WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:07.000 Tom, Mix, Ralston, Strait Cuters are on the air from coast to coast. 00:07.000 --> 00:09.000 Let's get going! 00:09.000 --> 00:13.000 Up, up, up, Tony, up, boy! 00:18.000 --> 00:24.000 The mystery of the mastermind. 00:24.000 --> 00:32.000 Dangerous gang led by a man known as the Madelter Mind has taken Wrangler prisoner. 00:32.000 --> 00:38.000 And yesterday, this same gang tried to capture Pecos Williams in a taxi cab. 00:38.000 --> 00:43.000 Pecos escaped when he ford the cab driver who was a member of the gang into a raging rive. 00:43.000 --> 00:47.000 He was kept off a high bridge into a raging river below. 00:47.000 --> 00:55.000 Pecos, who was carrying a flower in his pockets, a flower containing the secret formula which the gang is after, 00:55.000 --> 01:00.000 had to remove his overcoat in order to swim to shore and save his life. 01:00.000 --> 01:09.000 As a result, both the overcoat and the flower were swept downstream and lost forever. 01:09.000 --> 01:15.000 Because of this, the top Mix now finds himself in a desperate situation. 01:15.000 --> 01:25.000 That's why he has just received a message from the mastermind saying to him that unless he delivers the flower by midnight, 01:25.000 --> 01:29.000 the Wrangler will die. 01:29.000 --> 01:31.000 What will Tom do? 01:31.000 --> 01:33.000 In a moment, we'll learn. 01:33.000 --> 01:39.000 First, here's Tom Mix himself with an important message. 01:39.000 --> 01:46.000 Howdy, straight shooters. With a new year just around the corner, we all make our New Year's resolutions. 01:46.000 --> 01:52.000 All us straight shooters usually set aside to read over new, our straight shooters' pledges. 01:52.000 --> 01:56.000 I'm going to read this pledge to you again. Here it is. 01:56.000 --> 02:07.000 It says, first, I promise to shoot straight with my parents by obeying my father and mother and by eating the food that I'm going to eat. 02:07.000 --> 02:19.000 Second, I promise to shoot straight with my friends by telling the truth always, by being fair and square at work and at play, 02:19.000 --> 02:26.000 trying always to win, but being a good looter if I lose. 02:26.000 --> 02:36.000 Third, I promise to shoot straight with myself and keeping my mind alert by striving always to be at my best. 02:36.000 --> 02:46.000 Fourth, I promise to shoot straight with Tom Mix by regularly eating Ralston, a fish-flavored straight shooter cereal. 02:46.000 --> 02:54.000 Because I know Ralston is just the kind of cereal that will help build a stronger America. 02:54.000 --> 03:00.000 Straight shooters, if you'll all renew this pledge and follow it, I know that 03:00.000 --> 03:10.000 1942 will bring you all the good things and happiness you wish for, all we wish for. 03:10.000 --> 03:16.000 And now, come on out to Tom's hotel room in Capitol City. 03:16.000 --> 03:23.000 There you find Tom Pekus, the chief of police in various conferences. 03:23.000 --> 03:28.000 Mix, what am I going to do? We can't say there must be some way out of it. 03:28.000 --> 03:30.000 If you can find the answer, you're a genius. 03:30.000 --> 03:33.000 Tom, why couldn't we leave another flower? 03:33.000 --> 03:37.000 One I lost. We could leave it at the desk downstairs. 03:37.000 --> 03:42.000 No, Pekus, that won't work. The minute this mastermind finds out it's the wrong flower. 03:42.000 --> 03:48.000 What if we leave the false flower at the desk downstairs and then shadow whoever picked it up back to the mastermind's hideout? 