 A fiery horse for the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty hyo silver, the lone ranger. When gold was first discovered in the western United States, thousands of miners and prospectors headed for the new territory. Many of them became wealthy overnight. Many more never hit paid earth. But the greed for gold seemed to arouse the worst instincts in men, and it was in the mining country that the masked rider of the planes faced his most difficult task in the cause of justice. People with us now are those thrilling days when the west was young. From out of the past, from the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse silver, the lone ranger rides again. A copper-colored sun beat down on the lone ranger and tanto as they guided their horses at a slow pace toward the distant town of Cactus Gap. They followed no trail. The country through which they passed was a rock, sprue and desert, where cactus and sagebrush were the only vegetation. But they had chosen this route because it was a short cut to their destination. How far are we from that water hole you mentioned, Tether? Get there about noon. Down, silver, steady, old fella. What matter, silver? I don't know. Something's gotten into him, steady, old boy. Nothing can harm you. You're all right, old fella. Is it a snake, you see? How to not see a snake? No, do I? I wonder if these rocks were approaching, Tether. Silver didn't act up until we got close to them. Maybe that is. We'll see. This way, silver. That hit all right. It certainly seems to be something to do with those rocks that bothers him. We're looking into this. Oh, silver. Oh, Scott. Oh, fella. Come, Tether. We'll look behind them. Leave the horses here. Poor country for walking. He's bad. Now, this way, Kemosabe. He won't catch a moccasins on those boulders. There's a clear space here. Oh, yeah. What that? It's a man. Hurry. Oh, dead. Shot, Tether. Murdered. Oh. Let's have a look at him. Yes, shot through the back. In the way he's dressed, I'd say he was a prospector. All right. Bearded. Not 65 years old. Wouldn't that be your guess, Tether? Uh-huh. Him about that. Maybe something in his pockets to identify him. No, nothing here. Whoever's responsible for this probably went through them before we got here. Why, fella, come this way? It's hard to understand. He'd been prospecting in the hills. A trail to catch this gap wouldn't have brought him here. Not right. Maybe someone in town will know about this. How long would you say the man's been dead, Tether? Hmm. Dead long. Maybe half day. Long enough to give the murderer a head start on us. Even Silver couldn't overcome that kind of a lead. Not right. Tether, I'll tell you what we'll do. What that? We'll build a cairn for the chap. Cover him with stones. That's better than a grave in this kind of country. Ah. Then we'll wait a day before asking questions. He was expected in town. A few hours delay wouldn't cause any alarm. But a day and a half should. Then what do? Then we'll learn what we can without mentioning what we found. The killer, no doubt, thought this fellow would be safe from discovery here. We may accomplish more if we keep the discovery to ourselves. Ah, and good idea. Of course, we may be able to spot the killer without making a secret of this. If we can, so much the better. Not right. Then give me a hand here, Kimusabi. We'll give this poor chap as decent a burial as we can. Two days later, the lone ranger wearing a disguise entered Cactus Gap, hoping to find a clue to the identity of the man he and Ponto had found out in the desert. He drifted from one cafe to another, listened casually to the gossip of the idlers, and then, acting on what he'd heard, went on to the general store owned by Granny Timmons. The shop-tongued old woman was waiting on Able Billings. Now that you're in Able, your supplies are all packed and ready for you. Let me see the color of your cash. You know what I told you, Granny. And don't you call me Granny. I ain't your grandma, am I? It's uncertain, that's what it is. Your stove ain't no reprobate. You are dot an old digit of 60, calling a young girl like me Granny. Don't show decent respect. Oh, no. I said here's your supplies. Now where's my pay form? Blast it, you old hippie. If you'd let me get a word in edgewise, I'd tell you. Careful of them names. What I called you, you eat a patch of what you've been calling me. Note what I've been trying to say is that I can't pay to Jakes the town. Well, he's here, ain't he? Oh, he ain't. You come in here day after all yesterday and you're said to get these things together for you. You left a list of what you needed and you said Jake Bevan's would be in the next day while the next day was yesterday. Where's Jake? That's something I wish I knew. What kind of a looking man is Jake Bevan's? Oh, howdy, stranger. You, uh, he was asking what Jake looked like? Yes. I can tell you what it looked like, mister. Do you ever see tumbleweeds rollin' across