 A fiery horse for the speed of light, a cloud of dust in a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. When the early settlers in the western United States became discouraged by the hardships they faced, the lawlessness in the new territory was the mask right of the planes who brought back their confidence in the future. He fought crime to the length and breadth of seven states and blazed the trail for progress. It was he more than any other man who made possible the willing of the West. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past, from the thundering hoof beech of the Great Horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, we're heading for the range country. Hurry up! All Sam Catlett stood helplessly by while his brother-in-law sat at Sam's desk and began going through his papers. Hattie, Sam's wife, gazed upon her brother with approval. I just know you'll find Sam's got everything in a terrible mess, Homer. Uh-huh. I guess it's lucky I came to visit. Dog gone at Homer, you look here. I'm glad you come. You're welcome to stay with us just as long as you please. But don't you go tell me how to run my ranch. Thirty years I have done it, but I'm not gonna... There you go. I'm ashamed of you. Apologize to Homer this minute. Oh, Hattie! Didn't you hear me? Apologize this very minute. Homer, I didn't just mean that I... Oh, that's all right, Sam. We'll get along together all right just as soon as we're used to each other. And now let me see. According to this here receipt, Sam, you sold some two-year-olds last month for just under five dollars ahead. Uh-huh. Sold them to some grovers. They only wanted to pay four, but I made them eat my price. You should have got six. Huh? You lost almost a thousand dollars in that deal right there. Now, here I see where you... Hey, now hold on a second. How was I to hold out for six when two-year-olds ain't getting a price like that anywhere in Texas? I could have got it for you. Like blazer, you could. You'd have spoiled the whole sale. Sam, don't act like a baby just because you ain't the businessman Homer is. But Hattie, don't you... Hey, and I told you, you ain't been running this ranch the way you should. Blast it all. What's the matter with the way I've been running it? I'd say almost everything. Yeah? Well, I've made the place pay ain't I? What'd you do with your place? Huh, lost everything you own. Well, that's beside the point. Poor Homer just had bad luck. All right, maybe he did. But why ain't Tonka should his having bad luck make him know more about how to run my ranch than I do? Well, that's the way you feel, Sam. Now, now, Homer, don't let Sam get you mad. He'll be grateful afterwards. Well... Just sit down again and go through the rest of the papers. Please, Homer. Very well. As long as you ask me, Hattie. Thank you. There, Sam, you see what you nearly did. You nearly kept home with him helping me. Oh! And that's him being kind enough to come all the way here to visit us. Tink costing nothing, is it? And after losing his place, where else could he come but here? That's enough. I have to digest about all I'm going to from you. Oh! Well, of all things. Huh? Homer, what is it? Sam, did you pay out good cash for this junk? Did I pay out? Hey, careful of that. That's my land script. Land script? Tink worth of papers printed on. Oh, Sam, I've never seen these before. You've been hiding things from me. Homer, what are they? Land certificates. The state government issues them. For each one you hold, you're entitled to claim a section of state-owned land. There's 640 acres in each section. Sam, how much was you local enough to pay for these things? I got most of them for 3 cents on the acre, and I ain't local. I'm not sure I understand, Homer. How can this be? Well, it's this way, Addy. Over half of Texas still ain't settled. When it joined the union, it kept title all that vacant land. So they printed these certificates to hand out to fellas crazy enough to take them in place of cash. If Sam paid 3 cents an acre for them, he got cheated. Can't you get the land with him? Oh, it's easy enough to claim the land. All you gotta do is have a survey and record it. That ain't the point. 