 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. The Ring of the Silver Spurs heralds the most amazing men ever to ride the prairies of the early West, Hopalong Cassidy! This famous hero thrills his 60 million fans with action and dangerous adventure. In the role of Hopalong Cassidy is the popular star of the motion picture series, William Boyd. And now, another exciting story of the early West. Mystery at the Diamond Z. The afternoon sun glares down savagely on the short dusty main street of Guilds Pass. The low ramblin business buildings with their wide porches afford the only bit of shade for the weary citizens. Tying off their horses in front of the black case saloon and cafe are two dusty riders. Tired and hungry, Hopalong Cassidy and his pal, California Carlson, decide to eat before going on. We're happy if we get some grub quick. We can make the bar 20 by nightfall. Nothing to keep us from doing just that, California. I see through that dirty skewer rail and it ain't gonna work. That ranch right really belongs to me. Now, if I pay you the 4,000 mortgage by tomorrow. Why, you thievery jasper. Little John here will be the new owner. Maybe he'll sell it to you for 20,000. Little John ain't by it. It's a frame to get 4,000 from me and to give him the mortgage. You're intimating that I'm a crook, Deuce? Intermittent? Ah, I was saying that. He looks like trouble-hoppy. I may drive a heart bargain, but I ain't a crook, and someday you'll eat them words, Deuce Davis. Yeah, I guess that's all we got to say. Your money will be here tomorrow. Anything else you've got to say, Deuce, you can say to Brill. Why, that little feller ain't half his eyes. Why, you double-crossing coyote, yo! Why, that big lumbock swagger. That'll be enough, mister. I think you heard me. Beating off feller half your size. Why, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Ranger, I don't know who you are or where you come from, but if you're from around here, you know better than to talk up to Deuce Davis. Why, you... Oh, watch out, Hoppy! There, how does it feel to be the one who's a-looking up from the floor, Deuce? I still don't know your name, stranger, but I'll be dealing the next time. You ain't gonna like the hand you're getting, either. But I'll call you just the same. Now get going. But this ain't helping you, none of them, Brill. I'm still framing that rant. Yeah, mister, give me your hand. Get up on your feet. I'm afraid I got you in a peck of trouble, mister. Mr. Little John, and I'm much obliged to you. Oh, shucks. He ain't happy if he ain't in the middle of some kind of going, John. My name is Brill, and I own the Diamond Z three miles out of town. You said something about a mortgage. Yeah, I owe him $4,000, and I have until tomorrow. So I'm selling for $10,000 a day and getting out. Getting out? Yep. I've been shot at and run down with horses, and I had my beavers stolen. Got any idea who's doing it? Well, uh, yes, but I ain't got no proof. Sounds like there's short time to get you out. I ain't even got a horse to ride home. He was shot out back from under me, and I'll pass that fringe of Greecewood less than an hour ago. Your horse shot? Well, I'll load down. You're right, Brill. You're playing with a stacked deck. Sure sounds bad. I wouldn't take in $10,000 for that Palmino. The sheriff know about it? Yep, but, uh, I guess his hands are tied, too. Mm-hmm. Well, sir, our hands aren't. Hop up back on me on topper. What are you going to do, Hoppy? I don't know, but I'm mighty anxious to meet the man who shot his horse down in cold blood. And I figure the best place to meet him is at Brill's Ranch. Now back to Hopalong Cassidy and our story Mystery at the Diamond Z. Hopalong and California were about to enter a cafe in Gil's Pass when they saw Deuce Davis beat Mr. Brill's friend, Little John. Hoppy stopped the unequal battle with a few well-directed blows, and when Brill told Hoppy that someone had shot his horse, Hoppy got blaze and mad and offered to help him find the man. But where does he arrive to head of Hoppy? But where does he arrive to head of Hoppy at the Diamond Z bunkhouse? Come on, Hal. Get up off in that bunk. Your sleeping days is over on this here Diamond Z spread. Now, wait a minute, Buck. You're not the foreman here. I ain't going to be nothing around the Diamond Z. I'm packing my saddlebags and riding it before Brill gets back here. Hey, you talk like a loose-headed ran ahead. Here? Anyone