Tom Mix xx-xx-xx Twisted Trail - recreation

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Tom Mix - Twisted Trail (Recreation)
Date: October 5, 2025
Host: Harold's Old Time Radio

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Overview

This lively recreation episode revives "The Mystery of the Twisted Trail" from the iconic Tom Mix series, plunging listeners into the Golden Age of Radio with a story full of western heroics, suspense, and larger-than-life personalities. Tom Mix, played here by Curly Bradley, faces off against underhanded gambler Lucky Houghton, battling not only fires and sabotage, but also local superstitions and a neighbor’s stubborn pride. The episode centers on themes of justice, honor, and the triumph of straight shooters over tricksters.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Summary

1. Opening & Setting the Stage

• [00:00–00:59] The episode opens with a classic introduction and theme for the “Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters.” Tom Mix greets the audience, promising a family-friendly adventure, giving a short preamble about the story’s theme of a good man facing dire circumstances.
  • Quote [00:59]: “This is the story of a man who loved his part of this great west. A man who wouldn’t be scared of and who wouldn’t let himself be killed off. A good man, but one I had to lock horns with.” (Tom Mix)

2. Trouble at the Circle Ace Ranch

• [01:30–05:06] Tom, with Sheriff Mike Shaw and young Pecos Williams, discover a fire at Jack Martin’s Circle Ace Ranch. Jack risks his life to save valuables, while Tom bravely rescues him from the burning house.
  • Quote [05:02]: “Somebody has to bring him out. That looks like it’s up to me.” (Tom Mix)
• [06:23–07:05] After the fire, tension arises as Jack resists help and reveals he's been pressured by Lucky Houghton to sell his beloved ranch for a gambling resort.

3. The “Curse” of Aces and Eights

• [07:31–11:43] Jack recounts a menacing encounter with Lucky Houghton, who threatens him with the infamous “Dead Man’s Hand” (aces and eights), invoking frontier superstition. Then news arrives: Martin's stream has dried up, worsening his calamities.
  • Quote [08:40]: “You find it mighty unlucky if you don’t choose to sell your land to me, Jack Martin. Mighty unlucky.” (Lucky Houghton)
  • Quote [11:14]: “Your poor cattle will die of thirst.” (Riley)

4. Investigating the Dried-Up Stream

• [12:44–18:44] Tom and his friends ride upstream to investigate and discover a makeshift dam built by displaced logger Andre Lamont, who only wanted to catch fish, not cause trouble. An epic hand-to-hand fight ensues, with Tom prevailing and restoring the water flow.
  • Quote [13:39]: “It’s a crude dam across the stream. It was no supernatural curse... just a man made dam.” (Tom Mix)
  • Quote [15:35]: “I think I kick you apart instead. I hear Tom Mix is a big man. But no man bigger than Andre Lamont. I proved this!” (Andre Lamont)

5. A Lesson in Justice

• [19:10–21:37] Tom reunites with Janie, his ward, who shares a story from her boarding school about how justice should be impartial. This inspires Tom to set up a fair meeting between Jack and Lucky at the hotel.
  • Quote [21:14]: “If I treat Jack Martin and Lucky Houghton equally, not accusing either one of them… I might make some peace.” (Tom Mix)

6. The Showdown

• [21:50–25:00] At a hotel parley, old grudges flare as Jack tries to shoot Lucky, only for Tom to stand between them, invoking justice and preventing further violence.
  • Quote [24:32]: “Then you’ll have to shoot through me, Jack… if you do that, you become what you hate. And you’ll go on hating yourself.” (Tom Mix)

7. The Final Chase

• [25:24–27:27] Lucky Houghton flees but is pursued by Tom on horseback. In a daring stunt, Tom leaps onto the getaway truck, subdues Lucky, and reasserts the triumph of justice.
  • Quote [27:27]: “It’s just as I’ve always told Janie. Lawbreakers always lose. Straight shooters always win. It pays to shoot straight.” (Tom Mix)

