 Two of them, having no immediate assignment, have decided to spend a week or two in the quiet little town of Pecos, basking in the Arizona sunshine. They've registered at Mar Weatherford's hotel, and are just coming out on the veranda after the evening meal. You know, buddy, I'd plum-forgotten how good fried chicken could taste. Hey, you and Gravia and homemade biscuits and strawberry jam and coconut chicken. She'll lighten in her entire meal like that for you. You know what I'm going to do now? No, eh, what you going to do like that? This. I'm going to sit down here like this, put my feet up on the railing, like this, and yes. Oh, well. You know what I'm going to do? Oh, why do what? I'm going to take this rock and share, and like this. Yeah. And sit down like this. Yeah. And yes, rock. Oh, oh. Here's the boys could only see why they lost them now. The terrible sweet pull of fried chicken just walked them back and forth. Oh, by garlic, I guess I lose my reputation. Sure would, Whitey. See, lighten it. Yeah. Don't get that little bend. He likes to have them on. See? It's certainly actually important. Sure does. Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Which one of you umbriers is United States Marshal Lighting, Jim Whippa? I am, partner. This here's my deputy, Whitey Lawson. What might your name be, Sheriff? Yeah. How'd you know I was a sheriff? You heard telling me around the country? Well, can't say I have exactly, but saw your bad play enough on your business. Oh. Oh, sure. You can tell from there. Yeah. Well, I might have glad to meet you, too. My name's Bunny. Septimus Bunny. Well, we might have glad to meet you, too, Sheriff Bunny. Oh, how did you, Mr. Bunny? Sit down. Sit down. I'll pull up a chair and join you for a spell. There. Yeah. I was wondering. You ain't here on business, are you? Not hunting nobody? Ha-ha. Nobody at all, Sheriff. I did just take in the cell's little rest. Between hunts, though, please. Yeah, I thought so. News gets around fast in this community. Does. And when I heard tell you to stand here at my weather first, I says, well, I bet they ain't hunting nobody. That's why? Of course, why, Sheriff? Because they ain't nobody to hunt. That's why. Nobody's going to try no dirty work around here, long time, Sheriff. You can bet your bottom dollar. Ain't no better. Why? I've been a sheriff here for six years now. And you know what? Know what, Sheriff? Ain't been no trouble at all. Made a few arrests for being drunk and deserving of peace. And once Miss Booker had all her chickens stole right out from her chicken house. Leave this. Why, did you catch the dirty sheriff? Well, I can't say that I did. But I found the feathers all right. They'd been etched. Yes, sir. Took right out of town and cooked in etch. The signs were just plain as the nose on your face. Well, that was pretty bad. That was bad. That's certainly much off. Oh, here comes John Marvin, our new freight agent. Come on up and meet our distinguished visitors, John. Well, that's what I'm aiming to do. So is the hurt lightin' and Jim and Whitey lost and was in town and hurried right over. Well, there wasn't no need to hurt him, Miss Marvin. The invite is planin' on stayin' awhile. Yes, sir. It'll take a couple of mules to get me out of this rock, Sheriff. Sit down, John. Sit down. I was just telling the men here that nobody would start no trouble around here, long as I was, Sheriff. They wouldn't take the chance. No, sir. Well, not unless it might be Wade Emerson. I wouldn't trust that breed at all. Well, I got my eyes on him all right. He won't start nothin'. Stairs turned shame that decent folks have got to rub elbows with a horn toad like Wade. One of these days, I'll catch him doin' somethin', and then I'll... Who is this Wade Emerson? What kind of a vomit is he, anyhow? Well, I'm Arshall. Haven't you heard about Blaze Emerson? He used to ride with the Black Gulch gang. Got sent to prison by there a few years back. Oh, sure. We heard Teller Blaze, all right? See, he was a fast-shooting old-timer, all right. Well, this Wade we're talkin' about is his son. About 20-year-old, I reckon. Come here a few years back, bought up a little piece of land not to make it in a cow pasture, and he was tryin' to make a livin' out there. What's he done that's wrong? Didn't he come, Jeremy? Well, he ain't done nothin' yet. But, like father, like son, I always say, his father's a badin'. Stands the reason that the kid ain't no good either. Well, it's so long as I'm sheriff, he ain't gonna do nothin' neither. Well, I can't figure him out. Got a couple of cows, few chickens, sells milk and eggs, Gamar weather for it here. Aside from that, he don't make enough to live on. Well, I reckon he's doin' the best he can. Maybe tryin' to go straight, you know. Kid like that deserves a helpin' hand. Helpin' hand? Yeah. He deserves a good lesson. Made to realize that decent, respectable folks ain't gonna tolerate his kind hangin' around. Well, I reckon the marshals here find it tired. Maybe we should mosey long and let