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The Lone Ranger - "Curiosity Traps the Killer" (Old Time Radio, 1939) · The Lone Ranger | Old Time Radio

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: March 13th, 1939 brings us back to the frontier world
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: of The Lone Ranger. This is episode 956, Curiosity Traps
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: the Killer. The Lone Ranger had become a familiar appointment
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: for radio listeners across the country, carrying its western adventures
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: from one broadcast to the next. Settle in now for
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: this early 1939 chapter, and now we return to the
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: original broadcast.
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: I'll sail away.
• 0:49
  Speaker 3: A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud
• 0:51
  Speaker 3: of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver.
• 0:54
  Speaker 4: The Lone Ranger. THE END.
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: THE END.
• 2:08
  Speaker 4: THE END.
• 2:37
  Speaker 3: The first settlers to penetrate the mountainous regions of the
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: western United States found the territory rich in gold and silver.
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: The news of this discovery brought an army of prospectors,
• 2:48
  Speaker 3: many of them hardened criminals, and in the boomtown, sudden
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: death became as common as sudden wealth.
• 2:54
  Speaker 4: It was here that the Lone.
• 2:55
  Speaker 3: Ranger faced his greatest task and won his greatest victory.
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: No one with less strength and courage could have brought
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: law and order to that lawless frontier. No one but
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: the heroic masked rider could have made the country safe
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: for honest men and women. Return with us now those
• 3:11
  Speaker 3: thrilling days when the West was young. From out of
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver.
• 3:17
  Speaker 3: The Lone Ranger rides again.
• 3:19
  Speaker 4: Hello, Silver!
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: We're heading for the mountains! Hi-yo, Silver! How are you? Hi-yo!
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: The Lone Ranger, disguised, was present in the cafe at Aurora.
• 3:43
  Speaker 4: When two young men excitedly entered.
• 3:45
  Speaker 3: Both gave evidence of many days spent in the hills,
• 3:48
  Speaker 3: and the first, Jim Graves, held a fragment of rock
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: in his hand. Hey, fellas, look here.
• 3:53
  Speaker 4: We struck it. Me and Bob struck a bridge.
• 3:55
  Speaker 5: Gold.
• 3:55
  Speaker 4: Just take a look. Hey, that's news. Never heard of
• 3:59
  Speaker 4: gold around here before. There weren't nothing but silver and copper.
• 4:02
  Speaker 4: Where'd you locate that gold, young fella? That's something we're
• 4:04
  Speaker 4: keeping to ourselves. But we found it all right, didn't we, Bob?
• 4:06
  Speaker 4: Sure did. The gold eye you got there? That's what
• 4:08
  Speaker 4: it is. Let me have a look at it.
• 4:10
  Speaker 6: Sure.
• 4:11
  Speaker 4: Go right ahead. Piece of float. Uh-huh. Fought it in
• 4:14
  Speaker 4: the gully. The real thing isn't lucky. Howdy, Hard Rock. Well,
• 4:18
  Speaker 4: these fellas say it is. Looks to be rich, doesn't it, Lucky?
• 4:20
  Speaker 4: What do you think of it?
• 4:21
  Speaker 6: Let's have a look at it. Sure, pass the round.
• 4:24
  Speaker 6: Ain't none of you fellas seen fool's gold before? You
• 4:27
  Speaker 6: act like you're as green as these kids here.
• 4:29
  Speaker 4: Fool's gold?
• 4:30
  Speaker 5: Is that what it is, Lucky?
• 4:31
  Speaker 4: Ever see gold that look like this, Hard Rock? You
• 4:34
  Speaker 4: ought to know with all the prospecting you've done.
• 4:35
  Speaker 5: Well, I'll be doggone. Them greenhorns come busting in here
• 4:41
  Speaker 5: like they had something. And what they got ain't nothing
• 4:45
  Speaker 5: but iron pyrites.
• 4:46
  Speaker 4: Wait, there must be a mistake somewhere. Sure, and you
• 4:50
  Speaker 4: made it. You're sure that ain't gold? How much cash
• 4:53
  Speaker 4: you got out of you? Why?
• 4:55
  Speaker 6: Well, just to show you how sure I am. For
• 4:57
  Speaker 6: every dollar you got, I'll lay you five that that
• 4:59
  Speaker 6: ain't gold.
• 5:01
  Speaker 4: Take me up on it with having to save me.
• 5:02
  Speaker 4: Save your cash, young fella. Yeah, Lucky ain't betting on nothing.
• 5:06
  Speaker 4: This is a sure thing. Maybe next time you won't
• 5:08
  Speaker 4: get took in. Well, are you going to bet? I
• 5:11
  Speaker 4: ain't doubting your word. You fellas ought to know. Gosh, Jim,
• 5:14
  Speaker 4: and after all the plans we made. Uh-huh. But I
• 5:18
  Speaker 4: reckon we should have known we couldn't be so lucky
• 5:20
  Speaker 4: right off. Forget it. You kids ain't the first fellas
• 5:23
  Speaker 4: to get fooled.
• 5:25
  Speaker 6: Hey, come on down to the bar here. Me and
• 5:27
  Speaker 6: Hard Rock will buy you both a drink. Thanks, just
• 5:29
  Speaker 6: to say, but me and Jim don't drink.
• 5:30
  Speaker 4: Well, don't blame you, none. That's just good sense. Now,
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: step over here anyhow. Maybe we can give you fellas
• 5:36
  Speaker 4: a few pointers about prospecting. Gosh, would you? Sure, come on.
• 5:39
  Speaker 4: I guess me and Jim are pretty green, all right.
• 5:42
  Speaker 6: You didn't expect to learn everything at once, did you?
• 5:45
  Speaker 6: How long you fellas been west?
• 5:47
  Speaker 4: Just a month. Where'd you find that fool's gold? Well,
• 5:49
  Speaker 4: we've found it over... Maybe you better not say, Bob. Oh,
• 5:51
  Speaker 4: shucks now.
