Happy trails to you. The dependable Dodge Plymouth dealer in your neighborhood. The man who sells and services the flair fashioned 55 Dodge presents The Roy Rogers Radio Show. Yes folks, it's the Roy Rogers Radio Show for the whole family. Adventure, suspense, mystery and music. Starring Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys and Dale Evans, Queen of the West with Pat Brady, the Mellow Man and an all-star cast. And now here to greet you with a song and a story of Roy and Dale. Ain't gonna need this house no longer, ain't gonna need this house no more. Ain't got time to fix the shoes, ain't got time to carry the load. Well good evening folks, greetings again to the whole family. I guess it's a little too soon to say happy new year, but I'll say it anyway. This has been a good year for us and we certainly hope that it's been a good year for you. We want to close off 1954 by telling you a story about an old house. Sort of like the one in the song we were just singing. Dale and Pat and I went up the coast to a town called Louderdale a while back to take part in their pioneer day celebration. While we were there, a friend of ours by the name of Bill Crawford asked me to take a look at some of his property. Well he was thinking about buying. It was a big old house sitting on a high cliff with the mountains on one side and the ocean on the other. Bill asked us to meet him there one morning. The day was gray and cloudy looking and so was the house. Sure is a spooky old place, ain't it Roy? Yeah. Shudders all hanging lopsided, no paint. Look at these weeds, Roy. Yeah, I see. Well, let's go inside the house and wait for Bill. Roy, if you don't mind, I'll wait outside. Now Pat, you're not afraid of an old house, are you? Of course not. Me? Afraid of a house? Why I... Bye. Pat, come back here. Hurry, Roy. Hello? Hello? Anybody here? Yes, Roy. There's somebody here. Where? Over there. But I don't think he'll answer you. There's a knife in his back. Roy and Dale will return in a moment with the whole story of what happened to them in a mysterious old house. Friends, the magnificent new 55 Dodge is enjoying one of the most enthusiastic receptions ever given a new car and the reason for this wonderful public acceptance is because everybody agrees that the flare-fashioned Dodge is the big one. Yes, sir, Dodge is the big one for 1955, the longest, largest car in its field at its lowest price, too. A big new 55 Dodge actually costs you less to own than any other car in its field. In fact, the price tag on a new 55 Dodge six-passenger sedan is only $1,988. Naturally, freight and handling charges, state and local taxes, if any, will add to this price, depending on where you live. But wherever you live, the 1955 Dodge is the biggest buy of them all. So step up to the big one, the flare-fashioned Dodge for 55 and step out in style. See your nearby Dodge dealer this week. And now back to Roy and Dale in Part One of tonight's story. Wasn't there any identification on the man at all? Not a scrap. Just some small change in this piece of paper. Piece of paper? Yeah, it's got some writing on it, but it doesn't make sense. May I see it? Sure. Six East from Seal Three inches up. Turn Fourth Main. Set Twelve. And what does that mean? I don't know. I'll bet I know. What? Well, I saw a movie once and there was a note like that. And it turned out to be in Cryptology, or Creptography. It was in code. Cryptology, Pat. You know, he could be right, Roy. Well, sure I'm right. It's simple. Just give me a minute to figure it out. Now let's see. Six East from Seal. Well, that could mean, uh, and three inches up. Well, that's plain enough. Now turn Fourth Main and set Twelve. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ahem. Yeah. We'd better get back to town and call the sheriff. It's Bill. Yeah. Yeah, I wonder what he'll say when we tell him about the dead man. I just hope he knows who the dead man is. Hi, everybody. Hi, Bill. Well, I see you found the place all right. Yeah, we found it. Sure is nice up here, isn't it? I know the house doesn't look like much. When I get through fixing it up, it's gonna be... Bill, there's a dead man inside. A dead man? A dead man? You're kidding. I'm serious. Come on in and take a look. Maybe you can identify him. Well, sure. Sure. When we got here, we heard a man scream. We went in here and right there on the floor... Oh, look. Yes? You were saying, Roy, right there on the floor was what? Well, right there on the floor was a man with a knife in his back. Now he's gone. Well, Sheriff, couldn't find a thing, Roy. I've been over the place from top to bottom. There's no dead body in this old house. Sheriff, remember, there are an awful lot of rooms and corridors in this house. Maybe even secret passages. Secret passages? Well, you know how stories get started, Dale. Some of the townspeople think the house is haunted. Some of them think that old man Selby built a lot of secret