around the bunkhouse? No, you're sore. Why are you so quiet about it? Well, I just rode in from the Black East Saloon. I saw Deuce Davis get a beating. I sure wish I could have seen it. Here? Well, you ain't going to like what else I heard. Eh? What's that? Little John is buying the Diamond Z ranch today. This ranch? Today? Well, what are we going to do with it? I'm going to head back in the draw. Looks like we've got to get him back with a herd. But I branded him already with the extra box. Why, you fool! I figured we was playing the string too long. Well, it's a noose for us if we're caught. Eh, Buck, I don't aim to get caught. Eh, they can only hang a man once. Eh, you mean, uh, Brill? Brill? Little John? Anybody? We can handle this our own way. And nobody will be wise. Except for one thing, the stranger. Stranger? What stranger? The fellow who whipped Deuce rode out with Brill. Well, if there's no other way out, we lay him alongside the Brill. Well, you're doing it alone, Al. I'd have a noose as dealings with this stranger. I've seen him in action. You ever seen him before? No, somebody said that his name was, uh, Cassidy. Cassidy? Pop along, Cassidy. Well, why, you're slow-witted, Huhtar. Why didn't you say so? I did. Well, get that bedroll packed. Throw some grub in that side of bag. We are writing, and writing now. Well, what have you given that? It's too late, Al. Too late? Yeah. There's a riding up to the ranch house right now. Well, here we are, Mr. Cassidy. I just hope I ain't keeping you from getting back to your ranch. Ah, don't worry about us, Mr. Brill. Well, we can tie off under this pepper tree until you get rested, and then we can bed the horses down. Let's, uh, let's go in the back way. Doing a little building? Yep, I'm doing it myself. Every board is solid oak, yes, sir. I always had an office in Denver, so I was a building one here until, uh, well, until there ain't no use anymore. Oh, now many things will work out. Hey, look out, California! Stop! Go away! Get down there, Tip! Get down, Tip! Dude, you shouldn't like to scare me, Pete. You're a good thing he's tied up. And I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you about Tip. He's half coyote and half sheepdog, and I keep him tied under the window. He's wild enough to run off the first chance he gets. Not a good protection, I'd say. And somehow I feel safe when I know he's watching. A fella would think twice before he's tangled with that dog, him straining on that rope. Yeah, now that's enough, Tip. Tip, that's enough. He knows your friends now. Come on in, men. I'll show you how I finished off the inside of the new wing. Well, see, that's right. Good. Looks like them pitchers in the magazines. Yep, I sanded every one of them boards myself. Ain't a blemish on them. Took me two months or more. Yes, smooth as glass. Yes, but I guess there ain't no need to do any more on it. Little John can finish it. I don't want to say something I shouldn't, Mr. Braille, but me and Hoppy ain't had no vitals since noon. Oh, well, of course, how stupid of me. Here, come along. I'm so upset I just don't know what I'm doing. As he will have to walk around the new wing, I ain't cut a door through to the house yet. Looks like that buyer of yours isn't wasting any time getting the deal over. Yep, you're sure right, Hoppy. He's all riding in. By so years, I didn't see him at first in this twilight. My eyes ain't as good as they was. Yep, it's Little John all right. Well, you go ahead with your business, Mr. Braille. California and I'll just take a look around. Might bump into your two men somewhere. They're probably in the bunk house now. Maybe they can give us some help in one way or another. It turned funny how them fellas cleared out of the bunk house so soon. I know I see one of them looking out the door. Remember, Braille said part of his herd was missing? Yep, sure did. Well, they either drove them out past the bunk house or there's another way off to spray that back. And if they're aimed any way out the back? Then what these fellas have to say might turn out to be kind of interesting. Wait, Hoppy, look, that pasture out the end of the draw. Yeah, you're right, California. I'm up against sheer rock. I think I'm right. Then you think them two fellas... I say you bigger than two jaspers is a... You ain't listening. Oh, I'm sorry, California. Hello, Topper. What are you looking at? Smoke on these stones. Yeah, I'm right. Been a fire here. What's