 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 planes led the fight for law and order in the early west in the United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness have come down to us through the generations. And nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of a great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. We're heading back to camp. Oh, Silver! Tonto was in camp at sunset, waiting for the Lone Ranger. The Indian hoped his masked friend would bring news that at last there was evidence against the cattle king, Benjamin Steele. The distant sound of hoofs brought Tonto to his feet. He peered between the trees of the woods and saw the White Horse, Silver, and then the man in the saddle. Maybe this time him bring good news. He'll come plenty past. Tonto, settle up! He gets scalded ready, pronto. Oh, there's Silver, steady boy, steady. Tonto, settle up quick. Steady boy. Here, I'll help you. What matter? Why are you right now? Throw up your blankets. I'll cinch up. Hold it, scald. Hold it, big fella. There. You got news about Steele? Steele? No, not yet, Tonto. We'll have to leave Steele alone for a few days. There's something more urgent. And what that? We've got to get to cold water before midnight. You know where that is? Ah, we go there before? Yes. Not much of a town, but there's a mighty strange situation in cold water. Hold up while I take off the mask and disguise myself. And why do we go to cold water? To talk to a girl named Betty Manning. She works in the cafe and she needs help. Oh, fella named Manning, own cafe in cold water. Yes, that's Betty's father. Maybe we get there by midnight. We ride plenty fast. There's no time to lose. Tonto almost ready now. There's a mystery at cold water. Men disappear for a few days and then return. No one knows where they go or whom they see. When they come back, they're changed. Oh, changed. I don't know yet. That's one of the things we're going to find out. Is that a big boy? Are you ready now? Come on, then. Get him up. What time is it now, Jake? Time? Well, it's a few minutes till midnight. Why askin' Betty? Oh, I just wonder, that's all. What difference does the time make? You know we stay open till the last dogs hung? Your pa don't believe in closin' the cafe early and lettin' a worn-out bartender get some sleep before the sun comes up. Why don't you complain to pa? Oh, now, Miss Betty, I'm not complainin'. Don't be peevish and pecky just because I say somethin'. Well, if you don't like your job. I do declare there's somethin' worryin' you, Miss Betty. What is it? Why do you think I'm worried? Oh, now look, maybe I'm nothin' but an old bartender, but I've seen enough for folks to know what's goin' through their minds. And right now, you're worryin' about somethin' that might happen or somethin' that might not happen. What is it? Nothing. You've asked me the time about six times in the past hour. Maybe I'm looking for a friend to show up. So that's it, eh? You're hopin' Jerry will drop in. Yes, that's it. Sure, that's it, Jake. How'd you guess? By thunder, that's not it. Sure it is. That's all I'm waitin' for Jerry to show up. Betty, things is quiet right now. Let me say somethin'. What? I've known you and your power for a long time. Since you was knee-high to a grasshopper, you oughta know that you can trust old Jake. Of course I know it. Then why don't you, and why don't you old man? Paul trusts you. Not the hallway. He leaves you to run the cafe for days at a time. He lets you handle all the cash. That's not the kind of trustin' I'm talkin' about. That's part-way trustin', but not all-way trustin'. Now, Betty, where'd your power go last week? Why don't you ask him? I did, and he won't tell. Then he doesn't want you to know. Why should I tell you? Do you know? Well, I... Look at me, Betty. Do you know where he went? No. Oh, why? No, I don't. Oh, that's just it. He's been a different man since he got back. He's talkin' to sellin' out the cafe and leavin' this part of the country. He's nervous as a cat. He's scared as a hen with brood chicks when a dozen hawks is circlin' low. Now, ain't that so? Yes, Jake. That's so. Well, it's midnight. Hey, Jake. Now, I... Can I speak to you for a minute? Oh, sure. Sure thing, Jerry. Jerry. I'm leavin' now, Betty. I reckon I'll be back in a day or so. Jerry, where are you goin'? Sorry, but that's not a secret. You won't even tell me? Hey, Jake, I want you to take charge of this envelope while I'm away. Lock it in the safe till I come back. If I step down here a minute, will you? Sure thing, son. What do you want me to do? Jake, you know how I feel about Betty? I'm hopin' someday to ask her to marry me. Well, sure. Everyone expects that. If something should happen that I don't come back, I want Betty to have what's in this envelope. I'll remember. Thanks. And, Jerry, hold on. Yeah? I don't suppose you could tell me where you're