 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the masked rider of the plane fought crime and criminals throughout the early western United States. But he never condemned a man until he was certain of his guilt. The Lone Ranger was known as a champion of fair play, and he was always willing to give the man who deserved it a second chance. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the Great Horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Circumstances, the arrival of the stage in New London would have attracted a large crowd. But today, when they had seen there were no passengers on board, the townspeople went on about their business. Young Steve Archer, the driver, sat his face into grim lines and pretended not to notice as he drew the stage to a halt in front of the station. Whoa, whoa there. Whoa, whoa, whoa there. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Have a good trip, Steve. There, Barney. Here, Ed. Driver on back, will you? I reckon. What's hailing you, Steve? A dispo. Get up! Get on there! Now, don't go letting it get under your skin, kid. I don't guess things are as bad as you're figuring. How would you like to make a whole trip without regard riding on the same seat while you're saying the word, less than he had to? Chuck, Steve, you know how it is he never was sociable. It ain't only him. Where's the folks that used to come around just as soon as they seen the stage hit town? Look at him. Steering clear of me like I was poison. Now, don't... Look, Barney, I ain't saying I don't have it coming to me. Sure I have. I admit it. All I'm asking is, how would you like to be treated the same? I wouldn't like it. Of course I wouldn't. Well... But I sure wouldn't let folks have it. It was getting me riled. It's the pleasure of seeing a fellow get mad that keeps folks pestering him. Oh, don't let on and they'll leave you alone. That's easy to say. Steve, son, listen to me. Yeah? I ain't nothing but your power by abduction. You was the son of old pardon, and when he got killed in a range war, when you wasn't more than a couple of years old, I took on the job of bringing you up and breaking you to harness. You've done more for me, Barney, than I'll ever be able to pay back. I ain't asking you to be paying back. All I'm wanting to know is whether you think I ever give you bad advice. Of course you haven't. Then do like I say this time, won't you, son? You mark my words. It won't take long for folks to get tired acting like they are. You wait and see. Maybe. And you wouldn't want Jean to think you ain't man enough to stand up to him, would you? She ought to hate me. Well, she don't. And I'm still hoping... Huh? Hoping what? That you and my girl will be getting hits like I always planned. That's just the one thing needed to make me the happiest ombre between here and Frisco. Barney, you're square. If I was you, I'd have fired me a long time ago. This is my stage line. You're working for me, and any firing I do will be for cause. You've had reason. I'll be the judge of that. Oh, hello there, Ed. Got the horses on hits? On hits? In the staples, Mr. Evans. Better come round back with me and check over our load. Sure. Coming along, Steve? I'm going across the street. To the cafe? Uh-huh. Now, what do you want to go there for? To find the answer to something I've been thinking over. But, Steve... So long, Barney. See you later. Steve, the answer to what? I'll tell you that when I've got it. Howdy, fellas. Had a mighty good trip today. Heard some news, too, down Washow Way. I... Well, can't nobody say nothing to me? What's the matter? You fellas deaf? Well, then don't talk. Barkeep, give me a shot. This'll pay for it. How's business been, Barkeep? Many cow punchers in town these days? Didn't you hear me? I ask you a question. What's that a laugh about? Barkeep, I said I ask you a question. Blast you. Take your liquor and go to places. You can all go to places. You lads, you hide in your seek. Every last one of you. You think I care whether you talk to me or not? You think I give a hood what you fellas think? Go on, knock like a bunch of wooden engines. Act like I wasn't fit to be living alongside you, you sneer and pole cats. I don't care, do you hear me? I don't care at all. Don't care at all. What was that news you picked up at Washow, friend? I'd like to hear it. What's that? I said I'd like to hear your news. You're willing to talk to me? Why not? That's a funny question. You're a stranger here or you wouldn't have to ask it. Shucks ask any of these fine fellas here. They'll tell you why you shouldn't be wasting words with me. Sure, they'll tell you and be glad of the chance. I'm not interested in what they have to say. Then you better