 Mystery House, that strange publishing firm owned by Dan and Barbara Glenn, where each new novel is acted out by the Mystery House staff, before it is accepted for publication. Mystery House. Well, Barbie, I understand we all get into a cowboy mood tonight. Huh, partner? That's right, partner. We're going to act out a story about the wild and woolly west where men are men and murders are plumb and serious. Well, you know I always had a hankering to be a cowboy. Then rest easy in your saddle, mister, because you're going to satisfy that craving for a belt. Well, you mean we're all ready to start firing? We sure are, partner. But just a minute, here comes a mysterious stranger wandering off the range. Well, sure enough. Now, what do you got to say to yourself, stranger? Places, everybody. Set the scene for the night story, Tom. Death in the saddle. Tonight's story opens in a dressing room at the rodeo. Burr Kelvin, a cowboy rodeo performer, sits with a moody look on his face as the door bursts open and his wife comes saving him. Well, nice roving, kid. You were swinging a wide loop. You ought to pull down top money in the fancy roving without a struggle. We can use it, Burr. This rodeo racket's getting too tough. Me? I'd like to be heading back to Texas in the ranch. Well, I never thought you was jealous, Shirley. Listen, Burr, I got more what it takes than you'll ever have. But more sense, too, cowboy. I'm getting no younger fast, and this is a kid's racket. Hey, you heard him announce at the time that I made on the bulldog in this first round, didn't you? Well, I'd like to see any kid beat that. You'll see it when Tommy Tanner comes in. Tommy Tanner? That phony cowboy? That no- Ain't jealous of him, are you, Burr? Who, me? Jealous of that Johnny cum lately? Listen, Shirley, I ain't got any cause for being jealous, have I? Well, what makes you ask a question like that? Well, I don't mind my wife being voted the most popular cowgirl in the rodeo, but I don't want you getting too popular in the wrong places. You got funny ideas about the wrong places, Burr. The kid's the top notch working cow in. Got a profile and a voice. There's two movies scouts talking to him right now. Listen, Shirley, you ain't getting ideas about giving me the breeze for that phony, are you? You're a funny guy, Burr. Yeah? Well, I don't want my wife running around with other men. I'm kind of glad you feel that way about it, cowboy. Better can't see what you got against Tommy. You nice kid. You'd have him a lot. I'm having enough trouble taking care of myself without looking for somebody to help. Besides, he's going to help me a little. What? Yeah, he's going to pay me for a little experience. What are you talking about? Listen, if you're planning on getting that kid into one of your crooked polka games... Ah, no, nothing that smooth, Chiquita. A gagging nobody else on this barnstorm and Corell would fall for her. Just a smart guy, Tommy Tanner. What are you talking about? He thinks he's quite a writer. He thinks he talks the Bronx language. He's the smoothest writer that's hit the rodeo circuit in ten years. Now I've seen him all. Must have been talking to him. Well, I made Mr. Tommy Tanner a little bit. What? Listen, you go throwing our money around. How much did you bet on him? Don't worry. He's going to lose. So what difference does it make? How much I bet him? I said, how much did you bet him? None of your business. Listen, if you've got the idea, our bank will count your personal property, guess again. I've pulled down nearly as much of that prize money as you have. I've trooped the country from one end to the other. I've worked like a dog, and if you think you can throw my money away... You think he's throwing your money away? Just doubling it, that's all. Well, you tell me right this minute. How much did you bet with Tommy Tanner? Five thousand bucks, honey. Huh? Five thousand dollars? You'll lose that money, he'll set us back and have it two years. I said I wasn't going to lose it, didn't I? Now quit yapping and listen to me, will you? The bets are sent. You think you can outright Tommy? I didn't bet him I could outright him. I bet him there'd be a horse here that he couldn't ride, that's all. But you don't know there will be. Oh, yes I do. Listen, you know who's punishing the Bronx for this rodeo, don't you? Well, sure, Bird Graham. Yeah, Bird Graham. And you know one Bronx he owns too, don't you? You mean Gray Bomber? Gray Bomber, the wickedest hunk of hell on hooves that ever twisted and turned and sun-dogged his way out of a chute. But Gray Bomber won't be here. There ain't a