fiery horse for the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. No greater champion of justice can be found in the pages of history than the masked rider of the plains. It was he who brought law and order to a lawless frontier. It was his strength and courage which protected the early settlers from outlaws and hostile Indians. And it was his knowledge of the country which made it possible for the pioneers of progress to win their battle against the wilderness. 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, Silver! We're heading west to Fort Bringer! Gentlemen's waiting on the trail ahead! The 1860s had scarcely begun when, following close upon the inauguration of the Pony Express, still another important project was undertaken that would bind the East and the West even more firmly. Gentlemen, I have great news. We have been successful. Today Congress has voted $400,000 to help us with the expenses of our venture. I can promise you this. Before winter is here, Western Union will have linked the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific with the first telegraph wire ever to span a continent. Look at it, Tonto. A thin copper wire to carry messages across the wilderness. It calls for men with courage to undertake a venture like this, Kimo Sabe. That's right. Before they finish, they'll have to meet and conquer stampedes, droughts, storms, mountains, Indians, a thousand other obstacles. Ah, but there in those crews are the men who can. Despite these obstacles, the telegraph was strung across country with amazing speed. While one party worked westward from Omaha, a second erected poles and stretched wire eastward from San Francisco. Fort Bridger had been chosen as a point where both parties would meet, and it had become a race to determine which would arrive there first. But as the goal was neared, certain men found that the completion of the telegraph would be contrary to their interests. I know. We heard you was looking for us, Mullins. I have been. What did you want? Let's get a table. There's one. Come along. Well? Sit down. What's on your mind? Don't pretend you don't know, Red. I thought you and War Club were such excellent friends. If I remember correctly, just a month ago, you gave me your word as Bray's would hold up those Western Union crews. Well, they haven't. They'd done what they could. It couldn't have been much. No? Well, they sure hacked down poles aplenty. Yeah, which probably delayed the telegraph all of 24 hours. You know what I wanted? I wanted raids on the camps. Oh, Cloud wouldn't risk it. Too many good engine fighters with them. So that was a waste of time. Well, Jake, what's your issues? You mean why didn't I keep them from getting supplies? What did you think I meant? All right, I'll show you why I didn't here. Look here. Another inch to the right and I'd cashed in my chips. Got drilled, huh? Who did it? Tax Morgan. How come? Caught me trying to fire their wagons. If it hadn't been too dark for him to recognize me, and if I hadn't lit out pronto, I wouldn't be here now. Too bad. Huh? You being funny? If I am, I don't feel it. You know what this thing means to me, what it means to all of us. The telegraph must be delayed until after winter sets in and the miners close down their claims. That's when the smeller at South Pass will have more gold on hand than any other time all season. Yeah, but what do you expect? Wait. Neither of you seems to understand the situation. We can strike at the guards and make away with the gold. That won't be difficult. But we can't escape to the north or to the south. Our best chances to the west. And if they connect up the telegraph at Fort Bridger? They can put the alarm on the wire within five minutes of the holdup. Within 30 minutes, every army post east and west of South Pass could have men on the trail. We'd be blocked in every direction. We'd be finished. Them Western Union crews should be done within a month. And no freeze up in sight. It'll come. It's you almost any time now. But that doesn't mean we can just sit back and hope it arrives before the line's finished. What can we do? We've tried most everything. And would have succeeded if it hadn't been for one man. You mean? Tex Morgan. He's poison. Just so. And that's where we've made our mistake. We've tried to delay the work, but have done nothing to get rid of the one man who's done more than anyone else to spoil our plans. Boss, I reckon I savvy. If you don't, I'll make it clear. Forget everything else, but get Tex Morgan. The progress of the telegraph line was an interesting thing to observe. First men dug post holes following the route of the old Oregon trail. Behind them came others, unreeling the wire upon the ground. Still others distributed the poles, and bringing up the rear came that part of the crew whose duty it was to erect the poles and attach the wire. Tex Morgan, scout and troubleshooter for the entire organization, was responsible for the safety of the laborers. Oh boy, oh, oh there, oh. Hi there, Tex. Hello, Buck. Well, how do you like it? By nightfall, we'll have done close to 20 miles today. Not bad, huh? Boy, you're just ripping along. Bet the fellas working east from Salt Lake City can't do no better. We'll beat them to Fort Bridger yet. Wait for see. Where you been, Tex? Back trailing? Uh-huh. There's been something I wanted to tell you. Keep your eyes peeled. There's trouble in the wind. And it ain't just engine trouble, either. Yeah? Somebody don't want this line finished. Tex, I ain't sure I say, I ain't. I ain't either. But you said... All I can tell you, Buck, is