• 5:52
  Speaker 6: The only reason I asked was because me and Hard
• 5:54
  Speaker 6: Rock have been figuring on going prospecting again ourselves.
• 5:57
  Speaker 4: We just don't want to waste our time going where
• 5:59
  Speaker 4: you fellas went. Oh.
• 6:01
  Speaker 6: Besides, I thought maybe we could tip you off to
• 6:03
  Speaker 6: a place where you might really strike something.
• 6:05
  Speaker 4: Say, that'd be fine. Now, where'd you say you found
• 6:08
  Speaker 4: this float? Why, it was north of here. You know
• 6:10
  Speaker 4: where Turtle Creek is, don't you? Uh-huh. Well, it was
• 6:12
  Speaker 4: the gully just off the creek.
• 6:14
  Speaker 6: Above the rapid, before the creek goes through a sizable
• 6:16
  Speaker 6: stretch of wood. You ever been up in there, Hard Rock?
• 6:18
  Speaker 4: Sure, a dozen times. You mean it about giving us
• 6:21
  Speaker 4: a tip where to go?
• 6:22
  Speaker 6: Well, if I was you, fellas, I'd go prospecting around
• 6:24
  Speaker 6: the painted rock section. That'd be your best bet. There's
• 6:27
  Speaker 6: gold been found there? No, but plenty of silver. Why
• 6:31
  Speaker 6: don't you give it a try?
• 6:32
  Speaker 4: What do you say, Jim? Won't hurt us any, I reckon.
• 6:34
  Speaker 4: Is that where you fellas are going? Oh, we're likely to. Well,
• 6:37
  Speaker 4: thanks a lot. It's been darn nice of you to
• 6:39
  Speaker 4: put us straight. Oh, that's all right. And if we
• 6:41
  Speaker 4: do find anything, we'll know where the credit goes. Forget it.
• 6:45
  Speaker 6: Only thing you want to remember is not to go
• 6:46
  Speaker 6: high-tating for town the next time you pick up a
• 6:49
  Speaker 6: chunk of fool's gold.
• 6:50
  Speaker 4: We've learned our lesson, I guess. Come on, Jim, let's
• 6:52
  Speaker 4: get something to eat, then go down to the store
• 6:54
  Speaker 4: and get some more supplies. All right. Afternoon, fellas. Maybe
• 6:57
  Speaker 4: we'll be seeing you again. Well, maybe you will. Good
• 6:59
  Speaker 4: luck to you. Thanks.
• 7:02
  Speaker 6: Well, Jim, we sure made fools out of ourselves that time.
• 7:04
  Speaker 6: I wish that was all, sir. That trip up north
• 7:07
  Speaker 6: cost us plenty of cash. When we get through buying
• 7:09
  Speaker 6: supplies again, we're going to be broke.
• 7:11
  Speaker 4: Yes, that's right. And if we don't have better luck
• 7:13
  Speaker 4: this next trip, I don't know what we're going to do. Well, anyhow,
• 7:16
  Speaker 4: we live it. Huh? Speaking of, stranger.
• 7:18
  Speaker 7: Yes.
• 7:19
  Speaker 4: What do you want?
• 7:20
  Speaker 3: I was inside the cafe just now when you came
• 7:22
  Speaker 3: in with that sample of ore.
• 7:23
  Speaker 4: Ore? Fool's gold, you mean.
• 7:25
  Speaker 7: Have you still got it?
• 7:26
  Speaker 4: Yeah, here it is. I don't know what I was
• 7:28
  Speaker 4: hanging on to the blame stuff for.
• 7:29
  Speaker 7: I'd like to look at it.
• 7:30
  Speaker 4: What for?
• 7:30
  Speaker 7: I've got an idea. It may amount to nothing, but
• 7:33
  Speaker 7: I'd like to make sure. Here you are.
• 7:35
  Speaker 4: You're welcome to it as far as we're concerned. Come
• 7:37
  Speaker 4: on along, Bob. Hold on.
• 7:38
  Speaker 7: You've got a knife there. Give it to me.
• 7:40
  Speaker 4: What are you going to do?
• 7:40
  Speaker 3: There's a chance this piece of float is more valuable
• 7:43
  Speaker 3: than you suppose. If it's hidden inside, it wasn't anything
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: but iron pyrite.
• 7:46
  Speaker 7: We'll soon see.
• 7:47
  Speaker 4: Well, here's the knife.
• 7:48
  Speaker 6: But I'll be doggone if I know what you're getting at.
• 7:50
  Speaker 7: I'll show you.
• 7:50
  Speaker 4: What are you doing?
• 7:51
  Speaker 3: Have you ever heard of what the old-timers call the
• 7:54
  Speaker 3: jackknife of say?
• 7:55
  Speaker 4: What's that?
• 7:56
  Speaker 7: A watch.
• 7:57
  Speaker 6: He's pressing a rock with the tip of your knife, Jim. Stranger,
• 8:00
  Speaker 6: you don't mean to say that's gold ore after all,
• 8:02
  Speaker 6: do you?
• 8:03
  Speaker 3: Did you notice how soft the rock was? How easily
• 8:06
  Speaker 3: the blade pressed in? Yeah, but what does that prove? Now,
• 8:09
  Speaker 3: look closely at the edge of the blade.
• 8:11
  Speaker 4: See anything? I don't. Do you, Bob? Can't say as
• 8:15
  Speaker 4: I do. Good. What in blazes are you trying to.
• 8:17
  Speaker 3: If these were iron pyrites, the edge of the blade
• 8:19
  Speaker 3: would show a red rusty color. What's more, when I
• 8:22
  Speaker 3: pressed the blade against this rock, it wouldn't have made
• 8:24
  Speaker 3: an impression so easily.
• 8:25
  Speaker 4: Did you hear that, Jim? Why, it's gold after all. No.
• 8:28
  Speaker 4: But you just said it was. I said this wasn't
• 8:29
  Speaker 4: fool's gold. It isn't.