cowboy in his rodeo that would touch him. Well, Gray Bomber's killed six men, he can't be rode. It's a publicity gimmick. Graham's bringing in Gray Bomber and putting stories in all the newspapers about the horse's record. And then he's offering a thousand bucks to any writer who'll take a stab at sticking on the critter. Oh, nobody's that crazy. Bet they ain't. But my bet with Tommy Tanner is that there'll be a Bronx here that he can't ride. It's all, see? And if I say Gray Bomber's the horse, he's got to ride him or cough up the 5,000. Yeah, come in. Well, hello, Tommy. Hi, Shirley. Nice roping you've done tonight. Thanks, Tommy. If you've got time tomorrow morning, remind me to show you a little trick on the in-and-out roper. Well, that'd be mighty nice of you, Tommy. Listen, Tommy, she could teach you tricks about roping. Hmm, and about riding, too, I suppose. Well, you're going to learn a trick or two about riding, cowboy. A trick that'll cost you 5,000 bucks. I wish you boys would call off that bad. I suppose Bird told you to say that, didn't he? Well, no. He thinks he's got a one for sure, but I don't know. I don't like the idea. I got a sure thing, Tommy, and you fell for it like a chimp. Ever have a sure thing go back on you, Bird? Look, this is one sure thing it couldn't go back on me. I bet there'd be a horse here in this rodeo that you couldn't ride. You know what Bronx going to be here? Oh, uh, you mean Grey Bomb. What? Well, sure. Grey Bomb is coming in tomorrow. You knew it all the time? Yep. Oh, Bob. I don't get it. You can't ride that horse. You want to put up another 5,000 bucks? Nobody ever has, Rotem. There has to be a first time for everything. Yeah, you're a worse sapper than I thought you was, Mr. Every tough Bronx that ever bucked its way out of a chute has a gimmick. But nobody's ever figured what Grey Bomb's gimmick was. I have. I can calm that critter down and nothing flat. I got it all figured out. You're bluffing. You think I'd have bet $5,000 if it was a bluff? You can get another 5 anytime you say so. Well, you could be mistaken. I'm willing to take my chances on that, Bird. It's going to be the easiest $5,000 they ever made. Well, so long. You and your broad ideas. So this 5,000 is just like in the bank, is it? Oh, and I look surely the guy's bluffing. Bluffin, where you clown, you might as well give him the money now. And I'll tell you something else. What? I've worked like a dog saving for our ranch. Our ranch. Now we'll be lucky if we can buy a pinto pony. You lose that money and I'm through with you. Just a minute, Tommy. Huh? What's the matter, Lottie? You've been having a nice visit with Shirley? Now listen, Lottie, don't go get married. I'll get any way I please. And I'll tell you something else. Her husband's watching you like a hawk over a chicken farm. I ain't afraid of him. Well, you better be afraid of me. Who got you your breaks, huh? Who started your business, rodeo business? Who grub-staked you while you was getting the feel of things? You need money, Lottie? Money. Don't you insult me, Tommy. We've got an understanding that we're going to get married and you just try back on it. Sure, sure, we're going to get married. You're working under too light a reign, Tommy. Let's get married tonight. Well, um, I figured maybe after we worked the abalone rodeo... You think I'm pretty dumb, don't you? What? You ain't working the abalone rodeo. You got a deal on to take some screen tests. Why didn't you tell me about that, huh? Well... Who told you I was taking any screen tests? Your little friend Shirley, that's who. I swear till I get my hands on her. I'm being given a double cross. No, who's talking about the double cross? Y'all don't know she ain't interested in you. She's looking out for herself and Byrne, no matter what she says or how she acts. Why, that dirty little... No, you ain't so nice yourself, mister. You practically admitted you've been planning a run out on me. Oh, quit beefing. You got the wrong idea, cowboy. I ain't complaining. I'm just telling you. You try any fast ones on me and you're going to get tied up worse than a bulldog stare. The feature of the end of the evening, that popular cowboy, Tommy Tanner, trying to ride the roughest, toughest brunt that ever came out of Texas. Who is getting into the shooting hour? I don't want to look. I'm looking and I'm enjoying it. Ray Palmer, a brunt that's never been written, full of a record for a death and destruction. Hold your breath, ladies and gentlemen. Are they opening the machine? Watch it, honey. Watch it. It's going to be good. Here, find a gimmick for