the prairie? Of course. Well, that was Jake. He was so much beard he looked like he'd gone to weed. Surrounded by whiskers the way he was. Lookin' at him you couldn't tell off hand whether he was a clump of vegetation that appeared to be a man or a man that appeared to be a clump of vegetation. Don't pay no attention to him, stranger. Jake was the right fine-looking man. How old was he? Uh, don't, uh, recollect Jake ever knew his own self. Looked to be somewhere in his 60s or... Say, uh, you seen him? I don't know. You've been expecting him, you say? He promised to be in town before this. What I can't see is if the two of you was done workin' that claim you spoke of for the season, why didn't you come into town together? Cos we tossed the coin and Jake lost. He took our dust and headed for San City to have it changed into cash at the bank there. What you want to do that for? Dust is as good as cash anyway. Hey, hey, but when you pay in cash, you know what it's costing you. Pay with dust and with the slick scales some of you folks in town use, you're likely to pay double. Quiet, you hon'ry old hot-toed! You want me to stand there and say I ever cheated you with my scales? Ah, now, Grandma, ma'am, I never said no such thing. You better not. San City's on the other side of the hills. Jake had gone there. He'd have had to recross the hills to return here. But he'd have come by the regular trail, wouldn't he? Sure he would. Stranger, you ain't asking these questions for nothing. What's up? You sounded worried about your partner's absence. I simply wanted what caused his delay. Well, I ain't terrible worried yet. Today, sir, don't make a heap of difference on a trip like that. Worst thing is, I'm dead broke till he gets here. And you don't touch those supplies till he gets here to pay for them, neither. All right, all right. Hey, what's that? That blame-fool cow-poke rich day. That's who it is. Out on a spree and letting off steam again a bit. He's coming in here. Hi, Granny! What's your good word? Who's your customers? Hey, you don't need that lantern, do you? Now, watch out! Yippee! How's that for shooting, Granny? Ain't lost my head, have I? You get right out of here before you bust up my face. Oh, shucks now, Granny. Nothing to get mad about. I'm aiming for fun. I'm willing to pay for it. That pay for the lantern? Reckon so. Hey, old fella, how much would you charge me to put a bullet through that hatch you're wearing, huh? You leave me be, you local rena-handy. Reckon, I'll shoot at it anyhow. Ain't much excitement in town. I gotta cook up my own. Now, just stand still and you won't get hurt at all. No, you don't. Ow! My arm! You're twisting it off. Drop that gun. Ow! There it is. Stand back. You won't need this gun again today. Here, Mrs. Timmons. I think the gun will be safer in your hands. Yeah, sure. I handled him good, stranger. Sure, I'll keep it. And the crazy fool won't get it till the sober's up neither. Now, look here, you just... Look for your own good. A little more than reckless shooting and you'd be getting into trouble. I don't need nobody to tell me what to do. That's just what you do need. What have you been celebrating now? Listen to this. Hear him? Cash. That's what I got. Pocket's full of cash. You seem to have quite a lot. Yeah, this is my day to howl. The way I took them tin horn gamblers over the Silver Star Cafe was a sight to see. They were sure glad to see me clear out. And I'll be the same. Now, you tell me what you come in here for so as I can give it to you and you can get out of here. I didn't come in to buy nothing, Granny. You've been dropping in every place. That's all. See what's going on. Well, there ain't nothing to keep you in here. Give me my shooting iron back, won't you? Come back tomorrow and show me your sober and you can have it, but not before. Well, if you won't, you won't, I reckon. Afternoon, Granny. No hard feeling, stranger. Well, that's all right. Maybe I was just a little reckless, like. I'll be seeing you. Boy, come on hard. Get up there. Is he always like that? Him? Stranger, he's the wildest, young fellow ever was around these parts. Always celebrating something. When he wins gambling, he celebrates. If he gets a job, he celebrates. And when he gets fired, he celebrates again. Only from the sound of that cash he was carrying on, and maybe this time he had a little more reason for it. He wanted gambling, eh? What are you picking up from the floor, Abel? See, a piece of paper. It fell out of that young fellow's pocket when he paid you that cash for your lantern. And if it's what I think it is, here's Suri, that's just what it is. Something important? A paper wrapper, the bank over to San City uses for wrapping up cash. Take a look at it. I see. The bank at San City. Well, Fritz said he got that cash gambling. Eh, eh, in San City is where Jake was gonna swap our debts for cash. And Jake ain't sure to pay yet. What do you mean by that? I ain't saying for sure. Look