 a horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty hyo silver, the lone ranger. From the hills of Wyoming to the mountains of Mexico, the lone ranger led the fight for law and order in the western United States. Whenever men gathered around the campfire, stories were told of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoof beats of the great horse Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! We're heading for the Rio Grande. There's going to be trouble. I owe Silver! I'll wait! The lone ranger and tanto had found shelter from the storm in a cave less than a quarter of a mile from the Rio Grande. Suddenly, from somewhere between the cave and the river, several shots rang out. There he is, Silver. Tano, do you hear that? Ah, someone shoot. Yes, while they're shooting, there's generally trouble. I wait here. I'm going out and find out what the shooting means. You stay. Tonto go. I'd rather go myself, so that I get my gun belt on. I'll go on foot. Of course, his hoofs make too much noise. Tonto put out campfire? No, let the fire burn. If someone comes here, I'll be outside. Let them talk, and we might learn more about the shooting. I'll have to be far away. Sounded as if the shots came from the south. I'd have to tell, though. When the masked man reached the edge of the woods, he stopped. The sound of running feet reached him, and then the hard breathing of someone on the verge of exhaustion. One minute. Wait. Stay here. Let me go. Let me go. Who fired those shots? No, your goodness. Please, let me go. Very well. I'll let you go. What do you think you're going? Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Oh, what's the use? Let me help you out of that little old young lady. There, now take it easy. Here come. Are you hurt? There's a shelter within 20 yards of here. You can see the light of the campfire. Let me help you there. Hi. Who are you anyway? You don't talk like one of the best of gang. I'm not one of the best of gang. You're cold, aren't you? I was... I don't try to talk until you're warm. Meanwhile, please don't be afraid. We're almost at the cave. Help. The girl's exhausted, Tano. Get some blankets ready and put some food on the fire to get warm. It... it's cold. Are you sure you didn't hurt yourself and you fell? No, it was groundless salt. I sooner hurt myself on the hard ground than spill on that mud hole. Look at me. That's the spirit. And you're concerned about your appearance? It's the sound you're getting over your fear. How'd you know I was afraid? Why would you run so blindly into a woods in a night like this if you weren't? I suppose that's true. Are those shots where they fired at you? Yes. By whom? Look here, stranger. I don't see that it's any of your business. I don't know who you are and I have work to do. Work? That's just what I said. Me got food on fire. Ready. Plenty quick now. Well, thanks for the invitation, but I'm not staying here long enough to eat. Oh, where are you? Goodbye. Let me just... Do you hear anyone? No. I guess it's all right then. They didn't come after me. Thanks for giving me the chance to catch my breath, stranger. Now I've got to go. You are a peculiar girl. And you're masked. I forgot about being masked. Please don't misjudge me for wearing it. I've no time to form any opinion on you, so the mask doesn't matter a bit. Here's your blanket. Thanks for the use of the fire. You aren't leaving until the rain, that's all. Why not? Can't get me wetter than I am. Hardly, but you can get a lot drier. Now sit down. I'm armed, mister. Oh, I see you are. I'm armed and I know how to use this gun. Please don't force me to use it. I like your style so far. I hate like the dickens to double-cross you. But I've got to do it. Double-cross me? That's what I said. I've got to blame you for something I've done. It's the only way I know of. I've been blamed for a lot of things and I'm quite used to it. It will help you to accuse me of anything you've done go right ahead. But won't you tell me what... I'd like to tell you honestly, I would, but I can't. I can't even tell you my name. You mentioned the Bascom gang. I shouldn't even have said that much. Thanks for everything. Don't forget her. Oi, Tana, let her go. I'm going to follow as soon as she's had a little lead. That girl's in trouble. She's terrified. There's something about her face that was familiar. I wonder where our senior or someone who looked like her. Don't remember law, man. Him look like her. Tana, that's right. Now listen to me, Kemosabe. I'm going to follow her. You come along about half an hour