3 cents an acre is just 3 cents more, and it's worth it. That's where you're crazy. Ask anybody, Addy. Or ask Sam why he hid this script instead of showing it to you. Tim, what have you got to say? Why do I have to say anything? I bought that script because I figured it was worth it. Ben, why didn't you tell me about it? Well, I... Addy, he knew if it ever got out, he'd be the laughingstock of the county. You mean nobody else would buy this print? Not one fellow in a thousand. How many of them certificates you find there? I ain't counting them, but I'll bet there's three or four hundred. How much would that come to? Land or cash. Cash. Well, I'd have to figure it first to tell you exactly. Anyhow, this must cost Sam... $6,000 or $7,000. $6,000 or $7,000? No, I haven't. So that's how you've been thrown our money away. I tell you, I ain't thrown it away. I got that land cheap. Someday it's gonna be worth plenty. That their land script is gonna make us rich. That settles it. Huh? It's a wonder to me we've got a roof over our heads. Homer, I'd never get through thanking Providence that you came when you did. I just hope you won't take offense at anything Sam says and I'll stay on to help us in our need. Well, things are pretty bad, Hattie, but I'll do the best I can. Ain't I got nothing to say about this? No. But why is that? We had less to say in the past, we'd be better off today. Better off? We got cash enough in the bank to last till we'd die. We got the finest ranch in the district and you talk about being better off. You did that well without knowing anything about business and Homer could do twice as good. But Doug got it all, Hattie, come here. We're all through talking about it. And you're disturbing Homer. You're better leave. You bet I will. And you can both think I was local for buying that script if you're on mine too. But you mark my words, that they'll come when folks will buy Texas line at 10 cents an acre and be glad to get it. Poor Sam, 10 cents an acre. Where'd he get such notions? Homer, these certificates. Think he could sell them and get that cash back? Not from anybody in his right mind, Hattie. But I'll try. Oh, gone things I've heard. Tell them I'm coming in my house running high hand like that, taking my stuff and running all... Oh, of course. You look mad enough to chow nails. What's the matter? Pete, let me tell you something. If you ever get hitched, you pick out a female that ain't got a family. Hey, I said he had a run-in with Homer. He's inside there going through my papers. Figures to run my ranch. Your wife's saver? Yes, so. Why don't you stand up to her? Huh? Stand up to Hattie? Gosh, I wouldn't dare. A week later, Homer was standing at the bar of the cafe in Wellington. A well-dressed printer elbowed his way in beside him. One side in, Jim. Thanks. Howdy, Mr. Hattie. Howdy, Mr. Hattie. Hi. Ain't you Homer Larkins? Uh-huh, that's me. My handle's like Slater. I'll buy you a drink. Oh, thanks, but I reckon I've had enough. Well, I ain't anxious for any either. Uh, hey, tell me you've got some land script you'd like to sell. I've got some belongs to my brother-in-law. That's what you mean. Why? You want to buy it? Do I look that simple? Then why'd you mention it? When I seen you here, I thought I might be able to do you a favor. What? A favor? How about stepping down to that end of the bar? There ain't so many around. I'm sure. Why not? Now, what's this about doing me a favor? Well, what I meant was, maybe I could do us both a favor. Yeah? You ain't had much luck finding buyers for that script, have you? I can't find anybody local enough to buy. So I heard. In that being the case, I guess if a fella come along and could tell you where you could sell that script, it'd be worth something to you, hmm? Just what do you mean? I'll tell you. For part of what you get, I'll put you onto the fella's spine and all he can lay hands on. Yeah? Who? Well, that's what you find out if we make a deal. How much will he pay? How much you've got? A script for 400 sections. 400, eh? Hmm. Well, like you know and I know, that script ain't worth a red cent. But I'll just about guarantee this fella to pay a couple thousand for what you've got. Promise to give me 500 of that after you've made the sale. Now, I'll lead you to him. 500 out of 2,000? Well, that'd only leave 1,500. Which is that much more than you're likely to get any place else, ain't it? Well, I... I can't get the idea I'm trying to persuade you to anything you'd rather not. Nothing like that at all. You know, the reason I spoke my piece was because I figured you'd be smart enough to grab your chance when you seen it. Do I have to decide right now? Can't you? Well, I'd rather talk it over with my sister first if he could wait. She wants to sell, won't she? Oh, sure, yeah. How soon could you let me know? At the same time tomorrow? Well... All right, tomorrow then. But this ain't my home range. After that, maybe I won't be around. Slater, wait till I talk to Harry and I can almost promise it'll be a deal. Homer returned to the ranch, reported to Harry, and then brother and sister demanded that Sam accept the offer. Harry, you and Homer can't do this to me. I paid for that script and that's mine. I won't sell for 2,000. I won't sell for 4,000. I won't sell for twice that much. Sam, hush up. You say you'll have to give this man Slater 500 and he won't tell you who wants to buy it. Well, that's it, Harry. Is it worth it? Well, I didn't let him to Slater. But if he hadn't mentioned less and had been up to me, I'd have offered twice as much just to get rid of the stuff. Yeah, you don't have to