 horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. The first men to penetrate the mountainous regions of the western United States were prospectors in search of gold. They found great wealth, but the precious yellow metal seemed to bring out the worst in many of them. Robbery and murder were everyday occurrences in the mining camps until the Lone Ranger carried his fight for justice into the hill country. Without the force of his courage and resourcefulness, law and order might never have been established on that lawless frontier. Return with us now those thrilling days when the West was young. Out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. The Gold King mine was one of the largest ore workings in the vicinity of fine bluffs. It implored an extensive crew and the mine itself was composed of a dozen tunnels radiating from a central shaft. At the time our story opens, young Dave Muncie the foreman was directing operations within the mine. Suddenly, from the direction of number three tunnel, there came the sound of a powerful blast. You there, Bart. Come here. Did you set off that blast, Bart? What if I did? What if you did? Well, you brought down the whole tunnel. It'll take a week to clear up the damage you've done. That ain't nothing to me. What's that you said? You heard me, I reckon. You're through. Get your time and clear out. You're getting high and mighty, ain't you? I said clear out. And Jeff, who do you think you are? Why you? Just hold on a second, mister. I was hired for Wilkins. Seen as how he's manager while you're just foreman. A record will take him to fire me. I've taken about enough from you, Bart. Yeah? You've been a troublemaker ever since you come here. You've talked others in the crew into disobeying orders. You've done your work just as carelessly as you could. If you and the others in the crew like you, let's put us behind on a production schedule. That's just too bad, ain't it? Now that I've fired, Jeff, I'm going to do something I've been aching to do for quite a spin. Yeah? What's that? This. You'll hit me. That was just the first one. Here's the mate to it. I'll get you for that. Come on. Take this. You missed, but this'll do for you, I reckon. You can't get away with that. Come on, fellas. We'll teach the whipper staffer a lesson. Get back. Get back to work. Come on, fellas. Rush him. Get back to work, men, or you can all draw your pay. We have done taken orders from your regular picks, man. Take that, Jeff. That's one for you, Ted. And you, Mike. Let me out of this pick. Drop that pick. Try and make me. I said, drop it. Oh, my arm. Let me go. I'm sure, like you say, let me go. Get back. If you wasn't our man. I haven't grown. Come after me, if you wish. I don't know who you are or why you came here, but you have her along at just about the right time for me. It was likely to beat me up good. I heard the blast from outside and was afraid there might be trouble. Sounded too powerful for regular blasts. It was powerful enough to do all the damage you see over there. All right, men, you're through. Every last one of you. Report to the office. Get your pay and keep moving. Maybe we will, mister, and maybe we won't. Here comes Wilkins. I guess he's got more say around here than you have. Hey, Mr. Wilkins. What's all the trouble here? This fella here. What are you doing here, mister? You're Wilkins. You're the manager. I am. What's that to you? I was trying to place you. Seems to me I've seen you before. You haven't answered my question. Well, I came because of the blast. I've already explained to your foreman. All right, Bart. What were you going to say? It's skunk here. It says we're all fired. Mr. Wilkins, just take a look at the tunnel there. Some more of Bart's work. And the crew just now tried to mob me, but hadn't been for the mask, man. They would have, too. I said it was fired in nine minutes. I'm sorry, Dave. I've been watching your work carefully for six months you've been here. What are you gifting that? I told Mr. Potter when he sent you here that I was afraid you hadn't had the experience to handle mining men. Being the only, he was privileged to overrule me, of course. Don't you see? But I think he'd agree with me now that you're scarcely the man for the job. Mr. Wilkins, that ain't fair. It ain't right. I worked hard, done everything I could. If I could just get cooperation from these fellows. Exactly. If you could. The right kind of foreman would. No, Dave, as I say, I'm sorry, but I'll have to give you a notice. You can't do that. Of course, you're a personal friend of the owner. But under the circumstances, I'm sure he'll back me up. This is the rottenest deal I ever got in my life. And no use being bitter. Top lasers with being bitter. That ain't it at all. You blame me for not having authority over the men. But every time I try to use it, they go to you and you back them up. How can I have authority when you do that? We'll not discuss it further. And you're the fellow that was going to fire us. That's a good one. You can consider yourself released from this moment, Dave. You'll pay a week or two in advance, however. Why, you mealy mouth, two-time and pole-cat. I already... Come on, Dave. I can hold it. This man is your boss. He has the