 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty howl silver, the lone ranger. Gerson, whose wealth reached out to develop the vast resources of the far west, decided to strike at the heart of the Barbary Coast. In an effort to stamp out the viciousness, Gerson sought for and found the lone ranger. This mask rider of mystery, though reluctant to leave the plains and mountains of the cattle country, answered the call and smashed the forces of evil in the Barbary Coast. His work in San Francisco finished, Tonto and the Masked Man headed north for the gold fields in the land of Big Timbert. Returned 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 Tonto knew that powerful interests in California were back of an extensive effort to get a monopoly of the Redwood forests. Many small owners had already been defrauded of their holdings and more were destined to be. The Masked Man and Tonto went to one of the biggest forests in the Redwood district, the syndicate camp at Cinnamon River. Bill Barton was the superintendent. Yes, we owe you more than we can repay. You owe me nothing, Barton, but we do. You made it possible for us to help fight the fire across the river. You saved you Tonto's Timber. If it hadn't been for you, Joe would have had his Timber stolen. That wouldn't affect you or this camp. It would give the industry a bad name. I mean like that lawyer, what was his name? Smiley? Yes. They should be Tonto and Thelene. Smiley is going to hang. He is. I thought you knew, Barton. He's to hang for poisoning Denneher. Do you know why he poisoned Denneher? No. Because Denneher was likely to name the head man of a big monopoly in the lumber industry. Well, there's nothing like that. There's no head man. How many people have said that? Mr. Geerson, one of the best informed men in the entire West Coast, said it. Yet, I think there is a head man. Well, I'll not argue with you. I think most of them in here are familiar with your work and the fact that you wear a mask. You'll find it convenient to stay here as long as you want. Now, what can I do to help you learn more about the Redwood industry? I'll just look around the camp if you don't mind. Not at all. I wish it would feel quite at home. Thank you, Mr. Barton. I've sent for one of our men. Here he is now. Hey, Sam, show these two men anything they want to see. Just about your life, I will. You might be interested in seeing the donkey engine and the way the logs are snaked out by cable. That's downright interesting, Mr. All right, we'll see it. Come on, Tonto. Ah, me count. I'm going to town in the valley to attend to some errands. I'll see you when I return. Very well. Be careful when you get there, that cable. I will. Be the way, Sam. A small donkey engine was based in a cave. The cable ran from the drum on the engine out through the trees. When Lefty got the signal from the men deep in the timber, he threw the engine in gear. As the cable wound on the drum, it dragged heavy logs along a path. Sam, their guide, explained the cable to the Lone Ranger and Tonto. See, it's moving now. If we stay right here, we'll see the log dragged from over yonder. Saves a lot of mule power. Where's the engine in the cave? Oh, that's to keep the rain and things off. Mr. Barton is mighty proud of that engine. Takes good care of it. Is this cable strong enough? Oh, sure it is. Looks thin, but it's mighty strong. I wouldn't get too close to it if I was your... Look out! Keep us out of you! Great day. Are you all right? Yes, I'm all right. That dog-on cable snapped. Yes, I know. Anyone hurt? Everything all right? Where'd the cable went to? Anyone get caught? This man had been one inch nearer, or if that cable had whipped one inch farther, it would have caught him. Gosh, you sure had a close one. What's the matter with Lefty anyhow? The crazy fool put too much strain on her. Lefty knows what the cable can stand. He shouldn't put too much on it. Close shave, mister. What's the mask for? And you heard? This is the Lone Ranger. Yeah, he ver mask. He banned the Lone Ranger. That's good. Well, make yourself at home here, mister. Back to your job, boys. Everything's all right here. Sam, you'd better report to Grandpa. I will. They call everyone who's superintendent or grandpa or uncle. Oh, I've heard, Sam. I'll let it all go back to work now. Well, close shave's happen every day in this business. It takes more than a narrow escape to keep the men off the job. Do you want to go and see the man that runs that dunk engine now? Yes, I do. See the big fella. Follow me. I'll go ahead. Get up. Come