 a fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, many innocent men were convicted by the primitive law courts of the new territory. The mass threat of the planes fought the injustice of these courts, just as courageously as he fought the outlaws and cattle rustlers who roamed the frontier. It was he more than any other man who preserved the true democratic principle that all men are equal before the law. Return with us now those thrilling days when the West was young, and eventually at the end of every trail, the Lone Ranger rides again. As our story begins, Thaddeus Packard is struggling through a swamp, pushing aside the reeds and rushes that grow higher than his head. Thick ooze grips his ankles as he wades knee deep in water. His face is thin and lined, and the power unusual in the frontier country speaks of many years in prison. Packard pushed on, not knowing that grim and terrible death in the form of quicksand lay ahead. His bloodshot eyes were burning with a pen of hatred, and he continually muttered the names of three men. Quitlock, Timmons, and Judson. I'll get them. Quitlock, Timmons, and Judson. They won't stop me. Nothing will stop me now. Ten years of waiting for a quicklock, Timmons, and Judson. Horsemen, act me again, but they can't get me now. Go away. Leave me be. I ain't coming out. I ain't being took back. Stay where you are. Don't you come after me or I'll shoot. I'll shoot you. Get back. I'll tell you. You let me be, or I'll get you. Let me alone. I'm stuck. I can't move my feet. The quicksand's got me. They thin rope, snaked out from the mask man's hand, and the coils settle over Packard's shoulders. Stand in now. Don't try to struggle. Let me pull you out of there. Back, Silver. Back, boy. Come back. We have them all right, Tato. When we get on firm ground, now you can wait again over this way. Let loose this rope. Let me alone now. Not just yes, Ranger. I won't have a talk with you. But I won't be took back. I'm a free man. Take it easy, fellow. You're all right. I reckon you did save my life, mister. I didn't know there was a quicksand there. You were going to shoot me, stranger. I don't see any gun. I ain't got none. That's what I thought. But you can't take me back to jail. You can't do it. I'm a free man now. I got a full pardon. You can't take me back. I don't want to take you back to jail. I just saw you were heading for that bog of quicksand and wanted to warn you, but you wouldn't listen. So you come in to get me, huh? Save my life for me in spite of my arguments. You need food and rest. You look as if you've traveled a long ways. I don't need nothing. I'll get along all right now. Just let me alone. There, do you follow? You get him, Taddo. Let him sprawl on the ground, Taddo. He's just about exhausted. That's right. Find some food for him and I'll try and give him a drink of water. Drink this. It'll help. Whitlock, Timmins, Judson. I've got to get square. What's that? Whitlock, Timmins, Judson. Taddo, did you hear those three names? You hurt me. Here, fellow. Drink some more water. To jail, I... How won't I? They can't make me. You're not going back to jail? I... No one but Thaddeus Packard would be out to get Whitlock, Timmins, and Judson. But how ten years have changed him? Why, he's an old man now. You got some food there, huh? Yes. Try to eat little something while we fix up some hot broth for you. Yes, I... Yeah. You don't aim to jail me again? Of course not. You should never have been jailed in the first place, Thaddeus Packard. Are you... You know me? I've heard about you. They... They framed me. I never stole a dime in my life. I wasn't guilty of that robbery. I didn't think you were. After I heard all the details, I was sure you'd been framed. I was. But you confessed to the robbery. Those three snakes... They told me... They told me if I'd confessed, they'd pay me handsome. They'd pay me well. And gave me their word that they'd see I didn't go to jail. They wanted you to confess to the robbery to save their own worthless hides. Yeah. That's what they'd done. Then after I'd confessed to stealing the cash, they left me alone, turned on me, railroaded me to jail. I've been there ten years. Ten years of my life. But now... Now I'll get square. I'll get all three of them. And go right back to jail? Well, that's what I live for now. Likely my wife won't want me back no more. My daughter, she was only a couple years old when they took me away. She won't even know her paw. All I got to live for is to see them three pay up in four. Whitlock, Timmons, and Judson. And