them hit the hay. Ah, sure, it's a good idea. Plenty of time for chin and lighter. The following day, Jim and Whitey spent ambling around the town, eating more of ma weather for good cooking and taking life easy in general. And then just before supper, they entered the hotel to hear sounds of a rather heated conversation between ma and a rather imposing-looking stranger. I told you once more, tell ya again, there's no charity institution here. No money, no food. But, my dear lady, you don't understand I'm the great Albert Rockmorton, the greatest Shakespearean actor in all the United States. No in all the world. Ah, my hamlet is unquestionably... Well, your hamlet don't get to know ham and eggs around here. Now you'll be on your way. What's trouble here, ma? No trouble at all. Just another mooch at tryin' to bum a meal. Gentlemen, gentlemen, I appeal to you. Surely you've heard of Albert Rockmorton, who played before the King of England at a command performance. Mind you, a command performance. Is that so? I did bits of hamlet. King Lear, Othello, and Macbeth. Ah, but my hamlet is my masterpiece. I'll give you a few lines. Oh, not me, you won't. I'm going back to see to my supper. Now you go. Yeah, I'd sort to like to hear some of that Shakespeare stuff. How'd you happen to be here in town, Mr. Rockmorton? Well, uh, well, it's just a little strange. I got in a poker game on my way out here, and my losses were heavy. The stage driver wouldn't accept my word that I could repay him as soon as I reached friend, so he put me off the coach. Yeah, pretty story. You wouldn't catch a fly if you used honey on it. Now you get out of here. Now, now, more. I reckon you wouldn't care none if I were to pay for the gentlemen's supper. Now, would ya? We could recite some of that Shakespeare to Whitey here. You'd learn some. Oh, sure. Yeah, I'd like that. Maybe you could even teach me some of that Shakespeare stuff, Mr. Scott Gordon. Oh, Rockmorton, my boy. Rockmorton. I'd be glad to. Glad to. Of course. The interpretation takes years and years of practice. The interpretation, you know, well, I wouldn't have to learn that. It could kind of learn me something easier at first. If you want to throw your money away, Marshal, now that's your business. I assure you that I shall repay your courtesy, gentlemen. I will wait for you over here. It is indeed a pleasure to meet you such connoisseurs, Mr. Mattingham. He risks like me. What did he say? I ain't sure no myself. He's done it. He's done it. The son of a thief. He can't flaunt the law and my patient gets away with it. I assure him. What's happening, Sheriff? What's happening? What are you yelling about? Yeah, printing. That's what. Nothing Wade Emerson used to always sticking up for. He's gone and robbed Joe Silver of the payroll for the bridge gang. Oh, he ain't neither. Don't believe one word of him. Well, there. Was it seen, Sheriff? Tell us what happened. He ever gets an excitement after all. As the bard once said, to vouch, this is no proof. Without law, why you're in law? Shut up, shut up. Captain, what happened? No, nobody knew what happened. But Joe got hit on the head tonight just about an hour ago. He didn't see who hit him. But when he come to a lion back in the alley there, the money for the payroll was gone. And just how does this Wade come into this? Well, because he's the only crook around here. I know him all. And he's the only one. His father died in the pen. And I reckon that's where Wade will wind up. Oh, I don't think that's always true, Sheriff. Well, anyhow, I'm going to round up the posse right now and arrest him. And you can bet your bottom dollar here. Now, Marshal, now you just got to stop this. If there ain't a finer boy living in this Wade Emerson, he can't help what his old man's done. He's trying to live on. Listen, these vultures won't let him. Now, you just got to do something. Well, I reckon I can't, ma'am. The sheriff's in charge here. I don't have nothing to say about it. But lightning. Come along, Whitey. We'd better get cleaned up the supper. But lightning, he's got to. You better come to, Mrs. Rasmussen. We'll all go up to the room until supper time. Gladly, sir. Gladly. Well, what are we riding on this before, Lightning? Oh, nothing in particular, Whitey. Just all little fresh hair next size do it good. Besides, Thunder here, he used to take in a vacation. He might take it into his head to join the wild horses. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Are you sure you ain't gonna join in off with the party? Well, I can share if Bunny can handle his own party. Ha, ha, ha. Say, Whitey, didn't it do your heart good to see that actor fellow eat tonight? Oh, yeah. I tell you, he sure can recite first the poetry. He sure can. But, Lightning, you ain't going to let them send this kid to Lille for you. Isn't that all right? Can't see that we can do nothing about it, Whitey. Lightning, I can't understand the way you're acting. Whitey, you know everybody. She's taking it for granted that we are this guilty. Whitey, they ain't even trying to find out if somebody else could done the wrong thing. Well, maybe we can catch them, boy. Hey, somebody's shooting. Yeah, come on, Thunder. Come on, boy. Come on, Whitey. Come over here. Yo, look, Stevi. Get it? Sounded like the sheriff. Yeah, Bunny. That you? Did you catch me, then? Oh, Thunder, who, boy? I had him right in my hand, and he tricked me. Tricked Septimus Bunny. But he won't get away with it. Marked my word. I'll get him. What happened? Where is he? We went up to his house. He wasn't home. We figured he'd be moved. Yeah? The party decided to separate. Better chance to find him. Well, I came this way, and all of a sudden, there he was, right in front of me, with his milk cans, bold as brass. The milk cans? What milk cans? He said he was going to deliver his evening milk tomorrow with a bird. Claimed he didn't know nothing about no robbery. Well, I put him under arrest. And I got him up here in the saddle in front of me. What saddle? And, uh, where's your horse? Well, you let me tell this my way. Born. I pulled him up here, not thinking that he was up to no tricks. Uh, not with me having tight hold on him. Oh, and then what happened? The darned ordinary backstabbing hypocrite, he hit me over the head with one of his milk cans, knocked me clean off the horse, and robed off. Hold on now. You say he knocked you out with a milk can? Not out. Just off. I'm all covered with milk, too. Dang, the lift came off the can. Oh! We heard the chokes. Yeah, yeah. And the prisoner got away. He tricked me vicious like, nearly killed me, too, and got plummeted away on my horse. I reckon that makes a horse steeper, too. And he's guilty of restlessness and arrest. Yeah, and assault an officer in a discharge of his silly. I'll reckon this proves it, man. Wade must be guilty of wouldn't have run away. Make that right, sir? Sure is. Yeah, he's guilty of his old get-out. That's what he is. Yeah, and when we find him, I reckon we'll know how to take care of him. Well, we'll start hunting again tomorrow. I've got to get home now and get some dry clothes. But we'll get him. And when we do, well, here's find out what it means to attack the sheriff. Is Wade Emerson's son of a thief turned thief himself? Will the sheriff catch him? What part is Jim going to play in the capture? And just how does the old Shakespearean actor fit into the picture? All these questions will be answered in part two, which follows immediately. And now for part two of the Adventures of Lightning Jim. The next morning, Sheriff Bunny and several of the citizens are talking over the robbery in the local Dine and Dance Palace. Well, he's guilty, and he ought to be hanged before he goes away of his old man. That's what I said. Ain't no use treating his kind with gloves. There ropes what they need. I knew it all the time. I said to myself, I said, that Wade Emerson ain't up to no good. He'll bear watching. Sure. Pretending to be gone straight. Trying to pedal his three, four quarts of milk and a few chickens. I wasn't talking on either. Apologize, sir, but I'm looking for some information. Well, you came to the right person for information. All right. I am the sheriff here. What do you want to know? I'm desirous of buying some land around here. I've heard quite a bit about your fair community. Best county in the state. And I am the sheriff who's going to keep it that way. I'm pleased to know that the citizens have such able protection, sir. Allow me to introduce myself. Hey, boys. Hey, boys. Here's a newcomer. Figuring on settling in our midst. What'd you say your name was, stranger? I was just about to tell you. My name is Augusta Shaw. I'm from New York state. And I've come out here to settle down and spend my declining years in your splendid life. We're here. We're here. Heard about Peacow's all right? Yeah. Glad to have you join us, Mr. Shaw. Decided on where you're going to live yet, Mr. Shaw. No, no. I've just arrived in town today. I was figuring on renting a horse someplace and riding out to look over the country. Well, I can fix you up with a horse all right. Mine came home this morning. But, well, after the accident ahead last night, I don't think I'll be riding for a couple of days. I don't think you'll be either. Now you jaspers needn't laugh. I reckon you'd be sore, too, if you got flung off a horse when you wasn't looking and landed, well, landed. You landed all right. Very good. But I'll get that even buzzard or my name's not Steptimus Bunny. Yeah, me. This is alarming. You mean there's a thief loose in the community? Well, he won't be loose long. I got my posse out looking for him right now. And when may I find him? I trust that'll be soon because I have quite a sizable roll of bills on me for the purchase price, you know. You mean you're carrying enough cash on you to buy a ranch around here? My custom always to pay cash for everything. I have about $10,000 on me, which should be sufficient as a deposit, don't you think? $10,000? You ain't serious. You shouldn't be carrying such an amount