on, Silver. Get him up to scout. No, no. There's just one more narrow escape. Too many narrow escape. Luck not run that way. That's the way I figured. Maybe head man afraid you come too close to truth. Wait here. Oh, boy. Oh, son. Here's the end of the cable, Tonto. I want to look at it. Me, too. Tonto, take a look at this. Tell me what you see. That band. Someone cut cable. When I was as tight as it could be, someone swung the sharp edge of an axe against it. Someone who saw me near the cable at the time. What's this I hear about the cable breaking? Stay here with the horses, Tonto. I want to see the dunk engine. Ah, me watch him. Where you hurt? Where's anyone hurt? No, Barton. That fool engineer left. He put too much strain on the cable. We're going to see him right now. How can he do that? Well, with a steam boiler like that and in the cave, Mr. Barton, when the steam pressure gets high enough, something's got to go. If the log's too heavy to move, the cable snaps. And if that's too strong to snap, the boiler let go. Something's got to go. In this case, it was not a weak cable or too much load. How's that? Someone cut the cable. No. You sure? Yes. Why would anyone do that? To kill me. No, but I don't understand. Why would anyone want to kill you? Because I'm getting nearer to the boss. The boss? The man who was back at the Redwood Monopoly. Maybe you're right, but I still can't believe it. Mr. Barton, you said you were going to town. I was just about to start when I heard the commotion here. I'll go with you. Barton, I wonder how far along the cable left he could see from his post at the engine. Well, not very far. You see the cable angles off to the side a little. You can't see more than two yards of it. Yeah, there are many places along the cable where a man could stand and cut it. That's right. Well, that's what I wanted to find out. Are you ready for the trip to town, Barton? Right away. Some time later, the Lone Ranger, Tonto and Barton arrived in town and separated. The masked man went his way and the superintendent another. Each had errands of his own. Late afternoon, Arnold Gerson leaned back in his chair in the luxurious office in San Francisco. Well, I guess that cleans up our work today, Miss Lake. Well, there's one more thing, sir. A telegram arrived a little while ago. A coded message? Yes, sir. I have it here. You should have given it to me directly. I know how you dislike being disturbed when you're busy. That's why I didn't interrupt you when the message came to the office. I've got to make a trip. A trip, sir? Yes, and a fast one. Send someone to my home and tell mother and my daughter not to look for me for several days. Have my traveling coach brought back with four of my best horses. I've won two drivers and I must have arrangements made to change horses on the route to the north. I'll attend to it at once. Have a bag of clothes brought back here. Yes, sir. I don't know how long I'll be gone. But that'll be honest, Lake. Hurry, I want to leave here in one hour. Arnold Gerson, millionaire banker, financier and capitalist, set out from San Francisco on the afternoon and traveled night and day. In the meantime, Barton left the valley town and returned to the lumber camp. But the lone ranger and Tonto camped outside the town and waited. One day, two days. And then Tonto rode into camp from the town. Most gun hope on a hoe, hope on a hoe. Man come, him seen on trail. Gerson? It must be Gerson puller. Nobody else travel in same way. A man we've been waiting for, Tonto. Now we'll get to the bottom of things in this redwood region. Gerson's a man who can make things move. Study, Siddler. Yeah, him not a town yet. Rider can in, tell how him see Gerson on trail. Maybe we can meet Gerson before he gets to town, Siddler. Come on, Silver. How much farther to the town, Joe? I've seen it in the last ridge, Mr. Gerson. It'll be there real soon. Inside the hour. Good. Come on, Silver. What's that I hear? Looks like a couple of horsemen coming to meet us. Let me look out. Maybe I'm seeing things, but looks like one of them is mad. Come on, Silver. Wait, wait. It's a lone ranger. Stop the horses, Joe. Oh, oh, oh, oh. You say the lone ranger? Yes. Oh, Silver, oh, oh, oh. Gerson, it's good to see you. Well, this is something of a surprise. I didn't expect to find you on the trail heading south. I rode to meet you. Oh, you did? Yes. You're done. I'll take the reins. Ah, you take them. I'll ride in the carriage with Mr. Gerson. Follow along, Toto. You knew I was coming? Of course. Well, I didn't send any word. It wasn't