 A fiery horse with a speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the lone ranger. During the years of unrest that followed the Civil War, a powerful, secret organization called the Legion of the Black Arrow, sprang up in the western United States. Its members were to be found everywhere, defying the law, using the law for their own purposes, working toward the ultimate goal of revolt and the foundation of a despotic empire. It was the masked rider of the planes who led the fight against this band of outlaws and traitors, and for once his great strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness were taxed to the utmost in the cause of democracy. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of a great horse, Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Two men crouched in the shadow behind the hotel for a long time before they made their stealthy way toward a window. A tiny flame from the low-turned wickland oil lamp served as their beacon. The window was open. I guess we're all right now. No one saw us coming. Save your breath and get inside. I'm in. Shut the window behind you. Well, is anyone here to meet us? I'm here. Oh, I didn't see you in the shadow there. My name is Sydney Drake. You two have been told to take instructions from me. Yeah, we was told. Which of you is named Vine? That's me. His other gen is Zeke. Obviously. You've doubtless been told you'll be paid for following instructions. And for not following them, you'll go to jail with the four already there. Yeah, I sure hope there'll be some way to get those four out of jail before they're hanging. You'll help in an indirect way. How's that? One of my spies overheard a conversation between the lone ranger and his Indian friend. You've heard of the lone ranger? We sure are shooting half. One of the things I want you to do is to spread a story. Tell everyone you see in a confidential way that the ring which the lone ranger wears has been stolen. That'll be easy enough, but what's the point? Do as ordered without question. Oh, all right, Mr. Drake. Your second assignment is to be carried out at once. You will ride to the bridge over Arrow Creek. We know where that is. Weaken the bridge. Weaken it? I want that bridge to collapse with the weight of the first man and horse to cross. There's a falls a little downstream from the bridge. I know it. If the man goes over the falls, he won't have a chance. I don't want him to have a chance. Neither do I want his death to look like murder. It must look like an accident. Eh, we can fix that. After you weaken the bridge, remain on guard and don't let anyone cross until the United States Marshal arrives. Oh, it's a Marshal you want, eh? Yes. Eh, we can handlet all right, can't we, Zeke? Sure thing. You want us to start for the bridge right away and stay around town, spread the word that the lone ranger's ring has been stolen. Start for the bridge now. I'll start the story of the theft of the ring. Right. Open that window again. I'll get it. Now go. About us getting paid for our work. Later. I'm out fine. Come on, I'll give you a hand. I can make it all right. Eh, golly, Zeke, I never. He's closing the window. That Mr. Drake gives me the creeps. I never seen anything to equal him for looking through a man. No more did I. Dark as it was in that room of his, I felt that he was seeing every thought we had. Them eyes of his seemed to fairly glow in the dark. I wonder just who he is. Make up your mind that he's the most important crew that's been around here. I'm sure of that, Zeke. And another thing, he knows plenty. That man's smart. Why, I wouldn't no more try to double-cross him than I try to fly. He'd know what I tell you, Vine. He'd have a way of knowing it, the minute you so much as thought of trying to put one over on him. Don't even talk of such a thing, Zeke. Let's go and start on that day of bridge. For me that you're the man you see, the girl who sent me to meet you told me about you. I will save time. I would like to see the real face of the lone ranger. You ever take that mask off? I wear it, Marshal, do. I had my face. I know. Well, I came to this woods to meet you and I'll start talking. I've got another call to make tonight. Tonight? Yep, especially when I might learn more about the black arrow because of it. Tonto, throw a little dry brush on the fire so I can show the Marshal the ring. Ah, Tonto fits it. What ring are you talking about? You can see it now. Take a good look at it. Yes. Never forget it. I never will. It's different than anything I ever saw before. I have to use a disguise, Marshal. I have it ready to put on. You see, there's a chance that you'd confuse me with, well, with