 The Blue Beetle. Weeping down upon the underworld to smash ganglin' comes the mysterious, all-powerful character who is a problem to the police but a crusader for law. In reality, Dan Garrett, a rookie patrolman, loved by everyone but suspected by none of being the Blue Beetle. As the Blue Beetle, he hides behind a sprained mask and a suit of impenetrable blue chain armor, flexible as silk but stronger than steel. Today's episode of the Blue Beetle is entitled Death Rides on Horseback. A mysterious masked rider has been waging a one-man war on the city's police department. Several policemen have been shot down, murdered in cold blood by this bean on horseback. Every man on the force has sworn vengeance against this mysterious killer. Patrolman and pears patrol their beaks, but always the killer marks his victim, shoots him down and gallops away to a secret fighting place in the vast wilderness of the city park. Can no one track him down? Is there no one to put an end to this one-man Blitzkrieg? What is his motive? As our story opens, patrolman Dan Garrett, who is also the Blue Beetle, is with his friend and advisor, Dr. Franz, in his apothecary shop. Danny, what are you going to do? I'm going to get that killer if it's the last thing I do. Be careful, Danny. You know this mysterious killer shoots policemen on sight. I know that, but you'll have to be pretty quick on the draw to beat Mannegan and me. I'd feel easier about you if you were dressed in your blue chain armor of impenetrable steel. Oh, so would I, but first I've got to meet this mysterious horseman in the uniform of a police officer. Mannegan and I are going to take a little jump through the park in a patrol car. Well, you'll meet best, Danny. But be careful, I will, Doc. Well, I've got to be moving along. I'm meeting Mannegan at headquarters at 10 o'clock. Nearly that now. So long, Doc. I'll see you later. Well, as I see it, Danny, this mysterious killer may be the Blue Beetle. What makes you think that? I don't know. It's sort of a hunch I have. But the Blue Beetle has never been a killer, at least not of the forces of law and order. Yeah, that's true, but still he's always working undercover. He may not be the killer, but it wouldn't surprise me to learn he is in cahoots with him. Ah, you've got the Blue Beetle on the brain. Ah, maybe so, maybe so, but someday I'm going to land that baby, and hey, hey, what's that stoplight ahead? It's changing. Okay. Danny, will you see if you can find the keys on the floor there? I think they should better be pocketed when they got in the car. Okay. No, I don't see anything. All right, cover him. He's never putting this. Oh! He got me, Danny, the killer. Where are mannequins? In the neck and shoulder. Hey, I didn't have time to draw my glasses. Ah, I wasn't even looking. Those keys of yours. Yes, I know, Danny. Here, you move over this way, and let me slip under the wheel. Now, where are you going? I'm going to drive you to the hospital first, and then I'll... Oh, no, I'm not hurt bad. Let's get after that baby that just winged me. Well, what? Are you sure you can hold out? Sure I can. Well, okay, then, here we go. Off to the park, set the police car after the murderous horseman. Twice the two policemen spied him galloping across the great lawn and around the reservoir. But each time they tried to cut him off, he changed directions, and finally he disappeared. Late that night, at the little apothecary shop. Dr. Frantz. Hey, Dr. Frantz, where are you? Oh, hello, Danny. Well, what's up? I just ran into the killer, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, and you were not there, eating them tonight. Thanks Doc. And is my equipment in that secret place in my belt? Yes. Everything is complete. Fine. I borrowed a horse from the stable as a mounted squad when no one was looking. He's outside now. As soon as I get into my blue beetle armor, there'll be another mysterious horseman in the park. But this one will ride as an avenging angel. Will the blue beetle catch the mysterious killer on horseback? What will happen when these two horsemen meet? Can Dan Garrett as a blue beetle avenge the death of his brother officers on a police force? Let's look in on the editorial rooms of the York City Chronicle. Hello. Hello. Yeah, that's the chronicle. Okay, give it to me on the phone. Charlie, I'm worried about Joe Mason. Yeah. I didn't assign her to it. In fact, I tried to discourage her, but she insisted she was tired of writing about gardens and babies in society. She said she craved action. She'll get action if she runs into the killer. That's what I'm afraid of. I've got a couple of our men tracking her, just in case. He's got the tough reporters I'm made of or I don't know anything about. I'm going to get you a ride. It's plain speaking. What? What? No sign of her since she what? Say, I told you not to let her out of your sight. I don't care what happened. Get back there and find that Mason girl and