 A fiery horse for the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hyal silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, there was a great deal of trouble along the border between Mexicans and Americans. Most of the trouble was caused by outlaws. When the mass cry of the planes brought law and order to the frontier, the honest men of both countries found peace and understanding. Return with us now of those thrilling days when the West was young, from out of the past come the thundering hoof beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. The town of Scorpion Bend, like most others situated near the border, had a well populated Mexican quarter. Poncho Cardoza, despite his comparative youth, was commonly looked upon as its leader. There were few occasions when he showed himself to be other than lighthearted and friendly. The afternoon our story opens was an exception however. While his small children and pretty wife looked on, his face darkened with anger, and he grasped the bridle of a horse standing before his door. A sullen featured fellow attempted to strike his hand away. Give me my horse, blast your monster de Dios. This is not your caballo. No, no, it's mine. I'll pay for him. You will not take him from me, you dirty thief. This horse belonged to Big D. Remit, and he gave it to me when he paid me off. That is not so. I buy him from the senior remit. I pay $200. You ask him, he would say I spiked it through. He won't say nothing of the kind. Big, why you blasted braids? Oh, crammy Poncho Cardoza, I am no breed. Oh, no, I am Meccano. Who in blazes cares what you call yourself. You give me that horse before I let daylight chew you. Let loose, I keep him. You will win. Take it. Oh, gringo dog, you've killed my husband. I scratch your eyes. I kill you. You've killed my Poncho. Get back. Get away from me. No, I am not killed. Stay back. Me, Poncho. I will handle this pain. You want more, eh? Well, you get just what you deserve. It is the gringos. They come here. See? That is senior remit. Oh, he come. Now he will tell you this caballo is mine. He will tell you I paid for him. Senior, senior remit. There he is, Ben. Bring him up for a lesson with the others. It is time we put a stop to what has been going on around here. Senior remit, he is hungry. He said I do not buy this caballo from you. He said you give it to him. He tell him lies. What, Scent? You had the nerve to say I sold you that horse? You said I do not buy him from you? Well, of course you didn't. Well, I pay you two hundred dollars, senior. Yeah? Well, I give this horse a rip here for wages. Unless you bought it from him, you stole it. Where is your bill of sale if you bought the horse? Bill of sale? What is that? I pay them money. Senior remit, he said it is all right. I take the horse. What more must I do, eh? All right, Thunder, you sure got your nerve. First, you steal the horse from Rip here. Then you try and say I am a lion. But, senior... Do not argue with the polecat, fellas. My horse is not the only one who has been stolen late. There has been plenty besides. On top of that, there has been hold-ups and killings. And you do not have to look no farther than these. I am the scumster of the blame. The next time we can take the lion to our own hand. Drive the breeds out of town. Get him rope next time. I am whose boss in scoffing and banning. Grab him, men. No, no, I do not steal. I do not harm. Do you know me, seniors? I am Pancho Cardoza. I am honest hombre. Take him to the edge of town. Take him to the big cartway. Hey, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Pancho! Pancho! Oh, my God! Oh, my God! Pancho! A masked man mounted upon a great white horse and accompanied by an Indian noticed the mob as it made its way to the edge of town. They drew their mounts to a halt behind the cover of a clump of trees. Oh, oh, oh! What's going on over there, Kimusabe? There are plenty of funner. It looks like plenty trouble. And head for tree. Yes, you see him? To that cottonwood. Wait, who's that man there dragging with him? Tell her, can you make him out? It's not easy. I'll try, I'll try. It's a fellow I think it is. It's a fellow named Pancho. Pancho Cardoza. Pancho never harmed anyone in his life. There's Big Steve Emmet. He's carrying a rope in his hand. And if they're not getting ready for a hanging then I've never seen a lynch party before. Steve, him bad fellow. Listen to me, circle to the left of that mob. Fire several shots in the air. Draw their attention without getting within range. And I'll ride for Pancho from the other direction. If I get him free, I'll meet you at other camp. You understand? Then get going. I'll wait until they see you. Get him up, Scott. Steady, old fellow, steady. I see him, boy. All right, Silver, now to get Pancho. Come on, come on. The lone ranger sent Silver racing toward the cottonwood where the mob had hauled him. It was almost upon them before they noticed his approach and... Watch out! Get him inside! Stand aside and get trampled. Hey, blast that on beyond the saddle. Hit the punto. Now next, he'll come closer. Come on, Silver, come on. Don't let that arm break it away. He'll come closer, smashing my hand. You missed. How are you going to hit him traveling like that? There