 H.O. Silver! H.O. Silver! Firey horse with a speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty H.O. Silver, the lone ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Returnless now to those thrilling days of yesteryear, from out of the past come the thundery hoofed feet of the great horse, Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Come on, Silver, let's go, we follow. Come, Silver, follow! Plump and jovial Jake Benton was sheriff of a little Texas town of Flint Rock. Following his usual habit on a hot summer day, Jake sat with his feet on his littered desk, gazing through the screen door at the little swirls of dust in the middle of Main Street. Jake's daydreaming was suddenly interrupted by the approaching steps of several people. Jake hastily brought his chair and his feet to the floor, adjusted his glasses, and attempted to seem busy as they entered his office. Hey, boy, howdy folks, howdy. Well, this looks like a committee. What, with Miss Arabella and the Witte Jeeps being along? Let's always say that you... Never mind what you always say, Sheriff Benton. This is a committee, and we're here to discuss business. You know Banker Sam Tutwaller? Evening to you, Jake. And widow Clarissa J. Are you sheriff? Fine, Clarissa, fine. Now Arabella... And my cousin Clarence Meadows. Are you Clarence? I'm fine, Sheriff. Oh, for God's sakes, Arabella, Minter, stop putting on like we was all strangers. Why, I know Clarence and Sam here, and the widow better than I know myself. Every time you decide to head a committee, you drag them all in like a delegation of foreigners and introduce them all over again. Calm down, Jake Benton. I'm educated back, Easton. I know it isn't good to mix friendship with business. Tommy Wright, where would you come in for? We have a civic problem on our hands, Sheriff. It's up to you to try and settle it. No such things come with my duties as sheriff, Arabella. What is this here civic problem you're fussing about? You remember old Dave Pickins? Remember him? Well, see here, Arabella. I helped to bury poor old Dave not more than a week ago. I know that. Well, what about Dave Pickins? Seems to me you let poor Dave rest in peace now that... Jake Benton, stop buttoning when I... I mean, Sheriff Benton, please don't keep interrupting. For a minute, Arabella, you forgot to be educated. This is no laughing matter. Sheriff, banker Tutwala tells me after paying off Dave Pickins' debts that there's about $100 left. Is that right, banker Tutwala? That's exactly right, Miss Miner. Well, Arabella, don't tell me with all your money you're fixing to lay claim to Dave's $100? Now listen to me, you overgrowth. I mean, please be serious, Sheriff Benton. I'll explain. I wish you would, and hurry it up if you don't mind. Don't be hurrying me, you lazy... Arabella, patient, Sheriff Benton, and we'll get on with the discussion. As you probably know, Dave Pickins was expecting his grandchild, a little girl to come out to live with him. Yeah, that's right. Dave was all excited about that. Too bad. The child is due in Flint Rock tomorrow. Isn't that so, Clarence? Yes, Cousin Arabella. We understand she's an orphan, Sheriff. That's right, Cousin Arabella. Well, what's wrong with that? I'm an orphan myself, come to think of it. And so are you, Arabella. Don't change the subject, Sheriff. We're not young anymore. That is, we're grown and able to look after ourselves. You managed to get along, Arabella. Don't you, Sam? Miss Minters has a... She's the richest person in town. Aren't you, Arabella? Well, I managed to get along comfortably, but to get back to Dave Pickins' grandchild. What about her? I just told you, the little girl is due here tomorrow. Oh, that's so. We'll have to find some place for her to stay looks like. Of course, Jake. And I was telling Arabella, I'd be glad to take the child. Clarissa James. I thought we settled that once and for all. Barely enough for your own keep. Much less having a child like that, eating you out of house and home. But, Arabella, there's always enough for one more. And I could get a little more sewing to do. Clarissa. Miss Arabella's right with you, James. The child would be a terrible responsibility for you. Sam Tutwall, you just keep out of this. I think Costa Arabella's