 Family Theatre presents Ronald Reagan, Audrey Totter, and Jean Cagney. Operation with Family Theatre presents Ronald Reagan and Jean Cagney in the kiss of Salome Jane. To introduce the drama, your hostess, Audrey Totter. Thank you, Jean Baker. Family Theatre's only purpose is to bring to everyone's attention a practice that must become an important part of our lives. If we are to win peace for ourselves, peace for our families, and peace for the world. Family Theatre urges you to pray. Pray together as a family. The West has always been noted for great deeds of prowess. Everything was said to be a little bit bigger, a little bit better. Men could ride better, shoot straighter, and boast louder than anywhere else in the world. Or so they said. But the thing they had the least of, and therefore, valued the most in this great frontier land, was romance. Love could prove the undoing of the strongest hero, and a kiss could start a chain of reaction that would put the atomic bomb to shame. As proof of this, Family Theatre is happy to present Ronald Reagan as Jack Dart, and Jean Cagney as Salome Jane in Bret Hart's gay classic, The Kiss of Salome Jane. As hot as all get out that day, I'll never forget it. Oh, my name's Ben Baxter, newspaper editor and head of the vigilantes in our town. Well, we'd had just about enough of Red Pete. So in spite of the heat, I called the boys together, and off we rode after the outlaw. He'd teamed up with another fella, young kid, and they almost got away for a while, and then we started closing in on him. Pete raised his gun and... Mr. Doug Garnett, that was my last bullet. They got his cornered, Red Pete. Yeah, right in front of my own cabin, too. My own kinfolk. At least ways it makes it handy for me to say goodbye to my old lady. I reckon we're through, kid. Ho, boy! Easy, ho! Stop them, poor Pete. Get going. What do you about the vigilantes that hang you? Uh, shut up and stand back, old gal. Don't want you or Salome Jane mixed up in this year, ruckus. You gave us quite a run, Pete. That last shot of mine would have brought you down, editor. If and I hadn't of missed. And that if and will hang you, Red Pete. Now, if you got anything to say to your folks, say it now. And say it quick. Eh, I got nothing to say. Just leave my kinfolk alone, boys. Women and kids didn't have nothing to do with my harsh stealing. And Salome Jane over there, she's just down here of visiting. I'm real sorry I didn't get to see more of you, Pete. I'm sorry I earned you, Salome. I got something to say of my husband, Doug. Vigilantes. Call yourselves men, skulking around afraid to show yourself, except near a cabin of women and young'uns. You chi-eyes are real brave. Now, Mrs. Pink. We could have picked off your husband in a stranger any time during the change. Yeah, but you didn't. That's what it took some talent. But you wanted to save him so as you could hang him. Can't kill him quick and easy, can you, Vigilantes? And you call that law? Me? I'll take you in any time. All right, let up on that old gal. They got me, so make the best of her. And you, young fella. Yes, sir. You got anybody to say goodbye to. I do. Now's your chance. I got nobody, mister, but I'd like to say something else. Since when does a horse thief get a chance to talk? Now, I'll wait. Give him a chance, boys. After all, he's a stranger around here. Well, what do you got to say, kid? I'm no horse thief. And how is it your right to judge whom point as horse? I suppose you just found him running loose. That's just what I did. Right after that, I met Red Pete and he asked me to throw in with him. You're a horse thief? Hey, this kid on the right on your paper, Ben. He can sure tell a good story. He's a mighty good judge of horse flesh, too. Boom pointers horse can outrun anything in this country. Well, how do you know? Maybe he is telling the truth. You taking up for a stranger, Salome Jane? Now, you're mighty handsome, Salome, but you're no judge a man or you'd never stick up for no horse thief. But I didn't. Oh, what's the use? Yeah, Ben? You might do worse than say goodbye to a dying man and him a stranger. Salome, do anything for a man? She's too uppity for that. Next thing, you'll be wanting her to kiss him, Ben. He does look awful lonesome. How many a young buck who's lonesome around here for you, Salome? But you won't look at none of them except in rubed water. And he don't get no more look. Go ahead, kiss the horse thief, Salome. I dare you. What's your name, mister? Jack Dot. Now, hold on, Salome Jane. You really ain't planning to... Kiss him? Well, he told me to say goodbye, didn't he? Yeah, but I didn't mean to. Well, that's just what I'm gonna do, Ben. I'm beholding to you, miss, but... There now, mister Dot. You've been said goodbye to good. Thank you. She kissed him. Right smack on the mouth. Dogies for Salome Jane's kiss, I'd even steal a horse. All right, all right, time's up. Bring him along, let's ride, boys. Headed for Sawyer's Cross in our hanging headquarters in great and breathless haste. Maybe that's