Frontier Town, the saga of the roaring west. Frontier Town. Here is the adventurous story of the early west, the tamed and the untamed. From the Pecos to Powder River, Dodge City to Poker Flat, these are the towns they fought to live in and lived to fight for. Teaming crucibles of pioneer freedom. Frontier Town. Howdy, I'm Chad Remington. Never heard of me? Well, a lot of folks have never even heard of the town I come from. Dos Rios means two rivers. And if Dos Rios sounds peaceful, well, it's no more peaceful than any other frontier town. Good folks and bad. God-fearing and evil. I know, because not only am I a rancher, but I'm also the town's only lawyer. Take the other day, I was perched on a keg of horseshoe nails, swapping yarns with Cherokee O'Bannon out in front of his livery stable, ragging him about the time he used to be a medicine man. No good lawyer would say a thing like that. No, sir, that there is slander, libel, and mayhem. Oh, go on. That genuine Cherokee Indian rattlesnake oil you used to peddle couldn't cure a hop-toed of warts. My friend, and I'm giving you the best of it, my rattlesnake oil was an absolute and positive cure for 376 diseases of men and beasts. And guaranteed. Guaranteed, he says. If my father hadn't saved you from that necktie party, the... What's wrong, Chan? What are you staring at? That ride ahead in this way, you notice how he slumped over in the saddle? Tan my hide and call me buckskin. What do you think's wrong with him? If I'm any good at guessing, he's been shot. Come on. The Six inches lower, mister, and that lead would have gone through your heart. Guess this is my lucky day. Yes, sirree, bug. You were playing in real luck. Not only the Chad spotted you, but that I just happened to have a bottle of my genuine Cherokee rattlesnake oil. Here, take another little swallow. Wait a minute, Cherokee. It was all right pouring it down his mouth when he fainted, but no conscious man's gonna drink that stuff. I'll have you know, it's very tasty stuff. Besides, I wasn't gonna charge him for it, Chad. I'll say you were, not with me here. Oh, what was that you were saying outside about filing for a piece of land? Yeah, that's where I rode over here to the county seat. You see, I've been prospecting over at Big Strike. Struck a fine, rich claim. But I guess Rocky Carue found out about my strike, too. Rocky Carue? Now who would all get out as Rocky Carue? Not only don't we know who this Mr. Carue is, but we don't even know your name. Maybe we better start from the beginning. This is Cherokee O'Bannon, and my handle's Chad Remington. I'm supposed to be sort of a lawyer. A lawyer? Garson, maybe I am lucky. My name is Ford, Todd Ford. And if you can help me straighten this out and get my claim filed, I'll pay you any fee you want. I'd be more than glad to help you, Todd, but not that hard up for fees. Who's this fellow Carue you mentioned? A black-hearted buzzard who moved into Big Strike about a month after they struck gold. He claims to be a miner. The only thing I've ever seen him do is hang around the town saloon, the Bonanza Bar, spending money and living like a lord. And you can't knock that to me. That Carue character sounds like he's plenty smart. I'll say he's smart. Never working, never prospecting. But he owns six or seven of the richest claims over there. It's mighty funny the way certain prospectors have either vanished or have been found with their toes pointing up in the air. I thought we'd seen last acclaimed jumpers. You think Carue's responsible for that bandage we just put on your shoulder? Of course. Why, it's as plain as the nose on my face. And just about as red. It's an open and shut case. Cherokee, you stick to your doctrine. Leave the law business to me. Well, how about it, Todd? Do you think Carue tried to bushwhack you? Carue were one of his gunslingers. Why, I'll mow him down. I'll drill him so full of holes that when he stoops over, he'll wheeze like an accordion. I'll fill him so full of... Just a minute, Cherokee. We may get your chance later. But not till we first try to settle this under the few processes of law that we enjoy out here. First thing I suggest doing, if Todd's able to walk, is to escort him down the street to the recorder's office and doggone well file his claim. The land