DOC: Well, that's nice, son...but I'll settle for some ham an' eggs!
Ramon sneaks Doc over into his sister Mercedes' cafe, rustles up some grub for Doc, and around mouthfuls of still warm chili, tells Doc about the layout of the local jail where Jack is being held. Whamperjaw's version of a jail is essentially nothing more than a guarded cabin with big locks and a little window, one too small to crawl out of. Finishing up his meal, Doc announces to Ramon his intention of rescuing Jack that very minute. Suddenly, Ramon notices something strange.
RAMON: (astonished) Senor Long!
DOC: What is it?
RAMON: The pot of chili con carne! It is empty!
DOC: Yeah...I et a little fast tonight.
RAMON: What a big stomach you have, senor...
DOC: Kin I help it? Come on, lets get on our horses!
They trot over in the dark moonless night to the back of the cabin where Jack is being held prisoner by the so called "Marshal", Buck Bradley. Ramon is told by Doc to simply stand off to the side and cough, thus
providing a simple diversion. Ramon dutifully coughs, the guard whirls at the sound, and Doc socks the guard out, cold. They unlock the cabin door, and grab the happily surprised Jack, still fully dressed, and
together lam it out of town.
On the road outside of Whamperjaw, Jack, Doc and Ramon decide to hide together in Ramon's old hideaway, in Squire Hootin's haymow. As they pass the Hootin farm house, they still see lights on in the Hootin farm house; Mrs. Hootin is still up long after midnight! At Jack's close questioning, Ramon shrugs; this is not at all an unusual occurrence. Mrs. Hootin was often up at all times of day and night, at least during all the time he used to work for the Hootin's.
As they approach closer, they also notice that she has a visitor, what with a stranger's horse tied up, and their saddle resting near the front door. Ramon identifies the saddle as belonging to Judge Abernathy. Why is he visiting her at this odd hour of the night? Curious, they creep up to the front
parlor window to spy on events inside.
They see the sly appearing Abernathy talking to the plain looking giantess of Mrs. Hootin. Though they can't make out words, they see him gesture to a very formal looking paper lying there on the front room's
table. Ramon suddenly realizes that the "Judge" is trying to turn a sale of land at the very moment. Trying to cheat Mrs. Hootin of her oil-rich property inherited from the dead Squire Hootin!
Jack and Doc manage to stop the frantic teenager from rushing in, and together they watch Mrs. Hootin slowly bend over the table, pen in hand. She is obviously bent on signing the formal document looking
document, which could indeed represent a deed of sale.
Without warning, a shot rings out, shattering the stillness of the night as it crashes through the front
palor window!
Judge Abernathy crumples across the parlor table in front of Mrs. Hootin, shot right through the head! The graveyard verse writer strikes again!
DOC: Found guilty?
JACK: Don't kid ourselves! If Bradley took the trouble to pull me in, he's got a ready-made jury for hire--or a neck-tie party!
Jack starts to make plans to hide out from Bradley and his gang. Mercedes would stockpile a supply of food for the fugitives from the law, while Doc was responsible for getting his cousin Winnie-Mae's help. Meanwhile, Jack's first goal was to check out the Whamperjaw graveyard for clues of the phantom killer, the person who digs graves for his intended victims and scrawls doggerel on the tombstones. And he was going to explore the darkened graveyard...tonight! Doc, Ramon and Jack would head out there, while the girls barricade themselves into the cabin. The boys would come back for Jerry and Mercedes later.
Through the blackness of the night, Jack, Doc and the teen-aged Ramon head towards the little Whamperjaw graveyard. As the pick their way carefully in the dark, walking over oil-pipelines, and walking through puddles and the shadows of oil derricks, they all speculate on who must be the guilty one. Ramon insists how Bradley *must* be the mysterious killer. However, Jack isn't so sure, and Doc doesn't know what to think. Before they know it, they are at the cemetery.
Jack notices the first new thing. The first grave--the one with the first mysterious verse that Ramon stumbled over--is now filled in! The second grave, the one indicated for Judge Abernathy, is still yawning open, still waiting for its dead namesake. Suddenly, Ramon starts shouting to the others:
RAMON: Look! Look what is here!
DOC: For cryin' in the milk! Jack! Another open grave...a new one! Somebody dug another 'un!
As they are about to investigate closer and check out the tombstone to see if it too had a poetic inscription, Doc notices creeping figures in the cemetery. Creeping figures, coming closer their way!
The three duck down in the shadows of an oil derrick, but the mysterious figures come ever closer towards them. Shaking, Ramon cries out again:
RAMON: (Fear) They creep, senor! They creep this way--I cannot tell if they are animals or men!
MUSIC: (Organ "Valse Triste")
Episode 8: Wednesday February 27th, 1952.
DOC: Whatcha mean, "They"?