what stopped us from seeing a most uncommon change in the stranger since Salome Jane kissed him. Stopped us from noting that his color was high. His eye bright and watchful. Yeah, that haste made us careless, all right, because we was just a mile away from Sawyer's when... I'll shoot him down. No, no, don't shoot. Can't risk killing the judge's horse. If you and me, the boys take out after the kid and try and get him before he reaches the woods. We'll take Red Pete on to Sawyer's. Right, Ben, we'll bring him back money quick. Salome Jane? Yeah, Dad? What's this I hear you're doing over at Red Pete's another day? Honey, Foglen with a horse thief. Well, if that's what you're hearing, wrecking you about here to straight, Dad. Well, that's no way of you to ask, Salome. You've been a good girl since your mom died taking care of me in the house, but you're too pretty to go around kissing strangers and horse thieves at that. And this horse thief got away, Salome, and that's a horse of a different color. Got away? Didn't you see the piece in the Sierra record? Did they let him off? Not much. Slipped his cords, he did. Was going down the grade, pulled up short, just like a vicarol, again a lassoed bull, almost dragging the man leading him off his horse, and then they sky-wooded up the grade. More grits, engine. Yeah, Madison Clay. Well, go on, Dad, what happened next? He got away. For that matter, on that horse of Judge Boone Pointers, he could have dragged the whole posse of him on their knees if he'd have liked. And it served him right, too. Just did a stringing him up before the door or shooting him on sight. They must allow to take him down for the whole committee for an example. But he claimed he never stole that horse. Invigilantes, all us clinging and hanging onto a scrap of law, and the prisoner escapes. Makes me sick. Why, when Jake Myers shot your old Aunt Viney's husband, I just meandered out through the woods, careless like he come out, then I just rode right up to him and I said, Dad, this man, this horse thief, did he get clean away without getting hurt at all? He did. And unless he's fool enough to sell the horse, he can keep away, too. Well, I'm taking my shotgun and going up the north pasture. Take care of a cow with a new calf. You don't need your gun for an ailing cow, Dad. Well, I'll need it in case I run into that sneaking-hound-filled larvae. You know we're a few, don't you, Salome? Yeah, I know, Dad. Take care of yourself. You better tell that to larvae. Feudan. Feudan. Wonder what it'd be like to know something different. Different like... More coffee now, slow me, Jane. What? Oh. Oh, no, Ingen. I'm all through. Ingen, sit down a minute with me. Ingen. You ever been kissed? I mean, really kissed. I had something like flowers and rainbows and thunder and lightning and... Oh, but it was plum-wonderful, Ingen. And funny how it came about, I did it on a dare. His lips was cold as death at first. But they warmed up some before it was over. What? Look at me in that mirror there, Ingen. I'm blushing. I'm mighty glad he got away. What's up now? Do you see him sneaking around here today, Salome? Of course not. Why? On my way home, one of them Chinaman told me he saw him at Sawyer's Crossing. Sawyer's Crossing? Funny thing about that. Here I was thinking about larvae all the time I was up in the north pasture with that cow. And there were some tracks in the far end of the pasture that weren't mine. Tracks? Yeah. I followed them. They went around and around the house two or three times. As if they might have been prowling kindy. Then I lost them again in the woods. In the woods? Dad, suppose you just lie low for a few days, and let me do a little prowling. If it's larvae, I'll spot them soon enough, and I'll let you know where he's hiding. You just stay where you're at, Salome Jane. This ain't no woman's work. When it comes to feuding, Madison Clay will do his own shooting. All right, Dad. Sure. Anything you want. Just the way you want it. But after her dad went to bed that night, Salome Jane stayed wide awake, sitting by the window, looking out at the moonlight on the pines, listening and waiting. She didn't know for what, but waiting. Then all of a sudden she heard it, a faint click-click in the direction of the wood. A mounted trespasser in the night, bidden no good for Madison Clay, picking up her dad's shotgun, and not knowing why his coat and hat as well, Salome Jane slipped out into the shadows and made for the woods, stopping at a place where whoever it was had to pass before reaching the house. He's almost here now. It's him, the horse thief, or else his ghost. Is that you, Mr. Dodd? Salome? Miss Salome Jane, is it really you or am I dreaming? I reckoned you as a ghost. I might have been, but for you, I reckon I'd have come back here all the same, dead or alive. It's risky of coming back alive. It's worth it. Then it was you prowling around making tracks in the far pasture. I come straight here when I got away. Why? I mean, how'd you get here? You helped me. Me? Why, your