A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. When the days of Indian massacres had passed in the western United States, and the settlers had planted their feet on the road to civilization, there were still many obstacles in their way. Crooked promoters and confidence men took the place of the old outlaws. It was an era of speculation, and they reaped a golden harvest. But finally, the masked rat of the plains declared war on them and drove them from the country. 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 for Clearwater! There's going to be trouble! I know, Silver! Two men sat at a corner table in the cafe at Clearwater and... Well, Bowers, we can't be heard here. What'd you send for me for? Got something up your sleeve? Vogel, how'd you like to be a banger? What? Sure. The big iron safe and your name painted on the window and everything. How's it sound, eh? Vogel, banker. You're crazy. You think so? Look, Bowers, I've traveled almost a thousand miles to get here after I read your letter. You said you had a scheme worth thousands. Well, either you have or you haven't. If you have, quit the joking and get down to business. It makes you think I'm nuts. But a bank, I don't... I'm not back east now, Vogel. Well, I know, but I don't... This is a new territory. You know, they say the first two buildings to go up in every new town are a bank and a saloon. I'm telling it to you straight. There ain't a thing between here and the border to stop us from being bankers. But how'd we get charters? You don't have to. Huh? You know, I was talking to a gen a couple of weeks ago. He's a banker. I asked him how he got started. Well, he told me he had an empty store in his hands and didn't know what to do with it. So he painted bank on the front of it. Well, pretty soon the fellow moseyed in, deposited a couple hundred in cash. Next day, a couple more fellows come in, deposited some more. Well, sir, you know what he told me? What? He said less than a week went by before he got enough confidence in that there bank to put in $50 of his own. Well, doggone. It sounds like a joke, don't it? But sure as I'm sitting here, it really happened. All right, we start a bank. Then what? Skip out with the funds? Well, then how do you... I need piker money. Now, I've got a better scheme. You have? What? We start two banks. Huh? I'll start one here. Desert Wells is about a hundred miles west of here. That's where you start. I don't get it. Then we put out paper money. We can do that? Sure. As much as we can pay to have printed. Now, wait a minute, Bowers. Wait a minute. We put out that money, and then what happens when someone brings it in to get silver or gold? If they come to your place, you take back your paper money and give them mine. And if they go to you... I give them yours. And we can get away with that. Why not? There's worse being done every day. Bowers? Well? I don't believe it. You don't? But doggone if I don't give it a try. Is this here in the Clearwater Valley Bank? It is, sir. What can I do for you? I sold my place a couple of days ago. Oh, yes. Had to take in some of your paper money to make the deal. Oh? It's good, ain't it? Huh? Oh, well, certainly. And here it is. I'm turning it in for redemption. Ah. Two thousand dollars. Yes, sir. One moment. Of course I'll redeem it. Ah, there you are, sir. Two thousand dollars. Hope I can serve you again. Yeah. The bank of Desert Wells. Hey, what kind of money is this? You mean to say you don't know where Desert Wells is? Sure. Sure, but I meant... Sir, that money is as good as gold. Oh, the Clearwater Bank said your money was as good as gold, mister. So I thought... Yes, yes, one moment. 1950, 1990, two thousand. There you are. Count it for yourself, please. Sure, I always... By a sudden, mister, what's going on here? What's going on? I'm afraid I don't understand. No? Well, you listen to me. I took Clearwater money to their bank, and they give me yours. Yes. And they come clear over here to you, and you give me Clearwater cash right back again. Why, certainly. Just what's a big idea? Did you want to be cheated? You'll bet I don't. That's what I'm getting at. Then don't complain. I've paid you off with the soundest currency in the district. Well, can't I ever change this for gold? Are you trying to say the Clearwater bank can't be trusted? No, no, but I... I advise you not to. Such a charge is a very serious matter, sir. As I promised you'd learn if I reported it to my friend, Mr. Bowers. Hi, Barkey. Fill these up. Well, Bowers, it's