 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust to the heart of Ohio Silver, the Lone Ranger. Years of the western United States, government troops were sent to the new territory to preserve order and protect the settlers from hostile Indians. The officers and their men were unaccustomed to Indian methods of warfare and they might never have accomplished their task if it had not been for the Lone Ranger. It was the mass champion of justice who made possible their final victory and the winning of the west. Return with us now 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 Indians are on the war path! Dismounted and kneeling behind such cover as they could find, a small body of blue-clad men, fired methodically at the swiftly moving circle of painted savages, but hemmed them in. Lieutenant Wade issued a terse command to the troopers. Fire at will, but conserve your ammunition, make every shot count. I think they're getting ready to charge you, sir. Let them come! I can roll up my score to a dozen. That'll be enough. Seize fire. Do you think he'll be back, sir? No, they've shot their bolt. We've seen the last of them. Back to the post, now, sir. In a moment. Sergeant, come with me. Yes, sir. Where are we going, sir? Some of those Redskins lost their rifles. I want to look at them. I was thinking the same as you, sir. Let's have that one there. A sharps! Regular army issue. And no, you think? That Major Clemson was right. The skunks! The sneak and money-grabbing renegades! Indians don't get guns like these unless white men sell them, Sergeant. And whites who would arm Redskins to kill their own kind deserve the firing squad. Tell the men to mount. We return to the fort. Fort Worcester, Lieutenant Wade reported to his commanding officer, Major Clemson. Sharps rifles, sir. New ones. And every Redskinden that band was armed. Six months ago these Indians couldn't have mustered a dozen guns between them. Those they had were flintlocks at that time. But where are they getting them, sir? That's what better men than we are would like to know, Lieutenant. Well, this is going to cause trouble. We can't protect every scattered settlement in the district. We haven't the men. But the rifles to play with, the Redskins will go on a howling rampage. Yes, sir. Better detail messengers. Have them war on the settlers. They can come to the fort until the danger's over. They won't like it, sir. They won't, eh? Well, they won't like losing their tough air, either. What are we supposed to do? Send a troop to guard every ranch house between here and the brazos? We have men enough to hold the fort, and that's all. They'll have to like it. They won't come to the fort. We can't be responsible for them. I'll send men out at once, sir. Oh, wait. Yes, sir. Captain McKay at Fort Desmond and Captain Jurvis at Lathrop. Wired asking why we hadn't sent them the arms they requisitioned. Reply that Hogan and his freighters haven't arrived here yet. The moment they do, they'll get their supplies. But, Major, I understood the wagons had left Carson three days ago. I thought they were... You thought they'd got here? Well, they haven't. I don't know why any more than you do. I expected them either yesterday or early this morning. There's been nothing heard of them since they set out. Sir, do you think they may... I don't know what to think, and I won't guess. If they ran into Indians, well, we won't think about it. It'll be all over. Tell your messengers first. Yes, sir. It's Hogan. They did get through, plain Kevin's. Hogan! They weren't going to get here, Major. Howdy, Wade. Hello, Hogan. Hogan, take a look at them wagons and you'll soon see. Engines! It's on us up for fare. Take a look at the bullet holes. Where did you meet them? Well, ours, out of Carson. Jumped us when we was four in the river. We had a run and fight with them for close to 15 miles. And were they? The Indians as they was. And if they weren't before, they sure are now. Hogan, what do you mean? Look, we had to leave three wagons behind in order to get clear. Well, they couldn't help it. Didn't have no choice. You let three loads of guns and ammunition fall into their hands? I said we didn't have no choice. Just how much of a fight did you put up? Easy, Lieutenant. But Major, abandoning guns... Now just a second, Wade. You soldiers ain't the only fellas who know how to fight. My skinners there don't wear no fancy uniform, but they can handle rifles. And if you think we just turn tail and run foot, take a look under the tarp on that lead wagon. What is it, Hogan? Three of my best men, Major, done for. I don't like to see fellas drawn my pay get killed. And neither do I like to hear anybody hitting my men or cowards. If I wasn't signed to a contract to freight your supplies, I'd tell you to haul them yourself. Lieutenant Wade was hasty. He didn't mean that, Hogan. I didn't know. I'm sorry. Well, forget it then. Want us to unload right away, Major? Find a subtler. What the... Who did that? It's an arrow, sir. There on the floor. An arrow? That means engines. There's a paper around the shaft, Major. Give me that. Yes, sir. Is that writing on it? It is. What is it, sir? What does it say? I... No. No, it's nothing. Nothing. But, Major... I believe I gave you certain orders to carry out, Lieutenant. I... Yes, sir. But they're