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The Lone Ranger - "Murder Will Out" (Old Time Radio, 1942) · The Lone Ranger | Old Time Radio

0:00
Speaker 1: At Mustang Mag's ranch, out on the western frontier, a
0:03
Speaker 1: suspicious death has been made to look like suicide, and
0:07
Speaker 1: the Lone Ranger and Tonto begin an investigation. This is
0:12
Speaker 1: the original December 30th, 1942, broadcast of the Lone Ranger,
0:18
Speaker 1: Murder Will Out, episode 1551. Their inquiry reaches beyond the
0:24
Speaker 1: ranch toward a search for hidden Indian gold, and a
0:28
Speaker 1: distinctive trail left by a peg-legged killer may offer the
0:32
Speaker 1: investigators a crucial clue. Young Dan Reed awaits a surprise
0:36
Speaker 1: at the ranch, while Brace Beamer appears as the Lone
0:39
Speaker 1: Ranger and John Todd as Tonto. And now, our story begins.
0:51
Speaker 2: Hey-ho, silver, ho-ho-ho-hey!
1:06
Speaker 3: Fiery horse with the speed of light, the cloud of dust,
1:08
Speaker 3: and a hearty hi-yo, Silver, the Lone Ranger.
1:29
Speaker 4: THE END.
2:11
Speaker 2: THE END.
2:36
Speaker 5: With his faithful.
2:40
Speaker 2: Indian companion, Tonto, the masked rider of.
2:43
Speaker 3: The plains led the fight for law and order in
2:46
Speaker 3: the early western United States. The stories of his strength
2:58
Speaker 3: and courage, his daring and resourcefulness, have come down to
3:01
Speaker 3: us through the generations, and nowhere in the pages of
3:04
Speaker 3: history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return
3:08
Speaker 3: with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From
3:10
Speaker 3: out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of a
3:12
Speaker 3: great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again.
3:15
Speaker 2: Come on, Silver! Faster, boy, faster!
3:20
Speaker 6: Oh, Silver!
3:22
Speaker 2: Hooray!
3:35
Speaker 3: The steep, snow-tipped mountain peaks of Montana's high border country
3:39
Speaker 3: pierced the sky like inverted icicles. Deep in the valley,
3:42
Speaker 3: the lights of Miner's Gulch flickered feebly in the wind
3:45
Speaker 3: and rain of an unseasonal thaw. Sheltered by a cave
3:49
Speaker 3: in a mountain slope nearby, three figures warmed themselves and
3:53
Speaker 3: their horses at a roaring fire.
3:55
Speaker 7: The leader wore the.
3:56
Speaker 3: Unmistakable black mask and silver-mounted six guns of the Lone Ranger.
4:00
Speaker 7: His companions were the ever-faithful Tonto.
4:03
Speaker 3: And a 14-year-old boy, Dan Reed, the lad whose courage
4:06
Speaker 3: and resourcefulness had won the masked man's friendship before fate
4:10
Speaker 3: linked them inseparably.
4:11
Speaker 7: By revealing Dan as the Lone Ranger's nephew.
4:14
Speaker 2: Dan, this is the first chance we've had to talk
4:17
Speaker 2: things over.
4:17
Speaker 8: Golly, cheer is cozy here in a cave.
4:19
Speaker 2: You could go back and stay in your grandmother's house
4:21
Speaker 2: for a few days.
4:22
Speaker 8: Oh, no, I'd sooner be here with you. Pretty lonesome
4:26
Speaker 8: there now that Grandma's gone.
4:28
Speaker 2: I understand.
4:29
Speaker 8: You don't want me to go.
4:30
Speaker 5: Back, do you?
4:31
Speaker 2: By no means, Dan. Stay with Tonto and me.
4:34
Speaker 8: And as soon as Mr. Martin's taken care of all
4:35
Speaker 8: the details about Granny's property, we're going south, aren't we?
4:38
Speaker 2: Yes, Dan.
4:39
Speaker 8: Oh, Jiminy, I'll be glad to see the plains and
4:41
Speaker 8: big cattle ranches, the Texas Rangers.
4:44
Speaker 2: They are a great bunch of men.
4:45
Speaker 8: I wish I'd known my dad when he was one
4:48
Speaker 8: of them.
4:48
Speaker 2: Yes, Dan. I wish you could have known him.
4:51
Speaker 8: Was he a good ranger?
4:53
Speaker 2: One of the best.
4:54
Speaker 9: My dad.
4:55
Speaker 8: Brother of the Lone Ranger. I can't believe it.
4:58
Speaker 2: Your father meant a lot to me. He was more
5:01
Speaker 2: than an older brother. Taught me to ride, use a gun.
5:05
Speaker 8: Tell me more about him.
5:07
Speaker 2: Well, your father had a lot of friends in the Southwest.
5:10
Speaker 2: He was welcomed everywhere he went. When we go down
5:12
Speaker 2: to Texas, you'll meet some of his friends. But remember this, Dan.
5:17
Speaker 2: No one must know who I am.
5:18
Speaker 5: I'll remember that.
