 for the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hardy high old silver, the Lone Ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the masked rider of the planes led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness have come down to us through the generations, and nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. For the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! We're heading for Coffin Corners. Well, Silver! Coffin Corners was a tiny, dusty town like dozens of others in the west, just a few shacks clustered around a waterhole where two trails met. There was little general store that never did much business. Lige Perkins, owner of the store, should have been sour and crabby. But instead, Lige was always looking out for all the distant peaks of the Bison Range, and he was always singing a song. Yeah, those Bison Range mountains sure do look pretty this time of day. Sparkle like gold. Yes, sir. Someday they'll find gold. At least I hope they do. Sunshone so hot I froze to death, Susanna, don't you cry. If there's anybody to sell to. Well, sir, I reckon coming into the shade tells you're usually keen eyesight. Armour customer sells my partner here. My name is Weldon, Colonel Weldon, sir. His name's Jason. Say hi to Mr. Perkins, Jason. Howdy. Howdy, gents. Howdy. Be glad to sell you anything. Food, feed, and firearms. Take your choice. I've got clothes too, but they're might old, and I can see you gentlemen are well-dressed. Well-dressed? I can see you've got a keen sense of humour, sir. We're as ragged as the tag into the Confederate army after Appomattox. But we will be well-dressed mighty soon. Yes, sir. We'll have more money than John Sutter. More money than... Oh, gone, Colonel, you shut up. I will not shut up, Jason. I won't be a farting doer. My mind's made up. I say no. Well, it's mine, and I say no. Nobody else but I... No sense, Jason. There's gold enough for three, gold enough for a dozen. All we need is grub and supply. Now you've done it. Now you've done it. You've bladded it right out. Gold? Did you say gold? There, you see? Dog, dog, gone, dog, gone. Mr... I mean, Colonel, if you were my short of cash to buy supplies and such like, I'd be more than glad to grub steak it. No, no, no. We ain't interested. Jason wants it for all hush your mouth. Mr. Perkins, you're gentlemen, sir. Two gentlemen. Yes, we have found a gold mine. It's up in the bison range. Mark my words, sir. It'll be bigger than the motherload. We haven't worked the mine yet, but... Here, look. Here's one of the nuggets we picked up at the foot of the cliff. Gold? I ask you as an expert, do you ever see a likelier piece of gold or in your natural life? I... No, sir, you never did, never. Because that's the best specimen of gold or ever came to light. Why, Jason, I'll make millions, sir. Millions. We would only. Now... Colonel, nothing's going wrong, has it? Lack of a few paltry dollars. Eh? Just a few hundred dollars to buy supplies so we can go up there and start work and get the gold out. And we haven't got the money. To think that I, Colonel Wildren, formerly owner of 600 miles of... I mean, 600 acres of land at Kentucky worth thousands of dollars. Now I'm reduced to... Colonel, I'll advance you the supplies. You would? Yes, sir. Why, I've grub-staked hundreds of gold prospectors. Hundreds of them. I'll be more than glad to do the same thing for you and your partner. We'll give you a share in the mine, of course, Mr. Perkins. That's usual when someone grub-stakes prospectors. We'll give you a full third in my... No. No, we'd better not. Better not? Colonel... But suppose we're mistaken. Suppose there's no gold there at all. Why, you got this nugget as proof. Yes, but that might be a loose nugget that rolled down from somewhere else. No, Mr. Perkins, I wouldn't want to take your generous offer and then... No, but Colonel, I insist. I've grub-staked before, and I'm willing to do it again. I'll give you 300 worth of supplies. 