stranger, they'll pay. Today's journey from the quicksand bog, the wife and daughter of Thad Packard lived in a small cottage. The girl knew little about her father, and he was rarely mentioned in the house. But one night, banker Whitlock called on Mrs. Packard and the following morning, Sally said... Well, I wasn't asleep last night when banker Whitlock was calling. Well, Sally, I thought you were. No, I couldn't sleep somehow. And I heard Mr. Whitlock talking. What about it, Sally? You were talking about my father. Oh, yes, honey. I guess that's about the first time in ten years he's been mentioned in my house. I vowed never again to think or speak about him. Wish I'd known him. Mama, was he really as bad as... as Mr. Whitlock was saying? Yes, dear. He wasn't a good man. He stole money from the bank. Did he really shoot a man? Yes. Why, dear? Oh, I don't know. I suppose I ought to feel the same as you do about him. I ought to hate him. You mustn't hate anyone, Sally. When we make a mistake about a person and find they aren't the sort of man they seem at first to be, the only thing we can do is just forget them, try to forget them, drive them out of our mind. But I don't see how you could make such a mistake. No, Sally. Don't think any more about it. Well, if I loved someone, I'd love him. Don't seem that you could care so much about him if he was as bad, as bad as Bank of Whitlock was saying last night. You're young, honey. You'll understand that sort of thing when you grow up. Mm-hmm. Mama. Yes, dear. You think a lot of Mr. Whitlock, don't you? Sally would make you say such things. Well, don't you? He felt terribly bad when your father turned out to be dishonest. He's been good to us ever since. Oh, I don't know what I'd have done if he hadn't made it possible for me to work a little and earn enough to support us. Oh, gee. What's the matter, dear? Oh, I suppose I'll have to like him then. Don't you like him? No, I don't. Why, Sally, what Mr. Whitlock ever done to you? I just don't like him, that's all. He said that part was out of jail now. Yes. He came back here to see me. And that a few said so. He'd have the sheriff drive him out of town before he could get to the house. Sally, I told Mr. Whitlock that I never wanted to see Dad pack it again. There's no longer a place for him in our lives. I suppose you know best, Mommy. No, don't you think any more about it. There's too many nice things to think about. Even if you don't want to see Pa anymore, he was a lot nicer looking man than Mr. Whitlock, nicer than Mr. Timmons or Mr. Judson, too. Sally, how do you know what he looked like? Well, I found a picture of him. This one. That old tin type? That's you and him, isn't it? Yes. We were so happy then. But it mustn't be here. Give it to me, Sally. I don't have pictures of him in this house. Ten years I thought I'd forgotten him. But, Mama... It's time he did your study. You do that picture with me and go to the other room. You must study so you'll grow up to be a smart woman. Go now. I mustn't think of him. I mustn't let myself... He was a thief. He confessed to it. I won't throw this out, though. Put it here and leave the shelf. Wait a minute. What do you want? Who are you? I want to speak to you about your husband, Mrs. Packin. About my husband? There's nothing to be said about him. I lost my husband ten years ago. I want you to hear about... Why did you come here anyway? Who are you? Why are you mad? Your husband has just been released from prison. He's paid his debt as the law demanded. I never want to see him again. If he sent you to me just telling that, I never want to see him again. He's a thief. He might as well have been a murderer. He was convicted of a crime, but perhaps he wasn't guilty. Of course he was guilty. He had a fair trial. Has the money ever been found? The money he's supposed to have stolen? No, they couldn't make him tell where it was. After he was sentenced to prison, he didn't admit stealing the money, did he? No. He confessed it before the trial, though, and that's why he was convicted. What did he say afterwards? Tried to lie out of it. He said that Mr. Whistlock, the banker, was a crook. He said that Mr. Timmons and Mr. Judson, both witnesses were crooks as well. To end the reason, never one can't be crooked. What else did he say? He swore he'd get square. But he hadn't better come round here. The men won't let him in town. If he shows his face here, they'll drive him out. Mr. Do you know my father? Yes, Sally. I know him. Oh, tell me about him. Is he as bad as folks say? Or as nice as his