 By special recording, the Lone Ranger. This would be the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high of silver. The Lone Ranger. For this exciting adventure, a word from our sponsor. Companion Toto, the daring and resourceful mask rider of the plains, 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. Come on, Silver. I'm coming home. I'm Silver. One Saturday, a government employee named Clem Batson locked the door of the land office in Euker Flats and headed for the livery stable. The thin, wispy-haired clerk looked at the clear sky overhead and grinned with pleasure as he contemplated the luxury of an afternoon to himself. Ah, it's a fine day. An excellent day to pursue a hobby far more interesting to Clem than the routine task of recording gold claims for men who had struck it rich. Clem was a frustrated soldier at heart, too small and frail to qualify for the army. He contented himself collecting relics of historic battles, and this afternoon promised to be particularly rewarding. He was passing Sheriff Tim Bair's office when the lawman called through the open door. Hello, Clem. Hello, Tim. I'm on my way to rent a horse. I need to leave town on your day off, eh? Only half a day, Tim. A fellow who's done a lot of engine fighting with a cavalry was in the office this morning. Yeah, what about it? He said the engines and the army fought a couple of big battles up in Desolation Hills about 20 years ago. Yeah, that's right. They did. I've never looked for relics up there, so I plan to spend this afternoon and tomorrow searching the place. For what? Arrowheads, canteens, sabers, shells, guns, whatever I can find. I've never said it while you do spend your spare time looking for something worth while. Instead of digging through battlefields like a madly-headed gopher. What do you mean, worth while? You're going around here who knows more about a word than you do. Go, Berenor. You want me to turn prospector, huh? You'll never get rich this way. I've never heard of an honest lawman getting rich either, Tim. I'll see you when I get back to town. Hey, stop at my place for coffee and some of Mary's homemade donuts on your way home. Thanks, I'll do that. Early two o'clock when Clem reached the rocky area known as Desolation Hills, north of town. For more than an hour, he studied the ground, intent on the search for mementos of battle. Whoa, whoa, there. Leaving his rented horse ground hitched nearby, he was examining a dry creek bed carefully. The rays of the sun glinted on a shiny object at his feet. He picked it up and gasped. Putting the nugget into his pocket, Clem took out his pocket knife. I wonder if there's more here. Some distant south of the site where Clem made his discovery, two down and out petty thieves named Gabe Anchor and Letty Chance were traveling through the hills. Having been run out of towns to the south, they hoped to better themselves in Euker Flats. Tired, dusty and hungry, Letty Chance grumbled, I'm dead, red and thirsty, Gabe. Oh, look at me, my canteen's empty. How much further do we have to travel to reach Euker Flats? Oh, three, four hours will get us there. The horses are too near worn out to make it a must time. On top of being worn out, mud's got a loose shoe. Hey, chair up lefty, there's a water hole ahead. Huh? Where? You see the sun shining on the water? Yeah. Here, go, get up. Come on, get up. There's a thirsty little water, man, until we feel like can't hear this. Water's warm. Feast is wet. He's good. Yeah. Yeah, let the horses at it. Looks like they were plenty dry. I'm glad we found this place. Hey, what's that? A hammer and a some kind. Too far away from here, either. I didn't know. With boulders aside for these around, it's hard to see anyone. They don't say why a fella tried building anything in this place. Come here lefty, huh? Around the side of the boulder. That's what we heard. A fella ponding a stake in the ground. Yeah. I reckon he didn't hear a straw rain. Look, he's fessing the paper to the stake, Abe. I wonder how much care she's given. He might hear some grub in his saddlebags. Just when I was thinking. Come on. We'll help ourselves to his money and supplies. A stake-clean babson pounded into the ground, bore a carefully lettered paper, claiming the legal amount of land permitted anyone staking a claim. After years of working in the land office, recording other men's work, he found a stake in the ground. After years of working in the land office, recording other men's claims, Clem himself had found gold. Dazed by his unexpected good fortune, he turned from the stake. Unless I'm sadly mistaken, this is a mighty rich strike. You're there. What? You want to talk to me? Long experience in the land office had taught the mild-mannered government clerk all that could be learned about cling-jumpers. Fearing that the two strangers might try to steal his strike, Clem reached for his holster. Gabe saw the move. He snatched his gun. That junkhead went for his gun. You hit him all right. Is he dead? I see. He's not moving. Hey, he's hurt bad, Gabe. He'll be gone in a couple of minutes. Your bullet hit him in the head. He shouldn't have tried to draw. If he does, we'll be hunted for murder. We might be if anyone had seen us shoot him. See if he's got any cash. I'm looking to settle back for grub. You all right, but I don't like being mixed up in the shooting. He asked for it. Yeah, maybe so, but... Hey. What's wrong? Hey, look. Look what he had in his pocket. Money? It's gold, Gabe. Gold nuggets. God. See if he has any more