 with a speed of light, a cloud of dust in a hearty high old silver, the lone ranger. Faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the mask rider of the planes led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness have come down to us through the generations, and 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. Come on, Silver, the danger of the... A man hurried along the rickety wooden walk which bordered the main street of Laramie's gorge. He bent his body against the driving rain and clutched the brim of his hat. The street was dark, deserted. The only lights, those which flickered in the small cafe from which he had come. The man crossed the muddy wagon trail which went through the town and hurried to a small frame house on the outskirts. Hip too was dark, seemingly deserted in the stormy night. It's Cork. Open the door. Wait for a social call ain't it Cork? I don't mind these guns, they ain't meant for you. Figured it might be the law catching up on me for that mail robbery. Put him away. Better keep him where he can get at him fast, Crowder. What do you mean? A United States marshal just rode into town. He's looking for you. How do you know? He came to my cafe. He asked a lot of questions. Wanted to know if anybody knew you, where you lived, things like that. What kind of answers did he get? None that helped him any. You've done a good job of keeping out of sight, holding up in this shack. It won't stop the marshal from finding me. I reckon you're right. Better hit the trail again, Crowder. I am sick of running like a scared rabbit. What else can you do? I don't know. Running won't help me any. You'll catch up with me sooner or later. Yeah. Where's the marshal now? In the back room at my cafe, playing solitaire. He figures to wait till morning to continue his search. Anybody else around? Only Larry Elliot. The storm's kept business away. Smoke? No, no. That's, uh, then Elliot's kid, isn't it? Yeah. Been trying to get him to go home, but kid likes his liquor too well. Fancy's himself as a gunslinger too, don't he? That's the one. To hear him tell it, he's dead-eyed dick with a six-gun. His old man thinks different. You mean... The old man ordered Larry to stop toting them guns. If he knew the kid was still greasing leather, he'd cut him off without a cent. Hmm. Gets better all the time. Well, what does? What are you getting at, Crowder? Core cow'd you like to pocket ten or fifteen thousand in cash. Ten or fifteen? Why, I don't savvy. I've thought of a way to get rid of the Marshall for keeps. Without even a suspicion point to me. And making a profit besides. Look what you've done to my new bar with that hardware. That's a mighty handsome pair of pearl-handled shooting eyes you got there, son. And I can make mighty handsome use of them too, stranger. So don't call me son. I've run up against your kind before. What do you mean? They can shoot off their face loud and fast, but when it comes to triggering a gun... You think I'm bluffing, huh? I'll show you whether I can handle a gun or not. Easy now, Larry. See that deer's head hanging over the door to the back room? Yeah. I'm laying five to one. You can't drill both eyes with your two guns at the same time. Five to one? Oh, that's a sin. Now hold on, gents. I just bought that deer head. You'll be paid for the damaged cork if he hits it. I'll drill them both. Just put up your cash and give me the worst. Sure, Larry. I'll even do better than that. I'll cover that cash. There. I'll shoot first just to show you how easy it is. Now watch. Oh, you missed. Yeah. All right, Larry. Let's see what you can do. Just keep looking at the eyes in that deer head. I'm drilling them dead center. Hey, what's going on there? Get back. Jumping snagely. You shot the lawman. What? Yeah, give me that gun. Now come on. Let's have a look at him. Yeah. Drills through the heart. You've killed him, Larry. I don't understand it. I aimed at the deer's head. I reckon you had too much to drink, Larry. It spoiled your aim. Killing a marshal's serious business. Yeah. Nothing riles a court more than to learn that one of its lawmen has been done in. What do you mean? Well, they won't believe it was an accident. Not a chance, Larry. They'll hang you faster and you can spell your name. Hang me? Even your old man's influence won't get you out of this, kid. It's curtain for you. Unless... Unless what? Well, so far, nobody knows a marshal's been murdered except we three. It'd save your neck if my part here and me kept our mouths shut. Sure. And we'd be willing to do Larry that favor, too, wouldn't we, Cork? For a price. You mean if I pay you, you won't tell anyone what's happened? That's the ticket. But the body, someone will find it... You'll leave that to us, Larry. Cork and me know of a way to make a body disappear. How much do you want? Well, reckon a thousand dollars it button our lips. Thousand. I don't have anywhere near that amount of cash. You can get it. Your old man owns the richest cattle ranch in the county. If you was to sign your name to a bill of sale, making it look like we'd bought some of your