A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. The masked rider of the plains brought many criminals to justice during his fight for law and order in the early years of the western United States. But he gained his greatest fame as a champion of right against might, of the weak against the strong. No man did more to make the frontier safe for honest men and women. 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've got to hurry! The Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, listened with interest to the old-timer they had met on the trail outside Freeport. Yes, sir, old Jason was the unluckiest fellow there ever was. I mind him well. Before he left these parts, we was right good friends. We was neighbors for a while. But you have no idea what became of him? No more on the horse here, stranger. Never even heard his name mentioned the last few years till this business of the ranch come up a couple of months ago. And if he's not found? It goes to his nephew. A fellow named Lang. Son of one of Jason's brothers. You should meet him. For a worthless, shiftless, downright ornery example of nothing at all, he takes fuss prize. You mark my words. That ranch is worth a hundred thousand if it's worth a penny. And he'll have it drunk up inside a year. You said Jason was unlucky. What did you mean by that? What do you mean? Well, stranger, do you ever meet somebody that brought bad luck with him wherever he went without raising a hand? I can't say that I have. Well, then you should have known Jason. That was him. Married three times and lived to bury every wife he had. Had four young'uns and buried them. Bought out a stage line just before the railroad come through. Sold out for a song and bought beef. And lost every critter during a drought. After that, being broke, he decided to prospect for gold. And then? He found a likely spot. Worked at it for six months. Just wouldn't give up. Had so much faith in it, he almost starved to stay at it. But finally, he seen where it wasn't no use. He'd been just stubborn to no purpose. So he up and cleared out. That's happened to lots of men. Uh-huh. But not like it did to Jason. Why, two weeks after he'd pulled stakes, another fellow come along, took a couple of swipes with his pick where Jason had been digging, and uncovered a vein that yielded half a million before it thinned out. Now, I'll tie that in if you can. I'm afraid I can't. But that's just the half of it. Jason weren't only unlucky to himself. He was unlucky to everybody else. If he stopped someplace overnight, either the house burned down or sickness broke out in it. Coincidence, of course. No wonder Jason thought he brought bad luck. Yeah. And that's why finally he just up and disappeared. He couldn't stand it no longer. Reckoned towards the last, I was about the only fellow around here that'd have anything to do with him. But he was liked? I should smile he was. Folks thought the world of him. Nobody figured he could help the way things turned out. But they just couldn't risk being around him. But you'd like to see him get the ranch, wouldn't you? Sure would. That'd be a piece of good luck. Reckon if he's still alive, poor old Jason could use some. And when is the deadline? Just one month from now. If he ain't found by then, well, like I said, that nephew of his inherits the place. And folks around here would rather see Jason get it. And that young squirt, bad luck or no. You must have heard something of Jason after he left. Well, yeah. Yeah, I did. Heard he'd been seen at Deadwood, working at the mines. But when I wrote to him there, I got a letter back saying the fellow he'd hired out to had gone bust soon after. And Jason had drifted on. So there you are. Deadwood, huh? How long ago was that? Well, let's see, must have been about four years ago. Yep, that's what it was. Four years last spring. I see. Well, Tudor, we'll be on our way. Thanks, old timer. Sure, that's all right. But look here, stranger. Yes? What are you so interested in Jason for? I don't think young Lang should get the ranch. Huh? I'm as anxious as you for Jason to return in time to claim it. You mean... We're going to find him. Come, Tudor. Get him up, Scout. Come on, Silver. Hi, wait. I don't feel bad. On that same day, hundreds of miles from Freeport, a wealthy rancher named Ashley was listening to a report from his foreman. Young Gil Heath and his sister Mary, who owned the neighboring ranch, were standing beside him near the Ashley Corral. Well, that's what happened, boss. Something must have been wrong with the coupling. Them cars broke loose from the engine, rolled all the way downgrade till they hit that siding. And just piled up one on top of the other in the canyon there. Oh, a rotten look. Well, right now, them cars ain't hardly good for kindling. We've lost 500 head of prime stock. Poor cash, God. Uh-huh. I ain't had nothing but bad luck for the past three months. Ain't it never going to stop? Another three months like a past three, and I'll be clean bust. I'm sorry, boss, but there's never been anything we could have helped. Uh, well, if you think we could have, I'll seem to... Get back to work and forget it. But I'm trying to... I'm getting tired of seeing your face around here. You don't never show up listening. You'll bring up bad news. Go on, get it. You got things to keep you busy, ain't you? Plenty. Then get at him. Sure. Get up, boy. Get up there. Well, that weren't enough, huh? Now, I suppose I got to listen to your whining again. A lot with it. What do you got to say this time? Mr. Ashley, you cheated us when you sold us our range. Right to you, did I? No, but you... Then where do you think you get off saying I cheated you? You back that up? Mr. Ashley, Gil and I weren't acquainted here when we bought from you. Is that my fault? No, of course not. But when you sold us that range, you should have told us you still owned a strip of land between the range and the spring. Or at least you should let our cattle cross your land to reach water. It's only right. If they can't, our land's worth nothing. That's your tough luck. Take none of mine. You ought to inquire into them things. Need water? There's some to the south, yeah. Use that. It belongs to Parkman. Then buy it. We'd have to buy all the way to the hills. He won't sell a park without selling all. Can't you use it? Sure, but then... Then what's holding you back? Buy the whole works. You know very well we can't do that. Yeah. You knew it from the first. How can we buy without money? That's what you planned on. That's why Gil said you cheated us. You sold us a spring and range. You never told us we couldn't reach the spring without crossing your property, and now you want to charge us. And now if you send your critters across that there strip, you've got to pay me a dollar a head. That's what you're kicking about. We just can't pay it. No. Well, then, young fellow, I'll tell you what I'll do. What? I'll give you your choice of two propositions. Now, I'll admit a dollar a head's the right steep price. And if you ain't got the cash for that, of course, you can't pay it. So maybe I could make it 50 cents a head instead. You shouldn't charge us a penny. Well, that's one of my propositions. Take it or leave it. Here's the other. I'll buy back that land in spring I sold you. I'll buy your cattle, too. Only I'll buy at my own price. What will you pay? For everything, lock, stock, and barrel, I'll give you $5,000. But we pay... Well, there's no sense in argument. That's my price, and I won't raise it a dollar. And you can't get better from anybody else. As long as I own that one strip of land, your outfit ain't good to nobody but me. So like I said before, you can take it or leave it. We won't take it. And then? If we have to, I'd rather Gil pay you the 50 cents a head. We could raise that much, couldn't we, Gil? I guess, but we'd be awful flat afterwards, Mary. And it's still nothing but a hold up. Which you can't do nothing about as long as you can't afford to buy from Parkman. Well, I guess we can't. That's the way you would have been? I suppose. Doesn't seem as if there's anything... What the... You there, hey! Hey, Mr. Ashley. Yeah, you, come here. Something wrong? How long you been working here? About three months. Then why ain't I seen you around before? Why, it was your foreman that hired me, Mr. Ashley. He hired me to go along with some cows you were shipping to Denver. Then when I got back, he sent me to a line camp. Reckon this is about the second time I've been around the ranch house. What's your handle? Lonesome. Lonesome Jones. Folks call me that because I kind of stay by myself. You're lying. What? You know what your name is? It's Jason Lang. And don't deny it. You think I ain't heard you described often enough? Mr. Ashley, wait. Just listen a second. Show my name's Lang. I won't deny it. But I had to take another name. I've had such a side of bad luck. And you're the cause of mine. You came here three months ago. Well, it was just three months ago that things started going wrong around here. Get off my plate. Mr. Ashley, listen. I ain't been able to hold a steady job in five years. The bad luck you've had ain't my fault. Just give me a chance. I'm getting to be an old man. I need the work. If you fire me, I don't know how long it'll be before I get another job. I've done my work good. Ask your foreman if I ain't. Hey, Moose. But, Mr. Clear out of the county. I won't have you anywhere as near. Hey, if I hear you get to work