around. At least not until we touch this weight, Emerson. Well, if he'd find out about that, he'd slit your throat for you. I'm not easily intimidated. I assure you, Teddy. I came here to look around for a ranch, and I do not intend to lose any time. Teddy, will you kindly accommodate me with that horse you were talking about? Sure. Certainly, Mr. Shaw. You come along with me. But if you'll take my advice, you let me lock that money up in my desk at the jail. I'm quite capable of taking care of it myself. I don't think your bandit is likely to hold me up. Besides, your posse is out after this highwayman, isn't it? My posse? Oh, yes, yes, yes, of course. I'm sure to get him any minute now. Any minute. Slow down there, Thunder. Take it easy, boy. We ain't going for a camp this morning. This is business. No, there may be business to you, Lightning, but there is sure a tick fog to me. What are we doing out there anyway? What are you looking for? What are you up to? Well, what he didn't want to tell you before, because he didn't want you to go thinking I was crazy. Lightning, you know I think anything you do is all right. Come now, if that's part of it. Well, I didn't feel right about this way, boy, somehow. More weather, but so sure he's a good, decent boy. Trying to go straight. And that sheriff isn't even trying to find nobody else to fit the crime. No, Rick, and he makes a practice looking right under his nose and no place else. Well, are we looking for weed now? Is that why we are here, Lightning? No, at least for more weather, for a sake of hope it ain't. You see, Whitey, I got Crockmorton to help me try a little experiment. Oh, you mean the Shakespeare feller? Yeah. Well, what's he going to do? Well, I gave him some money. Enough to be convincing at first glance, and we filled it out with some stage money. Oh, he reckoned he used the stage money when he played poker. I ain't inviting none into that way. And maybe I won't see my money again, neither. But I have to take a chance. You see, I fixed it with Crockmorton, so it was to make out like it was just a simple jasper, carrying a lot of money and riding around the country looking for a likely ranch to buy. Oh, you think that they're real. He would try to get the money Crockmorton is getting. Yeah, that's it. I told Crockmorton to do a lot of talking. You know, all around town. So, does everybody be sure to know about him? Yeah, but is that then? You're asked for Crockmorton. No, I don't think this thinks a killer. Didn't hit Joe Silver's last night any harder than he had to. And that's why you and me are here, Whitey. Crockmorton's supposed to be riding out this trail just about now. Oh, you get it. All fixed up with time sketches and everything. All the way to do it, Whitey. Up until now, he's supposed to be riding around town close enough that nobody would take a chance on hurting him. Then he's supposed to start out this way. And when he goes by... I'll let you go over there. Yeah, well, we trail him. Keep him to the side, of course. And if the thief takes the bait, we get it. See, Lightning, watch that in the road. Out the head. Looks like a man lying in the road, Whitey. Up thunder. Boy, cool thunder. Good boy. Whitey, it's Crockmorton. He's stuck on the head. Lightning, is he dead? Oh, he's still breathing. Can you talk, Crockmorton? Come on, tell us. Who did it? Oh, my head. Nice deal, old man. We'll have you back in town in a few minutes to a doctor. Did you see who did it? I couldn't see anything. I was coming along just as you'd arranged, looking very carefully to the right, to the left, and then... Hey, what happened? Did he shoot you? No, no. He tossed one of those crew-jumping ropes. Oh, what do you call them? It's a hilarious plato. The one if you want to call them. You got roped like a spear. Oh, it was the most humiliating experience I ever had. I remember once in Boston, when I was playing... Yes, King Lear. They threw it that fast. Oh, but this was much worse. Much worse. Oh, my God. All over. All over. Yeah, but couldn't you see the... the svelter at all? No, it all happened to us suddenly. And then, then I caught a glimpse of a shape here. Just a shape, bending over me, and the dastardly villain must have struck me when I was down. Because that's all I remember. Several hours later, we find the three men sitting disconsolately in Jim's bedroom. I can't tell you how sorry I am that I got you into this, sir. I thought we might be able to find a realty, but, well, guess I was too slow. Well, I reckon the critter was so bold, he just grabbed the first chance he got to find Mr. Troughmorton alone. Think nothing of it, my dear sir. Nothing of it. Albert Troughmorton is always willing to be of service to his country and his fellow men. Although having to use a pillow has its inconvenience. Yes, something must have happened. Marshal, I just got to do something now. The sheriff sent me. He's scared. What's the matter, Ma? Say, you're shaking all over. You got to sit down. Well, there ain't no time to sit down. They just