JACK: Yeah he's right, Doc. There's two of them...there, see?
DOC: What do we do, take a pot shot at them? (pause, then surprised) Hey! For the love of Mike!
The creeping figures in the graveyard come closer...and Doc suddenly realized its none other than Jerry and Mercedes! Mercedes calls out, as the girls approach.
Furious with his relief, Jack starts to lay into Jerry, who hurriedly interrupts him.
She and Mercedes tell how Buck Bradley and some of his crew of plug-uglies, had earlier barged into
Mercedes' cabin, looking for Jack! Bradley's guard had revived after being knocked out by Doc and went for Bradley and other members of the gang. Jack was then trailed by Bradley to the home of Mrs. Hootin, and there they found the dead body of Judge Abernathy, shot through the head, just like the verse on the tombstone. And Mrs. Hootin told them that he was shot from somewhere outside her farmhouse!
JACK: So that's their game. Now they want to tie that murder on me, too.
JERRY: Want to? They have! Bradley claims Mrs. Hootin said the Judge was shot outside her house...and there you are. Oh Jack, you got to get, and get quick!
Despite Jerry's warning, Jack is determined to investigate the newest
open grave for new clues, and read the verse on the tombstone. He leads
the others to the cemetery. Ramon starts playing the Spanish gentleman
for Jerry, who is very flattered at all his attention. "You are much too
lovely to face these terrible things. Much, much too lovely." Ramon
says, adding, "Ramon, now you have seen the most lovely, the most
beautiful, the most exquisite Senorita in all the worl,'" much to
Jerry's blushing delight, and Doc's mirth (although slightly tinged with
jealousy!).
They finally arrive at the little Whamperjaw graveyard, and on the edge
of the new open grave, as Jack says, "...the latest addition to our
collection of open graves." Ramon insists it must be Bradley behind it
all. They count the five graves one by one. The first is one many
months old, dismissed as "...just a grave," by Jack, and the second one,
one more recent, one holding the body of Squire Hootin.
The third one is that of the "mysterious one", the one that first popped
up with the mysterious verse about the man who would be "...shot by an
arrow." But that grave is filled in, as the girls discover what the
boys learned earlier that evening. The next open grave, the one
prophesying the death of a man by shooting is now ready and waiting for
Judge Abernathy. But it's the last open grave, the fifth one and it's
verse, that interests Jack.
Doc expresses his concern for Jack's safety, and wants him to get out of
town as soon as possible, before Bradley and his gang of buzzards grab
him. Jack doesn't immediately address these concerns directly, but tells
Doc, once they have read the new tombstone verse to, "...strain every
ounce of brain power you got," to try and figure out who the next
intended victim of the tombstone writer is, and get to them and find out
who their enemies are, so the can stop them, and clear Jack of the phony
murder charges. Jack admits he doesn't know what he'll be doing (or
even if he'll still be free or even alive!) when Doc is doing this with
the help of the others.
With the moon hidden behind a passing cloud, Jack lights several
matches, and reads aloud the tombstone verse, one inscribed in the same
crude and irregular writing of the other tombstones.
Jack: Yeah..."On February 27, a man will die, but not go to heaven. Because he cared for only gold. In here his bones can slowly mould. He lived like a moccasin in a lake. And so he died...by the bite of a
snake!"
Doc suddenly interjects, that February 27th, since it is now after
midnight, is today! He speculates out loud if this verse could be
referring to the local banker, or a local miser. Ramon throws in that
it could be Bradley, and when Jerry tries to get him off the broken
record topic of Bradley, gets some further love talk from the
love-smitten Mexican lad.
To get them off topic, Jack asks Mercedes if she knows if anyone in the
town was money mad. Mercedes states that everyone in the boom town is
money mad. Why else would they stay to drink the alkaline waters, and
live in such squalor, and sleep like cattle? Doc asks then, why is she
and Ramon here? Mercedes becomes furious, and tells off Doc, telling
him that it's none of his business, and starts shouting insulting names
at the suddenly abashed red-headed Texan, calling many things including "...one of seven kinds of a... big clumsy donkey!" She finally adds it's
because of the business of a certain "who" that explains why she is now
in Whamperjaw.
From the way Jack gets the others to get back on topic, Doc asks Jack if
he's wondering if he wouldn't be with them much longer. Jack doesn't
quite reply, other than dryly saying, "...could be...do you know anything
about mob psychology?" but does not elaborate but instead insists that
Doc take his rifle after learning his and Ramon's plans for hiding out.
With the moon hidden behind a cloud, they head out of the graveyard.
Mercedes accidentally trips over the yawning open grave, and with a
shudder, mentions that this was a very bad omen for her. Doc, while
walking with the others, wonders aloud if it could be the local banker
the verse writer is referring too. He asks Mercedes who the local
banker is, but strangely gets no reply. Mercedes, angry, will not reply
to Doc's question, says Ramon. But Ramon says he will answer, and that
the local banker is a man called Mr Martin. Martin is a very religious
man, one who gives generously to charity, a "good man," all things which
makes even Doc admit, doesn't sound like the kind of man who would be
the target of a crazed murderer.