that horse, did he? Well, we'll see how much of a gimmick he's got. They're opening the shoot now, Shirley. Look. No, boy. Hey, but what's going on here anyway? Why, that dirty lousy... He's tricked me. What's wrong? Well, Graybomber ain't even bucking. He's walking out of the shoot. There's something funny going on. You and your crooked ideas for making money. I was going to practically steal $5,000 from him, wasn't I? He didn't have any gimmick, huh? What... What happened? I don't know. The brunt didn't even buck. Tommy just kind of toppled off right into the dirt. Well, he hurt. What's it to you if he has hurt? The brunt didn't hurt him, that's a sense. It wasn't a brunt. If ever I saw a tame horse, Graybomber's there. What have you done to him? Me? What have I done to him? You saw it, didn't you? He just fell off with the horse not even bucking. Well, that wins me $5,000, sugar. But I was plum lucky. Lucky. Listen, when you win any money, there's no luck connected with it. I'd keep my mouth shut if I thought anything like that, surely. Wouldn't sound good to throw it. I don't care how it sounds. Oh, look, they're caring him off. He's unconscious. You served a smart aleck right. Oh, shit man. What man's coming over this way? Oh, hi, Graham. Well, Tommy had a tough break, huh? That's one way of looking at it, I guess, Will. Well, I mean he's fallen off of a tame horse. I guess more than that. Well, what's wrong with him? He's dead. No. Wait, he couldn't be dead. Maybe not, man. But he is. You mean he heard himself when he fell off Grey Bomber? I mean, nothing of the kind. He was dead when Grey Bomber came out of that shoe. But how? Why? What happened? That's what I am to find out, man. I know about that bet you had. I know about that bet you had. I know about that bet you had with Tommy Burr. What's that got to do with it? Quite a lot, maybe. You see, Tommy Tanner's been murdered. Oh, Tommy Tanner was murdered. Well, who killed him and what was the motive? For that matter, how was he killed? We'll find out in the second act of Death and the Saddle. Meanwhile, here's a brief message from our sponsor. And now, act two of Death and the Saddle. Burr, Shirley, Lottie Moran, and Graham are gathered in Graham's office. We gotta straighten this business out, folks. I don't know what there is to straighten out. A guy died. He didn't die, Burr. He was murdered. The lawful kind of thinks there's a difference. I didn't kill him. No. No. Why should I kill him? You was betting him $5,000. He couldn't ride, Grey Bomber. And he told you he had a gimmick on the horse. Well, I didn't believe him. Well, he did. You could see that plain enough, couldn't you? Oh, I reckon maybe he did it that. Lucky for you, he had that accident, huh, Burr? Yeah, I reckon it was. Pretty lucky. Lucky? You killed him and you know it. He was crazy jealous of him anyway. Jealous, Lottie? I ain't heard any of this. What was he... Shirley was making a big play for Tommy. She knew about him going into the movie. Well, you're dirty-minded. You be careful how you talk to me, Shirley. I'll be careful, all right. I'll throw a lasso around your neck and pull it till the hunter squeezes your gullet up. Lie down, Shirley. No need to get so sore. Sore was she... Lie down, Shirley. You ain't my boss. Just a smart husband that practically throws $5,000 away. I didn't lose, did I? Maybe not. But you got a murder charge hanging right over your head. Look, I don't even know how the guy died. That was pretty cute how he died, Burr. What? Tommy was using his jewel saddle. I could see that all right. The one he always used for exhibition rising. But he never had it fixed up this way before. What way? The jewels on that saddle are set in the little metal holders. And each of the holders, somebody's wedged a piece of sharp needle. Colded with poison. Poison? The minute Tommy Tanner dropped into the saddle before the brunt came out of the chute, he was a dead pigeon who'd been an attacker. We ain't going to find the murderer by finding who had a chance to kill Tommy. We're going to find him by figuring out who had a reason to kill him. That's easy. Laught it. Listen here, you. You've got a lot of mirrors talking about me having a reason to kill Tommy. But we was engaged. Was is right. Tommy was trying to get rid of you. Got too big time for you. That's a lie. I heard the fight you was having with him. Oh, so you've been eavesdropping on me, huh? Listen, I'd like to show you how I wrap it. Oh, sure you admit you was having trouble with Tommy, huh, Laughty? Well, you wasn't having any trouble. Nothing that couldn't have been straightened up by getting Shirley out of the way. I don't know what Shirley'd have to do with your trouble, Laughty. She's a married woman. You don't get around much, Graham. Sure she's married, but she's kind of ambitious, too. She was looking for a chance to improve her position. Now, look here, Laughty, you can't talk. You fool. If you'd been awake, you'd have seen what was going on. Shirley was making a play for Tommy Tanner, a big play. She thought he was going to go places, and she was looking for a ticket right on the same train. When you make cracks like that, Laughty, it's a good idea to be able to prove him. Ask anybody around the room. Now, wait a minute. The girls are slowing things down. What? I'm trying to find out who killed Tommy, and you're drawing about who was Tommy's best girl. That don't make no difference now, the way I look at it. All right. Who killed him? Somebody who'd be better off because he was dead. Well, don't take any eye sign to figure that out. Don't bother. Who would profit from his being dead, not Laughty? She did it out of spite because she was jealous, and because she figured he was going to ditch her. She couldn't stand having folks know she'd lost out. Well, maybe. But from a money standpoint, she couldn't do herself any good by killing him. Tommy didn't have much. His riches was all what you might call potential. He had a big future ahead of him. But killing stopped that future cold. Sure. That's right. He could have been a great cowboy. And the charges you've been shooting at Shirley, they kind of end up the same way, Laughty. Shirley ain't any better off than she was, as Tommy did. She's $5,000, federal. Well, that's something to argue about. She didn't win the 5,000, and it wasn't her who was going to lose it. The way I look at it, there was only one person going to be any better off with Tommy dead. And that was... Yeah, yeah, me. I know what you're thinking. Well, I didn't kill him, Graham. And I ain't going to be made a goat. Nobody's going to ask you to be a goat. But you're the one guy had a chance to line his pockets from Tommy's death. I ain't a killer, I tell you. Every time was you in the tack room, Burr. Well, just before the steer bulldog in the van. I had to get my stuff. And that was about an hour before Tommy got his saddle, wasn't it? But I can tell. Was anybody in the tack room with you? No. I ain't in the habit of taking along a valet or nothing when I get my stuff. I think maybe we better turn you over to the police, Burr. Think again then, Graham. Oh, Burr, you're full. Put that gun back in your holster. I ain't getting sent to no jail for something I didn't do. Put that gun away. Oh, so you want me to get arrested, huh? You've been trying to get rid of me for quite a spell. Sure. I ain't good enough for you anymore. Say, you're all wet about Burr being the only person who could profit, Graham. Why? If Shirley could kill Tommy and fix it so Burr would be the full guy, she'd get Tommy's $5,000 and Burr too. Why, she could make more money out of this than anybody. You're just kind of hoping, Lottie. Nope. I'll stick to Burr for my man. I'm going to call the police, Burr. Get away from that phone, Graham. I ain't scared of you, Burr. Now, I'm warning you, Graham. Next time I shoot, I don't aim at no telephone. What are you going to do? I'm going to have a little talk with Shirley. There's some sense to the remarks that Lottie's made about her trying to frame me. Oh, Burr, no. No, get away from me. Oh, you can't. Help, oh, Graham. You won't let him. No. I'll get you for this. Burr would take me the rest of my life. You ain't going to get nobody, not that you've confessed. Confessed? Why wouldn't I confess? Well, you hit me in the face and knocked me down and twisted my arm to the breaking point. If I hadn't confessed, it'd have been nuts. You mean you're denying your confession? Of course I'm denying it. And I reckon I got to start working you over again, Shirley. Oh, for the love of Graham, why do you care that he'd kill me? He's got a gun. He's a crazy man, Shirley. I ain't hankin' to dispute with him. Your confession's true and you know it, Shirley. You killed Tommy. I don't go trying to get out of it. Listen, if I had wanted to kill Tommy, I'd have done it a lot easier than the scheme that was worked. And if you think you're going to make my confession stand up in court, you're going to look like just as big a sap as you really are. Yeah? Why? Because I'll show the police a ticket. What ticket? The ticket to Reno. The ticket to Reno? What? Tommy had you licked on that bit. It was a big time and