 The challenge of the Yukon. On King! On you, Husky! Wonder dog King, swiftest and strongest of Eskimoly 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 Monty 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. The arrival of a male was always an exciting event in Dawson City during the Gold Rush. People clamored eagerly for their letters. But on this particular day toward the end of winter, the prospectors stopped reading their own letters when they heard a loud whoop from old Ned Gordon in the crowded post office. She's going to come! Who's coming? He's suffering snakes after scarce death. Act like you're out of your mind. My future wife is arriving in about a month. I wanted to meet the Monty lad. You mean the one who advertised for a husband in the paper? Yes, sir. I answered it, sent the picture, told her about my gold strike, and she decided she'd have it. Well, I hope you moved some of that moss off your face before you had the picture took. I sure did. Had a bath, my whiskers trimmed to my haircut. Now I've got to go through it again when I go meet her. That ain't worth it. Who is? Hey, look. Here's a picture of her. She's a fine big woman. Good cook. Fine housekeeper. You're all going to be jealous when I have you over to our first home cook meal. I like my own cooking. No one's in it. Yes, Sergeant Pesson. We'd like to tell him the news. Crazy old cook. Getting married. Sergeant Pesson, I got some news. Good news, man. You're darn tootin'. I'm gettin' your wife. Oh, you mean the one you've been writing to? Yep. Got her right out of the newspaper. She's coming up here. Is she coming alone? No, she's got a lame brother she has to take care of. That was part of the bargain, of course. I can afford to keep him low. It's our dad to get him a room at the hotel so he won't have to live with us. Well, I hope it works out all right, Ned. Remember, you have to be careful. You're one of the richest men in town, and she might be after your money. She's takin' a big chance, too, the way I figured. She... You're invited to the wedding, Sergeant, as I know what it is. Well, thanks, Ned. I'll try and be here for it. It was over a month later when Sergeant Preston returned to Dawson. As he walked into the bar of the northern hotel, he saw Pete Johnson and Jim Plenn. Hello, boys. Hi, sir. Hello. Sit down here with us, Sergeant. Thanks. What do you have? Nothing right now, thanks. Play down, King. Say, that dog looks bigger every time I see him. Anything new since I was here last? Well, yes, Ned's wedding. Oh, I'm sorry about that. I was planning to be here. So his bride actually arrived, did she? Yeah, Ned's a turned old fool. What? He wasn't disappointed in it, was he? Well, she ain't no treat. Got a face like a horse. Well, I hope she can cook. Hey, she's be eatin' well enough. Oh, she brought her brother with her. Yes, Ned told me she was doing that. He's lame, isn't he? Yeah. Can't walk on the leg. He uses crutches. Crutches? Oh, that's too bad. Yeah, one leg's no good. Ned got him a room here at the northern on the ground floor. It's a good thing Ned's got lots of money. He has to support him, too. She ain't worth it. Oh, here comes Annie's brother now. We better quit talkin'. Hey, sorry. Come here a minute. I want you to meet Sergeant Preston. Hello, Jim. This here is Floyd Peterson, Sergeant. Ned's brother-in-law. How do you do? Do you mind if I don't come any closer? A dog looks vicious. Quiet, King. Well, he won't hurt you. Won't you sit down? No thanks. I'm afraid of dogs. I can't help it. King won't bother you. I can't stop. I have to get something. I'll, uh, see you later. Queer Acton duck. Big man, isn't he? Yeah. And Annie's almost his size. It's a good thing Ned's such a big fella. Floyd won't be very happy here in Dawson if he's afraid of dogs. King don't like him, neither. Dogs never like people who are afraid of them. Well, guess I'll go over and see the newlyweds. Ned won't forgive me for not getting here in time for his wedding. Sergeant Preston, I'm sure glad to see you. Come on in. How are you, Ned? You, Annie, Sergeant Preston. This is my wife, sir. How do you do? How do? That dog ain't vicious, is he? King won't hurt you, Annie. Have a chance, Sergeant. Thanks, Ned. Down, King. Well, Mrs. Gordon, how do you like the North Country? It's a little too cold for my children. Well, I sick of you, Stuart. Pretty soon she'll like it as much as we do. You ain't gonna be in town long, Sergeant. Oh, just a few days, Ned. I'm leaving Thursday for 40 mile. Be back again in a couple of weeks. I'm glad you're here, though. I would have dropped a new weather. God, maybe you'd help me. Well, I'd be glad to, Ned. I got some relatives I don't like much back in the States and I don't want Annie here to have any trouble with them in case anything happens to me. You ain't planning to make a widow of me already, are you? Nope. Yes, as we were saying last night, it's best to be on the safe side. How do you enjoy being a family man, Ned? Oh, it sure is nice. You know, Annie's the best cook I ever saw. Yeah. You better plan to stay to supper, Sergeant. That'll give us a chance to fix up the wheel. Why, um, if that's all right with you, Mrs. Gordon? Sure, sure. I'll be glad to have you. Does your brother eat with you? I'm at him at the hotel. No, he eats over there. Well, Sergeant, if you've got something to write for you, let's get going on this wheel while Annie gets supper. Hey, if you're leaving town Thursday, we better do it now. It was late Thursday evening and Ned Gordon sat alone in his cabin reading. He glanced over his shoulder as he heard the door open quietly. Well, Annie, back already. I thought you'd stay with Floyd longer than this. But slow wasn't it? What? Stop it! Let go of my shirt! Hey, no you don't! In the lobby of the Northern Hotel, Jim Flynn and Pete Johnson had spent the evening smoking and gossiping. Well, here's your