 Lair of the Mountains, a story of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. Our scene opens at Fort McAllister in the Canadian Northwest. The Fort is a survival of the old days, when the great Hudson Bay Company held sway over that vast region under the ancient title of the Gentlemen Adventurers of England, trading into Hudson Bay. The glory of the old days has departed, but the Fort is still a company post. Here is the company store. Here, too, is the small Northwest Mounted Police post, where we find Sergeant Blair. The big stove, piled full of green birch logs, is red-hot. Outside are blizzard rages. Entering the cabin as our story opens, is Blair's trusted assistant, Angus Cameron. Oh, hello, Angus. Man, man, Sergeant Jordan's a hearted nest. Listen to that wind, will you? Yes, it's a bad night, all right. Did you phone Marshal Fort Douglas about that fur case? Ah, I did not. He'll be out on it in the morning. Anything else doing? Marshal said a dog team went by at four o'clock. What? In this weather? Who was it? It's Bella Tour, heading this way. Bella Tour? Good lord fancy a woman on the trail, a night like this. Ah, but what a woman you are, Sergeant. Worth a million, they say, and yet she's no satisfied. Just built a dance hall in the new Tuned Dawson. Calls at the circle. Yes, hope she gets it all right. Yes, she will. She got the best dogs in the Northwest. And Antoine's the finest driver from here to Hudson Bay. She'll be showing up soon. Lesson, will you? There's something new. Ah, can't hear a thing for that wind, Angus. It's a team, Sergeant. Listen. Oh yes, I believe you're right. Open that door. Will! Hello, there, Angus. Hello, Sergeant. Gee, what a night. Hello, there, Angus. Give a hand to the dog. Aye, Sergeant. Sit down, Belle. Thanks, Sergeant. Gosh, what a trail. Bucking that blizzard clear from Holy Cross Lake. Where you heading, Belle? Oh, just going down Edmonton. Got a load of fox fur. Got to make the Saturday strain. This wind's too tough even for me. I'll lay up here and quit. I see. Well, I got your wire from Holy Cross. What's in your mind, Belle? Plenty. You ain't forgotten finger Smith, have you? I know. What about him? He's out of jail. Yeah, so I heard. I've been Alaska, I believe. No, he ain't, Sergeant. What? Now, he was up there on the landing last night and heading this way. Hmm, that's interesting. Too interesting to suit me, Sergeant. Fingers never forgiven you for picking him up at battles for that time. He's been doing a lot of talking and said he was going to get you. Oh, see here, Belle. Yeah, I know. But you better watch out, Sergeant. Fingers is bad medicine. He's got a couple of tough birds with him. I see. Well, thanks for tipping me off. Coming back this way? Yeah, I guess so. Well, got to be getting out of the store. All right, Belle. Good luck. Thanks. Hmm. Fingers Smith again, eh? No rest for the weekend. Hello, it was singing. Oh, Fingers. Hi, Sergeant. You hear about Fingers Smith? Hi, Anton was telling me. What do you think of it, Sergeant? Well, we'll have to watch he doesn't spoil that good record we have in this district. Oh. Sounds as if the wind's up. Aye, it has that. And look at the north and left. Yon's a magnificent sex, Sergeant. Yes. What has the thought? Ah, it's the wee woman who's starting to do the trail again. Yon's a long trail, she's stacking. Yes, Belle's trail will never end. So that brave little heart of hers stops beating. Well, better bank that fire, Angus. I'll be turning in. Aye, Sergeant, I'll do that. Good night, dear. Good night, Angus. Hello. What's that? Hey, wake up, Angus. Oh, man, I was having a faint sleep. Oh, I'll go. Wait, wait. Good Lord, Belle, are you back again? Yes, it's me. Sergeant Quick, I've been robbed and all I good for are cleaned out. What? Sure, they held me up in Long Cooley. Held up? Why, look here. They don't hold people up in this country. Oh, no. I'll tell you the truth, Sergeant. Oh, for heaven's sake. Let him out, Belle. Take it easy. Sit down. Start the beginning. Come on, Angus, hurry up. Aye, I'm coming. Oh, where in the world did I put my socks? Put them on my feet. All right, Belle. Let's have the story. Well, I was right in the middle of Long Cooley and I was riding and pretty near asleep. And all of a sudden, there was a shot from the bush. Antoine's lean dog went down and three men jumped it. Recognize the men? No, not a chance. Too bad, Belle. But I'll tell you one thing. One of those men was Finger. Finger Smith, you sure? Sure. I'm dead certain. I know his voice in a million. What happened to Antoine? I shot him. And I got the dogs clear. Poor old Mishka is dead. The best lean dog I ever had. Gee was I mad. Is Antoine dead? Sure. Never made a move. Gosh. Thirty years in this country and that's the first time anybody ever stole a nickel's worth from me. And as for losing Antoine, poor old Mishka. Oh, jeez, Sergeant. All right. Take it easy, Belle. That's fair. Yeah, sure. It's in my handbag. Oh, Angus. Yes, Sergeant. We leave the Indian trackers. I wonder who's around the fort. They're all here, I'm thinking. Well, get Joe the man and Little Bear if you can. Get him out ahead of us. And get Marshall to start for long, coolie at once. All right, Angus. Slip into it. We'll start in half an hour. Aye, Sergeant. Gosh. I hope you'll get them guys. Change the money I mine so much. It's the idea of being held up at this cheap, poor flesh and gang and losing old Mishka. Oh, jeez. He