 a fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, criminals and confidence men, cattle rustlers and road agents made the new territory their headquarters. The local sheriffs were powerless against them, and it was not until the masked rider of the plane started his fight for law and order that peace and security were brought to the frontier. Nowhere in the pages of history could one find a greater champion of justice. Nowhere a man to match his courage or daring. Return with us now of those thrilling days when the west was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoop beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. We're heading for Clearwater. Peacefully grazing cattle in Clearwater Canyon were suddenly started out of their calm. A horseman rode among them and while his mount reared and pranced, he shot it at the top of his voice and his six gun echoed from the canyon wall. The alarmed animals began first to press together, then nervously to circle and finally when the contagion of panic had swept through their ranks to lunge in the body for the canyon's mouth. The horseman had brought about a mad stampede, but a second horseman was between them and the open plain beyond. When the first faint thunder the approaching herd reached his ears, he rained his mount to a halt. Oh boy, what in a stampede? And coming like they promised to get here. Boy, you'll need better row up our bridges and get for home. Get up, get along there. Get up. Get up there. But as swiftly as a man rode through the open plain in safety, the stampede gained more swiftly still. Get up there. And his goal was yet some distance ahead when he met disaster. Come on boy. His mount urged with greatest speed was unable to avoid a gopher hole. Get up. My leg. I think it's like it's broke. They're coming fast. You all right boy? You all right? Get going. Clear out, you hear me? Ain't no use of this both getting trapped. Go on boy, go on. Go on. Clear out. A mask man. Can't. Legs busted. Better turn back. You'll never make it. You can't. Swing you up. Get with you. Grab the saddle. Hold on. Come on. Come on. Out of the canyon, old boy. My horse. The lone ranger's great white stallion raced ahead of the stampeding herd. Grew slowly away and then reaching the plain broken to the clear. The mask man did not draw rain until he joined the wedding figure of Tonto, his faithful Indian companion. Oh, oh, oh, oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. Give me a hand with this fellow, Tello. I think his leg's broken. Me get him. Easy. Let Tello lift you down, friend. Oh, don't go on leg aches like blazes. Me got him now. And you'll. Exition. You'll lay there, Tonto. Fix wind. Yeah, sir. I don't know what to say. You, stranger, if you hadn't got me out from underfoot just when you did. Forget it. Tello, see what you can find that'll serve as a splint for now. Me. Well, when we get you home, you can get fixed up all right. Sure. But when I think of how you risk your life. I just forget it. Right now, there's something that interests me more. Feel like talking? Take more on a busted leg to stop me. Very well. And tell me, who might want to see you killed? Huh? Killed. That stampede wasn't an accident. We started for a purpose. You're local. You probably didn't hear the shots that set it off. Tonto and I did. Those shots that attracted our attention in the first place. Oh, you mean someone in the canyon there tried to get me trampled? You almost were. I'll be switched. You can think of no one who wanted you out of the way. Huh? Didn't say that, did I? Strange, I'll tell you something. If them critters was roused a purpose, if somebody wanted me killed, I don't have to wonder who done it. I can give you his name. Which is exactly what I want to know. Luke Smede. Yes? Yeah, he said he'd get me. Like a fool, I never thought he'd have the nerve to try. Who is Smede? My partner, worse luck. See all this range hereabouts belongs to us. Them critters had come close to doing me in them own cows. I see. And you can think of no one but Smede who would dislike you enough to be responsible for what just happened, huh? Oh, huh. I ain't a bad terms with any other fellow in the county. Would Smede benefit by your death? Why would your own partner dislike you? Sure he'd benefit. We got a partnership agreement. Anything happens to either one of us, the other gets his share of the ranch. It's for Luke hating me. Well, I caught a no good brother of his rustling. I'd give him fair warning, but he just kept it up. So I turned him over to the sheriff. But the vigilantes grabbed him from the law and hung him. There had been too many rustlers going loose in the county. But Luke never forgive me. Well, that's easy to understand. On the other hand, he would only done your duty. That's