 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust to the heart of Ohio Silver, the lone ranger. The master rider of the planes brought many criminals to justice during his fight for law and order in the early years of the western United States. But he gained his greatest fame as a champion of right against might, of the weak against the strong. No man did more to make the frontiers safe for honest men and women. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the west was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the lone ranger rides again. Faithful Indian companion Tonto listened with interest to the old timer they had met on the trail outside Freeport. Yes sir old Jason was the unluckiest fellow there ever was. I mind him well. Before he left these parts we was right good friends. We were neighbors for a while. Which we have no idea what became of him. No more more horse here stranger never even heard his name mentioned the last few years to list business of the ranch come up a couple of months ago and if he's not found it goes to his nephew a fellow named Lang son of one of Jason's brothers you should meet him for a worthless shiftless downright ornery example of nothing at all he takes first prize. You mark my words that ranch is worth a hundred thousand if it's worth a penny and he'll have it drunk up inside the year you said Jason was unlucky what did you mean by that what to mean well stranger do you ever meet somebody that brought bad luck with him wherever he went without raising a hand I can't say that I have well then you should have known Jason that was him married three times and lived to bury every white he had had four young and buried them bought out a stage line just before the railroad come through sold out for a song and bought beef and lost every critter during a drought after that being broke he decided to prospect for gold and then he found a likely spot worked at it for six months just wouldn't give up had so much faith in it he almost starved to stay at it but finally he's seen where it wasn't no use he'd been just stubborn to no purpose so we haven't cleared out and that's happened to lots of men uh-huh but not like it did to Jason why two weeks after he pulled stakes another fellow come along took a couple of swipes for this pick where Jason had been digging an uncovered a vein that yielded half a million afford thinned out now tie that if you can I'm afraid I can't but that's just the half of it Jason weren't only unlucky to himself he was unlucky to everybody else if he stopped someplace overnight either the house burned down or sickness broke out in it coincidence of course now wonder Jason thought he brought bad luck yeah and that's why finally he just up and disappeared he couldn't stand it no longer reckon towards the last I was about the only fellow around here that have anything to do with him but he was like I should smile he was folks thought the world of him nobody figured he could help the way things turned out but they just couldn't risk being around him but you'd like to see him get the ranch wouldn't you sure would that'd be a piece of good luck reckon if he's still alive poor old Jason could use some and when is the deadline just one month from now if he ain't found but then well like I said that never you is inherits the place and folks around here'd rather see Jason get it and that young squirt bad luck or no you must have heard something of Jason after he left well yeah yeah I did heard he'd been seen at deadwood working at the mines but when I wrote to him there I got a letter back saying the fella he'd hired out to it gone bust soon after and Jason had drifted on so there you are deadwood how long ago was that let's see must have been about four years ago yep that's what was four years last spring I see well tell her we'll be on our way thanks old tamer sure that's all right but look here stranger yes what are you so interested in Jason for I don't think young Lang should get the ranch huh I'm as anxious as you for Jason to return in time to claim it you you mean we're going to find him come to the huh get him up come on over hi wait on that same day hundreds of miles from Freeport a wealthy rancher named Ashley was listening to a report from his foreman young Gil Heath and his sister Mary who own the neighboring ranch are standing beside him near the Ashley corral well that's what happened boy something must have been wrong with the coupling and cars both loose from the engine moved all the way down grade till they hit that sign and just pile up one on top of the other in the canyon there right now them cars ain't hardly good for kindling we've lost 500 head of prime stock or chairs you're uh-huh they've had nothing but bad luck for the past three months they're never going to stop another three months like a past three and I'll be clean burst I'm sorry boss but there's never been anything we could have helped well if you think we could have I think you'd like to work and forget it but I'm trying to try to see in your face around here you don't never show up listen you'll bring up bad news go and get it you've got things to keep you busy ain't you plenty and get out of it sure get up boy that word enough I I suppose I gotta listen to you a while and again a lot with it what do you got to say this time mr ashley you cheated us when you sold us our range right to you did I know but then where do you think you get off saying I cheated you you back that up mr ashley you and I weren't acquainted here when we bought from