 The challenge of the Yukon King the swiftest 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 Yukon during the gold rush of 98. That was the year that brought over 50,000 men swarming into the Klondike region and the greed for gold led to frequent violence and bloodshed. But in spite of the odds against them the force preserved a splendid record in maintaining the right. The challenge of the north was answered and justice ruled triumphant. Driving ceaseless snow made the vast Yukon a blurred mass of whiteness. But even the fury of the storm could not obscure the natural protection of a group of huge rocks that shut out the merciless winds. It was there the two men crouched guns with an easy reach while they rubbed their hands together for warmth. You picked a fine day to do this job many. I ain't seen weather like this since I come to the Yukon. Listen Tom you know the reason we're here. I can't help it if Jim Glenn always drives into Melville City on Wednesdays can I? Rain, snow or shine don't make no difference to him. It'll have to be a plenty rich haul to be worth freezing to death. Glenn's carrying the finest lot of furs this side of the Great Divide. I know that for a fact. Well he's done his last bit of trapping. You seem coming yet many. I can't see far beyond these rocks. You ought to be alone. You know Tom I don't like the idea of doing away with Glenn. Ain't no other way to get our hands on them furs is there? No well and murder is the one thing we ain't done Tom. Only because we get what we wanted without it. Yeah the robberies were easy. Any coming yet? Yeah I think that's a slettle all there. It's too far away to be sure. Yeah wait a minute let me see. Ever since you had that touch of snow blindness you can't tell a man from a grizzly of 30 feet. I think he's coming many. Yeah we'll wait till he's alongside of these rocks. Then we'll open up all of them. That's the idea. Got your gun ready? Yeah. Well we just wait now and surprise Mr. Glenn. Make a right good time. He's got a good set of dogs. What are you grinning at? Jim Glenn racing like that to the bullet. This ain't no time for jokes Tom. Sometimes I get... Take it easy kid. There he comes now. Get ready. I did it. Come on Tom let's get those furs and get out of here. Watch out for that lead dog there Manny. He's loose. All right but I want to get these furs on the last sled. Look out Manny he's going to jump. Oh get down your mutt. Oh let go of my hand. Nice shot Manny. Nice shot. That mutt tore my hand. Say he sure got you. Hey let me help you. I'll have to put a bandage on some kind or we'll get the town. It'll be a while before you'll be able to do much with this hand Manny. I'll take care of it when we get back to town. Come on Tom. The snow covered tracks almost as soon as they were made so Sergeant Preston heading for Melville City had no way of knowing that he was trailing a murdered man. But as they neared the rocks the great dog King sensed death in the air. What is it King? All right fellow you lead the way. My King there's nothing but snow. Nuzzling around this snow... King... There's a body here. So this is why you... It's Jim Glind. He must have been... But why? Shot through the heart. And his dog. So they killed the dog too. And I wonder you were excited boy. He's following tracks over those rocks. Oh now I begin to see. Tracks here haven't been covered by the snow. Shouldered by rocks. Those two men were standing here. They waited here till Jim Glind was practically in front of them before they fired. Jim didn't have a chance. If they waited here then they must have... It's hard to tell which way they went. Well King what have you found now? Oh more tracks huh? Here's a bandana. CN. CN. How could that... Newton. Psy Newton. He pulled in here about the same time the two other fellows were here. The tracks don't differ about the same depth. King we're going to Melville City to call on Psy at the Silver Lantern Cafe. Psy Newton sat at the table in a back room of the Silver Lantern Cafe resting his head on his hands. In spite of the fact that it was early afternoon the sun had already gone down. The glimmer of the dingy light thrown from the sputtering oil lamp showed where Psy is Mackinaw lay in a corner of the room wet with melted snow. Psy I didn't know you were here. Hello Manny. You look like you got something on your mind. I have. What is it? Business is good isn't it? What happened to your hands? Oh one of them stray muts bit me. I got a fixed dressing. You sure tore her into you? I guess he belongs to one of the trappers out front. Ain't no use lying to me Manny. Lying do you? I know how you got that dog bite. I don't savvy what you're driving at. Come on we'll have a few drinks. It is down the dumps. Oh Manny I ain't just down in the dumps. I know how you got that dog bite and I know where you got it. What do you mean? I mean we're through Manny. I've been keeping quiet for a long time now but there's a limit to everything. What I saw today. All right so let's have it come on. I knew when you was taking cash from the safe Manny but I figured if you needed it that was your business so I didn't say anything and you started bringing them low down friends of yours in here. You better be careful what you say so I'm getting this off my chest and then you're getting out of here even when they're mangy looking crooks was fleecing everyone who'd play a game of poker with them because they was your friends it was all right and as long as I got half interest in this