 At the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a heart, a high old silver, the lone ranger. The boys and girls who traveled to the western United States with their mothers and fathers, and grew up in the new territory, heard many stories about the Mask Rider of the Plains. And those stories have come down to us through the generations. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, he led the fight for justice on the frontier. In time, the fight was won, and the West was safe for honest men. But the Mask Man's deeds will never be forgotten. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past, from the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the lone ranger rides again. In the frame ahead! In his evening as our story opens, the lone ranger, disguised but without his mask, is talking with a middle-aged man a short distance from a covered wagon, just outside the town of Westwood. Two children, a boy and a girl, watch them silently while Tonto waters the two great horses, Silver and Scott, at a nearby stream. They're fine-looking children, Dave. How old did you say they were? Well, stranger, Johnny's going on ten and Edith there's almost seven. And you've taken care of them ever since you discovered their mother dying? Yeah, poor young'uns. From what I heard, their paw was a nest that got killed by cow punchers. If I hadn't come on them when I did, they'd most likely have starved to death. That was three years back. Ain't that about it, Johnny? Yes, Mr. Clemson. Uh, that was an unselfish thing for you to do. Shucks. I ain't what you'd rightly call tender-hearted. Not by a mile, I ain't. But there's a heap of difference between letting a grown man look out for himself and making kids do the same. And you live in this covered wagon? Well, it's handy, mister. The three of us can camp close by town like this, pick up what odd jobs he is, and then when there's no more work to be had, just hitch up the horses and move along to somewhere else. And I reckon we'll be doing that same again for a long. Here, I'll begin and to thin out, considerable. It's too bad that children can't have a real home and a chance for an education. Stranger, that's what hurts most. To know you're doing your best, but your best ain't good enough. Hey, you young ones, you climb into the wagon and get to sleep. It's past your bedtime already. We ain't tired, Mr. Clemson. Now I, Savvy, what's good for you better than you do. Now you just run right along. Good night, Johnny. Good night, Edith. Good night. It's like your engine parts got your horses watered already. Yes. Have the horses rested enough, Tunnel? Uh-huh. All right. Well, it's been mighty good to meet you, folks. What did you say your name was? Riders are coming this way. Well, what did anybody be coming out here this time of night for? Who's Ed? It's me, Dave. Oh, the chef. Two men with him. Oh, there. Oh, there. Good evening, chef. Who's with... Oh, it's been a silo with you, huh? Uh-huh. Where's Johnny and the girl? Just sent them to bed. Why? Don't be asking questions, Dave. Get them out here, and we'll ask the questions. Say, what's this all about, Sheriff? What's been mean by that kind of talk? Who's a stranger in the ridge game? We just stopped in to water our horses, Sheriff. You ain't explained nothing yet. It's a blast. The kids are yours. Then let the sheriff handle this. Silas, don't you be telling me what to do? Then keep your full mouth shut. Maybe you'll understand this ain't business I like to do. Well, there's been a heap of talk in town about Johnny and Edith lately, and some of the folks think... Me, for one. Yeah, I'd rat you, Ben. Go right ahead, Sheriff. Well, your kids helped out to the Simmons place, didn't they? They did. And didn't they do some chores for the winter commons for a couple of days? Yeah. And for Bill Kent and out to the Stevens place? Get to the point. I'll get to the point if the sheriff won't. Every one of them places had something stolen from it. But there wasn't never anything found missing till after the kids was there. Ben, are you saying... I'm downright sorry, Dave. But it ain't just Ben that's saying them things. It ain't just most everybody in Westwood. The man that'd say them young and stole is a low-down, on-risk conk. And I never figured you'd talk like that, Silas. Shucks, Dave, I don't hold with that talk at all. Why, Johnny and Edith are pards of mine. And Dave, maybe you better have the kids come out here for some questioning. They'll stay right where they are. And that's for you, Ben. And you, Sheriff, you can get