 with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and the hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger was the greatest champion of law and order the early West ever knew. He fought crime and criminals through the length and breadth of seven states, but justice meant more to him than the letter of the law, and time after time he saved innocent men from death or imprisonment. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoof beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! We're heading for Stewart's Ranch! Hello, Silver! Missouri opened the door that led into Mustang Mag's kitchen, cautiously looked inside, then called softly to Mag that. Mag? I beg! Oh, my gracious, you give me a scare. Thunderation can't you make a noise when you come around so as your body wouldn't get scared half out of a skin? Hush! A sky pilot around? Oh, it's him you're dodging, huh? I don't know where he is. But if you're coming in, hurry up about and close the door. You're letting in half the flies and creations. You don't mind if I smoke, do you? Me? Take nothing to me if you want to poison yourself. Swallow arsenic if it'll make you feel any better. The sky pilot's again it! Again swallow and arsenic? Well, that ain't hard to understand. You know that ain't what I mean, Mag. He's again smoking. He caught me at it yesterday. That's why I never got my work done. Took him the better part of the afternoon to tell me how sinful I was. Just the afternoon? Well, it goes to show you ain't so well acquainted with you yet. Oh, now, Mag! Sin and laziness, Missouri. I pray I'm plumb full of both of them. You think the sky pilot don't all the time be hollering at a fellow? It hurtin' you, Annie? The day before yesterday he caught me talkin' to that dog gone mule. You bought off a Jake Nugent. Now I ask you, Mag, how's a fellow to talk to a mule? Polite and respectful? Shucks the Dern Critter wouldn't have no notion what you're gettin' at. And the sky pilot hurt ya, huh? How'd it like to been there? You shouldn't never let him come to stay here. Glory. Outside of being a white stubborn, I ain't never seen a more useful mule than that one. I'm talkin' about the sky pilot! Let's pick up planes. That's what I'm tryin' to do, dog-gorners! He's again smokin', he's again cussin'. You shouldn't carry a shootin' iron. You're on the right of horse on Sunday. I'll bet he ain't even so sure a fellow oughta go round where he should sleep roll up. It'd be in kind of immodest, am you? No, the sky pilot! You better watch yourself, Missouri. You're lettin' yourself get a mind out of hand. As for the sky pilot, well, I'd say most times he's right. I don't hold with smokin' myself, so I've never made a point of it. And there's a sight too much cussin' and gunslingin' goin' on. Nope. It ain't his opinions that are wrong. It's the way he goes about spreadin' them. He just ain't caught on to the knack of a kid. Well, I'm cuttin' out a calf for Brandon. There's a right and a wrong way to it. Man, you're just on his side, cause I ain't. And I'm tellin' ya plain, if he stays on here much longer, I'll go clean local. You're that already. Now shut up and give me a hand here. You can put this bread that's ready for baking to top the oven. Awesome. Careful you don't drop it. Me drop anything? Why, I'm the carefulest fellow in six states. I never... Nice. Missouri, you old fool, look what you've done. Now just look at the mess of me. Good morning, Reverend. Oh, what a shame. Oh, I'll clean it off. Did I startle you, Missouri? Sex, no, I just... Do I smell smoke? From the oven, most likely. A pipe? Do you know to whom it belongs? My gosh, I ain't the slightest idea. Oh, I have to, Missouri, it's yours. Mine? But I never loomed it to nobody. You were just now smokin' it. Me? Yes, you. Certainly you can remember a simple thing like that, can't you, Missouri? I guess if Meg says I was smokin', I must've been. But ain't it funny how things can slip your mind? Why, only the other day, I was... Missouri? Yesterday you gave me your solemn word that you were finished with tobacco. Did I? You did. Now today I find that you were attempting to deceive me. Missouri, what am I to think of you? I tell you, Reverend, there ain't much use you're trying to reform me. I'm too old. It'd just be wasting your valuable time. Now why don't you try it out on the young folksy? Like Meg there, for instance. I'll find a new one, Missouri. I don't see who that was just rolled up outside. Yes. Well, go and be if it ain't Rod Sampson. Meg, you gotta hide me. You just got to. The sheriff's right after me for somethin' I swear I never done. You gotta