 A fiery horse for the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hardy high old silver, the lone ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Toto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver. The lone ranger rides again. The lone ranger and Toto rained up on the crest of a small hill overlooking the town of Rockwood that nestled in the valley. Now, Toto, it doesn't look like a bad town, but it is. It's the most lawless community in this part of the country. And the outlaw there? The outlaw's rendezvous. The government has sent five marshals there in the last five months. Everyone's been killed. Your friend there now. That'd be him clean up town. Anyone can clean up the town. Jim Larraby is the one to do it. Him know you one way to help? No, Toto. How long him there? Oh, Larraby's only been there for about three weeks. Toto, I want to know something about the situation before I go into town. You go ahead, find out, huh? Find out where Jim Larraby is living. Then find out anything you can about the men who control the town. I'll, uh, make camp over there among the cotton woods and wait until you join me. Ah, you go now. Go ahead. Get him up his count. Come on, Silver. It was dusk when a masked man found a desirable campsite beside a stream that meandered through the woods. He dismounted and was about to untie his blanket. And he froze, stood motionless. The faint sound that had claimed his attention sounded like a six-gun being caught. Yeah, Silver, I heard it. Can't tell what's to it. Put your hands up. Get him up or I'll shoot. Well, at least you're not going to shoot me from ambush. I'm not a dry goatee like some of you crooks. You think I'm a crook? If you're wearing a mask, that's enough for me. My dad can decide what to do with you. Your dad? Name is Larraby. I guess you heard of him. Jim Larraby? That's right. Yes, I have heard of him. They, uh, tell me he's a first-rate lawman. You bet he is. Aren't you pretty young to be his deputy? I can handle this gun, mister. You must be about 15, aren't you, Dave? Nearly 16. I, uh, how'd you know my name? I told you I'd heard about your father. He heard quite a bit about him and his family. Maybe you know something about the shooting. If I thought you were the one that drilled him, I'd- What's that? You've been shot? Yeah. That won't lick him. Made him all the more determined to get rid of your kind. I'd like to see your father. You'll see him all right. I'm taking you to him right now. So this is your home, huh, Dave? Just open that door and walk right in. Slow. Very well. Dad, I brought a prisoner for you. Hello, Jim. Take it easy. Don't try to get up. How badly are you hurt? Uh, skunks got me in the chest. I'll get better. Hey, Dad. Better tell your young deputy here to put his gun down. Dave, put that gun down. What, that mask? Mask. Underage, isn't it? When I told you stories about the Lone Ranger? The Lone Ranger? Well, golly. It's all right, Dave. I was on the way here to see your father. And I drew a gun on you. Golly, you just let me capture you. You could have jumped me anytime you wanted to. I wouldn't like to try it, Dave. You hold a steady gun. Dave, you dog-gone fool. I told you not to go manhunting on your own. I wasn't. I just happened to be in the woods when a man came along. I saw he wore a mask. Man, you talked to him. Oh, yeah. And you still thought he was a crook. Dad, where did you got to learn to judge me? You got to learn who to trust and who not to trust. Jake Hammer and Café don't wear a mask. Would you trust him? Oh, no. The law's got nothing on Jake Hammer. Yet, he's as crooked as a snake in a cactus patch. First time I ever met this masked man, I sized him up as being on the level. I trusted him. By so doing, I got help in rounding up a mighty bad outfit. What? I'm sorry, Dad. Well, don't make no such mistake again. Jim, uh, do you want me to look at your wound? No, Doc's taking care of it. I'll be all right. But I got to lie quiet for a time. I see. Is the situation in Rockwood really bad? It's even worse than I thought. It's a hangout for all kinds of crooks. There's a lot of tin horns, as well as a number of big operatives. Someone's coming. Yes, it's Tonto. Seems to have found Sylvan brought him along. What happened? Teddy