 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a clod of dust and a hearty high old silver, the lone ranger. 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. Come out of the past from the thundering hoof beats of the great horse, Silver. The lone ranger rides again. It was early in the month of April when the strong warm winds from the southeast lashed the gamma grass of the great plains until it resembled the heaving bosom of a turbulent sea and billowing white clouds driven before the fateful gusts of the maverick winds thanked themselves like a cornered herd against the towering mountain ranges of the continental device in the kitchen of the arrowhead ranch mom Stevens was clearing away the last of the breakfast dishes when nine year old buddy Stevens rushed in what is it buddy you've got a mom don't get so excited buddy what's Ling Chao made now I can't tell you you got to see for yourself come on mom hurry won't you wait till I finish up with these dishes your father hired Ling Chao to cook for the range crew but he seems to spend most of his time entertaining you playing Chao's a swell fella but come on mom you've got to see what he made this time it's wonderful all right let's go see what it is you better tie your bonnet on tight the winds mighty strong after putting on her bonnet mrs. Stevens left the house with buddy she felt some slight annoyance over the fact that Ling Chao was again wasting time from his kitchen chores to entertain buddy but when she looked down at the boy's excited face and glowing eyes she smiled and quickened her pace as buddy urged her to hurry in a few minutes they approached the field behind the barn where Ling Chao bent over a startling and unusual object on the ground mrs. Stevens stared for a moment in amazement then she spoke what in the world are you scared mama it's enough to frighten the deal I thought anyone hello Ling Chao hello mrs. Stevens you come see his Chinese dragon huh it's a dragon all right but what's it for my mom it's a kite a kite sure it is isn't it a big one but it certainly is will it fly Ling Chao oh yes mrs. Stevens it flies I've seen pictures of Chinese dragon kites but I've never realized before that they were so large when I was boy in China I have many kite like this one is still sure he did mom I asked him to make me one and there it is now you can watch it fly you like see kite fly mrs. Stevens I wouldn't miss it for anything Ling Chao the winds just right to win very strong kite go up quick look at the big ball string mom but buddy that string isn't strong enough to hold a huge thing like that kite it's nothing more than three oh no no mrs. Stevens string very strong is made of silk it's made in China mom it's strong as a rope ready to fly kite now you hold a string Ling Chao I'll let the dragons had to catch the wind Ling Chao ready I'll just wing Chao that very good the wind quality there she goes wind port very hard let her out let her out Ling Chao this strong April wind cost the dragon kite and carried it rapidly a lot where it tossed and rolled above the prairie just like dragon kites had tossed and rolled high above the tile rooftops of Shanghai and Hong Kong for hundreds of years higher and higher it climbed like a winged serpent of many colors until at last the ball of silk and thread was almost exhausted and Ling Chao the Chinese cook brought his silk and monster to a standstill in the gusty sky no more strength kite stop now buddy oh gee let me fly it now Ling Chao buddy the wind is too strong you couldn't hold it wind very strong buddy but you promised you said I could fly it myself now buddy Ling Chao knows this but he made it for me and he said I could fly it I make promise when wind not blows or bakes but look the wind calm down it's not blowing hard now Ling Chao please keen all very well Ling Chao make promise to buddy Ling Chao keep flowers oh golly gee now hold on tight to the string buddy I got it here comes big wind look out buddy golly it's strong hell hell he read the string Ling Chao I can't hold it kite's gone oh buddy I knew this would happen it's gone it's gone my dragon kite's gone meantime two horsemen coming from frontier town rode along the oberland trail which passed near the steven's spread one of the riders wore a black mask and was mounted on a magnificent silvery white stagion the other rider an indian rode a beautiful paint horse there were the lone ranger and tonto who moved along the silence until suddenly tonto glanced upwards pointed toward the sky and spoke to a slight trace of excitement in his voice look kimo sabi big snake fly like bird where tonto over there it's quite this way oh I see it now big snake fallen fast have you strained yes it is strained we never see snakes flying where like bird I've never seen you as curious about anything it looked like plenty long string come down from snake that's right kimo sabi there's