hide me and my horse too. Oh please, Meg, please. You heard him, Missouri. Hustle right outside. Don't saddle Rod's horse and turn it out with the others what won't be noted. I must say that this is... Now don't bother me now, Reverend, this is important. You'll be along most ten minutes. Then get in that closet there and close the door behind you. Meg, I'll give you my word, I ain't guilty. Of course you ain't. You think I have to ask questions to know that? Now get in the closet like I said. Oh bless you, Meg. I won't never be forgettin' this. Shut the door. Meg. Well? I trust that you're equated with a citizen's duty toward the law. I trust I am. What about it? Very obviously you intend to forget that duty. You're harboring a confessed fugitive. He's my friend. But your duty... I don't know how you figure things. But after you've been in the West for a while, you'll learn that a friend's somebody you don't never go back on. A very dangerous attitude of mine. But it's my mind, such as it is, and it's my attitude. And I ain't apologizing for neither. I'm sorry to see you taking this tone. We can talk it out some other time. Don't tell me you unsaddled raw tors in this space of time. Missouri, according to... He can be trusted. I come back to tell you the sheriff's coming. He's right. There he is now. Keep your hands up and keep your mouth shut. For all your practice, Missouri, you never did amount to much as a storyteller. Quiet. Come in. How do you feel? How do you feel, Sheriff? How do you feel, Sheriff? Well, heavenly days, Sheriff. What brings you here? You ain't after me for taxes this time, are you? No, you can rest easy, Mag. I got other business. I ain't seen nothing the Rod Samson have you. You're joking? No. But Rod's place is clear. He's on the other side of Soda Springs. Say, you ain't after him for something like that. Great I am, Mag. Oh, now you're joking. No, none at all. Ain't nothing the least funny about this. Rod's warranted the right serious charge. I thought I'd seen him head in here. What charge? Rush them. No. Yep. Mr. Seward swore out a warrant for him. It's where Rod's been stealing this cow. He says he's got a witness to it. So, I reckon Rod will have to go to jail. When you find him, Missouri. Well, if you haven't seen him, he must have cut over to the north after I lost sight of him back at the gully. I'll have to keep moving or I'll lose too much time. You'd do better investigating Seward. I wouldn't take that high-bond and pole-catch word for the time of day. Shouldn't let you dislike in him affect your judgment any, Mag. Well... Pardon me. Huh? Do something? I feel it my duty, Sheriff, as one who has the highest respect for the law. Sure, we all feel it's our duty, Reverend. And if anything should come up or we can be of any help, we'll be glad to... Well, goodbye, Sheriff. Next time... One moment. Now wait. I won't permit this. Sheriff, these people have made a fool of you. No, don't go on if you look here. Tyler! The man you want, Sheriff, is in this house. He's here with the full knowledge of Mag and Missouri. You will find him skulking there in that closet. Last, last... Careful, Rod. It wasn't our fault. I know it wasn't Mag. It neither was the Missouri's power. Rod, Rod. The best thing you could do would be to hush your mouth and start marching. Come on. You understand, Sheriff, but if there's any reward, I couldn't accept it. Mr. You'd better understand something. Mm-hmm. You just had to speak up and spoil everything, didn't you? Spoil everything? I knew all the time that Rod was here. I seen Missouri leading his horse away. Guy! I seen the muddy tracks Rod left leading to that there closet door. But, dawg, God, I didn't want Rod caught any more than Mag did. And if you just had the sense to keep still, I could have done my duty and kept Rod from going to jail. Next time, don't you meddle. Well, the very idea... A dawg on good idea, I'd call it. Now, do you see what I meant, Mag? I reckon I do. It seems that in this part of the country, not even the men sworn to uphold it respect the law. You know what they respect? A dawg on sight more. Well... Justice. And when laws get in the way of it, that better watch out. Young Rod Sampson had been popular in the district while Seward, the rancher who had sworn out the warrant for his arrest, was despised by everyone. Therefore, when the latter passed within the hailing distance of Mag's ranch on his way to town, met a group of cowboys coming from the other direction, the encounter led to interesting developments. Well, if there ain't Mr. Seward! And riding atop of a horse. Dog gone if I didn't think so. Well, if