A fiery horse for the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver. The Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, when gun law ruled the range, the local sheriffs were unable to protect the honest ranchers from the bands of outlaws that roamed the new territory. It was not until the masked rider of the plains started his great fight for justice that these criminals met a force stronger than their own. One man's strength and courage, one man's daring and resourcefulness brought law and order to the lawless frontier, and made possible the winning of the West. 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 for Mustang Bank! Hi-o, Silver! A dozen hard-faced horsemen reined up before a shabby, unpainted ranch house. Their leader called to an Indian sitting on the porch and... Hi there, Indians. Oh, we're looking for a couple of fellas. One's riding a big white horse and the other's riding a paint. One in the white horse was Mask. Anybody like that go past here? Me not seeing. Anybody inside that might have? No. Me, find out. Thanks. They must have come this way. Sure they did. They might have circled this place to keep from being seen. I ain't doubting, but they'll keep heading north. What I want to find out is how far behind them we are. Shouldn't be more than a few miles. He wasn't blazing, is that? Must ride out of that steamer. Look at that horse! The horse he's riding! A paint! The one he was looking for! Well, I'll meet... Get over there! Look! The masked man! Riding to meet him! Of all the blasted luck! Right in our hands and they get away! Get him up, Scout! Get him up! Get him up, Scout! Up the long slope of a hill that rose to the west, Tonto urged Scout to his greatest speed. In the distance, clear cut against the sky as he followed the hill's rim came the Lone Ranger. His great stallion picking up Tonto's trail seemed to fly over the ground while the pounding hooves made thunder that echoed throughout the valley below. Hi! Hi! Keep going, Tonto! Get him up, Scout! Get him up, Tonto! Old Missouri lay on a cot in Mustang Mag's ranch house. Mag sat beside him and... Missouri. Missouri, your ugly, adult-hated old galoot. I ain't never been so happy before in my whole life. What? What happened, Mag? What am I doing here in bed? I... I... Oh! Don't you try and set up. Yes, I... I feel like I was run over by a herd of wild horses. Couldn't have come closer to killing you. But how... It was Bull Nugent. Him and them sneaking pole cats he runs with. They beat you up and left you for dead. Oh! It was two weeks ago, and you never come to till today. Huh? I've been laying here for two weeks? That you have, Missouri. But we never thought at first you'd pull through. Just wait till I get out of here. Just wait till I lay my hands on them varmints. Doggone defy, don't you? Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Now, Missouri, don't you worry. The Lone Ranger will take care of them. Huh? He knows about this. I got word to him. The masked man's coming here? Him and Tonto both. Then the minute they get here, you tell them I want to see them. Sure. Meg? Huh? You've been crying. No such thing. Was it on the count of me, Meg? Was it? I forgot to say to McCookin'. He was still crying. I can see it. Meg, he was crying for me. Gosh, I never thought... Well, who'd cry over a story, an old fool like you. I ain't no such idiot. And don't you go to imagining things that ain't so. Well, doggone. That night, two horsemen reined up outside the ranch house. Oh, oh, oh. Oh, look out. Oh, Tonto. Stay here, Tonto. Watch the horses. Have you seen any sign of bull or his men warned me? No, Tonto, do it. I knew it. I knew it was you. Well, land sakes, ain't Tonto coming in? Not now. But why? I'll explain later, Meg. Where's Missouri? I have to speak to him. He can talk now, can't he? Today, for the first time. Did he tell you what? No, I'd better ask Missouri myself. Now, just a minute. Yes? There's some things I aim to know. I've been after Missouri this evening, but I won't talk. What is it? It was Bull Nugent that had Missouri beat up. I ain't never had no use for Bull, neither has Missouri. But for that matter, nobody else around this part of the country did either. Then how... Now, you'll just wait. What I want to know is why Bull would have done that to poor old Missouri. Perhaps you've answered your own question, Meg. You said they didn't like each other. Nobody else liked Bull. But he didn't have