office is two dusty blocks down Dos Rios' only street from where Cherokee keeps his livery stable. With Todd Ford's shoulder bandage, we walked slowly past the familiar stores with the false fronts, the half-dozen saloons, which even in the early afternoon were going full blast. We just passed Ben Minton's Lucky Horseshoe Cafe when I felt Todd's arm stiffen under my hand that was holding me. His steps, which were slow to start with, suddenly folded to a halt. Hold it, Chad. Wait a minute. Now, if you're getting weak, son, it just happens that I brought along a bottle of my famous Cherokee rattlesnake oil. No, it ain't that. You see that big fella just tying off that black horse? Yeah. He's from over my way. Names Big Jake. Hangs out with Rocky Carue. From the sweat on that horse, I'd say he'd been pounding leather to get over here. To get over here in a hurry. Well, like you say, I'm not a barrister. But if there are only four shells left in that six-gun of his, he's the vulture who plugged Todd Ford. I bet he is. I just know it. Well, we're not getting anyplace standing here gawking at him. Let's walk. When Todd spotted Big Jake, we were about a hundred yards away from the land office. Walking slowly gave me time to size him up as he nodded his lines around the hitch rack. Big Jake was a big man, all right. Big and with a chest on him like a hog's head. Big and as mean-looking as Jen as any I'd ever seen. He spotted us coming and turned quickly and started for the land office. I let go of Todd's arm and tried to talk him getting between him and the door before he could open it. You wanting something? Yeah, I was. You mind if I look at that gun you're wearing? I sure do. It'll save some trouble. I ain't got no troubles. But I have. You see, I'm a lawyer here in Dos Rios. I was just retained by that young fellow with a bandage on his shoulder. Oh. Well, counselor, since I'm no man to argue with a lawyer, sure. Here. Here's my gun. See you in court, counselor. Maybe. Like I said, Jake was a big man. I had a lump on the top of my head the size of a mallard's egg where he'd hit me with the butt of the gun I'd been fool enough to ask to see. By the time Todd and Cherokee ran up and I came too, Mr. Carew's gun hand had had enough time to get into the land office, record his claim, and out the back door. The land office registrar was sympathetic enough for all the good it did. Well, I believe you're right enough, Chad, but as a lawyer, you ought to know that the first fellow to get in is a fellow whose claim we got to recognize. Of course, but like all other rules, there are exceptions to that one, too. Exceptions, my eye. Where Rocky Carew is concerned this way of getting claims is a rule. What's that name again, young fellow? Carew, Rocky Carew. That ain't the name he filed in. There's a name of, wait a minute, let me see here. Yeah, the claim's filed in the name Jake Hunbright. Sure, that's his name. Big Jake Hunbright. You'll have to excuse me batting my long eyelashes like this, but it sure seems like this polecat Carew gets out of this as free as a lark on the wing. He might, but not if Jake sells Carew the claim later. That's legal, good and legal. Well, if that's legal, then Cherokee's right. Carew gets out scot-free. Carew gets out scot-free if and providing we're unable to prove that he hired Jake to dry-gult you on the way over from Big Strike and instructed him to file on the claim you discovered. And that, believe me, ain't gonna prove easy. No, sir, it ain't gonna prove easy at all. You're right about that. Since we can't prove anything here in Dos Rios, I think we'd better be out. Chad, I sure appreciate you wanting to help, but I reckon it's just a waste of time. I guess mine is just another claim Carew and his gang got the jump on. No, my interest in this isn't entirely unselfish, no. When Big Jake clubbed me with his gun, he didn't raise just a bump on my head. It brought out my bump of curiosity. Now, come on, we're going back over to the livery stable and pounding up dust on the trail of Big Strike. Carew, with that bad shoulder, Todd, if we're going too fast for you, just sing out. No, I'm all right. And the way I feel, I don't feel like singing, out or otherwise. My little songbird, you listen to Dr. O'Bannon. If you found one gold