 horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty hyose silver, the lone ranger. In the years following the gold rush, many men in California rose to fabulous heights of wealth and power. One of these was Arnold Geerson, whose wealth reached out to develop the vast resources of the far west. Unlike the thousands of gold seekers, adventurers and parasites who sought to grab only what they could hold in their hands, Arnold Geerson was in the far west to stay. Geerson saw the growing influx of the disreputable element and knew that they could and would destroy what he and others like him had rested from this land of promise. He decided to strike at the heart, the infamous Barbaric Coast. In an effort to stamp out the viciousness, Geerson sought for and found the lone ranger. This masked rider of mystery, though reluctant to leave the plains and mountains of the cattle country, answered the call and soon found himself fighting a new type of criminal in the Barbaric Coast. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the lone ranger rides again. While Dan Reed was at school, he shared a room with his friend Bob Geerson. Many a happy hour was spent telling of the masked man's adventures before he came to California. I can tell from his letters, Bob. He'd be mighty glad to get back to the cattle country of the mountains. I wonder how Donald likes it in San Francisco. Donald wouldn't like a big city any better than the lone ranger. Neither would I. I'd give anything to be back in Texas. Instead of school? Yeah. The only reason I'm willing to stick here in school is because the lone ranger asked me to learn the stuff they teach here. The sooner I learn it, the sooner I'll be able to go back with him. Dan, the lone ranger's helping my dad clean up the Barbaric Coast. I didn't think it was safe for you to stay back there in San Francisco. I guess it's no more exciting though than some things that happen when we were back on the plains. For instance? Well, the time the lone ranger owned a haunted ranch. The lone ranger owned a haunted ranch? Yeah. Let's see. Where's the best place to start the story, Bob? You better start it mighty soon, Dan. It's after 7.30 and our study hour begins at 8. Start anywhere, but tell him about the haunted ranch. Well, the first the lone ranger and I knew about it was when we were in camp. Tutto should have joined us there at sundown, but it was about two hours after dark. That scared Tutto's horse. Kimusami! Me come. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, golly. I thought something had happened to you. Oh, plenty happened. Anyone come here? No, Tutto. Me come long way around to hide trail to camp. Think maybe Lom and find camp and put you in jail too. In jail? Yeah. Dan will take care of your horse. Tell us about it. Me in town. Two father come and save me killer. A killer? Ah. Think me kill three men at Collins Ranch. Save me stranger in town. Ask plenty question, but me not answer. So they jailed you on no more evidence than that? That's right. How did you get out? That's pretty strange. Father come to Winder, jail. Him, young father. Him, say, him work at Collins Ranch. Did he give you his name? Ah, name Jeff Mason. Jeff Mason. Cowboy at the Collins Ranch. That's right. Him talking, soft voice. See him there to help. No, you ain't the killer, engine. But I also know that Sheriff Ryder's got to find someone to blame for the murders of my boss's bread. And you're the unlucky critter that's elected to hang. Well, why hang me? Because you, well, you don't have any friends. And it's likely no one would complain about flimsy evidence. Why not hang real murder? Sheriff not want to find real murder? I'll tell you why they can't hang the real killer of the three men. Why? Because they can't hang a ghost. They really think the ghost would kill those three men? Ah, him plenty serious. Him let me out of jail and say, ride long way and keep going. If lost, he taught her again, lost, shoot on sight. We'll pack up and head for the Collins Ranch. You know where ranch is. Yes, otherwise, we'll make it by sunup. I want to see the place where ghosts commit a murder. Sit yourself down, Sam. I'll have the taters done in a minute. I know as I got in the appetite for breakfast this morning. Sam Collins, are you going to believe all this idle chatter about our ranch being ghosted? What else could it be? Start eating. Jeff told you last evening that while he was in town yesterday, a red skin had been charged with the shootings. That's wrong. Sheriff Tucker's wrong too. He just wants to make an arrest. He knows blame well that no red skin could have shot the men without