 to the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the lone ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the masked rat of the plains led the fight for justice in the western United States. It was he who put an end to gun law on the frontier, and it was his strength and courage that blazed the way for progress and made possible the winning of the West. 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. Come on, Silver! We're heading for Mustang bags! Tell those waiting on the train ahead! Hurry up! The country was wild and desolate. Mary Thorne struggled across the broken ground, at times running until she stumbled, again pausing to stare in every direction. A name was on her lips constantly. Running or standing still, she called out for her husband. The lone ranger and Tonto had made their camp not far away. They had built a fire, and now their meal finished. They rested before continuing their journey. We ride soon. We'll give the horses a little more time to graze, Tonto. They've earned it. There's no need to push on too fast. Mustang bags and words she didn't expect trouble to develop at once. All right. We get to a ranch within a week. Tonto, do you hear that? You're not here. Listen. Oh, now I'm here. Tonto, it's a woman. This way! Over here! He's your husband? Yes. Oh, I must find him. I simply must. But what's happened to him? Andy, where are you? Sit down. Warm yourself at this fire. You're almost exhausted. This woman's almost out of her mind. She must be in terrible trouble. What are you saying? You aren't hiding my husband from me, are you? No, no, you can't! We'll find him. We're not hiding him from you. Trust us. He's left me. I'll never see him again. Never, never! I wish we knew who she was, where her home is. There, horseman. Perhaps. Stranger! Hi, stranger! Now him come. He may know her. Oh, Apple. No, you shouldn't. I almost didn't find him. Poor girl. She just now wandered into our camp. I was scared of something like this. You were mad. Don't be alarmed. We're not outlaws. We were hoping to learn who this girl is. Perhaps we can help. I wish I knew what could help her. What's the trouble? She's been this way ever since Andy cleared out. Only getting worse all the time. Andy's her husband. Yeah, no rock and low down skunk. Don't deserve a wife like Mary. Once she said I gathered, he disappeared. Disappeared? The coyote just left. Sold out his ranch, kept every penny of the cash, and lit out without a word to nobody. Never left Mary a dollar to live on or a home to live in. I see. And poor Mary eaten her heart out for him. She just about half crazy from it. She needs care. Me and Martha took her in and been doing all the good for her. She and Martha is all us good friends. But we can't make her forget the pool, cat. Tell her and I travel a lot. I wonder what Andy looks like. We might meet him sometime. If you do, I hope you shoot the skunk. Can he give us a description of him? I can do better than that. Mary girl. Andy. She always carries a picture of him with her. Mary, let me have that picture Andy you got, huh? That's a good girl. There. There you are, stranger. Not a bad looking chap. They're just a kind of foolia. Did you know them very well? I thought I did, but found out I didn't. Can you believe it, mister? I used to like the fella. Yeah, I like him. Now I just assume cotton to a rattler. Well, you need help to get her home. No, thank you. I can manage. If you would just help her, you'd get her into the saddle. I'd be glad to. Come on, honey. We're going home now. We look for Andy again tomorrow. Yes, look for Andy. I'll have to find him. Have to. I'll lift her. Stranger, your mask and your part is a red skin. But you've been kind just the same and I'm thanking you. My hands, Lem Crosby. And if you get sight of Andy sometime, look me up. I will, then. Adios. Adios. Get up there. Get up. I'm glad that Mustang Mag doesn't need us at once. And what we do now? Before we go on, we're riding to Staghorn. That long way off? But when we rode through there, Kimosabe, I think I saw the man in that picture, Lem Crosby, just showed us. Why you not tell him? For several reasons. The picture wasn't very clear. The man might not be the same. Oh. Even if he was, I wouldn't want these people to know it now. Why they not know? Partly because the effect it might have on Mary. Partly because Lem talks as though he'd gun-frandy if he knew where to look. Oh. And we'll put no man on Andy's trail until we learn the truth of this affair. Sir, Lieutenant, we're riding. Staghorn was many miles distant. It was a thriving cattle town with several busy cafes. In one of them, three men