 A fiery horse with a speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty hyo silver, the Lone Ranger. During the years of unrest that followed the Civil War, a powerful secret organization called the Legion of the Black Arrow sprang up in the western United States. Its members were to be found everywhere defying the law or using the law for their own purposes, working toward the ultimate goal of revolt and the foundation of a despotic empire. It was the masked rider of the planes who led the fight against this band of outlaws and traitors, and for once his great strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness were taxed to the utmost in the cause of democracy. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of a great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! Run the tail of the Black Arrow! Hail, Silver! The mysterious girl, who had so often aided the Lone Ranger, sent a letter to the masked man. Before he could read it, however, a tall stranger stepped in the trees, holding a gun in his left hand and keeping his right hand concealed behind his back. Drop that letter, mister. One minute. Drop what I tell you. I'm not fooling. I'm dead serious. Drop it. You look like someone I've known in the past. Never mind what I look like. Isn't that beard a fake? That letter. Something about your eyes is mighty familiar. Hello. You remember this man? No. Me not gnome. Look here, mister. Tried to give you a chance. If you want this letter, come forward and take it. And let you with a red skin jump me? No thanks. I'll take it my way. Your way? Right. I wondered what you had behind your back. A bull whip. Did I touch your hand with it? No, but you did a neat job of snatching away the letter. Well, and that's that. I didn't want to use the whip if I didn't have to. I'm going to take that letter away from you. Now wait. Wait? For what? Stand where you are. I don't want to shoot. Oh, dog, go on and stay back. I'm taking that letter and you're not shooting. Don't. While I'm at it, I'll see about that beard. Wait. Don't. Hang it on. Came a zombie. This fellow old friend. Oh, now you know. Arizona Pete. Yeah, it's old Arizona Pete all right enough. I don't expect it'll do no good to ask you not to read that letter. Not a bit of good. How long have you been going around taking things away from people? Where have you been all these years, Pete? Oh, I've been around the country. Heard about you've been in these parts and wanted to see you. That's about all there is to tell. What about the letter? I ain't talking about that. How did you know I was going to get it? I was in town and heard something said that's all. Now I ain't going to say another word. You spotted who I was right off the bat, didn't you? When you used the bull whip. That's why I didn't want to use it. I knew you wouldn't use that. Get on me, Pete. Just as I know that you had somebody's strong reason for not wanting me to read this letter. Watch him, Tonto. See, as he stays here, when I have a look at the girl's message. Ah, Tonto, watch him. It's a long time, Arizona, since trail last crossed. He's been a powerful long time, Tonto. I'm sorry that we had to meet up like this. I reckon the masked man will be downright peepish at me now. No, him not get cross. Him knew all time, you good friend. Maybe you got plenty good reason to take letter. I got more reason than he'd believe. I know what that letter sent him to face. I know the outfit that he's going to have to fight. Now I'd give him my life if I could just keep him out of this night's work by doing so. Maybe you're wrong. But I ain't wrong. Well, Pete, I've read the note. You heard what I said to Tonto, didn't you? Maybe you don't understand, Pete. The girl who sent this has been a mighty big help in the past. She knows what she's doing. She's sent you to get killed tonight, though. I tell you, I know and I'm the only one that does know. You know what? I know a man called Oremus. I know he's downright dangerous. You know where he can be found? I wouldn't tell you if I did. I only know that he keeps out of sight and no one ever gets to see him. But then that starts hunting him, never come back. All the more reasons to start hunting him at once. The longer we wait, the more likely he'll be to learn that we are hunting for him. Oh, now look. Please don't do it, Lone Ranger. Please don't do it. If it was a ton of wildcatchers, it was the fight I'd say go ahead. If you had to stack yourself in Tonto again 20 crooks this side of the Rockies, I'd say you'd probably lick him. If you had to fight anything that's