right, too. Of course I am. Now, hold on. Looks like you decided the witted James ain't to have the Pickins' girl. Now, maybe you'll tell me who is going to take the little tyke in. Nobody. Nobody? That's right, Sheriff. We want you to arrange to send the child back on the St. Louis stage the following day after she arrives. She can stay overnight at my house. Send her back, you say? But she ain't got anybody left in St. Louis to go back to. We can't send Dave Pickins' grandchild back to fend for herself. And that's for certain. Sheriff, that $100 I spoke of will pay her way back. Meantime, I'll arrange through a friend of mine in St. Louis for the child and her home there. Whose home? An orphan's institution, of course. I'll pay the small monthly charges connected with her living there. Hmm. Very kind of you, Belle. Oh, dear. Well, Sheriff. Sheriff, Miss Minters, as we are all accustomed to say, is mighty kind of a hogwash. Why, I knew your Miss Minters when she was a hard-riding, hard-talking girl in pigtails, with a kind heart, a big smile for everybody, and darn happy to be called Belle. Then she went east to be educated, come back to all the family money, called herself Miss Arabella Minters. Oh, the Belle Minters I knew never come back. Jake Benton, you forget yourself. We came here on business not to talk about the past. We've decided that you should arrange this matter being as you're the law here. After all, the thing must be done in a legal way. A paper committing the child to the institution and permission to use the Pickens' money for a fair bet. But, Arabella, after all, she's Dave Pickens' grandchild. As chairman of the Flint Rock Civic Committee, I've given you our decision. That child must return to St. Louis. Come along, Clarissa, Cousin Clarence. Yes, sir. See you again, Sharon. Jake, I know how you feel. I wish I could keep the child, but Arabella's so... I know. Arabella Minters is about the meanest woman I ever had to meet. The worst of it is what she says goes here in Flint Rock. It looks like Dave Pickens' grandchild goes back to St. Louis. The following afternoon, a curious crowd gathered in front of a small-frame hotel in Flint Rock to await the arrival of the stagecoach. The Flint Rock Civic Committee held a prominent position in the foreground, and nearby, within earshot, stood a young boy and a stalwart Indian. That stage is long overdue, Sharon. It seems to me they could try to keep more on schedule. They got some mighty rugged trails to cover between here and Beaver around there, Arabella. Dan, who worn with fancy clothes and stony face? Well, that's Miss Minters, Tano. I hear she has a lot of money and just about runs Flint Rock. She looks mean, sort of. Yeah. Here comes Dave's now. I wonder who's coming. Looks like people are here to meet somebody. Hi, Wendy. Go down to the mail sacks. What took you so long? Haven't you a passenger for Flint Rock Driver? Yep. I got a little girl. Come all the way from St. Louis by yourself, too. Yeah, I'll open the door for her. All right, little lady, I'll take your bag. I'll have your trunk down from up top in a minute. Thank you. Come, child. What are you waiting for? Get out of the coach. Waiting for... Why? I never heard of such a thing. Oh, little girl. I'll take your hand, please. Oh, sure. I know you're kind. I can tell from your voice. My voice? Oh, goodness sakes, child. Don't stand there. We've come here to meet you. Your grandfather's dead and we've... Grandpa? How could you? Oh, dear child, everything will be all right. You keep out of this, Carissa. A girl might as well be told the facts. And what's more, she can't expect everyone here to be handing her out of coaches and waiting on her. Is plenty old enough to take care of herself? I... I'm sorry. Now what am I going to do? Do? Oh, we've arranged everything. By the way, what's your name? Mary Jane Pickens, ma'am. We'll call you just Mary. Now, Mary, you'll be going back to St. Louis in the morning. Meantime... I'm back. But I just got... Yes, I've arranged everything. You'll go to a place where there are lots of other children without folks. A home. No. No other children ask too many questions. They... They poke fun at me. Nonsense. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. And for pity's sake, stop staying like that. I... I'm sorry, ma'am. But I can't help it. You see, I... I'm blind. Oh, God. Oh, it's all right. I've always been blind all my life. I don't mind, really. Well, that's too bad, of course, child. But we'll see that you're taking care all back in St. Louis. Coming home now. Yes, ma'am. Goodbye, uh... Boy. My name's Dan Reed. Goodbye, Mary Jane. Tunnel. She's blind. Me here, Dan. That's plenty bad. And that woman wants to send her back to St. Louis all alone. It isn't right. No. We're not able to interfere, Dan. No, I... I guess not. Conley, I feel sorry for her. Me, no. Me, no. And better, we go back to camp now. Is your vector steady, boy? No, Ranger. Wonder what keep us along, maybe. Get him out, scoundrel. Come on, Victor. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. He's not here, Tunnel. No. Can't fire out. He's been gone some time. Steady, Victor. Steady, boy. Victor, here's something. I hear it, too. Ah. A lone Ranger come now. And him ride plenty fast. Whoa, steady. Oh, you keep coming. Dan, Tunnel. I'm glad you're here. We were in town on the stage. Dan, we haven't time to talk much right now. We have some hard riding to do. What manner? Tunnel, you must have noticed the haze in the air. Ah, me wondered if... I wondered, too. I went westward to investigate. We've had a long dry spell, and what I feared has happened. What? Fire, Dan. The plains of the west are roaring mass of flames about five miles away. Oh, that bad. Golly. The wind is shifting. That fire moves eastward this way. It'll engulf the town of Flintrock and wipe out the ranches beyond it. Oh, golly. Can anything be done? Are there no ranches between the fire and Flintrock? There are many east of the town. Hello. Uh-uh. Dan and I'll ride into Flintrock to warn them. You can go onto the ranches. Get all the men you can and bring them to town. Ah, me do it. There's plenty of help from them combined with the men in town. We'll do what we can to turn the fire back. Do you think it can be done? If it isn't done, Flintrock will be burned off the map and all the ranches beyond it destroyed. We'll have to move fast. Get a little bigger! 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. Now to continue our story. Unaware of the approaching menace to their small town, Sheriff Jake Benton and the members of the local civic committee were having a discussion at Arabella Mentor's home. A pretentious frame dwelling about a mile west of Flintrock. Well, Arabella, there's the paper you wanted. Saying they should take the little pick in this girl into that, uh, place you're fixing to send the tour. It's all for the best share. Uh, Arabella, I still think it's a dreadful thing that poor child alone and blind like she is. If only I could take it. It's all settled. Who's talking about it? Where's the child now, Miss Minners? In the back bedroom. Somebody's stopping outside. Open the door, Clarence, and see who it is. Yes, Cousin Arabella. Hurry, Clarence, before they knock the house down. I was told the sheriff is here. Oh, yes, he... Oh, Cousin Arabella! It's the master of all! What on Earth is this? I've got to see the sheriff. Come on, Dad. It's a horror! No, no, hold everything, folks. The masked man's a friend of mine. Jake Benton, what's a sheriff doing? Quiet, everybody. There's no time for explanations. They came to warn you. The whole town offent rocks an extreme danger. Now, hold on. Hold on. Let him talk. The wall of fire moving this way a few miles to the west. The wind has turned and is blowing stronger every minute. We'll be wiped out. Lance Sakes, what can we do? Sheriff Benton, this may be some trick. I still think it's strange. Leave yourself to the open door there. Hey, Cupidery's right. I can see a smoky haze over that grove of trees, John. Of course he's right. He wouldn't have wasted time coming here otherwise. We'd done to stop it. Listen to me, all of you. We send for the ranchers to go into town. All of you must start for Flint Rock at once. We'll fight the fire from there by starting a big backfire. Now, just a minute, stranger. This house is one mile from Flint Rock. It stands between that fire and the town. Well? I'm not going to let my home go up in smoke. Start the backfire right from here. It won't work. That