Tonto, Teddy, it's all right. Hi there, Tonto. Oh, you, Larabee. And this is Dave Larabee, Tonto. He captured me and put me here. Well, I didn't mean to. Uh, he stalked the woods. See Sylvan on way here. You follow him. You saw the horse? He was coming here? That's right. But I tied him to a tree. Sylvan's been taught to work with ropes, Dave. Golly. Uh, sit down, Tonto. Let's talk about the situation here in Rockwood. During the next few days, strange things happened in the town of Rockwood. Things that puzzled a Jake Hammer owner of the cafe. Each evening, found one more of Jake's friends missing. Hank, Tuttle, Scar Bates, Trigger Newton. It was a week after the Lone Ranger and Jim Larabee met. Jake Hammer looked around the cafe, then eyed an empty chair at a corner table. Baldy Belden's usual place. Hey, Joe. You seen Baldy? Not since last evening, Jake. You're gonna be dog gone. What happens all these tin horns? He's the fourth one that's disappeared in the past week. Hey, boy. Anyone seen Baldy Belden? All right, go on with your games and drinks. Suppose these critters are running out on us? I don't know what to suppose. Hey, Jake. He was asking about Baldy. What about him, Pete? Do you know anything? I seen him when he left here last night. So did I. Oh, lots of us seen him last night. What about it? Just this. I happened to see him outside at the hitch rail. He was met there by a troll, Jim. The same one has been around town for the past week. The two of them rode away together. They did? Hey. What's the matter with you, Joe? Listen, Jake. I'd before last I was outside getting a breath of air when Trig Newton left. He was met at the hitch rail by that same Jim. Yeah. You sure of that, Joe? Yeah, sure. I didn't think anything of it at the time. There was no call to connect the stranger with the fact that Trig disappeared. But if the same Armory talked to Baldy last night and now Baldy's gone... Hey, Jake. Help me. It's Baldy. It's a matter with him. Amber, you gotta help me. You gotta save me. From what? What are you talking about? He's a tall stranger. He's working for Larabay. Larabay? What do you mean? He's captured all the others. He got me. He made me talk. Talk about what? Make me squeal. Tell all I knew. Hide me, Jake. Hide me in case he comes after me. Joe, you and Pete take him into the back room. I'll be there in a minute. Come on, Baldy. This way. Now, boys, all you get your guns ready. That tall Armory we've seen around town during the past week shows up in here. Get him and bring him to me in my office. Now, don't let him get away. You got that straight? Yeah. Just sit tight. When I get through with Baldy, I'll give you all the details. Sit down there, Baldy. Yeah. Joe, you watch the window. Pete the door. I don't want anyone to disturb us. All right. Now, Baldy, you start talking. Wait. It happened when I left here last night, boss. I went up to the hitch rail to get my horse. And that tall stranger was standing there in the dark. I noticed when I got close that he wore a mask over his face. A mask? Yeah. Then I saw that he held a gun in his hand. Keep your voice low and take it easy. What? Why, what do you want of me? The same thing we got from a few other tin horn friends of Jake Hammer. Don't sell me. Well, then, first of all, you've got to get one thing through your head. Jim Larabee is going to clean up Rockwood. The Marshal? Yes. He's laid up. He's hurt. I'm helping him. I want you. Now, now, wait. See here, I'm only a small friend. I know all about you. You're not in a class with the killers by women who take orders from Jake. Nothing like that. That's why you're going to get a chance. A chance? To what? A chance to help Jim Larabee in the law. You'll be allowed to tell all you know about Hammer and his pals. Squeal. That's right. You're going to squeal. Then you're going to sign statements. I can't do that. Ellen, get this. Ever men have already squealed. Women are going to. Those men who help the law will have a chance to save their necks. You're either with the Marshal or against him. I'm not up and come with me. I had to tell a few things, Jake. I didn't have no choice. So you squealed, huh, Baldi? Jake, what can I do? Just how much did you tell the Marshal and that mask man? I couldn't tell very much, Jake. I don't know an awful lot. I ain't been in on the bigger deals that have been pulled. You knew about the bank robbery in three pines. Yeah? You told about that? Well, I... Did you squeal on me and Joe? Well, boys, I... Oh, you dirty double crook. Boys, listen to me. I came here to tell you. I got away from them. I came here so you could do something about it. I'll do something about it all right enough. Oh, look at me like that, Jake. Please don't. How much information does a Marshal have? I don't know. He must have plenty. The men that went before me could tell a lot. And they probably did. I'll get them and deal with them if it's the last thing I do. But as for you... Jake, don't kill me. Think it over, Jake. All right. I am thinking it over. Baldy, maybe I won't kill you. Maybe I'll give you a chance to square yourself. Oh, thanks. Thanks, Jake. You say Larabee already has some sworn statements about us, huh? Yeah. All right. I got a hunch that maybe we can get them sworn statements away from them. He's got them locked up somewhere. That won't matter. I think his son will know where they are. Son? You mean that kid? Dave Larabee is old enough to serve my purpose. What's he got to do with it? What's this, Baldy? He's going to get me every shred of evidence his old man's collected against the boys. But how are you working? I'll tell you how. He'll either do what I want or he'll be arrested by his own father for murder. Dave Larabee? A killer? Yeah. I didn't know you had anything like that on him. Who'd he kill? No one. Not yet. Well, who? He don't do what I want. He'll hang for your murder. Now, here's what you got to do. It was late at the same night. Dave Larabee slept in his own room in the rear of the house. He was wakened by a soft tapping on the open window. Just a minute. Open the window wider. I heard you'd escape. Yeah, Dave, but I come back. Listen, where's that mask man in that Indian room? In another room. What about it? Are you as interested in getting evidence as they were? Oh, yeah, why? And you come with me. That's all I got to say. Just you come with me. Are you willing? Yeah. Let's give me time to get dressed, and I'll be with you. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. He climbed out of his bedroom window and joined Baldy Belden in the darkness. He didn't suspect that Belden acted on orders from Jack Hammer. Hey, look, Belden, maybe it'd be better if I called the mask man in town. No, no, Dave. Don't do that. I already talked with those two. Oh, I know it. They aimed to have me right out of here for other parts, like those other gents they captured had to do. I don't want to leave Rockwood. I don't understand. That's why I came to you. I can get a lot of information that'll help your pause case against Hammer and his crowd. But you've got to help me, not that mask man. All right, then. Where are we going? To Hammer's Cafe. What time is it now, Jake? 12.15. It's time Baldy got back. It's been gone long enough to get that kid. He'll be here, Joe. Take it easy. Only knows what to do, though, eh? You oughta. We went over it enough times. You boys remember your parts. We will. Now, here comes Baldy and Dave now. Now, Dave, don't pay no attention to anyone. Just come right through to the back room with me. All right, Belden, but I hope you know what you're doing. I know. Don't worry about that. Go on in. This looks like an office. It is an office. It's Jack Hammer's office. Step inside. I'll shut the door. Jake, how long do we have to wait outside the door? Baldy plays it like I told him it won't be long. Hey, what's the idea? It's starting. No, no, let go. No, no, don't shoot me. Baldy! That's it. Hey, what's this? Oh, Baldy, look at Baldy. Baldy! Baldy, what the... Joe, Pete, come inside. Hey, you boys. You ain't seen or heard a thing. Go on back to your table to drinks around the house. Shut that door, Pete. You're covered, Larby. Don't move. Now, wait a minute. Listen to me. Pete, take a look at Baldy. See how bad he's hurt. Right. He must have gone local. He drew a gun. I grabbed him. Get up for a minute. Better give me that gun you're wearing. Here, Joe, take care of it. Right. How about Baldy? Jake, afraid the poor galoot's done for. Oh, he pulled his gun on me. We struggled for it. His finger was on the trigger. He