human or animal, I'd stack my guns alongside of yours and ask you to let me help. But this is different. Why is this different? Now look, Oremus isn't like anything human. Well, he's like a ghost. He knows everything that goes on. He knows who's hunting for him and where they are and what they're doing. He probably knew about that letter before you did. The girl who wrote you don't understand. She just knows that Oremus is a name that stands for trouble. Pete. What is it? We were together before. You want to help me go after Oremus? I'd do anything in the world to stop you from going after him. You want to help me go after Oremus? Nothing will change your mind. I asked you a question, Pete. If you are going after him, you can bet your boots I'm going with you. Where do we start hunting the critter? Good. We're going to camp in the woods until midnight. Then we'll ride for town. Midnight? Uh-uh. All we need to make it complete is a rip snort and thunder and lightning storm. And we get that. Cloud come now. Soon come lightning. Then maybe rain. Plenty storm by midnight. Hmm. Well, that'll be just dandy. It's after eleven o'clock. Don't you figure we can start for town now? We'll wait till midnight, Pete. Maybe the storm will be over by that time. Well, storm lasts long time after midnight. In town, the buildings darkened as the hour grew late. There was a rambling house at the edge of town where a lamp still burned in a small living room. A motherly woman rocked back and forth as she talked to an attractive girl. Six alive. I've been taking borders here for close to twelve years, honey. And I heard more problems than you can shake a stick at. But this one of mine is different. They're all different. Now tell me more about it. Maybe I can help. I've told as much as I can. Hmm. You don't want this man to see you. Yet there's no other way you can help him. Well, my six alive, honey. Let him see you. It'll feast his eyes. You're right, pretty to look at. But if he sees me, why? What if he does? I won't be able to help him as I have in the past. Besides, I... Let me ask a couple of questions, honey. I'm too heavy to get around very much, but I've seen a plenty. I can put two and two together. Well... You, uh, sent a letter to this man, didn't you? Yes. You told him that you'd leave another letter with a clerk at the hotel and that you'd tell him where to meet you. Ain't that so? How did you know? I know lots of things, honey. Lots of things. Well, what if you're all right? You told this man to come here. Now you're worrying because he'll see you. Yes. Yet you don't know how you can tell him what you want him to know without letting him see you. You, uh, can't write it down. No, I can't. It deals with a certain man that's mighty crafty. A man that's known around here as Doremus. How did you know that? I haven't told that to anyone. I know things. I told you that before. What else do you know about Doremus? You seem to know quite a bit. Suppose you tell me what you know about him. Sure, I don't mind telling you. Did you know that he runs this town? Yes. That most of the high taxes have been set by him? That most of the cash that's collected in taxes finds its way to his pocket? I know it. Did you know that Doremus has got to score a man released from jail so he can send him back to jail anytime they don't follow his orders? Did you know that he already found out about the letter you sent to the Lone Ranger? What? You mean... That he knew all about it and he's already switched a letter of his own for the one you left at the hotel? Did you know that? No. I didn't think you did. You know all these things. Maybe you didn't know that Doremus has found out all about you, too. He's found that you were sent here from Washington to help the Lone Ranger. He's seen all the private papers you keep in your trunk. There's only one way you could know about all this. The black arrow. You're right, honey. And here's something else for you to hear and think over. Doremus won't ever be found out. I'll tell you why. Everyone that hunts him looks for a man. They never thought of looking for a woman. A woman? You? They never thought of looking right here in town in old Sissy Sparrows' Roman house, and they never will. You here and your husband running the hotel. Between you, you can find out everything concerning everyone who comes to town. Just so I know. Then the Lone Ranger won't be needed. I'll take care of you without his help. Not with that gun, honey. I took the lead out in it a while ago. Besides, you're going to take a little trip. Take her away, boys. Right. Come