 The discovery of gold in the Black Hills brought many prospectors and settlers into the region which had long been acknowledged as Indian territory. And several chiefs of the Sioux tribe had taken their braves on the war path, opening hostilities whose zenith of horror was achieved a few years later in the hideous massacre of General Custer and his men. Lightning Jim and Whitey are now on the trail of the local agent who is contacting the Indians and effecting the sale and delivery of forbidden firearms. The mission is one of the most dangerous that the two marshals have ever attempted. And as they ride across the rolling plains north from Fort Laramay. See, Lightning, how long you figured there would be before we hit hostile territory. Well, according to the soldiers back at the fort, we've done hit it, Whitey. I tell you, Lightning, the further we go on this job, the less there I like, if I can't make it. Oh, take a whole heap of that tow-headed scalp of yawn, don't you, Whitey. Oh, I certainly do think a lot to my scalp. And my scalp's kind of attached to me, too, Whitey. Hey, Whitey, make a look at that skyline ahead. Whoop-wee, he's on the easy way. Your knighting, the couple of reds, gets about a mile ahead and right on the three or two. Might be just as well the very east of it, till we get around them. Oh, no, we won't. Look over that ridge to the east there. Who more the gash? And three of them directly west of the pale, too. Looks like it's clouding up the trouble, Whitey. Yeah, but there's none of them behind us, Lightning. Maybe we could make it back to the fort. Yeah, but we ain't gonna try, Whitey. Up from there? Keep them in, Lightning. You're keeping right on the three of them. We'll run right into the first three, and yes, this way. Come along and don't argue, boy. Look, they're giving ground. Oh, then you think they must try to drive us into M. Yeah. And make him look like the three of us open behind. I'm sure of it, Whitey. If we'd gone away, they'd wanted us to go. We'd be nothing more than a couple of dead hombres in no time. Look, Lightning. They disappeared from sight. I bet you they're hiding along the switches ahead so they can shoot us when we pass through them. I reckon you're right, Whitey. Can't turn back now. The others get us sure. Good boy. Hey, I think I see one, Lightning. Where? Over to the right there. Yeah. Get a chance to get back the three of them. Quick! Yeah, but look, look behind us. Those others are crossing in. They're not. Holy smokes, Whitey. There must be 15 of them red devils now. Right, Whitey. Right for you, Whitey. Let's go, Whitey! What are you doing, Chief Warcloud? Dog gun you, Indians? You move like cats. Well, what do you want? Warcloud come, trading posts, get guns. You're wasting your time, then, because I ain't gonna sell you no guns. Warcloud Brave need guns, need powder, need bullets much bad. You've got to sell to Warcloud. I don't got to do nothing. I told Jeff Promise Chief Buffalo all the guns and ammunition to head on hand. Warcloud Brave have much gold. Pay much gold for guns, bullets, powders. Well, it's true that I promised this stuff to Buffalo Calf, but if you're willing to raise the ante, well, hold on there, there's a covered wagon pulling up. You got to go now, Work Cloud. Come on back later, we'll talk about it then. Maybe we make a deal. Come on, get up quick, out the back way. Work Cloud, be back. Hey, where you think you're going, Ed? Why, I'm just going into the trading post for a minute, Marty. Well, don't be long. You got him in this broken UFO, you know. Well, howdy, stranger. What are yours, babe? Hey, you're a Rappahoe Joe, ain't you? Yeah? Well, my name's Snodgrass, Abslam Snodgrass. I want to buy a couple of good buffalo robes if you've got them. Buffalo robes, huh? Sure, I've got them. Genuine winter skin. Engine cured, and the best money can buy. The best, huh? That's good. Lucky Ab don't buy nothing but the best. And why? Because he can afford the best. That's why. Now, how much do you want from them? Well, seeing as how their prime hides, I ought to get, well, $15 a piece from them. $15, huh? Seems kind of steep, but I can afford it. Got some skills, handy. Oh, gold, huh? Big coke of it. Must have been prospecting and stuck it rich. Rich? I'll say I am rich. Got more than $5,000 in nuggets and dust out yonder in that wagon. And I am going back for more, soon as they me infernal redskins get settled down. And, here's some snorkels. Whatever took you so long? Oh, so you got some buffalo robes, huh? So I told you we can make out by sleeping in another set of flammals. How much you pay for them? $15, huh? Your wife will take it, huh? His wife, of course, I'm his wife. Whose wife would I be? $15, huh? Well, that ain't a bad price for two good soft hides like these bears. But, you see, my