they go. The man's commanding Pancho, and you had him both right in your hands. Safely away from the mob, the lone ranger headed Silver for the secret camp he shared with punto. There he listened to Pancho's story. So you paid for the horse, Pancho, but Big Steve denied it. See, amigo, telly so. I swear it. They say I am a thief, and they say they will hang me. And if you have not arrived, they do that thing. The thefts, too many hold-ups in the district that have gone unpunished by the law. The men are angry and restless. Today they broke out and attempted to take the law into their own hands. But I am not guilty, amigo. I never doubted it. Then why you say... Look out of this way, Pancho. The men behind these crimes that have been committed know that someone must pay. They know the temper of the people in the town. From their point of view, their safest course would be to fix the guilt on someone else. It is not fair, compadre. Always me, Pancho. I mind my own business, and maybe not with other fathers. But now they would hang me. My one-eater, my children. I cannot return to them. I have no home. And I'm afraid others of your race will find themselves in the same fix. When tempers are high, it's easy to lose all sense of justice and judgment. Marbs don't reason, Pancho. All Marbs desire is a chance to punish someone, anyone. You've escaped them. You speak the truth. I hope that you... But now, Pancho knows what must be done. You have a plan? Yes, señor. What? That I cannot tell you. Today you have saved my life. That I will never forget. But still you are... Forgive me, señor. Gringo. You are of the same race as those who would harm me and my people. There are things you must not know. You have in mind what I suspect. If you mean to strike back, I'd advise you to forget it for the present. No, no. That is impossible. At least wait until you can learn who is responsible for this and who isn't. Don't forget that many of those men you just escaped honestly believed you guilty. We will speak of it no more, señor. As you wish. What will you do now? Where will you go? You have no horse. I have friends, amigo. And now, amigo, I must leave you. It may be that you do not see Pancho again. But this I promise you, señor, you will hear of me and soon. Shortly after the departure of Pancho Cardoza, the lone ranger wearing a disguise rode toward Scorpion Bend. Concealing his horse at the edge of town, he made his way to the cafe owned by big Steve Emmett. He silently listened to the talk of the man inside the place. He stayed throughout the afternoon and into early evening. And then... You know what's happened? Have you heard the news? Every last breed in town has cleared out and left their wives and kids behind. It's a fact, Steve. Me and some of the boys were just down that way figuring to get our hands on some of Pancho's friends. Every dog on one sneaked away. Because they said he was good for them. Scared their necks most likely. Hold up. Didn't nobody see him go? Didn't nobody get a sight of him at all? They couldn't define them and see. They're disappearing. They're just the same as admitting they've been behind all the things that's been going on. If they had known themselves to be gilly, there wouldn't have been any reason for them to lighten out. Perhaps you're mistaken. We're here to stop trouble for the present. Hey, who are you, stranger? That's my business. What's your idea and sticking up with them dirty coyotes? And who asked your opinion in the first place? Horses have been stolen and sold across the border, the same with cattle. There's been a dozen hold-ups and half a dozen unexplained killings. But how many of you here have got actual evidence that Mexicans are involved? Shut up, Rip. What the fuck? Granger, yes? My business also. On the dodge, eh? Well, I ain't never seen you around before today. Don't reckon anybody else here has either. What I mean is this. If we ain't seen you, you couldn't have been around these parts for long. And if you ain't spent no time here, you're hardly in a position to know what's been going on. I say them breeds are behind the crookedness around here. And so do these other fellas. We know the facts. Can it pay you to agree with them instead of lining up on the wrong side? Savvy? I see what you mean. I thought you would. But I'm acquainted with certain facts also. For instance, it's obvious that a gang is behind these thefts, hold-ups and killings. They're certainly not the work of men acting alone. You bet there's been a gang. And Poncho Cardoze has been ahead of it. I doubt it. Oh, you got a notion of your own, eh? I have. About the gang and whose head in it? Right. Here to name names? I'd be glad to. All right, mister. Name them. Most of the gang is in this cafe right now. And Steve Emmett, you're the head of it. No, you don't! Stand back! The first man here to reach for a gun tastes lead. Curtain falls on the first act of our thrilling Lone Ranger drama. In the next exciting scene, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. In the midst of the uproar created by his accusation, the Lone Ranger, his guns holding back the crowd, back to the door of the cafe, then suddenly disappeared. An hour later, once again wearing his mask, he arrived at the