back in your saddles and head for town pronto while you're still all in one piece. Why, you... I told you this was a fool's son to pull, Sheriff. You want some advice, Dave? Maybe. If you do, I'd suggest that you pull stakes and get out of this pile of the country. I ain't got no real evidence against the youngins. But if anything more is stole, and they're stole from some place they worked, then I ain't answering for what might happen. Just a second. Dave, I told the Sheriff. I told Ben. I told everybody else in town that I figured Johnny and Edith wasn't to blame. Now, I want to do something to prove I got faith in them. Yeah? Yeah, local, did you? You stay out of my affairs, Ben. We... we don't want no charity, Silas. Shucks, I don't mean that. She, Becky, is getting ready for a spell of house cleaning. She thought the girl and boy would be real handy for errands and such. Well... Anyhow, you ain't going to clear out right when folks are accusing them of things, are you? That'd make it look at the worst for them. Then doggone it, it's agreed. I'll send them over tomorrow. And we'd be glad to have them. Come on, Sheriff. Let's get back to town. Steady there. Ready, Ben? I'm ready. But by any thunder, Sheriff, if I was wearing your badge, I'd make Dave take those little thieves out of you. Why, no fighting, Dave. When is for your stain on? Well, maybe it's all right. But somehow I can't see nothing but trouble ahead. Get up there. Get up there. I'd like to get my hands on the skunks to start that talk. Dave. Oh, I clean forgot about you and the engine being here. Tell me something. Has Ben ever had anything stolen from him? Him? Why, that polecat ain't got nothing worth the stealing. Why'd you ask that? Never mind. You may learn later. Come on, Sonner. It's time we found a place to camp. Me? You ready? Come on, Silver. Get him up, Skull. Several days went by. No other thefts had been reported, but Ben Nugent stubbornly demanded that the Sheriff order Dave and the children from the district. We see the two men in the Sheriff's office. I tell you, Sheriff, the sooner you get rid of them, the better. What makes you so stubborn about it, Ben? Because I ain't got no use for Dave. That's why. You sure made it plain enough. I didn't like him when he came here. I don't like him now, and I never will like him. He's a crook. And if it wasn't him that put them youngins up to stealing the cash and the other things that are missing, then I'm a Comanche. Silas and Becky think them kids are just about right. Yes. Silas is better off than anybody else around these parts, and he's plumb careless with his cash. He leaves a lane all around the house he is. Well? But it's four days now since Johnny needed to start a dune chores for him, and there ain't been a penny missing. But there will be. You mark my words. You seem mighty certain. They've been laying low because they savvy we suspicion them. But they won't let Silas's cash get away from them. Dave will see to that. You ain't got no cash. The whole blasted colony could be thick with crooks like kicks on a sheep. But you couldn't lose nothin'. So I get so blame head off about it. I ain't sayin' nothin' other folks ain't sayin'. Well, you're guessin' much, Sheriff. Huh? Oh, howdy, Jim. Now, why do you have to bust in here like that? Next time I get me a deputy, he's gonna be... But this is important, Sheriff. Something happened. Silas has been robbed. No! There. What'd I tell you, Sheriff? Just like I said it happened. There was $500 stolen. Silas has fit the betide. Who stole it? There's no question for you. Who do you suppose stole it? Them kids, of course. I was askin' Jim. Well, speak up. Oh, I don't know. But it sure looks like either Johnny or the girl or both of them together must have done it. Well, we'll settle this thing right now. It's my horse outside. Uh-huh. We'll ride into Silas's place. Come along, Ben. No. I told you what would happen. Now it's your job to do something about it. And maybe next time you'll listen a little closer when I tell you how to handle your work. Ah! Good morning, Sheriff. Me and Jim got right out here as fast as we could, Silas. Well, now, Sheriff, that's mighty nice of you. Jim says you've had $500 stolen off you. That's right. Hard cash or folding money? Folding money, Sheriff. Five $100 bills. And I had them tucked away in that desk over there. And you've looked all through it? Well, where I ain't looked, Becky has. Ain't that so, Becky? The money just ain't in the house, Sheriff. Then I can tell you where it is. Those kids around? Johnny, either. There's