 horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the lone ranger. Whenever men gathered around the campfire in the early days of the west of the United States, stories were told of the masked rider of the planes. In a country where acts of heroism were a daily occurrence, no one could match his courage. At a time when only the strong survived, no one could match his strength. He led the fight for justice on the frontier and it was he more than any other man who blazed the trail for the winning of the west. Return with us now those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse silver. The lone ranger rides again. Perhaps the reason that Jasper Wellington never married was because his sly, sneaking, foppish nature made every woman in pay coast distrust him. He did, however, make a good though somewhat dishonest living as a lawyer and fixer. As our story opens, we find him seated at the breakfast table with his sister. A heated argument has reached its climax on me. It's none of your business, Celia. Now thank you to me and your own business. When folks have so much to say about you that it comes back to me, Jasper, it is my business. Folks lie. No, no, they don't. I've tried to overlook a lot of the things you've done, tried to shut my eyes to the underhanded way you framed evidence to get crooks out of jail and send honest men to jail. I've tried not to believe the stories about the way you bribe and threaten and cajole everyone, but at last I see here as others do. All right, what are you going to do about it? Nothing, Jasper. It's you that'll have to do. You've got to leave pay coast. Who says so? You know who said so. Before the lone ranger left pay coast, he warned you to leave town. Ah. Very well, Jasper. Stay around if you want. He isn't anywhere near here. Or is he? Use your own judgment. It doesn't matter to me. Answer me. Do you know something, Celia? Let go of my arm, Jasper. You're hurting me. I ask you a question. What do you know about the lone ranger? Please, my arm. I am your brother. You owe it to me to tell me what you know. Now talk. Let go of me. Celia, you tell me what you know or I swear I'll... All right, if you want to know. The lone ranger kept in Grand Pass last night. He did. How do you know? Missouri wrote in the town before you were out of bed this morning. Is the lone ranger on his way here? Missouri didn't say. You can decide for yourself. So, he's coming back, is he? I suppose he's been trying to get some proof against me. Well, he can't do it. Well, show him. Just let him come to pay coast. Well, show him. Don't you want the rest of your breakfast? No. He's headed directly for the cafe. A boy was sweeping the floor of the porch as Wellington approached. And a couple of men were sitting on the steps. Hey, neither you fell or seen anything, Osage. Yeah, he's inside, Wellington. I wonder what that coyote wants of Osage now. What was that you said? I called you a coyote, Wellington. You want to make something of it? Maybe I will. Later on. He's still a coyote, eh? He sure enough is. Wonder what devilman him and Osage is going to scheme up now. There you, Jack. Can't you go inside and sweep where you'll kick up some dust into the face of Wellington and Osage? I'm all done sweeping the porch anyhow. Now I've got to go inside and get that cleaned up. Now, mind, Osage, the point's simple this. You go and get that man as he comes into town, or I'll turn what evidence I have against you over to the sheriff and let you get thrown into jail. You don't give a critter much of a chance, Wellington. Take your choice. I reckon you know I can send you to jail anytime I want it. Dead wretch. You do get a man out in trouble with a law you see to it. You keep up plenty of evidence to hold over his head, don't you? This man is going to be coming from Grand Pass to Pay Coast. You can lay and wait for him on the edge of that old aroyer just outside the town. Yeah, I sure don't hank at a meds' gun speed with that critter, though. You don't need to. You mean dry gulch him? Of course. Knock him off the saddle before he gets a chance to see you. When is that redskin'll be with him? He is. You can drop him, too. You can get two shots out before the Indian could get you. Come, found that dust. That blamed kid. Hey, you! Yes, sir? What's the matter with you? Headed fool? Haven't your brains enough not to sweep for a minute trying to talk? But I've got to sweep, Mr. Wellington. That's how I earn my vitals. I don't give a hank about your vitals. You can star-fall on me, but you can't sweep while I'm around here. Now, get! But, Mr. Wellington... I said get! You fetch the kid a pretty hard whack, Wellington. Well, what of it? What about it now? Are you going to do what I told you? Shucks, you don't give me no choice. Then you better get going. No tellin' how soon he'll be ridin' into town. Wellington? Well, Wellington, that maystown breeze as good as dead right now. Osage took up his post with the trail went through an arroyo and wetted while the sun climbed high in the heavens and the day advanced toward noon. The