A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high-o silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, there were honest men who did their best to maintain the law on the frontier. But the jails were primitive, and even a capture and a conviction did not always mean a criminal would pay for his crime. It was not until the masked rat of the plane started his great fight for justice that the forces of law and order became strong enough to do their work. It was the Lone Ranger, more than any other man, who 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 the dirt! The crowded courtroom was silent. Judge Homer Ellis pronounced sentence upon the two prisoners at the bar. You have been fairly tried. You have been found guilty. Therefore, you, Red Banning, and you, Slim Thatcher, are hereby sentenced to twenty years at hard labor. These sentences to be served in the state penitentiary and to be considered as dating from this hour and day. That is all. Sheriff Pierce, take the prisoners into custody. Right, Your Honor. Come on, you two. Right, don't we. Judge, you think you got me and Slim where you want us, don't you? Well, there ain't a jailmate that can hold us. There ain't a judge alive that can send us to the calaboose and get away with it. Come on, get moved. We'll be out sometime. And when we're out, you'll pay. Fire! Fire! Courtroom! Fire, I say! Clear the court! This is all I've mentioned before you locked me and Slim up, warden. Watch us all you want, but we'll bust out. We owe the judge that sent us here something, and he's going to get it. So don't get rough. If you do, well, maybe when we make the break, you'll wish you hadn't. We ain't tough with gents that treats us friendly. Thanks. I'm glad you spoke. I'll know what to expect. Mike, these men go to the rock pile. If they won't work, put some blisters on the hides. How do you like that? Threaten me again, and you'll get worse. The rock pile of the morning, huh, Slim? The fool, that's just what I wanted. Hey, Slim. What? Go on working, Yidget. Want the guards to look this way? Keep working and listen. What's up? Look at this. A gun? Yeah. I told you a bar did come through, didn't I? Left it here last night for me to pick up this morning. Fred, when do we make the break? Just before sunup. At five. Twenty years. The Yidget couldn't even keep us in one whole day. I gotta get back. I'll see you later. Trouble. Thunder. What's the trouble? What's wrong? What's going on here? Mike! Where are you, Mike? Keep your head down, Slim. There was a posse just rode by. Did they see us? Would they keep going if they had? Slim, without dogs to help them, they could comb these breaks for a million years. Never come close to finding us. How long do you figure we'd better stay here? Just till morning. And then? Back to Rimrock Gap. Bartle hide us out. We made that judge a promise, Slim. We'd better keep it. The following day, the lone ranger raced into the camp where Tonto was waiting for him. Oh, oh, there, Silver. Oh, boy. Oh, there. What's the matter? Plenty, Tonto. Get to the saddle. Here, Scout. Red Banning and Slim Thatcher broke jail. They killed one guard and wounded two others. They escaped the posse. And if I'm not mistaken, they're on their way back to Rimrock Gap. Why'd them go there? They threatened to kill Judge Ellis for sending them to jail. Oh. I know those men, Kimo Sabi. They're killers, thieves, and worse. When they make a promise, they keep it. We go Rimrock Gap. Right. Judge Ellis has to be warned. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. Come on, old fellow. Ten days later, Red and Slim had reached the wild, rough country to the north of Rimrock. And finally drew their tired horses to a stop in front of a small cabin. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, there, oh. Come on. Get him. Yeah. You're home, Bart. Open up. Slim. Let us in. Close the door. I didn't look for you two fellas for another week yet. We stole a couple of horses and made good time. We ain't going to bother you long, Bart. Just long enough to pay off that judge. In town? Not just now. Oh, where is he? I don't know. Well, I asked around, but couldn't find out. I know when he'll be coming back. Yeah? When? Four days from now. On the Logan's Port stage. I got that out of the postmaster. Four days? Well, we hide out for that time. I'll find out. Why not here? Don't talk, Loco. Can't be done. The law knows we're part. It's the first place that it looked. Yeah? Well, I was slick enough to get that gun to you, wasn't I? What do you mean? Told you I'd look for you sometime, rather, didn't I? Come here. Hey, what's up? See that bunk? Mm-hmm. Looks like it's built right onto the floor, don't it? Ain't it? Well, sometimes looks are deceiving. You, Slim, grab hold of the bunk there at the other end. Like this? Yeah. Now swing it out. Roll it around towards you just like you would a gate. Oh, but it's out. Go on, pull. All right. Dock on. Oh, my