 The fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. The stories of the Lone Ranger's adventures were told and retold around thousands of frontier campfires and many of those stories have come down to us through the generations. We know that the mask rider of the plains did more than any other man to bring law and order to the early western United States and that high old silver came to be the battle cry of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on! The masked man and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, rode slowly toward Baker City. Less than a mile from town, as they were passing a grove of trees, Tonto's horse quenched nervously and for no apparent reason came to a clattering haunt. What? What matter, plain horse? Who's over there? Oh, that funny thing. Maybe there's a snake on the trail. I mean, I see him. But what? Look over there, Tonto. What do you think? Well, maybe you're wrong, but I want to have a look. Come. You've seen a thing by the base of that tree. Grass, plenty torn, huh? Well, there might have been a fight here, but that isn't all. They're blood. That's what must have frightened your horse. Whoever was here tried to cover it up, but he wasn't too big of a hurry to do a good job. That's right. You look there on tree. What is it, Tonto? They're hair from horse. Yes, black hairs. Someone riding a black horse was here. The horse must have rubbed up against the tree and these hairs were caught in the bark. That's right. Do you find anything else, Kimosavi? This may mean nothing or it may mean a lot. Me think, color, get killed. What we do? There's nothing we can do except go into town. What we do there? Perhaps I've had word there of a shooting. Steady old boy. Most likely there's nothing to worry about, but it won't hurt to find out. Get him out of here. At the same time, the masked man and Tonto were examining the evidence beneath the grove of trees. Three men were standing before the bar of the café in Baker City. One was Mort Pertis, a rancher with an outfit 15 miles from town. The second was Clem Sawyer, the town's domineering banker. And the third was Phil Tracy, a gambler who spent most of his time at the café's gaming tables. The three men were engaged in what seemed to be a friendly argument. Look here, Clem. What I aim to find out is how you and Phil knew I was figuring to buy that bear diamond from the place New York brought to this town. You didn't have an ocean you could put something over on us, did you, Mort? I ain't as easy as that. And from the looks of it, Clem ain't neither. You two are always trying to go me one better. What you mean, Mort, is that you and Phil are always trying to get the best of me. That ain't right neither, Clem. It's you and Mort that are staying awake nights to get ahead of me. Well, I put it over on the tour here the time I bought Blacky. That horse of yours? It's the same class with that black horse I bought. You're both, local. Compared to that horse of mine, yours are just a couple of stove-in coy uses that ain't hardly got the strength to walk to the feed box for a while. You bragging old coy. Hold on, hold on. That just goes to prove what I was saying. Yeah? Because I buy me a black horse, you two fellas think you've got to have black horses to beat mine. How about the time I bought me that fancy saddle? You two mavericks didn't waste no time having saddle just like it sent out from Denver. Talk all you want to Phil, and you too, Clem. But if the both of you ain't here to try and outbid me for that diamond old man York brought from Frisco, then I'm a cheaper. Well, you didn't figure on hogging in for yourself, did you? Say, just who is this fellow York? Ain't you never heard of him? Why, he's the biggest jeweler in the whole of Frisco. No, him do you? Well, he's never been in these parts before, but I met him once when I was on the coast. Well, why can't we go up and talk to him now, Mort? He's in his room, isn't he? We're supposed to wait for the young fellow that's his bodyguard. Well, ain't that him just coming in? Well, sure it is. But what's his name, Mort? He calls himself Dick Leonard. Dick, hey, Dick. You want me? We're waiting to see your boss. We heard he's got one of the biggest diamonds ever seen in these parts. That's right. Sure is. A beauty. You fellas aim to buy it? Well, one of us does. Come along, then. His room's just at the head of the stairs. Come along, fellas. That's private, but here's the steps. Well, I'm declaring myself right now. I'm going to have that diamond if I got to get a mortgage on my ranch from claim to buy it. I mean, so sure I'd loan you any cash. I got cash aplenty. It's all more than you fellas. If either one of you aims to get that stone away from me, you'll have to bid mighty high. You're two of the most contrary cusses I have. Quiet down. Here's York's door. I'll knock to you. Let him know we're here. I'm going to go ahead. You don't answer. Maybe he's napping. That's funny. He's been asleep during the day. Well, wrap again. Yeah. You wouldn't have gone out, would he? He said he'd be right here. Maybe you better try the door. I don't suppose there's anything wrong, but just... Well, anyhow, the door's unlocked. He can't be so very... Look at there. Come here. He's been shot. Mr. York, can you hear me? This is Dick. That won't do no good. He's dead all right. Take a look there. Real clean center. But who is it? Where's the diamond? Why, he kept it in a little shami bag in a special pocket he had. Take a look and see if it's there. I'll soon find out. I'll bet it's gone. What else would he have been shot for? Can you find it, Dick? Just a minute. Mort, you better get the sheriff. This is something for the law to handle. I've seen him downstairs. I'll have him right here. What did you find out, Dick? It's gone. The diamond? There ain't no sign of it. The bag's here, but it's empty. What's that under York's hand? It's a piece of paper. Oh, I'll get it. What's it say, Phil? Well, of all the low-down tricks. Put up your hands, you skunk. Yeah. You don't mean... Oh, look here. Don't you accuse me of it? I didn't do it. Reach, Dick. Heist your hands and make it fast. You're wrong. Look here, Phil. Heist them. Take his gun, Clem. I'll take his gun, Phil, but I'd sure like to know what you're accusing Dick for. Get the gun, then I'll tell you. There. Listen, boys, there's a mistake. There's a big mistake. Shut up. Here, Clem. Have a look at this note. It was written before York died. Let me see it. Rightness or the scragglin' ain't it? Yeah. It's enough to put the blame on you all right, Dick. What's it say? I was shot by my bodyguard. That's you, Dick. It's a lie. Let me see that note. So you can chew it up and destroy the evidence, huh? Not a chance. We told you what it says. Now you just keep your hands high till we get the sheriff here. I know York's handwriting. Let me see if it's his. A man don't bother the writing. It's familiar style when he's dying. The writing don't mean anything. You've got to listen to me now. Better save your talk for the jury and the sheriff, Beck. What's all the commotion? Oh, here's the sheriff mort now. Come in here, Sheriff. That's what I aim to do. What's going on? Hey, Phil. What are you holding your gun on, Dick, for? I reckon we already got the prisoner for you, Sheriff. Listen to me. It's a frame-up. I didn't do it. That's what about nine killers out of ten say. It's funny the number of men claim they was framed. Now it's Jason York who's been shot, eh? There he is, poor critter. Phil has a note. Let me see it. There you are. Tell just why I slapped Leather and disarmed Dick Leonard. Sheriff, let me... Shut up like you're done reading this. Evidence ain't it? I reckon it is. Let me see your shooting iron. Here it is. Thanks, Clem. You can see, Sheriff, the gun ain't been fired. Smell of it. You can prove it. There ain't no cartridge just fired. The barrel looks clean. You don't smell a burnt powder. Don't that prove it? That don't prove a thing. The first thing a smart killer does is to clean his gun and replace the fired shells. We'll take the gun as evidence along with a note. Sheriff, will you let me have a look at that note? Sure. Keep your hands right where they are and look as much as you please. That's you that's mentioned here, ain't it? Yeah. Yeah, but that ain't York's handwriting. No? No, it ain't. The jury will discuss that angle of it, Leonard. All that dirty frame-ups. You can't hang in the strength of that note. You can't... Here's well-fetched up, Dick. Where's the diamond at? How'd I know? Don't know why you wouldn't, being as you killed York to get it. You do best to tell the truth, Dick. Sure. Come clean. Tell us where the diamonds hid. The law might go a little easier with you. I don't know where the diamond is. I didn't kill York. I didn't touch that diamond. You can jail me if you remind her. You can hang me. But I won't tell where that diamond is. I can't tell because I don't know, and that's the honest-to-guards' truth. Well, you better come along, Dick. I can ask nothing to do but jail you. I wouldn't decide on that too quickly. What the hell did he come from? Mass. Well, I'll be... Stick your hands up, Mr. York. Not so fast. You're all covered. I got a gun on you. This is it. We have each other covered. Drop your gun. I warned you. Drop it. You can't squeeze that trigger fast enough. Drop it. Quick. That's better. Now we can talk. Who? By being here, by saying, I'm interested in seeing this murder solved. Then why? By arresting that man won't solve it. Who says it won't solve it? He read a note. Anyone could write a note. What does that mean? But it's signed by the... Is there anything to stop you from signing whatever name you want? Me? Well, I'm safe. You can write anything. My sage, Mr. Don't look at me. I don't know anything. If the dead man is supposed to have written a note in this room, isn't it natural to suppose he would have been shot in this room? Who in blazes says he wasn't shot in this room? Now you get out of here and mind your own business. What is there to prove he was shot in this room? What's that? Look around here. Is there any sign of a man being wounded or shot? I don't see any stain. Well, I don't prove it. Hold on, Mr. I don't know who you are, but seems you're aiming to find a murderer. How was the man shot? Drilled clean through the heart. He was killed mighty sudden. Mighty sudden, eh? Well, it must have been. And yet you claim he was able to get to that table and write a note and sign his name to it? He couldn't have. Don't you see, Sheriff? That lets me out. That shows the note is fake. It proves that the note don't mean anything. No, there's nothing to accuse me. Do you know York's handwriting? As well as I know my own, and that note weren't written by him. That's about what I thought. Well, you thought what, stranger? Perhaps. Perhaps I'd better keep my ideas to myself. Now, see here. If you're going to bust into this case, you've got to let me know. I have nothing to say right now, Sheriff. Suppose you go right ahead as you had planned. Don't let me down. Wait, stranger. Don't leave. We'll meet again, Dick. Don't go. You're the only friend I've got. You're the only one that believes in me. Keep your chin up. Now, you hold on. Don't try to follow me. That'll get the key out of the door. Sheriff, don't let him get away. Grab him. I've got coverage. Now, hold on there. That's the back way. Why, you will not tell law. What you find. I nearly did, Kimosabi. Now I have another plan. What? That. We need certain information. But when we have it, we'll trap the killer. The curtain falls on the first act of our thrilling Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. On the strength of the note, which accused young Dick Leonard of murder, the sheriff of Baker City, accompanied by Mort Prentice, Clem Sawyer, and Phil Tracy, took Dick to jail and locked him up. I reckon that'll hold you all right. You're making a bad mistake, Sheriff. Maybe so, but I'll take my chances on that. Sheriff, what we want to know is where he put the diamondy stone. He'll talk before I'm through with him. You heard the things a mask man said. I'll bet Jason Ward never killed in that room. You ought to know. How in blazes could Jason have written a thing after being shot through the heart the way he was? That ain't for me to say. What's more, I can prove that note wasn't in Jason's handwriting. Yeah? How? I sent him to Frisco for other things he wrote. Then you could compare him. Frisco's a mighty long ways off. But it's one way. I reckon the judge will be sober enough to hold court long before you could get an answer. I wish I could talk to that mask fella again. Uh-huh. There's some things I'd like to ask him myself. Sheriff, maybe Dick and the mask fella was in on the killing together. They might have been. It sure wouldn't surprise me for so. My god. Huh? Maybe that explains it. Explains what more? Where the diamond got to. Maybe Dick killed Jason, stole the diamond, then slipped it to the mask ombre. That's it. Sheriff, you gotta find that fella. I'll get a posse together. All right, and the sheriff. It's all right. We'll all go. You fellas are clean local. I'll bet the mask man didn't have no more to do with the killing than I did. But that was a plenty. Let's get started, Sheriff. If we don't wait too long, maybe we can pick up the trails. Yeah. Come on. What's that? Look! The mask man again. He was listening to what we said. Then it's just too bad for him. Now we'll get him for sure. The sheriff and his companions