5:19
Speaker 2: There's one place in particular. The ranch is owned by
5:22
Speaker 2: Mustang Mag.
5:23
Speaker 5: Mustang Mag?
5:24
Speaker 8: That's a funny name.
5:25
Speaker 2: She's a grand old lady. And, uh, by the way,
5:29
Speaker 2: there's a surprise there. A surprise for you.
5:32
Speaker 5: For me? What is it?
5:34
Speaker 2: I'm not going to tell you till we get there.
5:36
Speaker 2: If there's something you'll like, I'll promise that.
5:38
Speaker 5: Kimo Sabe, you give Dan.
5:40
Speaker 2: Don't tell him, Toto.
5:42
Speaker 5: Oh, him got plenty surprise coming.
5:45
Speaker 2: Wait, I hear something. A horse, and coming this way fast.
5:49
Speaker 8: Did you see that? No lightning flash?
5:50
Speaker 5: You're a long horse, and ride plenty fast.
5:52
Speaker 2: You must be in trouble to ride so fast in
5:54
Speaker 2: such a storm.
5:54
Speaker 9: Gosh, what do we do?
5:55
Speaker 2: Throw water on the fire, Dan. Toto and I will
5:57
Speaker 2: saddle up.
5:58
Speaker 5: Here, Silver.
5:58
Speaker 7: You bet.
5:59
Speaker 5: Hurry, Toto. He works fast.
6:01
Speaker 2: Steady. Steady there, Silver.
6:05
Speaker 5: You have to go out again.
6:06
Speaker 8: The fire's out now.
6:07
Speaker 3: Come here, boy.
6:08
Speaker 2: Easy, big fellow. Come on. All right, Dan Cuttle, let's ride.
6:12
Speaker 2: Get up there, boy.
6:13
Speaker 4: Get up.
6:14
Speaker 2: Get him up.
6:16
Speaker 3: Come on, sit him there. Maneuvering her mount with an
6:25
Speaker 3: expertness born of long acquaintance through the morass of boulders
6:28
Speaker 3: and miners' diggings in the basin, Molly Thatcher urged her
6:31
Speaker 3: hard-ridden horse down the muddy main street of Miner's Gulch
6:34
Speaker 3: and reined him in before the sheriff's house.
6:36
Speaker 7: Then she ran up the steps.
6:41
Speaker 2: Sheriff!
6:42
Speaker 10: Sheriff, who? Why doesn't he come?
6:45
Speaker 2: Sheriff!
6:47
Speaker 11: Who is it?
6:48
Speaker 2: It's me, Molly.
6:49
Speaker 11: It's Molly Thatcher, Mrs.
6:50
Speaker 2: Holmes.
6:51
Speaker 11: I've got to see the sheriff. Molly Thatcher.
6:53
Speaker 2: Lance?
6:54
Speaker 11: Thanks, child. What are you doing traipsing around on a
6:56
Speaker 11: night like this?
6:57
Speaker 4: Mrs.
6:57
Speaker 2: Holmes, I.
6:58
Speaker 11: Don't stand there, Molly.
6:59
Speaker 5: You'll take cold.
7:00
Speaker 11: Come on in. Here, let me take those wet things
7:03
Speaker 11: of yours to dry.
7:04
Speaker 8: Mrs.
7:04
Speaker 10: Holmes, my father's in trouble. I want to see the sheriff.
7:07
Speaker 2: Trouble?
7:08
Speaker 11: What kind of trouble?
7:09
Speaker 5: I don't know.
7:10
Speaker 10: He won't tell me. But I'm sure there's something wrong
7:12
Speaker 10: because he's behaving so strangely.
7:14
Speaker 5: He.
7:15
Speaker 10: He asked me to spend the night with the Kimberleys,
7:17
Speaker 10: the ranch down the valley from ours.
7:18
Speaker 5: Why?
7:19
Speaker 10: Just before I left, I saw him buckle on his
7:21
Speaker 10: gun belt. He acted like he expected someone.
7:24
Speaker 11: I don't know who's crazy enough to go visiting on
7:26
Speaker 11: a night like this.
7:27
Speaker 2: Mrs.
7:28
Speaker 10: Holmes, I'm afraid Dad may be expecting outlaws or someone
7:32
Speaker 10: to settle a quarrel.
7:34
Speaker 11: Sure, it ain't likely, child. Or he'd have asked for
7:36
Speaker 11: help before this.
7:37
Speaker 5: I don't know, Dad.
7:38
Speaker 11: He's proud.
7:39
Speaker 10: He'd never ask for help if he thought he could
7:40
Speaker 10: handle his enemies himself. I must see the sheriff.
7:43
Speaker 11: Well, Molly, the sheriff ain't here.
7:45
Speaker 6: Not here?
7:46
Speaker 2: Nope.
7:46
Speaker 11: He went to the county seat to pick up that
7:48
Speaker 11: outlaw he's been hunting for. The critter was captured and...
7:51
Speaker 11: When will he be back? Not before morning, I reckon.
7:53
Speaker 9: Not before morning?
