Frontier Town, the saga of the roaring west. Frontier Town. El Paso, Cheyenne, Calgary, Tombstone. Frontier Town. Here is the adventurous story of the early west. 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. The steaming crucibles of pioneer freedom. Frontier Town. Frontier Town. You know, when you're a cow town lawyer like Chad Remington, that's me. There are several things you've got to know and the least of them is law. The most of them is trouble. It was only a few weeks ago that I had a letter from Colonel Winfield, an old friend of my father's who settled a hundred or so miles away from my hometown in a place known as Vomit Valley. Colonel Winfield wrote that he needed help. Needed it bad. And to quote the old gentleman, the kind of help he needed might be legal but probably otherwise. Well, it took Cherokee, O'Bannon and myself about a day to get ready and pack up. And another few days to ride up to Vomit Valley. And it was while Cherokee and I were on the trail that Colonel Winfield's trouble first came to a head. Early one morning, the Colonel and his daughter Georgia were paid a call by the Colonel's oldest friend and next door neighbor, Henry Trowbridge. I'm going to journal if you just shut that trap of yours and let me go. Shut my trap, eh? I got a good mind to shut yours for you, Henry Trowbridge, so you won't be able to use it for a month on Sunday. Daddy! Now that's no way to talk to Mr. Trowbridge. You keep out of this, Georgia. I'll talk to him or anyone else just the way I want to. And there's no one walking the face of this earth who's going to make me sell my ranch if I don't want to. Well, you've been trying to sell your ranch for years. But now, just because someone wants to pay a decent price for both our places, you've got to go and act as if I were trying to eukaryote you out of something. Ah, hogwash. And I've taken all the hogwash from you I'm going to take. Oh, is that so? Yeah, that's so. And if you know what's good for you, Trowbridge, you'll clear out of here. Father, how can you talk that way to your oldest friend? He's no friend of mine anymore, Georgia. Who wants to be a friend of yours anyhow? Trying to talk me into selling my ranch just because you want to sell yours. All right, I'm through talking, but I'll promise you one thing, you bullheaded old gopher. You're going to regret what you're doing. Regret it mighty soon. Betty, I'm just... well, all I can say is that I'm just thoroughly ashamed of you. Yes, too blessed to be. And so you don't get contaminated staying in the same room with me. Go out and find that shiftless foreman of ours and tell him I want to see him. Root? What do you want to see Root for? Because I want Root to start rounding up the cattle. Henry Trowbridge or not, I'm driving my herd to market, so I don't have to stay around here and listen to all that catawalling about selling our ranches. But what about Chad Remington? I thought you wrote him to come up here. Well, what about Chad? He'll get here when he gets here. And if we're gone, maybe he can take the few days to find out what's going on behind the scenes. Well, fortunately, Cherokee and I got to the Colonel's place before he had a chance to trail his herd to market. And between the Colonel, Georgia, and Root, the ranch foreman, we finally dragged out the story of what had been going on. That's about all I can tell you, Chad. This cattle broker, Big John Biggers, claims he represents some packing house and wants to sell it to me. And I know Blaine well, the price they're offering for my ranch are old. This old gull blamed high, it just can't be honest. Pardon my intrusion, Colonel Winfield, but haven't you heard the old expression about not looking a gift horse to teeth, especially if the teeth are solid gold? There's another old expression you ought to learn, Cherokee. The one about all is not gold, it glistens. Chad, the awful thing about this whole business is the fact that it's breaking up a 40-year friendship between Mr. Trowbridge and my father. Yeah, I can imagine, since Trowbridge is insisting that he wants to sell. Well, why doesn't this packing house buy Trowbridge's place and let it go with that? For the life of me, I don't understand. Big John just keeps saying his both places are none. Isn't that so, Root? Well, I saw Mr. Bigger in town last night and tried to argue with him for all the good it did. But it's just like the boss said, Mr. Remington, either they sell both ranches together as one piece or there ain't no