pictures look? Sally, you go at once and call Clem. Tell him to come here and drive this man from the house. Tell him to hurry. All right, Mama. Clem, hey, Clem, where are you? I'm not finished, Mrs. Packard. You better go before Clem comes he'll shoot you. What was the evidence against your husband? There must have been a lot of it. There was. There was evidence of plenty. Yes. Two men, Judson and Timmons, saw him stealing from the bank. They saw the guard there, tried to stop him and saw the shot. And they identified him? Yes. What about the guard? But he wasn't sure who it was. He didn't get a fair look at him. But Mr. Judson and Mr. Timmons did. And Mr. Whitlock suspected Sad Packard from the start. Why did he suspect him? Because, well, it seemed as Packard owed money to him. Now will you go before there's a fight? We're coming, ma'am. I got others with me. Mr. Timmons. Mr. Judson, what are you doing here? Well, he's just coming to see you, ma'am. You keep your hands up, stranger. Ask him. You'd better get and be quick about it or we'll arrest you. You must be named Timmons. So he is. That's my name. And you, Henry Judson? I am. That's what I thought from the way you'd been described. Now you'd better leave stranger before the law's called in to arrest you. I hope to have a look at you two. I'd like to see Whitlock as well. Who is he, Mrs. Packard? What's he doing here? He... I'm Thad Packard's friend. Thad... Packard? Does that mean anything to you? Another crook like Packard. Master that. Well, you tell Packard to keep a plenty distance from here. He won't do that. He's coming back here to see you two. What for? He has some unfinished business with you. I'll tell him I saw you. You tell Packard he'll be torn feathers if he comes back here. No, you tell him that. He'll be carried out of town on a rail. That mask man threatened us. Claim he should be jailed. What do you mean by Thad's unfinished business? Mother. Mother, do you know I like that mask man? I feel like we could trust him in spite of the mask. A friend of Packard's and mask. A sieve's companion. I still like him. Before the next exciting scenes of our Lone Ranger story, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. On the evening of the day that the Lone Ranger appeared at Mrs. Packard's home, Whitlock's friends, Abe Timmons and Hank Judson were seated with the banker in the latter's living room. Timmons said, I've got to have another drink. That's what I need another drink. Have your drink then, Timmons. We must arrive at some decision. Why must we, Judson? What said Whitlock? I say why must we arrive at some decision? I told you both that Packard can't prove a thing against us. We don't have a thing to be afraid of. If it was just Packard, I wouldn't be afraid. That dim, witty digit that bothers me. Nothing he could do would make trouble. Well then, why this meeting? It's that mask man. I tell you, Whitlock, his eyes met mine square. I never seen eyes like his, and he was gleaming from behind his mask cold and steely, and seemed to go clean through me. While he would claim draw the gun on him, he didn't pay the slightest specky heed to it. Just didn't bother to look at it. I'm not concerned about it. Graded away on Earth, that Packard or the mask man can prove anything against us. And besides, gentlemen, Mrs. Packard thinks right well of me. You've been mighty good to her, Whitlock. She's a right-handsome woman. Maybe if something happens to Packard, so she's free of him, we might get married. Always looking for your own welfare, ain't you, Whitlock? Why not? Mrs. Packard will side with us if Packard comes around and starts talking. Yeah, I'd feel he'd better if Packard was dead. Perhaps that's an idea. There could be an accident. There might be. Who's that? Who's that at the door? Take it easy, Timmons. What are you so scared for? I see who it is. Probably one of the men to tell me Packard's finally arrived in town. I'm going to have another drink. I need it. Well, what is it? I'm busy this time. I want you, Whitlock. It's Packard. Packard, look at him. You're coming with me. Let go of me, Judson. Timmons. Stop it. Let me go, boys. Help me. Make him let me go. Hey, what are you doing? Hey, Max. Hey, Max. This is abduction. Call it what you're lying. There's Redskin here, too. Help me. This man opened his door. They stopped him. Judson. Judson, did you see it? They got Whitlock. Open the door. Go for help. You'll go yourself. I ain't risking my neck. Judson. Judson, what does it mean? What does it mean? Are they coming back for us? You