The Death Card | Challenge of the Yukon (03-27-52)

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "The Death Card" | Challenge of the Yukon (03-27-52)

Podcast: Old Time Radio Westerns
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Episode Date: October 29, 2025
Original Air Date of Drama: March 27, 1952

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Overview

This episode of Old Time Radio Westerns features a digitally restored classic: "The Death Card," from the Challenge of the Yukon radio drama. Set during the Yukon Gold Rush, the story follows Sergeant Preston and his wonder dog, Yukon King, as they investigate a string of murders and a gold robbery in the snowy reaches of the Northwest. The episode stands out for its suspenseful whodunit plot involving betrayal, greed, and desperation—brought to life through vivid soundscapes and tightly-woven storytelling.

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Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. The Brady Siblings and Suspicious Activity (04:11–06:08)

• Rose Brady confronts her brother Ross with a gun, demanding he stay put and not get involved with Bart Conway and Pete Sherman.
• She overheard her brother's name linked to dubious plans at the music hall.
• Rose's protective instincts and willingness to use force hint at imminent danger.

Notable Quote:

• "If you start for the door, I'll put a bullet through your leg, boy." – Rose Brady (04:41)

2. The Express Office Robbery and Musical Talent (06:21–07:33)

• News arrives of a major gold heist at Grand Ledge.
• Rose's act at the music hall showcases her dancing and extraordinary marksmanship—a critical detail for the unfolding mystery.

3. Sergeant Preston, Dr. Warren, and 'Guilt-Scenting' Dogs (06:56–07:43)

• Sergeant Preston discusses with Dr. Warren whether King the dog can “smell guilt” or simply fear.
• This canine ability foreshadows King's key role in the case.

Notable Quote:

• "King doesn't growl when he meets someone who's afraid of him. He growls when he meets someone who's afraid of me." – Sergeant Preston (07:21)

4. The Card Game Turns Deadly (08:32–12:27)

• Ross Brady is discovered shot dead at a card table, crimson-stained cards before him.
• Several men were playing with Ross: Bart Conway, Pete Sherman, Harry Forrest, and Mike Wetherby—all now missing.
• The signature clue: an ace of spades with a bullet hole, reminiscent of Rose’s stage act.

Notable Quote:

• "She uses an ace of spades in it... shoots holes through them. Usually through the exact center." – Sergeant Preston, referencing Rose's marksmanship (11:00–11:04)

5. A Trail of Murder and the Framing of Rose (12:07–15:57)

• Sergeant Preston and Dr. Warren find Pete Sherman, Harry Forrest, and Mike Wetherby all slain in separate cabins—each murder marked by an ace of spades with a bullet hole.
• Rose’s disappearance and signs of a forced entry to her cabin suggest she is being set up.
• King's behavior implicates Bart Conway as the one who tampered with evidence and fueled suspicion toward Rose.

Notable Quote:

• "Could King have caught Bart's scent on those cards?... He could have left those cards to make the evidence against Rose more conclusive." – Dr. Warren (15:41–15:57)

6. Investigation, Motive, and A Race Against Time (16:01–18:52)

• Preston and company learn Rose has fled; Bart is also on the run.
• Bill Wright gives context: Rose had strong feelings for Dave Martin, which leads to speculation about her destination.
• Sergeant Preston concludes Bart is the prime suspect, aiming to eliminate witnesses and frame Rose for the murders.

Notable Quote:

• "I've never been able to believe that Rose murdered... even to avenge her brother. I can believe that Bart killed Ross and then killed the others, leaving the ace of spades behind to incriminate Rose." – Sergeant Preston (18:07)

7. Rose’s Confession and Bart’s Deadly Plan (19:13–23:39)

• At Dave Martin’s cabin, an exhausted Rose shares what happened, confessing she ran upon being threatened after hearing her dying brother’s warning.
• Bart arrives, confronts Rose and Dave, and reveals his plan: he intends for Rose to take the fall for the murders by staging her suicide.
• He is interrupted by Sergeant Preston, who shoots him through the shoulder before Bart can kill his captives or set the cabin ablaze.

Notable Quote:

• "You were supposed to be found in your cabin with your own gun in your hand and a suicide note on the table." – Bart Conway (22:08)

• "You can thank King... he must have made a record trip from Dawson." – Sergeant Preston (24:04)

8. Resolution, Motive, and Arrest (24:14–25:23)

• Dave Martin explains Bart killed the others to cover up the gold robbery and eliminate all loose ends.
• Bart's slip about Crater Canyon reveals where the stolen gold is hidden, providing the final piece of evidence.