pa's steers, we'd be paid same as if it was cash. It wouldn't even be necessary for us to change the brands. You'd steal the cattle? Steel is the wrong way to put it, Larry. We'll just be taking what's coming to us. You won't be running any risks. We'll get men to help us rustle the steers. But the guards, they'll be... You can kind of attract their attention the other way while we cut the wire and help ourselves. We'll take just as many heads as we can sell below the border for a thousand cash. If you don't want to do it, Larry, don't leave us no choice but to go to the sheriff. I'll do it. It won't be stealing, even from Dad. I own twenty-five steers of my own. Twenty of them will bring you a thousand. Then you'll sign the bill of sale? Yes, that's talking sense. And I'll just keep these pearl-handled pistols of yours till you carry out your part of the bargain. I will step into the back room where I got paper and pen and ink. All right. Oh, when will you come for the cattle? Tonight. Soon as the storm blows over. There are three horsemen rode along the wagon trail toward Laramie's Gulf. They were the Lone Ranger, Tonto, and Dan, the masked man's nephew. There, Tom ahead. Golly, there's hardly a light showing. It's a storm. The people have retired early. We shouldn't have any trouble finding a place to stay. I hope not. I'd sure like to get out of these wet clothes. What is it, Silver? How do you see steady, boys? Steady. Hold on. Hold me. Hold on. It's so dark, I can't make out the... We see something in lightning flash. Is that a big fella? I'll go with you, Tonto. You look... A man. He's been murdered, Tonto. In shot through heart. Gosh, who do you suppose... It's the Marshal. Marshal? Yes. You're right, Dan. He's wearing his badge. I heard him question some men in the last town. He was on the trail of Vance Crowder. Crowder, huh? He's the one who held up the mail. You find something. What is it, Tonto? It's my gun. Here. You take it. Furlhandle. Golly. You don't see many of those in these parts. No. No, Dan, you don't. The killer dropped this gun. He shouldn't be hard to trace. If he didn't, I... What do you think? I have two thoughts, Kimosabe. After we've taken care of the Marshal, we'll ride into town and see which is correct. Late that night, after the storm had died, Larry Elliott rode across his father's range to the North Fence and met one of the guards. Who's that? Make yourself known, not brilliant. Hold your fire, Pop. It's me, Larry Elliott. Oh, boy. Oh, steady there. Well, howdy, Larry. Sit down, go and talk it and recognize you. Everything all right, Pop? We're so far. Though just between you and me, I don't like the looks of things. To me, you've noticed something wrong? Not yet. When I'm keeping my ears cocked, my eyes peeled. It's a cloudy night, son. No moon in the sky. Nights like this mean trouble. What's that? What? I didn't hear nothing. I did. A son of like horseman riding toward the North Pastry. Come on, let's have a look. Who cares, son? The post is right here at the Fence. Well, then I'll go along. Oh, wait a minute. If there is trouble down that way, and you're sitting on riding into it, I better go with you. If the poor kid's kidding me alive, I'll let you get hurt. Get up there. Get up, boy. Ain't seen much of you lately, Larry. I've been pretty busy. Yeah, that's what I heard. Always say you stick pretty close to town these days. See, there's two things you don't carry well, son. One's liquor. The other's a gun. Who said that? I'll run away. Ain't no sense in getting riled, boy. But if you'll take the advice of an old cow, buddy, I'll stay away from both of them. When I need your advice, I'll ask you for it. Well, I reckon I had that coming to me, Larry. I was just thinking of your poor. I helped him build this range into the richest ranch in the county. Your poor ain't so young as he used to be. When he rides the last trail, he'll take a real man to hold it. And you don't think I'm man enough, is that it? Not now, you ain't, son. You never will be as long as you're free to your time away in town. But you got the makings. Oh, I'm sandy. Listen, ho, ho, there. Steady there. It's just a hoodow. No, I'll never meet a noise like that, boy. It sure sounds like... Wrestlers. A hoot was a signal. Now back in the fence where we come from. Come on, get up there. Get up, boy. Get up. Handle him. Listen, boys, come over to the south pasture. Are you hit bad? No. Don't worry about me, son. Just remember what I said about stepping into your boys' shoes. Pop. Pop, listen to me. Dad. Dad and I helped to kill him. They made me a murderer. Pause on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Early the next day, the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode toward the Elliott Ranch. Dan had been left behind to make camp in a nearby ravine. There's the ranch now, tell her. I'll hand you a pistol there, huh? I think so. Everyone we asked agreed that it belongs to Larry Elliott, the rancher's son. We not tell him about murder, huh? No, Kimisabi. First, I want to know just what Larry Elliott's connection is with the killing. You think him may be not killer? From what I've heard, he's a spoiled young braggart who fancies himself a marksman. Unless it was an accident, I don't know what reason he'd have for killing the marshal. That's right. Horseman Tonto, heading this way. Oh, them ride plenty fast. They're coming from the ranch. One of them may be Larry Elliott. Oh, Silverhorn. We're not outlaws. I'll be the judge of that, stranger. Who are you and where are you from? I'll ask you that same question. Well, I'm calling your bluff. I'm Ben Elliott. 