 The challenge of the Yukon. On King, on you huskies! The Wonder Dog King, swift as and strong as the Vescomoleed dogs, blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston as he meets the challenge of the Yukon. Sergeant Preston was typical of a small band of Northwest Monty Police who preserved law and order in the new Northwest country where the greed for wealth and power led to frequent violence and bloodshed. But in spite of the odds against them, Sergeant Preston and his Wonder Dog King met that challenge and justice ruled triumphant. Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Monty Police was reporting at headquarters. As he talked to Inspector Grayson, his great lead dog King, a huge silver gray husky, lay quietly in the corner. I think you'd better stop at the Indian Village on your way to Selkirk. I think the trouble there is over, but you'd better check it. Yes, sir. Well, that'd be all. This wire just came from Ottawa. I doubt that it concerns us particularly. This Jane Stanton, the daughter of the millionaire Peter Stanton of San Francisco, is missing. I don't see why they've bothered to wire us. I can't imagine a girl like that running off to the Yukon for any reason. Did they give a description ever in spite of her? Yes, Sergeant. Nineteen gray eyes, black hair, five feet four. I doubt that you'd need a description if you met her. The society girl sophisticated, polished. She'd stand out in this territory like a pheasant and a flock of hens. But I doubt that you'll ever see her. That'll be all, Sergeant. Thank you, sir. I'll be on my way. Well, on, King. But I tell you, I don't want that stuffy little room in the back. It's dirty and the windows nailed shut. You must have something else in this horrible place you call a hotel. Lady, I told you when you came in there wasn't any room. This is the Yukon. I told you I'd pay twice as much as anyone else pays for a room. In fact, I'll pay anyone to get out of the room and let me have it. Sergeant, you're wrong, King. Hi there, Ned. Maybe you can explain to this lady that here in the Yukon, a room's in a hotel or a scarcer's. Feather's on a hog. I give her the only room I had, but she can play. You call that a room? Speaking of hogs, that's certainly the spot for them. Uh, have you a room here? I'll pay you anything you ask if you'll give it to me. And I'll pay what you already owe on it. Who cast me if you don't have to do that? Me and my partner was going to check out anyway. A bargain's a bargain. Here, help me with this baggage. We'll go to it right now. But my partner's having a little snooze. We're starting... We'll wake him up. I'll make it worth his while. Come on. Better let me peek in first and see if Jim's respectable. Jim, got all your clothes on? Sure. What do you want to know for? It's all right, Miss. You can come in. I got a lady with me, Jim. She's taken over our room. This is my partner, Jim Stabs. Miss... Uh, Saunders. Miss Saunders. Jumping crickets, Ned? Why didn't you warn me? Howdy, Miss. Howdy you. Say, I ain't seen anything as pretty as you since I was a young fella. And that's at least 40 years ago. Well, thank you. How come you're up in this god-forsittin' place? I guess I really shouldn't have come. I had no idea it was so... Well, so rough and cold. Hey, sit down here, Miss Saunders. You look kind of peeking. Thank you. You know anybody here abouts? No. Well, now. If there's anything Jim and I can do to help you, we'd be mighty glad. Of course we're old enough to be your grandfathers, but we've been up in this territory a long while. I saw you. I... I guess I'm going to have to have some help. I'll pay you well. Why are you always talking about paying for everything? Pay us to get out of the room, pay us to help you? When all the time we'd like to do it for nothing. That's very nice of you. Would you mind shutting the door while I talk to you? Of course I will. I hope you can keep a secret. Lady, for anything as pretty as you, Jim and I would have our tongues cut out. Just so... I... I don't know just how to tell you this. You see, I came up here looking for a man. You... you mean a husband? Ain't there enough of him in your hometown? No, not just any man. This man's the one I want to marry. Oh. You see, my father's very wealthy. And Paul, the one I'm trying to find, is very poor. He worked his way through college. He's a mining engineer. Well, he's in love with you, ain't he? I don't see how he could help it. Yes, he's in love with me, but he's very proud. He can't seem to realize that I have more than enough money for both of us. He said he wouldn't come back until he'd made a fortune and could feel independent. Well, sounds like a pretty smart young fella who wants to stand on his own feet. Can't blame him for that. Oh, but the thing he doesn't realize is that it may be years before he does it. I found out that he came up here. I guess this is the one place where a fortune could be made in a hurry, if you're lucky. If you're lucky, he's right. Ned and me have been up here for ten years, and all we can do is scrape up a bad living. Yep, we got a claim that just features. We thought we had a mind once, but the gold veins stop that we just about blew our full heads off. The thing Paul didn't realize is that I'm perfectly willing to go through all the hardships with him. I thought I could find him up here. I could convince him, and he'd let me stay. I said back there at the desk that you was a determined young woman. My grandfather made his fortune in the California gold rush. My grandmother was right with him. I've got their blood in my veins, and I'm not soft in spite of all the money I've had. I can ride and I can shoot. And I can take anything that any other woman or man for that matter can take. My golly, you're a girl after my own heart. We'll help you find this Paul of yours, and when we find him, we'll try and pound some sense into his head. Jim and I know every Indian prospector in Escobo within 50 miles here. You just let us smoke around a while. We'll find him. Now, you better stay here in the hotel for a week or so. You'll be more comfortable. Our cabin's kinda small, and when we find him, we'll come for you. There's one thing that worries me. Yes? My father in San Francisco doesn't know where I am. He naturally wouldn't approve of this. I left a note, but I didn't say where I was going, and he's probably trying to find me. Well, he