8. Resolution

• [27:51–28:19] The story wraps up with production credits and calls to tune in for the next adventure.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tom Mix, emphasizing values:
  • [10:07] “Now, if Lucky Houghton has committed crimes against you, the law will get him… But if you start throwing lead, you’re going to put yourself on the opposite side of the law, same as Houghton.”
• Jack Martin’s pride and desperation:
  • [06:59] “You’re standing on my land, and I’ll handle matters in my own way, the way I please.”
• Janie’s analogy (impartial justice):
  • [21:03] “Everybody had to make a sacrifice to find the guilty person.”
• Pecos on Tom’s instincts:
  • [03:35] “Tom’s nerves and muscles and brains are so finely tuned... He can sense things you and me miss.”
• Tom’s daring leap:
  • [27:03] “Board of the truck.” (Tom Mix performing the memorable leap from horse to truck)

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Timeline of Important Segments

• [00:59] Introduction of the episode’s core conflict by Tom Mix.
• [04:07] Discovery of the fire at Jack Martin’s ranch.
• [07:31] Revelation of Lucky Houghton’s threats.
• [11:00] Water source to the ranch has dried up.
• [12:44] Tom and Pecos investigate the stream.
• [16:10] Hand-to-hand fight between Tom and Andre Lamont.
• [19:10] Janie’s arrival, providing the analogy for justice.
• [21:50] Parley at the Doby House Hotel.
• [24:32] Tom stops Jack from committing violence.
• [25:24] Lucky escapes, sparking the climactic chase.
• [27:03] Tom jumps onto the moving truck.
• [27:27] Tom captures Lucky, closes with moral lesson.

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Tone & Spirit

The episode upholds the series’ iconic tone: earnest, wholesome, and action-filled. Dialogue is direct and colorful, full of cowboy wisdom, playful banter, and appeals to justice and courage. The story evokes nostalgia for a time of clear morals and heroic deeds, with moments of comic relief and strong camaraderie among characters.

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Conclusion

“Twisted Trail” is a classic Western tale, brought vibrantly to life in this radio recreation. At its heart, it champions the rule of law over frontier vengeance, the power of community, and the enduring appeal of straight shooters like Tom Mix. Through suspense, action, and memorable character moments, it delivers both entertainment and a lesson: justice wins when handled straight—no matter how twisted the trail.

Transcript

[Narrator]

The Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters are on the air. And here comes Tom Mix, America's favorite cowboy.

[Tom Mix]

Huck. Tony. Come on, boy.

[Commercial Announcer]

Start the morning with Hot Ralston. And you surely will agree that this warm up build up breakfast gives you cowboy energy. It's delicious and nutritious. Made of gold and western wheat.

[Tom Mix]

Take a sip from home.

[Commercial Announcer]

Go and tell your mom Hot Ralston.

[Narrator]

Can'T be be the Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters present Curly Bradley as Tom Mix in a brand new adventure for the 1980s. The mystery of the Twisted Trail. A Jim Harmon production with special guest cowboy Jock o' Mahoney as Jack Martin. Stand by for a complete half hour thriller from start to finish.

[Tom Mix]

Howdy, Straight shooters, this is Tom Mix and glad to be back with you. We'd like to bring you a story for everyone in the family for straight shooters of all ages. Now this is the story of a man who loved his part of this great west. A man who wouldn't be scared of and who wouldn't let himself be killed off. A good man, but one I had to lock horns with. And here's your announcer, Lester Maine, to go on with the story.

[Narrator]

It was late one fall evening. The moon was bright on the prairie and the air was crisp. Three riders were heading back to the T.M.

[Tom Mix]

Barr ranch.

[Narrator]

Tom Mix sitting tall in the saddle of his brown and white marked horse.

[Jack Martin]

Tony.

[Narrator]

Sheriff Mike Shaw on his yellow and black buckskin. And young Pecos Williams riding pal, his Palomino. Tom isn't saying much. He listens to Mike the and maybe for something else.

[Pecos Williams]

Yeah, Texas, Texan, tumbleweeds, Pegasus. When are you ever going to get old enough to savvy things? Now everybody knows how a magician gets a rabbit out of a hat.

[Fakus]

Well, now, Mark, it just seems to me that there may be more than one way.