hideaways in it. Well, that might be true. Selby was a smuggler. A smuggler? That's what they say. Well, what did he smuggle? Oh, practically everything. Rum, orientals. Of course, that was a long time ago. And it's possible that there are some secret rooms in the house. It's also possible that the killer was hiding in one of them. And when we went outside to wait for Bill, he removed the body. Except for one thing. What? Well, how did the killer get out without us seeing him? Maybe he didn't. Maybe he's still here. Yeah, maybe he's still... Uh, Roy, hadn't we better be getting back to town? The grand parade starts in a couple hours. In a minute, Pat. Sheriff, I've got something else to show you. I took it out of the dead man's pocket. I hope you won't think this is a publicity stunt, too. What is it? This piece of paper. Mmm. Six east from seal. Three inches up. Turn fourth main. Set 12. What is it? I was hoping it'd make some sense to you. Well, it doesn't. Say this was in the dead man's pocket. That's right. Hmm. Cryptic notes, missing bodies, old broken down house. Crawford, are you sure this isn't some idea you cooked up? Of course not. Well, I heard you were thinking of buying this place. Well, you want it beats me unless you're figuring on making it into a curiosity and selling tickets to tourists. Now, listen, Sheriff... Take it easy, Bill. Sheriff, I give you my word that when we entered this house, there was a dead man on the floor right in front of that fancy woodcar fireplace. Okay, Roy, if you say so. But I'm gonna have a hard time convincing anybody that a murder was committed without a corpus delecti. Now, take it easy, you two. I know you're all set and raring to go, but the parade ain't started yet. Hi, Pap. Hi, Trigger. My, you're sure all prettied up today, Trigger. All right, Bullet, you're pretty too. Where's the other one? Oh, there he is. Oh, there he is. Oh, there he is. Oh, there he is. Oh, there he is. Oh, Bullet, you're pretty too. Where's Roy, Pat? Well, he said he was... Oh, here he comes now. Hi. I guess they're about ready to start. Sure is a nice crowd. Mr. Rogers? Yes? My name's Richards, Jack Richards. I'm a reporter on the local paper, the Lauderdale Times. Oh, how do you do? This is Dale Evans and Pat Brady. Hello. I do. I understand you found a dead body out at the old Selby House this morning. Yes, we did. And now it's disappeared? That's right. Boy, what a story. You know, we don't get a break like that in these parts very often. Now, tell me, are you going to do any investigating? Well, I don't know. That all depends on what the sheriff does. Well, if you should go back out there, and if you find anything, I'd appreciate knowing about it. Well, it would mean a lot to me to get a personal first-hand interview from you. Sure, Mr. Richards. If I find out anything, I'll be glad to let you know. Roy, here comes the sheriff. Good. Maybe he's got some news. Howdy. Hi, Sheriff. Well, I see the word's gotten to the local newshound. You know how it is, Sheriff. It's not often we get a story that might be worth putting on the wire service. Anything new, Sheriff? No, no. I don't think we'll ever find anything in that old house without tearing it down from top to bottom. Well, I don't think Mr. Crawford would like that. He's figuring on buying the place, you know. Well, he can have it. Then I take it that you've given up trying to find the body, Sheriff. I don't know what else I can do, Roy. Besides, I've got other matters to look into. A fellow down on the boat landing just reported that one of his boats is missing. Mount up, everybody. Mount up. Ready for the grand march. Okay, Dale. I guess they're ready for us. Whoo-hoo-hoo! Easy, Trigger. And now for the grand parade. Led by our grand marshal and grand mistress, our special guests of honor, Dale Evans and Roy Rogers. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE MUSIC Okay, Mr. Priorkas, tell me what happened again and try to be a little more specific. Pacific? No, no, not Pacific. Specific. Well, never mind. Just tell me what happened. I try to tell you, Sheriff. What's the matter? You don't understand American? All right, I tell you again. This morning when I opened the landing, two boats gone missing. This morning I find note with money. And this is the note? That's the note. We'll return boat tomorrow. They should cover it. With note is $5. What about the other boat? What about it? That's what I ask you. She's still missing. When was the other boat returned? This morning I inside the boathouse, I listen to radio. I got to get boat from some fishermen. I find one boat missing tied to water. But you didn't see who returned it. How many times I got to tell you? I no see who take boat. I no see who bring boat back. One boat still gone. What you gonna do, eh? We'll start a search for the boat. It's got to be someplace. Someplace, yes, but where? PHONE RINGS Sheriff's office. Sheriff, this is Roy