 The speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high, oh, silver, the lone ranger. Throughout the western United States, the career of the mysterious phantom figure of the planes has been told and retold until the present day. He did more than any other individual to bring law and order to the lawless frontier. With his great horse, Silver, and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, he roamed the west, fighting crime wherever he found it. And now, the thundering hoops of Silver return us to those days of danger and adventure. The lone ranger rides again. The lone ranger rode by on Silver. He said there was trouble on the trail ahead. Nearly 12 miles from the town of Cranston, two men, hidden in a gully, watched the approach of a horseman. The older of the two, Ed Scott, was in his 40s with features that bore the marks of his years of crime. The younger Lefty Cullen was under 30, but his mouth was thin and cruel. The stock of the rifle he held to his shoulder revealed notches representing a dozen killings. They stared at the nearing rider until he came within range, and then... I reckon we got him all right, Lefty. Looks like it, Ed. We sure knocked him out of his saddle anyhow. Pretty good shooting, I calls it, for that distance. Yeah. He'll get in our horses to make sure he's done for it. He is hoping he's got them papers on him. He'll have them. He told me when I was in jail with him over to town that the sheriff was holding them for him. He aimed to get him just as soon as his term was up. Steady there, Paine. Gosh, Ed, I can't savvy a fella like him. Here he's owned the lazy wife's bread in Texas ever since he was a young fella. He's never claimed it. Come on, get up here! Get up! Get up! He sure he claimed it. He only stayed there long enough to put his wife and kid on the place, then lit out. You're sure his wife is dead? You're blame right I am. So's the lawyer that handled the spread when his uncle left it to him. I never heard of a sweeter setup. Right there in paper, there's nobody can prove I ain't Jim Bear. I'm sure hoping that girl he has ain't hitched up yet. If she is, we'll sell the ranch and split what we get two ways. That won't be so bad either. From what I've heard, the lazy wife's a mighty big outfit. Here, there he is. He's done for all right. Now to get them papers. What's that in his pocket? Ain't that them? Just a second. Paper sure enough. I don't know whether they're the ones we want or not. Let me look at them. Here. Yep, these are them all right. Good enough. Come on, let's get going. It wouldn't do to have anybody find us here. What about Bear? Leave him be. Nobody know who he is. Regardless, he had to identify himself. How about the sheriff had jailed him? Sure, he never told nobody but me his real name. He told the sheriff his name was Simmons. Come on, we gotta hurry. Just as you say. We're heading for Texas and we ain't wasting no time. Get up! Get up! We see the lone ranger and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, riding toward the town of Cranston. It is three days later, and the burning afternoon sun sends up waves of heat from the dry earth. I hope we reach town soon, Tonto. Our canteens are empty. We'll fill them and buy them all provisions. Look. What is it, Kimosabe? Look, head. There's something on the ground. Man there. Yes, we'll find out what's happened. Come on, silver. White fellow. Looks has always been shot. I think he's dead. Come on, silver. Him not moved. Oh, silver. Oh, silver. Oh, white fellow. Oh, poor fellow. He was murdered without being given a chance to defend himself. Why? Why you say that? See, he was killed by bullets from a rifle. Someone shot him from long range. Who he is. Tonto not known. We'll see if he has any identification on him. There should be something to tell his name. Ah. There's nothing in his pockets, though. That's strange. Wait. You see something, Tonto? Huh? There are paper. Yes. I have it. It was beneath him. Probably fell from his pocket when he was shot or... No, Tonto. This didn't fall from his pocket. What do you mean? Tonto, he placed that paper there on purpose. Huh? I think I know what happened now. What? That? You remember that I said he was shot from long range? Yeah. He didn't die immediately. He must have written this in the last few moments of his life, hoping his killers wouldn't discover it. What did he say? He was shot by Ed Scott and Lefty Cullen. Then plenty bad filler. Yes. I've heard of them, but I've never seen them. Tonto not seen. He must have died before the note was finished. He named the killers and started to write something else, but the sentence isn't completed. What