other men. That's why I want you to remember the ring. What other men? There are four crooks in jail. I want you to put me there with them. You're choosing muddy and pleasant company? I hope it'll be worthwhile. Did you know the do's for to be moved to San Luis? Yes. You know why? It's there to be sentenced to death by hanging. Execution is to be carried out in San Lame. Yes. That's why there's so little time to learn what we can from them. Maybe they don't know anything. They were offered the chance to talk when they were on trial. They could escape hanging if they'd squeal, but they didn't. I know they didn't, yet I'm sure they could tell a lot if they wanted to. You think so? Those men are members of the Legion of the Black Arrow. They know who some of the leaders are. They know where the main headquarters is located. See, there's just one reason why they didn't save their worthless necks by squealing. Why? Accounting on being rescued. That's what I figured. That's why I arranged to have them transferred to San Luis. They can be closer watch there. There are two reasons why I want to be with them. Yeah? I might be able to learn who the organizers of the Black Arrow are and the location of the headquarters. But I might also be able to spoil any plans to save those crooks from hanging. Well, I'll jail you if that's the way you want it. It is. But I'll tell you right now, Lord Ranger, the days between now and when those men hang won't be pleasant ones. You'll have to take certain precautions. How's that? Well, you'll have to make out papers to send to San Luis so the record will show five men instead of four. Here's the rigging zoo. The Black Arrow has spies everywhere. My arrest is not made to look bona fide. These spies might find out our trick. But it's risky. A mighty risky. Perhaps. But if something happened to me, I'm the only one that knows the truth. If all the rickets are fixed up, so you're in with the force later to die and those rickets aren't changed back again. There's no risk in not changing the records. I don't know about that. Chances of something happening to you are less than the chances of the Black Arrow having access to the records. Maybe. If I'm in jail unarmed with four murderers, but come, Marshal, make me your prisoner and let's get to town. Here, Marshal, I'm out of this from the president. I kept it in a secret compartment of my ring. Anything should happen to me that would be invaluable to the Black Arrow. I don't want it to fall into their hands or guard it with your life. All right, Lord Ranger, I will. Now, uh, change the sentry in the ledger. See now, five instead of four. Well, everything's done. Lock me in with the others. I have to ride hard to get to the meeting. And let's not waste more time in your office. What's the idea waking us up like this? Get in there, you orderie murder and cook. Hey, this jail's crowded as it is. Shut up. There can't even be left alone in jail. That'll hold you to morning. Next launch, you'll be fixed. That'll do. That'll do, Zeke. This bridge will go down to the weight of a man alone to say nothing of a man on a horse. All we gotta do is stand here on the bank and make sure the Marshal is the one that gets the fall. I sure hope he comes along real soon. I'd like to get a little sleep before sunrise. Sleep don't mean nothing to me now. Not when I think of the four that are in the Calaboose. Lucky we're not there with them. Doggone, Lucky. Lucky we're not the Marshal, too. Listen to that falls downstream. I hear someone... Coming from that way. Get back here and see who it is. Better get a rope ready. It's the best way to stop anyone that's coming. I sure hope it's the Marshal. Now Mr. Drake know he was riding here. The chances are it was Mr. Drake that sent him here. That's so. Boy, I don't say if he don't... Wait, Vine. He's getting in sight now. That's our man all right enough. Good. Now we'll be saved the trouble of waiting around here. He's looking along in a good clip. Better get low so we won't see us. There he goes. Now if the bridge holds up, we'll have to do some fast talking to Mr. Drake. It won't. Watch now, it's real close. He's on the bridge. Look, it's wobbling. There. What's this? He's gone. Listen. They'll see. That's that. Our job is done. Sitting alone in this hotel room. Sidney Drake mused for a long time, leaning back in his chair. And once more he turned his attention to a letter which he'd written in code. Get them out of jail. They'll not get out of jail. They'll hang. Better by far to lose those four and have the Lone Ranger die with them than rescue them. Most ironic of all is the fact that the Lone Ranger will die at the hands of the law. Executed