the little I know. A couple of days ago, I talked with a friendly engine, said his name was Tonto. Told me some skunk, uh, a white had been trying to get War Cloud to attack our camp. We're gonna be raided? Nope, I reckon not. Tonto said War Cloud weren't looking for no trouble. Hmm, thank gosh for that. But it shows somebody don't like us. And it ties in with a couple other things, too. Take that load of pole we lost ford in the river. Look mighty funny. And last week, one night last week, some army tried to set fire to our supplies. We're just lucky he didn't when he got away. My thunder racing, Tex. Why in blazes should anybody be a Guinness? Don't ask me. But you just... You know as much about it now as I do. So watch things. We can't... Hey there! Who's this? Whoa, whoa, whoa, that fella, whoa. Whoa, steady there, whoa. Which one of you gents is Tex Morgan? Well, that's me, I guess. Looking for me, mister? Well, if I can talk to you alone... Hey, what is... Go ahead, Buck. I'll talk to him. Well, I'll see you later. All right, let's have it. Tex, I heard somebody tried to burn up your supplies. Huh? Who told you that? That's my business. Look here, mister. Hold it. Where and how? I heard it as my affair. I just dropped by to see if maybe you wouldn't like to know where to find that gents. The one tried to burn our freighters? Right. Where is he? If I take you where he is and point him out, what's in it for me? What's your handle? That ain't none of your business neither. I'll tell you what. Take me to the pole, Cap, and I'll see you get paid what it's worth, which is plenty. Yeah, good. But if you don't, I'll blast you out of that saddle. Hey, you didn't have to draw on me. I don't take chances, and I want that hombre bad. How far we have to ride? Just this side of the south pass. Then get moving, friend. I'll be right behind you. Get up. Come on, boy. Get up. It was the following day that the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode their horses at a trot down a narrow trail that led in the direction of the construction camp. On their right and extending as far as they could see, a cliff towered above them. Suddenly, a voice hailed them from a ledge overhead. You hear? Someone calling to us. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh. Where are you? Up on his shelf, friend. What do you want? You acquainted with a paladin, Holstead? I am. Want to deliver a message to him? That depends on the message. What is it? Plain important. He'll thank you for getting it to him. Well, will you or won't you? If it is important, yes. But why don't you? You'll find out that when you read it. It ain't private. I got it here in an empty can at the back of it. Let's have it. There she goes. In throw can. Right. Steady, boy. Steady. Me. Me get him. Give it to me. Here. Here, can. Hello up there. Hello. In that answer. Because he's cleared out. What matter? Bloody. Whoever that fellow was, he knew what he was doing when he chose this place. It would take us three hours to circle the cliff and make our way up to that ledge. We'll have to take up his trail later. Here. Right now, this message must get to Halstead. Who, him? The engineer in full charge of construction for Western Union. Oh. And when he reads what's here, there'll be fireworks. Let's go, Kim Osama. Get him up, scouts. Come on, Silver. Come on. Tom Halstead, the engineer, had been riding from crew to crew, asking questions of each. Finally, he came to Buck Goodwin, the foreman to whom Tex Morgan had mentioned his suspicions just the day before. Buck, come here. Here, Ryder. What's up? What's new? I'm looking for Tex. Have you seen him? Yesterday? Not since. Why? He was supposed to report to me last night and didn't. I'm worried. He's shucks, boss. Tex ain't nobody to worry about. There's a gent who can handle himself anywhere. Quit your fussing. Whatever Tex is doing, you can bet he's right as rain. I wouldn't worry about that hombre in any kind of a tight place. He's one of them gents comes up topside no matter what happens. Take my word for it. I've known him longer than you. We've got to get the telegraph to Fort Bridger before the month's out. Oh, we all know that. And we're getting there, ain't we? Yes. Without Tex, we wouldn't have had a chance. Uh-huh. The way that fella's kept trouble from us has been a wonder. Yeah, but now, if anything's happened to him, I... We'll still make up, but nothing has. Why don't you ride back to headquarters? Wouldn't surprise me if you found him there waiting for you. You may be right, Buck. I hope you are. Just the same, I... Buck, what in blazes are you doing? What you'd better, get my gun handy. Look at these fellas coming. One's a mask and the other's a red skid. What the... Oh, oh, Silver. Oh, Scalp. Oh, Scalp. Oh, Scalp. You... There's no need for that gun. Paul said... What do you want? We'll give him the message for you. Read it. Who gave you this? Read it. What's in it, boss? Let him finish. But I... Raise your hands. I won't. Buck, they don't get their hands up fire. All right. Stranger, you and the engine back... That'll get going. Get him up, Scalp. You... Take it. Ow! Ow, Silver. How are you? Buck, did he hit you? Just knocked the gun from my hand, boss. But it aches like all blazes. When I should get the fellas to chase them hombres... You'd never catch them. Not on the horses they're riding. Then you mind telling me what's going on here? Yeah, I'll have to. Men, stop your work. Go back to your wagons. Do nothing more until you get further orders. But, boss, we got a schedule to keep to. We ain't got an hour to waste. How long do we have to lay off? A week. Maybe longer. Huh? You're crazy. No, Buck, not crazy. I just happen to believe that a life is more important than any schedule. Ah. I don't get you. Tex has been taken prisoner. Take him prisoner. Unless we stop work, he dies. 