 Firing force with a sheet of light across the dust and the high high old silver! The lone ranger! Faithful Indian companion cuddle, the daring and resourceful mask rider of the planes led the fight for law and order in the early west in 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 River! The lone ranger rides again! For fear, the physical ill see! The ranger watched the gathering storm as he rolled its top speed toward a camp in the woods, not far from Trigger Bend. The Indian had been in town when the speed coach arrived, with one of several passengers holding the reins. Both the guard and the driver were dead. The mask man saw Tuttle coming. He was on his feet when the Indian drew rain. You've been traveling fast, Tuttle. That's why he's come to see the hubby. You come. Tell me about it, I'll tell you soon. Did something happen inside? No. Westbound stage held up. Guard, driver killed. Our passengers. That is so easy. There are three passengers. All tell different stories to Cheryl. What do they say? Well, one say, two cook hold up stage. Other passengers say, maybe three, four men hold up stage. And the third passengers have been saved. Big game. Cheryl taught now how to get straight story. Where did the robbery take place? The devil rocked. Rain comes soon. Wash away all sign before Cheryl finished asking questions. Get Posse ready. Well, that's why you came here on the devil. Good for you, Tuttle. We start right away. We may be able to find tracks. There are no stagecoach robbery for a long time. Maybe this new game starts. We may be right. If it is a new game, this is a time to smash it. Two or three successful robberies make it possible for a game to recruit new members who become too powerful. There, I'm ready. Ready, set, easy, go. One, two, three, let's go. The devil rock ahead of the sheriff, but not ahead of rain. By the time they found tracks that pointed out the place where the stagecoach had been halted, the rain was falling steadily. They got here just in time, Tuttle. A few minutes smaller, and then no tracks at all. Isn't that right? As I can see, there are only two men involved in the whole list. Two men and two horses. The man must have wedged an ambush right beneath these trees. A candy footprint here. Two different kinds of boots. Here's something, Tuttle. One of the horses switched his tail against his tree. With a long hair. A black horse. At least one with a black tail. The roof marks seem to lead north. Then let's head for Badlands. I don't know how far we can follow the tracks, but we'll start. Thanks. Nearly washed out now. My time sheriff gets here. Have you none left? Come on, Tuttle. Let's see if we can find peace. Ready, set, easy, go. Jeb Peterson owned a small ranch not far from town. When his daughter married Tom Morton, Tom became a well-liked member of the family. The family was at supper, and for the first time since the wedding, Jane was absent. She had gone to visit her aunt. The table sure seems better with day gone. It sure does, Tom. Tom declared things like she's been gone for 24 days instead of 24 hours. Yes. Yes. There's something wrong, man. Wrong? You've hardly touched your food. I guess I miss better. Tom, this is that tool. Is that easy? Something is wrong, Dad. What is it? Nothing. Nothing at all. I guess I was thinking of that stage hold up. The murder of the guard driver. Someone's outside. Maybe Jane's come home early and she plans. It's the door. I'll go. Good evening, Sheriff. I'll step in for a minute or two. I'm all right. Well, Jeb, look where you suggest hitting the round part of it. Take a look at this, Tommy. Tell me if you recognize it. The wallet? No, I never saw it before. How about this watch? Have you ever seen this? No. Why? Well, let me take a look at this. That's my knife. You admit it, eh? Of course. Why, shouldn't I? I'll get you ready. Jimmy, have you a black bin, Danny? Yeah. What up? I may ask some questions, Tom. Where are you, um, three o'clock this afternoon? Three? Uh, let me see. Oh, yeah. I was on the soft line checking fence wire. Can you prove it? Well, no. Why should I have to prove it? Because you'd be bloody handy if you had an alibi for the family stage hold up. Tom! What? Even as you've got no alibi. I'll have to put you under arrest. Sheriff, you must be local. What's the stage, brothers? We're the black bin, Danny, from the mask. All the passengers agree on that. Your mask was found near the stick-up. This watch and wallet and a few other things were taken