deal. Mm-hmm. How do you feel about this thing, Root? Do you think the Colonel ought to sell? At that price, you ought to jump at it. Why, if it was me, they was going to sell it. Yeah, sell it in front of the door, George. Go let them in. Oh, don't bother, Miss George. I'll let them in. Oh, hello, Mr. Trowbridge. Howdy, Root. Is it all right if I come in? Mr. Trowbridge, Dad. Come on in, Mr. Trowbridge, and meet Chad Remington and Mr. Old Banning. How do you do? Oh, yes, sir. Colonel, I just couldn't eat my supper after what happened this morning without coming over and apologizing for losing my job. Well, that's a mighty nice thing for you to do, Mr. Trowbridge. Colonel and Georgia were just telling us about the little set-to you had this morning. Well, Colonel, we've been old friends too long to be old fools now. Put her there. Talk on it, Henry. If there's any apologizing to do, I'm going to do it. Now, don't go starting another fight about who's going to apologize to whom. Come on, Mr. Trowbridge. Pull up a chair and sit down. You see, the Colonel asked me up here thinking perhaps I could help untangle this little mystery. And since both ranches are involved, well, I'm mighty glad you dropped in at the time you did. Thanks. Remington, you see, well, to be perfectly honest, I've been pretty hard pressed for money lately. Money? Why didn't you come over and ask me for what you needed? Well, Colonel, I just couldn't do that. Five years ago when Emma was so sick just before she passed on and the doctorate ran so high, well, I mortgaged my place to the bank. The loan's been passed due three months now and they're, well, they're readying to close me out. Why, and, kind of, didn't you come and tell me, you old billy goat? I didn't need to when Big John come along with that offer. You see, that's why I was so set on making the deal. But, well, it's all right, Colonel. I'm not going to try to force you into it. Well, I feel better for having told you the truth. How much do you owe that Conson Bank? Well, a little more than 4,000, but... I'm in trouble with you, Henry. It always has been. You're as stubborn as a Missouri mule. Well, George, hand me my glasses. What are you up to anyhow, Colonel? I'm opening the safe and giving Henry the money he needs to pay off the bank. That's why. No, no, no, no, Colonel. I've got to know. I won't take it. No. Well, you will. And if you say one word about thanking me, I will run you out of here. Yeah, but... Now, here it is. Just the way I got it from the bank. Four bundles of bills, each $1,000. Dad, right at the... Oh, go on. Dry up. You'll start blubbering like a kid in a minute. Yeah, but it's probably all the money you got. Well, let you know. There's still another 4,000 right there in the safe. And if you know what's good for you, you get out of here and go on home. Well, I... I... Well, I... I... See you tomorrow, Colonel. Ruth, go outside and make sure Mr. Trubyge finds his horse all right. It's so dark and with him crying, he may wander around all night. You bet, Colonel. I think I'll just keep on going down to the bunkhouse. Good night. Colonel, after that exhibition, I'm surprised we're not all a little bit teary-eyed. If that's the way you treat your friends, I'm proud to be number one of them. Although we haven't met before, Colonel, if you're looking for a friend in need. I'm in need and I could very quickly become a friend of yours. Does the Colonel keep any drinking liquor around the house, Chad? Mr. O'Bannon, you seem to forget that I come from the South. And I've got some of the rarest, finest, smoothest... And you're gonna keep it, Colonel. Anything that old and rare and smooth will be so foreign to Cherokee's palate that his tonsils would think he was drinking molasses syrup. Well, is there anything wrong with molasses syrup? Certainly not. Good. So if you'll follow me out to the kitchen, I'll pour you the biggest glass of molasses syrup a man ever drank. Well, while I coerced the O'Bannon into retiring with only the nightcap you tie around your head, we found out later that Colonel Winfield's foreman, Root, hadn't gone to bed. In fact, he hit his horse and streaked for Big John Bigger's office in town. That's where I come in, John. Here's over Elbows. But Trowbridge having enough money now to pay off the bank, even he's not gonna want to sell out to us. He hasn't paid off the bank yet, has he? Well, no. You and I are gonna be waiting for Mr. Trowbridge and the trail that leads from his place to the bank