right to fire you if he wishes. Not like that he ain't. You start anything here. You're in the wrong. A lowdown. You'd better take the advice of your outlaw friend, Dave. And when you go to Mr. Potter with your story, just remember this. We didn't fall down on production until you came here. And thanks to you, Mr. Potter may have to sell, for which I don't think he'll thank you. Now, clear out. You're coming along, Dave. You want to make cover me another better time for us. Well, there goes our foreman, Mr. William. Man enough to bust. And nothing he can do about it. Outside the mine, Dave parted from the masked man, and with a heavy heart, drew the money that was due him, gathered his equipment together and left the property. That evening at home, his wife tried to console him with... Now, Dave, don't you take on so. Nothing happens but what is for the best. The best. You know what this means, Mary. Well, it means I'm through as a mining man. It means there ain't another outfit in this part of the company that'll hire me. I'm a failure. A failure. If it goes someplace else. The story'd soon get around. Mr. Potter was a good friend of your father's, Dave. Sure. That's why I give me the job in the first place. You can tell him your side of it. Shucks. I ain't no hand at writing. He was here so I could talk to him personally. But he's coming here. He might even drop in to see us tonight. Is that a fact? Well, how do you know? I got a letter from him this morning. I was saving the news for you. Gosh, that's swell. You see, I told you things weren't so bad. Now you'll be able to tell him how Mr. Wilkins kept siding with the man and how he blamed you for things that weren't so. And, well, he'll put you back on the job. Just see if he don't. Yeah, but I'd hate to have to work with Wilkins again. That'll be all right, too. After Mr. Potter tells him how to treat you. Where is that letter he wrote? When do you say he'd get the pine bluffs? You needn't get the letter. I can tell you what was in it. He said it'd be in by the afternoon stage. But that was hours ago. He'd go out to the mine first, wouldn't he? Yeah, that's right. Dave, I'll bet that's him now. Mr. Potter, come in. I knew it was you. I just told Dave so. Good evening, sir. Good evening, Dave. You're looking good. Here. You sit right down. Thank you. Well, I, I ain't feeling so good though, Mr. Potter. Mm-hmm. I was at the mine, you know. Then you know how awful that Mr. Wilkins treated Dave and Potter. Please, honey. I'm sorry, Dave. You know that, of course. Wait. You mean you're taking his word for all that's happened? Dave, I was your father's best friend. And I'd like to talk to you like a father. But still don't you see that I... One moment. You know, Dave, I think the world of you and Mary both... You've been awful good to it. Only done what I could. But what I wish to say is this, Dave, don't be too ready to blame others for your own mistakes. Then you do believe Wilkins. He's been with me a good many years. But you ain't worked with him like I have. You don't have to put... Every young fellow beginning life has to take some mighty hard bumps. If he's the right kind, he takes them, marks them up to experience and tries over again. But I didn't fail. That's just what I mean. Frankly, Dave, you did. The record show it. I think you would be wiser to go after something else. That doesn't require so much practical knowledge. That isn't fair. Dave did his work as good as anyone. I gave the job in the first place against Wilkins Advice. But even so, don't you see that... Hear me out, Dave. I don't think you quite realize the position I'm in. If things hadn't gone so badly these six months that you were a foreman, I could probably have afforded to keep you on until you really learned the ropes. Well, if you'd give me another chance, I'd make good on it. I'd even try to get along with Mr. Wilkins. Perhaps the next owner will give you the chance. The next owner? Well, Mr. Potty, you're not going to sell. I think I'll have to. But why? The Gold King's one of the richest minds around here. And in the last six months, there wasn't enough ore taken out to pay expenses. Things happened to hold us up. But even so, I figured you must be making plenty. Scarcely that. As I said, I didn't make expenses. Over and beyond that, I contracted certain obligations that must be satisfied at once. If production was stepped up to... It still wouldn't help. I must have the money at once. So I'm afraid there's no alternative but to sell. You got a buyer? Colby's been interested. Colby? Ain't he the fella that opened up the old lost nugget mind and built his own smelter? That's the one. Gosh, I'd rather almost anybody but him got the place. It's got to be sold. I never did cotton to that fella. I don't like him much myself. He's been doing well, however, and seems to be the only man able to pay the ready cash I need. Oh, that's awful tough. Don't worry about it, Dave. But, Mr. Potter, I feel as though it was mostly my fault. If I'd handled my job better, then maybe you wouldn't have gotten to this fix. I'm so sorry, Mr. Potter. Forget about it, both of you. All of us must have our worries, I guess. You have to leave already? I'm afraid I will. Had a long trip. I'm tired. I