as a worst kind of criminal by the very people he wanted to help. One man alone might have saved his life. But that man is dead. The long hours of the night dragged slowly for the five men in the cramped quarters of the jail. For these, there was no sleep. They sat in the dim moonlight that filtered through the bars. Well, if you want to be close, let go ahead. We don't give a hang if you don't want to be social. Why should I be? I don't know anything about you four. Well, you know as much as we do about you. Say, what are you here for anyway? For the night and being moved in the morning. Yeah, so are we. Where to? San Lome. No, is that so? Well, don't believe it then. Well, that's where we're going. You? No, not you. You four will stay here. Who says so? I do. Men who go to San Lome are slated to hang. You think we're not? All four of you? All four of us. They don't hang petty sneak thieves and prowlers. What's that? You call us sneak thieves? That's what I said. Listen, Ombra, you better think different. Maybe you think you're mighty tough. No one was able to make me tell what I knew. Who made us? No one. Likely because you didn't know anything. I did. I knew where there was a hideout that the Lone Rangers might be anxious to find. Who'd you say? They call him the Lone Ranger. What do you know about him? More than I'll tell you. What was that about a hideout? Well, they put you in here to pose the crook and try to pump answers for me, huh? You're local. I was here before you. We're all four of us. All right. I'm still not talking. Now, look, let me show you something. You see this mark on my wrist? You may get close with the light falls on it. Sure. I see it. The black arrow. That, uh, mean anything to you? What if it does? Oh, now look here, Mr. If he was a thaw out a little, maybe we could exchange ideas and get somewhere. We'll see. First, you've got to convince me that you're four on the level. Hey, come and have a look at all the men outside. It's just time of night, too. Let me see. Hey, hey, you guard. What's happened? What's all the excitement? The Frigidale Crick came in. A couple of men seemed to have happened. And the United States Marshal was on it when it happened. He's dead. What's that? The United States Marshal is dead. 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. While the Lone Ranger was in jail, hoping to learn something from the four condemned men who were with him, the news came that the United States Marshal had died when a bridge collapsed. The Marshal was the only person who could prove that the Lone Ranger was not sentenced to hang with the other prisoners. So his nips got his hands full. So his nips got his hands full. That's good. Good. Serves him right. I'm talking glad of it. I wish all the Marshal's could be on a bridge when it caves in. All the sheriffs, too. Hey, Sam, maybe now they won't move us to Sandler me in the morning. Stop your laughing. Oh, me? You heard what I said. Well, all right, then. You needn't be sore at me, though. I didn't make the Marshal fall off on the bridge. I understood that the bridge caved in. The same thing. He fell, didn't he? Hey, what's the matter with you, mister? You act like the death of the Marshal was mighty glad news to you. Hey, can't you speak any more? Let's run until you're mine. You got ideas of some sort? I mean, just wondering. Well, I didn't come here expecting to hang. You think we did? Not on your life. How do you figure to avoid it? We had promises. That's how. Who made them? Now who's asking the questions? Look here. The death of the Marshal changes things. You were asking questions a little while ago. Everything you wanted me to tell you. Yeah, about that there, Lone Ranger. Yes. Now there are a few things I'd like to know. Fair enough. I can show you the Lone Ranger if we're out of this jail. Have your friends outside? Say, maybe you figured out a Marshal will let you escape. To be honest with you, that's just what I figured. Crackety. I never would have suspected that he could have been bribed. Now you're in for keeps, huh? Unless I know enough to interest the right people in getting me out. Maybe we can do business. Start talking. We've got a good friend here. A mighty powerful friend too. He's from the East. From Washington? How'd you know? That's where the most powerful leaders of the Black Arrow are, isn't it? I reckon so. Which of the leaders came here? Did you ever hear the name Drake? Drake? Sydney Drake. I keep it under your hat now. When I can get word to him, I'll let him know that you can take us to the Lone Ranger. If you're let out along with us, you sure you can do it? I'll show you the Lone Ranger. You must have been working