wrong with that? Nothing, unless that fire was used to heat up branding iron. You think someone changed the brand and Braille's herd? Wouldn't surprise me a bit. Look around for fresh dirt. Fresh dirt? You mean like something was buried? Exactly. Don't tell nothing. It tells us that no outsider would come back here and take the risk of branding cattle with a new sternum in the face. Then it's them two fellers. Wait, look. That little mound of fresh shale there. Fresh mound of shale? Yeah, right by your feet. Yeah, you're right, Hoppy. And I'll dig around a little. Yeah, I got an idea what you'll find, too. Hey, I feel something. Now, wait, now, I'll get hold of it. There. Well, look you what it is. A branding iron. And it's not a diamond Z either. Looks like we found what you expected, too, Hoppy. Now, you see, you was worrying about a problem. Oh, shucks. Yes, California, that's half our problem. Half? That's right. Now, let's get back to the ranch house and see if the other half works out as easy. Seems darn funny to me that this Braille fowler didn't see that fire and figure out what was going on. I don't think Braille knows too much about ranching. Remember he said he had an office in Denver? Seems more like a city man. Man, it was easy for them two crooks to steal right out from under his nose. Yeah, they know when little John buys the place, it'll be different. That's why they were high-tailed without a hear. Why them dirty, shide-winders? I don't think we'd better tell about the branding iron till we see what move they make. Hmm, looks like Braille's got some more company. And he's wearing a star. The sheriff. Well, let's go on in. We was worried about you, too. Sheriff and me were just going to start hunting for you. You didn't think we were lost? Well, anything's liable to happen, dog corner. There's trouble brewing like a thunder shower. Trouble? Yeah, on my way out here to notarize the papers for Braille, I caught sight of Douce Davis up ahead of me. But lost him about a mile from here. Douce Davis? Yeah, anytime he's out of his diggings, he's tended to something mighty important. Well, he ain't likely to fool around here with the law being around. Eh, that bacon smells mighty good. Hoppy, you struck a soft spot in my heart when you said bacon. I'm so hungry I could eat it. Well, just sit down, man. Little John will join us in a minute. I'm cooking my last meal on the Diamond Z. Hmm. It smells mighty good. Yeah, just sit anywhere, man. There's plenty of it. It's kind of stuffy in here. I guess I better open the window a bit. Eh, pass them spuds, Sheriff. I'm so hungry I could... Get down! Get down! Somebody shoot! Looks like you've trouble starting, man. Someone's trying to kill somebody off. Nobody in here is hip. I hope Little John is as lucky. Come on, let's go. Now back to hop along Cassidy and our story, Mystery at the Diamond Z. When Hoppy in California saved a Mr. Little John from a beaten at the hands of Douce Davis, they were asked by Mr. Brill to come to his Diamond Z ranch to help him keep down trouble until he sold his spread to Mr. Little John. Little John arrived and was going over the papers in the den out back. The sheriff, Hoppy, California and Brill were sitting down to a meal of ham and eggs when a shot rang out. Served it like hell here in the back, boys. Watch out for that dog, Sheriff. Dog! I don't see no dog. We're jumping jelly beans. The dog's gone, Hoppy. What's in here? That's a new addition. You better see if Little John's all right. See anything, Hoppy? Yeah. Light a match, somebody. I got one right here, like the candles. It's Little John. Yep. He's hitch here. Some dirty coyote shot him. Well, Brill, looks like Douce had a hunch. Hunch? He swore I'd not sell to Little John. Well, then it makes it easy. Douce wasn't riding this way for no good. He seen you on the trail, Sheriff, and hid till you went by. And sneaked up here, shot through that window and stopped the sale. Little John had ten thousand dollars with him, Sheriff. He did? Hmm. Must still have it, Donald. Now, look. Well, here's his wallet. Yeah. It's empty. Then they took a fast chance coming after they shot him and took the money. I don't think so, Sheriff. I don't see how there'd be time, Sheriff. Well, you got a better idea? I think I have, Sheriff. I don't think Little John was shot through that window. That's right. Somebody come in and when Little John turned around, they shot him, grabbed the money. But