 the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the lone ranger. The Western United States faced many difficulties. The rough country, the poorly marked trails, the danger of attacks by hostile Indians and outlaws, might have forced many of them out of business. But the massed rather the planes knew the West could not progress without a regular system of transportation. He protected the stagecoaches from attack, solved their other difficulties, and thus made possible the winning of the West. Return with us now those thrilling days of yesteryear, one adventure lay at the end of every trail. The lone ranger rides again, two plunging swaying stages drawn by foam fleck teams, urged to their utmost speed by madly shouting drivers, race side by side on the trail to San Feliz. The two coaches careened around Curve, dashed recklessly the length of straightaways, seemed more than once on the edge of disaster when wheels approached dangerously close and threatened to lock. San Feliz itself came in sight and still there was no slackening of pace. The town's main street was at one moment busy and at the next when the people had seen the coaches thundering toward them as deserted as the main street of a ghost town. The coaches did not pause, raising clouds of dust they raced side by side to the narrow street until they had reached the very center of town. And then... Whippin' it up! Rick beat the Red Star Stage but near a length. You're crazy, the Red Star one. Crazy, dudes! There'll be a wreck one of these days. Hey, who's the girl in the Red Star Stage? Hmm, she's mighty pretty. She's got some female with her. Hey, here they come. Look mad enough to draw a harness. You there. You. Who, me? Yes, you. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You might have killed it. Now, Miss, you wasn't riding my stage. Why blame me? You deliberately challenged our driver to a race. He didn't need much urgent, I'd say. Oh, Joan, honey, that awful, awful ride. I declare I got such an ache I won't never get over it. Oh, dear. You did this. What's your name? Rick Leonard, Miss. What's yours? Don't be impertinent. I'm reporting you to your employer. I am and you need to laugh about it. Jucks, Miss, I ain't got no boss. Don't be silly. Of course you have. Nope. Read what it says there in the side of my stage. The Leonard line. Well, Miss, that's me. Oh, but, but, Joan, he's the man Mr. Madsen's been writing you about. Well, Madsen's been writing you folks about me? I, say, you ain't Joan Adams, are you? I am. Alex Sneath? Yes. The girl, Alec, will the red star line too when he cashed in? Well, I'll be switched. Miss, you and me are rivals. The red star line has no rivals. Well, maybe it didn't till the past year, but it has now, and I'm it. A two-coach stage line. Well, Miss, if fellas got to start with something, can all of us have rich uncles to leave us big outfits? There's one thing I can say for my stages. It can't be said for yours. They keep the schedule. They ain't all the time busting down in the middle of nowhere. The very idea. I... Yes, fella. Pestin' you, ladies. Howdy, Bull. Just like the stages you manage, huh? All is shown up late. Are you a blasted whippersnapper? I just been looking for reason to ring your neck. I'll take... No fighting, please. You're Mr. Madsen? That's me. You're Miss Joan, I reckon. Yes, Abby, Mr. Madsen. Mr. Madsen, this is my companion, Miss Abby Tuttle. Pleased to meet you, ma'am. How'd you do? Well, Miss, seeing as how you ain't including me in your introductions, I reckon I'll take the hint and get along. I'll be seeing you. He's impossible. Well, I tell you all there's to know about that fella, Miss. I don't figure he's worse than that. Hi, Possum. Get over here and fetch these ladies' bags into the office. Possum, such a name. There's Possum Pettigrew. Kind of a handyman around the station. They call him Possum because when he ain't asleep, he's pretended to be. Yeah, these bags here. I see him. I see him, there. One in Blazer's ale here. Guys, ain't she pretty? That's no way to speak in front of Miss Adams. Oh, no, ma'am. It's not her. I'm in it all. I was meanin' you. Possum, you local witch. Wait. It seems to be a sensible-looking man. Nope, ma'am. I ain't so strong on good sense, but I sure got a real good eye for a pretty female. Guys, you're most prettier in the sunset. Yep. Even prettier in Lempoggle's Pry Steer. Steer. You hitch, ma'am. And I'm not the horse. Oh, you mistook