him write? The lazy why. He has that much written, but no more. I wonder what it was he wanted to say about the lazy why. Tonto know that place? Yes, I remember it too. It's a big rhymes in the northern part of Texas. Isn't that right? Wait, Tonto. This note tells us more than I thought at first. Oh, that's good. He didn't live to sign this, but it's on the back of a letter he'd already written. The handwriting is the same on both sides, and the letter is signed Jim Bayer. What letter say? There's nothing there to help us, Kimosabe. This is the last sheet, and it contains only a few words besides the signature. How long would you say Bayer had been dead, Tonto? Maybe two, three days. Which means that the killers have had two or three days to get out of the country. I wonder why the body wasn't discovered before. This trail not used much. That must be it. What we do now? First we'll give this man a decent burial and inform the authorities of his death. Then we'll try to find his murderers. That'd be plenty hard. Yes, we don't know where they are and we don't know what they look like. That's right. But we have three clues. The names of the killers, the name of the dead man, and the lazy whey. Then maybe help. This note alone wouldn't convict anybody, but we're going to the lazy whey and see what we can learn there. That's plenty long way. It's many miles from here, and it may lead us on a false trail, but we're going there, Kimosabe, and the members of this man to justice. With the papers they had stolen from Bayer, Ed Scott and Lefty Cullen lost no time getting to Butler City, near the lazy whey ranch. There the two men carefully investigated the situation before Scott announced himself as the owner of the ranch. We see them two days after their arrival in the living room of the ranch house. Also present are Catherine Bayer, the daughter of the murdered man, Bill Landis, the young sheriff of the county, and Tim Brady, foreman of the lazy whey for many years. Ed Scott is speaking. Well, you've all seen my papers. I reckon there ain't no doubt in anybody's mind but when I'm the rightful owner of this outfit. But you've got to say, Sheriff. As far as I can see, everything's legal. You just bet it is. That's your marriage license to Kate's mother. And there's the papers lawyer Peeble's drawn up for you when your uncle left you his ranch. It's them all right. So I reckon that settles it. I guess this here's your pa, sure enough, Kate. Yes, I guess so. You needn't look so doggone sorrowful about it. Aren't you glad to see me? Well, of course I am, but it just seems sort of strange at first. Maybe so. But I don't like to see folks around me that scowls. You better smile a little for a change. I'll try. As long as I'm your pa, I'll ask you to call me that same. Yes, father. That's better. I reckon it'll come easier to you by the time I've sold the ranch and we're head and knees. You mean to sell the ranch? Say, Mr. Bayer, you wouldn't do that, would you? You got any objections? Well, by golly, I... Wait, Tim. You see, Tim knows this place is home to me, father. He knows how hard it'd be for me to leave it. I don't give a hoot what he knows or thinks. He's only the foreman. And I don't stand for the help talking up. I reckon you don't sadly, Mr. Bayer. I've been sort of a part of Kate ever since her ma died. And so you figure that gives you the right to forget your place? Well, it don't. If I forget it again, I'll find me a new foreman. Say, if that's the way you feel, you can... Please, Tim. I'm sure he didn't mean just what he said. I ain't in the habit of saying nothing I don't mean. Look here, Mr. Bayer, you... You'd really take Kate East away from her friends and all. You ain't foolin' me none, Sheriff. But I... I've seen enough these last couple of days to savvy what's going on. You're sort of sweet on Kate, ain't you? Well, we've been keepin' company for quite a spell. Bill and I are real good friends, Father. Good enough friends to call him by his first name, huh? Well, there's nothing wrong in that, is there? Well, he ain't goin' to no more. He ain't keepin' company with him either. But, Father... Just because you got a lot of cash in the bank, he figures it'd be a good idea to play up to you. But I'm puttin' a stop to it right here and now. And don't you think different? Just hold on a second, Mr. Bayer. Kate's got the right to see anybody she's a mind to. Are you trying to set my own daughter against me? Please, both of you, don't argue. You stay out of this. It ain't true that I'm after Kate's money. I'd like if she didn't have a penny. I know better than that. The only time I want to see you on my place, Sheriff, is when I call you here on business. The business you come on today is over. Now you can get. Father, don't, don't save that. This is my ranch and nobody can set foot on it, unless and I tell them they can. All right, I'll go. But I'm tellin' you right now you ain't gonna come between Kate and me. No, I ain't bluffin', Sheriff. You stay away from the ranch and stay away from Kate. We'll see about that. They're scunk. We'll use Kate alone for 20 years, then comes back and starts raising Kate. If you warrant Kate's part, I'd have taken a punch at him. Steady there, boy. Poor Kate. There was only something I could do. Come on, get up there, boy. Get up, come on. Sheriff, I want to speak to you. What the? A man's man? And a red skin? Hold it. Come on out, boss. My golly, I... Careful, Charles. You forced me to draw. I only want to ask you some questions. How'd you know who I was? I saw your badge. And I believe I have information in which the law would be interested. Right now, I'm too darned mad to talk to anybody. Outlaws or not? But you're going to answer my question. It's lucky for you, you, that you got the drop on me. I want to know something about this ranch. The lazy wife. What do you want to know? Who owns this ranch? Well, up to a couple of days ago, it was Kate Baer's. Now her pa showed up. Kate Baer, you say? Yeah. And her father only arrived here a couple of days ago? That's what I said, ain't it? He'd come here with a red-faced young fella that I'd feel right pleased to fill full of lead. Baer? Name on paper. It is, Taddo. I wondered what connection there was between Baer and the lazy wife. But now I believe I can guess a part of it. Hey, what are you doing? Let go of my bridal. Sheriff, you and I have a lot of talking to do. You're coming with me. But look here, listen. And you're coming right now. Help! Help! Rightful! Help! The curtain falls on the first act of our thrilling Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. A man named Baer was murdered by two outlaws, Ed Scott and Lefty Cullen, to gain possession of a ranch Baer had inherited 20 years before. The outlaws stole Baer's identification and rode to Texas. There, Scott posed as the rightful owner of the Lazy Why Ranch. The Lone Ranger found a note written by Baer, telling enough to send him on the trail of the killers. In Texas, the masked man met the young sheriff. We see them now in the Lone Ranger's small, well-hidden camp. So that's the story, Sheriff. We found this note beside the dead man's body. And we believe him to have been the real Baer, and the man at the ranch and imposter. I don't know. If you wasn't masked like an outlaw, I'd have more reason to believe what you say. I think I can get proof that the man who claims to be Kate's father is the outlaw, Ed Scott. Don't get me wrong, stranger. I don't cotton to this fellow that come here, none at all. He started to mistreat Kate already. If he ain't Baer, there ain't nobody more anxious to find it out than me. Then give me the chance to prove it. I was just thinking. It hadn't ought to be hard to prove whether he's Baer or not. Yes. Being an outlaw, he's been in jail. I could send out letters to the peace officers around the country, and maybe one of them could identify him. That would prove nothing. And why not? Everyone knows that Baer left his family because he was an outlaw. It would have been natural for him to have changed his name. Yeah, but if... Scott could insist that he had changed his name from Baer to Scott to hide his disgrace. Could you prove that he hadn't? I reckon I couldn't. And even if you could, Scott would likely sell the ranch and disappear before you got your evidence. Mm-hmm. He seemed mighty set on selling out. Now, maybe wrong. I came here only because the name Lazy Why was written on that note. I was wondering how you come to figure things out. But I think I know now what happened. You said that these two men arrived with paper showing the older man to be Baer. Baer had been gone so many years, no one could identify him by sight. Yeah. And obviously, the real Baer was killed for those papers. That could have happened all right. But just a minute. How about that note you showed me? That's hanging evidence right there. Not by itself. It isn't signed. The only signature of the paper Baer is on the other side of the sheet with the last few words of a letter that mean nothing. If I gully, there don't seem to be no way at all of getting anything on them, fellas. But I have a plan that will. Yeah? What do you figure on getting out of it? Nothing. Well, that don't make sense. Nobody's got all this trouble just for the fun of it. Except maybe one fella I've heard