fired at that. Ah, that's too thin. Joe and Pete and I all heard Baldy yell out. That's right. He asked you not to shoot him. He begged for his life. Maybe he made a few mistakes or were it against the law. But that don't say you can kill him for it. The dog gone right you can't. Well, I didn't shoot him. I swear I didn't. Yeah, let me look at it. Get back there. Found it all the way. The thing like this have to happen in my office. Been having enough trouble without this. But I... I didn't... There's some way you could hurt something up. Don't do us no good to have a killing here. I don't know. I suppose I could hush it up. Why should I? Larabee's been gathering evidence to jail me. Let's see what it's like to jail his own son. Probably killing him. Yeah, ain't that too bad. Mr. Hammer, I... I don't know what to say or do. All right, Jake. Maybe you could make some sort of a deal with Larabee. What do you mean by that, Pete? Well, it stands to reason he won't want his own son to hang. You see how he can do anything about it? Well, he didn't have no family or anything. Maybe if you could get rid of the... the remains. If Larabee'd hand over all that evidence he's collected. Dad wouldn't stand for any such deal. Of course he wouldn't. I wouldn't even approach him with the offer. Hey, maybe Dave would be willing to listen to reason. What do you mean? Yeah, Joe, what are you getting at? Just that, Jake. You'd help hide the murder if... Dave would make it worthwhile, wouldn't you? I don't know. Dave's old man has evidence against... that is, against friends of ours. I suppose you know where it's hid, don't you, Larabee? Well, your father's got evidence against us. But we got evidence that'll hang you. Now, you save our nicks. We'll save yours. That's the way it stands, Larabee. Looks like we got a lucky break when Baldy went loco. By thunder, we'll make the most of it. You want me to steal the evidence from my father? Is that it? Right. Now, you come with me and we'll talk it over. Dave had little sleep that night. He worried about his predicament and considered the proposition that had been made. The next day, he kept apart from his father and his father's friends, the Lone Ranger and Tonto. Late afternoon, found him beside the stream in the Cottonwoods where he had first met the masked man. He sat watching the rippling water, so lost in thought that he didn't hear the Lone Ranger's approach. Dave. Huh? Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Oh, that's all right. Mind if I sit down there beside you? Mind what? No, of course not. Thanks. Nice here in the woods. Uh-huh. Your father will be able to go back to work on a day or so. Yeah, I know it. That's great. Tonto should take and find care of him. You'll be able to close in on Jake Hammer and his partners. So you have evidence against Ed Bunch? Yes, Dave. He has enough to prove that Hammer planned a number of robberies for men like Joe and Pete and several others. Well, that's not all he has. No? No. A number of men in Rockwood who are wanted by the Lone and other communities. Your father has a lot of facts about those men. Well, he can thank you for that. You sure made some of those crooks tell plenty. Well, most of them took advantage of the chance to clear out. Most of them? I think Bull is still around. Oh, why do you think that? Well, uh, let's just call it a hunch, huh? Oh, I see. Something bothering you, Dave? Bothering me? Well, no, I guess not. Care to tell me about it? I said there was nothing bothering me. I see. By the way, Tonto's gone for a couple of your father's friends over in Carter City. They'll be here to take part in the showdown. They will, huh? Mm-hmm. Tonto's a great help to me. A mighty good friend, too. I don't know what I'd do without a friend like Tonto. No matter what kind of a problem I have, you can talk it over with him and he'll understand. Mm-hmm. You have problems? Oh, yes, Dave. I've had some very tough ones. But somehow they never seem as tough after I share them with Tonto. Uh-huh. I guess it's a lot like carrying a heavy pack. 100 pounds would be a heavy load for one man to carry. What if he has a friend to share the weight? The load's reduced by half. Oh, yeah. That makes sense. Dad said I should learn to judge men. That was good advice. I