 A fiery horse with a speed of light, a claw of dust, and a hearty hyo-silber, the Lone Ranger. With his faithful Indian companion, Tuttle, the daring and resourceful Masked Rider of the Plains led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. No where 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 fights again. The crowd in the cafe at Greystone was as usual noisy and boisterous. That is they were until the door opened and the big tough looking man entered. Look, his gun were at the windows. Mike Pickens walked slowly, his arms hanging at his sides, his piercing eyes surveying the crowd as they waited in hushed expectancy. Then he stopped walking and spoke. My men have covered all of you from the open windows. I came here to find Sheriff Carver. Is he here? I saw those reward posters you've plastered all over with your name signed to them. They and I'm wounded, dead or alive. Yeah, so I noticed. Well, I don't like them. And I don't like you, Carver. So I decided to come and do something about it. You did, huh? Yeah. So now you have your chance to take me or I'm counting three. And we draw and shoot. You understand? My men will see that no one interferes. Hold on, Pickens. One. Two. Great shooting. Get ready, Carver. Three. The sheriff didn't have a chance. Let's get after those gunslingers. Come on, come on. Pickens' bullet had not killed Sheriff Carver, but he had been seriously wounded and would not be able to carry on his duties for a long time. A few days after the shooting, the leading businessmen of Greystone met at the general store. John Stanley, the banker, was talking to them. Man, you all know what I'm talking about. John Stanley, the banker, was talking to them. Man, you all know what happened to Sheriff Carver. And you all know that two sheriffs before Carver were killed by Mike Pickens and his men. Yes, sir. The sheriff will be laid up for some time. We need somebody to take over the job and try to run down those killers. Well, who's willing to do it? Not me, John. Not me, Art. I'm not signing my death warrant yet. Nobody in town is able to stuff Pickens and his men? That's right. Well, that's just where we stand. Nobody will consider being appointed in Carver's place. So Greystone is left without a lawman. Things are liable to get out of hand without someone to keep law in order. Hear about? All right. Well, here comes the telegraph operator with a message for somebody. What do you have there, Joe? Here's a reply to the telegram he sent to St. Louis, Mr. Stanley, from Sheriff Carver's son Ted. Oh, give it here, Joe. Here you are. Ted coming here to be with his father. What's he say about the shooting? Now, hold on. Hold on, everybody. I'll read you what Ted says on this telegram. Now, listen. I'm shocked to hear of Dad's condition, leaving for Greystone at once by railroad. If Sheriff's job is by appointment, please consider me to take Dad's place. Long enough to get the man who tried to kill him. Sign Ted Carver. Maybe Pickens will get him, too. Well, I say give Ted a chance at him. Now, just a minute now, a good many of you don't even remember Ted Carver. He went to St. Louis five years ago. He was 20 years old then, a darn nice young fellow, too. He could handle guns about as well as his dad, but that's not good enough to buck up against Mike Pickens. Maybe he'd be luckier than his father was, Mr. Stanley. Of course, he may be scared off when he hears what he's up against. Well, we'll tell him the facts when he gets here. It'd be like sending a tender foot against Pickens to let Ted take over the job. Well, maybe so, but Ted will be soaring off at Pickens to go after him, which is more than anyone else would have the nerve to do. Well, when Ted gets here, we'll talk it over. As far as I'm concerned, I don't think he should be appointed to the job. If he were, I figure he'd end up with a bullet in him just like his father did. When Ted Carver finally arrived in Greystone, a committee of townsmen met him at the station. Well, Ted, there's the train from St. Louis. Ted ought to be getting off in a minute. Yeah. He's liable to want to get back on again when we tell him about Pickens. He's not being appointed sheriff, though there's no reason he should feel that way. Well, there he is now. Come on. Yeah, let's go see him. Oh, Ted! Ted Carver! Well, Banker Stanley. Glad to see you