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. Now to continue our story. It was several hours later that the Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion... ...made their way to the top of the cliff, which had been hailed earlier in the day... ...and drew their great stallions to a halt. Oh, oh, Silver. Oh, boy. This is it, Tonto. Yep. See? Look below there. Me. Me see. See those pines? That's where we stopped when that fellow called to us. That right. So this must be the ledge where he was hidden. Let's take a look around. Oh. See what you can find in that direction. Now look over here. Tonto, do it. Now wait. Tonto, come here. You find trail? I found something. Most of this ground is hard-packed. But look at this. What do you think of it? Oh. Here, a fellow kneel. Yes. There, Mark, he make a toe. He got on one knee to look over the edge here. Oh. And his horse must have been over there, out of sight from below. Now let's see. And there's time. You've got keen eyes, Tonto. Where? This side. Rock. Now I see it. And look here. And now it's plain. Tonto, this is where he mounted again. The trail leads there to the south. That right. Call, Scout. Here, Scout. Here, Silver. We follow trail? Yes. Halstead thought we had something to do with Tex Morgan's capture, Kemosabe. Yep. So we've got to find Tex. Not only to make it possible for the work to go on, but to clear ourselves. Ah. And ride slowly and lead the way. We can make better time once we're away from the cliff. Get him up, Scout. Come on, old fellow. Days of idleness followed for the telegraph crew. Their wagons, in which the men made their quarters in groups of fours, were drawn up into a great circle not far from the mining town of South Pass. And it was here that Halstead conferred with a group of his lieutenants. Buck, what have you done? Everything I could think of. Me and Ed and Frank there done more riding in the past three days than we'd ordinary do in a month. We've rode and searched out the country all the way from the Sweetwater to the Black River. And ain't found nothing. I hate like sin to say it, but... But what? I got a notion. Tex is dead. I won't believe it. Well, I don't want to. This country's too wild. You couldn't have searched all of it? I don't claim we did. It'd take a year for that. You saw nothing of that masked man or the Indian? Nothing. I see. Well, Clay, what about you? I ain't had no more luck than Buck has. You picked up nothing? Boss, I've just about lived in South Pass. I've hung around every cafe. I've talked to everybody that weren't either deep or dumb. Nobody's got any notion what happened to Tex, and nobody's got the least idea who could gain by holding back the telegraph. I'm sorry. I didn't hope for Buck to find anything, but I did hope there'd be gossip in town to give us a clue to what's behind this. If there is, then I missed it complete. I got a little good news for you, boss. Yes? About the Mormons. The Mormons are building east from Salt Lake City to Fort Bridger, you know. Well? That's tough country they got to work in. Ain't making as good a time as they figured to. I know. I heard that yesterday. Well, that means we can still beat them to Fort Bridger if we only get started again. You're suggesting that I give orders to go on with the work? Yeah. When that message told us Tex would die if we did? Tex was as much my friend as yours. I've told you what I think. It's my opinion. Nothing we can do now can either help nor hurt him. What do the rest of you think? Well, it doesn't matter. It's my responsibility. I'll have to make the decision. What's it to be, boss? When they hear of this back east, men, they won't like it. But we don't string a mile of wire till we know what's happened. In time at South Pass, Mullins was as impatient as Halstead. Although for another reason. I've been waiting for you. I couldn't make it no sooner, Mullins. I hurried fast. I could. How's for drinks? Not now. But I need to... We keep clear heads until we're finished here. Now, what's going on? What are they doing at Western Union camp? Still setting on their hands. And Morgan? Safe as a bug in a rug. Only time he ain't tied up is when Red lets him loose teeth. And loose or tied, Red's got an eye on him all the time. You can forget about him. Why hasn't Red come here? That wouldn't be sensible, would it? When somebody might recognize him as the fellow that rode off with texts, better for him to stay out of sight. Yeah, I suppose it is. Have much trouble with Morgan when you took him prisoner? Yeah, none at all. Red's scheme works slick as grease. He let him past where I was hiding. Let me get the drop on that hombre. And there wasn't nothing more to it. He just had to give up. If he hadn't, it had been his finish and he was smart enough to know it. Good. Now, if the weather would only turn cold enough to freeze the streams and stop the mining, we'd get... Turn cold, but it's turning right now, didn't you know it? What's that? Sure. Just stick your nose outside if you don't believe me. I'll bet there's been a drop of 10 degrees in just the past hour. And it's time. Now, wait, Mullins. We can't. Get up. You're riding. Without even just one drink to warm my inside? Without one single drink. Uh-oh. Now, Jake, listen to me. Yeah? I want Red back in