 of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty, high-o'-silver. The lone Indian companion, Tonto, the masked writer 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 the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Wound slowly through the hills of the gold country, there were few tunnels or bridges in the tracks for the most part, wove perilously around the steep sides of mountains, steeply down into valleys and sharply up again. The telegraph ended at Alder Gulch, miles behind the chugging train. I had the rail span countless miles where there was little indication of man's conquest. And further ahead, small settlements rested near the tracks. Late afternoon found the train approaching a small wooden trestle that spanned a narrow, but deep and rapidly moving mountain stream. Disaster lay in wait. When the train were more scared than hurt, the engine plunged into the stream but the floor was a short one and the cars remained on the track. Progress was hopelessly blocked until the trestle could be rebuilt. The many miners, nearly a dozen of them, had no choice but to accept their situation stoically. They prepared for the cold of night by building a large fire around which they sat discussing the accident. Wait a minute, Toby. There's one of the railroad men. Maybe he can tell us. Hey, Mac! I guess you're sort of in charge of the bunch that's with you. You might say so. What do you aim to say? First, what did you want to ask? Me and Toby here was wondering how long we'd be tied up. You got any idea? Maybe a week. A week? Two of the boys started hiking back. They've got to go to Alder Gulch before they can send word of this trouble. And there's no telling when or the train will get here with the tools and things to rebuild the trestle. A week? Toby, that's bad. It's the end as far as poor Joe's concerned. Look here, Mac. Wouldn't it be shorter to cross the river somehow and go on to the next town west? Notation. Where are all you miners going? Going to help old Joe Bates. Me and Joe used to prospect together. We split up and agreed that if either of us struck anything, we'd team up. Joe has struck it. But if he don't get it inside of a week, he won't have it. I was taking these men to help him. I don't say any. Well, Joe leased some likely land and started his tunnel. That was most a year ago. If he wants to buy the land, he's got an option that runs out in a week. Otherwise, he clears out. Oh, and he's near the painter. Real near. But he needs to help to get it out. Hey, maybe we could go ahead on foot. Couldn't we do that, Mac? It's the town near Medicine Bend. Over the mountains, you couldn't make it in a week. Look here, maybe we've got wind or something. You said your friend Joe had to hit the gold in a week. That's right. It'd be worthwhile for someone to keep him from doing that, wouldn't it? I reckon so. I thought as much. Why? That trestle that collapsed had been weakened by someone using an axe. Who done it? That's what I wanted to talk to you boys about. There was a gent around here a few minutes ago that had clean hands. What about it? Tall gent with lean hips and broad shoulders. Thought at first he was one of your gang. Struck me. Didn't look like the rest of you. Hold on. I noticed him. Ben, remember me pointing to him? You said he was probably one of the train crew. That's right. I seen him, too. Where is he now? Oh, I don't know. Maybe Jack's seen him. Hey, Jack. Where's that stranger I asked you about? I don't know. Maybe Hank knows. Hank, where's that tall stranger, the one with the white hat? I don't know. Where in tarnation is a stranger? Find him. Maybe we'll find the man that cut the bridge. That's right. It's my little little lady. Bates lived alone in a small cabin at the entrance to his tunnel. He was roused and sleep before dawn by the sharp wrapping on his door. A day in the morning, it's Ben and his pals. He's coming last. Hang on, Ben. I'll be there as soon as I get into my boots. Scunk him. What's that mask mean? Rhett? The train. The one your friends rode. A Rhett? You mean my friends? Ben? Ben and Toby and the others aren't hurt. But they'll be delayed a week. No. No, they can't be. I'll come in. I want to talk to you. I'll see you here. Any man who wears a mask can't. I didn't say you could come in. I know. How do I know who you are? Sit down and listen to me. I'm hanging from him. Someone cut the supports of the trestle direct the train. Who knew that you were bringing help from the east? Probably everybody did. I didn't keep it no secret. I wrote a long time ago telling Ben about the setup here. You call the tunnel the Betsy Jane, don't you? What if I do? Who owns it? By all its right, I do. But the deed's in Tom Lacy's name, a scheme and buzzard. He thought the land was worthless when he leased to me with an option. Have you proof that it isn't worthless? I've done a plenty of proof. I don't care who knows it. If I could hit the pay dirt before the option runs out, I could get the dog on mine for next to nothing. But I've got to hit that pay dirt. Have you no help? What's all this to you? You from Black Tom Lacy? I don't even know him. He runs a cafe in Medicine Bend. The black snake. I see. Oh, I'm done. Do you try to