wonder. That evening, found Jake Heimer in his office with Joe. He glanced at a large clock on the wall. Ten o'clock. Time young Larabee was here. What'll you do if he's late? I'll handle him. Got a few cards up my sleeve. Do you think he'll play our game? He'll play it one way or the other. Oh, I get it. That's probably him. I guess I'm just about on time. Good thing you are. Step into the office. Well, Larabee, what sort of evidence the Marshal has got? Yes, I did, Mr. Heimer. He's got enough to send you in about ten of your pal's to jail or to the hangman. It's downright interesting. How soon can you get that evidence for me? I'm not getting that evidence for you. What's that? I said I'm not getting it. I heard what you said. You know what it means? I think so. It means you'll hang for the murder of Baldi Belton. You can't charge me with murder unless it's a dead body. Oh, so that's it. I think we can't prove anything, because we already disposed of the dead body, huh? Well, get this, you young upstart. You're making a big mistake. A mistake that'll hang you. And what's more, I'll prove it. Bring him along, Joe. Come on, Larabee. Where to? He'll take him out this back door, Joe. Where you taking me? To a shack a little away from here. I'll show you the dead body that'll hang you. Open up, Pete. Anything wrong? Got him, huh? Going in, Larabee. Inside. Baldi Belton. Hey, Jake. Why'd you bring him here? You'll see. Oh, he's not dead at all. It was all a trick. Sure it was a trick. He had a blank cartridge in his gun. And you thought you could hang me for murder? And we can. Jake, just a minute. Good thing we kept you here, Baldi. We need you. Please. I tried to put the deal over without killing you. But we need a corpse. Can't put Dave in a hang-on spot without one. Dave. Dave, don't let him shoot me. Promise him you'll get that evidence. Don't let him do this. You help him frame me. But I had to. You could have left town like the others that gave dead information. Final word, Larabee. You've had it. No, please. Stand up, Baldi. No, Jake. Please, don't let them shoot me. Don't do it. Sorry, but I got to have something so as I can talk to the Marshal. Maybe he'll resign for he has to hang his own son. Now stand up. There you are, Baldi. Look out. Anyone else want to draw? Well, Baldi, you're in a bad spot. Dad. Marshal Larabee. Looks like we've got something to add to the record, who you critters. Marshal, Marshal Larabee. Hold it. Just say what you got to say. You get a dame caught before you hang. Line up on that wall, all of you. You too, Billen. Yes, sir. Charlie's dead. I didn't think you'd be able to meet. The lone ranger told me that tonight was a showdown. I had to get back in harness, Dave. Tutto, bring in the other lawman. What other lawman? Here, plenty of the other lawman. Yeah, over all these men. As soon as they've roped you crooks, they're going to the café to pick up the rest of the men on the Marshal's crime list. Hold it. All of you. Stand where you are. Cover that side, Tutto. You got him? The Marshal. That man's man. What's this mean? Where's Jake Hammer? Quiet down and listen. I'm here to make some arrests. Pete, Joe, Baldy and Hammer are already in custody. There'll be company for them. You'll come quiet or we'll get rough. Golly, Dad, what a roundup that was. You got every crook in town. Yeah, it was a big evening, son. Big evening. Rockwood will be a different place from now on. By the way, Dave, I'm particularly proud of you. Oh, Dad, I... The Lone Ranger told me how you shared your problem with him in the woods this afternoon. He said you made up your own mind to defy them scheming pogats. I didn't know what to do, Dad. The Lone Ranger said I should do what I thought you'd do in the same situation. Yeah, he told me about it. Said we'd better keep an eye on things to see what Hammer'd do when you defied him. Tell me, Dave, how'd you happen to trust the masked man far enough to put your problem up to him? Oh, Dad, I... I remember what you said. What was that? You said I should learn to judge men. Yeah. Well, I... I judged that the Lone Ranger was a man I could share a problem with. Son, I reckon you're a fair judge of men at that. Yes, sir. A fair judge of men. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.