Andrew Rines (0:00)

Foreign welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines, and I'm excited to bring you another episode absolutely free. This is one of over 80 episodes released monthly for your enjoyment. Now, let's get into this episode. I know. Silver, Hawaii. A fiery horse with the speed of light. A cloud of dust in the hearty Ho. Silver. The Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, the masked rider of the plains drove the outlaw bands from the new territory and made the frontier safe for honest men and women. No one could match his strength and courage, but it was his knowledge of character which enabled him to lead the pioneers along the path of progress and made possible the winning of the West. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoof beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. There's going to be trouble at Bluefield. We've got to hurry. I'll. Silver. Away. When the stage from the east arrived in the small western cattle town of Bluefield, it was the occasion of a happy reunion. Mother. My boy. Oh, gosh, let me look at you. You look even younger than you did when I left home. Oh, go on with your son. Have you forgotten me, John? Claire. Say, aren't you dressed stylish though, honest, I had almost forgotten that anyone could be as pretty as you are. Well, it is good to be with you again, son. My, we thought when we left home we'd never get here. Was it a hard trip, Mother? Just awful. The roads were so dusty then. You want to clean up, won't you, Sam? Yeah, boss. Sam, this is my mother. My fiance, Ms. Proctor. Mother, Claire, I want you to meet Sam Sloan. Sam's my right hand man. I'm pleased to meet. What do you want, boss? Take care of that baggage, will you, Sam? This all of it, Mother? That's enough, isn't it? Oh, I can handle it, ma'am. Where do you want it took Mr. Barton to the house. Get up there as quickly as you can. We'll take the buggy and ride ahead. Sure thing. Is that your buggy, John? Uh huh. My place on the far side of town. I thought you wouldn't care to walk it. Mind your stepmother. Such streets. You said your place, John. Have you built already? No, not yet, Clare, but I expect to soon. Then he waits soon enough for us to move into it when we're married. Dear, you've done splendidly. Just to think. Why, it isn't a year yet. Since you left home, is it, son? Not quite, Mother. And in less than a year, you've made enough money to afford getting married and building a home. I wish your father were alive. He'd be just as proud of you as I am. Oh, I'm not a rich man quite yet. Just give me another week, though, and I'll have a good start toward a fortune. Another week? I'll tell you all about it when you've had a chance to rest up. Mother, please, the buggy. Claire, give me a hand. I'll help you out, Mr. Barton. Huh? How about you, Jackson? Could I speak to you for just a second, Mr. Barton? No, but I've got to. Told you before there was nothing else to say. Now quit bothering me. If it's something, it's nothing. You call it nothing. Mr. Barton, I won't stand for this. Now, look here, I won't. This is neither the time or the place to talk business. Can't you see I'm busy? Now, look me up tomorrow if you feel you have to. I'm not waiting till tomorrow. I got the cash together. Settle this right now. The cash? What cash? Cash to pay you to let me off my bargain with you. You must be crazy, man. We've made an agreement and I expect you to keep it. Why should I let you buy your way out of it? If I deliver my cows to you at the price we agreed on, I'll go busted. You knew that when the bargain was made. But I thought they was going still lower. Instead, the market went the other way. Right now, beef is worth four times what it was then. Oh, now look here, Mr. Barton. Why can't you be decent about this? Why can't you be satisfied to take a fair profit and leave it go with that? Why do you have to force me out of business? How soon will the roundup be completed? In three or four days. Why? Then in three or four days, I'll expect you to deliver a thousand head of cattle as contracted for. Upon delivery, I'll pay you the amount agreed upon. And if you attempt to sell anywhere else, I'll have you dealt with as the law allows. That's final. There's nothing else to discuss. Now, if you'll excuse me. You blasted crook. Careful there. Careful. Why should I be careful? What have I got to lose by speaking my mind? That ain't good as lost already. Get into the buggy, Mother. No, you don't. You don't leave here till you've heard what I think of you. Take your hand away. Not till I've had my say. It was you that made everybody around here think beef was going still lower. You needn't deny it, because I know it's so. You schemed this whole thing right from the first. Nonsense. You're dead. You sneak and double cross an Easterner. You don't care what happens to us. All you care about is lying in your own pockets. What if me and