them beat up, did he? Nah, that's no answer at all. There's something more behind it. I see. But Missouri won't say what. Now, I've got a good notion. You could make a minor close guess if you would have mind her. What is it? What did Bull have again, Missouri? I can make a guess. Just as I suspicion. But, Meg, until Missouri gives his permission, I have no right to tell anything he might wish to be kept a secret. What rights that old galook got to be saying what he should keep to herself and what he shouldn't? It's his secret. He's working for me, ain't he? He's drawing his wages from me, ain't he? But... Who'd hire him if I wouldn't? Meg. Well? You sound as though you're threatening to let him go if he doesn't talk. It won't work. I know that you think more of Missouri than you do of yourself. What's more, you wouldn't respect him if he could be bullied into telling what he shouldn't. Now I want to see him. Fine pair you too, Meg. I'm sorry, Meg. I'd tell you if I could. Don't pay no attention to me. I'm just a female that can't no more help being curious than most other females. I think anybody my age is no better than to go prying. Here's somebody to see you, Missouri. The Lone Ranger. How are you, Missouri? I'm so chipper, friend, but... You're still able to make a nuisance of yourself. Now, Meg. Go ahead. Go ahead and keep secrets from me if you ever mind. I don't care. I don't care. Dog on best. Only don't you come running to me when you get in trouble by it. I can be just as doggone independent as you are. So there. Spitting fire, ain't she? I can't blame her. No, I can not. Did she tell you I wanted to see you just as soon as you got here? It wasn't necessary. I wanted to see you. You know, of course, about what happened to me. I know more than that, Missouri. Huh? I know why it happened and what Bull was after. How'd you find out? Does anybody else know? Do you think that there's a chance that... Tonto and I know, but Meg won't learn the truth unless you tell her. Ah, thank gosh for that. But how did you... As soon as we got word from Meg, Tonto and I headed this way. Three days ago, we met Bull and his gang on the trail. It was clear that if Bull had simply wanted you out of the way for some reason or other, he'd have had you shot. Instead, you were beaten up. I'd have never known whodunit, though, if one of the boys hadn't seen him riding away. It was night when they jumped me. Exactly. I Tonto decoy Bull and the others away. In their absence, I searched their camp. You did? And found this. The letter. I saw it had been addressed to you. You read it? Yes. Bull had stolen it, so he must have read it. I couldn't know how to act until I learned why Bull had taken it. I'm glad you've seen it. According to what I read, Mag's niece was coming from the east to pay Mag a surprise visit. Uh-huh. And somehow Bull learned she was on her way here. Probably she said something on the stagecoach that was overheard. Anyhow, Bull made her prisoner. That skunk! Alice must have found a way to write this note, address it to you, and drop it on the trail. At least she writes. She'll try to do that. How did it reach you, Missouri? The fellow riding the grub line picked it up and brought it along with him. He just figured it'd been lost by accident. I see. Too bad she hadn't known where they were taking her when this was written. They didn't keep her with them. If they had, I'd have found her when I searched their camp. She won't be no place easy to locate. That's something I don't understand. Yeah? If Alice were being held for ransom, Bull would have gotten in touch with Mag. He not only didn't, but the fact that he was so anxious to get this letter back seems to prove he wants the affair kept quiet. Uh-huh. I've been puzzling about that. You don't know the answer? I think now I do, though I can't be sure. Yes? I ain't got a notion all this is connected somehow with a business deal that's got to be settled one way or the other inside of the next week or so. Go on. Now, mind you, I can't be sure. It's just what I suspect. Maybe I'm way off on this. And the deal? It's that government land that Mag leased for grazing. She leased it for a year with an option to lease it for five more if she wanted to. If she's going to take up that option, she's got to do it by the first of the month. I see. Now, as a matter of fact, she never intended to take up that option. Figured for the size herd she's got, it wouldn't pay her. She don't