 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and the hearty high of silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the West, the Lone Ranger rode to the length and breadth of seven states, in the cause of justice. His courage and daring were only matched by his sense of fair play, and he believed the new territory should offer a new start in life to everyone. The man who deserved a second chance could always be sure the masked riders helped. 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. A boy of 14 was retreating the length of Laramie's general store, while the proprietor angrily waved his arms in front of his face. Get out! Go on, get out. Get out and stay out. I don't want to ever see your face in here again. Oh gee, Mr. Robbins, I wasn't doing you no harm. I just wanted to set you some of the vegetables and things I've been raising. I don't want any. I don't do business with folks I can't trust. Now clear out. Well, listen, Mr. Robbins, I never had nothing to do with Mr. Bulo robbing the bank. Last to share. I ain't taking no chances. There's the door. Pest me once more and it's a tall I boat you'll be getting. Young man, don't you be wasting my time. But ma'am, these are things I've raised myself that I'll set you real cheap. Cheap? When you're as likely as not to steal something by I'm a bank. Young man, that ain't my idea of a bargain. Now there's the door. Don't slam it behind you. And if you want my advice, young fella, you'll get out of Laramie and keep traveling till you get to a place where folks don't know you. But whatever you do, don't come back here. But listen, all right, you think you got me licked, don't you? Well, you ain't. I'll show you. I'll show all of you. I'm just as good as anybody else and someday I'll prove it. Later that day, two men rained in before a small cabin about five miles from town. Whoa, boy. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Billy! You know home, Billy? Nice place he's got. Shucks. Billy's a real hard worker. Billy! Sure. Afternoon, young fella. Now, you recollect Walt here, don't you? He's been away from Laramie for a spell, but you ought to know him. Uh-huh. Howdy. Glad to see you again, kid. Well, Billy, you needn't stand blockin' the door there like we was a couple of crooks. Or ain't you going to invite us in? Oh, come in. Mm, upin' things real neat since you come back to the old place to live, huh? I guess. What's the matter? Mind a down in the mouth, Bob? I guess. Oh, now you better perk up. Used to be you could find a grin for me summers. Ain't you and me friends no more? I don't guess I got no friends no more. Settin' the masked man and the tonto. Hey, you do sound real mournful. Sheriff, I reckon we didn't get here none too soon. Kid, sure is blue. Don't you think we better tell him what we come for? Ah, seems as if. Look, Billy, I don't aim to pretend none. I know what's bobbin' you just as well as you do. You'd think I'd been convicted of somethin'. Sure, son, I savvy. But that's the way folks act sometimes. They don't stop to figure things out like you and me. They just take a quick look at the appearances of things, then take a quicker jump to a full conclusion. And someone has to suffer for it. In this case, that's someone being you. You wait. I'll show him. Aim to stay on here? Gosh, I gotta do something, don't I? Well, Billy, most any other time, I'd agree with you. I'd say stick and fight it out till folks come around to seein' things straight. I'm gonna. I said most any other time, I'd tell you that. But this time I can't. There ain't any special use of fightin' when there ain't any chance of you winnin'. Huh? Son, I hate to say this, but you got too many things again, ya. In the first place, there's Blackie. Don't you dare say anything again him! Hold on, hold on, now, Billy. I ain't sayin' anything special again him, though there ain't no use to nigh, and he was a crook. But anyhow, folks are bound to win. Now, folks are bound to remember how he took care of you all them years. And a lot of them don't realize you never know he was crooked till just there at the last. They figure maybe you helped him some. I'd even had folks accuse me of goin' easy with ya. Hidein' things I knew, cause we was friendly. Uh-huh, I know. Then after Blackie died, Mr. Bulo took in, and his bank was robbed. Of course, the masked man proved Mr. Bulo was just usin' ya for his own crooked schemes, and the same was brought out in court. But like all us, there's folks that can't believe the plain truth when they're told it. They got the kind of natures that all the time have to be suspicionin' things. They wouldn't be happy if they won't. So there ya are. You could stay on here another ten years, and it'd all just be folks to look