7:55
Speaker 11: What'll I do? Why don't you go home to your pa, Molly?
7:58
Speaker 11: Then tomorrow.
7:59
Speaker 10: Oh, I don't understand. Dad's in danger, I'm sure of it.
8:02
Speaker 10: Something may have already happened to him.
8:04
Speaker 11: Don't take on so, child. Your pa will be all right.
8:07
Speaker 11: He can take care of himself.
8:08
Speaker 10: The deputy can help me.
8:10
Speaker 2: Where's Len Foster?
8:11
Speaker 11: Len went with the sheriff.
8:12
Speaker 10: Isn't there anyone I can turn to?
8:14
Speaker 11: Mrs.
8:15
Speaker 10: Holmes, I've got to have help. Dad's all alone at
8:17
Speaker 10: the ranch.
8:19
Speaker 2: If anything happened to him, I.
8:20
Speaker 11: Not there, Molly. You come with me. I'll get some
8:24
Speaker 11: of the men in this town to go with you.
8:26
Speaker 11: Drat that wind. I could have sworn I closed that window.
8:30
Speaker 5: Help!
8:31
Speaker 2: Help!
8:31
Speaker 7: Help! Help!
8:42
Speaker 3: Up from the hollow and the fast dimming lights of
8:44
Speaker 3: Miner's Gulp thundered the powerful hoofs of the great horse Silver.
8:48
Speaker 3: Close on his heels came the flying feet of Scout
8:50
Speaker 3: and gamely keeping pace, the horse which Dan sat astride.
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Speaker 2: Come on, Silver. We're heading for the Thatcher Ranch, Tonto.
8:56
Speaker 2: Get enough Scout. Careful ahead. Blue sail. Ah, he wants it.
9:00
Speaker 2: That's the ranch at the top of this rise.
9:03
Speaker 5: Ah, me see lights.
9:05
Speaker 2: What's that? What, Dan?
9:06
Speaker 8: When the lightning flashed, I saw something. It looked like
9:08
Speaker 8: a horseman riding away from the ranch.
9:10
Speaker 2: That horse ahead now.
9:15
Speaker 3: Pitching their horses under a shed to shield them from
9:18
Speaker 3: the wind and the stinging rain, the masked man, Tonto,
9:21
Speaker 3: and Dan crept to a window of the ranch house
9:23
Speaker 3: and looked in. At first, there was no sign of
9:26
Speaker 3: life in the big, brightly lighted house. Then, slouched in
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Speaker 3: a chair, they saw a man.
9:32
Speaker 2: It's Thatcher. Come on.
9:38
Speaker 5: Thatcher!
9:39
Speaker 2: Open the door!
9:39
Speaker 5: Thatcher!
9:42
Speaker 4: Thatcher!
9:44
Speaker 2: That's strange. We've certainly knocked loudly enough for.
9:47
Speaker 5: Him to hear. Ah, we knock plenty hard.
9:49
Speaker 7: Make noise over storm.
9:51
Speaker 2: Maybe if I No, wait. The door's unlocked. Come on.
9:58
Speaker 8: Thatcher's still in his chair.
10:00
Speaker 5: Yes.
10:01
Speaker 2: He's been shot.
10:03
Speaker 5: That's right.
10:04
Speaker 2: Dan, bring that lamp closer.
10:07
Speaker 8: Is he dead?
10:09
Speaker 5: Yes.
10:10
Speaker 2: The bullet entered his temple.
10:13
Speaker 5: It looks as if.
10:14
Speaker 2: Thatcher shot himself.
10:15
Speaker 8: Why would he do that?
10:16
Speaker 2: I don't know, Dan. This powder burn proves the gun
10:19
Speaker 2: was fired at close range.
10:21
Speaker 5: Oh, I see.
10:21
Speaker 2: Thatcher could have dropped the gun here beside the chair.
10:25
Speaker 8: Golly, must have had an awful good reason to shoot himself.
10:27
Speaker 7: Did he find something, Kimo Sabe?
10:29
Speaker 2: What is it, Tonto?
10:30
Speaker 5: Here.
10:31
Speaker 7: This note on the table. What?
10:34
Speaker 8: It's a suicide note.
10:35
Speaker 7: What did it say?
10:36
Speaker 2: It addressed to Molly. It's a confession that her father
10:39
Speaker 2: took his own life.
10:41
Speaker 8: Here's another paper.
10:42
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's an unfinished letter. The handwriting matches that of
10:45
Speaker 2: the note. That's right. Everything seems to point to the
10:49
Speaker 2: fact that Thatcher killed himself. And yet I... Let's have
10:53
Speaker 2: a look at that gun, Kimo Sabe.
10:54
Speaker 5: Ah, you take it.
10:56
Speaker 2: Thatcher's initials are on the gun. What's this? Empty shell.
11:01
Speaker 2: How about weight? That's strange. This gun hasn't been fired
11:05
Speaker 2: since it was cleaned. Why are you... One minute, Toto.
11:10
Speaker 2: What do you see? Look, before I pressed the trigger,
11:13
Speaker 2: the hammer mark on this shell was dead center. That's right.