kiss, Salome Jane, put new life in me, gave me strength to get away. I'm innocent, and I swore I'd come back here and thank you kindly, dead or alive. You see, I never had anybody else, man, woman, or child, do for me what you did. I never had a friend who'd only want to pick up along the trail, like Red Pete. But I never stole that horse. I did find him run and lose, just like I told the vigilantes. But they wouldn't believe me. Do you believe me? I believe you, Mr. Dodd. I want to give him to you. He staked out over there. They say Judge Boompointer will give $1,000 for him. I ain't lying, Miss Clay. No, let's, let's leave it, Salome Jane. Salome, Salome Jane. Oh, my name never sounded so good until you said it. Jack. Take the horse, get the reward. I'll turn him into your corral, you'll find him there in the morning, and no one will know but what he got himself lost again and joined the other horses. Oh, I don't want the horse, though I reckon Dad might. But you, Jack, you're cold and you're starving. Here, put on these duds and I'll go fetch you some food. Salome. Yes? I'll manage to get away if, how if... If what, Jack? If you will put the heart in me again like you did. Oh, Jack. Jack, honey. Now, now you listen to me. You lie low in the woods till tomorrow's sun up. I'll come back again. Now you go on and put on Dad's coat and hat, like I said, and keep your shotgun till morning, too, and lie close. Lie close till I come back. Well, don't fret, nun. I'll be waiting. Salome, Jane. Salome, Jane. She's only been gone a little while, and it seems like... Who's that? Is she coming back? Don't move, Madison Clay. I must have been dogged by one of those vigilantes. I gotta get back to him. Salome, Salome, Jane. What's Dad? I can't tell him about Jack. Yes, Dad? Who fired them shots? What's up now, Salome? Well, nothing, Dad. Nothing, at least, that I can find. Well, what are you doing out here? Oh, I wasn't a bed. I ran out as soon as I heard the first shots. I see. You got my gun? Your gun? I know, Dad. Well, then, where is it? If that sneak-filled Larrabee fired them shots to lure me out, he could have potted me without a show a dozen times in the last five minutes. Larrabee. That's right. It must have been him that... What are you talking about, girl? Well, now that's right, Dad. You run right on in and look for your gun. You got no show out here without it. Well, you're coming in, too, Salome. No, Dad, I thought I'd... No, nothing. Come on, now. I won't have a daughter of mine wandering around loosing the woods at night, especially when shooting's going on. But, Dad... A gun don't know whether you're male or female, you know? Oh, Dad. I guess somebody hiding my gun like that with... You see there? It ain't by the door. Who shoots Madison Clay? I don't know, isn't it? Say, did you hide my gun? Me? No, no. You know, Inge, you won't touch a gun, Dad. Well, I don't hear no more shooting, so the danger must be over now. Might as well get on back to bed and see that you turn in, too, Salome Jane. Ten o'clock is too late for a gal to be gallivanting around. All right, Dad. I'll try to get some sleep. But Salome Jane didn't sleep that night. She kept wondering if Jack Dart laid dead or dying. But it wasn't till the pale pink dawn painted the summit of the white sierras that Mad fell asleep. Then Salome crept downstairs and there by the light of a gutter and candle scrawled a note to him. Dear Dad, in spite of what you say, I'm going out to see who fired them shots. Promise you won't leave the house till I come back. After leaving the note open on the table, Salome Jane ran out into the growing day. Who's a break in that turn door? Larabee. What's up, Brick? You don't know what you're talking about. Listen, man, it's all right to know nothing of the law, but I'm your kin and I'm here to tell you that Phil Larabee's friends just picked him up. What? Drilled clean-through shotgun slugs. If and he weren't some mean, he'd be dead in a crow. Well, Larabee deflated, huh? Now, get going. Well, Larabee's two half-brothers on you. Oh, how can they tie it on me? How can they tie it on you? Didn't you have to go and leave your hat and coat behind you like a dirt fool and your shotgun? My... My shotgun? Yeah, I got all your stuff on my horse. Picked them up in the woods coming over here. You ain't got any of your folks for they'll be down on you, man. Look, Madison Clay, paper on table. A note from Salome. What is it? Slow me down it. Disguise yourself in my coat and hat and shot Phil Larabee herself. Disgraced me by doing what I should have done and by trickery, too. That just ain't honest feuding. Yeah, there's a muscle on the... Give me that gun. Sure, here. Look here, man. There's been no foul play, has he? What do you mean? There's been no hire and a man, no deputy to do this here job. You done it fair and square yourself. Yes, by gum and who says I didn't? Then what? First you go out the crowd, pick me out a good horse. I got something to write to Salome, Gene. All right, man, but don't take too long. This