Notable Quotes:

• "It was he who killed all four men. He thought he'd arranged it so Rose would be blamed..." – Dave Martin (24:33)

• "Crater Canyon, Sergeant. That's where the gold is hidden." – Bart Conway (25:03)

• "You're under arrest in the name of the crown." – Sergeant Preston (25:09)

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Memorable Moments & Atmosphere

• The use of sound (the crunch of snow, gunshots, the tension in Rose's stage act) contributes to a vivid Wild West ambiance.
• King's tracking and instinct are pivotal throughout—he is as much a detective as his master.
• The storyline keeps listeners guessing about the murderer’s identity, cleverly using Rose’s marksmanship as a double-edged plot device.

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Supplemental Information

New Case Teaser (25:48)

• Sergeant Preston receives a new assignment: There’s another thief at large—listeners are promised more intrigue in the next episode.

Notable Production Details

• Created by George W. Trendle and directed by Fred Flowerday.
• Starring Paul Sutton as Sergeant Preston.

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Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------|------------| | Host Intro | 01:15 | | Gunshots, Opening Narration | 01:33 | | Rose confronts Ross; motive foreshadowed | 04:11 | | Gold heist news and Rose’s act | 06:21 | | Dog “smelling guilt” discussion | 06:56 | | First murder at card table | 08:32 | | Discovery of additional murders | 12:07 | | Evidence of framing Rose | 13:58 | | Meeting with Bill Wright | 16:01 | | Preston deduces Bart’s plan and motives | 18:07 | | Rose's account and Bart's plot | 19:13 | | Bart's confrontation, confession, and defeat| 22:01–25:09| | Sergeant Preston receives new case | 29:06 |

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Classic Quotes

• "If you start for the door, I'll put a bullet through your leg, boy." – Rose Brady (04:41)
• "King doesn't growl when he meets someone who's afraid of him. He growls when he meets someone who's afraid of me." – Sergeant Preston (07:21)
• "You were supposed to be found in your cabin with your own gun in your hand and a suicide note on the table." – Bart Conway (22:08)
• "Crater Canyon, Sergeant. That's where the gold is hidden." – Bart Conway (25:03)
• "You're under arrest in the name of the crown." – Sergeant Preston (25:09)

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains a brisk, suspenseful pace, with sharp dialogue, a sense of urgency, and the moral clarity characteristic of classic western radio dramas. Sergeant Preston is methodical but humane, Rose is both vulnerable and brave, and the treacherous villainy of Bart Conway is gradually, convincingly unveiled.

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For fans of classic radio, "The Death Card" is a thrilling blend of whodunit and Wild West heroics, given renewed depth and clarity through careful restoration.

Transcript

[Downy Unstoppables Advertiser]

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[Sergeant Preston]

Nice.

[Downy Unstoppables Advertiser]

With downy unstoppables, you just toss wash. Wow. For all day freshness.

[Rose Brady]

Every now and then I rinse it out and I need downy rinse tonight. And I need it more. My kid went to bed and the smell never leaves. I don't know what to do. I'm always in the dark. The sweat in that short smells like a dark dark. I'm downy rinsing tonight.

[Narrator]

Downy rinse fights stubborn odors in just one wash.

[Andrew Rines (Host)]

When impossible odors get stuck in.

[Rose Brady]

Rinse it out.

[Andrew Rines (Host)]

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.

[Narrator]

Now. As gunshots echo across the windswept snow covered reaches of the wild northwest. Quaker puff wheat and Quaker puff rice. The breakfast cereal. Shot from gun present sergeant Preston of the Yukon. It's Yukon king, swiftest and strongest lead dog of the northwest. Blazing the trail for sergeant Preston of the northwest mounted police in his relentless pursuit of lawbreakers. Unking on your husky gold. Gold discovered in the Yukon. A stampede to the klondike in the wild race for riches back to the days of the gold rush with Quaker puffed wheat and Quaker puffed rice bringing you the adventures of sergeant Preston and his wonder dog, Yukon king as they meet the challenge of the Yukon.

[Tide Pods Advertiser]

You know that big bargain detergent jug is 80% water, right? It doesn't clean as well. 80% water? I thought I was getting a better deal. Because it's so big. If you want a better clean, tide pods are only 12% water. The rest is pure, concentrated cleaning ingredients. Oh, let me make an announcement.

[Bart Conway]

Attention shoppers, if you want a real deal, try tide pods.

[Tide Pods Advertiser]

Stop paying for watered down detergents. Pay for clean. If it's gotta be clean, it's gotta be tide pods. Water content based on the leading bargain liquid detergent.

[Narrator]

There's no one that can make a better cereal than Quaker puff rice. It's nice. And when you hear that shootin' you're dern tootin' that Quaker makes the ones shot from guns. Yes, that's what the shootin's all about. The swellest tasting breakfast cereal you ever had. Delicious crisp Quaker puff rice. And Quaker puff wheat. Before opening the door of her cabin, Rose Brady looked through the window into the living room. By the light of the lamp on the table, she could see her brother Ross dressed for the trail, stuffing supplies into a knapsack. She took a revolver from the pocket of her parker, checked it, then opened.

