 a fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust in the hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the Western United States, outlaws roamed the new territory. The local sheriffs were powerless against them. They robbed and plundered almost at will, until the masked rat of the plane started his great fight for justice. It was only through his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness that law and order were finally established on the frontier. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoops beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Tell those waiting on the trail ahead. Sheriff Bart Sanders and Deputy Greg Morton had ridden to ten-strike junction to pick up the outlaws, Tech Sealy and Vern Keller. The route they chose took them to the Lost Hope Desert. One night they camped at the only waterhole in the entire Lost Hope territory. While the sheriff and deputy saddled up their horses, the two prisoners whispered together. Hurry it up, Vern. I am as best as I can. I ain't got much slack to work with. If we don't get loose this time, it's about our last chance. Just hold still, Tech. I think there's not the most ready to give. Get me loose now and tell you. Yeah. Careful. The sheriff just looked this way. I'm watching him. Won't be but a couple of minutes and they'll be ready to start. Blast it. Can't you shut up and let me work? It's this way a little closer. Yeah, that better. Yeah. One second, though. Yeah, that done it. Good. All right. Now you hold still. I can't turn you away. There's suspicion, something. I'll have to keep my hands behind my back. And don't waste no time. It'll go faster with my hands free. Well, you had to work with us, your fingers. It's lucky we're in the desert. They hadn't been so sure we wouldn't try running away. They'd have tied our feet too. Yeah. The sheriff just buckled his cinch strap. He'll be coming this way. I'm getting it. Hurry. Here he comes. There. There you are. They keep your hands behind your back like they were still tied to like give the word. Bill Canteen is dragging. We'll be on our way. What are you coyote whispering about? Nothing. Thought I didn't notice nothing, didn't you? Well, it'll be a long cold day before two cheap cooks like you put anything over on me. Sheriff, we know there ain't no use trying. Get up. Get on your feet. I'll have a look at them ropes. You most likely loosened them some during the night trying to get free. You'll pay for all this, Sheriff. I won't fret about it. Now get up like I said. You'll have to give me a hand if you want me to get up. How do you expect a fellow to sit without getting all cramped when you tie him up like a cat for Brandon? All right. Up with you. Thanks, Sheriff. Now I'll make a move and I'll let daylight through you. What? It's your own gun again, your side, Sheriff. And I'm willing to use it. Come on, Verne. Stand up. Oh, the deputy. Now take care of him. Here he comes with a Canteen, Sheriff. You warn him off and you wish your head... Damn, Bill. The blazers were here. Greg, watch out. They got on time. Grab my gun. Oh, for your shooting, I and Craig and I will drill the sheriff. Get them, Greg. Don't pay no attention to what they say. Well, go on. The sheriff's dead. Mr. Greg, he's just bluffing. Nothing. You know it as well as I do. Ain't they always boasted they were too smart to be killers? Now draw. You're too late. I got you both covered. Take the deputy's gun, Verne. Sure. You'll go down. Sir. Man, this shooting, I and his lab will come in right handy. I still say you wouldn't have shot to kill. Of course I wouldn't. I ain't leaving myself open to no hanging charge. But that don't mean I won't let you have lead. We'll do the most good if you try anything. Verne, get the horses and bring them here. Right away. What are you, poor catch, going to do? I'm going to show you that you wasn't so slick as you thought you was. But I told everybody you was taking us back to White Rapids by way of the past, didn't you? Then you changed your mind and cut across the desert so that our parts couldn't lay for you and take us away. Well, what of it? Why, just this. Nobody knows you came this way. So nobody will think to look in the desert for you for quite a spell. Meaning? Meaning that me and Verne never kill. But if we leave you here afoot with food enough for only a couple of days, why then I wouldn't give a hoot for your chances to reach town alive. You rotten skunks. That's the same as murder. Ain't a horseman comes this way once in 90 days. That ain't my fault, is it? Here's the horses, Tex. Oh, poor old man. That's just fine. Now help yourself to the deputy's bed. Verne and I'll take the sheriff. Hey, wait! Don't forget your coverage. Tex, what do we want their badges for? Because they talk too much. Huh? They were so blame-sure we was heading for jail. They didn't figure do any harm to talk about the trip they was going to make to Littlefield after they was through with it. Littlefield? Well, I'll