 With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the planes, led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. 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 the Great Horse Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Between the Black Hawk Valley and the Mexican border lay a rugged section of country where countless canyons wound through rugged hills. The ground was lava covered, left from a dim age when volcanoes were active in the region. It was bad country, utterly worthless for growing crops or raising cattle. The ground was hard and arid. It was too hard to show the marks of horses hoops. Too hard to register the passing of a herd of cattle driven toward the border by thieves. Ah, for what? We gotta keep up with this outfit. Rain up, I tell ya! Rain up for just a minute, I gotta talk to you! Ho! Ho! Ho! Ho boy! Hold on! Make it fast, Rusty. I don't want to stop to get too far ahead. Now you're gonna overtake the boy. Now listen to me, Jake. Head those cows the same candy we used last time. We'll be safe, herd. Why not keep them going right across the border? Yeah, we're gonna make a tally before we make delivery. All right, Rusty. Whatever you say, you're the one representing the boss. Ranchers are getting downright riled. We gotta be extra careful in the future. Pass that on. I'll tell the boys. Tell everyone, including Barton. Why can't you tell them? Aren't you figuring to cross the border with us? Yeah, sure thing. Barton might not be around when we get to meet in place and I can't stay around for the rest of the night and wait for him. We gotta get back to Crescent Island. Remember, Jake, I got a job as a cow hand. I gotta be around at Sunup. Yeah, sure thing, Rusty. I know. There's one thing more. My boss is downright hot under the collar because of these raids on cattle. I should think he would be. He'll be hotter when he finds out. He's lost a few hundred more. You think he'd be riding his way to look for us? He might be. He couldn't help hearing us when we started out from this place. Yeah, I reckon that's right. Chances are he'll have a few other ranches with him. You were meeting his house tonight. Well, they can't thrill us this far. Yeah. Yeah, well, lucky to have ground that won't show tracks. Yeah, now we better get on and catch up the others. Yeah. Remember what I said. Tell Barton not to look for many deliveries during the next few weeks. We may have to lie low until things quiet down. Right. Come on now. Hit him. Hit him. The moonlight made it easy to follow the tracks of the stolen cattle as long as the route led over grassy plains, but the grass ran out. For a short distance, the ranches rode over the hard ground. Then Clay Ramsey and the sheriff realized the hopelessness of their task and signaled a halt. There's no use, Ramsey. Forecast could have taken anyone of half a hundred turns in these canyons and no way to tell them which one. Confounded sheriff, they do the same thing every time. This is the third time I've been robbed. We've all been robbed. Hit twice in my place. Hit all of us. We go let them keep this up forever. Now Ramsey... Stealing my cattle right while we're holding a meeting in my house. And you there too, sheriff. Fine thing. Now Ramsey, I don't know what more we can do. Not a man alive who can follow tracks over this ground. Well, we might spread out and explore all the canyons. Before we got well started, the cattle would be over the border. I had close to 400 headmen I'd heard. All set and ready for market. I reckon you've been the heaviest loser, Ramsey. But I've been hit hard too. Lost more than a thousand headmen the past year. I've lost better than 2,000. Gilroy's just about cleaned out. And yesterday Hank Shelby came to me wanting to sell me his brand. He aims to move out of the valley and start all over again somewhere else. What's wrong? That's bad. Sanger sold out a month ago. He's getting worse all the time. Maybe it's time we had a different lawman. Now Ramsey... I pay my taxes. I've got a right to some sort of protection. I'd like to know what anyone can do that I'm not doing. It's not up to me to tell a lawman how to handle things. My business is cattle. Looks to me like someone lets those wrestlers know when to strike. Yeah, sheriff, it does. Doesn't it? Ramsey, I don't like the tone in your voice. You don't have to like it. No, Clay, sheriff. Don't get the fight in each other. Well, if anyone thinks I'm working with the rustling... No one said that, sheriff. I'm satisfied that you're doing all you can. All that anyone