here, is that young fellow been out of town for a few days lately? I don't just savvy, Abel. What I mean is, could he have gone to San City himself and got cash from the bank there? No, I don't reckon so. Seems to me he's been around town for the last month or so. It's just what I thought. Now where you going, you old idiot? To tell this here is something to have get him a mind and have him look into it. If what I'm suspicioning is true, there's a certain young fellow in this town that's gonna have a heap to explain. When Abel Billings headed for the sheriff's office, the Lone Ranger left town to rejoin his faithful Indian companion, Tonto. It was less than an hour later when he ran off in his secret camp. Oh, oh, there's Albert. Oh, boy. Oh, yep. Tonto. Ah, you'll find out who Pellar got killed. I can't be sure, Tonto, but I think I have. Oh, who Pellar? I think he's a man with the name of Jake Bevins. At least he answers the description. And I know that he was expected and cacked his gap no later than yesterday. I learned more than that, however. What path? Something interesting happened in the general store while I was there. A young cowboy entered with his pockets of cash. He claimed he'd wanted gambling. That's how he'd get cash? I don't know. But I do know, after he'd left the store, Jake's partner, Abel Billings, picked up one of those paper wrappers banks used to make up their packages of cash. Ah. The wrapper had been issued by the bank at Sand City. An Abel City's partner had gone to Sand City to exchange dust they had panned for hard cash. And killer, take cash. Yes. An Abel claimed the young cowboy dropped the wrapper. Ah. What do we do? I think I have a plan. I haven't got it entirely worked out yet, Kimosabi. But I will, by the time we return to town. Go there now? Yes. You'd better get mounted. Here's count. While we ride, there are some other things I want to tell you. Huh? What then? Steady, old fellow. Yep. Some things I notice that require a great deal of explaining. However, if our plan works, we'll learn the explanation. Ready, Tadda? You ready? And let's go. I don't see all the money! The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. On returning to camp after a visit to Cactus Gap, the Lone Ranger confided in Tonto. He believed he had not only learned the identity of the dead man they discovered, but that of the killer as well. As they rode back to town, the Lone Ranger removed his disguise and put on his mask. In the meantime, Abel had found the sheriff. And the latter, at the old prospector's request, had summoned Fritz Daly to the office. You wanted me, sheriff? Yeah. Abel here's got something on his mind, and he wanted you here before he'd say what it was. Oh. Mad about me shooting inside the store when you was there, is that it? Shucks, I never done no harm. At least the way he's done it, I didn't pay for. That ain't it. Huh? Well, then what is it? If I ain't told you what this was all about yet, because I wanted you to see this ordinary snake's face when I told you about it. Hey, now, what kind of talk is that? I never even seen you before today. I never crossed your trail, any. What you crossed with partners? Get to the point, Abel. What's this about? Hey, Rick, and you know I was here waiting for Jake, don't you? Now, Rick, I like telling you about it. Yeah? Well, I was waiting for him because he went to San City to get cash from the bank there. He likely had about $2,000 or more on him. What's that got to do with me? You'll find out soon enough. Sheriff, watch the critter so he don't make a break for it. Go on. Go on. Get this off your chest. All right, then, Sheriff. Take a look at this. Huh? It ain't nothing but a piece of paper with a bank's name on it as far as I can see. The bank in San City. Uh-huh. And this poor cat here dropped it on the floor, a granny, Tim, in store. I picked it up myself. That's a talk or lie. Take neither. I can prove it by granny herself. And there was a stranger in the store at the same time. He seemed to pick it up. Find him and granny and they'll tell you the same. Where would I have got a paper like that? You got it after you killed my partner and stole the cash. He was cashed. Why, you little dog? Break it up! Break it up for both of you! I'm the law here and I'll handle this. Now then, Fritz, did you or didn't you have a wrapper like that on you? I didn't. I'll prove you did. Shut up! Now then, Abel, even if Fritz did drop it, what would you say it proved? Hey, just tell you. You killed Jake. That's why Jake ain't shown up yet. Where's Jake's body? Ask this poor cat. You can't go in. Go on if you fellas don't smooth your hackles down, I'll gag the both of you. Abel, maybe there's something you don't know. What's that? You can't prove murder on nobody until you've got the body of the fella that was killed to show for it. Now, maybe you've got evidence against Fritz and maybe you haven't. But unless you show me where that Jake