writing, Major. There's none of your business, I'm afraid. I think you'd better see about getting those supplies unloaded. Yeah. Yeah, I'll get the boys at it. See you later. The Lone Ranger. Two horsemen approach the fort. We're just on time. Ah. There's the Westgate. There's the Grove. Major Clamson obeyed the instructions I gave him. He should be there. Hmm, not seen horse. That doesn't prove anything. He most likely left the fort on foot. A horse would have drawn attention. That's right. Great. I believe I see him. See? They're by that farthest tree. That fella all right. Major Clamson? Who are you? Oh, Silver. Oh, oh, scout. And the man who wrote the message you received today. This is Tato. He shot the arrow. Dismount. Remember, this is a trick I have you covered. Yep, it isn't. The message I received was signed the Lone Ranger. Right. How do I know you're him? Silver. You're hopeful, fella. Yep. That's it, old boy. What does that mean? What kind of shoe he wears? Silver. That's all, boy. These are my guns. Open them. Examine the shells. The bullets. Silver bullets. Yes. And this Indium. What was it you called him? Tato. Good enough. It checks. Now, why did you want me to meet you? No one knows you came here. No one. Good. Major, some time ago, three months ago, General Wheeler appointed three young officers to make a secret investigation. What does that mean? One moment. You must have had reports that the Indians are securing modern arms. What soldier in the territory doesn't know it? Exactly. Well, those three officers were detailed to discover their source. They were told to carry out the investigation in whatever way seemed to them best. Not in uniform, of course. This is the first I've heard of any such action? No one was to know of it. Other than the three officers involved and General Wheeler himself. That was for their own safety. You wouldn't be told of it now if everything had gone as planned. You mean that... One of the three reported secretly to General Wheeler each week. Until a month ago. Since then, nothing has been heard of them. You're telling me the truth? I am. And it's clear enough. They learned where the guns came from. Yes. And died for it. It's possible. Almost certain, in fact. On the other hand, they may have discovered the source, but at the same time, discovered themselves in a position where they could not report to General Wheeler without arousing suspicion. We'll hope it's nothing worse than that. I'm glad you've told me this. I assume it's confidential. Of course. You must have had a reason for it. What? There are more guns in the hands of Indians in this district than in any other. I've had proof of that more than once. Which would seem to indicate that the gun smugglers are making this district their headquarters. Yes, perhaps that's right. And if they are, and the three officers are still alive, this is the logical district in which to look for them. As I said, it may be they can't report to the general. Instead, they might try to get in touch with you. I see. Naturally, they have nothing on them with which to identify themselves. Unless you were told of the situation, you'd no doubt question their story. And how did you learn of this? General Wheeler got in touch with me only recently. I gave him my word that when you'd been told of this, Tonto and I would search for the missing officers. And if possible, the men responsible for the sale of arms to the Indians. Very well. I'll look for that. You heard something? What was it, Tonto? You listened. Nothing. Stick break. If we were over... Silence. Where, Tonto? There. That brush? Huh. Whoever you are, come out of there. Step out before I fire. Don't fire. Don't attract the sentries. It may not be necessary. Follow me. There's anyone there. We'll rouse him out. We know you there. Show yourself. Maybe Tonto imagined it. Tonto's an Indian. He doesn't make mistakes like that. This is your last chance. Show yourself or... There, feller. He's running for the wall. Oh, stand where you are. He'll not stop. If he gets over the wall, we'll never be able to tell which one of the men from the fort it was. Come on. To blazes for the sentries. Bring that fellow down. I'll fire over his head. Oh, sir, I shoot the kill. If he's safe away for the present, I told you to bring him down. And in spite of what I said, I never shoot the kill. You'd better clear our rights. Here's over here, Scout. But I won't be away far, Major. But you'll hear from me again. There's the Major. Back to the fort, you fools. Back to the fort, you fools. 