could do. Thanks for that, Matt. I'll feel the same way, sheriff. It's just that we live so close to this dog-going hard-packed ground. That's why the trouble lies. I reckon the best thing is to follow Sanger's example and sell out. Matt, are you willing to sell out because of a pack of sneak and thieves? Ramsey, I don't know there's much of a choice. I'd be better to sell out now while I still got a few head of stock. Well, I won't sell out. By thunder, no ordinary sneak and pack of pole cats is going to drive me off my land. I'll fight into the last ditch. It takes cash to stick, and I don't have it. Well, I'll stick. I'll fight till I get those crooks or go broke trying. No, Ramsey. Don't talk foolish. Foolish? Don't tell me I'm talking foolish. I mean every word I say. I'll back my words by thunder. Any man that wants to quit can sell out and clear out. What's more, I'll buy the outfit of any quitter that says he's licked. Big talk. Who said that? I did. Man, I agree with him. You're just making big talk. That's what you're doing, Ramsey. Big talk, huh? Well, you heard what I said. No, boy. It's all right, Sheriff. We won't get to fighting. Ramsey wants to buy me out. I'm down right glad to sell. Me too. You two have made a deal. Come to my place in the morning. Bring your deed and a tally of your stock. If you rannies want to call me, you've got to call yourselves quitters at the same time. All right, Ramsey. I'm a quitter. I'll be at your house in the morning with my deed and a tally of my stock. Later that same night, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were camped beneath a shelf in one of the many canyons near the border. Silver, the big white stallion, showed signs of restlessness. What's the matter, Silver? You hear something? Come this way. Just a minute, Tonto. Let me get in here to the ground. Put hand flat on ground. You feel rumble? Yes. I hear it too. Cattle coming this way. And big lot of cattle. Said he's Silver, said he's their boy. It's all right. That is strange time for cattle drive. In strange country. There's no pasture south of here. The mass of close packed cattle came nearer. Then passed within a few yards of a cave-like place where the masked man and his faithful Indian friend were camped. Get him! Get him! When the cattle had passed, the Lone Ranger turned to Tonto. Tonto, did you see the way that stock was being driven? Ah, plenty hard, plenty fast. Yes, too hard and fast. Cattle moved like that? It lose plenty weight. Come on, Tonto, settle up. We follow, follow cattle? Yes. Hey there, Silver. We got the cattle again. Tonto, I think it'll be worthwhile following. I want to know the answers to a number of questions. Why is the stock moving so fast? Why is it moving at night? Why is it traveling to the border? There's only one answer to all questions. One answer to all the questions and be expressed in just two words. Stolen cattle. Be ready now. Good, said he's Silver. The Lone Ranger and Tonto followed the cattle across the border to a large ranch. They went as close as they dared taking refuge in a grove of trees to watch while the livestock was driven into a corral. This ranch seems to be the destination, Tonto. Not right. I'd like to get close enough to see the brands. Maybe men will go away soon when we get closer. I'd also like to find out who owns this ranch. A house over that way. Lighted house, too. Yes. Two o'clock in the morning. Strange time for a rancher to take delivery of cattle. Wait, huh? Two o'clock on this way on foot. Yes, I see them. They're going for the ranch house. And better we keep back in trees. O'clock's coming, Tonto. Yes. Watch. Keep your horse quiet, Tonto. Steady, scum. Steady for my steady. Parking's there. Yeah. It's good. Yeah. You talk to parking yourselves to have me relay the word to the things you're getting yourself. No, I'm telling you. But I can't stay long. We got to get back to Chris and raise my son up to sort the boys no matter where I've been. You'll get back to us, Tonto. At Crescent Ranch is Clay Ramsey's outfit. That's right. That man must work there. He must not be. I want to get close enough to the house to see what that man called Barton looks like. We go there now? You stay here with the horses. I'll be back as soon as possible. I'll let the horses make it myself. So it'll be better to lie low for a few weeks until things quiet down. You savoury the good judgment of that, don't you, Barton? So right with me, Rossy. How many critters do the boys bring across this trip? Around 400. Is that right, Jake? That's