tomorrow morning. You mean gun him down. That's risky business. This whole thing is risky business. We gotta get both those ranches or we ain't got no deal with that mining company. I still don't see why that mining company just don't buy one of the ranches. Because when they started to check on that vein of silver you stumbled on up at the back end of Winfield's place, they found that half of it was over on Trowbridge's spread. Yeah, I suppose they know what they're doing. Now that Trowbridge has got that money the Colonel's given him, he's never gonna sell. Just like the Colonel said, he's stubborn as a mule. There are two kinds of mules, my friend. Live mules and dead mules. And after Trowbridge leaves his place heading for the bank tomorrow morning, you know the kind of a mule he's going to be, don't you? So you better go home now and get some sleep. When you start shooting tomorrow morning, I want your nerves to be steady. Dad, for the life of me, I don't understand why you get up at this ungodly hour in the morning to ride into town. If I've told you once, I've told you ten times. I want to get in and have a little talk with that big-hearted cattle broker, Big John Biggers. Try to find out what packing house is loco enough to offer twice as... Billy Blue blazes. No matter where we go, bullets fly thicker than mosquitoes over swamps. Come on, Cherokee, knock on that horse. Those shots came from just ahead of us. Thunder and lightning, Chad? That's Colonel Winfield's foreman, Root. No wonder what in blazes he's up to. Rain up. Whoa, boy, easy. What the... Oh, it's you, Remington. Mercyful providence, Chad. It's Henry Trowbridge. Shot four times through the back. Poor old Cuss. Root, how come you got here so quick? Why, I... I... Now look here, Remington. Are you aiming to accuse me of anything? Where's Trowbridge's money belt? How in blazes should I know? I can see where it was ripped off his trousers. And since you got here as fast as you did, you ought to know something about it. What are you doing now, calling me a thief? If I had a mind to call you anything, thief might be just a small part of it. Yeah, well... That was a neat bit of pugilistic perfection, Chad. A left to his fat stomach and then a right to his jaw. Aye, Cherokee, come on. Help me get Trowbridge's body to town. There must be a lawman in Varmint Valley. Before we're through, I've got a feeling he's gonna need a few dozen two-gun deputies. We'll return to the second act of Valley of the Varmints, our exciting frontier town adventure in just a few moments. And now, Frontier Town. Well, I guess we all find it out sooner or later. After a thing is over and everything's explained, it seems quite simple how all the little jigsaw pieces fit together to make the picture. But with poor Henry Trowbridge dead, the $4,000 gone and the bank about to take over his ranch, Cherokee and I, along with the Colonel and his daughter, faced what seemed to be an insuperable problem. There appeared to be no answer whatsoever to supply a reason why some unnamed packinghouse should want both ranches so badly they'd pay a fantastic price. Our visit to the cattle broker, Big John, having been interrupted by the finding of Trowbridge's body, I asked the Colonel's foreman, Ruth, to ride into town and see if Big John wouldn't come out to call on us. And he did, and the conversation was most enlightening. You can talk all you want, Bigger, but I'm not changing my mind. My ranch is not for sale. Oh, but surely, Colonel, there must be some price we could agree on that you'd take for your layout. Oh, I don't mean to butt in, Bigger, but just how high can you go? Well, I don't know for sure, Remington, but I might be able to induce my clients to raise their bid to, oh, another few thousand dollars. And maybe another few thousand dollars on top of that, huh? Yes, it's possible. It's possible. In other words, your so-called clients want this property at any price. So-called clients, eh? Just what are you hinting at? All right, Bigger, here it is. No people in their right minds are offering a ridiculously high price for a couple of ranches like these two just to supposedly raise cattle for a packinghouse. In other words, you're just calling me a liar. I don't need you to put words in my mouth, but since the shoe seems to fit you, let's let it go at that. Chad, look out! Thanks, Cherokee, but I saw him go for his gun. If he wants to clear leather, it's all right with me. Well, Big John, figure you're big enough to try