sat at the corner table. Two were hard and grim. The third in his middle 20s and younger than his companions might have been handsome if it were not for the lines of worry that marked his features. It's tomorrow, Fred. Tomorrow for sure. He's coming in by the stage from the east. Yeah. It's your chance to get him, Fred. You ain't losing your nerve, are you? I'll get him. I am scared. Only, I wish I could remember. Don't you recollect a thing? Oh, I've tried and tried. Every time I do, my head gets to ache and so it feels like I'll go crazy. I can't remember a thing before coming to with you fellas beside me. That's sure tough. Ain't it, Gus? Yeah, but it's all right, Fred. Me and Barney have been your parts for good many years, and we ain't gonna let you down now. Shucks. It was just cause we're such good friends of yours that we found our Max was hidden here. We brought you clear from Texas just so you'd get eaten. Miss Tudor gone bad. You can't recollect nothing about it. My horse, Thumbel? Sure did. And you took just about the worst Thumbel ever seen a fella take and still live. Oh, why can't I recollect nothing? Why? Don't you even remember Max's name? No. Don't you recollect how he burned you off your place? Dry ghost, your paw? Stole a cash? Your part been saving? Oh, it just won't come back to me. Won't. None of it. Don't try to make yourself a member. Just let it come back easy. One of these days everything will clear up just as easy as snapping your fingers. Yeah. But there's one thing you can take our word for, for sure, Fred. Huh? If you don't let daylight through Max Cramer, if you go back to Texas and folks find out you let a skunk live after all he done to you, well, I reckon none of your old friends will have any more use for you than they would a rattler. It seems awful, though. Killing a man for things you can't even remember. We're a member and you can take our word for it. Oh, gosh. I was just thinking here, if I'd have been all alone when I took that tumble, if you fellas hadn't been along and been such good friends to me, what would have happened? Yeah, forget it. We was along and we were part. That's all you need to know. I think you'll find it funny you're looking for in here, stranger. Thanks. I'm lucky you met me. It saved you some time. Yeah, there he is over in the corner. Come along. Who are those men with him? Let's see. Seems to me one of them is called Barney and the other Gus. Never did hear the rest of their handles. I'll make that all right. Thanks again. You'd rather speak to him alone, huh? I wouldn't. Sure, I said he. Well, if I can be of any help again, just let me know. I will. Yeah, Gus, that's it. Good, isn't it? Howdy, stranger. Pardon me. I'd like to speak to this man. Hey, who wears you the body and... Any objection? Well, we don't, Gus. Stranger, what do you want with our friend? That's my business. Andy, I want to talk to you alone. Andy? You got the wrong fella, mister. My name isn't Andy. You're not Andy Thorne? My handle's Fred Ames. I reckon. Don't you know? Hey, look here, mister. You got the wrong ombre. Our partner ain't feeling just right, and we don't aim to see him pestered. You don't, huh? So you can just vermoose while they're getting good. I'm staying here. I'm speaking to this young fellow alone. You want to make an issue of it's slap leather. No, that ain't no way to act. We didn't mean no harm. And bear out. But Stranger... I'll handle this. You stay here. Well, we can down a couple at the bar, I reckon. Fred? Yeah? But all you know, maybe this is somebody that's a friend of Max's. Just don't let him trick you. I've told you you got the wrong fella, Stranger. Why don't you leave me alone? I know you are, Andy Thorne. I'm not. Several days ago, I saw a picture of a man looking just like you. In the picture, he was wearing a large ring on his right hand with a figure of a coiled snake on it. You're wearing that ring on the same finger. I can't remember. Can't remember. You and I are going to have a talk. Listen to me. Well, the Lone Ranger spoke to Andy. Goss and Barney joined the man who had guided the Lone Ranger to the cafe. They slipped into a private room and closed the door behind them. Can't you blast it? He said it was you brought that filling point at Andy out to him. What in blazes did you do with her? I never had no choice. Now listen here. I've done the best thing that could be done. I'll tell you just what happened. Talk. I was riding for a town when I seen him first. He was walking away from a clump of trees just outside town. Huh? That's a fact. The dog gone funny to me, so I let him get beyond a rise and rode over to them trees