Lone Ranger and Tonto, his faithful Indian companion, had spent part of the morning visiting with an old acquaintance near Grand Pass. They were later starting on the last leg of their journey toward Pecos, but still they traveled slowly. Just as well, Tonto, to give our horses as much rest as we can. There's no telling when we'll have to call on them for a lot of action. That's right. I have an idea. We may find trouble at Pecos. What trouble? I'd hope we'd come back with proof that Wellington is a crook. Oh, that we couldn't get that proof. Now what we do? We've got to find some way to drive him out of the district. He's more dangerous than outlaws. Him plenty bad, him plenty smart. He's shrewd and crafty. He uses other men to carry out his crooked scheme. That's right. Even if the law does capture an outlaw of Wellington with his knowledge of Lone, his scheming plans makes it practically impossible to put the man in jail. You wait. Oscar! What's the matter, Tonto? Look, yonder. This how? What is it, Kimosabe? Birds scared. Brush would move. What do you mean? Maybe follow height there. Brush is moving and there's no breeze. That's right. I wonder what it might be. Maybe some small animal. We keep sharp look. The Lone Ranger and Tonto set their horses watching intently. But they saw no sign of Osage hidden in the brushwood beside the trail. They run aware that the grim barrel of a rifle was being pointed straight at the masked man's heart. And that Osage was slowly tightening his finger on the trigger. Then suddenly the shrill yell of a 12-year-old boy sounded the warning. Look out! Look out! You can't find it, kid! Look out! Help! I'll kill you for this! Let go of that gun! I can't do it! Let go of my rifle! I can't do it! I won't! I won't! I'll show you! They won't get me! Come here, Blackie Boy! Officer Square counts with you some other time! Get up there! Get up! Osage! Osage! He was gonna shoot you! How are you badly hurt? Go get Osage. He was gonna drag out you. He had his rifle leveled at you. He was gonna kill you. Go get him! Steady, son. There's plenty of time to get him. I want to see how badly you're hurt. He hits you pretty hard. I'm all right. It's a nasty cut you got when you fell. It ain't nothing. Have a look at it, Tonto. Tonto, fix him. Let me get water. I'll be all right, mister. Sure you will. Now, don't try to get up just yet. Stay right where you are until Tonto addresses that wound of yours. Why don't you get Osage? Go on, chase him on. You got the chance. He's leaving a pretty clear trail. We can get him any time. What's your name, lad? Well, they just call me Jeff. Are you from Pecos? Yeah. How'd you happen to be here? I work in the cafe. Sort of clean up the place in the morning and sweep the floor, and the boss lets me sleep in the woodshed. Haven't you any parents? No, sir. My folks was killed by engines. How did you know what Osage was going to do? I heard him talking in the cafe. Folks don't pay much attention to what I overhear. Who sent him? Wasn't his own idea to come and kill me, was it? No, sir. It was that crooked lawyer, Jasper Wellington. No, Tonto, fix wound. What did you do, Jack? Creep up behind them and jump on them before I got the chance to fire on us? Well, not exactly. I sort of jumped on his rifle. I figured if I could hang onto that, he wouldn't get the chance to shoot you. I see. Jack, you're a pretty brave boy. Oh, shucks. That wasn't nothing. You saved my life. I'm just a dog. I'm glad I happened to hear what was going on. But, Jack, tell me this. What's Osage going to do to you when you go back to town? But, mister, you're going to get Osage, ain't you? You'll drown for trying to shoot you, won't you? No, Jack. You won't? No. I can't shoot a man in cold blood. But he tried to shoot you? There are laws to take care of men like him. There ain't no laws in Pecos. The only laws there are the ones lawyer Wellington makes. Why, gosh, mister, you got to get Osage. If you don't, he'll get you. Well, you'll see about that, Jack. If you don't get him, I can't go back to Pecos no more. Suppose for the time being you stay with Tonto and me. You mean in your camp? Yes. Oh, gosh, gosh, mister, you mean there? Yes. I think you might be able to tell me a lot about Jasper Wellington and his acquaintances in town. He's as mean as his sister is nice. Gosh, there ain't a final woman in the whole state to miss Celia. That hurt? It's all right, Uncle. Warm, plenty clean. Now you get well soon. You stay with Jack Tonto. Make a camp here. I'm going to try and overtake Osage before he gets to Pecos. I don't think you'll have no trouble doing that, mister. Why? His horse has a storm bruise. It's bad for him, too. That's what Tonto think. Could you tell that from the trails, Helen? Not right. That horse won't be able to carry him as far as Pecos. You'll have to lead it part of the way. Thanks, Jack. That'll help a lot. Mister! Yes, Jack? You ride away so fast when you're finished that nobody can speak to you. And what else have you got to say? There's something I've been wanting to ask you for a long