how on earth would he get by Tiff, the dog? Yeah, that's right. Unless whoever it was knew the dog. Your two men knew the dog, Brill? Well, yes. They weren't too friendly, but Tiff wouldn't bite him. Well, I'll have Little John tuck into the dock and then I'm bringing in Deuce Davis. Well, I don't think Davis had the nerve for this, Sheriff. Well, you keep your thinking yourself, Brill. I'm the law and I ain't been wrong yet. Uh, Sheriff, after you get Deuce Davis, you might ride out here. Um, there's a few other things you ought to know. Right now, let it go. One thing at a time and do it right is my creed. That's what makes me the people's choice for five straight elections. I know, but there's a matter of a branding iron and a reason for killing. But maybe you'd like to talk to them first. Well, you're a good cowboy, Cassidy. Mighty good shot and a darn good friend. But you don't know the first thing about law work. But thank you anyhow. Why, you darned old baby rooster. Never mind, California. Let's share it's right. Maybe we'd better stop bothering him. Come on. What's wrong, Halby? What are you looking at? What a shame. The bullet tore up Brill's fine sanded oak wall. Just a minute, Cassidy. Yeah? Could be the killer is still riding around here. Waiting to make a break. Let's fan out and find him. Sheriff Shike, hello. No luck so far, Cassidy. You still think the killer would be around? I'm making sure of it. If he is, it should be easy on a moonlight night like this. Halby, listen. A horse? I see him. Heading for that trail. Come on, boys. Let's ride. There he is. We're againing on him. Better be sure he doesn't get any more of us. I'll make sure of it. Hold up there. We'll shoot. Hold up there. We're shooting. I guess he doesn't care, Sheriff. I warned him and let him get away. Start blasting, boys. He's fallen. He's hit. I warned him. Maybe he's not hit. It might be a fake. Careful now, men. Well, boys. That's the end of Deuce Davis. I'd rather have seen him on the end of a rope. Deuce has killed at least five men. Or a self-defense. Looks like he met up with justice. He had plenty of warning, Sheriff. Why do you keep writing? Well, sometimes a man gets bigger in the law. When they do, well, they make mistakes. If he figured he could hide out till the coast was clear, then make a ride for it. This ain't no more to be done, boys. I wonder. Oh, nothing, Sheriff. I guess California night better get back to the ranch house. I'll join you, Mr. Cassidy. As soon as I give the sheriff a hand. Yeah, maybe we can finish them baking an egg. Well, Hoppy, we can start back for the bar twenty in the morning. I hope so. You don't think Davis killed little John? I'm going to have proof, California. I hope we're not too late. Come on, Topper. What are two, Hoppy? We may find what I want in the bunkhouse. Come on. Oh, cornered Hoppy, you said we was going to the bunk house. In a minute, California. I'm interested in this window where little John was killed. You know, Hoppy, I keep thinking about the dog being gone. I know. Somebody turned him loose. Hmm, hmm. Hmm, look, California. Oh, what is it? See how our boots leave prints in this dew? They sure do. And those boots steps to the window. Yep, you're right. The killer went up to the window, shot little John. And took the time to run around, go in, steal his money and leave before we got there. Well, I don't see how one man could have done it. But maybe two men could have done the killing. The two hard heathes. We'll soon know. Those fellows had to come back for their kits and duds. And when they do, we'll be waiting for them. I'm getting mighty tired of cropping behind this bunk. I am to California, but we've got to outweigh these two crooks. Shh, the door. Both of them, Hoppy. Grab them bed rolls, Hal. I'll bring the crab. We've got to be miles from here by sunup. You've got everything. Everything? Heh, you bet I've got everything. But you're not taking it with you. I'll get him, I'll get him! I quit, don't I get it? I quit, don't I get it? I quit, don't I get it? I quit, don't I give up! We ain't done nothing. I'll take those guns. Trying to add killing to your rustling, eh? Why, you sidewinder? Killing? Why, we ain't trying to kill nobody. We just want to get out of here. Where's the dog? Dog? You mean tip? Yep, tip. We don't know. He was tied up when we left for town. You been in town? Sure was, buying supplies. Then we heard about the killing. When'd you get