 A horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the lone ranger. In the early days of the Western United States, outlaws roamed the new territory and defied the forces of law and order. It was not until the masked rider of the plane started his great fight for justice that the honest settlers knew the blessing of peace and security. The lone ranger's strength and courage is daring in the face of danger and his devotion to the cause of right against might. These were the forces that finally made possible the winning of the West. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. Come out of the past come the thundering hoof beach of the great horse Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Come on Silver! We're heading for Elkhorn Basin. It's going to be tough. Day in and day out, Matilda Prindle sat in the rear of her husband's general store, rocking and knitting, as Abe waited on their customers. One morning, Tonto, the lone ranger's faithful Indian companion, entered the little shop. Abe greeted him and... Good morning, Juyi Engine. Good morning. Oh. Oh, now can't you say a few words more? What's your name and where are you from? Breaking your strings in Elkhorn Basin, ain't she? Uh, me, stranger. Me, Tonto. Well, Tonto, what do you want? You got sugar. Matilda? Yes, Abe. We happen to have any sugar in stock? Can't tell just yet, Abe. Ask the Redskins something more. So, you say your name is Tonto, huh? That's right. Now, let me see. What further did you want this sugar? I want it for horse and him fine horse, like sugar. Hear that, Matilda? It's all right, Abe. We've got the sugar. Let him have what he wants. Heh. Thought you'd say that. Ain't no more in the store, though. You'll have to go get some out of the barrel and back. Heh. Heh. You shabby Tonto. My wife there. She can't see nothing. Oh, her blind. My eyes can't see. But I reckon I can see a lot with my mind that other folks miss us. When a stranger comes in, she can tell just by his voice whether he's honest or crooked. Yes. That heap good. She listens, and if she says we got what that Umbry wants, then it means he's all right and his credit is good if he ain't got the cash handy to pay with it. But if she says he ain't on the level, then he can't get no credit at all. Oh, me pay cash. Cash? For land? You hear that, Matilda? Hey, Buco, get that sugar down up before he changes his mind. How much you want? Mm, he want five pounds. Yeah, sure. He five pounds. Cash money. Golly. Sit down if you'd like to, Tonto. Oh. Uh, you're... Huh? Now, who's this? Uh, who's running this door? I want some to back in. I'm in a hurry. Come on, old lady. Get up on your feet and trot it out. Yes, sir. I'll get it. My husband's busy, but I'll get it for you. I know just where to put my hands on it. Give me two plugs. He ain't been here before, have you? What's that to you? Now, give me that tobacco and stuff to talk. Yeah, I'm getting it, and just a second, huh? Well, not there. It's on the shelf below. What's the matter with you, huh? I thought you knew where it was. Can't you see? No, I can't. That's so. And what rights you've got running the store? The body's got to make a living. Here's your tobacco. Thanks. Just put it down, huh? I'll pay you next time I'm through this way. Oh, but, mister, I... Reckon this will teach you how to not be running the store. Please, I... Maybe next time you'll know better. Well, goodbye, and thanks again, old lady. You stop. Well, go on if it ain't a redskin. What's hailing you, engine? You'll not take tobacco. No. Say, you sure got your nerve, redskin, talking to me that way. They're staying aside if we're tempted to bust you away. Hey! Let go! Do what come to say. Why, you... Leave tobacco. My arm, you're busted. There's a dog on the back. You know, let me go, won't you? All right. You go now. Yeah. Well, I'll teach you. Reckon! No, you go. Don't hit me again, huh? Just leave me, pick up my gun. You'll not pick up gun. You'll not need it. You go. All right, all right. I ain't gonna fight with no low-coinsan. I'm a-coinsan. Here. Here, gun. You take it. Gracious takes a life, Tom-Tom. Easy sugar, engine. What was that shouting I heard? What was all the noise about? Oh, a crook coming in and asking for some tobacco. And when I gave it to him, he wasn't gonna pay for it. If it hadn't been for Tom-Tom, he'd have took the tobacco and gone. She is. That's all. And him, deep gun. You take it. I go leave. Abe. What? Oh. Matilda, what's the trouble? This gun. What about it? Abe. Abe, look at it. Tell me what's carved into the handle. My fingers wouldn't lie to me, but tell me. What do you- Well, aren't we? Is it- Is it- Matilda, this is Kurt Shulton. Oh, I knew it. I knew it. It is his initials. Here they are. Carved just like when he put them there. Oh, boy. Abe, how did that man get this gun? How could he have took it from Kurt? Do you think maybe- Maybe he killed him? Matilda, are you certain, sure that wasn't Kurt was in here? Oh, no, Abe. That wasn't Kurt. That wasn't my boy. I had no Kurt's voice