 The challenge of the Yukon It's Yukon King Swiftest and strongest lead dog of the Northwest Placing the trail for Sergeant Preston of the Northwest Mounted Police in his relentless pursuit of lawbreakers Gold gold discovered in the Yukon a Stampede to the Klondike in the wild race for riches back to the days of the gold rush With Sergeant Preston and his Wonder dog Yukon King as they meet the challenge of the Yukon Retta Vincent was a singer at Duke Duval's variety palace in Dawson City With her blonde hair and wide open blue eyes. She looked as demure and innocent as a china doll But more than one man had found out when his gold was spent that her heart was as cold as the Arctic snows Greta was applying her makeup one afternoon when Duke Duval the owner of the variety palace knocked the door of her dressing room Come in. Oh You do you've got a visitor on the cafe. Who is it? That fellow you've been stringing along lately Jack Conway, that's right Tell him I'll be right out. Okay, and While we're on the subject you better hook that kid while the hookin is good. How come I've been checking up on that claim of his Worth plenty How much is plenty? That's hard to tell Maybe a hundred grand maybe more Hey, I've been underestimating that young man as he asked you to marry me I'm expecting a proposal any day now Then when it comes, you know what to say. I ought to buy this time I'll go out and kill him you're nearly ready Jack Conway was only 20, but despite his youth. He was an experienced sourdough For two years before the Klondike stampede Jack and his older brother Steve had Prospected for gold in Alaska and the northern fringes of the Yukon territory Then when the big strike came on bonanza the brothers had joined the rush to the Klondike and staked out claims side-by-side on Bear Creek As Greta Vincent approached Jack's table the young sourdough greeted her with an eager smile Let me get your chair They're even more beautiful than I remembered You sound as though you hadn't seen me for months seems like years Well every day away from you is a year as far as I'm concerned Three of you to say that and I feel the same way I Missed you terribly. I brought you present here. You'll have to unwrap it It's all right. It's not much, but it's the best I could find in Dawson. I only hope it fits Jack, I couldn't wear this It would mean that I What's matter? How do you suppose I ever happen to come to the Yukon in the first place? Oh gosh, I don't know. I never thought about it, but I'm sure glad you came I was out of a job in Frisco down to my last cent On top of that I had about five thousand dollars in debts to pay off That's that my mother and dad had owed before they died. Gee honey, that must have been awful. I Wish I'd been there to help you. Oh, I wish you had to Jack But you weren't That's when Duke de Val came along. You mean the man who owns this place? Yes, that's right He was getting together a troupe of entertainers to come up north put on their ass here at this variety palace He liked my looks and my singing so he offered me a job He offered me a good salary, and he also agreed to lend me the five thousand dollars I needed to pay off my debt In return, I had to sign a two-year contract. Wendy have to pay back the five thousand He's taking two hundred dollars out of my pay every month By the time my contract is up the money will be just about paid back How much longer does your contract have to run a little over a year and a half? Still owe him four thousand dollars. What would happen if you broke your contract? Duke would demand his four thousand cash on the line Oh, he's a nice guy to work for but He's hard as nails as far as money is concerned Four thousand is a lot of money to raise on short notice Especially right now where the creek's all freezing over Steve and I wouldn't be able to get that much gold out of our claims until the spring cleanup next year Darling Surely you don't think I'd let you pay off that money to do of course I do If you're going to be my wife, it's my job to take over your debts Who wears duke now in his office. I suppose. Let's go talk to all right Duke Deval listened sympathetically to jack's remarks A friendly smile masking his usual cold-eyed sinister expression When the young sourdough was through duke removed the cigar from his mouth and replied Well young fella, you can appreciate how you feel I kind of thought you were getting pretty sweet on gritty But that doesn't all do the fact that she owes me four thousand dollars You'll get your money even though Greta does break her contract It's just that I can't pay you right away Not until the spring cleanup on the creeks a promise to pay this is not backed by security isn't worth a plug nickel Oh, I'll give you security What kind of security? Well, there's my claim Wouldn't that do? Well, yeah, it's a regular quality cause you realize this note of gritters is payable on demand Did they have to agree to the same terms? Why on demand I can't pay it'll spring I understand that and spring is plenty soon enough as far as I'm concerned Just that I want to be prepared for emergencies That's all if I should get squeezed for money at any time and I want to be able to call in that for a thousand All right, I guess that's fair enough