Suddenly, hoof beats which have been drumming softly in the background,
are heard storming closer towards the graveyard! It's Buck Bradley and
his posse!
Doc tries to warn Jack to take his gun and skidaddle. Only, Jack
doesn't answer, having long gone in the darkness! As the hoof beats get
louder, Doc vows:
DOC: Dad-gumm them skunks! If they touch a hair of Jack's
head, I'll personally stomp them to pieces, one at a time!
RAMON: Senor Martin, you mean?
DOC: No...I mean the feller talkin' to Martin. Crippled. Right arm shot...dirty ol' overalls...white whiskers. Look at the big stick of a cane he's carrying!
Mr. Martin finishes up some of his business with the stranger (who goes to a far off counter of the bank) and Doc and Ramon enter the bank.
Mr. Martin greets the two of them, and Doc introduces both himself and
Ramon to him. Mr. Martin, speaking in a hoarse and rasping voice, says
that young Ramon is well known to him, and goes on and asks if he can be
of service to them. Doc boldly asks:
DOC: Well the first thing I'd like to know Mr. Martin, is whether you have any personal enemies in this town.
Mr. Martin, taken aback at the question, responds in the negative; no
enemies either here or elsewhere. Suddenly, the door opens and the
eccentric Mrs. Hootin suddenly arrives on the scene. Mr. Martin begs
that they excuse him for a moment, "I never let business interfere with
the charming business I have with Mrs. Hootin."
Martin jovially greets her, and she replies with a dull, "Howdy." It
ends up that Mrs. Hootin has baked him yet another cake, the latest in a
wonderful series. He adds that her tiara looks wonderful, "...and lovely
in your hair," but she replies cryptically, "H'it won't do it." He
asks, in a whispering voice, if she was thinking of taking out any of
the solitary diamonds from her diamond tiara, but she declines, saying,
"Not a one...no sir!" He bows down gracefully, which earns him the dour
reply "...you're so Good!"
MARTIN: Good bye, Mrs. Hootin. Come in again any time. If there's any business you'd like me to handle...if your late husband's affairs that need attention...remember I'll be only too glad to help you...
MRS. H: Squire Hootin's things?
MARTIN: I'm sorry you've lost your husband...I'll help you in any way I can...
MRS. H: Squire Hootin has gone to glory. He got stars in his crown, now.
MARTIN: I'm sure he had.
MRS. H: Goodbye.
Mrs. Hootin leaves the bank, brushing against a man just entering the
bank as she does so. It's Buck Bradley, who apologizes to the odd lady,
and heads over to Martin's desk, wanting to cash a small check. He does
a double take, suddenly recognizing Doc and Ramon, and pulls out a gun
and orders their hands up, and to head over.
DOC: (Fading in) This makes the second time you stuck me up with my own nickel-plated pearl-handled forty-five, ya skunk!
Sadistically, Bradley motions Ramon closer over, and with an sudden ugly
motion, slaps him viciously across the face with the barrel of Doc's
former pistol. Doc, itching to jump Bradley, doesn't dare do so, and
Martin wrings his hands helplessly. Ramon picks himself, and vows:
RAMON: For sure as I am breathing, just for sure...some time I weel keel you!
Ignoring Ramon's threats, Bradley turns next to Doc:
BRADLEY: Now, you gonna tell me where that partner of yours, that Packard fella, is at or am I gonna have to beat you into it?
DOC: I wish I did know...just so's I could prove to you I wouldn't tell ya!
Bradley starts to tell them his plans, of having them go over to the
jail, "...where there is more room to--" when he suddenly realized there's
the grizzled stranger still in the bank, crouched over in the corner,
listening to his every word. Martin quickly explains he's just a
crippled stranger, trying to transfer funds from a California bank.
Reassured that the older man is harmless and no threat to him, Bradley
harshly orders the man out, and silently the stranger clatters out on
his crutches.
Bradley marches the Doc and Ramon out of the bank, taunting and laughing
at them, daring them to just try to escape so he could shoot them down
like dogs if they make an attempt to do so.
A sudden ruckus breaks out behind the two of them as he laughs, and
Bradley cries out in sudden unhappy alarm.
DOC: Get him, Mister!
SOUND (loud sock is heard, a groan and a body falls to the dirt!)
RAMON: Look! Look Senor Long...Bradley...Bradley he is knocked on the head! Somebody has smashed him the head!
DOC: Yeah, that old geezer who was in the bank, he sneaked right up behind Bradley and let him have it right over the head!
RAMON: He swung like the jack rabbit, eh?