right, boss. 400 and round figures. How soon are you going to dispose of them? The boys will start moving in a couple of days. My boss wants to know when he should see the buyer to collect for the stock. About a week. Ah, I'll tell him. Now I've got to go. Just a minute, Rossy. Yeah? Speaking of the buyer, how about some cash? Would you bring any money for your boss to me? Well, no, Barton. Not this trip. I've been waiting for some time, Rossy. Your boss knows that. I know, but I... So I'll have some important cash change hands. I don't see why he can't let me collect from the buyer and send his share of the cash to him. Well, maybe you can tell the boss how to do things. I can't. I always have to wait for my share. I don't like it. None of us like it, Barton. You heard what Jake said. He feels the same as all the men. They got a right to their cash and they want it. I don't argue that point. You tell them. You just tell the boss he did better send me the cash for the last four days. I'll look for that cash on Thursday this week. Well, I... Just tell them that, Rossy. You can tell them if I don't get it, I'll go with my boys the next time they cross the border. It'll be a triptychleg cash instead of cattle. You save him. All right, Barton. I'll tell the boss what you said. I've got to start back. Just a minute, Tuttle. Rossy's minding that. Let me see him. There he goes. What you learned in your house? The man named Barton owns this ranch. All the men we followed except Rusty worked for him. All stays? Is this signboard him? Yes. Except when they crossed the steel cattle. Rusty lets them know where to go and how to strike. Rusty, boss again? No. Rusty takes orders from someone else. I don't know who it is. He's a man who collects for the cattle after Barton makes the delivery. And it's hard to get gang in this side border. Yes, I know. Only two of the cooks in north of the border, Rusty and the boss. Oh. Tuttle, they're going to Camp Near here for the next few days. Oh, why we do that? Because I think we might be able to send Barton and all of his men into the hands of the law in Texas. Oh, what about what I call boss? I think I have a plan that will also catch him. The curtain falls on the first act of our lone ranger's story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. How to continue our story. The morning after the theft of the Crescent or cattle, found several men assembled at Clay Ramsey's ranch house. Ramsey's face was dark with anger as he looked at first one, then another of the visitors. Quitters, Byton, and that's what you are. You're quitters and you admit it. I admitted as much last night, Ramsey. I'm surprised at you, Matt. I thought you'd stay and fight them, Rustlers. I've got a wife and kids to think of. I can't hang on here no longer. And you? Just say what you've got to say, Ramsey. You said you'd buy us out if we wanted to quit. Well, we do and we're here to sell. Oh, Clay, speaking as a friend and neighbor, if you were smart, you'd clear out this country along with us. We're going north where the border's not so handy. I'm staying here. I'll fight for what I've got. And the sheriff will help me. What are you doing here, sheriff? Matt asked me to come as a witness to the deal. You'd better say deals. Matt ain't the only one that's ready to sell. Maybe Ramsey's got cool feet since he talked so big last night. How about it, Ramsey? I said I'd buy you out, didn't I? Yeah. And I meant it. Let's get out of business. How many head have you got? Well, according to last year, he got about a thousand head left. And you? Fifteen hundred. Matt, how about you? I'm down to two thousand after having twenty-five hundred a year ago. Ramsey, here comes Finn Shelby. Open the door. Let him in. Finn wants to sell out, too. Come on in here, Shelby. Howdy, gents. Howdy, man. You here to sell out along with the rest of the yellow-backed quitters who've lost their nerve? I'm here to sell out, Ramsey. You buying? Won't be no one left around here except you, Ramsey. Makes me sick to see all of you. Ready to holler quits. We're not here to discuss your health, Ramsey. What price are you aiming to pay for our cattle? I'll pay a flat price for the lot. Ten dollars a head. That's mighty low. Rubbery. Five times what cattle brought after the war, take it or leave it. Or maybe you'd sooner try to move all your cattle to your new diggings, wherever they'll be. What about the land we got in buildings? I know what every one of you put into his place. I'm offering thirty percent of the price. Thirty percent? Not being any