Forced with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty, Hi-yo, silver, the Lone Ranger. Gold and silver were discovered in the western United States. Miners and prospectors, criminals and desperadoes, farmers and storekeepers, joined the flood of emigration into the new territory. Many of them made rich strikes, but to have was not to hold. Fortunes were won and lost overnight. Gambling flourished, and with it, violence and bloodshed. It was in this wild and lawless country that the masked rider of justice met his most exciting adventures. 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 along, silver! We're heading for the hill country! It's going to be... On the outskirts of the small mining town of Dry Forks, Betty Mason beat her fists against a cabin door. Tom! Tom Andrews, let me in! Oh, thank heavens I got here in time. Betty, what are you doing here? Close that door quick, Tom. I'm not supposed to be here. What's the matter? What's wrong? It's Uncle Jed. I ran all the way. I was afraid he'd get here before I did. Well, hello. What's your uncle up to now, Betty? Drop that chair and tell us all about it. That's all right. I can't stay but a minute, Mr. Andrews. I just wanted to tell you, my uncle's on his way here. Yep, Mason's coming here. Shakes alive. What's he doing that for? He's been drinking again. He was making threats to all his men about what he was aiming to do to you, Mr. Andrews. That one repooled cat. What was he saying, Betty? He said he was tired of hearing the things you and your father were saying about him. He said he was going to drive you clean out of this county if it was the last thing he did. Hmm. Reckon I ain't told nothing but the truth. It doesn't make any difference to Uncle Jed, Mr. Andrews. And you and Tom can't stand up against him either. He's got too many men working for him. He's too powerful. Reckon that's for us to decide, Betty. Us, Andrews, always was stubborn folks, Betty. We don't get into things easy, but once we are in, we don't back out. But, Tom, if you were hurt or killed... Don't you worry none about me, honey. Pa and me can take care of ourselves. You don't know Uncle Jed when he's angry, Tom. He won't stop at nothing. Why, if he knew I was here, he'd... What would he do to you, Betty? Well, he couldn't do much worse than he has. Ever since Pa died, he's been mean and hard, and since he found out I knew the truth about what he did to you and your Pa, he's been worse than ever. I'll teach that coyote a lesson if I ever get my hands on him. No, Tom. There's been too much trouble now. It wouldn't do us no good to get on the wrong side of the law, son. Oh, I know, Pa, but I can't... Besides, I'm the one to settle with Jed. I've been aiming to do that for a long time now. Ever since that thieving polecat stole the Silver Star away from me. That's part of what he's mad about. What do you mean, Betty? He thinks the vein's running out. Serve him right. He took a couple of hundred thousand dollars worth of silver that belonged by rights to me out of it. He ought to be satisfied. But he gambled all that and lost it. That means we ain't got no chance of getting it back. Never knew a fellow to keep money he stole. They always lose it one way or another. A stigma, they call it. I wish there was some way to get him to admit he stole your mind. There ain't no way. The Silver Star's his according to law. Listen. That must be Uncle Jed now. Looks like it from what I can see. You can't leave now, Betty. He'd see you. I reckon the best thing to do is to stay right here where we can see he don't hurt you. But if he sees me here... Ain't nothing to do about it now, honey. He's coming here all right. Thanks a lot. Who's there? Open that door. Not for you, Jed Mason. That will open it. Come on, men. All of you. Come here. What's the idea, Jed? You learn soon enough. Cover them in. We'll fix these polecats if they make a move. What are you aiming to do, Mason? Andrews, I've given you your choice. You and your son can leave this county tonight. It will fill you full of lead. Uncle Jed. Why, you sniveling, sneaking little busybody. What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay home. Uncle... I told you never to go near Tom Andrews. Uncle, please. I had to whip you. Why, you dirty... Chance, tell her I'll plug it. Easy, Tom. I'll handle this. If I could just get my hands around that coyote's throat... Tom! You'll never get the chance, Tom Andrews. This is a last warning. And? If you haven't pulled up stakes by morning... I'm fixing you so neither of you'll ever move again. You can't stand hearing the truth about how you stole that silver mine from me, can you? Shut up. I'm fed up with your lies. Is it a lie that we were partners once? What if we was? I reckon you don't remember the day I found the silver star vein, do you? That's a lie. I found that vein. I