Murder Blooms at Night | The Lone Ranger (04-02-43)

Old Time Radio Westerns

The Lone Ranger and Tonto investigate the mysterious death of Mr. Saunders, a rancher killed under suspicious circumstances. They discover t

Key takeaways

• Mr. Saunders was assassinated via a black widow spider placed inside a night-bloomng cactus flower.
• The villain El Mundo uses an operative named Myra to deliver lethal biological payloads.

Main topics

• Assassination of Mr. Saunders
• El Mundo's conspiracy

Notable quotes

Death will come with the moonrise.

Conclusion

A suspenseful mystery that highlights the clever but deadly tactics us

Transcript preview

Speaker 7 (0:15) Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines, and I'm excited to bring you another episode. This is one of over 80 episodes released monthly for your enjoyment. You can find more Western shows at our website by going to otrwesterns.com. Now, let's get into this episode. A Speaker 1 (0:55) fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty, high-o'ed silver, the Lone Ranger. Speaker 1 (3:06) Come on, Silver! Speaker 4 (3:11) for Saunders Ranch. I don't see... The Speaker 1 (3:25) Lone Ranger and Tonto returned to their camp after a hazardous visit to the mysterious Temple of the Sun. They found Dan Reed waiting for them. He brought an urgent message for help from Mr. Saunders, the kindly old rancher. Suspecting another move by the evil El Mundo, the Masked Man, Tonto, and Dan rode back to the Saunders Ranch with all possible speed. Was Mr. Saunders alone Speaker 8 (3:47) when you left, Dan? I didn't see anyone else except Jim the foreman. Speaker 1 (3:51) We still plenty far Speaker 5 (3:52) from Saunders Ranch. I know it. I have to cover a lot of ground to get there before sundown. Speaker 4 (3:57) Come Speaker 5 (3:57) on, Sylvie! Faster, Victor! Get him up! Speaker 1 (4:10) In the meantime, elderly Mr. Saunders, although worried about a death threat he doesn't understand, has busied himself with his principal hobby and interest, the cultivation of his cactus garden. The old man's intense love of cactus plants is borne out by the thousands of varieties that crowd the wide terrace of his house. But Mr. Saunders' interest was subtly distracted by the sound of hoofbeats on the winding road that passed the ranch house. Who can that be? Ain't the Lone Ranger or Dan or... Speaker 3 (4:39) Oh, oh, boy, oh. Speaker 2 (4:40) Well, I'll be it's a girl. What in tarnation does she want? Speaker 3 (4:45) Is this the Saunders Ranch? Speaker 2 (4:47) That's right, ma'am. I'm looking for Mr. Saunders. You're talking to him, miss. Speaker 3 (4:51) Oh, I'm so glad to find you at home. Speaker 2 (4:54) I don't ever get very far away. Why are you looking for me? Speaker 3 (4:58) It's just like they told me it would be. Garden, it is lovely. Speaker 2 (5:04) Really? Speaker 3 (5:05) Some people in El Paso. Perhaps I'd better explain. They said you had the finest collection of cactus plants in the territory. That's why I rode out here to see them. I didn't expect anything as beautiful as these. You Speaker 2 (5:20) interested in cactus? Speaker 3 (5:21) I've always admired them. And when I came west, I heard about you. Speaker 2 (5:26) Yeah, I guess most everybody around these parts knows about me and my cactus plants. Lots of folks think I'm kind of crazy to raise something that grows wild all over the desert. I don't think so. Speaker 3 (5:37) A flowering cactus plant is beautiful. And you have so many different species. What kind is that one over there? Speaker 2 (5:46) That's a desert Christmas. Bears a lot of bright red fruit in the wintertime. Speaker 3 (5:50) How interesting. And those others right next to Speaker 2 (5:53) it? The one with the long white fuzz is called the old man cactus. Behind it's a Turk's head. See those flat ones? They're flapjacks and beaver tails. Speaker 3 (6:02) Yes, I know. But I was hoping you would have some kinds of serious... Oh, I have. I Speaker 2 (6:07) got them grown in a window box inside the house. Speaker 3 (6:09) I wonder if you would let me see those, too. Speaker 2 (6:11) Why, sure thing. Come on in. Speaker 2 (6:22) The window box is in the bedroom. Plants get more sun from that side of the house. There. I bet you've never seen any serious prettier nose. Speaker 3 (6:35) They're beautiful. Such lovely colors and... Speaker 3 (6:41) The one at the end, it isn't blooming. Speaker 2 (6:43) Well, it only blooms at night. Haven't you ever seen one of those before? Speaker 3 (6:46) Light-blooming cereus. Yes, I've heard of them. I just wanted to be sure. If Speaker 2 (6:53) you'd like to see some giant cactus, I've got some planted in the field down by the corral. Viznaga, acolia, purple spines. No, I... Speaker 3 (7:00) What's Speaker 2 (7:02) the matter, miss? Speaker 3 (7:02) I don't know. I feel sort of faint. That long ride in the hot sun. Could I have a drink of water, please? Speaker 2 (7:11) Why, sure thing. You just sit down in that chair. I'll fetch some water. Speaker 3 (7:18) Now, blooming serious. And by the window, exactly where it should be. There's not too much time. You'll be back in a minute. Gloves. I'll need my gloves to handle this package. An ugly little... Saunders, he's coming back. Just time to leave the note and... Speaker 2 (7:57) Here we are, miss. A dipper full of ice-cold well water. That ought to fix it. She's gone. Jumped through the window. Grabbed her horse and she's heading south. And that beats anything I've ever seen. Wonder what she... What's this in the chair? A note addressed to me. No. No, I won't do it. I won't. Speaker 5 (8:41) And the place looks deserted. Speaker 8 (8:43) There's Jim, the foreman. You fellas really push them horses. I've been watching you since you topped the hill. Where's Mr. Saunders, Speaker 5 (8:49) Jim? Speaker 8 (8:49) I ain't seen him. Been down at the corral all afternoon. Say, Dan, you sure skinned out of here this morning. Oh, Mr. Saunders asked me to run an errand. Speaker 5 (8:57) He might be inside. Come on in. The door's locked. Speaker 2 (9:17) Oh, it's you. I wasn't going to open the door until I was pretty sure who it was. Speaker 5 (9:21) What's the matter? Dan said you were worried. Come Speaker 2 (9:23) inside. It's better for talking. Speaker 5 (9:25) Very well. Dan, take care of the horses. Speaker 2 (9:28) You sit down there. Thanks. It's about El Mundo. Remember you were asking about him last time he came here? Yes. You wanted information about him, and I couldn't help you very much.