me, ma'am. What a man for it. Wake up them bags and get out of here before I lambaste your good. Sure, Bull. Sure. I'm a-going. I'm a-going just as fast as a kid. I'd like to have a talk with you, Mr. Madden. Why, of course. Just step into the office. Come, Abby. Steer and a horse. Never heard of such a thing. You wrote me the line was having trouble. Yeah. And Rick Leonard, the rotten lion, sneak is behind it. He was impertinent, but surely... Don't let his smooth looks fool you, Miss. He's been up to more crooked stunts this past year to get our business than another fellow would think of in a whole lifetime. Really? Just take them chairs there. Miss, he's cut the rates and lied his head off about us. But that ain't a patch on the rest of it. He's cut through harness so there'd be trouble with the horses on the trail. He's had fellas shoot at our drivers from cover. He's pieced in at least four of our horses. No. All gone that he has. You have proof? Oh, so far he's been too slick to give me the chance to catch him dead to rights. But one of these days, I will. And then, Miss, that fellow will get what fur. I see. Now, Miss Joan, all this is why I wanted you to come out here and have a look at things for yourself. I say I'll be how you feel. You'd like to think you could take over the red star line and make a go of it. But I'm sorry to tell you, it ain't a job a woman can handle. You're a manager. Actually, you're in charge. I'd rather buy you out. But if you can't make the lion pay as manager... It ain't the same, Miss. Sure, I'm boss all right. But if I was owner, I could fight that skunk in my own way. If it was led he asked for, let he'd get. But I... But now, even if I am boss, whatever I do, you're hell responsible for her. It kind of cramps my style. Sorry, I think I understand, but my decision remains the same. I shall not sell. Well, it's your funeral. Well, as disagreeable as Mr. Leonard obviously is, I find it hard to think of him as an out-and-out crook. Miss, I still ain't told you half the things he's done. He ain't Mr. Trick. All right, but one thing, he's overlooked up to date. And that's setting fire to the stables. And I wouldn't put that past him. Miss, I told you. Look, the hole in the blade. Get the horses out. Get water. It was a breeze down at I.C.B. He's going to bring him stick right in the hay. There he goes now. He's right in the way. There's someone after him now. A mad man. And look at that horse in his abominable. Ranger, race in pursuit of the fleeing half-breed. The fugitive left frantically at his training mount. The animal was no match for the great white stallion that relentlessly closed the gap between them. As he neared the breed, the masked man loosened the rope at his saddle and ran up there. Well, I'd have torched into the stable. Others must have seen you also. That is not so. I won't help you. Amigo, if you will let me go. You're going to take what's coming to your breed. The oblong. These fellows riding here will give it to you. Amigo, they will hang me. Probably not. But I'd say that a man who did what you did deserved hanging. I'll leave you to them. Come on, silver. Oh! Wanted crook, most likely. But this snake here the fellow were after. All right, breed. Back to town for you and Prado. Get up there. With the townspeople lending their aid, the fire that attacked the stable to the Red Star stage line was soon put out and the horses saved. Young Rick Leonard was among those who helped. And later, the excitement over, he joined the group in Bull's office where the breed was being questioned. Go easy on the breed, Bull. He knows you got him dead to rights. There ain't no use in beating him up until he ain't able to talk. I figured you'd say something like that, Rick. Yeah? You don't like to have one of your own men getting knocked around, do you? What do you mean, one of my own men? I reckon you savvy, all right. Mr. Madden, I don't care what this fellow did. I simply won't stand for you to hit him again. All right, all right. Now, look here, breed. You ain't denying you set the stable to fire, are you? No, Simul. I wouldn't do you no good anyhow. Boss and their senior, a couple of other fellows said the same. When the sheriff gets to town, they'll all testify against you. See? That part can be proved. Well, that ain't what I'm worrying about. What I want to know is who paid you to do it. I will not say. Talk. No, please. Oh. I said talk. And I said don't hit him