[Pecos Williams]

Only way this fellow could have done it tonight at the meeting hall was to have the rabbit in some trick compartment of the hat.

[Fakus]

Well, I still say that would make that stovepipe hat too heavy. He must have had the top sort of.

[Tom Mix]

Sort of hinged.

[Fakus]

Then he reached through there and another little door in the table and pulled the rabbit up.

[Pecos Williams]

I saw the dad blamed hat. There weren't no hinges in it now. Hey, Tom. Tom, would you set this young tumbleweed straight?

[Tom Mix]

Mike, I think that magician back in Dobie got you both to look where he wanted you to. I don't figure he got the rabbit out of the hat. It was never in there. What are you talking about? I reckon he had the rabbit hid somewhere Else a special pocket in his coat maybe and just seemed to pull it from the hat. Now, the main thing about the show tonight, as far as I'm concerned, is that our Janie is going to arrive a day too late to see it.

[Pecos Williams]

Say, Tom, you ain't worried about Jane being lately?

[Tom Mix]

No, no, no, Mike, no. She wired she would take the next train from her boarding school. But there's something else in the wind.

[Pecos Williams]

Not much wind tonight.

[Tom Mix]

No, no, Mike. Just something I sense. A hunch.

[Fakus]

Say, I never thought Tom Mix could be superstitious.

[Pecos Williams]

Hold on, Fakish. It ain't superstition with Tom. No, no. I've been around him a lot longer than you. And I remember one time, back before I was sheriff. Well, anyway, Tom's nerves and muscles and brains are so finely tuned. It's like one of those long haired musicians, fancy fiddles. He can sense things. You and me, miss.

[Fakus]

Yeah, I've seen Tom do that.

[Tom Mix]

Hey, Smoke. Smoke rising up across the face of the moon.

[Pecos Williams]

Looks like it's coming from Jack Martin's place.

[Tom Mix]

Yeah. Martin's got a fire on his hands. He'll need help. That's right.

[Narrator]

Come on.

[Pecos Williams]

Come on.

[Tom Mix]

The ranch house. Mike. That fire looks well engaged.

[Janie]

Thank the Lord you're here. And you, Sheriff Jaw. And you, young man?

[Lucky Houghton]

I'm Pinkus Williams, ma'.

[Tom Mix]

Am.

[Pecos Williams]

Hey, Tom. I reckon I better help those cowhands with their bucket brigade.

[Lucky Houghton]

I'm going with you, Mike.

[Tom Mix]

Yes, go on. Give him a hand. You do, Ellen. Where's Jack o', Brien, Tom?

[Janie]

He went inside into the fire. He wanted to get our money Buck.

[Tom Mix]

After the strong box, eh? Jack Martin never did trust banks.

[Janie]

But Tom, the fire is too bad. He's gotta come out.

[Tom Mix]

Somebody has to bring him out. That looks like it's up to me, Tom.

[Janie]

You shouldn't. But if he only could.

[Tom Mix]

I can and I will. Ella. Don't worry. I'll get Jack out. Mike, douse me with one of those water buckets.

[Pecos Williams]

You got it, Tom.

[Tom Mix]

You got it.

[Pecos Williams]

Here comes a bucket full.

[Tom Mix]

That sure wet enough now. Here I go into that smoke. Jack. Jack Martin. That smoke's mighty thick. Might have got to him already. Jack Martin. Who's that?

[Jack Martin]

Is that Tom, Mick?

[Tom Mix]

Yeah. You gotta get yourself outta here, man. Ellen's too young to wear black. No money box is worth that.

[Jack Martin]

I found the strong box, Tom. I've got it. I gotta find the ranch ledgers now. I need those.

[Tom Mix]

No, Jack, that's pushing it too far. You're coming with me now. You can walk out Or I'm gonna carry out. Let's get to that door. Come on, Jack.

[Jack Martin]

I'm with you, Tom. Getting kind of hot in here.

[Pecos Williams]

Well, Ms. Martin, ma', am, the ranch house ain't a total loss.

[Janie]

Thanks to you, Sheriff, and Pecos and the rest of our hands, I reckon.