was a grand dog, Sarge. I feel like murdering somebody. Oh, no, you're getting so, Belle. I don't think we'd pick him up. Well, how's we getting along? Well, so long, Sergeant. Good luck to you. Thanks. So long, Belle. You're the coolie just ahead, Sergeant. Yes, there's Joe the man and Marshall. All right. Lead the dogs here, Martin. Angus. Oh. Please come in, Chief. Your form. Hello, Joe. Morning, Marshall. Good morning, Sergeant. It's a pretty bad business. Yes, where's the place? Just ahead under the high bank, Sergeant. Find anything? Not much, Sergeant. There's a lot of blood on the snow, and the place is swarming with tracks. I see. Joe, what do you say? Well, three men here. One man atop in Bushier by trail. One man on the side trail. Another man on top, big bank. Watch for slaves. Yes, I know. I don't want that. What happened after the hold up? Which way they go? You'll no find them yet. Well, you and little Bear chase up under that bank. Look for slay tracks. It's a getaway I'm interested in. Ah, here you go. You think they had to slay up there? I'm afraid so. Well, that might be it. But I couldn't get these Indians away from the main trail. That's an Indian all over. They have a sense of the dramatic. Always want to sit down and reenact the tragedy. Yes, that's right. Joe and little Bear were having quite a power down here in the Coulee. But what's your theory about this getaway, Sergeant? Well, they wouldn't keep the main trail. They settled country north and south and east of us. Oh, you think they went west? I think so. If they head for the foothills, it's going to be tough. But they have to cash in on that fur. Oh, they might figure on laying up on the hills till things quiet down and make a break south. Oh, I see. Well, here's Joe again. Oh, this one there. Yes, Joe? Oh, Joe him find them slay track up top of bank. Yes, which way they go, Joe? I think maybe head for Snake River. Oh, that's nice. Five hours start. They'll be over Snake River for nightfall. We have no chance in the world. They'll be in the hills tomorrow. No, policeman chief. Maybe you go fast. You'll catch them tonight. What? Oh, you're crazy, Joe. No, I say you'll catch them tonight. Have his sleigh. Bad trail. You catch them. And hold on, Joe. Either they have to break trail. We never catch them this side. Snake River. Pretty soon. Big Chinook. He comes. Chinook. Here, hold on, Joe. You sure? Joe, him never make mistake, policeman chief. Well, that's different. Gosh, that's right. If a Chinook comes, we've got him. See here, sergeant, this is all Greek to me. What is this Chinook business? Oh, yes, I forgot. This is your first winter in the West, Marshal, eh? You see a Chinook has a warm wind that comes suddenly in winter out here. But what difference does that make? Well, it looks funny, I'll admit, but the Chinook raises the temperature rapidly. It melts snow like magic. If we get a real Chinook, there'll be 10 feet of water over the ice in Snake River for midnight. Oh, I see. Then they'd be stuck this side of the Snake River. That's it. Well, it's guessed right. Me, sir, big Chinook, here come. You catch him. Yeah, it's a chance, all right. Marshal, shake up your dogs. I'll get Angus and we'll shove on to Snake River. Light sleighs, we ought to gain on those fellas pretty fast. Eh, so that's why it turns so warm. Anything doing, sergeant? Not yet. It looks all right. Joe and Little Bear have gone to see if they can find the camp. Well, the river's in flood, all right. And it's just as hot as a summer night. Where's Angus? Here, sergeant. Right. We're about 100 yards from the river. Wonder where those Indians have got to. They've been quite a time. Wonder what's the matter. I'm probably having another power. Good Lord, what's that? All right, look out. That's Joe's signal. Stand by. Look here, sergeant. Yonza men coming for the trio. Hold on. It's all right, Joe. Oh, this one's here. Well, Joe, what do you got? My fandom camp. Three men close by the river. You come while I'm asleep. Yes, we come. Angus, Marshal? Yes, sir, then. All right, I'll drive with you. This is the plan. Now listen, Joe. I'll be careful with this now. You two follow Joe. Get round behind the camp, then work in close enough to jump these fellas. I'll go straight for the camp. When you get set, I'll walk straight in on them and make the rest. Got the idea? Yes, all right, Sergeant. Right, keep your guns handy. Don't shoot unless you have to. Move in quick, and I challenge them. How about those dogs, Joe? Oh, dog, him plenty tired. That trail, heavy load, him played out. No, make no noise. All right, you fellas keep close to Joe. Watch your step. I'll shut off now. Hey! Who's that? Come on, Marshal. Angus, come on! Hey, what is this? Hey, wake up, Bill! Hey, what is this? Look out! Hold it! Hey, what's the idea? What do you mean? All right. Stand him up, Marshal. That's it. James Ennis Smith. I arrest you in the King's name for the murder of Antoine Leclerc at Lawn Cooley. Huh? Anything you say will be used against you as evidence. Ah, so sure as it. Of course, yeah. I won't have to run into you again. Too bad, finger. What about that fur, Angus? Oh, here I'm thinking. Right, we'll bring up the dog's campy little daylight, and we'll head back to the fort. Nice work, Joe. Ah, Christmas Eve. So, him, he, the father. Again, Joe the man, famous Indian tracker, has proved his worth. Tune in for our next episode in Blair of the Mounties, entitled The Track.