down their noses at ya. You mean even you want me to leave? For your own good. Shucks, you could start in again somewhere else where nobody knows about ya. Tell ya what I'll do. I got a good friend over in the panhandle, fella named Scott, owns quite a spread. I'll give ya no point. I won't leave, I won't. Sheriff's givin' ya good advice, kid, and if you're afraid to pull stakes cause ya short a cash wire, reckon I can help ya out some. Take this place of yours. It ain't worth a great deal, but it's worth somethin'. Don't know what I could do with it, but I'd be willing to give ya a couple hundred for it. I don't know what to do. That's a mighty nice offer for Walt to make, Billy. He's only doin' it to help ya. I've never lived anywhere but Laramie to remember. After you'd got used to it in the panhandle, you'd probably like it twice as good. Maybe. Well, what do you think? Could I think it over for a bit? Do I have to decide right now? Why, of course not. Take all the time you want. Take a week or two if you'd rather. Don't make no difference to me. Come on, Sheriff. Let's be gettin' back. See ya later, Billy. And you give what we were sayin' some fork. Uh-huh. And say, kid, I'm stayin' with my folks in town. I hear you've been raisin' tatas and stuff and nobody's been buyin'. Why don't you come round to our place? We'll buy some. Would ya? Would ya, honest? Sure thing, Bob. We'll be lookin' for ya. I'll be there tomorrow. Gee, maybe I can sell them not so as I can buy some things I've been needin'. Billy. It's the masked man. Oh, gee, I thought you'd left. I don't know how we're goin' for a while, Billy, but we came back again to see how you were doing. I was at the window here while the sheriff and that other fellow were inside. Did you hear what they said? Wasn't that one fella swell? Did you hear him say as folks advise and things offin' me? I did, Billy. Maybe if they buyin' and find out I can be trusted, maybe others'll do the same. Leavein', you mean? Yes. Are you? Gosh, I don't know. Don't seem right somehow, and yet... No one ever wanna fight by running away from it, Billy. But the sheriff said... That you couldn't win. I know I heard him. And I know he's your friend. But even the advice of friends can be mistaken. Then you think I should stay? You want to? Oh, gosh, yes. I don't wanna go. I'd a heat brother stay here. All right, stay then. Stay, Billy, Tonto and I will fight on your side. We'll fight until you win. Oh, golly, I... You just bet I'll stay. Good boy. Shake on it. Now then, it's a bargain. But what do we do? I have an idea. I wanna talk over with Tonto. I'll tell you about it later. Oh, swell. Bye. Returning to the camp he shared with Tonto, the vast man spoke of the plan he had mentioned to Billy. Although Billy's difficult, he lies in the fact that people refused to believe he could be involved in so much trouble without being partly to blame. Not right. But there's something been overlooked, something we could turn to Billy's advantage. What that? Like he carried out his robberies for years. He was a thief long before he took Billy under his care and remained a thief afterwards, although he kept it from the boy. He couldn't have spent all the money he stole, especially during the last years of his career. Oh, not fine money. That's exactly what I'm getting at. No money was found. Blackie must have hidden it. That money could be found, and if it were Billy who voluntarily turned it over to the law, then no one could suspect him of dishonesty. We'll stay out of the picture. We let it be thought that only Billy knew of the money's existence. Therefore, he could have kept it if he had chosen. Not a good idea. The question, of course, is to find where Blackie is hidden the money. That'd be heap hard. Perhaps. It may not prove as difficult, however, as it seems at first thought. What do you mean? I believe someone else has thought of the same thing. Someone who wants that hidden money for himself. You know, fella? I'm not mistaken. I do. And it may be that he knows where the money is. In which case, we'll let him show us whether he's willing or not. Early the next morning, Billy acted on Walt's invitation and loading his small cart with vegetables drove to town. There, while Walt stood by, he displayed his wares to Walt's mother who bought generously. My, this is fine lettuce. And these turnips, ain't it just dandy? I'm awful glad you like them, ma'am. Can I sell you anything else? I'd like to buy more, but I'm afraid that'll be all I can use for now. Just take him on into the house, Billy, and come back and I'll pay you. In the kitchen, ma'am? Right on the table. Yes, ma'am. Well, boy, ain't so bad as folks have been telling you, huh? Indeed he isn't. He's a regular little gentleman and