400. Well, what do you think, Jason? We've got to have supplies, Colonel. He know. Mr. Perkins, sir, it's a deal. We'll allow you to grub-stake us. Sarah, I just grub-staked two gents who have the richest mind since King Solomon's. Sarah, when that gold starts pouring in, we'll... You sold our supplies for a share and another grub-stake. Now, Sarah, don't say it that way. You did, didn't you? Sure I did. Of all the hopeless calf brain digits I ever... Lies, lies, you never learn, do you? Every time anybody runs out of supplies, all he has to do is come here to coffin corners, give you a story about going looking for a mind, and you give him supplies on credit. It ain't credit. It's for a share in the mind. Have you ever gotten a cent back from any of those grub-stake deals? Not so far, Sarah, but this particular one... This one, this one, that's all I ever hear. Lies, do you realize when we came here, we had $10,000 to put into a general store? What have we got now? I ain't calculated up for a while. We haven't got a cent, not a single cent. All that's left is this store and what's in it, and those worthless grub-stake papers. Coffin corners. It's the name of this town and it's a fine one for us. This here stores our coffin. You're nailing the lid shut with your notions about grub-stake. Now, now, Sarah. Oh, I know you mean well, but you're so soft-hearted, Lies. So soft-hearted. I'm positive that Colonel will find gold there, Sarah. He seems such an honorable gent. Mr. Perkins, are you talking about a man who calls himself Colonel Weldon? A cotton thunder, a mask man. If you come to Robbish, you're wasting your time, Mr. We got a bare cupboard and an empty cash drawer. Oh, no, we not come for that. We come to buy supply and we pay cash. We're friends, ma'am. Pay no attention to my mask. I have my reason for wearing it. And we're on the trail of two confidence men that are wanted by the sheriff of Warsaw County. Your lawman? You might call us that. Donna, will you order the horses? I'll buy what we need. Ah, time to do it. You silver, count. You count. Perkins, as I came in, I heard you mention a colonel. I wonder if... What is it? Nothing wrong? The engine's name is Tonto. Why are you staring at me? Those horses outside. A white stallion and a paint. Well, Sarah, this here is the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Well, howdy and welcome. Mask, man, it sure is an honor to have you here. But how come you rode into Coffin Corners in broad daylight? I always heard that you stayed away from towns while the sun was up. I want to count that mask, I mean. There's no danger in Coffin Corners, Perkins. The only thing that's left in this town is your store. Yeah, I reckon that's so. Worst luck for us. But to get back to what I heard before, you were talking about a colonel. Is his name Weldon? Why, yeah. Here's a reward poster from the Washoe County Sheriff's Office. Read it. A reward poster? A confidence man wanted. Two men who called themselves Colonel Weldon and Jason are wanted for... for... Lies, is that their description? Yeah, exact. It's them, Sarah. I've been flimflam, not a $400 worth of supplies. That's too bad, Perkins. They'll never get back to Washoe County. I'll have them put in jail right here. You can't put them in jail here, Perkins. I can't? Why not, mister? Because they've committed no crime here. No crime? But what they just did to me... Isn't a crime. Didn't they give you a share in their mind? They never had a mind. Rub staking is a common practice. There's nothing illegal about it. You can't arrest them for that. Lies, the mask man's right. Why, those ordinary carpet-bagging side-winded... If I ever get my hands on them... How long ago were they here, Perkins? This morning, about six hours ago. I don't know what can be done exactly. However, if tunnel I can find them, maybe you'll get your supplies back. Now, suppose you sell us what we need. Afterwards, you can tell us which way they headed, and we'll hit the trail after them. Agreed? Take the bright angel trail, mister. You and the engine ought to get them around Pine Ridge. Thanks. Adios, ma'am. Adios, Perkins. Come on, Silver. Adios. Adios. Get enough, Count. Adios. Now, come back in the store, Sarah. Lies, where are you going? To get my gun belt and plenty of bullets. Lies, Perkins. What a nurse come over you. Sarah, I'm going after those hombres who cheated me. As soon as I saddle my horse, I'm taking the Apache trail for Tomahawk. Those eyes, just a second. Do you mean to tell me those two crooks took the Apache trail? Sure they did. I saw them. But you sent the Lone Ranger and Tonto the other way. They took the bright angel trail to Pine Ridge. I did that deliberate, Sarah. I aimed to get those skunks myself, that's why. What? You mean to send them the wrong way, just so you... Sarah, you heard the mask man. He said the Colonel and Jason can't be arrested for what they did to me. But they cheated me and I'll make them pay. And I aimed to do it my way, myself. Lies, you certainly have changed. He used to be so happy, always singing. Sarah, I've been a worm. But now the worm is turning. When I meet up with those two crooks in Tomahawk, I'm going to pay them off in bullets. Don't wait up for me. They'll kill him and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Lies just wouldn't listen to me. What's that? A horse. Is that you, Lies? No, Miss Perkins, it's Tonto Lies. We go to Pine Ridge, but men aren't there, so we come back. Lies must have gotten his directions mixed. Miss Perkins, wait. Ma'am, you're crying. What's wrong? Lies misdirected you deliberately. Those cheats didn't go to Pine Ridge. They took the Apache trail, not the Bright Angel, they're heading for Tomahawk. And Lies is after him. Why him do that? He plans to settle a fight himself. The guns? He took his gun belt with him. Oh, cameos, hubby. Him not got chance. Well done him, plenty good shot. Lies never pulled a trigger and anger all his life. I'll never see him again. We'll do what we can. What's that? Our horses are still fresh. They can beat anything on four feet. Aren't that right? Silver and scout get to Tomahawk like flying eagles. Mister, engine, you mean you'll try to save Lies? We get there in time. Keep a prayer on your lips, ma'am. Come on, Tuttle. The Apache trail. I'll pray, mister. I'll pray every single minute. Get him up, scoundrel! Yes, sir, Jason, we've fleeced him proper. You might call it Jason and the Golden Fleece. Plus me, of course. Huh? Don't ever mind, Jason. You aren't up on your mythology. Just a little private jest, that's all. Shall we have another drink? Oh, I don't know why not. We sold Perkins's supplies for $400, Colonel. Colonel? Oh, Colonel, that's rich. I reckon I'm pretty smooth at turning on that poverty-stricken Southern gentleman talk, aren't I? 600 acres in old Kentucky, sir. Loosed everything in the wall. You see before you a broken and beaten man who... And you see before you a cheated man, Colonel. Oh, my cats, Perkins. Yeah, I've been to every cafe in Tomahawk. I knew I'd run into your sooner or later. We're gonna shoot it out right now. Just reach for your guns. Very well, Mr. Perkins. You've asked for it, and I'll give you satisfaction. But there's no need to spoil this wooden floor here. We'll adjourn to the street and start at once. Mr. Perkins, you're gonna die with your boots on. 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. To our story, there was a bright moon over the main street of Tomahawk. Word of the gun battle spread like wildfire, and every cafe and hotel emptied as men poured out to line the street. Now, what's it about? Sheriff, this armory cheated me. I'm calling him on it. The moon gives me clear eye on both of you. Seems I recognize you. Aren't you Lies Perkins from over Coffin Cornerway? Yep. This other gentleman. I saw him a stranger in this town. Yeah, so I see. You're low on this town against gunfights? I'm sorry to say there isn't. I hope we get it someday, but right now there isn't much... If you step aside, Sheriff, this man and I will finish our business. All right. But I'll stick around just to make certain this gunfight is conducted fair and square. Now, you go down past the Blue Sky Hotel, Savvy. I'm on my way, sir. Perkins, you go up beyond the church. Yes, sir, Sheriff. You start walking down the street toward each other and start firing as soon as you've got a mind to. And I'll make certain nobody shoots before you both get to the appointed places. Now, everybody, clear the way. All right. Stand where you are. You, Perkins. I hear you, Sheriff. You've passed the church. Turn around. You there. Kino, now you're facing each other. Now keep your guns in the holsters. Any time after I give you the word and you start walking, you can draw and shoot to suit yourself. Understood? I understand. Yes, give the word, Sheriff. All right. I aim to get so close I can't miss. Every step brings you near your grave. You can't scare me. I aim to get... Come on, Sylvester. This place is whose outrider? Perkins, you're coming with me. Fast back all the way. There'll be no gunplay. I'm taking you out of town. Didn't you shoot Perkins when you had the chance, Jason? Yeah, the chance didn't come. I had to wait until somebody drawed a gun, didn't I? There were plenty of shots. Sure, but all from that masked man. Oh, well. At least we're rid of Perkins. He'll be gone from here in a few hours. I wonder who that masked rider was. I don't know. I never saw him before. Didn't get a good look as it was. He was in and out like card-sharp fingers. Where is the Perkins? Where lights Perkins? Sir, what do you want, engine? Am I right? He part. Where lights Perkins? You mean the Perkins who runs a general store at Coffin Corners? Ah, that him. Me bring good news. Him on big gold strike. What? Ah, rubbed stock there. Take claim. Other men die. All belong to Perkins. Me come to tell him. Here, here, here. Come on, now. Come on, tell us about it. Let's have the whole story. Sure. Good for Perkins. It's about time he had some luck. Tell us about it, engine. Nothing more to tell. Too bad Perkins, him not here. Me right. Plenty hard. Better head for Coffin Corners, engine. I'll meet too tired. Me go and morning. You get good news. Wait for them, huh? Now, we got out without being noticed, Jason. Come with me. What's this all about? Come along. We'll have to move fast. Now listen, Jason. We move fast enough we can get that gold mine for ourselves. Huh? I figured it all out inside. The Indian gave the location. 600 yards due south of Eagle Rock near Buffalo Pass. You know it. Sure, I could go there blindfolded. That's up in the bison range. We've been there plenty of times. But we can't just walk in and take the gold. Oh, no, Jason. No, indeed. You know me. You will do this legal. You local. No far from it, Jason. My boy far from it. But Perkins owns it. Yes, yes, he does. Owns it completely. You heard the Indians say his partners were dead. But remember this, Jason. Perkins doesn't know about it. Huh? He hasn't been told yet. And the Indian isn't leaving to tell him until the morning. Oh, I'm still not clear. Jason, sometimes I wonder if you're as dumb as you appear to be. Look, Perkins has grub-staked hundreds of prospectors, hasn't he? Sure. That's why it was such an easy mark for us. And he still will be, my boy. He still will be. Don't you see? Perkins has all those hundreds of grub-stakes. He never realized a thing on one of them. Now, in addition to the money we got when we sold those supplies, we have a lot more cashed away. We're leaving to get that money, Jason. Then we're riding to coffin corners to talk to Perkins. And as soon as he sees you, he'll reach for a gun. Now, you know me better than that. I'm a smooth talker, Jason. You wait and see. When I talk to Perkins, butter won't melt in my mouth. That's you, sir. Lies, you sure it's good to see you so happy again. I never thought I would. I was a pretty big food guest, sir. Masked man saved my life, I reckon. I'm eternally grateful to him. So am I, sir. So am I. And you're so cheerful. You mean that swindle I fell for yesterday? I thought that was the final straw, Lies. That Colonel Weldon and the other. Yeah, sure are a couple of coyotes. Oh, well, no. Since crying over spilled milk. You mean you finally learned your lesson. From now on, sir, I tend strictly to business. Yes, sir, he's strictly to business. No. Why, Sarah? No, Shucks. Because I'm so happy. I'm not crying. I reckon we'll make out all right after all. Sure will, sir. See, hasn't you better get back to kitchen. Those biscuits might work. Oh, gracious, I clean forgot. Yes, sir. And remember... Morning, Jen. Something I can... Well, I'll be... Not just a minute, Perkins. Hold your horses. Let go. If I get my hands on my gun... Perkins, please. We came back to ask your pardon. You... you come back to what? Yes, Mr. Perkins, you see before your two reformed characters. Two reformed? Well, one of much is local. I mean it. I mean it from the bottom of my heart, sir. So do I, Perkins. We own up. We cheated you, sir, and we've come back to make amends. Mr. Perkins, last night, after you left. Well, Jason and I went into the church in Tomahawk. Before we came out, we realized how wrong we'd been. Isn't that so, Jason? Yes, sir, it's a solemn truth. For a couple of gents as ornery as we used to be, a telly... Yes, yes, yes, of course. Perkins, we offer you the hand of friendship. Well, now that... Say, what about those supplies you squintled out of me? We're gonna give you that money back, every bit of it. Well, I... I don't know what to say. Sir, we ask your forgiveness. Well... Oh, I reckon I never was one to hold a grudge. If you say you're... Jason, Jason, you hear that, my boy? We've been forgiven. Mr. Perkins has reached into the bottom of his heart and found forgiveness there. Sir, here's your money. And what's more, Mr. Perkins, we're gonna give you more money right here and now. We feel the only way to make full payment for the wrong we did is to do something for you. Uh... Test your bread upon the water, and it returns twofold. Yes, yes, that's it. Well put, Jason, my boy. Well put. We have more money for you, Mr. Perkins. I don't accept money for nothing. Oh, but we insist. If you refuse to accept the money alone, well, give us something in return. For example, sir, you have a lot of grub-steak notes. Oh, they're all worthless. Oh, you can't be sure of that, Mr. Perkins. You can't be sure. Now, suppose we give you, say, $500 in return for one of those claims. Just spread them out on the table. We'll take our pick. That's fair enough, isn't it? Sara! Get your bonnet on. We're taking a ride. I want to hit you up the buggy. A ride? But the store... We'll lock it up. We got to celebrate, Sara. I just took in $900 cash money. Look at my biscuits. Never mind your biscuits. Get your bonnet. Yes, sir, we'll take a ride. And I think we'll head up into the Bison Range. Up near Buffalo Pass and Eagle Rock. Mighty nice country up there. Mighty nice. Well, there's no gold here. Welton, that Indian got it wrong. This place hasn't even been worked. I don't understand it, Jason. Are you sure this is the place? Oh, it's the exact location. We've been took, Welton. That claim you got from Perkins isn't worth a penny. Well, I'll be... And he got $900 cash from us for the... Go right ahead, gents. Don't stop working the count of us. Come on, get up, boy. I reckon he was a busy digger. He didn't hear us right up, eh? You find any gold, Perkins? There was any gold here. It was all a trick. I'm not telling Sarah about it on the way up here. But you, gents, shouldn't mind. After all, you ought to be used to tricks. He's reaching for his guns. Oh, my hands. Somebody shot my hands. Oh, I'll be the mask man. You're not hurt. The gun was shot from your hands. Just keep your hands in the air and get on your horse. Welton. Welton, that Indian with the mask man. He's the one who was in Tomahawk last night. That's right. Use plenty smart ombre, huh? You're not so smart now, huh? You're not so smart now, huh? Ha, ha, ha. You get on horse pronto. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. Where you taking us? Sheriff of Warshow County, won't you, man? Donald and I are taking you to his jail. But it's not legal. I protest. You can't arrest us unless we're in the county where the crime is committed. That's right, Welton. That's why we're taking you in, huh? What's that? That's why we picked this particular claim. The ground you're standing on is Warshow County. Now get going. Ah, you go. Go. Adios. Adios. Lige. Lige, did you see the look on those crossbases? Standing right in Warshow County, they never knew it. Lige, will you stop laughing and listening? Sure, I can't stop. I reckon I'll laugh every time I think of it. Yes, sir. For a couple of smart confidence men, those gens sure got the woolpull over their eyes when they met up with a lone ranger. Yes, sir. I'll see you there.