get it now, ain't I? Sure, you got it now, Jed. You didn't even need to be clever about stealing it. Why, I was ever crazy enough to trust a sidewinder like you... Cut him off! Not yet, Mason. Not till I've told you just what I think of you to your face. Sneaking off the way you did. Saying you was going after supplies. And then filing the claim for the silver I found. And running me off with hired gunmen. That's a lie, and you know it. It isn't. I've heard you talking about the way you stole the mine from Miss Andrews. Wait till I get you, you little spy. I'm glad I heard. I wish there was some way to prove what you did. Betty, this is our fight. There ain't gonna be no fight. You're gonna clear out of this county tonight. Or else. We're staying right here, Jed Mason. Yeah. Maybe this will help you change your mind. Ow! You hit him. Why, you coyote, I'll get you for that. I'll teach you to... Shoot him, Ben. Don't let him get me. Get him! Oh, my hand! I didn't touch you. Who's the stranger? Where'd he come from? He's wearing a mask. Mask, man. I just shot your gun from your hand. What's so meanin' to you, button-head stranger? You're all covered. Don't make a move. All of you, drop your guns. Good. Now get out of here, all of you. And don't come back here to bother these people, Jed Mason. This ain't the end of things. I'm warning you. You're wise, it will be. Now ride. While Jed Mason and his crew of gunmen rode back into town, the Lone Ranger listened to the Andrews story. Later, he found his faithful Indian friend, Tonto, and sent him in to Dry Forks, where he mingled with the crowd in the noisy cafe, and watched the table where Jed Mason and his friends were playing poker. You, uh, you, uh, you settin' in this hand, Jed? No. Deal be odd. I've never seen such curds in all my life. Luxury don't all get me. Been again you steady lately, ain't it, Jed? What do you mean? It was again you out at the Andrews' place tonight, weren't it, Jed? I ain't done with them crudders yet. That'd fix him right now, if it wasn't that too busy. You mean, uh, if it weren't for that mass feller, don't you? Say, how'd you fellas know about that? Things get around. Yeah, never mind them, boss. I got three aces. Can you beat them? Shucks, take the pot. Yeah. I'll take another hand this time, fellas. Let me a couple hundred, will you, Jack? Nope. You already lost more than 500 tonight, and you owe me most a thousand already. You'll get it back. I've heard different. What do you mean by that? There ain't nothing wrong with my credit. No, but there is with the Silver Star, Jed. I heard the vein was pinching out. Heard you was getting ready to close down. So that's it, is it? You cheap gamblers, you let me lose to you, then you won't stake me. You think you can walk out of me now, Harold, Jed? That cheapskate. I ain't lending you no more money, Jed. And that's fine. Yeah, now maybe you better sit out, boss. No sense in playing again bad luck. All of you think the Silver Star is finished. So you're playing safe. I should have known the pole catcher was. I wouldn't talk so careless about other people, Jed. Oh, quit your jarring and deal. I hope some slicker takes every cent you got, you cheap, watery coyote. Hey, what's up? What's all the excitement for? One of your men, Jed. Hey, boss, boss. Lookie here. What's wrong? Nothing's wrong. Look at the orb we just got out of the Silver Star. What are you talking about? Just take a squint of that. Silver ore. You say this come from a Silver Star? Yeah. She peed it out by a long, long shot. Holy smoke. Let me have a look at that. That's the richest piece of ore I've seen yet. You fool me, are you? I should say not. Boss, there's a million dollars worth of that stuff in the Silver Star. Oh, gosh. This ain't a patch of what's still in there. You should see it. Why, you can almost pick the silver out with your fingers. Did I say luck was running again you, Jed? Golly. This will make you the richest man in dry forks. I reckon it will. Me. Me want sea ore. Sure, Regents. Step up. You can't hurt a nun. Everyone can see it. I'm rich. Oh. It keep good ore. Good ain't the word for it, Redskin. No. Me go now. You seen enough, eh? Boys, boys. A drink's on me. Stay around and have some fun. Yeah. How about that loan now, Jed? The sky's the limit, Jed. Just name the amount and you can have it. That's his stuff. Old old man Andrew squirm when he hears about this. After examining the silver ore, Tonto hurried to a small camp just outside of Dry Forks where the Lone Ranger was waiting. He told him of the newly discovered vein and if what they say is true, Tonto, their thief will get hundreds of thousands of dollars more out of the Silver Star. Oh. And none of it belongs to him. That's plenty bad. I wonder if there isn't something we can do. Hmm. Maybe you've got a plan. Oh, I'm not sure. You're positive, Kimo