time. What is it, Jack? How'd you happen to name that horse? Silver? Yeah. What's the connection between him and the Silver Bullets you use sometimes? Jack, when I found this horse, he was making the most gallant, courageous fight I ever saw a horse or any other living creature make. He was? He was fighting a wild buffalo. Gosh. And reached the limit of his strength. I managed to shoot the buffalo, and Tonto and I washed Silver's wounds, just as Tonto has washed yours. Then he stayed with you? No, Jack. Silver was a wild horse. He ran off as soon as his strength returned. Then how'd you catch him again? I didn't. I guess when Silver thought it over, he decided that he needed a friend just as much as I did. He came back of his own accord. When I saw him with the sun shining on his coat, he looked almost like metal. And his heart was so great and true that Silver just seemed to be the name to suit him. Then you didn't call him Silver on a counter trying to tie up with the Silver Bullets and other things. By no means. Silver was named first, Jack. It wasn't until later that I began to use Silver Bullets and Silver studying on the bridal and all the other things of Silver. I always liked to feel that those other things were simply a tribute to the finest horse that ever lived. Does that answer your question? It sure does. Yep. And I'll get after Rosades. Come on, Silver. The Lone Ranger rode hard, and before long he found the place where the killer had been compelled to dismount and proceed on foot. Shortly afterwards, he saw the man himself on the trail ahead. Osage was waiting for him and opened fire. Come on, Silver. He's been hit at the distance. Throw down that gun. I won't be talking. That's your last one. Now your gun's empty. Throw it down. Throw that, Silver. Throw more. Don't shoot. Don't shoot. I want to talk to you. I surrender. You got me. Don't make a fast move. Go on, Texas kid. Go on. Shoot me. Who sent you to ambush me? None of your business. It wasn't such a sneak and poke. Get out. But Dry Gulson's just a taste of your own medicine. It's what the Texas kids noted for. They were gunning for the Texas kid, Osage. This calls for explanation. Ain't you him? Say, come to think of it, you don't sound like him. You got the same building, although. I'm not the Texas kid, Osage. And you and I are going to talk. We 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. I'll continue our story. The Lone Ranger having overtaken Osage, you had tried to kill him from ambush, waited for the killer's explanation. You thought when you tried to shoot me, that I was the Texas kid? Yeah. Gosh, I heard that he was heading for Pecos and he was a big reward for him dead or alive. I needed that money. Who told you the Texas kid was coming to Pecos? No one. That is, I can't tell who. Not Jasper Wellington? Of course not. Now look at here, strange. If you ain't the Texas kid, then I'm dog gone glad I didn't get to drop you. I'll thank that youngster for jumping on my rifle barrel. I've already thanked him. Has he gone on to Pecos? No. He won't be in Pecos for some time. I'll sure thank him when I see him. You can bet money on that. Are you taking me to the law? What do you think I ought to do with you? Well, if I was in your boots and a man tried to drill me like that, strange, I'd sure as blazers take him to the law, but he'd rather wearing a mask like that. What else could I think but that you was a Texas kid? You haven't heard of anyone else that might wear a mask? Well, I... You know, let me see. Leap and Jehoshaphat, you ain't... You don't mean to say you're the lone ranger? Oh, Sage, it looks to me as if you've been double-crossed by the man who sent you gunning for me. I thought that is the case. What would you do? I'd go back and give him a working over that he would never forget. Wellington deserves it. He sure as thunder does. By the scheme and polket, sending me to fight his battles for... See, I never said it was Wellington that sent me. No, but you admitted it just now. Anyhow, I'll settle with him. Just you give me the chance to get him. That's all I ask. Let me show you that I was took incomplete. Well, I suppose you go and show me. You let me go? You'd better start traveling before I change my mind. I'll have to walk my horse. It'll take most of the afternoon to get to Pecos. Well, then the sooner you start, the better. Come on, Silver. They're all gone. Now, that ain't good. I took him incomplete. Just wait until Wellington hears how I fooled him. As if I thought he was a Texas kid. As if there ever was a Texas kid. Late that afternoon, Celia found her brother sitting on the front porch of their home. She noticed a satisfied smile on his face. Well, you don't seem to be worried about what the Lone Range is going to do when he gets here. He isn't here yet, is he? No, but... Maybe he won't get here at all, Celia. Why should I worry until there's need to? What do you mean? The less you know about it, the better. You just mind your own business and you'll avoid a lot of trouble. You plan trouble for him. What have you