tried to follow the lone ranger, but the great horse Silver soon out distanced the pursuit. For the next three days, a posse led by the sheriff scoured the hills for some clue to the mask man's hiding place. They were unsuccessful, however. And in the meantime, neither the ranger nor Tonto had been idle. The faithful Indian had made careful inquiries in the surrounding district and brought the information he gathered to his friend. Then there are three men who might have killed Jason York. That is, if we're right and supposing, he'll be shot near that grove of trees instead of in the hotel. Tonto not think him shot in the hotel. Doesn't seem likely. Only Mort Prentice mentioned hearing a shot. He may have imagined it. That's right. Three men in town owned black horses. Mort Prentice climbed Sawyer and filled Tracy. And that all. All three wanted to buy the diamond Jason brought with him. And not a one of them could really have afforded it. That's what me hear. Mort has had a bad year with his ranch. Huh? Has been talked. He claims bank is shaky. He might have stolen the diamond, knowing someplace where he could turn it into cash. Plenty fillers say bank need cash. And filled Tracy has had an unlucky streak at gambling. I've heard he's lost thousands. And him bad filler. A gambler would probably be able to dispose of a diamond easily. What do you think about filler named Dick? I doubt that Dick killed Jason. The murderer wrote that note accusing Dick. He certainly wouldn't have accused himself. That's right. No matter what the sheriff thinks, Jason couldn't have lived long enough to write that note. What will you do? I don't. I think we can trap the killer tonight. That'd be a good thing. Here's over. It'll be dark by the time we reach town. Here, paint horse. Yep. You understand what you ought to do, don't you, Tutto? Huh? Me? Me no. Good. Come on, Silver. Get him up, paint horse. That evening, Phil Tracy, the gambler, following his usual custom, went to the café, where he joined in a game of poker already in session. His luck, however, was still against him. And at length he pushed back his chair impatiently and threw his cards on the table. Blast of luck. I haven't had such bad cards in years. Hey, Bill. Yeah? A fellow just pushed a gun in my back. What's that to me? And then he gave me this paper for you. What's that? He said to give it to you right away. What paper? Where is it? Here. Who was he? I never got a look at him. He said if I tried to turn around, he'd shoot. But maybe he'd... Well, I'll be. What's it say? None of your blame business. You needn't get mad. Was it bad news, Phil? What are you looking so white about? Can't you tell us what's in it? Ain't the note signed? It ain't signed, and I just said it's nobody's business. What's in it? But if I find a fellow that wrote it, I'll fill him full of lead. Clem Sawyer was alone in the office of his bank when suddenly the door burst open. Don't turn around. There ain't no cash here. This isn't a holdup. But... Careful. I said not to turn around. Who are you? I've heard that voice before. I've got a message for you. A message? There. But don't read it until I've gone. Wait. You will understand when you've read the note. But it's two of them, Silver Rule, fellow. Now to call on Mort Prentis. Come on, Silver. Mort Prentis had been talking with the sheriff about Dick Leonard's trial for more than an hour. Finally, he said... I guess we can leave everything up to you, Sheriff. Good night. Night, Mort. I'm sure enough. But stop. Don't turn around. I'll call the sheriff. Read this. Now, I think you'll change your mind. What is this? He'll soon know. Wait. Come back here. We may meet again, Mort. Come on, Silver. That's a blame-funny thing. Who was that fellow anyhow? And what in blazes is in this paper? After Mort left, the sheriff made ready to lock up his office for the night. But first, he went to Dick Leonard's cell. The young man still protested his innocence in the face of the evidence against him. Sheriff, if you hang me, you're hanging a wrong man. The judge will decide that, Dick. But you ain't even let me write the frisco, like I said, to get samples of Jason's handwriting. I did that myself. Huh? Yep. I figured if you was bluffing, I'd just call your bluff. And you'll get an answer for the trial? You can't say about that. But it ain't impossible. I reckon maybe I ought to apologize to you, Sheriff. I had a notion you were just trying to frame me for the killer without caring whether I'd done it or not. Well, I got to thinking over what the mask man said. And he decided he was right? No, not exactly. But he did mention one or two things that might need a little clearing up. Well, I'll red-skim. Huh? You stand still. But what do you do? What can't I tell you? He's got your cover, Sheriff. Boy, you only key an open door. You can't make me a... Open door. Careful of that gun engine. You hurry. Just when I was beginning to think that maybe you wasn't guilty, you try a stunt like this. Sheriff, I had nothing to do with the red skin coming here. I've never seen him before. You expect me to believe that? It's the truth. You open door. I am. But you'll pay for this engine. And you too, Dick. You come. Me? Uh-huh. Red skin, this makes you just as guilty as him. You come too. But I tell you, I... We take rides. All right. Where? Tonto showing you. All right. You've got the drop on me now. But I am telling the engine I'll have you in jail or turn in my star. His work in town finished. The Lone Ranger raced toward the Grove of Trees where he and Tonto had stopped several days before. Very dismounted and stood beside Silver. The minutes passed slowly, but he made no move. Then, although he carefully concealed the fact, his ears caught the faint sound of a man's footsteps. Quite old boy. Hold it. That's how you came. Sure I came, but you never figured I'd show up without you hearing me, did you? Perhaps. Let me have a look at you. Well, bless my idol, it ain't a mask, fella. I'm right glad to meet up with you again, stranger. Yes? And first I'm gonna find out how you knew it was me that killed Jason. Then you're getting the same as he did. You're sure of that? I'm holding all our high guards in this game, stranger. I reckon you ain't got no choice but to follow my lead. Go on. Well, speak up. How'd you get on to me? You read my note, didn't you? Uh-huh. It said for me to meet you where the killing took place. And if we could come to terms, maybe you wouldn't tell the sheriff what you knew. That's right. But I didn't answer my question. Did you see it happen? Maybe. Don't feel like talking, huh? Well, I reckon I'll have a look at what's behind that mask of yours. Then we'll get down to business. Careful. Now just stand still. Now the shooting iron of mine is level to go off. There. No. Hey, name's Hilbert. Stop it, up boy. Flash out here. Drop your gun. I let loose. Back, Hilbert. That horse is a devil. He knows how to handle murderers. Don't shoot me. I was just fooling when I said I was going to kill you. I didn't mean it. Well, we'll talk terms. What do you want? When you give me half of the value of the diamond you stole. Now look here. Make up your mind. Sure, I will, stranger. I'll give you half. Just put them guns down. Where is the diamond? Oh, wait till I sell it. I'm not trusting you. Where's the diamond? It's out at the ranch. Good. I suppose you tricked Jason into coming here with you, then shot him and took him back to the hotel. What you knew about that? I know most of it. You and me are really going partners? We are, if I take half the diamond. Then I guess it won't hurt to tell you. Sure, that's just the way it happened. Jason thought I was the only one wanted to buy the stony head. So I said if he'd ride out to my ranch, I'd give him the case. But you left the cafe by the back way. You must have seen that, too. No, but it was the only way that you could have left without being discovered. Yeah, we went out the back. And after he was shot, I got him to his room the same way. Wrote that note, then joined the fellas at the bar. You need more evidence, Sheriff? What's that? Have you heard all of his news, stranger? Mort Prentice is going to hang. Stranger, you saved my necklace. You double-crossed me. Mort, you trapped yourself. What the... Talo and I discovered where the shooting had really taken place. But we didn't know who the killer was. But you gave me that note. And I gave notes just like it to Clem and Phil. All three of you owned black horses. Blast you! Three men received identical notes. But only the guilty man could have known he was to meet me at this grove of trees. I should have shot you when I first came up. We was watching you, Mort. We'd have shot first if you'd have tried anything. All we was waiting for was a mask, man, to get you to tell the whole story. I'll get him for this. Mort, you won't get anybody. Because just as soon as you've had your trial, you're going to hang. Sorry, you have just heard, is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporator.