the bunkhouse when I heard Aggie scream.
10:37
Speaker 6: And I come in here on the run, gun in hand.
10:39
Speaker 7: That's what he did. And he caught Dirk with all
10:42
Speaker 7: our jewelry. Oh, my, but Lyman Dirk was mad at
10:45
Speaker 7: being caught.
10:46
Speaker 6: I roped him and took him to the bunkhouse as
10:48
Speaker 6: a prisoner till morning when the law could get to him.
10:50
Speaker 2: Didn't the law get him?
10:51
Speaker 3: He escaped in the night.
10:53
Speaker 5: Sneaked away.
10:54
Speaker 8: And took the jewelry with him.
10:55
Speaker 2: I see.
10:56
Speaker 6: He got the ropes loose somehow. I fought with him. Oh,
10:59
Speaker 6: fierce battle. He knocked me out, though, and lit out.
11:02
Speaker 6: But the curse you mentioned.
11:03
Speaker 5: That was when he was captured.
11:04
Speaker 2: Yes. He swore he'd been framed. That he didn't have
11:07
Speaker 2: any part in stealing them jewels. Well, the man was crazy.
11:10
Speaker 3: I caught him with the goods.
11:11
Speaker 2: And what did he say?
11:12
Speaker 7: He said that this ranch would suffer if he was
11:15
Speaker 7: sent away.
11:15
Speaker 5: He said that he'd break us. He'd... Oh, I can't
11:20
Speaker 5: tell all the fearful things he said.
11:22
Speaker 9: It chills my blood to think of that man.
11:25
Speaker 8: That awful look.
11:26
Speaker 3: In his eyes.
11:26
Speaker 2: And since then?
11:27
Speaker 7: Well, after that, the cowpunchers acted mighty strange. One of
11:32
Speaker 7: them was killed mysteriously in a bunkhouse, found dead there.
11:36
Speaker 3: Yes, let out. Awful? Awful thing? Well, it's a lot
11:39
Speaker 3: of doggone superstitious nonsense.
11:41
Speaker 5: We've heard the sounds, John.
11:43
Speaker 8: Yes, we've heard them near the bunkhouse.
11:45
Speaker 2: What sort of sounds?
11:46
Speaker 9: Sort of pawing and scratching and heavy moaning sounds. Comes
11:51
Speaker 9: mostly on clear nights.
11:53
Speaker 2: Has anything else happened at the bunkhouse since that time?
11:55
Speaker 9: We never give anything a chance to happen. We never
11:58
Speaker 9: put anyone else in there. I thought some are having
12:01
Speaker 9: the place burned down.
12:02
Speaker 5: That's what we should do.
12:03
Speaker 2: Now, all the same, Barton, I figure it's best to
12:05
Speaker 2: take no chances.
12:07
Speaker 3: What's that?
12:08
Speaker 2: That's my horse. I'll go and see what's the matter.
12:09
Speaker 3: See?
12:10
Speaker 8: Even the horse knows there's something odd about this place.
12:13
Speaker 2: Something mysterious. He's pawing the floor of the woodshed. Now
12:16
Speaker 2: go quiet him. I'm tired to go, too. Very well, Santa.
12:22
Speaker 2: Steady there. Steady, Silver, old boy. What's the matter with you?
12:25
Speaker 2: Look at Silver. Silver is frightened. What is it, fellow?
12:29
Speaker 2: Stop trembling that way. Steady now. You can't cause any
12:34
Speaker 2: more alarm for those poor old ladies. There might be
12:36
Speaker 2: something strange going on around here, but it certainly isn't
12:39
Speaker 2: anything supernatural. We'll wait till daylight and then have a look.
12:43
Speaker 2: We'll probably find some perfectly logical explanation for the sounds.
12:46
Speaker 2: They're our sons.
12:47
Speaker 3: Maybe we look at bunkhouse now, huh?
12:49
Speaker 2: Open that door. We'll look over that way. Silver, quiet, boy, quiet.
12:58
Speaker 2: That's it. Stop your trembling now. It's plenty dark. Yes.
13:03
Speaker 2: You'll barely make out the bunkhouse. Hear anything? Me not
13:07
Speaker 2: hear nothing.