work the tunnel alone? No, I've got a couple of men working for me, but they ain't much good. Fact is, they've been stalling, so it begins to look like they've been paid. But Lacy, not to turn up the mother loan till after I'm out of the picture. Joe, I want to know more. No call to tell you things. Perhaps I can persuade you to tell me. I can prove myself sincerely interested in breaking Tom Lacy. What? Mr. Mask or no mask? If you were hankering to break Tom Lacy, here's my hand. In camp near Medicine Bend, Dan Reed and Tonto were swinging their axes to fashion a lean tool. The Indian from time to time instructed the loan ranger's nephew. Suddenly, Dan stopped his work and spoke to Tonto. Wait. Dan, you plenty careless. Careless? Gee, Tonto, I. One thing about acts never uses before your clear brush. Keep plenty room to swing acts. Yeah, I see. You try to swing acts hard. That way strength. But aren't you supposed to swing the acts hard? No. Acts got heavy head. That's so acts do work and not fellow who swing it. Now, you hold handle this way. Yeah. Make acts swing and keep it straight. And acts do work. Now, take a little branch off three here. Here are the little branch. Now, they're room to swing. You swing. All right. Come, that good. My golly. It made as deep a cut as it did when I swung with all my strength. That right. Tonto, what do you suppose is holding up the loan ranger? Oh, him be here pretty soon. But I thought he'd be here before this. Maybe him start to get news about something. It's almost noon. The sun's just about overhead. Me know. He's sort of looking for him this morning. Tonto, you worried about him? No, me not worried. Loan ranger be all right. Well, but that's why he got me started building a lean-to. He wanted to keep me busy, so I wouldn't be asking questions. Now, Dan, there are plenty of things we need from town. Now, you're changing the subject. Here. This list of things. You go get them. Victor need exercise. You're going to stay here? Me stay here. Well, all right then. Where should I go for the stuff? Well, only one place in Medicine Bend. Back Tom Lacey's place. Big cafe in back and small store in front. Here. Money. And you go shop. Here, Victor. Yeah, steady now, Victor. We'll be tight in this stage. Then we'll head for town, huh? Is there anything else besides this list, Tonto? No, at all. You fetch it and settle there. All right. Come on, Victor. Hold, Victor, hold. Hey, mister, is that Black Tom Lacey's place? Oh, that's what it's, youngster. Thanks. You want vitals? Yeah. I might have noted. Just when I figured I'm going across the road to pay my part some cash I've borrowed, a customer comes in. Oh, do you work there? Run the store in the front. Got much of a list of goods? I guess I have. It's pretty long. And no count kid ain't never around when he could be of help to me. Let me see your list. Here. Grat it. Look here, kid. You know how to read, don't you? Not sure. Well, go on inside, then. You'll see stuff stacked in the shelves back at the counter. Take them and pile them on the counter, and by the time you're done, I'll be back. All right. If I ain't, then wait for me, so I can sum up what it comes to. Tom Lacey's mind in particular that I keep my record straight. The man won't tolerate nobody that tries to shortchange him. Go on inside. Help yourself. I'll be back. Well, Victor, I'll go in and wait on myself, huh? It shouldn't be hard to find what I want. There's a slab of bacon right on the hook. Yep. Now let's see. Flour, bacon powder, and a... Hey, kid. Yes, sir? Anyone around? I don't know. I just can't. All right, savvy. I suppose you wouldn't know who's in the back part of this place, huh? No, sir. Well, that don't matter. We alone in the store? Yeah. Fine. Yeah, take this envelope. Yeah. Put it in your pocket and take care of it. It's mighty important. What should I do with it? Give it to your boss. My boss? You heard me. Yeah, but I ain't... Dude, I ain't in the mood to argue. You do what I said and you'll save having your ears pinned back. Savvy? Yes, sir. Hi, Savvy. Got me. This is Zod. He must have meant that I should give this to Tom Lacy. Hey, might be in a back room. I didn't like that fella's looks. And a bad eye as Tom would say. I wonder what's in this note. I said I should give it to my boss, but... I'm sure that's what he said. Well, hang in old Tom Lacy's, not my boss. My boss is a Lone Ranger, and I'm going to take this back to Tato. Note plenty important. Maybe this note help us find Lone Ranger. Then you think something has happened? No, me not, no. Now, you go back to work and Bill lean to. What are you going to do? Me work here with you till after sundown. Then me call on Tom Lacy. You? Me call on Tom Lacy tonight. Second pause on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Acting on the information found in a note that was mistakenly handed to Dan Reed, Tato called on Tom Lacy. Me want to talk to you. Now, hold on. I don't let no redskins in this office of mine. If you want to see me, you go to the cafe and tell the barkeep your business. Oh, me talk to you. You talk to me if the barkeep thinks it's important. I'm Gordon. What about Gordon? Gordon, find fellow to wreck train. You pay for train