• 8:31
  Speaker 3: Looks to me as though it were a sulfide of
• 8:33
  Speaker 3: silver or copper, most likely the former. And that means
• 8:37
  Speaker 3: that there's... There's little doubt but what this float was
• 8:39
  Speaker 3: broken off from an outcropping of silver ore. I'm almost
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: positive this is silver, not copper.
• 8:44
  Speaker 4: But inside there, that fellow called Lucky was even willing
• 8:47
  Speaker 4: to bet me on it.
• 8:48
  Speaker 3: You recall he was willing to bet this wasn't gold ore.
• 8:50
  Speaker 4: That's right, Jim. But why would he ask to blame
• 8:52
  Speaker 4: sure that it was fool's gold?
• 8:54
  Speaker 7: I think he was quite sure it wasn't.
• 8:55
  Speaker 4: Huh?
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: I noticed something you didn't. When you gave him this
• 8:59
  Speaker 3: piece of ore, he scratched it across the ring you
• 9:01
  Speaker 3: wore on his hand. That probably told him what he
• 9:03
  Speaker 3: wanted to know.
• 9:04
  Speaker 4: He tricked us?
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: That wouldn't be easy to prove. It would do you
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: no good if you could. Did he ask where you'd
• 9:09
  Speaker 3: found this float?
• 9:10
  Speaker 4: He did. He asked particular.
• 9:11
  Speaker 7: I thought so.
• 9:12
  Speaker 4: Gosh, what do we do? He said you found this
• 9:14
  Speaker 4: in a gully. Uh-huh.
• 9:15
  Speaker 3: This ore is smooth and shiny. That shows it was
• 9:18
  Speaker 3: washed to the place where you found it. It may
• 9:20
  Speaker 3: have been washed into Turtle Creek, then into the gully
• 9:22
  Speaker 3: during the spring floods.
• 9:23
  Speaker 4: Yeah, that's likely.
• 9:24
  Speaker 3: You told Lucky and Hard Rock where you found this.
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: Unless I'm mistaken, they'll be on their way to find
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: the ledge it came from. They sure will if they
• 9:31
  Speaker 3: really lied to us on purpose. Well, you have just
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: as good a chance to locate that vein as they have.
• 9:35
  Speaker 3: If I were you, I'd get back to that district
• 9:37
  Speaker 3: as fast as I could and start my search.
• 9:38
  Speaker 4: We'll do that, stranger.
• 9:39
  Speaker 6: Gosh, I don't know just what to think. Don't get
• 9:42
  Speaker 6: me wrong, stranger, but how are we to know you're
• 9:44
  Speaker 6: telling us the truth? After all, it's just your word
• 9:47
  Speaker 6: against them other fellas.
• 9:48
  Speaker 7: You don't have to believe me. You got a virus
• 9:49
  Speaker 7: I made, if you wish.
• 9:50
  Speaker 4: Yeah, we can do that.
• 9:51
  Speaker 3: But don't waste time. If you do, Lucky and Hard
• 9:53
  Speaker 3: Rock will beat you to it. The fire assay suggested
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: by the Lone Ranger proved to Bob and Jim.
• 10:12
  Speaker 7: The truth of his statements.
• 10:14
  Speaker 3: The specimen of ore they had brought to town was
• 10:16
  Speaker 3: rich in silver. When, on top of this, they learned
• 10:19
  Speaker 3: that Lucky and Hard Rock had been seen on the
• 10:21
  Speaker 3: trail to Turtle Creek, the last of their doubt disappeared.
• 10:25
  Speaker 3: The two young men hastened back to the district and
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: started an intensive search for the ledge from which the
• 10:30
  Speaker 3: ore had come. For almost a week, however, they were
• 10:33
  Speaker 3: unable to find any trace of it.
• 10:35
  Speaker 6: Gosh, Jim, I don't know whether we're going to find
• 10:37
  Speaker 6: that vein or not. We sure haven't seen anything yet
• 10:39
  Speaker 6: that looks like it. That float we found had to
• 10:41
  Speaker 6: come from someplace. There ain't no use giving up. Don't
• 10:44
  Speaker 6: you think we've got about as far from camp as
• 10:45
  Speaker 6: we ought to today?
• 10:47
  Speaker 4: Let's just look over the rest of this slope before
• 10:48
  Speaker 4: we turn back, huh? I'm getting tired of walking. It
• 10:50
  Speaker 4: ain't far. Say, you know, I've been wondering about something, Bob. Yeah?
• 10:55
  Speaker 4: Why don't we run into Lucky and Hard Rock? They're
• 10:58
  Speaker 4: around here. They must be.
• 10:59
  Speaker 6: But since we've seen that one camp of theirs on
• 11:01
  Speaker 6: the way here, there hasn't been a sign of them.
• 11:03
  Speaker 4: I've been wondering, too. You don't suppose they're keeping out
• 11:05
  Speaker 4: of sight on purpose, do you?
• 11:06
  Speaker 7: They'd better.
• 11:07
  Speaker 4: Oh, I don't reckon they're much as scared of us, but...
• 11:11
  Speaker 4: There's just two things I can think of. What's that, Jim? Well,
• 11:13
  Speaker 4: for one thing, they might have found that Orvain and
• 11:15
  Speaker 4: headed back to town to record it. Say, do you
• 11:17
  Speaker 4: think they have? I can't say. And then again, they
• 11:20
  Speaker 4: might have had a look around and give up. They
• 11:22
  Speaker 4: had a couple-day start on us, you know. Gosh, I'd
• 11:24
  Speaker 4: feel a heap better if I knew their head. Here,
• 11:26
  Speaker 4: give me that pick. See something? I don't know. Let's see.
• 11:30
  Speaker 4: That look like it? No, I don't think it... Wait,
• 11:34
  Speaker 4: look up above there. Huh? That outcropping. See where the
• 11:37
  Speaker 4: sun strikes it? By gravy, Jim, if that ain't it,
• 11:39
  Speaker 4: I'll eat my head. Give me back that pick. Come on.
