 It's Hopalong Cassidy, with action and suspense, out of the old west comes the most famous hero of them all, Hopalong Cassidy, starring William Boyd. Now to our story, Ten Strike Gold. Dead gum, that's just how I figured it. What did you figure that way, California? Why, didn't I say a happy? Nope, not a word. Ha, ha, funny, must have figured it myself. Must have. Well, I was thinking, something's come over Hopalong Cassidy. You don't say. Here we are, come all the sixty miles, nigh on to Ten Strike, and nary a bit of trouble do I have to haul you out. Oh, man, has to tend to his business sometime. It's a bar of twenty ranch and buy a string of blooded horses, we here for sale at Ten Strike High. Well, it doesn't seem so peaceful now, California. Probably some fellow just a huntin' himself a rabbit. California, you know nobody hunts rabbits with a coat. Hold on there, boy, hold. Maybe the poor fellow don't own a rifle, and now let's not get mixed up in nothing, Hopi. Look down there, Roy, or California. Pretty ain't it. Awful dry, though. Along the road, you can see as well as I can. And dusty, too. The stagecoach and the road agent, so hold up, let's go. Looks like he's shot up the express messenger already. And the driver's gettin' in the strong box. Guess we better stop that right now. Steady, boy. Right with you, Hopi. Looks like he's scared off. That don't indicate he's somebody scarable. At least ways that don't bother he's shootin' hand, nun. Ha! He's out of nothing, run it off. High tail in for the hill. Anyway, drop the money box. Hold your fire, California. He's out of range now. Hey, driver, how's your partner? He's short. Can't you see? Sure, we can see, but how bad is it? Not too bad, fellas. Just wing me in the arm. Hopi, how about going after that compounded road agent? No chance with our tired horses, California. That fellow was riding a blooded roll, and our horses haven't had a handful of grain for two days. Doggone, I'd sure like to catch me a stagecoach, Robert, a wood. Better move over, driver, so I can climb up there and look at your pals' wounds. Who are you, stranger, to give me orders? Your name's Cassidy. He's Hopalong Cassidy. Yeah? Tell her from bar 20 you get around a lot, eh? I get around some. Yeah, sure they say. Always around. Mind telling me your handle? No, not at all. Hardhead Brophy, they call me. Very appropriate. Now do you mind moving over? Yeah, I guess not. He wouldn't have got shot if he'd had any synth. Bandit had a drop on it, and this fool kid went for his gun. Well, that was his job, wasn't it? That fellow might have shot me, too. That would have been too, too bad. What's that? Me? I'm California. Please, sir, meet your hardhead. Say, how come you don't have no passengers? Special gold dust run. Passengers might get shot up. Let me see your arm, messengers. Lance Morgan's the name, Mr. Cassidy. I've heard a lot about you. This doesn't look too bad if we can stop the bleeding. I'll just cut your shirt sleeve here of my knife and tie a tunic here around the arm for a while. Oh, kid messenger. Might have got both of us killed. You got any real big objections, Brophy? Save them for later. This boy should get to a doctor. Sort of quick if you don't mind. Trying to be a hero. Up in California, just interrupted a stagecoach hold-up in time to prevent the theft of the strong box. But not before Lance Morgan, the express messenger, is shot. You know, Lance, it just doesn't seem trail-wise to try a fast draw when a rotation has a drop on you. That was the parson. Ah, local bad man, huh? Bloody bad. He wears a preacher's frock coat of black hat and mask. And I intend to get him. Looks like you invited him to get you first. You're sort of young to be an express messenger, aren't you? I'm 20, that's old enough. I've got a special reason for doing this job. Oh, that sounded like revenge. My brother was a messenger. And my girl's father drove stage. The parson shot both of them. In the back. Oh, Lance, I begged you not to do what I begged you. I know, Molly. Now, Miss Laird, Lance will be all right. The doctor said so. He might have been killed. And what for? Well, I fell and naturally want revenge. What good does that do? Would it bring anybody back to life? No, man, it sure wouldn't. But if need kill, the parson would. California. You know how I feel, Molly. I'll never be satisfied until I get the parson for what he's done. I don't want