nothing to be afraid of, children. The Sheriff just aims to ask you some questions. The Sheriff? Yes, the Sheriff. Now look here, you two young'uns. Where's that money? What have you done with it? Speak up now. Don't try to lie out of anything. The Sheriff, my dear Sheriff. You're scaring them half to death. Well, I'm trying. Johnny, the Sheriff's got a full notion that maybe you or your sister might have had some idea where my $500's gone. Honest. We don't know when it's in the wallet. Do you know what it means to steal cash, young'un? That'll be enough of that, Sheriff. But, Dad, right at Silas, these kids got to know where that cash is. It just don't make sense if they don't. They do chores for where they're coming, for the Stevens, for the Simmons, for Bill Kent. All of them folks lose cash right afterwards. Yes, but they... And now they come here to work for you, and they ain't been in the house more than four days and your cash is gone. Don't, Don at Silas, who do you figure stole it if they didn't? Edith, are you my friend? And you, Johnny? You bet, Mr. Carver. They're now, Sheriff. If you don't know it already, I reckon that'll show you that friends don't ever steal from you. Man's sake, Sheriff. Seems to me you could find something better than a couple of innocent children to yell at. Silas, how a trustful old fool like you ever made as much cash as you did is more than I can figure. Go in the house. What's that? Keep right on going, Ben. Let me go. Let me go. I tell you, you ain't got nothing on me. No, what he places is this. Search this man. No, listen to him. He's a man's clan. Don't believe what word he says. Put that gun down. I said search this man. You better do like the Masked Omri says, Sheriff. I think you'll find something that'll interest you. Well, I've sensed him, Ben. There ain't nothing in this pocket. Keep on looking. Stay out of that pocket. Get away. Do you hear me? My golly, maybe the Masked Man's under something. Wait, where am I around? Gone yet? Well, I'll be. What is this, Sheriff? Wait, let me get a look. Maybe I'm wrong. Nope. Hold it, money. $100 bill. Five of them. Never mind. Give me those men. Of course. How did you get $500 all to one? I saved it up, Sheriff. Honest idea. You never saved $10 in your whole life. You never earned no cash during the day as long as you lived. That you didn't have it all spent before the next morning. That ain't so, I tell you. I see it. It was you stirring up all the town folks against the Youngins. It was you who accused them of stealing. But all the time it was you that was really getting the cash. You was blamed clever. You found out where the Youngins were and then you stole from them places so the blame would be put on them. Oh, no. Well, now you're going to jail. You ain't got no evidence against me. What would you call these greenbacks if they ain't evidence? Is there any way Silas can identify them as being the ones he lost? Is there, Silas? Well, I don't know. They're all $100 bills, ain't they? Them ain't the only bills that size was ever printed. Why should I know that evidence? All right, Sheriff. Put me in jail. Lock me up. Hold me legit, you kids here. I'll do just that. Then when he sees the proof, your guard will throw your case out of court. You all... Sheriff. Ben's right. The money by itself isn't enough evidence. There's no way of proving that those bills are exactly the same bills that were stolen from Silas. Well, it was you that broke Ben here, and now you're... Listen to me, Sheriff. Put Ben in jail. Hold him there safely. I promise you that by the time the judge reaches town, you'll have all the evidence you need. But don't let Ben get away. Hold on. Wait, I just... There. Even the mask fell admitted you didn't have no proof. Well, maybe I ate. But the mask feller also said to jail you. And that's what I'm going to do even if the judge sets you loose again five minutes after. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger drama. Before the next scenes, please permit us to pause for just a moment. Now to continue our story. When Ben Nugent was thrown in jail, the townspeople indignant that he should have let the children be blamed for his crime gathered in and around the cafe. The feeling against Ben ran high. It's bad enough to be a crook. It's worse to be the kind of a crook that sneaks in folks' houses to steal. But I don't know if the worst kind of crook of all is one to let children take the blame for what he's done. What I say is this. While at the low-down coyote go to court, when even the sheriff says it's likely he'll get off. Every blame's one of us knows Ben's glee. Let's handle this thing ourselves and save the county the expense of a trial. We all list the poor cattle. They've been his fever on youngins. The dogs are now to the jail. If the sheriff plays the stoppish, we'll bust in the jail for him. Come out of the wagon. I've got to talk to you. Are you a mask? Listen to me. I've heard that voice before. I talked to you just a few days ago, Dave. It was at night. There was an Indian with me. That's what I heard you. But that mask. Never mind that. We've got to act quick. The people in town are getting ready to lynch Ben. They're gathering now. We don't hurry. They'll drag him from the jail and hang him. He ought to be hung. They're doing it because they're afraid the court won't. What difference does that make? The court can't hang Ben. The court can't hang Ben. The court can't hang Ben. The court can't hang Ben. Because there isn't enough evidence against him. To blaze us with the court. That's contrary to frame Johnny Anita. He deserves anything he gets on a heap more besides. But you're forgetting something, Dave. Yeah, what? There are still a few people in town who think that perhaps Ben isn't githy. There's still talk that the children might have had something to do with the robbery. Any man says that lies. I know that as well as you. But after Ben's hung, what do you think will happen? What are you getting at? People are going to talk after this affair's over. They're going to wonder if justice was actually done. People are always ashamed of themselves. After they've done something in anger. But I don't see... Then the reaction is going to swing opinion the other way. You'll find that Ben's lynching won't save Johnny and Edith from suspicion. There's nothing can be done to help that now. But there is. Huh? If real proof could be found to pin the guilt on Ben, then the lynching wouldn't be necessary. Then the people could be sure of a conviction in court. Yeah, I see that all right. But the most important thing is real proof would clear the children once and for all. There'd be no danger of suspicion later. It's mighty easy to talk about getting proof. But how's it going to be done? Money makes poor evidence. But there were other things stolen. Bracelets, rings, necklaces. Yeah. Things that could be identified. Go on. Ben didn't spend any money. I found out that he hasn't been out of town long enough to have sold any of those other articles. You mean... I mean that those things must be hidden somewhere. But where? I think I know. I'll tell you where to look. But I've got to get back to see that that lynching isn't carried out. For the sake of the children, we've got to prevent that hanging. We want Ben Newton. Well, first man steps on his watch, gets shot. Him and me both got shoot-nines, and we know how to use them. Get out of there! The sheriff's just bluffing colors. Come on, let's rush them over. Yeah, we stand by right on that crowd. No, we catch him. But they believe you're going anyhow. Hand back, I say. Where's the sheriff? Take your guns away and tie him up. You don't kill his colors. You're going against the law. Leave Ben be. I'll take them, jeez, sheriff. You? Yeah. All right, Ben. Somebody's going to kill him. I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him, jeez, sheriff. You? There. All right, Ben. Some of you come with me to get Ben, and the rest of you stay here to guard the sheriff and the deputy. Get me back, jeez. You'll pay for this. It's Ben going to pay, sheriff. There he is. He's in the cell over in the corner. Come on. Come on. Get away from me. Let's pay the guilty fellas. I swear I ain't. Hey, just don't take me out of here. Maybe you could make the judge believe he ain't guilty, Ben. But we ain't lawyers. Get the door unlocked. Yeah. Now, come on out before we drag you. Wait. Listen. We ain't going to argue. I reckon that'll show you. Back to the horses, men. Can't you wait? Can't you? Let me go. Hanging's too good for you. You're making a mistake. Shut up. Everyone here. If you do that, sheriff, you'll have to jail just about every fellow in town. All right, boys. Get bounded. The lynch mob's over, old fellow. Why doesn't Dave get here? He's got to do that big tree over there. Silverie should have been back by now. If anything's gone wrong, there he is. There. Did you find it? Did you look where I told you? Mr. I did, and I didn't find a thing. You didn't? No, not where you told me. But I kept on looking. And just lay your eyes on this. A ring. And that ain't all. Here's some other stuff. Just