 a fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty Hio Silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, the local sheriffs had a full-time job preserving the peace. They knew very little about law. There was no adequate court system, and the men, women, and children who couldn't defend their rights by force had no law enforcing agency to protect them. The masked rider of the planes was the only man to whom they could turn for help, and in time, Hio Silver became the battle cry of justice. And I'll return with us 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. Our story opens in the district surrounding Flat Rock, one of the richest gold-producing sections in the state. Barnaby Greer opened the door of his home and looks outside for his partner. The letter he holds in his hand contains important news. Hey! Hey, you stand! Come over here! What's the matter with you? Come here! I got bad news! What in tuck is the hurry about the spreadin' of bad news? Well, listen, I got a letter from a lawyer in St. Louis. St. Louis? That's where your brother's young ones was. Well, this is right, but they ain't there now. They're being sent here by stage. That lawyer must have heard somethin'. He heard about all I was to hear. I didn't think news would get back there, but it has. And them good-for-nothing youngins of Pete's are being sent here to lay claim to the goldmine their father left them. That's bad, Barnaby. That is bad. Especially after us figurein' it was ours. It'll mean I'll have to give an accountant of all the gold we took out in the mine. Hmm, that's bad. We gotta do somethin'. You were the one who told me the kids had never know about their poorest claim. I was sure of it. The lawyer mentions the mine right here in this letter. Hmm. Well, think of somethin'. Don't just stand there gaping like a hood owl. Think of somethin'. When does the stage get in? It's due at Flat Rock Tuesday. That's half a day's ride from here. I know. Letter come by Pony Express. It's all gone, you and your ideas. We're likely go to jail now for stealin' the kid's gold. Most of what we took is spent. And them kids' lawyer want an accountant. Leave it to me, Barnaby. Got any cash? No. You scraped together enough to ship them back to St. Louis. I don't want them pestin' around here. Give them some sort of a story. It wouldn't do to use the gold. No. Get cash in town. And let that lawyer back east take care of them. Put them in an orphanage or somethin'. I ain't gonna have three kids hangin' around here. I plan to meet that stage and tell them a few things. Don't you worry about it. Just leave everything to me. On the day the stage was due, Stan borrowed money from everyone he saw in town. Tato, the faithful Indian companion of the Lone Ranger, was buying supplies when the bartender gave Stan the last few dollars he needed. The stage had already arrived when he left the cafe and hurried to the express office. He found Tom, Sally, and little Betty waiting for their uncle. Now then, you three come on over here and sit in the porch. I've got a few things to tell ya. But where's my Uncle Barnaby? I ain't need to be here. Tom, he ain't well. He couldn't get here. What's the matter with him, mister? I hope he isn't real sick. Well, let tell the truth, girl, your father's debts. Worry about you three young'uns oughta warm down. You see, your old man thought he had a sizeable sum of cash here, as well as some mining claims. We were told it was a house and a gold mine and some cash in the bank furs, as well. Yes, we come to live with Uncle Barnaby. Trouble is, kids, a mine caved in. It had cost too much to tunnel it out again. Caved in? Yep. Then your uncle went broke. And then, as if that wasn't enough, his creditors come and took the house and property. There was just a few dollars left, and I got that. Your uncle sent it so as to buy your stage passage back east, where you come from. You know people there. But we can't go back there, Mr. Denton. There's no place to go there. No, no place but the orphanage where the lawyer said we'd have to go. Well, shucks. Even that'd be better than starving out here and putting your poor sick old uncle a lot of worry, wouldn't it? Well, we don't want to worry him or be a bother. There, now that's right. Nice, you sally. Let's see. Tom, you're the oldest. I'll hand this cash money over to you. You sign this paper showing you got it. Yes, sir. You're the man of the family, you know. Sign important papers and everything. I'll go see Mrs. Beebe. That's her house across the street. She'll put you three up for the night and you can pay her a dollar or so for it. Yes, sir. Then tomorrow the stage will come through and you can get on it and get back where you come from. There's cash enough to buy your passies there. Here, now sign here. Yes, sir. This isn't the way we thought it would be. Now don't lose your nerve, Sally. I'm