 Three horses with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty hyacilver, the lone ranger. For this faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the lone ranger rode to the length and breadth of the early western United States. From the hills of Wyoming to the Rio Grande, from Kansas to California, he led the fight for law and order. Against outlaws and hostile Indians, against confidence men and road agents, his strength and courage never faltered. His life was dedicated to the winning of the west, and nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse silver. The lone ranger rides again. We're heading for Porter's Gap. The sheriff needs help. Early one morning, the lone ranger and Tonto had rained up at the side of the trail on the outskirts of Porter's Gap. The sky was over-clouded, and a mist hung low over the plain. In the distance, a single horse could be heard galloping toward the town. The sheriff's coming, Tonto. Him ran to town from ranch. And now we're going to find out of the stories we've heard of true. Him on silver. Get him up the scout. What you do? We'll just stop him for a moment and talk with him. You wear a mask? I know. Rain out, sheriff. Who is it? It's him all right. Tonto see badge. Rain out. Good morning, sheriff. You're strangers around these parts, aren't you? That's right. We're looking for work. Can you use any hands at your ranch? Know your business? And just give us a try. Well, I guess we can use a few months. The ranch is about two miles down the trail. Report to my foreman, and if he likes your looks, he'll put you to work. Thanks, sheriff. Hey, wait a minute. What's your name? Come on, sir. Get him up the scout. Hold on there. What's the hurry? Come back here. Cut away from the trails, Tonto. Him follow us, maybe. I don't think so. We'll head for the clump of cottonwoods and make camp. We had the answer to our question. Him not see mask. And he was only a few feet away. We had seen it. He never offered me a job. Miss, plenty thick. Not that thick. I'm sure of it now, Tonto. Sheriff Bradley is losing his sight. You've got plans? Not yet. I need more information. As soon as we've made camp, you can help me with the disguise. Then I'm going into town. Come on, sir. Get him up the scout. Late that afternoon, a tall, broad-shouldered stranger entered the Combination Cafe and General Store in Porter's Gap. He gave the man behind the counter a list of supplies, then sauntered across the room to the bar. The bartender hurried toward him. What can I do for you, stranger? I'm waiting for some supplies. Joe taking care of you yet? Yes, he's getting them together. By the way, isn't Jim Bradley your sheriff here? Sure is. You heard of him? Who hasn't? Great old guy. Bought with Sam Houston as San Jacinto. Jim's one of the best. Is he anywhere around? You'll find him at his office. He don't drop in here much anymore, just on Saturdays now and then. Joe to hear some of the stories he tells about the old days. There's a story going around about him now. What do you mean? He isn't as well as he used to be, is he? Jim's hailing hearty, just as strong as he ever was. Can he see as well? That's enough of that. I'm only repeating what I've heard. Well, that kind of talk isn't popular around Porter's Gap. Jim's our sheriff, and he's going to stay sheriff as long as he wants the job. You think a great deal of him, don't you? Every man in town feels the same way as I do. There isn't one of us he hasn't helped some time or other. But is it safe to have a man who can't see acting as your sheriff? Listen, mister, I don't know what business it is of yours. You're just a traveler drifting through. We got no real need for a sheriff in Porter's Gap. No bad engines, and Jim drove the outlaws out of the district years ago. He won't come back either, not as long as he's alive. But if they know that they're sheriff... Who's going to tell them? Am I the first traveler that's heard the story? Well... Haven't you been bothered by any drifters from the gold camps? Not yet, we haven't. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Who are those two men sitting over there in the corner? They aim to buy a spread and start raising cattle. I see. Anything else you want to know? Here's Joe with your grub, and I got work to do. How much is it? I told them... Here. Now, you... Now, there's one more question. I warned you already, mister, that you... I think just as much of Jim Bradley as you do. But even if all of you feel safe, isn't it dangerous for Jim himself? He rides in from his ranch every morning. He rides home every night. His horse knows the way. One accident would be enough. Yeah. I never thought about it like that before. Why should he want to stay on this sheriff when he knows that he isn't fit for the job? Dog gone, that young idiot. Why doesn't he come home? Why doesn't who come home? Young Bob, Jim's son. A young man just hanging on so he can hand the job over to him. Figures that the sheriff reporters' gaps should always be of Bradley. And all of us figure the same way. Where is Bob? Well, we don't know. We laid out a couple of years ago to see the world, and none of us have heard from him since. Well, that explains everything. Except why the kid don't come home. He knows how the old man feels. Bob Bradley. Have you ever run across him? What