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. The Lone Ranger and Tonto making camp just out of sight of the fort rose before dawn the following morning. The Lone Ranger saddled Scout, instead of Silver, and directed Tonto while the Faithful Indian applied a disguise. When Tonto had finished, could I pass for a settler, Kimusabi? Ah, I am not find you out. There shouldn't be much chance of discovery. Now leave Silver with you and take Scout. Yesterday, the settlers were born to gather at the fort for security. They'll be coming in by the dozens. In a crowd like that, I won't be noticed. And why you go? Whoever spied on us last night, Tonto had a reason. It may have been connected with the sale of arms to the Indians, or it may not. I hope it wasn't. But we can't take risks. That's right. That man's inside the fort. I want a chance to look around. He might possibly do something to give himself away. The odds are against it, but if he does, I'll be on hand. You take care. Right. Here's Scout. Remain here until I return. If for any reason you have to move camp, leave sign that I can follow. Tonto do that. I'll be back when I can. Come on, Scout. Come on. At the fort, others were up early. Among them, Major Clemson and Lieutenant Wade. Febbly, huh? There's work to be done. Some of us have to give up our sleep. Now then, Lieutenant, do you understand your instruction? Yes, sir. Scouting parties are to be sent out in each direction. They'll look for signs of Indian war parties, but on no account are they to proceed so far as to risk being cut off from the fort. Right, sir? Yes, I will. Who's there? It's me, Major. Hogan. Can I speak to you for a second? Come in. That'll be all, Lieutenant. Yes, sir. Well, Hogan, what is it? Make it short, while you're busy. Sure, Major. Aye, sir. You see, sir, it's about them fellas working for me that was killed. Oh. Well, I thought a heap of them boys and seen a sound away. I'm kind of responsible for their dying. Yes. Well, I'd like to give them a real proper burying. Doggone, I suppose it sounds funny to you. Of course it doesn't. I respect you for the way you feel. What can I do for you? Well, they can't be took back to Carson. They'll have to be buried here. I know. If you could spare us an escort, then maybe if afterwards something could be played on the bugle firm, you know, something kind of sad like. Of course. Glad to. Come with me. I'll speak to the officer the day. I'll give him instructions to follow whatever suggestions you make. Well, thank you, Major. Thank you. Got it. Oh, got it. You wanted me, sir? Yes. This is Lieutenant Carter Hogan. Lieutenant, Mr. Hogan's ask a favor, which I'm glad to oblige. He'll explain to you. Give him all the cooperation possible. Yes, sir. Major, I wish I could tell you how... Don't mention it. Come on, boy. Right. What is it, sir? That man, that fellow there, it couldn't have been him. But that horse, I've seen it before. I know I have. A day and a night passed. The scouting party sent out by Major Clemson returned with a word that no red men had been sighted. Hogan's three employees who had been killed were buried. And during the interval the Lone Ranger disguised, roamed the fort at will, suspected by no one, but the Major, who could not reduce his suspicions to a certain date. Tando had remained in camp. And on the morning of the second day, he saw his friend approaching. It's his white friend. Tani! Tani! Kemosabe! Tani! Go, scout! Go, go, go! Tando, I know who's selling guns to the Indians. And I know what happened to General Wheeler's officers. He must have been the games in our hands. You find colors fine? No. And how do you find out? I listened to talk and attended a funeral, Tando. Me, no savvy. I... Look there. To the west. Indians. And there, Tando. More Indians to the south. And they're pouring out of those hills to the north. Tando, there's hundreds of them. Sweeping down on the fort. And what you do? I've got to warn the garrison. Steady, scout. You not take Silver? You need him more than I will, Tando. You're riding the fort later. Not go with you? Fort Worcester's crowded with settlers. Major Clemson hasn't had enough men to hold out for long against numbers like those. He'll have to have reinforcements. It's up to you to bring them here just as fast as you can. How to do it? Here's Silver. I can still get word to the garrison before the sentry sought the attack. Every moment gained now counts. We're depending on you, Tando. Bring more troops. Get him up, Silver! Get him up! Come on, scout! Hurry, scout! Hurry! In the meantime, Fort Worcester already had had his first indication that something was wrong. In the telegraph room, a tense group of men watched Sergeant Bates as he worked without success at the key. Line's dead, sir. I can't rout him. Fly Fort Desmond. Yes, sir. If the line's been cut. Quiet. Well? Nothing doing. I'm going to fly Fort Desmond and lay for both. Major, that proves something's wrong. Just one of them and it might have been an accident. A breakdown. But both is... Sergeant, see if Carson answers. I'll try them, sir. But I got money, sirs. They won't. The scouts found those signs of war parties. They didn't range far, sir. You remember your orders. They weren't to risk being cut off from the post. I know. I know. Nothing doing, eh? I've done my best, sir. Well, that leaves it square up to us. Lieutenant Carter, double the guard. Yes, sir. Wade, I want you to... What's that? Something's wrong. Major, the Redskins are on the way here in force. They're coming from the west south and north. They'll be in sight in five minutes and they'll attack in ten. Where'd you get your information? I saw them. I came here to warn you. Who are you? Your voice. I know I've heard it before. Don't you understand? There's no time to waste. Get the settlers inside the fort. Assemble your men. Close and bar the gates. Do it now or you'll never get the chance. You're right. Orderly. Find the troubler. Sold to arms. Wade, go on the settlers. Yes, sir. Carter, break out extra guns and ammunition. Yes, sir. Tell Hogan these men to get out of the fort. Well, the