won't take long. Madison Clay, what you do? You're going back to your people, engine. You'll be safe. But, Madison Clay... Let me alone now. I got it right. Oh. Salome, you might have told me you did it and not leave your old father to find out how you disgraced yourself with him, too. I have said I done it. Took all the blame myself. The house and stock is yours. But you ain't no longer the daughter of your disgraced father. Madison Clay, don't ever see this place again. I found that stole horse at Judge Boone Pointers. Got away and straight among your stock in the Corral. Now, you take him and you're safe. He can't be outrun this side of the state line. I ain't no horsey. Nobody says you are, but you'd be worse. You'd be a fool if you didn't take him. I'm testimony that you found him amongst your horses. So if you've ripped the Salome, Gene, come on. All right, Brick, I'm ready. Oh, Jack, Jack, you're hurt. No, but I wouldn't mind that if... I know. I know you're thinking I was afraid to come back here last night when I hear the shooting. But Dad stopped me, Jack. I couldn't get away till now. A man shot at me. I thought it was a vigilante first. And then he called a name. He thought I was your dad. Well, that'd be Phil Larraby. He was after Dad, all right. And you drilled him, Jack. Yeah. Then I wrote off thinking I might be followed and then it come to me all of a sudden if Larraby thought I was your dad and everybody else that figure he'd shot him. So I come back here to tell the truth Salome and take his place. Do you think they believe you? Why, they was gonna hang you for horse stealing. What do you think they do to you for shooting Larraby? I don't know. No, Jack. I'm not gonna let you. Someone's coming. Quick, get back in the brush. He looks like Dad. And breaking which clay. Dad's on the judge's horse. And the way they're riding, they must be heading for the state line. Jack! Dad's already taken the blame for Larraby's shooting. Why, he's even took the horse you were supposed to have stolen. Oh, Jack! Jack! You don't have to go back and take his place. That's the way Madison Clay left the county and the way Jack Dart was vindicated. Oh, and a month later a hand bill was posted on one of the sentinel pines, reading... The Clay Property and Quarter Section will be sold at auction to the highest bidder by Mrs. John Dart, daughter of Madison Clay Esquire, who has returned to his estate in the bluegrass country for his state of health. And still later, a few years, in fact, another announcement came from the same estate in the same bluegrass country. This stock farm has produced the best racing blood in the country. And that's because my son-in-law, Jack Dart, is the best judge of horse flesh in the country. A straight and respectable man. And as for his wife, she's a beauty. To see her at the springs rigged out in the latest fashion, you'd never think she'd ever lived outside of New York. Yes, sir, that kiss of Salome Jane sure started something. This is Audrey Tauter again. We often feel that our own problems are unique, that for others life is rather easy sailing. Sometimes our problem is the endurance of a great sorrow, but oftentimes it is the steady frustration which monotony induces in us, an endless procession of uninteresting, uninspiring tasks and duties. We feel that life is passing us by. We forget to look around us and see what many others really have to put up with, what a tonic it is, and how encouraged we are when we meet with manly and womanly poise and dignity in the sufferance of trials both great and small. More often than not, when this poise and balance is genuine and trouble-proof, we find that it comes from personal prayer, an undeniable confidence that God is one's anchor, and family prayer too is the anchor of the home. No storm of misfortune nor temperament really can wreck the family which family prayer anchors. It makes a family composed and durable when everything seems bound to crack it up. Outbursts of temper, turbulent nerves, fits of disgust and unwarranted rivalries can reach destructive proportions, but when our Lord comes among us, as we pray, the gales subside. We of so little faith are renewed in our faith, our faith in ourselves, in others, and in Him. In reality, the family that prays together stays together. More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of. This series of Family Theater broadcasts is made possible by the thousands of you who felt the need for this type of program, by the mutual network which has responded to this need, and by the hundreds of stars of stage, screen, and radio who have so unselfishly given of their time and talent to appear on our Family Theater stage. To them and to you, our humble thanks. This is Jean Baker expressing the wish of Family Theater that the blessing of God may be upon you and your home, and inviting you to join us next week of this time when Family Theater will present Wendell Corey, Jean Raymond, and Tom Tully in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Join us, won't you?