not. Sure. You're speaking to me? That's what I aim to do. Who are you? I'm the owner of this cafe. Maybe you better be put straight on something. Folks in this town don't talk to this yellow pole cat, savvy. What is that to do with me? The point is, stranger, if you do too much talking with him, then maybe folks who get the idea you're his friend, see? And that wouldn't be, wouldn't be such a good thing for you. You're trying to tell me what to do? You can buy the down to that, I reckon. And understand this. I'll choose my own friend. Wait. Well? I savvy what you're doing. You're being friendly because these other folks ain't. You're decent. But maybe you'd better know the truth about me. Then there won't be no call for you. They can, in bed, just on my account. You don't have to say anything. Well, I will. I'm yellow, stranger. Just like Brad here says, I must yell as a curdog, without no more backbone than a rattlesnake. I'm the kind of car that lets out alls hold up his stage without fighting back. I'm the kind of a dirty dog that lets his stage be robbed, so as a finest fellow in the world, a fellow that adopted him and gave him a home and a job has to make up the loss out of his own pocket. You drive the stage? That's what I did up until the day. But I ain't no more, I'm clearing out. I'm going so far nobody from around here will ever see me again. And, stranger, while Steve's making tracks, I'll be getting hitched to Barney Evans' daughter. Gene will be getting a man for a husband, not a rabbit scared of his own shadow. You're trying to... I can't never marry Gene. But, Brad, if I ever hear you bothering her, I'll come back from wherever I am and whip you to within an inch of your life. Strong talk from a yellow- I'll show you. You can start making tracks now. Look here. Now, I said, get moving before I start helping you on your way. If you're a gun and you're hosting, this man isn't armed. He ain't armed because he's scared to put up a fight. He quit carrying his shooting iron just to stay out of trouble. There's nothing but a trick, and I'll show him that he can't... You'll show him nothing. Steve, leave the cafe. I don't want to. Leave it before there's trouble. Blast it! What call have you got to come button in here? Here you go. Enlighten it. I ain't asking nobody to fight for me, stranger. There won't be a fight. We're leaving together. After that, you can do what you wish. Come on. All right, stranger. Mr. If you're smart, you'll leave town with Steve, too. Let's not draw yours, won't save your hide the next time we meet. Steve Archer did not know that the stranger who had come to his aid in the cafe was a famous lone ranger in disguise. When they reached the street, he parted from his newly found friend, hurried to the home he shared with Barney Evans and Barney's daughter Jean, and began to pack. He rolled his few personal possessions into a blanket, tied them securely, then tried to leave the house without being seen. As he crossed the porch, however, Jean hailed him with... Jean. Oh. Oh, howdy, Jean. Jean, that bed, though. Where you going? No place. You're leaving. No, that is I... Steve, you can't fool me. I know you're leaving. I hurried home as fast as I could to stop you. You hurried home, Jean. But how'd you know? I... Bread told me. Bread? He told me and... and laughed about it. Well, I... I'd better be going, honey. No, Steve, you can't. That's why you're mistaken, Jean. It's all I can do. I found that out just now. I... I don't understand you, Steve. No? What is it? What's got into you? What's happened to change you so? Steve, can't you tell me? Ain't nothing to tell that I know of. You weren't like this a month ago. I didn't know that I've changed any. Oh, but you have. You... Well, a month ago, Steve, you'd no more thought of running away from trouble than you would have thought of turning crooked. Steve, your heart changed. You let people insult you. Men like bread and... and do nothing. You won't even carry a gun. Reckon, you're just beginning to see me like I always was, Jean. No, no. Now, if you let me by... You... You'd go without saying anything to Father? Well, I planned on saying goodbye. Explain on how things stand. But this is the best way to do it, I guess. Barney just argued. It'd just make it worse for both of us. I'm going. That's final, honey. There's... There's no use talking about it. Please. Goodbye, Jean. Don't, Steve, don't. Stay there, boy. Nothing to get nervous about. Just a bed roll. Steve, don't wait till Barney gets close. I'm sorry. Get up, boy. Get up. Come back, Steve. Come back. Get up. Get along there. Mass. I've been waiting for you. For me? We're going. Well, we can talk. Follow, Silver. But I... You have no choice. You're coming. Well, you want you and us. Come on, old fellow. The Lone Ranger led the way from town, leaving the trail and guiding Silver toward a woods not far distant. There, he drew his great white horse to a rearing halt while Steve followed his example. Rose, over. Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Oh, man. Now what? Get out of the saddle. There's some things to say. Your voice seems as if I've heard it somewhere before. I've got it. You bet I've got it. You're the crook that's been holding up my stage. He looked like me. You must be him. You both wear the same kind of a mask. Our horses were alike. Well, you might have more than one horse. And was the stage robber my build? Oh, I'd have said he was a might shorter. But that don't mean I couldn't have been mistaken. I'm not the stage robber. You can believe me or not. It doesn't matter. Why'd you say you want to talk to me? Steve, I've been in this district for almost a month. I've been here ever since I heard that the sheriff had been murdered. What do you know about that? More than the people in town know. But I... I came here with a friend to learn two things. Who murdered the sheriff? Who'd been robbing the stage. You did. We discovered several interesting facts. One of them concerns you. The strange thing, Steve, but you haven't carried a gun since the night the sheriff died. I... you can't say that for a fact. I can say it for a fact. We've checked on it. What's more, Steve, until that evening, until you took the stage out on your run that day, you were the kind of man who stood up to trouble. When you came back the following day, you changed completely. You discarded your gun. You dodged every kind of violence. Three times your stage was held up and you did nothing. Well, a driver ain't supposed to fight off crooks. That's the guard's job. Perhaps. The fact remains, however. That up until the time the sheriff was killed, you would have thought whether it was your duty or not. What are you getting at? The same night the sheriff was murdered, you were riding the stage alone. Well, Ed wasn't feeling good. We couldn't find nobody to take his place. I know. I'd like to know what you're up to. I told you two things brought us here. The robberies and the murder. Right now, something else interests me even more. Yeah? I'm interested in making a man out of a coward. But... I'd like to know just what it would take to make you the man you were before these last few weeks. If that's all you got to say to me, you might just as well let me ride on. You're wasting your time. Doesn't the opinion of your foster father matter to you? You're wasting your time, I tell you. No, Gene's opinion? I don't want to hear about it. And I have just one more question to ask you. Ask it now. Get on my way. You're not a thief. Whoever said I was. You had no reason to hate or fear the sheriff. What? So, Steve, when you met the sheriff on the trail, why did you kill him? 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. How to continue our story. The Lone Ranger met Steve Archer after he had left his foster father's home and accused the young man of having shot the sheriff. Later, the masked man rode alone into the hidden camp he shared with his faithful Indian companion, Tonto. Who's over? Who, fella? Who, boy? You take off disguise. How old are the disguise in town, Kimosabe? I used my mask later, though. Oh. I've been talking to young Steve Archer. Um, what him saying? We've been on the wrong trails, Otto. The talk I had with him explained a number of puzzling things. We know that Brad Newman, the owner of the cafe in town, is a road agent who's been robbing the stage. Uh-huh. We find where him hide loot. We've got all the evidence against him we'll ever need for a conviction. Uh-huh. When we examined the trail, well, the sheriff was killed, however. We found signs showing that the stage had stopped at that point and not right. And yet, Steve had never reported the fact in town. Didn't seem possible that he'd hide it, unless there was some connection between him and Brad. What else do you find out? Now, though, the night Steve drove the stage down that trail, he was alone and nervous. He'd been warned to watch out for a masked thief. Uh-huh. He heard a shout to pull up. He looked, saw a man standing beside the trail wearing a mask. He reached for his gun and shot. Brandfellar wear a mask? No. The man fell. Steve rained up. When he climbed down to see who the holed up man was, he discovered he'd killed the sheriff. Then sheriff wear a mask? That's just it. By the time the stage had halted and Steve had walked back, the mask was gone. That heep strange. Steve knew the sheriff was honest. He couldn't have been the stage