sure won't be looking for you way up here in the Yukon. You don't know my father. He's a very determined man. Well, I'll tell you what we'll do. I'll throw you a map, tell him how to find our cabin. If he's worried, you just come out there. It's way off in the wilderness, and nobody take a looking for you there. Oh, that'll be fine. I'll buy a compass, and I'm sure I can find it if necessary. It was four days later, and Jane was about to enter the lobby of the hotel from the hall. Suddenly, she drew back at the site of a mountain talking to the clerk, deciding was a huge gray dog. Jane listened intently. That's about the only unusual thing that's happened around here since you were here last in Preston. You say this girl's about 19? Yeah, she's high class, too. Don't know what she's doing around here. She don't leave the hotel much. Did she register from San Francisco by any chance? No, no, she didn't say where she's from. If you come back around supper time, you can get a look at her. She eats in the restaurant. Thanks, Jack. I'll be back later. Come on, King. Did you get a good look at Miss Sander, Sergeant? No, I've been watching for her. She didn't appear in the restaurant at all. Have you seen her? No, that's funny. I wonder if she's sick or something. Perhaps we'd better go to her room and find out. Or is it? It's on the first floor, toward the front, number two. I'll go with you. Well, King, you're sure you didn't see her go out? Not this afternoon. She always appears around supper time. She may not be the girl I'm looking for, but that description certainly fits. Here's a room. Miss Sander's? Miss Sander's, are you all right? She's not in there, Jack. There's a cold draft under the store. Her window must be open. I've got a pass key. Do you want me to open the door? Yes, I think you'd better. She sure ain't in here. And you're right, the window's open. I think the little lady went out this window. I'm in Atlanta, Jack. Here you are. Yes, she did jump out this window. The tracks lead back to the hotel. Now, why do you suppose she did that? I don't know, but I'm going to find out. There's a beard coming up. That young lady may be getting into trouble. Preston's huge lead dog, King, had led Preston and his dog team north on the trail of Jane. The wind had risen and was blowing the snow at them in great gusts. Then, suddenly, King stopped up ahead and barked. Hello! Hello, Huskies! What is it, King? Help! Help! Oh, she is. We're coming! I've been on your trail for hours. Are you all right? I'm so tired and cold. My hands and feet feel numb. Can you walk back to my sled? I must get you to the shelter as soon as possible. I was trying to find a cabin. Ned James and Jim Stibbs. Well, you were going in the wrong direction, young lady. But they're getting closer than anything else. Come on, I'll take you there. Listen, you two old fools. Let me out of here. When I said I'd look this mind over for you, I didn't expect to be held prisoner in it. Now, Paul, you just calm down. You won't have to stay there long and tomorrow. You'll be mighty glad when you find out why we did it. I think you're both a couple of maniacs. If I ever get out of this mine shaft, I know two old goats who are going to be mighty sorry they locked me up. Well, you're perfectly comfortable, ain't you? You got lots of food, a lantern, a sleeping bag. We just give you some hot soup through this hole in the door. I don't care how comfortable I am. I want to get out. Well, I'm going to town in the morning. This storm is over. When I come back, we'll let you out. Come on, Jim, we'd better get back to cabin. You're as crazy as a pair of bedpops. A tempered young fella, ain't he? Sure is. Can't blame Miss Saunders for letting him off. He's big, good-looking, and mindy smart. I feel kind of guilty getting him into that old abandoned mine. He was so serious about looking it over. Hey, it's a dog team. Wonder who's out in this storm. Oh, there. Gee, there's Sergeant Preston. Hello, Sergeant! I told the young lady wandering around in the storm. She seems to be looking for you two. It's Jane Saunders. I got lost looking for your cabin. Miss Saunders, Jim, you go get Paul right away. I sure will. We found him, Miss Saunders. Took us three days, but we had a lot to help. You found Paul? I don't know what this is all about, but I think we'd better get Miss Saunders into your cabin. She's half frozen. Sure, sure. Come on in. Miss Saunders came here to look for her future husband, Sergeant. We found him first. Where is he? We got him down our old mine, locked him up to keep him for you. We had a door on one of the shafts. It doesn't matter in a wet cat. Sit down here, Miss. The name isn't really Saunders, is it? I guess you know it, Stanton. But it doesn't matter now. I think having that dog of yours trapped me. Come here, boy. Well, it better be a good reason not... Jane! Paul! Paul, darling! How did you... I stopped here to find you. I've almost lost her life doing it. You see, I'm a very determined woman. Jane, it's so good to see you. No, young fellow. Maybe you won't be so mad, because we like chopping that worthless mine. We ate as crazy as you thought. Maybe it was a crime, but I don't think Sergeant Preston will arrest us. No, I guess not. That worthless mine that you're talking about doesn't happen to be worthless at all. What? Why, that gold vein didn't amount to nothing. It isn't a gold mine. It's loaded with copper. Oh, I'm so glad. Then all this trouble wasn't for nothing. We don't know nothing about mine in copper. Well, perhaps it better take Paul into the company. And if you need any equipment, I'll supply it. See, that's an idea. You two come in as partners. You supply the brains in me. We supply the mine. What do you think, Jim? Well, that's fine with me. It ain't much good to us otherwise. What do you say, Paul? Well, I... Please say yes, darling. I'll stay up here. It'll be such a wonderful adventure. We'll be married right away. It's... It's almost too good to be true. Look, Preston, even your dog approves. It has. It hasn't been for King. Paul wouldn't have had a bride. Congratulations, Paul. These copyrighted dramas originate in the studios of WXYZ Detroit and all characters, names, places, and incidents used are fictitious. They are sent to you each week at the same time and reach you from our transcription studios. Hugh Holder speaking. This is the Michigan Radio Network.