behind me. If I get into a trap of some sort, I'll count on your help. If there's anything to tell you, I'll leave a message. Jet Bascom stood at his desk in the living room of the cabin. Two men who bore the stamps of outlaws watched him as he examined the contents of the desk. I guess I scared the crook away before he got anything. Sure that Bascom can't take no chances on having some of the things in your desk get out. I'm chicken once more to make sure. I'm glad you didn't drill the critter. Any idea who it was to try to rob you? No. Jet, you all right? Don't look at it. Where have you been, Marthe? Bed, of course. I heard the shooting and duct. Who was it, Lawman? Reagan's home. Where'd the go? Figured the best thing for me to do was stay in Haydn till I learned more of what was going on here. Wouldn't any of your mind to come with a gun and see if I needed help, would it? Listen, Bascom, I told you when I married you that I was willing to let you go on with your smuggling and all that sort of thing as long as I had all the pretty clothes and cash I wanted. I also told you I wasn't going to live here with any misunderstanding. I ain't to get into no gunfights and if the law catches up with you, it's your worry, not mine. I didn't say I'd marry you and you could count on me to be the loyal woman that'd stick with you through thick and thin. Get that straight. I got it straight. I ain't said nothing about it. All right, then. Don't throw it up at me if I don't come shooting when I hear gunplay. What happened? Well, a proller came in. I heard him and came into this room. Then I reckoned he heard me. He ducked. Got away, you. He didn't get nothing, though, ma'am. Don't matter if he did or not. It's a sign he knows where to look for evidence again, you polecat. Now, look here, Miss Bascom. Even if you are Jed's wife, you ain't the right to... I've got the right to say what I like and if you don't like what I say, get out. That goes for you, too, Jed Bascom. Where's the girl? I don't know. I don't see her from one day to the next. You mean to say she slept through all that shooting? Maybe she's hiding, too. Maybe. I'll go see. Well, you're at it. Find out how much longer she's going to have to stay here with us. I will. I'm tired of her being here, same as you are. Hey, you, wake up! You, I'm talking at. Wake up! What's the matter? Set yourself up in that bed. I hankered to have a few words with you. Oh, it's you, Miss Bascom. What time is it? Can't get enough time yet. Where was you during the shooting? Shooting? You mean to say you didn't hear no gunfire a while ago? I might hear, but I guess I thought I'd been dreaming. There's something wrong. I don't know. But shooting, drunk play, what's it all about? Nothing that concerns you. How's that ankle of yours? It's getting better, thank you. Seems like it's been ill in a long time now. Odd that a spill from a horse had hurt you so. I'll be able to travel another couple of days. I'm sure of it, Miss Bascom. All right then, I'll count on that. I'm dreadfully sorry that I put you and your husband to so much inconvenience. Never mind being sorry. Well, you figure on going when you leave here. Well, when I fell from a horse, I was on my way to El Paso. Relatives there? Good friends, not relatives. I see. You didn't hear no shooting, huh? Well, I... There's something about you strikes me odd. What do you mean? Seems like I've seen you before somewhere. What relatives you got? None. Let me get that lamp and have another look at your face. Oh, but... But what? Don't you like to be looked at? Well, I... There is. Valvered me ever since I first said eyes on you. There. Now look at... Light hurts my eyes. You'll get used to it in a minute. Draw your hair back from your face. Like this? Mm-hmm. Dad rat it. I wish I could remember where I seen a face like yours. You said you didn't have no relatives? None living. I'm sure I've never seen you before. You said your name was Wakefield, didn't you? Yes. First name? Abby. Hmm. Don't ring familiar, no way. Miss Baskham, I think I know it. Wait. I know where you may have seen it. Just wait a minute, Abby Wakefield. Let me see what this means. Your riding clothes wet and mud-soaked. How'd they get that way? Well, I... First rain since you come here's been tonight, ain't it? Well, yes. You've been out of this house. Mud there in the winter. That's how you got back in again, ain't it? I know you'll think I'm crazy. Come on. Talk, Miss Abby. Let me hear what your story is. You got such a bad, hurt ankle that you can't hardly stand on it, but