is, there's nothing I can do about making an arrest. Then go looking for him. He was coming back on the trail here from the hills. Take a ride out that way and you'll find him. I reckon not. And why not? He's been half a dozen fellas come into town in the last two days that traveled that trail. They'd have seen Jake if he was there, wouldn't they? Then he hit him. A little more of that talk and I'll fix you so you won't be able to open that big mouth of yours. You see, Sheriff, now he stood to me. Can't say as I'm blaming him much. You don't expect the fella to be told to his face. He's a killer and like it, do you? Hold on now. Sheriff, you heard this fella say I done for his partner. The only proof he's got is a piece of paper he claims I dropped but didn't. Well? Well, what I want to know is this. Are you arresting me or ain't you? Because if he ain't, I ain't staying here to listen any more this wild talk. Jillian, don't see his howl at him. Maybe I can suspicion him, but like I just said, that ain't enough. What the... A mess, man. What? Miser up with your hand. No show for your guns. No show. You've been catfished. Did you see that draw? Castor and chain lighter. You can't get away with this. I'm the law here. No masked fella can just walk in my office and do his pleases. I'm doing it quiet. I have news for you. About a murder. A murder? Who killed? Who's killed? We're listening. Toddler and I found the body of a man who had been shot through the back. Gosh. Whereabouts? I'll get to that later. There's a man around 65. Bearded. Looks like he might have been a prospector. Sheriff, that's Jake. That's my partner. I know dog and mullet is. Found like it? You were saying you had to find the body before you could take action. All right. Here's the fella that found it for you. Now let's see what you're going to do. He can't do anything. Eh? Because I'm not telling where the body was found. Yes, but... Why haven't you will stranger arrest? As long as I have the drop on you, you can't do anything. If you didn't have the... If you didn't have the drop on me, I... You don't care to hear more? All right. You hold all the aces. Go ahead. The killer likely believed Jake died immediately, but he didn't. He didn't? No. What's that got to do with it? At the place where I found him, he evidently had made an effort to accuse his murderer before dying. What? How could he do that? He took a stone and scratched a message in the earth. What was that message? I'm not sure I care to say. Did it name the killer? That's just it. It didn't. A man who was familiar with the murderer would probably recognize what the message meant. I'm a stranger here. That had no meaning for me. That don't make no difference. What did Jake write? No, I still don't believe I'll tell you that. Sheriff, this mask fellers up to something. Up to what? Don't you see it, Sheriff? He'd come here figuring if he reported the murder. He wouldn't be suspicion. All this talk of a message or something that the fella he found was supposed to have read out, don't mean nothing. He just making that up. What would I have to gain by it? How would I know that? But you've got some reason for it. I'll bet a million. There ain't no reason why you can't tell where Jake is, anyhow. I've said all I'm going to say. If I'm going to be accused, the less said the better. I'm leaving, Sheriff. Don't attempt to follow. Yeah, hold on! No, let him get away, sir. I said don't follow. Come on, Tanner. Sheriff will be after us in a second. Get him upstairs. Come on, Silver. Now where go? Don't ride too fast. Sheriff has to follow us. Because now he's convinced there has been a murder. As far as he knows, we're the only ones who can lead him to the body. Look back. Is anything happening? Him out on the street. Jump up and down. He'll get a posse. It'll soon be dark. We'll let them keep us in sight until then. And then the sheriff is going to get a surprise. Hello, Silver! The sheriff had no choice but to follow the masked man. A posse was quickly formed and led out to the trail. All through the night, the Lone Ranger and Tanner were kept in sight. When it came dark, they disappeared. The sheriff did not realize they'd merely found cover in a grove of trees next to the trail. Here they come, Tanner. In he big hurry. Do you think you can make the sheriff out? Him ride gray horse. That's the one. It'll be alongside in a moment. Already? He got rope. I'm sure you'll make your throw true. We miss on the first attempt. We may not have a chance for another. Make ready. Keep on, fellas. They must have disappeared over that ride ahead. Get up there! Get up! Now, Tanner. Get up there! Get up! What now? Come on, Silver! What am I supposed to do? Help! With me, Silver, your horse won't be fast enough. Silver's carrying double. Go right into the saddle. What do you want? Let me go! Come on, Silver! With the sheriff, their prisoner, the Lone Ranger and Tanner turned around and guided their mounts once