leaving tracks and with her own guns at that. Any rate you didn't do it. Whoever did it is sure bringing on my ruination. I won't be able to keep a cow hand here any price at this slaughter. Keeps up. Sam, I do declare you're as nervous as I am with new hatched chicks. Come in. Morning, Miss Collins. Oh, hello, Jeff. Howdy, boss. Mason, what's the latest? Ain't good. What do you mean? The latest is that Pete Loomis shot himself last night. What? Yep. The boys found him near the north line a little while ago. How do they know he shot himself? His own gun was fired and still in his hand. Wasn't tracks of anyone, man or horse outside the line fence. Oh, I don't know what to do. I reckon you better try and hire some new hands. Most of the boys are planning to leave here. Say the spreaders who, dude? Jeff, go talk to them. Ask them if they won't stay just a little longer. Give us a chance to find the cause of what. I'll ask them. But I don't know if they'll stay. Madge, what are we going to do? Sell us. What? There's Sam at the back window. He's mad. My gun. Get my... Make it easy, Collins. Killer. Madge, run for Jeff. Catch him and get him to... Me, come in now. An Indian. Hey, there were the horses, Dad. There's a whole band of them. There are three of us, Collins. We aren't killers. That Indian. Jeff Mason said that... In front of who is in jail. Now listen to me for just a minute, Collins, and you'll have a choice. Choice? You can ask us to leave or invite us to stay. We'll do either one. You know Mustang Mag. Mustang Mag. I should say I do. So that we... She's one of our best friends. Hasn't... Hasn't she spoken of a man who wears a mask? Sam, she has. Do you remember at the last meeting of the Cattleman's Association? What? You don't mean that... Here's a bullet, Sam. A silver one. A silver bullet. And he does have a nice way of speaking. But what are you here for? I never yet found a true case of murder by a ghost, because I don't believe in ghosts. You are the Lone Ranger. You've got to be the Indian, a master... Close the door, Tutto. No one comes here until we finish talking. Collins, you've got to trust me. I know I've got to. I've got no choice. All the way. Why do you say that? You've got to trust me so far that you'll give me your wrench. What? And depend on my word that you'll get it back. Well, I... Do what you think is best, Sam. Mustang Mag's often talked about you. Well, whatever you say, Collins. I'll do it. I've heard stories about the Lone Ranger. Plenty of stories. I'll do anything you say. Good. Then we'll draw up a paper at once. And I'll have to borrow some of your clothes. I put the horses in one of the sheds and gave all three of them a rub down to put in the time while the Lone Ranger went over his plans with Sam Collins. I was just about finished when I looked up and saw a man in the doorway. Hey, who are you? I didn't know Collins had hired new hands or kids to work his cowhands. I'm not working here yet. Whose horses are those? One is mine. The others belong to my friends. Gone good horse flesh. Gone good horse flesh. Come with me. Where? To the house. My name's Mason, Jeff Mason. I'm top hand around here and I want to make sure the boss knows about you being here. My friends are there with your boss right now. All right then. You can join them. A lot of things have been happening around here. Come on. We got to investigate all strangers. What's odd about that? Nothing. Why do you look at me that way? Who are you? My name's Dan Reed. Here we are. Hey, boss. I found a kid working in the shed. Well, Bob, when this man Mason and I entered the room, there sat Mr. Collins and his wife. Another man was there too. I knew who he was. It was the lone ranger. But he wasn't wearing a mask. No, he had disguised his face like I'd seen him do many times before when he had a good reason for doing it. When we opened the door, Mr. Collins said, Come in, Mason. This kid was in the shed with three new horses. Fine one. Shut the door. I want you to hear the news. Well, what news? Shake hands with this man, Mr. Justice. Justice? You're Jeff Mason, huh? That's the name. I didn't see you come here. I guess you saw my horse. Yes. And this is your friend, huh? That's right. The kid said there was another man here. Oh, he's not in the room at the moment. Here, read this. Then you can go and tell the rest of the men about it. What's this? It tells a story, Mason. Sam's turned the ranch over to me. Hey, what? This says that Mr. Justice has bought the ranch lock, stock, and barrel. That's what it says. But, boss, why'd you sell it to him? Did you forget that Jeremy Loughran wanted to buy the place? No, I