done, Jess? None of your business. I'll go on back in the house. I see a friend of mine coming and I want to have a talk with him. Jasper Wellington, that's old sage. He's a killer. That's never been proved. Have you sent him to ambush that Lone Range? You go into the house. Do you hear me? This is the end. If you've done what I think, I'll go tell the sheriff. I've had all I can stand to this sort of thing. You'll either get out of here or I will. Hmm. Time she got away anyway. Hey, Wellington, I looked for you in the cafe. Come on up here and tell me what's happened. Wellington, I've blasted Tramp Kid from the cafe. Spoiled it over. Spoiled it? I didn't get the Lone Ranger. Are you bunglin' fool? Then my horse went lame and I was overtook by him. Where is he now? I reckon he's gone back where he come from or gone into camp or something. And give him a yarn that he believed. What sort of yarn? Tell him I thought he was a Texas kid with a price on his head. Did he really believe that? Sure he did. Say, where's your sister? Is she likely to be over here? Half of the door closed. Go on. Then what? He found out that you was the one told me the Texas kid was coming along the trail. You told him about me? Were you counting the counting? Now, wait, Wellington, hold on a second, won't you? Listen to what I got to say. Well, go on. I told him I was coming back here running you out in town. I told him I'd square things with you. Is he coming in to pay cost? I don't know, but the chances are he will. He'll come here to make sure you're gone and if you ain't, he'll get you yourself. Now, Wellington, you gotta make yourself scarce. You bungled everything for me, Osage. I ought to see a jail for the way you handled this. I've done the best I could. I wonder how much that kid has told him. I don't know. Where is the kid? With a Lone Ranger, I reckon. Now, look here, Wellington. What you gotta do is get out in town for a time. Not given out by him. But you gotta do it. He'll come snooping around town to make sure you're gone and if you hear he's likely to make no end to trouble. If you're gone, he can't do nothing. I can tell him I sent you. Don't you savvy? He'll believe my story then and he'll go away. Then you can come back again. Wait a minute, Osage. There ain't nothing else to do. See, he's been at me to clear out. Now, maybe... Maybe what, Wellington? Maybe I got an idea. I might pack up and let everyone know I'm clearing out. That's what I said. That's the only way to play it safe. Leave it a mean. Maybe I can get him when he's in town. You listen to my plan. Do what you're told so you don't bungle it again. What is it? And I'll skip out of town just as I say. Make everyone, including Celia, think I've gone for keeps. I'll lay low and then tonight I'll come back and get this Lone Ranger and hustle out of town again. Then after a couple of weeks, I'll drift back into town and claim a change of mind that I'm not gonna stay away. I'll have an alibi. But I'll have a dispose of this Lone Ranger. That's a good idea. When he's killed, you'll be suspected if Jack says anything. But you'll have an alibi for the time of his death. It sounds real slick. I'll go pack some things right now. I'll be out of town before dark. You hang around, keep your eyes open. If the Lone Ranger comes into town, be sure you know where he's at so you can tell me when I come back sometime tonight. I sure enough will, Wellington. I sure will. Celia. Celia, where are you? What is it, Jasper? Come here. Give me a hand. I need your help. What is it? I've got to leave town. I've got to leave in a hurry. Help me pack my things. You really leaving? Yes. You don't need to ask where I'm going just so I don't care where you go as long as you go. It'll seem most too good to be true to have you out of the house. I'll help you pack all right. I'll be glad to do it. That night, the Lone Ranger, Jack and Tonto, made camp not far from Pecos. The masked man was silent. He sat apart from his companions for some time, and then suddenly he rose to his feet and came closer to the campfire. Jack. Yes, sir? Are you sure of everything you told me? Yes, sir. I didn't tell you nothing I wasn't sure of. My fellow Osage had a different story. Him say him want Texas kids. Yes. He didn't tell the truth. Not right. And it didn't mean a word he said when he told me. He'd deal with Wellington when he got back to town. Not right. I think it's about time we moved him to Pecos and investigated things there. Don't you do it, mister. Don't you do it. Osage will shoot you from ambush. He won't give you a chance. Maybe he won't get the chance to shoot me, Jack. I tell you, he's got to get you. Wellington will make him. I told Wellington he'll likely see him jailed or maybe hung. We'll see about that, Jack. Why don't you let me go instead? Why don't you let me go there and see what I can learn? They wouldn't dare kill me. Jack, I think I will send you to Pecos. In your place? No. Ahead of me. I want you to help me. Gosh, yes. Anything in the world I can do for you. I want you to tell Osage where he can find