Greta Would you be willing to marry me tomorrow if DeVal and I get this contract business settled? Oh, of course I would darling the sooner the better as far as I'm concerned Ah, that's wonderful Then I'll go back to my cabin and get the title to my claim I'll bring it to town tomorrow morning DeVal and I can settle our business And then you and I'll go hunt up a preacher It was late afternoon when jack Conway arrived back at the cabin on bear creek which he shared with his brother steve The older man listened while jack told him of the arrangements he had made with Greta and Duke DeVal Then steve exploded with indignation. You chuckleheaded young fool. What's the matter? What's the matter? Don't you realize that DeVal and that vincent girl are playing you for a sucker? I don't know what you're talking about. I'll tell you what I'm talking about Greta vincent isn't in love with you She hasn't got any intention of marrying you the only reason she's promising to marry you is to get you to sign over your claim But I'm not signing over my claim I'm just using it as security on my note and the note is payable on demand The minute you sign that note DeVal will ask for his money You won't be able to pay so he'll take over title to your claim Greta wouldn't be party to any such jip deal as that don't be so gullible dance All girls have been pulling that game ever since the first time a sourdough struck it rich Greta vincent is no different many the rest of them. She's just a little swindler Jack's blows staggered his brother momentarily, but steve refused to defend himself or hit back You'd better take back what you said about Greta and do it mighty fast Calm down a minute now. You heard what I said. Now listen kid I've been taking care of you ever since you were knee-high to a grasshopper We've spent two years prospecting this rotten wilderness We've starved and frozen and slaved our hearts out together Now we've each got a decent stake And if you think I'm gonna need a cheap dancehall girl swindle you out of it You asked for it steve Now get your hands up and fight back All right kid you want to play it the hard way I'll go along with you All the pent up emotion born of two long years of hardship and privation boiled to the surface As the two brothers waited into each other they pounded each other back and forth across the cabin Finally steve landed a hard right and left that knocked jack unconscious Sorry I had to do that kid But it's the only way I could knock some sense into your head Steve carried his brother over to his bunk Then he put on his parka and prepared to go into town. You just stay right there and sleep at all kid In the meantime, I'll take care of mr Duke duval and his dancehall queen Sergeant Preston and his great dog king were returning to Dawson's city from patrol up the clondike river As they passed the conway cabin at the mouth of bear creek the sergeant decided to stop off and visit the two brothers Come on boy Wonder how jack and steve were making out fella. We haven't seen them since they staked their claims They aren't home King's sensitive nostrils told him that someone was inside the cabin So he tried to push the door open with his nose Sergeant Preston opened the door and king trotted boldly inside Nothing like making ourselves right at home As sergeant Preston entered the cabin he saw jack lying unconscious on the bunk He noticed the young miners bruised and disheveled appearance looks like jack came out on the short end of an argument I will see if we can't bring him around king watched as his master bathed the unconscious man's face with melted snow In a few moments jack began to regain consciousness Sergeant Preston The dickens are you doing here? I stopped by to pay you and steve a visit jack He were lying on the bunk looking slightly the worst for worse. So I thought little first aid was indicated I guess you were right about that. What happened? Ah steve and I had a slight falling out. What's the matter? Cabin fever? No, no, we get along fine as far as that goes Just that steve doesn't approve my choice of a wife. I didn't know you were going to be married. Congratulations. Who is she? Her name is Greta Vincent She's a singer at duke devol's variety palace in dusk. What steve got against her? You think she and her boss are trying to swindle me out of my claim? Well, it's happened before Well, I hope it's not true in this case. Tell me about it. It's like this sergeant Just before Greta came up here to the ucon duke devol entered Sergeant Preston listened to jack's story Then he said what do you suppose steve went after had you fight? Search me sergeant Why I'm just wondering if he could have gone into town looking for trouble with devol Holy mackerel. I never thought of that. Steve's pretty hot tempered. He's a holy terror He tangles with devol is likely to be bloodshed Come on king. I think we'd better make tracks for Dawson. Hold it a minute sergeant. I'm coming with you. All right jack, but understand this If there is trouble, I'll handle it Night had fallen and Dawson's city was ablaze with its usual boom town geardy when steve conway arrived at duke devol's variety palace He went directly to duke's office Duke devol was seated at his desk with Greta Vincent standing beside