the others around here do go broke? What's it to you? You'll profit by it. Even though I said take your hand away, I'm. Oh, you asked for it. Knocked him down. You don't stop talking about it. Quick, into the buggy before the whole town's here. Up with you. Mother. I won't forget this button. You'll pay for hitting me. Wait and see. If you don't. If you know what's good for you, you'll leave well enough alone. There, hand me those reins. Here, Joe, I'm gonna hit you. Ed, why don't you drill the screw? Give him what he needs. Somebody ought to fix that slick Easterner once and for all. You don't want to get trampled. Stand aside. Get up. An hour later, Barton was staring moodily from the window of the home he had rented. He was aroused by the sound of his mother's footsteps. And done. Oh, cleaned up already, Mother. Where's Claire? Would you be along soon? Soon. John, I wanted to speak to you alone first. Of course, we'll have lots of things to talk about. I. Well, don't think I'm trying to pry into your business, son, but when we left the stage, that man you fought with, would you like to tell me about him? Why, there's nothing to tell, Mother. He's just a sore head who made a bargain he doesn't want to live up to. Let's forget about that and talk of something a little more pleasant. No, let's finish this first. But it's surely if it's just business, I can know about it, can't I? Since when did you get so interested in business? Mother, I thought she. Please, you're just putting me off. You act as though I'd done something to be ashamed of. No, I'm sure if you explain, I'll understand. Please, won't you? Well, you heard most of it back there, I guess. Yes, son. Oh, it's just that I turned out to be a little too smart for these fellows around here, and they can't take it. You see, when I came here, beef was cheap, rancher started to get still cheaper. But I happened to hear some things in St. Louis when I came through that showed it would go up again. So I bought beef at the prevailing price for delivery after the fall roundup. Now, what's wrong with that? Nothing, I suppose, but. But what? Well, that man back there said he'd lose his place. Said others would, too. Am I to blame for that? Son, that doesn't sound like you at all. Mother, you're a woman. So naturally you don't understand the way business is carried on. Why anybody else smart enough would have done just exactly as I did. There was something else. Yes? I heard that man say you had made the ranchers think beef would go lower. Is that true? Well, I might have suggested to Sam that he. He hints something of the sort around. It's not my fault what people choose to believe, is it? Son, you've changed. Changed? Yes. When you left home, you were kind and considerate. You wouldn't have hurt anyone for the world. You were just like your father. But now you left. Let's not get angry with each other. I've told you that what I did was strictly business and absolutely honest. I know you don't see it my way, but ask Claire. If I'm not right. She'll tell you. She said part of what you said, John. Claire, I was just. And I agree with your mother. You have changed. Oh, nonsense. Please don't talk that way. But neither one of you can see my side. I don't think you even want to. But of course we do, son. That's why I asked you to explain. Then don't you understand why I want to make money? I don't want it for myself. Especially for you. For both of you. So I can build a fine home for you and buy you the things I'd like to buy you. John. Well, couldn't you do those things without injuring others? Somebody's got to get hurt in business. That's just the way things are. Then I think both your mother and I would rather do without a fine home and all that. If we can't have them on any terms but those. Oh, what's the use of talking? But, John, you'll just have to take my word for it. Business is business, and a fellow can't afford to be squeamish. But, son, neither can we afford to do with our friends. That's all I ask of you. Never forget that it was the evening of that same day that a masked man and an Indian drew rein before a small cabin several miles outside of Bluefield. He's at Home, Tado. I'll talk to him alone. You wait here. Come in. Hello there, master. Don't reach for that gun. I'm not an outlaw. I'm not here to harm you. And what do you want? A friend of mine, an Indian, was in town today. Well, he heard you talking in the cafe. You were making threats. So that's it. You're a friend of Barton's and he sent you here to warn me off, huh? Well, you can go back and tell that scout. Not so fast. I won't jump to conclusions in such a hurry. I'm not a friend of Barton's. I've never spoken to the fellow in my life. Then what's it to you what I say about him? Nothing, if it doesn't lead to trouble. You probably don't mean those threats now, Jackson, but repeat them often enough and you'll place yourself where you'll have to carry them out or