it? Remington, I'd give you a chance at that. But right now, it just don't happen to be convenient. You mean your insurance policy isn't paid out? Colonel, that offer I made you was good for six more hours. You change your mind if you've got a mind. You know where you can find me? In my office. I'll be there until six o'clock tonight. Well, you certainly made him back down. Sure did my heart good, Chad, to see him get his comeuppance. That still doesn't explain just why anybody wants to pay the price he offered you for the ranch. It convinced me of one thing, Cherokee. They don't want this place just to raise cattle. Now, tell me something, Colonel. Are there any mines or ore deposits any place around here? Say, you don't think they found gold up on the ridge at the back end of my place, do you? I haven't the slightest idea. All I was doing was asking. You know, you just gave me an idea, Chad, and don't go on if I don't think it's worth checking up on. Daddy, where are you going? Never mind about me, Georgia. You stay here and keep our business company. Chad, Remington isn't the only galoog around these parts who can smoke out trouble. I tell you, boss, I think Remington's on to what we're trying to pull. A lot of good it's going to do, Amroot. That silver's been back in them hills for a couple of thousand years. No one found it until you just happened to dig a post hole up there. Yeah, I know. But even if they don't find the silver, what good is that going to do us if we... Hey, look, here comes the Colonel out of the house and he's heading straight for his horse. Yeah, wonder where he can be going all by himself. All right, Amroot, come on. We're hitting our own horses and trailing Colonel Winfield. I don't know where he's going, but we're sure finding out. All right, Rainer. Whoa, what a one. You see where Winfield's going? Yeah, he's heading right for the ridge where we chipped out the rock and you can see the silver over there. The ever spots that our deal's done for. Get that rifle of yours out of the saddle boots. Sure, but... Wait until the Colonel gets right on the top of the ridge, then we'll cut loose. When they find his body, it'll have rolled on the other side onto Trowbridge's property. Yeah, that's right. All right, come on, come on. Line him up in your sights now. All right now, let him have it. That's about all there is to it, Marshal. When the Colonel didn't come back, we went out looking for him. Found his body down at the bottom of the drawer loaded with lead. There's not much chance of proving a case from that no matter who you suspect. Well, I've got the Colonel's will here, and if you wouldn't mind my reading it now, it'll save me a long ride out to the ranch sometime later. It's all right, Marshal. There's nothing to be gained from putting it off. Well, it runs about four pages, but when it's all through, it just leaves the ranch to you, Georgia, fifty-fifty with Chad Remington on an equal basis. What? Half of it to me? I can't accept that, Georgia. I'm afraid you'll have to, Chad. Father was afraid something like this would happen. He left you half the ranch to make sure you'd look out for me. Be paid for your trouble. Well, I think I may accept it for the time being. If you don't mind, Georgia, let's be heading back for the ranch. I'm mighty curious to see how Root feels when he hears he's got me for his new boss. Oh, girl. Root! Root, come over here and put the horses away. Oh, sure, miss. Sure. Root, it may interest you to know that Colonel Winfield left half this ranch to me, and from now on I'm giving the orders out here. Oh, is that so? Will I still have something to say about the running of this place? Well, I'm one gent who's not going to end up like your father did. I'm selling out and getting out of here. Well, you can't sell without my signature, and I certainly am not selling. That's what you think. Now, come on, let's not air our troubles in front of the help around here. You and I are going into the house and do a lot of talking. All right, I'm through wasting my breath on you. You keep the ranch since you want it so bad. I certainly shall. But I'm taking what money's left in this safe and clearing out of here. Why, you're no better than a low-down crook. That's enough. Now, go on. Get that safe open while you're still able. Ted Remington, you're nothing but a thief. That's what you are, a common, ordinary thief. There. Take the money. Take it and get out. Just a minute, Remington. Root. You're not leaving here yet. He