11:17
Speaker 2: The second hammer mark is off-center.
11:19
Speaker 5: Me savvy.
11:20
Speaker 8: You mean.
11:20
Speaker 2: The death bullet was fired by another gun.
11:23
Speaker 5: Gosh.
11:23
Speaker 8: Then Thatcher didn't kill himself after all.
11:26
Speaker 2: He was murdered.
11:27
Speaker 7: Ah. Murder make it look like suicide.
11:30
Speaker 2: How long we work to do?
11:32
Speaker 5: Wait. I want to show you.
11:33
Speaker 8: Dad?
11:34
Speaker 11: Are you all right?
11:35
Speaker 7: Dad?
11:36
Speaker 11: A masked man.
11:37
Speaker 9: And an engine.
11:38
Speaker 11: Dad, what's happened?
11:39
Speaker 5: Who are.
11:40
Speaker 2: What's the matter, Molly?
11:42
Speaker 11: Dad, he's been shot.
11:44
Speaker 2: Shot? Ice those hands, you three. You watch the red skin,
11:47
Speaker 2: the kid, Leif.
11:48
Speaker 9: I'll keep an eye on this mess, Comfrey.
11:49
Speaker 12: No tricks and we'll blast you full of holes. The
11:51
Speaker 12: boys and me have got itching trigger fingers.
11:53
Speaker 2: You're making a mistake. You made the mistake, mister. You
11:56
Speaker 2: and the engine and the kid.
11:57
Speaker 5: Yeah.
11:58
Speaker 2: We aim to see that you stretch a rope for it.
12:00
Speaker 5: What's that you're holding?
12:01
Speaker 2: The shell of the bullet that killed Thatcher. Together with
12:04
Speaker 2: his pistol, it'll convict the murderer.
12:06
Speaker 12: Thatcher's pistol. So you shot him with his own gun.
12:09
Speaker 12: You low-down coyote. Hanging's too good for you. Maybe this
12:13
Speaker 12: ain't no case for the sheriff after all.
12:15
Speaker 2: Wait. Why should I want to murder Thatcher?
12:17
Speaker 8: I don't know, but you're... I'll tell you why.
12:19
Speaker 2: Because you wanted this map.
12:21
Speaker 8: Because you needed it to get your fingers on the gold.
12:24
Speaker 2: You thought Dad had it, but he gave it to me,
12:26
Speaker 2: so you.
12:27
Speaker 8: You killed him.
12:28
Speaker 2: Well, what are we waiting for? Let's lynch this masked
12:30
Speaker 2: coyote right now. Back to the window, Dan.
12:32
Speaker 5: I won't.
12:33
Speaker 2: No, you don't. Don't touch that boy. Leave me. Come on, Tonto.
12:36
Speaker 2: Let me come.
12:37
Speaker 5: Hurry, I'll cover you.
12:37
Speaker 9: Look out. He's heaving a chair.
12:39
Speaker 2: I'm through. They're getting away.
12:42
Speaker 6: Drill him.
12:42
Speaker 9: Shoot him. Blast them.
12:47
Speaker 5: They're riding off.
12:48
Speaker 9: All three of them.
12:48
Speaker 11: Hold still there.
12:51
Speaker 2: Hold still there.
12:59
Speaker 3: The Lone Ranger, Tonto, and Dan halted their mounts in
13:02
Speaker 3: a clump of evergreen trees just off the brightly moonlit
13:04
Speaker 3: streets of Miner's Gulch.
13:07
Speaker 7: The Lone Ranger's instructions were crisp and brief. Find Thatcher's murderer.
13:12
Speaker 3: And in the quiet night, a relentless manhunt began with
13:16
Speaker 3: a masked man, an Indian, and a boy separately stalking
13:18
Speaker 3: the streets in the role of the hunter. It was
13:21
Speaker 3: some time later when Dan suddenly drew up his horse
13:23
Speaker 3: and scanned excitedly some imprints in the muddy walk before
13:26
Speaker 3: a cafe.
13:27
Speaker 7: Then he gave the signal agreed upon.
13:32
Speaker 5: Steady, boy.
13:32
Speaker 8: Gee, I hope they hear it. Trying to give the
13:36
Speaker 8: signal just as Tonto taught me. I'll try it again. Gosh,
13:45
Speaker 8: I suppose they don't come. Maybe I better go.
13:50
Speaker 2: That was an answer.
13:54
Speaker 9: There's another one.
13:55
Speaker 8: They're both coming. Follow. Glad to see you. I wasn't
14:02
Speaker 8: sure you'd recognize my signal.
14:03
Speaker 2: You give plenty good signal. What did you find, Dan?
14:06
Speaker 8: These tracks.
14:07
Speaker 1: See?
14:08
Speaker 8: A man who made them dismounted from his horse here
14:10
Speaker 8: and went into the cafe.
14:11
Speaker 2: Easy, Silver. That's strange.