revenge, Lance. I want you alive. A man don't peel right, Miss Laird, if he can't settle a score. Gun crazy. That's what all of you are. Just plain-killing gun crazy. Miss Laird, excuse me for saying so. Your friend, Lance, should be kept quiet. I'm sorry, Mr. Cassidy. And I do- I don't mention it, Miss. Now, if you could direct me to a general store where I could buy some grub pours, I'd be obliged. I've got to get some things for Lance that the doctor ordered so you might go with me. Thank you, Miss. That is, if I could leave Lance. I'll be all right, Molly. I'll be pleased to say till you get back. In the meantime, I can clean my guns. California. Oh, that's just in case we find some use for him, Harvey. Mm-mm. Just shorter in case. Mighty unfortunate introduction, Miss Laird, but you know we can't attend strike to do some business with you. With me, Mr. Cassidy? We heard down at the bar at 20 that you had a string of fine writing stock for sale. Oh, I do. You see, Dad had saved for years to buy a little ranch, looking forward to retirement. He was just about to- I know, Miss Laird. I shouldn't let it get me like this. But Dad's hobby was fine horses, and now I have to sell them all. If he knew Hopple on Cassidy was interested in his horses, he'd be real proud. Well, they'd get gentle care at the bar 20. Could you come out to the ranch this afternoon to look him over? I think California might be pleased to. Fine. Oh, this is Lou Gribble's general store. Well, do stores stay closed in the middle of the day and tend strike? Things have been awfully quiet since some of the mines closed down. I guess there's not enough trade for- Oh, there's Lou coming down the street. Well, I hope he's got the supplies I need. He's been so good to me since Dad was killed. Treats me like a doll. I'm coming, Molly! Coming! Isn't Lou a funny waltz? Just like a little boy. Don't hurry, Lou. We won't run off. You closed up to go fishing. I just heard what happened in the ranch. Awful. It's awful. It is. But he was lucky this time. Well, I'll open up here and we'll be in business in a jiffy. You've heard of Hopalong Cassidy, Lou. Hopalong Cassidy? I sure have. It's a real pleasure to know you. Yes, sir, a mighty real pleasure. Thank you, Mr. Gribble. Now, enter my emporium. What you don't see, we ain't got. Shall it be ladies first? Oh, no. Mr. Cassidy's in a hurry. I know, and I've time. Well, I want so simple. Just a side of bacon, ten pounds of flour, same of jerked beef, and a sack of oats for the horses. Yes, sir, Mr. Hopalong. Hey, was it really the parson what robbed the stage? So they say. I don't know too much about this parson. No, nothing but a brief shooting acquaintance, Mr. Gribble. Hi, but, Miss Landshure, some fine stock in this here corral, Hoppy. Yeah, I said her late father was a pretty good judge of horse flesh. In fact, she doesn't take care of her stock, though. Oh, now, Hoppy, since she's a female, I think the oak right smart. All curried, combed, and grain fed. All except one California. That big jumpy roan on the other side of the corral. Say, now, if he do look like he's in a sweat, it's time to just drop a loop around him and get acquainted. Think Miss Laird will see us from the house? Well, what about it? Aren't we inspecting her horses? Well, here goes. Mac, dab around his neck. Yeah, boy. Nothing to be nervous about. He sure is a beauty. Take it easy, now, old fella. Take it easy. You know what I'm thinking? I don't know, Hoppy, but this here horse has been rode hard and unreasonable not long ago. Right. And turned loose without a rub down. Suggest anything, California? Yeah. The parson was riding a big roan, wasn't he? With a white stocking on the all fine leg. Just like this horse. Hoppy yet. Hoppy, you don't think the parson couldn't be... Molly Laird? Only California, not a lady rode agent. But her horse was used in the hold-up. Now, let's not jump at conclusions. Might have been farmed. Might be a different horse. We could find out sure easy enough up at her house. We might. And we might not. Seeing that Miss Laird seems to have a collar. Quiet. That's that stage driver, Brophy. But Mr. Brophy, I don't really know what business we have to talk over. Well, you know, your pa was a special friend of mine. I gotta take care of his daughter. I'm doing very well, thank you. Eh, but you might not, honey. When you find out what I know about you in that hold-up