• 11:41
  Speaker 4: The lead. You bet it is.
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: Here.
• 11:45
  Speaker 3: Gosh, and if I hadn't been kneeling down and if.
• 11:46
  Speaker 4: The sun hadn't struck it just right, we'd probably never
• 11:48
  Speaker 4: have seen it. Break off some chunks. Yeah. That's it. Now,
• 11:54
  Speaker 4: wait a minute. That's enough. Look here. Just like the
• 11:57
  Speaker 4: float we found. There can't be no doubt about it.
• 11:59
  Speaker 6: Jim, we're going to move our camp up here, build
• 12:00
  Speaker 6: our location monuments, and first thing in the morning, one
• 12:02
  Speaker 6: of us can head for.
• 12:03
  Speaker 4: Town and file a paper. While the other keeps guard.
• 12:05
  Speaker 4: And the first fellow tries to jump this claim will
• 12:07
  Speaker 4: get his head blowed off. Come on, Bob. Break off
• 12:09
  Speaker 4: some more chunks. This here stuff makes the prettiest sight
• 12:11
  Speaker 4: I've ever seen. Silver, Bob, and I'll bet there's tons
• 12:14
  Speaker 4: of them. Lucky by golly, them greenhorns located the vein. Yeah.
• 12:29
  Speaker 6: And to think we was through here just two days
• 12:30
  Speaker 6: ago without even noticing. I had a hunch they'd be
• 12:33
  Speaker 6: the ones to find it. That's why I said we
• 12:35
  Speaker 6: should follow them.
• 12:36
  Speaker 5: Well, what do we do now?
• 12:37
  Speaker 6: Huh?
• 12:37
  Speaker 4: I mean, do you think we ought to drive them
• 12:39
  Speaker 4: off and take over? Or have you got some other scheme? Well,
• 12:42
  Speaker 4: let's get out of here first. Keep to the woods
• 12:45
  Speaker 4: so we won't be seen. Get up. Get along.
• 12:47
  Speaker 7: Get along.
• 12:48
  Speaker 4: Hot Rock, I got a notion we won't have to
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: jump that claim.
• 12:52
  Speaker 3: Huh?
• 12:53
  Speaker 6: Well, we could probably get away with it. But afterwards,
• 12:56
  Speaker 6: they'd likely go to court. And even if we went out,
• 12:59
  Speaker 6: it'd cost us plenty of cash.
• 13:01
  Speaker 7: What other way is there? How'd it be if.
• 13:03
  Speaker 6: They was to be hung for murder? Their claim wouldn't
• 13:07
  Speaker 6: do them much good then, would it?
• 13:08
  Speaker 2: Murder?
• 13:09
  Speaker 4: But how are you going to do that?
• 13:11
  Speaker 3: Just leave it to me, partner.
• 13:13
  Speaker 6: When we get beyond sound a gunshot, I'll show you
• 13:15
  Speaker 6: exactly what I got in my mind. I don't see
• 13:18
  Speaker 6: why you can't tell me now, Lucky. Because it'd spoil
• 13:20
  Speaker 6: it if I did. They can't hear the horses now.
• 13:23
  Speaker 6: Come on, let's get going.
• 13:24
  Speaker 4: Get up there.
• 13:32
  Speaker 2: Get up there.
• 13:43
  Speaker 3: Bob and Jim moved their camp to the newly discovered
• 13:45
  Speaker 3: claim before sundown. Then, early in the morning, Jim saddled
• 13:49
  Speaker 3: and began the journey back to Aurora.
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: It.
• 13:51
  Speaker 3: Was a three-day trip, but when he entered town, he
• 13:53
  Speaker 3: did not draw rain until he had reached the office
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: of the county clerk.
• 13:56
  Speaker 4: Oh, oh, there. Whoa, boy. Stay there, boy. Hey, anybody here?
• 14:08
  Speaker 4: Where's the clerk? You, Jim Graves? Huh? Oh, you're the sheriff, huh?
• 14:11
  Speaker 4: That's me. Ain't the clerk supposed to be here? Did
• 14:14
  Speaker 4: he step out or something?
• 14:15
  Speaker 3: You won't be needing him, young fella. Just stand still
• 14:17
  Speaker 3: while I take this here hardware you're carrying.
• 14:19
  Speaker 4: Hey, what's this for? I reckon you won't start nothing now.
• 14:22
  Speaker 4: Now look here. Shut up.
• 14:23
  Speaker 7: Lucky, is this the fella?
• 14:25
  Speaker 4: That's one of them, Sheriff. I reckon the other one
• 14:27
  Speaker 4: stayed behind.
• 14:28
  Speaker 2: Lucky.
• 14:29
  Speaker 6: Surprised to see me, huh? You must have figured you
• 14:32
  Speaker 6: got me, too. Well, you didn't, you sneaking killer.
• 14:35
  Speaker 4: Killer? What in the... Sheriff, what's this all about? Have
• 14:39
  Speaker 4: you fellas gone crazy? You're under arrest. But... What for?
• 14:42
  Speaker 4: For jumping Lucky's claim.
• 14:43
  Speaker 6: And for killing my partner, Hard Rock. You'll hang, you polecat.
• 14:47
  Speaker 6: You and that sidekick of yours, I'll stretch hemp if
• 14:50
  Speaker 6: I have to hang you myself.
• 14:52
  Speaker 2: I'll hang you! I'll hang you!
• 15:05
  Speaker 3: The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone
• 15:07
  Speaker 3: Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us
• 15:11
  Speaker 3: to pause for just a few moments.
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: Lone Ranger.
• 15:31
  Speaker 4: THE END.
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: THE END.
• 16:18
  Speaker 7: Now to continue our story.
• 16:20
  Speaker 4: When young Jim.