does he look like? Well, a spitting image of the sheriff. Younger, of course. Good-looking and husky. No. I have never met anyone who called himself Bob Bradley. Well, if you do, who send him home? I will. Adios. So long, stranger. Where did you leave Silver Tunner? In Ward, outside town. I'll find him. Let's take a look through that open window. See those two men sitting at that corner table? Hunter's him. I want you to keep an eye on them. Try to find out what their business is. It's less than an hour before sunset. As soon as it gets dark, we'll break camp and head east. And where we go? Our first stop is the jail at San Marino. As the lone ranger started down the main street, Hunter edged closer to the open window. One swift look at the man inside. And he turned and leaned against the building. Every word of their conversation reached him clearly. Fort is gaffed. Dead-eyed Bradley. Not so loud. When we get through with them, they'll all be in the same boat. We'll steal them blind. Shut up. Where do we start? Express office. I've changed my mind. Huh? Maybe we could pull a job on Express office and get away with it. Who's to stop us? But afterwards we have to clear out. Why? When something like that happens, there'll be some changes made. The town will realize that it needs more protection and Bradley can give it. Yeah, that's so. But what of it? We've moved on before. You aren't able to settle down on it. Why not? It don't sound like you, Ransom. I've been sizing up your face. What's wrong with my face? Nothing. It just did. Look at you. You think you was as square as you. Now breathe it in. I'd have a knife to partner in the back, huh? Somehow I don't think that's funny. Ah, now, Ransom. You and me are parts. We better be. Otherwise I might take a trip to San Marino. Uh, why don't you take a joke? Not that kind. Well, forget it. So I got an honest face. What about it? How would you like to be the next sheriff of Porter's Gap? Me? You. We could work out something pretty sweet. There's a Ringo kid, for instance. He'd pay plenty for a nice hideout with protection from the law. There's Trico Benson and Porniel Smith. Yeah, but how can I be sheriff? The town's so sold on Bradley, it'd have to use blast and powder to get him loose from the job. Not if something happens. I can't stick up the express office and then run for sheriff. I'm glad you figured that out. What's on your mind? It's one job. Maybe we get a couple of thousand. A couple of thousand. It's either that or a steady and come for a long, long time. Take your choice. That's easy. But how? We gotta make you a hero. Yeah. The express office is easier. We gotta wait. The sheriff lives on his ranch about two miles outside the town. Yeah? Just at sunset every night. He locks up his office and rides out there. The trail's straight. His horse knows a way. He just gives him his head and lets him ramble. Yeah, I know all that. There'll be a moon tonight. But there's plenty of cover on both sides of the trail, especially close to town. You, uh... And, uh... Now, shut up. I'll lean over here closer. What do you think of this? Lone Ranger's return to camp removes his disguise. He watched the sun disappear in the west. The sky turned to crimson and the great plain beyond the woods changed from green to purple. Then his keen ears caught the sound of approaching hoofs. In a moment later, Tonneau raced into camp. Tonneau, what's wrong? You... you come past. Here's a little bit. Then, Carl Ranton. Him, one other fellow, be sheriff. What's that? Them bad. You're sheriff Bradley in danger? Maybe so. Come to not hear all them say. Where are you taking me? Meet Sheriff on trail. Watch him. See him get home safe. When does he leave his office? Time to go down. Him leave now. Then we've got to hurry. Come on, set him up. He's gone. You afraid the may try to kill him? I'm right. I'll sail away! As the sheriff rode slowly out of town, the red glow was fading from the west. But the moon, already high, silvered the sage and bathed the trail in light. Suddenly, the sheriff's horse jumped to one side and... Steady there, boy! You're no three-year-old! What are you jumping around like that for? Hey! Easy does it. The trail's rough enough without you cutting up shenanigans. Steady! Ow! Oh, him dead. Not yet. But we'll have to get him somewhere quickly. Are there any tracts beside the trail? Not right, for short, we hear. Maybe far away. Handicubber. Town's close, but I'm wearing a mask. You could take him in, Tutter. Men come from town. Yes, they must have heard the shot, too. That's from the buck in front. They find us here. We'll be accused of the shooting. Not right. We'll take him to his ranch. You want help? I can manage. Get his horse. Now, across the saddle. Tutter got hard. Yep. Come on! Get him off this town! Hold it a minute, men! Listen to me! What's a masked man in the engine carried him off? I've seen those two around here before. A masked man in a red skin just rode away. They shot the sheriff and took him prisoner. What are you going to do about it? We're following me? And come on, we're forming a posse. We'll bring him back dead or alive. Come on, follow me. 