[Pecos Williams]

All of us.

[Fakus]

With some help from the rest of the folks around Doby. And fix up your place good as new.

[Janie]

We're obliged, Pecos. The main thing is, Jack, say thanks to Tom.

[Jack Martin]

I appreciate all the help I got, Ellen. But, Tom, I know you're a mighty big man around these parts, and you help Mike Shaw keep the law whenever.

[Tom Mix]

He asks you to.

[Jack Martin]

And I've heard you got important friends at the state capitol in Washington. All that's well and good. But you're standing on my land, and I'll handle matters in my own way, the way I please.

[Janie]

Jack, don't be stubborn. Tom's our friend. He can help.

[Jack Martin]

I don't need help. I won't have it.

[Janie]

Jack, you may run this ranch, but you don't run me. You tell Tom about Lucky Houghton or I will.

[Jack Martin]

There's no getting around it now. Yeah, let's not just stand around. There's some chairs the boys carried out. Let's all sit.

[Fakus]

I'm gonna help the Martin hands clean up this mess, Tom.

[Lucky Houghton]

All right.

[Tom Mix]

That's good work, Pecos. Now, do you want to tell me, Jack?

[Jack Martin]

Well, fact is, a man named Luckyhouse wants my land, and he'll do anything to get it. Why, he wants to build a big resort here. One with gambling for folks from the city. Tom, the Circle Ace is my ranch. I love those trees on the ridge. And, well, I don't want them cut down to make way for a roulette wheel. I want to see the cattle and the horses here, not a bunch of dudes who can't keep their dinero in their pockets.

[Janie]

Houghton doesn't care what we want. He only wants what he wants. And he'll do anything to get it.

[Tom Mix]

Now, this Lucky Houghton has made you an offer for the ranch.

[Jack Martin]

He made me an insult for it. Called me to his room at the Dobie House Hotel. I figured he wanted to buy stock, but he told me he wanted to buy the ranch. As he talked to me, he sat.

[Tom Mix]

On the edge of the bed and.

[Jack Martin]

He dealt out a couple of hands.

[Lucky Houghton]

Of cards to us.

[Jack Martin]

Well, the way a lot of gamblers do, always playing with cards. Well, I told him the Circle Ace was built out of my blood and bones, and I wasn't selling A part of myself. He smiled crooked and said, you find.

[Lucky Houghton]

It mighty unlucky if you don't choose to sell your land to me, Jack Martin. Mighty unlucky. For instance, take a look at those cards you got in the deal, all right.

[Jack Martin]

Picked up the pasteboards. And they're what? Aces and eights. The dead man's hand.

[Lucky Houghton]

Yeah, Martin, aces and eights. That hand didn't prove very lucky for.

[Fakus]

Old Wild Bill Hickok.

[Lucky Houghton]

And I don't think it'll bring you much better luck if you don't choose to sell to me.

[Jack Martin]

I told him he wasn't scaring me off by dealing me a stacked hand. And he said something else about finding out about the curse of the aces and eights, and I slammed the door on him.

[Tom Mix]

Lucky Houghton may be behind some of your bad luck, Jack, but he didn't bring it on with a cursed hand of cards.

[Jack Martin]

Maybe not, but I figured by the burning of the Circle east ranch house, I got the first part of the curse. And there's just one way to keep from getting the second part. That's by gunning down Lucky Houghton.

[Janie]

Jack, you can't.

[Pecos Williams]

I'll say can't. There's a law against killing folks, and my job as sheriff is to uphold the law. Now, you try gunning down anybody, Jack Martin, and you wind up in adobe jailhouse.

[Tom Mix]

Mike Shaw is telling you the truth, Jack. The days of the gun law are over. Now, if Lucky Houghton has committed crimes against you, the law will get him for that. But if you start throwing lead, you're going to put yourself on the opposite side of the law, same as Houghton.

[Jack Martin]

You don't have to preach to me. You've thrown plenty of lead yourself, Tom.

[Tom Mix]

Yeah, I used my gun. I had to. But I've never murdered anybody. And I know where justice drew the line.