a string trailing behind it I want to catch that string and we'll bring in the snake to fly like a bird come on here come easy boy I've got it easy whoa now ready just mount tonto and hold the horses will you now let's draw it in as a lone ranger brought in the giant dragon kite it occurred to him that this was the first time he had ever seen tonto show so much curiosity tonto like other indians had always managed to repress his curiosity the masked man was amused that he brought in the kite and let lay collapsed on the ground there you are tonto how you can examine it made of fine silk and light sticks of wood ah easy boys like kiten I'll pass over kiten not like this no I guess not this is a chinese dragon kite one of the finest I ever saw you see kite like this yes many years ago before I knew you tonto where you see big snake kites in china china but that's not all way cross water that's right they have many kites like this in china they call them dragon kites this kite not fly from china where this kite come from oh probably from a nearby ranch must have broken away in the wind and drifted here wind not blow hard now that's why the kite was falling when you saw it I'll anchor it to windward won't blow away why you do that my guess the owner of this kite would come looking for it to find a specimen to lose there it's tied securely pilot's mount up so to be good just a moment about it see that horse to the south of us ah horse got saddled no rider we'll row him and check his brand he must have strayed from a nearby ranch a short time later a mrs. steven sat on the ranch house porch while buddy sat dejectedly on the nearby steps hearing the sound of approaching hoop feet buddy looked up then called out to his mother look mom doesn't have to ride him please yes it is buddy let me ride and say that he's got something in his hand I hope nothing's happened to poor child what did you find out there you didn't find link child no but we found his hat here it is the range crew still looking for him I told him to go on looking until dark what's that feathers to pick these up where we found the hat painted their indian feathers come out of a war bonnet dead we've never seen an indian around here just the same buddy these are indian feathers then something has happened to link child sure looks that way Mary but I can't understand it been years since there's been indian trouble around here wait look two men are riding in and they're leading the horse but link child's horse in one of them's man yeah just what's this all about here they come buddy get with your mother I'll cover this pair before they get the drop come on buddy I'll keep your hands where I can see him and maybe you won't get hurt you too got some explaining to do the lone ranger explained the way Stevens how he and tonto had found the horse and the dragon kite and in return learned that after the kite broke away from buddy Stevens the Chinese cook had gone in search of it he had failed to return to the ranch and a search for him had resulted in Stevens finding the half an indian feather you can put away your guns wait they're not looking for trouble here to help you if we can all right maybe are on the level of that get down off your horse there are no indians around here here's reservation is a hundred miles west yes that's right there's not been indian trouble in 10 years or more that just don't understand it let me examine those feathers will you here you are hello take a look at these feathers we them youth feathers that's not good chemotubby what's he mean their feathers died with the favorite colors of the youth tribe youths they're the reservation indians I just spoke about yes I know a week ago yellow dog the medicine man of the tribe jumped the reservation with a band of young bucks I've heard he's an honorary critter he's a troublemaker so uh where'd you find these feathers in the hat Steven about four miles south of buzzard canyon buzzard canyon that's band chemotubby yes you'll have to act fast what are you two talking about when yellow dog and his bucks jumped the reservation they thought they'd gone to hunt and had soon returned how don't I doubt it we've been trying to find them just who are you that's not important now but Stevens buzzard canyon is the ancient ceremonial grounds of the pagan youth and such as whole devil dance there long time ago well that's where they make sacrifices to the great spirit and it's been outlawed for years right the yellow dog is a pagan he wants the young bucks of the tribe to be pagan also there's no doubt they're in buzzard canyon laying chow as their prisoners quite dead blast their red hides I'll round up my rain chains it will right in there and blast them the kingdom come you wouldn't have a chance no bunch of reservation Indians can come prowling around here like that we listen to the mess man you've got no more than a dozen men I got 15 they