again. How's Dad? Well, he's in a wheelchair, Ted, but it'll be a long time before he gets around again. I'd like to get my hands on the man who shot Dad. Did you get my telegram? Yes, Ted, but you see, the outlaw, Mike Pickens, who shot your Dad, is a mighty tough hombre and plenty quick on the draw. It'd be useless for a young fellow like you to try to get him. Mr. Stanley, I came out here with just one purpose in mind, to get the man who shot Dad. It isn't right for you not to give me the chance. Ted, it'd be suicide for you to take over a sheriff. Sure. The minute Pickens heard about it, he'd bring his gang and come gun him for you, too. You have somebody else in mind to take Dad's place? No, not yet. Then give me the job and let me try. Dad would expect me to fill his shoes after what happened. Now point me to the job before I see Dad so I'll be able to tell him about it. Well... You still don't realize what you'll be up against, Ted. Nobody else is willing to take over the job. Then why not let me take it? After all, I'm the one who's taking the risk. What do you say, Mr. Stanley? Well, Ted, I hate to do it, but if that's the way you want it, I reckon we might as well give you the chance. Let's go see your father. We'll square you in and give you his badge to wear. Let's go. That afternoon, Tahoe, Indian companion to the Lone Ranger, returned to their camp in the nearby hills. Oh, Scott, oh, father! This is Scott. This is Scott. What's going on in town, Tahoe? Well, Ted Carver, son of wounded sheriff, come and train. He'll talk to men at station, say he want to be sheriff. Ted's been east for some time. He'd be a tenderfoot as a sheriff out here now. Ah, but he want to get Mike Tickens, the outlaw who shoots sheriff. Men say they make him sheriff. Maybe him get shot by outlaw who wound his father. The job he may not be able to handle. But maybe when he learn more about Tickens, young father give up job. Not if he's anything like his father, Tahoe. Carver's a very proud man. I feel sure once his son Ted has taken that badge of sheriff, he'll not want to appear yellow by turning it in. I mean, not think him have chance against Mike Tickens. Yes, I know. Tahoe, I'll disguise myself as a cow poke. We both go to town. Keep our eyes open in case Mike Tickens and his men show up. That same afternoon, one of Mike Tickens' men arrived at his cabin in the hideout camp. Ho, ho, there, ho, ho. So soon, Bert? I have news, Mike. Wait till you hear this. Well, I'm waiting. A young hombre came in on a train this morning. His name is Ted Carver. Ted Carver? Yeah. He's the son of the sheriff you gunned in the cafe. But the payoff is this. He's been appointed to be sheriff in his father's place. Since the old man isn't able to get around. Ah, appointed to take his father's place, huh? Yeah. I hear he's sort of a tender foot with a gun. Been working in St. Louis for several years. The fact is, he telegraphed and asked to be appointed, so as he could round up the hombre who shot his father, meaning you. That's a good one. Reckon, he wants to get a bullet just like his father did, huh? When you're going gunning for him. I don't know yet, Bert. Did they tell him about me before they made him sheriff? Yeah. Yeah, I overheard him talking to some man who met the train when he arrived. They tried to keep him from taking a job. Told him to be suicide to try to get you. But he still wanted the chance. It will be suicide if he tries to get me just like they told him. I suppose you figure on gunning him before he even tries to find you, huh, Mike? Well, not exactly, Bert. It seems how he's young and more or less of a tender footer. I'll give him a chance to stay alive. What do you mean by that? Tonight I'll print a note and tie it to a stone. Then we'll take the gang and gallop through town, and as we pass the cafe, I'll toss it through the window. I want everybody to know what's in that note. Well, what are you going to write? I'll let you read it after I get it printed. Now go tell the men to get ready for a ride to town after supper. That evening the cafe was crowded as usual. The lone ranger who was disguised as a cowpoke stood at the back with Tonto, listening intently to the conversation. Well, in spite of all these hurt about Mike Pickens, it looks like Ted Carver's going to keep his fault as bad. Ted's not too quick on the draw. But