 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. With his faithful Indian companion title, 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. Coming with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeat of the Great Horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. I'm still there. Let's go because I am still there. In what the hour before dawn, Tuttle urged Scout up the draw to the top of the bluff where the Indian ponies were bedded down and the Lone Rangers stood beside the Great Horse Silver looking down at the village in the valley. Easy Scout, easy fellow. Well done, O. It's no good, King of Subby. Thunder Cloud, not the valley. But didn't you tell him that ten few was tying to massacre his whole tribe? Ah, Thunder Cloud say he make quickie with government. Blue Creek Valley belong to Indian. Indians promise to stay in valley. Thunder Cloud, not leave. Didn't you tell him that troops were on the way from the capital? Thunder Cloud say, troops not hurt Indian. They were federal troops, he'd be right. But they're militia, raised by Canfield himself. They're his political followers. They've all been promised land in the valley after the Indians are wiped out. Hunter, say all that. They wouldn't believe you. Thunder Cloud say, governor not let Canfield hurt Indian. The governor's been recalled to Washington. Canfield's taken over in his absence. He's running everything. Thunder Cloud, not understand. No, he's made a promise and he'll keep it. He can't understand such treachery. When he's convinced of it, it will be too late. All Indians die. We can't let that happen. The troops will march through that pass to the south into the valley. Indians in trap. There's a way out through the draw you just rode. Once they're up here, the Indians can escape to the hills. Then wait too long. Unless we do something. Thunder Cloud not listen to us. Words are no use, we'll have to substitute action. How you, me, starve 500 men. I think I know of a way. Horses taught of. Horses? Yes, these Indian ponies. Only Canfield's officers are mounted. Come on, they're round up the ponies. Dye them to the opening of the draw. Then wait. The Indian ponies were driven into a compact groove near the opening of the draw. They milled around for a while and then settled down to grazing as the sun rose above the eastern rim of the valley. The Indian village woke to life. An hour later, General Canfield rode through the south pass, the militia marching behind him. As the Lone Ranger and Tahoe watched, they saw Thunder Cloud raise an American flag above his lodge. Then he and several of the older Braves started forward to meet the troops. Thunder Cloud carried a white flag. In a moment, the Lone Ranger's worst fears were realized. Canfield ordered the troops to halt. A single rifleman stepped forward, took aim at Thunder Cloud and his delegation and fired. The distance was too great for accurate shooting, a brave to the right of Thunder Cloud dropped to the ground. Other Braves jumped in front of the chief. Panic broke out among the Indians, and men, women and children ran toward the lodges. The troops started forward at the double. All right, let's go. The Lone Ranger and Tahoe drove the herd of Indian ponies down the draw. The draw opened into the valley between the village and the pass. And when the level ground was reached, the elves of the Indians were enough to swing the herd toward the pass and the oncoming militia. The Lone Ranger and Tahoe drove the ones stopping and shooting in the air. The troops broke ranks and ran into a scape of thundering hoofs up a herd. The Lone Ranger and Tahoe turned back to the village and pulled their mounts to a stop in front of Thunder Cloud's lodge. Holy shit! Now you believe what's on the soldiers' undercloud? No, it can't be. There's no time to argue about that. Get your people up the draw. Tell them to keep moving on into the hills. Manisha! You have a few ponies headed down here. Give me 20 braves to ride them. We'll hold the mouth of the draw until the rest of your people reach the high places. That's good. Thunder God, do what mass friends say. Good. Over and out! Before Canfield could rally his troops, the Indians were moving up the draw. Twenty braves under the command of the Lone Ranger took cover just beyond the narrow opening. Canfield's men were forced to attack in a single column, and the withering fire drove them back. They refused to attack again. The Lone Ranger and the Indians held the draw for two hours, and then they raced after Thunder Cloud and his people into the hills. Canfield took possession of the village and set up his headquarters in Thunder Cloud's lodge. The self-styled general was livid with rage at the failure of his murderous plan. How many dead? Firemen. No Indians. Twelve. Twelve. And hundreds of them escaped. All because of that mask man on the White Horse. I'm putting a price on his head. I'm offering $5,000 reward for his catch. In the days that followed, Canfield carried out his plans. He proclaimed a state of war with the Indians. He placed the territory under martial law. He ordered the militia to shoot every Indian on site. The capitals seized with excitement, and the Lone Ranger himself without his mask, and dressed as an ordinary prospector, walked the streets of the city, gauging the temper of the people. He stopped beside a man outside the post office. The man was reading a newspaper and muttering to himself. He should know better. He should know better. Who should know better? General Canfield? No stranger. Howdy Fairburn, the editor. Look at this paper. You should know Fairburn