[Ross Brady]

The door of the cabin. Rose, what's the matter? Why aren't you at the music hall? It's time for your act.

[Bart Conway]

I'm taking the knot off.

[Ross Brady]

What's the idea of the gun?

[Bart Conway]

You may as well unpack that knapsack. You're not going anyplace.

[Ross Brady]

Why, I must. I'm leaving town for a few days. It's business.

[Bart Conway]

You heard me, Ross. Take off your pockets, sit down and make yourself comfortable. Cause you're not going anyplace, I tell you.

[Ross Brady]

I have to.

[Bart Conway]

I'm telling you. You know how well I can shoot. If you start for the door, I'll put a bullet through your leg, boy.

[Ross Brady]

Shoot your own brother?

[Bart Conway]

If I'm forced to. Not seriously, but you'll not be able to walk for several days.

[Narrator]

Have you gone loco?

[Bart Conway]

No. It's you who's crazy, Ross.

[Ross Brady]

Well, that's a fine thing to say.

[Bart Conway]

It's true. Half an hour ago, I was sitting in one of the curtained booths at the music hall. I was having something to eat, and I heard two men talking in the booth behind me. Bart Conway and Pete Sherman. Well, they mentioned your name.

[Ross Brady]

What of it?

[Bart Conway]

I don't know what they're up to, and I don't want to. But you're not going to be mixed up in it. Bart and Pete have no chance of succeeding in whatever they're up to. Sooner or later they'll go to jail. But you're not. Now, take off your parker and sit down. I meant what I said about using this gun.

[Narrator]

Ross had no doubt that Rose meant what she said. And after a moment, he ripped off.

[Sergeant Preston]

His parker, threw it to the floor.

[Narrator]

Sat down on a chair. He didn't leave the cabin that night. And late the following afternoon, word reached Dawson that the express office at Grand Ledge had been held up and 50,000.

[Ross Brady]

In gold had been stolen.

[Narrator]

The robbery had occurred just before dawn. Rose had only one question for her brother.

[Bart Conway]

Did Bart and Pete have anything to do with it?

[Ross Brady]

Ross, mind your own business. You want to stay healthy, mind your own business.

[Narrator]

The act that Rose Presented at the Music hall was sensational. She was an accomplished dancer and she was probably the best marks woman in the world. She danced, and as she danced, she fired six guns and rifles, hitting the bullseye of a series of targets set up for her on the stage. Three nights after the Express Company hold up, as Rose's act was Nearing its climax, Sergeant Preston and Dr. Warren were walking along Front street past the cafes. They were talking about King.

[Dr. Warren]

You understand, Sergeant, I am not denying King's intelligence. But when you say that he can smell out a guilty man, I must disagree.

[Sergeant Preston]

The doctor, I said he seemed to be able to.

[Dr. Warren]

He doesn't smell guilt. He smells fear. When a man is afraid, certain glands produce an excess of adrenaline. That's what a dog smells. He doesn't like it, and that's why he growls when he meets someone who's afraid of him.

[Sergeant Preston]

My whole point, Doctor, is King's instinct is controlled by his intelligence. King doesn't growl when he meets someone who's afraid of him. He growls and he meets someone who's afraid of me.

[Dr. Warren]

It's very interesting if you can prove it.

[Narrator]

As the doctor and the sergeant neared the Music Hall, a storm of applause broke out inside the cafe.

[Dr. Warren]

Rose must have just finished her act.

[Narrator]

The doors of the cafe opened. A man came out, rushed past the sergeant and the doctor and hurried down the street, disappearing almost at once in the darkness and the thickly falling snow. King growled.

[Sergeant Preston]

Just a moment, Doctor.

[Dr. Warren]

What's the matter?

[Sergeant Preston]

King growled at that man.

[Dr. Warren]

It was Bart Conway. I don't blame him.

[Sergeant Preston]

But King's often seen Bart on the street and he doesn't usually growl at him. You see his face?

[Dr. Warren]

Not very well.

[Sergeant Preston]

I did. He was afraid of something.

[Dr. Warren]

And King growled because he smelled fear.

[Sergeant Preston]

My question is, why was Bart afraid?

[Dr. Warren]

A guilty conscience. Seeing you, could he have had something to do with the express robbery in Grand Ledge?

[Sergeant Preston]

We found no clues at all. Perhaps I should follow Bart just on the chance that.

[Dr. Warren]

Listen, something's wrong inside here.

[Sergeant Preston]

Better come with me, Doc.

[Ross Brady]

Right.

[Narrator]

Everyone inside the cafe was crowded around the door of one of the private rooms at the rear of the building. Sergeant. The doctor forced their way through.

[Sergeant Preston]

Stand aside, please. Let us through.

[Ross Brady]

No one gets in this room till the police get here.