some distance from here or we'd have known you. I've been getting instructions from a different source than you. Yeah, that's what it must have been. I reckon we're all working to the same end though. I, uh, I wonder who found out about the Marshal. I don't know. Hey, someone's coming to our door. Yeah, I hear him. Maybe this is when we're let out to escape. We're moving you now instead of morning. I warn you, there's 10 men with rifles watching you, so don't try nothing. They're moving us where? San LeMay. The Marshal's gone. We don't have to have the responsibility of U-5. Share Force will be in charge at San LeMay and no one ever escaped from his jail. Come on now, it's your move. The wagon in which the five tightly-bound men rode was guarded by horsemen on the way to San LeMay. Roping is like cattle to be branded. We sure don't take chances. How far we got to go? Two more hours to reach San LeMay. We'll get there around sunup. Do you think Sidney Drape will know about the plans being changed? Sure he will. Time to get us free? I'll leave things to Drake. He'll take care of them. Our names don't show on any hangman's rope. Dug on this rope. Say, hey, you guys. What's the matter? These ropes are too tight. They hurt. Don't pay no attention to them. They won't hurt long. Not near as much as your neck will hurt at sunup. Sunup! The execution's been moved ahead. That's why I'm letting you talk all you want. This is the last night on earth for all five of you. Mr. Drake, you'll get us out. We can count on him. Meanwhile, some distance away, a man lay on a bunk in a small cabin. In his semi-conscious state, he repeated one word. Tonto. Ah, me here. You listen. Me? Tonto. Me here, you. Tonto. Tonto did everything he knew to restore the marshal to consciousness, but without success. And as he heard a horse stopping outside, he went to the door. Whoa, whoa, there, boy. Tonto, have they talked yet? No, he'll not talk. We'll miss it, Tonto. Him got hired bumpin' head from fallen river. But he must talk. I've just come from town and the word is already going around. The marshal was on the bridge when it collapsed. They don't know much that you rescued him before he was washed over the falls. Who tell that? Sidney Drake started the story. Those two fiends you captured were working for him. Drake? Yes, and Tonto, the hanging has been changed. They're to hang this morning. They're already taking the jail. They're on their way to San Luis right now. Oh, that bad. We only could have known what the plans were. You could have watched those two men instead of following the marshal. That's right. Then if you only hadn't had to fight those two before you went to Arrow Creek to get the marshal, why you could- Maybe ring help Lone Ranger. No, but it won't. That's where this man Drake is so smart. He knew all along that the Lone Ranger was to be in prison with those four criminals. That's why he arranged to have the marshal killed. But ring and Lone Ranger think of that- Drake told about that ring. He already said the Lone Ranger lost the ring, but it was stolen from him. Now, besides we found that paper from the president on Marshal, the Lone Ranger has no way of stopping the execution. Now if he shows the ring, it'll just be evidence that he did steal. I don't just see. Oh, no, can't hang Lone Ranger. There's no way to prove that he's the Lone Ranger. He has in his horse, his mask, not even a silver bullet. As for his disguise on his face, if he removes it, it won't help. No one knows his face. Tonto. The marshal spoke. And that's all him say, only called Tonto. But wait. What is it? Tonto. Me got planned. There wagon near here. Maybe he'll scout silver to wagon, put marshal in. But if the marshal can't speak- Maybe one to hour him speak. Here, it's too late to help. If him and San Lomey, then it's not too late. That's it, Tonto. Where's the wagon? Hurry and get it. Hurry. Every minute comes. While Tonto used makeshift harness to fasten the scout and silver to a rickety wagon, the girl made the injured marshal as comfortable as possible. Then while she pillowed the man's head in her lap, Tonto leaped to the back of the scout and tried. Get him out, scout. Come on, silver. The mad race began. The opposition was tying. It was lucky that Tonto had dragged the marshal from Arrow Creek on the south shore. It would have been impossible to get back to the town except by a long and roundabout route. In the dead of night, the wagon dashed through town and on toward San Lomey. Sidney Drake was sleeping and didn't hear the passage of the wagon through the town. He was waken by two men who held rifles. Wake up, Drake. I want to talk to you. Who is it? Come on, get