 with the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty hyal silver, the lone ranger. His faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the masked rider of the plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness have come down to us through the generations, and nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The lone ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! We're heading west of Clayton. I'll Silver! Ma'am Slater lounged out idly outside the general store in Clayton. His sharp eyes kept a close watch through the windows as he noticed a grave-faced Indian and a young boy made several purchases. When they came out into the street, Slater stepped forward as though by accident. Gee, Tonto, we almost bought out the store. We need plenty supply for a long trip. I'll bet we've got a lift. Aren't you look where you're going, Ritzkin? Oh, me sorry, may not see you. Just a minute. I want an apology from you, Indian. Oh, me say, me sorry. Well, that ain't enough. Say, why are you trying to pick a fight? Shut up! All right. I'll hold the bundles, Tonto. If we had a vomit like you over in my country west of here, we'd string them up. They ain't a dirty red skin within 50 miles of the roost. Me not want a fight. You make me. I think I'll smash that ugly face of yours. You're not wasting time. That's it, Tonto. Give him another one. Tonto, not like fight. We go now. Slater, what the tarnation? Did that engine hit you? Knock me down. I figured I'm riling him, but not that much. What happened? You seemed peaceable enough when he and the kid were trading in the store. Red skins are all alike the tricky. Oh, well, it'll be my turn next time. You mean you're not even mad about getting knocked down? No use being mad. Well, I'll be... Didn't think I'd ever see the day when a cantankerous buzzard like you would hold his temper. Maybe I planted something more than a punch inside that engine's head. I give a... I can't figure it out. Don't try. Ever since you and the rest of that gang have been holed up over in the roost... Shut up! Listen, Hank. You own a store here in Clayton. We buy our grub from you and we pay for it. That's all you need to know. I didn't say anything about... Don't ever mention the roost. Whenever we want that known, I'll tell it, Savvy. Sure, Sam. I understand. Then don't forget. And keep your yaps shut about what you saw just now. Hell, I'm drifting west now. See you, lady. Looks to the saddlebags you two must have bought something at every store in Clayton. We bring plenty supplies. Couldn't carry much more. Good. We'll need all of it if we get a clue to the trail of Lake Nelson. Now, me think me fine clue. What's that? In town, man-tick fight. Yeah, and Tom'll really smashed him. Locked the big ombre flat on his back. What's this, Tutto? We come out from store. Man start to talk big. We try to leave him keep on talking. Tutto hit him. And you should have seen that punch. What did you say about a clue, Tutto? Well, man look like crook. When him mad, him talking, maybe him tell what I'm not want to tell. What did he say, Tutto? Well, him say his country, the roost. Wester here. So the roost is even further west. Well, at least we know that much. Asked, Tutto, I think you did find a clue. What makes you think there's roost places where a lot of crooks are holed up? Well, nothing definite, Dan. Just scraps of information that government men have picked up. You see everything points to a mysterious outlaw hideout. They call the roost. Are we gonna head for there? The first thing in the morning. Many miles west of Clayton, in a wild and wooded country through which there were no charted trails, a solitary horseman urged his mount forward. Get along, you lazy coyose. The trail wound along a rocky slope that was dotted with scrub pine and tangled undergrowth. Suddenly it veered downward, clinging to the face of a sandstone cliff. It was here that a sharp command from an unseen voice called the rider to rain up sharply. Pull up! They're coming from both sides. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. You want to stay healthy, turn around so I can see your face? Are you fool? It's Sam Slater. Can't you recognize me? My mistake, Sam. You can go ahead. Get up there. In a cleverly concealed cabin at the base of the sandstone cliff, several hard-faced men listen to their leader, Leif Nelson. None of you got anything to worry about. You're safer here than any place west of the Mississippi. All you need to do is lay low. All I want to know is why. This roost is a good hideout, but none of us can make any money hiding out. Where would you jaspers rather be? Here or behind bars in a federal prison? That ain't the idea. Now, how can we make it? I'm getting to that. You'll stop blabbing for a minute. It ain't ordinary lawmen are looking for us at the United States Marshals. That makes it tougher. Before we move out of the roost here, we've got to cover every leak. I still don't see it. The law wants us plenty bad. I don't have to tell you that. Them handbills that are posted all around these parts speak for themselves. Savvy that, Leif. For the rewards they offer a mighty tempting. Now, if we ain't careful, the government's libel to catch up with us for their male robbery and counterfeiting jobs we pulled. Maybe