working like a charm. And didn't I tell you it would? Yes, but I couldn't believe it. I've had $10,000 more printed. I'm having the same. Let's see now. What does that make all told? Almost $50,000, doesn't it? Sure it must. $50,000, you'll think of it. We've only just begun. This can't go on forever, though. Of course not. We'll go on playing long enough to suit me. We'll convert our securities into gold whenever we're able. Keep the gold handy. Well, it looks like the bubble's ready to break. With our moose, huh? Exactly. We disappear. Bugle, our careers as beggars may not be long, but you can take it from me. They'll be prosperous. Where's the barkeep of those drinks? That calls for a toast. It was a month later that the Lone Ranger and Tonto were riding along the trail not far from Clearwater and... Oh, oh, there's silver. Oh, boy. Oh, Tonto. Oh, Tonto. We'll camp here, Tonto. Not right on. I've changed my mind. We're staying in the district. Um, what we do? Tonto, when we caught up with Scar and turned him over to the sheriff, did you notice the paper money he had in his money belt? Uh, him have plenty. Him steal it. Of course. But that isn't what I meant. No? Most of it had been issued by a bank at Clearwater. Oh, me not see that. There's no reason why you should have. Unless you understood the situation, it wouldn't mean anything to you. Oh, what matter? Kimosabe, no new territory can be opened up successfully without banks to extend credit to the settlers. Uh-huh. But those same banks, without proper regulation, do the territory far more harm than good. Not right. And under present conditions, that's exactly what's happening. Banks are springing up everywhere, some with charters and some without. But most of them are issuing banknotes against the securities they hold without permission from the legislature. Um, money no good? Much of it isn't. Some is worth only about 10% of its face value. Others more. Now, wager not one bank in five of all those issuing banknotes. There's enough assets to redeem those notes and gold or silver on demand. Um, that why we stay? Yes, Tonto. When I saw those banknotes the sheriff took from Scar, I began wondering, what is this Clearwater Bank? Who's behind it? Oh, me not know. No. And what's more, I haven't a doubt that few around here do. This section's building up rapidly. Everyone's talking about the new towns that'll spring up, about the increase in land values there's certain will come. Um. Those towns will be built, Kemosabe, and values will rise. That'd be good. But what it's taken the soldiers, pioneers, and the trail breakers years to create, a money panic could destroy in one short week. Tonto, what the people of this district won't do, we shall. What that? Ask if you pointed. What's that? You hear? Shots. To the saddle, Tonto. Uh-huh. They came from beyond that hill. Follow me. Come on, sir. Get him up, scowl. Hurry, boy. Hurry. If I find you fellas on my face again, I won't waste time shooting over your heads. I'll put lead where it'll do the most good. Now get going. Don't forget that I mean what I say. Oh, troublemakers. Come on inside, Helen. Bob, do you think they'll come back? I reckon not. Their kind only makes trouble when you show you're afraid of them. Stand up to them and they'll leave you alone. You were wonderful. I did all right at that, didn't I? I was so frightened. Mm-hmm. Well, I don't blame you. I thought it was a hold-up myself at first. Drunk and hoodlums. I think because they pack guns and herd cattle for a living, they can pick on homesteaders whenever they want to. Well, I guess I showed them. Bob. Huh? They, they weren't crooks, of course, but, but they might have been, and, and if they had... What do you mean? Bob, I, I suppose you'll just laugh at me again, but, but I was thinking of our savings. The house just isn't the place to keep money. We're so far from town, and, and if somebody did hold us up... Oh, started on that again, huh? Well, I don't care. The place to keep our money's in the bank. Mm-mm. Not for me. But, Bob, don't you see... Not these banks, Helen. We're not in the east now. We're out west. What do we know about these banks? No. Now, that money stays where it is. Oh, but if you'd only see... Hey, what the... What's going on here? What's the trouble? The mask, man? Why are you... Don't, Bob. Don't. He'll shoot you. Go on my arm. Oh, please, no. There's no need to reach for that gun, young fella. They get this mask. I'm no crook. Then what do you want... Dono and I heard shots from this