Rogers. Oh, hello, Roy. What's up? That man you told me about, the one who lost the boat. Yes? Has he found it yet? No. Why? Try looking on the beach below the old Selby house. Yeah? Yeah. And while you're there, walk on down the beach about 100 yards. What for? That carpus delecti you wanted? Yeah. It was washed up on the beach about 15 minutes ago. MUSIC Roy and Dale return in just a moment with the second part of tonight's story. Friends, your nearby Dodge dealer invites you to step up to the big one and step out in style. Yeah, step up to the big, beautiful 55 Dodge and find out why. People are calling it the big one. As soon as you see it, you'll know it's the big one in size, inches longer than any car in its field. The big one in style and beauty, power and performance, too. And you're in for a wonderful surprise when you stop in and price this proud beauty. Yes, sir, you'll find that Dodge is the lowest priced car in its field. That means you can step up to a big, beautiful 55 Dodge, enjoy all of its many advantages at a price just slightly higher than the very lowest. Stop in and discover how little it costs to step up to the big one and step out in style. Get behind the wheel and take command of a new 55 Dodge. See you nearby Dodge dealer soon. And now back to Roy Rogers and Dale Evans in part two of a story about an old house. The Dead Man's Name So the dead man's name was Bruce Manning. That's right, Roy. I arrested him eight years ago for embezzlement. Embezzlement? What did he embezzle? $50,000. Stole it from an old man, Crawford, Bill's father. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison and the money was never found. Oh? Well, this is starting to make a little sense. It sure is. The way I figure it, Bruce Manning escaped from prison and came back to get the money which he had hidden in the old house. Somebody else knew the money was there and killed him when Manning went to get it. I've got to call in out of the warden at the prison, let him know Manning is dead. The only thing that puzzles me is why we didn't get a report on Manning's escape. More than that puzzles me, Sheriff. If somebody else besides Manning knew that the money was hidden in the old house, why didn't that somebody take it during all these years that Manning was in prison? Well, that's simple, Roy. Maybe that somebody knew about the money but he didn't know exactly where it was hidden. And maybe he tried to find it and couldn't. I think you're getting hot, Pat. Keep working on it. Sheriff, you said that this Bruce Manning stole the money from Bill Crawford's father? That's right, Dale. Well, then, Bill would certainly have known that the money was never recovered and Bill would have felt that the money was his. Roy, you don't suppose... I don't know, Dale, but it sure would explain why Bill Crawford was trying to buy that old broken down house. Well, sure it would. If Bill owned the house, then he'd have plenty of time to search it for the money. I think we've got it solved, Roy. Bill Crawford was in the old house searching for the money when Bruce Manning shows up. They get into a fight and Bill kills him. Now, hold on, Sheriff. I think we ought to have a talk with Bill, but I don't think we can jump at conclusions. Too many things need explaining. Such as? Such as a piece of paper on Manning's body with the cryptic message on it. Sheriff's office. Warden Baker, Sheriff. You called me? Sure did, Warden. We've got your escaped prisoner here, only why didn't we get some notification that Bruce... Escaped prisoner? What escaped prisoner? Why, Bruce Manning. He was stabbed to death this morning when he tried... Manning? Dead? That's right. He tried to recover the money he stole and somebody killed him. That's too bad. I'm sorry to hear that. He was a model prisoner. Gave us no trouble at all. What? Bruce Manning did his time, Sheriff. Ten years, less a year and seven months for good behavior. He was released two days ago. Sit down, Sheriff. Roy. Roy. Any further developments? Yes, Bill, there are. The missing body has been found. Oh, where? On the beach below the old house. Somebody evidently threw it into the ocean and forgot that the current in that part of the bay washes everything right back into shore. Oh, I see. Well, who was he? Bruce Manning. Bruce Manning? Well, he's still in prison. He was in prison, Bill. Oh, you mean he escaped? No, he didn't escape. He was released. Released? When? Two days ago. But he was given a ten-year sentence. He got time off for good behavior. I see. Well, then that means he must have had the money hidden in the old house. He came back to get it and... Yes, Bill. And what? Well, it's pretty obvious. Somebody followed him and killed him. That's the way we've got it figured. Bill, are you sure you didn't know that Manning was being released from prison? Of course I'm sure. How would I know? You could have read it in the paper. It wasn't in the paper. I read the paper