need that much land. But then something come up that made her hold off from deciding. What was it? Old Garrick of the Box G got too blamed interested in it. Even offered her cash to let that option lapse. And seeing as how he ain't got half the herd we got, alongside the fact that Mag ain't no more use for him than she'd have for a rattler, well, she got to wondering. So she was going to wait till the last minute to make up her mind. Hoping that between now and then, she'd find out what Garrick was up to. You think Garrick and the abduction of Mag's niece are connected? Well, he could have hired Bull, couldn't he? Then why wouldn't he have got word to Mag that she'd have to give up that option before Alice would be released? Of course, it's too early, that's why. The smart thing for him to do would be to wait till Mag made up her mind. That wouldn't be till close to the deadline. Then she'd have to do anything with grief. You know Alice was seized. They ain't as scared of me. You could have told Mag what's happened. But I didn't. And when you come here, you figured I hadn't. Now, why was that? I was sure you wouldn't let Mag worry unless it was necessary. Just so. And they figured the same way. They knowed blame well I'd cut off my right arm before I'd let anything hurt Mag if I could help it. We can't be sure your guess is right. But if it is, why would Garrick want that government land? That's what I now know. And it's one of the things I'm hoping you can find out. I will if I can. But right now, it's more important to get Alice back. You'll keep it for Mag, though, won't you? I will, Missouri. I think as much of her as you do. You and me in town, old friend. And it's up to us to see that Mag ain't hard. Right. For the present, it's up to you to see that you get well as rapidly as you can. I'll see you later. Knowing you're on our side again, I'm feeling better already. What's the... She had her ear to the door trying to hear what we were saying. Did you? Yeah, I had my ear to the door. And you can see for yourself I got bumped. For all the good it's done me, I might as well have saved myself in trouble. Doggone it all. What's the country coming to? When they make doors so doggone thick, you can't hear through them. Great day. I'll get bumped and that stove-in old Maverick just laughs at it. You can tell Tonto to come in if you will, Mag. What'd you leave him out there for anyhow? We purposely let certain men trail us here. We wanted them in the district. Huh? I left Tonto to watch for them. I doubt, however, that they'd come close to the buildings. Then I'll get him. Hey, Tonto! Hello there, Tonto! Hey, why don't you tell the red-skinned away? He doesn't answer. He don't. I don't see nothing of them either. Tonto! Come on. Tonto! Where could he have got to? I don't know. Hi, Tonto! Can't you hear? The ghost of that told me... Huh? There. On the ground. What is it? An arrow. Well, I'll be... Pointing south. What's that mean? It means that Tonto's in danger and I'm riding at once. Here, Silver. But wait! Mag, there's no time. Come on, old fellow! Hi, old Silver! 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. To continue our story, after finding Tonto's arrow, the Lone Ranger raced to the south. Faster, old fellow! Faster! But 15 minutes later, the Moonlight picked out another arrow at the side of the trail and... Oh, Silver! Oh, fellow! Oh, my! Oh, wait, boy. Another arrow. This time, Silver, it's pointing east. Let's have a look here. At least a dozen horses. They swung east. They'll be heading for those woods. All right, boy. Not too far ahead, Silver. Come on! Come on! Several hours later, a band of a dozen men, who have stopped to rest their horses, made ready to continue their journey. Time to get started, fellas. Bull! Yeah? Ain't we gonna do nothing about that mass, fella? Are we just gonna forget about him? Not exactly. But you said just as soon as we left the engine there with Mike at the cabin, we was lighting out of this district till things were settled. Uh-huh. We are. Then why don't... Look. We got the girl. Well, that's to make sure Mustang Mag don't take up that option. When she finds out it's likely to be just too bad for her niece if she goes again Garrick, she ain't likely to, is she? Yeah, but that still don't explain about the mass, fella. I thought you was so doggone anxious to get that letter back from him. Now you talk as though it don't matter anymore. It don't. I don't see why we... Because the mask man will keep clear of us for the same reason Mustang Mag will do like Garrick wants. Her case will be on account of the girl. The mask man's case will be on account of the redskin. It was easy enough to see they was good pards. That mask man won't do nothing to get his pard in bed. Maybe. Just wait. You'll see. None of this trouble would have happened if it weren't for Slick. Me? What are you talking about? Well, it was you that let the girl drop that note on the trail, wasn't it? I never even seen her write it. That's just what I mean. If you'd been guarding her like you should have, well, you would have seen her. Until that was picked up, nobody even knew the girl was in this part of the country. And nobody would have known either until Garrick was ready for it. Hey, listen. Are you trying to tell me? But he just said... I said quit it. We ain't going to have no fighting in this bunch as long as I'm giving the orders. That's what trouble always starts with. Now behave yourselves and get to the saddle like he was told then. That means you too, Injun. We're traveling. We're swinging south again, fellas. Figure we've covered our trail enough? Sure. Now we head straight for the cabin. Ready? Wait. Huh? You hear anything just then? You hear anything? I was almost sure I... Oh, you're imagining things. Come on, let's get going. Well, maybe... Forget it. Get up, eh. Come on. Come on. The following morning, Mustang Mag entered Missouri's room with a breakfast tray. Morning, Mag. Morning. Still mad? Why wouldn't I be? Oh, no. I think I've never done nothing for you. Just don't count the way you keep secrets from me. Mag. Well, you find out any more about Garrick these last two weeks? Find out why he don't want you to take up that option on the government grazing land? No, I ain't. Don't you be changing the subject? Maybe I didn't. Huh? Oh, never mind. If you can't talk sense, then eat your vittles. Here's some gruel for you. Gruel? That's what I said, ain't it? No. Now, wait, Mag. I ain't no baby. You ain't gonna make me eat that stuff. I want a steak and some fried potatoes and a piece of cherry pie. And after that... After what happened last night, I wouldn't think you'd have the crust to eat at all. What happened last night? You know. Know what? The boys told you, didn't they? Nobody told me nothing. What are you talking about? Chondall's gone. That's what. Huh? He come here with the masked man. And the masked man left him outside to watch for somebody. And Chondall just disappeared. No. I says yes. But where'd he go? How'd it happen? You think he'd come to some kind of harm? He wouldn't have gone willing without telling his part about it, would he? Why ain't you told me about this before? What could a stove in old critter like you do about it anyhow? I ain't, Thunder. I'll... Don't stay right where you are. Let me... You couldn't walk if I did. Thunder's my friend. I'll show you whether I can walk or not. I'll show you... He's my friend, too. What the... Who's raising all that bucket? Watch out, Meg. You're spilling the gruel. Ow! You burned me. I'll be over... Sheriff. Hey! Well, I'll be... It's the masked man back. We got him, Meg. What do we do with him? Want I to go for the sheriff? He's a crook, all right. Oh, blame, don't you? That there's my friend. Take your hands away from him before I bust you one. Meg. You burned, Tony. I did. Well, then where is it? There's no time to explain. Do just as I say, will you, Meg? You know I will. Do you know where Nugget Creek is? I do. Have you or any of your men ever run across an abandoned cabin in the clearing along the bank? I know where it is, Meg. It was used for a line camp. Then the sheep herders had it the time they tried to run sheep on this range. And after that, it ain't been used. Listen to me. Do as I tell you and don't ask questions. What's your name? Me, stranger? Yes. Why, Jeff Crockett. All right, Jeff. As long as you know where the cabin is, you'll be in charge. Have the men arm and saddle it once. You lead them there. Then we... Say, what's this all about? You'll find out when they return, Meg. When they return? Like fun, I will. I'm going with them. If it's any fun to be here, to aim to be in on it. And don't you tell me I can't. I haven't time to argue. I have to ride. Are you going here? I am. The men who have told her are heading for that cabin. I can get there almost as soon as they if I ride at once. They're following a roundabout