03:48.000 --> 03:53.000 Try that if we can't think of anything better, and I'd rather not. 03:53.000 --> 03:57.000 Let's see. Yeah, here it is. 03:57.000 --> 04:06.000 Don't shadow my agent. If he does not return, Wrangler will die as the tower clock strikes midnight. 04:06.000 --> 04:08.000 I've got to hunch this gang is... 04:08.000 --> 04:10.000 All right, then, make use of guess something. 04:10.000 --> 04:13.000 Aye, dear chief. I don't know what's the chance that it might... 04:13.000 --> 04:15.000 What is it, Tom? 04:15.000 --> 04:19.000 Smaller clues than this, if I couldn't this piece of paper do the same thing. 04:19.000 --> 04:23.000 Sorry, the time element. I'm not sure what it is, but even if we can, we haven't the... 04:23.000 --> 04:28.000 Oh, we can. We've got to save Wrangler. All right, if you say so, we'll try it. 04:28.000 --> 04:31.000 Not a minute to lose. We've got paper in the lab right away. 04:31.000 --> 04:33.000 Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get going. 04:38.000 --> 04:40.000 Les Bachman, where are you from? 04:41.000 --> 04:43.000 One moment more, chief. 04:45.000 --> 04:48.000 Yes, yes, I think I can tell you. 04:48.000 --> 04:52.000 My tests show, chief, that this paper is a product of Hickman and Cubs. 04:52.000 --> 04:54.000 I see the watermark very clearly. 04:55.000 --> 04:58.000 With the Mr. Mix, it's a fine grid of paper that... 04:58.000 --> 04:59.000 What else can you tell us? 04:59.000 --> 05:04.000 Well, sold only at the leading station when people are putting out a... a fusionary. 05:04.000 --> 05:05.000 How long have you been on the market? 05:05.000 --> 05:06.000 Not, chief. 05:06.000 --> 05:11.000 Now, that narrows it down considerably. We know that this paper must have been sold to the mine within the last six months. 05:11.000 --> 05:15.000 I know anything about it. This paper has been sold within the last two months. 05:15.000 --> 05:17.000 Good. Now, our next step is to get the paper out of the lab. 05:17.000 --> 05:20.000 Now, our next step is to get in touch with Hickman and Company right away. 05:22.000 --> 05:24.000 Yes, this is George Hickman of Hickman and Company Los Angeles. 05:24.000 --> 05:27.000 This is Tom Mix, Mr. Hickman. I'm calling from Capital City. 05:27.000 --> 05:29.000 Oh, yes, Mr. Mix. What can I do for you? 05:29.000 --> 05:36.000 Mr. Hickman, I want you to give me a list of all jobbers in Capital City to whom you've sold your new Stylist brand of paper within the last two months. 05:36.000 --> 05:38.000 Anything wrong, Mr. Mix? 05:38.000 --> 05:40.000 Plenty, but I can't take the time to tell you now. 05:40.000 --> 05:43.000 I'll be mighty obliged if you'll just give me the information I need without asking questions. 05:43.000 --> 05:49.000 Oh, yes, certainly. Just give me a minute to get the list of our jobbers in Capital City, and I'll be able to tell you what you want to know in no time at all. 05:51.000 --> 05:57.000 I'm from the police department. I want a list of all your customers who bought the new Hickman Stylist brand of paper within the last two months. 05:57.000 --> 05:59.000 Now, don't ask questions. Just give me the list. 05:59.000 --> 06:03.000 I don't need like a complete list of all the people you've sold this Stylist brand of stationery to in the last two months. 06:03.000 --> 06:08.000 And I'm trying to get on the trail of all the folks who's bought this year kind of paper in the last two months. 06:08.000 --> 06:13.000 I'll be mighty obliged to you, Porden, if you do that. 06:17.000 --> 06:22.000 342 people, of which we've gone through 129 so far, and here it is 11 o'clock. 