drink, Jim. Thanks, Pete. Hey, was that Annie Gordon you was talking to with the black shawl on while I was getting the drinks? Yeah. I thought I saw her go out of here about a half hour ago. Yeah, I asked her why she was making so many trips back and forth. She had to go home and get Floyd another blanket, she said. It's too cold up here for him. She say what Ned's doing tonight? Yeah, he got hold of some newspaper somewhere. I wanted to stay home and read him. Hello there, Preston. How are you, Bill? Look, there's Sergeant Preston. Hey there, Sergeant. Hello, Pete. Hi, Jim. I thought you pulled out of here this morning. I did, but my wheel dog went lame and I had to come back. Well, I'd wait a few days till he's better. I'm packing a heavy load this time. Doghood, Ted? No, he cut his paw on a rock or something and be alright in a day or so. Jim, Pete! Here's Annie. What's she doing back here again? Pete! Sergeant Preston, I thought you'd left town. I had to come back. Is something wrong? It's Ned. Somebody's murdered him. When I got home, I found him strangled. Strangled? Did you touch anything, Annie? No. No, I came straight back here. It must have happened just after I left him to bring that blanket back to Floyd. He was alright then. Come on. Go to your cabin right away. Look at this cabin. Everything upset. Must have been a powerful man who killed him. That was strong. He sure was. He could lick his weight in Wildcats. Wait a minute. What's this in his hand? In his hand? It's a piece of black cloth torn from something. He must have torn it off during the fight. It looks like something off a woman's skirt. Jim Flynn, are you insane? No, Mrs. Gordon. No, we know that you couldn't have done this. You took a big powerful man to fight Ned. You can look at this skirt. Nothing is torn from it. Oh, Annie, I didn't mean you, did you? I'll keep this piece of cloth. I think I'll have a look around outside. Hand me that ladder, Pete. Here. Here. Thanks. Here, Jim. I guess I'll go with you, Sergeant. Stay behind me, Jim. I don't want any tracks to stir. Hope our tracks didn't cover the murders. Look, here are some leading around to the window. Preston, are you sure Annie couldn't have done this? Oh, I doubt it, Jim. Here, King. Come here, boy. These tracks, King. Follow them, fella. He's going around the window. These are a man's tracks. They look as if he tried to cover them, brushing them over with something. Yes, he must have looked in the window first. Make sure Ned would come. King's following the tracks back to the door. Find him, fella. Look at him. He's circling around. We'll pick up the trail in a minute. Our tracks may have covered it. There, he has it. Come on. I'll tell Pete to be right with you. Dog is sure following the trail. I'll bet it leads right back to the hotel. Oh, why do you think that? Because I'm sure Annie done it. She's a big woman. She could have worn a man's shoes. You're right about the trail leading to the hotel. Here we are. Good work, fella. Come here, boy. Why are you putting a leash on him? We're going to have a little talk with Annie's brother, Floyd. He's afraid of dogs. Maybe he'll feel safer if King's on... You know what room Floyd's in, Jim? Yeah. It's here on the first floor. Down the hall. You say Annie told you she went home to get a blanket. Did you see her when she came back? No. We must have been in the bar. I talked to her when she started home the second time. Here's the room. Who is it? Open up, Floyd. It's Sergeant Preston. What do you want? Don't bring that dog in here. I'm afraid of dogs. Don't worry. I have him on leash. We want to talk to you. Take him over there on the other side of the room. One, King. I'm afraid of dogs. They jump on me with me on watches. I lose my balance. I'll stay over here with him. He doesn't seem to like you very well. I wish you'd take him out. Get him, fella. Can't hold him. You better get out. He's getting away from me. No. Hold him. Hold him. After him, King. Get him, boy. His crutches. He trapped him and ran. He ain't lame at all. King's got him. Get him. Back, King. Off him, boy. All right, Floyd. Get up and get back in that room. Get that dog away. Take him away. It hurts, huh? Come on. My crutches. I can't walk. Oh, yes, you can. You were so frightened you forgot about the crutches. Get up and walk, or I'll tell King to finish the job. No, no. Hold him. I will. Get back in your room. Is he the one who murdered Ned? Well, no in a few minutes, I think. Sit down, Floyd. Watch him, King. What do you mean I... Help me search this room, Jim. I'll look in this closet. Looking for a surgeon? Here's what I want. It's a skirt that belongs to Annie. And here's a big shawl. What do they got to do? He was the one who went back to Ned's cabin, not Annie. She stayed here and waited for him. They planned to murder Ned and go back home with the money he left Annie. I helped him make out the will. I just don't know what you're talking about. Oh, yes, you do. You and your sister planned to do something like this before you came up here. That's probably why she put the ad in the paper for a husband. You mean Annie's guilty, too? She's just as guilty as Floyd. They were clever, Jim. They got out the same height. And in her clothes, he got out without being recognized. She had an alibi. You see, no woman could have killed Ned. They never would have suspected Floyd because everyone thought he was lame. But you didn't fool my dog, Floyd. You can't prove a thing. Just because he came here... You didn't know that a piece of cloth was found in Ned's hand. A piece of cloth that was torn from this skirt of Annie that we found in your closet. She must have done it, Annie. I warn you, Floyd, anything you say will be used against you. You're under arrest for the murder of Ned Gordon. Good boy, King. Watch him, fella. 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. Hugh Holder speaking. This is the Michigan Radio Network.