 Ranger of the Woodland! Ranger Bill, warrior of the Woodland, struggling against extreme odds, traveling dangerous trails, showing rare courage in the face of disaster, in the air, on horseback, or in a screaming squad car. Ranger Bill, his mind alert, already smile, unswerving, loyal to his mission. And all this in exchange for the satisfaction and pride of a job well done. Hello, Ken. Hello, Bill. Do you have a free minute? Of course. One over, sit down. I really appreciate your taking time to listen to me. Ken, I'm always glad to take time to listen. Now, what's on your mind, fella? I've got a large-sized problem. Oh? Well, to make a long story short, Conrad shot Mr. Prince two days ago. He didn't. Not Mr. Prince. It's true. I don't know why, but he did. Oh, he says the dog was on his property, so he had a legal right to do it. I found our Mr. Prince ten feet across the fence line with a rifle bullet in him. Dead? No, not yet. The vet says he has a 50-50 chance. Oh, this is terrible. Why, that dog never heard anybody in his life. I was Julie taking it. Well, that's the case in point. Julie isn't taking this very well at all. I'm sure sorry to hear that. She's in love with her dog. I'll say she is. Mr. Prince is the apple of her eye, and now she cries all the time for him. Even at night? Yes, even more so then. You see, Prince is her guard when she sleeps. He always lies in the hallway in front of her bedroom door, and no one can get by without him knowing it. She misses her puppy terribly. I remember when we first decided to get her dog. I remember it very well. Daddy, are you taking a nap? I wasn't until you woke me up, you little ball of fire. Daddy, you said I could have a dog after we moved here to the ranch. I did? Don't tease me. You know you said it, Daddy, and my ears were real open when you said it, too. Are they ever anything but real open? What's on your mind, little one? Here. Mommy says that there's a collie puppy for sale, and I should ask you if I can have it. A collie puppy? Yes. Mommy says it says he's sable and white. A collie? Great day in the morning, child. You're after a small horse, not a dog. Why, they get to weigh about 70 pounds. Yes, Daddy. I want a big one. Well, you sure do all right. Why, he'd eat a pond of beef like you eat a hamburger. Please, Daddy. Please. You said you'd let me... I know what I said. Let's get in the car and go look at this puppy horse you want. Puppy, I ever saw... How much do you want for him, Mr. Nichols? Well, let's say $20. What's wrong with him? Oh, there's nothing wrong with him. Can't you see that, Daddy? Julie, please. Mr. Nichols, how come you're asking only $20 for the dog? Isn't he a pure blood? See for yourself. Here are his papers. Daddy, I don't care if he does have dirty blood. I love him anyhow. He is a pure blood, Julie. And I want your Daddy to buy him for you because I know he's going to get a good home. Here's your money, Mr. Nichols. And thank you. I know the going price in this dog is $50, but if you say $20, I'm not going to argue. Well, thank you, sir. The puppy has been moved twice now, and this will be the third time. The other folks wanted him badly, but there were too many small children and very busy mothers, and they didn't want the dog neglected. Oh, you are my very own. My very, very own. I can see why Julie is upset, Ken. Children certainly get attached to their pets. The child is cared for a dog like a trooper and lavish great love on him. Now this. I'm going to have to do something, Bill, but I don't know what. Ken, you're a Christian. Have you taken this problem to the Lord in prayer? I've tried, Bill. The Lord knows how I've tried, but I can't. I don't understand. Why can't you take it to Him in prayer? Bill, whenever I try to pray about it, I hear Julie crying, and I also see Conrad's face screaming. I have a legal right. I have a legal right. You talk with him? Talk? No. We screamed at each other. After the doc removed the bullet from Mr. Prince, I went to see Conrad and almost shoved the rifle ball in his teeth. He screamed legal right. Legal right. That man has got to learn there are more rights than legal rights. How do I explain legal rights to my heartbroken daughter? Tell me, Bill. How do I do it? I don't know what to tell you, Ken, except that you better pray the bitterness and hatred out of your heart before it destroys you. Listen, Bill, you don't have to watch a broken hearted little girl sob her heart all day after day, but I do. What am I going to do? Ask the Lord to make her stop weeping and shout for joy? You could ask the Lord to give her strength to bear this grief and heart sickness, to ease the pain of her anguish. Have you asked Him to do that? Bill Jefferson, if our dog dies, I'll get my revenge on Codred Flaum. Do you hear me? I'll get my revenge. Conrad, what's ailing Black Thunder? I think that Stalin is doing slowly insane. It's honorable month. It weren't so valuable. I'd get rid of him. Perhaps you should anyhow before he kills someone. I won't do that. Maybe a dog or two, but not a person. He's got an awful fear of dogs. Hates them. He does, huh? Why? When he was cold, a pack of dogs sat on him and the mare. But the mare drove him off after she kicked a couple of dogs to death. Well, that Stalin goes wild. I'd start mad when he sees a dog. Is that why you shot Mr. Prince? Oh, so they've gone to the law, eh? Bill, that car was on my property. I had a legal right to shoot him, and you know it. Yes, you did have a legal right if the dog was trespassing with malicious intent. That's what he was about to do. You shot him just 10 feet inside your fence line. Ah, you listen here, Mr. Chief