robber. Later he remembered that it hadn't been the sheriff's voice he'd heard command him to stop. Oh, he was frightened at what he'd done and panic-stricken. Otherwise, he'd have investigated further. He didn't dare report the killing, because there was no way he could explain how it had happened. Not plenty bad. I think I know how it happened. How that? The sheriff must have been on Brad's trail. Somehow, Brad found out. He captured the sheriff, put a mask on him, then made him stand at the side of the trail. Maybe. You're right. I'm sure of it. Brad must have shouted to the stage from behind cover. He knew Steve would see only the sheriff, and knew Steve would shoot. Then Brad, him real killer. It amounts to that. Steve fired the shot, but Brad was responsible. That's why we made a mistake. We've been trying to find out the connection between Brad and Steve before we acted. All the time, there was none. Now, what do? Tato, that accidental shooting is what has changed Steve. Some men can kill, and it doesn't bother them. Others hate taking life. Steve is like that. When he found he'd killed the man, he quit wearing his guns. He lost his nerve completely. The stage was robbed several times afterwards, but Steve couldn't shoot. Because every time he thought of shooting, he saw the face of the man he'd killed. It's not him, Paul. Yet some way has to be found to rouse him, to stir him to action. If we can do that, I think he'll be the same man he always was. You got a plan? You must have a man who won't defend himself, can sometimes be forced to fight for other reasons. Isn't that right? Steve hates Brad Newman and loves Gene Evans. And those two facts are going to make him realize that an accidental killing can't make a man a coward and keep him one. Steve, after his talk with the Lone Ranger, rode slowly toward the west. The masked man returned to town after night had fallen and talked with both Barney Evans and his daughter, Gene. Then Gene mounted and rode with the masked man to the other side of town. There's no light in the back of the cafe. There seldom is during the evening. Sal and I have watched the cafe closely for the past three weeks. Oh. We've kept track of all of Brad's actions. He stays downstairs at the bar until time to lock up. There isn't a chance in the hundred that he'll go upstairs until he's ready to go to bed. I'm praying he won't. You'll be safe in any case. I'll remain on hand to see that you come to no harm. I'm not afraid. Brad will go to jail no matter what happens. But if he should go upstairs too early, it'd spoil our plans. We can't let that happen. We can. Oh, you'll not worry about it. Our only present danger is the guard. Brad keeps stationed upstairs. You think you can handle it? He won't be looking for anyone to come up the rear stairs. They're seldom used. I don't think we'd better ride much closer. Head for that barn. We'll leave our horses in those shadows. Yes. This'll do. Oh, oh, silver. Oh, woody. Come. It's so dark. Follow me quietly. The stairs. They'll be noisy. Climb as carefully as you can. There's a porch above and a door opening on it. Is it locked? The lock's broken. Don't talk. There's a broken board on the porch here. Careful. I see a light inside. It's in front, down the hole. The guard's there. The door. It's not locked. No. I'm going to open it now. Stand back until I tell you to follow. If the guard sees me too soon, they may be shooting. Oh, please be careful. Now. That'll be shorter. What? Your covers. Make a noise and I'll fire. Don't, Gene. Come in here and hurry. At the same moment that the masked man and Gene Evans made their entrance into the second floor of the cafe, Steve was sitting close to a small campfire. He stared long and bitterly into the dancing flames until his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a swiftly approaching horse. Now, who can that be? Don't reckon Barney would have followed to bring me back. Well, I'll be doggone. A red skin. Howdy, Injun. You, you fellow named Steve Archer. Sure. Sure, that's me. Why? Here, paper. You take and read. What do you got there? You, you read. A note. Injun, where'd you get this? Ponto in town. Here, call. Talk fast, Blasted. Ponto, look up. See window open. Girls, look out. Gene, her drop paper. Tell Tonto, find you. Brad, the rotten crooked sidewinder. What matter? There ain't the time to tell you. Come on, fellow, we're riding to town. We ride too. Then you'll have to travel. Get up there, boy. Get him up, Scout. It was nearly two hours later when Barney Evans entered the cafe. His face was drawn into a worried frown. His eyes sought out Brad Newman, standing in conversation with a group of men at the bar. But he strode toward the cafe owner with resolute steps. Brad. Huh? Oh, howdy, Barney. Barney, you look like something's upset you. It has. Brad, where's my daughter? Where's your... Hey, what are you asking me for? Because I aims to find her. Well, I ain't seen her. I think you have. Say, are you local? No, blame well. I don't allow women folks in my cafe. She said she was coming here. She said she wanted to talk to you. I said I ain't seen her. Hold on, Barney. I got reason to think she's found out something about Brad here that he wouldn't care to have known. And that being the case, I wouldn't put it past Brad to do something to keep her from talking. That ain't so. No. What could she know about me that I'd give a hoot about? She didn't tell me that. And don't be saying things you can't back up. If you're looking for your girl, you can look someplace else. I had nothing for her. Steve, come back to town. Didn't think the yellow skunk would have the nerve. Who's the engine with him? Steve! How away is it that I got business with Brad? What, what? I thought I told her to stay out of my cafe. You rotten skunk. Stand back. You got Gene locked in upstairs. You're holding the prisoner. That's all I... I'll show you. You... Steve, watch out. You ain't armed. He'll kill you. No, he won't. Brash your rest in yourself, man. You don't shoot him. There's plenty of places where you're gunned. I'll fix you. No, no, no. That Steve was shot. If you see him jump, Brad's gone. What happened? Bear hands. Give it to him, Steve. Come on, Brad. What's wrong? Get on your feet. No! No! There! No! Get up. Come on. I'll give a stuff up. That's enough. I'm asking you to kill him. He's got a coming. I can't have Gene. He's got a lock in upstairs. Then go after it. Come on. This gunk is coming with us. Get on your feet. She ain't here. She ain't here. Out the stairs. Hey, what's this all about? I'm going to trail along and find out. Your head is for Brad's office upstairs. Well, that's where he keeps his check. Where's the fellow you always has on guard up here? Again, hold up. Gene, are you there, Gene? You'll get loose, honey. You're a cold cat. So she wasn't here, huh? It can't be. I don't know anything about it. I tell you. I'm locked. That's all, sir. I'm getting it. Steve, father! Are you all right, honey? I'm all right now. I ought to know more. Well, I'll take care of Brad, Steve. Brad, open your safe. I won't. You can't open it. He just paid. That's where he's hidden the things he's stolen from the Steve. You'll open that safe, Brad, or I'll give you another beating. Blast you! Well, that's why Brad locked the girl in. He was robbing the stage and she knew it. But Steve, how'd you know for sure that Gene was here? She got a note to the engine, and he brought it to me. Ain't that right, honey? Yes. Funny if she could get a note out of here that she couldn't have hollered loud enough to bring help. It was Steve's place to find me. Not anyone else had had to be him. Now look inside the safe. There's evidence of him watching. And he didn't get all that cash from the cafe. All right. Here got me. It was me, Rob, the stage. But I never had nothing to do with the girl being here. I swear I didn't. I know that's too thin. You can explain about that when you go to court. Wait, I'm telling you the truth. I said... Steve, I'd like to know one thing. Yeah? Will you stay in New London or do you still plan to leave? He's staying, mister. If folks don't think I'm still yelling. After the way you let in the bread and him with guns in his hands, not on your life. If that's being yell at him, that's the color for me. He brought Steve back. Showed him he still had courage. He needed only something to awaken him. He'd fight for you where he wouldn't fight for himself. When they took Brad to jail, he confessed that he forced the sheriff to stand out on the trail the night Steve shot him. Look at Steve and Father inside. They're both so happy. Ready to go, Tyler? Ready. But wait. That guard, the one Brad had upstairs. What happened to him? Will he say anything? Don't worry about him. He's riding away from town as fast as he can. We couldn't prove he knew his employer was a stage robber. But it was easy to convince him he should leave this district for the good of his health. Two people will ask me questions. How I got upstairs, how Brad took me prisoners? Make any answer you believe right. Remember this, however. Okay. Brad got only what was coming to him. He'd have been arrested in any case. Tyler and I had learned the stolen goods and money were any safe. A report to the law would have sent him to jail. I know. And Steve's awakening has justified the means we took. Come, Tyler. Where you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.