bring her in with you or don't come back. What's up? That was one of the men I sent to say to Joe. He said he saw her disappear behind some bushes at the foot of a cliff in the wildest part of the park. When he got up to that point, there was no one in sight. Just then he heard hopefully it's approaching. He hid and saw a horseman dashed by airmen. What do you make of him? I don't know. I'm going to call the commissioner and give him this information. We've got to find that girl. What has happened to Joe Mason? Who was the mysterious horseman editor Crane mentioned? Was it the fiendish killer or was it the blue beetle? In the still of the night, a lone horseman steals along one of the park's many bridal paths. Suddenly, he draws rain. I wonder who that is, a head there still wetted against the sky. It may be a mounted officer or it may be. He's moving off down toward that traffic light on the highway. Let's go, bright star. Pull up there. You can't escape me. Empty your gun. You can't injure the blue beetle. Oh, it's the blue beetle. Try and catch me. I'm gaining on him. Now for a leap to his back. All right, killer, I've got you. Pull up around, throw to life out of you. I can't stop this horse. He's running away. Give me those reins. I know you. You can't stop him now. And I'll turn him. He's heading right for that cliff. Here, we're both with him. You can't let him go home. Not yet. I've caught you and I am not deployed to leave you. If you want to die, all right. What happened? Did the blue beetle riding behind the killer on the killer's horse ride to his death against the side of the rugged cliff? In a cavernous fall, a masked figure stands over the prostrate form of the blue beetle. At last I have the pleasure of entertaining the blue beetle in my secret hideout. What happened? Where am I? You're in a subterranean hideout. My trained horse stopped short as we entered and you flew over his head and landed on yours. But the rock wall. It opened to receive us. There's a secret entrance controlled by photoelectric cells set up high in two trees outside. Only it's all personal horseback passing between that can break the circuit which opens the secret entrance. Very ingenious. And now? No, I wish to talk with you. That's why I have you there in my cell. Why I led you into this rest house. Rest house? Yes. The blue beetle has been so active recently that we feel he should have a rest. Perhaps a permanent rest. I see. You say we and you are not in this alone. I know me. I'm only an agent. A special agent of a very powerful political ring who wished to discredit the present commissioner of police and put in their own. Do you think that's murdering a policeman in cold blood? Did you have done with discredit him? Lesson. Cops killed my brother. I hate cops. If you were a cop I'd have shot you down like a dog. You're insane. Now, ambition. Oh, what power. What can you hope to gain by murdering policemen? Cops are a dollar a dozen. They'll never be missed. But if we can make the citizens lose confidence in the present administration we can put our own man in command of the city. You'll never put it over. Oh, stop it. The blue beetle. What? From where you are in that cell. Now make me laugh. Listen. You think you're smart because you cleaned up a few so-called big shots. You never even got near the top. Why, when I'm commissioner of police. You. Yes, me. The political power I represent has promised me the job. There's only one person standing in my way. Who? You. I'd have put you out of the way long ago. But Carletti. So, I didn't know it's Carletti that's behind all this. Yes. But don't play for a minute. You'll never have a chance to steal the beans unless you agree to come in with us. You'll lend your career in this little cell. But he admires you and can use you. He wants you to be on our side. He wants you to lay off his frames. There's plenty of dough in it for all of us and you'll get yours. I don't think you can agree to work with us and then double cross us. We'll be wise to any trick you try to pull. I see. When does Carletti want his answer? Take your time. There's no hurry. Take a week to rest up here. You've been pretty active recently. You need the rest. Of course, there's no food here and no drinking water. Unless I open this valve to the park reservoir and flood yourself. But what's a little thing like that to the Blue Beetle? The answer is no. Go ahead. Do your worst. Tell Carletti that I say there's not enough money in the United States mint to buy the Blue Beetle. I'll get Carletti and others like him. No matter how high I have to fly. All right. I'll take your message to Carletti. But when I return, you won't be alive to hear that. Now, let's see you swim out of this. What will happen to the Blue Beetle now? Can he escape from this subterranean prison before the water reaches the level of his mouth? What has become of Joan Mason, the girl reporter who vanished just outside the secret hideout?