the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. ...of the western United States. A few outlaw leaders became so strong that they not only seized cattle, but property as well, and set themselves up as the largest ranchers in their counties. The local sheriffs were powerless against them, and they might never have paid the penalty for their crimes if it had not been for the masked rider of the plains. His strength and courage were always on the side of right against might. It was he more than any other man who brought law and order to a lawless frontier. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats to the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! We're heading north! Late one afternoon, two horsemen rode side by side over the winding trail that led to Martin's Point. Although it was winter, the ground was still free of snow. An unusual thing for that time of the year, for this was the high Montana country. A badge marked one of the horsemen as the sheriff, while his companion, Atlas in spite of the cold, was distinguished by a shock of coarse red hair. The sheriff's features were fixed in an angry scowl. The other man grinned at him and... Careful there, boy. Well, Sheriff, then it weren't so accidental after all, you meeting up with me on the trail this way, huh? I've warned you, Red. Think it's funny? That's your lookout. Yeah. Well, what would you say I ought to do? Sell my place and vamoose? That wouldn't be a bad idea. What if I don't? And I'll keep my promise. You ain't so slick, Red. You slip up one of these days, and when you do, I'll jail you. Just hope I get enough on you to see your hand. You mind my telling you something, Sheriff? What? You're a fool. Yeah? Who's the biggest rancer in this county? You are. Uh-huh. And who is it tells folks around here what to do? You. Up until now. Up until now. Sheriff, don't you go making any mistake. I've been telling them, I still am, I'm always going to. Don't worry none about that. And if you had any brains, fellow, you'd quit trying to push me around and get over on my side. And we'll never be. No? No. First place, when I took office, I swore I pulled the law. I gave my word. I ain't selling out to folks that voted me in. Second reason, ain't got nothing to do with this badge I'm wearing. It's personal. I don't like skunks. Never did. Especially when they wear pants like you. Sheriff, ain't that pretty strong talk? To the fellow that pies and deeks him his cows? Go ahead, Sheriff. Shoot off your mouth. If it makes you feel any better, I don't mind. If you could prove anything, we wouldn't be riding like this. That'd be behind bars this minute. You either killed Bob Peasley's brother or had someone do it for you. Jake Wallace borrowed money from you. Later on, he paid you back and you gave him a receipt. And you stole that receipt and made him pay over again. Sheriff, you get funnier every second. There's other things plenty, just since you come here. I wonder what kind of a dirty game you played before you hit this state. Yeah. Well, I've declared myself red. But if I was you, there's something else I'd be worrying about. What's that? What the folks you've cheated are likely to do. What can they? I don't mean inside the law. No. I mean what they're likely to do when they get tired waiting for the law to catch up with you. What they'll do when finally they decide the best thing for fighting fire is more fire. I don't get it. I guess you do. Anyhow... If you don't, I'll make it plain. What the... Oh, boy. Hold that. Bob Peasley. Hey, you loco. Would you put down that gun? Nope. And don't you go for yours. Neither one of you. Hey, what in blazes is this? I've been waiting here for you, Red. I didn't know the sheriff would be with you. But that don't make no difference. Figured on giving myself up afterwards anyhow. Hmm? After what? After I drilled this sneaking coyote. Why, you kidding me? I heard what you said just now, Sheriff. And you hit it square. I'm one of them fellas who's got plumb sick and tired of waiting for the law to take care of this hombre. Hey, wait. You killed Ned. Now, listen. You dry goats, the kid, like the sneaking side one that you are. You never gave him a chance. No. Well, you ain't getting a chance with me neither. Bob, don't go crazy. I ain't talking. I'm acting. Bob, no, wait. Listen. You're all wrong. Honest you are. You don't know what you're doing, what you're talking about. Now, let me tell you the facts. Now, listen. Shut up. No, put that gun away. You yellow-crying pull, Ted. No, Bob. Hey, don't take it. Oh! All right, Tato. Take up his gun. Oh, let me get him. Amass me. What the... You... you shot my gun away. Quiet. I'd like to... I saved. You were hanging. Vickers. Me? You. On your way. Get going. What? You heard me. Move along and keep moving. Say, who in thunder you think you are, mister? The man who's giving you your orders. Well, I don't... You don't want to take them? All right. Now, hit the trail. My next shots will be closer. Yeah, I'm going, stranger. Don't shoot. Don't shoot. I'm going. Get up, boy. Get up. Get up. Stranger, maybe you ain't noticed it, but I'm all around here. And you and I, Sheriff, are on the same side. Hmm? Or have you changed? Has Red Vickers scared you into backing him? Mister, I'll whip the man that