 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty, high-o silver, the lone ranger. When the West was young, the law of might makes right, ruled the frontier. But through the length and breadth of seven states, the masked rider of the planes rode his great horse, Silver, in the cause of justice. History does not record his deeds. His real name was never known, but his memory still lives. A man who dedicated his life to the winning of the West. Now let us return once more to the thrilling days of yesteryear, the lone ranger rides again. Melting snow and floodwaters swept over several communities near the army post at Northfield. After the flood had subsided, the government sent food and supplies for distribution to those in need. The tenant's spade Calhoun was in charge of the post in the absence of Captain Curtis. He saw a chance to make some money with the aid of a civilian partner, Squint Merkle. As our story opens, Merkle astride his horse is watching the muddy trail to the fort. When Tonto, the faithful Indian companion of the lone ranger, guided his white horse along the trail, Squint stopped him. Hey there, hold on a second, engine. Oh, oh, wait for a call. I aim to speak with you. You're heading for the fort? Why, you won't know. Anchoring to get some of that army food, eh? Many white men need food, so Indian not get them. No, that's where you're wrong. I'll tell you, engine, my folks are in bad shape. We need cash, bad. And that's why I'm making a proposition to you. What? That? The distribution of the vittles is in the hands of Lieutenant Calhoun. Of course, he does the best he can to serve everyone in turn, but that'll mean you'll wait a week or so for your turn to come, you see? Now, Mia, I've been waiting for some time already. I'll be getting my vittles in no time at all, maybe today. That's good. No, it ain't. You see, these things my folks need worse than food, so I've got to have cash money. Now, if you got any cash, I'll let you have the food that the lieutenant has set aside for me. Me not got cash. You ain't? Well, maybe swap your horse, eh? Me not want food. Well, why didn't you say so? Blast you, I should have known better than to waste my time with the Redskins. Get on your way, there's somebody else coming. Hmm, get him up quite far. Hey there, stranger. Rain up, I want to speak with you. If you're heading for the fort, you'd better wait and talk to me first. I may be in the middle of the road directly to the Lone Rangers camp. The tall masked man was waiting for him, and listened intently to the news he brought from the fort. You saw him take the cash from several others before he stopped you? Not right. But how much food does he think is coming to him, Teller? Hmm, me not know, steady white fellow, steady. When you saw several transactions, you rode past him yourself and he stopped you too, eh? Huh? Teller, whenever a community is stricken like this one, there are men who take advantage of the situation. Then he bad fellow. And the worst kind of crooks. Men who rob the homes of those who are helpless and charge huge prices for everything they have to sell. Next to me, Teller, is if this man who stopped you is one of those crooks. That's right. He's taking money from the people who come to the fort for help. He's promising them army food, and he can't possibly keep his promise. That heat big trouble. What? Tell to see. What did you see? Teller, come back from army post with food. You mean to say that after they pay this schemer, they go on to the fort and get the food? That's right. In that case, Teller, we're going to the fort ourselves. Here's Silver. Come on, Kimosami. Ride with me. While the Lone Ranger rode toward the fort, Squint Merco went there to report to his friends paid Calhoun. The lieutenant was waiting for him in the captain's office. Half a dozen men come here with a slip of paper from you. Squint got their food. Yeah? Meaning you got the cash. Here's the orders. Now let's settle up accounts. What's the hurry about it, Calhoun? We ain't but started on this scheme. I'll take my share as we go along. And I'm sure I got it. Share it out now. All right, then. Seems like you don't want to trust me. I'll feel better with my share in my pocket instead of yours. There you are. Yeah, that's better. I'm afraid you're in for some trouble, Calhoun. I met a critter named Del Sturgis on his way here. Sturgis? Yeah, from Valley Centerway. Valley Center. Do they need food over that way? Sure they do. That's out of our jurisdiction. Sturgis is coming here with the idea that the army will deliver a pile of grub there. Where'd he get that notion? I don't know. It's a darn shame we couldn't get some cash from him. He'd pay a plenty. He wants food for a whole dog on town. I don't reckon we can go much further with the business. Why not? A scout come in bringing word that the captain will be coming back in a day or so. Dog gone. Just when we was got going good. I know, but we made a good thing of it while it lasted. This'll be the wind up then? It all depends on how much food cap lined up. If there ain't enough, you may make another trip. And if he does, we can