 The challenge of the Yukon King the swiftest strongest of Eskimo lead dogs blazes the trail through storm and snow for sergeant Preston as he meets the challenge of the Yukon sergeant Preston was typical of the small band of Northwest mounted police who preserved law and order in the Yukon during the gold rush of 98 that was the year that brought over 50,000 men swarming into the Klondike region and the greed for gold led to frequent violence and bloodshed but in spite of the odds against them the force preserved a splendid record in maintaining the right the challenge of the north was answered and justice ruled triumphant as sergeant Preston pulled into Cass City a sharp wind cut alongside the frame building that sheltered the group of men standing in its protection so deep worthy in conversation the curious passers-by joined them and in turn were caught up in a heated discussion I'll tell you all I had to see was them Prince ain't nobody in the Yukon with feet that big but why had Ben Barton want to kill Matt Lawson don't make much sense to me I heard Ben tell Lawson he'd get him when they had that fight in the cafe yesterday afternoon sure didn't waste much time hey you come Sergeant Preston Sergeant Preston hey Sergeant Preston. That's a good thing he's here. Hello boys. What's the meeting about? You ain't you heard? Matt Lawson was murdered. Murdered? Yep. Out on wishbone Crick. You might just as well get ready for another shock Sergeant. I can't believe it. Who'd murder Matt Lawson? Matt had his enemies all right. But your friend big Ben Barton is the man that done it. I will Ben wouldn't. Sergeant we know Ben's your friend but that ain't gonna save him now. Now wait a minute will Ben's guilty he'll be punished. The law doesn't recognize friendship when a crime's been committed. What evidence have you you can't make a statement like that you know without proof. We got proof all right. You're a darn tootin. No one else in the Yukon wears shoes the size of Ben's. How do they Sergeant? Well no I guess they don't. Ben's about the biggest man the Yukon. Well the Prince that was found in the snow or Ben's. No. Yep. Might have saved your life but he took Matt Lawson's shoes as a son in the sky and Prince or as plain as day. No sir that nooses as good as around his neck right now. And so fast nooses around anyone's neck yet. What time was Matt killed? Any of you know that? We know this much. He was killed after ten o'clock last night. After ten Yep. Snow stopped falling about ten you see. So it have to be after that else the Prince wouldn't be there so plain. Well man that should take the finger of suspicion from Ben. How do you figure Sergeant? Because Ben was with me last night from 9 30 till about 8 this morning. Well what's wrong with you man? I hate to say it. I never thought either that I will. Will? Sam. You might be the law up here but by golly Sergeant if you ain't to let Barton know. We'll take the law on our own hands that's what we'll do. You can see how we feel about it. If you men do that you'll be guilty of murder yourselves. I promise you this. If you're right there won't be any need to take the law in your hands. But first we've got to make sure an innocent man isn't punished for a crime he didn't commit. Well. You've got to give Ben a chance. I'll stay in cast city we find who murdered Matt Lawson. You'll have to find some way to explain them Prince. We'll have to find an explanation for a lot of things. Come on King we've got work to do. Get the dogs up. I'll see you men later. Goodbye. Bye. I'm. When Sergeant Preston left the small group of men he headed his team for big Ben Barton's cabin further north toward the edge of cast city. I hope he's there. I've got to talk to him. Okay. All right King come on fella. We'll see if Ben's inside. Jim Preston. Am I glad to see you. Hello Ben. I'm anxious to see you too. Come on inside. Hi there King. I guess you heard. Yes that's why I hurried to see you. I don't know what to do. Now Ben listen. I know you didn't kill Matt Lawson. He's a soul in cast city you believe me. I just saw Will Stringer in the son of the man. I can guess pretty much what they told you. Yes. Well I'm your prisoner but I tell you I didn't do it. Ben it's a frame up. If only I hadn't had that fight with Matt. What fight. Yesterday afternoon in the cafe you know how them things start. I made a bet with Matt about two weeks ago. Matt never was one to pay off his bets. That was why I jumped him but he was in a mean humor. Seems he was having some trouble with a boundary on his claim or something. He cussed me out right proper. I didn't want to get into any gunplay with him so I left the cafe. Only when I was leaving I told him he'd pay me or else. Well that was bad. An ordinary circumstances it wouldn't be but. The way things are now. I meant I'd collect that money. Chuck you can't collect any money from a dead man. Well money ain't much good to me now. Who heard that fight. Well let's see. Will Stringer was in the cafe in Snyder. Harkins was there. You know the same bunch. Yep with my luck they was all there and every one of murders arguing. So they're basing their opinion on that argument as much as the footprints. The footprints is a thing. But how could I be at Wishbone Crick and with you at the same time. They won't believe me Ben. Because we're friends I think. The dirty old doubt what you farm would say I didn't know you're straight as a come out. Still the same old Ben actually. With more trouble of your own to think of the never and you. Well you'll still fight for a friend. Well so did you know how it is. Well we've been friends for a long time. I'd rather. I'd rather admit I'd done this thing and have anyone think he was trying to protect me. But gosh done it ain't trying to protect me. It's a truth. Who could have been wearing your shoes. Who could have been wearing your shoes. They were your footprints were they. They were the prince of my shoes if that's what you mean Sergeant. I wasn't in them. Most men you can't have only one pair of boots but you would be it's hard for me to get shoes to fit that when I see an extra pair I buy them up quick. Let me see your shoes. I want to see every pair you have my shoes. Sure. I don't know exactly. Except that I want to see if they've been worn lately. Drop one. It's a lot of them. Don't own another pair except what I got on. Which shoes were you wearing last night. The ones I got on. You're sure. Sure. I'm sure. Took them off last night beside my bed and put them on there this morning. It wouldn't be hard for someone to sneak up here and borrow a pair and then put them back would it. I reckon not. I'm in and out of my cabin a lot and the mud around here has been walked on too much to show any new footprints. I see now. Not these. What do you see there. These shoes are wet. These are the shoes the murderer of all last night. He stepped in one of the mud holes that went inside as well as out will I be wet and muddy. Then these shoes may prove your innocence. How can they do that. I'll get my knife out of my losing a pair of shoes not if they'll save my neck I don't soon know whether they will or not. These shoes are well put together. Almost ashamed to cut them apart. And I will soon know. Just as I thought. Look here what here. Here is the footprint of the man who wore these shoes when he killed Matt Lawson. This proves that we're looking for a man much smaller than you are. Well that would show a lot shorter than mine. He'd be. Let's see about six feet tall. I'd say about a hundred and eighty pounds. Might be almost any one of a dozen. Yes that's true. Now what we want to do is line up the man who might have wanted to kill Matt. Then fit the printer their foot to the print in this shoe. Yeah but who would be likely to kill him. Who would have the chance to pin the crime on you. Someone was in the cafe yesterday and heard that argument. Yeah but there was a crowd there. You can't get one man out of the way. Come on Ben think. Well Sam Snyder old Maddie people money he was in the cafe. Yep. And Harry Knight but him and Maddie been friendly for years. He wouldn't all of a sudden just. Will Stringer wheels claims on the same hill match was but then they was always friendly anymore. Listen to be the boy keep and you know Johnny didn't have nothing to get mad. One thing that all is paid for was his drinks. That's three men and I have a hunch that in that three we'll find the man who's trying to frame you Ben. Early the next day three men gathered in Ben Barton's cabin at the far edge of Cassidy will Stringer Harry Knight and Sam Snyder any one of whom might have murdered Matt Lawson. As soon as I got the message I came. Yeah me too. I wonder what that money's kind of a sleeve hard to say and I'll say this much Barton still ain't under arrest is he made a man well he comes to Mountie now. Sorry to keep you men waiting here. Wait when we find sergeant what's this all about when you send for us yeah something happened I want all you men to step into this mud and walk across the floor in your bare feet why that's why I sent for you will it's all right with me I'll try anything mind if I go first like to get this over with fine you fellas take your shoes up to over here very. In this mud here like this yes I walk across the bare floor you ready Sam I guess. I ever did this can't say I'm mine long as you got a reason for it will I'd like to know what it's all about. We'll go into that in a few minutes over here first will. Yeah. All right. Now we'll soon know what we want what do you want to know I'll just compare these now no. What's that looks like part of the shoe as it is part of a shoe part of the shoe the murderer war when he killed Matt Lawson Tuesday night you mean Ben didn't wear their shoes can expect us to believe that ain't nobody here with feet that big is none heard of for one man to wear someone else's shoes is nobody could wear Ben shoes for that matter the shoes wouldn't necessarily have to fit the man wearing them man who killed Matt wore these shoes when he wore them he forgot one thing you see he stepped into several of the deep mud holes around here the water and mud went down into the shoes but when he stepped out of them print of his foot was left in them say now one of the footprints on the floor matches the print in the shoe comparing them will tell who murdered Matt and who tried to frame Ben well what are you waiting for my colleague let's get this thing cleared up not so fast you ain't comparing anything Preston will put that gun down with I'm giving the orders around here now we're like that's it will I should have known when Ben told me your claims in the same hill is Matt's that you'd have a reason for wanting them out of the way now that you know it ain't gonna do you any good you're under arrest you can't talk to a man holding a gun like that Sergeant I have to kill all the I'm gonna make well led your gut here Ben you're just in time shut that door I go on line up over there with the rest of them all right King we're nothing after that talk of yours knocked him over well this is the end for you that was pretty smart Sergeant I don't know mind telling you I'm already sorry about that all right Sam wills conscience gave away what do you mean his conscience was him footprints had done it no not entirely you see the prints on the shoe weren't plain enough to tell which of you three men more than and I'll be yes King you deserve some credit to the case is closed challenge of the Yukon a copyrighted feature of the challenge of the Yukon Incorporated brought to you every Saturday at this time originated in the transcription studios of WXY's a Detroit the characters and events in tonight's drama were fictitious Bill Morgan speaking this is the Michigan radio network