there ain't Mr. Seward! What's the matter, Mr. Seward? You think you're the only fella who can start anything? You'll live it through now. Don't you block that road. Oh, there. You had Rod jailed. He never stole a cow in all his life. And when a cow would like you, says he did, it just about proves he didn't. He did. He's a thief. And don't call a part of ours a thief. What are you saying we give Mr. Seward a little workin' over? Maybe it'll do. Maybe it'll do. Maybe it'll do. Maybe it'll do. Maybe it'll do. He made Mr. Seward a little workin' over. Maybe it'll teach him not to be so careless who he accuses next time. No, no, no, no! Wait, you cat. I série, you wouldn't dare! No, no. Please, ah! Drag him off the horse. Pull him down. Get his arms. Hey, watch out! The skunks goin' for his gun! Girl, this is yours. First or ya, it'll be self-defense. Watch out! You're shot, lefty. Where's a yellow pole, cat? We ought to string him up. Lefty! Where did he get ya? Oh, yeah, just my arm, He might have killed you. It wasn't his fault he didn't. Here's your own. There's a tree over there. Come on, grab it. We'll carry him there. Come on. Kill him. What? A masked man with a red skin with it. Help! Help! This way! Help me! Help me! Get back! Stay away from here, stranger! They're buttoning in. Shoot them. I'll get the engine. The masked man is mine! I... I have my hands! You can't get away with this, stranger. It's the must-have masked place, Thomas. You all right? They would have hugged me. I doubt it. I think they were trying most of them to scare you. They would have, I tell you. They would have. No, but they might have gone too far. There! Place! Right up! Oh! Oh, Scott! Hold on! Hold on! Hold on! Down with you. My... my horse. He can round him up later. If he doesn't return to your place by himself. All right, now you'd better stay out of sight. Have a great day. Hello, Meg. Oh! You! You're in town, though. Who's this you got here? Stuart. Some punters were threatening to hang him. Stuart. I want him to stay out of sight. Friend, are you? Yes, Meg. I know it ain't your style to let anybody get hurt if it can be helped. Well... But couldn't you have let Stuart get hung just this once? 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. After the Lone Ranger had rescued the rancher Seward from a group of cowboys, and had taken him to the home of Mustang Meg for protection, Kanto recaptured Seward's mount. At last, when the way seemed clear, the rancher made ready to leave. Well, we get along now. I won't thank you for nothing, Meg, because I serve it plain enough how you feel to omit it. And a good thing you do. But you saved me from the cowboys, friend. You were mistaken. No, but you did. They might have hung me up. You just understood me. It's just that I'm not your friend. I have good reasons for saying that. I came to your aid as I would have helped anyone else, no matter who or what he was. But I'll tell you something before you leave. So there'll be no further misunderstandings. Yeah. One of these days, you'll end behind bars. And I hope I'm the man who puts you there. How do you like that, Seward? How do you take your straight talk? Yes. I have nothing to worry about. Time enough to stop twirying when I have to hide behind a mask to dodge the law. Right put out, Wadi. Look at him. You know what he puts me in mind of? Nothing has to much of them white crawl and things you'll find but turning over a rock. But he's dangerous in the way all cowardly men are dangerous. They substitute cunning for physical courage. You know, there's something that puzzles me about all this. What is it, Meg? I'll put you right on it. The generation of Missouri wants you to never learn to keep shab. Ah! No, what puzzles me is why, Seward, accuse Rodger Ruslan. Just don't seem to be any reason for it. I have an idea. I know the reason. You do? I'll know more about it. Excuse pardon me. I would like to speak to this gentleman with you. Yes. Perhaps Mag or Missouri has mentioned me to you. I'm Jasper Cain. The Reverend Jasper Cain. Yes, they've mentioned you. I wonder, would you mind very much telling me that the man of your apparent education has chosen the life of an outlaw rather than to abide by the rules of society? Is it the easy money? This is one time you're barking up the wrong tree. Huh? For a great land agotion. This man here is doing what you just wish you was doing and he's doing it from here to the border while you ain't even got a good start yet in this hair county. Hey, McCrook. He packs more law in them two guns of yours than all the lawyers west of the Mississippi could write down in a