200 of my best steers rustled off my ranch last night and one of my waddies shot. And I think you and your Indian friend were among the Polk hats who did it. I see. I've got all my waddies outscar on the county for new brands. If you help to steal them steers, stranger, you ain't got a chance of selling them without my boy spotting them. For the cattle driven south? Oh, we don't know which way that we're driven. Are you Larry Elliott? I... Well, what's it to you? Are you? Yes, I reckon I am. I'm still waiting for you to clear yourself, stranger. Make it fast and make it good. I've told you already, Elliott. Todd and I are not outlaws. If that's the best you can do, you can tell it to the sheriff in jail. Take his guns, boy. I wouldn't try that. Hey, he's holding his guns. Got them irons out of leather, faster, and grease lightening. So you are one of them coyotes. Well, it'll take more of them six guns to get you free of this. I'm not accustomed to lying. Go on, you shot the gun out of my hand. You're coming with me, Larry. No, I... Take care of him, Todd. You come now. What do you want of my son? Information. If he's innocent, he won't be harmed. Innocent? Let me go. No, you're not... You're making a mistake. There's no mistake. Take the reins of his horse, Todd. No, he's happy. You come. Get him up. Get him up, scoundrel. They're kidnapping Larry. They're taking my son. Come on, Sylvie. After him. Don't let him get away. Come on, Sylvie. Come on. Safe from discovery at his camp in the ravine, the Lone Ranger faced Larry Elliott with a barrel-handled pistol he'd found beside the dead marshal. Finally, the youth confessed the truth. Well, it was an accident. I was aiming at the deer head over the door when the marshal entered. I must have had more to drink than I thought to make me shoot so wild. But instead of going to the sheriff for the truth, you chose to let those men blackmail you as the price for their silence. Silence? They meant to pin the killing on me when they made out that bill of sale. That's why they left the marshal on the trail, with my gun planted beside him. You invited that when you agreed to their scheme. Yes, I see that now. They double-crossed me every way they could. The bill of sale that I signed specified 20 steers. But they stole 200. It would be easy for them to change the paper the way they wanted it to be. But the stolen cattle isn't the worst thing caused by your act. You mean? One of the guards was murdered. Ah. Poor pop. Oh, if I'd have known that would happen. It's time you learned, Elliott, that mixing with the wrong kind of man would lead to trouble. Golly, those two don't stop at anything. You said one of them is named Cork. Is the other one called Crowder? I don't know. No, I don't remember it even being mentioned. You think them selling cattle to other ranchers? No, Tonto. To do that, they'd have to change their brands. It would be easier and more profitable to sell the steers south of the Rio Grande since they have a bill of sale. Gosh, what'll we do? First, make sure whether Elliott shot the marshal or not. What do you mean? Where were Cork and Crowder standing when you fired two shots at the deer head? Oh, uh, behind me. Did you notice anything peculiar? Well... I seem to remember hearing three shots instead of just two. I thought it was just the echo. I see. No, you can't turn me into the sheriff's stranger. I'll swing for murder if you do. You think too much of your own safety, Elliott. Perhaps this experience will teach you to be a man. I know I've been a fool. All I want is another chance. I want to prove to Dad I can run the ranch whenever he wants me to. Perhaps you'll get that chance. You've got a plan? Yes, Kimosabe. We'll have to wait for Nightfall to carry it out. Laramie's Gulch was dark and seemingly deserted late that night when the lone ranger and Toto crept stealthily to the window of the back room of a cafe. Breaking the glass with their gun butts, they quietly let themselves in. Come on, Toto. Hold your head. I'll be hanging over that door. Light the lamp. Now we see. Yes. Bring it closer. How do you get up there to look for bullets? I think I can manage by standing on the bar. You take the lamp. All right. There are two bullets, Toto. Embedded in the deer's nose. Yes. What do you see? Two more bullets. Each a little below the eyes. That mean Laramie not kill Marshall. Right. I heard that Crowder fired the first two shots at the deer. Then he fired the second pair. That accounts for the four bullets I've found. Ah, still never shot kill