 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. The rich grazing land of Texas brought wealth to many settlers in the early days of the west, but the outlaws who roamed the new territory were a constant danger. They rustled cattle almost at will until the mast right of the plane started his great fight for law and order. Without his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness, the frontier might never have been made safe for honest men and women. Return with us now 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! We're heading for the half-circle sea. Someone's waiting in the trail ahead. Hurry on, sail! The range belonging to the half-circle sea outfit was being systematically plundered and... Keep that bridge open! Haze him along, boys! Haze him along! In the small town of Delta, Eric Hyde, owner of the half-circle sea ranch, sat beside Sheriff Matt Gorman in the latter's office. A young man stood in front of the sheriff's desk, facing his questioners defiantly. Now look here, Rusty. There ain't no sense in your acting like we didn't have no right to bring you in here. We've got a reason enough. I don't see what. Well, just look at it our way for once. The first place every time there's been cows stole from Eric, you've been gone someplace. You won't tell us where. Because there ain't none of your business. Rusty, I reckon we know why you won't talk. But you figure your brother's worth going to jail for her. I don't know what you're talking about. Well, it's plain enough for the rest of us. These times you've sneaked off, you've done either one or two things. Well? Either you've been stealing Eric's cows, and neither him or me has got you sized out to be a wrestler, young fella. Or you've been riding to wherever that no-good brother yours is hiding now. Brad's all right, and it won't stand for nobody's saying he ain't. Ah, Doug gone rusty. You don't seem to have no sense at all. What other reason you got for bringing me here? Rusty has been natural enough for you and your brother to be trying to get even with me. What for? Well, my ranch was Brad's before he was jailed. When he was convicted to kill an old Ed Kinsey, and the bank took the ranch back, I bought it. We wouldn't hold that again, you. If you hadn't bought somebody else would've. Well, I'm glad to know you feel that way. But I'm telling you, Sheriff, Brad never killed Kinsey. Living all alone way up in the hills like Kinsey, not anybody could've killed him. And why would Brad have killed him anyhow? Shucks, everybody knew old Kinsey was a miser. He had cash worth the stealing. It wasn't proved. Nobody knows what he had. Now just hold on, Rusty. We ain't here to try Brad's case all over again. He was tried and convicted in court, even if he did make a getaway afterwards. Now what we're doing now is investigating this rustling. Then pick on somebody else but me. Oh, you ain't the only suspect we got. As a matter of fact, Rusty, I don't think you're the one to blame. You can ask the sheriff and he'll tell you I never cued you at any time. The only thing is, we thought we ought to give you the chance to do some explaining. Am I under arrest or ain't I? That's all I want to know. I ain't arresting you yet. Man, I'm leaving. You got any more fool questions to ask me? I guess you know where I'm to be found. Go ahead, go ahead. Oh, oh, pardon. If I could never see you coming in. That's all right, Rusty. Come along with you, Deke. No, it's help. It's a blast of shame. That's what it is. Every time something happens, it's me you blame for it. Can't you never leave me alone? Quit your whining, Deke. Do you have any trouble with him, Spike? Oh, he's coming along peaceable enough. He's getting used to being arrested, I reckon. You can't do this to me, sir. Now listen. You're going to stop it. All right. I guess I know more legal rights. Now look here. You can't be all the time making it look as though I wasn't just as much of a decent law by it. Don, Don, you give me a chance to get a word in edgewise, will you? Yeah, if I ain't hardly said a word. All I was saying was that if I had my rights, I'd have been run out of the county long ago. Now then, what do you got to say about that? What do you got to say about this year, Russellian? I never had nothing to do with it, Sheriff. Honest and never. You don't think it was me, do you, Mr. Hyde? Just because maybe once or twice a long time ago, maybe I made a mistake or two. Don't mean that I made it. Once or twice a long time ago seems to me from what I've heard, Deke. You've been jailed 50 times anyhow. And the last time was more than a couple months ago. Just because I never got my rights, it only goes to show that if you couldn't tell the truth, that there was money in it for you. Now, Deke, the last time Eric had cow stow was night before last. Where was you? Down to the cafe and I can prove it. Who by? The barkeep, that's who. You just ask him. I was there