threw down on me and made me open the safe. Yeah, I saw the whole thing from outside the window. All right, Remington. I'll take that cash. Hand it over. Sure, I'll be glad to. And if you know what's good for you, young lady, you won't try to follow me. Mr. Beggar, I don't blame you for not believing me, but what I'm telling you is still the truth. Chad wants to sell you the Winfield Ranch. That just don't make sense. What's this memory doing here? Well, he's been telling me some cock and bull story about Remington wanting to sell the ranch. I'm not surprised after what he'd done. Pulled a gun on the gal, made her open the safe, and then lit out with all the money the Colonel left in the safe. What? Certainly he did. He's no fool. And he says if you'll get the girl here after dark tonight, he'll promise both of them will sign. I'd like to know what Remington's up to. He's just up to saving his own hide. That Georgia ran screaming to the Marshal about Chad taking the money. Now he's wanted for burglary. What he's got to do now is raise enough money so he can hide out for a couple of years. Crime sure doesn't pay, does it? All right, tell him it's a deal. Ah, you're talking? You get the girl and Chad will be here about ten o'clock tonight. Something awful funny about this. What do we care? As soon as the girl and Remington sign the deed, Remington's going to have a little surprise party. Since the Marshal's out looking for him, I think it's only my duty as a decent citizen to turn him over to the law. Everything worked out just fine. I got to Bigger's office at ten o'clock and five minutes later Georgia reluctantly signed the deed. There! But you'll never get away with this, Remington, believe me. Okay, Remington, now you sign it and the deal will be closed. I'll sign it when I get $5,000 laid in my hand. All cash. Cash? Now where do you think I'd get $5,000 at this time of night? I guess I forgot to tell you that he wanted it in cash. You better find it, my friend. What's in that cash box of yours there on the desk? Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. Well, I think I might have most of it in cash. There you are. There's $4,000 of it, bundled up just the way it came from the bank. Thank you, Bigger. All right, Cherokee, take this package of bills and compare the serial numbers with the money we took out of the Colonel's safe today. Yes, indeed. Yes, indeed. What the devil are you up to? Plenty. If the serial numbers on these bills are in sequence with those that were left in the Colonel's safe, then this must be the money that was stolen from Henry Trowbridge's body. And we know who and why it was taken. Chad, you were right. These numbers are all in sequence. Cherokee, don't let him get away. Georgia, get back. Get out of the way. Well, now that we've got the proof that they killed Henry Trowbridge, I don't think we'll have too much trouble finding out what made those ranchers valuable enough to risk a double murder charge. Georgia, you better go call the Marshal. Cherokee and I will stay here and get these two crooks bundled up. Don't mind telling you, Chad, that you certainly had me mystified for a while. You and Georgia put on that argument. It certainly sounded like the real thing. That's one of the nice things about those Southern girls. They put on an act, they put everything they've got into it. I always have admired a Southern beauty. Trouble is, none of them ever admired me. Well, now that Georgia is the sole owner of her fairly prosperous silver mine, you might go back and try setting your cap for her. You mean marriage? No. With a girl like Georgia, marriage should be very interesting. Well, I will admit the young lady has her good points. Oh, now you can speak more clearly than that, Cherokee. Huh? What do you mean? Well, now, knowing that the wind fields come from your favorite state, Kentucky, what you really meant to say was that you were interested in the young lady because she has her good pints. Yes, she certainly has her good pints. And now that silver mine she's got, she's got plenty of quarks, too. Frontier Town, starring Tex Chandler and featuring Wade Crosby, is a Bruce Ells production. Story and direction by Paul Franklin. Music written and played by Ivan Dittmarz. Be sure to be with us again same time next week for another fine action adventure story with your favorite young Western star, Tex Chandler. And now this is Bill Foreman to tell you that Frontier Town comes to you from Hollywood. Music by Bill Foreman.