work the same thing all over again. Here's hoping. Who's outside? That's him. Who? Sturgis. I better scoot out the back door. It wouldn't do for him to see me with you. All right. Stick around though. I'll let you know what he's going. Come in. He is where the food supplies are being handled. Here. This is the place I want them. I'm from Valley Center. The name is Sturgis. Del Sturgis. Valley Center? Yes. We're down right up against it there. And let me look at this map. The sheriff's office is rationing what food is left. Sorry, Sturgis. Huh? That's out of our territory. It's what? We don't handle food for Valley Center. Oh, now hold on, Lieutenant. We're starving. We need food. Can't be helped. There's others in the same fix. We're doing the best we can. Now, just wait a minute. I was told that you'd be handling food for Valley Center. That you'd be able to send men there with a wagon load of it. Who told you that? A man that said he was a friend of yours and said that if I'd pay him, he might be able to fix it up. I don't know nothing about that. If you can do it for cash, you can do it for nothing. If you've got food to sell, you've got food to give. I'll see you here. Just who do you think you are talking like this to me? I told you that... All right, you told me. Now I'll tell you. I happen to know the rat that stopped me. Maybe when the captain gets back, he'll be anxious to hear about you and Squint Merkle. You seem to know a lot. I do. All right, go ahead. Do it your blame, please. See where I'd get you. Maybe I will. Maybe I'll find a way to make Squint Merkle tell the captain the truth. You don't know the truth. No. I can make a good guess at it. And I do know enough to put Merkle in jail if they don't, Squint. The devil. He might make trouble at that. Squint. I heard what he said, Spade. I don't know how he found out about me. There any truth in what he said about making you talk? I've done things that I might be jailed for. You fool. Gosh, now what do we do? Close his mouth. It's up to you. You got a gun, ain't you? Yeah. All right. Follow him and use it. You mean? I mean close his mouth once and for all. The lone ranger and Tonto overtook Delster just as he traveled back toward Valley Center. Hold on. I don't want to speak to you. I suppose you're going to drill me so I can't tell what I know. What are you talking about? Go on. Shoot. That's just about what I'd expect from Merkle and the dirty crook in charge of the fortune. I'm not going to shoot you. Tonto, is this one of the men who talked to squint Merkle? Me not sure. Did you? Yes, you bet I did. And you paid him money? I didn't have none to pay. And I wouldn't if I had. Good for you. Just who are you? Ain't you sent to get me by Lieutenant Calhoun? No. But that mass. Just who are you and where are you from? The name is Sturgis from Valley Center. I've been looking for a shot from Mambush most anytime. I tell you, I'll find some way to show what a crook a deal the folks around here are getting from the fall. Wait a minute. Is it the fall of the government or the fall of one man? One man, Lieutenant Calhoun. But he's working with a rat named Squint Merkle. If only there was some way I could prove what they're doing. Well, I guess I can't. Sturgis, you might be the man I'm looking for. Huh? I came this way to find out just what sort of crooked scheme is being worked with the government food. Come on. I'm riding back to Valley Center with you. That suits me. Tonto, you watch the back trailer. Be sure we're not followed. Come on, sooner. Get out there. Squint didn't report back to Spade Calhoun until the next day. He entered headquarters cautiously, approached the desk and said... Lieutenant Calhoun. What is it with you? What's the idea coming in here this way? Is the captain back? No. Oh, it's different then. I guess everything's all right. I expect you'll be back sometime today. Did you follow orders yesterday? No. You didn't. You mean you let Sturgis get back to Valley Center? I couldn't do nothing else. Why couldn't you? Now look at the mess for him. But we ain't in no mess. That's why I'm here. Well, look at this. Where'd you get that? Valley Center, folks. What? Yep, for food. Listen here. Get to the point. What happened yesterday? Why didn't you get Del Sturgis? I followed him till I was sure I could shoot without being overheard by someone. Yeah? And just as I was about to close in on him and use the rifle. Rifle? I took a rifle so I could shoot at longer range. Go on. A couple of men rode up to meet him. One was an engine, the other was masked. Yeah? Outlaws? I don't know. I talked to the engine before and they read off together the three of them. So you let them go? Sure. The engine kept watching the back trail. I couldn't get close enough to get a shot. Well, where'd this cash come from? That's what I'm getting at speed. I hung around outside of Valley Center wondering what to do. You thought maybe I could sneak in and get Del Sturgis in the night? Yeah? I was still in the outskirts of the town when Sturgis started back here again. Where is he at now? Back in Valley Center. He came up to meet me and first I didn't