he's too proud to let anything scare him off. Well, I, for one, wouldn't think he's yellow if he decided to change his mind about being here. The trouble is Mike Pickens and his gunman have all of us buffaloed in this town. That's what it is. Mike and his gang just about run things around here. We'll just have to admit he has us all licked. For my part. Hey, something happened outside. Must be Pickens and his gang again, eh? Maybe he's come to get the new shirt. Hey, something came through the front window. It's a stone with something tied to it. I'll see what it is. Hey, what is it? It's a folded note with writing on the outside. What? It says, for the new shirt. What does the note say? Yeah, yeah, read it out loud. No, no. Let's take it to the sheriff's office and let Ted Carver read it for himself, eh? The notes are here. Come on, let's go. Let's go along with them, Tunnel. I'd like to know what's in that note. A few moments later, Ted Carver seated at his father's desk in the sheriff's office, looked up as the crowd entered. Hey, Sheriff, this note is thrown through the window of the cafe just now. It's for you. Yeah, go through it. Right, the man who just got up through town. I heard them and looked down. I thought there were just some cowpokes who opened it up. He and more likely the Pickens gang. It's better I'm tired than they'll read it out loud. All right. To the new sheriff, turn in your badge and get out of town by noon tomorrow. If you don't, we'll find a way to gun you down before sunset in spite of any precautions you might take. Mike Pickens. Well, Ted, what are you able to do about that? Well, I reckon the only thing for you to do, Ted, is to turn in your badge and leave. You're kind of rusty with the gun and Pickens and his men will find a way to get at you if you don't do what he says. I'll not decide now. I want to think it over. I'll tell you in half an hour what I'm going to do. 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. Now to continue. After Ted Carver had read Mike Pickens' note and said he wanted to think it over, the crowd left his office as the young sheriff sat with his head in his hands staring at the top of his desk. Ted didn't notice that two men had remained and he was startled when the Lone Ranger still disguised as a cowboy spoke to him. The men in town would understand if you decided to turn in your badge, Sheriff. What? I thought everyone had gone. My Indian friend and I wanted to talk to you so we stayed. You've learned Mike Pickens' reputation, of course. Yes, I have. I took my father's badge in spite of what I heard about Pickens. I admire your courage. Thanks, mister. I reckon I need courage now. Does that mean you're thinking of keeping the badge and facing the consequences? I feel I have no other choice. I'd be yellow if I gave up in left town now. No one else would think so. My dad wouldn't back down if he were in my place. I'm sure he wouldn't, Ted. Say, who are you? Believe me, when I tell you I'm a good friend of your father's. I'd like to help you. It doesn't look like anyone can help me. I know the cards are stacked against me, but I can't bring myself to give in to Mike Pickens and his gang. I'll try to face whatever comes tomorrow afternoon. Why wait until tomorrow? What do you mean? I think we could shame some of the townsmen into forming a posse tonight. Posse? Yes. I'm sure Tonto, my Indian friend here, could follow the trail left by Mike Pickens and his men. Ah. Mm, plenty bright. But what good would trailing them do? From what I've heard of Pickens and his gunmen, a posse would most likely be gunned down. Mike Pickens has everyone in Greystone Buffalo'd, because he can draw fast and shoot straight. I know. But the rest of his gang are no better shots than many of the men in town. If we could take Pickens and his men by surprise at their hideout, I think we'd have a chance of capturing them. Well, I... Mike Pickens is so sure he has everybody afraid of him, that I doubt if he'd have guards posted at their hideout. Well, what do you say, Ted? Shall we try? I'd hope to be the one to actually face Mike Pickens and beat him to the draw. But after all I've heard... We'll discuss that part of it later, Ted. Why not come along with us now and talk some town and perform in the posse? What do you say? All right, mister. I don't know why I give in to your plan like this, but the way you talk sort of gives me confidence. Let's go. Later, Ted, with a lone ranger and his cowboy disguise, stood before the men at the cafe. Ted was talking. Men, this armory has the idea we could trail Pickens' gang to their hideout and capture them. I'll try it if I get enough men to form a posse. The last posse lost more than half its men. I don't hanker for one of Mike's bullets. Oh, just a minute, men. Mike Pickens has terrorized this town and the vicinity for some time. No one in business, no rancher with cattle to raise, is safe as long as those gunmen are at liberty. Pickens boasts of the fact that he has you all shivering in your boots. He's already killed two sheriffs here and lately wounded another. Now he's threatened the sheriff's son, Ted Carver. If Ted doesn't turn in his badge and leave town. In other words, Mike Pickens and telling all of you, he's running Greystone from now on. If Ted gives up and leaves, this town will be at Pickens' mercy. Nothing else for Ted to do if he wants to live. Yeah, he ought to do what Ted don't say. Perhaps that's what most of you would do. But Ted has courage. Something that seems to be lacking in this town. Ted has decided not to turn in his badge. Instead, Ted Carver's willing to try to get those gunmen tonight. If you men have nerve enough to follow him, I'm beginning to think none of you have. You would tend to go along, mister? Yes. My Indian friend will follow the gang's trail to a town. I'm banker here in Greystone and that gang has robbed my bank twice. My thunder of Ted and this zombie right here have the nerve to try to run down Mike Pickens and his men. I'll go along with them. Good for you, John. I'll join you. Well, there are two who are willing. Are the rest of you cowards? That's strong talk, mister. That's right. It is. Well, why not prove I'm wrong by joining the posse? All right. I'll go along. Yeah. There's your posse, Ted. Men, get your horses and meet me in front of the Sheriff's office in ten minutes. Inside of ten minutes, a large group of men met in front of the Sheriff's office. Toto and the Lone Ranger, still disguised, were ready to ride with them. All right, men. We hope to take those gunmen by surprise. We'll talk over our planes as we ride along. Get up there. Mike Pickens and his men. Mike Pickens and his men hadn't bothered to try to cover their trail, and it was fairly easy for Toto to follow it with the posse. Finally, the trail led over a ridge into a secluded hollow. On top of the ridge, the Lone Ranger suggested a halt. Well, Ted, we found the hideout. Look down there. I reckon you're right, mister. As far as I can make out in this moonlight, there's a couple of cabins down there. What do we do now? They hear us riding down there. What do you suggest, mister? First, let Toto go down and put the scout around. When he tells us what he's found out, we'll plan our approach. Good idea. He'll come back soon. The posse waited while Toto left and moved cautiously through the trees and underbrush into the hollow. Before long, he came back to report to the waiting men. He flanged out plenty. Tell us, Toto. Only two men in big cabin. Me, listen. Here, one plumber called other one, Mike, must be Pickens himself. Yes. Now, I suggest that you go with me, Ted. I go to Pickens' cabin. The rest of you follow Toto. He'll show you how to approach the other cabins and attract your attention. In his headquarters cabin at the hideout camp, Mike Pickens was alone with his right-hand man, Bert. The rest were in the other cabin nearby. Mike was talking to Bert. I'll bet that note we tore through the cafe window, scared the daylights out of everybody in town, Bert. Yeah. I figure it scared that young sheriff a lot more. I wouldn't be surprised to hear he packed up and left Greystone right away. We'll find out in the morning. And if he hasn't given up his badge and left by noon tomorrow, they'll see another sheriff drop with his bouton. I got a handle to you, Mike. You got that town and all the people in it right in the palm of your hand. Yeah, we got most of the hombres there. So scared they'd look the other way when we ride into town. Sure pays to be the quickest on the door and the straightest shot in the county, Mike. Someday soon we'll move in and take over Greystone, Bert. I'll set myself up as mayor and let you be sheriff. Then