gosh, it moved. That red. Hey, come here. Look what's under it. What is it? Well, just look. Well, I'll be... Bart, you fix that by yourself? Sure. Dug it out and dump the dirt in that gully outside. Fix that ladder so you can climb up or down any time. We'll keep watch. See anybody coming, we'll just swing the bunk out. You fellas climb down that hole. I'll put the bunk back in place. And if you can be found, I'll walk to Frisco barefoot. Doggone slick. That's using your head, Bart. Yeah, that ain't all. No? Well, be satisfied you fix a judge, will you? You know that's the only reason we come back. Sure. Well, look up there on that top shelf. Huh? Blastin' powder. Plenty of it. You're welcome to all you'll need. Need? You hombres don't care how many others you have to do for to get the judge, do you? Ah, why should we? Then act smart. Get him before he reaches town where the law will be handy. Get him with the stage when it's coming through the hills from Logan's Port. There's a place where it has to crawl along with a cliff on one side and nothing but a drop of 2,000 feet in the other. You mean what? Blastin' powder there. Fix your fuse so you can light it from up above. Drop a tree across the trail so the stage will have to stop to clear the way. Meanwhile, it's standing there. She blows to glory. Just so. Bart, how far is that place in the trail from town? About 20 miles. 20 miles. A 20-mile start. Slim with that kind of a start, they'd never catch it. They sure wouldn't, Red. Well, what do you think? Four days till the stage gets in, huh? That's what I said. Let's have a look at that blastin' powder, Bart. I reckon we'll use it. We've searched every place in the hills where they could be hiding, Tonto. But there's no trace of them. What do now? We're calling on Sheriff Pierce. Come on, Silver. Come on, old Tonto. Oh, Mr. Wilt's go. Oh, sorry. Oh, sorry. Stay here. You can keep your hand from that gun, Sheriff. You and I are going to talk. Several hours later, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were holding their powerful mounts to a slow pace as they drew near to Bart's cabin. Where's Bart's place, Kimosami? Ah. He's supposed to hunt and trap for a living. The sheriff suspects, however, that he has no scruples against stepping outside the low every once in a while. Ah. He's known to have been a friend to Red and Slim. They're in the district. There's no doubt they'll get in touch with him. We make them talk? We'll see. First, we'll have a look around. If they've been here, we may be able to pick up their sign. A wind-spoiled trail, though. Yes. It's beginning to blow the dust around. Won't leave as much to go by unless we pick up something inside the cabin itself. Ah. See that granite shelving, Tonto? Ah. You see it? Pull up there when we reach it. It'll give you cover. We may not be welcome. If we aren't, they won't be able to pick you off and you can come to my aid if it's needed. Ah. But there shouldn't be trouble unless Red and Slim are there. And under the circumstances, that's hardly likely. All right, Tonto. This is it. Drop back. Ah. Most out. Oh. There's no sign of anyone but bar it around, old fella. He's there, though. There's a saddle beside the door. Must be his horse staked out in that pasture. Oh, boy. Oh. I seen you come and reach, Mr. Put down that shotgun. Stop right there. Come one step closer. You listen. Jimmy, don't try to draw. Look, I can pull this trigger before you get started. Stay back. Stay back, I'll tell you. I'm going inside. And take it. Oh. Good work, Tonto. Hey, hey. You're not hurt. Now inside with you. Out of my way. I ain't got nothing. He's trying to rob me. That isn't what I came for. What did you? Red and Slim escaped from the penitentiary. But you most likely know that already. They're after Judge Ellis. They're headed back for this district. What do you know of their whereabouts? Why should I know anything? You happen to be their friend. Luckily, Ellis is out of the town and no one knows just where he is. Red and Slim will have to wait for his return. And while they wait, they'll need supplies and a place to hide. You're the man that expect to help them. You think I'm a crook? Yes. Keep still. Maybe I'll remember that you were going to fire that shotgun at me a moment ago. I was just bluffing. Were you? Bart, what's this mean? Eh? These dirty dishes. There's quite a few for just one man, aren't they? Think it shows somebody's been here? It might. Then you got another thing coming. They don't mean nothing. I just ain't bothered to wash them lately. I see. What's all that blasting powder for? There's a couple old mines up in the hills I work once in a while. Anything else bothering you? It doesn't look as though anyone but you has been here. Because there ain't been. Very well. That's all. Well, I just wanted to look around. And by the way, Bart. Now, if your friends are around here, if they're hiding out somewhere close by and coming here at night for food and shelter, tell them I promise they'll hang before they harm Judge Ellis. Adios. Hey, old boy. Come on, Silver. Donald, follow me. How do I do it? Get him off the ground. Get him off the ground. 