dear, it ain't $15 for both hides. You mean you pay $15 a piece for them skins? Why, you long-eared grass-eaten tote pony, your wife, why, what do you mean, throwing our hard-earned gold around that away? No, no, no, no. My dear, you said there was fine hide. Well, I didn't say it was worth a weight in gold, did I? Now, you listen to me, ass snorkel. Hey, yes, come on, it's home. And it's for you, you Steven shopkeeper. I'll thank you to give my man back every grain of that gold dust before I lose my temper. And I ain't got your husband's money, ma'am. He ain't paid me yet. You see, I was just fixing to weigh up the dust when you stepped in. Well, why didn't you say so in the first place? Now, come on, get to work on that yoke, though. But, ma'am, I was just fixing to say that, well, I might let you have them robes a little cheaper, since they... He ain't dealing with no highway robber like you'll be at any part. Get along, here. You be the owner of this wagon outfit? That's me, mister. Abswim's not Gresham name. Lucky I be called. I'm the one you got to deal with, stranger. What do you want? Well, I've seen your tracks on the trail back yonder. Saw you was traveling alone, thought maybe it's how you might like to hire a guide and engine fighter, ma'am. Guide, engine fighter, you? Why, you're that old, you couldn't fight a tide test. Besides, there ain't been a smell of engine trouble between here and the forward. Maybe not, ma'am, but just today I've seen a band of rapper who's away in wall paint far more than 15 miles back, and I've seen two, Cheyenne, to the west of here. Is that so? Well, Marty, maybe we'd better hire this guy. Oh, this old scalper ain't taking me in, none of it's not this. Why, it's as plain as the nose on your face that he's just trying to scare us so he can make some easy money for himself. Now get along with you. We got work to do. Look out! I got a pair thrown by my clothesline. That's what I have now. Ma'am, as long as you're looking at your clothes, you are safe. But you give me a great big fever if you turn around till I can look at the sheets of my pants. The kid in your pants is gone. Well, don't you dare turn around, young man. I'll get in my way. Now, maybe you'll invest in that inner line and I advise you to buy what you see, ma'am. Why does that trouble with the feet of his britches before? No, no, no, listen, Hal, I can do it. Well, if my old eyes don't deceive me, it's like the gym. And the whitey, too. Get up over there. Oh, it couldn't be. What's, dawg, gone, you hon'ry old soul. It's good to see you. Good to see you. Well, you three may be old friends, but this ain't large night. Now, thank you to move out of the way so I can get my clothes picked out. Say, now, I was only fooling you about my britches, ma'am. They're still all in one piece. I'll have to pick these clothes up. Dog gone, there's Indians in there. Indians. You see Indians? See them? Ma'am, up to a couple of miles from here, 15 of them red devils were tailing the silk clothes. They had a range. Yorn, if you knew anything about Indians shooting, ma'am, you'd know there was pretty close. And now you see, Morty, he was right. The old fellow won't lie in none about the Indians. Well, do I get the job? Oh, yeah, after a job is a guide for this outfit. Hey, Kentucky. Just what he is, and as far as I'm concerned, he's got it, too. Not so fair, sir, Ed. How do we know this big bone rat knows anything about red skins? How to fight him, and all that? Listen, ma'am, old Kentucky is one of the most famous Indian scouts the US government ever had. Why, if it hadn't been for his teaching me some of the tricks of them savages, my deputy and me would have just rode into one of the neatest little ambushes I've ever planned. Oh, if that's red skins, you're up against. You can bank an old Kentucky to keep you out of trouble, all right. Well, I reckon his hair must be all right if you two route firms, seeing as how your badges show your muscles. What'll the charge be? Well, being as I was headed down towards the port anyhow, I can afford to let you off right reasonable, ma'am. How much? Well, I reckon $30 would be a fair price. $30? $30? Why, I never heard of such a price. I'll give you $15, and not a cent more. $30 is my price, ma'am. But, Morty, this ain't no time to be so saving. Doggone it, then buffalo hides may not be worth a price, but our own hides be. Ever seen a body that's been carved on by a wrapper hose, ma'am? I'll give you $20, old man, but I'm warning you, I won't go no higher. I'll settle for $25. Payton, I'll pay you myself, Dagnabbit. I ain't going to risk my hide for no measly $5. All right, Epps, not gross, but that $5 comes out of your tobacco money. And when you're honing for a smoke, just remember it's what you get for interfering when I'm driving a bargain. Oh, you're gunning for the owl hooder. What's been supplying guns with the engines up this way, eh, Landon? Yep. And I don't mind telling you, I'm expecting plenty of trouble on this job, too, Kentucky. Oh, gee, are you two going to talk all night? Hey, what is right, Landon? You'll be traveling through bad territory tomorrow, and a good night's sleep may stand in good stead. Yeah, I reckon that's so, Kentucky. Yeah, Wattie, we'll set up length until we get it. Eh, I wonder what that engine was doing here. Engine? Where? There's an engine. You can't see him now. Just left the trading post by the back way. Want to wrap a whole Joe's customers, I reckon. Nothing to get head up over, only a wonder what he's doing over here so late. Yeah, I was looking at them all the time, and I didn't see nothing. Just the shadows from those cottonwood trees. Well, I reckon most folks wouldn't have seen that, Wattie. But when you've been dealing with the breed as many years as I've been, you learn the difference between shadows that sways back and forth in the ones that kind of oozes along. Them last kind is engines. Well, Kentucky thought you would hit the hay. I'd do, but that dreaded, I don't like engines know-how. Well, good night, boys. Night, Kentucky. Sleep good, old timer. Wattie, Wattie, Wattie, wake up. Come on. Wattie, Wattie, Wattie, Wattie, Wattie, Wattie, Wattie, Wattie. Well, wake up, then. I just wanted to tell you. Oh, night, Wattie, I need my sleep, Wattie. You can't do it until the morning, or it can't wait. Listen, Wattie, I was tossing around worrying about that Indian Kentucky saw coming out of the trading post, and all of a sudden, I noticed a write-in there. Couldn't figure out why a rapper who'd Joe be up this late, who decided to have a look, say. You all right there, what did you see, Prattie? At first I couldn't see a sign and nobody in the room. And all of a sudden, I saw a trapdoor open in the floor, and Joe come up out of it. Yeah, well, Wattie, that's the place where the store rooms are underneath the floor. Yeah, but Joe was so careful about pulling the cool disc in over the opening, that I think he's even anxious for no one to know the store rooms there. Oh, then you must think maybe you're supposed to get that supply and the guns to the Indians, huh? It's an interesting possibility, Wattie. Yeah, that's all. All contact told us that Joe was like 6th and 7th with the Indians. Yeah, now come on, Wattie. Joe left for the back way, took his horse from where he went. But he only is going to have a look below that trapdoor before he gets back. Don't all right, Lightning? Yeah. Hand me down the lantern, buddy. Oh, sure. There. There you are. See, guys, you don't want to back off, buddy. See or hear anything? Lock the trapdoor and get out of sight. Sure, I do. There, Lightning. Oh, well, I like this lantern. How old are you? Just give me that to Lightning. What are guns, don't they? Guns. I'll say that, huh? Let me out. Oh, there you are, Wattie. Just give me the fucking paper, Wattie. Gunpowder, too. Several thousand. Even from the dynamite. Put them up, Marshall. Wattie, got a hold of Joe. I got you covered low bed. And I ain't afraid to shoot either. So don't try any false moves. But, Wattie, what did you do with Wattie? He's right here beside me, Marshall. Oh, I didn't hurt him much. Just choke him a bit. Now turn around, paste the wall, Mr. Lightning Jim Wibble. I am coming down. I got the cloth on the bed, so I can wrap a loose rope. We'll have you tied in a hemp knot while we are finished. Ever hear the saying, dead men tell no tales? Dead men, eh? They're going to kill us. Is that it, Joe? Oh, I ain't going to kill you, Marshall. No story. I'm just going to tie and gag in, leave the job, and they're killing you to them that know some real fancy ways of getting rid of nosy lottoes like you and your partner. Engines. Well, Lightning Jim and Wattie seem to have run up against trouble with a vengeance. The thrilling climax of this Lightning Jim adventure will be heard in part two, which follows immediately. Oh, for part two of the adventures of Lightning Jim, the Red Man's Range. It is dawn, and in the cellar of the trading post, Lightning Jim and Wattie lie securely gagged and bound. While outside, preparations are being made by Ken Tuck and the Snodgrasses to commence the day's trek southward. Mr. Bonnets, your cap. Be sure and give me the tool. Oh, Valencia, how long are you going to keep up that terrible catawall in there? Oh, gosh, all himlock moody. Can't a man be happy for two minutes without you jumping down his throat? There's your own fault if I'm out of humor at Snodgrass. I had the idea you agreeing to pay that old Robert $25. When I'd have had him shaved down to 20, if you would have let me be. When your paw was laid away, you was sorry you hadn't married the