you that my fault no of course not but when you sold us that range you should have told us you still owned a strip of land between the range in the spring or at least you should let our cattle cross your land to reach water it's only right if they can't our land's worth nothing that's your tough luck take not a mind you gotta inquire into them things need water is simple as savvy a day you said it belongs to parkman and buy it we have to buy all the way to the hills he won't sell apart without selling all can't use it sure but then what's holding your back why the whole works you know very well we can't do that you knew it from the first how can we buy without money that's what you're planned on that's why gil said you cheated us you sold us a spring and range you never told us we couldn't reach the spring without crossing your property and now you want a car and now if you send your critters across that their strip you got to pay me a dollar a head that would you kick in the body we just can't pay it and then you'll tell you what I'll do what I'll give you your choice of two propositions now I'll admit a dollar a head the right steep price if you ain't got the cash well then of course you can't pay it so maybe I uh I could make it 50 cents a head instead you you shouldn't charge us a penny well that's one of my proposition take it or leave it here's the other I'll buy it back that land in spring I sold you I'll buy your cattle too only I'll buy at my own price what will you pay for everything mark stock and barrel I'll give you a five thousand but we pay there's no such an argument that's my price and I won't raise it a dollar and you can't get better from anybody else as long as I own that one strip of land your outfit ain't good to nobody but me so like I said before you can take it or leave it we won't take it well then if if we have to I'd rather give pager the 50 cents a head we could raise that much couldn't we give I guess but the awful flat afterwards Mary and it's still nothing but a hold up which you can't do nothing about as long as it can't afford to buy from parkman well I I guess we can't that's the way you would have been me I suppose doesn't seem as if there's anything you there hey yeah you can something wrong hello you've been working here about three months and why ain't I seen you around before why it was your foreman and hired me Mr Ashley you hired me to go along with some cows you were shipping to Denver then when I got back he sent me to a line camp reckon this is about the second time I've been around the ranch house what's your handle lonesome lonesome Jones folks call me that because I kind of stayed by myself you're lying what you know what your name is it's Jason Lang and don't deny it you think I ain't heard you described often enough Mr Ashley wait just just listen a second true my name's Lang I won't deny it but I had to take another name I've had such a sight of bad luck that you're the cause of mine I came here three months ago when it was just three months ago the things started going wrong around there just get off my plate Mr Ashley listen I ain't been able to hold a steady job in five years the bad luck you've had ain't my fault just just give me a chance and getting to be an old man I need the work if you fire me I don't know how long it'll be before I get another job why you I've done my work good ask your former fame and moves but Mr clear out of the county I won't have you anywhere as nearly if I hear you get to work close by so you can who do me again I'll come after you and run you out of the county myself now get you got twenty dollars coming Mr Ashley you'll cost me a hundred times that much already you mean he ain't gonna pay me that's just what I mean oh yeah I ain't got it died didn't I tell you the fair moves you know wait I'll show you don't kick him again take your hand off me I said don't kick him you tell him me what to do yes and here's what I think of it you bully you don't let him do it I want you cut me down now you pay for that come on get up on your feet I'll give you some more of what you asked for I don't fight where it ain't necessary Howard in here they you put it in they like and pay you off of that without reason to hand I suppose you can and well nothing you can do to me would make me stand by doing nothing while you beat up on a man almost twice your age here did he say your name is Jason Lang that's that's right mister but I'd rather you just call me lonesome lonesome Jones I'm used to it seems to fit better somehow all right lonesome you're coming with us huh you said you'd have a hard time finding work didn't show well we'll give you a word no no miss you couldn't do that I I wouldn't want to see you come to any harm and account of me I'll be all right nonsense of course you'll come with us go ahead climb up in the buggy there you can drive us home but you need one lonesome please well if you say I should only go going well ahead you know yourself for me maybe I won't have to pay you off myself no you're carrying your bad luck right along with you I'll take that chance and don't forget what's bad luck for one man may be good for another come Mary let's get home more than a month past during that time the lone ranger continued his search for Jason Lang one day just before noon he wrote into his camp near Dodd City and you get news I picked up Jason's trail again not good here's couch what you find out Jason was at Dodd City I'm certain of it only there he called himself lonesome Jones he worked for a company of drovers