pay him anything before you make the sale, do you? Not a pity. Well, it's a shame that we can't get more in 1,500 for what cost over 7,000, but that's Sam's fault, not on. You ought to be grateful to get anything back at all. Doggone, didn't you hear me when I said I wouldn't sell? But you say don't count. Homer, tell Slater we'll do business with him. Right. And, uh, who's there? Come in. Howdy, ma'am. Afternoon, Mr. Larkin. Hey, boss, could you come here a second? Huh? Step outside here. What for? The fella wants to see you. He sent me after you. Come along. Who is he? I couldn't tell you for sure, boss, but I got a doggone good idea. Where in Tunkert you've taken me to? Just the other side of the cookhouse there. But why are you taking me out? You mind if I tell you something before you meet this fella? Tell me what? Well, like I said, I got a good notion who he is. If I'm right, he can be trusted. Maybe he's here to do your good turn. So don't let his mask set you against him. What's that? This fella's mask? But what in the world you've got? He's right around the corner here. Pete, if you're up to something you shouldn't be, I'm not... You've got, Sam. By Sunday are a mask. Forget my mask. But what are you doing here? Listen to what I tell you. Don't sell your land script to Ike Slater. You had Pete fetch me out here to tell me that? In part. Then you had him get the wrong party. Stranger, you're looking at a fella that owns a ranch, but ain't allowed the right to run it. Your man here said something about that. Nevertheless, that script can't be sold without your permission. Small comfort that yet. That's not my entire reason for talking to you. No. A friend of mine was in the cafe when Slater spoke to your brother-in-law. He recognized him. He knew him to be a well-known confidence man and followed him afterwards. Oh, what about it? When Slater left the cafe, he joined a fellow he's worked with before. A fellow as crooked as he is. Yeah. This man is calling himself Owens. His real name is Link Mead. I want to know how to overheard Mead and Owens are buying this script together. And I think I know why they want it. Yeah. It's been rumored that Coke will be elected governor. And that's true. It means the end of the reconstruction government in the state. If that's true, Texas will see the greatest boom in its history. It won't belong until Land is worth 10 and 20 times what it is today. You sure of that? No one can be sure until the vote is announced. But I think it's almost certain. But you are sure Slater's a crook, huh? He is, though I can't tell you whether or not he's wanted by the law. I knew there was a hitch in it. Oh. How am I going to tell Harry I won't let that trip be sold because a mask fella told me Slater was crook. And that's up to you. At least you know the facts. Here's over. Doggone, I... I reckon there never was a critter as spineless as me. I've heard about you, Sam. People say you let everyone run over you. It's about time you asserted yourself. To Harry? Strangerest plain to see you never met my wife. Well, I've told you all I can. The rest is up to you. Adios. Let's strangle this. Pete, I forgot to ask. Who do you figure that ombre is? Ha, ha, ha. Hey, I bet you wouldn't believe me if I told you. No, but I bet my bottom dollar that's the Lone Ranger. 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. Living old Sam Catlett, the Lone Ranger returned to the well-hidden camp he shared with his faithful Indian companion, Tonto. Oh, oh, that's over. Oh, boy, oh. Tonto settled, Scout. Here's Tonto. You see, Fummer? I did, Kimosabi. And I'm not certain it'll do any good. Not bad. He's given in to his wife too many years. I'm afraid it'll be too late for him to change. So if he can't protect himself, it's up to us to do it for him. What we do? Slater and me, they're usually clever enough to sidestep the law. But you can't go crooked without making a mistake sometime, somewhere. That's right. And I doubt that Slater and me are exceptions. Perhaps they about run their mistakes, but I'll wager they exist. Steady, Fummer. Steady. That's why, Tonto, you and I are going to do a little back trailing. What do you mean? We know Slater and me were in the panhandle for several months before they came here. We'll see what they were up to there. If we find nothing, we'll trace them back to the place before that. And good idea. Somewhere along the line, they must have got on the wrong side of the law. And if they have, we'll teach them you can outrun mistakes for a while, but not for always. Ready, Tonto? No, me ready. Then come. Get him up. Come on, Silver. Come on. The following day, Homer and Hattie had just made Sam's land certificates into a neat package when Sam himself entered the room. What have you got there? What do you suppose? You got my land script in this here package? I have. What do you think you're going to do with it? Sell