every day. There wasn't a line about it. Now, wait a minute. You think it was me, don't you? You think I killed him? Bill, are you sure there was nothing in the paper about Bruce Manning's release? I'm positive. Did you see anything about Manning's release in the paper, Sheriff? Well, no, but that doesn't prove anything. I never read the local sheet. I'm sorry, Bill, but I've got to hold you on suspicion of murder. I didn't kill him. Roy, you've got to believe me. I swear I didn't. Yep. What can I do for you? Is Mr. Richards here? Jack Richards is a reporter? Yes. No, he ain't here. Could I see a copy of the paper from yesterday and the day before yesterday? Well, I'm only the janitor, mister. Don't know where the copy is. I'll have to go and find it. I'll be right back. Well, you're a good man, Sheriff. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. Well, I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I'll be right back. I don't know where they keep the stuff, but you're welcome to look around. Okay, thanks. Come on, Dale, Pat. Dale, you take that pile of papers and, Pat, you look through these. I'll take this stack over here. All right, Roy. Okay. Find anything? There's nothing in yesterday's paper. Nothing in today's either. Well, maybe two days ago. Here's a copy of it. Well, good evening, folks. This is a pleasant surprise. Hello. What can I do for you? Not a thing, Mr. Richards. I thought maybe I could do something for you. You mean you've got a story for me? Maybe. I thought you might like to know why Bruce Manning was killed. Aw, shucks, Mr. Rogers. That's no story. He was killed because of the money he embezzled. It was then that old Selby house. The sheriff told me that. I see. But did the sheriff tell you that the money is still there? No. Is it? I think so. And I think I know where it is. You do? I'm going out there now to get it. You just stand by and maybe I'll have a big story for you to put on your wire service. $50,000 discovered in old house. Gee, Mr. Rogers, you bet I'll stand by. I sure will. How much longer are we going to wait, Roy? I don't know, Pat. Quiet, Bullet. I sure don't like sitting here in this old drafty house. It's getting awfully cold in here, Roy. Do you really think the killer will come back? Well, I can't be sure, Dale, but I think when that reporter fella gets to telling everybody in town that I know where the money's hidden, the information may get back to the killer. What makes you so sure that the money's still here? I'm not sure, Dale. I'm not sure of anything. But I don't think the killer found the money. Why? Well, in the first place, he didn't have time. He was kept pretty busy, you know, hiding himself and getting rid of the corpse. I don't think he had time to look for the money. There's just one flaw in your theory, Mr. Rogers. Yeah? Isn't it possible that the killer followed Bruce Manning here, waited until he recovered the money, and then killed him? Yeah, that's possible, Dale. And if that's what happened, we may never know who the killer is. What's that? Shh! The front door creaks like that. Roy, somebody's coming in. That's not the front door, Dale. Look, the fireplace. It's opening up. Shh! There's somebody coming out of the fireplace. Okay, Bullet, get him! Follow him, Bullet, down the passage. That's it. Don't let him get away, boy. Call them off, Rogers! Call them off! Give yourself up, mister. You're through. Bullet, look out! So it's a secret passageway. So it's a secret passageway that goes to the beach. That's how the body was taken out of the house. Bullet! Will the reporter be all right, Roy? Yeah, he would just wing. He'll live. Well, what made you suspect him, Roy? The fact that there was nothing in the paper about Manning's release from prison. Well, I don't understand, Roy. What did the reporter have to do with it? It's all here in his confession, Dale. He was a copy boy about eight years ago when Manning embezzled the money. He knew the money was never found. When the news item came over the wire service that Manning had been released, he reasoned that Manning would come back and recover the money. He didn't publish the story because he didn't want anyone to know about Manning's release. He followed Manning when he went to the boat landing and took a boat. Then Richards took a boat and trailed Manning to the beach entrance of the secret passage. Is that the part of the cryptic note that said, six east from seal, three inches up? That's right. Six feet east from seal rock, three inches up is the location of a rock on the beach. The rock is actually a door, and the door opens to a secret passage that leads into the living room of the old house. Uh, Roy? Yes? What does turn fourth main set twelve mean? Well, that's the combination to open the door in the fireplace when you want to leave the living room and go down to the beach. Turn fourth main means, uh, turn the main of the fourth horse that's carved in the