he's heading right for the top. What's that got to do with a ticket to Reno? Plenty. Tommy was giving me the money to go out to Reno. I was going to skip after tonight's show. I was going to get a divorce from you and marry him. That's a lie. Oh, no, it ain't, and you know it. I got plenty of proof. That's the lawyer that was advising Tommy on his movie test business and see what he says. Tommy'd been getting more than movie advice from him. You're a sweet little woman, but you are. Well, what do you expect? We're throwing away most of the money we've been able to save. I wasn't doing no such thing. You saw for yourself, even when he was dying, Tommy was able to put a gimmick on Graybomber. He had the Bronx stop code. You saw it. He even told Graham what the gimmick was and Graham admitted it might work. What? So, he told Graham, huh? No, no, he never said nothing to me about it. That's a lie. He told me he talked to you. Oh, what difference does it make whether he talked to Graham or not? He had a gimmick on the horse, all right. That was easy enough to see. The important thing is that Byrne knew about the gimmick. I wouldn't be too sure about that, Lottie. But why... A good buck and bronc that can't be rode. A horse like that's worth as much as a win and race horse in the rodeo business. Oh, maybe. I've turned down some big offers for Graybomber. Oh, that's beside the point. Oh, sure it is. You do a little less talking and more listening, Graham. Tommy talked to you about the way he was going to calm Graybomber down. No, I knew nothing about it. Oh, yes, you did. Tommy told me. There wasn't any reason for him to lie to me about it. Oh, getting smart, huh, Shirley? Graybomber was worth a small fortune to Graham, as long as he couldn't be rode. But once the cowboy put the gimmick on him, once the secret was out of how to keep Graybomber from bucking, that horse wasn't worth a dime. Hey, I never thought of that. So the fellow that stood to profit the most from having Tommy Tanner die before Graybomber got broken was Mr. Graham. You're crazy. Running the rodeo, you was in the spot where you could slip that saddle of Tommy's out of the tack room and fix it up in private. You think anybody take a chance at having folks walking on him while he was docking the saddle out of way? Well, that's right. I think it'd be kind of smart to go to Graham's office and kind of rummage through his stuff. How do it? What'll I look for? Lots of things. Needles, maybe. And poison. No, you don't, Lottie. Don't forget I got a gun, Graham. Yeah, yeah, that's right. You have, ain't you? Well, let's see if you want to shoot Lottie. You're standing right in front of me while I back out of here, Lottie. You killed Tommy, didn't you? Sure, sure. You think I'd let a smart alec ruin the best horse I got, the one that's worth the most money? Come on, Lottie. Don't try to get loose, cause I got a gun, too. Oh, shoot him first. You got her. Listen, I can't shoot Lottie. She ain't done nothing. Oh, where's my rope? Yeah, yeah, right over here. What are you going to do? Come on. We got to run the catcher before they get to Graham's car. Now, hurry. Keep them covered with your gun in case you try to shoot me. If he dies, you got to take a chance on getting Lottie, maybe, but you got to get him. Don't worry. I'll protect you. Hold on. I think we're getting close enough. I got to drop the rope down pretty accurate. And you're the one that can do it, kid. Let us sail, shall we, and good luck. Oh, get him? Right. Yeah, right over his head. Look. Look, he's pawing at it, trying to get it off. I figured he would. Careful. Now. Yeah, smart work. You got it right around his neck. Now, pull it tight for him. I'm strong enough. Yeah. Now, here he is. He's trying to get into his car with the roper on his head. Oh, hold on for him. He threw her down. Put on the roper. I'm a trying to, but it's got my hands on it. Oh, you pulled him right out of the running car by his neck. That was good I ever tried to haul in with a rope. Hit it. Hit it, did. Good work, sir. Yeah. Yeah, I reckon so. Well, I suppose I better call the police. Oh, I'll go with you, Burr. You will? Well, I thought you was through with me. Oh, not if you'll have me around, Burr. I, I made a mistake. I was slow called yet. Well, if you've got over it, there's no use yapping around about it anymore, I reckon. And I'm kind of sorry about the beating up I gave you, surely. Sorry. Hadn't ought to be Burr. Made me kind of well feel that you was quite a fella. And even if it works for something I didn't do, I guess I had it coming on, General Principal.