again. Don't you dare. But, Miss Joan, I got to get the truth out of him, don't I? Not that way. Look, what did you say your name was? I am called Pedro, senora. Very well, Pedro. Now, listen to me. You've committed a crime. You will have to pay for it. But no one here believes that you were alone in this. You had no reason to fight against my stage line. But no. Then it stands to reason you were hired. The man who hired you was the real criminal. The law wants him even more than it wants you. You tell us who he is and you won't be punished nearly so severely. And if I do not talk, senora? Well, then I'm afraid the law will have to assume you were entirely responsible and will make you pay accordingly. Then I will talk and make it fast. Who was it, Pedro? Tell us. You make me the promise. He will not permit him to kill me. You bet we won't. You'll be given protection, Pedro. Then it was him. Senor Leno. What the... You... Wait, wait. The breach is crazy. He's lying. I never saw the skunk before. Mr. Madden, I apologize. I thought Mr. Leonard had some decency. I see he has. Please wait. Now listen. I know it. I knew a dog going well all the time. And the only listen we'll do is when you're behind bars. I recognize him. You fool. You can't get away with this. Put down them guns. Just stand where you are. Don't make no sudden motions. I'm leaving. I don't aim to be took for something I didn't do in the face of a lion breed. You can't hope to escape. I'll take my chances. Anybody comes out this door when I'm still in gun range is going to stop lead. That's a promise. Come on, fella. Get out. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. When Pedro, the breed who had set the Red Star stables afire, accused Rick Leonard of hiring him, Rick made his escape. Bull shouted at Possum. Possum, what was your stand there for doing nothing? Why didn't you draw? I got a good mind to give you your time. Bull, I wanted to throw down on that, fella. Yes, sir, I wanted to draw the worst way, but it just seemed like I had a palsy kindie in my hand. I just didn't... couldn't kind of move it. Of all the blasted digits. You did no more than he to stop his escape. That's so bull. I reckon you had a kind of palsy, too, huh? Keep your full mouth shut. Raider, Pedro, whatever you call yourself, stand up. See you soon, you'll... You ain't gonna get away. What will you do with him? Can't do nothing till the sheriff gets in town. Ain't no telling when that'll be. Him and his deputies all went kiting into the hills after a killer up there. Then he can't be jailed? Not right now. But we can do the next best thing. This storeroom will do as good as a jail any time. In here, Brayden. We promised not to escape from him. Save your promises, they ain't needed. You ain't getting loose whether you give them or not. Now get in there. Please. Take care of him. This storeroom was built to keep crooks out, so I reckon it'll serve just as well to keep them in. And... and Leonard? He'll be caught. Don't you worry about him. I suppose that will clear things up. Well, I wish I could think so. But surely if this man is jailed and Leonard is... Miss Joan? How long will the breed be kept in jail? Well, folks know, and he was just hired by somebody else. Why, I don't know. Maybe a few months, maybe a year, maybe hardly any time at all. Then he'll be set loose again. Yes, sir. And Rick, it'll go harder with him. But I'm telling you, Miss, that fellow's got pods that'll think nothing of busting him out of jail one of these days. And then when that happens, you'll see Tarnesh and Brimstone are popping around here that you never thought could be. I see what you're getting at. Yes, and I still say you ought to sell. I got a little cash laid away, and if you'll make the deal, I can raise the rest, all right? And then what will you do? And then, Miss, I'll forget all about the law. I'd be taking chances on my own hook. I'd go on the prod, and by the time I was through, Rick and his whole gang would be decorating Boothill. But you say you can't do that while working for me. Wouldn't be my duty, Miss. Besides, if something happened to me, then what had happened to you? Just imagine that's something I'm not considering. But in the meantime, I still won't sell. I heard what you said, child. And if I was you, I'd say the same. Landscapes, I would... What is it? Possum. Heavens to Betsy, look at him. His eyes tight shut and his mouth wide open. And everything else