claim, you'll probably find another. Where there's one, there's got to be more. That's not what I mean about the gold. As we were riding along, it suddenly dawned on me how Carew happened to find out about that claim. What do you mean? I'll give you three guesses. A woman. A woman? Yeah. And I thought she was on the square with me. Eh, live and learn. Live and learn, I always say. You always say something, Cherokee. Who is she, Todd? The only reason I ask is it just might help in cleaning this up. Her name's Al Thea. Uh-huh. Thea's what I call her, and she works over in Big Strike. Oh. I guess you'd call her an entertainer. It works in the Bonanza Bar, the place where Carew hangs out. When the good Lord made this world, he made 97 kinds of poison. 96 of them can absolutely be cured by my genuine Cherokee Indian rattlesnake oil. But the 97th is the one poison that no one has ever found a cure for. And that's female women. I'll grub sticky on that one, Cherokee. Were you, were you in love with this Al Thea? If I was, it's over. But I'll bet what poke I've gotten left. The only reason she played up to me at all was to tip off Carew. Well, one of the things a lawyer is forced to handle from time to time is misunderstandings between men and women. A good lawyer tries to prevent divorce. Suppose we just let the whole thing drop. Fair enough. Suppose we rattle up these ponies, huh? The sun's starting to set. It's gonna be dark by the time we get to Big Strike. It was dark all right by the time we got to Big Strike. The lights from the Bonanza bar slanted out over the batwing doors and stabbed through the gloom like smoky yellow sabers. Inside we stood by the doors blinking in the unaccustomed light while Todd Ford tried to pick out Carew for me. But before he was able, a small figure in a stiff spangled skirt pushed through the curtain. And ran up to Todd. Oh, Todd! Todd! Oh, Todd! Todd, I'm so glad you... Oh, what's the matter? What happened? Todd, your shoulder's bandaged. Don't look so surprised. Or maybe you are surprised because he missed. Because he missed? I'm not aiming to intrude, but Todd's had a couple of shocks today. Now say I have. And one I'm not forgetting either. Todd, what's the matter? You're looking at me as if you're a little boy. And one I'm not forgetting either. Todd, what's the matter? You're looking at me as if you never saw me before. I don't know about that. But I never want to see you again. That much I'm sure of. Miss, if you leave Todd alone right now, I think if I... That's him. That's Carew walking this way now. So that's Carew. Looks more like a rattlesnake on legs. Well, Theo, come on over to my table and I'll buy you a... Well, what happened to you, Ford? Get mixed up in a gun scrape? If he did, it was a little one-sided. I beg your pardon. I don't believe we've met. We have now. I'm Chad Remington, lawyer from Dos Rios. I rode all the way over here just to talk to you, Mr. Carew. I don't need a lawyer. That, my friend, is a matter of opinion. However, as far as you're concerned, in this particular action, my services have already been spoken for by Mr. Ford. And the way he looks, he don't need a lawyer. He needs a bodyguard. You probably know more about that than I do. All I can tell you is we've got a few laws in this state to protect honest men from claim jumpers. Remington, if I were in your boots, I'd turn them around toward the door and I'd walk out. But I wouldn't stop until I was back in Dos Rios. Quiet, loudmouthed, hypocritical... No, Cherokee, Todd, no. In this case, I think his advice is pretty good. Come on. Todd, Todd, please. You can't go without explaining what's happened. Get your dirty little hands off of me. Oh, no. Okay, Chad, let's go. Todd. Wait a second. Back, back against the wall. Chad, who flanged that shot? I don't know. A lawyer would call a couple of death warrants. Two men, see them? One's in the shadows between the alley and the saloon. The other one's in that doorway across the street. Chad, what are we gonna do? What can we do? We can try shooting that out. But my best guess is we've all got a pretty good chance of spending the rest of our lives right here in Big Strike, up on the shady side of Boothill. We'll return to the stirring climax of Frontier Town in just about one minute. And now, Frontier