me. Here? No. No, Jack. I'm going to be in the hotel. But you can't go there wearing that mask. Jack, I'm going to disguise my face, go into the hotel and get a room to spend the night in. And I'm to tell Osage that? Yes. You got scheme? Now, though, Osage is a murderer. But it's never been proved. Perhaps the sheriff will be glad of the chance to get proof. When? When he gets you? We'll see about that, Jack. Here, Silver. Get your horse, Tonto. Here's Tonto. Since, Chef, I'll put out the fire and pack our things. It's time for us to head for Pecos. When he had disguised himself and ridden with Tonto and Pecos, the Lone Ranger had no difficulty in renting a room at the hotel. Later, he helped Tonto through the windows. By that time, Jack had found the sheriff on the porch of the cafe. The law man listened attentively to the boy's message. And I took it, Jack. That's sure enough news. I'm right glad to hear it. You help? Help? Sure, I'll help. Osage is right inside the cafe this very minute. Oh. We've seen you and me talking. Likely you'll come nosing around as soon as you leave. So you leave now. Looks like he ain't waiting. There he comes now. Evening, Sheriff. Evening. I think you've already heard all the talk around the town. What is that? Oh, I sent Wellington a kite on his way. I heard something about it. I don't reckon he'll ever show himself around here again. He double-crossed me. If it hadn't been for the kid there, I'd have shot a right upstanding man. Ain't that so, Jack? Yeah. That's right. Yes, sir. I've heard of him before. He killed me in time. When I seen it, Wellington had sent me to do his killing for him and lied about the man I was to shoot, making me think I was killing an outlaw. I swore to get Wellington. So he moved out in town to get away from you? Yes, sir, and good riddance. I suppose that's why the lone ranger came into town, too. He did? Sure. He's rooming at the hotel. I never heard that. He's just guys. But that's what he spent in the night. Well, if Wellington comes back, I reckon he'll sure enough get a red hot reception. If one of us don't get him, the other one will. I gotta be going now, Sheriff. Yeah, maybe soon, as you expect. Meanwhile, the lone ranger had put on his mask. He and Tonto crouched in the gloom of the hotel room, tense, alert, and ready. Then a shadow fell across the open window in a dark form. Pause to study the room. Suddenly, there was a rifle shot. Grab that rifle. Meek got him. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go. This time, Osage, you're trapped at last. I'll hold you into the room. You got the wrong man. Here's that lad going, Tonto. Let me get him. I thought you'd come back to finish the job Jack prevented. Oh, no, you got the wrong man. Oh, no, we haven't. He'll buy a point blank at the dummy in that bed. He'll plan to murder me. Jack, let you know where you could find me. They're right. You? I ain't Osage. Wellington. There he is, mister. We got Osage. Osage, you double-crossing. There's Wellington, Osage. You said you was gunning for him. Sheriff, what are you going to do? Shoot the critters. You said you would. So you squealed on me. You put this man wise. You told the sheriff. Now, wait, Wellington, I didn't do no such thing. Didn't you say you wanted to get Wellington for sending you to drill a lone ranger and making you think it was the Texas kids? Sheriff, Wellington, I... Osage is a killer. He's a crook and I'll prove it. He won't squeal on me and get away with it. It looks to me like you're both a couple of crooks. And it looks like we at last got evidence to jail you. How about it, mister? I thought Osage would come to the window and try to get me. Well, that's what I thought would happen. But Osage met Wellington just outside the town. And Wellington himself came back to step in the trap. That's what you get for trying to do the thing yourself. So now we got them both where we wanted them for a long, long time. Where's Jack? Is he all right? Sure. When I got all I wanted, I sent him to see Miss Celia and tell her to get here and see her no-count brother catch if she had any doubts as to his guilt. I didn't want that poor girl to think he was Miss Judge. I wouldn't have thought that. Celia, you hear? You've got to explain. All I can say, Jasper, is that I'm glad you're no more than a half-brother. I'm satisfied you let the law take its course. All right, boys. Take these killers to the caliber booth. Now, Jack. Yeah? I'm going to try and find a good place for you to live. Some family who want a great fellow like you, so you won't have to live in the cafe woodshed. Jack, how would you like to have a nice home of your own and the chance to learn reading and writing and the other things a man ought to know? Gosh, it'd be pretty swell. Then you shall have one. Huh? You heard what the Lone Ranger said, didn't you? And just like you are now, all alone in the world with a nice big home to live in, wouldn't you like to live there, Jack? You mean just like you? Like you was my mom? Yeah. Oh, gosh. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.