back down. You think I'm a scared of that feller? Why should you be? Well, then, what do you mean? One moment. I want to make myself clear. I've said I'm not on his side, but that doesn't mean that I'm on your side. I don't say I'm convinced the trouble lies in this. You misunderstand, Barton. Barton misunderstands you and the other ranchers he's met. You can't misunderstand a skunk stranger. It just ain't possible. Jackson, you and I know that the people here in the west are just as much interested in helping each other as they are in getting ahead themselves. We're both Westerners and learned that long ago. Sure, but what's that got to do with Barton? He's still an Easterner, and that's something he hasn't learned. Just as you and the ranchers have forgotten that Easterners often have a different standard of ethics from ours. You haven't made allowances for that fact. Don't you know that on account of him, most of us around here will go busted? I know. Then how can you say anything firm after that? I didn't come to argue. I came to make a request. Yeah, you've done most of the talking against Barton. You've kept the other ranchers stirred up, and I'll keep on stirring them till they do something to help me stick up for our rights. That's my request. Stop it. Give me time. I think I can bring Barton around. You talk mighty funny for an outlaw, stranger. Just what do you figure to gain by this? Nothing. You expect Me to believe that? Why? Believe it or not, it doesn't matter which. But I'll tell you this. If you start trouble, I'll stop it. You. And if you still think I'm an outlaw, take a look at this. You recognize what that means? You may be willing to do as I say. Wait. What was there he put on the table? Oil, by thunder. Silver Bullet. Silver. The Lone Ranger. Where we go now? To Barton's place. Tutor. You talk to him? Not yet. What you do? His mother and the girl he expects to marry are there. Kimosabe. Oh, they're the ones I want to speak with. They will. I believe they can settle this trouble. Me not sappy. Come along and you will. T. Hurry, old fellow. Hurry. Get him on, Scout. Get him on pile. Silver. Away. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger story before the next exciting scenes. Please permit us to pause for just a few moments now to continue our story. Claire and Mrs. Barton were seated on the front porch. They were talking about the cattle deal John had made. And I wish I could talk to him, Claire, but he just won't listen. Every time I try it, he loses patience with me. I know he's a good boy. Of course he is. It's just that he's so set on making money. He seems to have lost all sense of values. Claire, I can't stand it to see John getting that way. I can't. I don't care whether he can buy me things or not. I just want him to be as kind and as honest as his father was. And that's the way I want him. We both do. I wish I knew how to show him where he's wrong without hurting his pride. We'll think of something. Maybe I can help him. Mrs. Barton. It's an outlaw. Don't be frightened. Get away. Get away or I'll call John. I heard you say you wanted to find a way to prove to him that he'd been wrong. I think I can show you a way to do it. Who are you? A friend. Please listen to me. Whether you realize it or not, your son is in danger. The men out here don't always ask permission of the law before they act, Mrs. Barton. And before long, they will act. You mean this? That they feel they've been cheated? Of course, legally they haven't been. But I doubt they'll stop to think too much of that. I'll get John. No, Claire. Let this man explain himself. If he were bad, he could have taken what money we have before this. Thank you, you really think you can help my son with your aid? I know I can. Then tell us how. We both love him. If you know an honest way to help, perhaps. Almost two weeks passed. The fall roundup had been completed and the cattle had been delivered to young Barton. He rode toward his home in the company of an eastern buyer. And I want to congratulate you, Barton. You've made a nice profit for yourself. Thanks. I'll send you a check for your beef as soon as I get back to the hotel. Oh, there's no hurry. I wonder, Barton, if you'd take a word of advice. Advice? Don't think I blame you for what you've done. I don't. As hundreds of others would have done. You saw an opportunity to make money and took advantage of it. I don't mind admitting I wish I could make in 10 years the money you've made in just this past season. But just the same, I'm not sure I envy you. No. I've heard some of these ranchers talking. I've known these fellows around here for quite a while, and I know when they're really angry. They'll get over it. I'm not so sure. I'm not worrying. Why should you? They've been talking for the past three months now. I've decided it's just that talk. Well, you know your own business. I'll make that. Well, here's where I'll have to leave you. That's where I live, just ahead. You can expect your check within an hour. Have a good day, Barton. Bye. Come on. Boy, oh, boy. Hi there, Sam. How much you think I cleared in that beef? Yeah. Listen, Mr. Bart. $10,000. How do you like that? Now we'll see what Claire and Mother have to say. No time to talk now, Sam. I'll see you later, Mother. Hi. Where are you, Claire? Hi, Claire. Upstairs, Sam. Where'd Claire and Mother go? In the store. Don't go on it, boss. That's what I've been trying to tell you. Well, tell ahead. They've done both. I know they have. That's why I asked you. Didn't mean to, boss. That's just what I meant. But they couldn't have. They wouldn't just leave without explaining, without saying anything. Maybe you think they couldn't, Mr. Barton. But they sure did. Mother. Claire. And there ain't no use calling at em, boss. Less than you figure. You can be heard clear down the east trail. They packed and grabbed the stage, and right now they're rolling along towards home. Right smart Why'd they do it, Sam? Why, you can search me. Weren't you here when they left? Didn't they say anything at all? Leave a message for me? Well, they did ask me to tell you something, but I don't know whether you'd call it a message or not. What was it? They just said they figured when you stopped to think it over, you'd savvy why they had to go. Can you make sense out of that? Yes, Sam. I'm afraid I can't. Well, I sure can't. I suppose I could saddle a fresh horse and go after them. I wouldn't if I was you. No, they acted to me like their minds was plumb made up. And all the talking in the world warn't going to change them none. I'd say chasing them would just be wasting your time, I suppose. Ain't women folks crazy, though. You can unsaddle my horse, Sam. Right now. Yes. Well, don't you do nothing foolish while I'm going, Boss. Barton. A mask man. I've been waiting for you. What do you want? I think it's about time you woke up. What do you mean? You know well enough why your mother and Claire left you. What business is it of yours? Are you afraid to face the facts? I don't see why. You know what happened to you, Barton. You became so interested in making money that you forgot why you wanted that money. Why? Perhaps I know more about this situation than you think. You wanted money so you could make a home for your mother now that she's alone in the world. You wanted money so that you could afford to be married. Is there anything wrong with that? Not a thing. But when the money you've tried to get loses you the very things you've wanted most, then something is radically wrong. Is it a crime to make money? I don't see why you should. You're still refusing to face the facts. Can you answer some questions honestly? I guess so. Was I right when I said you wanted money so that you could make a home for your mother and Claire? You were. You didn't want money just for its own sake? Of course not. When you must have known the method you chose to make money was losing you the respect of your mother and Claire? Why did you keep on? Well, I. Can't you answer? Yes, I can give you an answer. Because I'm a natural born fool, that's why. Because I haven't a sense I was born with. And I've lost everything I wanted. Now it's too late. Barton, you're not a fool if you admit the mistake you made. Well, that's easy to say. Don't be too sure that it is too late. What do you mean? That's all I can say. Leaving Barton's place, the masked man raced to the camp just outside of town, where Toto was waiting for him. Ho, ho. Sober. Oh, boy. Hold it. What him say? The boy's got good stuff in him, kimosabe. Just as I thought he had. I want you to call on Jackson. He knows who I am and he'll listen to you. Want me tell him? Only this, that he and the other ranchers who dealt with Barton had a call at Barton's place, but not before evening. That's important. Will you remember that, Hunter? Not forget. Good. Don't tell Jackson any more than I told you. I don't want those ranchers to know what to expect. Later tonight I'll meet you at our camp where you go after the eastbound stage. Come on, Silver. Come on, old buck. Come on. It was dusk when Sam Young, Barton's man of all work, entered the parlor where Barton sat and lighted the lamps. I don't know what's got into you, boss. I declare, I don't. I know what I'm doing, sir. The more I think about it, the less I'm so doggone sure about that. Of all the fool notions I ever hear. We won't discuss it. Well, if that's the way you want. It ain't for me to argue, but just to say, sure, boy. Sure. I wasn't going to say nothing. Now, Mr. Warren, that's enough light. Leave one of the lamps here and put the others around where they're needed. Oh, you hear that? I do. It's them, see? Just look out the window, will you? I'll bet there's a couple of dozen of them. It's all right. I don't know whether I'd call it right or not. I don't claim to be so almighty smart, boss, but I'd say they was plenty mad. Boy, that sounds mad to me. Let them in. Now, look. Let them in. Well, it's your funeral, boss. Taint none of mine. Well, we're here bought. What do you want us for? Rubbing what? It just be worse to do business with you. If you got anything to say to us, you better say it fast. And we don't want no fancy palaver from you niggers. Men, listen to me. He listened to you once before, Barton, and just about lost our shirts on account of it. Hold on. Let him say his say, that's what we come here for, ain't it? Go ahead, Barton. Don't waste our time. I. I just wanted to say that although what I did was within the law, I'm not particularly proud of it. A lot of good that does us after you've got our money. Yeah, it's easy for you to say that now. You better save the talk, Barton. You don't trick us and talk us out of it afterwards. If that's all you can think of to say, we might as well go on back uptown. The wheat. I don't think you understand. Maybe we savvy too much about you. No, no, listen. Today I sold the cattle which I'd bought from you men. I made a profit of $10,000. You think we don't know what you made? One moment. Out of that 10,000, I've deducted $1,000 as my commission. I think 10% is a fair and reasonable figure. You mind saying that again, Barton? I dunno, as I savvy just what you're driving at. Just this. I'm returning the remainder. $9,000. What's that? I have here a list of such cattle as I bought and the amount purchased from each man. I'm pro rating that 9,000among you. You'll each receive a share corresponding with the amount of beef you sold me. You mean you're giving that money back? I do. What fur? Because I think in the end I can gain more by having you as my friends than I can as enemies. But. But you, Sam, you don't have to give back that money. Don't you? It's yours when you come right down to it. I know that also. It's going to be the way I said. Tomorrow I'll make out a check to each of you from whom I bought cattle. Gosh, Barton, I don't know what to say. Nothing's necessary. Well, I guess all we can do is thank you. This means a whole lot to us. I don't want thanks. If you don't mind, I'd like to be alone. Look here, Barton, we owe you thanks and plenty of it, whether you want it or not. I reckon we said all kinds of things about you that weren't true. And I reckon there ain't a one of us but what's ashamed of it. After what you just done, won't you let me alone? But I want you. Can't you understand what I say? I don't want thanks. I mean it. Just leave me be. Don't pester Mr. Barton. Jim. Sure Mr. Barton, we'll clear out if that's what you want. Come on, fellas. All right, let's. Let's go, man. Yeah, I. I'm sorry if I seemed abrupt. I didn't really mean to be. It's just that. Well, something's happened that's upset me. You'll understand, won't you? Understand, Mr. Barton, after this, you've earned the right to talk to us any darned way you please. Thank you, boss. As long as I live, I won't never savvy why you done it. No. My gosh, when I think of all the cash you've gone and promised to give back it, it plum makes me sick. Yes siree, boss. Plum sick and disgusted. That money wasn't doing me any good, Sam. Huh? It wouldn't buy me the only things I really wanted. Ain't nothing I want that I couldn't get with cash enough, boss. Well, I wish I'd found that true. Oh, come on now, cheer up. You had your own way. What in blazes do you sit down the mouth about? I'd rather not talk about it. Sam Barton. Mother. Claire. The masked man brought us back. John. We. We've been in here for the past hour. Then. Then you hurt everything. And for the first time since we came west, son, we heard you do something that really made us proud. Then you've come back to stay? Of course. Oh, the house I wanted to build you. The things I wanted to buy you both. I won't have the money. Son, there's nothing like that we can't do without. There's not a one of them worth being sorry for. Just remember what the masked man taught you. It's a lesson some of us need more than once. Leaving, Sam? You bet I am. I won't work for such a pack of fool folks that ain't got a proper respect for cash. Ain't safe to be around. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated Foreign. This has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate this episode within your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to OTRWesterns.com Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel. By going to OTRWesterns.COM become one of our ranch hands and unlock some exclusive content. We want to thank the following ranch hand, Steve, who joined us recently. You too can join by going to otrwesterns.com donate send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com and you can call and leave us a voicemail. 707-986-8739 this episode is copyright under the Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Copyright. For more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.