goin'. No. You know that you're not the first one that's left town sudden and mysterious? I know. Maybe when I get back I'll be able to tell something. You'll be able to, but I'll bet my bottom dollar you'll be as close-mouthed as Mannon and Dresden and all the others are. We'll see. Remember what I told you about the envelope? I'll remember. So long, Jerry. Good luck. What did Jerry say? Now, Betty, if you want to know, you just ask him. Oh, here's your pa. Betty? Yes, Pa? Watch the customers. Don't spend so much time talking. I have been watching them. There's a man in the private back room that wants some service. Now go wait in his table. Yes, sir. Hello, Betty. Are you Betty Manning? Yes. What did you want? Something to eat or drink? I don't want to either. Well, then why... What's that? Cartridge. Have you ever seen one like it? Now see here. I'm busy. I have... Look. Silver. You better bring something to eat or you'll have no reason to talk to me. You did come. You heard that I wanted to see you. Who was the young fellow that just left the cafe? He's the next in line. Oh, I don't know what to do. I don't know who to talk to. Even the sheriff himself has been... been away on one of those mysterious trips. The fellow you saw is Jerry Lampert. He... He's my best friend. If something happens to him... What does happen? That's what I don't understand. Bring a plate of supper, Betty. Make as many trips as you can. Each time you come in, you can tell me a little more of what you know. That's just it. There's nothing to tell. Men leave town for a few days, then come back. When they come back, they're entirely changed. Paul was happy and carefree and planning big things for the town of Coldwater. Then he went away. When he came back, he... he said he was going to sell out and leave here. He told me to keep it a secret. The sheriff went away. He came back quiet and worried and older looking. Now he barely speaks to anyone. Who else? Hank Timmons. He's the father of my friend Jane. The same thing happened to him. And Jane says he's planning to sell out and go east, same as Paul. And who else? Oh, there's four or five others. If only you'd been here earlier. I wanted you here before midnight. Jerry had to leave at midnight. Maybe he could have been followed. He's being followed. Oh. I know we'll see where he goes. But if it's known that Jerry's followed, he might be killed. I'll be careful. Betty, is other people waiting? Yes, Pa. I'll bring supper right in. Thanks. Step lively, daughter. I will. Just a minute, Manning. Eh? Close the door, will you? Well, I hear you want to sell out. No such thing. That's not true. Sell out? Why should I sell out? I've got a good place here making good money. I wouldn't sell out, of course not. No? No. Oh, I see. I must have misunderstood. Your supper will be right in. Who's that? Hey, hey there, Jane. Oh, Mr. Manning. Where's Betty? Here she comes. Jane, what's the matter? Out there. He's on the ground. I saw it happen. Who? No, no. It's an Indian. Out beyond the hitch rail. Indian? It's Tonto. It must be Tonto. Well, as you say, Jane, who's killed? I saw it happen. He was hit on the head. The man rode away fast. I couldn't see who it was. It was dark. And he was following Jerry. They'll know Jerry was following him. Betty, stop that. Stop talking. Where's that stranger going? I'm going to find out. No, wait, Jake. I'll go with you. There's the stranger alongside the Indian. Hey, Sylvia. Look at the white horse running right over to that man. He called the children. Hold on. Hold on there. We'll help you with that Indian. He's lifting him up on the white horse. He called the horse Silver. Jake, Betty. That man's the lone ranger. No, wait. Wait, mister. One silver. Oh, now they'll know. Oh, Paul. Now they'll know Jerry was followed and they'll kill him. Who? Who will kill Jerry? I don't know, Paul. I don't know, but you know. You know what they'll do. They'll get Jerry. He'll be all right in a few minutes. He'll be all right now. You've got a hard rap on the head. I'm sure there's no fracture. Me all right. Now don't try to stand up yet. Where's Scout? He's here in the woods. He followed Silver when I brought you out of town. Not good. Did you see who struck you? I mean, I don't know. You get hit from behind. Well, a girl, a friend of Betty Manning, saw you knocked down. She saw a man hit you, then right away. I don't know what game is being played around here, Kimo Sabi. But the stakes seem to be high. Even the sheriff is afraid. Where will we start? We've got to learn from one of the men who knows. Who knows? Well, Manning knows, Hank Timmons knows. So does the sheriff. Jerry will know when he returns. Oh, but maybe him not come back? We know that the men who leave the town are being watched. And what we do? These men in town aren't cowards or brave men. They're not afraid of losing their lives or their money. They often