too generous, are you, Ramsey? They can take it or leave it. Me, I'll take it. I've got no choice. I can't stay here and lose all that I've got left. Well, Ramsey's a skin fin. I'll sell. You got your deeds and titles and things with you? I have. Yeah, I got mine right here. Leave them on that table as you go out. I'll have my lawyer check up on the titles to be sure I'm getting what I pay for. Meanwhile, I'll have my man check your tally sheets. How long will that take? About a week. The sheriff is witness to the deal, am I right, Sheriff? Yeah, I reckon so. I sure hate to see all these boys clear out. They're replaced by men that are willing to fight for what they got. Oh, Ramsey... Go on, clear out. I don't want to waste my time looking at quitters. During the next few days, the titles were checked by Ramsey's lawyer. Cowhands checked on the herds that Ramsey was to buy, and the Lone Ranger and Tonto remained in camp near the border. They took turns watching at the trail. It was after dark on Wednesday night when the masked man broke off in the middle of a sentence. I think we understand now. Can't be long because... Tonto. Mother. Just a minute. Listen carefully. You hear that? Ah, horse come this way. Just one horse. That's right. That might be Rusty. Him head for border. He'd be fetch cash for Barton. I'm going to look out beyond the trees. That's the man we want. We'll have to be ready for him. You see him? Yes. I'm quite sure it's a cowhand. Just a minute. It is. You stop him plenty quicker. He's just off the trail. I'm not sure if he comes close. Get ready, Tonto. And don't take chances. He looks like the type who'll shoot fastly as a chance. You ready? Nearly here. Now! How far is he? Right up there. Got the range, Tonto. Hold it. Don't go for a gun. I meant that, Rusty. Let go of my horse. Get away from him. Where won't you come down? That saddle! Take your hands off me by a jute rope. Save it! Sorry I had to pull you from the saddle. What do you want, Rusty? Masked. That's right, Rusty. Masked. What do you want? Money. I've got no money. You've got the wrong mask. Hand it over. All right, then. Take it away from him, Tonto. I'll come here. I'll come here. Listen, Mr. Wait a minute. If you're an outlaw... Mind it, Tonto. Here, here. Here, money. Good. Don't touch that case. That's not mine. We know who owns it, Rusty. You know me? Yes. Also Barton. If he sent you to Wailay... He didn't. Get him rope, Tonto. You'll have to stay here with you for a while. No, listen. You've got the cash. That's all you're after. Let me go. You'll gain nothing by holding me a prisoner. Grop him. Now, please don't hold me. You don't know what it will mean if I'm held. He'll think I run off with the cash. Rusty, it won't matter what anyone thinks. This rope's too tight. Be sure he stays with you, Tonto. No, him stays. The rope may plenty sure him stays. That is still very easy. I'll be back as soon as possible. Barton and Jake were in the ranch house. Several times in the course of the evening, Barton glanced at the clock. Finally, Jake said... I think Rusty will show up sometime tonight, Barton. You can't get away from that ranch on a day. If you don't come tonight, it'll be too late. You heard what I told him. You said that the boss would have to send cash. Yeah, a minute. I don't like the way things have been going lately. We do most of the work. The boss gets all the money. All he can do is just send our share. Who's that? Yeah, maybe that's Rusty. Yeah, I'll open it. Well, it's about time. Thanks. What the... Close the door. Rusty! Ready? Don't start trouble. I, uh, came here in place of Rusty. Yeah. Yeah. You've seen him for the last time. How's that? That's for stolen cattle. There'll be no more of it coming over the border. Barton, what's he getting at? I don't know, but I'm gonna find that. You're expecting money, aren't you? Yeah. Here it is. There's $500 there in that bundle. $500? Well, hold on. That's a tenth of what we've got. That's all you're going to get. Oh, is it so? Yes. You're through, Barton. It's a double crop. Oh, well, don't get away with this. I'll find out what's back of it. Better not. You're lucky to get that much. Now, if you want some advice... I don't. Well, I'll give it to you anyway. Take that cash and don't go looking for trouble. You might find it. I'll find it all right. And it'll be trouble for the critter. The thing's scarred, Barton. There's a man that can be double-crossed. I'll start with you, all right? Hey, what the... You two, get over there. Yeah, but how do... Get over there