up. What's the meaning of this? Who are you? Lawman. What do you know about this? How do I know? What is it? This is a note that was found in the jail. I don't know anything about any notes you find in jail. This one has got your name signed to it. My name? Looks like you sneaked it to the five prisoners there. It tells them to keep their chins up that they'll be rescued from the hangman's noose. Oh, I didn't write that. Then why is your name on it? I don't know. You can be sure I'll make no effort to get those killers out of jail. We know you won't. We're watching them mighty close. In fact, they're most of San Lomey by this time. I'm not interested. No? Well, you wouldn't mind us staying here, would you? In my room. We'll be right outside the door and window. Just in case you did have any ideas about helping those five. It should be clear to you that one of those five has a grudge against me. Milly tried to put me in a bad light. Maybe so. But if there is any play to get those five out of jail, you'll have some explaining to do. I must say the Lone Ranger has courage. He surely knows of the Marshal's death and realizes that he'll hang with the others. The others must have told him they expect to go free. Yet the Lone Ranger leaves a note which would frustrate any attempted jailbreak. Oh, I can't help admiring his courage. Five men are destined to hang in San Lomey. A small group of official witnesses and a scattering of morbid spectators grouped around the scaffold. A stir swept through the assemblage as the command men were led from the nearby building. One of the five was silent, for he knew that there would be no rescue. The other four hung to their confidence in Sydney Drake. Something will happen now. Better happen quick. Couldn't happen before. This is the right place for the boys to come and get us away. No jail doors to bust out. The command is ready. Something's happening right now. Lucky Hunter Wagon is coming close to the crowd. Maybe this is where we get free. The boys thrilled the Lone Ranger, but the guard cried out, Get that wagon away from here. Hey, don't let that in here. Put that rescue under arrest. He can't do that. You come. He talked. You listen. Excitement swept the crowd. Something unusual. Something extraordinary was taking place. That's for us. Come on, boys. Climb on board. There'll be guns there for us. Where's the gun? No, no gun for you. Where did you already kill him? The Marshal. Tonto, Marshal, you're not dead. What is this? Hey, Marshal, you here? I've got things to say. There's one man you don't hang. A man that wears the ring. Here's the ring. For that ring, I was told... Whatever you was told as a lie, I'll prove it. Here's your order of recognition by the President. Thank you. Here, take this shirt. I've got it. Here's your mask. Masked. What's the Marshal doing anyhow? While the crowd watched in amazement, Tonto unhitched the horses from the wagon. The Marshal tossed shirt, mask, hat, gun belt at the fifth condemned man. I changed the records to show five minutes to the four. The four can hang as originally planned. But the fifth do is there to be sure they didn't escape. If you want to be convinced who that man is, just look at him now. That mask. Here, silver. There's no white stare. The name is silver. It's a little ranger. Marshal, you were so hot. I was more dead than alive up to a few minutes ago. The poor catcher tried to kill me a hog-tired neural creek, waiting to be picked up. Maybe they'll name the man that hired him and Sidney Drake would be jailed long with him. I moved him in. Marshal, study that. No, him. Him all right. Need plenty rest at all. That's the excitement. I'll be all right soon. One thing, Lord Ranger. Yes? The girl. She left the wagon when she saw that I was ready to talk. She sends her best to you. Thanks. And another thing. Did you learn something worthwhile? I did. Sidney Drake is one of the men from Washington who is a leader of the Black Arrow. Good. Then we'll smash him. Lock those four up again. We'll postpone the hang-in one hour. Things are quieter down. Taking the jail for an hour. All right, Garth. Come on, John. Will it be all right, Harrow? No. Him be all right. Him in good hands here with friends. We go back to Eric Cricker. Very well. Yes. Go there, Lord Ranger. Bring in Tortoise prisoners. Oh, one thing more. You still got that disguise on your face and your mask. I'll take it off when I have the chance. You better hit me. It makes you look mean and crooked. And you sure aren't either one. You ready now? Steady, Silver. Ready, Donald. Get him up. Count Kevin Silver away! Before you have just heard as a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.