wreck. So that's it. Sit yourself down, talk soldier. I didn't think Gordon would have a red skin. But it don't matter. Train was wrecked in good shape, huh? What you think? Good. Look here, I can't pay him after the first of the month. Huh? Why are you not paying? I told Gordon I'd pay him in gold after the first. He'll settle with you. You can tell him that the boys have actually found the rich pay dirt, but they covered it up so as old Joe wouldn't see it. As soon as I take over, I'll pay Gordon. Oh, me savvy. Heisen. What's this? You'll find out. Put that gun down, stranger. You're playing with suicide. I don't know how that redskins got my note, but I heard enough to savvy that he got it. Lacy, I sent you a note. Gave it to your kid in the store. I'm the one that Gordon hired to smash that train. This redskins a bluff. That train, Rick. And I spilled about finding the gold at the tunnel. There's nothing to do about that redskins, but chilling. No, wait, Dave. The boys at the shot will bring them in from the cafe. I don't want to have a lot of explaining to do. It won't need a gunshot. They've got other tools in the trade. This knife, for instance. I wish we could do it somewhere else. What's the matter, Lacy? I heard that you didn't mind anything. Not even cheating a poor old coyote like Joe Bates. That skin? You got anything to say about that? You plenty fool. So that's all you got to say, huh? Well, I'll... No, no! What's that? My hand. The lantern. Who's done that? Where are you? I'll show you now. Oh, man. Me's happy. We go. Where? What hit me? What happened? Lacy, what happened? Wait. I'll find another lantern. I'll have a light here in a second. Oh, something hit my gun, and then something hit me. And a redskin. It hit me, too. Those shots. It smashed the lantern, and someone came through the window. I got a fast look at the shadow against the night outside, and then I got hit. You must have been in a cold for a few seconds. Yeah. But who got the redskin out of here? I don't know. I was... What's the matter? You. Look here. You're on this desk. A cartridge. Yeah. Well, what about it? That their bullet is silver. Silver? You better tell Gordon I'll need plenty of killers like you. A lone ranger's on hand. Later the same night, Joe Bates awakens suddenly at the sound of hoops clattering to a halt outside his door. Oh, my. Great day. He's way up like these things poppin'. Joe, come on. You're leaving here. Me, leaving? For where? I don't know. I don't know. Get some clothes on. I'll explain. As I saw you, I checked on Tom Lacey. The sheriff knows what he's like, but the sheriff never has been able to prove a thing. Lacey is very careful to stay inside the law. I know that. Others do his dirty work. Like wrecking a train. Otto stepped into something that brought things to a head to night. You were right about your two workers. They're crooked. They're on Lacey's payroll. They've rotten coyotes. I knew it. Get those boots on. I am. They've found the mother load. Then they covered it so you wouldn't find it. But if I leave here... It won't be touched until after the first of the month. Yeah, sure. The sheriff will watch Lacey to make sure he doesn't take gold from the mine before the deadline. What about me? I let Lacey know that I was on your side. Yeah? How? By a silver bullet. Now our big problem is to find the gold. Oh, dog gone. It's likely to be anywhere in a couple hundred feet of tunnel with a dozen side tunnels. That's why you're dropping out of sight for a few days. Ready? I'm ready. Come on then. As soon as you're safe, I'm going to ride. A couple of days later, the sheriff called on Black Tom Lacey in his office in the rear of the cafe. The lawman watched the schemer with a shrewd eye beneath his shaggy brow. You never did tell her how you got that swollen jaw, Tom. What business is it of yours? None at all, I suppose. Don't try to fool me, sheriff. I know you got no use for me and you don't give a hang how I got my bruised jaw. How's things at the tunnel, though? Old Joe's? That's right. It's still old Joe's, ain't it? Yeah, but it won't be after a couple of days. Hey, ain't that a shame? I suppose you aim to take it over, huh? Whatever it is. I'm sure that Joe is close to hitting the pay dirt. Too bad if you won't be able to take up the option after all his work. When are you getting that? Have you seen anything of Joe? No. That's odd. That's the same answer again every place. It's mighty funny he'd drop out of sight this way. I ain't his keeper. Why should I know about him? It sure would be to your interest for him to be away from the job these last few days, wouldn't it, um... Are you making any accusation? Me? You should say not. I wouldn't accuse a man of a thing I couldn't prove. I just thought you might have heard of him. Well, I haven't. That's that. Well, thanks, Tom. I'll be going. You mind if I use this private door? I don't mind how you go. As long as you go. Yeah, I reckon that's about it. Well, I'll see you, Tom. Hang it. I'd like to know where old Joe is, too. Hey, Red. Hold it. Come in here. What's wrong, Tom? Anything new? Step inside. What? Sheriff was just here asking about old Joe. He don't know where he is, either, eh? No. He suspects me of