from the passengers. I found it near the mask. I can see where you wouldn't want to be cut with them in your position. Oh, now, see, here's Sheriff. But, Jim, tell him he's crazy. I can't do that, Tom. You'll have to face the music. But, Jim! No use lying, Tom. You mean to say you think I robbed that stage? Now, you don't blame while you weren't near the line fence at 3 o'clock. I don't blame while I was. I thought you planned to check line fence. I was surprised when I saw you right in past the town. Right in past town? I saw you, son. I wondered why you'd left the job, so I followed along at a good distance. You were a couple of miles ahead of me around the bend in the stage trail when I heard gunplay. You're all at town, and I lied! The stage came with them past me with a passenger handling the reins. I kept going. When I rounded the bend, I saw you hiding something near some bushes next to the road. Jeb! Jeb, what in the world's gotten into you? You'll make a net up out of whole cloth. You're lying in every word. You're lying me to a hangman. Well, Tom! You might lie to help you, but he wouldn't lie to send his own son around again. I can see why he's doing it. I put all my savings into this ranch when I married Jane. I peered off the debts and bought cattle so that I'd be half-owner. Now the whole thing will be Jeb's if I hang him. No, Tom. No, that's not... Talk to me, you mealy-mouthed old goat! You have tickets to town, Tom. You ready to go? All right. Come on, take me to jail where I won't have to look at the biggest liar that ever lived. Tom, you've got to tell Jane I'm a killer! See what she says. Then you just see what she calls you. When she hears I'm charged with murder, because of your lies! Well, over in Jordan, Tahoe had returned to her camp after the tracks of the holdup men were washed out by the rain. The following morning, Tahoe went into town. He stood around unobtrusively and learned that Tom had spent the night in jail. And he learned other things that he reported when he rejoined the masked man in camp. Page, passengers. All go to Jane and look at Tom Wharton. Did they say he looked like one of the outlaws? All say he's same size. No one see-paste in holdup. Face covered by bandana. There you go. You said Tom's life had been found in the holdup. Did Tom say anything about that? Well, him, Blaine, Jeb Peterson. Oh, it's probably not. Ah, Blaine Jeb, fix Blaine up. I know of Jeb Peterson. I don't believe he'd do anything like that. Probably when was Tom arrested? Well, Sheriff, take him from the ranch house last night. Just before dark. Just before dark? Are you sure? Well, that's what Sheriff tell other people in town. We followed the tracks of the killers in the bad lands as long as we could see them. But Tom Wharton had made those tracks. He couldn't possibly have been in the Peterson's house before dark. That's right. Furthermore, we didn't find any knife in the holdup. Must have been placed there after we left. Ah. I know. I think Tom was framed. At least we know he was not one of the outlaws. We're the only ones who know it. We're the only ones who saw the tracks before they were washed out by rain. Up to us to act. You think Jeb framed Tom? I'm going to talk to Jeb. Are you sure? Right in the cinch. Jeb, not at branch now. Oh. You know where he is? He's in town. And we'll see him in town. All right. I'll let him come on. He's got it. He's got it. Get him off the couch. Old Jeb Peterson sat at the table in the rear corner of the cafe. His eyes were red from lack of sleep and his face was set in lines of worry and despair. He looked up with disinterest as two men came to the table. Yeah. Sit down, Red. Check for the old man. All right. Leave me alone, boss. I've done all you told me to. What did you tell this year? What's the difference? Tom's in jail, isn't he? Bart asked what you told this year. Answer up. I said I'd seen Tom hiding something. That's what you told me to tell him. Now Tom's in jail. He kept my part of the bargain. When are you going to keep yours? As soon as Tom hangs, then they'll all be sad. For you, the killer is paid. Well, that may be weeks. Not around here, Jim. It all works fast. You can't let the girls know before you hang. You might change your story. Is Jean all right? You said you'd prove she was all right. Here's the phone from her saying she'd been hurt. You might kill her after Tom's hung. But she can't tell about being captured. Name you too. He'd go to Jim. She hasn't seen her face. She can't