 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a heart of high old silver, the Lone Ranger. When government troops were sent to the frontier in the early days of the western United States, it was the mask right of the planes who taught them how to control the Indians. Without his knowledge of the country, his strength and daring, the army might never have brought peace and security to the new territory. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young, 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 the port! The Colonel's sent for us! It was high noon, and an Indian, his headband bearing the eagle's crest that marked the chieftain, broke from the woods at a trot and continued across a broad clearing. As he held to his steady pace, he failed to observe the shadow cast by a great bird that hovered high overhead. Its small eyes were bright and cruel, its big curve like that of a vulture, its talons strong and sharp. Beneath its talons, two long needle-thin spikes glinted in the sun. Siding the red man below, the bird gave a horse cry. Flapped its broad wings once, then swooped toward its victim with the speed of a falling stone. Presently from far away, there came the faint sound of a horn. The great bird lifted its head, took a few short steps, then left the ground to circle slowly into the air. The command of the horn was repeated. The bird, straightening its course, grew small in the distance until at last it had completely disappeared from sight. A month later... Scout! There's the port tunnel! Head for the main gate! Get him up, Father! Where's the sentry? Right in! Oh, Scout! Oh, Silver! Where's Colonel Miles, soldier? He named his quarters straight ahead there, Stranger. He said the patient's through. He's waiting for you. Thanks. Hold on, Silver. Get him up, Scout! That must be his quarters, Hunter. Hold on, Silver. Stay with the horses, Kimosabi. If you need it, I'll call you. Colonel Miles? Right. Have a good time. We started as soon as we received your message, Colonel. Your messenger stated our camp to rest his mount. He'll likely be back tomorrow. Yes, that's fine. I suppose you're wondering why I sent for you. I could guess, sir. Yes? Do you want me to speak in front of this man? Oh, yes. I nearly forgot you, Crockett. Yes, that's all right, Colonel. This is the man I spoke of. Uh-huh. Knew that as soon as I seen his mask. This is Burt Crockett. He brought me the information that persuaded me to send for you. Crockett, huh? I think I've heard of you, Burt. You've got a trading post back in the hills. That's me, Stranger. Been trading with the engines for furs. Been doing real well, too. Least wise till lately. I see. Colonel, I believe my guess is right. What is it? The Indians. How do I have heard things? There's something odd going on. From the little we've been able to learn, there seems to be someone, there's something, that's been getting them stirred up. What it is, I don't know. The Indians are too frightened to talk, and the whites I've met have no information at all. You're right. Something has gotten into those redskins and by heavens I mean to find out what. I want you to help me. How? I can't tell you. If you will help, I'll have to leave that up to you. I can't tell you where to begin or what to look for or what to do when you find it. Whatever it is. All I can say is that trouble must be located and wiped out, or I won't answer for what happens in this territory inside the next six months. I'll do what I can, of course. Bert, what do you know about this? Colonel Miles said you had information. Well, taint much. No. What I mean is, taint much that'll help you, I'm afraid. You see, I've been trading with the engines for going on 15 years. All has got on well with them, too. Most of the engines around this part of the country you know have always been friendly with whites. There hasn't been an uprising since I came with this post. But here about two weeks ago, the engines quit trading with me. Not only that, but they started dodging me. Acted like I was poison. I'm telling you, stranger, maybe it don't sound like much now. But before I pulled stakes, things got real creepy. Couldn't sleep without dreaming some engine was yearning to lift off my top air. Couldn't leave my cabin to hunt for a game without feeling I was being watched. If it had been something I'd met up with before, I'd likely have known what to do. But it weren't. So I just packed and skedaddled. You see what I mean? It isn't just Bert's story. It's the fact that I've heard it doesn't just like it. They all tell the same thing. As far as I can see, they point one way. To what? An uprising. Wait. When I say uprising, I'm not suggesting that some chief had decided to raise a ruckus because he's angry about something or just wants the excitement. It's bigger than that and different somehow. It's as though the redskins from one end of the territory to the other are being forced to do something against their will. As though whatever they're up to, it's fear that's moving them. It's not easy to explain, but there you have it. I can't make it any clearer. You see it exactly as I do. Yes. There's trouble in the air. And like Bert says, it's not the kind of trouble we've had to meet before. Right. Can you help? I'll promise nothing, sir. But you have my word, I'll do what's possible. You're off already? The sooner we get to the bottom of this, the better. Where will you go? To the hills. I'll report when I can. We're