• 16:20
  Speaker 3: Graves arrived at the office of the county clerk in
• 16:23
  Speaker 3: the town of Aurora to file upon the claim discovered
• 16:25
  Speaker 3: by himself and his partner, Bob Holt, he was met
• 16:29
  Speaker 3: with a charge of murder. The sheriff, paying no attention
• 16:32
  Speaker 3: to Jim's protest, took the young man to the county
• 16:35
  Speaker 3: jail and thrust him into a cell.
• 16:37
  Speaker 4: Get in there. Blast it, Sheriff. This is a frame-up.
• 16:40
  Speaker 4: Never heard a killer yet that didn't say he was innocent.
• 16:42
  Speaker 4: You're just like all the other pilgrims that come out here.
• 16:44
  Speaker 6: You figure just because you ain't back east no more,
• 16:46
  Speaker 6: you can get away with anything.
• 16:48
  Speaker 4: Can't I say nothing for myself, Sheriff? What do you
• 16:50
  Speaker 4: want to say? If Hard Rock's really been killed... He was.
• 16:53
  Speaker 4: He's resting in Boothill right now.
• 16:54
  Speaker 6: Well, even so, I never done it, and neither did Bob.
• 16:57
  Speaker 6: I'd like to know just why you're so all fired
• 16:59
  Speaker 6: sure we did.
• 16:59
  Speaker 4: I seen you do it. I was there at the time,
• 17:01
  Speaker 4: wasn't I? Keep still, Lucky. You too, young fella. Well,
• 17:05
  Speaker 4: if it's reasons you want, I can give you two
• 17:07
  Speaker 4: doggone good ones. Besides Lucky's testimony. What are they?
• 17:10
  Speaker 3: Before you and your partner left town this last time,
• 17:13
  Speaker 3: you talked plenty free about what you'd do when you
• 17:15
  Speaker 3: met up with Lucky in Hard Rock again.
• 17:17
  Speaker 6: If you know that much, you ought to know why
• 17:18
  Speaker 6: we talk that way. The skunks cheated us or tried to.
• 17:21
  Speaker 4: You can't talk that way. Lucky, I said to keep still.
• 17:23
  Speaker 4: All right.
• 17:24
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I heard all about that part of it. Now,
• 17:26
  Speaker 3: I ain't saying that they didn't pull a kind of
• 17:28
  Speaker 3: sharp trick on you. But that ain't neither here nor there.
• 17:31
  Speaker 4: The fact remains you threatened them, and there's plenty of
• 17:33
  Speaker 4: folks in town that heard you. That still don't prove nothing.
• 17:36
  Speaker 4: It'll help. What's the other reason? One that'll convict you, sure.
• 17:40
  Speaker 3: I happen to know for a fact that outside of
• 17:42
  Speaker 3: Lucky and Hard Rock, you and your partner were the
• 17:44
  Speaker 3: only fellows in the whole.
• 17:45
  Speaker 4: Turtle Creek section. How do you know?
• 17:47
  Speaker 3: I had a rustler near the broke jail. I thought
• 17:49
  Speaker 3: maybe he might have headed that way, so I took
• 17:50
  Speaker 3: her out after him.
• 17:51
  Speaker 4: We never seen you. Yeah, but I seen you.
• 17:54
  Speaker 3: I never stopped to talk because I was in too much.
• 17:55
  Speaker 4: Of a hurry.
• 17:56
  Speaker 3: But I scoured that district clean. And like I said,
• 17:59
  Speaker 3: you was the only four fellas there.
• 18:01
  Speaker 4: Sheriff, I don't care who you seen and who you didn't.
• 18:03
  Speaker 4: Me and Bob didn't jump no claim. We didn't kill nobody.
• 18:06
  Speaker 4: Let me out. And by thunder, I'll find some way
• 18:08
  Speaker 4: to show you this is just a put-up job. Just
• 18:10
  Speaker 4: let me out and give me a chance, Harold. You're
• 18:11
  Speaker 4: staying where you are. But, Sheriff... And in just about
• 18:13
  Speaker 4: a week's time, you're going to have company. We're going
• 18:15
  Speaker 4: after that partner of yours. And after the trial, there's
• 18:18
  Speaker 4: going to be a double hanging. Yeah!
• 18:26
  Speaker 7: But when the Lone Ranger had learned of Jim Graves' danger.
• 18:29
  Speaker 3: He had rejoined Tonto outside town and raced toward the
• 18:31
  Speaker 3: distant claim where Bob Holt, unaware of what had happened,
• 18:35
  Speaker 3: was awaiting Jim's return. Silver and Scout, urged on by
• 18:38
  Speaker 3: their masters, made what was ordinarily a three-day journey in
• 18:41
  Speaker 3: less than two. At the camp, the masked man and
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: Tonto reined in while Bob watched them in alarm.
• 18:47
  Speaker 4: Move, Silver.
• 18:47
  Speaker 6: Move.
• 18:47
  Speaker 4: Up with your hands, both of you. I got you covered.
• 18:52
  Speaker 7: Put that gun down, Bob.
• 18:53
  Speaker 4: No, you don't. Just do like I told you and
• 18:55
  Speaker 4: don't argue. All right, Tonto. Hey, you drop gun. Let go.
• 18:59
  Speaker 4: Drop gun. You dirty outlaw. Let him go, Tonto. He's disarmed.
• 19:03
  Speaker 4: What's your game?
• 19:04
  Speaker 7: We came here to help you.
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: I think we can talk better now that I have
• 19:06
  Speaker 3: your gun.
• 19:07
  Speaker 4: Help me. It sure looks like it. The sheriff is
• 19:09
  Speaker 4: on his way here.
• 19:10
  Speaker 6: Huh?
• 19:10
  Speaker 3: To arrest you. Your partner's already in jail.
• 19:12
  Speaker 4: You're loco.
• 19:13
  Speaker 3: Not only in jail, Bob, but on a charge of
• 19:15
  Speaker 3: claim jumping and murder.
• 19:16
  Speaker 4: That ain't so.