and had a look. And then was the finest horse I ever laid eyes on. A white one. Boy's a horse just like the one I've heard the Lone Ranger rise. What? The Lone Ranger's always missed. Nothing preventing his disguise in his self, is there? But wait. The way I get it figured there's only three ways you can answer it. Either the strangest some fellow that's got a horse to equal a Lone Ranger's, which ain't likely, or he stole a Masked Man's horse, which again ain't likely, or this is a Lone Ranger's self. I'm betting he is. What did we do? He knows Andy. Hold on. I've been thinking about this. This just makes you leading him to Andy all the worse. No, I don't. Because he'd have found him even if I hadn't struck up a conversation and offered to lead him here. Yeah, if he's the Lone Ranger, I reckon he would. But get this. I brought him here. I pointed Andy out to him. He thinks I am a friend. A friend? Well, at least ways he can't hardly figure. I'd point Andy out to him if I had any reason for wanting to keep him apart. Head by thunder. I think you got something there. Sure I have. You're planning on staying friendly, eh? Just so. It's up to you fellas to keep him from convincing Andy he ain't a numbery by the name of Fred Ames. I'll try to find out what the stranger's going to do about it. Ted, you're slicker than I ever figured. I get along. We've got a perfect setup. We've got Andy believing that he ought to shoot down Max when he comes in on the stage tomorrow. He'll do the job for us and do the hanging too. We've got to keep the stranger from spoiling things before that stage gets here. You're right, Andy. Don't get Max. Max will get us. He knows we've framed him. And now that he's out of jail, he'll be gunning for us. But he's just out on parole, ain't he? Oh, sure. Why? Well, I was just thinkin'. Max is likely a better shot than Andy. Maybe Andy won't get him. But if Max gets in a shootin' scrape right here in front of the folks in town, and after just being let out on parole, well, he'll get jailed even if he don't get shot down. Right. But everything still depends on Andy. We can't let him find out who he is. All right, Gus. Let's go back out there. Ted, you stay here. We don't want to be seen together. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, I want you to permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. Andy suffering from loss of memory and believing himself to be Fred Ames grew excited when the Lone Ranger tried to convince him that he was Andy Thorn. Leave me alone. Leave me be. I don't know you. You're just up to something. Leave me be, I tell ya. You don't remember your wife? The ranch you sold, your friend, Lem Crosby? I ain't got no wife. I never heard of anybody but the name of Lem Crosby. I never sold any ranch. I never lived on with my paws, and Max Kramer burned us out. You remember those things? Or have you been told them by others? Just leave me be. You're trusting the wrong men, Andy. Quit calling me Andy all the time. Hey, now, we told you Fred was Alon. There we had to say to Fred's stranger you've had time enough. We can't let you get them all worked up like this. I'm leaving for the present. But you'll hear from me again. We don't care what you do. Just so you don't piss our part. Oh, hello. Going outside? Yes. Mind if I trail along? I'm busy. I got something to say to you. Yes? Something important. Something you'd be interested to hear. Important, eh? Hold still a second. Ain't nobody close by. Well? I don't get me wrong, stranger. I don't know what your business here is, and I don't even poke my nose where it ain't welcome. If you say not to. What are you getting at? Stranger, I seen your horse. What's that? I seen it. Lone Ranger? Who have you told this to? Nobody. I wonder. Nope. You see, stranger, I've heard things about you. I know you're all us out to give a hand to the underdog. But if I can help, just say the word. Get your horse and come with me. I can't help you. You mean it? Maybe you can, and maybe you can't. But as long as you've learned who I am, I'll watch you with me. The Lone Ranger, accompanied by Ted, rode to his secret camp. When they rained in their horses, Todd, who walked toward them out. His name's Ted. Ted Laird, engine. He saw Silver and guessed who I was. I brought him along. Todd, a man in staghorn is andythorn. He's had an accident and lost his memory. He won't believe the truth about himself. Oh, that's he bad. Kimosabe, you'll have to ride at once. He got scout on seven. Here's scout. You've got supplies in your saddlebags. And ride to Lem Crosby's ranch as fast as you can. Tell him what I've just told you. Don't do