him. Oh, you're both here together, huh? That's fine Why it's jack conway's brother. That's right sweetheart. I'm jack's brother steve I didn't think you'd remember my face after just meeting me once. What do you want conway? I came to tell you that your swindle is not going to pan out My kid brother's not going to sign that note covering your girlfriend's phony debt. Are you insinuating that I lied to jack? I'm not insinuating it. I'm saying it right to your face. How dare you say such a thing Jack and I love each other What makes you think your brother's not going to sign that note? I don't think it. I know it Here's something else duval if you and Greta try any more funny stuff on jack I'm gonna beat your face in Who do you think you're scaring with that kind of talk? Maybe like a sample of what I'm talking about. Yeah, I think maybe I would All right, then try this You've all failed to block steve's sudden punch and he reeled back onto the force of the blow But he recovered instantly and came back swinging Greta stepped out of the way and watched calmly as the two men slugged it out Both men were accustomed to the rough and tumble brawling of the gold camp And neither hesitated to wheelchairs or bottles or anything else that came to hand Finally duke duval weakened and went down beneath steve's relentless pound You had enough duval As he spoke duval whipped out a knife but before he could struggle to his feet steve was on top of it The two men grappled desperately then Greta saw a chance She brought a heavy paperweight smashing down on steve's head Sourdough relaxed his grip on duke and at the same moment the knife sank home on his side Duke duval got slowly to his feet For a moment, he stared stupidly at steve's inert body Then Greta exclaimed you fool duke. You killed him. Yeah, it was his own fault He started it didn't it didn't mean you had to pull a knife on it. No, shut up. Let me think What are you gonna do? Go get munk proddy. Yeah, all right A few moments later greta vincent returned to the office followed by munk proddy Monk was duke duval's right-hand man. What's up boss? How we just get ready? How they smoke Who is he? His name's steve conway. He's jack conway's brother. What happened to him? I don't mind the foolish question Could you hear anything out there in the cafe? No, nothing in particular I was standing right to the bar. Yeah, I kind of thought I heard some sort of a set two going on in here But there was so much noise out there. I couldn't be sure good Then go get your pocket What's the deal? We'll take conway's body out the back way and carry it straight down the alley to the river No one will see us. Yeah Then what? I've got a boat tied up at the bank We'll weight the body down with a few good sized rocks Then we'll row down riverways and dump it overboard. I figure that's safe. Sure, it's safe The river will be frozen over in another few days By the time of thaw's next spring the trant will be carried the body cleared down the circle city After that it won't matter whether the body washes up or not. Yeah, yeah, I guess you're right Now just one thing more duke What's in how much is there in it for me? 500 dollars Good enough You can pay me right now You're a trusting soul aren't you? Duke de vol weighed out a small quality of gold dust on the scales. It's still in his desk Then he poured the dust into a small poke And handed it to munk powder and there's your money Now go get your park and be quick about it. Sure boss duke Someone at the door. I'm not deaf Duke opened the door just wide enough to look out Sergeant Preston was waiting just outside Beside him stood jack conway and the great dog king Duke de vol slipped through the door and closed it behind him Well, hello there young fella. I didn't know you were out here. How do you do far? What can I do for you money? I'm sergeant Preston northwest mother police I came to ask if jack's brother steve's been around here tonight Nope, not so far as I know What happened to your face? Huh? What do you mean looks a little battered Oh, uh, well that right. We had some trouble a little earlier this evening A couple of chikakos started cutting up rough I had to toss them out in their ears. I see Well in any case you haven't seen the steve conway. Oh, that's right sergeant Tell you the truth. I don't even know the fella. All right, thanks And I won't bother any further as sergeant Preston turned to leave king wind protestedly The intelligent dog had caught the scent of steve conway clinging to de vol's clothing He recognized it as a scent which he had smelled back at the conway cabin And instinctively he sensed that it belonged to the man his master was looking for What's the matter with your dog sergeant? I don't know. It seems to have picked up a scent of some kind Yeah, well hang on to him. He can't go in there. Oh, why not? My office is privatey That goes for dogs as well as people Suppose I tell you I'd like to search your office and my capacity as a police officer Let's still tell you to keep on I can always go get a search warrant, you know, then go get one Until you do understand no more rights I don't like to be pushed around by red coach or anyone else. All right, if that's the way you feel about it Come on king. You're coming to