undertaker, so you could save the price of the burying. And now I wish I suppose you're wishing I was the engine fighter. Matter of fact, I kind of wish it myself. You're an engine fighter. That's good. Why, the very first war, whoop, you jumped 15 ways, Ab Snodgrass. I would not. And that's not counting up. But speaking of engine fighters, where's that old fool, Kent, sir? Kent Hurst! Oh, Kent Hurst! Come in. I'm coming. And you folks are set to go? Yes, already. About time you were showing up. You might as well understand right here and now that we ain't aiming to spend our good money for you to go rumpin' off your own devices every whip. Now, get your horse, and let's get started. Sorry to hold you up, ma'am, but the fact of the matter is I'm kind of worried about them two marshals. Been trying to locate which way they headed, but can't find the area right. That's the difference. Which way they went? There's gone, ain't there? Sure, Kent Hurst. And Rappahoe Joe said they pulled out about an hour before dawn. Saw myself. Hey, why can't I pick up the trail? Hmm, there's Joe now. Hey, Rappahoe. Yeah? What kind of you say their marshals pulled up steaks this morning? Oh, long about an hour before dawn, I reckon. Hmm, kind of early for you to be upwanted. Oh, I wasn't up. They wake me. I wanted to buy something to trade and post for the lift. Hmm, funny, I didn't hear them. I wanted to buy. Oh, for land-stakes. What difference does it make with a boat? Get to work. Just a minute, ma'am. What did you say they bought Rappahoe? Hey, it was tobacco, that's what it was. A big fellow wanted some tobacco. Now, let me get this straight, Rappahoe. You're trying to tell me that Lightning Jim woke you up to buy some tobacco before he left this morning. Is that right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. Where's those marshals, Rappahoe? Well, I don't know where they were. Long as they are somewhere, I reckon. I said, where's them marshals? Hey, I'm telling you straight, Kentucky. I ain't no nursemaid, we're a couple of tin stars. Oh, course he ain't Kentucky. What's the matter with you? This man, this coot's cold decked them marshals. It's just the shores I'm standing here. Lightning Jim never uses tobacco in no time. Smoking or chewing. Now, I'd give you one more chance to spill it, Joe. You gonna talk? I tell you, I ain't done nothing. I ain't got nothing to say. Get your hands up, you punk. Hey, now, Ab, get his gun. Sure, Kentucky. Now, start walking, Rappahoe. Well, you're taking me. What are you gonna do to me? I ain't messed around engines all my life without learning some good ways of getting the man's mouth to work in Rappahoe. But they don't exactly make pleasant watching for a lady. So get going. Any more of that, Roger? No, Mr. Rappahoe, Joe. Not with you tying them up, if you want more. Nothing's ever got away from you yet, but with you. You're dead and have your female hide. Go easy there. Say, you little whore. Well, I'd say there was one thing you ain't been saving with, Marty. And that's our rope. Why, Ab, not that. You don't think I'm planning on letting this here good, hemp rope get away from us, do you? Not on your life, I ain't. We're going right to the jail when them marshals turn this low-down prairie in. We're gonna get a rope back. That's what we're gonna do. Here comes Kentucky. I'm long in now. Well, I see Rappahoe Joe want land when he told you why you could locate them marshals, Kentucky. Yeah, men ain't likely to lie under the kind of persuasion I use on Rappahoe Joe, Ab. Well, I see he's got a business all cut up and ready for the hangman business. Not bad. Yeah, I took care of Rappahoe Joe right enough, Marshall. But what I'm wanting to know is just when this famous guy, an engine fighter we hired, is gonna start doing something about getting us in a wagon and starting on the trail before delivering me. Listen, ma'am, there's a load of firearms inside that trading post, and if the engine's what's bottom, get the hands on them guns. Well, you know none of the rest. Whatever's seen before, it's loud enough. Sure, that's right, Lightning. And we got to start doing something right to be. By galley, there's no telling how soon them red devils will come after the stuff. Engine's coming here. Well, why are we standing around then? We got to get out of here. Hold on, Ab. About how many braves does War Cloud have, Rappahoe? Well, how would I know? Out of the way, Lightning. I'll get an answer for your problem. No, no, no. Keep that blood pressure you'll cool away from me. Marshall, I'll talk. Well, that's better. Well, War Cloud's got well, anyway, 50, maybe a hundred of them on his camp. But he ain't likely to bring them all here after the guns. A 50 or a 100, say, yumpa, give me, Lightning. Well, maybe he couldn't hold out more than a couple of hours