face death and defeat. But all plenty scared when they come back. Yes. What are they afraid of? Well, it's going to be hard to get information, Tonto. Everyone saw me carry you away. They know who I am. They'll guess why I'm here. Maybe town to go to town. Here are plenty things. You'd be known, too. That's Silver. No matter what. Him, here's someone. Otherwise, that way. All right, we've got you. That's the man, Sheriff. Don't go for a gun, mister. You're covered. Manning. That's the name. Get a tan following you, mister. Who are you? Ben Bates. I'm Sheriff. How's he indeed? Jane Timmons thought he'd been killed. Glad he wasn't. Why you come here? To tell you two, you've got to clear out. Why? Because I say so. What would you do if we don't clear out, Sheriff? Jailess? No, we couldn't do that. Then what will you do? I hate to say this, mister, but you leave or we'll shoot you. That's where you're wrong. We would. We're not fooling. You've got till daybreak to get out of these parts. Otherwise, I'd hate to do it, but I promise you I'll shoot. Manning, did the Sheriff's daughter know about this? I've got no daughter. Oh, Sheriff Young is a boy. I see. A young boy. Too young to know what's going on. Sheriff, you'd sooner shoot me than have something happen to your son, wouldn't you? Yes, Sheriff. He knows. By a thunder, he guessed it. That's the whole on you. You're afraid for your children. Manning and Timmons have daughters. You, Sheriff, have a son. You don't dare tell where you went or why. That's enough. Don't say any more. I've gone this far and I'm going the rest of the way. I'm going to find out all about this trouble. You're getting out of here. Not in the morning, but right now. You're getting out or you're getting shot. Now, which is it to be? 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. Sheriff and Dan Manning were determined that the Lone Ranger and Tata would not investigate the strange situation in the town of Coldwater. They trailed a masked man to his camp and there gave the ultimatum. Sheriff, let me be sure of what you said. Tata and I must leave here or you'll shoot us. Oh, hang it all. I guess that's what it boils down to. I know what great things you've done in other parts and I'd soon to take my own life and shoot you. But if you keep on with your investigation, my son's life would be in danger. And my daughters? I guess if it came to a showdown, I wouldn't be able to drill you. But you can see how much it means to us for you to pull the stakes. Yes, I do. Now, will you clear out? It's true then. Men you saw threaten the lives of your children. May as well admit that. If you make a move against them. Yes, and they know everything we do. But Sheriff, you sworn to uphold the law, to punish criminals. Our hands are tied. Every move we make is known to these men. Besides, we couldn't prove that they've broken any laws. A diving man like you and Manning out of the West. That's enough against them. But it's nothing criminal. Anyway, we're not going to discuss it. You've got to clear out. Sheriff, Tonneau knows enough about Jerry's horse to follow the trail. We're going to do that. Nothing is going to happen to Manning's daughter or to your son. But you can't... Come on, Tonneau, mount up, silly big fella. Be ready. Wait! Come on, Tonneau! Jerry rode north through the night. The daybreak brought him to a river where he dismounted. Looks like the place him to stop is a big pile of rocks. Here's the... All right, Jerry, I'm coming to meet you. You were waiting behind the rocks. I'll be ready in a minute now. A steady day, steady boy. Just how much do you know about this business? Nothing. Jerry, that's the wrong answer. You know something about it. What about that red skin that was going to follow you? What red skin? I didn't know anything about him. No, well, I do. I had to stop him. What about the Lone Ranger? The Lone Ranger? I don't know what you mean. I suppose you never even heard of the Lone Ranger. Sure I have. He's way south of Kohlweiler. He is, huh? How'd you know that? A friend of mine heard about him. She had a letter from someone saying the Lone Ranger was in the cattle country. And you never knew the Lone Ranger was right in Kohlweiler trying to find out about our plane. That's not true. Oh, yes it is. And his Indian friends told it out to follow you till I changed his mind. You? I was in Kohlweiler to make sure you left on schedule the way you were told to. I took a shortcut to get here ahead of you. Now, come on. We'll go to the Neston Place. That seems to be well posted on what goes on in town. Yeah, we do. You'll hear more about that later on. Get up there. Get up there. An hour of riding upstream on the river's bank brought Jerry and Jackson to a cabin set well back among trees. Look. A man stepped in the house and took charge of the horses. I'll be sure they kept well back out of sight. That way. You come on