not going to let you and Baby go to the orphanage. I'll get a job and work. Don't you worry. There. Now wait right there. Now go across the street and see Mrs. Beebe about you. Yes, sir. Tom, what about Baby? It's an awful long trip. We can't turn right back and go through it all again. I don't know what else we can do, Sally. This money won't keep us long if we stay here and it's all there is. Tonto, see, Baby? Oh, a real Indian. Oh, gosh, I... Ha, ha, ha. They're plenty nice. Sally, look. Baby's smiling. Well, that's the first time in days she smiles. She likes the engine. Me, Tonto. You from East, huh? Yes. We came here to live with our uncle, but all the money was lost and he's alien. So we're going back east. That's an awful long trip. That's an awful long trip. I wish we didn't have to go. Who? Uncle? His name is Barnaby Greer. Do you know him? Oh, I don't know him. You do? Get away from the youngster's engine. Come on, kids. You stay with Mrs. Beebe till the stage covers. Oh, wait, Mr. Denton. This engine's friendly. I told you to get. You say Greer's sick. Is he sick? You say money all gone. Team none of your business. Now clear up before I... All the cash that was left on what Paul had was given to us, Tonto. You give him cash? Yes. What's it to you? Tonto, go now. You'd better. You'll not worry. Maybe you'll not go east. Not go east? What do you mean? Tonto, maybe see you later. Good riddance to him. Don't you kids talk to no red skims? Tain's safe, Savvy. Now come on. Get him up, scoundrel. Tonto rode to join his masked friend, the Lone Ranger, and briefly explained what he'd seen take place in town. Late that evening, Stan Benton raced up the hill to Greer's place and reigned in his horse before the door. Who? Who there? Who? Barnaby. Open the door. Hey, Barnaby. What are you on horseback for? Where's the buck for it? I had to leave it in town. I had to get here fast. Listen to me, Barnaby. Well, go on, talk. What's all the excitement? Let me come in and get my win back. I wanted to be sure I got here first. First? What do you mean? I'll tell you in a minute. Well, go on now, talk. Get to see the kids. All right. Let's get some cash. You know, I vowed enough to give the stage fair back to St. Louis, but it didn't do no good. They ain't going back. Ain't going back? Where are they now? They're on their way here. On their way here? Count found you, Stan. I told you. And I carried out things just as we'd planned. I met the kids and told them the mine had caved in. Yeah, what'd they say? They believed it all right. Everything was going swell. They was going to stop for the night with Mrs. Beebe and catchy he's bound stage tomorrow. Well, why aren't they doing it? Why are they coming here? Who's bringing them here? I'm trying to tell you as fast as I can. While I was at Mrs. Beebe's, an engine got to talking to the kids and they told them all about themselves. What did you find out? Well, for one thing, I told the kids the money I gave them was what their pod left them. And the engine seen me bow it in the cafe. Blast that engine spoiling all our plans? That ain't the worst of it. The kids didn't want to go back. Of course not. So they was quick to believe anything that was told them. Yeah, what was told them? They didn't believe an engine over you, did they? Well, not at first. I left them with Mrs. Beebe, you see. Then I hung around town for a while. I figured there wasn't any sense in coming back too soon, so I dropped in the cafe. Next thing I know, the engine came in and took me out. Then what? Outside, it was a mask man. He told me the kids was coming here and him and the engine was bringing them. A mask man? What in thunderation is a mask man doing? He told me the whole thing was a lie, that the kid's mind was good and they was going to get it. He talked to the kids? Yeah. Tom, that's the old man. I know, go on. Well, Tom showed him the letter the lawyer wrote, proven who he was and telling anyone of my concern that he was the rightful owner of this mind we've been working. We gotta do something. We gotta do something. We gotta do a doll gone fast. Barnaby, if them kids get here and see that mind's being worked, they'll know the whole thing's a fake. There ain't no telling what this mask man will do. A doll gone it, I didn't think they'd get folks on their side five minutes after hitting town. Gotta do something. Gotta do something fast. There ain't but one thing we can do, Barnaby. Well, go on. I shouldn't know better than to listen to your ideas, but go on, tell me. If the kids get here and see the mind working, they'll expect all the gold has been taken out of it to be theirs. That's where the shoe pinches. We ain't got it. Not having it, we'll both go to jail. You ain't telling me no news. But you said you had a plan. I'm getting to it, Barnaby. Only thing we can do is blow up the entrance to the mind. Blow it up. We gotta do