it, of course. Go on, Homer. You said you'd meet that man. He won't want to be kept waiting. Show him how much we got. Find out who wants to buy it, then bring them both back out here. Very well, sister. Hey, not so fast. What? You come back here. Sam, don't be interfering. Homer's got an appointment. He's got to keep. To sell what's mine. You don't have to tell me. Well, he ain't going to do it. Sam, if you'll just listen to me. I ain't in the mood for listening. Put them certificates back. Sam, don't behave like a fool. I ain't. We're just trying to save some of the cash you threw away, Sam. That's all. You're trying to give my script away to a couple of crooks for almost nothing. Cook. Sam, what in thunder are you talking about? Guess this. Slater's a crook. The fellow he's going to have you meet is a crook. And the two of them want that script because they know before long it's going to be worth plenty. But they ain't going to get it. Ridiculous. Would you be willing to say that to Mr. Slater, to his face? Sure, why not? Then you got proof of it. Sure, I got proof. Well, hey, well, no, not exactly. This is a thought. Sam, you're just making yourself small. If you can't get your own stubborn way without slandering a man that ain't harmed you, you ought to keep shut. Just because I can't show proof don't mean it ain't so. Homer, go on. I will, sister. No, you don't. If you meet Slater and tell him you got authority to sell them certificates, you'll be wasting your time. But, Sam, I... I ain't give you no such authority, and I ain't gonna. And you still can't make no sale without I put my name to it. So what are you going to do about that? Sam. Well? If you just dare to meddle now, I'll never speak to you again as long as I live. Then don't. I ain't so sure that wouldn't be a good thing. Sam, come here. You come back here right now. If you want me, you know where to find me. I ain't like Homer with relatives to live off of. I got work to do. Did you go through with it, boss? Did you? Pete, I did. Hooray! I don't know how I got the nerve, but I sure told him. Then, Doggone, you hold to it. I don't know, Pete. You have to. Well, I'll try. But if something don't happen soon to prove I was right, I'm afraid I'm a goner. This didn't settle nothing. They'll just keep on pestering me. Then tell them to go to Blazers. Show them who's boss. Taint me, and I don't know how long I can keep them from finding it out. Mead. It's Ike's later. You there? Get in here. I thought I told you to stay away from the hotel. You're supposed to be putting Larkin into a fellow that don't know anybody and to buy landstrip. If it gets out that we're friendly, he'll begin suspicious. But I had to see you. It's him I come about. You ready to sell? He can't. But I thought you said... Sure, I said Larkin's was brother to Catlett's wife. And she gives the old man his orders. But something's gone wrong. What has? The old fella's got stubborn. And the deal's fell through. I don't know. Larkin says not. What do you mean? Well, something's made old Catlett stop the sale. But Larkin says it can't last. He and his sister will keep after him. He says if we'll wait one of these days, Catlett will have to give in. How'd he sound? Like immunity? Seemed to. I thought we couldn't do ourselves any good. They'd clear out. They would be foolish, too. Yeah? Every body in the county knows how old Catlett's wife bosses him. I'd lay odd. She'll get her own way yet. Maybe. There ain't no place else where we'll get scripts so cheap. I know. Then the syndicates in the north are grabbed as fast and as quiet as they can. If this fellow coke gets elected to governor, maybe even the Texans will wake up to what they've been missing. Then we won't be able to buy a script at any price. Well, I suppose we'd better stay. There's nothing else to do. But Slater. Yeah? Keep in touch with Larkins. Keep pressing him. Let him think the bar you spoke of is losing interest. Convince him he'd better see to it that sale is made quick or that chance he'll be gone for good. You leave it to me. Convince him and he'll convince his sister. And if she don't make life miserable for that old coochie mad, then all we've heard about her must have been lies. Mead, I've seen her. Old Catlett wish he'd never been born. The prophecy made by Slater and Mead came true. Day after day, week after week, Hattie condemned the error of her husband's ways. Can't you leave me be Hattie? I don't want a sale. You won't. Just leave me be, that's all I ask. Just leave me be. Sell. I won't. You will. No, I won't. I won't. I won't. Three weeks. For three weeks I ain't had one minute apiece. I can't stand it. Then don't be a fool. Sell. Sell. All right, all right, I will. Have it your own way. I've listened for as long as I'm going to. If I heard just one more word, I'd go crazy. About time you came to your senses. Just leave me alone, won't you? If