necessary, Mr. Gerson. Have you heard from Dan and Bob recently? There might have been a letter at home. I didn't go home, you see. I came here directly from the office. Oh, was the message delivered to your office? Yes. You knew about the message? Knew about it? Of course I knew about it. Oh, I see. Is there anything wrong? Well, no. No, I guess not. Well, I suppose we might as well get on our way. One minute. Yes? Perhaps it would be better if I went on the head. As you choose. It would be faster than riding with you. I'll not stop in the town. I'll go right through to the cabin. Yes, I'll see you there later. Good day. Good day, Mr. Gerson. Go ahead, Joe. Get up there! Come on. What matter, team or something? Toto, just a minute. Something wrong? There is something wrong. What matter? Gerson didn't go to his home. How did he get my telegram if he didn't? I sent it to Nob Hill. Oh. Why was he so surprised to see me? Why did he ask if I knew about the message? You put name on it? He certainly would know I sent it. Toto, we're going to the telegraph office. What we do there? I want to see if someone else sent a message to Gerson. Steady, big fella. Come on, silver. Oh, stop. Is that message for you? Nope. Just one going through. Now, cut your sound, eh? Eh, something wrong? You remember when I came here the other day to send a message to San Francisco? Eh, it wouldn't be like you to forget a mask man coming here to send a message. Who else came in on the same day to send a message there? Now, look, that's information we ain't supposed to let out. You can tell me or you can stand back while I go through those files. Now, see you here. I've no time to argue the point. Hold him, Toto. Well, let me go. Hey! Now, look for myself. Look. Find out anyhow so there ain't no use my keeping stillin' that you mess up the file. Bill Barton sent a message that day. To whom? A man named King, that's all I know. It went to a Mr. King in care of Mr. Gerson's bank. King? I don't know what it meant. It was in code. Let me see the message. Don't make no sense at all. Just a jumble of words. Nevertheless, I want to see it. I'll get it for you. Toto, we heard of Mr. King before. It seems that the people in Gerson's bank, or one of them at least, had instructions to deliver messages for Mr. King to Arnold Gerson. That's right. And after Gerson got Barton's message, he came here. Ah, but he not come to see you. No, he came here to see Barton. Is Gerson the unknown power back of the Redwood Monopoly? The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. To continue our story, Gerson arrived at the camp on Cinnamon River after dark. His coach and horses were taken in hand, and he went into the private cabin where the superintendent lives. Sit down, Mr. Gerson. Don't tell me what to do, Barton. I'll stand the sit as I choose. I'm sorry, sir. You said it was important that I come here. Very important. Unless something is done at once, the Lone Ranger is going to learn the truth. Why should he? You've had your orders, Barton. I told you to get the Lone Ranger out of the Redwood country. I've done everything. Nothing would convince him that the Redwood industry is not in control of one man. Gerson, let me tell you something. I went to the extent of taking a hand personally. What do you mean? When the others failed, I myself tried to get him. You tried to get him? Yes. What do you mean by that? I cut the cable from the donkey engine. The Lone Ranger was close to it. I thought it might whip around again. Barton, Barton, you want me to kill you? Stop shaking me. Did you try to kill the Lone Ranger? That's what I'm telling you. Oh, you fool. Oh, you fool. I thought you wanted me. Business is one thing. Murder is another. But you gave us to understand it. Let me tell you something. If you'd injured the Lone Ranger, I would have taken your life. You said they had to be stopped in any cost. Cost, yes. I meant to spare no expense. But murder. What do you think I am? Others have been killed. I heard about them. That's one of the reasons I responded to your telegram by coming here. I want no more of that sort of thing. Are any of the murderers still at large? No. Thanks to your friend, the Lone Ranger, everyone has been made to pay in full. How much does the Lone Ranger know? I don't think he suspects you, sir. But it's just a matter of time and he'll know everything. How did he know I was coming here? He didn't. He certainly did. He met me south of the valley town. Yes, he gave me the impression that he knew you'd sent a telegram to me. I don't see how