anywhere, any time. I've been hearing it. I've been hearing it every night. And whistling to me just like he used to. I'll never forget the way he used to whistle. Oh, Susanna. No, Abe, that wasn't Kurt. Then what'd he do with Kurt? We only knew. Where is Kurt? How'd that fellow come by our boy's gun? What- What's our boy been doing all these years since-since him and me fought? Matilda, if I could only reach him and tell him to come back home, I'd-I'd be the happiest man alive. Tonto left the store and rode to the camp where the Lone Ranger was waiting for him. One glance at the Indian's face and the masked man knew something was wrong. Tonto, I can see you've brought news. What is it? A young fellow named Kurt. Maybe him get killed. Kurt? Him son, fellow run store. Yes? Him leave home long time ago. Tonto, you must mean Kurt Prindle. How did you happen to hear about him? Tonto take gun from fellow. Feller get gun from Kurt. You mean he had a gun that had belonged to Abe Prindle's boy? That's right. You took that gun from someone? How did that happen? Oh, him bad fellow. Take tobacco from store and not pay. Tonto hit him. I see. Miss Prindle, her blind. Blind? Mrs. Prindle? I didn't know that. That true. Her heap, good woman. Everyone speaks well over. Tonto, the gun you took from that fellow once belonged to Kurt and it's likely that he knows where Kurt is now. There's nothing that would make the Prindles happier than to discover his whereabouts. Make him heap happy. This man you had to fight with. Did you notice where he went when he left the store? Did you pick up his trail? Tonto trail him. And that's what we'll do. Here's Silver. Here's Scout. We'll keep our camp here and return to it when we're finished. Ready? Me ready. Get him up, Scout. Hello, Silver Hoys! The lone ranger and Tonto returned to the little store and picked up the trail of the man with whom Tonto had fought. Several days later, the same man entered a shack just outside the town of Meredith. Hello, Butch. Hi there, Barton. Been a right quick trip. Yeah. What'd you do while I was gone, Butch? Plenty. Huh? I've been seeing to it we can get away from here in a hurry when we get ready to move on. What'd you learn over to Elkhorn? Folks over there ain't the kind to ask too many questions. We can hang around there for a little while without no trouble. Good enough. How much you reckon old Mosby keeps in that safe of his? Quite a bit from what I could find out. Likely a thousand anyhow. You figure we can handle the kid? I can. Where's he at now? In the back room. He's expecting to see you. I told him you'd be wanting to have a talk. Yeah, then I guess I'll get it over with. Might as well see that things are set. Hi there, young fella. Barton. Huh? I've been waiting for you. I want to know just what kind of a game you and Butcher are up to. You've been working for Mosby. Well? Before that you traveled around for quite a spell. What if I did? You done some singing and such in care phase round and about to earn your living. He come here and got a steady job. Go on, Barton. Get to the point. Don't worry, Butch. I am. Now, listen, Kurt, you want me and Butch plenty and we aim to collect. And Pronto. Kurt, you're going to work with us. You're going to open Mosby's safe and take out the cash he's got in there. Like fun, I am. You're willing to... Mr. Mosby's been doggone good to me and I don't aim to double cross him. Kurt, huh? Would you rather do like we say or would you rather... Rather what? Mosby didn't live much longer. I mean, you... What we do, we ain't saying. But you ain't so slow. Want to be able to make a good guess. So which way is it going to be? You open the safe and take the cash and everything will be all right. You got the combination. But if we try it, well, there's likely to be shooting. Somebody likely to get bad hurt. I don't want Mr. Mosby killed. And do like you're told. But if I did, he'd be bound to know it was me. Nobody else has that combination but him. That ain't no concern, ours. Are you waiting tonight? And when he turns in, you follow orders. But if you don't... Well, you already know what maybe might happen. I'll be jailed for a thief. She asks if you're caught. You can tell them about us if you're a minder. He'd never believe me. I sure he won't, but you can tell them anyhow. I think it over, Kurt. While you're thinking, just keep this in mind. Either you open that safe or Mosby dies. That night in the room behind Mosby's office, Kurt sat beside his employer. The young man was obviously nervous and Mosby noticed it. Kurt. What, Mr. Mosby? What's troubling your son? Don't you feel good? Yes, sir. I feel all right. Don't have to serve me, lad. We're friends. You got a home any place, Kurt? Yeah, yeah, I got a home. Where? Overdale Corn Basin. That close? Why ain't you never rode over there? Pardon me, I had a fight a long time ago, Mr. Mosby. I... I ain't never been back. Oh. Mr. Mosby. Yeah? How much cash are you keeping in the safe now? Worried about it? Well, I don't blame you. There's 1,200 in