the way I'd figured it. Oh, that blasted leg. You haven't told me your name. Asa, stranger, Asa Botts. Well, Asa, Todd is coming now. We'll do what we can for you. See that you get home. Thank you, friend. Is that stampede? Perhaps we'll prove it. The Lone Ranger and Tonto bound Asa's broken leg to a splint. Then carried him home where they turned him over to his men. And Asa had been placed in bed. His foreman, Curly Macklin, stood beside him awaiting orders. Well, I might as well show you about this, Mr. Botts. Or likely you are. There's another robber in this place that's sorry, too. Only he's sorry I weren't killed. But who? That's my business. Where's Luke? Mr. Smeed? Well, just a second. There he is. He's just turning his horse into the courier. Oh, he is, is he? Been away from the place, huh? I reckon so, Mr. Botts. He said something this morning about having a look through the brush of his scrubs. He thought come round up there. When'd he leave? Well, right after you was a recollect. Right after me, huh? Thought so. Quit asking questions and tend your own affairs. You sent men up to that Westline cabin yet? Bet you ain't. Then see to it, dog. Go on, go on. Pick two fellas and get them on their way. Another thing. Yeah? On your way out, tell Luke to come here. Tell him to get here, Prano. Go on, Mr. Botts. Don't be necessary. I'm here. All right, Curly Cleaver. Cook, tell me about your leg. Don't you pretend to be sorry. Me? Don't worry. I'd rather been your neck. Glad to hear it. Yeah? It just makes it easier to come down to cases. Curly says you wrote out just after me. That's all? You're my nursemaid. Free dancers? Sure, I wrote out. Like it most likely was, close after you left. What of it? I ain't told the boys yet. But that stampede was started a purpose. Started a purpose with me in front of it. With a chances 9 and 10, I wouldn't get away. And if it hadn't been for a masked crook, I wouldn't have. Started a purpose, huh? Who buy? Yeah. Why should you ask? I get it. It was me started the stampede, eh? Well, you old fool. I said one day I'd even a score between me and you and a will. But when I do, it'll be in a way where you won't be doubting. Who done it? Jim hung on it, Connie, you. When I get in my licks, you'll know where they come from. I know now. But you're alive. I won't miss. Luke, I'll make you a proposition. Yeah? I'll buy out your half of this outfit. Give you a fair price. On condition, you start up again some place outside this county. Didn't cold feet happen? No such thing. Things can't go on this way. Whoever heard of two fellas hating each other and still being partners. I like it here. I ain't leaving. But I'll make you a proposition. I'll buy you one. I won't sell. We'll do it my way or not at all. It is not at all. I'm going to change the agreement we drew up. I'm going to see through it. You never get my half if something happens to me. Go right ahead. That suits me down to the ground. Can we know how we stand? Yes, sir. Good. And for your information, I get a gun here under the covers. Try anything before my leg, men. And you'll find a busted leg. Ain't interfering with my aim. Which never was, nothing to brag of. Come in. Come in. Oh, howdy, Sheriff. Who told you about what happened? I knew it till I got here. Then what are you doing here? I got bad news for both of you. Huh? You're a boy, Asa. Bud? Something happened to Bud? I just come from his place. Why ain't he come here? Said he was going to drop in on me this week. Asa? He's dead. What's that you say? Dead, Asa. Murdered. Sure. Who done it? You did, Luke. Hold out your hand. Luke was handcuffed and forced to leave the ranch house by a side door. The sheriff kept him covered as he walked toward his horse. Steady, Father. Don't make no funny moves, Luke. The gun, at least I got a right to know why you're blaming this killing on me. Luke, you're as good as hung. But I tell you... In the first place, everybody knows how you've been promising to get even with Asa. I never had nothing against Asa's boy. You blamed Asa for the hanging of that worthless brother of yours. It'd be just natural for you to strike back through Bud. That's all you got. I mean, you can't hold me in jail an hour. It ain't. What else is there? You dropped your bandana when you made your getaway. Too excited to notice, I reckon. And like all you wear, it's got your initials. Then it was stolen, planted there. I've been wearing the same one for the past two days. You never had time proving it. But that's just the least of it. You can't... You haven't finished Bud off as clean as you must have figured. He lived on a spell. He lived on long enough to grab a pencil and paper and write who shot him. And he named me? Just sold him. Think it over. You murdered, and the man you murdered testifies again you. You can't beat a thing like that. No? We pull out of it long enough. Climb aboard, we'll ride double. Nope, I don't reckon we will. If you think I'm going to get a horse for you from the corrals and let everybody know... Hey, Curly! What? There ain't nobody there. Hey, you busted my wrist. I said I wasn't riding double. I'm riding alone. Get up there. Hey, hold on! Come back here! Help! Stop that fellow! Hurry, go after him! What's the matter? Is that look right now? Get a horse and bring him back. He's my prisoner. He knocked the gun from my hands through my horse. Don't just stand there, you idiot! You hear me? Settle up! It was an hour later. A lone ranger in Tonto had returned to Clearwater Canyon and were examining the ground. Well, I'm afraid there's nothing here. The ground's too badly torn up by the stampede. What the hell made through here beforehand would be completely destroyed. That's right. What do we do now? We'll make camp somewhere and then see Ace again. I want to look at Luke Smead. We... What's that? Sound like a horse? Coming through the brush there. He'll break into the clear in just a moment. There! There, fella! Hey! Back, back, back! Hold on! I'm scared. The moment he saw us, he changed direction. He wanted to get away. You notice his hands, Tonto? What matter? That fellow wore handcuffs. We're going after him. Come on, get him up, Scott! I'll silver! 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. Luke Smead handcuffed and riding a tired horse had no hope of escaping from the masked man in Tonto. Get up, boy. Get up! Stay back! Stay back! I'll let you have it! I'm warning you! Come on, Silver! I'm taking you out of here! Give me a chair! What's the meaning of those handcuffs? Who are you running from? What gives it make to you? Just let me go. That's all I'm asking. You're running from the law. You've got plenty to explain. I did well before we're through. Right on that side of him, Tonto. He's coming with us. Come on, Silver! Tonto! The sheriff, giving up the pursuit of his escaped prisoner, returned to town, sending two of his deputies out to hunt for Luke's trail. That evening, he sat in his office with the third deputy, Cal Munson. I never had so much evidence against a fella and all the time I'd been in office, sure to catch him in the act. And then he gets away from me. I'll have to turn in my badge. I must be getting too old for the job. A man wearing handcuffs can't stay on the dodge for long. He'll be back. And in the meantime, I'm the laughing stock of everybody in the county. If it's lucky for you, you ain't worse. What do you mean by that? I was just thinking of what folks might have said if there hadn't been such a side of evidence against Luke. They might even suspicion that, uh, well, I reckon you savvy all right. And I killed Bud. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying anything. I'm only pointing out what others might have said. Yeah? Well, how much use did you ever have for Aces, boy? None at all, and you know it. And others know it. And others might have recollected the fight you and Bud have had. You ain't even making sense. Well, don't matter. I reckon Luke's guilty right enough. Circumstances being what they are, is what is accusing you. I just mentioned it to show you how being laughed at for losing a prisoner ain't half so bad as being pointed to as maybe a killer. Then forget that, fool. I'm asking you. I'm asking you. Don't move. What the fuck? Harold, this isn't the whole look. It's something here I wish to see. What's here that a crooked want? I'm no longer here. Can you do as I say? Keep your hands on that gun, Sheriff. Why do I have to go? Good gosh. That's better. Next time, don't try to outdraw me. I never seen a drawer like that in all my bone days. Now, maybe we can get down to business. Ace about son owned a small outfit not far from here. This morning, Sheriff, you stopped by his place and found him murdered. Hey, where'd you find out all this? You know as well as I do. The news is all over the district by now. However, I got my information from another source. What do you mean? Never mind that. It'll do you no good to ask you told me. The point is this. Sheriff, you found a note in Bud's cabin. Neiman, who killed him? Though I've heard. I want to see that note. But, sir... When I've seen it for myself, you may have it back. Well... You can read it. But, mister, you do anything with it. You shouldn't. And I'll make this county so hot for you you wish you'd left well enough alone. Now open that drawer by your right hand there. That's where the note is. That night, the shock following the news of his son's death, combined with the pain of his fractured leg, made sleep impossible for Ace abouts. He refused to be left alone and ordered his foreman, Curly Macklin, to keep him company. Don't you think you could sleep a little if I was to turn down your lamp and leave you alone for a spell, Mr. Botts? Gosh, you gotta have some rest. You stay right there. It ain't me I'm thinking of. It's you. It ain't me I'm thinking of. It's my boy. And Luke, that dirty sidewinder. I never figured things would come to this. She'd have been on guard. No, don't go to blaming yourself. Curly. Yeah? I'm just laying here hoping for one thing. I'm just hoping Luke ain't caught for now. I'm hoping he stays free this here leg as well. What first? So as I can go after myself. So can be me that deals with him. You think I want him to go to trial or the chance of going free or breaking jail first? Shucks, boss. There ain't a chance of it. He'll be caught and he'll stay caught. When the judge passes sentence, he'll hang. We're the sheriff hanging him. But I want to pay him back myself. It's heavy that. He killed my boy. But I want to pay him back personal. There now. You get so head up, you forget your leg. Now try to take it easy. Me here with a bust of the leg and everything. The tickets. Trouble. More trouble. Get outside. He was doing that, right? And if it's one of the boys home from town and raising that, give him his time. Send him packing. I'll handle it. Wait a minute. Close that door. Told you before, it's drafty in here. If it ain't one thing, it's another. There when I see Luke hung, I'm going to quit ranching. It ain't worth it. What? Quiet, Ace. It's you. It's the mask man. I want to talk with you in private. Trouble? They'll all get after you. I'm not that, Ace. I'm hoping to help you in your trouble. But if I first turn down that lamp, I don't want it possible for anyone to see me through the window. I don't, Savvy. But when a gent saves my life like you're done, I don't argue, neither. If Curly comes back, send him away. Don't let him enter. Tell him he wished to sleep. Sure. He left to find out what crazy fool got the exercise and the shooting irons careless outside. You must have heard the shots. I did. I fired them. You fired them? They get Curly away. Well, I'll be dark gone. Ace, I want you to do something for me. Just name it. In reality, it's something for yourself. Yeah? Tomorrow night, I want three men beside yourself here in this room. What three men? Your foreman, the sheriff, and Cal Munson. What for? Tell the sheriff to bring with them all the evidence he's holding against Luke Smead, including the note written by your son. Still ain't told me what for. Do that, and before they leave, you'll know the identity, not only of the man who started that stampede, but of the man who killed your son. That's not already. Luke Smead done it. Perhaps. No, perhaps about it. My boy's killer never be in this house to Luke is. That's as plain as a mask you're wearing. Luke will be here, Ace. Huh? Will you do as I've asked? Sure, I'll do it. But that you just said about Luke, what do you mean? You know where he is? Has he been caught? I know where he is, Ace. I know because I caught him. Refusing to explain further, the flash man departed as he had come, and when daylight arrived, Aza carried out his promise, sending a man in town with a message to the sheriff and his deputy. Curly, too, was told to be present, and that evening when the sheriff and Cal arrived, he joined them in front of the house. Got any idea what Ace wanted from his fork, Curly? He said anything to you? Nothing sent him when to be there. Likely just wants to talk over how to catch Luke. Come on inside here. He'll be waiting for us. He ought to know we're doing the best we can. Step in. Sure, I reckon he knows, doesn't it? Maybe he's got some ideas of his own. Here's his room over here. The sheriff's here with Cal. Ready to see us? Good morning. Go ahead, fellas. Evening, Ace. Feeling better? Fair to me, though. Don't you wonder why had you come here, huh? If you've got any ideas, it'll help us, Ace. I'd be glad to hear them. You've been looking for Luke, figuring he killed Bud. I've been laying here hating Luke for that same reason. And all the time that both of us have been wrong. Wrong? But all the evidence. The note-bud wrote before he died. Yeah, and all that. Just hold on a second, gents. Let me tell it to him my own way. Now, first of all, the evidence. Part of it was that Luke had it in for me, weren't it? Sure. But that alone wouldn't be hanging evidence, would it? I mean, if there were nothing else to back it up. Of course not. But with the other things to back it up, there was... I'm coming to him. Now, that bandana. There's the one with Luke's initials. Nobody could prove that hadn't been stole from him, could they? Oh, now look here, Mr. Byrd. I don't want an argument, want an answer. Could it be proved? Could it? Sheriff, you ought to be able to tell me that. You represent the law. Well, if you come right down to it, maybe not. Curly could have stolen. He's around the place all the time. I never had to get fussed, I guess, supposedly for that hold for the sheriff and Cal, too. Sheriff stops in on business every once in a while. Cal's got friends among the hands, and he rides out this way every so often. You're talking nonsense. Them things don't matter so much. It's the no-bud route while he was dying that proves to kill an old Luke. That note. Now, I'm going to tell you just what happened yesterday. You see, gents, I know who really killed Bud. Oh, you can't. Who was it? I said I'd tell it my own way. Curly there says I can't know who done it. Well, a fellow to blame is here in this room right now. Well, now, we're carrying a fool joke too far. If you were just trying to be funny. Funny? Funny about the murder of my son? I'll show you how funny it is. I said I'd tell you just what happened yesterday. Well, I will. And I reckon the one of you that killed Bud will know I savvy what I'm saying all right. We're listening. Well, first of all, yesterday I got this here busted leg when my horse threw me when I was trying to get out from under a stampede. I figured at the time that stampede was started to get me. I accused Luke of it, but that weren't so at all. The fellow started it. Done it to wipe out his trail. If that note he'd written didn't work. If anybody set out to follow him, then the stampede had stopped him. There wouldn't be no more trail to follow. How come you're so doggone show? Bud was killed. That bandana was dropped where to be found. Then the killer rode out that note making it look like Bud was accusing Luke. Go on. The killer was seen. Seen by a fellow that couldn't afford to testify in court. Well, not. He rode out the whole thing and put it in that there envelope with proof to back it up. What envelope? Atten right there behind you in the table. See? Oh, dog gone in the lamp. Quick, catch it. Ah, shucks. It's busted. I can't see nothing. That was my own fool fall. She wouldn't have brushed it with my arm. Where's another life? Reach on him a bed. I had an extra one put there. Find it. Here it is. Light it up. Just a second. Now we can see again. And the first thing I aim to look at is that their envelope. It's gone. What happened to it? If it's gone, then the fellow that's guilty took it. He's... Come in, Luke. By golly, it's the fellow that was telling you about. It's the fellow that gave me that envelope. Now it don't matter if it was stored. He can tell which one of you done it. There's the man. He's pointing at Curley. Hey! Stand back. I'll shoot the first bullet baller. I'm going to the window. You stay here. I'll wrench it at the window. Rest your... Oh, stranger. You knocked the gun right from his hand. Arrest him, Sheriff. I've got him. You don't kill me, Curley. That's nothing you can do to save yourself. So you might just as well tell us why you killed Asa's son. Because they knew I'd helped Luke's brother, Russell Cowles, from Asa was going to tell. I had to kill him to shut his mouth. Then my brother was guilty of wrestling. You was the only one stubborn enough to figure he wasn't, Luke. And Asa, I was blaming you. When you was in the right, Jacks, forget it. What I'm more interested in right now is how the mask fellow happened by Bud's place just when the killing happened. Care to tell us, mister? I wasn't there. I didn't see the killing. I never claimed that I did. What? But I did see the note Bud was supposed to have written, Sheriff. It was written all together too carefully and too clearly for a dying man. Bud couldn't have written it. And as it accused Luke, then it was clear Luke hadn't written it either. You must have seen me. Asa told us what had done. He told you what obviously must have been done when we knew the note was a forgery. As of the stamp feed, when I found the place it started, I saw that Asa would have had to have been out of sight. The man who started the stamp feed couldn't have known Asa was in the canyon. Therefore, he must have had another reason. No cattle were stolen. It must have been to destroy a trail. But you stood right there and pointed out curly. The mask man and me had that fixed up between us, Carol. I claimed there was evidence in that envelope. Then I knocked over the lamp, giving the guilty fellow a chance to hide it in the dark. But he didn't know there was chalk on the envelope. When the mask man stepped in, he just pointed at the fellow that had chalk on his hand. Well, I'll be shocked. I never noticed, so you'll hang. And Luke, I reckon you and me can forget our feud. Asa, it's clean for good already. How's it all worth away? 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