when he first came west. He had the habit of speaking the truth. Truth or not, he stuck his neck out this time. See the headline? Is this America? And what he says about Canfield and his proclaiming martial law. Don't you believe that general has exceeded his authority? That's what the way things are now. Not with the Indians out to get all our scouts. Who says they are? Canfield. And all these men who took part in the Battle of Blue Creek. The Battle of Blue Creek? Haven't you heard about that? The way the Indians attacked the militia under cover of a flag of truth. Hmm. Fairburn doesn't seem to think that's the way it happened at all. That's what I say. He's practically taken the side of the Indians. You mark my word. He'll end up before a firing squad. Is this America? Huh? I was reading the headline again. It's a good question. Firing squads. What's happened to a man's right to trial by jury? Firing squad? To trial by jury? Don't matter. Fairburn will end up with a hole in his head. And so will that renegade who helped Thunder Cloud. That's man-span on the big white horse. You mark my words. That same afternoon, Captain Hugh McNeil rolled into the capital. His first stop was at the office of the Mountain News. And Lori, Howard Fairburn's daughter, greeted him as an old friend. Howdy. Oh, Hugh. Welcome to Mountain City. Hello, Lori. Dad? Dad? Come and see who's here. Oh, Hugh, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you. That goes for me, too. Hello, Captain. Hello, Mr. Fairburn. Is it like old times? It is. You know, I asked for this assignment just so we could have a reunion. The settlement? Not to be stationed here? That's right. We're going to have federal troops? Well, no, not exactly. You're going to have me, isn't that enough? I don't understand you. It's simple enough. The Army's sending rifles and ammunition for your militia to use. I'm here to act as a liaison officer between your General Canfield and the Regular Army. Hugh, that's terrible. Why? General Canfield. Have you met him? No, I haven't reported yet. You sound as if he was some sort of a monster. Really? Well, he seems to have done a pretty good job of putting down this Indian uprising. Oh, tell him, Dad. Tell him what he's getting into. What's wrong, Mr. Fairburn? Everything. In the first place, Canfield isn't a soldier. He's a politician. He raised his regiment by promising every recruit he'd share in the golden furs that were captured from the Indians. It's a regiment of riffraff, ruffnicks. A gunman and thieves. They've fought well. What about the engagement at Blue Creek? You can't make me believe it happened the way Canfield says it did. There was no ambush? I do believe there was. Why not, sir? Because Thunder Cloud is an honorable man for one thing. For another, it was a masked man who helped him and his people escape from the valley after the so-called battle. You're not sure it's the same one, Dad? Pleasably sure. And he wouldn't be fighting with Thunder Cloud if the chief weren't in the right. What masked man are you talking about? Oh, you know him? When was it? Five, six years ago when your troop rescued our wagon train from the soot? Yes. From the masked man who brought you to our assistance? What? Well, that was the lone ranger? And convinced this masked man is the lone ranger. Here, you. Here's the latest edition of The Mountain News. Read it. And you'll have some idea of what the situation is really like. This is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The captain read the paper and then left to report for duty. He returned to the newspaper office at 10 o'clock that evening. Lori and her father were locking up for the night. Mr. Fairburn. Yes? How soon can you get out of town? Do you have a horse? Well, I have one out in the back, but what do you mean? What's happened? Canfield's read The Mountain News. Well, have it. You ought to be arrested tonight. Run with gloves. Treason. Soon now he's repealing the Bill of Rights. There's to be no freedom of the person in the tent. There's no time to argue about it. Once you're in jail, there's no telling what might happen to you. I agree that the man's demented. He can be. But he has a regiment to back him up. Hey, who? Run away. Oh, yes. There's someone knocking at the back door. Could it be Canfield's men? No, they haven't left headquarters yet, and they wouldn't come to the back door. I'll see who it is. Hello, Fairburn. The masked man. Yes. Howdy, Mr. Hello, Captain. Oh, Heaven, help us come inside. Don't you realize there's a price on your head? Yes. I've been reading all about it. How did you get here without being seen? Through the back streets. It's a dark night. Where can we hide you? I haven't come here to hide. Hey, you are life's endangerment. Yes, so is yours, Fairburn. I want you to leave town with me. Hey, don't run away. You want to fight Canfield, don't you? That's what I mean. You can't do it from here. Our only chance is through Washington. You won't be allowed to use a telegraph here. Canfield has the office guarded. I've been trying to persuade him to leave. Canfield needs to arrest him. That should settle it. How can you fight if you're behind bars? Look, Laurie. I'll be all right. I'll take care of her. I'm telling you, there's no time to lose. They'll be here any minute. All right. I'll go with you. Good enough. Come on then. Adios. Goodbye. Goodbye. Oh, if only he can get away safely. He will. The phone ranger will take care of her. There they go. Now let's get this place locked up. I'll take you home. It's the front door. It's the militia. And Canfield with us. Where's your father, Miss Taboon? I don't know. Where is he? Left house. You have as much chance of finding him as you have of finding the masked man. You're under arrest. What for? We're aiding in a betting treason. They're going to jail, men. Why, don't any of you lay a hand on her? And you're under arrest, too, Captain. Well, you can't arrest me. I represent the United States government. We'll discuss that at your court, Marshal. All right. Take them away. The curtain falls on the first act of our lone ranger adventure. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. After the lone ranger and Howard Fairbourn left Mountain City, they stopped at the well-hidden camp where Tata was waiting. Then the three men rolled down from the foothills and across the Great Plain. Early the next morning, they reached a small settlement far to the east. Fairbourn rolled into town to send a telegram and returned in a few hours with a message. Oh, man. Just listen to this. From the Secretary of the Interior, Nicklin has been relieved as Governor. New Governor Alexander Kilgore now on way to territory. Should arrive at Cheyenne today. We'll travel south by stage. Suggests contacting him at Capitol and making formal charges against Canfield on arrival. This couldn't be better. Kilgore's a good man. Uh, you know him? By repetitions? Well, what's the matter? Canfield must have this news already. Yes, I suppose so. It won't suit him at all to have a new Governor taking over. He wants the job himself. You'll never get it now. Unless something happens to Kilgore at the dangerous trail through the hills in Cheyenne to the Capitol. Canfield wouldn't dare. He's already defying the Constitution of the United States. Not to mention a few government treaties. What's a hold up on a murder? That's another crime the Indians will answer for. Yes, it's true. He could do it. I think you'd better have a talk with a new Governor before Canfield and his men have a chance to reach him. Come on, Tonto, let's get settled now. You're hitting knobs. The Cheyenne Trail as fast as we can make it. Two days later, the Long Ranger, Tonto and Fairburn were standing beside their forces on a high ridge. Below them, they could see the Cheyenne Trail for miles, twisting and turning up a wooded slope. The masked man was studying a small cloud of dust near the foot of the ridge through his binoculars. That's a stage, all right. Get not to get up here for another hour. Well, stop the stage, get aboard, and you'll fall with my horse. Maybe you ride all the way to Capitol. It depends on whether the Governor believes me or not. Tonto, take the glasses. This side of the hairpin curve about half the way up. What do you see? There are men there. Indians? They look like Indians, but Tonto see horse and they're brained on hip. That's not Indian horse. Confused men, dressed up like Indians. Yes, I think so. Do we have time to get down below the curve? You wait here, Fairburn. We need your horse. You go to stop the stage before he gets to the curve. We can. Easy said, big fella. You'll be able to see how we make out. Here's the reins. Thanks. Tonto show best way through trees. Get them up. The grade was steep and the trail was narrow. The coach was traveling slowly, but even so, it swayed from side to side, and the guard was holding on. When the coach rounded the bend and the two men rode out on the trail, he was unable to go for his gun. Rain up. I got it covered. No chance for me to get a beat on him. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. A man's man on a white horse and an Indian. What's the matter? It looks like a hold up, Governor. You can call it that if you want to. I'm not arguing. I got my hands up. But you're making a mistake. We're not carrying any gold. I'm not interested in gold. Step out of the coach, Governor. What for? Better do as he says, Governor. There's a prize on this man's head. He's a desperate character. I have very little money on me. You're coming with us, Governor. With you? Get mounted, please. Do you realize who I am? Yes, Governor. I must ask you to hurry. Very well. Oh, now, steady. All right. Get your coach started. Yeah. Lead the way, fellow. The governor spent that night in the mountain valley where Thunder Cloud had led his people. And as they sat around the campfire, he listened to the old chief to fair burn and the lone ranger. His anger at being taken prisoner seeped away, but he found it hard to believe the facts that were laid before him. This is your side of the story. Before I can reach any decision, I'll have to hear Canfield's. Will you let me leave now? Canfield will deny everything we've told you. That's right. And if you believe him, he won't live long, Governor. There were men on the trail waiting to kill you. The only men I saw were you and your Indian friend. Will you let me go? We haven't convinced you. I'm afraid not. Will you give us a chance to prove our case, Governor? How can you do that? Governor, what do you think would happen to Fair Burn and me if we gave ourselves up? You'd be given a fair trial? No, Governor. No. That good deal and the masked man would be shot. What do you think would happen to Thunder Cloud and the members of his council if they rode into the capital under a flag of truce? They'd be perfectly safe. Governor, would you ride with us to the capital tomorrow morning? Well, of course. Would you conceal your real identity? Conceal my identity? Yes. Would you let us stain your face in hands? Would you wear buckskins or let Canfield will think you're an Indian? That he has no reason to be afraid. Would you give him a chance to convict himself? Yes, I