says that's true. Then what are you going to do about this fellow? Punish him for attempting to bring justice to a man you haven't been able to touch? Bob, what in the dickens got into you anyhow? Don't he deserve killing? Hasn't he had it coming to him since the first day he come to this county? Yep. Reckon he has. But after you've taken things into your own hands, what do you reckon would have happened to you? Well, I'd have been jailed, I guess. Think it'd been worth it? A thousand times over. Maybe. If there weren't a better way to handle the situation. Huh? You seem to know an awful lot about things around here, stranger. How come? It was news of this situation that brought Tonto and me to your county. Yeah? Although it was just luck that we chose this trail to reach town and saw this fellow hiding here with a gun in his hand. So that's how you happened to meddle. Right. And lucky for you, Bob, he did. Stranger, just who are you? Well, that doesn't matter. Well, I... What does matter is the fact that Tonto and I can get you the evidence you want. Huh? A witness who not only can send Red Vickers to jail, but to the rope. You're telling me the truth? I am. Where is that gent? Some distance from here. Lead me to him and I... You stay here where you belong and keep things under control. So that no one else makes an attempt on Red's life. What is it? Here, Silver. Here, Count. You do that, Sheriff? Will you hold the lid on the trouble in this district until we can bring you the man you want? This ain't a trick of some kind, is it, stranger? Have I asked anything I shouldn't? Is there anything I can gain by this? Not that I can see. How long will you fellas be gone? Perhaps ten days, not over two weeks. And the hombre you're after? Knew Red Vickers several years ago. He saw Red commit a murder, but was afraid to tell the law what he knew. He disappeared. Tonto and I hunted for him for months. Now we've got a clue to his whereabouts. And I'm sure we can persuade him to talk. Mister? Well? You made a bargain. Bring me that gent and you can ask what you want. Yep. We'll ask just one thing. Yeah? The rope for Vickers. Mister, he'll get it. Good. Ready, Tonto? Uh-huh. Then come. Hail, Silver! Get him out of the way! Tonto. Silver. The mask that Armie was wearing. Sheriff, I'll bet that mask man's the Lone Ranger? Yeah. Young fella, I guessed that right from the first. All right, Bob. Get your horse. Promise the mask man I'd keep watching in trouble. So I'll make a start by riding herd on you. I've been looking all over town for you. Well? Not what you want to know, boss. Got Bob to talk. I did? Ed, we'd better step down the end of the bar where we won't be heard. Yeah, come on. This'll do. I'll ride out with it. Red, that mask man was a Lone Ranger. What? Hey, you sure of that? Bob claimed he was. Well, I'll be switched. The Lone Ranger. Go on, what else you learned? Boss, I reckon once you made a mistake. What do you mean? The mask man's gone to find the fellow that's got something on you. What's that? And so Bob said, anyhow, said the mask man told him and the sheriff you drilled a fellow once. And there was another fellow around, seen you do it. Sam Foster. Huh? You know who the fellow is? Know him. I've been trying to locate that onry for the past five years. There's just one fellow alive can send me to the rope. And Sam Foster's the man. Boss, then that means you're in a doggone tough spot. What do you figure to do? What else, Bob say? He tell you when the mask man will be back? You say anything about where he was going? No. Then... But he won't be going along. I got that much out of him. What are you going to... Now, wait a second. I got to think this out. Hmm. Now, look, maybe this won't be so bad after all. Huh? I've always wanted to know where Foster disappeared to. I never found out. But maybe now the mask man will save me the trouble. What do you mean, Red? He's bringing Foster here. Yes. And we're going to set fellas to watch in every trail that leads to town. Come on. Let's get back to the rain. Howdy, Sheriff. Oh, it's you. Sure. Who'd you expect it to be? Well, I ain't seen you around for a week or so, Bob. In fact, ain't seen you since that day we met up with a mask man. Where you been? Well, I behaved myself by staying at home like you told me. Ha, ha, ha, ha, good. But that's what I dropped in for. Huh? I mean about the mask man. Like you said, it's been quite a spell since he left here. Told us he wouldn't be gone over ten days. Figure anything's happened to delay him? Well... Nothing happened. What? Who said that? I said it. I'm at the window. Well, I'll be... Sheriff, it's the mask man. Back again. Hey, go around back, mister, and I'll let you in. No. But, Sheriff... Sheriff, I have the man you want. He's waiting in camp with Tonto. Get to the saddle. We'll ride there at once. Come on, old fellow. Get up. Get up. Say, mister, how much farther we got to go? It's turning doggone cold, and I'm just about freezing. We're almost there. Our camp is just over this rise. Oh, I'm right glad of that. Stranger, I'm thinking it's right luck you got back when you did. Yes? Look to the northwest there. If that don't look like snow's on its way, I don't know what does. I think you're right. Uh-huh. And when snow comes to this part of the country, it don't take long for the trails to get blocked. You'd have had a fine time making it here. But we beat the storm, and that's all that matters. Well, there's our camp, Sheriff. We're... What's wrong? Where's Tonto? Must become a foster. I don't... They should be there waiting for us. But they're gone. Come on. Hurry, Silver. Come on, old fellow. Come on, boy. Get up there. Get up there. Come on, Silver. Get up there. Get up there. Oh, there's something. Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Look at those footprints. Sheriff, there have been a half a dozen horsemen here. Their signs are all over. Do you think there's been trouble, masked man? Think it? I know it. Tonto told me he'd wait until I returned. He's never willingly broken his word to me in his life. Hey, what's this paper nailed here to this tree? Give me that. It's a message of some sort. Here you are. What's it say, huh? Sheriff, neither Tonto nor Foster wrote this. Who did? The man who captured them. Captured them? Yes. But I... Captured them, Sheriff, and threatened to take their lives unless we buy them off. 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. When the masked man told his two companions of the threat that was contained in the ransom note, young Bob Peasley was all for immediate action. Masked man, how much them coyotes want? Five thousand dollars. Turned over to them the day after tomorrow. Or Tonto and Foster die. Now yell at us, sidewinders. Doggone it. What in blazes are we waiting for? There's their trail. We can't let them get away with this. Come on, we'll follow them. So, that's an idea. It can't be done. Oh, I reckon it could. I'm right handy at reading sign. And Bob, here ain't so bad himself. Why can't it? Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's already begun to snow. It's begun to come down, sure enough. In 15 minutes, every trace of that trail will be gone. Covered up. And we're sunk. That means... Yeah? That in order to save Tonto and Foster, we must meet their terms. Give in to them crooks? The lives of two honest men are at stake. But why... Hold it, Bob. The masked man ain't done. Least wise, I'm willing to bet he ain't. Got something else on your mind, ain't you, stranger? Perhaps I have. Mind telling us about it? All this was planned carefully long ago. It must have been. What's written in the message they left us couldn't have been figured out on the spur of the moment. He ain't told us all of it yet. What else it say? It tells how the money must be delivered. And how we can let them know if we agree to their terms. What's their instructions? Do you know Big Moose Valley? I sure do. Who don't? The day after tomorrow, one of us, unarmed, is to ride to the center of that valley with the money. And wait for it to be called for. Well, they promised to deliver their prisoners at the same time. Well, I'll be hogtied. The slick coyotes. I'll bet I can tell you why they chose that place. Yes? In the first place, anybody up in them hills can get a look at the valley from one end to the other. If one of us went there, but he wasn't alone, they'd know it right off. We'd never have a chance to hide a posse anyways nearby to grab them off. So that's it. Yeah, and I'll tell you what else. Oh? The bed of that valley is all cut up with gullies and dry arroyos. They don't mean for the man that delivers that cash ever to get away alive. They chose a place where he couldn't make a run for it. Cut up with gullies, huh? It is that stranger. Hundreds of them. Good. Huh? Tell me this, Sheriff. There's no doubt Red Vickers is behind this. If I give you my word to bring him to justice, can you promise me that $5,000 will be raised? Well, I... Oh, Sheriff, you know doggone well if it meant seeing Red jailed, every man in the county chip in. I'll put up $1,000 myself. Well, the cash could be raised all right, but you've heard what the masked man just told us, Bob. With a setup like that, how's Red to be caught? Stranger, ain't you figuring to get Foster free, then have him testify again Red afterwards on that murder charge? No. If Red's behind us, he'll never keep his word. He can't afford to. He'll attempt to take the cash, then murder the man who brought it, and his prisoners as well. Then how do you figure... You'll have something else in mind. Sheriff, get that money, and I'll ride the big moose valley. On arm? Yes. Are you clean, loco? No. Sounds to me, masked man, like you're asking to get drilled. Do as I say. And I promise not only that Red will be jailed, but that the money will be returned as well. Oh, in that duration you can promise that, I don't know. But I can, Sheriff, and I'll keep that promise on one condition. Yeah? That it continues to snow. All right, Red. Huh? Say, what in tarnation you doing in town? Did you forget telling me to come in and report? Oh, yeah, that's right. Everything all right? Never tried to trail us. Reckon the snow kept them from it. The engine and Foster are tied up in that old line cabin. The boys stand guard. Why? What are you doing here staring out the window when there's liquor to be had over at the bar? Waiting. Huh? Waiting for what? To see if they're going to get the cash and pay up. Oh. Well, I suppose... Wait. What's the matter? The sheriff just left his office. Now we'll know. I don't save