have an appointment with Colby and his lawyer first thing in the morning. But we'll see you again before you go back to Denver. Oh, of course. And, oh, that reminds me. If Colby and I come to terms, I'd like you to be there's witness to the sale. You mind? I'll have to be at the office by nine. Mr. Potter, I don't mind at all. I'll be there, but I sure wish you didn't have to sell. Amos Potter, accompanied by Dave, kept his appointment with Colby the following morning in the office of Colby's lawyer, Hanford Blake. Colby and Potter found it difficult to come to terms and. Colby, the Gold King's worth two hundred thousand dollars if it's worth a penny. You're a mining man. You should know that as well as I do. You're quite right, Potter. As a matter of fact, I'd say your mind is worth considerably more. Well then. But my offer remains the same. One hundred thousand. Don't sell to him, Mr. Potter. That's the same as robbery. Young man, I understand you was here simply to witness the sale if one was made. That's all right, but I say. I'll handle this, Dave. Colby, you can afford to offer more. You'll have the money. And something in this instance more valuable than money. Yes. Information, Potter. Information. Meaning? That I happen to know you must sell. That you haven't found anyone else willing to make the first payment you're asking. I see. I suspected something of the sort. One hundred thousand with thirty thousand down there as the thirty thousand in currency. Just as you said it would have to be. Take it all leave it. Don't, Mr. Potter. I must, Dave. And as long as Colby knows I must, there's no use holding out longer. I have the papers here. You'll find them all in order. Now, if you just put your signature where I've made that. What's the meaning of this? I'll take that money. Oh, hold it. Careful. I never figured for a crook that I'd pull a stunt like this, Mr. Potter. You're coming with me. I don't get it. Come on. Let go of me. Hold on. Wait. Potter, I'll see you again. Wait. Thirty thousand more. After him. Get the sheriff. Report this at once. I'll see you. There he goes. And if we don't get that money back, I'm ruined. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. The masked man riding double with Dave Muncie and with Colby's thirty thousand dollars in his pocket, then Silver racing toward the well-hidden camp where Tahto waited. There he reigned the powerful stallion to a halt. Oh, Silver. Oh, you see, if you... Get down. You'll get caught. You won't get away with this. After I've taught you, you may not be so anxious for me to be caught. You'll get cash. Here it is, Kimosami. Put it where it'll be safe. I just hope them bills are marked. I hope you're jailed when you try to spell Fendham. I'm neither spending that money nor keeping it. And what you steal it for? For just one reason. To keep that sale from going through. Huh? I've reported the theft of course and the sheriff will be looking for us. We'll wait until the search has died down and we'll ride to town again. What for? To give the sheriff that money. What? I don't savvy. Dave, did it ever occur to you that Potter might have been the victim of a crooked scheme? A crooked scheme? A scheme to force him to sell? He's had bad luck, but that don't mean there's anything crooked behind it. In the mine yesterday, I said I thought I'd seen Wilkins before. The manager of the mine? Yes. Yeah, I recollect you saying something of the sort. What about her? Were Wilkins and Colby good friends? Friends? Well, I should say not. That's about the only good thing I can say for Wilkins. That he didn't say anything good about Colby. I thought as much. What do you mean? Before Tyler and I made camp here, we were camp near Colby's lost nugget mine. Yeah? And Wilkins called on Colby at least half a dozen times while we were there. More than that, they were very friendly. Are you sure of that? I am. I have no proof, of course. I'll have to ask you to take my word for it. Well, it could be all right. Yes? It'd fit in. If Wilkins wanted to slow up production, so has Mr. Potter to have to sell. Well, he was going about it the right way. Can you give me some further information about that? Wait. Well? The crew at the mine. I was just thinking. Stranger, did you know that almost every one of them fellows has been hired in the last six months? That Wilkins got rid of all the men that had been there before? I hadn't known it. Well, that fits in to you. You just bet it does. That would explain why those men weren't afraid to go against your orders. They were in on the plot with Wilkins. And I knew they were safe. That's just it. Uh, you think a lot of aim is Potter, don't you? He's been one of the best friends a fellow could have. And together we may save his mind. Oh, gosh, no. There's something else I just happened to think of. Yes? Saving the mine won't help him at all. It's cash he's got to have in real quick. Gosh, I was near forgetting all about that. You get the mine, Dave, and the money he needs. Yeah, well, how? I'll tell you when I can show you the proof at the same time. You can take my word for one thing. Slowing up production at the Gold King with just half the scheme against Potter. When we uncover the whole scheme, Potter's worries will be over. The sheriff scoured the countryside with a posse in his search for the mysterious masked man who had disappeared with Colby's money. One evening came he was forced to return to Pine Bluffs empty handed. That night, however, the masked man was not idle. Procuring a horse for Dave, he sent the young man into town. Then he and Tonto raced across country to make the first of several lightning swift calls. Their great horses plundered across the prairie, never pausing until they reached a small cottage near the Gold King mine where Wilkins lived. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Come on, Tonto. Open up. The masked man. Where's your horse? In the lean to ride. As badly as once, you're riding. From the mine towards town they raced, Wilkins closely guarded by Tonto. In town, the masked man led the way to the hotel where he and Potter were staying. They approached from the back, circled to the side and halted. The masked man, leaving from the saddle and calling through Potter's half-raised window. Potter! Who's there? Get dressed. Who are you? What's the meaning? The masked man. Right. Wilkins. Wilkins, what are you doing there? Never mind that. If you want your mind and the money you say you must have, get dressed and don't waste time. Colby, staying overnight at his lawyer's home, found himself rudely awakened, forced to dress, then trust only half-awake into the saddle. What's this all about? Potter, is this your dude? Are you behind this, if you are? Well, I wouldn't... We're heading for your mind, Colby. The law snuggled. What's that? I meant just what I said. Now get going. Get him up, scum! Get him up! In the meantime, Dave followed the orders, given him by the Lone Ranger, and hurried to the home of the sheriff. When the sheriff admitted him, he stood to a table and made an open envelope before the law man's astonished eyes. Take a look at that, Sheriff. Cash? Hey, let me look at that. You recognize it? Why? Well, this must be the cash that was stole from Colby. It was taken from Colby, all right, Sheriff, but it wasn't stole. Of course, too. The mask man got it. Say, how'd you come across this? When the mask man took the money, he took me along also. I know that. You bust loose from him, did you? He sent me here with this. You must be local. I'm telling you the truth, Sheriff. He gave me this and told me to give it to you. But what for? Did you figure we was getting too close to his trail and he didn't want the posse after him no more? No. Then what was the... Sheriff, the mask man's gonna prove that Colby's a crook. Now I know you're local. That's just half of it, Sheriff. You're gonna help the mask man prove it. Maybe you'd better do some explaining. This is getting beyond me for fair. Just this, Sheriff, you and I are gonna get the man from the assay office. Frank Seym? Right. Then the three of us are riding out to Colby's mine. Where's the mask man now? He'll be there waiting for us. I don't know. This sounds mighty funny to me. Bye, Thunder Sheriff. You do like the mask man said, or you're gonna be the sorryest law officer this county ever seen. Now let's go. We gotta make tracks. Father, Colby and Wilkins all rode to the gold-megged mine under protest. But the mask man and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, gave them no opportunity to escape. The mask man called the hall at the entrance to the mine shop. Let's go. Colby, if any of your men are waking, you ought to tell them everything's all right. Understand? This is a no-treat. Maybe. But you'll do as I say. Tonto. We'll need a lantern. There's one over there marking the powder shed. Get it. Tonto, get it. Look here, stranger. You've made all three of us your prisoners. You've given no explanation. I, for one, demand an explanation at once. You'll get one very soon, Potter. Mr. When the law catches up to you, you're going to stretch hemp just as it shows you're born. The sheriff will hear about this, won't you? Well, you won't have to go into town to tell him. The sheriff is coming here. I'm here for. I think you can guess, Colby. What I am, police. A lantern, thanks, Tonto. Colby, I see you have a door across the entrance to your mine. Of course I have. With a strong lock on it. Do you want to unlock this door or have us break it in? You can't do that. I keep quiet if I were you, Wilkins. You'll need your breath to explain to the law later on. That's private property. You have no right to enter that shaft. Hand me that barge of your feet, Tonto. Keep these fellas covered. Tonto, do it. We'll get inside this shaft. Oh, wait. I don't lock the door. That's better. Go right ahead. I have my keys right here. There. Now open the door. I don't see one. Open the door. Yes. All right. Walk on in. You too, Wilkins. And you, Potter. It's dark in here. I have a lantern right here. You're going to lock us in here? No. I'm just going to take a look around. Colby, I see you have quite a bit of ore piled here near the entrance. What if I have? This ore came from the lost nugget? Of course it did. One time, this mine was supposed to have been played out. You've been doing quite well with it, haven't you? The vein wasn't played out. There was just a fork in it. We drilled another 50 yards and found it again. I