[Narrator]

Bill Wright, the owner of the cafe, was barring the entrance to the room.

[Ross Brady]

Oh, Sergeant Preston. Doc Warren. Good. Come on in here. It's Ross Brady.

[Narrator]

Bill pointed to a table littered with cards. Ross Brady was sitting behind it. His head was resting on the table, his neck twisted. The cards in front of him are stained with red. Dr. Warren made his examination?

[Dr. Warren]

Yeah. The bullet entered the chest just above the heart. He could only have lived for a few minutes after the shot was fired.

[Sergeant Preston]

Anyone hear the shot, Bill?

[Ross Brady]

No. Or if they did, it wasn't noticed. There was so much shooting on the stage.

[Sergeant Preston]

Who discovered the bunny?

[Ross Brady]

Rose did.

[Sergeant Preston]

Or is she?

[Ross Brady]

I don't know. She was here. Perhaps she's gone to her dressing room.

[Sergeant Preston]

Ross was playing cards at home.

[Ross Brady]

Let me think. It was Bart Conway. Bart Conway and Pete Sherman, Harry Forrest, Mike Wetherby.

[Sergeant Preston]

We know that Bart's already left the cafe. How about the others?

[Ross Brady]

I don't know.

[Sergeant Preston]

Well, see.

[Narrator]

The doors of the music hall were locked. The sergeant soon learned that none of the men who'd been playing cards with.

[Sergeant Preston]

Ross were still there. Rose had also disappeared.

[Narrator]

Constable Downey arrived from headquarters and the sergeant left him to question the customers. The sergeant, the doctor and King left the cafe and fought their way through the snow toward the shack where Bart Conway and Pete Sherman lived.

[Sergeant Preston]

No need for you to come with me, Doc.

[Dr. Warren]

I know, but I'd like to see how this turns out. There's this cabin.

[Sergeant Preston]

There's a light in it that surprises me a little. You better keep back.

[Dr. Warren]

I shall.

[Narrator]

Doc.

[Sergeant Preston]

Come here.

[Dr. Warren]

What is it?

[Sergeant Preston]

Feet on the floor.

[Dr. Warren]

Another shooting.

[Sergeant Preston]

Is it dead?

[Ross Brady]

Yes.

[Dr. Warren]

And the bullet hole is in exactly the same place as the one in Ross's chest.

[Narrator]

King was growling at a playing card that lay on the floor beside the dead man. The sergeant picked it up and turned it over. It was an ace of spades, and there was a neat hole in the center of it.

[Sergeant Preston]

Doc, you've seen Rose's act. Yes. She uses an ace of spades in it.

[Ross Brady]

That's right.

[Dr. Warren]

Several of them. She throws them in the air and.

[Narrator]

Shoots holes through them.

[Sergeant Preston]

Usually through the exact center.

[Dr. Warren]

Like this one?

[Sergeant Preston]

Yes. You said that Ross must have died almost at once.

[Dr. Warren]

That right?

[Sergeant Preston]

Could he have lived for a few minutes after the shot was fired?

[Dr. Warren]

Well, it's possible.

[Sergeant Preston]

It's possible, then, that he might have been still alive when Rose found him.

[Dr. Warren]

You believe he told her who killed him? That she came here and took the law in her own hands.

[Sergeant Preston]

That conclusion's a little too easy.

[Dr. Warren]

But the ace of spades.

[Sergeant Preston]

If Rose did this, why should she want to convict herself?

[Dr. Warren]

Well, what are you thinking, Sergeant?

[Sergeant Preston]

That whoever shot Pete may have left the card, hoping Rose would be blamed. That's the other possibility to consider.

[Dr. Warren]

Are you going after Rose?

[Sergeant Preston]

Not right away, Doc. When we find out why Ross was murdered, we'll know A great deal more about this case. There were three other men in the card game. Bart Conway, Harry Forrest and Mike Wetherby.

[Dr. Warren]

Forrest and Weatherby share a cabin over in Shantytown. I went there once last fall when Mike broke his arm. I can show you where it is, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Preston]

Good. Oh, would you put out the light? I'll cover the body.

[Ross Brady]

Sure.

[Sergeant Preston]

All right, let's go. Come on, King.

[Narrator]

There was a lamp burning in the cabin Harry Forest and Mike Wetherby shared. Sergeant opened the door.

[Sergeant Preston]

Both of them wearing knapsacks. Both of them dressed for the trail.

[Dr. Warren]

Both of them dead, Sergeant with an.

[Sergeant Preston]

Ace of spades lying on the floor between them.