[Jack Martin]

I know what justice calls for. Do you think the law can get Houghton for burning my ranch house?

[Tom Mix]

Ah, the law will try, Jack. I know. I'll do everything I can to help, Mike.

[Janie]

Jack, if you have Tom's work word.

[Jack Martin]

I'll give the law a chance, Tom. But I won't wait forever.

[Tom Mix]

Hey, there.

[Pecos Williams]

There's a rider coming, Tom. Oh, he's riding hard, too.

[Narrator]

Yes, I see.

[Tom Mix]

Hey, there's Riley.

[Jack Martin]

He's one of my hands. He was out riding fence.

[Pecos Williams]

Boss.

[Lucky Houghton]

By all the saints, I'm bringing you some mighty sorry news.

[Pecos Williams]

Devil take me if I'm not bad news.

[Jack Martin]

I can sure use more of that. You see the main house?

[Lucky Houghton]

Oh, that I did. And there's A terrible news that I'm bringing you. On top of that, boss, the stream has dried up complete. There's no water in it. A tall. Your poor cattle will die of thirst.

[Jack Martin]

Lucky Houghton said aces and eights. Curse her. Aces and eights.

[Tom Mix]

How do aces and eights figure into this thing?

[Jack Martin]

Little screamer miney winds all around curves so much we call it the figure eight. So fire burns my AZI ranch house and now the water all dries up in the figure 8 stream. Doesn't that sound like the curse of aces and eights to you?

[Narrator]

Well, Tom Mix doesn't believe in curses and neither do we. But there's something or someone behind Jack Martin's troubles. It looks like it might be the gambler Lucky Houghton. But we haven't come to the end of this trail yet. And we will find the solution in the conclusion to the mystery of the twisted trail. And now back to Tom Mix. Tom Mix is investigating a series of disasters at Jack Martin's Circle Ace Ranch. Supposedly caused by gambler Lucky Houghton's curse of aces and eights. The sun is bright as Tom and Pecos ride their horses along the winding course of a dried up stream bed.

[Fakus]

How long do we keep faller in the stream bed, Tom?

[Tom Mix]

Until we get to the point where the water stops. Take us flow of the stream had to be cut off at some particular point.

[Fakus]

I suppose so. Do you think Sheriff Mike can keep Jack Martin under control while they do this thing?

[Tom Mix]

Well, that's why I left him there. I hoping he can.

[Fakus]

Well, seems like a lot of time has passed since yesterday morning when I woke up. Sure could use some shut eye. And a better breakfast than chewing on some of this beef jerky from the saddlebag.

[Tom Mix]

It's not like you to complain, Ficus.

[Fakus]

Oh, I'm not complaining, Tom. After all, this is wonderful experience for me. Toughen me up in case I want.

[Pecos Williams]

To get a job walking on nails in the circus or some Search.

[Fakus]

Hey Tom, I think I see something up ahead.

[Tom Mix]

Yeah, I see it too, Fakus. It's a crude dam across the stream. It was no supernatural curse that cut off the flow of water to Jack Martin's ranch. Just a man made dam.

[Fakus]

Sure is simple. Whoever did this must have known it.

[Lucky Houghton]

Wouldn'T take us long to discover this.

[Tom Mix]

Yeah, that's right, Pecos. Let's get off these horses. We'll make too good a car get setting here. Yeah. Now come now. We advance on foot, but slowly. Come on. Yeah.

[Pecos Williams]

Hey you two. With which are you up to around this place, huh?

[Fakus]

Looks Like a logger, Tom?

[Tom Mix]

A lumberjack? Yeah, that's what he appears to be. And a big one.

[Jack Martin]

Howdy.

[Tom Mix]

We were just wondering what happened to the stream. I guess this dam explains it.

[Pecos Williams]

Now, what is this to you, huh?

[Tom Mix]

Well, my name is Tom Mix. I'm helping Sheriff Mike Shaw look into this business. That's Pecos Williams.

[Pecos Williams]

Ah, he might never hear of you. I hear of also the sheriff, but what do you care about my dam?

[Tom Mix]

Oh, so it is your dam. Don't you realize it's shutting off all water downstream? People and cattle depend on that water.