Ranger. I know my legal rights and you can't touch me. What I do is my business. Everybody else can mine their own, and I mean that to include you. Hello, Ken. Joe. Glad to see you outside in the sunshine, Julie. Mr. Prince isn't out here in the sunshine. He's going to die in... Bill, will you stay with Julie a minute? I have to make a phone call. Sure, I'll be glad to. Thanks. I'll be right back. Well, Julie, you say Mr. Prince is going to die in the hospital. Has the veterinarian told you this? Oh, not really. Then how do you know Mr. Prince is going to die? Stop crying and listen to me. Looks so shook up, Bill. I sure didn't intend to get her excited. I know you didn't. What do you think about the problem now? Ken, this is beyond my wisdom, and when I get in these spots, I just stop and give the Lord time to talk to me. Well, while you're waiting, I've got something to add to the tightness of the knot. Your phone call? Yes. It was to the vet. Prince is getting worse. He has a 40-60 chance to live now. Conrad, is your offense strong enough to hold Black Thunder? Yep. It'll hold that crazy stallion all right. Hey, it's you back here kind of soon. Perhaps. I was just over talking to Ken and Julie. So? You don't have to get my permission to talk to them. Mr. Prince is getting worse. The vet says he has a 40-60 chance to live. Yeah, why are you telling me? I did only what's my legal rights. Your legal rights. Your legal rights. You ever think about anyone but yourself and your legal rights? Listen, Bill, don't preach to me. Don't push me, Conrad. I'm trying very hard to be fair in this problem and look at both sides of the picture in their true light. I happen to like that dog very much. He's a fine and gentle animal. As far as I know, the only animal he's ever attacked is a wolf. I'd say you ought to be man enough to recognize you made a mistake and make restitution of some kind. I got no use for dogs on my ranch with my horses. Your logic is faulty. A bad experience with two dogs doesn't mean all dogs are bad. You forget, Conrad, that Mr. Prince is a ranch dog. Don't try to cover up the fact that the dog was trespassing on my property. I had a legal right to shoot him. Do you know how long 10 feet is? Of course I do. You shot Mr. Prince when he was only 10 feet across the line. Very peculiar that you should happen to be right there just after he crossed under your property. Yeah, well, there's nothing you can do. I'm within my rights. You could have shagged the dog and called Ken and warned him about the dog trespassing. Now you've broken a little girl's heart. Made your neighbor nail-spitting angry. Good day to you, Mr. Jefferson. Conrad, there are a few things you have to learn about the rights of other people. They have the right to consideration, Christian love, and a chance to correct their mistakes, if they will. Yes, sir, Mr. Flam, one of these days you're going to find out just what I'm talking about. Good day, Mr. Jefferson. Now, one more thing. You'd better make sure that stallion is inside a good fence. He's a killer. If he ever gets loose, somebody might get hurt. Julie, girl, please don't cry. Please, for daddy's sake. We have to be patient now until he gets well. But he is. Oh, honey, I'm sorry you heard that. Didn't want to make you feel more unhappy than you do. Oh, well. No, you don't, baby. You mustn't hate anybody. You mustn't. Open this door. Down at four o'clock in the morning, who do you think you are? Listen to me, Flam, and listen good. I just got a call from the vet to bring Julie and see her dog because the dog is feeling fast. Go on, get out of here before I get my rifle. Now you're going to shoot me, too. Let me tell you, Flam, if that dog dies, you're the one that had better worry about getting shot at, not me. Understand? He was threatening me. You won't shoot me from ambush like you did, Mr. Prince. I called Bill Jefferson and he's going to pick up Julie and me and go with us to the animal hospital. If Mr. Prince dies this morning, I'll get my revenge on you for shooting our dog and breaking my daughter's heart. Don't scare me. I know my legal rights. Wait just a minute. Bill, this is no time for talk. Please, Mr. Jefferson, we've got to hurry. Mr. Prince is still alive. I just checked with the doctor on my radio telephone when I came out to pick you up. There are a few very important words I want you both to hear before we go in. Julie, I know you're old enough to understand what I'm going to read, so listen closely. In Proverbs, the third chapter and the fifth verse, it says, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding. Now, before we go in to visit, Mr. Prince, I want you to think about what the Lord has to say about our own understanding of things that happen. You and I aren't able to second-guess the Lord. We can't understand everything that happens in our lives. But the Lord knows why for those of us who are Christians. We must trust Him and not lean on our own understanding. We become bitter and hateful. And hate and bitterness have no part in a Christian's life. It isn't your dog that's dying. She's got a point there, Bill. Let's go inside. Waited so long. I hope Mr. Prince is still alive. Perhaps you'd better not, Julie. Oh, it won't hurt him. Just don't go near his chest and the bandages. You can pet his head and scratch his ears all you want. I'll be real careful. Do you think he can hear me? Well, I don't know, Julie. Your dog is very sick and close to death. He hasn't responded to me at all in the last 12 hours. Isn't there anything else you can do for him? Unfortunately, there isn't. Maybe Julie Fussing over him will make him worse