didn't forget that. I told Loughran I wouldn't sell. Yeah, but that was a month ago. Now, you've changed your mind. He'll be sore about this. Loughran didn't offer a fair price. Oh, I know, boss. And since we had our bad luck around here, he's been offering less than ever before. He's gonna be downright sore about this, Collins. That's too bad. But I'm a free man with the right to make any deal I want to make. Go and tell the boys that from now on, they'll take orders from Mr. Justice. I'll tell them. Down with the south line, but I'll tell them. Maybe now they will quit. Oh, one thing more. Yeah? Tell the men that they'll be paid double as long as I'm the owner. But I don't think there'll be any more murders. All right. Well, that's that. Great work, Collins. Get up there. I just had a thought, Sam. Yes, ma'am. But their own ranger owns the ranch now or at least a man by the name of Justice owns it. If he should be killed before he turns it back to us, then wouldn't we lose our property? I'm going to take a lot of precautions to make sure nothing like that happens. But if it did... There would be a point for the law to settle. And I know Dan and Tonto would be on your side. Hey, where is Tonto? I thought he was here. He's waiting to follow Jeff Mason. Follow him? To see where he goes and whom he talks to. Oh. And if possible, find out why Jeff wanted him to escape from that jail last night. Tonto managed to find Rush or an Arroyo or something so he could stay close to Jeff Mason all the way to town. He was outside a window when Mason talked to Jeremy Larkin. So now it's sold, Larkin. All right, then. They think it'll be sold again. The ghosts can get the new on him. Larkin, you mean that? I do. He'll kill himself. Then maybe his heirs will sell at my price. I want that ranch. The curtain falls on the first act of our own ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. Dan Reed was in school with Bob Gerson and telling his classmate about one of the Lone Rangers adventures in Texas. Well, Bob, it was early evening when Tonto came back to meet the Lone Ranger and me in the shed where we kept the horses. Hello. Did you follow Jeff Mason all the way to town? Ah, and him talked to a fellow named Jeremy Larkin. Yes? Larkin say, you died tonight. Oh, he did, huh? Ah, him say ghosts make you shoot yourself. If that happens, the cowboys here will be mighty disappointed. Accounting on that extra pay, I promise them. You talk to him? Yes, Tonto. I had a meeting while Mason was in town. They're good men, all of them. I can't blame them for wanting to get away from here. But they don't take stock in ghost stories, do they? And they're a superstitious lot of men. When things happen that they can't understand. Why, like the murders? Yes. Four men have been found dead. In each case, a man was near a line fence and he'd been shot with his own gun. There were no tracks to show that anyone had come to the fence from the other side. Uh, what do you do tonight? I'm going to ride the line fence and see what happens. I wish I could ride with you. Uh, me go. No, Tonto. I'm going to ride alone. I'm going to start right now. Oh, here come Jeff Mason. Let me get out of sight. Yes. I'm going to see you, Tonto. Not yet. Oh, boy, hold on. Hi there, Mr. Justice. Hello, Mason. I was in town this afternoon. I hear the sheriff made an arrest yesterday. Some Indian who was suspected of causing the deaths around here. You know, they were red-skinned. He escaped last night. We did. The sheriff says that's as good as proof that he's a killer. But he's mistaken. Mistaken? I'll tell you, Mr. There's something beyond human understanding in his back of these shootings. There is, huh? You bet there is. Something that makes the men shoot themselves. Well, maybe I can find out what it is. I don't think I'll shoot myself. Well, you ain't going out tonight. Why not? Well, it's dangerous. I can tell you that. Collins will tell you too. I'll have to take my chances. Is Collins going with you? No. How long will he stay on living here? Oh, I don't know, Mason. We haven't discussed his moving yet. Well, I'll have guards posted along the line, fans. I've done it before, but it didn't help none. But if you yell out enough, there might be somebody nearby to hear you. What about you? Would you be out on guard? I reckon so. I might see you later. Very well. Well, if it was me, I wouldn't do what you're doing, but I reckon you know what's best. Well, you might meet tonight. Yeah. Good luck to you. Get along there. Bob, there's one thing more you've got to remember. The Lone Ranger had a paper in his pocket that gave him title to the ranch. He