[Pecos Williams]

Say what I hear first. Me, Andre Lamont. I got to eat too. You know the logging company? She fired me. I fight too much for them. I come all the way from northern border to get fired. Now I got to make dam to catch fish to eat.

[Tom Mix]

And of course there is mountain trout in there. But a lot more than one man could eat.

[Pecos Williams]

So I sell extra fish to people in town for extra supplies. I hear first.

[Tom Mix]

Andre, I'm sorry if you don't understand all our laws, but this dam has got to go. I'm going to wait out there and start kicking it apart now.

[Pecos Williams]

Oh, me? I think I kick you apart instead. I hear Tom Mix is a big man. But no man bigger than Andre Lamont. I proved this.

[Fakus]

Galloping horn toads. Here he comes. He's too big a fight, Tom. Shoot him in the leg or something.

[Tom Mix]

No, no guns.

[Narrator]

Andre Lamont, the big lumberjack, is a head taller than Tom and heavier by the weight of a side of beep. Yet Tom stands easy, poised on his toes as a giant charger. Tom sidesteps the charge like a matador, moving out of the way of a pull. And as Andre goes by, Tom clips him on the side of the jaw with a hard right fist.

[Pecos Williams]

Skiing Andre with that needle blow. You pay for that.

[Tom Mix]

Try and collect us.

[Narrator]

Tom lands punch after telling punch on the big man's head and midsection. Andre throws one great roundhouse punch that can't miss at these close quarters. But Tom manages to take most of its force on his shoulder. But then Tom can't back up. The footing on the shore of the stream is slippery. Andre closes in and grabs Tom with one bear like arm in a grip as strong and secure as a bear trap. Andre's free hand moves. There is a flash in the sunlight.

[Pecos Williams]

You have a sea knife like D Storm mix. It's good for cleaning fish and odoty.

[Fakus]

Sorry to break your knife with that bullet, Mr. Lamont, but that's not going by the rules around here.

[Tom Mix]

Yeah. Thank you, Pecos. Now all I have to do is break his grip on me.

[Pecos Williams]

You think you do?

[Tom Mix]

This man can do what he put his mind to.

[Narrator]

Tom braces his hands against the inside forearms of the giant and slowly forces those arms apart. Andre's face dissolves into disbelief. No man has ever before broken his grip. And then, as if to end the big man's confusion, one of Tom's fists lashes out with the point Andre's jaw. And the lumberjack goes down.

[Pecos Williams]

Such a blow from such a little fellow. No more than six feet tall.

[Tom Mix]

Listen, Andre, I've fought enough with you. A big fellow like you could keep on like this all day. But you lay there quieter. Pecos and I are just going to throw ropes on you and keep you quiet until we get a few answers.

[Pecos Williams]

I have decided that you and me, we be great friends. Yeah. I don't fight with friends. No, no, not much. What ansells do you talk about?

[Tom Mix]

Did somebody put you up to constructing that dam? Did the name Lucky mean anything to you?

[Pecos Williams]

My God, I. I know feel very lucky today. No. Nobody give me idea to make them. I don't mean not to think of it by myself.

[Fakus]

You know, Tom, I think Andre here is telling the truth.

[Tom Mix]

Yes, so do I, Pecos. This dam shutting off the figure 8 stream had nothing to do with any of Lucky Houghton's schemes for the so called curse of aces and eights with just the coincidence.

[Fakus]

This trail sure has a lot of twists in it.

[Tom Mix]

A lot of twists. Pecos, after we break up this dam, we've got to pick up Janie at the train station. I hope Mike Shaw can keep a tight rein on Jack Martin for a few more hours.

[Janie]

Oh, Tom, it's just great to be back here sitting in front of the fireplace at the TM bar again.

[Tom Mix]

And it's sure great to have you back with us for the holidays. Janie, you know I don't have to ask you how you're getting along with that boarding school. Those fine grades tell me.

[Janie]

Oh, I'm learning a lot. I miss all of you here. You and Tony, Sheriff Mike, Doc Green, Paikus.

[Tom Mix]

Well, no more than we all miss you. You know, honey, there's a paper somewhere that says the court made you my ward after your father disappeared. But ward is a my mighty cold word. You know, you'll always be like my own daughter to me. Come here and give old Tom a big hug.

[Janie]

Oh, Tom, you were telling me about what was going on around here with Jack Martin.

[Tom Mix]

Oh, yes, I Figured you'd want to know after Pecos brought it up on the trip in from the train station.

[Janie]

That reminds me. Something that happened at school. One of the girls, Agnes, was accused of stealing a kerchief, a fancy neckerchief, you know, by another girl, Betty. Well, they had a big argument, yelling at each other, but Betty wanted to search Agnes things for the stolen kerchin.

[Pecos Williams]

Oh, I see.

[Janie]

Agnes said that she should have to prove her innocence. No more than any other girl in the school. All that was against her was Betty's accusation, and that was because Betty just didn't like her.

[Tom Mix]

Well, I suspect that somebody had a way out of this dilemma. Wasn't you, by any chance?

[Janie]

Well, I suggested that maybe all the girls in the class could have their things searched. Everybody, not just Agnes. Nobody liked having their things gone through. But a crime had been committed, and everybody had to make a sacrifice to find the guilty person.

[Tom Mix]

Well, that sounds like a good solution, Janie.

[Janie]

In theory, of course. We found the kerchief on the floor under an unused seat. Nobody was sure how it got there.

[Tom Mix]

Yeah, but the theory is good, Janie. You know, if I treat Jack Martin and Lucky Houghton equally, not accusing either one of them and not presuming either guilty, I might make some peace. Yeah, I'll set up a meeting between Jack Martin and Lucky Houghton at some neutral meeting place at the Doby House Hotel.

[Janie]

Oh, Tom, that's a good idea.

[Lucky Houghton]

Mr. Mix, Sheriff Shaw. And you, Varton. We meet so soon again at the Dobie House.

[Tom Mix]

Yeah, Houghton.

[Jack Martin]

And not in your room this time.

[Tom Mix]

This time it's all out in the.

[Jack Martin]

Open, right here in the lobby. Kind of unusual for you.

[Lucky Houghton]

I'm always out in the open. I play the cards as they fall.

[Jack Martin]

Or maybe you deal the cards the.

[Tom Mix]

Way you want them to fall. Now, hold on, you two. I invited you both here as a gentleman's parley about the trouble between you. Now, that's only going to work if you two stop throwing insults and try to get down to the facts.

[Pecos Williams]

Yeah, Tom's talking sense. Now, I want you two to shake hands and come out. No, no, no, no. That's not what I want. I want for you to do what Tom says.

[Lucky Houghton]

It seems everybody around here jumps when Tom. Mick says to him, the sheriff.

[Fakus]

You, Martin?

[Jack Martin]

I'm here the same as you, Houghton.

[Lucky Houghton]

I don't suppose you're going to try to blame me for your stream drying up. I hear it's running again.

[Jack Martin]

Stream is running. Tom explained that you had nothing to.

[Pecos Williams]

Do with it, but In a way.

[Lucky Houghton]

I did have something to do with it. I happened to deal the cards, the dead man's hand, aces and eight to you. And inadvertently put the curse on you.

[Tom Mix]

Now hold on, Huff. You keep getting this curse business mixed up in your offer to buy Jack's ranch. Now, if you have nothing to do with the things of the so called curse happening, why do you think they will stop when you take over the land?

[Lucky Houghton]

Oh, let's say that by selling, Martin will divest himself of the things connected with the curse. The circle h, the figure 8 or say whatever you like, I don't care what you believe. There's big men and big money behind me. We aim to have the circle ace for our gambling resort.

[Fakus]

And we will have it.

[Jack Martin]

Well, Lucky Houghton. I got something. That'll be the hand of aces and eights.

[Tom Mix]

A pair of sixes.

[Pecos Williams]

No, Tom. Jackpot. A pair of six shooters from under his coat.

[Tom Mix]

Yeah, I see.

[Narrator]

Gunplay.