today. I don't know what you mean. Please. Eh, what's wrong with putting my arm around a pretty girl, eh? I don't like it. Ah, now, honey. You know a girl who's mixed up with a rode agent can't be too choosy. Not so innocent, they look sweet hearted. Now, how about us getting to be real good friends? No. They'll keep... Get away! Get off! You're quiet down. I happen to know the horse that was using the hold-up today was your horse. Let me go! Stop! You're the lady, Brophy. Let her go. Oh, Mr. Cassidy. What's it to you, Cassidy? Don't keep you to putting you... Look out, Hoppy! I saw that haymaker hard-headed. I'll catch that. Look, this is the last one you see. Side-ups at your homeless way. They don't call me hard-headed for nothing. Hoppy, you knocked him plumb through the screen door. You weren't hurt, are you? No, thanks. But his head is kind of hard. Look at him laying outside there in the grass. Just as sweet and peaceful as if he was a snootin'. Then no good side-winder. Oh, you skinned your knuckles. That doesn't hurt much. We heard that new skinner pestering you as we were walking by the porch. You mentioned one of your horses, I believe. Oh, it was nothing. Nothing at all was repeated. Well, I was just a little curious. One horse in the corral's been ridden hard and not even rubbed down. Really? Just thought I'd mention that someone's been mighty careless of your stock. Oh, I didn't know. Thanks for telling me. You ride much, Miss Molly? Me? Oh, I don't get the chance. You see, the horses get so little exercise, I'll let most anybody who happens to need a horse borrow one. Well, Miss Molly, with all the mysterious holdups and killings that are going on, it might be wise to be careful about who gets a hold of your horses. Yeah, it might be somebody who traces stage robbers, a horse to its home corral and figures the wrong way about. And it might also be that if some folks wouldn't get so interested in other people's business, there wouldn't be so many killings. Well, what a man's shot. I didn't naturally want to get the fellow who tried to kill him. He'd show more sense if he'd leave us alone. I don't quite follow you, Miss Molly. I think it's clear enough. You're doing nothing but stirring up more hatred and revenge and death. Then you'd rather we just leave the whole thing alone. That's exactly how I feel. And the sooner you learn that, the quicker we'll find peace around here. Despite the fact that Molly Laird flared up and demanded that the matter of the killings not be pursued, Hoppe still intends to transact his business deal with her. He is arranging with Mr. Bowers the banker to buy the herd of horses that roam Molly's range. Well, that's signature seal of the bargain, Mr. Bowers. Not as high a price as Molly Laird might have gotten, nor as low, either. If I was in Hoppe's boots, I wouldn't be buying it all after the way she talked to us. You can take the horses anytime and it's convenient, Mr. Cassidy. Now, I'm her busy man, so if you will excuse me. Just a minute, Mr. Bowers. I'm a stranger in these parts. So I notice. Observing, man, ain't you? California. I was a little curious about that holdup I witnessed today. Were you? Yeah. Now, do you think this frock-coated mask road agent is a local man? How should I know? You might be interested. It seems how two citizens attend strike has been planted in Boothill because of his playful use of their backs, his targets. How do you know it was the person who shot them in the back? Well, that's what Rancid Brother said when he was dying. Have banned it though he is. Until that time he had a fair and square reputation as road agents go. He was known as a man of courage. It seems like I'm attacking the reputation of a favorite son of ten strike, California. You may have this here holdup, man. It's a sort of local hero. You two are strangers here, and I'll give you credit for not knowing that we like to take care of our own trouble. So I see. This here is the second person to get sore when you criticize this person. Now, is there anything else? I guess we can take a hint. Come on, California. A bold, a saddle bird, sunfish and mean cantankerous, rambunctious, honorary coy, which is I ever sidled up to. Why, I, I, he, uh, why, oh, I'm so darn sure I'm speaking. Well, if you're speechless, California, I hope I never find you in a talkative mood. Well, pigeon-toed rascal. Hey, did you notice how he laid his ears back