fireplace and set clock to twelve. When you do that, the fireplace opens up. Manning was pretty cagey when he wrote it down years ago. He spelled main, M-A-I-N, instead of M-A-N-E. Well, I guess that clears just about everything up, Roy, except one more thing. Yes? Manning didn't have the money, and the reporter insists he hasn't got it either. He says he didn't find it and doesn't know where it is. Yeah. Where is it, do you suppose, Roy? Oh, I know where the money is. You do? Where? Out in that old house, of course. Somewhere in that old house. And folks, that's the story of what happened to us the time we paid a visit to a mysterious old house. This old house once knew my children, this old house once knew my wife. This old house was home and comfort as we fought the storms of life. This old house once rang with laughter, this old house heard many a shout. Now it trembles in the darkness when the lightning walks about. Ain't a gonna need this house no longer, ain't a gonna need this house no more. Ain't got time to fix the shingles, ain't got time to fix the floor. Ain't got time oiling just north, I'm in no window pane. Ain't a gonna need this house no longer, I'm getting ready to meet the saints. These are getting ready to meet the saints. This old house is getting shaky, this old house is getting old. This old house left in the rain, this old house left in the cold. Oh, my knees am getting chilly, but I feel no fear, no pain. Cause I saw an angel peeking through a broken window pane. Ain't a gonna need this house no longer, ain't a gonna need this house no more. Ain't got time to fix the shingles, ain't got time to fix the floor. Ain't got time to oil the hinges north, I'm in no window pane. Ain't a gonna need this house no longer, I'm getting ready to meet the saints. These are getting ready to meet the saints. This old house is afraid of thunder, this old house is afraid of storms. This old house just groans and trembles when the night wind flings its arms. This old house is getting feeble, this old house is needing paint. Just like me, it's tuckered out, but I'm getting ready to meet the saints. Ain't a gonna need this house no longer, ain't a gonna need this house no more. Ain't got time to fix the shingles, ain't got time to fix the floor. Ain't got time to oil the hinges north, I'm in no window pane. Ain't a gonna need this house no longer, I'm getting ready to meet the saints. These are getting ready to meet the saints. Now my old dog lies asleep and he don't know I'm gonna leave. Else he'd wake up by the fireplace and he'd sit there and howl and grieve. My hunting days are over, ain't a gonna hunt that through no more. Gabriel done brought in my chariot when the wind blew down the door. I ain't a gonna need this house no longer, ain't a gonna need this house no more. Ain't got time to fix the shingles, ain't got time to fix the floor. Ain't got time to oil the hinges north, I'm in no window pane. Ain't a gonna need this house no longer, I'm getting ready to meet the saints. Folks, in a little more than 24 hours, we'll be saying so long to 1954 and welcome to a brand new year. But before we do, Dale and I would like to thank you for letting us visit with you every Thursday night. Right, Dale? Right, and we hope you folks will continue to invite us into your homes during the coming year, too. Say, Roy, why don't you read that telegram from Detroit now? All right, Dale, here it is. On behalf of all of us here at Dodge and all Dodge dealers throughout the country, I'd like to extend our warmest New Year's wishes to your grand radio audience. We are sincerely grateful for the wonderful reception given our new Dodge, the greatest reception we believe ever given an American car. Thanks everybody, and a very happy New Year to you. And folks, this telegram is signed, William C. Newberg, President of Dodge Division Chrysler Corporation. Now, before we sign off, Dale and I, Pat Brady, the Mellow Men, and all the rest of the gang would like to wish you a real happy and a prosperous New Year. Happy New Year, everybody. Well, that does it for tonight, folks. See you next Thursday, same time. Until then, goodbye and good luck, and may the good Lord take a liking to you. Happy Trails with Dodge, the car that gives you more. The Roy Rogers Radio Show is produced under the supervision of Art Rush and directed by Ralph Rose. Tonight's story was written by Ralph Rose and Charles Smith. Music arranged and conducted by Frank Worth. Production assistant, Virginia White. Tonight's all-star cast included Pat Brady, the Mellow Men, Paul Dubov, Shepherd Menken, Mel Mana, Lenny Bremen, Jack O'Shea, and Charles Smith. Join us again next Thursday evening at the same time when the dependable Dodge Plymouth dealer in your neighborhood will again bring you the transcribed Roy Rogers Radio Show. This is Lou Crosby wishing you a Happy New Year for the man who sells and services the Flair-fashioned 55 Dodge. Music