found that poor boy Wade. And the whole town's worked up to the point of hanging. Hanging him? Where's Bunny? Oh, Septimus Bunny's got Wade in jail right now, and he aims to keep him there. Septimus ain't a mean man, Marshal. He just dumb, that's all. Now that the mob is forming, he sent me here to get you. Now you just got to help. Sure. Tell me, are all the townspeople down there, Ma? Yep, every last soul in town. They ain't started nothing yet, but they're likely to at any time. Wendy, that's our chance. You take care of that little thing we were talking about and do it quick. Lightning, I might be right. No. Come on, Frank Morton. Here's another chance for you to give some service. I'm following you, my dear sir. But I hope none of those good people throw Wade, is that man? Hey, Marshal, you got here. Oh, I never was so glad to see anybody. Well, we had some trouble getting to that crowd. Oh, they're much worse than the people I met in Boston. Much worse. Listen to me, Marshal. I arrested Wade in there, because I think he's the thief. But I don't hold with no lynching, and there ain't no mob are going to take my prisoner away from me. Nothing unless they do it over my dead body. Good for you, Sheriff. I'm right with you on that. We'll hold him off somehow. Where is the young cop? Has he confessed? Given up his ill-gotten gain? I've got him there in the back, far away from the crowd as I could get him. He ain't said nothing except that he didn't do it. And he keeps on saying he didn't do it. I can't get nothing else out of him. Let him get him up. Sheriff, will I come in and ask for him? Open that door, Sheriff. What are you talking about? Are you crazy? I'm not opening that door until that mob goes away. No, that will work. Listen, open that door. I'll stand there in the entrance, and... Well, I don't reckon nobody'll get in, unless they get me first. Go on. Now. We're giving you just 10 seconds. Just how did you get in this game, Marshal? Did the sheriff get capable of taking care of his prisoner? You keep your trap shut, John Marvin. You're getting much too uppity lately. I liked it. Who liked it? You must like it. You found it quite easy. Every bit of it liked him. It was hid right there in the frittiest desk. Except for about $15. Reach for the sky, John Marvin. My God! You're crazy. Go on, men. Hold on. Just how do you explain the fact that all the money taken from Joe Silver's, and from my friend Throt Morton here, was found in your desk at the freight office? What? That's a frame up, a dirty frame up. Quiet! Search him, where do you go? Keep your hands up, Marvin. I'll make you pray for this. You've got no right searching me. Sheriff, do your dirty. I don't know what this is all about, but nobody better start nothing. That's all I got to say. Your heritage lightning. $15 in bills. Oh, what does that prove? 20 of you people are carrying $15 around. Throt Morton, look them bills over. Gladly, sir. Gladly. Yes, yes. Here are the markings. Clearly. Good. In the first place, Marvin, it ain't altogether common for people out here to be carrying bills. We run more to hard money. But more important, Throt Morton here, who played the part of shore today, master bills he took with him. Then this dirty, double-crossing, smooth, talking, pop-eyed roadrunner is the real thief. Right, and I suggest that you lock him up, Sheriff, now. Listen, Sheriff, now that you've got the rail bandits, there's a boy back there in jail. Never did nothing, except to be unfortunate enough to have a thief for a father. He tried to live decent here with you and none of you ever give him a break. Well, I want you to know I'm sure sorry for what we've done, Marshal. I reckon we can make it up to the boys some way. Well, I hope so, Sheriff. You see, I never would have gotten into this thing except that it was all too cut and dried. Why, an hour after I got in town, I hear how the folks around here are just waiting for Wade Emerson to do something wrong. Oh, and if Marvin was the first one to tell us about Vidd, and horse-paw had been a thief and all that. Yeah. The setup was made to order. Marvin could commit a crime and pronto everybody would suspect Wade. The boy didn't know who wouldn't stand a chance. Well, how come you suspected Marvin? Well, I didn't really, Sheriff, except that he tried just a little too hard to throw suspicion on Wade and to stir up the folks to lynch him, the boy. It was the Mark Bills that did the trick. They are in the splendid act of the Throckmorton, you hear? Thank you, my kind. Now listen, Sheriff, in the future, you better not be so quick to judge a man by the name that's given. Yes, Marshal. The quality of mercy is not strained. See, I remember that thought that you thought that to me last night. The quality of mercy is not strained. It dropeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the plate feeding. It is tried, blessed. And so ends another dramatic episode in the lives of those two famous marshals of the Old West, Lightning Jim Whipple and his deputy, Whitey Larson.