horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver. The Lone Ranger, greatest champion of law and order the early West ever knew. He fought crime and criminals through the length and breadth of seven states, but justice meant more to him than the letter of the law, and time after time he saved innocent men from death or imprisonment. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoof beats to the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! We're heading for Seward's Ranch! Old Missouri opened the door that led into Mustang Mag's kitchen, cautiously looked inside, then called softly to Mag that, Hi, Mag! Oh, my gracious, you give me a scare. Thunderation, can't you make a noise when you come around so the body wouldn't get scared half out of a skin? Hush! Sky pilot around? Oh, it's him you're dodging, huh? I don't know where he is, but if you're coming in, hurry up about and close the door. You're letting in half the flies in creation. You don't mind if I smoke, do you? Huh? Me? Take nothing to me if you want to poison yourself. Swallow arsenic if it'll make you feel any better. The sky pilot's a gimmick. Again, swallowing arsenic? Well, that ain't hard to understand. You know that ain't what I mean, Mag. He's again smoking. He caught me at it yesterday. That's why I never got my work done. Took him the better part of the afternoon to tell me how sinful I was. Just the afternoon? Well, that goes to show he ain't so well acquainted with you yet. Oh, now, Mag! Sin and laziness, Missouri. You're cram plum full of both of them. You think the sky pilot don't all the time be hollering at a feller? It hurtin' you any? The day before yesterday, he caught me talking to that doggone mule you brought off of Jake Newton. Now, I ask you, Mag, how's a feller to talk to a mule? Polite and respectful? Shucks, the darn critter wouldn't have no notion what's getting there. And the sky pilot heard you, huh? I don't like to have been there. You shouldn't never let him come to stay here. Why, Missouri. Outside of being a might stubborn, I ain't never seen a more useful mule than that one. I'm talkin' about the sky pilot. And speak of planes. That's what I'm tryin' to do, doggone it. He's again smokin'. He's again cussin'. You shouldn't carry a shootin' iron. You oughtn't to ride a horse on Sunday. I'll bet he ain't even so sure a fella ought to go around with his shirt sleeve rolled up. It bein' kinda immodest. Am I you? No, the sky pilot! You better watch yourself, Missouri. You're lettin' yourself get a might out of hand. No! As for the sky pilot, well, I'd say most times he's right. I don't hold with smokin' myself, so I've never made a point of it. And there's a sight too much cussin' and gunslingin' goin' on. Nope. It ain't his opinions that are wrong. It's the way he goes about spreadin' them. He just ain't caught on to the neck of it yet. Like cuttin' out a calf for Brandon, there's a right and a wrong way to it. Man, you're just on his side, cause I ain't. And I'm tellin' you plain, if he stays on here much longer, I'll go clean local. You're that already. Now shut up and give me a hand here. You can put this bread that's ready for bacon atop the oven. Yes. Careful you don't drop it. Me drop anything? Why, I'm the carefulest fella in six states. I never... Gosh. Missouri, you old fool, look what you've done. Now just look at the mess you've made. I... Good morning, Reverend. Oh, what a shame. Oh, I'll clean it up. Uh, did I startle you, Missouri? Ha, ha, ha, ha. Uh, uh, sucks. No, I just, uh, that is... Do I smell smoke? Uh, from the oven, most likely. Oh, a pipe? No. Do you, uh, know to whom it belongs? My gosh, I ain't the slightest idea. Oh, I have to, Missouri. It's yours. Mine? But I never loaned it to nobody. I... You was just now smoking it. Me? Yes, you. Certainly you can remember a simple thing like that, can't you, Missouri? I... I guess if Mag says I was smoking, I must have been. Ha, ha, ha. Uh, uh, but ain't it funny how things can slip your mind? Why, only the other day I was... Missouri? Huh? Yesterday you gave me your solemn word that you were finished with tobacco. Uh, did I? You did. Now today I find that you're not today. I find that you were attempting to deceive me. Missouri, what am I to think of you? Ah, I tell you, Reverend, there ain't much use you in trying to reform me. I'm too old. It'd just be wasting your valuable time. Now why don't you try it out on the young folksy? Ha, ha, ha, ha. Like Mag there, for instance. That'll be enough out of you, Missouri. But Mag... You won't see who that was, just rolled up outside. Yes. Mag. Well, glory be, if it ain't Rod Samson. Mag, you gotta hide me. You just got to. The sheriff's right after me for something