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 how to continue our story. Carrying the wounded sheriff, the Lone Ranger headed for his ranch. Tutter followed close behind. On the way, the lawman regained consciousness and... Why are you taking me? Whom? We're almost there. What happened? Someone shot you. We don't want to be seen by any of your men. So we're taking you to the ranch house. Mrs. Hannon. What? My foreman's wife. She's there cooking supper. That's all right. I heard you called your horse Silver. Yes. Are you the Lone Ranger? Don't try to talk. Am I done for? No. The bullet caught you in the shoulder. As soon as Tutter bandages it, you'll be all right. Can't talk. Rain up, Kimosabe. Lift him down, Tutter. You do it. Easy. That's it. I'll carry him. It's all right, Mrs. Hannon. Make me an engine. I'll get you. No. Close the door. You've been shot. Stay out, Lores. This is the Lone Ranger. We'll put you down here, Sheriff. We'll need some hot water and bandages, Mrs. Hannon. The Lone Ranger. Hurry, please. Oh, sure will. Sheriff, we have much time. The men from town are following us, and they believe we shot you. I don't know who you are. I may not believe you, and there's work to be done. A man named Buck is out to get your job. What's that? You may think you're fool people, but you haven't. Nearly everybody in this part of the country knows that you're... well, knows about the condition of your eyes. Yeah. Anything else you want? Tutter. This good. They never said anything to me. They were willing to let you keep the job as long as you wanted it. Oh! Oh! Oh, you'll be better soon. But now that you've ridden into an ambush, they can't let you carry on any longer for your own sake. You understand that, don't you? I suppose so. I was only hoping... I know what you were hoping, but we can't wait long. There's a friend of this man, Buck, who may have arranged to have shot you. What's his name? A ransom, but we have no proof. I've seen both of the men before around San Marino. That's where Tyler and I are heading now. San Marino? It's two days' ride. And Silver and Scott can make it in less time than that. You're coming back then? No. We'll need three days for the work we have to do. But Buck is leading the posse. That's out after us. And he'll try to get himself appointed sheriff in your place tonight. If he succeeds, if he's the man I think he is, he'll bring in his own deputies. And the town will have to fight to get rid of him. And it's done. We go now. It's up to you, Sheriff. Refuse to hand over your badge. Insist on an election. Do anything you can to give us three days. I'll do my best. The posse's getting close. I can hear a real plane. Now let's go, Tonto. Good luck. Hurry. I don't know what you're trying to do, miss me, but I sure hope you do. Silly Silver. Then come plenty fast. Hello, Silver, how are you? The own ranger and Tonto raced into the night. The posse's thundering after them. In less than half an hour, Silver and Scott had left the menoporters gap far behind. Then on across the planes, a masked man and his Indian companion rode all through the night. A little town of San Marino was bathed in sunlight, but no one was stirring when the masked man roused the sheriff from his bed and told him his story. Well, that's as much of a description as I can give you. Well, it's enough. You've been talking about Buck Winters and Ed Ransom. Bring them back here and I'll stick them in jail for 20 years. What's the charge? Robbery. That's all I need to know. There's a boy who called himself Chet Carlson. He was with them a lot about a year ago. Yeah, too much for his own good. I thought so at the time. This robbery Buck and Ransom wanted for, we sent the kid to jail for. He's in jail now? No, but he was under a month ago. A breed that had been afraid to talk before gave us some new evidence. Buck and Ransom had left here. Yeah. Is Carlson in town? No. Do you know where he's gone? Durango, he said. Durango. Goodbye, Sheriff. The kid's all right. I'm sure of it. Where you going now? Yes, to the east of Durango. It's a long way, but we've got to find that boy and get him back to Porter's Gap in three days. The cafe at Durango was crowded when young Chet Carlson entered. He forced a smile and took a step toward the long bar where cowboys and ranchers were lying too deep. But the smile faded from his lips and he turned his side to drop wearily into a chair. Slim Meredith had been watching him. He walked over to the boy and placed a hand on his shoulder. What's the matter, kid? No luck today? Nope. Nobody wants a jailbird for a hand. Ah, now that's no way to talk. We all know you were framed. Oh, sure. Well, if you can't find anything, it's just because there aren't any jobs. The Circle B took on two men today. It's too bad you didn't get there first. It was there yesterday. Ah, it's no good, Slim. Durango's too close to San Marino. Hmm. Ah, you're going to pull stakes? Yep. You got any ideas? I got one. I'm going to Frisco and try my luck as a sailor. A sailor? Yeah. Ship out to China someplace. Well, you're crazy. Why, there's plenty of other places to go where you can still ride a horsey. Reach for the ceiling, everybody. A masked man and a ninja. Hold up. Over here, Poulson. For me? I haven't any time to waste. Move. You better do what he says. What do you want with me? You're going to take a little trip with me, Carlson. Don't any of the rest of you try to follow us. Outside. What's the idea? I don't know you. Get on your horse. Oh, wait a minute. I've been in jail, but I've no crooks, eh? I'm glad to hear it. Get on your horse. Where are you taking me? Home, Bradley. Bradley. That's what I said. Your father needs you. Oh, no, you got me wrong, Mr. My name's Carlson. You're Bob Bradley, and your father's the sheriff of Porter's Gap. Oh, no, you're making a mistake. A local. My pa, a sheriff, will ask anybody in the cafe who I am. We waited here long enough. Start riding. Come on, Silver, you'll ride. Get up there. What's your wrong, I tell you? You're coming to Porter's Gap with us. There's an old man there who's waiting for his son. If he doesn't come soon, you'll never see him again. You mean? I meant what I said. If you aren't Bob Bradley, you're looking up like him, the fool, even his father. You're going to take Bob's place. Sheriff Bradley is going to see your son once more, before it's too late. Too late. We've got to hurry. Come with you, Masked Man. Lead the way. How's Silver away? The lone ranger, Tonto and the boy, raced across country. Night became day. San Marino was circled and left behind. It only stopped with a water and rest of the horses. As sunset, they reached the pass. Less than ten miles from Porter's Gap, there, Tonto left them. The Masked Man and the boy rode on toward the Sheriff's Ranch. At last, they could see the buildings. Why'd the engine leave us? He headed straight for town from the past. He had business there. And that's the ranch house up ahead. I know. I mean, yeah. It's three days almost to the minute. What's that? Nothing. Now, let's get this straight again. I'll talk with the Sheriff, but I don't have to see anyone else. That's up to you. And I'm not going to stay long. Rain up. We'll leave our horses here in the shadows. Is the Sheriff real sick? I mean... You'll see for yourself in a minute. Wait. That's Miss... There's a woman standing at the window. Come along. What's your word? As the Sheriff kept his... Yes, look it. Oh! You brought back Bob. Hello, ma'am. Oh, your paws are out here. Come in. Sheriff, it's Bob. The masked man brought Bob with him. Son. You tricked me. He and Dine at all. I never said he was. Dine? I should say not. They put a bullet through me, but I'm feeling fine. I'm not going to stay. Nothing's a matter with me, but my eyes. I can't see you, so good, son. But I can feel your face tonight. I said if you didn't come soon, he'd never see you again. So... So that's what you meant. What's the difference? Why do I have to see when I got a pair of young eyes to see for me? I can't be Sheriff anymore, son. But you will take my place, won't you? No, I... I can't. Why not? I can't stay here. I've got to keep moving. What for? This is your home. You've seen enough of the world by now, haven't you? Don't understand. What's that? Maybe the boys from the bulkhouse. And the men from town, Mrs.Hannon. I sent Tado after them. We want Bob! Hand him out! They're calling for you, son. They want you to take my place. I can't. I know what you're going to say, Bob, but this isn't the place to say it. You have nerve enough to step out in that porch and tell those men why you can't be there, Sheriff, will you? You think I ought to? It's the only fair thing to do. All right. Come on, Paul. Take my arm. What's he mean, masked man? Why can't he be? Hiya, Shorty. Hello, everybody. Now, now, just a second. You made me feel awful proud coming out here to meet me, but... We want you for our sheriff, Bob. Now, now, wait, wait. I'm proud, but I... Well, I've got no right to be. I can't take the job. No, no, wait. You want a man like Paul for your sheriff. Somebody with a record that's as clean as a whistle. You're a chip off the old block. What more could we ask? No, no, no. No, man, I'm not. You know, I've been traveling with some mighty bad company since I left here. What's more, I just got out of jail a month ago. Now, what do you think of that? Bob. Well, I never did nothing crooked, Paul. I was framed, but just the same. I'm a jailbird. You give me your word. You didn't do nothing crooked? Do nothing crooked. Well, sure, but I... That's enough for me. It's enough for us, too. Yes, sir. How about it, boys? He's learned his lesson. I say he'll be a better man because of it. Do we still want him? Yes, we do. There's your answer, Bob. Now, hold on. Have a look at this cub of your electing sheriff. It's Carlson, Paul. Hem of your badge. What? Oh, sure. Here you are. I'm taking over. The first thing I'm going to do is put you two under arrest. You'll double-cross and rat you into him. Right. Oh! That fellow over there in the cellar. He shot the gun right out of his hand. Stick him up, Ransom. I'm taking you and Buck back to town. You'll sleep in jail tonight. And tomorrow you'll start for San Marino. We'll take care of him for you, Bob. How do you like our sheriff, boys? Good work, son. Oh, they'd have got me if it hadn't been for the mass, man, Paul. Next time, you'll be wearing your gun's long lower. I'll show you. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Paul, where is the mass man at? I want to thank him. Don't you know who he is? Know who he is? Well, no. That was the Lone Ranger. Huh? And before you've been sheriff long, you will find that when his work's done, he never waits for thanks. Where you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.