be doggone. I never thought of that. But you can't do it. You can't get away with it. No. I suppose I didn't hear you tell your deputy there that you wasn't known at Littlefield. But I... And if you ain't known, who's to say we ain't you? As long as we're wearing your badges and can show the papers you carry to identify yourself. Gosh, Sheriff, they could get away with it all right. And that gold you fellas was going to get off the Littlefield stage to take to the bank at White Rapids. We'll take for ourselves. If I ever get out of this alive... But you won't, Sheriff. There ain't no use talking about it. Well, I'll take your badge, Sheriff. There, thanks. Now you can hand over them papers. Quick! Pull it through the shoulder. It wouldn't make things no easier for you. You get the deputy's badge and papers, Vernon. Yeah. You're a worsen killer. You hear me? The papers. Here they are. Yeah, let me see. And these are the ones. Now we like to get a side of bacon and some beans out of the saddlebags. Don't eat them things up too fast. You ain't likely to get any more grub for quite a spell. I left the stuff in the ground for you to pick up when we're going. All righty, Vernon. I got everything the deputy had to show who he is. Yeah, let's get on our way. Sure. I reckon there ain't no use telling you poor cats again that this is the same as murder. You might as well save your breath. But I'll tell you this. Whether me and Greg live or not, the day'll come when you'll pay for what you're doing. Just remember that. You'll pay as sure as I'm standing here. We'll take the chance. Come on, Vernon. We'll take the chance. Come on, Vernon. Head across for Littlefield. We'll have to make at least one dry camp before we get out of this desert. So the faster we travel, the better. Grab ahold of the rain of the deputy's horse who he'll follow you and I'll take the sheriff's. Right. And let's get going. Get up, eh. Get up, eh. Get up. Get up. Two days of swift travel carried the outlaws beyond the desert. After hiding the extra saddles, they turned their own horses loose and continued toward Littlefield with those belonging to Sheriff Sanders and his deputy. Burn. Yeah? Look across over there. You see them two riders? You never noticed them before. Hey, one of them's messed. And the other's a red skin. Outlaws. Uh-huh. Well, what's funny about it? It's awful hard for you to remember you're a deputy and I'm a sheriff, ain't it? Well, I don't... We could use a little cash to get our hands on that gold, couldn't we? You mean you... I mean that using our authority as officers of the law, we're going to stop them, fellas. And after stopping them, we're going to help ourselves to any cash they might have handy. Seeing as how they're crooks and we're lawmen, they ain't going to make no complaints about it afterward either. Come on, let's take after them. Get up there. Get up there. Come on. Get along, boy. Get along. Get up. Get up there. Come on. Get along. Hold on there. Up we are. Oh, hold on. Oh, it's gone. Don't go for your guns. Move, move it. Oh, boy. Move. What do you want, Sheriff? Raise your hands. We're under arrest. And he neither here nor there. Raise your hands, like I said. One moment. This is Littlefield County. Ben Lathrop is Sheriff here. I don't know who you are or where you came from. But I do know you haven't any authority. Tell him who you are, Sheriff. I'm Sheriff Sanders from White Rapids. This is my deputy. Neither one of us has taken any lip from outlaws. So your fellow orders Pronto will take the consequences. What's the charge if you're arresting us? There don't need to be any charge. And we ain't arresting you. We're just taking the cash you fellas most likely stole. You want our money? Maybe we can't jail you. But like I said, we can take what you stole. We're not outlaws. We have nothing that's been stolen. Don't argue with him, Sheriff. I ain't gonna. You fellas do like I said. To me, though, this time crooks are wearing badges. Just enough is at them silver. Get him up, scoundrel! Blasted horses! Shoot him! Shoot him! Don't walk out! They almost knocked me from the stand! My gun was knocked out of my head! Come on, tunnel! Get him up! Scoundrel, Silver! How are you? We got a gun for a drill. Tunnel! And those men represent the Lord White Rapids. We may be needed there. Not what Tunnel thinks. We'll ride there and see just what's going on. Come on, Silver! At White Rapids, the masked man remained in camp just outside town while Tonto entered to make inquiries. The things the faithful Indian learned sent him galloping swiftly to rejoin his friends. Hold, Scoundrel! Hold! Hold, Scoundrel! You'll look as though you've found out something, Tunnel. Tunnel! Tunnel learned plenty. Yes? Fuller that wear badge, not lawman. They worth? Tunnel talked with deputy in town. Tell deputy about fuller that wear badge. Deputy tell Tunnel them outlaw. It seems strange to me that honest lawman would act like that even though I was masked. Tunnel