what we need. Stenny's over. You're going to try and argue with that mob, are you? That's just what I'm going to do. Come on. I own him. We've got to get loose from these ropes. If we don't, they'll inch bend just as sure as you're born. Sheriff, I've been trying for the last 10 minutes to get loose. But it can't be done. Gosh, have they hung him already? Is there some of them coming back? I don't know. They wrote off in that other direction. Say, that's Silas and a Redskins. You sure? You bet I am. Silas! Hey, Silas! Over here! We're coming! Hurry! Bless you! Untie us, won't you? Because I've been cut rope. Sheriff, when to leave with Ben? Near 15 minutes ago. Redskins, get me loose. Now you all right. There's never been a lynching on my county since I've been, Sheriff. And if I can help with them, there's going to be one now. You lose, Jim. And we're going to go. Get the saddle, Sheriff. I'm right with you. Get it off the stout. Get up there. It's time, Dave. They sure look set for business. Hold on, man. What is it, Dave? Men. The Massfeller here showed me that if Johnny and Edith was to be cleared for good, there had to be some real evidence against Ben. We know Ben, Julie. We don't need any more evidence. What I wanted was evidence that would stand up in court. Evidence would make it impossible to ever suspicion the young ones again. Well, what about it? You've got any evidence like that? I have, and here it is. Where'd you get them things, Dave? Say, that's the ring we stole from the widow, I'll bet. Tell us where you found them. Wait. There comes the sheriff and Silas. There's a red skin with them. By the thunder, I bet he let them loose. Howdy, Silas. Dave was just showing some real evidence against Ben. Me and Tom have been telling you just where Dave got that evidence. Where was that? In Ben's shack? No. Dave had it hid down by the stream where he's got his wagon. Why? See your local. I never did know such things. The game's up, Dave. But what? You stole the cash and jewelry that's been taken in town and you used the children to help you. It's a lie. What was that about the young ones? You used them, but they aren't guilty. How could that be? Dave was clever. He let the children work in the different homes in town. Then when they returned, he questioned them about what they had seen. They were too young to realize the purpose of his questions. Without realizing what they were doing, they often told them where valuables were hidden. You can't prove that. I suspected you from the first, Dave. You'd cared for the children. You'd made a home for them. You wouldn't have taken them around the country making them earn their own way. You still ain't got nothing on me. It was the things that made me suspect you. Then I went to Ben and Silas and arranged a trap. Everything that happened, including Ben's arrest, was to keep you from realizing that you were under suspicion and to get you to provide evidence against yourself. But wait! You've probably gone from town to town working the same trick. I think if the sheriff sends out some letters, he can determine that. You had to keep the children about suspicion. When I reminded you of that, you rarely realized it too. And I suggested getting real evidence to use against Ben. But I found it in his place. John and Silas trailed you and they can testify you didn't. You got it from a hiding place close to your wagon. Then Ben took all that risk so the real cook could be caught? He did, but he knew I'd rescue him of our planned tales. We came here to lynch Ben, but now I say we ought to string Dave on! Wait! Listen to me! Don't lynch, Dave. There's plenty of evidence to convict him in court. You're only justification for attempting to hang Ben so that you felt he might escape conviction even though you thought he was guilty. Use the courts. Don't take the law into your own hands. I promise you that Dave won't escape the penalty for his crimes. I reckon you're right, friend. Now there's one thing more. I've already talked this over with Silas. Johnny and Edith are fine children. Their parents are dead and they've been unfortunate. Anything you want to suggest is good enough for us strangers. Silas and his wife have no children, but they have money in a good home. They want to adopt the children and give them the chance they deserve. That's a swell idea! Good for you, Silas. Thank you, men. And as for me and Ben, we've done our part, but from first to last we was doing just what we was told to do by the Lone Ranger. Oh, Silas! A story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.