better stop drinking, Timmons. I can't. I'm scared. Did you see him? Did you see Packard's face? Them eyes way back deep in his face. Dark rimmed. His cheeks sunk. He looked like death, Judson. Death. Death for all of us. Stop it. We're praying like a kicked yellow dog won't help matters. Packard's shown us his hand now. He's shown what his plans are. He's going to try and get us that way. Well, now we know all we have to do is see the sheriff. Look. What the? That arrow. It completely blew the window. I saw it. It most struck me. It wasn't aimed at you. There's a note passing to it. I'll see what it says. Probably a message telling us what to do to get Whitlock back. Hurry. See what it says. What does he say, Judson? Hmm. So that's his scheme. What is it? Listen to this. It says confess the truth or meet the same fate as Whitlock. The same fate? The same fate? That means he's dead. What do we do? What do we do, Judson? There's more here. Judson has one hour, unless he confesses in the meantime. One hour. That means you're next. Does it mention me? No, it doesn't say anything about you. Good. Good. But you're the next. One hour, huh? All right. That makes it easy. The fool. By before the hour is up, we'll have a guard here. He'll keep an army away. A guard. That's it. A guard. Why, this is just what we want. This puts Packard right in our hands. Judson? Sure. He's the same as confessed to killing Whitlock. That means you'll hang. That means he's going right back to the hands of the law. Come on. We'll go with there lots of men ready to grab him. All right. All right. Let's get started. About an hour later, Timmons and Judson sat in the café. Their table was in a corner beneath the window, but they felt quite safe another attack that might result in the capture of Judson next on Packard's list. No one noticed a tall stranger who sat alone near the door. They're safe enough here, Timmons. What claim is it now? The hour's about up. I'm not worried. Here comes Clem. Well, I reckon he ain't nothing to fear, Mr. Judson. I'm not afraid of what a man like Packard can do. I'm only afraid he won't show up. I just hope he does. We'll be ready for him. I spoke to the sheriff, and he's ready with plenty of lawmen. See him over by the bar? Yep. I wish it was over, though. I wouldn't get a nice rest till Packard's catched and strung up a Whitlock's murder. We'll get him, Timmons. Well, the hour's up, Judson. The other thing happened. I can't... Stand by the wall. I can't think of a door. Look at the mask. What's this? Put down them guns, stranger. On your feet. You, Judson, Timmons. Stand by the wall. Timmons, stand up. Oh, thanks a lot. Do what he says. He can't shoot his way past the lawmen. Careful. Let him get you. That's it. Back against the wall, Judson. You can't shoot me down like this. Get back against the wall. Try him. This is a personal matter. Don't anyone try to interfere. Timmons, you're the next. You have just one hour and a wish to confess. No. No, no. Mr. What? He knows. Look at that window. Pereskin. He's got a hole in Judson. Don't slap, brother. Put me down. Make him drop me. Drag him out, tunnel. There you are. Make a move and I'll start shooting. Look at here, mister. You ain't going to get away with this. Timmons knows what he got away with. For 10 years, he's been a free man. Now she hears. But you're living your last hour, Timmons. You're the next on package list. The only way to save your worthless hide is to talk. Confess. Tell everything. What's to happen to Judson? The same has happened to Whitlock. The same as will happen to you unless you talk. I'm leaving here and warning all of you not to try and come through the door after me. Get him. Stop him. Get after him. Open the door. Let me get a shot. He's getting away. Get him. Get him. Drop him. Where's the law? What's the matter with you? He's got away. You're all gone to Timmons. Whoever suspicious he'd have that red skin, grab Judson through the window. You've got to protect me. You've got to do it. You can't let him get me like that. Dosh, we thought we was protecting Judson. But we're sure enough didn't. What's he want you to confess, Timmons? Nothing. I don't know what he was talking about. It's package scheme to get him with us for sending him to jail. You won't dare try to come like that again. Dosh, I wonder how he'll get you. He won't. He can't. You've got to guard me. You've got to protect me. You've got to protect me. You've got to protect me. Another hour went by while Timmons grew increasingly nervous. A liquor he drank seemed to have