[Narrator]

We'll continue our adventure in just a moment. Say, fellas and girls, you don't need a second invitation to breakfast when you have a big bowl full of delicious, crisp Quaker puffed rice or Quaker puffed wheat waiting for you. They're a bell ringer for flavor. Toasty nut like and puffed to crisp, tender perfection. What's more, the one shot from guns give you added food values of restored natural grain amounts of vitamin B1, niacin and iron. For a bell ringer breakfast every morning, treat yourself to Quaker puffed rice or Quaker puffed wheat and listen. That's the warning whistle. Today is your very last chance to hear about a sensational offer. Have paper and pencil ready for sure. Don't miss it. You'll hear it at the end of the program. Now to continue. After leaving the cabin where Harry Forrest and Mike Wetherby had lived, the sergeant and the doctor returned to Dawson and Rose Brady's cabin.

[Ross Brady]

Well, look.

[Dr. Warren]

Sergeant King's found something buried in the snow.

[Sergeant Preston]

Let's have it, boy.

[Dr. Warren]

It's a padlock.

[Sergeant Preston]

A broken padlock. There are marks on the door. Someone's broken in here. There's a lamp.

[Dr. Warren]

Doesn't seem to be anything wrong here.

[Sergeant Preston]

We'll take a look in the bedroom.

[Dr. Warren]

Hey, all those clothes lying on the bed.

[Sergeant Preston]

Rose seems to have packed in a hurry.

[Dr. Warren]

You think she's left Dawson?

[Sergeant Preston]

She isn't here. Look out and back the dog run.

[Ross Brady]

Empty.

[Dr. Warren]

Well, it doesn't seem possible.

[Sergeant Preston]

What doesn't?

[Dr. Warren]

That she could have killed those three men. Come back here, packed up and hit the trail. Rose may be a crack shot, but I'm sure she never fired a shot in anger before. Of course, the sight of her brother dead might have been enough to drive her to a desperate act.

[Sergeant Preston]

You're forgetting something, Doc. What? This broken padlock. Rose would have had a key.

[Dr. Warren]

You mean she wasn't Here?

[Sergeant Preston]

I didn't say that. She may have been, but someone else was there too.

[Dr. Warren]

Perhaps the inspector sent someone from headquarters to find her.

[Sergeant Preston]

Perhaps. I must report there at once.

[Dr. Warren]

I'll come with you and make out my report on the dead man.

[Sergeant Preston]

All right.

[Dr. Warren]

Now, what's King growling at?

[Narrator]

The great dog was growling at two decks of playing cards. Lying on the bed and only partially hidden by a scarf, the sergeant picked up the cards.

[Dr. Warren]

Are the the aces of spades missing?

[Sergeant Preston]

Yes.

[Ross Brady]

More proof.

[Sergeant Preston]

Proof? Listen to King. You don't imagine he knows the two aces are missing?

[Dr. Warren]

Of course not.

[Sergeant Preston]

But he's growling in exactly the same way he growled at Bart Conway outside the music hall.

[Dr. Warren]

Hey, could King have caught Bart scent on those cards?

[Sergeant Preston]

He's caught the scent of someone or something he doesn't like. Could be the scent of fear.

[Dr. Warren]

Someone broke into this cabin. It could have been Bart. He could have left those cards to make the evidence against Rose more conclusive. Is that what you're thinking?

[Sergeant Preston]

Come on. We must find Rose and Bart.

[Narrator]

At headquarters, Sergeant Preston learned that it hadn't been a constable who had broken into Rose's cabin. He conferred with the inspector, and after discussing every angle of the case, it was decided the sergeant should concentrate on finding Rose. While the rest of the force searched the town for Bart Conway, the sergeant went back to the music hall, now closed for the night. But Bill Wright let him in. When the cafe proprietor heard that not one but four men had been murdered, he was astonished.

[Ross Brady]

So four of the five men who were in that card game are dead?

[Sergeant Preston]

We're not sure about Bart Conway. We hadn't been able to find him.

[Ross Brady]

Well, he lived with Pete.

[Sergeant Preston]

Only Pete was in the cabin.

[Ross Brady]

I can't help you.

[Sergeant Preston]

I haven't been able to find Rose Brady either.

[Ross Brady]

Say, those playing cards, those death cards.

[Sergeant Preston]

Death cards?

[Ross Brady]

Fortune tellers always say the ace of spades means death. Those cards link Rose up with the killings. Is that it?

[Sergeant Preston]

Not necessarily. I simply want to find her. Some of her clothes are gone. Her dog team's gone. You know her as well as anyone in Dawson.

[Narrator]

What about her friends?

[Ross Brady]

She has hundreds of them in town, outside of town.

[Sergeant Preston]

Someone very close. Someone she might turn to if she were in trouble.

[Ross Brady]

Three months ago, I'd have said Dave Martin.

[Sergeant Preston]

Dave Martin? I know him. His claims on Sugar Bowl Creek.

[Ross Brady]

That's a fellow. Three months ago he asked Rose to marry him, but she turned him down. I think she was in love with Dave, but she was always worried about Ross. She told me once that she'd never marry until her brother had settled on Ross.