jack. Why? Yeah, yeah, I'll go with you sergeant Duke de vol returned to his office What happened duke? Muddy named sergeant presser cape snooping around looking for steve conway Steve's kid brother was with him. You mean jack. Who do you suppose I mean? What did you tell them? Well, I stole them off But his dog picked up conway's scent So now he's going for a search warrant What do you think you're going gretta out in the cafe? Any reason why I shouldn't I know No, I guess not Go ahead As gretta left the office and closed the door behind her duke de vol and monk proudy exchanged worried looks Finally monk said you thinking the same thing. I'm thinking She seemed kind of anxious to get out of here. Did you to blame the anxious? I wouldn't trust that dame any farther than I can see her go out to see where she goes with her peat's sake hurry We've got to get this guy out of here before that money gets back with a search warrant Sure thing boss Gretta vinson was thinking fast. She knew that duke de vol was in a tight spot and if convicted of murder She too would share the punishment She was no more in love with jack conway than she had been with any of the other men who had fallen for her But on the other hand a rich gold claim was better than a hamper rope Her links parker was hanging on a hook by the door gretta snatched it up portively and slipped off the door She had intended to go straight to mounted police headquarters But as she came out of the cafe she saw jack conway standing in the street jack gretta Oh, darling, thank heaven you're safe. What's the matter? It's your brother. Oh jag, I hate to tell you this but But he's dead I saw it with my own eyes He and duke had a terrible fight He knocked duke down and and then duke drew a knife. No, darling. It was awful Don't cry honey Don't take it so hard. You couldn't help This duval know you saw oh, yes He threatened to kill me if I told the police I had to wait till he wasn't looking before I could slip away I intended to go to mountie headquarters and tell them what happened. You won't have to Sergeant presen is already gone to get a search warrant When he comes back, we'll go in and get duval a gunman named monk proud. He's helping them They're going to take the body out the back door and put it in the river Sergeant's dog is back there in the alley watching the door I'll go back there too. Oh jack, please don't you haven't got a gun Let the mountie handle things. I will when he gets back I just want to make sure duval doesn't get away. Please be careful darling What anything happened to you? I think I'd die. Don't you worry about me? Just make sure nothing happens to you You're going back inside. I guess I'd better duval won't be suspicious. Will he why don't think so He's got enough to worry about without bothering about me Goodbye jack. Goodbye honey Greta went back inside the cafe and hung up her parker As she was walking toward the dance floor monk proudy tapped her in the arm Hey Greta, come on back to the office. The boss wants to tell you something. All right It's us boss. Monk and Greta What do you want to see me about duke? Monk tells me what I'd say to you lity That's right. I did what for I was feeling a little sick. I wanted some fresh air You sure of that? Of course, I'm sure I went outside and walked up and down for a minute or so and came right back in That's all Say What is this are you double crossing little liar monk saw the whole thing He saw you out there spilling the beans of the conway kid duke. Listen, you got me all wrong I didn't tell him any shut up I might have believed you if you hadn't tried to lie to me Oh, I knew you were selling me out Grab a monkey monk sees the girl with one hand and clap the other over her mouth to keep her from screaming Greta kicked and clawed like a wildcat. Suddenly she jerked free from monk's grasp As she stumbled back she tripped and fell her head struck hard against the corner of duke's desk She's out cold What'll I do with her? I'll turn to that chair. All right Now We'll have to get rid of her along with conway's body and mighty quick too Lift the curtains take a look out bag. See if the coast is clear. All right Duke, what's the matter the conway kid in the mounties dog? They're standing right out there in the alley watching the door Holy smoke. We're trapped duke We won't be able to get the body out like you planned and that's mountie will be here any minute with the search warrant We can still make it We'll kill the kid and the dog too. Are you crazy? You got plug them everyone will hear the shot and if you try rushing them They'll make enough racket to wake the dead. Uh-uh now duke. You can count me out right now Oh, listen monkey. You can't let me down now. You've got to help me. It's hopeless I tell you use your head Even if you could kill the kid you'd never get away with that many murders get swing shore I'll get out of the territory They can't hang me if they can't catch me. Maybe not but where does that leave me? Oh, listen monkey You've been playing for penis so far That's safe. I've got more than 20,000 in gold You help me make my getaway and half of it's yours Duke you're a mighty good persuader What's your plan? Listen now tell you It was less than 10 minutes later that sergeant