that. Make him bring Mary here. Perhaps the son of his wife will bring Andy's memory back. Me try. And tell them Andy isn't a blame for what's happened. He didn't leave Mary deliberately, left only because something, some accident, destroyed all memory of her. Me tell him. Then ride. Get him up, scout. Get him up. See, is that a fake what you just told, Tunnel? It is. I sure blundered into something. And hold on. Yes? How far does Tunnel have to ride to get that fellow's wife? Triple takes several days. It's just what I thought. But I've heard that young fellow do some talking when he didn't know anybody could hear but them parts of his. And he's laying the gun for a fellow coming in on tomorrow's stage. I learned the same thing. But what are you going to do? You can't let him get into no gunfight when he don't even save his own right name. What if his wife was to get in, find him jail, or even hung maybe? Andy and Max Kramer can't be allowed to meet. I don't know how you're going to stop it. Max is coming by the stage from the east tomorrow. Yeah? We'll meet that stage before it reaches town. That night in town. Bonnie? Huh? Oh, it's you, Ted. Listen, get this straight. I ain't got much time. The mask man sent me into town after supplies. It's the only reason I get a chance to report to you. Get on with it. Tomorrow he's stopping the stage from the east and taking Max off of it. He is, huh? That's what he says. Well, maybe you'll get a surprise. Thanks, Ted. You helped a lot. That better be making tracks. If he found out I told you this, he'd blast my head off. Adios. The following day, the stage from the east thundered down the trail to Staghorn. Get along, uh, yeah. Get land over it, you jugheads. Stretch that harness. Get up. Get up there. Hold up there. What the? Rainy. Hold up. Get along there. Yeah. Get up there. The next house, don't miss. Don't shoot, mister. Hold up. The Deakin. Deakin? Sure. That's Deakin quickly from Rattlesnake Gulch. Man, I want his name Max Kramer. I've never seen such a popular fella. Where is he? Why, a breed was waiting for him two stations back with a message. He read the writing on it, quit in a stage, hired a horse. And that's the last I've seen of him. I see. All right, get on with you. Huh? You ain't really holding us up? On your way. You just bet you. Get up. Come on. Get up. I'm not sure that fella Kramer'd be on that coach. Someone knew we planned this. You think so? I know it. Listen to me. Yeah? What's that? We don't know what was in that message Max Kramer received. It might delay him for a time. Might even keep him out of Staghorn altogether. I'd give a heap to know what it said. You ride into town. What are you going to do? Meet Tonto. That'll take at least a couple of days. But I can see that he gets here faster with Mary Thorn and Lem Crosby. And it may mean they'll arrive in time. Well... I want you to keep in touch with things in Staghorn. When I return, I'll send up a smoke signal to let you know I'm on my way. The signal will be two smoke columns from the top of Sentinel Peak. You have important news, ride out and meet us. Mister, I'll do that same. I'll see you in several days. Come on, Silver. Hurry, old fellow, hurry! Get up, boy! Get up! Here's to Staghorn once more. Ted lost no time in joining his comrades at the cafe. All right, golly fellas, how'd you do it? That wasn't hot. We just had to breathe with a no-teller. Max, we was here in Staghorn Lane. You told him that? What's the idea? So he wouldn't stay on the stage. But now he knows about us. He'll have a chance to lay for us instead of us laying for him. He won't lay for nobody until he sees his folks first, where's he here? That's how we knew he'd become on this way when he got free from jail. You know, Blainewell, he looked him up before he does anything else. But just the same telling him about us. You ain't the only slick scheme of here. Maybe not, but I don't get it. We told him something he could check on easy. What do you mean? You said he left on the stage two or three stations back. That's how the driver said. All right, good enough. What would he do first? Ask the folks at the station if we was known to be in Staghorn. Everybody knows we are. And that's what they'll tell him. Well, wait a minute. The message said we was here. Folks will tell him the same. He can't do nothing but figure the note was from a friend. So what does he do? He wants to see his folks. But if he don't come through Staghorn, he can only get through the hills on horseback by the way a gunshot passed. And that's where we lay for him, huh? Now you see? Then we'd better hurry. Where's Andy? We've got to get