the money for supplies? Why, we saved it. Well, we're telling the truth. Well, boys, the sheriff will be mighty interested in keeping you company for a while. Just leave your stuff, you won't be needing it. They ain't putting a noose around my neck. Shut up. I ain't hangin' for nobody else. I told you to shut up. Yeah, and any talkin' you got to do, the sheriff will want to hear. Come on, boys, let's go. It's mighty nice to helpin' out this way, Hoppy. For them two fellas locked up, we can. We can mark it off the books. Yeah. You don't sound too happy about it. Sure he is. Well, we can light out for home now. Uh, sheriff, there's something mighty funny about this whole deal. Oh, now, don't get to confusing things. I'm not, but where's the dog? Probably run away. I wonder. You think Deuce killed the dog, too? I don't know, but I'm gonna find out. And by the way, sheriff, did you see the bullet that killed little John? Of course I did. You should have dug it out and showed it to me. Good. That means I'm right in my reasoning. Reasoning? Now, look here, Cassidy. Sheriff, I'm a funny fellow, maybe. When a man does a killing, he should pay for it. You're plumb right, and he did. And you wouldn't want to make a mistake. Why, dog, go on it. You've been chewing on local weed. Nope, and I'm going out to the diamond Z and find that dog. Well, if that's said off, I'll go along with you. Maybe a good idea, sheriff. Might save you an extra trip. Well, there's the dog, Hoppy. Uh-huh. I hope ran through the crotch of that shrub and jerked him back. Didn't go more than 200 yards. But I'm broke his neck. Well, let's get back to the house, sheriff. What are you doing, Hoppy? Cutting off a knot on this rope. Well, of all the darn fool things, you must be local, Cassidy. You, me, Brill and California were sitting right in the house when the killer shot. So it had to be Deuce or one of them cowhands. Hello, Buck. One of them's dead and others in jail. Maybe you're right, sheriff, but I've got it figured different. Now back to Hop along, Cassidy. Well, Brill, you almost got away with it. What are you talking about, Cassidy? You kill little John and try to use me as an alibi. Use you? By your local, Cassidy, you get out of here. Now, hold up on that stuff, Brill. You kill little John for the $10,000 to save your ranch. What are you talking about? You were sitting right here with me when we heard the shot. We heard the shot, but not the one that did the killing. Now, look, Cassidy, if you know something... I do. We heard one shot. Yep, that's right. And we took that bullet out a little, John. Then where did the other bullet come from? We found the wall. That makes two bullets, but we only heard one shot. Now, wait, Hoppy. Then who fired the shot we heard? The dogs. I won't listen to any more stuff like this. You had the dog's rope under the window and when you raised the window, the dog ran, pulling the rope and a string. But the shot? The string was tied to the trigger. When the dog jerked the string, the gun fired, but the dog kept going. Here's a piece of the string on the end of this rope. Yeah, well, then where's the gun? I don't know, Brill. We found your boot prints where you'd gone later and got it. Well, you already got the killer. Deuce Davis. Huh? Yeah, yeah. What about him? He came to do the killing, but found he was too late and tried to get away. So Brill got the ranch, the $10,000? That's right, and a perfect alibi. Don't go for that six-gun, Brill. You blasted cow pulp. I don't feel sorry for you, Brill. I feel sorry for the dog that trusted you, dead at the end of a rope. Well, Brill ain't much better off. You planned this and planned it well, but an extra bullet and a little piece of rope ruined your plan. Hop along in California, are saying goodbye for now, but they'll return with more action-packed adventures of the early West, the kind of stories that you're thrilled to in the theaters and on television when you see Hop along Cassidy. It's no wonder folks call this Smile and Cowboy, an American institution. He's just got a little bit of everything we like about this country of ours, so we'll be seeing you next time this fabulous Hop along rides out from the bar 20. Hop along Cassidy, starring William Boyd, is transcribed and produced in the West by Walter White Jr. Mystery at the Diamond Z by Howard Swart. All stories are based upon the characters created by Clarence E. Mulford. This is a Commodore production.