on, hurry up. Are you still running cold? Never on the run, Jake. I got it. Take her where I told you. And if she gets loose, you know what'll happen to the lot of you. She won't get loose. Wait. One thing more. Yeah? Just remember that you two are the only ones I trust to know who I am. If anyone else finds out, you know what to do with them. We know. And if anyone finds out from any source but me, I'll hold the two of you responsible. You know what that means. Sure. All right, then. The girl knows me. I told her. So now you know what's got to be done. We'll do it. And see that it's done before morning. Tell her in charge of hotel. I am. What are you about, engine? Kind of late to be around. Well, message say, we not come till after midnight. Well, it's sure after midnight. And a wet night, too. What do you want? I'm just locking up. Well, me want message. Message? I don't know of any messages for you. You got message here and me want it. I don't know what you're talking about. Message for a man who wears a mask. Girl, leave message here. Oh. Well, you don't wear a mask. Well, tell her wait outside. Him there now. You get Tonto message. I reckon it'll be all right. Here you are. No. The message, Tonto. Oh, your paper. How many trouble getting it? No. Color and hotel say me not wear a mask. I don't want to give it to me. You got it. That's the main thing. You don't care for the life of the hotel. Why girls say wait late at night? Probably because she didn't want us to risk coming here when there were so many people around. That's odd. What matter? She wrote this in a hurry. It's hard to read. What did she say? She's given us the location of a cave, Tonto. She tells us to go there and search the inside of the place. And what we find there? Something that will lead us to the person who's known as Deremus. Come on, we'll go and see if Arizona is finished feeding the horses. Just a suggestion and a good one. The warm food will be good for silver and scouts. Oh. They're going to say they knew the man in the stable. Yeah. Matt Lantern. I have an idea. Those horses are going to have a hard trip ahead of them. This cave is quite a ways up the side of the mountain. Well, where Arizona's horse? I don't know, but it brings his own in here with ours. Oh, him not here. Arizona. Where are you? In the handset. Arizona. Tonto, don't know if anything has happened to Arizona. No, me take a look around outside. All right. Eddie, Silver. Eddie, you're bad. You can't talk, old fellow. You might help a lot at a time like this. Silver, did you hear Tonto? Tonto, did you call? This is what I think it is. Someone is going to have a lot of trouble. Right back, Silver. Oh. Out cold. I got the tool. Now we'll just have a look and see what this year note says. 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. Now to continue our story. Arizona Pete, an old friend, was to help the Lone Ranger and Tonto, who disappeared from the saddle shed behind the hotel. While Tonto went into the rain to look for him, the Lone Ranger was struck on the head from behind. It was half an hour later that the masked man recovered consciousness. I had no chance to get loose. You ain't coming to me. Tonto. Me here, back of you. What happened to you? I thought I heard you call out. Let me get hit in the head. There was I did. Come to in here. Someone carry Tonto inside. Is there any chance that you'll be able to get free? Maybe. I'll have to work some time on rope. Go wet. Maybe it's stretched a little bit. Well, who knocked us down? I mean, Noam. Arizona Pete? Uh-huh. Him leave message side you. You see it when you look. Oh. And this is his effort to keep us safe. Can you read message? Wait, let me turn a little further. Yes. He says he has a letter from the girl. He's going to investigate the cave himself. And if it is a trap, he'll spring it. Tonto, how can we be angry to men so willing to give his life to save ours? I'm got dick start. At least I remember where the cave is located. I mean, we can get loose, or maybe be loose in a minute now. I've been able to do a thing with ropes on my wrist. Perhaps if I try harder. Now you wait. Let me get free now. I want hand free. Good for you, Tonto. No. No other hand free. I'll get my hip. We've got ropes plenty soon. Hurry. We can only catch up to Arizona. He will spoil everything. He doesn't know that the girl who writes those notes is dependable. Leave that rope, son. Tonto, stand up. Now your hand's free. Good. Your feet. You stand up. You all right? I'm all right. And tie your horse now. Be quick. I'll get silver. Ready, boy? We're