 The challenge of the Yukon The Wonder Dog King swiftest and strongest of Eskimo lead dogs blazes the trail through storm and snow for Sergeant Preston as he meets the challenge of the Yukon Sergeant Preston was typical of the small band of Northwest mounted police who preserved law and order in the new Northwest country where the greed for wealth and power led to frequent violence and bloodshed But in spite of the odds against them, Sergeant Preston and his Wonder Dog King met that challenge and justice ruled triumphant A great panel bedroom. A man dressed in evening clothes pulled open a drawer. As he did, the handle on the door behind him turned, hastily dropping an object into it, he closed the drawer. Well Hank, what are you doing up here? Oh, the brilliant conversation downstairs drove me out. Don't happen to have anything to drink up here, do you? Yes. There's some Claret in the desk. I thought you were doing pretty well with the punch. That's stuff. Much too weak for my taste. So's Claret for that matter. Well, I might as well go back down. Dad sent me looking for you. Probably wants me to request the pleasure of the next waltz with dear Lady Tamerlane. Don't let those diamonds she's wearing blind you. Personally, I think she's got her cap set for Dad. Absent minded Dad being bullied by that Armada. No, I can't see it. She'd even invade his study and get rid of his collection of knives and daggers. What do you think of him parting with those two stilettos? The Perry split to give each of us one? Promise me that you'll always keep these, he says. Rot. It isn't rot. Is some sort of a superstition connected with them? Good luck and all that to the one who possesses them. I'm gonna open a window. More likely death to the enemies of those who possess them. Personally, I should hate to be found with one of those mean-looking things in my back. Why they should be so important to him, I don't know. Rot collection he has in this house is his world. He loves every stone in the place. And I don't wonder. Come here, Hank. Look. Even a party's better than looking at a sight I've already seen too much of. No, thank you. You don't see very much of it. Yard home often enough. Too much of that London life, my boy. Not good for you. You think like Dad, I suppose, that I should stay here and just become part of the landscape. Part of the landscape, Rot. Oh, this is gonna be yours one of these days. I could use an advance on it now. The old man won't come across with another shelling. Oh, so this is where you are. Oh, I say, Dad, we were coming right down. I came up myself. My word, you've no idea what just happened. Lady Tamerlaine's diamond necklace. What about it? It's disappeared. I suppose you'd say it's been stolen. She never missed it until a few minutes ago. So, naturally, all the usual things will be done. Imagine here, my guests being searched. Why, that's fantastic. That's just what I said, my boy. But the fact remains, she wore it this evening and now it's gone. However, we're wasting time. Oh, Edward, that window is such a draft. I forgot. You don't like fresh air. I'll close it and we'll be on our way downstairs. I suppose we'll be searched with the guests. Yes, yes, of course. Beastly business, already disturbing. I don't seem to have a handkerchief. Oh, dear, dear, that man passings. Edward, where are your handkerchiefs? In the top drawer there, Dad. I'll get you one. No, no, sir, I can get it myself. No, no, wait there, and I'll get it for you. Aha, so my oldest son can speak. No, never mind, I'll get it myself. Edward. There should be some in there. Yes, there are, but this, this is also in there. The Tamil necklace. Edward. Edward. But how did it get there? How? It's very obvious how it got there. As the three men stood facing each other, Edward looked at his brother. He waited for him to speak. But when he remained silent, Edward realized he did not intend to tell the truth. I don't know what the explanation for this could be, but I want to give you a chance to say something. I suppose there's nothing to say, sir. The incident with the Tamil and necklace created tension. It was impossible to ignore, though it was returned with plausible explanation. After a few days' hesitation, Edward, the youngest son of the Duke of Burlington, left his home and his father, and England, which he loved so greatly. Several years passed, and then one day in a barracks room at headquarters in the Yukon Territory, the scarlet-coated men of the Canadian Mounted Police stood and sat at ease. So now, since I brought in four of his men, the inspector's sending me out to bring in gentlemen Harry himself. Uh-huh. And I guess Bill Preston's just going along to assist you. Yes, remember that. He's got three stripes on his sleeve to your two. But the record he's got behind him, it'd take the rest of us 50 years to beat him. Maybe. I guess that dog of his goes along, too, eh? Well, did you ever see a move out of headquarters minus king? Dogs are dogs. One's as good as the next for my money. For yours maybe, but not for Bill's. Well, he'd trust king with his life any day. You know, that's the difference in the two of you, Ed. You don't trust anybody or anything, do you? That's why I joined the Mounties, my friend. Neither dog nor man knows any loyalty when you come right down to it. This'll be the first time I've ever worked with anybody on a case. And certainly the only time I ever want to work with a dog. Well, I'll see you fellas in a couple of days. Good bye. Good luck. There goes a cocky kid. Yeah, he's cocky, all right. I have a hunch that's why the inspector put him to work with Preston on this case. Figured he could learn something, he'd never get any other way. Either that or knock him down a couple of pegs. Oh, I don't know. Before he got his corporal stripe, he was a regular fellow. Instead of putting it on his sleeve, maybe it should have gone into his headband. No, he's got a funny outlook on life, Paul. As if the world's against him and he doesn't really believe in justice. An odd thing to say about a Mountie, isn't it? Well, I wish him luck. I've heard about this gentleman, Harry. And he's certainly being optimistic if he