have more than a hundred having time to ride the fort lion for help but what can we do fortunately the youth won't make a sacrifice until sunup they'll hold the devil dance during the night then a sunup they'll kill Ling Cal and offer his heart to the great spirit for killing the child you'll kill a horrible and we're helpless to aid them we've got to try Steven yeah you must trust me and do what I tell you now just a minute I'm willing to trust you but when it comes to giving orders on the boss around here wait please let's hear what the mess man here's to see then you can decide who'll be born that's reasonable about us even all right let's hear it now decide after I've heard what you've got to say the curtain falls on the first act of our lone ranger story before the next exciting scene please permit us to pause for just a few moments pressed upon Wade Stevens that Ling Chao the Chinese cook would be sacrificed at sunup to the pagan gods of the youths if a single slip were made in efforts to rescue him and the mask man pointed to Toto and said one hope lies in Toto him being the Indian Wade you'll be able to help them ask me sure he will dad all right then you're the boss I'll do what you say good when your range crew rides in keep them here until I return should be riding in any time now it's getting dark and they won't be able to pick up a trail where are you and Toto going I can't explain now buddy I'll be back in a short time this will be a scout I'll have the range crew ready and waiting when you get back good after more than an hour of hard riding the lone ranger and Toto and mirrored buzzard canyon ancient ceremonial place of the once pagan youths but they made no attempt to enter instead they tethered their horses in a rugged draw and a few moments later under the cloak of darkness crouched on a ledge overlooking the canyon the monotonous rhythm of drums came clearly to them and they knew the devil dance had begun peering over the ledge they saw circle of hideously painted Indians dancing wildly about a large bonfire and a few paces away they saw the form of a very small man tied to the trunk of a tree the top of which had been cut away a few feet from the ground that's the link child now him tied to poor study his position Toto make sure of every detail now need to do it we go now no that's it why we stay then what much time I know I have a century posted near the past we've closed the past now go ahead Toto there's a century be ready to silence him easy no here he comes great feathered bonnet and boxed in bridges were quickly taken away from the unconscious century now the lone ranger bound and gagged him Toto slipped out of his own clothing and into that of the youth when he was finished lone rangers struck a match which he cupped in his hands and held over the face of the cross great youth the face was hideous and it's gawdy paints and fantastic patterns but Toto studied it closely and you recognize the mask huh that devil mask be no devil mask can you duplicate it quickly huh we go to horses we put on paint pronto good we'll have to hurry returning to the horses Toto proceeded to apply the fantastic coloring of the devil mask to his own face while the lone ranger quietly outlined a daring plan they returned then to the past leading down to the canyon for a brief moment they stood peering down upon the painted youths as they danced wildly around the huge fire to the beat of the tomtoms then the lone ranger placed his hand on Toto's shoulder you can get to Ling Chao tell him ways and mrs. Stevens and buddy sent you you'll understand then and do what you tell him me tell him and Toto never before asked you to risk your life you realize both of us would die if i went with you now me know that king of subbie it's better you now go as the two friends separated perhaps for the last time each one is respective way the beat of the tomtoms grew in rapidity and the frenzy of the dancing youths became more fanatical and torturous round and round they danced unmindful of the fire that had ceased to flame skyward and was now but a pile of dull glowing embers unmindful of fellow dancers who fell exhausted from the ranks their places taken by other frenzy redskins whose faces were distorted by paint and fanaticism beyond human recognition so hypnotized by their own weird spectacles the youths also failed as their shadowy figure emerged from the blackness of the night and approached the figure of their sacrifice down to the post you Ling Chao you go away go away do not be afraid me friend you lie you come kill Ling Chao you go away be quiet me friend rancher wait steven my friend buddy my friend this is steven's friend if you speak truth may my ancestors forgive me i spoke from fear that all right me understand now you'll listen to what tanta tell you maybe we save your life it's fool who covers ears before finger of good tidings speak my friend tanta