inside, Jerry. You'll find a few more information for you. Son of a reception committee is this. It's necessary that you know them all. I'll let you look around a minute so you'll see we're well organized. Now, those two sit in the far corner there from the east. They're handling one part of the business. Lefty and thunder here are the ones that stand ready to do the rough work when they're called on. Seems to me the law would like to have them in a couple of states. Nothing ever been proved on us. The law can't touch it. Yeah, we've made sure of them and we got lined up with it, you see, Jerry. Now, if you're hard to deal with, I'm glad of the chance to earn the bonus money we promised them. Yeah, go ahead and get hard to handle, will you? We'd like to earn that bonus money, then we can hit for the board and live high for the rest of our lives. Meaning you're to pay those cutthroats extra if they're called on for murder? I guess you're savvy. What do you want of me anyway? I've got nothing of value. That's just where you're wrong. What do you mean? You've got a name. Name? And that name when a hunk of paper can be a prime value to us. I'm to sign something? Yeah, that's the idea. Here. Take a look at this paper. What is it? Well, look it over. All you got to do is sign it there at the bottom. Well, this is nothing but a bill of sale. Sure. For one dollar and other valuable consideration. Here's the dollar. What are the other good and valuable considerations? Well, you might say that we'll protect the life of your girl. But this describes some land that I don't even own. Oh, then you shouldn't mind signing. What if I don't sign? Well, then we have to keep you here for a time and let you think it over. But while you're thinking it over, things might happen in cold water. You never know what's likely to happen when you're not around. And if I do sign it, what then? Well, then you stay here as our guest for a day while the bill of sale is taking the land office and recorded. And you're free to leave, and that's all there is to it. I can't see where I've got anything to lose. I'll sign it. Ah, you're showing good sense. Some of the others took a lot more convincing. There you are. Now, just as soon as a witness has signed, I'll take it in the land office and have it recorded. And when it comes back, you can go free. That means I'll have to be here late tomorrow? Yep. Uh, while you're here, the boys will tell you some of the things that might happen to certain people if you say anything about this. In a short time, Jackson left the others and headed for cold water. Late at night when the cafe had closed, he went to the shack where Jake, the old bartender, lived. Well, Jackson, I got your signal in the cafe a while ago. Jerry signed and the transfer title is recorded, eh? Yep, it's all set. And I guess that just about finishes things, isn't it, Jake? Eh, let me see. The map's here. I've checked off the sections as we got title to them. Jerry said the same was the others. That he didn't even own the land at all. So there wasn't any reason for him not to sign it. None of these men knew that they owned it. That's the best part of it. We control the whole thing now, all of it. How'd you know of it, Jake? Me? I'm an old timer. I was one of the early settlers here. I was here when the Redskins wiped out almost all the men that had land grants. I forgot all about the youngsters that had moved away when the massacre started. And those youngsters grew up never knowing that their father's owned the land. I never told them. In fact, here's what I forgot all about until a while ago when the railroad agent was looking for the owners. That's when I got the idea of getting all the land transferred to my name. I don't think the boys are waiting to be paid off. You promised us. They'll get paid off. Not by you. Best. Sit still. Don't reach for a gun. So, Jake, you're the one. You're a scheming polecat. We've had enough of your scheme. We were listening outside the window. All right. You heard it. What are you going to do about it? So you're the one that's going to keep an eye on us, and if we know what will happen, huh? You wouldn't have found out if it hadn't been for that man, the lone ranger. It all gone right. He followed Jerry's tracks and then followed Jackson back here. All right. Now you know about it. Well, you're too late. Now you can talk all your dog on please, and it won't do any good. Oh, it won't, eh? You proved that any law was broken. I've got papers to show that I own all the land, and that these papers are legal. If you'd have found out before why you might have warned Jerry. Yeah. If we'd known our rights, you never got a land for nothing. Trick you right, Slickie. Well, there's nothing you can do now. You can't arrest me for buying land, can you? Well, I guess we can't. You had Jackson locate men who are ready to kill their paid for it. Well, Jake, you're