make trouble for us. We'll let her go when the hanging's over. I just hope that you don't worry. Come on, Red. Let's go with a crystal palette. All right. We'll be seeing you, Jeff. A few moments after Barton Red had left the table, Toto approached the hot-sick old man. You, Jim Peterson? Yes. Yeah, I'm Peterson. Where do you want him? Well, you come out in back. Ben there, one top. Well, you not know him, but he's Ben. You come. Jeb followed Toto to the rear of the cafe and crossed to the saddle shed where the low ranger stood with scald and silver and a couple of other horses. One was a big black. You're nice. That's why I didn't hear you speak to you inside. But I... Toto told you I was a friend. You're on the loving. That's true. Uh, who owned this black horse? Why? Why do you ask that? I'm just wondering. Hey, go! Go to him! Jim, Jeff! Why do you do that, heart? Come on, Jeb, we're coming. No, he's not. Let me down. Go in there. You're running with me. Come on, go in there. Let me down. There's a fire. One, two, three. Oh! Yes, he was masked. Catch it, Jeb. I'll throw something away. No, no, no. It was your fire. You might tell, Jeb. Get the lizard testifier against Tom Warden. Very much. We'll try to catch that masked man. Get him! I'll kill him! The curtain falls on the first act of our low ranger adventure. Before the next exciting scene, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Jeb Peterson had no chance to resist. The low ranger grabbed him suddenly and rolled carrying the old rancher on the Great Horse Silver. Tom followed close behind. Red and bark were quickly out-distance. Then the masked man halted in an isolated gully. He questioned Jeb at length. At first, the old man was evasive, but he finally told about the evidence that had caused Tom Warden's arrest. You saw Tom hide the wallet and the other things taken from the passengers? Yes. And I came back to town and told the sheriff. Then I went with him in the posse and showed where I'd seen Tom hiding something in the bushes. They found his knife. He dropped it there. I know. We didn't take Tom to look for anything hidden in the bushes. Am I right? What's that? Jeb, you might have been a stretcher ahead of time just what to tell the sheriff. Huh? You might have taken a knife in Tom's bedroom and left it near those bushes. But why? To frame Tom. You see, we know that Tom was not one of the robbers. I and I were there before rain washed out the tracks. We followed the hoof march as the horse was ridden by the outlaws of the badlands. If Tom had been one of those men, he couldn't possibly have had time to reach your home before dark. But I... I asked you about a black horse in the cafe. Yeah. That horse was ridden by one of the killers. You see two men in cafe saying to chase us. I don't know what to say. What did you lie about, Tom? Did those two men make you do it? Please, don't make me tell no more. What did your daughters say when you sent Tom to jail? My daughter. Janie. My little girl. I don't know what she'll say. Then she doesn't know. She'll turn on me. The same as my wife. She'll hate me. Let's have the real story, Jeb. You're in trouble. More than you can handle. You're helping two men get away with murder. They must be clever men to trap you like this. They must be clever enough to start a new gang, a powerful gang. I was just sure I could trust you. Try it. I've got to. You're right. Those two are the hold up men. They're called Red and Bart. Go ahead. Jeb and my daughter. She set out to spend a week with her aunt and old rim. Red and Bart, they captured her. They're hiding her away. They planned to stick up a stagecoach. They were smart enough to know that the Lord had to be satisfied. Someone had to hang. But they made you frame, Tom. It was better they'd killed Janie. Tom was a life of a host. What choice do they have? You had proof that the girl was captured? Yeah, they showed me nose phone. I got them here. Let me see them. Yeah. I know Tom would be willing to die for Janie. He said so many a time. I'd do the same. I'd sooner die than go on living being hated by everyone including my wife and Jane. Tom. Tom. The way he looked at me when I took him away. Love that boy like he was my own son. He'd be free if you told the truth. And Red and Bart would be jailed. But Jane, she'd die. No one knows where they got her. She needed to be killed but the power of those cooks should starve to death. Yeah, maybe something can be done. I don't know what it would be. These notes from your daughter give me an idea. Yeah. What is it? Maybe we can trick Red and Bart into revealing where Jane is hidden. I forget when they get away from those poor cats. Time is my the short. Go back to town, Jeb. When Red and Bart asked questions about the masked man who made off with you just said it was a mistake. Tell them I got the wrong man. Yeah. But then what? Leave the rest to Tuttle and me. Tuttle. Uh-huh. I want to disguise. Get the old clothes and the saddlebags. I'll wear the false beard. I'll dress like an old desert rat. Then I'll write a note. I'll try to copy Jane's handwriting. By mid-afternoon, the news of Tom's arrest had spread to ranches on all sides of town. And in town, everyone was talking about the case. There seemed to be no doubt about Tom's guilt. Bart and Red were standing in front of the cafe on the lone ranger dismounted at a nearby hip trail. He was disguised as an old desert rat with tattered clothing and a scraggly beard. A great horse, Silver, with an old saddle, was sprouted in spree with dirt and mud. In the news of a murder trial, he brings a lot of stringies in the town. Look at the old desert rat. Howdy, pop. Did you come to town for the trial? Howdy, youngster. How do you do? You look to be a down-rider, accommodating gents. Maybe you could direct me to the Peterson Ranch. The Peterson Ranch? Maybe it's called the Morton Ranch. Don't rightly know. Now, if you could... Why do you want to go there? Well, you see, got me a letter in here. Got it in one of my pockets. Here it is. Let me see it. Thanks, sir. Where'd you get this? I didn't even snatch it. I said, where'd you get it? I don't see here, mister. I don't have to answer your questions. Maybe a bit in the cell, I got that letter. Got it, that's all. It's worth a dollar to me. A dollar me? How's that? It's very toxic to me, sir. Mr. Peterson and Mr. Morton give me a dollar if I take it to the ranch. If you just tell me how to... Here, I'll give you the dollar. Well, that's mighty kind of you. I'll be singing, Peterson. I'll give it to you. Thank you, young man. Thank you, kindly. I'm going to see what this here dollar will buy. Yeah, look at this note. Looks like James Handrighton. Listen to this. He says, I'm my way to old room. I was captured. I'm being held prisoner. The man who brings you this note can lead you to me. Hurry. Signed change. Something must have gone wrong at the shack. Maybe she talked a half-breed into helping us. We better not take any chances. That old timer might get talking. Go get him. We'll take him along with us. That's a good idea. There he is, man. Old timer. Did you read this here note you got from the girl? Well, now, young man, when you speak a reason, right? Never mind. I want you to take it to the place where you got it. What if I don't have to do that thing? You've got no choice. Get into the saddle. Hey, get going. The old linger disguised as an old man rode slowly on soft ground. Part was on one side and red on the other. There were several miles from town. There should be tracks along here somewhere. The only tracks I can see are those we're making. I'm looking for my own back trail. Make it like it's flying by a couple cross-cutters. Hold on. That'll be it. That's the trouble. Hey, what are you saying, that girl? I told you to lead us to the place where you got that letter. You've changed direction about six times. You're just leading us on a wild goose chase, aren't you? I told you I was trying to find a shortcut to my back trail. Okay, then, bud. Yeah. Hold on. I got it. Yeah, you're going with us. If you try to break away, we'll cut you down. Are we going to the shack? Yeah. Get on that car. Yes, we're going. Jeb and had become increasingly impatient as he waited in the cafe with Toto for the disguised lone ranger. Finally, he went out to make inquiries. He came back excited and badly shaken. There's trouble we didn't figure out. What the heck? I was talking to some of the boys, asking if they'd seen anything of a desert rat. One of them saw him talking to Red and Bart. When? It was over an hour ago. And listen, Toto, you left town with those two. That's not our lone ranger friend. Who? Masked friend. You call him the lone ranger. Great day. Is that who he is? Him go without law. That means something goes wrong. We've got to do something in quick. They've already got a big start. Him in cover. Him cry and leave pale. And we follow. The lone ranger still wearing in disguise was taken by Red and Bart to an old shack in an isolated part of the country. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Hey, get off that horse and walk insane, Mark. Get it? He was closely watched by both his captors. The door of the shack was opened by a half-breed. Oh, it's in your head. Get out of the way. You get in there, mister. Hey, man, it's your son. Got it? Breed, take a look at this letter. See, senor? You can read it. Tell me how that girl got it out of here. Amigo, she could get nothing out of here. She has been tied since the last time you were here. That about it, Jane. I don't know what you're talking about. But I do know you'd better release me. Well, I'll keep a gun on the old timer, and I'll breed as well. Right. Senor, a gun on me? There's something funny about this, and I'm going to find out what it is. Take a look at this letter, Jane. Did you write it? You know what I wrote. You wrote a few notes to your father like I told you to. But what about this? Take a look at it. What kind of a deal did you make on Breed so he lets you write this letter? Why don't you ask him? No, no, that's not true. I did not write that, all right? I know nothing about it. All right. Tell him someone's going to talk. I'll give you two a couple of minutes to take things over. And let me warn you, there'll be a couple of dead men in this room if I don't get proof back. The old man knew that he would be killed by Red Senior later. There was every reason to support but Breed, too, would be shot. Standing close to the wall next to the half-breed, he carefully weighed his chances against the two armed men and decided that he at least could die fighting. Well, Breed, you got anything to say? You ready to confess that you let the girl write a letter? I did not do it, Senor. She has not been untied since the last time you were here. About the letter, I know nothing. We'll get back to you in a minute. No, time or maybe you're ready to talk. Was that girl untied when she gave you the letter? Oh, I don't hear you, mister. Look out! A fucking low-knocked-aside Red's gun and the Moon Ranger's target low. Parked by it once. His bullet was high and chunked into the opposite wall. The Moon Ranger came up from the floor with a shop jab to bark to him. Take a skew! And then he grabbed the gun with his other hand but barked out loud. It is that gun! Not a chance! Oh, fix him! He think his gun is a club. Red's got down at the Moon Ranger's head. No, it's not. He barked your tree. Good work, Red! For a moment, the Moon Ranger staggered back. He's down. Finish the old critter. He's stronger than I thought. You'll break. There we are. Don't make sense. There's a little bird. Why are you up there? I'll show you. You haven't fired from the window causing Red's time as the killer swung through the door. The shower brushed in, followed by tunnels. There's a boat here. Don't wait for it, sir. How do you change? You may need your ID. I'm coming, sir. Hello. You've got to adjust in time. You all right, Kim? Yes. Well, you made it in time. You'll ride quite well and soft. Leave good trail. Oh. You go slow. We ride plenty fast. Here. Here it comes. Thanks, honey. Jane. Jane, honey. Are we all right? Yes, Dad. You just get these ropes off. I'll have them off in no time. I know all about it, honey. And so does the sheriff. Oh, what a situation, Mr. You don't need to explain anything. But your friend, you left him with these two kiddies. He came to me and told her he'd lied about his son-in-law. You did that, Jeff. You're doing the right idea. Yeah, there's some good tiddies there, Brett Lawrence. You in here, boys? Put some ropes on these ropes. Yeah, those men, Sheriff. You'll have me following me. I'd like to go to Mike's camp and get rid of this guy. Who's he? You're Brett Lawrence. Who's he? Let him ask him out, honey. As soon as you get them ropes, we'll take him in the town. I'll see you again. Yeah, sir. I'm curious about one thing. You were willing to look calm, hang to see the left of your bed. When the life of Tommy's friend was at stake, he told me everything, Sheriff. Come here with me. Well, you see, Sheriff, Tommy's friend means more to the west than any of us, including me and my whole family. He's the Lone Ranger. I'll see you again. This is a feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, created by George W. Trendle, produced by Trendle Campbell Enterprises, and directed by Charles D. Livingston. Tonight's drama was written by Frank Stryker. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.