started. No, no, don't get first. We've got plenty of time. All we have to do is ride straight there while he's got a circle around. We still got time for a couple more drinks. Yeah, I guess. The masked man's heading to meet his engine part, huh? Just as fast as that horse of his can get him there. Yeah, good enough. And all the time he's riding towards Tano, he's riding away from the pass. How about I round them down to the cabin to get Andy? Suits me. The drink would go just fine. Have our keep. Fill him up. We're drinking to luck. Downing their drinks, the three men went to their cabin, called Andy, and started for gunshot pass. They arrived in the middle of the afternoon. An hour later, the shadows had not yet begun to lengthen. And 20-inch showed up yet? They'll be along. He's just about two now. Hey, Ted! Are we sure to keep them horses out of sight? They can't be seen from the trail. Are we sure to? Fred. Yeah? You got your gum chin up? All ready for the pole cat? I guess so. See them two rocks below there, sticking up like needles? Uh-huh. Well, give them time till he gets there. You can draw a bead just between them rocks and you can't miss. I sure don't like dry ghosts, sir, man. I thought I was going to meet them face to face. He dry ghosts your par, didn't he? I wish I could remember. Well, he did. Never gave your par no chance at all. Shout him down without no warning. What's more, the only reason he's riding this way is to take him to stage through staghorn is because he's afraid to meet your man-to-man. And yell a dog like that don't deserve no chance. Well, I suppose you're right. But it just don't seem to come natural to me, that's all. If you back out on us now, Fred, after all the trouble we've been to on account of you, well, then we ain't your friends no more. Well, you fellas been mighty good to me. I ain't denying it. You bought me grub and everything out of your own pockets. Sure we have. Just recollect all them things when Max rides by down below. Then make sure he don't get by. What's that? Huh? That's me. Down the trail. A horseman. Come and look at his split. It's him. That's Max. I'd recognize the way he rides a bronc anywhere. Fred, you get set. I'm ready. Won't take him long to get here. Drawing your beat between them two rocks like I told you to? Yeah. Just keep it that way. Pull the trigger the second he blots out the daylight between them. Uh-huh. Watch it. He's getting close. Wait, fellas. What the? I can't do it. I thought I could, but I can't. I tell you, I just can't. Why you blasted, you can hurt. I can't. I won't. Somebody's got to get him before I get through. That's right. Give me that gun. No, he ain't. If I can't do it, then nobody else is. I don't want nobody killing for me. For you, are you a blasted fool who gives a hoot about you? When Max is finished, you're next. Just let him have it. I'll get him. You won't. Get him off of me. Spoil my aim. Oh, fix him. Oh, you're good. That's rich. That's rich. That's rich. Hey, what is this? The mask man. And the chair. You said you was meeting Tano. You immediately reported what I had told you to your crooked friends. I thought you said he never suspicious in you. I thought he said it. You gave yourself away, Ted. How? You were the only man I told about my plan to stop the stage and take Max Kramer from it. Others learned of my plan, however. They had to learn it from you. But I thought you figured I was on your side. I'll let you think that so that you'd go ahead with your plans and give yourselves away. You heard enough, Sheriff? You just better did. If these fellows don't hang, they'll be busting rotten jail for so long they'll come out stoop shoulders. No, except Andy Thorne. No, I reckon he's all right. I've seen how he wouldn't let him trick him into firing. Have you still forgotten your real identity, Andy? Stranger, I don't know what to think. All I know is I got a headache fit to kill a bull. Get to your horse. Huh? We're riding. And when we meet certain people, I'll be surprised if your memory doesn't come back. And the rest of you fellow sad marching. You're headed for jail. Andy, we should meet them almost any time now. Stranger. Yes? I've had the funniest feeling. My head's clearing up. I seem to be recollecting things. Just bits of things. Which means you're getting well. As I knew you would. I... Look ahead. Those people. An Indian. That other fellow. And rhythm. Oh, that's Barry. That's my wife with them fellows. Andy, ride and meet her. Mary! Mary! Get up. Get up, man. Come on, Silver. Cut away from the trail. We're heading for Mustang Man. Get him up. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.