direction. Sounded like trouble. We came to investigate. You don't mean to rob us? Of course not. Golly. I thought this time it was a hold-up for sure. Well, thanks for getting here, but we weren't in trouble. Not bad trouble, anyhow. No? We just had a little set-to with some cowboys. They stopped to water their horses and then started acting up. Thought they'd give us a scare, I guess, but, well, I sent them on their way. I'm glad to hear it was nothing worse. You, uh... You say you're not an outlaw? I'm not. But that mask... Now, now, don't ask questions, Ellen. Oh, I just meant... Well, that's all right. The mask doesn't mean what it seems to mean. You're new to the West, aren't you? I haven't been here more than a month. Well, you may learn before you're here much longer that sometimes there's need for others besides crooks to hide their identities. I'll leave you. But if you do have trouble, fire three shots. We're kept close enough to hear them. Oh, say, listen, stranger. Adios. I'll be switched. Bob, who could he be? Gosh, I couldn't even make a guess. Do you think... Huh? He said others besides crooks sometimes had to hide their identities. Yes, that's it. It must be. Must be what? He's a vigilante. They wear masks. Gosh, you think so? Of course. Hey, maybe you're right. What else could he be if he's not an outlaw? Well, I don't know. But vigilante or not, that was one too many scares for me. Bob, what are you... Now, where's the box we put that money in? You mean... I guess you were right. Oh, here it is. Try my hat, will you? You're going out? This money's going to the Clearwater Bank. Oh, thank goodness. You may not be so safe, but it can't help being safer than here. 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. For a week, the Lone Ranger and Tonto quietly pursued their investigation of the Clearwater Bank. And then one evening, they turned their mounts toward the cabin belonging to the young couple from the east. We'll soon be there, Tonto. Ah. I think Bob's the man to help us. He hasn't been in the district long, but he seems we'll make a good many friends. Him, good power. And people trust him, which would make him ideal for our purpose. That's right. Of course, we don't know for sure as yet that Bowers is a crook. In spite of appearances, his bank at Clearwater may be sound. But we'll know more about that when we see how he acts after that fellow at Desert Wells gets the letter I sent him. A fellow named Vogel? That's the one, Kimo Sabe. From all I can gather, he and Bowers seem to be rather closely connected. Ah. Each has established a bank. Vogel at Desert Wells and Bowers at Clearwater. Ah. Both banks were started at about the same time. And each without authority to do so is printed and circulated banknotes. And them print plenty cash. Yes, that's another point. People don't realize how much of that money is in circulation around here. If they did, they might begin to wonder how banks their size could possibly have the backing to issue those amounts. Ah. But the most suspicious circumstance is that neither bank, unless you absolutely insist, will redeem its paper money in gold. They do so only when they must to avoid trouble. The rest of the time, they pay out only paper money. Them crooks, all right. Well, I'll be surprised if we find they aren't. There's the cabin, Tonda. Ah. Tonda, see it. There's the light. They're home. Ah. This'll do. They'll rain up. Oh, sorry. Oh. Oh, Scott. Oh, Scott. Alan, it's them. Strange. I didn't think you'd ever show up. I was beginning to think you hadn't heard in the shots. Shots? There's been trouble. You mean you didn't hear them? We've been to Desert Wells. We've just come back. Oh. What's happened? Why did you signal us? Well, I don't know, stranger. Maybe I was just foolish. It wasn't trouble like you meant, I guess. No? Well, maybe I shouldn't even bother you with it. Well, tell him, Bob. He might know what we can do. Go ahead. Well, stranger, it's like this. The day after we met you that time, Helen and I got to talking it over, and we decided we'd like to buy that 80 acres just west of our place. Yes. So I went to the bank and drew out the money for it and took the stage for Ridgeville. Well, that's where the fellow lives who owns that piece. Go on. Well, he wanted to sell all right, but when I got there, he wouldn't take my money. And we just about had to have that land, or we won't have enough to make a living on until we get the rest of ours cleared off. He wouldn't take your money? Why? Well, it was