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. The masked man and Tonto drew rain again less than a mile from Bart's cabin. Oh, there's a little scout. Oh, heller. Oh, heller. Now, where are you going now? No farther than here. What do you mean? I'm not satisfied with my call on Bart, Kimasabi. Oh. Maybe I should have attempted force to make him talk. It didn't seem wise, however, with nothing to go on. Oh, not right. And everything seemed to be in order. There was nothing to indicate that Red and Slim might have been in the cabin recently. And yet... What do you think? Yet, Kimasabi, I have the feeling there was something right there before my eyes. Something I saw. Something important that I overlooked. What's that? That's just what I don't know. It's bothering me. I can do nothing about it. So we'll camp here. You can return to our old camp and get what we left there. Tonto do it. Here, we'll be in a position to keep our eye on the cabin without being discovered ourselves. Those killers do try to get in touch with Bart. We get them, huh? Right. Tonto, the wind's getting worse. That sky looks bad off to the west there. Looks heaped bad. Well, whether it means wind or rain, Kimasabi, we can't prevent it. At least we have shelter here. You'd better be on your way. Ah, me go now. Back soon. Good. Get him up, Scout. Get him up. And there we was. Down below there, underneath the floor, where we could hear every word he said. It's so funny, I thought Slim was going to bust out laughing so hard he'd give us away. Yeah, I almost did. Well, he was here and never saw nothing. It means as long as we're careful, you're safe. If he didn't see anything, neither will anybody else. He's probably close by. Spying on us? Sure. But there's nothing for us to worry about. He can't see in. This means we can't go out. But we have to. When the stage comes along... Yeah, Slim, we'll manage that. You, uh... You said the stage crosses that one particular stretch of trail about eight in the morning, Bart? Yeah. And that's all right. We'll sneak out of four sunup and we can't be seen. That'll give us just about the time we want to get there, fix the powder, lay the fuse, and get overhead out of sight. And it's us for the border, Slim. And a lesson taught to them as thinks they can jail us. The windstorm continued without a let-up. And 48 hours later, at the Lone Ranger's camp. Tonto, we've been here almost two days. We've kept constant watch on the cabin. And we've discovered nothing. Think they're not round? They're in the district. They must be somewhere close by. Hmm. Well, we'll wait another 24 hours. And then... Look somewhere else. We'll have to, Tonto. The stage returns with Judge Ellis tomorrow. When he reaches town, they'll strike. But the following morning, long before dawn, Red, Bart, and Slim were awake. While the mounting wind roared and screamed outside, shaking the cabin as though it would lift it up and hurl it against the rocky hills, Red and Slim completed their preparations for departure. All set, fellas? Yeah. Mm-hmm. Then get ready. I open the back door, slip out, make tracks. I told you how to find your horses where I hid them. Should be there in five minutes. You'll find your saddles easy. But after your saddle, lead your horses for a bit. Not my danger. That mass gumbra will hear you with all the racket the wind's making, but... It'll never hurt to play safe. You've got plenty of time. Sure. Got the blast and powder, Slim? Right here. And we're set. All right, Bart, open up. Right. Come, come, wind. Never seen it so fierce. All right, fellas, on your way. Come on, Slim. Let's go. The Lone Ranger, made uneasy both by the increasing power of the gale and the approaching arrival of Judge Ellis, was also awake and dressed before sunup. Tano watched him in silence. Although the masked man could not see it, he stared in the direction of the cabin as if trying to find the answer to a question. Suddenly and so swiftly that Tano instinctively drew back, he turned and shouted, Tano called Scouts. Here, Tano. Kemosame, remember that I told you something in the cabin bothered me? It didn't seem to fit in. Ah, me remember. I think I've got it. To the cabin, Tano. Forget the saddles. We haven't a minute to waste. Come on, Tano. Hey, oh boy. Hurry. Oh, Tano. Oh, Tano. Oh, Tano. Wait for me. Barsk, when I was here the other day, Red and Slim had already been here before me. You don't know what you're talking about. I ain't seen them. Those dishes. You said you'd let them gather for several days. I saw nothing suspicious about it at the time because you're not the only man living alone who does the same. And what in the... There were several dishes. All of them soiled with food. And all of them soiled at the same time. You're