Mr. Slater brings that man here, you'll sell. Ain't that right? I'll sell. I'll sell. I'll sell. I'll sell. I'll sell. Ain't that what I said? I just wanted to make sure. Did you hear him, Homer? I did, Hattie. Then get to town. Fine, Mr. Slater. Tell him to get that by and bring him here. Sure. Sam, I know how you're feeling, but wait. One of these days you'll be thanking us on your bended knees. Will I? Will I doubt it? Nobody's convinced me I wasn't right. I only give in because if I hadn't, I'd have gone local. You've been there for some time. Oh! Don't just stand there, Homer. Saddle up and get to town. Slater. Oh, howdy, Larkins. What's up? He'll sell. He said he'd sell. He will. Uh-huh. Now where's the fellow wants to buy? I'll take you and him out to the house. And if he pays 2,000, I'm still to get my 500? Of course. You wait right here. I'll have him here in a jiffy. Me, grab your coat and hat. We'll put it over. Yes. The cabinet will sell, and Larkins is waiting at the cafe to take us out to its place. I like this happen just about in time. Don't die and know it. Don't go further this morning, just keep in the capital. Legislatures count the vote and coax away in the lead. Once the word gets around, things will hub. And come on, if all Larkins hears it. Homer Larkins escorted Slater and Meade to Sam Catlett's ranch house, where they received a warm welcome from Hattie, but none at all from Sam. Well, I'm pleased to meet you. Won't you men sit down? Sam, stand up at Homer, have your chair. Oh! There's no need for anybody to get up. This won't take as long. You've got the certificates already, ain't you? They're right here. Well, that's fine. You said you'd pay 2,000 for them, didn't you, Mr. Owens? I will. You've got the cash with you? I'll turn it over just as soon as I've looked at the script. Go ahead, Mr. Owens. Don't bother. What the? Mash, sweetie. Who's Williams? Davis, Williams, go ahead in. You too, Sheriff. Hey, let me out of here. Come on first. Follow those punners. Fighters follow Russians. Get his gun. I got it. That's the way you are, Mead. Or you'll get the same. Don't shoot. Don't. Come here. You don't need them guns. I gave up. Did you call this fella Mead? He told us his name was Owen. Then he lied to you, ma'am. He's linked Mead. The masked fella told me all about him. Yeah, and about his partner here, too. They're both of them crooks, and I'm here, and now I'm putting them under arrest. You can't arrest us. We're not crooks. Davis and Williams will swear otherwise, Mead. I brought them here from the Panhandle. Do you recognize them, or have you forgotten already? I've never seen anyone before. That's a blasted lie. You're the two fellas that got me drinking, and then tricked me into signing my name to a check for $5,000. And you sold me a gold mine you never had title to raise. I begged on the fight. You'd gone too far at some time, rather. And you had. You'd pay for it now. No, wait. Shut up. Listen, you too. Save your talking for your trial. They ought to be hung for what they did to me. They will hang if I don't have any say about it. I've got news for you, too, Sam. Yeah? Hook was elected. The Reconstruction Government is out. Texas is free. And if I'm any judge, the boom is on its way. Yippee! You hear that, Homer? You hear it, Hattie? Now how much of an idiot to think I was. I was right all the time. But I thought, well, I was sure that... What you thought was that you'd find yourself a soft snap running my ranch and living at my expense. Well, you run your own into the ground. But this one, you ain't. Oh, wait. For what? I've just been hoping I'd be proved right so as I could do what I've been hankering to do ever since you got here. Huh? Order you out. Now get. Pack your duds and get off my place before you feel at all my boob. That's telling them, boss. And if you don't want to go well, I'll toss him out for you. You've insulted me. I wouldn't stay here anyhow. Goodbye. And don't never come back. Same. All right. What you got to say. You can't order Homer out of my house. Your house? Well, when it's about time you learn this is my house and my ranch and that I'm boss of both. You took your turn at Boston and come close to losing me a fortune by it. All right. Keep still. But I... I said keep still. Yes, Sam. And don't never question my judgment again. No, Sam. And get out in the kitchen and fix me something special good to eat. I ain't had nothing but leftover since your fool brother come here and I'm tired of it. Sam. Go on. You're sure a fire eater, Sam, when you get started. Well, if you'd had the chance to prove somebody wasn't so smart after you'd been told for years how dumb you was beside him. Well, you let off a little steam too. Yeah, I reckon I would. I'm the boss again thanks to the mask man. I'm the boss and I know I'm the boss. And it sure feels good. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.