trail. How many of them are there? A dozen. Then wait for us. I can't. Unless someone holds them, they won't stay. They'll be on the trail again. Follow me, and when you get there, tell your men to come on shooting. You just bet I will. Come on, Silver. Come on. Don't like a fight, stay to home. I know that masked gent, and where he rides, there's trouble. I'll gather. Bull and his men rode at a leisurely pace toward the cabin hideout. They halted an hour at noon to eat and rest again. It was almost nightfall when they rode into the clearing beside Nugget Creek. A light glowed from one of the windows of the cabin. Here we are, fellas. Rain up. Oh, boy. Bring the engine slick. Come along, Redskin. Where's Mike? He should have heard us. Mike. Hi there, Mike. He don't answer. He can't be far. Come on. There's the girl. Wearing blazes. Look. It's Mike. Mike, who tied you up? Someone here. Why'd they leave the girl? Who wants to have done this? Mike, right? Hey, don't move. The masked man. There in the corner. It was him tied, Mike. Up with your hands. Get him. Shoot him down. Watch out. You don't get away with him. Oh, my hands. He can't get all of us. Rush him. There he goes. Hit him off. He's heading for the door. He got outside. The first man out of that door gets planted. Don't let him bluff you, fellas. Go on after him. We're a dozen of his ones. I ain't going first. Go on him, Rush Bull. You lead the way. Hey, untie me. We'll get them ropes when we get time. Who's watching the Redskin? I got him covered. Come on and get me. Play him right. Yes, we will. Blast it. Rush that farmer. I ain't going to be the one. Blast it, cowards. Then follow me if you ain't got the nerve to go first. There you are. Blast it. There come some more fellas. It's a group of Mustang mags. We can't fight all them. I give up. Don't shoot. I'm giving up. Hold on your arms if you don't want to be fired on them. All right. All right. Man, pick up the guns. Round them up and tie them to their saddles. Mag. Where's Tonto? Come inside the cabin. Say, who's that girl in there? Well, who? Alice. Alice. What in all this holy... Aunt Meg. My child. Well, where did you... Well, how... Oh, doggone it. I'm getting so twisted. I don't know what I'm saying. What in chunket are you doing here? Those men took me prisoner, Aunt Meg. They took you prisoner? They had an almighty nerve to lay hands on Kim of mine. They stopped the stage and took me from it. Aunt Meg. What are you doing? I'll show the varmints when I get through it. And they'll never try a stunt like this and again. They won't be able to. Aunt Meg. Sir. Don't, don't, don't. Oh, question. Don't, don't, Meg. We do. Don't. Don't hit me with that, shall you? Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no. That'll be enough, Meg. But I tell you... We know how you feel and can't blame you. But let the law punish them. It's not your place, Meg. The masked man's right, Auntie. Oh, of course he's right. That ain't no comfort to me. Kidnapping you. Beating up poor old Missouri. Oh, I could tear him limb from limb. Um, say, friend, the way you and Missouri was keeping secrets from me, the way you wouldn't let me know what was going on, was it because I... It was because Missouri didn't want you to be worried unless it were necessary. And I agreed with him. Would have done no good to tell you beforehand and might have done some harm. But, uh, how'd Missouri know all this? I got word to him, Aunt Meg. Huh? You, but you... I wrote a note when they weren't watching me. I wrote it and dropped it on the trail addressed to Missouri. Someone must have found it and delivered it to him, just as I had hoped. Well, I'll be sweet. That's why Missouri was beaten up, Meg. Somehow these fellas learned about the note and went after Missouri to get it back. Oh, I reckon I owe that old Moss back plenty. You do. It beats everything I've ever heard tell of. Anyhow, Bull is your prisoner. I don't know, but I've got an idea. He was hired by Garrick. Whatever the reason for this, Bull will likely talk to protect himself. And if he don't willing, he sure is going to get some tall persuading. And I'm staying on, Meg. Staying on? Missouri told me what's been happening. That Garrick wants your lease and you haven't learned why. Yeah, that's so. Well, before I leave this district, Meg, we'll learn the truth about this whole affair. Come on. Back to the ranch in Missouri. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