cottonwood grove on the hill over there with the gully just beyond would break the back graft, causing me backfire we might start here and roll back to the house. He's right, Arabella. Now, listen to me, stranger. Do you mean to say... I mean to say that the mile between here and Flint Rock is all level plain. Perfect for a backfire. You'll have to sacrifice your house to save the town. If it hits Flint Rock in the bank, Miss Middish, you lose a great deal more. We'll do what our masked friend says. Let's get started for Flint Rock right now. Yes. Well, if it must be that way, all right. Go on, Clarissa. You ride with Banker Tutwaller. Go along, Claire. What about you? I want to get a few trinkets together. Then I'll follow in the buckboard. It's hitched outside. One little pickens, girl. Where is she? Little girl, Dan? Yes, yes. There's a little girl here. I'll wake her up and bring her along with me. The rest of you go along, hurry. Yes, we've wasted enough time already. Come on, Dan. Yes, sir. Come along, everybody. Get a move on. We're right on ahead. Come on, fixer. So they think they can scare Abellaminters into leaving the finest house around here. Abellaminters went outside and, making a torch of tall, dry brush, moved a short distance from the house into the tall, dry grass. Hastily, she moved from one spot to another, setting small patches of fire, which gradually merged into one flaming line. Then she withdrew toward the front of the house to watch. There. I showed them how wrong they are. That fire's leaping high already and soon to... No. No, it can't be. The lot of fire I started is leaping right toward the house. Oh, little girl. I'll get her and we'll drive to town. Oh, my ankle. The horse is with the buckboard. They're gone. Oh, yes, child, yes. How can you help when you can't even see? I do what I can't. Well, move this way a few steps. There. Now, help me out. I'll sprain my ankle. Oh, here, let me take your arm. Easy. You can step on it. I hear fire. Yes, yes, there's fire, child. And we're practically helpless. There's a wall of fire moving this way. One will come the other way. Tarnation, take it. I'm talking like a fool. Scared of the daylights out of a child. I'm not afraid, Miss Minners. Stop that, Miss Minners. Stop if I'm sick of it. Call me Aunt Arabella or something. Now, Mary Jane, what are we going to do? I heard once of people lying down in water to save them from a big fire. If there was only some water... Jumping, catfish, maybe we can do something. There's a creek after the left assured distance. You help me. I'll direct the way. All right. Let's get started then. The water in that creek is only about two feet deep. But it might save us if we can get there. Trapped on both sides, Mary Jane. All we can do is hope for the best. A short time after reaching Flint Rock, the Lone Ranger organized the ranchers and townsmen along the west edge of the town. Many were plowing long furrows in an ever-widening path in case the backfire which was to be started should fail. Others were placed a hundred feet apart in a quarter-mile line before the town, each verting a lighted torch and each waiting for the signal to start the great backfire. While the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode about giving orders to the men, he sat on his horse Victor, watching from the west end of Main Street. He turned in the saddle as a buck board approached hurriedly and stopped. Oh, boy! Where's that masked man? He was over there a few minutes ago. I think he's riding out to give the signal for the backfire. Oh, Clarence, we have to do something. I know, Clarence. It's terrible. What's wrong? Aerebellum it is. And the little blind girl, they haven't come into town. You mean they're still out there? Yes. Well, they may have started in, but the backfire will stop. Oh, Clarence, there's light in the backfire. It's too late, Clarence. It's too late. I can still get through. Come on, Victor! Oh, wait! Come back! Clarence has gone out between the fires. He'll be trapped. Oh, dear. We'll tell the masked man. Get him! Come on, get him! What's the matter? The boy, the one on the white horse, is with you. What's happened to him? He's gone. Gone through the backfire and reached the little blind girl at Aerebellum it