 a fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. In the western United States, the masked rider of the planes fought crime and criminals throughout the new territory. But justice meant more to him than the letter of the law. His strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness were always at the service of the man who deserved a second chance. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. In the past come the thundering hoof beats the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. On the ground, Sheriff Bob Landis of Coronado County worked his way cautiously toward the crest of a small rise. The tall grass hit him from sight. His right hand clutched a rifle. And as he reached his goal, he raised his head just enough to see the camp that lay in the hollow below him. Three men were there. One was masked, one was an Indian. But the third was partially concealed by the first two. And it was impossible for Landis to identify him. The sheriff brought his rifle to his shoulder before he called out. Don't move down there! Just reach, Pronto! That's you, Sheriff. Expect me? I thought you'd be alone. I'll bet you did. Now cut the plover. I've got you and your parts covered. I'm getting up and coming down there. The first one to slap leather, I'll feel so full of lead it'll take four men in the mule to carry him to Boog Hill. Stay where you are. Shut up! I'm warning you, Landis. Don't! Why, blast your hide-out! Oh, my hand! You're not hurt. Don't move a step closer. You! Take a look at us. It's how I and I look like the men you're after. You're in there, camp! Because we found it before you did. Who's that other hombre? The one you're hiding? That's something you'd better not know. If you want the fellows who've held up the staves, you'll find them in that old-line cabinet ahead of the valley. They're waiting for you there. Roped and tied. Huh? That's how I and I left them. As you left them? Right. For me? Right again. I don't get this. You mean to stand there and say you've captured them stage robbers and tied them up in that there cabin for me to get? You'll find them there. Say, Redskin must be the fellow as the stage driver said he talked to right after the hold-up. We are. Well, I'll be switched on. Can I tell you to stay back? You won't shoot. You ain't fooling me, none at all. I told you... Mr. Lone Ranger? How did you know who I am? The driver told me he thought it was you. I reckon if you've got them skunks hogtied, like you say, then there ain't no doubt of it. Now, who's this other jant? Step aside so I can get a look at him, won't ya? One moment, Sheriff. Yeah? How many men did the driver tell you took part in the hold-up? Oh, why, why, four. Three laid for the stage at the bend and robbed it. The fourth waited off a ways with the horses. The three men have performed the actual robbery you'll find in the cabin with the loot. The three men? Then, then this fellow... It's the fourth, but you're not taking him in. Now look here. Once more, you're not even going to learn his identity. What's the ID? I think it best. Take my word for it, Sheriff. I know what I'm doing. If you insist on seeing him, you'll regret it. Why? I can't explain. Are you a friend of yours? He was years ago. A crook? He wasn't an outlaw then. But... Do as I've told you. Go back to your horse. Pick up the men we captured for you. Leave well enough alone. Well, if that's the way it has to be, why it has to, I reckon. Right. But bless me if I'll stand for it. Get aside, I'll... I told you to leave well enough alone, Sheriff. But you wouldn't have it that way. Baldi Judson. Hello, Bob. Funny way for us to meet again ain't it? You... A crook. Yes, so? I... Why, gosh, Baldi. I wouldn't have had this happen for a million dollars. Sure, it's Bob. Don't you feel bad? It ain't your fault. But... You understand what this means, Sheriff? Stranger, how did you know Baldi was the best friend I ever had in the world? I told you I'd known him before. Baldi, it's... It's been 20 years. Thereabouts? And now, Sheriff, if you jail those fellas in the cabin, you'll have to jail Baldi as well. Sheriff Landis was too bewildered by the abrupt turn of events to decide on a course of action. It was not until old Baldi Judson had told his story that he began to understand. There were nothing particularly strange about it. He just drifted into the camp one day and got to talking after we met. When they found out how things was, they said they could use me. And me? Well, I had missed enough meals so I was just about to the point where I'd have done anything. Baldi, you give me the first job I ever had. You took and made a top hand out of a kid so pewy and gaunt he looked like a snake on stilts. You made a rut into something you could mistake for a man. And now... And now I find you like this. Quite a come down there. Turn crooked. Shucks, Bob. That's putting into my stroll. I never done any of the actual dirty work. She's cooked for him, wrangled her horses, and run errands while I was hiding out. I wasn't ever an out and out highwayman. Just a kind of handyman. I don't know what to do. You listened to me in the first place, Sheriff. You could have gone back and truthfully said you'd never seen Baldi. I know. Now, if you take in those other fellas, they're going to implicate Baldi. You're not going to be able to deny you had a chance to arrest him. Or are you going to arrest Baldi? Baldi? I couldn't do that no matter what he'd done. Shucks, Bob, if it's your duty... Now, wait. There is a way out of this. There is what? Turk and Mace and Slash are wanted in Nevada. If it leaves your conscience any, Tato and I can take them there. Would you? Yes. There's just one objection. What's that? They have influence on that section. Mace is related to people who carry weight there. So is Turk. That's where all three came from originally. Uh-huh. I know they'd never get the rope they deserve. They'd most likely receive a jail sentence. The pardon before half their term had been served. I see. So that's your choice. Either let me take them back where they'll get off easy, or arrest them yourself, hold them until their sentence to be hanged, and see Baldi punished with them. I can't. I don't know. Maybe I should never be wearing a badge. But I don't care what's happened. Baldi ain't no crook. And I'd rather see one fella like him go loose than a dozen like Turk hang. I agree with you. But there's one thing more. Uh-huh? What's to become of Baldi if he does go free? He's no more capable of finding employment now than he was before. You intend to let him drift until something like this happens again? Baldi, look here. Yeah, Bob? I ain't going to ask you to come and live with me and Mary, because I know you'd call it charity and turn it down. I'd have to. But if I get a job for you, a job where you'd have to be trusted, would you? Sure. What in blazers am I talking about? I know doggone well I could trust you. I ain't one to make promises, but you could. Then I know the job you could handle, and I'll see that you get it. Stranger? Yes? You'll take care of them other fellas? I will. Then I'm trusting you too. But knowing who you are, I reckon I ain't taking no big chances. That you a horse, Baldi? Uh-huh? Get him and we'll get back to where I left mine. Adios. Goodbye, stranger. Goodbye, Baldi. Goodbye, sir. Down the coast, young man. Here's Count. We'll take those fellas to the law in Nevada, as we promised, Kimosabe. Now. But when we turn them over to the law, we're not letting it go with that. Huh? What we do? Sooner or later, they'll be out again, and once out, they'll be up to their old tricks once more. Isn't that right? The next time, there won't be a situation like this to save them. How do they'll hang? Isn't that good? Come on, sir. Get him up, sir. Silver away! The loan ranger delivered his three prisoners to the authorities in Nevada. What only four months later, the jail doors opened, and Turk, Mace, and Slash walked out, once more free men. A week later, in a hidden camp in the hills, Turk and Slash waited for Mace. Turk? There's Mace now. Yeah. Better get things ready for traveling, Slash. If he's bringing the right news, we'll be on our way. Take a look. What do you think I was doing while you were sleeping? Horses settled, bed rules lashed down, and all set to go. Yeah, good for you. Hi there, Mace. Any luck? Brothers, that outbreak we talked to in jail wasn't stretching at none at all. Eh? How'd you find out? I hunted up one of Pete Clemson's wildies I knew come from down that way. All bodies in current out are all right. Just sitting atop of the world. Working for the bank? Uh-huh. Kind of a shotgun guard sits behind the door where the shotgun crossed his knees waiting for bank robbers. Well done. They're skunk. We go to jail, and he gets a job. Sure. I knew Dogg on well, the old idiot would turn straight if he got the chance. He never had no more use for us, and he had a poison. The sheriff got him a job, huh? That's what they say. No. I'm just wondering. What about? I wonder whether or not the