that there iron box. If I ask you something kind of funny, would you promise not to just laugh at me? Huh? I wonder if you'd give me the loan of that 1,200. Hey, ain't you getting mighty ambitious? What's up? Found some young lady, you got your eye on? Figured to buy a place of your own, get hitched and settle down? No, that ain't it. What in tarnation? Mr. Mosby, I can't explain, but you'll have to believe me. I just gotta have that cash. Sounds like maybe you're in trouble. But I ain't gonna ask questions where they ain't wanted. Tell you what I'll do. Give me a little time and I'll think it over. But, Mr. Mosby... I'll add nothing's valuable who's ever lost by taking time on it. Oh, well, I reckon I'll say goodnight. I'm getting mighty sleepy. Mr. Mosby, I... I wish I could tell you. Tell me what? Never mind, I guess it just wouldn't do anything good. 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. How to continue our story. On the same evening Kurt had tried to borrow Mosby's money, the Lone Ranger and Tato reached the end of the trail they'd been following. The masked man spoke softly to his companion. Tata, this is as close as we'll take the horses. Oh, oh, Scott, oh, oh, God. The trail continues to that shack, all right? That's right. I wonder if Kurt could be there. Maybe. Come, we'll go the rest of the way on foot. Oh. Stay here, old fella. There's a light in there, Kim and Sabi. Smoke coming from the chimney. Somebody there, all right. That window's open. We'll have a look inside. Here, this way. Two men. It's one of them a fella you saw at the store. Oh, at him there. Tough looking, all right. That other fella was Kurt. What do you think? I'm disappointed. He looks as much a criminal as his friend. Let's keep quiet, Kim and Sabi. Perhaps we can hear what they're saying. Pardon? What have we just about time? Huh? What's that? What have we just about time? Did you hear me? Oh, yeah, yeah, I reckon it is. You figure Kurt will go through with it? Sure he will. He don't much like stealing. I don't think of anything happening to Mosby if he don't. He thinks a heap of that old man and rather go to jail and see us drill, the old fella. I think he would at that. And if he's Kurt, tells the law he robbed us safe just to keep us from shooting his boys. Who's to believe him? Well, butch, I reckon it won't be long till we're splitting that 1,200 between us. Oh, yeah. Son, did you hear that? We'll have to act fast. What we do? I'm not sure. But first, we're going back to the horses and riding to Mosby's. Come, we'll have to make time. The confidence of the two outlaws was justified. Having waited only long enough to give his employer time to fall asleep, Kurt opened the huge iron safe and swiftly emptied it. A few moments later, he closed it again. Have to hurry. Have to get out of here. Doing this just to save Mr. Mosby, but if he was to catch me, I'd feel like a dirty dog. But Mosby had been made uneasy by his conversation with a young man. He'd not gone to sleep as Kurt has expected. And when the outer door closed, he rose from his cot and made for the door to his office. He heard something. Somebody was out there. Who could it be? The safe, open. The cash gone. Kurt was asking to borrow it. If he sold for me, Kurt, where are you, Kurt? Kurt, where are you? Kurt, Kurt, Kurt! It was Kurt leaving here. He must have taken the money from that safe. He still had to save that old man's life. Not right. But Mosby will never believe him. Tell him there's just one thing to do and has to be done on a hurry. You've got a plan? Barton was just about my size. And he was dressed enough like me for anyone to mistake us of seeing only in the dark. What you do? I'm going inside there. Do you know where the sheriff's home is? No. Don't I not know? It's on the other side of the street. Get there as fast as you can. If he's turned in, get him up. Tell him he's wanted in Mosby's office at once. I'm comfortable with it. Tell him Mosby's been robbed. You're certain you saw the thieves head for Barton's place? Me tell him. All right, then go. Get him up, Scout. Get him up. Go inside. Mosby, don't move. Who are you? Mosby, don't come closer. Enough to go to the sheriff until morning. If you do, well, you'll likely be sorry for it afterwards. Then you rob and I'll save. Go back to bed and keep still about this. My partner and I will be back. There's two of you. And both of us mean what we say. Adios. Hey, wait! The Lone Ranger raced away from Mosby's shack in the night. Meanwhile, following the Lone Ranger's instructions, he drove Scout at full gallop toward the sheriff's home. Me get sheriff? Oh, Scott, oh. Hello? Wake up. Wake up, sheriff. You come out. For God's sakes, who are you yelling like a Comanche? Hey, Arningen! Don't move, red skinner. You not reach for gun, sheriff. State your business, Ingen. Make the good or I'll... You get horse. You're right to Mosby's. There's no time to wait. Listen, Ingen, I've been sheriff for this year town for nine out of ten years. I got my guns right here, and no Lone