I swear I never done. You gotta hide me and my horse, too. Oh, please, Mag, please. You heard him, Missouri. Pussle right outside. Un-saddle Rod's horse and turn it out with the others where it won't be noted. You betcha! Oh, I must say that this is... Now don't bother me now, Reverend. This is important. Rod, how far behind is the sheriff? Yeah. It'll be a long, most tiny minutes. Then get in that closet there and close the door behind you. Mag, I give you my word I ain't guilty. Of course you ain't. You think I have to ask questions to know that? Now get in the closet, like I said. Oh, bless you, Mag. I won't never be forgetting this. Shut the door. Mag. Well? I trust that you're acquainted with a citizen's duty toward the law. I trust I am. What about it? Very obviously you intend to forget that duty. You're harboring a confessed fugitive. He's my friend. But your duty... I don't know how you figure things. But after you've been in the West for a while, you'll learn that a friend's somebody you don't never go back on. A very dangerous attitude of mine. But it's my mind, such as it is, and it's my attitude. And I ain't apologizing for neither. I'm sorry to see you taking this tone. We can talk it out some other time. Uh, don't tell me you unsaddled Rod's horse in this space of time, Missouri. You're quoting him. I give it to Dex. He can be trusted. I come back to tell you the sheriff's coming. He's right... There he is now. Then you let me handle this and keep your mouth shut. For all your practice, Missouri, you never did amount so much as a storyteller. I... Quiet. Come in. Howdy, folks. Howdy, Sheriff. Howdy. Well, heavenly days, Sheriff. What brings you here? You ain't after me for taxes this time, are you? No, you can rest easy, Meg. I got out of the business. Ain't seen nothing to Rod Sampson, have you? You're joking? No. But Rod's place is clear the other side of Soda Springs. Say, you ain't after him for something, are you? Afraid I am, Meg. Oh, now you are joking. Nope, none at all. Ain't nothing the least funny about this. Rod's warning the right serious charge. I thought I seen him head in here. What charge? Russell him. No. Yep. Mr. Seward swore out a warrant for him. So where's Rod's been stealing this cow? Says he's got a witness to it. So I reckon Rod will have to go to jail. When you find him, Missouri. Oh! Well, if you haven't seen him, he must have cut over to the north after I lost sight of him back at the gully. I'll have to keep moving or I'll lose too much time. You'd do better investigating Seward. I wouldn't take that high-bounding polecat's word for the time of day. Shouldn't let your disliking him affect your judgment any, Meg. Well? Pardon me. Huh? Do something? I, uh, I feel it my duty, Sheriff, as one who has the highest respect for the law. Sure. We all feel it's our duty, Reverend, and if anything should come up where we can be of any help, we'll be glad to. Well, goodbye, Sheriff. Next time you... Now, one moment. Now, wait. I won't permit this. Sheriff, these people have made a fool of you. Now, doggone it! You look here! Pilate! The man you want, Sheriff, is in this house. He's here with the full knowledge of Mag and Missouri. You'll find him skulking there in that closet. I'm blessed. Careful, Rod. It wasn't our fault. I know it wasn't Mag. Neither wasn't Missouri's. Now, Rod, Rod, the best thing you could do would be to hush your mouth and start marching. Come on. Uh, you understand, Sheriff, that if there's any reward, I couldn't accept it. Mister, you'd better understand something. Hmm? You just had to speak up and spoil everything, didn't you? Spoil everything? I knew all the time that Rod was here. I seen Missouri leading his horse away. Guy! I seen the muddy tracks Rod left leading to that there closet door. But, doggone it, I didn't want Rod caught anymore than Mag did. And if you just had the sense to keep still, I could have done my duty and kept Rod from going to jail. Next time, don't you meddle! Well, the very idea... A doggone good idea, I'd call it. Now, do you see what I meant, Mag? I reckon I do. It seems that in this part of the country, not even the men sworn to uphold it respect the law. You know what they respect a doggone sight more? Well? Justice. And when laws get in the way of it, they'd better watch out. Young Rod Sampson had been popular in the district, while Seward, the rancher who had sworn out the warrant for his arrest, was despised by everyone. Therefore, when the latter passed within the hailing distance of Mag's ranch on his way to town, and met a group of cowboys coming from the other direction, the encounter led to interesting developments. Well, if there ain't Mr. Seward. And riding the top of a horse. Doggone if I didn't think snakes all's crawled. Well, don't you first start nothing. What's the matter, Mr. Seward? You think you're the only fella can start anything? You're living through now. Don't you block that road. Oh, there. Ho, ho. You had Rod jailed. He never stole a cow in all his life. And when a coyote like you says he did, it just about proves he didn't. He did. He's a thief. And don't call a part of ours a thief. Fellas, what do you say we give Mr. Seward a little working over? Maybe it'll teach him not to be so careless who he accuses next time. No, no, no. Wait, you can't. Relax. You wouldn't dare. No, no. No, please. Drag him off the horse. Pull him down. Get his arm. No. Hey, watch out. The skunk's going for his gun. I'll fix you. I'll show you. It'll be self-defense. Watch out. He shot Lefty. Was a yellow polecat. We ought to string him up. Lefty, where'd he get you? Just my arm. But it burns like blazes. He might have killed you. It wasn't his fault. He didn't. Here's your own. There's a three over there. Come on, grab him. We'll carry him there. Come on, kill him. A masked man with a red skin with him. Help. Help. This way. Help me. Help me. This way. Get back. Stay away from here, stranger. There's button in. Shoot him. I'll get the engine. The mast fella's mine. I found my hand. You can't get away with this, stranger. Up with you. Hold on. Come on, Silver. Come on. Humps down. It's the Mustang Mach's place, Thomas. You all right? They would have hugged me. I doubt it. I think they would try most learn to scare you. They would have, I tell you. They would have. No, but they might have gone too far. There. Play straight up. Oh, oh, scouts. Move it. Move it. Move it. Move it. Move it. Move it. Move it. Down with your head. My, my horse. You can round him up later. He doesn't return to your place by himself. Right now, you'd better stay out of sight. Heavens me, Dave. Hello, Meg. Oh. You. You and Tonto. Who's this you got here? Seward. Them punchers were threatening to hang him. Seward. I want him to stay out of sight. Friend, are you? Yes, Meg. I know it ain't your style to let anybody get hurt if it can be helped. Well? But couldn't you have let Seward get hung just this once? The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. After the Lone Ranger had rescued the rancher Seward from a group of cowboys and had taken him to the home of Mustang Mag for protection, Tonto recaptured Seward's mount. At last, when the way seemed clear, the rancher made ready to leave and... Well, if we get along now, I won't thank you for nothing, Meg, because I savvy plain enough how you feel to admit. And a good thing you do. And you saved me from the cowboys, friend, and I... You're mistaken. No, but you did. They might have hung me up. You misunderstood me. What I meant to say is that I'm not your friend. Eh? I have good reasons for saying that. I came to your raid as I would have helped anyone else, no matter who or what he was. But I'll tell you something before you leave, so there'll be no further misunderstandings. Yeah. One of these days, you'll end behind bars, and I hope I'm the man who puts you there. Ha, ha, ha. Like that, Seward? How do you think? You're straight tall. Yes. I have nothing to worry about. Time enough to stop worrying when I have to hide behind the mask to dust the rock. Ha, ha, ha. Right put out, Warty. Look at him. You know what he puts me in mind of? Nothing has so much as them white crawling things you find by turning over a rock. But he's dangerous in the way all cowardly men are dangerous. They substitute cunning for physical courage. You know, there's something that puzzles me about all this. What is it, Meg? I'll put you right on it. Thunder Asian, Missouri, won't you never learn to keep shut? Ow. No, what puzzles me is why Seward accused Rod of rustling. Just don't seem to be any reason for it. I have an idea. I know the reason. You do? I'll know more about... You pardon me? Sure. I would like to speak to this gentleman with you. Yes? Perhaps Meg or Missouri has mentioned me to you. I'm Jasper Kane, the Reverend Jasper Kane. Yes, they've mentioned you. I wonder, would you mind very much telling me why a man of your apparent education has chosen the life of an outlaw, rather than to abide by the rules of society? Is it the easy money? Ah! Good and... Reverend, this is one time you're barking up the wrong tree. Huh? Why, great land of Goshen. This man here is doing what you just wish you was doing. And he's doing it from here to the border, while you ain't even got a good start yet in this here county. Him a crook? He packs more law in them two guns of his than all the lawyers west of the Mississippi could write down in a month of Sundays if there