here's your riding clothes and your boots. I know you were anxious for me to leave, I dressed and tried to leave. Mm-hmm. Spilled in the mud and come back, huh? Yes, sir. Spilled in the mud and come back. Had the boots on? Thought your ankle was swelled so you couldn't get them on. Let me see that ankle. Wait, you'll be still. Let me have a look. Just as I thought. Ain't no sign of a hurt ankle. Put your hands up, Mother Baskham. Better gun, eh? And I'll use it. No, Miss Abby. Now I know how you look familiar. It's your father. You got the same chin as he had. Your right name's Abby Watkins, and your old man was John Watkins, a lawman. That's right. He was murdered. You know who killed him? I got notions about that, but ain't seen what they are. He was trying to run down a pack of smugglers. The pack was led by Jed Baskham. Mm-hmm. Paul came here and that's the last anyone saw of him alive. He was found dead. Made to look as if he'd fallen over a ravine on his horse. But I know different. I'm here to get the evidence that my Paul was after when he died. You're a downright ambitious girl, ain't you? You're wondering about it. I'm the one who searched to Jed's death tonight, and I'm the one he fired at in the dark. Now that you've got the drop on me, what you figure on doing? Shoot me, and Jed and his pals will come here on the run. Don't shoot me, and I'll tell Jed who we are. Yeah, I know. You haven't got the whip hand that you think you have, Abby. You're in a bad spot, and you can't win. Now, if you'll take my advice, you'll just take up them clothes, put up that gun, and get out of the window. Travel fast and keep on going. You'll have a couple minutes' start, and if you pick the right horse, that'll be enough. I came here to get evidence against Jed Baskham. I'm not leaving without that evidence. Tell me some more. Maybe you know how you'll get it and get away with it. Open this door. Open it up. Tell him to go away. Wash your hands and drop that gun. Good work, squint. Watch her. Come on in, Jed. I got her covered, boss. Why don't you do it for me? Open the gun and make him friend. They found out who she is. Here, Mr. Take a good look. What's the girl, all right? So, stand up, Abby. What, Kins? I know who you are now. Yes, Abby. I remembered where I'd seen that cleft chin before. Your father had one like that. Playing the hurtin', coming here to get evidence on me. That's what you was doing, Jed. Good thing I had squint go around outside and cover through the window. All right, Baskham. You know the truth. You've got me. Thanks to that man. Yes, Abby. Thanks to me. For a little while, I liked your style. Well, go on. Who's going to be the one to shoot me? 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. When the smugglers learned Abby Watkins' real identity through the Lone Ranger, the girl turned on the masked man. And I thought you were a real man. You told me you were the crook in spite of your mask. Can I tell you that? Yes. So, she's Abby Watkins. Now, what do you know about that? More than that, Jed. Her ankle ain't hurt at all. And take a look at these riding clothes. She was the one that tried to search through your desk tonight. Well, this is all mighty interesting. Mighty interesting. All right, Baskham. You've got me. Why don't you shoot me? Plenty of time for that, Abby. Boris, who is this hombre, anyhow? Yes, stranger. Who are you? If I wasn't on your side, do you think I'd come here and warn you about this girl? Don't seem so. That ain't telling who he is, though. You'll keep out of this, Marfe. And you have a lot to talk about, stranger. Yes, we have. I reckon you're happy to join up with me, huh? I guess almost any man would be better than Chance to join an outfit that's as powerful as yours, Baskham. If he didn't care about staying inside the law. Good. Good enough. I like the way you wear them guns. You look like a man that can handle them real good. I'll manage them if there's need to. Good. Now then, Baskham, I want the chance to talk to this girl. For what? There's nothing to talk about. That's where you're wrong, Abby. There's a lot to talk about. I have nothing to say. Baskham, I came here to get some information from her. That's the reason I've been trailing her. The fact that you've been helped is just incidental. What do you mean? My main purpose is to find out about some friends of mine. And I think she'll be able to give me the information. Go on, talk to her. Alone. Well, we'll leave you be. Oh, another thing. Have you someplace you can hold her captive? Yeah, I don't know. We don't