 in a hearty house, Silver, the lone ranger. His faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the mask rider of the planes led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness have come down to us through the generations, and nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come a thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the lone ranger rides again. Come on Silver, let's go big fellow, are you Silver? Chad Morrison was a fretful patient as he sat with the ninja foot cropped upon a chair in front of him and stared him patiently through the window of the crossbar ranch house toward the break in the distant trail which indicated the entrance to his spread. Finally, his wife Dora approached his side and spoke. Come now Chad, it ain't no use sitting there with your eyes glued to the trail. Ned Grayson will be coming back with the boys in his own good time and will bring our money back safe and sound. We can trust Ned. Who said I didn't trust him? But things can happen between here and Big Horn, especially when a man's carrying a small fortune in cash. Chad Morrison, I've never seen the likes of you. When we don't have troubles you sit around and worry up some. Why, you're lucky to have a friend like Ned Grayson. I guess you're right Dora. Ned's the right sort of neighbor to have at that. Don't know what I'd have done hurting my foot and all just when the crossbar had the biggest drive ever, getting several thousand head of cattle over to Big Horn. Of course Chad. And Ned stepped right in and offered to take charge of everything for you. Sure, but I sort of expected them back yesterday or at least this morning. Now it's almost sunset, no sign of them yet. Chad, Big Horn's nigh under 50 miles from here. And Ned's not one to wear those cattle down to skin and bones, getting them there. Now you just stop your fretting and I'll help you over to the table. Supper's almost ready. All right. Doggone if you have no way of making a man feel like a regular worry ward over nothing, Dora. I reckon that'll take care of things, all right? Of course, you will. Come on now, get up and lean on me. I sure feel mighty helpless for a fact if I really had to lean on a little might of a female like you. But I guess you can help me some. Take it easy now. Concern is no good foot of mine anyhow. Save your breath for a hop and Chad. Here's the chair. Be careful. Thanks, Dora. You're a right smart little nurse at that. Glad to hear you admit it. Where's Janie? Mrs. Jenkins come by and took Jane to town. They'll be coming home now any minute. Now, Dora, Red Rock ain't no place for a little girl like Janie to go to. All them rough cowpokes and all. There you go again, William. Chad, most of them rough cowpokes are friends of yours. And there isn't a man in Red Rock who'd do harm to a six-year-old and you know it. Well, I guess you're right again, Dora. But I don't like for Janie to go to Red Rock unless she's with me or you. She's just as safe with Mrs. Jenkins, Chad. Now you just settle yourself there while I go to the kitchen and... Dora, the boys have got back at last. Didn't I tell you? I'd better put on another plate. Ned Grayson will be staying to supper. Yep, Ned and me will have a lot of talking to do. It's sure a relief and though they're... that must be him now. Let Ned in, Dora. Calm yourself, Chad. I'm going to let him in. Evening, Miss Morrison. I gotta see the boss right away. Oh, it's you, Jim. Come in. We thought it was Ned. Good thing you got here. I was beginning to think I'd lost a good foreman. Well, I'd like cowhands to boot. We would have got back soon to Mr. Morrison only. Well, they... they was trouble. What kind of trouble, Jim? Yeah. What trouble are you talking about? Well, speak up, man. Well, I... I don't know how to tell you. Well, we... we got the cattle to Big Horn. Go on. Where's Ned Grayson? He's gone. Gone with all your money that was paid for them cattle. Oh, Jim, there must be some mistake. Wait, wait. I'll do that again and tell it straight. Well, it's true. You can ask any of the boys and they'll bear me out. Grayson went to the bank with the cattle by to get the money. And he was to meet us at the cafe later. Never showed up. But Grayson's my friend, my neighbor. He must have missed him. Yes. He'll be coming along later on. No, he won't, ma'am. What makes you so sure, Jim? Well, the boys got restless waiting, so I took Hank with me. We went looking for Ned Grayson. Grayson got the money all right and took a train headed for St. Louis. They passed through Big Horn half an hour after he collected. He was seeing getting on that train. And the cattle buyer had a receipt signed by Ned for all the cattle money. Oh, no. No, he... he couldn't do such a thing to us. I'm sorry, ma'am, but it's true. Nearly everything we own was tied up for them cattle. Now that low-down, yellow-livered coyote has gone off with the money. Oh, Jim... That was your money, Dora. Well, it was your money as well as mine. You talk about the fine friends and neighbors we got. Ned Grayson was supposed to be our friend. He was one of our neighbors. Oh, Chad, just because... Now, wait, Dora, wait. I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to hear it. I depend on a friend to do a favor. And he steals nearly everything we got. Well, from now on, we've