more toward the desert, where they found the body of Jake Bevin. All through the night, but in the morning, they stopped for a short rest. And the masked man explained his purpose to the lawman. You see, sheriff, there was nothing else I could do. I couldn't tell you where the body was because the murderer was in the office at the same time. Oh, that was it? Yes. That story of a message written in the earth by Jake before he died wasn't true. Then why in tarnation did you tell it for? To give the killer a motive for riding to the scene of the crime. He believes he has to go there to destroy the evidence before someone else finds it. Oh, stranger, that's pretty slick. I wouldn't have thought I was stuck like that in a million years. Whoever the murderer is, we should have passed him by now. I wanted to be sure to get there ahead of him. But he doesn't know we came this way. When we get to the place, there are plenty of rocks which will hide us and the horses from his sight. I'm dog-gone sorry. I took after you with my posse like that. I'm not. It had to be done that way. And for two reasons. Maybe so, but don't know if I can see him. The first was to give the killer a chance to sneak away in the excitement. And the second was to make him confident you'd be too busy chasing me for either one of us to trail him. I guess I just ain't got the brains to think of them things. You simply weren't acquainted with the facts. Tana, how are the horses now? I'm all right. Get plenty rest. Then we'll be on our way for the last lap of our trip. And when we get there, we're going to catch a killer. Here, Silver. Get to the saddle, Sheriff. You bet. Stranger, it's a downright honor to be a straddle-off, right, Bishop? Yep. Let's go. Come on, Silver. I don't stop. The three men rode until at last they reached the car and the Lone Ranger and Tonto had built. There they dismounted and concealed themselves and their horses behind the huge boulders that surrounded the car. Hours of waiting followed. But finally, the Lone Ranger turned to the Sheriff beside him. Sheriff, over there. A rider. Four and a half. That killer all right. The sneak and farmant. Notice one thing, Sheriff. He claimed in your office that he didn't know where Jake could be. And yet he's riding directly for this group of stones. I noticed that. He won't be able to claim later that he discovered the place by accident. If he tries a story like that, he'll just go to the West for him. Go ahead. He'll be here in a moment. Yeah. Get up. Get along with him. Get up there. Get up. Whoa, whoa, whoa, there. Whoa, whoa, whoa. We're in the dickens. I ain't even laying here. This kid. Somebody wants to cover him up. I don't see nothing in the ground either. I don't know. No. All right, you lion coyote. Hice your hand. What do you mean? Come on, Sheriff. You're going to be able to kill on your own partner, kill on the fellow you teamed up with all these years. Why, I don't want to hang you on the spot. And after you tried to frame Fritz for this, I wish it was something worse than hanging I could give you. Sheriff, I never killed Jake. I never did that. I won't help you now. Unless you had, you'd never have been able to ride directly here. The mass man's right. And it was him that figured this whole thing out. He did. He killed you. All right, you got me. Had you known it was me, I never left out trail. Did Jake really ride something except before he died like you said, stranger? He didn't. And how did you know? There were several things, Abel. But the chief one that trapped you was your anxiety that trapped someone else. That was heavy. You gave yourself away that day in Mrs. Timman's store. You claimed that Fritz dropped that paper from his pocket. It seemed to you like too good an opportunity to miss when he came in there with all that cash. Yes, but I... I was almost certain, however, that you would drop the paper. Bless you. This is the first time I could be positive, though. I couldn't be sure until we saw you riding here that the killer hadn't been Fritz after all. What was the other things that made you suspicion him? One thing he knew Jake was coming with cash. I couldn't see how anyone else could have known it in time to ride here and kill him. For another, I believe Mrs. Timman's is a good judge of character. I noticed that she allowed Fritz to call her Granny, but she resented it when Abel did the same. Well, that showed clearly that she liked the one better than the other. You can't beat Granny for sizing folks up. Can you handle this man alone now, Sheriff? You'll have to ride double on this horse on the way back to town. Don't worry about me. I've handled what's in him a hundred times over. Here's Silver. Here's Count. Then we'll be leaving him. Hell, you can't even for this, Mr.... Shut up! You ain't gonna get even with nobody, because you're gonna stretch him. Hello, Silver! Get him out of the way! What you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.