troopers, summoned by the call to arms, tumbled out of their barracks. The panic-stricken settlers abandoned their belongings to crowd within the walls of the fort. A few short minutes and then a seemingly irresistible band. The Redskins' savages burst into view, howling their fury and charging upon the fort as though they meant to overwhelm the defenders at the first attack. Fire! Fire! The first attack was beaten off and a second and a third. But night fell. Fort Wister was still in the hands of the whites and the Red men had withdrawn to a position of safety. Any orders, sir? I think we're safe for the night. Tell the sentries to be on the alert and tell the men to get what rest they can. Now, to sleep in their clothes with their guns at hand, I want them ready at the first alarm. Right, sir. A lieutenant. Yes, Major. You'd better pray. Pray that we get reinforcements. Major. Me? Oh, it's you. I think you guessed who I am. I've known since you told me you'd sent Tato for reinforcement. You suspected this disguise the first day I came here. Yes. The reinforcements haven't arrived. I expected them before nightfall. I've judged the situation correctly. Reinforcements are our only hope. Sooner or later, the Indians are bound to take over. Am I right? You are. Once inside the fort, every man, woman, and child will be wiped out if they're still here. Of course. I said, if they're still here. If? What do you mean? There is a way to get everyone safely through the Indian lines. See those wagons? Hogan's freighters? There's enough of them to carry soldiers and settle as both. The hope for reinforcements did not arrive. Before dawn, a strange activity took place within the fort. The settlers, after them the soldiers, were loaded into the freighters, and then concealed from sight by tarplands gone over their heads. Behind each driver, not a trooper, gun in hand. With a lone ranger himself watching Hogan, whose wagon was in the lead, at daybreak, the fort's gates were suddenly thrown open and... Now, Hogan, if you value your life, you'll do as you've been told. Keep still and get going. The others will follow. I'll get you for this yet. Get up there! Get up! Get up there! They've already seen us, Hogan. It's up to you when we're to warn them means you're finished. I hope to live to see the day when your scout decorates some engine's belt. Maybe that won't be so long from now, either. Perhaps. But if so, you won't be alive to enjoy it. They're coming. You better rain up. I'll be under the canvas. But don't think I won't be able to do that. Hold that. Hold that. Hold that. Now, wait! You know me and my men? Well, you're friends. Just hold on a second. You, Hogan? Yeah, that's me. Where do you go? Yeah, just down the trail. Why you go? They found out about me back there at the Fort, Lame Wolf. They kicked us out so they wouldn't have to waste grub on us. Let us, too, won't you? We've got to clear out. You ain't going to do nothing to us, are you? You friend, red man, Shell gun. Red man, not hurt you. That's fine. Sure, I'm your friend. Can we go now? You wait. Why pay a face, leave gate open? Well, it's a trap for you. That's what it is. Yeah, yeah, a trap. They're hoping you'll try rushing them. They're all set to blow you up. Now can we go? Let's hope we do. What did the chief say, huh? You go. Gosh, thanks. Thanks, Ahippe. Get up there! Get up! Get along with ya! Get up there! Come on, boy! Get up there, you finisher! Get up there, boy! Come on! So far, so good, Hogan. But we're not out of danger yet. They discover the fort's empty. They find they were tricked. You drive like you've never driven before. Amy, don't forget, you trick them, Hogan. If you do, your red-skinned friends won't. You're in this as deep as the rest of us. I can't. What is this? There's Tata. Hogan, right up. We finish this right now. I think this day's finished. Indian troubles around here for some time to come. Thanks to you, stranger. Tata brought the man from Fort Laeter. Thank him. But it was you who found out Hogan had been selling the red-skins' guns. But you could have guessed for yourself if you'd known that Hogan was lying about having been forced to abandon those wagons outside Carson. I knew it as soon as I saw the many claim were killed in the fight. They were the three officers appointed by General Wheeler. Yes, but I still... Hogan said they'd been in his employ several years. That proved he was lying, because they couldn't have been. And if they were with him, it was because they suspected him. They got jobs with his outfit to prove their suspicions. When Hogan learned it, he killed them and faked his story of a battle to explain the disappearance of those guns. At least you realized that we could use Hogan's freighters to escape from the fort. And naturally, the Indians wouldn't attack them, and they'd bought their guns from them. I see you're bound to avoid taking credit. But I warn you, Lone Ranger. I'll see to it personally that every army post in the West hears a story. Come on, son of... Get him up, Scout! Hello, Silver! How are you? And that you can tie to! Yes, sir. Take a good look at that fella. I have, sir. Then don't forget him. I've sold you thirty years, Lieutenant, and never met his equal. You've just heard of the copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.