learned plenty more. What did you learn, Kimisabi? Sheriff and one deputy go after outlaw. And now, outlaw, wear badge. You mean the deputy you spoke to was afraid something's happened to the sheriff? Ah! Perhaps those outlaws killed the sheriff and the deputy with him. Not, not yet. No? Them outlaw never kill. Them name Tex Vern. Tex Sealy and Vern Keller. Were those the men? Not right. I've heard about them. I've heard they never kill. But what good would it do them to take those badges? Them get gold. Gold? Ah! Stage bring gold to Littlefield. Sheriff go there to get gold. Bring it back. Maybe outlaw now get gold. They could never get away with that. Someone would know they weren't the real sheriff and deputy. Sheriff stranger there. Then it wouldn't be known they weren't lawmen. Ah! Did you tell the deputy you spoke to that we met Tex and Vern on the trail to Littlefield? Me, me tell them. But him say stage, get there two, two day from now. Two days from now? Ah! No one from White Rapids could get there in time to expose those outlaws before they collected the gold. Ah! Unless we ride there. I think Silver and Scouts could make the trip in two days. That's right. That means we have two things to do, Kimosabe. And what then? Keep Tex and Vern from stealing the gold. Oh! Make them tell what they've done with the sheriff. That's not hard. The first won't be, but the second will. Why you say that? We don't know for sure. They haven't killed the sheriff and his deputy. And they have, they'd never tell. Because if the bodies were found, they could be hung. Oh! And if the sheriff and deputy are alive, Tex and Vern are likely clever enough to know they could use any information we want to bargain for their own release. Me, here fella, name Tex. Plenty smart. We'll find some way to get the information, Tutto. Here, Silver. We, we ride. Hit fast. Steady boy. Yep. We rest only when we have to. Ready? Ah. Get him up, Scouts. Oh, Silver! Away! 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. How to continue our story. When the Lone Ranger and Tutto learned that the men they had met on the trail were outlaws, they raced toward Littlefield. Shortly after nightfall on the second day, the masked men and Tutto took advantage of the darkness and approached the stagecoach office on foot. Careful, we're not seen, Tutto. Hmm. There's a light in the office. The manager must be there. We'll make sure he's alone before we go inside. Yeah. When then? Yes. And we'll have a look. Other fellas there? No. There's only one man inside. He's riding at a desk, so he must be the manager. We go in. I'll go alone, Tutto. He went outside. If you see anyone heading for the office, warn me. I'll not do that. I'll not be going alone. Are you the manager of the stage line? The masked man. I asked you a question. Sure I'm the manager, but I'll... Put a gun in that drawer, huh? Get your hand back. Oh, hold up. This isn't a hold up. And what's the mask for? Why'd you draw on me? I wear the mask for reasons of my own. And I drew only because you were going to. But I'm not... Listen to me. I think I can prove to you I'm not an outlaw. There's nothing here for you to steal if you are. But there soon will be. Huh? What do you know about what's going to be? I know there's a stage doing little field in an hour. And I know that stage is carrying a large shipment of gold. So you are an outlaw. Well, you don't need to come... I want the gold. Why would I come in here an hour before the gold arrived? I don't know, but I'm not... You would only be taking unnecessary risk. You must have had some reason. I came here to warn you against outlaws. What outlaws? Two men have been here sometime within the past three or four days. They've represented themselves as a sheriff and deputy from White Rapids. They're down to the cafe now. But they're not what they claim to be. What do you mean by that? One of them is a man by the name of Tex Sealy. The other is Vern Keller. You're a loco. The one sheriff Sanders from White Rapids. The other is his deputy. You know sheriff Sanders by sight? No, but I've seen his papers. His badge and those papers were stolen from the real sheriff. I don't believe it. I don't care what you believe. Given time, I can prove everything I've said. But in the meantime, the gold must not be turned over to those men. You're up to some scheme. I know doggone well you are. You just want me to keep that gold here so as you can get it. Even if I were an outlaw, you've been warned, haven't you? You can have sheriff Lathrop from Littlepeel here guarded, can't you? The sheriff's out of town and you most likely know. Then get other men, get anybody. That's just what I'm going to do. Good. But I still say don't turn over that gold to those other men. I don't see why not. I've told you one reason. And it sounded mighty funny. And there's another reason. Yeah? The real sheriff Sanders must be found. And he won't be unless you help. You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain by holding onto that gold. Well, maybe I am. Listen to the rest I have to say and decide for yourself. When the masked man had finished talking with Clay, the manager of the stage line, he rejoined Tato and told the faithful Indian the result of his conversation. Almost an hour went by and then Texan Verne still pretending to be sheriff Sanders and his deputy left the cafe and strolled toward the stagecoach office. Verne just a few minutes or so and we'll have our hands on more gold than we've ever seen before. The stage is doing well. Uh-huh. The most always gets in a few minutes late. And there's Clay in the steps of the station. Howdy, Clay. Howdy, sheriff. Howdy, deputy. We thought we'd be here when the stage got in. Then we wouldn't have to waste no time collecting the gold and starting for home. Sit down. Thanks. Sure. We didn't hanker much after coming for this gold, but the bank backed the home's mighty anxious for it. I reckon so, sheriff. There's the stage. Get to the middle of the map. Get to the middle of the map. Come on. Are you sure the gold will be of poor Clay? Get me there, all right. Oh, come on, man. Come on, man. Have a good trip, Jed. What's the news over to Painesville? Over to any mayor for me? Jed. Yeah, Clay? You get that box over to Painesville? It's right here. You'll have to give me a hand with it. That's the one we're looking for. I'll help you carry it in the office. Hand it down, Jed. Here she comes. Grab hold of the end of it. Let her go. I'll get the other end. There it is. I got it. Come on, Clay. Uh-huh. Watch out for the steps, fellas. We'll make it. It's a gun heavy. Carry it into the desk and then we can set it down. Yeah. Now, swing it up so it'll clear the edge, then put her down. Plenty heavy. Gonna make quite a load for our saddlebags. Now, close the door, deputy. We don't want folks seeing what we got here. Sure. You'll help us load up, Clay. Well, just as soon as there's one more thing tender to. Yeah? You know that paper from the bank. Huh? What paper? You don't mean to say you forgot. What are you talking about? Share if you know as well as I do. I ain't to turn over this gold if you give me that paper I'm speaking of. Look here, don't you believe I'm the sheriff? I haven't said you're not, have I? We showed you our identification and everything. What more do you want? There's something funny here. Yeah? I got word from the bank in your town that you two fellas would be here for this gold. But at the same time, I was told you'd have a letter from the bank to show me. They never told us that. They must have forgot about it. Then I'm sorry, but I... You mean we don't get that gold? Do you get that letter? It'd be as much as my job is worth to do any different. By heaven... Yeah, just a second, huh? Clay, maybe you're right. Man, there was a paper give me by the bank, but I didn't pay much attention to it. You got it here? Well, no. But it might be with my things over the hotel. Good enough. You go over there and find it and you can have the gold. And then again, it might be... I've lost it back in the trail somewhere. You see, I threw away some things and that paper might have been among them. That's too bad of its soul. Well, there's just a chance I might be able to find it again. I threw them things away while we made camp one night. The paper ain't at the hotel. Me and my deputy will ride back and have a look. We found it. That'll save us having to ride all the way back to White Rapids for another letter. There, come on, deputy. I'll wait here for half an hour or so, in case you do find it at the hotel. Thanks. Tex, what'd you tell him we had that paper for when you know we ain't? There's nothing else to do. If I hadn't, he might have got suspicious. But no, what'll we do? There's two things we can do. Yeah, what? We'll keep an eye on Clay's office. The gold is kept there overnight. Maybe we can steal it. And if we can't, there's still another way. What will try this one first? Later that night, when Clay had locked the office and gone home, the two outlaws crept toward the building. They finally reached the window and... Gold's still in there. I know that for a fact. Well, nobody keeping guard. Most likely don't expect no trouble. Well, we're going to get inside. The door's locked. Uh-huh. But there ain't nothing to keep us from breaking this window there for the rest of our lives. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know what to do about it. I don't know what to do about it. That's locked, too. Well, it's locked. Well, it's locked, all right. Hand me a stone. Good. Won't that be heard? Ain't likely. Anyhow, we've got to take some chances. Uh-huh. Here's what you want. Well, that'll do fine. Now, stand by. I'm going to break the window with this. Anybody hears us run for the horses and clear out. Yeah. Well, it's the lockers. I don't like the stage driver. Come on, we've got to run for it. We can't let them serve. Stand where you are! Let them go, Clay. They're crooks just like you said, stranger. But now that we've got it on them, why let them go? They accomplish just what I wanted, Clay. But you want it. Yes. We've shown them the gold is guarded and can't be stolen. Now they'll try another scheme to get it. We've got to go back to the waterhole again, Tex. If we don't, we'll never get that gold. I ain't giving up after we got this close. Maybe the sheriff and the deputy are dead already. Not a chance. They ain't pulsing up to leave that waterhole, not to go walking the desert foot. I reckon. Even if they're out of grub, they'll ask to spell with water and drink. They did kick in, it don't matter. No. I never heard the sheriff say anything about stopping at the bank before he left for Littlefield. He said he was jailing us and starting right out. What if he did? He aged it. That means he must have had the letter from the bank already. He didn't give it to us because we didn't know enough to ask for it. He held it back just to trick us. Well, that's it. Uh-huh. But he ain't getting away with it. And we'll show him that when we find him. Get up there. Get along. Deserted by Texan Vern and without hope of rescue, Sheriff Sanders and his deputy had made the best of a bad situation. They had plenty of water, but their food, even though doled out sparingly, was soon exhausted. Hour by hour, they became weaker than... Sheriff, I wonder if there's any worse way of dying than what we're doing. Quit talking about it. That don't help. I know. But I was just wondering if... It's food, I'm thinking of. I suppose it helps to think of that. Of course it don't. But how are you going to stop it when you can feel your ribs nudging your backbone? Maybe we shouldn't have stayed here. What else could we do? What I mean is maybe we should have started walking. Yeah? Without canteens? And traveling where even a horse has a hard time of it? If we'd have done that, we wouldn't be sitting here worrying about grub. We'd be where grub wouldn't do us no good, even if we had it. Then why in blazes can't somebody ride along this way? That's a foolish question. We wouldn't have come this way ourselves if I hadn't been afraid maybe somebody would try to get them crooks away from us before we reach town. Sometimes I get to wishing so hard for somebody to come along. I begin to imagine I hear them. Like now. Yeah, so do... That does sound like horsemen. It can't be. Now listen. You're right. I can even make them out now. See? Huh? That looks like our horsemen. See? You come back to get it? No need to get your hopes up. It ain't here we'd come for. That letter he was holding back on us. And you might as well hand it over, Sheriff, without putting up a fuss. Right now you don't look like you could put up much of a fight. What paper are you talking about? You know the one. The letter they gave you at the bank. Ah, the bank? Laying dumb, huh? Well, it won't get you nothing. Stand up. But wait. Stand up, I said. It's better. You got all my papers. Well, soon find out. Vern, keep your chute in our name to these fellows while I search them. Right. Now, stood on you, Sheriff. But you're a local. The bank never give me no letter. What'd they do that for? Nothing in these pockets. What would they do that for? So the manager of the stage line at Littlefield will turn over the gold to you. I know, Savvy, what you're talking about. Yeah, taint on them, Vern. I'll search the deputy. You won't. Shut up. That's a funny thing. I'll find it nowhere here. You suppose they've hit it somewhere? Hey, letter. You fellows are talking crazy. You think so, Sheriff? Well, listen to this. I ain't never killed a man before. But there's a heap of gold waiting for me in Littlefield if I get back with that letter. Enough to make a killin' worthwhile. So start tellin' what you're done with that letter and start talkin' fast. I can't tell ya. I don't know anything about it. All right, then. That's the way you want it. Here's where you get it. Oh, my hands! Raise your hands. Both of you. That's a mess, fella. And a red ski. Drop your guns. Raise your hooks. Drop them. There's mine. You, Tex. There it is. What's that mass? Who are you? It doesn't matter who I am, Sheriff. I'm taking you and your deputy back to town. And we'll see that this time these crooks go to jail. Get on your horses. Yes, bless you. Just how luck to have you come along. But it wasn't luck, huh? When Sheriff Sanders said he knew nothing of a letter, he was telling the truth. There was no letter. What? The manager of the stage line only told you that to send you here and lead us to the sheriff. You're tricking me. Well, I'll be doggone. It almost makes me forget my appetite, just thinkin' how the mask, fella, fooled ya. Here, get on my horse, Sheriff. Steady, steady there, Silver. Yep, with you. Greg will ride with Taddo. Huh? Me? Me help him up. And you're helping us take these skunks in? Yep. Yes, and right now. Ready, Taddo? Then come on. Copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.