going fast. Is that rope untied? Huh? Be ready. Come on, silver. Get him up. After her capture, the girl was taken to the cave. There she was tightly bound and closely guarded as the outlaws discussed their plan. That's tough you're talking. We've got things to discuss. What's it to discuss? I didn't know of anything. As long as I can see everything's all set. As near as you can see. Only you don't know everything. The boys got their orders in days. Sure. They let the lone ranger and Tonto come into the cave. Then when they get back near to here, they'll jump from behind the rubble. Then stand guard on them. Only they don't know what will happen after that. What will? The old woman's not satisfied with this game. She ain't. Well, she has a hunch they're getting hard to handle. She knows what she can do. She's got everything about them written down. She can send them back to jail as she was. Yeah, but she don't want to do that. She thinks one or two of them might have an idea who the boss is. And they'd squeal if they went back to jail. Then what does she want? You and me. We're gonna handle the work alone from now on. Huh? We'll just slip out of here during the night, you see. Then when the boys are all sleeping, long about half an hour, four day break, when they get tired of their card plan, we touch off a blast that's all set. Phew. She can live that, eh? Yeah. She's got to where she is because she don't take no chances. But a couple of these boys are good friends of mine. Oh, maybe you'd like to stay here with them. Not me. All right then. Maybe the blast won't get them all in. No, it will. It'll send about a million tons of rock again the mouth of the cave. That'll be new, but... You shut up. Do you want to be a fixer's gag on her? She'd have known she'd make trouble. She'll yell a warning. She gets a chance. We should have gagged her in the first place. We'll do it now. I didn't want to do it on the kind of hurtin' her. Grad it all on him a weak sister when pretty girls are around. And then this'll keep her quiet. I'm sorry, Miss, that their gag hurt your face, but it's got to be that way. Remus gave us orders about this year, girl. I hate like thunder to carry him out. I hate more to go again to Remus' orders. Got your shootin' I remembered up? Me? If it's got to be done, I ain't got to do it. But hang it all, I can't just... Tide like she is. Well, that will do it my way. I said, just leave her here. Blast'll do the trick for us. If you're sure it will. That their powder is fixed to get everyone that's in here. And a pretty girl will get it just as quick as the men. Can't know them, get out, so... Well, how long can people live without air and food? Arizona Pete finally reached the cave, and the steady downpour of rain and left his horse outside. This here's a place all right, isn't it? Now to see what there is here that the Lone Ranger should know about. Yeah, I know I done the right thing. Nothing like a trap here. I can find whatever they need to find and then go back and tell the Lone Ranger in town. Likely I'll get to them before morning. Yeah, better stop here and light this air candle. The Lone Ranger does get loose and come here. He'll at least be warned if something should happen to me. There sure is a dog going to a roomy place. Can't see how far back it goes. Doesn't look like a lot of men have been around here, though. Down there sure broke up by foot marks. I'll just keep going as far back as I can. Then look around real careful on the way out. I sure hope the Lone Ranger don't feel too put out for what I've done to him. Seems like it's time for that Lone Ranger to get here. He's had plenty of time. Wait a minute. Let me listen. You hear something? I think so. It seems like... Get the rope now! They got him. C'mon. Crap, man. We'll take this. Yeah, he's giving them a fight. What's the matter with you men? Handle him. Get rope. Yeah, I think it's good before I unrope them. I got his arm. Hang on, man. Get rope around him. Here, grab one of this. Full of tight. That's a ticket. Yeah, you crazy fools. You're not as smart as your figures. That'll hold him. Now fix the lanterns and let's see about him. You two go on and watch for that red skin. Yeah, go ahead and watch for Tando. Hey, this don't sound like the Lone Ranger. You thought you could use that girl to trap the Lone Ranger, huh? Well, this is one time that old Oremus' trick fell down. Where is he? I'd like to tell him to his face what a bone-hit movie's made. Anything you've got to say, you can say to me. Here's the light. No mask. Of course there's no