 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a clot of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver. The Lone Ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Tato, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the planes led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. 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. Come on Silver, let's go be followed. I am Silver! His usual noisy and bush rest. That is, they were until the door opened and a big, tough-looking man entered. Hey look, it's Matt Bowlin. Great day. Here comes trouble. Matt Bowlin walked slowly, his arms hanging at his sides, his piercing eyes surveying the crowd as they waited in hushed expectancy. Then he stopped walking and spoke. I come in here to find Sheriff Conner. Is he here? Yes, I'm here Bowlin. I saw them reward posters you plastered all over with your name signed to them, saying I'm wanted dead or alive. I got them all over the territory. Yes, so I noticed. I don't like them. And I don't like you Conner. So I decided to come and do something about it. You did, huh? Yep. So now you got your chance to take me. I'm counting three. Then we draw and shoot, understand? Now see here, Bowlin. One. Take cover, man. There's going to be shooting. Two. Hold it. You're noted for your quick draw and straight shooting. Get ready, Conner. You're a killer in the note. Three. Bowlin shot down the sheriff. Why, he threw like lightning. The sheriff didn't have a chance. A few days later, the leading businessman of Dry Gouche met at the general store. Jed Stevens, the banker, was talking to them. Men, you all know what happened to Sheriff Conner. And you all know he's the third sheriff that the outlaw Matt Bowlin has killed off. The problem now is, are we going to appoint a new sheriff of this town? And if so, who will be willing to take it? Not me, Jed. You can count me out. I'm not signing my death warrant yet. Nobody in town is able to face Bowlin. Well, that's just where we stand then. Nobody will consider being appointed sheriff and Dry Gouche is left without a lawman. Things are liable to get out of hand without someone to keep law and order hereabouts. That's right. Wait, here comes a telegraph operator with a message for somebody. What have you got there, Joe? Got a reply to the telegram you sent to St. Louis, Mr. Stevens, from Sheriff Conner's son, Ted. What? Give it here, Joe. What's he say about the killing, Jed? Why, is he going to come out here to dispose of the sheriff's property? Wait, hold on. I'll read to you what Ted Conner says in his telegram. Listen up. I'm shocked to hear of Dad's death, leaving for Dry Gouche at once by railroad. If sheriff's job is by appointment, please consider me to take Dad's place long enough to get his killer, because I tell Conner... He don't know what he's asking. Bowlin will get him too. Well, let him try it anyhow. Wait, just a minute now. A good many of you don't even remember, Ted Conner. He went to St. Louis five years ago. He was just 20 years old then, and a darn nice young fellow, too. He could handle guns about as well as his dad, but that's not good enough to go up against Matt Bowlin. Maybe he'd be luckier than his father was, Mr. Stevens. Of course, if we're going to scare him off by telling him what he'd be up against. Oh, let Ted have the job. Yeah. Don't anybody tell him about Matt's quick drawing on. We've got to have somebody. Like Joe says, Ted might have luck. Don't seem right not to warn him, though. He's been East over five years. He'd be sort of a tenderfoot sheriff. Maybe so. But he'll be so enough at Bowlin to go after him, which is more than anyone else would have the nerve to do. Well, all right then. When Ted gets here, we'll appoint him sheriff like he wants. But between you and me, I have a feeling we're signing his death warrant. Ted will end up just like his father did, the victim of one of Matt Bowlin's guns. When Ted Conner finally arrived in Dry-Gosh, a committee of townsmen met him at the station. Well, man, there's the train from St. Louis. Ted will be getting off in a minute. We better give him the sheriff's badge before he meets somebody who'll tell him the truth about Matt Bowlin. Yeah, I guess you're right. But I still think there he is now. Come on, come on. Oh, Ted. Ted Conner. Well, thank you, Stevens. Sure, I'm glad to see you again, sir. It's sure good to see you, too, Ted. I won't take time to do any introducing right now. You can meet these men later. Oh, that's all right. Did you get my telegram? Sure did, sure did. That's why we're here right now to meet you. This is a committee that's come to give you this... this badge, Ted. The one your father wore. That sheriff badge. Well, golly, Mr. Stevens, thanks for appointing me sheriff. Getting the hombre who killed dad is the least I can do for you. We know just how you feel, Ted. There. Now your sheriff of Dragos. Congratulations. Congratulations, Ted. Thanks a lot. Congratulations to me. I'm a little rusty with a gun, but I'll get back into it enough to round up the coyote that... that shot dad. Sure, you little Conner. You can bet we're all rooting for you here in Dragos. Come on. We'll all go up to the cafe and celebrate the appointment of our new sheriff. Come in. That afternoon, Tutto, Indian companion to the Lone