riding, Tutor. Where are we going? To the Indian country. Come on, Silvus. Get him out of the car. Hail, Silvus! Away! Three days of hard riding found the lone ranger in his faithful companion deep in the hills. The country was wild and barren, broken by canyons and cliffs, imperfectly covered with occasional stands of stunted furs and pines. Late in the afternoon of the third day, the masked man reigned his great stallion to a slow walk, and Tonto followed suit. Should we make camp soon, Tonto? Or go on? Maybe make camp, huh? We continued. How long would it take us to reach Thunder Cloud's village? Six, seven hours. We couldn't get there much before midnight, huh? That's right. I wonder. Now, I think we'd better go on, Kimosabe. The horses had a good rest at noon. I want to see Thunder Cloud as soon as possible. Uh... Week. Wait. Who's over there? Who's over there? See that patch of trees to the right? Uh... Two horsemen just rode in there. I don't know whether they saw us or not. I didn't see them until I caught the movement of their horses. Them engines? I don't know. Unless they stay undercover, we'll see them again in a moment. They'll likely come out just above that spur of rock. They're fuller. That's one of them. That... Big Wolf. Big Wolf? He's one of Thunder Cloud's Indians. Uh... They sped up. Look. The other rider's turned north. Uh... That's a white man. Uh... That's a good-looking bae he's riding. Uh... Well, Big Wolf's the man I want. Call to him, Tando. He'll hear ya. If he knows anything, it'll save us a trip to the village. Uh... Tari! Tari, Kimosabe! He heard you. You will! He heard you, Tando, but he's breaking into a gallop. That's strange. If we could recognize him, he surely could recognize us. Uh... Look to me exactly as though he didn't want to stop. There him go. Him head him up valley. Tato, there's been too much of this. You realize Big Wolf's the first Indian we've seen since we entered the hills? Uh... They've been staying out of sight because I'm a white man. Just like they've been dodging other whites. What do? I'm going after Big Wolf. Uh... He knows I'm a friend of Thunder Cloud. He's going to talk to me whether he chooses to or not. Come along, Tato. Get him off the car. Let's go, Silver. Come on, Silver boy! Will you get him? Come on, Silver! Urging Silver to his utmost speed, the masked man reached the patch of trees to which Big Wolf had passed. Burst into the clear on the farther side and raced on up the valley where Big Wolf was still in plain sight. The Indian, hearing the pound of hooves behind him, beat at his pony with a like, but the willing animal was no match for the great horse Silver. For ten minutes, the masked man rapidly closed in. Then he reached out a hand and grasped the Indian's rope bridle. Hold it! Oh! Rain in, Big Wolf! Oh, Silver! Oh, Silver boy! Oh, the horse! Big Wolf, what is it? Why did you try to escape from me? You knew who I was, didn't you? Don't pretend you can't understand me, Big Wolf. We've met too many times before. You speak the white man's tongue as well as Tato. You go away. Here's Tato now. Better him go too. Oh, Tato! Whoa, Tata! Whoa! Whoa! He refuses to explain himself, Kimosabe. Big Wolf, what matter? Better you let Big Wolf go. Listen to me. You've known me for many years. You know that except for Tato, I have no closer friend among your people than your chief thunder cloud. All the people of your tribe have been my friends. You've given me help when I asked for it. You've learned that I can be trusted. Now prove that you trust me. What's happening in the hills, Big Wolf? What's behind it? And what does it mean? Me talk. Me die. What do you mean? Up there. Up near cloud. Great medicine man live. Yes? Him white medicine man. But him hate all pale face. Him say red man stay away from pale face. Red man not do what him say. Red man die. Go on. Great bird kill red man. It come from sky. Strike like eagle. It make big thunder. It spirit brave warrior long time dead. Big Wolf. What's the matter? Me not say more. Wait, let me get him. No, let him go Tato. He said all he's going to. He won't get any more from him. White medicine man and a great bird that strikes from the sky. Himasabe, we'll see what thunder cloud can add to that. Find what Big Wolf meant and our works half done. Where thunder cloud village had been however, the mask man found evidence of a hasty departure. It was not until the next day that he and Tonto located the site of the new village. When they did, the mask man uncertain of his welcome remained outside while Tonto entered alone. While he waited, he noticed signs of excitement in the village. When at last Tonto returned. Tonto, what a thunder cloud say. What did you find out? Big Wolf, him dead. Big Wolf? We talked to him just yesterday. That's right. And he told us. I wonder if he died because he talked. Maybe. Where was he found? Not far. Me show you. Lead the way. Get on him. I'll see you over. The curtain falls on the first act of our thrilling Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. While Tonto led the way to the place where the body of Big Wolf had been found, he repeated the information he'd gathered from Chief Thunder Cloud. Thunder Cloud not seem white medicine man. No. Him live way up mountain near Cloud. Red man Frade go there. Whoever he is, he certainly got the Indians in this district frightened. Thunder Cloud told you not to bring me to the village, huh? That's right. In other words, he doesn't want a white man seen there. Well, we've been good friends, Tonto. My presence would make it dangerous for him. I'll stay away. What else did he tell you? Him tell about bird, too. The mysterious bird Big Wolf mentioned that strikes from the sky. He believes in it. If you say the bird was a spirit of a warrior who had died, but the spirit does what the medicine man tells him to do. Exactly what Big Wolf claimed. I can't understand is this. Perhaps there is a medicine man hidden somewhere high in the mountains. Perhaps even he's white. Such things have happened before. But no one has seen the fellow. How did the Indians learn of him? Old man tell him. Old man? Uh, him white man. Him tell him ancient. Him only fellow see medicine man. Then someone has seen him. Who is this old man? Does he claim to be sort of a go-between for the medicine man with the Indians? There's just a story he's been telling. Him friend medicine man. Medicine man give him him order. Him give him order red man. And those who objected to this have died. Bird kill him. I don't believe that story about a bird that can kill a man. It's trickery of some sort. This fellow, whoever he is, is using it to play on the Indian superstitions. Uh, their place. Where Big Wolf was found? Oh, so where? Oh, Oscar. Here for science, Tuddu. The braves who carried Big Wolf away haven't destroyed it all. Wait. Super old fellow. What's the matter? A shadow, Scarum. A shadow? Oh, I see what it was. Who cares, Tuddu? An eagle. A big fellow. Silver must have seen him from the corner of his eye and been startled. There he goes, heading for that cliff. Hear him, horn? Hunter's probably. Well, let's look around and see what we can find. A careful examination of the ground only added to the mystery. No hoof prints were found, except those made by the ponies that Thunder Cloud's braves had been writing. Casting them out in ever-widening circles, they still failed to discover a trace of the murder. At length, the masked man said, This is getting us nowhere, Tuddu. Yeah, it keeps strange. You're sure Big Wolf wasn't killed by a bullet? With a rifle, he could have been shot from a distance. Him stabbed. Stabbed, huh? Him got him two holes in back. Stabbed twice. Uh-huh. Tuddu, Big Wolf may have been marked for death long before we met him. Uh-huh. But if he wasn't, he was killed because he was seen talking to me, and only one man could have known that. Who that? The white man he was with when we first saw him. Remember? When Big Wolf headed up the valley, the other rode north. That's right. He could have circled back to keep an eye on us. He couldn't have got close enough to hear what was said. But watching us together, he might have thought we learned more from Big Wolf than we did. Tuddu, we're picking up that fellow's trail. It's our only lead. Come on, Silver. Come on, Silver. Before nightfall, they found the trail of Big Wolf's companion. It circled as the Lone Ranger had suspected, then veered to the north again and ascended by way a rugged trail that bordered a cliff. The masked man and Tuddu followed it till nightfall, then resumed their journey early the next morning. At noon, they'd reached a height where clouds fogged the trail. The canyon to their left had deepened until its bottom was lost in shadows. Suddenly, a distant shout greeted them. Hear that? Someone in trouble. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scarlet. Now, too fast, Tuddu. This trail's treacherous. Loose stone and you'd find yourself over the side. Isn't that a horse up ahead? It... Tuddu. That's the bay that fellow was riding. That is all right. This fellow who called is the man we've been hunting. Give me your hand here. What's the trouble? You've got my foot caught. Hold, Silver. Hold, Scarlet. Now this happened. Just dumb foolishness, all. Got the cannon to back in. Climb down to get it. Shouldn't know better than to walk here without watching a step. Foot slipped into the sheer crack, and now I can't get out. Let's have a look. I tried getting the foot out by unfastening the boot, but that won't work either. This is a bad place. Get me your hand, Dikes, Tuddu. I'll see if I can't chip the rock away a bit. And that should do it. Mask, eh? Yes. Well, I ain't gonna ask you no questions that wouldn't be welcome. I'm too doggone glad you come along. Gosh, mister, what would have happened to me if you hadn't? You'd probably have found a way out of this. I don't know. I was trying to blame her before you showed up. Here, thanks. This piece here seems to be doing it. Think you can get it? Just a moment. Now try. No, doggone. Ankle feels like it might have been sprained. Coming? Uh-huh. Think so. Wait now. There. There she is. Good. Mister, you don't know how grateful I am to you. I go to died here. I'm glad we were able to help. Maybe so. But you ain't no way as glad as I am, I can tell you. Look here. What can I do for you? I'd like to show you I'm appreciating this. That isn't necessary. No, sir, Rhee, when a gent does something for me, I do something for him. Now name it. I don't want anything. I got it. Wait. Just wait till I get my saddlebags. I got just the very thing. But I said I didn't want any. Here it is. Here. It ain't much, but you won't mind that, I reckon. It'll serve to show you I ain't ungrateful. What is it? Don't you recognize warmth when you see it? Shucks, I strung this stuff together myself. Give it the engines. Seems to please them. Paint it bright like this and it looks real handsome. Oh, go on, take it. Here. I'll throw it around that bandana you were there. Now then, ain't that fancy? I'd rather not take it. Strangely, you can't refuse. It's just a token. Don't cost me nothing. And I'd be plum-hurt if you turned me down. So there. Very well. Into the saddle, Tonto. We're riding on. Mounting the Lone Ranger and Tonto proceeded up the trail. They'd gone scarcely a hundred yards from behind them. They heard the sound of the horn they'd heard before. There, same horn. The old fellow we just met must have blown it. Must have been him we'd heard earlier. What it for? It could be a signal. You noticed I didn't let him know we'd been on his trail. Why you do that? He answered the description of the old fellow they say works with this mysterious medicine man. If he is the same fellow, he had reason for following this trail. It may lead to the man we're after. It wouldn't have helped us any to take this fellow prisoner. I had another reason for saying nothing. What that? His foot wasn't really caught. He only pretended that it was. He was pushing with his foot, not pulling. Me, not see that. If I'd let him know I saw through his trick it would have cost me the chance to learn his motive. Maybe it was simply he knew we'd catch up to him and wanted to play innocent. And when we'd pass, signal the medicine man we were coming. As I said, that horn could have been a signal. Maybe that is. Well, if it is, we are forewarned at any rate. We should be able to handle whatever is ahead of us. We'll ride as high as we can. Look. What? There are another eagle. Circling for a height. What's that? Huh? See where the sun hits the eagle's claws? Who's over who? Can't be part of his claws. Too long for that. The way it reflects the sun, it could be steel. He could be the same bread we saw before. He's at least as powerful. Look there. He's stumped. Looks like he's just hanging in the air. He...Tonto. What matter? The horn, the bird that strikes from the air. Those stab wounds on Big Wolf. Those things that look like metal on his claws. Back, Tonto, back. I saw them out of a cave where we left that old fellow behind. I don't argue. Back, Silver. Quickly, old boy. Come on. If you value your life, Tonto, get to the cave before that eagle strikes. Here he comes. Come on, Silver. Come on. The masked man and Tonto would scarcely turn to retrace their path when the great eagle hovering overhead swooped suddenly and plunged for them with a speed of light. It cut the air like an arrow, released from a top bow aimed true to its target. The old man had come into view again, but the cave was still some distance away when the Lone Ranger realized it could not be reached in time. Oh, Silver. Oh, Silver. Oh, Silver. Oh, Silver. Oh, Silver. Oh, Silver. Oh, Silver. Oh, Silver. Oh, Silver. Look there at his claws. Steel spikes fixed to them. Ah. They had struck. One of us would have been dead. He had driven those spikes into the hilt. That's how big wolves die. Right. Got that gun. Get up with your hands. Walk over here. All right. I'm going back to the fort as my prisoner. Light blazes, I am. Tonto, he's out of his head. He's running with the edge of the cliff. Get that man. Me get him. You're too late. I'm choosing my own way. You see now why he gave me that painted string of wampum, Tonto? It pointed me out to the eagle. He trained his eagle to strike at that lure. That's how he got rid of the others who opposed him. Whoever he wanted out of the way, he'd give them that brightly painted wampum. Release the eagle later and leave the rest to it. How him do that? It couldn't have been easy, Kimosabe, but you can see for yourself it's possible. In fact, others have done it before him. Eagles have been trained to kill wolves and deer. Men were just a more difficult quarry. Ah. With those sharp metal spikes fixed to its talons and driven into a man by the full force of its plunge, any man not expecting the attack could be killed. Who that come? Oh, no, it's Colonel Miles. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Hank, haven't you both alive? Colonel, how did you get here? Why did you follow us? To warn you. Warn us? If the report I've had is correct, I know the man you're hunting. He's an old prospector who disappeared more than a year ago. He owns an eagle that he's trained, then. Is that the eagle you mean? It must be. He's just a tactis. The man you speak of is beyond your reach, sir. You'll find him at the bottom of the cliff. I don't understand. When he saw the game was up, he destroyed himself. Perhaps it was for the best. I see. He'd been playing a double role, out of a powerful white medicine man and the messenger who carried his wishes to the Indians. Sooner or later, if he hadn't died, he would have controlled every Indian in the territory. He was wanted for murder at the time he disappeared. So this is where the old fellow hid out. And as the horny used to call the eagle back after he struck Colonel, going that cave beyond and I think you'll find he kept it there. The man must have been mad. Completely. But he preferred taking his own life to facing a trial and the imprisonment he must have known would follow. He understood Indians, however. He did. He caught their imaginations, played on their fear, appealed to their love of the supernatural. And if you hadn't intervened, it might have driven every white from the territory. Come, Tutto. Washington will hear of this, lone ranger. Adios, sir. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.