camp where a tauntel was waiting for him. Oh, oh, silver. Oh boy. You ride hard. And we'll ride harder before we're through, Tunnel. Here's Cal. What we do? First, we're going to find Poncho Cardoza. Me follow him like you say. Me know where him go. Good work, Humisabi. There's Poncho alone when you saw him last. Well, I don't think we'll find him alone now. Get him out of it. What you find in town? Not much, Tunnel. But I made big Steve believe I knew more than I did. And if I'm not mistaken, that's going to trap him. You know the way right ahead, Tunnel. There's no time to waste. As they rode, the lone ranger told his plan to taunt him. Meanwhile, after Poncho had secured a horse and had sent word to his friends in town, they had joined him one by one in the well-hidden canyon Poncho had chosen to make his hideout. When all the men from the quarter were gathered together, Poncho called for attention. Amigos, listen to me. Listen to me, Poncho Cardoza. We've been called a thief by the Green Ghosts. Our homes, they are not safe. That we have worked most hard and have been most peaceable is mean nothing. No, the Green Ghosts say we steal and kill. They say all that is often is the fault of us. But I ask you, amigos, shall we let them do these things to us? Shall we let the Green Ghost drive us from our homes? Or shall we join together and do to the Green Ghost what to us has been done? Poncho, look, he's here. Dog of a Green Ghost hit me. The Green Ghost told me to leave town. And here, here is this car where a Green Ghost bullet has come near to kill me. Poncho, what would you have us do? We are many. Emmanuel, Pablo, Juliano, Tixi, all of you. You all have suffered by the Green Ghosts. They say we are mucho male hambre, that we are outlaws. Then, amigos, let us be outlaws. The Green Ghosts shoot us, we shoot the Green Ghosts. He's killed from us, we're still from him. He drive us from our homes, we drive him from his. Amigos, now is the time we must act together. Just do the Green Ghosts. The Green Ghosts must die, amigos. We shall hide in the hills. We shall strike and run, and never shall we be burned. And we shall pay them back once, twice, a hundred times. And we shall eviction. This is a gringo with a mask. Kill the gringo. This man is my friend. He has saved my life, he has not to be harmed. Welcome, senor, with the mask. Kill him. This gringo is my compadre. The man who would fight him must first fight me. Sacre. Do not act like little children. What has brought you here, senor? Are you fine with me? Sano found you, Pancho. I came here because I heard your friends had secretly left town. I knew that could mean but one thing. Senor, you are my friend, but you must not interfere. This is no place for you, amigo. Pancho, I know how you feel. Listen, I know what it must mean to be forced from your home, to leave your family behind you, with no hope of seeing them again. I realize what happened to you would soon have happened to these others here. I told you before I understood what was in your mind. Now I'm certain that I was right. You're bitter because you're unjustly blamed. You're bitter at this moment against all members of my race. No, no, not you, senor. I wonder if there's one thing you've stopped to reckon with. You've banded together to fight the gringos. But once you step outside the law, the homes you regret now will be lost to you forever. There'll be no turning back. There'll be no chance for peace or rest. It'll be a fight to the finish. And in the end, you'll be bound to lose. And your to lose is not always so bad if one has tried his best. But why lose when there's no need of it? What do you mean? Fight all of my race, honest men, and outlaws alike, and the odds are hopelessly against you. But instead, pit yourselves against only those who are responsible for the trouble you're in. And you can beat them. But who are these homeraces? I want to be your friend. I've already proved to Pancho that I'm his. You saved me from hanging, amigo. Will you trust me? Like my brother. As long as you and your friends are innocent, there's only one gang in this district powerful enough to have committed the crimes. The gang of St. Olsen Emmett, right? Big Steve Emmett is behind all this, as surely as you see me here. You wish we kill him? Not that, Pancho. Any killing necessary must be handled by the law. But the law will not catch him. Do as I say, Pancho, and it will. This afternoon and early evening, I was in town in disguise. I'm going to use that same disguise again. But what we do? Tata knows what I have in mind. If I ask you, will you follow his orders? Then follow them without question. You'll catch Big Steve and clear yourselves. Tata, remain here. I'll return to camp. Hunter, do that. Before tomorrow's done, our work here will be finished. Adios, amigos. The Lone Ranger's bold accusation that left Big Steve Emmett uneasy. For the benefit of the townspeople, he laughed and pretended indifference. But late the following afternoon, at a table in the shattered corner of his café with no listeners but two of his own men, he confessed his anxiety. I don't like it. What does the Ranger say that for? What's he know anyhow? He wouldn't have had the nerve to talk like that to me if he didn't figure he