of them. That steak in the ground. Hmm? We'd like to see what he wrote on the paper. He fastened to it. What's that got to do with it? Yeah. Hey, it's just what I figured. Look, Gabe, it's a claim notice. Claim notice? He was taking a claim here. That's why he was pounding the steak in the ground. The notice proves it. See, here's the date, today, and the time. You're right. I'll bet 10 years of my life he found the nuggets here. Got taken. Yeah. This is our lucky day, Gabe. We'll get as much gold as we can find. We'll do better than that. We'll get all the gold it's here. We'll jump his claim. Then Babson, what he had fallen in, two thieves swung to the saddle and raced toward town. Half an hour later, lefty's tired horse was slowing visibly. Can't you get any more speed out of that critter? Come on, you miserable piece of buzzer bait. Get up there! No, he's slowing down, lefty. Get up there! Come on! He's done it, and he can't give up the place. Oh, no! He's going out. He's got a loose shoe. He should have left him back at the claim and taken the other fellas' horse. Yeah, it's just as well you didn't take that gray. Someone in town might recognize it. Well, what do we do now? My chestnut will be able to make it to Yucca Flats. I'll go under the land office to register the claim. Well, what about me? You'd better go back to the claim now. Get rid of that fella's body and turn his horse loose. Where am I going to get rid of the body? We've no tools for burying it. I don't care what you do with it as long as it's out of sight. After I register the claim, I'll head back there. All right. Bring some supplies with you. I'm half-starred. I'll see you later. Get it! Get it! One of these days I'll fly myself a good horse. A finest in these parts. All right. Come on, you pommageant! Well, the loom ranger and his Indian friend, Tonto, were riding through the desolation hills toward Yucca Flats. The mask man planned to wait outside town while Tonto bought the supplies they needed. As they passed near the spot where Clem had found gold, Tonto explained, You must have it. Look. That man was trying to mount. Look like he's hurt. They'll try to help him. Oh, silly! Oh, scum! We'll continue our loom ranger adventure in just a moment. The setting sun shining in his pain dimmed eyes. Clem Babson didn't notice the loom ranger's mask until the tall man had dismounted. He'd been wounded, Tonto. Hang on to saddle pommel to stand up. Oh, we'd like to help you. Your mask. Take it easy. We're not applause. Your cooks. Just like those other two. Ready? I've got it. I've got it. Let go of the saddle to grab Gunner. I've nothing left to steal. Two scunks already jumped my claim. We're here to help you, Lord Robb. Well, sit down. I'll take a look at your wound. We don't talk like a crook, but that mask. Forget the mask. Here, medicine. Get him if I think I've stopped him. Here, canteen. I'm your fake drink. Well, thanks, engine. I would like a drink. Who shot you? Two fellas. I never saw either one of them before, but I'll never forget the looks of them. One of them's tall. He has a heavy black beard. There's a checkered shirt and dungarees. What about the other one? He's a redhead. A little taller than I am. Well, thanks to canteen, isn't it? All right. How bad am I hurt, mister? It's just coupled. I'll have the bandage in place in just a minute. You said the men who shot you were strangers. That's right, but I've got their names. Well, how do you get names? I've got them here. On this piece of paper, they left passing to the stake I put in the ground. I found it when I came to. I noticed the stake when we stopped. I found gold here this afternoon. I know sooner than any stake in claim to it than those two rockers appeared. When I saw this paper, I knew what happened. They copied what I wrote in their own handwriting, stuck it on the stake, and went into town. Close the jumpers up. Yep. One's named Lefty Chance. His partner's Gabe Anchor. There, that takes care of your wound, mister. Oh, Babson. Clem Babson. I'm the land office agent in Yucca Flats. Land office agent. That's right. You register gold claims in land office? Yes, yes. It's a one-man office engine. I've worked there for two years. Ha, ha, ha. That good joke on crooks. Huh? Crooks get big surprise when they try to register a claim. Say, that's right. I never thought of that. Well, the dog gone it. They may be on their way to town now to register the claim. Wouldn't be surprised. They've no way of knowing who I am. Fact is, they've probably left me for dead. Now here, tracks on ground. Went from a ride horse with loose shoe. Tracks probably lead to Yucca Flats. Uh, if you're strong enough to ride. Oh, yeah, yeah, I feel a lot better now. Thanks to you two. You'd better report what happened to the sheriff. I'll do that, mister. Now tell him how you and the engine helped me. Yeah, I'll help you to mount the tanks. Feets. We ride with him, how to hold all these tracks. Me, sir. He's a big fella. Oh, get him up. Get him up. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. Yuck. See him turn in his horse? Get away. Don't let him get away. Stop him. That's it. Don't let him get away. Get away. Yes, sir. Don't let him get away, sir truck. Get a claimant on him. Yes. As Letty spurred his nearly exhausted groan. Having recognized claim. He knew capture was inevitable. Unless he could escape. A quick look over his shoulder at the powerful fight stallion. Panicked Letty. He drew his gun, and tried to fire accurately at the Lone Ranger. Tops were wild. He saw the Lone Ranger pick up his lariat. The rain will clear your saddle. I'll kill you. Letty dodged. Lefty dodged to escape the loop, but it saddled over his shoulders. And before he could free himself from the saddle as he hit the ground, his weary horse slowed to a halt. He was extremely repulsed while the masked man dismounted and hurried to lefty side. Total and clean through rain. I must have broken every bone in my body. He'd get gunned. He must have eaten good. There was a tired hand behind his back. You know good claim-jubbing rats. Left me for dead, didn't you? I didn't shoot you. It was my partner Gabe. He's the one who gunned you. Gabe's your partner. You must be Lefty Chance. How do you know? I got your name off the claim when she left on the stake where I found my gold. You can't prove we jumped your claim. I won't have to. The gold's ours. My partner's in town now filing legal claim to it. How's he going to file legal claim to it with a land office closed? Hey, might have reached the office before it closed. He couldn't have. The office closed at noon. That's right. And it's not due to open until Monday morning at 9 o'clock. Maybe Gabe found the land office agent. Maybe talked him into opening the office fish. I'm the land office agent. What? He'd have to go some to talk me into registering his claim to my gold. I'll search you right now for the nuggets you stole from me. You? You're the land office agent? It looks like you and your partner tried to jump their own claim. Oh, the dead reddit, look. And here are my nuggets. Well, I'll listen now. I didn't mean any harm. I wasn't the one who shot you. You realize you were probably on your way back to the claim right now to make sure I was dead. No, no. If the masked man and engine hadn't been with me, you'd have finished me for sure. Oh, that's not true. I can explain. Save your explanation for the sheriff. You're going to jail. Euker Flats gave anchor had already discovered that the land office was locked for the day. Confident and he had nothing to fear from the local law. He entered Sheriff Tindare's office to inquire. Sheriff, where on I find the land office agent? He's out of town as far as I know, straight here. Why? I have a claim to register here. I've looked all over town for him. Yeah, like I said, he's not in town. Well, if I'd known that, I wouldn't have wasted so much time looking for him. What's your name, straight here? Gay banker. You there. I'm ruled, eh? My partner and I discovered that I'm downright anxious to get her registered. But he's well relaxed. Monday morning, Gabe. The land office will be open at 9 o'clock. Well, if I've got to wait till then, I reckon there's not much I can do. Tim! Hey, Tim! Sounds like the agent's coming here now, you. Do you think he'd open the office long enough to register my claim? Tim, I've got a shooting to report. I had a clean jump and wrapped an attorney in fuel. Just climb back to the office, Gabe. Snatched his gun from the holster. Before he could fire, Sheriff Tindare grabbed his arms. How dare you took him? You took your dirty clean jumper? I've been trying to empty. And remember, you're covered. Well, I dropped the gun, Gabe. No, no. All right, all right. How'd I call my arm, Sheriff Gabe? Lefty, what happened? I was counting on you to help me, Gabe. Who's the man's man? He and Todd were friends of mine. They saved my life. But that man... The mask doesn't mean this, Jensen Crook. These two are. Lefty, you bunglin' jackhead. How'd you get caught? I thought you were going back to bury this critter. He and the masked man in the engine met me on a trail. Far knew what happened. I was hauled from the saddle, hauled, tied, and disarmed. I was trying to kill me, Tim. What? That bearded critter shot me. Well, in that case, I'll put him both behind bars. Come on, you two. Now you don't have to push me out going. Lefty, do you have the bungles? I said, thank you. Well, Clem, let's take care of the claim-jumpers. I reckon it does, mister. Thanks to you and Tonneau. I'll not forget what you've done for me either. I'll start working my claim and see that you get a sizable reward. Seeing you well enough to enjoy your good fortune is reward enough, Clem. Hope we meet again. Well, hold on. Where are you going? We're heading north as soon as Tonneau picks up the supplies we need. He's in the big club. Adios! But don't go on it! Help me! Well, me go get supplies, then meet Mask and Edgertown. It's a good thing it's dark. No one will notice his mask and mistake him for a crook. He's not right. Tonneau, I'd like to do something for you and him. Oh, me glad we able to help you. I know you're planning to shove on, but couldn't I send the reward somewhere to be held for you? If my claim turns out to be as good as I think it will, I'll be a rich man. Uh, you nut first, fella, who'll try to reward Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Not right, Clem. Great jumpin', crass hoppers. Is that who he is? Uh, well, Adios, Clem. What? And me wish you pretty good luck with gold, Clem. Goodbye! That is no problem. Very well. Get it off the farm. What's that about a gold, Clem? Yeah, I found gold this afternoon, Tim. Gold? I've struck it rich. That's the best news I've ever heard, Clem. I told you you should have spent your time looking for gold instead of those worthless old relics no one had wanted. Oh, fine relic hunter I am, Tim. Eh? I just missed a chance to get a silver bullet from the Lone Ranger. I don't feel like... Bring that to the same time.