month or Sundays if there was to work overtime at it. But the mask... Cain, you're an Easterner, aren't you? I have no reason to be ashamed of it. Of course not. But whom the little mag in Missouri have told me, I've gathered that you're trying to force a point of view you gained in the east upon the people bred here in the west. I'm not sure. I know what you mean. We'll put it this way. There's law and there's justice. In the east, the emphasis is upon the first and the west, upon the latter. If you rigidly enforce the law, then you're bound to have justice. There have been cases where the one didn't follow the other. For instance, Rod Sampson, a warrant was sworn out for his arrest and the law said that warrant had to be served. But everyone in this district is aware that Rod's arrest was unjust. It isn't for us to judge in these matters. That's the Easterner speaking. You come from, you scarcely know your next door neighbors. Here, people know everyone from miles around. Mag probably is acquainted with everyone within a 500-mile radius of her ranch. Well? When you know people that well, Cain, you're qualified to judge from their characters whether or not an accusation of this nature is true. In the east, you wouldn't be so qualified and your only course would be to depend upon the letter of the law and hope that it served justice. When you realize that difference, I think you'll understand the people of this country better. They have more success in your work. Barberist theory. Don't go on it then. If you think there's little of us as you say you do, why didn't you talk with me and hang around? For a very good reason, Missouri. Huh? It's just where I find persons as ignorant and uncivilized as you that there's the greatest need of my labor. Good day. What? What's that? He called me ignorant. He said I was... Well, and your horns, Missouri. When he said you wasn't hardly civilized, he sure called it a... Now look here, man. Oh! But all joking aside, just what is a fella like that doing out here? Why don't he go on back east where folks wouldn't be all the time offending him? My land, it seems to me... He's honest, Meg. Well, but just the same. And he's sincere. Those are qualities that are always useful anywhere. The West can use him when he's learned to understand it. Which same he never will. Don't be too certain of that. Huh? Meg, I have an idea that Reverend Jasper Cain will change some of his opinions sooner than he thinks. That evening, the masked man and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, were at their well-hidden camp, not far from Mustang Mag's ranch house. Santa, did you find out the names of the two fellas who claimed they saw Rod stealing Seward's kettle? Uh-huh. One fella named Blake, other fella named Shaw. Isn't Shaw and Nester who got a small place on Seward's range? That's right. And it's clear why Shaw would back Seward's story. If he didn't, Seward would throw him off his land. But who's Blake? Him. Seward. Foreman. So that's it. Both of Seward's witnesses, men who depend upon Seward for their living. You and I know, Kimusabe, that they lied. Now they suspect it, but we know it. Then tell he big lie. I wonder if they won't tell the truth with a little persuasion. Persuasion of the right kind. And positive Shaw would. How about Blake? What do you think of him? Don't go make him talk. Call Scout. Here's Scout. Here's Silver. We ride. We're paying calls on Seward's two witnesses. Me, Savvy. Yep. They learn a lesson from this tunnel. And Seward came with them. Not that good. Ready? Get him up, Scout. Come on, Silver. Hey, Silver! How are you? Power later. What do you want? An Ask Man. Sean? That's me with you. Sadly, of course. You're coming with us. Me, look, go. Get your head off that bridle. Joe Blake, aren't you? You bet I am, Mr. Knight. Let's go riding. Come on, Silver! Come on, Stormy! It's me, Mag. We'll now be switched. The Mask Man. Mag, listen closely. Tunner has Seward's two witnesses at our camp. They don't know that he wouldn't harm them. And the badly frightened men. I think we'll get confessions from them. Glory be. Things are going to happen. They'll happen fast. You'll have to know exactly what to expect. On the evening of the next day, a gathering of sober-faced men assembled one by one in Mustang Mag's parlor. Much to the bewilderment of the reverend Jasper Cain, to whom the proceedings were a mystery. When he asked questions, no one answered him. The group seemed to be waiting for a signal. A signal that came at last in the form of a loud knocking at the door. That must be them, all right. Come in. Get in there. Let me go. Why did you