14:15
Speaker 8: Well, while you and Tyler were examining Thatcher's gun at
14:17
Speaker 8: the ranch, I saw a lot of round, wet imprints
14:19
Speaker 8: on the floor.
14:20
Speaker 2: Yes, I saw them myself.
14:22
Speaker 8: I wanted to show you to them when you were
14:24
Speaker 8: interrupted by the men from town.
14:26
Speaker 2: Go on, Dan.
14:26
Speaker 8: Well, I couldn't make head nor tail of them. But
14:29
Speaker 8: I noticed that they were about twice the length of
14:31
Speaker 8: a man's stride apart.
14:32
Speaker 2: I see.
14:33
Speaker 8: And here they are again. The same tracks, but with
14:36
Speaker 8: a man's footprint walking beside them.
14:39
Speaker 7: Me not savvy.
14:40
Speaker 2: You're sure they're the same tracks, Dan?
14:42
Speaker 5: You bet.
14:43
Speaker 8: A man could avoid leaving wet tracks at the ranch
14:45
Speaker 8: with a shoe, but not so easily with his pegged leg.
14:48
Speaker 7: You mean.
14:50
Speaker 2: That Thatcher's murderer has a wooden leg, and he's in
14:53
Speaker 2: that cafe.
14:58
Speaker 1: The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone
15:00
Speaker 1: Ranger story.
15:02
Speaker 13: Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause
15:05
Speaker 13: for just a few moments.
15:07
Speaker 2: Lone Ranger.
15:28
Speaker 7: Now to continue our story. Pitching their horses.
15:31
Speaker 3: Nearby, the masked man, Tonto, and Dan crept stealthily to
15:35
Speaker 3: the front window of the cafe and quickly scanned its occupants.
15:40
Speaker 2: Cafe's not very crowded. Oh, business plenty bad.
15:44
Speaker 8: I don't see the man we're looking for.
15:45
Speaker 7: Him maybe going back room.
15:47
Speaker 2: We'll soon find out.
15:49
Speaker 5: Come along.
15:54
Speaker 2: Ah, look there. Yes, two men.
15:59
Speaker 5: I wonder.
16:00
Speaker 8: One of them's wearing a wooden leg.
16:02
Speaker 2: That's right.
16:03
Speaker 8: His clothes are wet, too. This coat and hat hanging
16:05
Speaker 8: on that peg. They're soaked through.
16:07
Speaker 2: Ah, you're not long out of storm. There's a pane
16:10
Speaker 2: broken in that window. Let's move closer and see what
16:13
Speaker 2: we can learn. Careful now.
16:21
Speaker 9: Hey, Blake, you ain't got the brains of a hoot owl.
16:23
Speaker 2: I warned you before. Lay off me, Cobb.
16:26
Speaker 9: I gave you a clean-cut job of blackmail. You couldn't miss,
16:29
Speaker 9: but you did. You bungled it and put both our
16:31
Speaker 9: necks in the noose in the bargain.
16:32
Speaker 2: I tell you, Thatcher tried to pull a gun. It
16:34
Speaker 2: was him or me.
16:35
Speaker 9: Maybe it'd have been better if it had been you.
16:37
Speaker 2: What do you mean?
16:38
Speaker 9: I don't aim to hang for your hog while shooting.
16:40
Speaker 2: You've got nothing to worry about. I framed it to
16:44
Speaker 2: look like suicide.
16:45
Speaker 5: Suicide?
16:45
Speaker 9: I don't savvy.
16:48
Speaker 2: Maybe you want me to paint you a picture.
16:50
Speaker 9: Ah, start from scratch. Why don't you ride up to
16:53
Speaker 9: the ranch?
16:53
Speaker 6: Nine o'clock, the time we set. I can see Thatcher
16:57
Speaker 6: waiting for me in the parlor.
16:59
Speaker 2: He's wearing a gun belt.
17:11
Speaker 5: Who is it?
17:12
Speaker 2: It's me, Thatcher.
17:13
Speaker 5: I've got you covered, pig-legged. Hey.
17:16
Speaker 2: The wind's acting on your nerves, that, eh? Told you
17:20
Speaker 2: I just wanted to have a friendly talk.
17:22
Speaker 5: I know your tricks, pig-leg. And Cobb's, too.
17:24
Speaker 6: Well, if I didn't mean to keep it friendly, I'd
17:27
Speaker 6: be packing a six-shooter myself, wouldn't I?
17:30
Speaker 5: I saw you weren't wearing any, but.
17:31
Speaker 2: Sure. Ain't no need for six guns between friends.
17:36
Speaker 5: All right. I'll put this iron back in leather.
17:39
Speaker 2: But one wrong move and I'll pump lead. You've got
17:41
Speaker 2: nothing to fear from me. If you stick to your
17:44
Speaker 2: end of the bargain. Bargain?
17:46
Speaker 5: I made no bargain with you or Cobb either.
17:48
Speaker 2: You're getting forgetful, Thatcher. You agreed to meet me tonight
17:51
Speaker 2: and tell me where to find the gold. I'm listening.
17:55
Speaker 5: I agreed to meet you, but not to talk about gold.
17:58
Speaker 6: You'd like me to think there ain't no such thing
18:00
Speaker 6: on your ranch, wouldn't you? Well, Cobb and me happen
18:03
Speaker 6: to know one of the Blackfeet tribes buried gold here
18:05
Speaker 6: before you bought the place.
18:07
Speaker 2: And you know where to find it.
18:09
Speaker 5: Supposing I did. You've got no claim to it.
18:12
Speaker 2: Well, I reckon I ain't. Legally.
18:15
Speaker 6: But you're a generous man. Wouldn't surprise me if you
18:18
Speaker 6: made me and Cobb a present of the old find.
18:22
Speaker 5: What do you mean?
18:23
Speaker 6: You ain't forgetting you're wanted by the law for cattle rustling,
18:26
Speaker 6: are you?
18:27
Speaker 5: Cattle rustling? That was 17 years ago.
18:30
Speaker 2: Don't make no difference to the law how long ago
18:32
Speaker 2: it was.
18:32
Speaker 6: They're still aiming to get you if they can.
18:34
Speaker 5: But I was just a kid.
18:35
Speaker 2: Hey, I remember. The Montana Kid, you was called.
18:41
Speaker 5: You ought to remember. You and Cobb got me to
18:44
Speaker 5: join the gang. Blackmailing comes naturally to you. But you
18:48
Speaker 5: overplayed your hand this time. What's to prevent me from
18:52
Speaker 5: exposing you?
18:53
Speaker 2: You can't prove nothing against me.
18:55
Speaker 5: You mean....
18:57
Speaker 2: This is a tintype picture you had taken when you
19:00
Speaker 2: was young. It's marked with your name, Thatcher.
19:03
Speaker 5: Whatever.
19:04
Speaker 6: The sheriff would be plumb pleased to see this. It's
19:07
Speaker 6: a mighty good likeness of the picture the Montana kid
19:10
Speaker 6: on that reward circular filed in his office.
19:12
Speaker 5: You don't scare me, Pig Lake. I wouldn't give you
19:15
Speaker 5: the map to the gold no matter how many tintypes
19:16
Speaker 5: of me you had.
19:17
Speaker 2: Oh, a map, huh? So that's how you locate the gold.
19:22
Speaker 2: I'll offer you fair exchange, Thatcher. The tintype for the map.
19:27
Speaker 5: The answer is no. That gold belongs to Molly. Now
19:31
Speaker 5: you get out of here before.
19:32
Speaker 2: Keep it in leather. I got your drop on you. What?
19:35
Speaker 5: You said you weren't packing a gun.
19:38
Speaker 2: I reckon I clean forgot to look inside my shirt.
19:40
Speaker 5: With your low-down double-dealing... Save it.
19:43
Speaker 2: Just hand over that map.
19:44
Speaker 5: That map's out of your reach. Molly's got it. But
19:48
Speaker 5: I aim to see that she keeps it.
19:50
Speaker 2: What do you mean?
19:50
Speaker 5: I'm going to make a clean breast to the sheriff
19:52
Speaker 5: about my part in the cattle wrestling. And if you
19:55
Speaker 5: and Cobb don't vamoose these parts pronto, I'll talk plenty about.
19:58
Speaker 9: You, too.
20:00
Speaker 2: That wouldn't be smart, Thatcher.
20:02
Speaker 5: No.
20:03
Speaker 6: Cobb and me want the map to that gold. And
20:05
Speaker 6: you're just ornery enough to go to the sheriff like
20:07
Speaker 6: you said, so we... Won't have a chance to get it.
20:10
Speaker 5: You're right.
20:11
Speaker 2: But you haven't got the map. Molly has it.
20:14
Speaker 6: There ain't no sense in me bargaining with you for
20:16
Speaker 6: something you haven't got.
20:18
Speaker 2: Now, is there?
20:19
Speaker 5: What are you getting at?
20:20
Speaker 2: Just this. We don't need you anymore, Thatcher. In fact,
20:25
Speaker 2: we'd be better off without you.
20:27
Speaker 5: You mean?
20:29
Speaker 2: Dead men don't talk.
20:31
Speaker 5: Murder?
20:32
Speaker 7: No.
20:33
Speaker 2: Suicide.
20:34
Speaker 6: Your suicide. I'll fix it so the sheriff will never
20:38
Speaker 6: suspect I committed it for you.
20:39
Speaker 5: Molly won't believe it.
20:40
Speaker 2: She will when she sees a suicide note in your handwriting.
20:43
Speaker 5: You won't get away with it.
20:45
Speaker 2: Chances look more promising every minute.
20:47
Speaker 5: Somebody will know.
20:47
Speaker 2: You'll be fine. All that remains is a shooting.
20:50
Speaker 6: And I'm signing your suicide with a bullet from your
20:54
Speaker 6: own gun.
20:54
Speaker 5: You murdering polecat. I'll give you a taste of your
20:57
Speaker 5: own medicine before.
21:02
Speaker 6: Now, will you believe me when I say you haven't
21:04
Speaker 6: got a thing to worry about?