will. I must warn you that you'll be risking your life. You'll carry no weapons? No, none. Then there's no danger? We'll see, Governor. We'll start for the capital as soon as possible. We must get there just as long as possible. That same night, long after midnight the door of Captain McNeil's cell opened and the captain jumped up from the wooden bench where he had been trying to sleep. Who's there? It's me, Sergeant O'Grady. I smuggled some good food in for the girl. She insisted I'd bring you some. You're a friend and need, Sergeant. I wish I could be a better one. Do you mean that? I wish I could set you both free. We're getting fed up with Canfield. He had one of the men whip this morning. Then why don't you do something about it? What can we do? We've got to bear with the tale. Kind of let Gonyl crossed at death, but if you all acted together, man, we haven't got the nerve. Each one of us is afraid of his own miserable hate. And me too. Me and O'Grady. I'm scared, Sergeant. It's no good talking. Each of us. As night faded in today the following morning the main street of the capital was deserted. The Lone Ranger, Thunder Cloud, the Governor, and the other members of the party had a quite bulk of the government building at the far end of the street, a mile away. Thunder Cloud himself carried the flag of truth. Light steward at the livery's table was the first to see them. His first shot was one of fear. Then he saw the flag of truth and realized the men were unarmed. In house after house, windows were raised, doors were thrown open, people poured into the street. By the time the procession had covered half the distance to the government building it was being polled by a constantly increasing crowd. Guards came out of the capital and formed a solid rank of rifles in front of the building. The Lone Ranger and his companions rode straight toward them. At last they pulled their mouths to a halt. Directly in front of the capital steps the door of the building opened and Kenfield stepped out flanked by more riflemen. Thunder Cloud come to us for peace. General tell Thunder Cloud what white men want Indian to do. Indian promise all white men ask. Indian want peace. Oh, so you want peace. What do you want, Mask Man? I'm here to face any charges that are against me. I want a fair trial. You took the new Governor prisoner yesterday, didn't you? You might call it that. Where is he? As far as I know, he's here. No lie, you killed him. No, I didn't. It wasn't smart, Mask Man. I'm still Governor and I'll stay Governor. You've been charged with treason already. Now I'm charging you with murder and I'm finding you guilty. Well, without a trial? I say you're guilty, that's enough. Fairburn, you're going to jail. What's the charge against me? You'll be told later. But before I lock you up I'm going to give you the pleasure of seeing this Mask Man and all your Indian friends executed. Thunder Cloud come here under flag of truth. What's that to me? The only good Indian is a dead Indian. And in 15 minutes you're going to be one of the best. I grabbed them all men, dragged them off their horses, tied their hands behind their backs and lined them up to be shot. Wait! The man's insane. What's that? Which one of you Indians said that? I did and I'm not an Indian. This is stain on my face and arms. Look, look at my arms. Renegade, eh? No, the name is Alexander Kilgore. What? And I'm the Governor of this territory. Bulls. And here are my credentials. My appointment signed by the President of the United States. I thought that... That I was dead, eh? And that you were free to govern as you please to set aside every federal and territorial law to commit mass murders. That's all the Indians deserve. It's only justice for the Mask Man. Justice you don't know what the word means. But you're going to find out, can't you? You're not going to do anything to me. These soldiers are my men and they'll only take orders from me. I'm relieving you of your command. You can't. I'll show you. Guard this man as an imposter. Shoot him with the rest of the traitors. Now that chance can't be used. I saw the President's signature on that paper. This man's the real Governor. And we're taking orders from him. You'll die for this, old crazy. We'll all die if we don't get rid of you. Right, men? Right. What are your orders, Governor? Take him to jail. Don't let any of you dare lay a hand on me. If you'll excuse me, gentlemen. Easy, sir. Any color. Just to make your work a little easier. No! Mountain City. Thank you for your vote of confidence. I promise to discharge my duties in accordance with the laws of the territory and uphold the Constitution of the United States. I promise to safeguard your rights and I promise you peace. Now, you're free to go, Thunder Cloud and to lead your people back to Blue Creek Valley. That's good. Ronego! Ronego! I'm probably free to go as well, Governor. Yes, indeed you are. With all my thanks. Thank you, sir. Easy, sir. Yes! Slowly, honey. Are you all right? What's the message? Oh, nothing, no. We've been in jail since you left, Mr. Fairburn. The guard just let it out. And can't he just take me a place? Yes. Governor, this is my doctor. And this is Captain McNeil of the United States Army. How do you do? We're so happy, Governor. So grateful. Oh, not to me. Your gratitude and mine belong to the mask man. Who is he, Fairburn? One of the greatest men the West will ever know. He is the Lone Ranger. A feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, created by George W. Trendle, produced by Trendle Campbell Enterprises, directed by Charles D. Livingston and ever...