Town. Well, the night wasn't cold, but with those gunmen blocking our paths, I don't mind admitting I was frozen. Frozen stiff. We moved a scant few inches of lights from the Bonanza bar behind us to make us perfect targets. I could almost hear Cherokee's knuckles as his fingers closed over his gun butt. Todd Ford drew his, and finally I drew mine. Can you move a few inches there, Chad? This hog leg of mine kicks like an overgrown Missouri mule. The first one of us who moves gets killed. We just can't stand here. Take it easy, kid. The longer we make them wait, the more nervous they'll... What's the matter? Someone's coming. Coming from behind us. I told you what I'd do, Remington, if I were in your boots. I figured maybe you needed a little lesson. Rocky, what are you doing here? I didn't think I'd have to tell you again. But I just came out to make sure you knew what would happen to the three of you if you thought you might want to hang around Big Strike, talking about claim jumpers. Karoo, your demonstration's even more convincing than my friend here used to give selling his rattlesnake oil. Thanks. But on the other hand, I never bought any of Cherokee's rattlesnake oil. That's for you to decide. All I have to do now is walk back inside the saloon. Couple of seconds later, you'll be dead. Awful dead. Go on, then. Go on back to Thea. Let's leave Thea out of this, Todd. No, no, let's talk about her. She's pretty, well put together, and I imagine she's got a very affectionate nature. Why, you tell him to keep my gun down. Yeah. So, you're a gentleman and a lawyer, huh? Well, I'll tell you what I'll do, Remington. Since you rode all the way over here from Dos Rios, your horses are properly beat. You're safe and big strike until tomorrow. But I don't expect to see you here after the sun sets. That's a very gracious offer, Karoo. I'm accepting it. Good. Okay, boys, let them through. Good night, gentlemen. Oh, and Todd, I'll be sure to tell Thea just how much you think of her. Well, with the High Court, the criminal court, granting us a stay of execution, the three of us rode back up to Todd's Diggins. It was hard and cold on the ground, and I slept like a baby. I slept until shortly after dawn, then I heard voices. I rolled over a little on one elbow and listened. I know, I know. But Todd, I didn't come here to argue. Believe me, I didn't. I'm not arguing, Thea. I'm just telling you to clear out of here. Clear out and stay out of my life. If your gentleman friend leaves me with a life. He's not my gentleman friend. He's nothing to me. He's just a customer down at the bar. And a mighty good customer, I'll bet. Oh, Todd, you can't stay here now. Caru will kill you. I have you killed like he has everyone else who's gotten in his way. Let's go away. Let's go someplace else together. I told you to get out of here before. Now go on. You're not making a fool of me again. Oh, Todd, please. I'm going over and wake up Chad and Cherokee. When I get back over here, you'd better be gone. Don't be a fool. I don't care what you think of me. But just get out of Big Strike before they kill you. Yeah. Maybe I will get out. But not before we found Jake Hunbright and made him talk. And we'll find him if we have to ride around this country all week. How long are we going to ride around looking for Big G? I'm so sad and sore now my legs feel like I've been playing a second hand cello. Well, cello or not, if we ever find Jake, what we've got to say to him isn't going to make music. Chad! Yeah? Just riding through them Quakeys. That's Jake now. Darting into that grove of trees, he must have spotted us. Here, we better knock on these... The shots came right from those ass-mins. Yeah, right where Big Jake rode. Come on. Here, Cherokee. Come on, help me turn him over. You bet. That's Big Jake. I hate to correct you, Todd, but that was Big Jake. Three of those four shots went plumb through him. From the angles of these shots, he must have had him surrounded. Just like they did us last night. Well, counselor, there goes your case. Higher than a kite. Maybe. Huh? What do you mean, maybe? With Jake dead, you'll never prove nothing. And for my part, I think I'm taking Carew's advice and moving on. Now, wait, there's no doubt in my mind that Carew got Jake for fear that we might