he could know anything about it. Well, now he will get the truth. Barton, I'm through. Sir, the Lone Ranger knows all you've done to help the West, doesn't he? He knows a lot about me. His young friend is in school, your son. That's right. Look, isn't it possible that you could go to him and lay all your cards on the table, tell him everything? Of course I could. What would he do? He'd make me pay to the full extent of the law. He'd treat me in the same impersonal way he'd treat the most infamous renegade. In spite of your friendship? Yes. Good Gerson, you can't go to jail. No? You've broken laws to gain control of the industry. But you've done it for good reasons. You've done it to help build the West. You can't make a cake without breaking eggs. I have broken laws. That's the thing that'll interest the Lone Ranger. If you go to jail, the entire lumber industry will collapse. I'm afraid so. Your banking house will fall apart. Thousands of people will lose their money. Thousands of people will suffer. I know it. Gerson, you're not going to jail. Look here, I... I have no family. Few friends. If I'm in jail for 10 years, who will suffer? What are you talking about? No one but myself. I'm going to tell the Lone Ranger that I'm the one who tried to steal timber lands from all those people. Pardon? You mean you're going to take the blame for what I've done? Yes. I believe you're clear to carry on. You'll do nothing of the sort. But why? How do you think I'd feel if you were in jail for my crimes? Who cares how you feel? You don't count Gerson. There's a people who depend on you. Forget your own feelings. Who cares if you're miserable? You'll be able to carry on. The banks will run, and the Red Bull will come out of the forest and go into the buildings of the Western Heads. I'm going to the Lone Ranger at once. Don't you tell me what to do? Wait a minute. Get out of my way. Maybe this will stop you. Barton bent over the huge bulk of the fallen Arnold Gerson. Examine him carefully. Art is all right. Just no doubt he'll be all right. I'll take him to the bedroom. Dragging Gerson's weight into the bedroom was a heavy undertaking. Barton finally managed it, but he couldn't get him to the bed. I'll find the Lone Ranger and tell him how to get out of here. Hello, Barton. It's you. I was just going to look for you. I'll come in, Mr. Gerson. He's in the bedroom sleeping. I, uh... I want to talk to you. Yes? You felt for some time that there was one man who was the head of a group that sought to gain control of all the Redwooden. That's right. Well, you were right. I was? Do you know why that control was necessary? You tell me. This country needs churches, schools, houses, bridges, all kinds of buildings. Those buildings require wood, Redwood, wood that lasts. That's true. Some men own timber land and know how badly Redwood is needed. They wouldn't sell their timber. They held out for prices that would have made buildings too expensive. Yes? But that timber had to be cut. It had to go into things that were needed. There's one rule. The rule of what is best for the greatest number. Barton, just a minute. Yes? Sit down at that table and put everything you've told me and all that you've not told me in the form of a written confession. All right. I'll do it. Confession is made of my own free will. A will and a court. And signed by me. Don't sign it. Why shouldn't I sign it? Because Barton, this is not your confession. It is. That confession is going to be signed by Arnold Geerson. No, no, no. Geerson is the real head of the monopoly. It's admirable of you to try to take the blame. But that's not justice. Geerson knew nothing about it. He came here to see me about something else. The head of the monopoly called himself Mr. King. He was in a telegram to Mr. King. I sent one to Geerson's home. Geerson didn't get the one I sent because he came here directly from his office in response to your message to Mr. King. Oh, wait a minute. Come on, Tutto. Get Geerson's name on this confession. Please, please. Wake up, Geerson. Tutto, give us a matter with him. Yes. He's unconscious here. Let me fix him. Water on the face. Fix him. Come, Geerson. I won't let you get his name on that confession. You can't stop us, Barton. Now listen to me. Barton, you fool. Don't take the blame from me. I will. If the loan rates will just listen. If it comes out that Geerson's been crooked, think of the people who will suffer. Everyone who has money in his banks, everyone who works for him. There'll be a collapse of the whole financial structure in the