06:22.000 --> 06:23.000 Yeah. 06:23.000 --> 06:26.000 Mix, I tell you, we'll never make it. There isn't time. We've got to do something. 06:26.000 --> 06:30.000 Yeah, you're right, Chief. We'll never be able to check the rest of this list in the next hour. 06:30.000 --> 06:31.000 No. 06:31.000 --> 06:35.000 I hate to think of it, but there's always a chance that the Mastermind may have bought this paper in some other city. 06:35.000 --> 06:38.000 Doggone. Do you reckon he might have done that, Tom? 06:38.000 --> 06:39.000 Yeah, there's no telling, Pegas. 06:39.000 --> 06:40.000 Chief. 06:40.000 --> 06:41.000 Yeah? 06:41.000 --> 06:46.000 I'm afraid we'll have to leave another flower at the desk in the hotel. After all, it'll gain us another hour or two, and... 06:46.000 --> 06:49.000 Well, you never know. We may be able to turn up something in that time. 06:49.000 --> 06:50.000 It's possible. 06:50.000 --> 06:51.000 Pegas. 06:50.000 --> 06:51.000 Yeah, Tom? 06:51.000 --> 06:52.000 Now, you go back to the hotel. 06:52.000 --> 06:53.000 Yeah? 06:53.000 --> 06:55.000 I better stay here at police headquarters and keep checking on these names. 06:55.000 --> 06:56.000 Uh-huh. 06:56.000 --> 06:59.000 Now, stop in at a florist on the way and pick up a faded rose. 06:59.000 --> 07:00.000 Uh-huh. 06:59.000 --> 07:03.000 And leave it at the desk. Give it to the clerk. Tell him to give it to whoever calls for it. 07:03.000 --> 07:04.000 Yeah. 07:04.000 --> 07:05.000 Got that straight? 07:04.000 --> 07:05.000 Yeah, I got it. 07:05.000 --> 07:07.000 All right, after you've done that, come right back here. 07:07.000 --> 07:08.000 Yeah. 07:07.000 --> 07:08.000 Now, wait a minute. 07:08.000 --> 07:09.000 Huh? 07:09.000 --> 07:10.000 You got a gun with you? 07:10.000 --> 07:11.000 I ain't traveling without one anymore. 07:11.000 --> 07:12.000 Good. Get going, then. 07:12.000 --> 07:13.000 I'm on my way. 07:30.000 --> 07:31.000 Come in. 07:31.000 --> 07:33.000 I regret the lateness of my arrival, Master. 07:33.000 --> 07:34.000 No matter. 07:34.000 --> 07:35.000 You have brought the flower? 07:35.000 --> 07:36.000 Yes, Master. 07:36.000 --> 07:39.000 They waited long enough before making up their minds. 07:39.000 --> 07:43.000 It's an easy thing, I dare say, to trifle with another's life, 07:43.000 --> 07:45.000 so long as it is not your own. 07:45.000 --> 07:48.000 You've saved the wrangler's life by a scant ten minutes. 07:48.000 --> 07:50.000 It was not my fault, Master. 07:50.000 --> 07:54.000 The flower was left at the hotel desk only fifteen minutes ago by Mixer's cowboy friend. 07:54.000 --> 07:56.000 You assure you were not followed here? 07:56.000 --> 07:57.000 Positive. 07:57.000 --> 07:58.000 Give me the flower. 07:58.000 --> 08:01.000 Yes, I have it here. 08:01.000 --> 08:02.000 You will keep your promise, Master. 08:02.000 --> 08:04.000 You will not do away with this wrangler person. 08:04.000 --> 08:06.000 Have you ever known me to go back on my words? 08:06.000 --> 08:09.000 I never say something I do not mean. 08:09.000 --> 08:12.000 I will release the man as said in the years I should have killed him 08:12.000 --> 08:16.000 on the stoke of twelve, had you not brought the flower. 08:16.000 --> 08:17.000 Wait. 08:17.000 --> 08:18.000 Yes? 08:18.000 --> 08:20.000 Is that the flower? 08:20.000 --> 08:21.000 It is, Master. 08:21.000 --> 08:23.000 That is the flower left at the hotel desk? 08:23.000 --> 08:25.000 Yes, Master, of course. 08:25.000 --> 08:27.000 I would not bring you any other flower. 08:27.000 --> 08:30.000 You senseless fool, you idiot. 08:30.000 --> 08:32.000 Have you no eyes that you cannot see? 08:32.000 --> 08:33.000 There's something wrong. 