get to him first. But how he knew what we were up to is beyond me. It ain't beyond me. His girlfriend wormed it out on me for him. You'd make a pretty poor judge, Todd. You'd have everyone convicted before they ever got into court. Well, how in tarnation would Carew have found out that we were looking for Jake? Well, let's find that out when the time comes. But now, let's find out what we can right here. Billy Blue Blazers, you believing ghosts or something, Chad? What are you gonna find out from a dead man? I don't know. Yet. But we may find out enough not only to get back Todd's claim but to have Carew swinging from a gallows for murder. HUNCHING Being a lawyer, I don't usually play hunches, but this time my hunch was right. There in Big Jake's inside shirt pocket was a map and description of Todd's claim in handwriting, which Todd admitted was undoubtedly Carew's. He'd seen Carew's markers in a couple of Faro games. It wasn't much to go on, but it was enough to send us back to the Bonanza bar for a little further checking up. I'd invite you all to sit down, but I know you three gents are leaving town in a few minutes. Soon gonna be sunset. It soon is at that, Carew. I made a suggestion to Todd that he wants to talk to you about it. Yeah? Well, I better be quick. It'll be quick, all right. You jumped my claim and we know it. The sun's setting right now. Maybe my eyes ain't so good, but two minutes from now it's gonna look dark again, if you know what I mean. Your eyes were good enough to see Big Jake's back out in that grove... That'll be enough, Todd. Todd, Todd, please don't be crazy. Get out while you have a chance. I'm not telling you again. Keep out of this, Thea. There's less than two minutes left now. Now, look, let me do the talking. Whatever money Todd had, he used up prospecting for the claim that Jake Hunbright filed on him. Yeah. So I suggest to save further trouble and to get enough money to move on, Todd writes you out a quit claim contract giving you all rights to the claim, for which you give him $100. Here, I even drew up the papers. All you gotta do, Carew, is sign your name to it. Okay, that's a deal. Oh, thank God. Just sign your name here. All right. There you are. Now, I'll get you the $100. Never mind the $100 now. This paper's all we want. What? That signature is the same handwriting we got here on this paper we took off Big Jake's body. Why, you blasted... You fool, let that gun alone. Rocky! Rocky, go! Why, that fool female, she stepped right into that shot. Cherokee, grab him quick. You better drop that gun, Karora. I'll, I'll... Drop that gun, Karora. I'll drop it after... Why, I blame Foley. Just about committed suicide. Pulled a trigger just as I pushed the gun barrel up by his neck. Todd, is the... I'm afraid she's... Come on, Cherokee. Let's have a look at her while somebody goes out and finds a doctor. Well, Todd, not only have Cherokee and I got business back in Dos Rios, but I... Well, I guess we're a little awkward in a lady's bedroom. Oh, this won't be a lady's bedroom for long. My little pigeon, I'm afraid you're gonna have to explain that, even to me. I just mean that as soon as the doctor says I'm able, this lady's bedroom is going to be out at Todd's Dickings. Well, they say that marriages are made in heaven. Yours certainly comes as close to proven as any. The sawbones told me that if Carouse shot the Thea stopped, it'd been a half inch further to the left that, well... Well, even my Cherokee Indian rattlesnake oil couldn't have done any good for us. Now, now, don't forget you two. Cherokee and I are expecting a piece of the wedding cake to put under our pillows. Yes, indeed, yes, indeed. Ah, those pleasant dreams. Wedding cake for the good old Kentucky bourbon under my pillow. And let this be a lesson to you, Todd. The most important thing at Glitter's doesn't have to be a nugget. It's usually a woman with a heart of gold. jouer Frontier Town starring Tex Chandler is a Bruce Ells production. A story in supervision by Joel Murcott, direction by Paul Franklin, music written and played by Ivan Ditmars. Be sure to be with us again this time one week from today for another fine action adventure story with your favorite young western star Tex Chandler. Frontier Town came to you from Hollywood. Until next time.