Ranger is going to tell me what to do. You not do like Tonto say, then turn away. Hey, don't pull your hide that gold. Now, me get gun. You do like Tonto say. Dog gone, Ingen. Where you got horse? Out and back in the corral, where'd you figure? Good. We go to Mosby's. Ingen, slack up, will ya? Dog gone at all. I'll ride with ya. But first, I gotta put on my boots. You get boots fast. You hurry up. I'm hurrying. You get boots on pronto. We go to Mosby's. Mosby! Hey, Mosby! Hey, watch you. You not try anything. With you holding that gun, Ingen? Not me. Hey, Mosby! Sheriff, you come at last. I've been robbed. A masked gent held a gun on me and said not to move to go back to bed. Well, I'll be dogged. Ingen, I'm sorry you had to drag me over here because I wouldn't believe ya. Here gun, Sheriff. You may be needed. Sure will. Your horse ready Mosby. Just settled it up. And Sheriff, I know just where to head for. You do, huh? Yeah, I couldn't see that ombra's face on the count of the mask. But I got a good idea of his size and build. And I know right where he is this very minute. The Sheriff and Mosby started out with Tonto. And at that very moment, in the shack with Butch and Barton, Kurt had just turned over the stolen money. Fellas, now will you go away and stay away and never bother Mr. Mosby no more? Maybe. But you promised you would. Maybe we'll be staying around and watch you go to jail when the law catches you. You gonna tell him about us? You said I could. Uh-huh. But we've changed our minds. If you do, maybe we won't leave Mosby alone after all. Then I won't tell. I won't say a word. You won't have to worry at all. Just promise you'll leave him be. Sure, kid. We promise. Barton, I reckon this is just about the easiest pickings we ever found. Get your sheriff put away. Uh-huh. So far. All right, kid, I reckon it's time you cleared out of here and got... What the... a mask, man! You won't do nothing! What the hell do you want? One hold up for tonight is enough. Kurt, take the guns. Hurry, man, there's no time to lose. Shoot him, Kurt! Shoot him! He's not going to shoot the man who came here to save him from a charge of robbery. Here's an extra mask. Put it on Barton there. Go on, go on. You don't have to. Just do what you're told. Get that mask away from me. Barton, you stand still. There it is. I know the entire truth about this. These men are the real thieves, not you. We never stole old cash. Quiet. Kurt, I'm going to give you a chance to clear yourself. So you can return to your parents who are waiting for you back at Elkhorn Basin. Waiting for me? The quarrel you had with your father has been long forgotten and forgiven. You can make their lives happy again by going home once more. But... I'm a thief. I'm going to be jailed. I can't go home. Do what I say. Exactly as I say. I don't understand. Let's need and bother you one moment. Tato was leading the sheriff and Mosby toward the shack. The signal from the faithful Indian they reigned in their mounts. You... you come. This year's Barton's shack, all right? If it was him and that partner here that robbed Mosby, they'll get everything they got coming to him. And that's a promise. That Barton was clever. If it hadn't been for the engine seeing him, the way he disguised his voice back there at my place, I would never have suspected him. Especially mask like he was. All right. Inside. Your hands, you cook sheriff. Wait, it's Kurt. He's got him covered. And that's the man I seen at my office, sure enough. That's Barton. He's still got his mask on. That wasn't near your place. The both of you shut up, or I'll fix you so you can't talk. You'll find all the stolen cash in their pocket, sheriff. I thought so. Well, that'll send him to jail for a good long time. Oh, wait a minute. This kid you fellow came in when I told you to shut up. You... That's better. I'm Arch. Not you, Kurt. Sheriff can handle him. You stay here and tell me all about it. Several days later at Elkhorn Basin... Matilda, do you... You know how sometimes you told me it seemed our boy was real near to you, even if he wasn't? I mean, uh... Well, that is... Oh, shucks, you know what I mean. Well, tonight I... Yes? I feel the same way. I don't know how to explain it, but I've been thinking about Kurt the whole evening. So have I, Abe. So have I. And I, uh... Matilda, watch out. You hear it? He heard. That whistling. The tune he's a whistling. That was always Kurt's favorite tune. And he's whistling just like Kurt always did. I'm gonna see who's outside. Oh, Abe, you're just imagining things. It's a stranger. It must be. That couldn't be our boy after all this time. It can happen, Matilda. I got to find out. Who is it? Kurt! Pa! Oh, son! Ma, you come back. I've come back home. And I've come back to stay. Oh, son, this is the happiest day of my life. And mine, Ma. In as long as I live, I'm gonna thank the men I've made it possible. Who was he, son? Don't know his name, Pa. All I call him is the Masked Man. Are you still... Where you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.