for a while until the market wiped them out him may keep bad luck it certainly seems like a chemist hobby Jason's build up quite a reputation for himself for old fellow it's not the kind of reputation that'll do many good map right well anyhow the former of a trail crew says he thought he saw Jason heading south toward New Mexico at least he saw and met a man answering Jason's description who called himself lonesome Jones not him all right I'm sure of it personally however I'm not at all sure that New Mexico was really his destination why you think that because he's been trying to disappear not to advertise himself moreover he's been in New Mexico before he'll most likely cut off in the trail and head someplace where he's unknown oh but anyhow we can trail him as far as the place he was seen last ready me ready and come get him up go 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 now to continue our story several days went by while young gill he tried desperately to raise the money he would need to pay Ashley he finally succeeded and set out for Ashley's ranch house was late in the afternoon when he returned home Mary was dusting the furniture in the parlor and didn't take long gill not very is it all settled can we send the herd across tomorrow nope but I thought gill what's the matter a lot of skunk what they do changed his mind oh gill no yes he has now he says he won't take any kind of paid let the cattle cross buy us out but that's all but not for the price he offered the other day says he's thought it over all he'll give is three thousand oh that it's awful just his way of getting even you mean well for us taking lonesome in and me hitting him that's what's behind this it's just revenge I think he's horrible calling him names isn't going to help us but gill what can we do I don't know you think if I were to talk to him you'd get the same answer I did it's just a crook Mary that's all you can call him he's worked this game before game sure they told me about it when I was in town raising money you know how many times he's sold this place he sold before I'll say he has six times over every time the fools like us who were strangers in the district and didn't know any better oh I should have suspected something right at the first you're willing to sell too cheap I don't like him doesn't sell for the price we paid unless there's a good reason for it then then he is crooked sure that's what I said then he ought to be arrested for what getting the best of a slick bargain but we can try what could we do but soon and how far would we get he never came right out and told us we could use the spring we just took that for granted all we get from a judge would be sympathy and a lot that helps but yeah that means that means we'll most likely have to take him up take his three thousand that's better nothing how long can the cattle last like they are yes just till they rank up what gathered after the rains another week at the most and then and then they'll go thirsty yes unless we sell oh if we just had the money to buy that land for mr parkman then we wouldn't care no matter how mr ashley acted wishing for the moon sis oh well I suppose I am you sure are that'd be swell sure but we can't so let's not even think about it it just makes things worse I know and anyhow we've still got a week so how about postponing our worries till then huh of course kill I didn't mean that like a cry baby sure or not now house for something to eat well where's lonesome seen him around why he oh what's wrong it was in the kitchen cleaning his gear the door was open but now it's closed oh gilly must have heard everything we said gosh I don't find them you must he's so afraid he'll bring us bad luck he'll blame himself poor old fellow well hey what is it just look outside there hi lonesome hold on there wait a second oh you're leaving yeah I'm leaving and you ain't gonna stop me oh no you're not let go gill please get out of that set wait gosh darn it there that's better now then just where do you think you're going oh I had to know what you're going to leave for good huh well you're really well you're going to leave us without even saying goodbye well don't go and I I just ain't going to bring folks like you no more bad luck I'm a hoodoo that's what I am I'll bet if you hadn't took me in you'd have got out of this all right oh wait don't take fair I don't mind hoodoo and a pole cat like Ashley but you folks are different so I'm pulling state like fun you are lonesome you'll do nothing of the kind so now listen listen look here guys listen to me this hoodoo business you talk about is well it's just nonsense it's just been your bad luck that you've been around where things like this were happening you couldn't help it when you say you caused them you're just talking like an idiot yeah honest of course and we're not going to hear any more of that kind of talk now unsaddle and come back in the house gill miss mary yes you don't know how far I've traveled or or the way folks had treated me when they found out who I was I saw one sample of it mm-hmm Ashley well all weren't as bad as him but none of them was friendly you're truly the only ones to know my right name and and still want me around why shouldn't we we'd like to bless you both all I can say is I'd do anything in the world to help you even if I hanged for it but only a few days later the lone ranger in town will talk to the cowboy they've met not far from the Ashley wrench house you say you're Ashley's foreman and uh-huh that's how it happens I was the one to hire this fellow you're asking about Ashley blame me plenty for it too if I didn't need my job so bad I never mind that where's lonesome now deal with that young couple I told you about the last to herd the name is heat yeah my brother and sister come here from the east boys name is gill the sisters Mary he said they'd been having some kind of trouble with your boss trouble well I'd call it that anyhow they need water for their stock they can't get it Ashley's often will be prized with their place that ain't much better than stealing it he'd give them till tomorrow noon to take it or leave it and then yes well the way it looks from here they'll take it ain't much choice they don't sell Ashley they can't sell it nobody this man lonesome he said they knew his reputation when they hired them sure it did but it didn't phase them any at all I see thanks let's get going I suppose if I was to ask you tell me why you wanted to know about lonesome on any of my business I would that's not so that's strange you know keep your eyes and ears open the next few days and you may find out come on oh that same day just at dusk when gill he married and lonesome were eating supper they heard two horsemen right up to the house but who's that expecting anybody gill no no I wasn't I'd better see you and this isn't a whole lot you're the man they call lonesome Jones yes but what you're coming with me hey listen now come along let me go no you don't drop that gun I don't have any hands you're not first I'll see you later kill your hands it's all right Mary just numbed a little I'm going after that mask man no gill don't there's two of them there's an Indian with him I saw him gill you'll just get hurt but I can't they're they're gone you couldn't settle in time to catch the rotten crook you you recognize that mask man no but I didn't have to only Ashley had wanted to see lonesome harm Mary Ashley sent that sidewinder here just as sure as I'm a foot high out of sight of the ranch house the mask man explained everything to lonesome and when he had finished this this ain't a lie mister you ain't telling me this just to fool me no Jason I'm telling you the truth uh call me lonesome mister I'm more used to it very well lonesome you can see that neither talent or I would gain by telling you what wasn't true for that matter you can check soon enough yourself there's a telegraph at the fort send a message to free port you'll soon find out you're a wealthy man mister come on where to to that their fort good here I'll help you give me your hand thanks and if I find out what you told me so yes and I've got another place you can take me but there's time for that later come on tell this critter yours we want to travel come on tell her let's go get them on on the following day Ashley reigned in before the heat place dismounted walked up the steps to the porch wrapped on the front door happy you just mister Ashley Mary oh I hope it was wrong you do sir glad to see me also disappeared we've been hoping no he was talking to Ashley about it Mary he knows all about it knew before we did hey I don't say they don't understand that Ashley did you think we wouldn't know it was you sent that masked man after lonesome man what do you forget it you don't have to put up an act for us I'll just give you this warning you've harmed him you'll pay for it I'll get down to business at least I suppose you're here on business don't imagine you'd have the nerve to make us a friendly call I'm here to buy and you're wasting your time yeah don't get me wrong I ain't gonna keep making your office this is a lesson I happen to know you're in a spot where your kennel has got to reach the spring if you want to sell after the day you'll have to come to me and maybe I won't be of a mind to be so easy on you as I am now easy on us offering us three thousand maybe next time it'll be less there won't be any next time there won't be any this time we're not selling so get out you won't sell when you know you can't get water we would have sold if you hadn't sent that man after lonesome but now we won't we'll we'll give the place away first but you won't have to tell them folks look at here what do you get look at back what is it an option on parkman's land an option good for 90 days and that land is yours you won't need the spring you'll have all the water you can use lonesome did you get that option sure did girl but it's no good we can't buy you know that uh-huh but I can yes sherry I'm a rich man if you don't believe it just ask the mask man that well well don't go on he lit out already hey hold on wait lonesome what do you mean huh oh yeah sure I'm gonna buy it that their mask fellas been hunting me out just to tell me I inherited a ranch and cash fool you lies ain't gonna get down with me if you actually you can skedaddle you're all through you and your cricket game finished you sold this place to these folks cheap eh thinking you'd get it back still cheaper well you ain't and you're gonna have to stand the loss lay a hand on him and you'll get what I gave you the other time you recollect what I told you for that I'd do anything for you folks sure but I got my chance thanks to the mask man I'm buying that land from parkman giving it to you and you can pay me back whenever you feel like it oh we couldn't let you do that lonesome no you couldn't stop me I've been waiting most of a lifetime for this dog gone if I ain't brought somebody good luck at last I don't care what you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the lone ranger incorporated