39-07-16 Death Valley Days The Oldest Law

Plot Summary

In The Oldest Law, listeners are taken deep into the unforgiving expanse of Death Valley where the harsh landscape isn’t the only thing testing human survival — the unspoken code of frontier justice takes center stage.

The story follows a prospector named Dan Larkin, who strikes it rich after years of hardship. On his way back to town, he encounters a desperate drifter, Tom Rawlins, down on his luck and near death from thirst. Against his better judgment, Larkin offers Rawlins water and shelter, only to discover later that Rawlins has plans to rob him of both his gold and his life.

But in the parched and lawless frontier, survival often hinges on "the oldest law" — the law of self-preservation. Larkin must decide whether to uphold the frontier code of aiding fellow travelers or resort to the brutal justice necessary to protect himself and his claim.

The tale ends with a twist of poetic justice, reminding listeners that in Death Valley, nature’s merciless rules often outweigh man’s laws.
Lesser-known fact for Randy’s Old Time Radio Shows

The Oldest Law is one of the earliest morality tales in Death Valley Days to explore frontier justice vs. compassion, setting the template for many later Western radio and TV dramas.

The script was based on true accounts from pioneer diaries collected by Death Valley historians, lending the episode an air of authentic Western folklore.