West, lumbering, shipping, mining, banking. Barton, Geerson's position owes it to his country to keep his name good. If he goes to jail, everyone will suffer. But if he dies, he wouldn't be able to punish a man. He'd keep his name clean for the sake of others. They'll now shoot him. Don't try that again, Barton. They've taken your gun. I'm glad you know the truth. You say you have a confession written out? Right here, Geerson. All right, I'll sign it. There you are. There. Witness it, Barton. The bullet didn't injure your arms. You can still write. I'm glad it's over. Now I'm a self-confessed criminal. Geerson, Barton said a lot of little people would suffer if you went to jail. Yes, that's true. I thought I was doing what was best. Whether or not they suffer depends on you. On me? Geerson, I'm going to hold this confession for two weeks. It will give you time to make arrangements so those people will not suffer. Two weeks? At the end of that time, you'll hear from me. Two weeks. And they were busy weeks for Arnold Geerson. He worked later in his office and then even later in the library of his Nob Hill home. His mother worked with him at times wondering what had come over the man. $1,500 has to be sent to Hickory Jones. He'll pay him for the timber he lost in the fire. But Arnold, you didn't start the fire. The man who did it is dead. How many times must I tell you, mother, there are things I want to do without question? All right, son. The next name on the list? Joe Turner. $1,000. It's to him. Here's Sam Seldin. Is there a heavy record here somewhere? Oh, yes, here it is. $200. Make it $500. Bill Blake. He lost his whole stand of redwood. Fire? Yes. Send him $10,000. Or do you want to argue? Argue my eye. I love it. Or would this say you had too much money? At the end of the two weeks, Gerson was tired. But for the first time in many years, there was a relaxed expression in his face. It was evening. His mother was with him. I'm glad you told me about it, Arnold. You know, I felt all along there was a lot of angers in your business that wouldn't stand dragging out into the open. I felt justified, mother. But as the Lone Ranger pointed out, I heard a lot of people. You sure have made it up to them. You know, I've always thought of myself as pretty important. I've often thought that after my death, many people would be smashed because I no longer was able to run my banks, my shipping lines, and all of my other enterprises. But now, well, I've fixed it, so everything will go on without me. Ain't that what the Lone Ranger told you to do? Yes. But he didn't say you had to pay out money to all the timbermen you hurt. Well, I did that because I wanted to. It's a funny thing, mother. The first money I sent to one of those men, I hated it. It hurt to pay out money for nothing. It wasn't good business. Oh, business. Then after I'd paid several of them, it didn't hurt. I wasn't thinking of good business. I got to thinking of how pleased and surprised those men would be when I got the cash. Then I got so I enjoyed it. Now think of the expression on Hickory Jones' face when he saw the money to pay him for the trees that were burned. The face of all Sam Seldon is three kids when I got money to put all the kids in school. I don't know what you're so happy about now. You've got jail ahead of you. Well, it won't be forever. Maybe five years. Mother, I'm going to look forward to the time I come out. I think my fortune will have doubled by then. Think of all the money we can give away. Why, we can build schools and churches. We can bring fine music out here. Yes, we can even build a library. That Bill Barton will help me. He's learned a lesson, too. Oh, my sakes alive, that window. There's something that's thrown in. It is a little stone with a paper attached. Oh, Lord, look, silver bullet. Well, let me see that paper. Why, it looks like it is. The sign confession. He's given it back to me. And here's a note. Read it. I wondered how far you would go in two weeks. That's what the Lone Ranger says, Arnold. I wondered how far you would go in two weeks. You're on the right track now. Prison would interrupt your march. That means he thinks I'm better outside of prison. He's giving me another chance. Yep, that's right, Arnold. It looks like he knew just what you were doing all the time. He says prison would interrupt your march. Well, dawg, on it, I'm here to see that you follow the line. You've set these past two weeks. You do that. You always have the Lone Ranger on your side. You have just heard as a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.