 a fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hyoseilver! The Lone Ranger! With his faithful Indian companion, Tottle, 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! Canyon City was made up of a few stores, the main office of the Damon stagecoach company, and a hotel a cater to travelers who had to wait some time several days for accommodations on the stagecoach. Jake Parker ran the hotel and spent most of his time behind the counter in the lobby. He was there when Jim Blake entered and slapped dust from his well-worn clothing. I guess you don't remember me, do you, Mr. Parker? Your face is familiar and I never forget a face. Now let me think. I spent the night here in your hotel one year ago. Name's Jim Blake. From your clothes I'd say you'd been prospecting in the hills. Yeah, you're right. Any luck? Well, Freda Midland, I spent most of my time panning streams and hit some good ones. Glad to hear it. You aim to stay in town? I guess so. How long does it take for the stage to get from here to Carsonville and back? Well, it used to take two days in each direction. What do you mean it used to? Well, sometimes it takes longer now. Spent some Indian trouble. Puyoots have attacked a few of Damon's stages. Puyoots? Well, I thought they were peaceful. Didn't they sign a treaty? A treaty? I'd have attacked one of the stage coaches three times the last few months. Is that so? It's got so Damon won't be responsible for shipments that are lost. So if you're figuring on sending your gold to the bank in Carsonville, you better think again. I can't carry it around with me, especially with so many owl hoots in town. What do you mean so many owl hoots? Crooks, gunslingers, men with their guns tied low. Those two gents sitting over in the corner, for example, I'd bet anything they'd live by their guns. And I saw lots of others just like him in the street. As long as any man can pay for what he buys in my hotel, I don't ask questions. Now, I've got to get my gold to the bank in Carsonville. It's the only safe place. I hope it gets to Carsonville. I'll ride with it to make sure. How soon does the next stage leave? Find that out from Damon. His office is at the far end of the street. Yes, Mr. Blake, it's quite true we have had some trouble with Puyoots. In spite of the peace treaty they signed? I wouldn't say that Puyoots is a whole of broken the treaty, but a band of them has been making it hot for my stage line. Well, I wanted to send some gold to the bank in Carsonville. I'll weigh it and give you a receipt. But in the event of Indian attack, of course, I cannot be responsible. I'm going to go with it. As a passenger on the stage court? Yeah. Well, that's up to you. You have to pay full fare. I'll pay. In that case, you might as well carry the gold with you. There's no use having me take charge of it. Well, you have a strong box on the stage, haven't you? Well, that might give me a little more protection. Stage leaving this afternoon. Good. Here's the dust. You'll have to weigh it. Stage will leave at three o'clock. I'll be here. A few minutes after Jim Blake left the office of the stage coach company, Jake Parker came in to call on Damon. Oh, hi, Jake. Glad you came. I have something to discuss with you. Sorry, young prospect, your name Blake, leave here. He's shipping gold on this afternoon stage. Damn, I should work. Over $5,000? Worth going after him. Yes, he's sending it at his own risk. He's going to ride the stage himself to keep an eye on the gold. Pass the word to the boys, will you, Jake? Tell them to get rigged out as payouts and watch for the stage coach. Well? What's the matter? Damon, I've been wondering. We don't want to overwork that payout Indian business. Well, we may hear about it and come to see about the Indians breaking the treaty. What are but who can prove it's not the payouts that stick up my stagecoaches. Couldn't the boys do it without dressing up like payouts? I want a guard and driver, as well as any passengers who might be on board to describe the attackers as Indians. That throws suspicion off our own boys. I think the guard and driver should be in on the deal. Just that many more to pay off. God might shoot one of our own men. Lefty and the other boys know they must take that risk. Furthermore, I've warned the guard to avoid starting gunplay that would lead to his own death, as well as the death of the driver and passengers. Don't tell me how to run my business. I'm not, I just wouldn't. You just take care of the hideout and the costumes, Jake. I'll do the rest. It was later that same afternoon when the stage left Canyon City to head for Carsonville, with gold belonging to Jim Blake and several other men. The horses followed the familiar trail through the hills for over an hour. Jim Blake and another passenger were inside the stagecoach, and the guard and driver rode on top. Suddenly, an Indian war cry rang out through the hills. Hey, yeah! It seemed like a fire. Hey, guys, read in. Open fire. Those red skins are firing at us. They shoot down our heads. They won't kill us unless we start killing them. There, the guard is right. They're robbers. They're the robbers anyway. You won't save your cash for dying. The guard and driver stuck their hands into the air, as a small body of men in war paint, wearing a clothing of pious Indians, rolling past us around the Hothick stage. The attackers worked quickly, and with the efficiency of a well-drilled team, they dragged the guard and driver from the box, and the passengers from inside the stage and