Marshall, huh? Yes, Kimosabe. A shot fired under the cover of Larry's. He was framed for this murder. The next day, two men sat at a table in the back room of the cafe. They were Crowder and Cork. Before them were arranged several small bags of gold received from the sale of the stolen cattle. It winds up your share, Cork. What about them bags of yellow dust over there? That's what the boys got coming to them. Seems like a powerful lot for the amount of work they done. We risked a noose to get ours. I know. I don't hang out to give them that gold any more than you do. It'd be a bad judgment to get them down on this. Where do they aim to collect? Three forks. Gang's waiting for me there. I'm kind of sorry it's over, Crowder. It's been a profitable partnership. And not a suspicion pointing our way. I don't know. I don't trust that kid too far. Oh, Larry. Oh, he can't tell anything he knows. He does. He'll put his own neck in a noose. It's the same. Who's that? I don't know. Can't see him. Get that gold out of sight quick. Open the door. Keep your hand on your gun. He don't think it's... I'm not thinking I'm playing safe. If it's a law, we'll riddle him. Open the door. Thought I'd find you two here? Hey, it's Larry. Come in with your hands up, kid. After what happened to me the last time I was here, I stopped packing guns. You got nothing to fear from me. He's right, Crowder. I like your spirit, son. I thought you'd be sore after we wrestled 200 head of your old man's steers instead of 20. I am sore. Not for the reason you think. What do you mean? As long as you've made me as big a crook as you two are, I figure I'm entitled to as big a share of the cash. Do you hear that, cork? Kid's got more nerve than I suspected. He's got too much nerve if he thinks he's going to cut himself in for a share of the gold. I like your ambition, Larry, but you're in a bad way to back it up. You ain't forgetting we can turn you into the sheriff for murder in the marshall, are you? I've got even more ambition, Crowder. And this time I've got something to back it up. I don't savvy. You got away with some prime beef when you stole those steers. But there's a lot you didn't get. What are you getting at, Larry? The old man wouldn't be looking for wrestlers to strike again in the same place. You mean you're inviting us to cut loose another hurt from the old man's stuck? Why not? I've gone this far. I might as well go the whole hog. We'd get top price for him below the border. I don't like it. Don't be a fool, cork. We could clean up. How do we know it ain't a trick? Larry can't double cross us without betraying himself. He's in as deep as the rest of us. I got a bill of sale here all made out, Crowder. And this time you won't have to change the number of cattle it specifies. I've already written in 500. 500? We can line our pockets with gold. Selna heard the size of that. It ain't size. No. Watching you two work has given me some pointers on how to do business. I figure not only to get my share when the steers are sold, but to sell you this bill of sale. Sell it! You're learning fast, Larry. How much do you want for your signature? 500 dollars. That's a lot of gold. Well, you can afford it. You've got plenty from that last haul you pulled. Cork, get the gold. I don't like it, Crowder. Get it! There's just one more thing. What's that? I happen to know that I didn't kill the Marshal. What do you mean? We took two shots at that deer's head, Crowder. All four bullets are embedded in it. You don't say. You killed the Marshal, Crowder. You use my gunfire to cover the sound of your shot. Here's the gold. All right, Larry. Just sign that bill of sale. You'll find pen and ink in the drawer. That's it. Take it. I'll take that paper. I'll take the cash. No, you won't. A gun. I'm paying you off and led, Larry. What's the matter, Crowder? A minute ago... He knows we killed the Marshal, Cork. I'm shutting his mouth for keeps. Yeah. Then we'll rustle them other steers. Dirty double crosses. That's your last breath, Larry. Oh, my arm. There you are, man, Sheriff. You heard them confess. You're darned toon, I did. I'm fixing them both for a hang-nose. Oh, it's a lie. Larry's the one who drilled the Marshal. Yes, Snivelin skunk. We heard you two admit the murder through that broken pane in the window. I'd like to string you up myself for the mess you got my son into. Your son isn't blameless, Elliot. But I think he's learned his lesson. And you could depend on that stranger. You can round up the rest of the gang at three-fourths, Sheriff. I'll start after him with a posse. Lock these two in the jail. Well, I reckon you and me better be getting back to the ranch, Larry. You've got a man-sized job waiting if you're going to step into my shoes. I'm ready when you are, Dad. Oh, and don't forget to take this gold. It belongs to you since it was paid for your cattle. Stranger, I don't know how to thank you for all that... Huh? Well, where's the mask, man? Well, there. He's riding away. Well, I'll be doggone. Look at that white horse run. I've just heard it's a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.