generally keep prisoners here. We... A cyclone cellar or something like that? We got the cellar, boss. Ain't no way of getting there to save from the trapdoor. We could lock her there. That'll do fine. Put her down there and I'll talk to her later. You... Come on, girl. It's down cellar for you. That masked man needn't think I'll talk to him. My lips are sealed and I don't care what's done. I know my life's as good as gone. There isn't anything you can say or promise that'll make me give the slightest bit of information. But get this all of you. Shut her up. You better hear me. Because these are the last words I'll ever say. You're all headed for a downfall. Law's getting harder and harder to beat all the time. You can kill some men. That's my father. Some people like me. But just as sure as a blue sky overhead, every last one of you'll end up on the rope of a hangman. No, where's that cellar? I'm ready. This way. He sure is a spooky girl, isn't he? Gosh, boss. Ain't it a shame a girl like that has got to be so dog-gone, foolish and reckless? Hey, stranger. How about taking off that mask now that you're with friends? I'm not sure yet that I am with friends. Well, it'll make you sure. I'll have to know you better than decide for myself. What was that? Trap door to the syllabion shed. Squidge, you take care of the outside door. Right enough, boss. I'll tend to it right away. Well, Bascom, now that we're alone. Yeah. Me and you can come to a sort of understanding. Can't we? That's how big an outfit do you have? Big enough. How big? I ain't saying nothing about that, but you can be sure I got all the men I need unless I can get a man that's special, like what you seem to be. What sort of work in arrangement you got in mind? Percentage. Maybe it could be worked out. You keep records of some sort, don't you? Maybe. I'll have to look them over. No. Oh, not right now. I wouldn't expect you to show me your records until we know each other. I just wanted to find out if I was talking to a good businessman. You won't find them, Betty. That's all I wanted to know for the time being. Now, what about you? What about me? How do I know what they can't want in you? Where are you from? What have you done? And what intonation do you look like? There's plenty of time for that. I think I'll have a talk with a girl now. Well, help yourself. Where's that half-door? This way. What did you, what did I talk to her about? If there's anything I wanted you to know, I'd talk in front of you. Don't give out much information, do you? You want someone who tells all he knows to be a member of your gang? That's right. Now, but you've got the right answer for everything, ain't you? This is it. Open it. You want me to lock it when you get down there? That doesn't matter. There's a couple of cantors on the table at the foot of the stairs. You got matches? Yes. You needn't think I'll give you any information. All right, Bascom, you can shut the door now. All right, just tell her when you want it, come on. Abby, please listen for a moment. You double-crossing. Wait, I didn't tell him who you were until his wife had found out about you. How won't listen? Martha Bascom had you and you know it. You held a gun on her. But she told you that you were in a spot. You couldn't keep her covered forever and you couldn't shoot her. She knew you were Abby Watkins. She didn't come to a thing. Abby, I'm here to help you. Won't you try to understand? Fine, I'll help you. What did you say? I want to help you. I'm here because you're certain to be killed by the Bascom gang. They won't let you get away from here alive now that they know who you are. They already knew you before I spoke. How did you know? I heard the conversation between you and Martha. You did? I came from the woods shortly after you left me. I heard Martha when she found out who you were. I left word for time. No one gave him instructions. Instructions? We've got to count on him to carry through a part of my plan. But you told Bascom who I was. Before I did that, I realized that nothing could be lost by telling him who you were. Much can be gained because now he thinks I'm as crooked as he is. What did Bascom do? He sent a squint around the outside of the house to get the drop on you through the winter. Then he wrapped on the door. Oh, but now we... Now we have only to wait until Tonto does his part. I think we'll be safe here. I hope so. Once the chance we must take... Safe? Safe from what? Just wait, Abby. We should be here in a few minutes now. Upstairs in the cabin, Jed discussed the probability of the lone