the whole night. He'll tell you so. The barkeep? Yeah. Every time you want an alibi, he gives it to you. The amount of cash you spend at his place, he's worth anything. There's something else. Where have you been getting all that cash you've been spending? Wouldn't be from selling another fella's cows, would it? You can't prove a thing on me. I want a lawyer. I want my rights. When the time comes to the decent law, Biden's citizen can't even... I've had about all I want of you. Spike, get him out of here. Sure, Sheriff. Take him down to the cafe. Find out what the barkeep has to say. And if Deke's been lying, bring him back and lock him up. Yeah, if you're all the time persecuting me, just because I ain't got no family and no cash and no friends to speak of. Get out. You ever see anything to beat that fella, Eric? He's a caution. Well, Sheriff, there you are. What do you think now? I don't know. Except that if one of them two fellas ain't behind the Russon, I don't know who is. Deke's got plenty of hoodlums for pards that would just as soon rustle as not. Yeah, Rusty Clampson's got friends that would do it just for a joke. And that outlaw brother is beside. Get him out, Scott! Get him out! Sheriff, look outside. See that engine riding away? The paint horse? Yeah, but what about him? You recognize him? No, can't say he's a do. Sheriff, maybe you're going to be mad, but I got a confession to make. Now, don't get me wrong. It ain't that I don't figure you savvy your job. What in blazes are you getting at? Well, Sheriff, it's got to the point where if any more of my cows are stowed, I'm going bust. I'm doing my best, Eric. I know that, Sheriff, and I appreciate it. The only thing is, the engine that just left has got a part I think can do even better. Huh? Who was that engine? I've seen him when I'm rode to town. Recognized him and asked him to be listening outside. His name's Tonto. Tonto? Say, you mean the engine that's a friend of the Lone Ranger? I do. And you figure he'll get the mask man to help you? I'm hoping for it. Now, like I said, Sheriff, I don't want you getting mad. Mad because the Lone Ranger's going to lend a hand? Boy, golly, Eric, there ain't a thing I'd rather have. The afternoon faded into evening. Eric Hyde and the Sheriff, waiting for word from the Lone Ranger, had almost given up hope when suddenly... The mask man. Who expected me? Oh, huh. How do we know who you are? Look at that. Silver bullet. It is the Lone Ranger. Eric, Tonto told me of your trouble. That's just what I hoped he'd do. I'll help you, but my own way. For what I've heard, stranger, you're always good enough for me. According to Tonto, you suspect two men. That's right. Dick Bowers and Rusty Clemson. Rusty is Brad's brother, the man who escaped from jail after being convicted of the murder of Ed Kinsey. Hey, just so. And Dick? He's a no-good bum that's been in jail about 50 times. There are no other suspects. Not unless them rustlers are outlawed from somewhere else. Very well. One of those men has given him. I don't believe it'll take very long to prove it. Well, that's what we want, Mr. Action. Give me 24 hours. Yeah? In the meantime, pass the word all over that you've been talking to me. We'll do it. But what for? Wait. At the same time, tell the townspeople that in 24 hours, I'll know who's behind the rustling, and we'll call for him. But I don't savvy what they want. You want to work with me? You'll do as I say. Otherwise, we work apart. But wait, stranger. I'll see you tomorrow night. Yeah, hold on. Sheriff, I reckon we can save our breath. But this fella... When that hombre says he'll do things in his own way, he ain't fool or none. Well, there he goes. And that's what I'm doing, with all of his orders. Although puzzled, the sheriff and Eric obeyed the masked man to the letter. Soon Delta was buzzing with the news that the Lone Ranger would find the man responsible for the rustling of half-circle sea stock. The following evening, he was seen riding toward Deek Shack, and the townspeople hurried to the spot. One side, out of Silver's way. Did you get something on Deek? What did you find out? Are you going to have something? I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. Don't find out! Are you going to have the sheriff arrest Deek? What ever it is that you get. Stand by. Who's over who? You told him we're Deek all the time, stranger. Oh, keep these people back. It's Deek inside. Deek inside? He's there all right. Rusty's somewhere here in the crowd too. I've seen him just a minute back. I'm going inside. Yeah, here. Come on. Just keep the crowd from following. Oh, stranger. Ain't you ever going to tell me anything? Deek shot at the Masked Puller! He must have shot through the window. That proves he killed it. Stranger, I don't care what you say. Now I am going in with you. Come along. Rustam, you stay out. I never done it, honest, I never. I didn't fire them shots. Does the gun beside