know what to say. But when he started talking he was like a whipped cur with his tail between his legs. Go on. Sturgis brought his horse to a stop as soon as he seen me and yelled out that he wanted to stay there. Squint, wait a minute, I want to talk to you. What do you want? Look here, I reckon I was wrong yesterday. Wrong? What do you mean? Look here, Squint, the folks in Valley Center have got to have food. Women and children are starving there. We've got to do something. Well, you... I shot off my mouth to the lieutenant. I reckon he must have told you. But it was just a bluff, Squint. So you don't know nothing about me after all? Shucks, no. Look, will you let bygones be bygones? What are you getting at, Sturgis? Well, I talked to the folks this morning. We need food and we're willing to pay for it. I brought all the cash the folks could get together. What am I supposed to do about that? Take it back to the lieutenant and send us some food. You've got to do it, Squint. There's women and children starving. You've got to do this for the sake of the folks in Valley Center. I'm telling you, Spade, he almost got down on his knees and begged me to take the cash. But we can't send them food. Valley Center's out of our jurisdiction. That's all right. We can handle it the same as we did the rest. Split the money and I'll pull stakes and they won't never find me. And they can't prove a thing on me. Squint, you're done all right. Give me my share and then you clear out. Put lots of miles between us before the captain gets back. This is a swell haul to finish up our game with. 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. The government had sent food to the army post to be distributed to the starving people of a flood-stricken community. Lieutenant Calhoun in the absence of the commandant of the fort forced the town's people to pay for their food. The Lone Ranger in Toronto planned to defeat the scheme. Del Sturges from Valley Center, a community out of the jurisdiction of the army post, paid the lieutenant's partner, Squint Merkle, for food for the whole town. Merkle took the money and divided it with Lieutenant Calhoun. Our next scene opened in a small camp outside the town of Valley Center, where the Lone Ranger and Toronto review their plans. We've staked everything on your Indian friends, Toronto. Tonto Gol Sian. Del Sturges trusted us to the extent of taking every penny he had in the world. That's right. Tonto get Indian to help. We've got to count on something else. We figured there'd be more supplies brought to the fort. That's right. That's what the captain left for. He hasn't secured them Valley Center and Sturges will suffer. Tonto Gol now. Fine little beaver crime. You know what to tell them? I'll send you a smoke signal from Pine Hill. Tonto, watch. Here's over. White feller. They'll keep Merkle where he can be found when he's needed. Ah, not that. That's good. Until we meet, Kimosabe. Get him a white feller. Once again, the Lone Ranger raced toward the fort with a daring plan in mind. He questioned several people near the army post and learned that Squint Merkle had left the community. The masked man started out the fall of the trail, knowing that Squint played an important part in his scheme. Come on! Meanwhile, Captain Curtis returned to the army post and received the report of Lieutenant Calhoun. So he doled out the food as best we could, sir. And that's that. Very well, Lieutenant. I managed to secure more food at Red Bluff. We'll have to send a detachment of men there to get it. Yes, sir. Enough food to help everyone through this crisis. Good. You'll take five wagons and mules. Very good, sir. And get to Red Bluff as quickly as possible. Leaving right now, sir? Immediately. I think you can be back here by tomorrow. With the urgent need for food, delay will cost life. I'll start at once, sir. Is there anything else? Nothing further at the present time. Make those mules get along. We've got to load that food and start back at daybreak. Lieutenant Calhoun. Well? Who was the squinty-eyed galoot that was hanging around in the past few days? I don't know much about him. I wanted to join the army, but I told him he couldn't use his kind. Yeah, he spent a lot of time around the fort. What about it? Drive them mules. I want the wagons loaded tonight so we have no delay in starting back. Okay, this will be food now for everyone. It's something to spare. Stop talking and load. And you can sleep here and start back at daybreak. We'll be back by evening mess. One of the scouts? He looks to be. He's riding hard, too. Lieutenant Calhoun. What's the matter? Indians ahead. How many of them? Too many to fight. I hear them. They're coming this way past. They know we've got food. Come on over that right. You see the wagons, pal? Up to the west. They're closing in from north and east. The only way to go is west. Cut over. We can't stop to fight them. Too many of them. If we get to the next town west of here, they'll be running up to help us fight them. Come on. Get up there. Half a hundred Indians pursue the wagons, but the mule skinners last the small, strong, visa-prantic speed. The