should think of him at his age. Just 14 or 15, ain't it? Well, should think of a boy of 14 having the gumption to make his own way like this. I vowed there ain't many that'll do it. I took a liking to the kid the minute I saw him. You can tell him to call around regular. Save me a lot of fetchin' from the store. I put him where you said, ma'am, and thanks a heap for buyin' from me. He's that sick's child. I ain't done you no favors. You've done me one. Vegetables like you gotta be a real treat. Yeah, Billy. Oh, thanks. Thanks ever so much. Well, it says you can come around some more. Maybe in a day or two again, huh? I sure will. Gee, business is pickin' up right smart. Good day to ya. Bye. Get up! Get up! I got my grocery money in the kitchen, son. I'll pay you back. Oh, you don't have to do that, ma'am. Indeed I do. What would your pa say if he found out I let you pay for vitals when you come to visit us? I'd never hear the last of it. How much was it? No, just 50 cents. Well, I... Well... I declare... Huh? What's the matter? My money's gone. No. I had close to 50 dollars right here in this jar. But where could it have got to? Look, ma'am, you must have put it somewhere else and forgot it. I never did. It wasn't an hour ago. I counted it after payin' that fella for the cordwood. After I counted it, I put it right back. It's been took some time between then and now. That's the same as saying I took it. I never said no such thing. There ain't been nobody but you and me in here the past hour. Shucks, no. Paul went down to the harness shop right after breakfast. The fella delivered the cordwood and that's all there's been around. Well, that's funny. Of course, somebody could have sneaked in here some time maybe. With me in the kitchen the whole time? I ain't been out of it until just now, when that boy... Huh? That boy... He'd come in here to leave what I bought of him. No, no, wait, Ma. It's nothing. It was him. It had to be him. Well, you shouldn't say a thing like that unless you're sure of it. I am sure of it. I'm as sure as if I'd seen him with my own eyes, the thief. And after you've been so good to him, too... What are you doing? I'm getting my hat and coat. That's what. This little wretch. Lansage should do a body of kindness and that's what you get for it. You stay here and watch things while I'm out. Where are you going? To see the sheriff. He can get my money back or buy some duration. I'll know the reason why. But... 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. Billy drove home, and unaware of the trouble brewing in town, went to work straightening up the cabin. Shortly afterward, he heard some horsemen stopping outside and... Gosh, what's that? What? I don't think you've done it, but you better clear out. Just as sure as sin, they'll pit it on you. You won't have a chance. Right after you left this morning, Ma found a grocery money gone. Of course, I knew she was mistaken, but she's bound you on it, and she's gone to the sheriff. He'll be out here most any time now, so you'd better be gone when he comes. I never stole nothing. Honest, I never. I tell you, I don't think you did. Shucks, I was your friend from the first one. I can tell by looking at him whether a fella's square or not. I figure you are. But what I figure don't count. Listen, don't waste no time. I come to warn you to see that you had a fair chance to get away. Look, here's more than $100. These friends of mine come along to witness this. Take the cash for your place here and then beat it. You're buying my place? You hear them, didn't you, kid? Better take it, bub, and thank your lucky stars. Billy, I ain't got no more use for this place than I got for an extra foot. All I'm doing is for us to see that you have cash enough to get away from here. I've taken Vamos Pronto. But if I'm selling, won't there be no papers to sign her? Not an area one. That's why my friends come along. With them to testify you sold out willing, it'll be a deal. Now, you take this cash and... One moment. Billy, don't accept that money. Don't slap, brother, unless you want to make a gunfight out of this. Don't shoot, please, don't shoot. The mask man's my friend. What kind of a friend for a kid to have? Well, it looks as though he needs one. Walt, if you want this place, you can have it for $500. What's that? Gosh, wait, you don't savvy. He ain't buying because he wants it. Walt's my friend, too. He's just doing it to help me. Yes, and let him help you $500 worth. I ain't got that much. If I did, it's five times what the place is worth. How much have you? Just what research? How much have you? That's my business. Ain't the kid got something to say about this? Of course, but I think he'll do what I tell him. Billy, are you going to let this mask country