• 19:17
  Speaker 6: I don't know what you figured again by that kind
• 19:18
  Speaker 6: of a story, but it won't do you no good,
• 19:20
  Speaker 6: I can tell you that.
• 19:20
  Speaker 3: That happens to be true, as you'll see when the
• 19:22
  Speaker 3: sheriff arrives.
• 19:23
  Speaker 4: I'll bet.
• 19:24
  Speaker 3: I told you I came to help, and I mean it.
• 19:26
  Speaker 3: Lucky Morgan is behind this. He shot his partner and
• 19:28
  Speaker 3: plans to lay the blame on you and take over
• 19:30
  Speaker 3: your claim when you're jailed.
• 19:31
  Speaker 4: Wait a second. Yes? Ain't I met up with you
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: before someplace? I've heard that voice. Doggone if I ain't.
• 19:38
  Speaker 4: And whereabouts was it?
• 19:38
  Speaker 3: Never mind that. You've got to believe what I've told you.
• 19:41
  Speaker 4: I don't know why I should.
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: Because if you don't, both you and Jim will hang.
• 19:43
  Speaker 3: How come you know so much? For reasons of our own,
• 19:46
  Speaker 3: Talonite treasure when you came here. We were afraid you
• 19:48
  Speaker 3: might have trouble with Lucky and Hard Rock. We expected
• 19:51
  Speaker 3: an attack if you found this outcropping and attempted to
• 19:53
  Speaker 3: claim it. We didn't know that Lucky would murder his
• 19:55
  Speaker 3: own partner to get this vein.
• 19:57
  Speaker 5: Yeah?
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: That's why we didn't keep track of Lucky and why
• 19:59
  Speaker 3: I didn't know until Jim was arrested in town that
• 20:01
  Speaker 3: Hard Rock had been killed.
• 20:02
  Speaker 4: Say, are you really serious about all this?
• 20:04
  Speaker 7: I've been trying to convince you that I am.
• 20:06
  Speaker 4: Well, go on.
• 20:07
  Speaker 7: The point is just this.
• 20:08
  Speaker 3: Tonto and I know that you and Jim are innocent.
• 20:11
  Speaker 3: We didn't see the killing, of course. But as you, Jim, Lucky,
• 20:14
  Speaker 3: and Hard Rock were the only ones in this district,
• 20:16
  Speaker 3: and you and Jim are innocent, then Lucky has to
• 20:18
  Speaker 3: be the killer. I don't get all this. Lucky Morgan's
• 20:21
  Speaker 3: a crook, all right. There ain't nobody got more reason
• 20:23
  Speaker 3: to know it than what I have. But you don't
• 20:25
  Speaker 3: actually mean to stand there and tell me he'd do
• 20:27
  Speaker 3: in his own sidekick, do you? This looks to me
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: like a rich strike you've made here. It wouldn't be
• 20:31
  Speaker 3: the first time men have been murdered for wealth.
• 20:33
  Speaker 4: But in cold blood.
• 20:34
  Speaker 3: In cold blood or not, the fact remains that it happened.
• 20:37
  Speaker 3: If you don't take action, you and Jim will pay
• 20:39
  Speaker 3: for it. Why should a stranger like you worry about
• 20:41
  Speaker 3: what happens to us?
• 20:41
  Speaker 7: That doesn't matter.
• 20:42
  Speaker 3: But what are you interfering for? Are you going to
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: take steps to protect yourself, or aren't you? You're giving
• 20:46
  Speaker 3: me this straight. I gotta do something. And the only
• 20:49
  Speaker 3: way you can clear yourself and Jim is to convict Lucky.
• 20:52
  Speaker 4: How?
• 20:52
  Speaker 3: We don't know where Hard Rock was shot. There were
• 20:55
  Speaker 3: no witnesses who could testify in your favor. Lucky certainly
• 20:58
  Speaker 3: won't confess willingly without good cause.
• 21:00
  Speaker 4: That shit leaves us in a fix. You have one
• 21:02
  Speaker 4: chance to escape. What's that?
• 21:04
  Speaker 3: The sheriff should arrive here sometime tomorrow. You'll know as
• 21:07
  Speaker 3: soon as you see him that I've been telling you
• 21:08
  Speaker 3: the truth.
• 21:09
  Speaker 4: Well?
• 21:09
  Speaker 3: He'll accuse you of being guilty of the killing, too.
• 21:11
  Speaker 4: And when he does that?
• 21:12
  Speaker 3: And when he does that, Bob, your one chance to
• 21:15
  Speaker 3: prove your innocence is to admit your guilt. Bob, at
• 21:23
  Speaker 3: first puzzled by the masked man's statement that he could
• 21:26
  Speaker 3: not be cleared until he had confessed to the murder,
• 21:28
  Speaker 3: soon understood what was in the Lone Ranger's mind.
• 21:31
  Speaker 4: Bob agreed to carry out the plan.
• 21:33
  Speaker 3: And the masked man accompanied by Tonto disappeared. When the
• 21:37
  Speaker 3: sheriff and Lucky rode up the next day, Bob hailed them.
• 21:39
  Speaker 7: With no visible concern.
• 21:41
  Speaker 4: Hi there, Sheriff.
• 21:42
  Speaker 3: Howdy, Morgan. You're under arrest for murder, Holt. Careful what
• 21:48
  Speaker 3: you say, because maybe you'll be used again at your trial.
• 21:50
  Speaker 6: And don't try to put up a fight, because you're
• 21:52
  Speaker 6: going to join your murdering partner in jail.
• 21:54
  Speaker 4: You're just arrested when I have to shoot you down.
• 21:55
  Speaker 4: You don't see me resisting, do you? You admit you
• 21:57
  Speaker 4: killed Hard Rock, huh? Shucks, what's the use of denying it? Huh?