no effect on him. He sat pale faced and tense in a small room at the rear of the cafe. Clem was with him, sitting at a table with eyes fixed on the clock. It's getting to the end of the hour, Timmons. I don't know, but you do well to confess. Is there anything that you can confess? No, there isn't. I ain't done nothing. No? I don't see how that masked man can get me here. Do you? I don't know. He sure has ways about doing things. What do you mean? I wouldn't like to be in your shoes. There's a dozen ways he could get you. I don't see how. I don't either, but he... Look out! Stand back! Let me get that... What is it? What's the matter? I just happened to see it in time. That spider was dropping down right on your neck. Spider. A pison one or that. Gosh, maybe that's the way Whitlock and Judson was done for. It's awful being bit by a pison spider. It ain't human. You can't do that sort of thing. Time ain't up yet. May as well sit down again. What else could do? There ain't nothing else. You beat him, Clem. You seen that spider? There's nothing to fear. He's there. Our ain't up yet. But what else is there? Duck! That was a close one, Timmons. That arrow didn't miss you by two inches. I can't stand no more. I'll tell all I can. I shouldn't have. I didn't have no part in it. It was them other two. Don't let backer get me. What are you talking about, Timmons? Whitlock and Judson. It was a Whitlock scheme from the start. It was? Tell the sheriff I'll talk. I'll tell her what I know about him. Hey, Sheriff. Come here a second. What's happened, Clem? Sheriff, don't let backer get me. I'm ready to talk. Whitlock stole the money from the bank. He stole a lot of cash. He and Judson planted all. I owed him cash and they made me swear I'd seen Packard robbing the bank. You and Judson both swore. We had to. Whitlock made us. It was Whitlock that planted him and Judson. What about the guards at the shop? Whitlock shot him. He shot him his own self. Then he told Packard that we all told Packard that if he'd admit to stealing, we'd pay him handsome for it. Somebody had to be playing for it. Packard needs the cash bed, so he agreed. I'm confessing. I didn't have much to do with it. After Packard confessed Whitlock, let him go to jail. He broke his promise. He promised Packard he'd go free. But he busted his word. He let him get jailed. And you claim you didn't have much to do with it? I didn't. I swear it. That's all we need to have. Put your men, boys. Take them to the press. Whitlock. Judson. You always made hella rats squealed, eh? You think dead? No, we ain't dead. Squealer trying to blame it on us. Well, I'm sorry. Squealer trying to blame it on us. Well, you was into as deep as we was. Boys, does that clear me? It sure does, Packard. Slicker scheme I ever took part in. I put up job. The whole thing was free. Reckon it was, Timmons. Something had to be done to trap you. So me and the sheriff agreed to work along with the masked man and see what had happened. Packard, you'd better get for home. The masked man is there right now sort of explaining things to your folks. Come on, Packard. We'll give you a rip snort and escort to your house. Come on, boys. Let's make it up to Packard for what he's been through. Get these three snakes on a rail and ride them along to Packard's house. The man met a celebration of that Packard's return. Portslides flamed to light the procession and three scapegoats with their hands tied. Road on rails as almost every man in town went to the little home of Packard's wife and daughter. There's your place, Packard. Go on inside. All right. I don't know if I should go in or not. Go on, I tell you. Mary said never to speak to her again. I... I don't know if she... It's all right. No rangers told her about things. Who would keep dogs on it all? Quiet down now, boys! Mary, my wife, Sally. I wonder. Mary, I... Oh, Thad. Thad, I've heard the whole story. You poor, poor darling. Come in. You... You want me here now? No, Thad. For ten years I've been trying not to watch you, thinking you were dishonest. And all the time my heart's been crying for you. I... I guess I just about stopped living when you went away. So did I. If it hadn't been that I wanted revenge, I don't know as how to live through it. The lone ranger found me. He believed in me. And so did Sally. She believed in you too, I guess. Thank heaven for that. But Thad, you're back. Now we can live again. Outside, cheering for us. Sally, come here, dear. Your father's come home. Father. Sally. I've just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.