when you mentioned that bandit? Yeah, he is pigeon-toed, isn't he? Oh, say, here come friends morgany, so. Well, must be feeling pretty good to be up and around. Oh, I was afraid I might not see you before you left 10 strike, Hoppy. Oh, I get a feeling we'll be around a short spell. Is that what got you up and around, Reince? Well, actually, no. The stage superintendent wanted me to come to the office for an emergency. You want to take care of that arm? Well, thanks to you, I didn't lose much blood, and as long as I carry it in the sling, it doesn't hurt too much. Your emergency doesn't include another hold-up, does it? Well, we're afraid of one. You see, there's an extra-large shipment of gold dust that has to go out tomorrow. A special run, no passengers. Oh, you ain't in no condition to write express messages. No, and we're short-handed. But I can drive the team. Even Brophy's supposed to have a day off tomorrow. I suspect he's going to have an off-day, too. I don't follow you. We'll explain that later. Were you going to suggest something? And, Hoppy, don't talk to yourself into nothing. We get horses to drive back to the bar 20. We had a shooting-scrape, a fight, and got the banker mad at us. We already... Well, well, well... Yes, California? We're interested. Dad, you never... Well, Apollon, I told the superintendent about you being here, and, well, he wondered if you two might do us the special favor of riding that gold shipment through. We do have a lot of work to do at the bar 20, Rance. There's no denying that everybody knows about this gold. About $50,000 worth. I guess that's enough to tempt the parson. Yeah. And I'd like one more chance to be around when that parson is tempted, son. Yeah, boys. Hoppy, how do you figure if this parson gets the drop-up? Well, if the road isn't blockaded, we'll try to find our way by him. Most of these fellas depend on surprise. We'll turn the tables. And if in the road is blocked? We'll try to swing the stage around quickly to give us some protection. And Rance, if the parson does jump us, leave things to California made. Oh, sure, son. We're used to this sort of thing. You don't bother us a bit. Well, we'll give him back shot for shots. It's the parson. Hoppy, do something. I thought you were going to help me. You shot the gun out of his hand, Hoppy. Now he's ducked behind that bush. Maybe this will bring him out. He's skedaddling. Get on off this stage quick. Let's get our horses. He'll get away. We can take him, Rance. Well, I'm taking no chances. We'll bring him back. I want that killer dead. Dead with my bullets in him. Go, go. Get roughed him like a sack of potatoes. Yeah. Wish I'd put a few more in him just for good measure. We could have brought him back, Rance. We had the advantage. Whose side are you on, anyway, Hoppy? I thought you came out to help me get the parson. I came out to try to bring Justin, Rance, not to see vengeful lead pumped into a man. Well, he'd have hung anyway. What difference does it make? Just the difference between law and mob rule. Well, I haven't time for this lecturing. I've got a gold shipment to think about. Well, I'll try to get through these bushes and take the parson's body back to Tenstrike. It ain't gonna be easy, Hoppy. He's out there in the thick of it. You're right along with Rance, California. I don't need anybody. Things are gonna be safe around here now that I got the parson. Even if some folks don't think I should here. Get up there. I don't like to see you right on alone, Rance. You tend to that dead skunk and I'll tend to my gold. Sure enough, Hoppy. Yeah, and he's pulling a lot of gold. Well, let's get this over with. You sense, Titan? Yep. Now, let's cut down through this gully. I don't know if we'll ride through that man's Anita. Guess the parson's car is plumbed back to Tenstrike by now. Them bullets sure scared the poor critters. Can you see his body? Right through here, I think. Oh, what's that? Coming down the road there. Quite a stage. Yeah, I knew there'd be trouble when I let that poor kid run all alone. Come on! For some, there's $50,000 worth of gold, mission. But I tell you, it was the parson. I killed him and still he robbed me. Weren't you alerted against attack? He was on me before I knew it. Took my gun. There's something that looks like a gun right here. Oh, this is another one I had in the stage. I shot at him as he was riding off. Then those were your shots