[Lucky Houghton]

I. I don't think you're. You're going to shoot me down in front of Mix and the sheriff.

[Jack Martin]

Don't be so sure. How I figure I got nothing to lose. The next thing on your agenda is probably having me killed. I might as well get you first.

[Lucky Houghton]

Listen, Martin. I know when a man is bluffing at a game and I can see you aren't.

[Pecos Williams]

Suppose.

[Lucky Houghton]

Suppose I admit. Confess we were trying to scare you off. We did put a smoke bomb in your house just. Just to cause smoke. We didn't expect it to start a fire.

[Tom Mix]

Whatever you say you expected, that's enough to send you up for several years, Houghton. Maybe he won't go to prison.

[Jack Martin]

I can't take a chance, not with my life and more important, Ellen's life. I'm gunning this snake.

[Tom Mix]

Then you'll have to shoot through me. Jack, I invited you and Houghton here under a flag of truce. I gave Lucky my word, the same as you. And I can't let you shoot him. And I can't let you become a crawling thing like Lucky Houghton. Somebody who uses violence to get what he wants. Now, if you do that, you become what you hate. And you'll go on hating yourself.

[Jack Martin]

You're right, Tom. Anyway, I could never shoot a man like you.

[Lucky Houghton]

Very pretty speech, Mr. Mix. And now while you're in front of me covering my exit, I'll just go out through this door. These stakes are getting too high for me, Tom.

[Pecos Williams]

I couldn't get a clear shot at him. You were in front of him, Tom. I want that man for arson and attempted murder.

[Tom Mix]

You Stay here with Jack. After the fire and all, he looks about to keel over. I'll get Mr. Muckey.

[Janie]

How?

[Tom Mix]

Oh, there's Amos Snood's Dobie House delivery truck pulling away. And there's Jane waiting at the hitching post, the way I told her. Janie, did you see a tall, well dressed man get in that delivery truck?

[Janie]

Yes, Tom. He sure didn't look like one of Snood's workmen.

[Tom Mix]

No, he wasn't. He's a crook. Mike wants him. And no cars around. Well, it's you and me, Tony old boy. We'll have to go after him. Not much chance of catching a truck on a horseback. But we'll try, Tom.

[Janie]

Tony can do it. Tony's the greatest horse in the world.

[Tom Mix]

Yes, Jamie, I think he is. Now, Tony, we're gonna have to prove it. Come up, boy.

[Narrator]

Tom Mc gallops out of town to strike Tony. But as the stores and houses fall behind them, Tom cuts off the main road and begins going over rough ground dotted with sage. The road curves, but Tom is taking a straight line, halving the distance. Then coming at them from an angle. There is the delivery truck driven by Lucky Huff.

[Tom Mix]

There he is. Tony. Let's get some job on. You can do it, boy.

[Narrator]

The horse and rider, the truck, they come together from different angles. Tom swings Tony alongside the truck and for a moment, the matchless strides of Tony. Each one delivered with a beat from his fighting heart. Each one a gift to his partner. Tom. The horse's strides keep up with the machine Tom makes defies gravity as only his skill can let him and leaps from his wonder horse to the running.

[Tom Mix]

Board of the truck.

[Narrator]

He opens the door, shoves Lucky Houghton aside and yanks on the emergency driver.

[Tom Mix]

There. Now we're stop. Houghton. Yeah, yeah.

[Lucky Houghton]

The end of the line. You know, Mix those aces and eights that I dealt, maybe they were meant for me.

[Tom Mix]

Houghton. It's just as I've always told Janie. Lawbreakers always lose. Straight shooters always win. It pays to shoot straight.

[Narrator]

Tom Mix and his Ralston Straight Shooters was written, produced and directed by Jim Harmon. Tom Mix was played by Curly Bradley with Jack Lester as Mike, Jim Harmon as Pecos, Jock o' Mahoney as Jack. Art Hearn as Houghton Virginia Greg as Jane. And this is Lest Tremaine. Production, Barbara Gratz, Steve Marcum. Join us next time when the Tom Mix Ralston straight shooters are on the air.

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Tom Mix]

Western wheat Take a dip from home.

[Commercial Announcer]

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