boss you around? Gosh, I... I don't know what... Yes, I am. He's been my friend for longer than anybody else around here, and I'll do anything he says, no matter what. Well, Walt, I... Well, all I got with me is $300. Then hand it over. But, gee, mister, I don't want to cheat him. He's right about the place not being worth over $100. Take the money. Well, but... I shouldn't pay it. I only give it... I think you'd have been willing to pay five times as much if it had been necessary, Walt. The deal's finished. Clear out. Clear out. Come on, Walt. The place is yours. That's what you wanted, ain't it? Yeah. Well, I'll remember how you held me up when I was just doing your favor, kid. Don't think I won't. Gosh, masked man. I don't feel as if I should have... Taken the money? Yeah. I don't let it worry you. No matter what Walt said, he didn't buy this place as a favor to you. I'll tell you... Hey, look at there! There comes a share for the whole pack of pellets. Then I'm leaving. But Billy... Huh? I haven't time to explain, but it was planned for the stolen money to be found on your place. It won't be. Tell the truth that you weren't to blame for the theft, and nothing can be done to you. No one saw you take the money, and as long as the money can't be found here, you're safe. You better hurry. There they come. Right. Yep. Come on, Silver. Come on, old fellow. Thought Oh was waiting for the Lone Ranger some distance from Billy's cabinet. Oh, Silver. Hold on. Hold on. What? What happened? Take this. It's cash. Silver and bills. The money's supposed to have been stolen from Walt's mother. I found it where I thought I would. Hidden in Billy's wagon. Him not put cash there? No, he must have. He didn't. Walt did. He must have placed it there this morning when Billy called it his home. Oh. The share's at Billy's place now. No doubt he'll search it, but he'll find nothing. Him see you go? Yes, but that's all right. Maybe Lohman think boy give you cash. The hide for him? Huh? He won't huddle for a very good reason. And what that? You're taking that money to town and making it look as though it was free at all. Me not savvy. Listen, I'll explain. Although the sheriff returned to Laramie with word that nothing had been found in Billy's cabin that would justify arresting the boy, the townspeople were not satisfied. The sheriff's partiality for the youngster was well known, and there were many who believed that if he had performed his duty honestly, Billy would have gone to jail. Fellers! I don't care if the sheriff does say search that place from top to bottom. I don't care if he swears to it a dozen times over. I'm here to say if he didn't find the cash, it was cause he didn't want her. The pity the law can't protect us from a thieving boy. That's all I have to say. I told you you want to be trusted. I told you so. Don't you recollect me telling her to you? Why, I was just seeing the other day to miss Hawkins. I tell you the rest of it can do as you like. But me, I'm calling on the sheriff. I'm gonna find out for myself if he's willing to do his duty. If he ain't, then there's just one thing to do. Run that kid out of the county yourself. But that night, the masked man and Billy knelt behind a clump of bushes not far from the cabin. They watched three men digging by a lantern light. Now do you understand why Walt was so anxious to help you, Billy? He was after Blackie's case. Right. Somehow he learned where it was. Perhaps he knew Blackie at one time or another. Perhaps he spied on him. Anyhow, that doesn't matter. The point is, Walt wasn't interested in you in the least. He only wanted you out of the way. Gee. Be careful. Don't let them hear you. I won't. Remember what you're to do? Uh-huh. Just as soon as they've dug to where the cash is, you're gonna get them to chase me. Right. Uh-huh. And then when they can't see me, I'm gonna run over there and grab the cash myself. That'll help you. He's over there beyond them. Well, then I'm to get to my heart. And ride as fast as you can for town. I'll most likely be there ahead of you. Uh-huh. But there's something I don't see. Yes. Why don't you just hold them up and take the cash now? You're taking that money, Billy. Here. And you're turning it over to the law. Uh-huh. When questions are asked, you're going to be able to answer honestly without involving Tattoo and me. Walt may suspect that I drew him away for a purpose. But he'll be in no position to say so. Well, then I beg you. There's no more time for talk now, Billy. I think they're nearly finished. I'll have to get back to Silver. When the time comes, move fast. Yeah. That's the gate. Can't be much further. I don't think Blackie will stay here forever. That's the gate. Can't be much further. I don't think Blackie will