13:08
Speaker 3: Anything wrong with your horses?
13:10
Speaker 2: Not that I know of. Shut that outside door a minute.
13:15
Speaker 2: I don't know who you are, stranger.
13:16
Speaker 3: Well? I'm hoping you're on the level. If you're not,
13:19
Speaker 3: you're going to be on the level while you're in
13:21
Speaker 3: this house.
13:21
Speaker 2: You can be sure of that, Barton.
13:23
Speaker 3: I haven't seen much of those two fine old ladies
13:25
Speaker 3: in the past few years. But that's not because I
13:28
Speaker 3: ain't interested in them. They're in trouble here, a lot
13:30
Speaker 3: of trouble.
13:31
Speaker 2: So it seems.
13:31
Speaker 3: And I'm going to get to the bottom of it.
13:33
Speaker 2: Very well, Barton. Is there any way that we can help?
13:35
Speaker 3: There isn't, except to behave yourselves here.
13:38
Speaker 2: And? What are your plans?
13:39
Speaker 3: Hand me that lantern, will you, Indian?
13:42
Speaker 2: Here, lantern.
13:43
Speaker 3: I'll light it up.
13:44
Speaker 4: Oh.
13:46
Speaker 3: I'm going to that bunkhouse, and I'm going to spend
13:48
Speaker 3: the night there.
13:49
Speaker 2: I thought of doing that myself, Barton.
13:50
Speaker 3: I'll do it. I'll find out once and for all
13:53
Speaker 3: what the noises are... and put an end to all
13:54
Speaker 3: this fool talk about ghosts and things.
13:57
Speaker 2: You're armed?
13:57
Speaker 3: Gun and knife, and I can use both. That's a
14:00
Speaker 3: good horse you got, mister. One of the best. I
14:03
Speaker 3: don't know as I'd say one of the best. I
14:06
Speaker 3: never saw better, and I've seen lots of horses.
14:08
Speaker 2: He's mighty nervous about something. I think Tonto and I
14:10
Speaker 2: will stay here in the woodshed overnight.
14:12
Speaker 3: It might be a good idea. Well, I'm off to
14:15
Speaker 3: the bunkhouse.
14:16
Speaker 2: See you at breakfast.
14:30
Speaker 7: I'll have the coffee ground in the pot in no time.
14:32
Speaker 7: Just sit yourself down.
14:34
Speaker 2: Did you hear any sounds during the night, Miss Heggie?
14:36
Speaker 5: Same as always. I do wish John Barton had come in.
14:39
Speaker 2: Tonto's gone to get him. They'll be in in a moment.
14:41
Speaker 5: What about you? Did you hear the noises?
14:44
Speaker 2: The wind was pretty strong.
14:45
Speaker 5: I don't answer my question. Did you hear sounds?
14:48
Speaker 2: There are always sounds in the night.
14:49
Speaker 5: Not like these sounds.
14:51
Speaker 2: Where's your sister?
14:52
Speaker 5: She'll be in in a minute. Oh, Bess, you're even
14:55
Speaker 5: worse now about the sounds of the bunkhouse.
14:57
Speaker 2: I have a perfect right to be, Agatha.
14:59
Speaker 8: And you know it.
14:59
Speaker 5: All right, Bess, all right.
15:00
Speaker 8: Where's John Barton?
15:01
Speaker 5: He's coming.
15:02
Speaker 2: Tudor went to get him.
15:03
Speaker 8: Where's Fairchild?
15:04
Speaker 2: He went with Tudor. They'll be good.
15:06
Speaker 3: Hey, Bess, stranger.
15:08
Speaker 2: It's happened.
15:09
Speaker 8: Oh, sex alive.
15:09
Speaker 5: What's the matter?
15:10
Speaker 3: You were right. You were right.
15:11
Speaker 2: It's nothing human. Stop that, Fairchild. Tell what you have
15:14
Speaker 2: to say.
15:14
Speaker 3: You better come. Come and see for yourself. Barton.
15:17
Speaker 8: What's the matter with John Barton?
15:18
Speaker 2: The ghost, the spirits.