close by as soon as you can hoodoo me again, I'll come after you and run you out of the county myself. Now get. You've got $20 coming, Mr. Ashley. You've cost me a hundred times that much already. You mean you ain't going to pay me? That's just what I mean. Well, I ain't got to die. Didn't I tell you the fair moves you? No. Wait. I'll show you. Don't kick him again. Take your hand off me. I said don't kick him. You're telling me what to do? Yes. And here's what I think of it. You bully. Gil, don't let him do it. I warned you. Huck me down, eh? Now you'll pay for that. Come on. Get up on your feet. I'll give you some more of what you asked for. You silly and I do a fright where it ain't necessary. Coward. And here it ain't. You put it in. Well, I can pay you off for that without reason ahead. I suppose you can. And will. Nothing you can do to me would make me stand by doing nothing while you beat up on a man almost twice your age. Here. Did he say your name's Jason Lang? That's right, mister. But I'd rather you just call me Lonesome. Lonesome Jones. I'm used to it. Seems to fit better somehow. All right, Lonesome. You're coming with us. Huh? You said you'd have a hard time finding work, didn't you? Well, we'll give you work. No. No, miss. You couldn't do that. I wouldn't want to see you come to any harm on account of me. I'll be all right. Nonsense. Of course you'll come with us. Go ahead. Climb up in the buggy there. You can drive us home. But you need... I'm Lonesome. Please. Well, if you say I should. Only... Well, I know doggone well I had an order. You know something? Maybe I won't have to pay you off myself. No? You're carrying your bad luck right along with you. I'll take that chance. And don't forget. What's bad luck for one man may be good for another. Come, Mary. Let's get home. More than a month passed. During that time, the Lone Ranger continued his search for Jason Lang. One day, just before noon, he rode into his camp near Dodge City and... Oh, oh, there, Silver. Oh, boy. Oh. Tonto, get mounted. You got news? I picked up Jason's trail again. Not good. Here's, Couch. What'd you find out? Jason was at Dodge City. I'm certain of it. Only there, he called himself Lonesome Jones. Oh. He worked for a company of drovers for a while until the market wiped them out. Him may keep bad luck. It certainly seems like it, Kimasabi. Jason's built up quite a reputation for himself. Poor old fellow. It's not the kind of reputation that'll do many good. Isn't that right? Well, anyhow, the foreman of a trail crew says he thought he saw Jason heading south toward New Mexico. At least, he saw and met a man answering Jason's description who called himself Lonesome Jones. Not him, all right. I'm sure of it. Personally, however, I'm not at all sure that New Mexico was really his destination. Why do you think that? Because he's been trying to disappear, not to advertise himself. Moreover, he's been in New Mexico before. He'll most likely cut off from the trail and head someplace where he's unknown. Oh. But anyhow, we can trail him as far as the place he was seen last. Ready? Uh-huh. Me ready. Then come. Get him up, scouts. I know, silver, away! 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. Several days went by while young Gil Heath tried desperately to raise the money he would need to pay Ashley. He finally succeeded and set out for Ashley's ranch house. It was late in the afternoon when he returned home. Mary was dusting the furniture in the parlor and... Well, that didn't take long, Gil. Not very. Is it all settled? Can we send the herd across tomorrow? Nope. But I thought... Gil, what's the matter? The rotten skunk. What'd he do? He changed his mind. Oh, Gil, no. Yes, he has. Now he says he won't take any kind of pay to let the cattle cross. He'll buy us out, but that's all. But not for the price he offered the other day. Says he's thought it over. All he'll give is $3,000. Oh, that's awful. Just his way of getting even. You mean... Well, for us taking Lonesome in and me hitting him. That's what's behind this. It's just revenge. I think he's horrible. Calling him names isn't going to help us. But, Gil, what can we do? Well, I don't know. Do you think if I were to talk to him... You'd get the same answer I did. He's just a crook, Mary. That's all you can call him. He's worked this game before. Game? Sure. He told me about it when I was in town raising money. You know how many times he's sold this place? He's sold before? I'll say he has. Six times over. Every time to fools like us who were strangers in the district and didn't know any better. Oh. I should have suspected something right at the first. He was willing to sell too cheap. A fellow like him doesn't sell for the price we paid unless there's a good reason for it. Then he is crooked. Sure. That's what I said. Then he ought to be arrested. For what? Getting the best of a slick bargain? But we can try. What could we do but sue? And how far would we get? He never came right out and told us we could use the spring. We just took that for granted. All we'd get from a judge would be sympathy. And a lot that helps. But, Gil. Hmm? That means... That means... We'll most likely have to take him up. Take his 3,000. That's better than nothing. How long can the cattle... Last like they are? Yes. Hmm? Just till they've drank up what gathered after the rains. Another week at the most. And then... And then they'll go thirsty. Yes. Unless we sell. Mm-hmm. Oh, if we just had the money to buy that land for Mr. Parkman, then we wouldn't care no matter how Mr. Ashley acted. Wishing for the moon, sis? Oh. Oh, I suppose I am. You sure are. That'd be swell, sure. But we can't. So let's not even think about it. It just makes things worse. I know. And anyhow, we've still got a week. So how about postponing our worries till then, huh? Of course, Gil. I didn't mean to act like a crybaby. Sure not. Now, how's for something to eat? Where's Lonesome? Seen him around? Why, he... Oh! Huh? What's wrong? He was in the kitchen cleaning his gear. The door was open, but now it's closed. Oh, Gil, he must have heard everything we said. Gosh, I... Gil, find him, you must. He's so afraid he'll bring us bad luck. He'll blame himself. Poor old fellow. Where... Hey. What is it? Just look outside there. Hi, Lonesome. Hold on there. Wait a second. Oh, you'll leave me, Gil. I'm leaving and you ain't gonna stop me. Oh, no, you're not. Let go, Gil. Please. Get out of that saddle. Wait. Gosh darn it. There. That's better. Now then, just where do you think you're going? Oh, I had to know. Thought you were going to leave for good, huh? Were you really? Were you going to leave us? Without even saying goodbye? Well, doggone it. I... I just ain't gonna bring folks like you no more bad luck. I'm a hoodoo. That's what I am. I'll bet if you hadn't took me in, you'd have got out of this all right. No, it ain't fair. I don't mind hoodooing a polecat like Ashley, but you folks are different. So, I'm pulling stakes. Like fun you are. Lonesome, you'll do nothing of the kind. Oh, now listen. Lonesome, look here. Guys, I... You listen to me. This hoodoo business you talk about is... Well, it's just nonsense. It's just been your bad luck that you've been around where things like this were happening. You couldn't help it. When you say you caused them, you're just talking like an idiot. Yeah? Honest? Of course. And we're not going to hear any more of that kind of talk. Now, unsaddle and come back in the house. Gil, Miss Mary? Yes? You don't know how far I've traveled or... or the way folks had treated me when they found out who I was. I saw one sample of it. Mm-hmm. Ashley. Well, all weren't as bad as him, but... none of them was friendly. You two are the only ones to know my right name and... and still want me around. Why shouldn't we? We'd like to. Bless you both. All I can say is... I'd do anything in the world to help you. Even if I hanged for it. But only a few days later, the Lone Ranger and Tonto talked with a cowboy. They'd met not far from the Ashley ranch house. You say you're Ashley's foreman, eh? Uh-huh. Well, that's how it happens I was the one to hire this fellow you're asking about. Ashley blamed me plenty for it, too. If I didn't need my job so bad, I'd quit... Never mind that. Where's Lonesome now? Deal with that young couple I told you about, the last I heard. The name is Heath? Yeah. They're brother and sister. Come here from the east. Boy's name is Gil. Her sister's Mary. You said they'd been having some kind of trouble with your boss. Trouble? Well, I'd call it that, anyhow. They need water for their stock, but can't get it. Ashley's offering them a price for their place that ain't much better than stealing it. He'd give them till tomorrow noon to take it or leave it. And then... Well, the way it looks from here, they'll take it. Ain't much choice. If they don't sell to Ashley, they can't sell to nobody. This man Lonesome. He said they knew his reputation when they hired him. Sure did. But it didn't faze him any at all. I see. Well, thanks. Tonto, let's get going. I suppose if I was to ask you, tell me why you wanted to know about Lonesome on any of my business. I would. I thought so. But stranger, keep your eyes and ears open the next few days and you may find out. Come on, old fellow. Get him on the scale. Hurry, boy. Hurry. That same day, just at dusk, when Gil, Heath, Mary, and Lonesome were eating supper, they heard two horsemen ride up to the house. But who's that? Expecting anybody, Gil? No. No, I wasn't. I'd better see who... What in place? Don't try to reach those guns. You. And this isn't a holdup. You're the man they call Lonesome Jones? Yes, but what... Then you're coming with me. Hey, listen. Now, come along. Let me go. No, here, don't. Drop that gun. Help. My hand. You're not hurt. Gil, your hand. It's all right, Mary. Just numbed a little. But they... I'm going after that mask man. No, Gil, don't. There's two of them. There's an Indian with them. I saw them. Gil, you'll just get hurt. But I can't. Come on. Come on. Come on. There. They're gone. You couldn't saddle in time to catch them. A rotten crook. You recognize that mask man? No, but I didn't have to. What do you mean? Only Ashley would want to see Lonesome harm, Mary. Ashley sent that sidewinder here just as sure as I'm a foot high. Out of sight of the ranch house, the mask man explained everything to Lonesome. And when he had finished... This ain't a lie, mister. You ain't telling me this just to fool me. No, Jason. I'm telling you the truth. Call me Lonesome, mister. I'm more used to it. Very well, Lonesome. You can see that neither Talon or Rye would gain by telling you it wasn't true. For that matter, you can check soon enough yourself. There's a telegraph at the fort. Send a message to Freeport. But you'll soon find out you're a wealthy man. Mister, come on. Where to? To that there fort. Good. Here, I'll help you. Give me your hand. Thanks. And if I find out what you told me is sold... Yes. Then I've got another place you can take me. But there's time for that later. Come on, tell this critter yours we want to travel. Come on, Talon. Let's go. Send him up, scum. Send him up. On the following day, Ashley reined in before the Heath place. Dismounted, walked up the steps to the porch, and wrapped on the front door. All right. Howdy. It's just Mr. Ashley, Mary. Oh, I hope it was Lonesome. You do, sir. Glad to see me. Lonesome's disappeared. We've been hoping... No use talking to Ashley about it, Mary. He knows all about it. Knew before we did. Yeah? I don't serve you. You don't understand, huh? Ashley? Did you think we wouldn't know it was you who sent that masked man after Lonesome? Masked man? What are you talking about? Oh, forget it. You don't have to put up an act for us. I'll just give you this warning. I don't... If you've harmed him, you'll pay for it. Now get down to business. At least I suppose you're here on business. Don't imagine you'd have the nerve to make us a friendly call. I'm here to buy. And you're wasting your time. Yeah? Don't get me wrong. I ain't gonna keep making your offers. This is a lesson. I happen to know you're in a spot where your cattle's gotta reach the spring. If you want to sell after today, you'll have to come to me. And maybe I won't be of a mind to be so easy on you as I am now. Easy on us? Offering us $3,000? Maybe next time it'll be less. There won't be any next time. And there won't be any this time. We're not selling, so get out. You won't sell when you know you can't get water? We would have sold if you hadn't sent that man after Lonesome. But now we won't. We'll give the place away first. But you won't have to. What the? Lonesome, tell them. Folks, look at here. What do you do? Just look at that. What is it? An option on Parkman's land. An option good for 90 days. When that land is yours, you won't need the spring. You'll have all the water you can use. Lonesome, did you get that option? Sure did, dear. But it's no good. But we can't buy, you know that. Uh-huh. Well, then why? But I can. Well, what do you mean? You can. Yes, sirree, I'm a rich man. If you don't believe it, just ask the mask man. Well, well, don't go on. He lit out already. Hey, hold on. Wait, Lonesome, what do you mean? Huh? Oh, yeah. Sure, I'm going to buy it. That there mask fella's been hunting me out just to tell me I inherited a ranch and cash. You fool, your lies ain't going to get down with me if you think that... Actually, you can skedaddle. You're all through. You and your cricket game's finished. You sold this place to these folks cheap, eh? Thinking you'd get it back still cheaper. Well, you ain't. And you're going to have to stand the loss. Well, lay a hand on him and you'll get what I gave you the other time. You'll recollect what I told you for? That I'd do anything for you folks? Sure, but I... I got my chance. Thanks to the mask man. I'm buying that land from Parkman, giving it to you, and you can pay me back whenever you feel like it. Oh, we couldn't let you do that, Lonesome. No? Well, you couldn't stop me. I've been waiting most of a lifetime for this. Doggone if I ain't brought somebody good luck at last. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