if he's so close to death. It might do the reverse, Ken. It might give him the fight to live. Do you really think so? It's certainly worth a try. Let's leave the child alone with their dog for a while and see what happens. She might get through to him. I am sorry I can't do more for Mr. Prince, even though veterinary medicine has come a long way in the past few years. What are his chances now, Doctor? He's not good at all. He's got about a 30, 70 chance to pull through this. Will you go for me? Honey, we'd better let him rest now. Please, Princey. Can't you open one eye, just a peep? Please don't start crying. Look, he's open his eyes. What do you say, Doc? I'd say he's fighting now, fighting to live. You really think so? Well, I sure do. That's more response than I've gotten from him for several days. Wonderful. Julie, we've got to go home now. Daddy has to go to work and you have to go to school. Can I stay here, please, Daddy? Can I? Please? Mr. Prince needs me to stay. You're a hard man if you say no, Ken. All right. You may stay with your dog, Julie. Do you hear that, Mr. Prince? Right here with you all day. Julie? Yes, Mr. Jefferson? You seem so sure that Prince will live now. Oh, I am sure. Why? You said we should trust the Lord and not be bitter and have hate about what's happening. That's what I'm doing. Oh, good stallion. Given this big gorilla a lesson or two on manners, let me get out of this stall here. Someday that stallion's going to kill you, Conrad. Look what I'm looking at, James. I suppose you'll come to the app at me again about that dog. No. I stopped by to tell you the dog is recovering now. He's at home and coming along slowly but surely toward total recovery. And all because of one little girl's faith in the Lord and love for her dog. I don't know why your body is telling me I'm within my legal rights. Yes, you're within your legal rights. But someday, somehow, you will find out that there are more rights than what the law states. You'd better not shoot that dog again unless he's in the act of attacking your horses or causing other damage. Come here, Prince. Scratch your ears. Shake your paw. Doesn't he look good, Mr. Jefferson? He sure does, Julie. You're taking real good care of him. I stopped to see Conrad and tell him the good news. That was a waste of time, wasn't it? You know it. If you knew our name, you'd better not shoot this dog again unless Prince was attacking his stock or destroying his property. He would never do that. I know it, Julie. Now, if I were you, I'd stay away from his line fences. By all means, keep Mr. Prince away. Oh, but definitely. Julie, don't ever go on the other side of Conrad's line fence for any reason. I don't care what it is. Keep Prince in strict obedience when you're close to the line fence. In fact, you'd better keep your dog on a leash when you have to go near Conrad's place. Oh, I will, Daddy. Can we walk down the road past his spread? Of course, but Prince must be on the leash just in case. He's obedient, but we can't risk him getting another rifle bullet. Well, I'll have to be running along now. Thanks for all your help, Bill. Bye, Mr. Jefferson. Bye. Will he come back soon to see us, Daddy? Of course he will. You and I are going to take a walk down the road. OK. But remember what we said about Conrad's line fence. Oh! Crown's line fence, but he can't hurt you as long as we stay on the road. Thunder way off there. He's a mean one, all right. What's the matter? Is something wrong with Black Thunder? Help! Vincent, see what's wrong. Julie, I can't make sure I'm dead. Broken. You've got to keep Prince here to drive the stallion away. Well, I crawled to the fence and under it. I'll run home real fast. No, you've got to keep the dog here to protect me. Daddy and Mr. Jefferson said I can't let Mr. Prince off the leash when we're near your fence because you would shoot him again if he got on your property. Julie, please listen to me. That insane stallion is standing up there on the rise, watching to make sure I'm dead. As soon as I begin to crawl for the fence, he'll be down here in full fear and finish me off. You've got to let the dog loose so he can drive the horse off. I can't let Mr. Prince go over the fence. You might shoot him. Julie, how can I shoot him if I ain't got a gun? But you shot my dog before, and he almost died. Shot your dog? Maybe I shouldn't have. I don't know right now, even though I did have a legal right to do it. Maybe I was wrong. That's the word? That's the word? Can't stand up or fight back. You've got to help me. Please, and you must. You shot my dog, Mrs. Zip. You must protect me, Julie. You've got it. You shot my dog. He's coming in for the kill. Please turn Prince through. I won't make it, Julie, for saving my life. And when I see Mr. Prince, I'm going to thank him, too. And I want you both to come to my home and visit me. But legal right to go on your land. Oh, yes, you do have a legal right to come to my land, and so does Mr. Prince. That's quite a switch in your thinking, Conrad. Boy, I'll say it is. Well, you know, they all say, and some people almost have to get kicked in the head ball horse before they smarten up. And I'll never use the words legal right again. From now on it's love and tolerance and consideration for rights other than what the letter of the law says. Well, boys and girls, I don't think there's any comment I can add because the story speaks for itself. Just remember, if there's one thing better than being legal, it's being Christ-like. See you next week for more adventure with... Ranger Bill was produced in the radio studios of the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.