took away all weapons. Then they smashed the strong box, loaded the contents into saddlebags, and rode away. There goes every cent I have in the world, all my gold dust. There goes a solid year of hard work. Yeah, we're lucky to be alive. You, God, why didn't you fight? Why didn't you let me shoot them? That wouldn't have helped any, Mr. Blake. We might have drilled one or two, but the others would have killed us in short order. And Mr. Damon told us not to risk flies by shooting. But why doesn't the government step in? Why do they let those Indians break a treaty like this? Hey, look over there. Coming from all the direction. War Indians. Just one Indian. And others are... He's a mess. Yeah, more robbers. Well, at any rate, there's nothing left for them to steal. Just two of them. We could get them if those pilots hadn't taken our guns. Let's get in the stage and make a run for it. Well, you think my team could outrun those two horses? Another chance. May as well stay right here until those critters they came too late. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. They're too late, Mr. They've already been cleaned out. The pilot's robbed us. Well, anyone hurt? No, but I'd soon have a bullet in the shoulder and lose all it was stolen. You may as well shove on, I'll hope. We got nothing left to steal. You're jumping to the wrong conclusion. We came to investigate the gunfire and offer help. You'd say Paiute Indian hold up stage? That's right. Where'd they go? That way, toward Canyon City. Yeah, and if you'd have been here a minute earlier, you'd have seen them riding over yonder hills. Sooner we get back to town, the sooner the marshal can get a posse out to hunt them. Mind if we get a boy at the stage and get going? Searchers, if you don't believe we've been robbed. Be fast so we can get started for time. I don't want to search you. You mean we're free to go? You really do think I'm an outlaw, don't you? It is a big flop. I'll tell Mr. Damon the stage is coming back. You'll tell. You mean you're going to town? We may see more of each other. Ready, Tuttle? Be ready. Come on, Tuttle! Let's go! A long ranger and Tuttle reached the edge of town without catching sight of the men who had attacked the stage. They found a suitable campsite in a woods, where Tuttle waited while the masked man rode to the rear of a row of buildings. But he left his horse and entered Simon Damon's office. Damon's face registered surprise. Who are you? My name wouldn't mean anything to you, Damon. I wear this mask because there are men who would shoot me on sight if they recognized me. Oh, what do you want? First of all, I want your confidence. It'll help if you've heard of me. I'm called the Lone Ranger. What? You, the Lone Ranger? Why, I can't believe that. I can show you a silver bullet and my horse is in back. You might recognize silver from descriptions. Other than that, I don't know how I can prove my identity. In any event, please listen to me. Yes, yes, I'll listen to you. Have been reports that Paiute Indians have attacked your stagecoaches. That's true. Maybe true that your coaches have been attacked, but it was not the work of Paiute. I... how do you know? Because I've investigated. I came here directly from the Paiute village toward the east. Those Indians have a lot of respect for the peace treaty they signed. They're proud of their status as law-abiding people. They would put to death any of their tribe would display any form of violence. But I have eyewitness reports. Passengers who are on the stagecoaches, as well as my garden driver. It would not be hard for white men to disguise themselves as Paiutes. You only have the word of the Paiute leaders. No, more than that. Your stage was attacked this afternoon between here and Carsonville. It was. My statement will be confirmed within an hour when the stage returns. The men who attacked it looked like Paiutes, but they came directly here. See, how do you know that? Their trail was fresh. Todd and I could follow it to the heart ground within a half mile of town. But not into town, eh? Several of the horses had distinguishing hoof marks. We may be able to identify them. See, well, now, what you say is very, very interesting, but have you given this information to the Marshal? Not yet, but I shall. Unless you prefer to pass it on to him yourself. Well, I'll be glad to. These crooks must be found and exposed before the Paiute Indians are involved in serious trouble that might result in the breaking of the treaty. Yes, I'll speak to the Marshal just as soon as possible. He'll probably want to question you. I'm sure he'll want to meet you. Todd and I are camped in a clump of cotton which was directly south of town. The Marshal can find us there. I'll tell him. Meanwhile, we'll be looking for the horses with the distinctive hoof marks. Oh, wait, I'd like to talk to you some more. We'll probably meet again. Hmm, a lone ranger, eh? That's bad. Come on, do it! I must do something about him. You alone, Cameron? Oh, come in, Jake. Come in. You're just the man I want to see. Oh, there's the back door, all right. I've all checked in, turned over the goal, they got from Blake. Jake, listen to me. A man went out that back door just before you came in the front. He knows it isn't Pio to attack the state's coaches, and he's likely to find out the truth about our game. We've got to get rid of him before he gets us. Now, me man. No, he's not in uniform. A laman? He's not wearing a badge. Well, who in turn is he? Jake, the man we've got to kill is the lone ranger. The curtain falls on the first act of our lone ranger adventure. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now, to continue. When the lone ranger told the owner of the stage line that the highwaymen were not Pio Indians, he didn't realize that Damon himself was the leader of the gang. Nor did he suspect that Jake Parker, owner of the hotel, was Damon's right-hand man. The two conspirators knew that their security had to be bought by the murder of the lone ranger. Tuttle had gone to town to scout for information, and the masked man was alone in camp when a horseman approached. Oh, holy, oh, oh, Jesus. Hi there, missy. Hello. I reckon you're the man I'm looking for. They told me you were camped in these trees. Steady boy. I've been expecting someone who'd come to ask questions. I kept the fire burning as a beacon. Are you from the Marshal's office? Oh, yeah. Hey, see, will you sell your horse and come back to town with me? Marshal wants to talk to me. Very well. You used to be silver. Well, you've done some water on that fire while I settled my horse. Right. So you're the lone ranger, huh? Yes. You can call me lefty. You said you came from the Marshal's office. Oh, yeah. I don't have a badge. I'm not a regular lawman. Just running an errand for the Marshal. Oh. He sent me because he wants me to show you something on the way back to town. What are you to show me? Well, it's a cave in the hillside. Marshal wants you to look it over and see if you've got any ideas about it. Yeah, I'm ready. All right, lead the way. Right. Get up there. Come to the lefty. Lefty rode in the direction of town and approached a hill in the rear of the hotel. He drew rain and they dismounted. Near a dense stand of underbrush at the bottom of the hill, it concealed the entrance to a cave. Yeah, follow me. I'll show you how to get through the brush. Right. Hey, now you can see the opening. Goes right straight into the hill. Dark inside. Got a bit of candle in my pocket. Light it as soon as we're inside. We can dodge around some big boulders. This cave goes straight through the hill, slanting down with a little bit, about 50 yards long. Well, there, now you can see. A tunnel? Yep, it's what it is, a tunnel. And the other end opens into the cellar of the hotel. You follow me. As the lone ranger followed lefty through the tunnel, three men appeared from behind the brushwood at the mouth of the cave. I'd like to follow along and see what happens. Jake told us to stand guard here at the mouth of the cave. What better doing, sirs? Well, I ain't aiming to go against Jake's orders. Just the same, I'd like to be in the hotel cellar when the lone ranger learns that Damon is our boss. That'll be worth seeing, man. Now, there, you can see the end of the tunnel is a wooden door. It opens into the hotel cellar. Well, what are we going to find there? We're going to find proof that what you told Mr. Damon is right. Those highwaymen weren't Paiutes at all. They were white men. The hotel cellars are hard-eyed, and that's where they keep their engine clothing. I'll see if the door's open. All right, there's a light in there. Yeah, so I see. Open the door a little while. Step right in, Mr. Paiutes. What's going on? I'm holding a gun on your back. The boys are waiting for you. Get your hands up and come in here. Damon. Come in and meet Jake Parker, who owns the hotel, and the boys who rob the stage from. Holding his hands at shoulder level, the lone ranger took two steps into the room, then moved slightly to one side while left they came out of the tunnel. The masked man saw a large room with walls of stone. A flight of stairs at one end led up to a door that probably opened into the first floor of the hotel. In addition to Damon and Jake Parker, a half a dozen hard-faced men eyed the newcomer. Piled on a nearby table, there lay buckskin jackets and trousers, as well as headdresses typical of Paiute Indians. I seem to have played right into your hands. Damon. Locked yourself for death when you came into my office with the guests that the robbers were white men dressed as Paiutes. Hey, Lefty, where's the Indian? Indian? But I said this masked man has an Indian pal named Tonto. Told you to bring him both. I didn't see nothing of a red skin in his camp. We've got to have Tonto. We won't be safe until both he and the lone ranger are dead. You're right about that, Damon. Tonto has just as determined as I had to clear the name of the Paiute Indians. Go back and get the red skin, Lefty. Meanwhile, a couple of you boys disarm the lone ranger and take off his mask. You won't get Tonto. You're not even sure of me. With lightning speed, the lone ranger leaves behind Lefty, snacks the gun, and fires two shots toward the lamp. Get him. Stop him. Where is he? Get a light. His sudden move caught the others completely off guard. He was in the tunnel and slammed the door. Quiet down now. Quiet all of you. Take it easy. He can't get away. The boys are watching me outside of the tunnel. All right, Pete, get a light. Joe, open the door. Two can play at that game. Can't see him in the tunnel. He'll be able to see us when we get a light. Stand out of the line of fire. What about that light? I got another lamp up there, dude. Hey, boys. You at the outside, can you hear me? The masked man got away. He's heading toward your end of the tunnel. Don't let him out. The tunnel was studded with big boulders. The lone ranger ran into several of them as he hurried through the darkness. He heard Damon shouting to the men outside near the horses and knew that he was trapped. One bullet struck a big rock close at hand and splashed chips against his face. He pelted between two rocks, which gave him temporary protection. Some bullets fired at either end of the long tunnel. But he knew that his security would be short-lived. He's trapped, boys. He can't get away. How are we going to get him? He could shoot us if we went into the tunnel after him. We're not taking that chance. Lefty, you go and get the Indian. I didn't see him at camp. Wait for him. Bring him back here. We can use him to bring that masked man out of the tunnel. While Damon's men watched both ends of the tunnel, Lefty went up the cellar stairs to the hotel. He borrowed one of the horses at the hitch rail and rode over the hill to the tunnel's entrance, where he had left his own horse beside Silver. Ho! Ho! There! Ho! Ho! Easy now. I keep a sharp watch, boys. Don't let that masked man get out this end. Where are you going, Lefty? I'm taking my horse and I'm going to get the lone rangers in the impale. Steady now. Get up! As Lefty approached the lone rangers' camp, he saw a fire burning far brighter than the one he had extinguished earlier that evening. Hold it. Hold it. Hold it. As he rode into the camp, he saw no sign of Tonto. The Indian appeared from behind a tree as the outlaw dismounted. Easy there. Get hands up. You've got your cupboard. Take it easy, Tano. I'm from the marshals' office. Well, what you want? I was here a little while ago to get your friend. He's with the marshals right now, helping Sal the stagecoach robberies. You hear of four? Sure, that's what I'm telling you. Put that gun down and take it easy, huh? I don't mean no, you tell truth about lone rangers. I'd have no reason to lie. Oh, you've got plenty reason to lie. Now get hands up. All right, hold on. Now listen, Tano. I'll see here the marshals ain't gonna like this. The marshals not like it. When I'm here, you hold up stage. What do you mean? You ride without law. Oh, you talk. Dangerous. I told you he's with the marshals. That's not true. Somehow, you got the idea. One of the outlaws now. That's crazy, Tano. Be fine marks of outlaw horse. One horse got broken shoe. Same horse here in camp a little while ago and same horse here now. So that's it, huh? Well, if you think you can... Now, you talk. Now, wait a minute. Listen to me. I borrowed that horse. I don't know... Where are lone rangers? Are you talking? No. Talk fast. Don't beat me. Don't beat me like that. Red skin. Do not talk. Damon, Jake and the other thieves have maintained a constant vigil in the cellar room while others in the gang did the same thing at the outer end of the cave. Meanwhile, the lone ranger was trapped between the two. It was nearly midnight when the door opened and Tano appeared at the top of the cellar stairs. An Indian. Me, Teller, man lefty, say you want me. Yep, that's right, Tano. Come on down here. Him say, mask friend here. You'll be with your mask friend in just a few minutes, Tano. I'll get your hands up. Here, come on. Take his guns, boys. Get ropes on him. Now we'll get that mask man. Hey, you, back there in the cave. We've got your Indian pal. You want to come out peaceful or stay there and listen to him howling pain from what we do to him? Me not howling pain. Get him roped and be quick about it. You hear me? I heard you. So did I. Marshall. Let him have it. Bedlam broke loose when the Marshall leaked down the entire flight of stairs with other lawmen at his heels. Damon and his men went for their guns but fired too fast. Their shots went wild. Then the Marshall's men went into action at close range. Tano jerked free and swung a hard fist at the nearest man. It was a hand-to-hand fight at quarters too close for further gunplay. The lone ranger could hear the action. He knew what had met and rushed from the tunnel into the room to add his way to the forces of law. This is for you, Damon. The fight was quickly ended. Damon and Jake were bruised and beaten and their men were in even worse condition. Line up there against that wall. Hold on, Marshall. There's a mistake. There was a mistake, Damon, and you made it when you tried to beat the law. That goes for you too, Jake. I got the whole truth from Lefty. Tano brought him into my office and he spilled all he knows including the fact that all the gold that's been stolen from the stagecoaches is in a chest right here in this room. Oh, that squealing double-crossing. Don't hold it too much against Lefty. You'd a squeal too if Tano'd gone to work on you the way he did on Lefty. Good for you, Tano. He'd make big mistake when he'd ride horse with broken shoe. That reminds me. Silver's on the far side of the hill. There are others at the gang. We went there first and brought in those crooks. Then Tano brought Silver around, tied him in front of the hotel. He's there waiting for you. Good enough. Come along, Tano. You want that cash, Blake? I'd hear my children. Then that cleans everything up. Gosh, my children. If it hadn't been for that masked man, I'd have lost all I got in the world. I'll sure be everlastingly grateful to him. And to Tano. Jim, you're not the first to say that about the masked man. I guess you already know who he is. Yeah, I sure do. He's the Lone Ranger. This is a feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, created by George W. Trendle, produced by Trendle Campbell Enterprises, and directed by Charles D. Livingston. Tonight's drama was written by Franz Breiker. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beemer.