Ranger, returned to their camp in the hills outside of Dragos after a trip to town. Oh, Scott, hop on up. Hop on up. Easy, Scott. Easy. Well, Tutto, what's going on in town? Well, young fella, Ted Conner, son of sheriff who get killed by Matt Bourne, come in on train. Oh? Some men meet him at station, make him sheriff right away. You say they appointed Ted Conner sheriff in his father's place? Matt right. I wonder if Ted knows what type of man Bourne is. How quick he is with a gun. Well, me hear men talking for them see Ted get off train. Them say they make him sheriff quick before he find out about Matt Bourne. I see. Ted's been east for some time. He's a tender foot at the game of being a sheriff out here. Matt right. Him get shot by Bourne, like father get shot, maybe. It's not fair for those men not to warn him. I guess they couldn't get anyone else to take the job. Matt right. Maybe him give up badge when he find out Timos Abbey. Not if he's anything like his father, Tutto. Conner was a proud man. I feel sure once his son Ted has taken that badge he won't want to appear yellow by turning it in. But him not have chance against Bourne. Yes, yes, I know. Tutto, I'm going to disguise myself as a cowboy. And we'll both go to town and keep our eyes open in case Bourne shows up. All right, come on, help me fix the disguise. Meantime, that afternoon, one of Matt Bourne's men arrived at his hideout check. Oh, that ho, ho, steady. Brings you back to town so soon, Bert. I got news, Matt. Well, you hear this hot one. Well, a young hombre came in on a train this morning and his name's Ted Conner. Ted Conner? Yeah. He's the son of the sheriff, your gun down in the cafe. But the payoff is this. He's been appointed the new sheriff. Appointed as the new sheriff, huh? Yeah. Yeah, here he's sort of a tenderfoot with a gun. Been working in St. Louis for several years. Fact is, he telegraphed an ass to be appointed so as he could round up the hombre who shot his father, meaning you. Yeah, that is a hot one. Guess he wants to dive with his boots on like his old man did, huh? Yeah. When are you going to meet up with him, Matt? I don't know yet. Did they tell him about me before they gave him the badge? That's a funny part of it. They didn't. They were afraid if he knew how you could handle guns, he'd back out. So they met him at the station and put the badge on him, Pronto. He's found out by now, though, I bet. The men at the cafe will tell him. Maybe he'll turn in his badge when he does find out. He'd better if he wants to stay alive. Well, seeing as how he's young and more or less of a tenderfoot, I'll give him a chance to stay alive. Hey, what do you mean by that? I'm not going soft or anything like that. What I mean is I'll give him a chance to back down and turn in his badge. Yeah. Everybody will say he's yelling. He'll have to leave town. Yeah, man, that's right. Even though there isn't any other ombre and dry gull should take the job. So what are you planning to do? Tonight I'll print a note. Then we'll take the gang right through town and as we pass the cafe, I'll toss it in. What are you going to see in that note? I'll let you read it after I get it printed out. Go tell the men to be ready for a ride to town after supper. That evening, the men of town were gathered in the cafe. At the back and keeping to themselves were Tonto and the Lone Ranger who was disguised as a cowboy. They listened intently to the general conversation. Well, I guess Tad Connors is going to keep his badge even though he's found out what he's up against. Yeah, Tad's got courage all right. But he sure looked kind of sick when he heard about Matt Boland. Yeah, he's not too quick on the draw. He should have been told ahead of time. Tad's too proud to give up now. Well, I for one wouldn't think he'd yell if he did give back his badge. Well, well, is Matt Boland's got us all bubble-o'd in this town. Matt and his gang just about run things around here. I guess we'll just have to admit he's got us all licked. Hey, something's happening outside. Must be Matt and his gang riding through town. Maybe he's coming to get the new sheriff now. We better take the cover. Look there, they threw something through the window. Well, I don't see what it is. What is it? Hold it in. Don't have writing on the outside. It says, for a sheriff, Connors. Better read what's inside. No, let's take it to the sheriff's office and let him read it for himself. Let's go along, Tutto. I'd like to know what's in that note. A few minutes later, Tad Connors seated at his desk in the sheriff's office, looked up as the crowd entered. What's happened? I went to the door when that gang rode through, but they didn't stop. They threw this note through the window of the cafe. It's for you, Sheriff. Here. A note for me, huh? What's it say, Tad? Read it out loud. All right. Sheriff, this is to give you a chance to give up your badge and get out of town. But if you still want to play sheriff, then I'll meet you at noon tomorrow on Main Street, and you can die with your boots on, like your old man did. Signed, Matt Bowlin. Well, Tad, what do you aim to do? I guess the only thing for you to do is to turn in your badge, Sheriff. You're kind of rusty on shooting and Matt's quick and deadly with a gun. Better do it. I'll have to think it over. I'll tell you in half an hour just what I'm going to do. 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. All to continue our story. After Tad Conner had read Matt Bowlin's note and said he wanted to think it over, the crowd of men left his office as the young sheriff sat with his head in his hand staring at the top of his desk. Tad didn't notice that two men had not left, and he was startled when the Lone Ranger still disguised as a cowboy spoke to him. The man in town would understand if you decide not to face Matt Bowlin, Sheriff. Oh, I thought everyone had left. My Indian friend and I wanted to talk to you, so we stayed. You've heard of Matt's reputation, of course. Yes, yes I have. But I think I would have taken my father's badge anyway. I see. I admire your courage. Thanks, Mr. Does that mean, then, that you're going to face Bowlin tomorrow noon? I feel that I have no choice. I'd be yellow if I didn't. No one else would think so. Dad wouldn't have backed down. That's right. I'm sure he wouldn't. Hey. Hey, who are you anyway? Let's say I was a good friend of your father's, and I'd like to do what I can to help you. It doesn't look like anyone can help me. I know the cards are stacked against me, but I'll have to go through with it tomorrow. Well, I wait until tomorrow, Tad. Oh, what do you mean? I think perhaps you and I could shame some of the townsmen into forming a posse tonight. Posse? Yes. My Indian friend here could follow the trail left by Bowlin and his gang. That's right. They're moonlight. But what good would that do? From what I hear of Bowlin and his gang, the posse and us would be wiped out most likely. That Bowlin has everybody in town buffalode. Because of the way he can draw fast and shoot straight. I know. The rest of his gang are no better shots than a good many men in town. We take them by surprise at their hideout. I think we could capture Matt and the gang. Well, I... Bowlin's so sure that he has everybody afraid of him that I doubt if he'd have guards posted. What do you say? But if I don't actually face Bowlin, everybody... We'll discuss that part of it later, Tad. Come on. Let's go talk some men into forming the posse. Well, all right. I don't know why I give in to your plan like this, but the way you talk sort of gives me confidence. Let's get going. A short time later, Tad with a lone ranger in his cowboy disguise stood before the men at the cafe. Tad was speaking. Men? Men, this ombre here has the idea that we can trail Matt Bowlin's gang to their hideout and capture him once and for all. He's talked me into trying it if I can get enough to form a posse. Well, the last posse, the one after Bowlin, his gang got wiped out almost. I don't hanker for one of Matt's bullets. Just a minute, men. Matt Bowlin has terrorized this town in the vicinity for some time. The one in business here, no rancher with cattle to raise, feels safe as long as that gang's at liberty. Bowlin is proud of the fact that he has you all scared. He got right into town, came right into this cafe and shot down Sheriff Connor. Now he plans to put on another show by meeting that Sheriff's son, Tad Connor, so that he can shoot him down. Well, Tad's a fool to say he'll go through with it. Yeah, he ought to give up being Sheriff and leave. I guess that's what most of you would do. But Tad has courage. Something that seems to be lacking in this town. Now, Tad Connor's willing to try to get that gang tonight. If enough of you had the nerve to follow him, I'm beginning to think none of you have. Do you intend to go along, mister? Yes. My Indian friend will follow their trail to the hideout. I'm bankering, Dry Guelch, as you all know. And that gang has robbed my bank twice. By thunder if Tad and Miss Cowhan here has the nerve to try to run down the Bowlin gang, I'll go along with them. Good for you, Jed. I'll join you. Well, there are two who are willing. The rest of you cowards. That's strong talk, mister. That's right, it is. All right. Prove that I'm wrong by joining the posse. All right. I'll go along. Me too. Good. Get your horses and meet Tad and me in front of the Sheriff's office in ten minutes. Right. After leaving the Sheriff's office, the posse rode along in silence. Tad Connor, with a lone ranger and tato, rode in the lead. The lone ranger glanced at the tense, set-young face beside him. Then he spoke in a low tone. Stop them now, Tad. Tell them the plan. All right. Rain up, everybody. Now, we're getting there to Bowlin's camp. We have reason to believe that they won't have guards posted. Wait, everybody. Listen. I, uh... I... Tell them, Tad. I'm gonna ride on ahead a bit. Stranger here is willing to ride along with me. Oh, yes. What do you mean? You're wronging about it. We, uh... that is, I'll find Bowlin's cabin and try to take him by surprise. They're not trying, Tad. He'll gun you down. That's why... That's right. Oh, wait a minute. I, for one, have confidence in the plan Tad is following. The rest of you ride along. When you hear shooting, come in fast and round up the gang. You ready, Tad? Yes, I'm ready. Let's go. Get up there. You ride with a posse, Tad. Come on, Silver. We follow now. Get him up scout. Later in his shack, Matt Bowlin was talking to his right-hand man, Bert. I guess that note I tossed in the cafe scared the whole town to death. Yeah, but it scared that young sheriff more, I'll bet. It's my opinion that he's packed up and ready to leave dry gold right now. We'll find out in the morning. If he hasn't given up his badge and left, we'll face him at noon and put on a show for the folks in town. They'll see another sheriff drop with his boots on. Yeah, I got to hand it to you, Matt. You got that town and all the people in it right in the palm of your hand. Yeah, that's right. We got most of the hombres there, so scared they looked the other way when we ride into town. That sure pays to be the quickest down the draw and the straightest shot in the territory, Matt. Someday soon we'll move in and take over, dry-goach. I'll set myself up as mayor and let you be sheriff, Bert. Then we'll live respectable, huh? That's a hot one. Say, Matt, what the... Hey, look, Matt. Matt Borden stared at the open door. Finkley outlined outside the door was the figure of Tad Connor. Neither Matt nor Bert could see beyond him, or another tall figure stood. Reach, Bowen. I came here to get you. It's Tad Connor, the young sheriff. So it is. All you'll get is this, Connor. Oh, my wrist. Holy cow. I can't believe it. Drop your gun, mister, or you'll get some of the same. Yeah, sure. I guess I better. All right, let's go in. That was a lucky shot, that's all. You're luckiest, Tad Connor. Your wrist, Bowen. We should have had guards posted, Matt. They won't get out of here. The gang will be here after hearing that shot. Yeah, then both of them will get plenty of lead. Hey, hey, what's that? That's my posse. The police in town had the nerve. They got back to their nerve, and they found they had a courageous leader for a sheriff. Whoa, whoa, whoa! The posse round them all up, Sheriff. Yeah, and I see you got Matt Bowen. Good going. Early, Sheriff. We never thought it could be done. A couple of them tried to ride away, but we got them. I'll live. I'll sure have news to send over that telegram. Can I go back? I know, Samuel, this happened. I do quick as lightning, but somehow that young sheriff was faster. By a thunder, Tad's no tender foot after all. That's right. Can't say he's the tender foot sheriff like we've been calling him. No, no, no. Tad, your father would be proud of this. Mighty proud, I can tell you. You sure would. To think you did what nobody else has been able to do. Outgun Matt Bowen. That's right, Tad's a wonder. He's been holding out on us. Just a minute, everybody. Guess there's something you ought to know about all this. They already know you've captured Matt Bowen, Tad. There's no reason to say any more about it. It's enough for them to know they've got a sheriff who has courage. Because of that courage that Matt Bowen gang has broken up for good. Just forget what you were about to say. Thanks, mister. I want you to know how much I appreciate what you've done. Thanks. I guess my Indian friend is waiting outside of the other, so I'll leave. Adios, Sheriff Connor, and good luck. Oh, mister. Wait just a minute, will you? What is it, Sheriff? I have something I want to say to you before you leave. All right. Step outside the door with me. Well, Tad, what is it you want to say to me? Well, mister, like I said, I don't know how to thank you for what you did. The way you stood behind me in the doorway and shot over my shoulder, so they'd think I did the shooting. You proved yourself, Tad. Even if you couldn't have outshot Matt Bowen. But that's just it. Everybody thinks I did. They don't know it was you who did that shooting. It's better to let them think that, Tad. Believing that you'd become a crack shot will keep others from going against you. But you deserve the credit. The credit won't do me any good. That will help you. Let the matter rest, Tad. Promise you won't say anything about it to anyone. Well, I... All right. Good. You'd better get back inside now. Adios. Adios, mister. And thanks again. This is something familiar about that hombre who just left. But I can't place him. Yeah. I feel that way about him, too. Well, you'll have enough time while you're waiting in jail for your trial to think about where you met him before. Shall we take him away now, sir? Yeah. Yeah, take him away. All right, Buller. You wait. Yes, sir. Come on. Well, Tad, there goes your friend, the cowboy in the Indian. I sure admire the way he talked up to the men of the cafe this evening. Sure put this spunk right back into him. Yep. And the way Tad acted helped a lot, too. We're sure proud of you, Tad. Thanks. I wish I could always prove myself to you as I seem to do tonight. You will. Don't worry. There's just one thing I'd like to know very much. What's that? Well, I haven't any idea who that cowboy is who backed me up when I came here after Boland. I can tell you that, sir. You can? Who is he? Well, but putting two and two together figured it out. I've seen that Indian before, riding with a masked man near Paypal. With a masked man? Yeah. And I'm sure that tall, well-built Ambi, posing as a cowboy, was the one who usually wears a mask. He called his horse Silver, too. Holy smoke. Dad told me about him once. I should have known it. He must be the Lone Ranger. This is a feature of the Lone Ranger, created and produced by George W. Trendle, directed by Charles D. Livingston, and edited by Franz Stryker. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.