[Sergeant Preston]

Can't worry her anymore.

[Ross Brady]

That's true enough.

[Sergeant Preston]

Thanks, Bill.

[Ross Brady]

You're going to Sugar Bowl?

[Sergeant Preston]

As soon as I harness my team.

[Ross Brady]

You'Ll be fighting a bad storm.

[Sergeant Preston]

If Rose's team can make it, mine can.

[Ross Brady]

Good luck, then.

[Bart Conway]

Door.

[Ross Brady]

Constable Downey.

[Dr. Warren]

Hello, Bill.

[Narrator]

We have a lead, Sergeant.

[Sergeant Preston]

On Rose or Bart Conway. Bart?

[Ross Brady]

He was seen leaving town two hours ago.

[Sergeant Preston]

Which direction?

[Dr. Warren]

North.

[Sergeant Preston]

I'm going after him. We'll be traveling together, Jim. How's that? I'm heading for Sugar Bowl Creek. Why? Rose may have gone there. And Bart may have been following her when he left town. The fact that he's still alive makes everything a little clearer in my mind.

[Ross Brady]

Well, it's no clearer than mine.

[Sergeant Preston]

I've never been able to believe that Rose murdered Pete and Harry and Mike, even to avenge her brother. I can believe that Bart killed Ross and then killed the others, leaving the ace of spades behind to incriminate Rose. I can believe he went to her cabin afterwards to leave the decks of cards from which the aces were taken. At the cabin, he would have seen just as we did, that Rose had.

[Narrator]

Packed up and left.

[Sergeant Preston]

He may have followed her.

[Ross Brady]

But how could he know where she'd gone? Well, he'd have thought of Dave Martin just the way I did. Art would have liked to marry Rose. He's always hated Dave because he figured Dave cut him out.

[Sergeant Preston]

We have to travel fast, Jim. We're guessing anywhere near the truth. Rose is in real danger. Let's go.

[Narrator]

It was 8 o' clock in the morning when Rose arrived at Dave Martin's cabin on Sugar Bowl Creek. But it was still dark. Rose was exhausted. She took a few steps toward the door of the cabin. Then her strength gave out. She sank to the ground. However, Dave had heard the team stopping out in front.

[Ross Brady]

Rose.

[Bart Conway]

Dave. Help me, Dave.

[Ross Brady]

I sure will.

[Narrator]

Dave carried the girl into the cabin and placed her on a cot. He refused to let her talk until she had drunk a cup of tea.

[Ross Brady]

Then, feeling better.

[Bart Conway]

I wish I were dead.

[Ross Brady]

Rose.

[Bart Conway]

Dave. I'm a coward. I ran away.

[Ross Brady]

You ran away from what?

[Bart Conway]

Ross has been murdered. It happened last night at the music hall. He was playing cards with Bart Conway and his gang in one of the private rooms. I went there after I'd finished my number. I was going to make him come home with me. I found him. His head was lying on the table. He'd been shot through the chest, but he wasn't dead yet. When I screamed, he looked at me. He said, they think you know about the gold. Get out of Dawson. They'll kill you, too. And then he died. I was a coward. I ran. I ran straight home and packed some things in.

[Ross Brady]

A relief.

[Bart Conway]

Then I harnessed the dog team. You were the only one I could think of, Dade. The only one I could turn to.

[Ross Brady]

I'm glad you came here, but I can't stay.

[Bart Conway]

I must get back to Dawson.

[Ross Brady]

When the storm's over, I'll take you there. Now you must get some rest.

[Bart Conway]

How can I rest? I should have gone straight to the police. I know who killed Ross and I know why they did it.

[Ross Brady]

Rose, you must get your strength back before you can go anywhere.

[Bart Conway]

Dave, have you heard about the express robbery at Grand Ledge? No, but it happened about three days ago. Ross would have taken part in that robbery if I hadn't stopped him.

[Ross Brady]

You've been through a great strain and.

[Bart Conway]

You think I'm Raven. Well, I'm not. It all seems like a bad dream, but it's the truth. You must listen to me.

[Ross Brady]

Of course, Ross.

[Bart Conway]

It was Bart Conway and his gang who stole the gold in Grand Ledge. Ross was in on their plans. He must have known where they planned to hide the gold after the robbery. It killed him because he knew too much. Because he hadn't gone to Grand Ledge with them and they were afraid he'd go to the police. From what he said just before he died, they must have been convinced he'd told me where the gold was hidden. And that made me dangerous, too. That's why I was afraid. That's why I ran.

[Ross Brady]

No one can blame you for that.

[Bart Conway]

I blame myself.

[Ross Brady]

I'll drive you back to Dawson as soon as the storm is over.

[Bart Conway]

That's what I want to tell the police. Everything I, Bart Conway.

[Narrator]

Up with your head.

[Dr. Warren]

On your feet, Rose.

[Ross Brady]

She's too weak to stand.

[Narrator]

Get up, Rose.

[Bart Conway]

All right.

[Ross Brady]

Keep your hands high. Well, if you have a gun in your part. Yeah, well, you won't be needing this.

[Bart Conway]

It was you who killed Ross. And now you're going to kill me.

[Ross Brady]

You guessed it. You'll hang Conway, not me. But I must admit that you're coming up here to change my plans. A little rock. You were supposed to be found in your cabin with your own gun in your hand and a suicide note on the table. Suicide note? Who would believe that Rose would take her own life?

[Narrator]

Most adorse.

[Ross Brady]

I have the note already written. Shall I read it to you?

[Bart Conway]

Yes.

[Ross Brady]

Well, I'll be glad to oblige. And by the way, I'm clever with a pen. It Even looks like you're writing Rose.

[Bart Conway]

May I see it now?

[Narrator]

You better face the wall, both of you.

[Ross Brady]

Come on, turn around. Now listen to this. To the police, I knew my brother had been playing cards with Pete Sherman, Harry Forrest and Mike Weatherman. I knew one of them must have shot him, that all of them were responsible for his death. I took one of my pistols and went after them. You'll find them dead in their cabins.

[Narrator]

They deserve to die.

[Ross Brady]

But I realize it's murder and.

[Narrator]

And I must hang.

[Ross Brady]

I'd rather take this way out, that's all.

[Bart Conway]

Is it true? Are Pete and Harry and Mike dead?

[Ross Brady]

Yeah, it's true. And you shot them?

[Sergeant Preston]

Yeah.

[Ross Brady]

But Rose will be blamed for it. There's no one left but me. I'll not have to split that Golden Crater canyon with anyone.

[Bart Conway]

So that's where it's hidden.

[Ross Brady]

So, as if you didn't know.

[Bart Conway]

I didn't. Until now.

[Ross Brady]

Well, knowing that'll be of no help to him. You mean to stage a double suicide?

[Sergeant Preston]

I.

[Ross Brady]

Use your brains, Dave. That couldn't be made to seem logical.

[Bart Conway]

Well, what are you going to do with it?

[Ross Brady]

I'm considering fire.

[Bart Conway]

What?

[Ross Brady]

Yeah, this cabin's made of seasoned wood. Should burn well. And fire will destroy any evidence that you've been shot.

[Sergeant Preston]

And it's about time.

[Bart Conway]

No, don't shoot. No, Dave.

[Narrator]

I'm all right.

[Ross Brady]

Someone shot Bart through the window.

[Bart Conway]

Whoa. Whoa. Sergeant Preston.

[Sergeant Preston]

Yes, Charles. We seem to have arrived just in time.

[Ross Brady]

Another second and you'd have been too late.

[Sergeant Preston]

You can thank King. Considering the storm, he must have made a record trip from Dawson. How's Bart, Jim?

[Dr. Warren]

He'll be all right.

[Ross Brady]

Your bullet caught him in the shoulder, Sergeant.

[Bart Conway]

He was going to shoot us. And he confessed everything. He.

[Ross Brady]

Rose.

[Sergeant Preston]

I've got her. It's only a faint.

[Ross Brady]

The cut there.

[Bart Conway]

My head.

[Sergeant Preston]

Just take it easy, Rose. What was it that Bart confessed, Dave?

[Narrator]

Nothing. I confessed to nothing. I still.

[Sergeant Preston]

While I bandaged the. Go on, Dave.

[Ross Brady]

It was he who killed all four men. He thought he'd arranged it so Rose would be blamed for three of the murders.

[Sergeant Preston]

Tell me, why did he kill Ross?

[Ross Brady]

Because Ross knew that Bart and his gang had robbed the express office in Grand Ledge.

[Sergeant Preston]

And his confederates. Why'd he kill them?

[Ross Brady]

Well, they were witnesses to his first murder. And with them out of the way, he wouldn't have to share the gold with anyone.

[Sergeant Preston]

I see.

[Ross Brady]

I suppose that was it. Though it's hard to follow the workings of a twisted mind.

[Bart Conway]

Crater Canyon.

[Sergeant Preston]

What road?

[Bart Conway]

Crater Canyon, Sergeant. That's where the gold is hidden.

[Sergeant Preston]

We'll find it, Bart. You're under arrest in the name of the crown.

[Narrator]

Lies. All lies. I never admitted killing anyone. I never said anything about Crater Canyon.

[Ross Brady]

And if you find any gold there.

[Narrator]

I had nothing to do with stealing it. You can't prove anything against me.

[Sergeant Preston]

A jury will decide that, Bart. And it's my guess this country will be rid of a menace when your case is closed.

[Narrator]

We'll return in just a moment with a word about our next exciting adventure.

[Sergeant Preston]

You know, it's a rare privilege to see the great totem poles in the Northwest because they're found nowhere else in the world.

[Narrator]

And I understand, sergeant, that the carvings of fish, animals and birds were all done by hand on logs as high as 60ft.

[Sergeant Preston]

In fact, the only carving tools the ancestors of the Northwest Indians had were such primitive ones as whalebone, beaver teeth and sharp stones.

[Narrator]

Well, to actually see these totem poles is like having the history of those Indians come to life right before your eyes. And that's what makes this news so terrific right now. And for the very last time, friends of Sergeant Preston can get in on the most exciting offer of your life. You can get a whole collection of five different scale model totem poles offered to you friends of Sergeant Preston for the last time on this program by Quaker Pop wheat and Quaker Pop Rice. Here are the five different totem poles you get. One, the famous thunderbird, God of weather. Two, the fight with the land otters. Three, the weird burial pole with the amazing coffin like box at the top. 4, the killer whale that tells the fascinating story of a whale hunting tribe. Five, the sun and raven. That's famous because the raven is the greatest hero and mythical God of the Northwest. Yes, from the huge totem poles that you would see today up in the great northwest, accurate scale models have been made. 4 inches High miniatures made of pressed wood and hand painted in beautiful bright colors. Say, don't miss the fun of making your own little Indian teepee village for each totem pole or taking them to school when you study Indian life now, they're easy as pie to get. But you must hurry. Get your pencil and paper ready because this is absolutely the last time on this program you can get the details. First, get one of the special new packages of Quaker puffed rice or Quaker puffed wheat. Now, at grocer's, these packages tell all about these exciting totem poles. And they have a special order blank with a list of the five different poles right on it. You just check the totem poles you want and for Every one you check, send 25 cents. Now, if you want the whole collection, you send only $1. But whether you want one or all of them, you only have to send one box top from Quaker Popped Wheat or Quaker Popped Rice. Send to Totem Poles, Fox L, Chicago, 77, Illinois. And with the totem poles order, you'll get something extra. A little booklet that tells the fascinating history and story of each totem pole. Now, if these aren't the most wonderful scale model totem poles you ever saw, you get your money back, every cent of it. But here's a warning. In a few seconds, this radio offer will be over. Get every word and act at once. Tonight, get the special new packages of delicious Quaker Puffed Wheat or rice. Then use the box top to order any totem pole you want. Don't lose a minute. Rush your order tonight to Totem Poles, box L, Chicago, 77, Illinois. And now, here is Sergeant Preston reporting for duty.

[Sergeant Preston]

Inspector.

[Ross Brady]

Sergeant. Post these handbills in every town and trading post you pass when you leave Dawson so that the people will be on the lookout for stolen American money carrying these serial numbers.

[Sergeant Preston]

Is there any reason to believe that the money will turn up here, sir?

[Ross Brady]

Some of it was found in Seattle. A man used it to buy a steamship ticket to Dawson. He's a thief and a murderer, Sergeant. He must be captured.

[Sergeant Preston]

I'll do my best, sir.

[Narrator]

Sergeant Preston doesn't suspect that the search for stolen American money will bring him face to face with men who have already committed murder and who will kill again to protect their freedom. Be sure to hear this next exciting adventure. These radio dramas, a feature of Sergeant Preston of the Yukon, Incorporated, are created by George W. Trendle, produced by Trendall Campbell, Muir Incorporated, directed by Fred Flowerday and supervised by Charles D. Livingston. The part of Sergeant Preston is played by Paul Sutton. Sergeant Preston of the Yukon is brought to you every Tuesday and Thursday at this same time on Thursday by Quaker Puffed Wheat and Quaker Puffed Rice, the breakfast cereal shot from Gun. Only Quaker Pako 10 has wheat and rice shot from guns. That's Quaker Pako 10. A regular cereal pantry. Six different delicious, ready to serve cereals. Ten crisp, fresh individual servings. At breakfast, you can take your pick of the pack. Have your own separate individual package. Enjoy a different cereal, extra fresh every morning. Just remember, only Quaker Pako 10 has all your family's cereal favorites. Try Quaker Pako 10. You'll be glad you did. This is J. Michael wishing you goodbye, good luck and good health from Quaker Pop Wheat and Quaker Pop Rice.

[Ross Brady]

So long.

[Narrator]

Listen tomorrow at the same time to the Green Hornet brought to you by the drink that makes you feel fresh again. Delicious Orange Crush. This is the Mutual Broadcasting System.

[Bart Conway]

Sam Foreign.

[Andrew Rines (Host)]

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 YouTube become one of our ranch hands and unlock some exclusive content. We want to thank our most recent ranch hands Steve and Ron W. 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 copyrighted under the Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Copyright. For more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening.

[Bart Conway]

Sam.