was in his pocket, eh? Yeah. Didn't Tonnell ride with him that night? No. If Tonnell had, the whole thing might have been different. The Lone Ranger rode alone. I didn't know until some time later what happened. He was riding along the North Line fence on Silver, just walking slowly and hitting the line with a stick ever so often to be sure it wasn't broken. It was dark, pitch dark. Just as it had been on the nights when four men had been killed. Silver, old boy, there's a chance that every one of those other men was shot with his own gun. That's what we're counting on. I don't think they can make me do that. Just hope I can depend on certain men. Hey there! Oh boy, whoa, steady. Mr. Justice? That you, Mason? Yeah. I found nothing along the fence from the northeast corner. Yeah. You know, Mr. I was thinking. What's that? Do you have a will made out in case something should happen to you? I haven't thought much about a will. Well, everyone ought to have a will. Who'd get this piece of land if you were to be shot? I suppose my heirs would be those who are closest to me. Why? Oh, I just wondered if that youngster was any relation to yours. He's probably as close to me as anyone. Uh, you ain't got any ideas about the ghosts, have you? There are no ghosts, Jeff. You should know that. That's right. They ain't no ghosts. Hand over your guns. What? You heard me pass them over, both of them. I happen to know you were too. What if I don't? I'll help myself. There. Mason, what's the idea? You still don't savvy? Yes, I guess I do. You're the killer. You're able to ride close to every one of the four men and take his guns. The way you did mine. Oh, you're smart. But why? You'll be found out and you'll hang. I'll take that chance. Mason, why are you doing this? Lord been willing to go this far to get Cullen's wrench. Get off your horse. I'll stay where I am. Suit yourself. Maybe this will knock you off. Where's here the shootin' tool? Get some light around here. Find something to burn. Where's Jeff Mason? Here I am. I got here just a minute ago. I was close by when I heard the shot. Stand back, Jeff, and let me see him. Why? It's Mr. Justice, the new owner. It's a great day. Well, how is he? Is he hit bad? You know what a bullet does at close range, Jeff? He's the same as the others. This makes five of them. Five men. Dog gone at all and they all got it the same way. Hank, you and the man pick them up. We'll tow them to the ranch house. Maybe someone better start down to get to town so the sheriff can be here first thing at daybreak. Well, the sheriff won't find no more than he did before. No tracks. No nothing. Well, me boys, I ain't staying here a double the pay or ten times the pay. Whatever it is that makes these men shoot themselves, we'll get us all if we stay around. Take the lead rain off the white horse, boys. Now, boys, you take care of the body. All starts for town right away. Good idea, Jeff. Pitch the sheriff back with you. Yeah, I will. Get up there. Oh, Sam, don't think it had to happen to him, all people. And now, man, just you cry it out and you'll feel better. Morning. Oh, Miss Collins. Dan, Dan, you haven't heard. Heard? Lad, your friend was out riding a lion fence last night. Yeah? It happened to him. What did? Same as to the others. The boys brought him in and put him in the back bedroom until the sheriff in the corner could get here. Mr. Collins, you don't mean that the loan that my friend was shot. His own guns, found in his own hands, just as the other four men who were shot were found. I don't believe it. Oh, Lad, it's true enough. They brought him in a little while ago. Jeff Mason has gone for the sheriff in corner. I want to see him. We've got to leave him as he is till the law is done, Dan. The law be hanged. I'm going to see my friend. Where's the Indian? Town or that's right. He's with the horses. I've got to... Here's the law. Collins, I guess it's high time we ask you a few questions. Five murders on your ranch is five too many. Oh, I share. You don't think Sam had anything to say. He looked the Indian. Hey, you stand where you are. I'm going to come in, see what happened. You're the Red Skin we had in the jail. That's right. Oh, fix you. Kill my boss, huh? Drop gun. Oh, sheriff. Never mind, Mason. You only slap down the gun you drew. I'll handle things here. Me not draw gun. You've got a lot to explain, Red Skin. We already had your jail as a suspect on the first three deaths. The night you broke out, another man was killed. And now the new owner of this ranch. And here you are. Jeff, will you speak to him? Lauren, what are you doing here? Sheriff, I want to find out who inherits