was to work overtime at it. But the mask... Kane, you're an Easterner, aren't you? Oh, I have no reason to be ashamed of it. Of course not. But from the little mag in Missouri have told me, I've gathered that you're trying to force a point of view you gained in the east upon the people bred here in the west. I'm not sure I know what you mean. We'll put it this way. There's law and there's justice. In the east, the emphasis is upon the first. In the west, upon the latter. If you rigidly enforce the law, then you're bound to have justice. There have been cases where the one didn't follow the other. For instance, Rod Sampson. A warrant was sworn out for his arrest, and the law said that warrant had to be served. But everyone in this district is aware that Rod's arrest was unjust. It isn't for us to judge in these matters. That's the Easterner speaking. Where you come from, you scarcely know your next-door neighbors. Here, people know everyone from miles around. Mag probably is acquainted with everyone within a 500-mile radius of her ranch. Well? When you know people that well, Kane, you're qualified to judge from their characters whether or not an accusation of this nature is true. In the east, you wouldn't be so qualified, and your only course would be to depend upon the letter of the law and hope that it serve justice. Yes. When you realize that difference, I think you'll understand the people of this country better. They have more success in your work. A barbarous theory. Doggone it, then! If you think as little of us as you say you do, why in Tunkett do you hang around? For a very good reason, Missouri. Huh? It's just where I find persons as ignorant and uncivilized as you that there's the greatest need of my labor. Good day. What? What's that? He said I would... Oh, you're laying your horns, Missouri. When he said you wasn't hardly civilized, he sure called a turn. Now look here, man. Oh! Oh! But all joking aside, just what is a fella like that doing out here? Why don't he go on back east where folks wouldn't be all the time offending him? My land, it seems to me... He's honest, Meg. Well, but just the same. And he's sincere. Those are qualities that are always useful anywhere. The West can use him when he's learned to understand it. Which same he never will. Don't be too certain of that. Huh? Meg, I have an idea that Reverend Jasper Kane will change some of his opinions sooner than he thinks. That evening, the masked man and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, were at their well-hidden camp, not far from Mustang Mag's ranch house. Tonto, did you find out the names of the two fellows who claimed they saw Rod stealing Seward's kettle? Uh-huh. One fella named Blake, other fella named Shaw. Isn't Shaw a nester who's got a small place on Seward's range? That right. And it's clear why Shaw would back Seward's story. If he didn't, Seward would throw him off his land. Huh. But who's Blake? Blake. Him, Seward Foreman. So that's it. Both of Seward's witnesses, men who depend upon Seward for their living. Huh. You and I know, Kimo Sabe, that they lied. Others suspect it, but we know it. Well, them tell heap big lie. I wonder if they won't tell the truth with a little persuasion. Persuasion of the right kind. I'm positive, Shaw would. How about Blake? What do you think of him? Huh. Huh. Tonto make him talk. Call, Scout. Here, Scout. Here, Silver. We ride. We're paying calls on Seward's two witnesses. Me savvy. Yep. They'll learn a lesson from this, Tonto. And Seward and Kane with them. Not that good. Ready? Get him up, Scout. Come on, Silver. Hail, Silver. Hooray. An hour later. What do you want? A mask man. Sean. That's me. Sadly, of course. You're coming with us. You can't do this to me. Let go. Get your hand off that bridle. You're Blake, aren't you? You bet I am, Mr. Night's Hick. Let your riding. Come on, Silver. Get up, Scout. Come on. Let go of me. Let go. Sorry, dear. Who called my name? It's me, Meg. Well, I'll be switched. The mask man. Meg, listen closely. Tonto has Seward's two witnesses at our camp. They don't know that he wouldn't harm them. And the badly frightened men. I think we'll get confessions from them. Gorby. Things are going to happen. They'll happen fast. You'll have to know exactly what to expect. On the evening of the next day, a gathering of sober-faced men assembled one by one in Mustang Mag's parlor, much to the bewilderment of the Reverend Jasper Kane, to whom the proceedings were a mystery. When he asked questions, no one answered him. The group seemed to be waiting for a signal. A signal that came at last in the form of a loud knocking at the door. That must be them, all right. Come in. Get in there. Let me go. What did you bring me here for? You ain't got no right to do this to me. I'll have the law on you. I'll... Hold him. I got the scum. What? Quiet. Sit down. Sit down. What am I here for? Magby, the mask man said you sent for me. Why? You're on trial, Seward. But I... For lying to get Rod Sampson jailed. And for shooting me. And for being a general, all-round, low-down side-rinder that ain't fit to decorate this county no more. Oh, no, you can't. You're not the law. You just bet we ain't the law. We're the same as vigilantes. That's what we are. Oh, please. Please. I've never harmed you. None of you. I've never done a thing. We know plenty you've done. There's likely more. Much more we'll never learn about. Oh, no, you can't do that. The law has failed to punish you. Instead, it's holding an innocent man because of you. We're here to do what the law has not done. See that you get what you deserve. Oh, no, you're wrong. You're wrong, I tell him. The Sky Pilot's got a gun. Where'd he get it? You can't do this. I won't allow it. It's not legal. I told you once before, Kane, that we weren't interested in the law. We're interested in justice. This isn't justice, and I won't stand for it. Don't move. Not a one of you. I... I'll shoot if you do. Why you... Be careful, Missouri. He means it. Seward. Yeah. Get out. Hurry. I'll hold him while you get away. Bring the sheriff here. Every one of these persons has broken the law and is liable to arrest. Hurry. Bring him as quickly as you can. I'll get him. I'll bring him here. You, yeah, Kyle, Seward. There. You've let a guilty man escape. You've done exactly what I told you you would do. You've followed the letter of the law and defeated justice. That's not true. No? Well, we have two witnesses here in this room who would have testified. They've been given a chance. Come on out here. Why, it's Mr. Shaw and Mr. Blake. Tell Cain what you know, or I'll turn you back to Toto. No, please. That engine will kill us. You can't. You can't do that to us after your promise. Then talk. Did you see Rod Sampson steal cattle, or didn't you? Quickly. We... we didn't. We said that because Mr. Seward told us we had to. And I'll tell the rest of it. I'll tell you exactly why Seward wanted Rod jailed for rustling. It was because Seward's a rustler himself. And he thought that Rod had seen him at it. He wanted Rod discredited. And that anything he said would be ignored by the law. Then you were right. Seward... Seward lied. And how do you think I persuaded these fellows to tell the truth, Cain? By following the letter of the law? By handling them with gloves? So they could go on with their lies and keep an innocent man in jail? I did not. As I told you before, it's justice I wanted. I... I let him go. He'll never go to the sheriff. He'll run away. Maybe he won't be caught. You admit that this time we were right and that you were wrong? I... I do. And... and you have my word, gentlemen, that I will do everything in my power to see that Mr. Seward is brought back to... justice. It won't be necessary. Come in, Taro. You too, Sheriff. Seward! Sure. Me and Taro didn't let the skunk get far. We was waiting for him out there all the time. Tamed you down some, too, didn't we, Seward? You have nothing on me. We have plenty, Seward, now that Blake and Shaw have talked. Sheriff, you... you said you were waiting for him. How could you know that he... That he'd get a chance to escape? Well, tell the truth, I didn't. It was a masked man that did. I reckon, Cain, he had you sized up pretty well. Cain, this whole thing was planned. Do you think you could have affected Seward's escape alone unless we permitted you? I knew how you'd react when you thought we were going outside the law. Missouri, put that gun you're holding where you'd be sure to see it. I... Well, I... I guess there's nothing for me to say. Nothing? Nothing beyond the fact that I've been a fool. You've made your point. I was wrong and I admit it. And now... And now what? All that's left for me to do is resign and go back east, where I'm fitted. A man like me can be of no use here. You ain't stirring one step. Well, I should smile, you ain't. But why? What... Cain, you've passed the hardest test of all, just like the masked fella said you would. Test? Masked man? He said when it come right down to where you'd seen you was wrong, you'd be man enough to admit it. And by thunder, he was right again. You did? One hundred percent. And any fella that ain't afraid to tell it when he's been wrong is a fella I can tie to. You mean... You mean you really want me to stay? Yes, sir. I do. Yeah. Well, and Missouri and me will be to meetin' every Sunday in the year. That there's a promise. Mag! Where you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. All right.