of. Yes? He's a fella that travels with an engine and calls his horse... Say, didn't I hear you call that horse your silver? You did? Thundering buzzards. Why didn't I think of that before? Go right ahead, stranger. Tell me what you got in mind. And whatever it is, I'm with you. Early the following morning, Ed Scott inspected the ranch he had stolen. Before the day was done, he'd seen enough to convince him that the lazy wire was even more valuable than he'd expected. When he re-entered the ranch house that evening, Catherine Bear was in the living room. Well, Keith, I've been over as much as the ranch as I could cover in one day. And I'm here to stay. I ain't never seen a finer spread anywhere. Tim should get the credit for that, Father. He's been a wonderful manager. Don't mention that old fool to me. I ain't got no use for him. If I wasn't selling out real quick, I'd chase him off the place. But, Tim has been honest and loyal. I can't understand why you've taken this dislike to him. He's a meddling fool for one thing. Even if he did run the place good, it wouldn't surprise me to find out it was because he figured on getting the place for herself some way. I guess he won't do any good to tell you that isn't so. Turn right, it won't. But, Father, I do wish you wouldn't sell. Don't you think that you could learn to like it here? I'm selling the place and that's that. Let me see. What do you think it might be worth? It can't be worth any less than $150,000. That's just fine. Then I shouldn't have no trouble at all making a quick sale for $75,000 or $100,000. You wouldn't do that. Wouldn't I, though? I want to get out of here without wasting no time. But why? I don't like it here, that's why. And one reason is, I don't want that no good share for on where you are. I wanted to talk about that. Bill isn't after my money. I know he isn't. You don't know a blame thing about it. He looks like a mighty crooked customer to me. And anyway, I get other plans for you. I don't know. Sometimes it doesn't seem possible that you can be... That I can be what? I think it wasn't anything important. What other plans have you? Well, Lefty, the young fella that come here with me, is a mighty fine ombre. And it pleased me a lot if you and him got hitched. Oh, no. Say, what have you got to get him? I just couldn't, that's all. I couldn't. Well, hold on there. I'm your pa, ain't I? Yes. All right, golly, don't you be so pesky high and mighty. It ain't right for a girl to set herself again her pa. Ever since I can remember that, I was hoping my father would come back to me, but... You needn't go to crying. It won't change what I said, nun. You're too used to having your own way and everything. That's all that's wrong with you. Hello there, Mr. Bear. Come on in. We were just talking about it. Yeah? Howdy, Miss Chase. Don't talk to me. Leave me alone. I don't want to talk with you. What the... Where do you think you're going? Get to your room. All right. Get to your room and stay there. While you're in it, you can start packing. Packing? What for? Because we're starting each tomorrow. And you're going along. Maybe I can't tell you who to marry, but I assure you the dickens can tell you where you're going to live. And I don't want no argument. Well, dog god knows she ain't got a sight more spunk than I figured she had. Yeah? Well, I'll take it out of her. Did you mean that about leaving tomorrow? Uh-huh. As I fell up Denver way, I think I'll buy the ranch. I aim to see him. Sure, because I'm beginning to like the place. I just soon stay on. Ain't what if something happens to show the law, I ain't really bare. Yeah, that's so. I reckon it's good sense to get out. As the stage goes by here tomorrow noon, we can get that and make connections with the train that goes by west to here. Gosh, I don't know whether I want to ride one of them things or not. If I got to get someplace, the horse looks a heap safer to me. Uh-huh. Well, there ain't no horse alive that can catch us once around that train. And that's what I'm thinking of. Well, I don't like them, but I'll take the chance if you want to. So far, everything's going fine. Except for that blame girl. Yeah? It was me saying I wanted her to marry you that got a riot just now. Look here, Ed, you leave her to me. Maybe you're smart in me and some things, but when it comes to women, I ain't so bad. Before I'm done, she'll be downright glad to marry me. The Lone Ranger had explained his plan to the sheriff who agreed to help, but certain arrangements prevented their acting at once. It was two days later when the masked man, Tonto and the sheriff, reigned in their mount at the Lazy Y Ranch House. The house