this ranch now that the new owner is dead. Who inherits it? Madge. Sheriff. Sheriff, no one gets it. It's our property. I reckon you're wrong there, Mrs. Collins. But I'm not wrong. Madge, honey, listen to me. But Sam will lose everything. It wasn't ever meant to. I reckon Mr. Loughlin is right, Collins. You sold the ranch to Mr. Justice. You told us that yourself. Yes, but I... Now that he's dead, it goes to his heirs. That kid is the one nearest to him, Sheriff. I happen to know that because he told me so. Then I'll buy the place from you. What's your name? Now, hold on. This is a fine time to talk about that. Well, I guess you're right, Sonny. Here, you just stop in and see me and we'll make a deal. Now take the property off your hands at a fair price. Oh, Sam. Sam, say something. Do something. Hey, I've got to think things out, Madge. I don't know just where we stand. Maybe I can help to straighten it out, Collins. Me and the rest of the hands around here were all in on a deal. All in on a deal? Yeah. Maybe it was a kind of a funny deal down from the bottom of the deck, you might say. Do you know anything about these murders? I reckon so, Sheriff. What about them? The engine didn't have no part in them. Neither did no ghosts. Of course not. It's all right. I told him that everyone was here. Good enough. Now we can talk. You told whom? The gem that stacked the cards. You see, the engine didn't bust out of jail last night. He was let out. He was let out. And named the one that did it. I'll chug him. He was let out so as he wouldn't come to trial and be proved not guilty of the murders. If he cleared out of these parts, folks could blame the murders on him. Or maybe he's still the guilty one. Sheriff, because you didn't take any stock in the humbug about ghosts or hoodoo, that threw off the men that were back of the whole scheme. Meaning Lagren there. Really? What do you mean by that? You wanted this spread, Lagren. When Collins wouldn't sell, you figured to scare away all the cowhands so he couldn't run the ranch. And you could buy it cheap. Your dog on there got away with it. Sure, if he can make charges like that against me. I know about you wanting to buy the ranch, Lagren, but that doesn't mean anything. Of course not. When the Redskins turned out to be a friend of the Lone Ranger, he didn't run away and hide. He brought the Lone Ranger here. Hey, what kind of time you brought is this? The Lone Ranger ain't here and he never was. Hold on, Jeff Mason. He came to us and told us his plan while you were in town yesterday. He wanted to get you to show your hand, which you did. Oh, that's a lie. We all figured it was a pretty tall story when he first told us he thought you were the killer. And then when he showed that there'd be no harm done if we tried his scheme, we were willing to try. Every one of the boys that was on guard last night had taken the lead out of his cartridges, including Mr. Justice. What? You could have used the guns you took away from any one of us and it would have been the same. The cartridges had no lead in them. But you... That's why we crowded in close as soon as Mr. Justice went from his horse. We didn't want you to see that he wasn't hurt at all. No, you're just trying to trick me. I didn't have anything to do with it. And you tell that to me, Mason? Huh? Sam, there he is. Alive and well. Sheriff, Sheriff, that masked man... The last time you saw me, Mason, I had no mask. A war to disguise all myself, Mr. Justice. Oh, you can't prove anything against me. Who can't? Why, you dirty killer. Three of us were less than 20 feet away in the dark last night when you took that masked man's guns and fired at him. Mason, you murderer. Each of us had a good cartridge under the hammer after we heard you start talking. If he'd signaled that you were going to shoot with your own gun, you'd have been drilled like a sieve. Mason, it's a finish for you. Now, why did you do it? You can't involve me. I had no part of it. Mason wanted to buy the ranch. Locker and you're a dirty liar. You're in this as deep as me. You told me I'd take your orders or you'd let Collins know I held out on the last cattle deal. Sure, if he lies, don't believe him. Take the two of them in. We'll see what a trial in court brings out. Now, we... All right, watch. Madge, we're not a hoodoo ranch anymore. Look at that paper. The one that sold the ranch. Sam, it's there on the table. Where's the Lone Ranger? He and his friends slipped out when they saw that Mason was fixed for the hangman. I saw him leave the paper there on the table so you could tear it up. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger in...