so, Leif. But the lawmen don't know where we're hiding. They've looked high and low without finding a trace of this hideout. That's the beauty of laying over in this cabin. It's harder to locate than a needle in a haystack. Then why don't you... But there's one arm brave and a needle in a haystack can lick. Sooner or later, he'll turn up here and turn us all in. Who's that? A lone ranger. What's that ranger? Blast that masked coyote. If he shows up here, I... Somebody's coming. Get your hardware ready, boys. Howdy, boys. Sam Slater. You almost got yourself drilled, Sam. Glad to see you boys are still handy with your hardware. Unless I miss my guess, you're gonna have need of some fancy gunplay before long. What do you mean? The lone ranger will soon be heading here. Are you sure? Sure enough, Leif. I watched the engine and the kid stock up supplies in a general store. Then I bumped into them as they walked out for an excuse to drop a hint about the hideout. You dumb galoot. You mean to say you let on to them, too, while we're holding up? I was Leif, so it is button-up all year. You shoot off your mouth before you know what it's all about. Your explanation better be good, Leif. It's our next your riskin'. A while ago, you mavericks were beefin' about being holed up here. You wanted to spread out and circulate for some easy cash. That's right. Well, you could do that, except for one man. A lone ranger. That's as simple as two and two. Get rid of the mask, man. You'll get what you want. That's why I gave Sam orders to let on accidentally, like, while we're hidin' out. Sam's the only one of us who don't figure in a handbill. The lone ranger will bite without suspecting a thing. You mean you're scheme to lead the lone ranger out here? Yeah. Not many people in these parts have ever heard of him. What's that got to do with it? Plenty. We're in good standing with the folks around here. None of them know who we really are. Now, if the lone ranger was to pull a crooked job on one of us, we'd have the folks here on our side. Your idea's full of holes, Leif. The master army never pulled a crooked job in his life. I'll take care of that. Sam. Yeah? Get yourself slicked up. Tonight you're takin' $1,000 in cash and callin' on the Dins Boys. Dins Boys? The old man who lives with his daughter in the back of the general store. You're there to talk business with him, Savvy. You want to buy out his store. Oh, I'm listenin'. Yeah, I can see that. You're doin' plenty of lookin', too. This thousand in cash. Well, don't let it tempt you, Sam. I ain't forgettin' you're the only one of us without a price on your head. Maybe you'll lay awake nights thinkin' about the rewards for me and the boys. Oh, no, no, that ain't true, Leif. Sure, Sam. Just so we understand each other. Tonight, Sam Slater visited Jonathan Dinsmore and his daughter, Ellen, in their store. And that's my proposition, Dinsmore. What do you say? I don't know, Mr. Slater. Where's the time when I did want to sell the store, but lately things have changed for the better, isn't it? Oh, no, no, don't be too hasty and say no. I'm prepared to offer a good price of things I want. And I've been hankered on the store just like yours for some time. But Dad doesn't want to sell, Mr. Slater. We're both very happy here. Shucks, Miss Ellen. Happiness is a state of the mind. You can have it plenty of places besides here. You can't always get your hands on $1,000 in cash. Is that what you'd pay if Dad offered to sell out? Well, sure thing. You got it right here. There you are, Dinsmore. $1,000. What do you say? Get your hands up. He's mad. A mass killer, that's who he is. Hey, Mr. Slater, grab your cash. Oh, yeah, don't. Oh, wait, wait. Don't take my money out. Why, shut up. Dad, Dad, he hit him. Take the wrong move. You'll get the same. Don't antagonize him, Dinsmore. He means that he's a killer. Shoots fast and sudden. I know him. He comes from Oklahoma. Oh, you know me, huh? Well, that calls for a change in plans. Start walking, Slater. Huh? You heard me make tracks. Oh, no, no, no. You got much to come for, you mad coyote. Now get it. What do you ask for? Oh, get going, Slater. I'm going. I'm going. Dad. Dad, are you all right? I'm all right, Ellen. Dirty guns slinging right. Where's my shooting? I'll show you. No, no, let him go. You're no match for a professional killer. Help me up, Ellen. Someday there ain't a man living who can walk in my store and push me around. No, Dad, please, for my... Dad! Dad, that shot. You don't think the outlaw... I don't know, Ellen, but we'll soon find out. Slater. Mr. Slater. Hey, Dylan. The masked man plugged him right through the heart. Oh. What's the trouble, Dinsmore? What was the gun play? A masked killer robbed this poor fella, then cut him down with his guns. Mask, eh? Well, I reckon that was the hombre I saw high-tailed on town. Right in the white horse. Called him Silver. That's the one, Mr. Nelson. I heard him. You'd know him if you saw him again, eh? He'd have gone tootin' we would. We couldn't see his face for that black mask, but he was wearing a light-killered hat and he carried two guns. We'd better get the sheriff to make up some handbills for him, Dinsmore. Reward for the capture of the masked killer, dead or alive. Three horsemen rode slowly through a wild and wooded country west of Clayton. Then, as they came to a small clearing, the leader signaled a halt. Hosell before. Hosell before. Hosell before, fella. I will camp here, tunnel. Ah. It's a good place to make fire. Golly. Can we eat now? I'm starved. Long ride, make Dan plenty hungry. Get the meal underway, tunnel. I'm going into town, but I'll soon be back. You're not going to track down the outlaws alone. No, Dan. But I think I can learn something about the location of the gang's hideout, the roost. Come on, children. On the first act of our Lone Ranger story, before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Having left Tonto and Dan in camp, the Lone Ranger rode into town, little suspecting that he was heading straight into a trap. He rained up in front of the store owned by Jonathan Dinsmore and his daughter, Ellen. Hosell before, boy. Whoa. Easy. Wait here, big fella. I'll be right back. Good evening. Are you the proprietor? First, your hands. Oh, I'm not an outlaw. We know who you are. Your master, Paul Ked. High-stem hands, I said. Perhaps this will convince you that I speak the truth. Ked? He's holding out his guns for me to take. Of course he is. He's covered by the shooting iron. He knows it. Go on, take him, Ellen. All right, Dad. I don't know what you come back here for, your mass killer, but you walked right into a trap. I don't understand what you're... Yes, little brother. Mass killer. Blake Nelson. So you caught him red-handed, didn't you, Dinsmore? Took away his guns and everything. Well, this is better than if I'd planted myself. I'll go for the sheriff. The sheriff's out of town, Miss Ellen. We can't afford to wait until he gets back. What do you mean? This hombre is a killer. We saw him murder Sam Slater ourselves. You saw him rob Sam for $1,000. Well, I'm for seeing justice done here now. You... You're not going to kill him. He's guilty, ain't he? Give me them silver-mounted six guns, Miss Ellen. I'll send him to Boot Hill with two of his own slugs. But as Leif Nelson walked past the open winter to take the Lone Ranger's gun from the girl, an Indian suddenly died at him from the port. He gets you with the... I'll take those guns. They send a few harm. My daughter... I'm not going to hurt your daughter, Dinsmore. Put down that rifle. Yes, I got no choice. You got to drop on me. Now you get up. Bless you, Redskine. Locked all the windows away. Now we'll talk, Nelson. Many men come this way. It's the boys. The last man. They've got Leif. To the window. Stop them. They're getting away. Let them have it. It's safe to rain up. They've lost us in the dark. Hold on. You look like you walked into Hornetsville. Not right, Dan. Steady, big fella. How did you know about it, Tunno? Me not know. Short time after you leave camp, me see Leif Nelson right by on trail near here. Me follow him to store. Oh. Him leader of outlaws. Yes, but the Dinsmores don't know who those men really are. Gosh. If the Dinsmores don't know their outlaws, maybe nobody in these parts knows. Yes, I... I don't know. What was the name of the man from whom you learned about the roost? Him name, Sam Slater. Sam Slater, huh? What's the matter? Slater is dead, murdered, and I'm supposed to have killed him. What you mean? The man who killed Slater wore a mask. He was made up to resemble me. That's why Dinsmores thought I was the killer. Golly. Then somebody must want the Lone Ranger, blame for murder. Yes, Dan. And if the Dinsmores are typical, the people in town will believe it. People not know about Lone Ranger here. Well, what do we do? There's only one thing to do, and that's to expose the real killer. Let the Leif Nelson, the outlaws, give up their search for the Lone Ranger in Tunno and turn their worry horses toward town. We'll get that mask kyle yet, boys. Guards are stacked in our favor. Even the whole town will be hunting the Lone Ranger. Killing Sam Slater. What's the matter? You lose your tongues? You, Baldi, what's rankling you? Any other time you got plenty to say. And Smokey, what's happening to your voice? Didn't you go a little farther than your planned, Leif? What do you mean? Sam's lying six feet under. The boys and me want to know is how come. Well, I can explain that. Better make it good, Leif. While you're about it, tell us what happened to the thousand in cash. Yeah. I ain't forgetting that cash came from all of us. Are you, Leif? Of course I ain't. That's why I didn't want to tell you. What do you mean? Sam double crossed us. He stole that cash. The money bag he took with him to store was filled with stones. Why, the honorary rat... When I faced him, he told me to forget the cash or he'd drop a word of the marshal about the hideout. Well, that's when I drilled him. Yeah. You're sure that's what happened, Leif? Do I look like a man who'd cross his parts? You'd double cross your own brother for the benefit of your life. I reckon you're telling the truth. Sam couldn't have betrayed us easy if he'd been a mind-teller. Ain't that frankly what I told him to his face in the cab when all you boys were standing around? You know, there wasn't no reward hanging over him. I reckon you did right in putting the skunk out of the way. And there's dense more store up ahead. Who's that talking to him on the doorway? Leif, it's the engine. Loan ranger sidekick. Come on, boys. Whip up them horses. Come on. Kill you, truth. Dad, he's the engine who helped the mask man to get away. Unduration, you're right, Helen. Raise my gun. No, you wait. You make big mistake. You're the one who made the mistake red skin in coming here. God, where'd I put that rifle? You wait. Meet health truth about mask man. Maybe we should listen, Dad. He might have something important to say. He's up to some engine trick. That's what he is. Two feller wear a mask. Feller who come here first time kills later. Feller who comes second time, not outlawed. Get the mask, kid, boys. Don't let him escape. It's Mr. Nels. We go inside store. There he is. Mask killer's parked. Kill him down, boys. No. What's that? Somebody outside the window, Leif. Shout out the lights. Yes, sir. Don't let him get away in the dark. You not get me. Dad, no. Oh, now we get him. In the darkness, fists flew with frantic fury. The confusion of bodies prevented the outlaws musing their garments. The men hardly knew whom they were fighting. In the darkness, it was almost impossible to tell friend from foe. A lone ranger battled under the door and taught her with eyes trained to see far better than the average in darkness, fought at the far end of the room. Keep at it, boys. He got killed out of the way. Where's that rescue? Well, get another lap of gold. Dad, be careful. I saw the flash when Dinsmore struck a match. He knew that the lone ranger's hurriedly preferred plan could not risk a light at this point and swung a hard blow at his nearest adversary. Then he leaped across the room and struck aside the flaming match. But, Incender, I wait. You will not be afraid. Everything will be all right. What's that she said? In the brief flash of the match, the Indian had seen Leif Nelson. It was Nelson whom he wanted. He died at him straight through the struggling leg. He's got me. The Redskins got me. Now, find a tunnel. He's got a mask and money in pocket. Good. You know what to do. Now you go now. Come on, Tutto. Head for the horses. The mask man is getting away. Don't let him after him. Come on. There he goes. Get your horses and after him. Let me try him up tight. You like lamp. Bless if I knew what you're up to, Redskine. That plenty like. Now, you see. It's the mask man. The engine's tight. His hands and feet. Ah, me put mask on face too. I don't serve you, Redskine. I thought you was his friend. Him first mask man me tell you about. Him man who killed Slater. Yeah, we know that, but... The second mask man, not same man. Him not outlawed. Dad, he's right. This is the man who robbed Mr. Slater, then took him outside and shot him. But the mask man who surrendered his guns to me was taller and dressed a little differently. Ah, that's right. Now me take off mask. Show you face of crook. Anderation. It's Mr. Nelson. That's impossible. A nursing can't be the crook. He's a respected man in these parts. You look what him carry in pocket. Jump into your husband. It's the money Mr. Slater offered for the store. Then Mr. Nelson must be the killer. Ah, and him plenty bad outlaw. You look at this bill. Hey, hey, hey. There can't be no doubt about him now. Look here, Ellen. He's what about the government? For reward. Hey, double deal him, poor cat. Thought you could get away with murder, huh? I don't say. Who's that coming? It's the other men. The man who chased the wrong mask man. Here's the slip again, Leif. You start it. What's that? What's what? That money in Dinsmore's hand. Where are I? I don't know. That money bag looks kind of familiar. Yeah. Where'd you get it, Dinsmore? There from the Indian. He took it from Nelson's pocket. That's a lie. That's all we want to know. How about it? He's a free man. Well, he's smoky. You gotta believe me. We'll take charge of him, Dinsmore. Yeah, but he's an outlaw. His hand goes in. I said we take charge. You'll get your share of the reward. No, don't let him take me, Dinsmore. Don't let him. They'll kill me. They'll kill me. Get up, yes. Can't do that. You'll not take him anywhere. You lead him here for law. Try standing our way again, her red skin. Why are you... Look at the answer, Dinsmore. All these hombres are outlaws. They want to take me out and murder me. What? Outlaws? Oh, Dad. Great day. I'll get them again. No, you don't. It's too bad you learned all this, Dinsmore. Now that you know so much, we don't have no choice. What do you mean? We're making sure our little secret don't leave this room. That means you, the girl and the engine. No, no. You'll not worry. He'll make big bluff. Bluff, huh? We'll show you whether we mean business or not. Job beat on him, boys. Dad, he means it. Close in, boys. The morsel. He's got to surround him. The wind is smoky. No, you don't. Can you... Take that. Take the other one, puddle. Get him out of my way, red skin. Get out of here. Looks like we caught the pack of them. I reckon we did it that, Marshal. Why, you two conceded old fools. It was the masked man who really captured him and the engine. I guess you got us, Miss Ellen. You have the two-digit job all right. Masked man came to my office and dropped a mess of hand-bills in my lap. Then he had me follow him here. Where did he go? Who is he? He's the Lone Ranger. I'll sue him! There's a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.