ranger joining the gang. That'll be real handy for a squint. I already know of a couple of ways to make first-rate use of them. What's the matter? A newcomer that you don't even know the face of comes here, and you're all filled up with ideas as to how valuable it'll be. Why not? Well, what's the matter with us men that have been with you right along? So that's what's wrangling your squints. And don't go getting yourself jealous of a new man. Why not? You wouldn't want the job I got in mind for him. What's more, I wouldn't want you to have that job. I figured you're too valuable to use up the way I got in mind for the... Meshman. The same goes for the rest of the boys. What do you got in mind? That girl has got to have something to happen, ain't she? We can't let her go free to tell what she suspicions about us, can we? Wouldn't be good sense to do so. All right then. She's got to meet up with trouble of a real dangerous nature and maybe be found dead in a few days. The law will be right anxious to get the one that killed her. Ain't that so? Sure. Especially with her being the daughter of a lawman. Just this. The rest of the hang a man for the murder. Ah. That's where the Meshman comes in. What's the matter? Do you smell smoke? He noticed. Likely food burning. What's the matter with my scheme? The scheme being the fiction so the Meshman is the one to hang. Sounds all right to me. It is all right. Now do you see what the job I got for him is? I got it in the first place. You're not going, idiot. Worried that old Jed was going to let his own men down. All right. Hey, I do smell smoke. Something's burning for sure. Seems to be over this way. Look at that smoke. The flames, Martha, what's done it? Get our things out of there. This house will go off like tinder. Get water for it. Water, get some water. Water won't help. Look at the start. We've got to get out of here. Never mind. Damn, come with me, Squid. Get my clothes. What about my clothes? Take what you can carry and get out. Oh, my clothes. Thanks a lot. I've got to get my pretty clothes. Squid, give me a hand. The smoke is getting bad. Come on. My cash and my records. I've got to get them out. This place is going fast. I'll go down in a minute. Take the box, Squid. Take it and then come this way. The smoke, never mind it. Get over here. My secret hiding place. My eyes burn. The smoke. Grab a hole. The sticks of the wall. Grab a hole. Can't Squid take a hole there. You got it? Yeah, yeah. I got it. Pull. Go through the side. There's it. Take these things. Here, Squid. You better get out of here. Get yourself out. We'll be all right. Hurry up, boys. Slim, take these bundles. You've got to save them. Get yourself. Get to the outside. What is this? The door is fastened. Who done this? It's fastened from the outside. Open this door. Get this door open. While the smoke billowed in dense clouds through the cabin, the three men thought to get the door open. They were half blinded. In the roar of the flames, trapped closer every minute. Then the lone rangers' voice rang out. Come this way. I'll show you how to get out. I can't see. Who's this? You want to get out of this fire trap? Come with me. I can't see you. Come on this way. Come on then. You're all right. Just keep moving. Back doors right ahead. Step through it and you'll be outside where it's safe. This is it. Boys, we're all right, though. He's watering so I can hardly see. It's a mess, man. Go ahead, man. Your horses are there. Hey, there's the girl, too. Yes, I'm here, but no thanks to you, man. We'd have died in that cellar if Tonto hadn't opened the outside door. Who, me, Tonto? Take those bundles from Tonto. What is that about the law? What do you think? You poke at and hide the evidence against this gang too clearly for the law to find. It took a trick to get you. What's this about a trick? Baskin, the only way to make you show the records you kept so carefully was to make you save them from the fire. You mean that... Tonto started this fire to smoke you all out. Hey, my gun is gone. Mine, too. I took your guns while you were fighting your way through the smoke. You'll need no weapons in jail. We've been tricked. A woman's cape. Let her go, Tonto. These men are the ones the law wants. And now the law will have them. The greatest wish of my father's been fulfilled. Thanks to you, Masked Men. The West must be rid of men like these, Abby. Yep. Tonto, keep your guns on them while I ride into town for the sheriff. Goodbye, Masked Men. Adios. You have just heard as a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.