cafe they can still come here. If you're smart you'll get out of the Yukon Manny. When them fur robberies started I didn't connect anything at first. It is I didn't till you began flashing around so much extra money. I won that money at poker. You ain't never held a winning poker hand in your life and you know it but I got all I can take this morning. I was at Split Rocks Manny and I saw what happened to Jim Glenn. Why you. Don't worry I'll keep quiet. You're clearing out of this cafe. You and all your friends many. You and me are through here. I don't care if I ever see you again. Manny and Psy didn't realize that as they talked their voices took on the loud argumentative ring that carried to the ears of Manny's friends playing poker in the back of the cafe. Well. The door open and led by Tom Bryant six men filed into the room their hands resting on their guns. Psy's appraisal of their worth left no margin for improvement. The dregs of the Yukon stood in that room and Psy as he glanced over the lot of them shivered well we thought you might have a private argument you boys can clear out they can clear right out of the cafe while they're at it. Are you going to tell them Manny or will I you'll regret this I ain't regret nothing. Only thing I'm sorry for is the day we went into business together. I think we better stick around boys get out of here you can't prove a thing so I can prove everything I said that hand I told you better get him out of the way if you won't drop him I will. You ain't hit many many many no you don't you've done what you said out there. Let me see that man you've got to take care of newt and Mountie you still got life in him come on room after you to help me carry him out just a minute all right boys come on yes King I know we shouldn't have let them get away there's something mighty strange here I think this might be the best way to get to the bottom of it. My head will be all right I got a nasty bump there. You saw it all Sergeant Preston. No I didn't see it all I saw Manny draw his gun next thing I knew you'd fired and Bryant rushed up to Manny before he fell I did it all right I killed him Sergeant I listened to I want you to tell me exactly what happened from the beginning. I tried to go up to him Brian yes I know Brian's pretty free with his fists I didn't aim to do no shooting I didn't I didn't even think I hit him when he dropped you couldn't hit the front of a house at 10 feet. What are you looking for Sergeant Manny drew first I saw him yeah but what's that got to do with it he could easy killed me and well I guess it's up to you now Sergeant I'll just come along wait a minute well I'm under arrest and I can't arrest you Manny's proven dead. Now let's see you were standing right here I can't see what you're driving at it seems to me you stand here so here is no I thought so what I've got a murderer to catch Si and I need your help. Rumors spread through Melville City like wildfire as one man told another the story gained importance soon even the most incredulous of the minors were repeating the news Sergeant Preston brought Jim Glenn in the Melville City on his sled Jim badly wounded was being cared for in a room at the Silver Lantern and Si was held in jail will he be able to name the man who robbed him Sergeant Jim Glenn is able to speak you'll undoubtedly name the man who tried to murder him. The minors and trappers who frequented the Silver Lantern speculated was Si responsible for the robbery as well as for the murder of Manny. Si confessed yet Sergeant Si refuses to talk. Did you hear the news Manny yeah Preston's waiting for Jim Glenn to talk one of Glenn's sauce we can't take no chances might have had a good long look at us why was low on our sled what do you aim to do we'll make sure he don't talk. Late the next night two men approached the back entrance to the Silver Lantern Cafe you had that key money signed around to change a lot can't change much when you're in jail come on let's get this over with I don't know why you're so dead setting making sure you get him this time you ain't got a thing to worry about as far as everybody knows you're dead but if Glenn talks out they don't want to be jailed for that shooting that money hadn't picked him up come on you ought to be in this room sleeping you'll never know what hit him go on and have it before he wakes up you're covered up that gun Bryant Preston I reckon I can get up now a sergeant yes I can help tie your ghost friend here so you're very much alive Manny I thought you believe that story about Jim Glenn being still alive didn't you you brought men on your sweat we brought Jim's body to Melville City then Si told the bar keep would use the back room here for Jim to be recovered we've been tricked you ain't been tricked any worse than you tried to trick me you lowdown skunks I'd kill you Manny you're under arrest both of you you'll have to get me first money all right now shoot money you do you'll hit Si I'm getting out of here see I'm using the side for a shield at him King get him boy my hand my hand here so you keep this gun on Bryant all right King that's the second dog to catch your left hand isn't it Manny you're under arrest yes King the case is closed challenge of the Yukon a copyrighted feature of the challenge of the Yukon Incorporated brought to you every Saturday at this time originated in the transcription studios of WXYZ Detroit the characters and events in tonight's drama were fictitious Bill Morgan speaking this is the Michigan radio network