Preston returned with a search warrant The sergeant was surprised and little worried to find that jack conway was nowhere in sight. That's funny Must have heard king out back and gone around to investigate. I'd better take a look Hastily the sergeant made his way between the two adjoining buildings to the alleyway and back at the cafe Once again, he was in for surprise King greeted a migratory but there was no sign of jack. What happened to jack fella? Is he back here? King trotted over to the door leading into duke devol's office He looked back at his master and then once more gave an urgent bark Oh I was going in through the cafe, but maybe I'd better use this door instead The sergeant repeated his knock Finally a sliver of light showed as duke devol opened the door cautiously You press you took your time about answering the door I wasn't expecting him in the back way any objection How did you got to Here it is right here signed by the commissioner himself. I'll take your word for it. Yeah You've all held the door open just wide enough for the sergeant to enter King was forced to fall behind his master Before he could follow the sergeant into the room the door was slammed in his face All right That's buddy Now then sergeant i'm going to open the door again. I'll let your dog in You better not let him make any false moves or he'll get a bullet right in the head. You savvy. I heard you Hold it king down fella easy boy easy now Well devol what now? Now we take care of you and the dog both the same way you took care of jack and the girl Will it be a knife like you used on steve over there? What's the difference money? You'll all be feeding the fishes in another hour or so I take it from that that you intend to drop our bodies in the river. That's right By the time your piles on the force find out what's happened Monk and me will be over the border in alaska where the muddies can't touch you You're making a big mistake devol If you killed conway in a fight you could always plead manslaughter and get off of the prison term But if you commit murder you'll swing for it just as sure as i'm standing here We'll take our chances on that money. So do yourself You know deval The thing that puzzles me most about the case is why you're doing away with the girl Incidentally she's got her vincent isn't she that's right I rather thought she was in with you on this deal apparently i was wrong. She was in with me She was helping me swindle the conway kid and she saw me kill steve conway too But she got cold feet when you showed up and tried to double cross me Run out the palaver and get down to business. Can't you see he's just stolen for time unknown to anyone else in the room Greta vincent had recovered consciousness while duke and the sergeant were speaking and around press didn't keep your hands up high Monk you keep an eye on the dog. Yeah, boss wisely. She'd remain still and watch the scene through slitted eyelids But now with monk's attention occupied and duke raising his gun to knock out the sergeant Greta acted fast Grabbing up the same paper weight. She'd used on steve conway. She hurled it at monk. Monk saw the movement and fired Greta fell fatally wounded king leaped at monk at the same moment the sergeant were to face deval Deval's gun was knocked from his hand He staggered and went down before the most curious arm slot king had already disarmed monk proudy All right king on guard boy. Oh, you don't deval Take that gun I'll get on your feet both of you. You're under arrest in the name of the queen Sergeant Preston handcuffed his two prisoners together and ordered king to watch them while he attended to Greta and jack conway Jack came too quickly, but Greta was beyond help sergeant I haven't taken anything we can do to save her. It's no use jack Monk's bullet must have gone close to her heart. She's dying. She risked her life to save us Don't flatter yourself I did it to save my own skin I've always hated men And I you don't mean that She's gone jack. I hadn't let deval trick me. She might still be alive. What do you mean? I was watching out back with king Deval carried Greta over to the door so I could see her He told me he'd kill her if I didn't come in and help him Like a fool I came King was smarter. He wouldn't budge from his post. Don't blame yourself too much jack. Maybe it's better this way Somehow I don't think her life was very happy Let's hope she'll find peace Now that this case is closed Now here's sergeant Preston with a preview of our next adventure The case of the crown fire When king and I went to wilderness landing to investigate the shooting We found the town in danger of being wiped out by a forest fire We joined in the fight to save it So we were off guard and unarmed when we faced the additional peril of a killer's gun Be sure to listen to this exciting adventure Wednesday These radio dramas a feature of the challenge of the uconn incorporated are created and produced by george w trendle Directed by fred flower day and edited by fran striker The part of sergeant Preston is played by paul Sutton They are brought to you every wednesday until september when we shall resume our regular monday wednesday and friday broadcast This is j michael wishing you goodbye and good luck till next wednesday so long