heavily loaded wagons bounce wildly along the uneven ground. Keep going there. Keep the mules going. It's Black Valley Center. Why? Great drama. Why didn't you say so? What's the difference? When the army wagons stopped at Valley Center, the town's men crowded around, and the Indians retreated. The scout and the mule skinners congratulated themselves on their escape. We couldn't fight the town. Now we're all right. We can ride back to the fort for a guard to get the food in. All right, boys. Unload the wagon. Hold on. What are you doing? Get away from them wagons. What do you mean? Tergis, you again. Sure, it's me. It was darn nice of you to fetch this food so quickly, Tenon. But I tell you... I reckon I went at getting the food in the wrong way, didn't I? This ain't your food. Valley Center, don't get this food. Valley Center's got it, soldier. You can't have it. Now get back or I'll order my men to shoot. Hold on, now, Tenon. I'm the sheriff around here. I don't care who you are. Keep away from that food. We was chased by Indians who brought the food here so they'd be meant to help us fight them. You mean to say this ain't our food? No, it ain't. Valley Center is out of our jurisdiction. That's curious. We bought and paid for this food. I don't know what you're talking about. Oh, yes, you do, Calhoun. I gave Merkel the cash yesterday. He agreed to have you bring food here. You're crazy. And everyone is counting on it. I wouldn't take the chance of trying to get it away from here, soldier. I'm the law, but I couldn't keep the men from killing, if need be, to get food for the folks to home. But I tell you there, we've paid for the food and we're going to have it. I look mighty determined, Lieutenant. There's Quint Merkel. You can ask him. Let me go. You don't give an accounting, Merkel. Sir, is this the man you paid? Yes. He's got our cash. We all chipped in for this food. You, you tug-on fool. I couldn't help it. That mask man got me. Search him and see if he has some of the money bags. I'll handle that. Who's the mask man? What's all our mess that we got into? Say, Calhoun, maybe these folks are right. What's this bag? That's mine. That's mine, I tell you. With the letters D-S on it? That's one of the bags I gave you, dirty crook. So you took cash and promised food. And now they say the hoop food ain't for us. Listen, give me a chance to talk, huh? Lieutenant, there ain't but half of what he paid us here. Where's the rest of the cash? I, I don't know. By some to Calhoun, you look as guilty as sin. Where did you put the rest of this cash? Let me alone. Leave me be. Tell the truth, Merkel. I, I can... You dirty rat, I'll show you. Not quite fast enough, Spade. My hands. The mask man. You can't shoot like that. Buddy, all I did was to shoot away your officer's gun before he murdered the man who could tell the truth. Yeah, he was going to shoot me. My hands busted. Your hand wasn't touched by that bullet. Now will you talk, Merkel? Merkel stole from these folks. He took money he had no right to. That's why I was going to drill him. Yeah, lying crook. Try to kill me, will you? You keep still. I won't keep still. You try to murder me. I'll squeal. I'll tell him the truth. You did get half the cash. You got half the cash from everyone. Sheriff, I'll talk. That's going to jail with me. You got to keep him there so he won't kill me. He'll be taken care of. Captain Curtis, this is a cab. You here? I've been here for some time, Calhoun. Long enough to hear all that was said. Captain, I... Hand over that money. But I... He's got it. He's got it all right. Search him. Hand it over. I, I got it. There, you see? That's what I got. That's all I got. I don't know how much he got. Sheriff, you will see if this money is returned to those who paid him. I sure will. It's yours, Sturgis. And the town owes you a plenty for what you've done. It wasn't me, Sheriff. The suggestion come from the mask man. Captain Curtis, these two men have taken money from everyone who has been issued food since you left Calhoun in charge. You explained that when you brought me from the fort. He brought you? I wouldn't believe you, sir, but thank the Lord you compelled me to come and hear the truth about a man who was trusted by the government. Should I jail him, Cap? He'll face court martial. He'll be dealt with. I only hope that you treat Merkel with equal severity. He'll get all that's coming to him all right enough. But, Captain, are you going to take the grub away now? After you've taken what you need, there'll be enough to supply the other communities. We leave one wagon load here. Captain. Yes? One of us will have to ride the fort for troops to get the other wagons back. Why? They'll need gardens, sir. Add Indians out yonder. Those Indians won't trouble you. Is what they say. The Indians are friendly. They were summoned by the mask man's friend. And they were only following instructions when they forced the wagons to come here. Then it was all of cream up. It was the only way, Calhoun, to bring proof against you, thanks to that man who wears the mask. Hurry! All you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.