DOC: There he goes now, lickety-split. Now, who do you reckon HE is?
RAMON: Oh...I dunno know senor, but I love that man, I love him, BIG!
DOC: Amen, brother, amen!
RAMON: Senor...quick. Quick. We might be seen. We must go quick, eh?
DOC: Amen. And I have my nickel-plated forty-five back. Just let Bradley start somethin'...and I hope he does!
MUSIC: (Organ... "Valse Triste.")
DOC: Kiddo Kelly?
WINNIE: Yeah..'bout five foot eleven. Ugly as home made sin. Bow legged, sandy haired...funny eyes...the color of a tard ol' corncob pipe. He's one of my favourite phobias.
She tells of a few incidents where she has run in with this unpleasant
lieutenant of Buck Bradley's gang, including the time when she was
opening a lock box he had brought to the blacksmith shop (claiming he
had lost the key) she opened it to discover her lucky dollar (which had
been stolen by some no good ciffy cat earlier!) inside, which Kiddo took
out proceeded to brazenly pay her with for opening the box!
As she goes into another tale about Kiddo Kelly being, being after Buck
Bradley, her "favorite phobia," Jerry Booker suddenly shows up at the
hayloft hide out. Doc does a hurried introduction of the A-One
detective agency's secretary and his "...favorite cousin my mama's side."
Jerry brings terrible news. During the last little while, Ramon has been
attacked by one of the member's of Bradley's gang, whose description
matches that of the just mentioned Kiddo Kelly! Worse, word has it
Ramon has had his right arm malevolently broken by Kelly, causing Doc to
exclaim, "He's a champeen candidate for a rat hole!"
The others beg for more news about Mercedes' brother. Jerry tells Doc
and Winnie-Mae that Ramon is being sent out of town for medical
attention, to a nearby city with a small hospital. He is being driven
there by a friendly oil worker who saw the entire vicious and unprovoked
attack.
After hearing the bad news about Ramon, Doc, Jerry and Winnie-Mae all
decide to head out into the streets of Whamperjaw to see if they can
learn about what happened to Ramon. Walking along, who does Winnie-Mae
spy but Kiddo Kelly himself, heading into a ramshackle cabin! Doc is
about to caution the others that he was going to sneak over and extract
some Texas revenge, when suddenly:
DOC: (low) I'm gonna have a little talk with him before I--(up) Winnie-Mae!! Come here! Where you goin' to?
JERRY: Look Doc! He's gone out to meet him!
WINNIE: I'll learn you to bust kids arms, you yella (grunts) pup!
SOUND (in synch with Winnie-Mae's grunt) (Sock! Body falls on dirt)
DOC: Boy...howdy! What a wallop!
JERRY: Doc! Doc, she knocked him out...with just her fist!
DOC: That's my cousin on my mamma's side, she always could--
Doc's praise is interrupted when one of the girls spots a strange wizened and
crippled figure seen creeping and limping around the same cabin the now
unconscious Kiddo Kelly had been heading for. She reports he appeared
to be a bearded cripple, and was carrying a crutch...could this be Doc
and Ramon's previous mysterious rescuer? They leave the unconscious
Kelly, and head on over to the house, which Winnie-Mae recognizes as
belonging to none other than Banker Martin!
They sneak on over to the side window of the little house, but the
mysterious figure is nowhere in sight. Doc peeks inside Mr. Martin's
window, and gasps:
DOC: (off a little)(awed) Oh no! It cain't be!
JERRY: (alarmed) Doc! What is it? (fading in) What is it?
DOC: No...don't look Jerry! Don't look in there!
WINNIE: Well, tell us what it is!
DOC: Right in here...settin' in a big easy chair is Mr. Martin...Mr. Martin, the banker.
WINNIE: Well, what about it?
DOC: He's jest sittin' in there..all puffed up! He's turned a funny color, and he's setting there...jest starin'...I'm goin' in..I'm goin' to craw in through the winda...
JERRY: Be careful, Doc.
DOC: Yeah.
SOUND (Doc scrambling through the window..then sounds inside on floor)
DOC: (mumbles) There...I'm in...whew! What a mess he is! What the--
SOUND (Four revolver shots as full mike as possible)
JERRY: (off yells) Doc! What's the matter! What's happened!
DOC: Martin is deader than a door nail...An'--
SOUND (Two more revolver shots)
DOC: An' I'm SHOOTIN' SNAKES!
MUSIC: (Organ, "Valse Triste.")
This is the end of the second week--five episodes in total (#6 to #10)--of the ILAM serial, "The Graves of Whamperjaw, Texas."
The remaining 5 episodes, of "The Graves of Whamperjaw, Texas." is also available for your reading pleaseure in synopsis format. Simply follow this link: Week 3.
To go back to re-read the first five episodes, #1 to #5, follow this link: Week 1.