it. Barnaby. When the kids see it's caved in, they'll believe I told them the truth. Then we can convince them the mask man and the engine was just scheming something. And we can still send them back east. There'll be another stage heading there in a week. Yeah. We can tolerate him for a week. But with the mind caved in, we'll have all the trouble of digging it out. Well, what do you want to do? Dig the mind out again or go to jail? There ain't no choice. Go on. Get ready to set that blast. Meanwhile, the Lone Ranger was guiding the buckboard along the narrow backcountry trail. When they neared Barnaby's place, he turned to Tommy. Don't think too hard of your uncle Barnaby, Tom. I can't believe he double-crossed me like that, mister. Suppose you just believed that he was forced to do it by bad companions. Gosh, maybe that was it. My poor used to tell me about the trouble men could get into if they had bad friends. That's it, Tom. We'll see what we can do about getting rid of you. We'll see what we can do about getting rid of you uncle's companion. Then you can settle down with Barnaby. Is the mind there all right, mister? I think you'll find it all right, Sally. Then we won't have to go back in. Gosh, it sure is like we met you in the engine. You didn't seem to be afraid of me, even when you saw my mask. As soon as I heard you talk, I knew you were friendly, mister. Thanks, Tom. What are you thanking me for? Perhaps when you're grown up, you'll understand why it means more to a man to have young fellas like you believing them than grown men. Maybe so, but I don't understand it now. How soon will we be at Uncle Barnaby's place? We're almost there now, Sally. Gosh, I'll be glad. I'm awful tired. There, out. Yes, hand. Good. Is that the house? That's it. Where's the mind? Goes up that hill, a little way beyond the house. Golly, imagine us all in a gold mine. Hey! Hey! Is that Uncle Barnaby? Yes. You've never seen him, have you? No, sir. Oh, tell her. Oh, oh, God. Barnaby, now I'm going to have a talk with you. That suits me all right, stranger. My partner came back and told me he was bringing the youngsters here. I'm afraid you made a mistake, though. I don't think so. Now, the owners of the gold mine. Didn't Stan tell them the mine caved in? Yes, sir. He did. Now, you're Tom, ain't you? Yes, sir. And you must be Sally. Yes, sir, Uncle Barnaby. Well, it's a go-and-go and shame this here mask man and the engine was fools enough to bring you all the way here. Well, you'll find out about that one day when I come to Barnaby. I told him you must have been forced to send word that the mine caved in. We don't hold it against, Uncle Barnaby. This mask man is trying to work some schemes of his own. The mine has caved in. It has. It's caved in and you can see for yourself as soon as daylight comes. But you come in now. I'll put you up for the night and then I'll have to take you back to town first thing in the morning. You mean to tell me the mine is actually caved in? You can hear, can't you? Tom, you stay right here. Keep an eye on these children. Me too. I'm going to find out something just as soon as I can unhitch silver from this wagon. I didn't think the mask man was working any scheme up on Uncle Barnaby. He's masked, ain't he? Well, yes. Ain't your father ever told you outlaws in the West where masks? Knock him in the house. If that arm ray didn't pack two guns, I'd hold him and turn him over to the law. We'll meet sometime tomorrow, Barnaby. Will the mask man be able to win back the children's inheritance? In just a moment, we'll continue with act two of our lone ranger drama. Now to continue our story. Barnaby Greer's nephew and niece were up at dawn despite the late hour at which they'd gone to bed. Greer talked with them at breakfast while Tonto remained outside the house. Now finish up. Eat your breakfast and then I'll show you the cave in and start your back east again. Gosh, sir. I don't hardly know who to believe. Do you, Sally? No, I don't. What do you mean? Of course, it's our own uncle's word against the mask man. But I like that mask man. He didn't seem like a man who wouldn't tell it wasn't true. A mask man and a ninja. They both said that the mime was pan. And you and Mr. Denton said it caved in. There ain't no question about it. As soon as you're done eating, I'll show you. Anyway, even if we do lose the mime, we sort of count it down and have to go back east. It'll be good to know that you're on the level. I sure hate to know that our own uncle planned to cheat us. No, Tom, that ain't what the mask man said. Well, he said that Uncle Barnaby... He said that if Uncle Barnaby was trying to do us all of the mime, it wasn't his fault. It was because of his bad companion. Bad companion? Yes, sir. The mask man said that? Uh-huh. Well, I'll be... Go on, eat your cornmeal and get done with it. I don't want any more. Neither do I. You better take a look at the baby, Sally, and make sure she's all right. I will, right away. Hurry it up now. I will. You three have got to catch that eastbound stage. If you miss it, you'll have to spend the whole week here. I'm all ready, Uncle Barnaby. What about you, Sally? Coming. Is the baby all right? She's still sleeping. Dad, we're at it all anyhow. Well, what's the matter, Uncle Barnaby? Come on, let's go see the mime. Well, baby, be all right here. Sure, we won't be going long, very far. Gosh, I'll hate to leave this country. Look at those hills, Sally. They're a sight different than what we see back east, aren't they? Say, uh, Tom. Yes, sir? Did you mean to say you'd sooner lose the gold mine than to find that I was a crook? Sure. You're the last relation we've got, Uncle Barnaby. Mom and Paul always told us about you. Hmm. Dad, we're at it. Where's Mr. Denton? Doesn't he love with you? I don't know where he is. I ain't seen him since last evening when he left it. So what? Uh, I do something at the mine. Me come to. Are you still hanging around here, engine? It's Tondo. Well, me still here. Well, bless your hide. Stay close. What are those people doing over there? Why don't they're all around my... matter what was left of your claim. Is that where the gold mine was? Yeah, you can see now that it's all caved in. It sure is. What in Tondo are they doing there? Uncle Barnaby, it looks as if they're digging it out. Well, boy, hey, what's this mean? Howdy, Greer. You're just the man we want to see. I reckon this will save me going to your house and looking for you. What do you mean, Sheriff? Just that. The law is likely to want you. The law? Sadly, he's the Sheriff. What are you talking about, Sheriff? You'll see later on. Now look here. Don't leave here till the men are done working. What are they doing? Looking for the body. The what? Now you see here, Mr. Sheriff. My Uncle Barnaby ain't done anything wrong. How do you know, kid? Because he hasn't. He's my father's brother. He wouldn't do anything wrong. He told us the truth about tomorrow. Now listen, you'll come with Tondo. Who are you? Come on, you kids. Go with the Indian. Let me talk to the Sheriff. Anyhow, they can't say you did anything dishonest. If they do, they'll have time and me to argue with them. That's right, Sally. See you later, Uncle Barnaby. Come on, Tondo. Got a couple of loyal youngins there, Barnaby. I know it. Blasted I. I've been feeling like an ordinary low-down cuss. It's a shame you are such a cuss. Look, there was any way to undo what I'd done. There ain't no way to undo a murder, Barnaby. Murder? Just so. Now she hears, Sheriff. That guy's all wrong. I never killed a man in my life. We'll know. Blame soon. I didn't. I got some pretty raw things. I did scheme to rob them youngins. But that is for I know them. Before I seen the way they could look at me and tell me how they trusted me. And that is before I seen the way both of them kids went and stuck up for me when they seen you. It still stands. I want you for the murder of your partner, Stan Denton. Stan Denton? Yeah. Come on. Step over here a ways. That mine wasn't closed up yesterday night like that, was it? No. And Stan was seen in town yesterday. Seems that you and him argued frequent. Sure. But there wasn't anything serious. And we'll see. Stop here. It's my bet that we'll find Stan's remains inside that tunnel. But we... I... Listen, Sheriff. I'll tell you the truth. Stan told those kids at the mine which was theirs and caved in. There was a masked man that brought the kids here. Him and that engine. Telling them that the mine hadn't caved in. Masked man, huh? A white horse? Yeah. Go on with your lies. He lies. He came here with the kids and Stan come ahead of him. And the only way we could make our story true was to blast the mine. Last night? Yes, last night. You're slick, Barnaby. I admit I stole them kids gold, but I never killed. You decide sooner go to jail for stealing gold and hang for murder, huh? Now let me tell you a thing or two. You got a story all fixed. It seems to fit the cases. Only here's what happened. I was at home last night asleep when I heard a horse pull up outside the house. I woke up and heard the masked man shouting. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. I get out in bed to see what it was, and I heard a hammering on the door. Then before I could get to the door, this man walked in. He had a pair of six-guns holding them on me. Hey, what's the idea of them six-guns? I yelled. Then he just stood there quiet, saying... You'd better get dressed and come with me, Sheriff. You may find a murder. I couldn't savvy what he was getting at at first. I was just half awake, and then he says... You must have heard the blast. What blast? Near the Greer Mine about an hour ago. Seems like I did hear something, but didn't pay much attention to it. Come over there and see what the footprints around the entrance to the mine show. But it's dark. There's a moon. Can't study footprints in the moonlight. You'll see enough to convince you that there's need for the law. Barnaby, I went along with him and come here, and what I seen was a plenty to hang you. No, no, Sheriff. The ground was tore off with a mess of footprints showing every sign of a scrap. I found an open knife, and it had Stan Denton's letters on it. Like it's not, he tried to use it in the fight. Then I found a part of his coat, which was tore off, and seen a blowed-up entrance to the mine. You and Stan fought. It wasn't me. It was that mask man. The mask man's the one that fought with him and killed him. I was in the house all the while. Those kids can prove it. They showed that they'd do most anything to help save your neck. They don't know what a pole catcher are. Well, I fetched a crew to dig that mine out, and just as soon as we find Stan Denton's remains, you're going to jail for murder. Find that mask man. He's the one you want to find. He's the killer. If that was the case, why'd he come for me? But I just... Are you right here where I'd keep an eye on you? Hurry up there, boys. Get that tunnel opened up. The men worked hard all morning. Sally went back to the house and cared for the baby. When she heard the shout announcing that the mine entrance was cleared, she hurried to her brother's side. Are they going to hang Uncle Barnaby? I'm afraid they will if they find Mr. Denton dead. But they can't. He's our uncle. He wouldn't do anything wrong. Bless you for that. Uncle Barnaby, they can't take you away. Sally, you're the living image of your mor. Am I? She's a fine woman, too. They can't wait here no longer. Come on, Barnaby. I'll have to take you in while we hunt for Denton. Sheriff, now listen. No, use argon. But these kids, they need me. Denton made arrangements for them. They can stay with Mrs. Beebe till the next stage. But don't you see? This is their mine. Your men turned it out for them. Now they can get the gold. They can't leave here. But that's so. The mine isn't caved in no more. Come on, man. Sure enough. The mask man, Sheriff. If Denton's killed, he... Thank Mr. Denton in the saddle with us. Come on, Mr. Silver. Denton's alive. Get in there. You see, Sheriff, you were all wrong. But what in time... Hold that door. You gotta rest this man. Get down, Denton. You take Tom and Sally back to the house. You, um... But we want to stay. Go along, Sally. I want to speak to your uncle. Don't let him take him to jail. They won't. Blasted, I want this thing explained. I think your little sister's crying, Sally. Uncle Barnaby, you'll be at the house, won't you? I don't know. He'll be there. Go along, Tom. Yes, sir. I'll see you there, Uncle Barnaby. You told me to come here and dig that tunnel to find a dead man. No, Sheriff. I only showed you the signs of a struggle. But you let me figure... You figured that Barnaby and Denton forced him. That Denton was killed and put in the tunnel. Sure. You didn't figure that Denton might have blasted that tunnel last night to the story that he and Greer told would be convincing to those children. But the fight... The fight took place when I captured Denton and took him to my camp to hold for you. Then went to get you. My boys and all the rest I brought worked all morning digging out that tunnel. And you've given those children the property that belongs to them. And I'm glad to see them get it. The only thing I don't like is that now all the faith they had in me will be shocked to pieces. Sheriff, can't you take me to jail and not tell those kids where I went? I'm an old cuss and I got jailer coming. But I... I hate to see the faith them kids had in human nature destroyed. Throw that mask man in jail. He captured me. You shut up, Denton. You never did have an idea that was worth a hoot. The mask man gave them kids their claim that have taken me years to tunnel the thing out again and no cash to work with. Sheriff, Barnaby Greer has three children to take care of. And a mind to manage for them. Jail isn't the place for him. I reckon you're right. But that's Keeman Crook. Now wait, don't you hold me. Yes, by darn I'm going to. You blow that tunnel up and there's been 30 men working here all morning. You're going to jail unless you pay for that time. That's it, Sheriff. The coyotes had me in trouble all these years with the cussed ideas. I can't pay them. I need no cash. You stay in jail till you can. I can't get cash if I'm in jail. That's great. You'll stay there from now on. As for you, Barnaby. Behave yourself. So long. Come on along. I don't know what I'd done to deserve a chance like this. They good care of those children, Barnaby. You're all they have and they trust you. And they're all I got. And by darn they'll have reason to trust their old Uncle Barnaby. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.