around here is probably wrong, but that critter was named right. The camp the Lone Ranger had chosen was a few miles from San Feliz, and a dense growth of trees some distance from the trail. It was still early afternoon, but so thick with the branches overhead that the light was dim and broken then. Everyone in town likely believes you're guilty by this time, Rick, but I'm sure you're not. I'm glad to find somebody that believes in me, but what I'd like to know is how come? I've been in this district for some time. We came here when we heard reports of the accidents continually occurring to Red Star stagecoachers. Are we sure we'd find you responsible? I'll give you my word, stranger. I never had one thing to do with them. I said we'd expected to find you behind the trouble. You haven't known it, but you've been watched closely. You were the man you employ. I'd give a heap to be able to go back and prove that. It will be proved in time. What do you think of Bull Madsen? Do you suspect him? Tell you the truth, friend. I don't. No? What reason would he have to try and put the blame on me? We were always pretty fair friends up until the accident started happening. You're a rival of the company he works for. I just goes to show. Anybody else who didn't know the facts would figure just like you're doing. But the truth of it is Bull helped me get started in business. Them two measly coaches I got used to belonging to the Red Star outfit. But one Bull figured there was about a war now that I sold him to me cheap. I put in a lot of work on him and got him in condition again. And I set up in the stage business for myself, thinking there was enough custom to keep both outfits going. If not Bull, who would you suspect? I wouldn't even guess. Tondo. You recall what we discussed together? I'll tell him not to forget. Then carry on exactly as we agreed. Here's to me. I want to do that. What are you waiting for? Don't ask questions, Rick. Yep. I'm heading for town. I have no time to waste and talk. Come on, Silver. Hurry up, fellow. Well, Joan Adams, accompanied by Bull Madsen when in search of suitable living quarters, Abby kept Possum Petty Crew Company in the Red Star office. Possum, with a loaded colt in each hand, had been appointed to guard the door leading to the storeroom. And... Go on, Possum. Tell me some more. Yeah. Uh, gosh, I was sleepy. Oh, you're born that way. I was just never able to get over it. We're seeing, Abby. The second I seen you get off that stage today, it was just like something that hit me over the head. Oh. Yes, it was. I would just watch your mic call struck dumb. Uh-huh. I've heard it said you're dumb. Well, I know. Hey, what was that you said? Quit interrupting yourself and get on with it. Oh, yeah, yeah. Uh, Abby, I'll take mouth on it. When I got my senses back, I says to myself, Possum Petty Crew, that's just the female that you've been waiting for all your sinful life. She's beautiful, I says to myself. Beautiful. Uh-huh. Like singing. That's a nice thought. Like my singing. And I says to myself, Possum, you can tell just by looking at her, she's good. Uh-huh. Just by looking. Go on. And if ever you want a wife, Possum, I says, there she is. There's a female that would make you the prettiest, sweetest, tempered wife that a man could want. Hey, you believe what I'm telling you, don't you, Abby? No. Now look here, all right? Keep it up, Possum. A woman gets my age and she's mighty grateful to hear such nice, sound lies, even from a dried up critter like you. Keep right on talking, Possum. Ah, what's the user? Uh-huh-huh-huh. What's the matter? Look, the master and you. Careful. Don't touch those guns. What are you after? Pedro, unlock that door. Be a man, Possum. Don't you do it. I couldn't have I wanted to. Bulls got the keys. Pick up that chair. Oh, why? You can't unlock the door. You'll smash it open. And say, Mr. I... Tell him you won't, Possum. Go on, tell him. I... Smash in those panels. I'm taking Pedro out of there. Well, here goes. You're that half-breed, Possum. No. And you, Possum, you're just a white-livered rabbit. That's what you are. There's something you were forgetting. Men get what you're doing. Come along, Pedro. I'm going to bring a crowd. For what I'm doing, I don't want witnesses. Come. The masked man was correct. The sound made when the door was broken open reached the street and brought people hurrying from all directions. Bull, Madsen and John Adams among them. The lone