is house. Damn! Gone too. He'll be trapped for the fires. Hello! Hello! Be careful, Kimusabi. What's the matter? Dan, he's gone between the fires. Take charge. I'm going after him. Oh, you're not making it now, Kimusabi. Wall of fire too great. I'll have to make it. I'll ride around the south end. Adios, Kimusabi. Come on, Silver! Gradually, Silver bore the Lone Ranger farther ahead of the backfire. Already the threatening red glare and the billowing smoke of the approaching main fire could be seen before them. Then the Lone Ranger saw Dan outlined on Victor against the glow. Steadily and surely, Silver overtook him. Dan! Dan! Dan! The little blind girl! We're going to get her, Dan. Run, Silver! Come on, Victor! Oh! Oh, Victor! Oh! Look. The house, it's burned down. Yes. That's strange. The big fire is still a quarter of a mile away. It's just reached that grove of cottonwoods. Anyhow, it's burned down. And that means... Oh, golly, that little girl, she... Listen, Dan. I thought I heard... Wait. Dan, those were cries for help. Come on. Over that way. Come on, Silver. Come on, boy. Look, a creek. And Miss Minners is out with a little blind girl. Oh, Silver. Look, look, look. Look at that bush. Dan, reach. Big fella, steady, Silver. We saw your house in ruins. Oh, due to my pigheadedness, I set a backfire that really backfired. Spring, my ankle couldn't walk. Hey, Jane's blind, so we had to stick here. The big fire is moving in fast. We'll have to leave. Backfire. We started near town to go through. I don't see how we're going to get through. It's a trap that's real fast. There's a way, Dan. A slim chance we'll have to take it. Mary Jane will ride with you. Miss Minners with me. And we'll follow this creek back toward Flint Rock. Shallow enough for the horses. All right, Dan. You help Mary Jane. I'll help Miss Minners. We're going to get through. We have a moment to lose. Following the creek bed, the Lone Ranger and Dan carry the little girl in the fright and spinster to safety. Later, Arabella and Mary Jane with the center of a small group in Clarissa Jaype's little home. The Lone Ranger and Dan turn to leave when Arabella spoke. Don't leave just yet, stranger. I want you and the boy to hear what I got to say. We'll stay only a minute. We have a friend waiting outside, Miss Minners. Oh, Arabella. It must have been terrible for you. This thing ever happened to me, Clarissa? You're forgetting to be a lady, Arabella. I'm plain Belle to you, Jake. That lady you're talking of, Arabella by name, got smothered back there in the fire. Miss Minners. I don't understand what you're... Shut up, Sam. Hey, Jane, I always wanted to have a little girl around, but, well, I wouldn't admit it. We'll stay here with Clarissa till I build a nice new house, and then you'll be my little girl. How about it? But, uh, cousin Arabella... Clarence, you know good boot-shining gopher. Go get yourself a job and don't come whining around me again until you do. That's cousin Arabella. Well, Mary Jane... But...but I'm blind... No, child. You're not the one who's been blind. I was. Trying to put on airs, be what I wasn't. Watching my language all the time, forgetting my manners. I need you, Mary Jane. I think you ought to accept, Mary Jane. I think so, too. Oh... Then I do accept. Aunt Belle. Well, I declare. I, uh, think... Shut up, Sam, or I'll take out my money and ruin your bank. Jane, remember what you said. I reckon I couldn't forget it, Belle. Well, that hard-riding, hard-talking girl in pigtails is back, Jane. Back to stay. Come often and see if it's the Belle you used to know. Arabella? You're being downright forward with Jake. Right before Mary Jane, too. Come back? Yes, sir. Speaking of Mary Jane, it seems to me she perks up every time a certain nice boy comes around. Hmm. Masked man Dan just left, Belle. But, Jake, who is that masked man? Do you really know? I did want to... Well, thank him and... Dan. They got there, thanks. I saw it in their eyes when you asked Mary Jane to stay with you. Lone Ranger loves children, Belle. He...he sort of believes like it says in the good book. For of such is the kingdom of heaven. Lone Ranger... I'll always remember him. Always. I'll never... Story You Have Just Heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.