stay here forever. That's just about what he did, figure. This he buried here is all cash he hid away when he first met the kid. He never planned on using it unless there was a bad need for it. Well, come on. Let's keep going. Yeah. Well, somebody should ride by and see us out here with this lantern. Might get too dull going. Curious. Big faster. Yeah. Come on. Hurry up. Take it over. We struck something. It's the box he put the cash in. Keep on going. Well, from the size of it, there must be a plenty there. There is. Told you I heard Blackie vote you had over 20,000 in a way, didn't I? That's it. It's clear. Come on, then. Give me a hand. We'll carry it to the cabinet. Who's there? Hey, somebody's shooting at us. There he is over there. Come on. Grab your gun. Bring it on. No. Come on. That same evening, the citizens of Laramie call on the sheriff at his office to demand action. You tell that kid to clear out, Sheriff, or we will. How do we know who he'll be stealing from next? It might be most any of us. And likely when it happens, he'll have another slick story to get him out of it. Hold on! Listen to me, folks. You're getting things all twisted. You're saying Billy's a crook, and I know Dogg on well he ain't. Now, you take my word for it and forget this fool talk. Then you ain't going to do nothing about it, is that it, Sheriff? If you want to put plain, that's it. Then we will. Who's with me? Who will come along to tell that young coyote to clear out? I will. Good. He's just a kid, but a kid can steal like anybody else. Come on. We'll chuck the kid. Don't say where you are. Hey, a mask, man. Not a one of you leaves this office. Sheriff, it's a crook arrest him. If he was a crook, I'd say trying to arrest him right now would be pretty risky business. And I just so happen to know he ain't one. I've met this one right before. You see, folks, the Sheriff ain't only sticking up for that kid, but he's starting with outlaws as well. I'm not an outlaw. I'm here only to prevent your making a mistake. You're not going to get a chance to harm Billy until you've learned he's not the thief you think him. We know all we need to know about Billy. Why, it's under... Careful. Come on. There's enough of us here. Let's rush him. The first man moves, stops led. Sheriff, Sheriff. Hey, there's Walt Small. Let her through. Ma'am, what business you got here? She can tell you about the kid. It was her he stole at $50 from. But he didn't. That's why I've come. I've made a terrible mistake. I've found the money. It was in Mr. Owens' basket. I don't recollect putting it there, but I must have even forgot about it. Oh, Sheriff, I'm so sorry. I never meant to accuse a boy without being sure. Well, folks, how do you like that? Now what have you got to say? How do we know it ain't a trick? How do we know the kid didn't sneak back there with the cash just because he knew this time he was caught and was going to be run out of town? Why not let him answer that himself? Huh? He just rode up. He's coming in here. Hey, what's that box he's carrying? Sheriff, you take this. I'm turning it over to you. What is it? Why don't you look inside? Yeah. Stand back, folks. Don't keep proud of me. Well, I'll be... By golly, there must be thousands there. Make it come proud. The kid's running. Whoa, up, folks. Whoa. Let the kid tell it for himself. All right, Billy. Now, where'd this box come from and who's it belonged to? I don't know who it belongs to, Sheriff. Honest, I don't. It's cash black he must have stole. It was found very near the cabin, so I brought it here to you. You brought it to me when you might have made off with it. But it was stole. It don't belong to me. Gee, I don't want it if it's been stolen. Well, then, you there. You were talking the loudest against him. What do you say now? Well, maybe I could have been mistaken. Maybe? Well, it was then. Is that what you want me to say? Yes, to think of anybody choosing to give up all that cash. And we called the boy a thief. I was the worst of all, I reckon. If it hadn't been for me, all his trouble wouldn't have started. Young man, I'm right. Sorry. Ah, that's all right. Now, perhaps you people won't be so ready to judge before you know the facts. Perhaps you'll be ready to use charity instead of criticism. Billy has fought against odds to make a place for himself here. And yet, instead of helping him, every one of you, with the exception of the sheriff, has treated him like a convicted thief. And me for one. I'll stay in front of all of you here and doggone ashamed of myself. Kid, as far as I'm concerned, you're all right. Yes, sir. You doggone fools. It took the masked man to show you what I knowed all the time. I don't know. Silver. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.