a loco. You told me the truth. The food on some of those plates would have had time to dry out. I don't know what you... But none had. Don't try to tell me you use more than one plate at one meal, Bart. I won't believe it. Now, wait. Julie, the... The blasting powder. The powder you had on that shelf is gone. Bart, where are Red and Slim? You can go to places. Talk! Take out! There. Now, I'll fix you. I'll fix you. All right, you rest. Pour it out! I'm not finished with you, Bart. Up on your feet. Let go. Let go of me. Ready to talk. I won't. You can't make me. I'll let go. A man's life depends on your talking, Bart. I've just started. I can keep this up as long as you keep still. Up with you. Up on your feet. Oh, please. Don't hit me, kid. I'll talk. I'll talk. That's better. Out with it. They're headed for the trail just below Eagle Crest. That's the way the stage comes. They'll blow it up. They're on the way there now. I... Don't hit me. Don't hit me. Tonto, come here. What's going on? Tonto, follow up. Tie him up so we'll be here when we get back. Tonto, do it. Then we ride. With Bart securely lashed to a table, the masked man and Tonto leaped to the backs of their powerful stallions and raced madly through the terrific windstorm toward the trail. As the sun rose higher above the horizon, the masked man heard silvered at greater and greater speed. Hurry, boy! Hurry, hurry! Stretch out those great legs of yours, old fellow! We miles to go! Come on, old fellow! Come on! Get him up, scum! Get him up! Come on, old boy! Come on, scum! In the meantime, Red and Slim, reaching their goal, laid the powder and attached the fuse, then dropped a tree across the trail to make certain the stage would have to stop long enough for the blast to take effect. Finally, they concealed their horses and climbed to the edge of the cliff, towering overhead. They were panting from their exertions when they reached the top end. There. The fuse stretched, Slim. Here, let me give you a hand. Oh, thanks. I almost didn't make it. The wind just pulled it. The fuse! Right here. It was just enough. Oh, gosh, Redby. We should have rode up here. See over there? The horses could have made it up that way. Then how'd we get the fuse here? Yeah, I guess that's right. Hold on. Doggone winds both strong enough to blow you away. I've never seen a wind like this. Bad, ain't it? Wasn't this bad when we started out? It's been getting worse. And we're right where it can get a clean sweep at us. Look there. Away from the cliff here, it's flat as the top of a bar for miles. Look. Ain't that sky something to see? Purple, gray and brown. Looks sick like. Yeah. Well, keep your eyes on the trail. It's stretched below us to the south there, you can see. I want to know when the stage is coming. Come on, Silver. You got the time on you? Red, turn around. Over there. What? Slim, it's that mask man. And the Reds can win? After us. What'll we do? Slim, let him have it. Turn him back. Right. Pull up there. Pull up for a stop, Red. Bring up, Cabo. Oh, over. Oh, over. Oh, over. They've seen us. They're firing. Back, Silver. Back out of range, you go, Scout. Surrender. Or we'll come after you. Give yourselves up. What them say? It's hard to tell. The wind's making too much noise. But they don't mean to surrender, or they wouldn't be firing. Come, Tano. We'll work closely. Take advantage of every bit of cover you can find. We'll shoot. You know what? A tornado. It come this way. Tano. It's heading right for the edge of the cliff where those fellas are standing. And they weren't too busy firing at us. They'd see it. Well, watch out. Look behind you. Hey, there. Behind you. Don't embrace his kids or hoots. Blast this wind. It's spoiling my aim. Come on. Don't listen to that, Armory. Fill up. Tano. They don't understand me. That's right. Crooks or not, I can't let them stay there. I'm going after them. Run. You wait. Don't go there. You get killed. Stay back where you were. Watch out. Run for it. Run for it. You get down. Tano, let's do it. There's wind. It's heat. As swiftly as it had come, the tornado passed to be followed by a light rain. The Lone Ranger and Tonto mounted. Once more, they stopped at the place where Red and Slim had tried to kill them. Done for, Kimo Sabe. Because they were so anxious to kill, it blinded them to their own danger. There's the stage. Where, Tonto? Look, down. Yes. We've been 30 minutes later getting here. And them died. But now they can go on to town in safety. They'll most likely never know how close they came to disaster. Well, Tonto, back to the cabin. We'll pick up Bart and take him into town. Maybe the sheriff's only prisoner, Kimo Sabe. I'm sorry we can't take the others in. But maybe... What do you think? Maybe, Tonto, they were punished by a higher justice than the law. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. I'll go, Silver. Silver. You have just heard as a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated.