town before midnight. Bring him to my cabin. But what's the hurry? Are we... You there! You trying to hear what we're saying? Me no, have you. Clear out. He couldn't have heard you. There's no telling what a redskin can hear. Well, what you start to say? Jake, we strike for the gold before morning. It was after midnight, and with the exception of the few who stood guard, the men at the construction camp were sound asleep. Suddenly, a cry rang out through the still night air. Wake up! There's that mask, fella! Wake up! Wake up! From every wagon, the men tumbled to the ground and ran toward the man who had given the alarm. There he is! Really? Bring him down! Come on! He's getting away! What is this? What's the trouble? Boss, look up the trail towards town. What the... The mask ran? Yes, so. And getting away again? He could tell us what happened to Tex. Boss, ain't we going after him this time, neither? We are. Get your horses and don't stop with saddles. Get after that fellow! While it was still an hour before dawn, a heavy wagon of the kind employed to freight supplies, waited behind the ore smelter at South Pass. The door of the strong room stood open. On the ground to one side lay the bound and gagged figures of several men. Other men, working swiftly and silently, moved between the wagon and the mill, carrying heavy burdens. How much more? Red's bringing the last. There! Gosh, them bars are heavy. Don't know if the gold's worth all the work it takes to get it. My back's near busted. Ah, don't be a fool. Red, hurry up with that. I'm coming. Stand aside, Jake. There you are. Yeah, that's all of it, Mullins. Yeah, that was fast work. It didn't take 20 minutes. How much gold, you figure, we got? A hundred thousand, at the very least. More than likely twice that much. All right, let's get going. Wait. Well? These guards here, what about them? Leave them as they are. Red, you'll drive. Which way? West. Follow the regular trail. I've got horses waiting for us to be on town. And the gold? We'll hide. I know a place. We can come back for it when the search is dead down. Come on, then. A fight. Of all the fool luck, they'll rouse the whole town. Now I quink up into the wagon. Right. What do we do? Take the reins, Rick. Get going. Get up. Get along there, you critters. All right, dry slowly now. Go back as though we're in a hurry. Hey, if we don't arouse suspicions, we'll be all right. Better keep your guns handy just the same. Get up. Get up. There they are. Somebody's being chased. Don't mind them. Keep your eyes on the horses. Look at that white horse in the lead. Hey, ain't that a dandy? Mullins, that hombre atop it is masked. The other looks like a redskin. Here they come. See if they don't just ride past. That redskin, I've seen him somewhere. Pull up there. What the? Pull up there. Pull up there. Let go of them, Ray. Get back. We've got the horses. No, you don't. I'll throw my hands. Go for those guns again and I'll shoot the kill. I'll blast you. You keep still. Stranger, listen. Let us go and we'll make it worth your while. You don't understand. You're staying here. Here come other fellas. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. That's him. That's your hand. Before you get drilled. Hold on. Don't try to get away. We've chased you two all the way here. You didn't chase us. We led you. Look in this wagon. These fellas have just robbed the mill. They've got $100,000 in gold here. Look at his tax up back here. I don't understand. It's gold. You say you ought to say, listen to me. Then judge for yourself. Talk. These are the men who kidnapped Tex. That's all I. Shut up. These men kidnapped Tex. But Tonto and I found where they'd taken him. You mean... We've known since the day we delivered that message to you where he was. We left him there on purpose. As long as they didn't attempt to harm him, he was safe. We left him there until we could discover why these fellas wanted the telegraph delayed. Don't believe him. He's not. The masked man's talking. You can still get to Fort Bridger in time, Halstead. No harm's been done. And these fellas, they put their heads into a noose. Stranger, that's a smooth story. But there's just one thing wrong with it. Yes. If you've been telling the truth, then why isn't Tex here? He will. I am here. What? And, Thorne, the masked man's told you the truth from start to finish. Tex! Yippee! Boys, you're going to stretch that telegraph to Fort Bridger in the big flat! Two weeks later. Here's the message, sir. I've written it out. Thank you. Boss, read it out loud to us, won't you? Men, this is a moment when all of us deserve to be proud. Thank you, sir. I'll read you what's written here. To Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States. In the temporary absence of the Governor of the State, I am requested to send you the first message which will be transmitted over the wires of the telegraph line which connects the Pacific with the Atlantic States. The people of California desire to congratulate you upon the completion of the great work. They believe that it will be the means of strengthening the attachment which binds both the East and the West to the Union. And they desire in this, the first message across the continent, to express their loyalty to the Union, and their determination to stand by its government on this, its day of trial. They regard that government with affection and will adhere to it under all fortunes. Signed, Stephen J. Field, Chief Justice of California. Proud? Boss, I'm fit to... You have just heard as a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