15:20
Speaker 3: Oh, I believe you now. It's all like you said.
15:22
Speaker 3: Stop it. Stop nothing.
15:23
Speaker 6: You see what I saw, then try and stop telling
15:25
Speaker 6: the same as me. I'm hidden out of here. I'm
15:27
Speaker 6: traveling and fast. Where's Tonto?
15:29
Speaker 3: He's still at the bunkhouse. He's there looking around.
15:31
Speaker 2: Oh, he's got more nerve than I have.
15:33
Speaker 3: I'm getting out. I ain't waiting for no breakfast. But
15:35
Speaker 3: tell us.
15:36
Speaker 2: What happened?
15:37
Speaker 5: Where is John? Why ain't he here?
15:38
Speaker 6: It's the ghost that done it. John Barton is dead.
15:45
Speaker 6: The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone
15:47
Speaker 6: Ranger story.
15:49
Speaker 2: Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause
15:52
Speaker 2: for just a few moments. Now to continue our story.
16:14
Speaker 4: When the Lone Ranger learned of John Barton's death, he
16:17
Speaker 4: hurried to the bunkhouse where Tonto was waiting for him.
16:21
Speaker 2: No tracks around the place, I tell you. Ground hard,
16:25
Speaker 2: not show track. What do you suppose struck John Barton?
16:28
Speaker 2: Me not know. It's plenty hard to figure. There must
16:31
Speaker 2: have been struck a furious blow on the head. That's right.
16:35
Speaker 2: This window was open when you got here?
16:36
Speaker 4: Uh-huh.
16:37
Speaker 2: He fell just inside the window. That's right. Heard something,
16:41
Speaker 2: stuck his head out the window, and that was all.
16:43
Speaker 2: That's right. Tonto, the less the ladies know of this,
16:47
Speaker 2: the better. I think we'd better get them to town
16:49
Speaker 2: and have them stay there for a while. That's good.
16:51
Speaker 2: You hitch up a team to the wagon back of
16:53
Speaker 2: the house and tie Scout behind. Then go to town
16:55
Speaker 2: with the ladies and get the sheriff and come back
16:57
Speaker 2: here with him. What law do? I don't know, but
17:00
Speaker 2: we'll need the law before we're through with this mystery.
17:02
Speaker 3: Tonto, go get wagons.
17:03
Speaker 2: Here comes Silver. Hold there, Silver. What's the matter, old boy?
17:11
Speaker 2: Why didn't you say where you were left?
17:13
Speaker 3: Hmm.
17:14
Speaker 2: Silver, plenty nervous. He's looking for the woods over there.
17:17
Speaker 2: He knows something he wants to tell.
17:21
Speaker 3: Maybe a killer in wood.
17:23
Speaker 2: I wonder. Tonto, I'm going to ride in there. Tonto,
17:26
Speaker 2: wait here. Yes, we'd like him back. There'll be time
17:29
Speaker 2: enough for you to take the Collins sisters into town.
17:31
Speaker 2: All right, Silver, old boy, you want to show me something?
17:34
Speaker 2: Come on, then.
17:35
Speaker 3: Oh, Silver, away!
17:37
Speaker 6: Silver, away!
17:46
Speaker 4: The mighty stallion raced toward the distant woods. Tonto waited
17:50
Speaker 4: at the house with Fairchild and two old ladies.
17:53
Speaker 3: One hour, two hours.
17:55
Speaker 4: The morning wore on. Their nervous tension increased with every
18:00
Speaker 4: passing moment.
18:01
Speaker 5: Oh, why don't he come? What's happened to him?
18:04
Speaker 2: Him come soon.
18:05
Speaker 6: You keep saying that, Engine, but there's some reason why
18:08
Speaker 6: he don't come back.
18:09
Speaker 2: You keep quiet.
18:10
Speaker 3: But there must be... Keep quiet.
18:12
Speaker 2: All right. All right, if that's the way you feel
18:15
Speaker 2: about it.
18:15
Speaker 4: Fairchild was worse than either of the Cullen sisters. Several
18:24
Speaker 4: times he tried to leave, but Tonto made him stay
18:27
Speaker 4: inside the house. Then, finally, the Lone Ranger returned. Now,
18:31
Speaker 4: my friend, come back.