going to regret that more than anything you've ever done. Come on. Hey, let me go. Let me go. Do you hear? Hello, you bring the sheriff and Manny and anyone else who wants to come. You know what to do? Uh, me know. No, wait. Wait for what? Well, you've got to start now if we're going to join your pals in the morning. Jerry will be glad to see you. The following morning, when Jerry wakened, he found the other man in the shack already finished with breakfast and trying to pass the time with cards. How much longer have I got to stay here? What's the matter? Don't you like it here? No. I want to get back to cold water. Oh, you go when Jackson gets back and tells you it's all right. Take almost a sundown to get there. Even if I start now, I've got things to do. Well, now ain't that too bad. Why don't you tell the sheriff we held your prisoner against your will and tell him to jail all of us? Go ahead. Tell him that and see what happens. Yes. See what's coming. Well, it's about time. I hope you're the last one we have to deal with. Thanks to be done with this job. I should figure out what good it would do you to have me sign my name to a bill of sale and I don't even own the land. Now, listen here. You thought this... Well, if it ain't Jake, how's Bar keeping these days? I'm taking charge now. Jackson couldn't get back here, so I'm here in his place. May have some trouble with this one. Jake, they got you too? No, Dad read it all, and you've got to listen to me. Be quiet. He's determined not to sign any bill of sale. I guess a couple of you boys know what to do in a case like that. Yeah, but your neck we do, so you won't sign, eh? Now, listen, I'm the one that hired Jackson. You? I'll leave it to you men to decide whether Jake could have planned this thing. He doesn't look at you. Damn rat it. You've got to believe me. Now, let me talk. There's a paper he's to sign. Got to work on him. This is what we've been waiting for. Now, let go of me. Don't pay any attention to what that man says. Give him the pen. Here. Now, start writing. His guns of the Mays man have authority with me. No, this ain't right. This ain't legal. This is an out-and-out skin game. I suppose this critter will tell everyone in town about this. He's got no kin to worry about. Let him talk. It won't do any good. Because as soon as he's signed, you can all pull out of here. The job will be done. Are you going to sign that paper or will we argue the point for a little while? No, no, no. Put that gun away. Right there is where your name goes. No, it's a mistake. It's all wrong. It's all right. All right. I'm signing. Now, you're getting smart. There. Would you wait? You try and collect a cent to pay for me. Yeah, right here. Now, I'll sign. Great guns. That white horse outside is... And you're masked. You're the lone ranger. What's that? The lone ranger? That's what I've been trying to tell you. He's not the schemer at the head of this. I am. Now, look at the paper. I've signed back every foot of the land I got. Now, hold on. If this is the lone ranger, then we've got... You've got to get your hands over it. The sheriff at the window. Come on, Nanny, close in. Right is right. Nanny! Hey, what is this? I ain't trying to tell you, you dog on fools. It's all a frame. Well, let me out of this. Say where you are. You got the witness to the paper? That man signed as a witness. He signed before, too. If you need more witnesses to Jake's signature, I guess we can all sign. Yeah, we won't need any more. As soon as this paper's recorded, we'll all get our land back. Hold on, Sheriff. I didn't own the land I signed away in the first place. Oh, yes you did, Jerry, but you didn't know it. Your pa owned it before it was massacred. The same as my pa and Nanny's pa owned land. Jake wanted it to get it and sell to the railroad. Jake, why you scheming old Ted, Paul, you? Oh, all right. All right. I'm beat. Dad, Radit, if I was only a better schemer... Right now, the law doesn't care about arresting you men. You better clear out of here before the sheriff changes his mind. You mean we can go? You better go quick or I might change my mind. Then I'm as good as gone right now. Yeah, me too. It's too bad, Jake. You had a good idea, but it just didn't work out. Skin to a frazzle. Nothing but a stove-in old bartender and not even a job left me. What do you mean? What's the matter with my cafe? Well, Mr. Manning, you let me stay on there? Oh, I reckon we can forget the trick you tried to play. Hey, Mr. Manning, if I'm a landowner and can sell to the railroad, then I'll be able to... Yep. I reckon you'll be able to speak to Betty. Hey, where's Edelon Ranger? I've got to tell him what this means to me. Where is he? I saw him a minute ago. He must have slipped out with those others. There he is, outside in the horse. Hey, wait! Wait a minute! Edelon Ranger! What you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.