we'll live respectable. Yeah. That's a good one. Hey, Mike. Hey, what the... Hey, look, Mike. Well, Mike Pickens stared at the open door. Finkley outlined outside the door was the figure of Ted Carver. Neither Mike nor Bert could see beyond him where another tall figure stood. Rach, Pickens, I came here to get you. It's Ted Carver, the young sheriff. Yeah, so it is. All you'll get is this, Carver. Oh, my wrist! Holy cow, I can't believe it. Drop your gun, mister. Or you'll get some of the same. Yeah, sure. I guess I better. Let's go in. That was a lucky shot, that's all. You're luckiest but one of your wrist, Pickens. We should have had guards posted. Oh, they won't get out of here. The gang will be here after hearing that shot. Yeah, and both of these hombres will get plenty of lead. Hey, what's that? It's a round of the camp and they're cleaning up that gang of yours. Mike, I didn't think those hombres in town had the nerve. They found their nerve and they discovered they had a courageous leader. Oh, oh, oh! The posse rounded them all up, champ. I see you got Mike Pickens. Good going. Yeah, if we never thought it could be done. Couple of them tried to ride away, but we got him. Man alive, I'll sure have news to send over that telegraph when I go back. I don't savvy how this happened. I drew quick as lightning, but somehow that young sheriff was faster. Sorry, Thunder Ted's no tender foot. That's right. Can't say he's a tender foot sheriff like we've been calling. No, sir. Ted, your father will be mighty proud of this, mighty proud. He sure will. To think you did something nobody else has been able to do. I'll gun Pickens. That's right. Ted's a wonder. He's been holding out on us. Just a minute, everybody. I guess there's something you ought to know about all this. They already know you've captured Pickens, Ted. There's no reason to say any more about it. I know, but I... Ted, I suggest the men see the Pickens' wound while I speak to you a moment outside. I'll be right back, men. See that Pickens and any others who were wounded are taken care of. Ted, I know what you were going to tell them, and... there's enough for them to know that they have a sheriff who has courage. And that because of his courage, the Mike Pickens gang is captured. I know, but... You make a better sheriff if they all think you fired this shot to stop Pickens. So forget what you started to tell them. Thanks, Mr. I couldn't have drawn that first. I want you to know how much I appreciate what you've done. Well, thanks. Well, I see Tom is waiting. Now that Pickens is in custody, we'll be on our way. How do you know Sheriff Carver and good luck? Goodbye. Gosh, I better go back inside. Dog gone, there's something familiar about that ombre who went outside with Carver. But I can't place him. Yeah, I feel that way about him, too. Well, you'll have enough time while you're waiting in jail for your trial to think about where you met him before. Can we take him away now, Sheriff? Yes, take them out of here. All right, Pickens, on your way. You two, come on. All right, all right. Well, Ted, there go your friends, the cowboy and the Indian. I sure admire the way he talked up to the men of the cafe this evening. Sure put the spunk right back into him. Yep, and the way Ted acted helped a lot, too. We're sure proud of you, Ted. Thanks. I wish I could always prove myself to you as a sing-to-do tonight. Who will? Don't worry. There's one thing I'd like to know very much. Oh, what's that? Well, I haven't any idea who that cowboy is who... who backed me up when I came here after Pickens. Oh, I can tell you that, Sheriff. You can? Who is he? Well, by putting two and two together, I figured it out. I've seen that engine before riding with a mask man near Pagus. With a mask man? Yeah. I'm sure that tall, well-built ombre posing as a cowpoke is in disguise. And I feel certain he usually wears a mask. I noticed he called his horse Silver, too. And the engine's name is Tunnel. Holy smoke. Dad told me about an ombre like that once. After what he did for me, I should have known. He must be the Lone Ranger. This is a feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, created by George W. Trenville, produced by Trenville Campbell Enterprises, directed by Charles D. Livingston, and edited by Fran Stryker. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beemer.