him on the floor there, Cheryl? I'll get it. Let me see it. It's deep, all right. I'd recognize it anywhere. I've seen him practicing shooting with it a hundred times. Two shots are gone, and you can smell the burnt powder. Wait, listen, please. My gun was missing. I don't know who took it, but I didn't fire. You've got to believe me. I'll tell you. You know what was being said about the mass fellow calling tonight for the crook behind the rustling. But I never. Shut up. You've seen him stop here, and you know he likely had the goods on you. It ain't so. It ain't so, I tell you. If a mask man didn't have no evidence again you before, your firing at him is enough to convict you by a shelf. I want my right shelf. You can't do this to me. Got proof against him, stranger? Jaylin. Right. But I take it. I've got you all the time, dude. Rusty, stay out of that. I won't. Keep him away from me. Yes, concord, a gun whip, you're right here. He was framing me. You likely had one of your crooked parts trailing me. When you seen I never had an alibi, then you wrestled Eric's cows, and you was going to let me take the blade. No, Rusty, no. I'm out of here. I sat out of here, now. Just let me hear him once. You're getting in the saddle and going home. Bring Dick, Sheriff. Oh, I'll come in. I'll tell you, sir, if I had nothing to do with this thing here, I'm going to talk to you. Rusty, is this your horse? Yeah, but after Dick framing me, I'd like that gun whip. This terrible handle, Dick. Up with the awful last chair. And on your way. Dick, I hope you hang. Jaylin, Dick, now? He shot at you, didn't he, masked man? Oh, who helped him at the rush? Sheriff going to jail the rest of the gang? Everyone will learn more about it later. Sheriff, is your prisoner safe? He'll just bet he is. He won't get away, and the crowd won't get at him. See that it doesn't. Here's over. I wouldn't matter much if it did. That him shooting at you like that besides the rustling. Jaylin, Dick, Sheriff, and keep him there. Just said I would. But don't prefer charges against him. Why not? Because Dick isn't behind the rustling. Say. And he didn't shoot at me. Mr. Am I local or you? Right now, Sheriff, Dick will be a lot safer inside jail than out, guilty or not. Remember that, and do as I say. I O. C. M. Horner, go away. Charlie, well, Dick, you've always claimed I throwed you in the callaboos when you weren't deserving of it. And this time, it looks like you're going to be right. 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, Lone Ranger met Tonto outside of town, and the two of them rode on for several miles. Finally, they drew rain beside the trail that led to the half-circle sea ranch, and waited until they heard the sound of approaching hoops. Not him. Right. Eric, rain up. I've been waiting for you. Yeah, and I've been wanting to see you. Yes? What in the name of a million mavericks did you mean by what you said to the sheriff back in town? He told you what I said? He did. That Dick wasn't a rustler and hadn't shot at me? Just so. I suppose there was just some trick to make Dick say something that had been pinned on him for sure. But at least you might have let the sheriff in on it. You've got him so almighty mixed up now he's about ready to curdle. He should have believed what I told him, because it was true. It can't be. A dozen people saw Dick fire them shots. What? I've seen him myself. You and the other saw me approach the house and heard shots that must have come from the house. You didn't, however, see the man who fired them. I would have sworn. And so would all the others. Eric, in the last 24 hours, I've learned quite a lot about Dick and Rusty. Yeah? Dick is one of the best shots in this part of the country. He couldn't have missed me from that distance unless he did so deliberately. And that will have no point. Well, I, well, go ahead. I'm willing to admit this is too deep for me. While inside Dick's shack, I noticed both the front and rear windows were open. Yeah? A man could have stood in the rear of the shack, fired through both windows, made it look as though the shots were fired from inside. The gun was found there. On the floor, where Dick said it was thrown. He was telling the truth. But that's crazy. Why would anybody pull a stunt like that? Well, the purpose had very nearly succeeded, to make Dick look guilty. Stranger, maybe you've got something there at that. I know I have. And that means? Yes. Now look here, stranger. I know what you're getting at. But it just can't be Rusty. Well, he just ain't the crook type. His brother's a criminal. Sure. Rad killed old Kinsey, stole over $6,000 belonging to the old man, and drove jail atop of it. But that don't mean Rusty's the same. That's true. Now look, mister, them Rustlers have got to be found. If they ain't, I'll just have to quit trying to pay the bank for the ranch and give up. It'll mean I've lost everything. We'll have to start again from scratch. You're not a young man, Eric. Which would make it all a harder. But I want the real Rustlers located. I don't want a young fellow like Rusty to get blamed just for the looks of things. Listen to me. Yeah? If Rusty is guilty, he'll be brought to punishment. Well, I'll take my oath he ain't. Then if he isn't, he'll have nothing to fear. I'll give you my word. You said you'd have the Rustlers in 24 hours. I didn't. But in the sheriff's office. I said to tell the townspeople, I'd know who was behind it and that length of time. That's a different thing. Oh. As a matter of fact, I do know. Who? If you know you. I'll name no one until I have proof. And the proof? It will take several days to guess. Until then, you must wait. It won't be easy. But necessary. Come, Tonto. Come on. Get him over here. Let's go. Three days passed in which nothing was heard of the masked man, although occasionally Tonto was seen in the district. Then, early on the fourth day, the lone ranger returned and found Tonto waiting for him at their well-hidden camp. Oh, father. Oh, there, boy. Oh. Tonto, I was right. And got full proof of it. Oh, Matt. Heep good. I could accuse the head of the Rustlers at this moment and show that I'm right. You do that now? There's still one other matter that must be attended to first, however. Did anything happen while I was gone? Oh, Claude, take more cow. From the half-circle sea. Before you say more, Kimosami, I believe I can tell you something. And what that? This time, the Rustlers didn't take the cattle through the hills to the south. And this time, you were able to follow their trail. How you will know that? There was a move I've been expecting. You followed orders, didn't you? You kept this information to yourself? Oh, Tonto, do that. Good. I think tonight we'll see the finish of our work here, Tonto. That'd be good. But between now and tonight, we still have more riding to do. Where we go now? First, you'll have to show me the trail of those cattle. And then I'm calling on the sheriff. Me, show you. Let's go. Get him up to the scouts. Come on, Silver! That evening, the sheriff, Matt Gorman, went to Deke Bauer's cell and unlocked the door. Come on out, Deke. You've been hollering to get out for long enough. All is locked me up, you are, Sheriff. I ain't got no rights at all. I'm a decent law-abiding citizen of this town. And I'm a mouthiest glut that ever settled in it. Tain't sold. I got a right to speak up for myself, I guess. If you have, you ought to have a toke from me. Who's in your office, then? Well, just spiked my deputy, and Eric and Rusty. Rusty's after me. He ain't gonna bother you and unwind you in my office. Howdy, fellas. Howdy, Sheriff. Sheriff, would you send Spike after me first? Why? You think it was your turn to get jailed? There ain't nothing I can be jailed for. Of course there ain't, Rusty. Of course not. Then why send Spike? I thought you'd like to hear the good news about your brother, that's all. Huh? Good news about Brad? Sure. Come to think of it, I don't reckon I've mentioned it to you yet, have I? Not to me. What's it about, Sheriff? I got word from Brad today. Got word from him? No, you couldn't have. I did, just the same. Who brought it to you? How'd it get here? Well, I ain't just at liberty to tell you folks that part of it, but you'll likely be glad enough to hear the rest. Yeah? Brad surrendered in the morning. He ain't gonna hide out in the morning. You're local. I'm telling you the plain fact. Or at least that's the way the message reached me. What's the matter with him, Sheriff? He figures it's better to give himself up and pay for killing old Kinsey than to go on dodging the law. Not exactly. No? No, you see, he says he found evidence. It'll clear him complete of that murder. He's bringing it in with him. That's what he broke loose for, he says. Just with a chance to get that evidence together. No, he can't do that. He somebody's tricking him. He'll hang if he gives himself up. He don't seem to think so. He will. There ain't no chance for him. Seems to me, Rusty, you was the first to claim he wasn't guilty. He ain't guilty. But if there was any evidence that it free him, it would have come out at the trial. It would have had to. No, don't get first. Was there anything else you wanted me for, Sheriff? Oh, that's all I guess. And if you'll be excusing me, I got things to do. Hey, what's your hurry? I'll be seeing you. Well, how what got into Rusty? Just worried about his brother's all. But wouldn't you think he'd be glad to hear his brother had a chance of clearing himself? Instead of that, he acted like it was about the worst thing that could have happened. I don't know, Eric. Some folks are funny. Don't all of us act alike. Yeah, and that reminds me. The mask man. Had any word from him yet about the rustlers on my range? Maybe he's beat. I didn't think anything ever beat that fella. Well, that's another thing we're likely to see about before long. But right now, if your folks will excuse me, I just soon all of you cleared out. I got some book work to do. And when he had his little school in his eye head, that's something you'd rather do all by yourself. But when his office is cleared, the Sheriff waited only long enough for the men to be gone from site. Then let himself out the back way. That you, stranger? Your horse is settled and ready, Sheriff. Who's that with you? Me, Tondo. All right, you fellas. Lead the way. And I'm just hoping you're savvy what you're doing. Come on, get him up. Come on. When Rusty Clemson left the Sheriff's office, he went directly home, saddled his horse, and raced out of town. He headed toward the Badlands and finally drew rain before he broke and down the shack, but stood in a small clearing. Oh, oh, whoa, there. Brad. Oh, Brad. Brad. OK, old Rusty. Brad, what's this I heard in town? I don't know. What did you hear? The Sheriff said you'd send a message telling you was giving yourself up in the morning. Well, I'm likely to do it even sooner than that. But you can't, Brad. Don't be a fool. There ain't no evidence that it clear you and you know it. Go to town and there'll just be stick in your head in the noose. Don't get upset, Rusty. There'll be evidence, all right. If there was, do you think I wouldn't have found it? Don't you think I'd done everything I could to clear you? Look here, Brad, if somebody's told you there was any such thing, they're just tricking you. Have you seen anybody? How did you get that message to town? Rusty, you'll just have to leave things to me. There's evidence that Sheriff's going to have it. That's the way things are. Oh, there's evidence, is there? Eric, what are you doing here? How'd you find the way? Don't mind that. Where's that evidence? You'd give a heap to no, wouldn't you? Hey, what is this? Keep your mouth shut and you'll find out. Brad, hand that evidence over. Try and make me. I ain't fooling. You've got just one chance to live. Give me that evidence and I'll help you get across the border. Refuse to hand it over and I'll shoot you and Rusty where you stand. What's his fault? Don't you see it, Rusty? There's the barman that killed Kinsey and he knows blame well that any evidence that would clear me would convict him. Eric, you're the killer where you stand. Stand back or I'll have a couple more killings to my credit. No, you won't. Well, the matchmeller was right. You're the rotten killer. You won't get me. Another move when you'll be shot down. Watch him, Tuttle. Me watch him. What's this all about? I still don't save it. Eric is not only the murderer of Ed Kinsey. He's also the wrestler of his own cattle. Pure loco. What would I do that for? Because you want another ranch across the hills. You want it in a different name and use a circle O brand. But that wouldn't. Here you've been running the half circle C. That's nothing easier than changing it to the circle O. Well, why would Eric steal from himself? He didn't. The ranch really belongs to the bank. He made only the first payment. In the meantime, he planned to strip the range of cattle, rebranded with a circle O, and give up the half circle C with the excuse rustlers that run him out of business. He would still have all the cattle and the blank would have nothing. How'd you find this out, stranger? Eric told me. That's a blasted lie. You told me you couldn't make more agreements on the ranch. That was the first I knew you didn't know it outright and suggested a move. That wasn't much to go on. It wouldn't have been if at the same time he hadn't told me he murdered Kinsey. I ain't got that straight yet, stranger. He told me that over $6,000 had been stolen from Kinsey. Yet no one had ever known how much money Kinsey had. The only one who could know would be the man who killed him and stole the money. Well, I'll be doggone. He tried to put suspicion for the rustling first on Deke then on you, Rusty. It was him who fired on me from Deke Shack. If you'll investigate, you'll find some of the rustle cattle near here. He brought it to the hideout not only to throw suspicion on you, but to lead the law here to recapture Brad. And he knew where Brad was all the time. Yes, and he also knew you went to see him. That's why cattle were stolen only when you were unable to furnish an alibi. He knew you wouldn't tell where your brother was. And all that time the Rotten's conch tried to make me think he was my friend. And he thought himself clever enough to use Tato and me to pin the guilt on an innocent person. Well, from now on, he'll have to figure out his clever scheme from the end of a rope, because he's going to decorate one in short order. That blasted and masked filler. But the funny part of that is, you was the one who asked him to catch the rustlers. Only he wasn't just satisfied with that. He caught a killer, too. I've just heard as a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.