21:05
Speaker 5: Yes.
21:07
Speaker 2: Reckon you did fix it plenty slick at that.
21:10
Speaker 5: Sure.
21:10
Speaker 6: Ain't a thing to pin the killing on us.
21:13
Speaker 9: But we still haven't got what we're after.
21:15
Speaker 2: You mean.
21:15
Speaker 9: A map. Without it, we'll never find the gold.
21:18
Speaker 2: We'll get that map, don't worry. Taking it from the
21:20
Speaker 2: girl ought to be a cinch.
21:22
Speaker 9: I don't know if she's anything like an old man.
21:24
Speaker 2: It's the first time I ever saw you scared of
21:26
Speaker 2: a petticoat.
21:27
Speaker 5: I ain't scared.
21:27
Speaker 9: I'm just careful.
21:30
Speaker 2: What do you suppose she keeps the map? Well, from
21:32
Speaker 2: the way Thatcher talked, I figure she keeps it with her.
21:36
Speaker 2: We'll mosey out to the ranch tomorrow night for look-seeing.
21:40
Speaker 9: Once we get our hands on that map, the rest
21:42
Speaker 9: will be gravy.
21:42
Speaker 6: I reckon it'll be the easiest gold strike ever made
21:47
Speaker 6: in these parts. Just sink a pick and shovel into
21:50
Speaker 6: the ground and start hauling up yellow dust.
21:53
Speaker 8: Early the next day.
22:13
Speaker 3: The lone ranger sent Dan with a message to Molly
22:15
Speaker 3: at the Thatcher ranch, while the masked man and Tonto
22:18
Speaker 3: urged their powerful white stallion and sturdy paint along the
22:20
Speaker 3: trail toward town. Sheriff Holmes sat behind his desk in
22:24
Speaker 3: the jailhouse, a puzzled frown creasing his forehead. Before him
22:29
Speaker 3: lay Thatcher's pistol in an empty shell. Suddenly a shadow
22:33
Speaker 3: fell across the desk.
22:35
Speaker 5: Masked.
22:35
Speaker 2: I believe you're looking for me, Sheriff.
22:37
Speaker 5: You're doggone right I am.
22:39
Speaker 7: You and that.
22:40
Speaker 2: You look for me, too.
22:41
Speaker 5: The Redskin.
22:42
Speaker 2: We want to talk to you, Sheriff.
22:44
Speaker 5: Put up your.
22:44
Speaker 2: I wouldn't advise that.
22:46
Speaker 4: You beat me to the draw, eh?
22:48
Speaker 13: Leif Collins was telling me how you plugged the gun out.
22:50
Speaker 5: Of his hand last night.
22:52
Speaker 2: Leif made the same mistake you're making.
22:53
Speaker 5: Huh?
22:54
Speaker 2: Tonto and I are here to help you capture the killers.
22:56
Speaker 2: That's easy. Just give yourselves up. Sheriff, what do you
23:00
Speaker 2: make of the two hammer marks on the empty shell
23:02
Speaker 2: on your desk?
23:03
Speaker 13: Doggone it, I can't make head nor tail of them.
23:06
Speaker 13: This here off-center one seems to have been made by
23:09
Speaker 13: Thatcher's pistol.
23:10
Speaker 5: But the other march.
23:11
Speaker 2: It was made by the murderer's gun. What's that?
23:13
Speaker 5: You listen.
23:14
Speaker 7: You hear plenty.
23:15
Speaker 4: Doggone it, I don't savvy this.
23:17
Speaker 2: I can tell you who killed Thatcher.
23:19
Speaker 5: Huh?
23:19
Speaker 2: But you'll need proof to convict him.
23:21
Speaker 4: You've got mighty funny ways for an outlaw, mister.
23:24
Speaker 2: Listen to me, Sheriff. The same men who are responsible
23:27
Speaker 2: for Thatcher's death plan to rob Molly tonight. Rob Molly?
23:30
Speaker 2: If we work together, we can trap them.
23:31
Speaker 5: Ah, and you make them prisoner.
23:34
Speaker 13: Doggone if I know what to make of you two.
23:36
Speaker 4: But you talk mighty straight lingo.
23:38
Speaker 9: Let's hear what you have to say.
23:40
Speaker 4: I'm listening.
23:55
Speaker 3: Late that night, two figures hitched their horses quietly near
23:58
Speaker 3: the corral of the Thatcher Ranch and crept stealthily in
24:01
Speaker 3: the shadows toward the house.
24:03
Speaker 7: Bending low, they ran.
24:04
Speaker 3: Softly across a patch of moonlight, then stood tensely listening.
24:09
Speaker 3: but no awareness of their presence evinced itself in the
24:11
Speaker 3: darkened house. Then on the wooden porch sounded soft footfalls
24:16
Speaker 3: and the faint but unmistakable thump of a wooden leg.
24:19
Speaker 2: Door's unlocked, Cub. Just like it was before. Come on.
24:30
Speaker 9: Take your time, Peg Leg.
24:31
Speaker 2: The girl's likely sleeping.