beside your pal. Hurry. That's it. Now, then, if you value your health, stay south of the border. You won't get away with this. I'll get square. Good advice, Barton. Jake, get that door open. Right. There he goes. That aside, let me get a shot. Ah, you missed. He got away. Ah, let him go. I want the bars. Call the boys together. Get all of them. I'm doing just what I said I'd do. I'm going over the border to make a collection. It was the following morning in Clay Ramsey's home. The tallies had been completed, and the deeds and titles to various ranches found to be in order. The sheriff was on hand as before to serve as witness to several negotiations. Matt, Flint, and several other ranches sat with Ramsey in the large room. Needing lectures for being quitters, let's pay out the cash and we'll sign the papers. That's just what I aim to do. It's sure too bad that you gents are all going to leave. We might have loaned some around here. The sooner I get away, the better I'll like it. I've got the cash money right here in the tin box. Open it up. It's not counting. No, you need to worry, Sheriff. There ain't none of these yellow quitters with spunk enough to try to rob me. The price you're paying this is you that's doing the robbing. If you don't want to sell out, just say so. Get the cash counted. Right. You first. Hey, hey, hey! Shut up! You're covered! Stick up! What's this mean? Barton! Put them guns down! Shut up! I'm happy with this. Keep all covered, boys. I'll take that cash, Ramsey. You thought you'd hold out on me, eh? Why, you dirty, double-grown... Wait, Barton. I sent the cash. You're lying. I did. I sent it by Rusty last night. Don't tell me that. I know different. I'm helping myself. Hold on. You want to get away with this? I'll get away with it. Because I won't leave no witnesses. Too bad for all you quitters that happen to be here, but I can't take chances. That's a gun. What for? That's a cover from Hannah, too. The last man. The window. In the door, too. Ram and I'll around it. My death it is. Hey, Barton. Give the word to your manor. We'll open him for you. All right. Drop the guns, boys. You used to commit suicide. You! You with that mask. Where'd you come from? How'd you line up my own deputies? They were willing to help. When they heard what the plan was, Sheriff. The plan? Yes. Well, you got here just in time, Barton. Ramsey's just about to buy up all the land and cattle in this part of the country. Why, you double-crossing skunk. So that's why you figured a freeze me out, eh? That's why you wouldn't pay me and my man... Wait, Barton. Don't say anything. Nothing Barton can say will hurt you, Ramsey. He and his gang have come north of the border. They can be captured and tried for wrestling. Well, I can't hurt him, eh? Well, Ramsey will see. Sheriff, that poor cat was in the restaurant with the rest of his... He had a rusty handle this hand. Stop talking, you're playing fool. Shut up. I won't shut up. I'll put you where you belong. Sheriff, look up Pete Hawthorne at the Box Bar Ranch. He's the one that bought the cattle. He's been buying it for the past year and paying Ramsey for it. He shipped it east. So you're the cross. Oh, wait. That's why you were able to buy us out. Playing both ends. Collecting for the stolen cattle and breaking us so we sell out to you for almost nothing. That'll haunt you, Ramsey. Pick the double-crosses, eh? Barton, you've practically double-crossed yourself. The Sheriff didn't have much on you until you talked in front of these witnesses. I tried to tell you, you fool. Give me back that deed and title. I'm taking up ranching again, right here. Yeah, me too. You boys give me a hand hurting these crooks to jail. Then you can take up what your dog gone, please. By the way, Sheriff, you'll find Rusty already in jail. I used him to convince your deputies that they'd better come here. But you? Where do you fit into the picture? Oh, perhaps your deputies can also answer that. And, uh, one thing more, Barton. Yeah. Ramsey did send Rusty with the cash in the Sheriff's office. Well, you'll have to do some accounting, Sheriff. But I think you'll do it wisely. We owe that mash man plenty. Hey, you, come back here. I'll be back someday to see how your ranch is worth. But wait! Well, I'll be. Now, why'd that mash man bring things to a head for all of us? I don't know. But it's a lot like some of the things I've heard about the Lone Ranger. Now step along, Ramsey. You and the rest of the crooks are to sleep in jail. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. Thank you.