ranger swung Pedro into the saddle, shouted to Silver and raced swiftly out of town. Then he sensed Silver speeding toward the broken country north of San Feliz. They did not stop until they reached an old tumble-down cabin. Then... Bull, Silver! No, Silver! No more! Get down. What do you do, senor? What do you have in mind? Come along. It's both, senor... Don't try shouting. We can't be heard here. It's not salve. It's... Your work is done, Pedro. What did you say? You played your part. There's just one thing that remains to be done. One thing? Do you think you can be permitted to live to tell the truth? Did you expect that after you'd implicated Rick Leonard there would be any further need for you? Who is it to tell you to do this to me? We'll mention no names. He has sent you to take my life. Oh, no, no, amigo. I have never armed you. You cannot do it. You implicated Rick. He did so in front of witnesses. They'll testify to that. Now we can do without your testimony. I have been tricked. Your mouth isn't closed, Pedro. Perhaps someday you'll be tempted to tell who paid you to make Rick look guilty. Oh, no, no. I will be silent like the grave. In the grave, yes, Pedro. I think you will be as silent as the grave. Exactly as silent. Oh, please, no. No, I won't do anything. It's worth whatever you'll wish. I will promise that... Look out the window. You see those horsemen? Two of them, Pedro. One's an Indian. And the other. The other is bull. Exactly. You'll be wondering why I haven't already closed your mouth. He has betrayed me. What did you expect, the kind of game you've been playing? They will be here. Then perhaps it'll be better if bull finishes you. Cheat! Pig! You have me fired this table. You pay me to say this senior Lenarduki who hired me. But now you kill Pedro. You have the masterman to keep Pedro from speaking. Oh, don't talk. Don't say anything. And you will keep me from talking with the bull, is that it? Exactly. The masterman of me cover. But I have the knife. Ow! Oh, you have broke my wrist. You won't hurt. Blaster straighter. What have you told the brain? Why did you send the engine to bring me here? I'll show you. That door you see leads into the other half of this cabin. You mean it? I think you've hurt enough. More than enough. Bull, it was you all the time. You got the breed, mister. But you won't get me. Get him, Toto. He didn't. Let me off. Hold him. Now get up. I'm taking your guns. Let me off. Just let me off. You'll do all right as you are. Bull, I ain't never like this since the first day I went to work for you. And it does me good to see the mask while I get the best of you. You stand still. You hold tight. It got me now. But I'll get even. I'll get even with every last one of you. But you'll have to wait a good many years in jail, Bull, before you get the chance. How did you know, stranger? What made you think he was guilty? I explained it to Rick before. I came here to investigate. It didn't take long to find out Rick was innocent. Everything pointed to Bull, but I had to wait for a chance to prove it on him. But the breed, he accused Rick. It was part of Bull's plan. If Peter was caught, he was to swear that Rick had hired him to burn the stables. Perhaps Bull even planned that Peter would be caught. Expecting to free him after Peter's testimony, he'd put the blame on Rick. I was just as sure as sure could be that Bull had nothing to do with it. Bull was clever. He learned you wanted to go into business for yourself. He made it easy for you by selling you two stagecoaches cheap. As a rival of the Red Star Line, he would naturally be suspected if accidents began to happen to your competition. Dirty schemer. Then Bull did all that trying to force me to sell. I suppose he figured you'd be in a woman. It wouldn't be hard to make you give up. I'm sorry for accusing you. Oh, shucks, forget it. The masked man told me a scheme that might work out. He was willing. Yes. Well, after all, it ain't a whole lot of use for two stage lines. We could go partners in a way. Just run the two lines like one. That's a swell ID, miss. And Rick could manage them. I think that would be fine. And maybe, well, maybe one of these days we could go partners the whole way. Perhaps. My god, that reminds me. Abby's waiting in town. And I never did get around to asking a feed cotton to get in the hitch to me. Come on, round these fillers up. Then we're out of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.