• 22:01
  Speaker 4: What's that you said? You hard of hearing, Lucky? I said,
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: what's the use of denying I killed Hard Rock? You're
• 22:06
  Speaker 4: admitting it. Can't you get anything through that thick skull
• 22:08
  Speaker 4: of yours? Of course I am. Well, I'll be... That's
• 22:11
  Speaker 4: a plain funny thing. What's funny? You seen us coming here,
• 22:14
  Speaker 4: didn't you? Sure did. Then you must have known why
• 22:16
  Speaker 4: we was coming here. I knew that, too. Then why
• 22:18
  Speaker 4: didn't you try to make a break? Why didn't you
• 22:20
  Speaker 4: just stand and wait for us? I got my reason.
• 22:23
  Speaker 4: You got reasons, you say? Sure. Does that worry you, Lucky? Oh, no, no.
• 22:27
  Speaker 4: Don't worry me none. Why should it? I just thought
• 22:30
  Speaker 4: maybe it would.
• 22:30
  Speaker 7: Now, look here.
• 22:31
  Speaker 3: If you've got friends or something, as you're figuring to
• 22:33
  Speaker 3: bust you loose, you can forget about them.
• 22:35
  Speaker 4: You ain't going to get loose. You're wearing handcuffs the
• 22:37
  Speaker 4: whole trip back. And when we have to camp at night,
• 22:39
  Speaker 4: me and Lucky are taking turns guarding you. Now, hold
• 22:42
  Speaker 4: out your hands. Sure.
• 22:44
  Speaker 7: There.
• 22:45
  Speaker 6: Now, I'd just like to see you get out of them. Golly, Sheriff,
• 22:47
  Speaker 6: you got me all wrong. I ain't going to try
• 22:49
  Speaker 6: to escape. And I ain't got no friends that are
• 22:51
  Speaker 6: planning on helping me get loose. The fact is, Sheriff...
• 22:55
  Speaker 6: Fact is, I'm insisting on you jailing me for what
• 22:57
  Speaker 6: I've done. I won't stand for nothing else.
• 23:00
  Speaker 4: You beat anything I've ever seen before. He's up to something, Sheriff.
• 23:03
  Speaker 4: He must be. Lesson, he's crazy. Lucky, I ain't crazy.
• 23:06
  Speaker 4: You're sure active.
• 23:07
  Speaker 3: I ain't crazy, and I got a reason for what
• 23:08
  Speaker 3: I'm doing, like I said before. Ready to go back, Sheriff?
• 23:11
  Speaker 3: Ain't nothing to stop us, I reckon. Bring this fellow's horse.
• 23:14
  Speaker 4: Over here, Lucky.
• 23:15
  Speaker 6: Yeah.
• 23:16
  Speaker 4: I don't know. What's that, Sheriff? Blasted, I don't know
• 23:19
  Speaker 4: what to make of you. I've been a lawman the
• 23:21
  Speaker 4: past ten years.
• 23:23
  Speaker 3: By and large, I'd figured I'd met up with every
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: kind of crook and killer there was.
• 23:26
  Speaker 4: But you're sure a new one on me. Just what
• 23:30
  Speaker 4: are you scheming? Suppose you wait and see. Here's the horse, Sheriff.
• 23:34
  Speaker 4: Get to the saddle. Lucky. Blessed, what are you laughing at?
• 23:40
  Speaker 4: Nothing much, Lucky.
• 23:42
  Speaker 3: But I can't help thinking of the surprise you're going
• 23:44
  Speaker 3: to get before we reach town.
• 23:46
  Speaker 4: The more I think about it, the funnier it gets.
• 23:49
  Speaker 4: Maybe it won't seem so funny when you're stretching rope.
• 23:51
  Speaker 4: If I stretch rope. So you are planning on escaping?
• 23:53
  Speaker 4: I ain't, Sheriff. I give you my word, I ain't.
• 23:56
  Speaker 3: If you can't talk sense, then I ain't got the
• 23:57
  Speaker 3: time to listen to you. All I got to say
• 23:59
  Speaker 3: is that the first sign of a trick, you're getting drilled.
• 24:02
  Speaker 3: And just think that over.
• 24:03
  Speaker 4: Let's go. Get up there. Get up there. Come on.
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: Get up.
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: Get up.
• 24:13
  Speaker 3: Lucky, knowing himself guilty and Bob innocent, was completely mystified
• 24:17
  Speaker 3: by the young miner's attitude.
• 24:20
  Speaker 4: That night when they made camp, Lucky had little to
• 24:22
  Speaker 4: say over the evening meal. He chose to stand the
• 24:25
  Speaker 4: first watch, and.
• 24:26
  Speaker 3: Then, when the regular breathing of his two companions revealed
• 24:29
  Speaker 3: that they were asleep, he moved swiftly and silently.
• 24:32
  Speaker 4: Wake up. Wake up, I tell you. What's up? Keep
• 24:36
  Speaker 4: your blasted voice down. Let me sleep. Go away, won't you?
• 24:39
  Speaker 6: You and me are going to have a little talk.
• 24:41
  Speaker 6: You see that grove over there?
• 24:42
  Speaker 7: Oh, God, leave me alone, won't you?
• 24:44
  Speaker 6: I got our shooting iron again your side.
• 24:46
  Speaker 4: What for?
• 24:46
  Speaker 6: Just to make sure you do like I say. If
• 24:49
  Speaker 6: you don't, I'm pulling the trigger and.
• 24:51
  Speaker 4: Telling the sheriff I shot while you was trying to escape.
• 24:54
  Speaker 4: But I don't see which.
• 24:55
  Speaker 6: Are you going to move?
• 24:56
  Speaker 4: You don't look like I got much choice. Quiet. Which way?
• 24:59
  Speaker 4: To that grove, like I said. Now, come on, walk
• 25:02
  Speaker 4: ahead of me. How much farther I got to go?
• 25:07
  Speaker 4: We're talking, won't wake the sheriff. We ain't got nothing
• 25:10
  Speaker 4: to talk about.
• 25:10
  Speaker 6: That's your notion. I got a different one. Go on,
• 25:14
  Speaker 6: keep moving. You're sure a stubborn cuss. And I blame
• 25:17
  Speaker 6: bad one to try to trick. Which same you're going
• 25:19
  Speaker 6: to find out right sudden. Huh?