see. That's more than I do. What's the sense of this? Right now, we're waiting for the sheriff. And that's probably him now. There's more than just the sheriff. Dave Munsey is along. Dave? Yes. And the third man, I think Colby, is going to be interested to meet. If that's really the sheriff, it won't matter who's with him. You'll go to jail. At least one of us will. One of us? Well, what do you mean? You'll soon learn what I mean. Sheriff, this way. Inside the shaft. What's going on here? Sheriff arrest this man. What for? He stole Colby's cash, didn't he? Shucks, maybe he did, but he ain't got it now. What? Found the cash? Mr. Potter, the masked man never stole the cash. Not to keep that, is it? But just to keep you from selling your mine. Now, where's it now? The sheriff's got it safe to home. Where are the... Dave? Dave, is this the man I asked you to bring along? Uh-huh. All right. Who are you? Oh, my name is Frank Savins, Mr. Potter. I never heard of you. Well, you should have. I've signed more than one assay report for ore that came from your gold king mine. He's headed the assay office, Mr. Potter. Well, what if he is? Frank, I've been told that an expert familiar with the ore from various veins can always tell from what mines the ore came. Oh, I should say so. I'll do better than that if I have to. You just show me gold dust. Nine times out of ten, I can tell from that alone. In other words, it would be impossible for you to make a mistake about ore. Well, I've never made one yet. Why? I'll hold the lantern up so you can get a good look. Now, examine this ore I've just taken from my pocket. It's a small sample, but perhaps you can tell me where I got it. If you got it from anywhere around this district, I'll tell you. Sheriff, I protest this. This mask man forced his way in here. This is private property, my property. I want him arrested for trespass, and I insist that we leave here. This is all foolishness, and I refuse to have anything more to do with it. Kobe's right, Sheriff. I'm forgetting now. Don't move. I won't draw unless I have to. Try to leave, however, and I will. Are you going to stand for this, Sheriff? I tell you, Mr. Kobe, I'm probably interested in some of the things the mask fella's been saying. Then I'll order you out, all of you. You, too, Sheriff. You can enter my property against my will without a warrant. Getting awful legal, isn't you? Kobe's forgetting that his law won't stand up against six guns. That's enough from you. Frank, what have you found out about that ore? Well, this comes from the Gold King. I couldn't mistake this. Right. I helped myself to that when I was there this evening. Now look at the ore on the shaft here. Where did that come from? From here, didn't it? Examined it. Come on, Wilkins! They're making a break for it. You get Kobe. I'm going to get him for my hand. Come back here, you two. You're covered. Come on, Kobe, and you, Wilkins. Just step back your easy life. Another break and I'll drill you. You're arresting Kobe and my poor man, but why? Mr. Potter, here's the answer right here. What? I don't know how it got here, but this ore on the shaft came from your mind. I'll stake my reputation on it. If there's any doubt about it, Kobe can call in anyone he wishes to check with me. Or from a Gold King here in Kobe's mind? Father, Kobe's been stealing from you for months. This mine here was just a blind. He gave out the story. He found a continuation of the vein that it played out to explain where this ore came from. But Kobe couldn't have stolen from the Gold King without Wilkins' knowledge. It would have been impossible. That's just it, Mr. Potter. They were in cahoots. They're not only stolen from you, Potter, but finally forced you to a position where you believed you had to sell. You need cash. You have a legal right to everything Kobe has banked in town. It came from your gold. But the whole thing seems incredible. The risk they took... They took practically no risk. Why do you suppose Kobe built a smelter of his own? He did it because if he'd sent the ore to the smelter in town, as you do, his trick would have been discovered. Here he could reduce the ore to pure gold. And no one but his own men would know what mine that gold came from. Kobe, if I were ten years younger, I'd give you the beating of your life. Let me do it, Mr. Potter. Just let me teach this concoct lesson. When I get through with him, I'll take on Wilkins. Don't come near me, Blasher. That's all right, Dave. I reckon the spare leg gonna get in the jailhouse and teach him lesson enough. Besides, Dave, I won't have a man who works for me getting in the brawl. Who works for you? Mr. Potter, you mean I got my job of farming back again? You have not. Well, I didn't expect quite that much to start, but I... You won't be foreman, Dave, because you'll be too busy managing the mine. Huh? I'll be manager? Oh, golly, wait till I tell Mary about this. And the mask man, I gotta thank him. Well, he ain't here. Now, why'd he leave like that? He always does, Dave. You know him? Not by name. But you heard what he's called, I reckon. That mask fella was the Lone Ranger. They're waiting for us on the train ahead! You have just heard of a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.