got no friends to hear. From now on, we'll have nothing to do with anybody. And you keep our little Janie away from all those smirking backstabber neighbors. We'll all stay away. Well, Mr. Morrison, I... You get out of here! From now on, keep everybody off my speller. You'll be fired. Get out. Get out, I say! Friends, there ain't no such thing. From here on, I'm making my way alone. Chad Morrison kept his word for five long years with his wife and daughter. He lived in seclusion on his ranch, hating all men, despising all friendly overtures from his neighbors. His wife, Dora, by nature a friendly and neighborly type of woman, became morose and silent, realizing that Chad's love for her and little Janie was strong, but not strong enough to overcome the deep hatred that rankled every moment of his life. For Janie's sake, she tried to reason with Chad. Chad, you must see what this is doing to Janie. She needs companionship. She doesn't understand why she... No use to talk about it, Dora. We're getting along right well, better than most, in fact, without bothering with other people. It's up to you to make Janie understand. Now she no longer protested. She knew it was hopeless that hating had become an obsession with Chad. Even Janie had tried on her childish way to break the bond which made her feel different from other people. Daddy, why can't I go over to play with Susie Jenkins like I used to? Because you don't need Susie Jenkins or anybody else to get along and be happy, Janie. We got the biggest spread in these parts. We ain't beholden to no one and never will be. But, Daddy, Susie and me were friends. Can I have them for my friend, please? Honey, nobody's ever really a friend. That's just a word people use to get on the good side of somebody. So they can get something from them one way or another. You just forget about Susie Jenkins. And so Chad Morrison wove a wall around his little family, keeping them away from the friendliness and warmth that others were eager to offer. Little Janie eased her loneliness often by riding her pony down the lane of the trail to watch people go by. One day, the lone ranger and tanto rode the trail past the entrance to the crossbar ranch. Look, Kimusabi. Little girl over there on pony. Yes. He, uh, seems to be watching us closely. I guess she's curious about my mask. Hello! Hello! How? Let's stop and speak to her a moment. Oh, here he is today. Oh, that's a mighty fine pony you have there. He's the best pony in the world. Why do you have that black thing over your face, mister? Are you an outlaw? No, I'm not an outlaw. Is that man really an Indian? Uh, me, Tonto. Me Indian. What's your name? My name's Janie. Janie Morrison. Will you stay and talk to me a little bit? I never get to talk to anybody. No? Why not? My daddy don't want me to talk to people. He says all people are bad. Are all people bad, like he says? No, Janie. I haven't found it so. Maybe your daddy was just fooling you. Oh, no he wasn't. He don't let mama talk to people either. Sometimes mama cries because she wants to have people to talk to her. I bet she'd like to have you and Tonto to talk to too. She'd like you. I do. Thank you, Janie. We're glad you do. I'm good. Tell me, is your father's name Chad Morrison? Yes. How did you know? Did you know daddy? No, but I've heard about him, Janie. I didn't know he had a little girl like you. He's the nicest daddy in the whole world. But, well, I wish he'd let me have a friend. Mama says people should have friends. That's right, Janie. They should. Is Tonto your friend, mister? Yes, Janie, he is. And him my friend, too. I can make believe you're both my friends, too. Can I? We won't mind at all. In fact, we'll really be your friends, if you say so, Janie. Oh, well, you're honest. Oh, thank you. It'll be our secret. Well, I have to go now. Daddy'll be sending after me, and he'll find out. Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. That nice little girl came us, hobby. Yes, Tonto. A very lonely little girl, too. What do you hear about her father? Chad Morrison is a self-sufficient, bitter man, Tonto. He was wronged by a friend years ago, since then he's turned against everybody. That's not good. No, and it's especially hard on his wife and child. Other people want to be their friends, but Chad Morrison won't have it. Tonto, he may need the friendship and help of his neighbors, and he'll realize the harm he's done to himself and his family. A week went by. As fall approached, the weather was hot and dry. Leaves, lung, hung brown and crisp on the trees, and wheat ready for harvesting stood tall and dry in the fields. It was dusk when Chad Morrison, his wife and little Janie, sat down to supper at the Crossbar Ranch House. Concerned during this hot, dry weather is unnatural for this time of year. I don't like it one bit. I reckon it won't last much longer, Chad. At least a bit of a breeze sprung up this afternoon. That don't help none. In fact, it ain't even good for cooling the body off, like a breath out of a hot furnace. What's unnatural mean, Daddy? It means something we ain't used to. Now, you just go on with your supper, Janie. Never mind the questions. Yes, Daddy. There's no doubt in the stock, as well as on the crops. I reckon if it keeps up with... Oh, see what it is. For hardly, Mr. Morrison. I come to Chad. What