against that many red devils. Never, we can't hold out against them, buddy. But there's one thing we can do. We can see them red skins don't get their guns in ammunition. Well, here's my finish down here in the shed. Just about, buddy. Sure, I hate to blow up all this ammunition. The only way to keep them red devils and get my hands on it. Well, I just hope they don't get their hands on us instead. Yeah, hold this landing up high for me, will you, buddy? Yeah. But, see, what you doing, oh? I'm gonna run this long fuse from that barrel of gunpowder I just opened out through this crack in the wall, buddy. You all say that's a good idea. Then we can sprinkle a trail of gunpowder from the end of the fused to a safety distance of eight. You can duck watching out for the Indians, buddy. Yeah, he's keeping watch, all right. And the covered wagon is hid out of sight in a copper cut and we'll smack it at the trading doors. And our horses. They're back to two. And Kentucky left orders out of sight in the wagon. So he was ready. You also in the wagon, too. Good. There. That's got it. Now, we'll fill our hats with gunpowder. Wait! Wait! They're coming! Indians! Yeah! Quick, buddy! I'm the black wagon! Yeah, hurry up, doc! Come on, no time to sprinkle gunpowder now, buddy. Joe, I'll see you there, Ian. The wagon's hid back away, but we can see what's happening better from here. Yeah, you'll see looking at former Redskins. They'll get their ammunition all right. If we like Sam Hill, we'll sneak back there and light that fuse while they're busy at the front. No, you ain't lightin' it. If anybody's going to back to light that fuse, that's going to be me. I'm the best one to go lightin'. My bucks can close and give me a better chance of gettin' back there without things being seen. No, I can't let either one of you run the risk. I'm goin' back there. No, well, I can run the fastest lightin' in a fuse that's so short. Hey, come down! Come down, come back here! Sit, talk! Come on, buddy! But, gally, she won't ever be able to get out of the way after a fuse that slips. Not so loud. It's almost there. It's like in the Indians, they're expecting no trouble. So, they've seen him before this. Hey, hey, look. It looks like he's like in a fuse now, like in... Yeah. But, gally, there will be light to them and they're going off the lawn with a horse. See you, my dear. Run for it, you duck! Run for it! Get over here! Good fellow, contact. Duck, the Indians just left. They're on the run. Come on, but see, they're stopping. See, and even for good. See? Yeah, this is going to be bad, man. Like as now, they'll go out and drive them back for the rest of the prime before attack. Sure, I'd boost this cook now for sure. Here, eat it, thunder. Ready, boy? See, what you're getting in a horse for, Lightning. All right, Fort Lammy, for the troop, buddy. But you can't do that, Lightning. You never make it. The Indians still get you for sure. Yeah, well, he's right, Lightning. You ain't got one chance in a thousand to get them past them. Lightning, Lightning, you can't do that. There's too much light. It's massacre if I don't get through, buddy. And if there's any horse in the world that can make it, it's thunder. Yeah, but there's a stain amongst us old timers, ma'am. When you see engine signs, be careful. And when you don't see no engine signs, be twice as careful. You'll be side to side so that the reds can start their troubles. What do you think Lightning and Jim got through them engines? You wish, I wish. I know too, Ab. We heard the Indians shooting at them, but we couldn't tell whether they got past them or not. Yeah, the sun's going down, post. I reckon we better get to our post. You and Ab get under the wagons and shoot from there. Yes, I got it. We'll arrest the guns and the wagons, folks. So better aim. All right. Come along, Ab. Here they are. Now look to your aim and go and see if you're led. Yeah. They'll stop the circle and draw closer each time they make the round. Fight your guns accordingly. Get out here shooting them. But can talk here. He's hurt bad. Yeah. Ain't it worth the truth what he's seen, Lightning? Sure, sir. Just took in a little lead, that's all. Well, according to your judge, you're talking around a fortune in letting that big bony frame of yours already. No, and much more can talk here. They say that so there's a round inside of you, you are packing a silver bullet. Good work, Margell. It came just in time, Margell. For God's sake, don't let that female hear you talking about all this. Why not? Listen, Lightning, that darn female is so frifty that were she to know I had a silver bullet in me, she'd get a knife and start mining for it right here and so ends another thrilling adventure in the lives of United States Marshal Lightning Jim Whipple and his equally famous deputy, Whitey Larson.