him. Now watch what he does. Huh? Looks to me like he's just going to nail up some reward notices outside. Uh-huh. Two of them. One above the other. He's fixed them to the porch. Say, is that me? No, that's the signal. It means they will. Tomorrow we collect. Everything's set. Doggone. What's the matter? The matter? Not a thing. Boss, you're slick. You think so? Anybody will stop to look at a Dodger. Uh-huh. So if they're watching to see who's interested, they won't be able to tell a thing. Which is why I've done it this way. Uh-huh. And tomorrow at this time, you can lay what you want on it. The cash we asked for will be sent to the valley. Well, stranger. One thing you wanted sure come true. What's that, Sheriff? The snow. Look at it. Ain't stopped falling yet. Look how it's filled up them cuts there. Why? What's hailing you? See anything funny? Uh, sorry, Sheriff. No offense, man. Just was laughing at something you said, is all. Yeah? What was that? About the snow filling up them cuts. I don't see nothing funny in that. You would if you knew the masked man's scheme. What? Forget it, Bob. You'll learn everything soon enough, Sheriff. Where's the money? Right here in this pool. But listen here. How come Bob knows what you're planning when I don't? I needed his help. This is the second time we rode out this way, Sheriff. Him and me was to the valley last night. I don't get this. We had certain preparations to make. Yeah, pulling up weeds and bushes and platinum again. Hey, what kind of foolish talk is this? Not as foolish, Sheriff, as it may sound. I better tell your men to halt. You can't ride much farther with me or you'll be seen. Hold on, fellas! Oh, boy. Oh, boy. Hello, Silver. Oh, boy. I'm leaving these guns with you, Sheriff. Yeah, take them. You mean you're really going in there with nothing to fight with? Yes. Mister, you can do what you please. But no matter what you're scheming, I wouldn't meet them coyotes without packing irons for all the golden hills. Take them. All right. Now give me the money. Here you are. Then we're set. Stay in these hills where you won't be seen. Make no attempt to enter the valley until two hours from now. You'll be seen before you get close enough to identify them. Uh-huh. Now trust me, Sheriff. Golly, he does. This money will be returned. Well, that don't matter so much. And Toto and Foster will be released alive. That does. Come on, Silver. Hurry, old boy. Hurry! Look over there. A horseman. Alone? The laws may be hiding back there in the hills. Uh-huh. But it'll never catch us in a million years. Abe, you lead the horse the engine's tied to, and you, Slim, you lead that other chance. All right, Ray. We're riding down there, collecting that cash. And then blasting the three of them. Come on, fellas. Let's go. Come on. Get up. Get up. Get up. Steady, Silver, old fella. They're coming now. Toto's with them. And Foster. Here. This way, old fella. This way. A little farther. There. We know they'll have to approach from the direction we want. Stop where you are. Leave your prisoners where they are. Come on without them. What's that? Do as I say, or you'll never lay your hands on this money. What do you think you're up to, fella? Don't argue. If you want this money, you'll take your orders from me. What do you think of Amber's planning? I got a good idea. Yeah? He likely suspicions we're going to drill him when we've collected. He likely thinks if we leave the engine and Foster behind, he'll have a chance to run for it if he's double-crossed. The only thing is, though, he don't know they can't make a break because they're tied. Sure, we'll leave him behind. Come on, fellas. Get up there, boys. Get up there. Get up. Get up there. We're doing like you say, mister. What's it look like we're doing? Careful where you ride, boss. There's cutbacks and arroyos all through here. Snow's filled, most of them up. Why don't you stay on solid ground? See them bushes and weeds? Uh-huh. Well, they show us just where we got solid footing and where we ain't. Just head for there. Get up, fella. Get up there. Get up. Get up. All right, mister. You get that cash. Watch out. Two hours are up, Sheriff. Let's get going. Right. Boys, follow me. Get up there. Get up there. Get up there. The rope's tethered. Feel all right? Uh-uh. Foster? I was tired of feeling like I got pins stuck in me all over, mass, man. I'm fit as a fiddle. Fine. There comes the sheriff. He'll soon have these fellas rounded up. Sheriff will be here in a moment, Red. You can explain all that to him. Now you can cut that. How did he get you? Right here, Sheriff. Bottom of this gully. Well, I'll be... I'll look at them, fellas. As if they'd fell into a bear pit. Sheriff, that's where them weeds and bushes I was telling you about came in handy. This is what Bob and I prepared last night, Sheriff. The snow had filled this gully to the brim. When we planted bushes on the surface, it looked as if it were solid ground. Red led his men directly into it. And here's your money as I promised. It wasn't needed. Sheriff, you said Red was slick. Well, slick as he was, he met up with somebody a whole heap slicker. Take them armies into jail, Sheriff. Sheriff, and when you do, don't forget to thank the Lone Ranger. I'll steal my heart. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