hiding him or something. We've been taking turns watching things at the tunnel. Joe ain't been there since that night the Lone Ranger called on you. Yeah, I'd like to find that Lone Ranger, too. He must have told Joe what he knows. Red's getting hurt that the gold had been found and then covered. Sure he did. He didn't worry, though, Tom. You didn't have anything to do with Joe's disappearance, so there's nothing against you. I know it. As far as the gold is concerned, we buried that so it can't be found. I mean, you could look for weeks in the tunnel and never find where it is. All right. Baldi, see if Dave's outside in the cafe. He is. I've seen him there. All right. Call him in. I got nothing new to tell you. Dave, you seen anything of the red skin? No. Or the kid you gave that note to? No. And of all, a fool place. Well, how was I to know? Saw him taking things from the shadows. I know. But it was a fool thing just the same. I figured he was the kid who worked in the store. That won't let you know when I'd be around for my kids. Never mind. Keep looking for him. Tom, I don't see as you've got anything to worry about. You're just about in the clear, and they ain't but a couple of more days. But that lone ranger won't keep on doing nothing. Baldi, is there anyone at the tunnel now? We don't spend our nights there. All right. Maybe I'm getting proddy with thinking about things. Hey, there's something going on out there. Seems so. Shots. Gunplay. Open the door, Baldi. Bring this on the house. Keep him coming. Good for Joe. Hit it last. Hey, Joe, don't forget your old friend. Baldi's horse right in here. It's Joe. Right now, horse. Is he going to open it? Hey, my horse. This is my big night. I struck it, boys. I'm rich. Brought and rich. Here, catch. This crab will feed silver dollars. I can't believe it. Cash won it. When did he get it? So they struck it rich. Hi there, Tom Lacy. My hired hands with you. Get that horse out of here. Oh. Take care of this horse, boys. Howdy, Baldi. Howdy, Red. What are you two doing here? Joe, what are you doing? Ain't been at the tunnel nights, have you, boys? This is for you, Tom Lacy. Dirty, black Tom Lacy. This here's my notice. It's before noon, the day after tomorrow. I'm buying the Betsy Jane. You what? You heard me. You're throwing silver dollars around. Why not? I got them. Here, Joe. Baldi, this is your last week's pay. And the three weeks before that I owed you. Now you're both fired. Where'd you get the silver? You never heard that rich gold can be traded for silver coins? I know where I can swap the gold for silver and save the trouble of weighing it out to get the value. Now I gotta join my friends at the bar. I'll settle with you before the deadline. It beats me. Me too. It's clear as mountain air. That lone ranger found the gold. But he couldn't have. We had it here. He's found it and Joe took enough out to get all the cash he needed. Baldi, I don't see how he could have. Come on, we're going to the tunnel and see. Maybe he was bluffing. He didn't look like it. Why should he bluff? If he ain't found the gold, I know he's bluffing. I don't have the cash enough to buy the claim without finding the big load. Bring Dave along with you, boys. I'll join you at the tunnel. I want to tell the barkeep to make sure Joe stays here. I don't know this tunnel as well as you could. That better. Yeah. Tom, we ain't got much further to go. This is in the next side train. Hey, let's get there. We'd follow a lot of blind leads, but each one petered out after we'd cut a few yards into the side of the tunnel. The real one didn't peter out, but we covered it with dirt to look like it did. Turn right here. The barkeep will be sure Joe stays in the cafe with me. Sure. There. See? It's just the way we left it. You can't blame us, Tom. He didn't get no gold from here. Now he will. Sir, keep your hands out. He's got a red skin. Plenty of deputies. This is where the petered is. Make sure of it, Chief. Sir, let me explain. I mean, anything to explain, Tom. Look, the gold. That's it, all right. You see the low ranger rode over the mountains and bought all the silver Joe's pearls had. That's what Joe threw around your place tonight. What? He found the gold you came here. You showed where the gold was. Now Joe will get it, have it weighed, and pay you enough to take up the option. Boy, you're a bullet. Boy, you... Not much you can say, eh? Now go on talking. Dave, this letter you wrote tells that you were hired by a rat named Gordon. Oh, now that letter was stolen. That's a matter of opinion. But it sure puts the rope around your neck. Yeah, and Gordon who hired you to wreck the train and Tom Lacey, who was to pay you off for doing it. Boy, you half-witted fool. Why'd you write that letter? Sheriff, I ain't done yet. Red, you and Baldi better leave town first. When those partners of Joe's gets here, they'll likely turn for you. We'll get. Come on, Baldi. I'm starting out. Take the carriage to jail, boys. The railroad will want to bring charges again. And I look here just one question. One question, Sheriff. Who planned this whole thing? That fool Joe didn't do it. You didn't do it. Who do you think, Lacey? Heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.