intonation you're doing here? I thought you was out tempted to... Well, come back, because I thought you ought to know. The whole ridge, the east of here, is burning like blazes, stretched out for miles. The ridge on fire, and the winds pushing it further north along the ridge. Well, you're done, Scott. Why waste time coming to me? You ought to know what to do. Get every ranch hand we got. Get over the range of the full of that ridge and if it take them all over there, the wind changes. That fire's loud enough to stand there arguing. Get the boys and get going. All right, Mr. Morrison. I'll get them all over there right away. The whole of the east ridge is on fire. They have to get to them cattle before the critters run wild and we lose half of them. But he said something about if the wind changes. No, it won't. It's blowing a fire northward along the ridge. Chad, what if it did change? Well, I reckon if it did and started blowing this way, we'd have a mighty poor chance of saving any part of the crossbar spread. We'd be burned out clean. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. Jim, the former of the crossbar ranch, went to Chad Morrison with the startling news that a great fire was raging along the east ridge about five miles to the east of the ranch house. Chad ordered Jim to take all the available ranch hands over to the foot of the ridge where the main herd of the crossbar cattle were grazing in order to prevent a stampede. A short time later, in their camp a few miles away, Tonto roused the Lone Ranger who was sleeping. Kimusavi! Kimusavi! What's the matter, Tonto? Look, big fire on ridge to east. Hey, that is a big fire. Stretch it for miles. Wind blowing at north, long ridge, look like. Yes, Tonto, but the wind should change and blow westward. It would saddle Silver and Scout, Tonto. He's saddled them already, Kimusavi. Good. Come, Silver, scout. Steady, Silver. We're trying to ridge. Yes, the crossbar herd is near there. Come, Silver. Get him up, Scout. Oh, Silver. This is where the crossbar herd was grazing, Tonto. Easy boy, easy now. Heard go that way. Yes, someone used good judgment, Tonto. Given the cattle southward where the fire on their ridge is already burned out. Fire and smoke may cattle plenty there. Yes, I know. We ride that way. They may still have trouble, and we'll be on hand to help. Come, Silver. Get him up, Scout. Oh, oh, oh. He's ready now. Hello, Ranger. Tonto rained up a short distance away and watched the crossbar cowhands. They strove unceasingly to keep the frightened cattle under control. The foreman's voice was heard above the rest. Chief Miller, don't let up on a man. He was heavy. That man foreman, maybe. Yes, come on. I'm going to speak to him. Come, Silver. Come, Scout. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. We came to offer help. Well, thanks, stranger. But the crossbar don't take help from nobody in it. Why, you're mad. Don't ever mind that now. You need all the help you can get, and we're willing to do it. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Jim, look behind you. To the north. The wind's changed. What the... Hey, you're right. Fire's creeping down the ridge of the west behind us. Right towards the whole crossbar spread. Chad Morrison will be burned out of lock, stock, and barrel if something ain't done to stop it. Listen, Hank, I can't take the men away from this herd no matter what. But we gotta warn Morrison, even if they eat anything he can do to stop their fire. You go tell them. Get there as quick as you can. Get going. All right, Jim. Get up there. Jim, how many men are at the ranch with Morrison? Now that dad blamed one. They're all here. And Chad Morrison needs help and plenty of it. What's he here? Mr. Morrison. Hello, come to the south valley. Get some of the farmers there. I'll ride to the Newtman Hawkins' ranches. They have plenty of ranch hands. We'll meet with Morrison. Hurry. Get off the couch. You won't get help from me, the Newton Hawkins. I'll get their help. But Mr. Morrison raised thunder, Jim. There are others in his family who deserve help regardless of Chad Morrison. One silver. Racing against time, the Lone Ranger rode at breakneck speed along the trail of the Newton ranch. The gallant white stallion made every effort to respond even more to the mask man's ringing cry. One silver. Hurry, boy. Faster silver. Silver seemed to sense the urgent need for haste and covered the miles without once slackening his speed. Until finally, the Lone Ranger drew rain near the corral of the Newton ranch, where most of the ranch hands were gathered to watch the leaping flames the distant fire. Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. Look at that horse. What do you want here? What's the idea? Who are you? I'm Bill Newton owner of this spread. That's who. And you're just the man I came to see. I've got to talk fast. You've seen that fire? You must know which way it's heading. Sure. Looks like it might be heading for the crossbar. It is. It seems men are with the herd. He needs your help, Newton. Why, that ordinary coyote? If he sent you here after the way he's acted towards everybody who wants it. Quiet. Listen to me. Chad Morrison didn't send me here. But I know he needs help, and I came to get it. Well, and you ain't going to get it here. Oh, listen to me, all of you. I came here because I thought you were men, real men. Perhaps I'm mistaken. Because men in this country don't stand by and watch. A common foe brings complete ruin to a neighbor. Chad Morrison refused your friendship because he was hurt by a friend. You haven't the courage to help him when he's down and prove that your friendship would be worthwhile. Well, why do you want to help Morrison? Because I know it's the right thing to do. In this territory, neighbor must help neighbor, or none will survive. Forget he's Chad Morrison. Just remember he's a neighbor. Move yourselves, men. But courage enough to do what's right, regardless of the circumstances. Well, I'll leave it up to the boys. What do you say, boys? Do we go? Yeah. Good. Now, hurry up, all of you. Get to your horses. Now, if we can get the Hawkins men to help. I can handle Hawkins, stranger. They'll help. Hit letter, boys. Somebody bring my bronc. Here's your bronc, Will. Here. All right, men. Let's get going. Get up there! Through the efforts of the Lone Ranger and Tauto, nearly a hundred men came to the crossbar ranch and were working chronically to stamp the on-rushing planes. Live stock were taken to safety. Outbuilding should wet it down. A large trench was dug. The sweating men were ever conscious of the mask man on the spirited white stallion as he moved among them, helping, suggesting, advising. Finally, the Lone Ranger realized that more drastic means would have to be taken. He raised his voice and called the men, men, men, listen to me. Our last resort is to start a backfire at this point. Get torches and... So you're the man responsible for bringing these men here? Well, I didn't ask for help. Quiet, you. Get torches and spread out to the wheat field. Work fast. I'll see you here. You can't set fire to my wheat. If the wind changes again, the fire won't get this far. No masked army is going to ruin my crops. Get started, men, and hurry. Are you listening to me? Shut up, you. The fields to the north of the cost bar spread will have to be sacrificed, too. That belongs to Hal Jenkins, and that's all he's got, mister. Go ahead and burn it, mister. I am Hal Jenkins, and it is all I got. But Chad Morrison's got a lot more to lose than I have. Time to go ahead. Thanks, Jenkins. Morrison, there's something that should start you thinking. All right, get the torches and start the backfires. Now, hurry. Wait a minute. Who are you? Why did you come here? Jim, what's happened to the herd? The herd's all right, Mr. Morrison. But I thought you ought to know that Mrs. Morrison and Janie are on the way to the Jenkins farm on the buckboard. I met them on the trail, and she wouldn't turn back. What? Don't let Janie go on the Jenkins? Yep. But I told her not to leave the ranch house unless the fire... Jim, the big fire will be reaching that trail before long. There goes the backfire. What did you say about Mrs. Morrison and her little daughter? Driving the buckboard on the trail, going to the Jenkins farm. Jim, I'm going after them. You'll go together, Morrison. Hello. Wait for me at the ranch house. Ready, Morrison? Yes. Yes, I'm ready. One, two, three. Get out! Side by side, the lone ranger and Chad Morrison raced along the trail, each hoping against hope that the buckboard had gotten through safely. As they rode, the ranger noticed with satisfaction that the backfire had already left a wide margin of safety between the rest of the crossbar spread and the raging menace on the ridge. Halfway along the trail, Chad Morrison suddenly shouted, The buckboard. I see it stopped just ahead. Yes, I see it too. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Cora, Jenny, are you all right? Chad. Oh, Chad. Daddy, I want to go home. You'll be all right now, Jenny. Oh, Fred. Thank heaven the fire missed you, Dora. Chad, it was more than I could stand. The way you wouldn't send for help and all. I was leaving you, Chad. And I wasn't coming back. We had helped, Dora. They set a backfire that worked. The crossbars are out of danger now. I wondered. Chad, if it hadn't been for that, then the big fire would have caught us. It was the backfire in your own wheat field that saved them, Chad. And they think that I tried to get you not to leave them. No, wait. Forget that, Chad. Just be thankful they're safe. Stranger, I guess I'm in a fool. I've got a lot to be thankful for tonight. Especially for friends like Hal Jenkins who let himself be burned out to save the crossbar. But I'll make it up to him and to the others too. You wait and see. Oh, Chad. Do you really mean that? Daddy, does that mean I can have friends like Susie Jenkins and the math man? Yes, honey. That's what I mean. Well, Stranger, if there's something I can ever do to repay you. Chad, Chad, I'll be repaid if you just remember two very wise sayings by one who knows our weaknesses. No man is sufficient unto himself and love thy neighbor. Well? Adios. All right, big fella. Monsilver! Who is that man, Chad? My mama. Didn't you know? He's my friend. Love thy neighbor, he said. Dora, will you go back with me? We've got a raft of neighbors at the ranch probably waiting around for vittles and coffee. I need you there beside me when I... I ask them to be my friends again. Will you come back? Chad, you know I will. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.