having gained Ling Chao's confidence tonto unobserved by the dancing frenzy youth braves hurriedly and in low tones told ling of the plan he and the lone ranger had agreed upon and leaving ling's side tonto slipped into the circle of dancing youths and became one of the shouting fanatical band meantime on the rim of the canyon above the lone ranger made a last minute check to see that wade stevens and his men had followed his instructions all of your men faced about the canyon stevens yeah i did just like you told me i've got the pass guarded at both ends and i picked up some range hands from the wagon wheel spread because they're on the block and they're armed to the teeth too good look to the east oh it's starting to get light they will break in a few moments when the first rays show in the canyon will make the sacrifice i hope they didn't discover tonto i tried to pick him out but i can't be dressed and painted like the rest of them will know in a few minutes they sacrifice ling chao it'll mean tonto never yeah we'll know then at least we're ready if he did reach him the wind's starting to rise too that's enough baby you bet it is mom buddy yes sir you and your mother had better not remain here on the block but rather you weren't here to see what happens if our plan miscarries it'd be horrible buddy come on let's go can't we go with that he'll need both of us i guess i will at that i don't know much about this what they're yelling about what's happening they've seen the first rays of the rising sun time for the sacrifice quick buddy mary we've got to hurry demons be sure to check the direction of the wind i will hurry up i'll use become medicine man you do what we tell you good advice like riches it's worth much to the needy you are going off you tell yellow dog great medicine man once you tell me your medicine no good is very bad medicine that lie i make medicine for great spirit oh you are big fake i i make big medicine heat big medicine uh little man say you big fool yellow dog no fool yellow dog great medicine man me kill give heart to great spirit what you say now him speak to great spirit ask great spirits and devil kill you about him big fool you look in sky you're big fool like i did over what that big snake it fly like bird can yellow dog make medicine like that uh me make medicine give yellow dog gun huh here gun me kill snake that fly oh you cannot kill my medicine me shoot from sky the renegade youth who had followed yellow dog off their reservation to the ceremonial grounds of their ancestors faced a disheartening disillusionment before their very eyes they'd seen the man they planned to sacrifice defy their own medicine man they'd seen him make bigger medicine than yellow dog their medicine man had not only failed to shoot the demon from the sky but it had shot back at him the gods were angry with yellow dog quickly tried to rally them to go on with the sacrifice as he pleaded cajoled and threatened the painted youth hesitated between loyalty and fear tonto and ling chow's good silence wondering what the decision would be and then the strong wind became gusty and the dragon kite funged and swayed into the canyon its vivid colors flashing in the early morning sunlight it was too much for the superstitious pagans they broke and ran yellow dog the medicine man knew that he could never again return to his tribe that he would be an outcast forever but he still had one ace left in his hard luck hands it was tonto's gun suddenly faced tonto you traitor big fool got gone huh you not you you friend of bad medicine now i kill you you traitor then i killed bad medicine stop that gun you're a good gun now keep us happy you go all right back to the reservation to stand trial bring him along tonto it was not until after they reached the ranch and ling chow was eating a sumptuous breakfast which he didn't cook that he learned from the stevens family how he had been delivered from a certain death at the hands of the superstitious you see ling chow it was a masked man in tonto who found the dragon kite and the masked man figured it would scare the daylights out of them pagan youths and i guess it did with dad and i who flew it over the canyon and mom helped you and you recollect the shot that was fired at old yellow dog right after he shot at the kite and yellow dog thought it was the dragon shooting at him for ling chow never forget it it's uh mr. piling chow for more well that was the masked man he fired it were you very frightened ling chow ling chow had much fear at first but when tonto tell ling chow about masked fling ling chow not flayed a little more tonto told you who he is you mean you know who he is why even we don't know him mask man very fine friends tonto say masked friend is lone ranger this is a copyrighted feature originated by george w trendle and directed by charles d livenson the part of the lone ranger is played by brace beamer