08:33.000 --> 08:35.000 Wrong? Of course it's wrong. 08:35.000 --> 08:38.000 That flower has the bloom still on it. 08:38.000 --> 08:39.000 Well, I do not see what... 08:39.000 --> 08:42.000 The flower we are after is withered and dead. 08:42.000 --> 08:45.000 It was given to the girl by her father two weeks ago, 08:45.000 --> 08:47.000 the day on which he died. 08:47.000 --> 08:51.000 Already it was losing its freshness when she gave it a tom mix on the plane. 08:51.000 --> 08:55.000 And you, you idiot, bring me a rose plucked only a day or so. 08:55.000 --> 08:57.000 Master, I never thought I... 08:57.000 --> 09:01.000 Does Mix consider me such a fool that he thinks I will fall for so obvious a trick? 09:01.000 --> 09:03.000 Mix will suffer for this. 09:03.000 --> 09:05.000 And I will also get the flower. 09:05.000 --> 09:08.000 He'll suffer through his friend, Wrangler. 09:08.000 --> 09:10.000 Where is Mix now? 09:10.000 --> 09:12.000 At the Chief's office, police headquarters. 09:12.000 --> 09:14.000 You will go to the corner drugstore. 09:14.000 --> 09:21.000 You will telephone Mix from there and tell him either I hear from him by one o'clock or Wrangler dies. 09:21.000 --> 09:26.000 I will give him one more hour, one and no more. 09:26.000 --> 09:28.000 Is that clear? 09:28.000 --> 09:29.000 Yes, Master. 09:29.000 --> 09:32.000 When you have delivered my message, hang up quickly. 09:32.000 --> 09:35.000 We do not want the police tracing the call. 09:35.000 --> 09:36.000 Very good, Master. 09:36.000 --> 09:37.000 Then go. 09:37.000 --> 09:41.000 On your way out, tell Joe to bring the Wrangler. 09:45.000 --> 09:47.000 I watched, Tom. 09:47.000 --> 09:49.000 And I saw an hombre come up to the desk, 09:49.000 --> 09:52.000 take the flower from the clerk and skedaddle out of there pronto. 09:52.000 --> 09:53.000 Good. I hope it works. 09:53.000 --> 09:55.000 We need the time to get through these names. 09:55.000 --> 09:57.000 How are the reports coming in, Tom? 09:57.000 --> 10:00.000 Police cars throughout the city are investigating names and addresses that look suspicious. 10:00.000 --> 10:03.000 My boys here at headquarters are telephoning all the others just as a double check. 10:03.000 --> 10:06.000 Oh, Mix. This may be what we're waiting for. 10:06.000 --> 10:07.000 Hello? 10:07.000 --> 10:09.000 Let me talk to Tom Mix. 10:09.000 --> 10:10.000 Just a minute. 10:10.000 --> 10:11.000 Will you, Mix? 10:11.000 --> 10:12.000 Thanks. 10:12.000 --> 10:13.000 Hello? 10:13.000 --> 10:14.000 Tom Mix? 10:14.000 --> 10:15.000 I'm calling for the mastermind. 10:15.000 --> 10:17.000 Yes? Yes? 10:17.000 --> 10:19.000 Chief, please come home. 10:19.000 --> 10:22.000 You are fool, Mix, to think you could deceive the mastermind by sending the wrong flower. 10:22.000 --> 10:25.000 What? I'm sorry. I didn't get that. 10:25.000 --> 10:27.000 There's a call coming in on 604. Quick. 10:27.000 --> 10:29.000 You need not pay for time, Mix. 10:29.000 --> 10:32.000 Suffice it to say, my master has discovered your trick. 10:32.000 --> 10:36.000 And you will pay dearly for it, unless you give him what he wants. 10:36.000 --> 10:38.000 You will pay dearly through your friend Wrangler. 10:38.000 --> 10:41.000 Oh, what do you mean? What are you talking about? 10:41.000 --> 10:43.000 Unless you leave the right flower at the desk, 10:43.000 --> 10:46.000 before one o'clock Wrangler will die. 10:46.000 --> 10:48.000 This is your last warning. 10:48.000 --> 10:50.000 This is a matter of life and death. 10:50.000 --> 10:53.000 All right. I guess I haven't any choice in the matter. 10:53.000 --> 10:55.000 You tell the mastermind I'll do as he says. 10:55.000 --> 11:00.000 I'll leave the real flower at the hotel desk by one o'clock tomorrow afternoon. 11:00.000 --> 11:02.000 You do not understand me. 11:02.000 --> 11:04.000 I said one o'clock in the morning. 11:04.000 --> 11:06.000 Oh, but that's less than an hour from now. 11:06.000 --> 11:08.000 I can't get the flower in that time. 11:08.000 --> 11:10.000 Get the flower or Wrangler dies. 11:10.000 --> 11:13.000 Now listen to me. I've got to have more time. 11:13.000 --> 11:15.000 Mix, keep him on there as long as you can. 11:15.000 --> 11:18.000 It's impossible for me to get that flower by one o'clock. 11:18.000 --> 11:21.000 I'm merely giving you the message I was told to give you. 11:21.000 --> 11:22.000 Goodbye. 11:22.000 --> 11:24.000 Hello. Hello. 11:24.000 --> 11:26.000 He's hung up. 11:26.000 --> 11:28.000 Well, at least we've gained another hour, Chief. 11:28.000 --> 11:31.000 But this time the mastermind means what he says. 11:31.000 --> 11:34.000 Either we manage to reach Wrangler by one o'clock, 11:34.000 --> 11:38.000 or I reckon we won't have to bother about reaching him at all. 11:41.000 --> 11:44.000 Tomorrow Tom Mix swings into action. 11:44.000 --> 11:47.000 Closes in on the mastermind's hideout. 11:47.000 --> 11:51.000 And then, for the thrilling climax to this exciting mystery, 11:51.000 --> 11:54.000 be sure to listen in tomorrow. 11:56.000 --> 12:00.000 And now, the makers of good old Ralston Wheat cereal 12:00.000 --> 12:03.000 join with Tom Mix, the old Wrangler, 12:03.000 --> 12:06.000 Pecus, and yours truly, Don Gordon, 12:06.000 --> 12:08.000 in wishing our straight shooters everywhere 12:08.000 --> 12:11.000 a happy and a prosperous New Year. 12:11.000 --> 12:14.000 Well, look, it's roundup time, so let's get going. 12:14.000 --> 12:17.000 Up, Tony. Up, boy. Up. 12:30.000 --> 12:34.000 Help Uncle Sam win the war by buying defense bonds and stamps. 12:34.000 --> 12:36.000 Buy them tomorrow and keep on buying them 12:36.000 --> 12:38.000 from your bank, post office, or local store. 12:38.000 --> 12:42.000 This is Don Gordon reminding you to listen to Tom Mix at 5.45 tomorrow. 12:42.000 --> 12:44.000 Good night. 12:44.000 --> 12:47.000 Mother, now you can give your family the hot breakfast 12:47.000 --> 12:50.000 you know they need without wasting a minute. 12:50.000 --> 12:54.000 Serve instant Ralston, the amazing new hot cereal that needs no cooking. 12:54.000 --> 12:58.000 To fix instant Ralston, just pour it into boiling water or milk. 12:58.000 --> 13:01.000 Turn off the heat immediately because it needs no cooking. 13:01.000 --> 13:04.000 Stir and serve. That's all you have to do. 13:04.000 --> 13:07.000 And instant Ralston is piping hot and ready to enjoy. 13:07.000 --> 13:10.000 As thoroughly cooked as if you had prepared it yourself. 13:10.000 --> 13:14.000 Your family will love the hearty, zestful flavor of instant Ralston. 13:14.000 --> 13:16.000 It's the cereal you've been looking for. 13:16.000 --> 13:18.000 A cereal that will let you sleep later, 13:18.000 --> 13:20.000 yet send your family off to work or school 13:20.000 --> 13:23.000 with the kind of nourishment you know they need. 13:23.000 --> 13:25.000 So don't delay. Ask for instant Ralston 13:25.000 --> 13:28.000 in the familiar red and white checkerboard package. 13:28.000 --> 13:31.000 Made by the makers of famous Ralston wheat cereal. 13:31.000 --> 13:34.000 A family favorite for over 40 years. 13:34.000 --> 13:38.000 This is the Blue Network operated by the National Broadcasting Company.