24:40
Speaker 9: Wake the dead.
24:41
Speaker 5: Ah, yes.
24:42
Speaker 2: Giddich is a maverick.
24:43
Speaker 9: Ah, never mind that.
24:44
Speaker 2: Well, I was allowed to go upstairs and fix that.
24:46
Speaker 5: I'll go.
24:47
Speaker 8: You could get within ten feet of it with that hickory.
24:50
Speaker 2: It's so blasted dark in here, I can't even see
24:52
Speaker 2: the stairs. Me either. Maybe we better make a light first.
24:56
Speaker 9: Ah, no, it'll be all right. Soon as our eyes
24:58
Speaker 9: get used to it.
24:59
Speaker 2: Hey, what?
25:02
Speaker 5: What happened?
25:02
Speaker 2: You tripped me, you clumsy coyote.
25:04
Speaker 8: I tripped you?
25:04
Speaker 9: You're out of your head. I wasn't even near you.
25:06
Speaker 2: Don't give me that lip. You tangled with my game
25:08
Speaker 2: leg and pushed me over.
25:09
Speaker 5: You're a local.
25:09
Speaker 2: I'll put in your mouth and help me up.
25:15
Speaker 9: What's that?
25:16
Speaker 2: What? I thought I saw something.
25:19
Speaker 9: Russell passed me in the dark. Looked like it might
25:21
Speaker 9: have been a man.
25:22
Speaker 2: You got the willies bad, Cobb.
25:24
Speaker 9: I saw something.
25:25
Speaker 6: Shut up and hand me my gun. It's on the floor. Now,
25:30
Speaker 6: hire Taylor for them stairs and get that map.
25:32
Speaker 5: I'll get it.
25:32
Speaker 11: Stand where you are.
25:33
Speaker 2: What the... It's a girl. She must have been standing
25:35
Speaker 2: there listening in the dark.
25:36
Speaker 9: Where is she? I can't see her.
25:37
Speaker 11: I'll light a lamp for you.
25:40
Speaker 2: That's all I need to plug you. Where's this gun?
25:43
Speaker 5: It was fired. I'll get it. No, you won't, Charlie.
25:46
Speaker 2: I'll take that gun.
25:47
Speaker 5: You said it, Mr.
25:48
Speaker 2: Bullet First.
25:49
Speaker 5: Look out!
25:49
Speaker 2: It's all yours. Missed fire again. You've given the sheriff
25:54
Speaker 2: enough evidence to hang you, peg leg. Huh? Take his gun, Dan.
25:57
Speaker 2: You bet. Sheriff, here's your murderer. He's lying, Sheriff. You
26:01
Speaker 2: promised me proof, stranger. You'll find all the proof you
26:03
Speaker 2: need in that gun. It's a frame-up. You've got no
26:05
Speaker 2: evidence against me. You made one slip when you murdered Thatcher,
26:08
Speaker 2: peg leg.
26:09
Speaker 5: What do you mean?
26:10
Speaker 2: You substituted your empty shell in his gun.
26:12
Speaker 5: I don't serve him.
26:13
Speaker 2: I do.
26:14
Speaker 13: And that little slit will put your neck in a noose.
26:17
Speaker 4: Let me see that gun, son.
26:18
Speaker 8: Here you are.
26:20
Speaker 5: You mean.
26:21
Speaker 13: I mean the hammer marks on these empty shells in
26:23
Speaker 13: your pistol are dead center.
26:25
Speaker 2: Same as that on the bullet that killed Thatcher. Empty shells.
26:28
Speaker 2: How'd they get in that iron?
26:30
Speaker 13: The masked man changed them for the real thing when
26:32
Speaker 13: he upset you in the dark.
26:33
Speaker 4: Why?
26:34
Speaker 9: Where he's going?
26:36
Speaker 2: Huh?
26:36
Speaker 4: What doggone it, I haven't even found out who he is.
26:39
Speaker 11: I know who he is.
26:40
Speaker 8: Dan told me.
26:41
Speaker 2: Jumping Jupiter. Don't stand there like a statue, Molly. Who
26:45
Speaker 2: is he?
26:45
Speaker 11: He's the Lone Ranger.
26:47
Speaker 5: The Lone....
26:49
Speaker 4: Well, what do you know?
26:54
Speaker 3: At the beginning of tonight's story, we learned that the
26:56
Speaker 3: Lone Ranger has a surprise for Dan at Mustang Mags.
27:00
Speaker 7: What is this surprise?
27:02
Speaker 3: Be sure to follow the new adventures of the Lone
27:04
Speaker 3: Ranger and watch the development of the masked man's only
27:07
Speaker 3: living relative. There are surprises ahead for young Dan Reed.
27:17
Speaker 2: The Lone Ranger. THE END.
28:08
Speaker 1: THE END.
28:38
Speaker 2: The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature.
28:44
Speaker 10: Of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
29:00
Speaker 1: That concludes this broadcast of The Lone Ranger, Murder Will Out.
29:04
Speaker 1: Follow The Lone Ranger for more classic Western broadcasts.