expects to be back here in a few days. You forget he's working with Preston. You might have to eat those words, so be careful what you say. If he does it, he'll be cockier than ever, but personally I wouldn't bet on it. This is one tough assignment and I don't envy him. The two Mounties traveled for several days, finally reaching the hill country. Then on the fourth night as they sat beside their campfire, King, who was resting at Preston's feet, raised his head. Well, looks like we're going to have company. A woman along the trail. She's probably carrying a gun. She knows how to handle it as well as she does those dogs. She won't have any trouble. Mind if I show your campfire? Not at all. I was just thinking we'd need more wood. I'll gather some. Make yourself comfortable. Come on, boy. Policeman, huh? I see your tunic under the mackinac. Yes. Mackinac keeps the wind out. First time I've seen a Mountie up in this country in quite a while. You're looking for somebody? Yeah. Ever know a man named Gentleman Harry? I've heard of him. He's a man nobody wants to know. Well, I'm going to turn in. I've got to be on the trail early tomorrow morning. Good night. Good night, ma'am. The woman left early the next morning before the two Mounties broke camp. Then, settling their packs on their sleds, they continued their journey. Honking, ask you melamine! It was mid-afternoon when they sighted a cabin. Well, Sergeant, what's our next move? I don't know yet, except we'll keep our eyes open and our mouths shut. So far, no one in this part of the country knows why we're here. Wearing these mackinows over our tunics, nobody would take us for Mounties. Then you didn't want anyone to know why we're here? Word of mouth travels fast anywhere, Ed. The Yukon is no exception. This gentleman, Harry, had any inkling of our presence. What the? Oh, you melamine! They're firing on us from the cabin. King, overshort the rocks for you. You, Ed, see that the dogs are out in line of fire. Yeah. Oh, no, King, you stay here. The work behind that gun means business. And I suspect that the man we're after. Ed, I've all the circling around at the back of the cabin. Meanwhile, inside the cabin... Harry, you aren't going to kill those men. That's the thing you did. I know, but I didn't expect a gunfight. You can't hold out very long. You don't have enough ammunition. They don't know that. Harry, quick, one of them circling. He's coming around to the back of the cabin. Good. We can use another gun. All right, Monty. Come in with your hands, Ed. That gun of yours will come in very handy. I'll cover you, Nora. You'll get it from here. You're not doing any shooting with this gun? Oh, he threw it back towards the rock. You're going to be sorry for that. But...empty. Gentleman Harry's gun hung uselessly in his hand. As the eyes of the two men met, recognition flickered across their faces at the same instant. The gunman opened his mouth to speak, then changed his mind. This puts us on equal terms. Not quite. This dag has been useful before. You're going to walk in this door, not the front door. If your friends shoot... I see. Now move. Open it, Nora. All right. Start walking toward the rocks, and remember I'm right behind you. You needn't remind me. The point of that dag is all that's necessary. You're not going to get away with this. No. Your friend's coming out from behind the rocks. We'll soon see. Ed! Go on, shoot, Sergeant. Shootin' us Monty dies first. This woman is the one who stopped by our campfire last night. I told her who we were looking for. But weren't for me, we wouldn't be trapped. So go on, shoot. Evidently, the sergeant thinks more of your life than you do. I think we'll be able to strike a bargain with him. Gentleman Harry, huh? Well, what do you plan to do? To take your sleds and make a getaway. You'll put your gun on the sled. My wife will go over and get it and cover you both while we get a start. From there on, let's say the best team of dogs wins. We have a sled at the back of the cabin. You'll have to harness the dogs before starting. So with a time we'd gain... His gun is useless, Sergeant. No ammunition. Once he gets ours, it won't be a matter of the best team of dogs winning. He'll make sure ours never starts. Shoot while you have a chance. The Great Dog King saw the frown on his master's face. As he padded softly through the snow, he saw the glittering blade of the dagger pointed at the corporal's back. Looking at Sergeant Preston, Gentleman Harry failed to see the dog, and he's right. King jumped, knocking the man to the ground. No, no, no! Get the dog away! Get away from me! Get down! Get the dog away from me! The impact of flying muscles and sinew was stunning. Seconds passed before the man realized what had hit him. When he did, he raised himself on his elbow to hurl the murderous weapon at the dog. But the warning was unnecessary. The man's elbow gave way beneath his weight. Harry fell over on that knife. His arm must have broken when he struck the ground. That dog, Sergeant, he probably saved both our lives. It isn't the first time he saved mine, Ed. If it hadn't been for him, this whole thing was my fault. If I'd kept my mouth shut... Learn something from every case, Ed. And I don't think you'll forget this one in a hurry. You were his wife? Yes. I fell in love with a man I knew nothing about. Where his home was, what he did before he came to the Yukon. I'm not excusing myself. I knew he was an outlaw, all right? Running away from the law. That's why he came up here. Gentlemen, Harry. And that looking dagger, isn't it? I've never seen one like it. Have you, Ed? Yes, I've seen one like it, Sergeant. I have a mate to it. Preston looked at the corporal, but the young man's eyes were on the killer, sprawled in the snow. And as the sergeant studied the expression on Edward's face, he realized that there was more to this case than he knew. More than he would ever know. Yes, fellow? The case is closed. These copyrighted dramas originate in the studios of WXYZ Detroit, and all characters, names, places, and incidents used are fictitious. They are sent to you each week at the same time and originate in our transcription studios. Bob Heights.