we heard. I guess so. The parson didn't fire any. Most dead men don't. But you've got to believe me. He rode up here, the parson. I believe you, Rance. Uh-uh. Well, Hoppy... You see the footprints here? But that band, it's dead Hoppy. Out of them bushes in the road. Dead. Nobody lives with that much lead in him. But he came back. I've got to finish the job I started in California. I've got to go back and get that body. Well, I'm Stark Raven Madagascar. Here you tell Rance your believey story about the parson holding him up. I do. Then you want to go out and get the body of the parson who's been dead all the time. Can't you do anything but ask questions? So long, California. See you back in town. Hoppy, you sure the most unconcerned man ever did see. Why should I be concerned, California? Why? With the bandits being killed and bandits still running loose and you asked me to take a walk to the bank? That's right. Just go into the bank and take a look. Think of the way I think they are and you know what to do. Sure, I know what to do, but they don't mean I like to do it. Now look here, Hoppy. What for did you take that road agent's body up to Laird's barn? Well, I've seen the convenient place to take it, California. Convenient. Would you mind telling me what you were aiming to do me for? Oh, I thought I might drop in the Lou Gribble store here and get some beans. I forgot to buy them yesterday. Beans are sightseeing in a bank. And at a time like this, why? You're the artist for everything. What can I do for you? I came in to buy some beans, Mr. Gribble. Beans, eh? See, you're quite the hero around town. Now you killed the bandits. I didn't kill anyone. Rant shot the parson. The parson, eh? Tell me now, who was he? Well, I think we ought to wait until the county sheriff arrives before we start announcing all the details. After all, there's another band at Lucino. So they see, so they see. Got any IDs? Only then I need about five pounds of beans before I start back to the bar 20. Oh, sure, sure. I almost forgot. I'll get them right away. I haven't noticed them that. Hasn't rained for a week, has it? No, sir, it sure has. Pick them up! The parson, the masked parson. No, no, it can't be. You're a ghost. I just believe you're at 50,000 in gold, Luc Gribble. Rofi, you know, they killed you. I saw you dead myself. It's my gold now. That gold, give me that gold. If you're not dead, I'll make sure. I'll kill you! Get out, California! Are you sure you're all right, Mr. Cassidy? I was terrified when I heard all the shooting. Sure, not a scratch. Hey, golly, the lead show did fly awful fast. If Hoppy hadn't been lightning fast in the draw, Gribble would have ventilated my car. You really did a convincing imitation of the parson, California. You had poor Luc Gribble pop-eyed. Thinking it hard, Ed, Rofi had come back to life. Then all along there were two parson, because Rofi was driving the state when that holdup occurred last week. That's just why Rofi didn't want Rance to shoot the other parson. He was too good an alibi. Uh, I'm sort of confused. What about this here holdup today? It was Rofi's buddy out there in the bushes? Yeah, when I returned, I found it turned over and unmasked. There were footprints all around it, matching the footprints in the road by Rance's stagecoach. Oh, golly, even though Luc Gribble was high-tailing it with the gold, he couldn't resist stopping to see who the other parson was. But how did footprints tell you that for that it was Gribble? They were pigeon-toed prints, Miss Molly. And there are very few pigeon-toed men, only two in this town. Yep, Luc Gribble in the banker, Mr. Bowers. Hoppe figured that the one with the muddy boots would be the bandit. I took a look at the bankers, and they were shiny. So then I put on the parson's rig, and came busting into Gribble's store. I wanted to scare Gribble into a confession. I didn't figure he'd start shooting at what he thought was a ghost. I felt like I was on my way to being a ghost for a minute there. You know, Hoppe, I'm awful glad. And what have you got to be glad about? Well, if being pigeon-toed can get a fella like Gribble into such a heap of trouble, I'm mighty glad people told. Goodbye for now from Hoppe-Long in California. And here's a special invitation to join them next time they ride out from the bar twenty, when, as usual, I will hunch they'll get into plenty of action that spells trouble. You