• 25:21
  Speaker 4: Trick? What are you talking about? Don't put on. You savvy,
• 25:25
  Speaker 4: all right. Yeah, this'll do. Well, say what you have
• 25:29
  Speaker 4: to say, then let me get back to sleep. I'm
• 25:31
  Speaker 4: tired enough to sleep standing up. Just what's the idea? Huh?
• 25:35
  Speaker 4: Don't pretend. What are you up to? What scheme are
• 25:38
  Speaker 4: you figuring to pull? You ain't making yourself real plain lucky.
• 25:41
  Speaker 4: What do you mean, scheme? Look here, blast you.
• 25:44
  Speaker 6: I got this here gun in your handcuffed. All I
• 25:47
  Speaker 6: got to do is shoot and you're done for. Now
• 25:50
  Speaker 6: start talking.
• 25:51
  Speaker 4: I don't mind. What should I say?
• 25:53
  Speaker 6: You got some trick up your sleeve and I aim
• 25:55
  Speaker 6: to find it out. Now why did you tell the
• 25:57
  Speaker 6: sheriff back at the claim that you killed Hard Rock?
• 26:00
  Speaker 4: Because I did. Chuck, you said so yourself.
• 26:02
  Speaker 6: Sure I said you did. As far as a sheriff
• 26:05
  Speaker 6: will ever know, that's the way it's going to be
• 26:06
  Speaker 6: written down in the record.
• 26:07
  Speaker 4: Well then.
• 26:08
  Speaker 6: But you know and I know that it was me
• 26:10
  Speaker 6: that killed Hard Rock, not you. And you wouldn't claim
• 26:13
  Speaker 6: you had unless there was something behind it.
• 26:15
  Speaker 4: Now, what was it? That's my business. It was. Now,
• 26:18
  Speaker 4: I'm making it mine. And there's another thing. When me and.
• 26:22
  Speaker 6: The sheriff rode up to your camp, you acted like
• 26:25
  Speaker 6: you was expecting us. Didn't even act surprised when you
• 26:28
  Speaker 6: heard about the killing and Jim being jailed.
• 26:31
  Speaker 4: How come you found out? I got ways of learning things.
• 26:35
  Speaker 4: Don't forget this gun. That ain't no reason to get hasty.
• 26:39
  Speaker 6: Tell you what I'll do. You just answer me one question,
• 26:42
  Speaker 6: and I'll give you the straight answer to all of yours.
• 26:44
  Speaker 4: Fair enough. What question? Well, the way I got things
• 26:47
  Speaker 4: figured is like this.
• 26:49
  Speaker 6: You drilled hard rock so you could get me and
• 26:50
  Speaker 6: Jim hung and you could jump our claim.
• 26:52
  Speaker 4: Is that right? Sure, it's right. Why else do you
• 26:55
  Speaker 4: think I'd have done it? Is that all you're going
• 26:57
  Speaker 4: to ask? It's enough, I reckon. Now you answer what
• 27:00
  Speaker 4: I asked you before. Lucky I'd done what I did, so... Hey,
• 27:03
  Speaker 4: what was that? Have you heard enough, Sheriff?
• 27:04
  Speaker 3: Every plain thing I need to know.
• 27:06
  Speaker 4: You skunk, what he reach. What a blagging prick. And proper.
• 27:09
  Speaker 4: You ain't getting me out.
• 27:10
  Speaker 2: Watch out.
• 27:10
  Speaker 4: You're getting yours, Holt. Oh. I warned you.
• 27:13
  Speaker 7: Grab the gun he dropped, Hunter.
• 27:15
  Speaker 4: Here, gun. You load down. Save your wind. I got you.
• 27:17
  Speaker 7: Hold on to him, Sheriff.
• 27:18
  Speaker 3: You just bet I will. Stand still, Blastier. Another move
• 27:21
  Speaker 3: out of you and I'll save the county the expense
• 27:23
  Speaker 3: of a trial.
• 27:23
  Speaker 7: Let me loose.
• 27:24
  Speaker 4: Let go of me. Quit your hollering.
• 27:25
  Speaker 6: Yeah.
• 27:26
  Speaker 4: He was asking me some questions just a minute back, Lucky.
• 27:29
  Speaker 4: Ain't you interested no more in what the answers are?
• 27:32
  Speaker 4: Just leave me loose. Well, you're going to listen whether
• 27:34
  Speaker 4: you like to or not. The scheme was a match made.
• 27:38
  Speaker 3: He knew doggone well that you'd get so blamed, curious,
• 27:40
  Speaker 3: and suspicious all at the same time that you'd have
• 27:42
  Speaker 3: to try and find out what the trap was. So
• 27:44
  Speaker 3: what he done was to make you so darn anxious
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: to stay out of a trap that you walked right
• 27:47
  Speaker 3: into it. The second he seen us leave together, he
• 27:50
  Speaker 3: woke up the sheriff and brought him along where he could.
• 27:52
  Speaker 4: Hear what was being said. Well, make him pay. Well,
• 27:55
  Speaker 4: maybe you will, Lucky. But you're gonna hang first. Ha, ha, ha.
• 28:00
  Speaker 3: But after that, of course, you're welcome to do.
• 28:02
  Speaker 4: Anything you've got a mind to.
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: I'll steal that away! Come on, Silver, old fellow.
• 28:25
  Speaker 4: Settlers are in danger in the Apeche country.
• 28:28
  Speaker 2: Hi-yo, Silver, away! Hi-yo, Silver, away!
• 28:52
  Speaker 4: THE END.
• 29:21
  Speaker 5: THE END.
• 29:30
  Speaker 4: THE END.
• 30:07
  Speaker 3: The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature
• 30:09
  Speaker 3: of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: That was the Lone Ranger in Curiosity Traps the Killer.
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: Follow the Lone Ranger for more classic Western broadcasts.