mask. You've got the wrong man. Get those lights out. Get them out quick. The Lone Ranger comes and sees him. He'll be warned. Now fix this. That's better. You can have all the light you want. The Lone Ranger won't be coming here. Who says he won't? And I'm the gentle nose. Bring them back where the girl is. We'll leave them together there. Come on, you. So she is in coats with you. And double-cross the Lone Ranger. Maybe you'll have the chance to judge that for yourself. You can stop here. Just sit down on the ground and put a gag in your mouth. First, we'll have a little talk. I want to know who you are, why you're here, and why the Lone Ranger ain't coming. Yeah, you want me to answer questions, huh? Yeah. Well, you can go to Blazers. I got nothing to say. Only this, the Lone Ranger knows about you Uh-huh. We'll see about that. And from now on, I'm seeing exactly nothing. The night dragged on. Arizona Pete wondered that he was still alive. He realized the outlaws had left him and from time to time he heard the breathing of the helpless girl in the darkness. Then suddenly, you keep quiet. Time to get your loose and short time. Now the gag is removed. Can you speak? It's hard. It gets so long. Pete, you're free now. How'd you get here? Keep your voice down. We were about to come into the cave and we heard the fight and we saw the lights. Oh. We waited in the darkness. Most of the men were playing cards and a wall off part of the cave where the light didn't show. This here girl, she brought you here. Wait, let me speak. Lone Ranger, there's to be a blast. All the men here to be trapped. I'm going to risk a life. Wait, I beg you. You can make a light. You can see me, but I don't want you to. You are the girl who's helped so much. To serve my country. To help defeat the black arrow. I can tell you no more. Sometimes perhaps when the black arrow is a thing of the past, you... Well, perhaps you'll remove your mask at that time too. But now, believe me, when I say that it'll hinder our work if we know each other. And time is so short. There's to be an explosion. You and I were supposed to be trapped in it. I see. Only lead the way from here then I can tell you who Dorimus is. I can tell you where to find her, where to get the evidence that she's really hurt. She? Yes, evidence that she's working with the black arrow. That she has a whole county paying huge taxes so the tax relief can be promised by the black arrow. Hello. Need the way out of here. We'll follow close behind you. Shortly before dawn, the leaders of the gang approached the mouth of the cave. One of them crouched, fumbled, and struck a match. Did you find the end of the fuse? Yeah, I got it. I'll have it going in a second. Get ready to run. Good thing the rain stopped. I'm ready. I sure hate to think about the minutes. Every one of them is done murder. This'll be better than half of it. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. I'm ready. The last one of them is done murder. This'll be better than hanging only for the Reagan's. So, man, run. Not too far. To whether or to be sure the thing goes off. Just find that rock over yonder. We'll be safe enough there. Yeah. Here we are. Listen, Lou. Eh, it seems we've seen the cave closed up. Report the old woman. You've been waiting for it. Who's that, you're covered. You've been looking for me? Laske! Lou Ranger! And me too, boys. We met before, remember? It's a one-headed kid. Take their guns, Tanner. Hard on me, do it. Hey, look here, we have never done this before. Hello, I want you men. You're wrong. She came out with us. We ain't done nothing. No? What about that blast? What about the men you've trapped in that cave? Well, we... I... We'll let the fuse burn. We'll let your blast go off. By the time those men have been rescued by the sheriff's posse, we'd be glad to tell all they can about you two. And perhaps you two will tell a few things about Doremus. And whenever one gets through with telling what he can, the law will have a fine parcel of crooks to deal with. There it goes. That'll hold the prisoners until the law can take charge. And, Pete, you wanted to run things your way tonight. Oh, now look, mister, I was only... I know, I know. Well, I'm going to count on you to keep these two crooks here while I ride for some men. But the girl's already going to get the sheriff on the posse. Yes. We'll need more than a posse for digging out those men. Let's look. I'm going to get the army. You stand guard until it comes. Well, I sure will. Get amongst count. Well, well... The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.