looks deserted. I wonder where they could have gone. It's plenty strange. Jolly, I don't know. Kate's usually sitting on the porch about this time of day. Say, there's Tim over there. We'll ask him. Yes, we've got to find them. Tim! Hi there, Tim. Is that you, Sheriff? Come over here. We want to ask some questions. Hi, Thunder Nation Sheriff. I'm sure glad you come. Who's the masked fella? I ain't got time to explain. Where's Kate and them two fellas that come to the ranch the other day? They've gone. Gone? That's why I was so glad to see you. Looks fishy to me. Them lighten out so fast. They're on the stage. Aiming to catch the eastbound train. What? How long ago did they leave? About an hour past. They ought to be going halfway there by now. Then they got away from us. Say, what the... They haven't escaped yet, Sheriff. It's up to us to stop that train before they've gone. We can't do it. We ain't got the time. But we'll try. Listen here. What's all this about? We must hurry! Hurry! Get them up! Wipe them! Hurry! The three men raced across country to reach the railroad ahead of the stagecoach. When they topped the last hill, they saw on the distance smoke popping from the stack of the engine as it slowly got underway. The lone ranger turned in his saddle and shouted to his companions, I'm going ahead! What say it? I'm going to stop that engine. And you and Talag and Bo the train and take Scott and Cullen off. You can't catch that train. It's going faster all the time. Who was that? I tell you, gentlemen knows that we're depending on him. He won't play us. No horse can run us. All right, silver old boy. It's up to you now. Come on! Get away from here! We ain't stopping for nobody! Oh, maybe it's all right. You better stop them or we're going to shoot you through the hole. What was this road up? It was the sheriff and the red skin, weren't it, Lefty? Yeah, and a mask fell on the road on the head of them. What is it? What's the matter? Keep still. Lefty, you don't figure they're after us, do you? I don't know. They ain't going to do nothing without us. They can't do a thing. There is something wrong. I know it. Keep your full mouth shut. What do you mean? The sheriff got on the train. Even the red skin are coming this way. Keep your head, Lefty. I tell you, there ain't nothing they can do. Hey there, ma'am. I'm arresting you for murder. You hear that? Don't try to get away. I'll shoot you. What's the idea? You can't arrest us. I can't, huh? Take a look at this reward notice. $5,000 for the capture of Jim Baer, dead or alive, wanted for murder. Oh, father, what? You want Jim Baer? Me for murder? You can read the handbill, can't you? Who are you? Don't go for your gun, Baer. I have your comment. Don't talk, kid. Don't just say nothing. I ain't kill nobody. I ain't going to hang for what somebody else done. Shut up, will you? You're going to spoil everything. Don't interfere, Lefty. Let him say what he has to say. Go ahead, Baer, and talk face. Well, I ain't Baer. I ain't the fellow you want at all. You hurt my father? Honest, Sheriff. I'm giving it to you straight. You can't hang me for what Baer done. I'm Ed Scott. See you there again. Maybe I didn't hear you clear. I would just pretend to be Jim Baer. That's the truth. I swear it's the truth. What have you to say, Lefty? Ain't no use me saying any different. The yellow rats lost his nerve and told everything now. So you see, Sheriff, you can't hang me. I ain't Baer at all. Has everybody here heard this man's confession? Yeah. Then I reckon it won't hurt, and I'll tell you if this reward notice don't mean nothing at all. What's that? You heard me. Your father was an outlaw, all right, Cade, but he warned no murderer. You tricked us. Yep. And it was the masked fellow's scheme. He told me to have this notice printed and run a bluff on you. We'll get him. We'll fix him for this. No, you won't. Because now I'm arresting you for the murder of Jim Baer and for trying to steal the lazy wife. Hey, you can't do that. He got all the evidence we need. We got a note. Baer wrote accusing you of both the shooting. But you can't. Hold on. I'll do the talking. That note weren't no good till we proved that Scott here warned Jim Baer. I told you not to shoot off your mouth, Ed. But now that you admit you ain't Baer, it stands to reason you stole them papers. And together with that note Baer wrote, there ain't a judge in this country who would believe you killed and to get them. I reckon they got us lefty. Blast them. And it only goes to show that when you try a stunt like this, be careful you don't run up again the lone ranger. You have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.