bring me here? If you've got no right to do this to me, put the law on y'all. Hold him. I got the scum. What? Quiet. Sit down. Sit down. What have I here for you? Make me a mask man, since you sit for me. Why? You're on trial, Stuart. But I... For lying, they get Rod Simpson jailed. And for shooting me. And for being a general all-round low-down sidewinder that ain't fit to decorate this county no more. No, you can't. You're not the law. I just bet we ain't the law. We're the same as vigilantes. That's what we are. Oh, please. Please. I've never harmed you. None of you. I've never done a thing. We know plenty you've done. There's likely more. Must more? We'll never learn about. Oh, no, you can't do nothing. The law has failed to punish you. Instead, it's holding an innocent man because of you. We're here to do what the law has not done. See that you get what you deserve. Oh, no, you're wrong. You're wrong actually. The sky pilot's got a gun. Where'd he get it? You can't do this. I won't allow it. It's not legal. I told you once before, Cain, that we weren't interested in the law. We are interested in justice. This isn't justice, and I won't stand for it. Don't move. Not a one of you. I'll shoot if you do. Why you? Be careful, Missouri. He means it. Seward. Get out. Hurry. I'll hold him while you get away. Bring the sheriff here. Every one of these persons has broken the law and is liable to arrest. Hurry. Bring him as quickly as you can. I'll get him. I'll bring him here. You're a coyote, Seward. There. You've let a guilty man escape. You've done exactly what I told you you would do. You followed the letter of the law and defeated justice. That's not true. No? Well, we have two witnesses here in this room who would have testified. They've been given a chance. Come out here. Why, it's... Mr. Shaw and Mr. Blake. Tell Cain what you know, or I'll turn you back to Tuddo. No, please. That engine will kill us. You can't do the choice if you promise... Then talk. Did you see Rod Sampson's steel cattle, or didn't you? Quickly. We... we didn't. He said that because Mr. Seward told us we had to... And I'll tell the rest of it. I'll tell you exactly why Seward wanted Rod jail for rustling, was because Seward's a rustler himself. And he thought that Rod had seen him at it. He wanted Rod discredited, that anything he said would be ignored by the law. Then you were right. Seward... Seward lied. And how do you think I persuaded these fellows to tell the truth, Cain, by following the letter of the law, by handling them with gloves, so they could go on with the lies and keep an innocent man in jail? I did not. As I told you before, it's justice I wanted. I... I let him go. The sheriff, he'll run away. Maybe he won't be caught. You admit that this time we were right and that you were wrong? I... I do. And... And you have my word, gentlemen, that I will do everything in my power to see that Mr. Seward is brought back to... justice. It won't be necessary. Everything's out of you two, Sheriff. Seward. Sure. Me and Taro didn't let this come get far. We was waiting for him out there all the time. Tamed you down some too, didn't we, Seward? You have nothing on me. We have plenty, Seward, now that Blake and Shaw have talked. Sheriff, you... you said you were waiting for him. How could you know that he... Did he get a chance to escape? Well, tell the truth, I didn't. It was a mask man that did. I reckon, Cain, he had you sized up pretty well. Cain, this whole thing was planned. Do you think you could have affected Seward's escape alone unless we permitted you? I knew how you'd react when you thought we were going outside the law. Missouri put that gun you're holding where you'd be sure to see it. I... Well, I... I guess there's nothing for me to say. Nothing? Nothing beyond the fact that I've been a fool. You've made your point. I was wrong and I admit it. And now? And now what? All that's left for me to do is resign and go back east, where I'm fitted. A man like me can be of no use here. You ain't stirring one step. Well, I should smiley. But why? Cain, you've passed the hardest test of all. Just like the masked fella said you would. Test? Masked man? He said when it come right down to where you've seen you was wrong, you'd be man enough to admit it. And by thunder he was right again. You did. 100 percent. And any fellow that ain't afraid to tell it when he's been wrong is a fella I can tie to. You mean... You mean you really want me to stay? Yes, we do. And Missouri and me will be to meet every Sunday in the year that there's a promise. Mag! Where does a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated?