The Tom Mix Ralston straight shooters are on the air and here comes Tom Mix
America's favorite cowboy. The Tom Mix Ralston straight shooters present
Curly Bradley as Tom Mix in a brand new adventure for the 1980s the mystery of
the twisted trail a Jim Harmon production with special guest cowboy
Jock O'Mahoney as Jack Martin. Stand by for a complete half-hour thriller from
start to finish.
Howdy straight shooters this is Tom Mix and glad to be back with you. We'd like
to bring you a story for everyone in the family for straight shooters of all ages.
Now this is a story of a man who loved his part of this great West a man who
wouldn't be scared of and who wouldn't let himself be killed off. A good man but
one I had to lock horns with and here's your announcer Lester Maine to go on
with the story. It was late one fall evening the moon was bright on the
prairie and the air was crisp. Three riders were heading back to the TM Bar
Ranch Tom Mix sitting tall in the saddle of his brown and white marked horse
Tony. Sherrick Mike Shaw on his yellow and black buckskin and young Pecos
Williams riding pal his palomino. Tom isn't saying much he listens to Mike and
Pecos and maybe for something else. Texas Texan Tom always fake it when are you
ever going to get old enough to savvy things now everybody knows how a
magician gets a rabbit out of a hat. Well now Mike it just seems to me that there
may be more than one way. Only way this fella could have done it tonight at the
meeting hall was to have the rabbit in some trick compartment of the hat. Well I
still say that would make that stovepipe hat too heavy. He must have had the top
sort of sort of hinge then he reached through there and another little door in
the table and pulled the rabbit up. I saw the dad blamed hat there weren't no
hinges in it. Now hey Tom Tom would you set this young tumbleweed straight?
Mike I think that magician back in Doby got you both to look where he wanted
you to. I don't figure he got the rabbit out of a hat at all. It was never in
there. What are you talking about? I reckon he had the rabbit hid somewhere
else a special pocket in his coat maybe and just seemed to pull it from the hat.
Now the main thing about the show tonight as far as I'm concerned is that our
Janey is going to arrive a day too late to see it. Say Tom you ain't worried
about Jane being late be? No no no Mike no she worried she would take the next
train from her boarding school but there's something else in the wind. Not
much wind tonight. No no Mike just something I sense a hunch. Say I never
thought Tom Mix could be superstitious. Hold on Pecos it ain't superstition with
Tom no no I've been around him a lot longer than you and I remember one time
back before I was sheriff. Well anyway Tom's nerves and muscles and brains are
so finely tuned it's like one of those long-haired musician fancy fiddles. He
can sense things you and me miss. Yeah I've seen Tom do that. Hey smoke smoke
rising up across the face of the moon. Looks like it's coming from Jack Martin's
place. Yeah Martin's got a fire on his hands he'll need help. Let's ride.
Oh that's the ranch house Mike. That fire looks well engaged. Oh thank the Lord you're here and you sheriff and you young man. I'm Pecos Williams ma'am. Hey Tom I reckon I better help those cowhands with their bucket brigade. I'm going with you Mike. Yes go on give my hand you two. Ellen where's Jack? Oh Tommy
went inside into the fire he wanted to get our money box. After the strong backs
eh? Jack Martin never did trust banks. But Tom the fire's too bad he's got to come out. Somebody has to bring him out. That looks like it's up to me. Tom you shouldn't but if you only could. I can and I will Ella don't worry I'll get Jack out. Mike help me with one of those water buckets. You got it Tom you got it.
Here comes a bucket full. That sure went enough. Here I go into that smoke. Jack. Jack Martin. That smoke's mighty thick. I got to him already. Jack Martin. Who's that? Is that Tom Mick? Yeah. You got to get yourself out of here man. Ella's too young to wear black. No money box is worth that.
Well I found the strong box Tom. I've got it. I've got to find the ranch ledgers now. I'll need those. No Jack that's pushing it too far. You're coming with me now. You can walk out or I'm going to carry out. Let's get to that door. Come on Jack. I'm with you Tom. It's getting kind of hot in here.
Well Ms. Martin man the ranch house ain't a total loss. Thanks to you Sheriff and Pecos and the rest of our hands. I reckon all of us with some help from the rest of the folks around Dovey can fix up your place good as new. We're obliged Pecos. The main thing is Jack say thanks to Tom. I appreciate all the help I got Ella.
Tom I know you're a mighty big man around these parts. You help Mike Shaw keep the law whenever he asks you to. And I've heard you've got important friends at the state capitol in in Washington. All that's well and good but you're standing on my land and I'll handle matters in my own way the way I please.
Jack don't be stubborn. Tom's our friend. He can help. I don't need help. I won't have it. Jack you may run this ranch but you don't run me. You tell Tom about Lucky Houghton or I will.
No getting around it now. Let's not just stand around it. There's some chairs the boys carried out of it all fit. I'm going to help the Martin hands clean up this mess. All right. It's good work. Now do you want to tell me Jack.
Well the fact is man named Lucky Houghton wants my land and he'll do anything to get it. Why. He wants to build a big resort here one with gambling for folks from the city. Tom the circulation is my ranch. I love those trees on the ridge.
Well I don't want to cut down to make way for a roulette wheel. I want to see the cattle and the horse are here. I've got a bunch of dudes who can't keep their dinero in their pockets. Houghton doesn't care what we want. He only wants what he wants and he'll do anything to get it.
Now this Lucky Houghton has made you an offer for the ranch. Yeah he made me an insult for it. He called me to his room at the Dobie House Hotel. I figured he wanted to buy stock but he told me he wanted to buy the ranch.
As he talked to me he sat on the edge of the bed and he dealt out a couple of hands of cards to it. Well the way a lot of gamblers do. Always playing with cards. Well I told him the circle ace was built out of my blood and bones and I wasn't selling a part of myself.
He smiled crooked and said you find it mighty unlucky if you don't choose to sell your land to me Jack Martin. Mighty unlucky. For instance take a look at those cards you got in the deal. I picked up the pace boards and there were aces and eights.
The dead man's hand. Yeah Martin aces and eights. That hand didn't prove very lucky for old wild Bill Hickok and I don't think it'll bring you much better luck if you don't choose to sell to me.
Well I told him he wasn't scaring me off by dealing me a stacked hand and he said something else about finding out about the curse of the aces and eights and I slammed the door on him.
Lucky Houghton may be behind some of your bad luck Jack but he didn't bring it on with a cursed hand of cards. Maybe not but I figured by the burning of the circle ace ranch house I got the first part of the curse and there's just one way to keep from getting the second part that's by gunning down Lucky Houghton.
Jack you can't. I'll say can't. There's a law against killing folks and my job as sheriff is to uphold the law. Now you try gunning down anybody Jack Martin and you wind up in a Dolby jail house.
Mike Shaw is telling you the truth Jack. The days of the gun law are over. Now if Lucky Houghton has committed crimes against you the law will get him for that. But if you start throwing lead you're going to put yourself on the opposite side of the law. Same as Houghton.
You don't have to preach to me. You've thrown plenty of lead yourself Tom.
I've used my gun I had to but I've never murdered anybody and I know where it just threw the line. I know what justice calls for. Do you think the law can get Houghton burning my ranch house.
The law will try Jack. I know I'll do everything I can to help Mike. Jack if you have Tom's word. I'll give the law a chance Tom. I won't wait forever.
Hey there's a rider coming Tom. Oh he's riding hard too. Yes I see. Hey where's Riley he's one of my hands. He was out riding fence.
Boss. Boss by all the saints. I'm bringing you some mighty sorry news that will take me if I'm not.
Bad news. I can sure use more of that to see the main house. Oh that I did. And it's a terrible news that I'm bringing you on top of that. Boss the stream has dried up complete.
There's no water in it. Your poor cattle will die of thirst.
Lucky Houghton said aces and eights. Curse of aces and eights. How do aces and eights figure into this thing.
Well scream on mine he winds all around curve so much we call it the figure eight.
So fire burns my eights I ranch house and now the water all dries up in the figure eight stream. Doesn't that sound like the curse of aces and eights to you.
Well Tom makes doesn't believe in curses and neither do we. But there's something or someone behind Jack Martin's troubles.
It looks like it might be the gambler Lucky Houghton but we haven't come to the end of this trail yet and we will find the solution in the conclusion to the mystery of the twisted trail.
And now back to Tom mix.
Tom mix is investigating a series of disasters at Jack Martin circle ace ranch supposedly caused by gambler Lucky Houghton's curse of aces and eights.
The sun is bright as Tom and take us ride their horses along the winding course of a dried up stream bed. How long do we keep father in the stream bed Tom until we get to the point where the water stuff.
Flow of the stream had to be cut off at some particular point. I suppose so. Do you think Sheriff Mike and Jack Martin under control while they do this thing. That's why I left him there I hoping he can.
Well seems like a lot of time has passed since yesterday morning when I woke up. Sure could use some shut eye and a better breakfast and chewing on some of this beef jerky from the saddle bag.
It's not like you to complain because oh I'm not complaining Tom. After all this is wonderful experience for me. Puffing me up and I want to get a job walking on nails and the circus or some such.
They Tom I can see some of it. Yeah I see it too because it's a crude damn across the stream. It was no supernatural curse that cut off the flow of water to Jack Martin's ranch just a man made damn sure is simple.
Whoever did this must have known it wouldn't take as long to discover this. That's right because let's get off these horses. We make too good a car get set in here.
Now we dance on foot but slowly come on. Yeah.
Hey you two which which are you up to around this place that looks like a logger Tom a lumberjack. That's what he appears to be and a big one.
Howdy we were just wondering what happened to the stream. I guess this damn explains it. What these things do you. Well my name is Tom mix.
I'm helping Sheriff Mike Shaw look into this business. That's Pecos Williams. He might never hear. You are here. Also the sheriff but what do you care about my dad.
Oh so it is your dad. Don't you realize that shutting off all water downstream people and cattle depend on that water.
So what I hear first me Andre Lamont I got to eat too you know you're logging company she fire me. I fight too much for them.
I can only wait from north of the border to get fired. Now I got to make down to catch fish to eat.
And of course there is mountain trout in there but a lot more than one man could eat.
Oh so I said extra fish to people in town for extra supply. I hear first Andre.
I'm sorry if you don't understand all our laws but this damn has got to go. I'm going to wait out there and start kicking it apart now.
Oh me. I think I kick you apart instead. I hear Tom makes you say big man but no man bigger than Andre Lamont. I proved this galloping horn toads.
Here he comes. He's too big to fight Tom. Shoot him in the leg or something. No no guns. Andre Lamont the big lumberjack is a head taller than Tom and heavier by the weight of a side of beef.
Yet Tom stands easy poised on his toes as a giant charger. Tom side steps the charge like a matador moving out of the way of a pole and as Andre goes by Tom clips him on the side of the jaw with a hard right fist.
Stealing Andre with that needle ball. You pay for that. Try and collect. Tom lands punch after telling punch on the big man's head midsection.
Andre throws one great roundhouse punch that can't miss at these close quarters. But Tom manages to take most of its force on his shoulder.
But then Tom can't back up. The footing on the shore of the stream is slippery. Andre closes in and grabs Tom with one bear like arm in a grip as strong and secure as a bear trap.
Andre's free hand moves. There's a flash in the sunlight. You have a sea knife like D Storm makes. It's good for cleaning fish and other things.
Sorry to break your knife with that bullet Mr Lamont but that's not going by the rules around here. Thank you Pecos. Now all I have to do is break his grip on me.
You take your duties. Man can do what he's put his mind to. Tom braces his hands against the inside forearms of the giant and slowly forces those arms apart.
Andre's face dissolves into disbelief. No man has ever before broken his grip. And then as if to end the big man's confusion one of Tom's fists crashes out to the point of Andre's jaw and the lumberjack goes down.
Such a blow from such a little fellow. No more than six feet tall. Listen Andre I've fought enough with you. Big fella like you could keep on like this all day.
But you lay there quiet or Pecos and I are just going to throw ropes on you and keep you quiet until we get a few answers.
Well I have decided that you and me we be great friends. I don't fight with friends. No no not much. What answers do you talk about?
Did somebody put you up to constructing that man? Does the name Lucky mean anything to you?
My god I know if he's very lucky today. Nobody gives me an idea to make that. I don't think I'm enough to think of it by myself. You know Tom I think Andre here is telling the truth.
Yes so do I Pecos. This dam shutting off the figure eight stream had nothing to do with any of Lucky's outing schemes for the so called curse of aces and eights. With just the coincidence.
This trail sure has a lot of twists in it. A lot of twists Pecos. After we break up this dam we've got to pick up Janey at the train station.
I hope Mike Shaw can keep a tight rein on Jack Martin for a few more hours.
Oh Tom it's just great to be back here. Sitting in front of the fireplace at the TM Bar again.
And it's sure great to have you back with us for the holidays Janey. You know I don't have to ask you how you're getting along with that boarding school. Those fine grades tell me.
Oh I'm learning a lot. I miss all of you here. You and Tony and Sheriff Mike, Dr. Green and Pecos.
Well no more than we all miss you. You know honey there's a paper somewhere that says the court made you my ward after your father disappeared. But ward is my mighty code word.
You know you'll always be like my own daughter to me. Come here and give old Tom a big hug.
Oh Tom you were telling me about what was going on around here with Jack Martin?
Oh yes I figured you'd want to know after Pecos brought it up on the trip in from the train station.
That reminds me of something that happened at school. One of the girls, Agnes, was accused of stealing a kerchief, a fancy neckerchief you know, by another girl Betty.
Well they had a fake argument yelling at each other. But Betty wanted to search Agnes' things for the stolen kerchief.
Oh I see. And Agnes said that she should have to prove her innocence no more than any other girl in the school.
All that was against her was Betty's accusation and that was because Betty didn't like her.
Well I suspect that somebody had their way out of this dilemma. Wasn't you by any chance?
Well I suggested that maybe all the girls in the class could have their things searched. Everybody not just Agnes. Nobody liked having their things gone through.
But a crime had been committed and everybody had to make a sacrifice to find the guilty person.
Well that sounds like a good solution Janie.
Theory. Of course we found the kerchief on the floor under an unused seat. Nobody was sure how it got there.
Yeah but the theory is good Janie. You know if I treat Jack Martin and Lucky Houghton equally, not accusing either one of them and not presuming either guilty, I might make some peace.
Yeah. But I'll set up a meeting between Jack Martin and Lucky Houghton at some neutral meeting place. At the Dolby House Hotel.
Oh Tom that's a good idea.
Mr. Mix, Sheriff Shaw and you Houghton. We meet so soon again at the Dolby House.
Yeah Houghton. Not in your room this time. This time it's all out in the open right here in the lobby. Kind of unusual for you.
I'm always out in the open. I play the cards as they fall. Or maybe you deal the cards the way you want them to fall.
Now hold on you two. I invited you both here as a gentleman's parley about the trouble between.
Now that's only going to work if you two stop throwing insults and try to get down to the fact.
Yeah Tom's talking sense. Now I want you two to shake hands and come out. No no no that's not what I want. I want for you to do what Tom says.
It seems everybody around here jumps when Tom Mix says to. The Sheriff, you Martin.
I'm here the same as you Houghton.
I don't suppose you're going to try to blame me for your stream drying up. Here it's running again.
Stream is running. Tom explain that. You had nothing to do with it.
But in a way I did have something to do with it. I happened to deal the cards. The dead man's hand aces and eights to you.
And inadvertently put the curse on you.
Now hold on Houghton. You keep getting this curse business mixed up in your offer to buy Jack's ranch.
Now if you have nothing to do with the things of the so called curse happening.
Why do you think they will stop when you take over the land?
Oh let's say that by selling Martin will divest himself of the things connected with the curse.
The circle ace, the figure eight. Or say whatever you like. I don't care what you believe.
There's big men and big money behind me. We aim to have the circle ace for our gambling resort and we will have it.
Well lucky Houghton I got something that will beat a hand of aces and eights.
A pair of sixes.
Tom.
Jack Pohlweiler.
Easy Jack.
A pair of six shooters from under his coat.
Yeah I see.
Gun flame. I don't think you're going to shoot me down in front of Mitch and the sheriff.
Don't be so sure Houghton. I figure I got nothing to lose.
The next thing on your agenda is probably having me killed. I might as well get you first.
Now listen Martin. I know when a man is bluffing at a game and I can see you aren't.
Suppose I admit, confess. We were trying to scare you off.
We did put a smoke bomb in your house. Just to cause smoke.
We didn't expect it to start a fire.
Whatever you say you expected. That's enough to send you up for several years Houghton.
Maybe he won't go to prison. I can't take a chance. Not with my life and more important Ellen's life. I'm gunning this snake.
Then you'll have to shoot through me Jack. I invited you and Houghton here under a flag of truth.
I gave Lucky my word the same as you. I can't let you shoot him. And I can't let you become a crawling thing like Lucky Houghton.
Somebody who uses violence to get what he wants. Now if you do that you'll become what you hate.
And you'll go on hating yourself.
You're right Tom. Anyway I could never shoot a man like you.
Very pretty speech Mr. Mikes. And now while you're in front of me covering my exit I'll just go out through this door.
These stakes are getting too high for me.
Hey Tom I couldn't get a clear shot at him. You were in front of him. Tom I want that man for arson and attempted murder.
You stay here with Jack. After the fire and all he looks about to keel over. I'll get Mr. Lucky Houghton.
Oh there's the aim. A snooze toby house delivery truck pulling away.
And there's Jane Whitting at the hitching post the way I told her.
Janey did you see a tall well dressed man get in that delivery truck.
Yes Tom he sure didn't look like one of Snooze's workmen.
No he wasn't. He's a crook with might wants. No cars around.
Well it's you and me Tony old boy. We'll have to go after him.
Not much chance of catching a truck on a horseback but we'll try.
Oh Tom Tony can do it. Tony's the greatest horse in the world.
Yes Janey I think he is. Now Tony we're going to have to prove it. Come on boy.
Tom makes gallops out of town to strike Tony. But as the stores and houses fall behind them Tom cuts off the main road and begins going over rock ground.
Dotted with sage. The road curves but Tom is taking a straight line.
Having the distance. Then coming at them from an angle there is the delivery truck driven by Lucky Huff.
There he is Tony. Let's get this up. Come on you can do it boy.
The horse and rider. The truck. They come together from different angles.
Tom swings Tony alongside the truck. And for a moment the matchless strides of Tony.
Each one delivered with a beat from his fighting heart. Each one a gift to his partner Tom.
The horse's strides keep up with the machine. Tom makes the highest gravity as only his skill can lead him.
And leaps from his wonder horse to the running board of that truck.
He opens the door. Shows Lucky Huff aside and yanks on the emergency truck.
Now we're stopped Huffman.
Yeah. Yeah the end of the line. You know Mix. Those aces and apes that I dealt. Maybe they were meant for me.
As just as I've always told Jamie. Lawbreakers always lose. Straight shooters always win. It pays to shoot straight.
Tom Mix and his Ralston Straight Shooters was written produced and directed by Jim Harmon.
Tom Mix was played by Curly Bradley. With Jack Lester as Mike. Jim Harmon as Pecos.
Jock Olmahoney as Jack. Art Hearn as Houghton. Virginia Gregg as Jane.
And this is Lest Remain. Production Barbara Gratz. Steve Markham.
Join us next time when the Tom Mix Ralston Straight Shooters are on the air.
Start the morning with hot Ralston. And you surely will agree.
That this warm up, build up breakfast. Gives you cowboy energy.
It's delicious and nutritious. Made of golden western wheat.
Take a sip from home. Go and tell your mom hot Ralston take me be.
Thanks for watching.