paper money put out by the bank in town. He just laughed at me. Said whenever he sold land, it would be for gold and not for shin plasters put out by some no-good wildcat bank. And then? I took the money back to the bank and asked for gold instead. But Mr. Bowers, the fellow who runs it, wouldn't give me gold. He's just been putting me off. Says the money's perfectly all right, but I'll have to wait a while. I see. What would we do? We must have that land. If you'd attempted to buy it from anyone else, the money you offered most likely would have been accepted. It was just your misfortune to find the land owned by a man shrewd enough to realize that paper money can never be worth more than the bank behind it. And the bank isn't any good? I'm sorry, Bob. I'm afraid it isn't. Oh, but that would mean a... Savings. Everything we have. What do we do? That's what Tonto and I wrote here to tell you. Huh? I have a plan that calls for your help. You have? Now that your own savings are threatened, you should be willing to give it. It's a plan that'll give me back real money? You and all the others Bowers has victimized. You hear that, Helen? Spanger, if you've got a plan like that, I'll do any doggone thing you say. Good. And you won't have to wait long. No? I wrote a letter which I didn't sign to a man named Vogel at Desert Wells. What do you mean? I suspect that he and Bowers are in this thing together. They are? Vogel should get that letter tomorrow. I believe in a couple of days after that, Vogel will arrive in Clearwater. And then things will begin to happen. Whoa, boy, whoa. Whoa there, whoa. I could have found out. If I knew who wrote this, wait till Bowers sees it. Bowers! Hey, Bowers, where the dickens are you? Plenty. Go on. Somebody's found out about us. Here, look here. Careful, you fools. Someone might come in. But I want you... You're inside my office. We'll close the door. Now, what's wrong? Take it. Read it. A letter? Can't you read? Aren't you getting a little excited? Calm down. Calm down? Go ahead. Read that. Then let's see how much you calm down. Be quiet for a moment. I will read it. What the... Vogel, when'd you get this? Day before yesterday. And you've just let me know? You think a man travels a hundred miles in a couple minutes? You think I didn't let you know as soon as I could? You understand what this means? Just as much as you do. We're finished. I knew that. I wish I knew who'd written this. They must have come here from the East and recognized us. It's awful. I'll rob no luck. Who's crying about that now? The same thing's happened to others. You can't never go so far that nobody recognizes you someplace, sometime. Yeah. But what we've got to do is decide what we're going to do now. Whoever the fellow is, he said he's going after the United States Marshal. When he gets back... There'll be an investigation. And we'll be lucky if we don't end up being lynched. Wait. What? The only Marshal is clear at the other end of the territory. Well? He can't be brought here in less than a week. Then what? Bogo. Get back to Desert Wells just as fast as you can. Yeah? You've turned everything into gold? Sure. And ship it out by stage for the East. When the stage reaches clear water, I'll put mine with it. And then? We'll wait just long enough to avoid suspicion. Then clear out and follow. Right. Get going. Bowers, I'm on my way. When you get back... Hey. Redskin. What thunder are you doing in here? Me? No, Sammy. Bowers. You must have heard us. Just a second. Injun, you speak white man's tongue, huh? You savvy, pale-faced lingo? Hmm. Me? No, Sammy. You want something? Uh. Me? No, Sammy. Yeah. Don't need to worry about him, Vogel. Idiot just wandered in here for a place to loaf. Fool, Redskin. How to keep him out of town. Go on, Vogel. Get started. I'll be back, Bowers. Before you know it. So they're getting their gold ready for shipment east, huh, Tonto? That's right. That's exactly what I wanted them to do. Tonto, ride for Bob's place. Tell them the men, if Bowers sends a shipment east, he's to go into action. Ah. And I'll meet you at camp. That's right. Get him up, Scout. Get him up. All right, old fellow. Let's go. Come on, old boy. Come on. Tonto, you go back and tell that mess, man. I'll keep an eye on things. That good. But when Bowers sends that gold, I'll start talking. And before he and that crooked sidekick of his can leave town, there'll be the biggest run on that Clearwater bank that any bank ever seen. Vogel returned to Desert Wells, sent his gold east by stage, then hurried back to Clearwater to rejoin his partner. Bowers shipped the gold in his possession by the same stage. And when this had been done, the two partners breathed a sigh of relief. That night, however, as the stage careened over the rocky trail, Get along, you critters. Get up there. Get up there. What the... Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. Mask. Hold up. Oh, there. Oh, back. Oh. Listen, you fellas. You're making a mistake. I ain't carrying anything worth the stealing. You can't... Don't give us that. I tell you... You're carrying two strong boxes. Throw them down. Oh, stop lead. On the following day, Vogel and Bowers started a methodical destruction of all the records of the bank. Bowers, what about this stuff? What is it? The letters we wrote each other before I came here. Eh, I'll throw them in a stove. Eh, that's best. I wish I could figure it out. Figure out what? Didn't you say when you came down to open up this morning, you found the back door had been broken open? I did. But we'd got rid of everything worth stealing, so what of it? I just wish we knew who was in here. You reported to the sheriff? I'd have the sheriff nosing around in here where we don't want him. Yeah, yeah. I didn't think of that. Just some crook. Why do we care who he was? Well, I guess it don't matter. Of course it doesn't. Come on, let's finish up here. Uh-huh. Hey, there's someone out front. Yeah, I'll see what he wants. Yes? Mister? Come here. Give me somebody. I'm drawing out every doggone penny I put in here. What do you want? Don't waste time talking. I want that cash before the others get here. Dog gone. Here they come now, mister. You hurry up. Logo, you better come out here. I'll be glad to give you your money, sir. How much did you have coming? Oh, no, you don't. You ain't paying me off in paper money this time. You're giving me gold. This is just... Hey, if this bank is going to go bust, I want my safety. Please don't leave. I got my slip all made out. Yeah, give me my cash if somebody around here is going to get drilled. Yeah, wait. We want our money. Hey, wait. There's nothing wrong with this bank. There's no need to get excited. Go home, think it over, and then... We've started over. And we want our money in gold, and we'll bust this place wide open. Yeah. Here's some of your paper cash. Give me gold for that. I got some, too. I want my safety. Where's mine, you dirty crook? Quiet, please. Quiet. Please. Just listen a minute. Now, hold it. Let's see what they got to say. Men, no bank can pay off everyone in gold on demand. You ought to know that. And, uh... And what? Well, there's been hold-ups. We've sent our securities east for safekeeping. It'll take a little time to get them back. If you'll just wait... If you fellas time to sneak away, nothing doing. We don't believe a word of it. You pay us off now, I'll get lynched. But we can't, men. I swear we can't. You're asking the impossible... Don't listen to the men. They have gold here in spite of what they say. The mask man, who's that? You don't believe me? Open that door and look there in that storeroom. Come on, fellas. Maybe the mask fella knows what he's talking about. Oh, come on. Yeah. Come on. There's the door, he means. There's nothing in there. You can look all you want, but we're telling you the truth. We haven't got anything. Look here. Yeah, that's it. There's two strong boxes. And they're not locked. Come on, look them along. Oh, you did lie to us, huh? You said you didn't have no gold on hand. And you had it hidden away all the time. They were going to cheat. That proves you're crooks. No, no. What do we do with gents like them? Tar and feather them. I'll put them on the rail. Come on. They're left gold. What are we waiting for? Grab them. Well, whatever they get, they'll deserve. And stranger, they'll get plenty. If they hadn't been crooked, they wouldn't have been alarmed when they received my letter. I said only that I was going to prevent their swindling people out here the same way they had in the east. And knowing they were guilty, they were scared sick. Then you and Tonto brought the gold back here last night. Bob, you'll have to take care of that. Huh? Find the sheriff. Get him to take charge. That gold should cover most of the obligations of both banks. And the sheriff will see it's disurbeded fairly. You come, Tonto? Stranger. Yes? I know you won't be back to thanks, so I'm thanking you for the whole town. Adios. Bob? Yes. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated.