18:32
Speaker 5: Thank goodness he ain't been killed.
18:34
Speaker 3: Now we'll know what he found in the woods, if anything.
18:36
Speaker 2: Maybe him tell, maybe not. All right, Tata.
18:39
Speaker 5: What happened?
18:40
Speaker 8: Did you find anything?
18:41
Speaker 5: Merciful goodness, stranger, where you been?
18:44
Speaker 3: Look at your clothes.
18:44
Speaker 5: You're a sight for mud and brambles.
18:46
Speaker 2: There's the dense woods east of here.
18:48
Speaker 5: I've heard say that it is, but what'd you find there?
18:51
Speaker 2: Perhaps nothing of importance. We'll find out by tonight. And Tata,
18:54
Speaker 2: you can hitch up the team now.
18:56
Speaker 5: Team? What team?
18:57
Speaker 2: Yours. I want you two ladies to go to town
18:59
Speaker 2: until tomorrow. For what for? Town?
19:02
Speaker 8: The matter was here.
19:03
Speaker 2: There might be things going on here tonight, and it'd
19:05
Speaker 2: be just as well if you were not around.
19:06
Speaker 3: Why?
19:07
Speaker 2: Now, please, Miss Agatha, don't ask questions.
19:08
Speaker 9: Drop out in our house and home. I never heard
19:11
Speaker 9: the like of it. I'd like to know who you
19:13
Speaker 9: think you are, mister, that you can tell us.
19:15
Speaker 2: Where to go. You may stay here if you want to,
19:17
Speaker 2: but it wouldn't make it much easier for everyone if
19:19
Speaker 2: you were in town. Montana will take you there, and
19:22
Speaker 2: he'll need you to help him persuade the sheriff to
19:23
Speaker 2: come back here with him.
19:24
Speaker 3: The sheriff?
19:25
Speaker 2: What good's the sheriff?
19:26
Speaker 8: He was here a couple of times before.
19:28
Speaker 5: Yes, he's been here and didn't learn a thing.
19:30
Speaker 2: Well, perhaps the sheriff didn't ride the right kind of horse.
19:33
Speaker 7: Huh?
19:33
Speaker 8: What's a horse to do with it?
19:35
Speaker 2: I can tell you more tomorrow, after I'm more certain
19:37
Speaker 2: of the things that I suspect.
19:39
Speaker 5: Maybe Mr. Fairchild will go to town with us. He
19:41
Speaker 5: has a rig of his own.
19:42
Speaker 2: I'd rather have him stay here. Well, I'd sooner not
19:44
Speaker 2: stay here. I can understand that, Fairchild, but you'll stay.
19:47
Speaker 3: It might be me that gets it tonight.
19:49
Speaker 2: I tell you this.
19:50
Speaker 3: ranch.
19:50
Speaker 2: This ranch has been run down because of something very
19:52
Speaker 2: definite and real. Something that can and will be corrected.
19:56
Speaker 2: I hope it'll be corrected tonight.
19:57
Speaker 3: But why wait?
19:58
Speaker 2: If you know what's the answer to the mystery, why
20:00
Speaker 2: wait till night? Because we can't act until after dark. Now,
20:04
Speaker 2: if you ladies will go.
20:05
Speaker 5: Oh, I expect we may as well, Bessie.
20:07
Speaker 8: I reckon so.
20:09
Speaker 9: It sure would be a powerful, heavy load off my
20:11
Speaker 9: mind if we could find some reason for the things
20:13
Speaker 9: that have happened.
20:14
Speaker 2: You might tell the sheriff everything he doesn't know, including
20:16
Speaker 2: the death of John Barton.
20:17
Speaker 5: We will.
20:18
Speaker 2: We sure will. The counter will come back soon. That's
20:21
Speaker 2: the sheriff. Very well, Sutter. Fairchild and I will be
20:25
Speaker 2: right here waiting for you and the sheriff. Against my
20:27
Speaker 2: better judgment. We'll be here.
20:40
Speaker 4: Late afternoon brought Tonto back to the run-down ranch with
20:43
Speaker 4: the sheriff. Fairchild complained of the law man of the
20:46
Speaker 4: treatment he'd received.
20:47
Speaker 2: Held against my will. Practical prisoner. I demand that I
20:50
Speaker 2: be let go.
20:50
Speaker 6: Oh, take it easy, Fairchild. Why should I have to
20:53
Speaker 6: stay here? Well, I reckon you don't have to stay.
20:56
Speaker 6: But it wouldn't do you much good in your business
20:59
Speaker 6: if word went out that you were so yellow you
21:01
Speaker 6: run out when you was needed to help our friends
21:03
Speaker 6: the Collins sisters. Fairchild will stay with us tonight, Sheriff.
21:06
Speaker 3: But what are you going to do?
21:08
Speaker 2: You and Tato and the sheriff and I are going
21:10
Speaker 2: to wait in the bunkhouse. No, no, no, no. That's
21:13
Speaker 2: the place to be. That's where things happen.
21:15
Speaker 6: I don't want to. I can't stand staying there. George Fairchild,
21:19
Speaker 6: there's nothing to be afraid of. You don't know what
21:21
Speaker 6: there is.
21:22
Speaker 2: I do. I saw John Barton this morning. I promise
21:26
Speaker 2: you that what happened to him won't happen to us.
21:28
Speaker 6: You won't be able to stop it. It's the curse
21:31
Speaker 6: of Durek, that's what it is. I was going to
21:33
Speaker 6: ask you, Fairchild.
21:34
Speaker 2: What? When you were here the night Durek escaped... Was
21:37
Speaker 2: there anyone else here? No. None of the cowhands?
21:41
Speaker 3: No.
21:42
Speaker 2: No overnight guests?
21:43
Speaker 3: Well, only me.
21:45
Speaker 2: Very well. Why? I just wanted to make sure of that,
21:48
Speaker 2: that's all. You came in the morning, didn't you, Sheriff? Yep,
21:51
Speaker 2: bright and early. You searched, of course, for the stolen jewelry.
21:54
Speaker 3: Sure.
21:55
Speaker 2: Tata, do you have the tools I mentioned? Tools already.
21:59
Speaker 2: Then we might as well move to the bunkhouse. There
22:01
Speaker 2: are a few things we'll have to do before dark.
22:03
Speaker 3: What's to be done?
22:04
Speaker 2: For one thing... I want to take the door off
22:06
Speaker 2: one end of the bunkhouse. Take the door off? Then
22:09
Speaker 2: we'll cut one of the windows down to the floor
22:11
Speaker 2: and make a second door. Why, I don't understand that.
22:14
Speaker 2: You will, Fairchild, in good time. Now let's get started.
22:28
Speaker 4: The window on one side of the bunkhouse was cut
22:31
Speaker 4: down to the ground to make a new entrance. Darkness fell,
22:36
Speaker 4: and with it, a wind rose. It was a night
22:41
Speaker 4: fully as dark as the preceding one, and the four
22:44
Speaker 4: men inside the bunkhouse could barely see each other as
22:47
Speaker 4: they crouched in one corner.
22:49
Speaker 3: Cut it. Now, me here. You left Silver untied, didn't you?
22:53
Speaker 2: That's right. Didn't come on the run if I called her?
22:56
Speaker 5: Uh-uh.
22:56
Speaker 2: Silver, come.
22:57
Speaker 3: You call. All right.
22:59
Speaker 6: I don't like this, I tell you. None of us
23:01
Speaker 6: are too well pleased with it, Fairchild. I ain't having
23:03
Speaker 6: a particular good time myself. I hope we finish this tonight.
23:07
Speaker 6: I don't know as I'll get my nerve up to
23:09
Speaker 6: putting in another night here.
23:10
Speaker 3: We'll see, Sheriff. We'd better stop talking.
23:13
Speaker 2: We might frighten away the visitor I'm expecting.
23:15
Speaker 3: What about the lanterns, Thunder?
23:17
Speaker 2: Got them here.
23:17
Speaker 3: All right.
23:18
Speaker 2: I'll tell you when to light them.
23:19
Speaker 3: How long will you stay here?
23:21
Speaker 2: Until something happens. What's that?
23:23
Speaker 3: Silver.
23:25
Speaker 2: He's sent something coming. Steady now and quiet.
23:26
Speaker 3: Quiet? I wish this was over.
23:29
Speaker 2: Quiet. There.
23:31
Speaker 3: You hear that?
23:31
Speaker 2: That's my horse. Be quiet. Oh, the dirty curse.
23:34
Speaker 3: Shut up, Fairchild. Fairchild, you have a gun. Yeah. Let
23:37
Speaker 3: me have it. But I.
23:38
Speaker 2: Hand it over. You know, State, you're not safe to
23:41
Speaker 2: be trusted with a gun. You'll be shooting one of.
23:43
Speaker 3: Us with it. He's right, Fairchild. Do what he says.
23:45
Speaker 2: Here it is.
23:46
Speaker 3: Thanks.
23:46
Speaker 2: Wait.
23:48
Speaker 3: Did you hear it, Tonto?
23:49
Speaker 2: No.
23:50
Speaker 3: It comes now. I hear it. It's come. Be quiet.
24:00
Speaker 3: Keep your trap shut, Fairchild, or I'll gag you. Look. Look!
24:04
Speaker 3: Where you cut the door. Big, white, white-looking. It's big
24:08
Speaker 3: as a horse.
24:11
Speaker 2: It is a horse. Get the lanterns lighted. Look, it's going, though.
24:14
Speaker 2: Here's Silver. Here's Silver, boy. Keep Fairchild here. I'm going
24:17
Speaker 2: after that horse.
24:18
Speaker 3: That's it.
24:19
Speaker 2: Silver after him.
24:20
Speaker 3: Hello, Silver.
24:21
Speaker 1: How are you?
24:24
Speaker 4: The Lone Ranger and Silver raced across the plains after
24:27
Speaker 4: the gray horse. As they drew close, the masked man
24:30
Speaker 4: loosened his rope.
24:31
Speaker 2: That's it, Silver. A little faster, old boy. We'll bring
24:35
Speaker 2: in the outlaw.
24:36
Speaker 4: The Lone Ranger's right arm whirled above his head. The
24:39
Speaker 4: rope snaked out in the night and dropped over the
24:41
Speaker 4: shoulders of the gray. The outlaw fought desperately against the
24:46
Speaker 4: restraint of the masked man's lariat, but finally he seemed
24:49
Speaker 4: to realize it was useless to struggle.
24:51
Speaker 3: He fired it down.
24:56
Speaker 4: Then, leading the captured horse, the lone ranger returned to
25:00
Speaker 4: the bunkhouse, where Tonto had lighted the lantern.
25:06
Speaker 2: There, Sheriff, is the killer of John Barton. The horse?
25:09
Speaker 2: The horse, yes. It's the same horse that I found
25:12
Speaker 2: in the woods this afternoon.
25:13
Speaker 3: But who.
25:13
Speaker 2: Barton heard the animal and stuck his head out of
25:15
Speaker 2: the window. The horse struck him with its hoofs.
25:18
Speaker 3: You sure of that?
25:19
Speaker 2: I'm certain of it, Fairchild. This horse has been here
25:22
Speaker 2: every night, pawing outside the building, trying to get inside.
25:24
Speaker 3: But why?
25:25
Speaker 2: In the woods, I found the saddle that the horse
25:27
Speaker 2: had rubbed off after many weeks of effort. When Derek
25:29
Speaker 2: left here, he left this horse, his own faithful animal.
25:32
Speaker 3: That's right. I remember the animal now. It is Derek's printer.
25:37
Speaker 3: It's in doubt of plenty, though.
25:38
Speaker 2: The horse has been living in the woods ever since.
25:40
Speaker 3: But hold on. If Derek left here with all them tools,
25:44
Speaker 3: why didn't he take the horse along with him?
25:45
Speaker 2: Perhaps he didn't leave here, Sheriff.
25:47
Speaker 3: Not leave here?
25:49
Speaker 2: Doesn't any reason occur to you for the constant efforts
25:51
Speaker 2: on the part of this horse to get into this bunkhouse?
25:54
Speaker 3: He sure can't take a nun.
25:55
Speaker 2: You're not thinking very hard. Try to bring the lanterns
25:59
Speaker 2: over here to the center of the floor. Oh, Fairchild,
26:02
Speaker 2: here's the gun you gave me when you were so
26:04
Speaker 2: badly frightened. Oh, thanks. Sheriff, examine the floor here. If
26:08
Speaker 2: you look closely, you can see where the boards have
26:10
Speaker 2: been taken up and then put down again. How do
26:12
Speaker 2: you know that? Tonto has eyes that miss very little.
26:15
Speaker 2: Shall we take up those floorboards and see what's underneath?
26:17
Speaker 3: Why not?
26:18
Speaker 2: We might find out why the horse was so eager
26:20
Speaker 2: to get here. You have the tools, Tonto. Take up
26:24
Speaker 2: floor plenty quick now. Board, come up.
26:26
Speaker 3: Easy.
26:27
Speaker 2: Give me that crowbar.
26:29
Speaker 3: Thanks. Get it under the edge more, mister. That's it. Here,
26:35
Speaker 3: I'll give you a hand. That's good.
26:42
Speaker 2: Now hold the light closer.
26:43
Speaker 3: Hey, there's something down under the floor. All right, all
26:45
Speaker 3: of you, hoist your hands. Fairchild.
26:47
Speaker 2: Put him up, I said.
26:47
Speaker 6: Have you gone loco? Put that gun down. That masked
26:50
Speaker 6: man's guessed the truth. I ain't being taken, see? Yes, Fairchild,
26:53
Speaker 6: the truth is plain enough. Derrick didn't escape at all.
26:57
Speaker 6: When you and he were in this bunkhouse after you'd
26:59
Speaker 6: captured him, you killed him. You hit his body with
27:02
Speaker 6: the jewelry. intending someday to return and get the jewelry.
27:05
Speaker 3: Smart, ain't you?
27:06
Speaker 2: Mighty smart. When you came back, you found that there
27:08
Speaker 2: were stories of ghosts. You were afraid. You didn't know
27:12
Speaker 2: whether to believe in the supernatural or not. Last night,
27:15
Speaker 2: poor Barton came here. When the horse turned out low
27:18
Speaker 2: and wild, struck him. The horse wanted to be with
27:21
Speaker 2: its master. Now reach in there. Bring out that bag
27:23
Speaker 2: of jewelry, mister. What did you do? Sneak back to
27:25
Speaker 2: the house and steal it a second time after you'd
27:27
Speaker 2: handed it to the old ladies? Why shouldn't I tell you?
27:30
Speaker 2: You're old to die. Sure I did. I stole it
27:33
Speaker 2: in the first place. Durek fell on me, but I
27:36
Speaker 2: was too slick for him. I charged him with being
27:38
Speaker 2: a thief, and those old fools believed me. It's the
27:41
Speaker 2: same as they'll believe the ghost killed all of you.
27:43
Speaker 2: You forget one thing. Nothing. I got it all worked out.
27:46
Speaker 2: But I knew you were the crook when I asked
27:48
Speaker 2: you for your gun. You think I'd have returned it
27:51
Speaker 2: to you so you could shoot us? I gave it
27:54
Speaker 2: back to make you show your hand. But the gun
27:56
Speaker 2: is unloaded.
27:57
Speaker 3: Why, you.
27:58
Speaker 7: It is unloaded.
27:59
Speaker 3: Well, this one ain't. You're under arrest, Fairchild. The charge
28:03
Speaker 3: is murder.
28:04
Speaker 2: I'll head for town and tell Agatha and Bess that
28:07
Speaker 2: things are now the way they should be. The ranch
28:11
Speaker 2: will be all right again. I'll seal the highway!
28:32
Speaker 6: The Lone Ranger.
28:59
Speaker 3: The Lone Ranger.
29:32
Speaker 2: THE END THE END.
30:17
Speaker 4: The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature
30:19
Speaker 4: of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
30:28
Speaker 1: This has been the Lone Ranger in the Haunted Bunkhouse.
30:31
Speaker 1: Follow the Lone Ranger for more classic western broadcasts.