could back it up. I've been thinking the same thing, Steve. And I've been thinking something. What's become of that stranger? Nobody recollects seeing him head here. He ain't been seen on any of the trails leaving town. It ain't natural. It's like he could disappear just whenever he pleased. Somebody's seen a mask, man, riding west. A mask, man. That couldn't be him. What would be the sense of him wearing a mask outside of town after he'd showed his face inside town? Well, I just mentioned it. What is it, boss? You figure the stranger had some kind of proof he could use it in you? Yeah. Blast it all and can't be sure. Maybe he's got proof but don't hang her to use it yet. Maybe he aims to make me pay for him to keep his mouth shut. That's just it. I ain't gonna have no peace of mind until I know just what he's up to. Been doing anything to find him? Well, I told the boys to keep their eyes open. Not much use in a regular search when you have no idea where to start it. Good? Boss, listen here. Recollect that stranger was in here yesterday? What are you talking about? Well, I think I know where he's to be found. What's this? I think I've seen him. Whereabouts? Talk. Give me a chance. You got one. If the stranger's the same fellow I've seen today, he's camped over near with him. He's cut into the woods. You mean this? Why would I be telling it to you if I didn't? Round up the boys. Get on your feet and do like I tell you. There was a cop in Ben, the lone ranger, been over his campfire. He held an iron skillet containing several strips of bacon. Slightly back and behind him stood his powerful white stallion, Silver. The great horse was uneasy. He pranced nervously and... Easy, old fellow, easy. Hungry boy? Back Silver, back. You'll be traveling the fire. Get back. He'll be back soon, old boy. But I thought with all your grazing this afternoon you'd be full up. You're covered. Get your hands in the air. Come on, boys, close in. Big Steve, sure. That's who it is. Give you a turn, did I? You can't... Start dropping them again. I'll let you have it. Well, and if you're thinking of jumping this here shooting iron, look about you. There's eight besides me that's got you covered. You like the odds in your favor, huh? No lips, stranger. If you hadn't been such a fool as not to see that your horse there was trying to tell you something was wrong, maybe we wouldn't have had it so easy. Well? What, I should rough him up a bit, boys? Not till I give the word. You heard him, stranger. You gonna talk? Maybe you'd better tell me what I should talk about. Don't get lippy. All right, stranger, you're just stolen. You say be why I'm here. Do I? Blast you, I'll take you off your high horse. You made some remarks in my cafe last night. You made it right, plain. You figured I was heading an outlaw gang. Stranger, let's see your proof. Oh, that's what you're after, huh? Either you got proof or you was just running a bluff. Whichever it was, we ain't leaving. Here'll we know. So commence talking. One of your men killed both driver and guard on the Ridgefield stage a month ago. Say, what's he getting at? Keep shut! All right, stranger, keep on. Those are only two killings out of a half a dozen or more. But I wonder if the men you sent to rob that stage made sure its crew was dead before they left. Just what do you mean by that? I wonder how positive you are that I didn't arrive on the scene in time to get a written statement from the driver before he died. That's what you got. Rip! You said everything went all right on that job. You came back and said there wasn't nobody left alive that could talk. How are you going to explain that after what you just heard this fella say? Boss, he's lying. They was dead. I don't blame well he was. Ask the fellas here. They was alone. Fellas, was they able to talk after we left them? No, Steve, there wasn't a single job you ever sent us on that we must. We never make a fool of mistakes like that. Then how are you going to explain after what this strength is? Hey, what's that? It's debris! And there's a sheriff with him. Stop that gun! Next time obey orders. It's well gone. Drop your guns and reach for the sky. You're surrounded and you ain't got a chance. You made the sense of the truth about the gang that's been operating in your district, Sheriff. Stranger, you're right it does. I heard every dog-own word we said. I ain't denying it. I was confounded mad when Ponce on that engine there grabbed me and made me go with him. But now I'm confounded glad they done it. But how'd you know we were here? How'd you think? Steve, one of your men reported he'd seen me. I knew you'd want to talk with me after the things I said last night. I wanted to talk here where the woods gave my friends cover. You took the bait and the trap closed. I wish I'd blasted you down when I'd seen you. But you did not, senor. And it is well for you. But if you had shot my friend you would have died most unpleasantly. Well, and so, you and your companions are free to return to your homes. Amigo, first it is to you I owe my life. And now I owe you this much more. It is a debt I can never pay in full. And one I'll never ask you to pay, Ponce. You ready, Tuddu? Me ready. Sorry you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.