sheriff knew Bally had been traveling with us. Why, shucks, he couldn't have. Don't stand a reason. No. Well, does it? I don't know. Like I said, I'm just wondering. I always did think it was kind of funny the mask fell, and that engine brought us clear back here. When they knew it was us that robbed the coronata stage. What do you mean, Turk? I mean, I figured Bally was only getting too friendly with the law back there. Yeah, but I don't... Why couldn't he have tipped off the law than what God has caught? Well, the law didn't catch us. The mask tomber he did. In his sheriff could have been in cahoots, couldn't they? Sure, but I don't see why. The idiot, the answer's right in front of your nose. The sheriff couldn't show in the deal. If he did, he'd have had to take us in. And if he'd done that, he knew Dogg on well. We'd fix the squealer that sold us out. You mean you figured Bally got that job because he turned us in? And the mask fella brought us back here so as we couldn't queer that game? That's just what I mean. Well, it makes sense, Mace. If Bally done that, why else... He's going to be plenty sorry. Come on, world-set. Get to the saddle. We're heading for Coronado? Right. And if Bally's as friendly with the sheriff as we here he is, he's going to find himself in a tight spot where even the law can't help him. You ready, fellas? Right. Then let's go. Get up! Get up! Two more weeks went by. Then one evening at Coronado, old Bally Judson entered the office of his friend, the chair of Bob Landis, and... Evening, Bob. Well, Bally, howdy. Don't you be here for long? Here. Sit down. Thanks. Dogg, Garnerfang, tired. Have a hard day? Old little heart, unusually, I reckon. Lugged quite a bit of cash over from the express office in the afternoon. Payroll for the mines. Took quite a while. Satisfied are you? Huh? I mean working for wages. Don't bother, you nun, does it? Bob, you look at here. Honest work should never bother nobody. I'm just plenty glad to have it, and plenty grateful to you for getting it for me. But, uh, I don't like what I'm doing to you. I'm doing to me. What are you talking about, Sherks? You can guess. What if somebody in town found out I was crooked for a while? Then what had happened? What had happened when folks learned the sheriff got a crook good job in the bank? You'd be out of office so fast you'd never catch your breath. I don't know about that. Well, I can't help wishing. Wishing what? Well, that you could have told the truth about me when you fixed me up. I told the truth, didn't I? Well, the whole truth, then. You think you'd be working now if I had? Maybe not. Of course you wouldn't. What? Hey, Bonnie, what's the matter? Gosh. For just a second, there. Uh-huh. Bob, how long has stress to them skunks I was teamed up with hitting the fatty? How long? Well, once you... Quick! You said you wrote to find out, didn't you? Yeah. But what was it? Why, two years. What's upset you? Huh? What was it? Your eyes were bugging out for enough to hang pegs on. I was just seeing things that couldn't be so. Yeah? There was a face looking in the window right behind you for a second. A face? I thought it was gone if it didn't give me a scare. I thought it was Turks. The curtain falls on the first act of our lone ranger's story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. How to continue our story. Oh, Baldi was right. It had been Turks face that he had seen at the window. The odd law, having proved his suspicions, returned to a camp outside of town. What is he and his two companions there? They were unaware that two horsemen were watching them and so they returned to Coronado town. I didn't expect this. That stage robbery still hanging over them. I thought they'd stay clear of the place. I wonder what they're up to. Me not, no. They heard about Baldi. That might have brought them. At any rate, no honest reason brought them here. We can be sure of that. I'm sorry. Baldi and the sheriff must be protected. We went for them. We could pick up and that'd be bad. But then the entire story would come out. Everyone in town would know the sheriff had befriended an outlaw. And this would most likely find himself out of office. Well, the one thing we can do is to watch these fellows. They're here for something. That's certain. One of these days they'll make their play. We'll be on hand to make ours. Well, we've located them. Now back to camp. Come on, get them up, Scott. Easy, old fellow. Easy. Meanwhile, in the outlaws camp, Turk reported what he had seen. I tell you, I've seen him. Tell me his fleas on a dog. You don't need to tell me nothing. If Baldi didn't sell us out that time, then I'm a sigh wash. Well, what'll we do? Do you have any ideas, Turk? Slash, I've got plenty. And I heard plenty while I was in town. For instance? This is Thursday. The first of the month comes Saturday. And the first is when their mombries come in from the mines to cash their paychecks. Huh? And now on Saturday, the payroll's in the bank. They come in by express today. You mean... Tomorrow we hold up the bank. That's where Baldi's working. Just so. But by the time we're finished, we'll be gone with a payroll and Baldi'll be behind bars. Now listen, we gotta plan this out. Early in the morning on the following day, just a few minutes after the bank in town had opened its doors to the public. Bankers' Sims stopped for a moment beside old Baldi. Baldi? Yeah, Mr. Sims? I want you to keep especially close watch on everyone who comes in here today. As you know, we have more cash on hand than usual. Oh, sure. Would have anyhow. Good, I'll go over... Excuse me, will you, Mr. Sims? You're blocking my view of the door. Can't see who comes in. Oh, of course. Please, Mr. Papa. Turk! Recognize you old part, huh? Well, you can drop that shotgun. You're too late to do anything. It's a hold up, folks. Don't nobody move. The safe's open. Clean it out. I'll stay here and keep watch. Right. Where won't Mr. Donald? Why, you are... Don't get so red in the face, friend. You must have blood, man. This is an outrage. Sure is, ain't it? I'll give you nothing but shut up. Well, Baldi, this is like old times meeting up with you again. Reminds me of the time he was still our part and helped us hold up the Coronata stage. You rotten scum! What did you say about that stage hold up? Oh, did I say something I shouldn't have? Go on. Baldi, do you mean to sit there and just the same as admit you never told the bank you're here you was a crooked one time? Your pay for this, Turk! Is this man telling the truth? Answer me. Why, Shucks, if Baldi don't want to talk up, we'll ask the sheriff. He knows all about Baldi and us being pods once. If he's got that gumption to admit it's Baldi, you mean? Wait! Wait, Mr. Sims. Go on, Turk. Slash, slash, high tail. Ready, slash? Yeah. Don't let anybody move for five minutes. Mr. Sims. The safe! They took everything. Thousands and gold. Go for the sheriff. Yes, Mr. Sims. So you came here and let me give you a position of trust without telling me the facts about yourself. I... You've been a crook. Please, Mr. Sims. You were in with those fellows once and maybe you were again today. No, I wasn't. I just didn't see them come in. Was that man telling a straight story? Is it true Sheriff Landis knew about you when he recommended you to me? I... He got nothing to say. Talk up. Please. That's true, Mr. Sims. Sheriff. Uh-huh. You dare to admit it. I've done nothing to be ashamed of. Neither is Baldi. He's as honest as you are. Maybe you were in this robbery together. Who are you? Well, I'm still the mayor of this town. Yeah. Give me that badge. Deputy. Yeah, Mr. Sims. Take this badge. What do you mean, thank you? You're the law in this town now. Arrest Baldi. Put him behind bars and charge him with complicity in the hold up of the Coronado stage. Sheriff Landis went with old Baldi as the deputy escorted him to jail. Baldi himself seemed less concerned over what would happen to him and he was over the tragedy he had brought into the life of his friend. Bob, I knew you'd get nothing but trouble for helping a worthless old has been like me. I knew it. I wish you'd never had the bad luck to meet up with me again. Don't talk like that, Baldi. Sorry. I know I done right. Uh-huh. You make it easy for Baldi in jail, wouldn't you? Sure I will. I hope you're sorry this ain't none of my doings. I'm just following orders. Of course. Come on, Baldi. Mm-hmm. I'm afraid I won't have much time to spend on you now. I'll have to get busy organizing the posse. Go on in. Don't close the door, Deputy. What? It's that mask, fella. The Lou Ranger. If you go over that gun, Deputy, you won't have a chance. I ain't no fool. Holy sheriff. Yeah? I've hidden silver around at the side. Where's your horse? Why, just out in front. Get in the saddle. I'll take Baldi with me. We'll make a break for it and get him out of town. But what do you... Don't lie. You just come along. And don't follow, Deputy. Bless you. Aye, stop them. Stop the sheriff and the mask fella. They're taking a prisoner away. The masked man and the sheriff soon out rode all pursuit. And joined by Tato followed the trail of the bank robbers. Finally, the masked man reigned in. Pull this over. Pull this over. Pull this over. Pull this over. All right, Baldi. Get in the saddle with the sheriff. You bitch. What are we going to do? I'll explain to Baldi. He'll tell you as you ride. This is where Tato and I leave you. Forget it. It's all right, Bob. The Mask Army knows what he's about. Let's go, Tato. Huh? Get him up. Come on, Silver. Come on. In the meantime, Turk, Mason, and Slash were urging their horses to the limit of their speed. Get up. Get up. Get up. What, suddenly? Fire, Turk. Slash. What the heck? A white horse. And a paint. Same two horses rode by them for the corner the other time. Yeah, look at that. One of them smashed and the other's a red skin. But how did he get ahead of us? Them critics of theirs could outrun anything. We got to cut away from the trail. Hit North. Hey, come on, boy. Get away from them. Yeah, come on. Although the three outlaws were too excited to be aware of the fact, the masked man and Tato at no time made an attempt to overtake them, which on Silver and Scout, they could easily have done. They forced the outlaws into a course the lone ranger had chosen ahead of time. Finally, Turk called out, You need a canyon ahead, fellas. Pick up your horses. Once we're there, we'll be out of sight and we'll be able to give them the slip. Get up. Get up. Come on. Get up. Looking over their shoulders as they neared the mouth of the canyon, the outlaws noticed that the masked man and the Indian, instead of holding their own as formerly, were rapidly dropping behind. Just inside the canyon, Turk shouted a command to halt. Clean up, fellas. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. We need a mask, fella, no more. Yeah. Give up the chase, I reckon. Pondry was too much for him. What do we do, Turk? Keep going to find a place close by and rest the horses. Why, uh... Keep going, you gold cat. Fuck the place. Fuck the place. Come on, boys. What do you do, you fellas, to be alone? Been waiting right here for you. What? Go ahead and slap leather, Mace. I'd sure like to drill you. They're covered, Mace. Don't go to local. Glad you got sense. Now head back like I said. Get up. Get up. Get up. Shouts of astonishment met the cavalcade that filed into town a few hours later. In the lead, their hosters empty and their hands raised were Turk Mason Slash. Behind them, watching their every move, came the sheriff and old Balday, riding double on the sheriff's horse. As they hauled in front of the sheriff's office and forced their prisoners to dismount, the scene that every man, woman and child in town was in the crowd that surrounded them. All right, you skunks. Climb down and get down without lowering your hands, too, dog. Shut up, you old fool. Quiet there. Deputy. George, where'd you come? As long as I ain't wearing a badge no more, I reckon I've lost my right to jail anybody. So here they are. You jailed them. You? You and Balday caught these poachers. We sure did, with the masked fellow to help us. Here, one side. Let me through there. Hi. Here comes Banker Sims. Look at his face. Who do you think of Balday and the sheriff now, Sims? You got the mayor for column groups, have you? Well, you'd better start to do some call apologizing. Just what I mean to do. Sheriff, they tell me you captured these bank robbers. They're not alone, I didn't know. I mean with Balday's help, of course. Like I tried to say before, with the help of Tolto and the Mask Man. Yes. Balday's telling them to you straight, Mr. Sims. We just threw down on these fellows. It was the Mask Man and these pards that herded them into the canyon where we could make the capture. But you and Balday did make the capture. Wow. And in spite of the way I accused you both, you not only returned these men, but the money as well. You got me all wrong, Mr. Sims. I ain't a crook. Maybe if you'd waited to hear the whole story, you'd have realized it. I made a mistake. I'm beginning to realize it now. Huh? What's that? I'm sorry for the accusations I made. And if you can forget them, I'll be proud to have you working for me at the bank again. Bob, did you hear that? Did you? I sure did, Balday. They know about me now and they're still willing to give me a chance. And you'll take back your badge, of course, Sheriff. And me and Balday are grateful to you, which won't keep us from remembering we owe the Lone Ranger most of all. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.