Sabe. The report of the strike wasn't just a trick of Mason's. No. Me watch. It's not trick. Then he hasn't soldered the mine in order to sell it to someone else. Tell me again, Tonto. That's what this sample of ore looked like. Oh. It's plenty soft. Break in hand. That's strange. How? I've seen samples that came from the Silver Star originally. They were very hard and difficult to break up. That's right. There are many veins in the Nevada Territory, but no two are exactly alike. Ah. Tonto see plenty ore. Yet the ore from one vein is generally the same all the way through. That's right. That's why I can't understand why the ore should suddenly change. Become not only richer, but softer and gritty as well. Hmm. Plenty strange. Well, there's another thing that I don't like, Kemosabe. What that? Young Tom Andrews' temper. I'm afraid that he'll try to get Jed Mason for his cowardly tricks. If he does, Jed isn't the kind of a man to be caught unprepared. You mean Jed killed Tom Andrew? He'd have one of his men kill Tom for him. Ah. That'd be bad. What do we do? I think I have a plan, Tonto. I want you to ride to Andrews' cabin and get old, Mr. Andrews. Tell him it's important that he come here at once. Ah. On to go. Jed Mason is stationed guards at the Silver Star. But before morning, we must find a way to examine that mine. 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. While the Lone Ranger and Tonto were talking over their plans, young Tom Andrews rode into town and headed for the home of Jed Mason. He knocked at the door, and it was Betty that answered her. Tom, what are you doing here? I'm looking for Jed Mason, Betty. That's what. Where is he? He's at the cafe, Tom. What do you want with him? I aim to settle this business with him. Tom. Yes? Tell me the truth. Why do you want to see him? Honey, I'm sick and tired of the way he stole that mine from Pa. Not being able to see you or marry you. Oh, Tom. So, uh, I guess you know why I aim to see him. You're, you're going to... Betty, it ain't no use in letting things go as long as they have. It ain't just me I'm thinking of. It's you and Pa, too. He stole Pa's mind. He's treated you like a slave. Shooting won't help none, Tom. There ain't no other way. But what'll happen to you if you do kill him? What'll happen to us? Have you thought of that? It's no use trying to change my mind, Betty. Haven't you any duty to me? Oh, honey, a woman can't see things like a man does. Oh, Tom. Well, honey, you're, you're shivering. I, I just seem to feel a sudden chill. Yeah? You wouldn't understand. Tom. Huh? What was that? Did you hear it? I didn't hear nothing. There was a noise over there beyond the porch. Do you think somebody's been listening? Oh, shucks, no. But I heard something. There seemed to be a shadow. Honey, you're just imagining things. No, I'm not, Tom. Tom, don't leave me. Don't go away. I'm afraid. I gotta go, honey. And don't worry now. Everything will be all right when I get back. Oh, Tom. Tom, come back to me. Tom. Tom. Tonto, there's a Silver Star mine over there. Oh, me see. Plenty of men around to guard her, stranger. They must be drawn away from the mine. Not right. Tonto, I want you to ride in a circle to the other side of them. Then fire several shots in the air. If they mount and follow you, keep out a gunshot, but draw them on. Oh, Tonto, do that. Friend, I don't savvy this at all. What's this all about? I want to get a look at the new vein of ore in the Silver Star. But what's to be gained? It's either rich or taint. Don't make no difference to me either way. If what I suspect is true, it may make a great deal of difference to you, Andrews. I don't know, stranger. You'll have to trust me. Reckon, I might as well. All right, Hunter. Get him up, Scout. We'll wait and see if the guards follow him. What about our horses? We'll leave them here. It's not far from the mine. If anything goes wrong, while we're in the shaft, they'll not be noticed. It's all right with me, stranger. Let's hope those men are curious enough to be tricked by Tonto. It's our only chance to get in the mine. At the entrance to the mine, the two guards look at each other in surprise as their ears picked up the swift hoofs of Scout. Hey, did you hear that? I wonder who it can be. It's a funny time of night for anyone to come here. Couldn't be Jed, could it? No. Last time I seen him, he was playing stud poker down at the cafe. Poker? Still losing, too, I'll bet. Yeah. Say, ain't that horse coming closer? Sure is. It don't look right to me. Not with us hitting this new rich vein of ore. Oh, you loco. No one will try to steal ore out of a mine. It might be one of them Andrews, though. She can't tell what they do. Hey, that ain't fooling. The low down on Red Polecat. I bet that's young Andrews. Hey, what's the matter with you? You shot? No, but I'm going to shoot that critter. I don't aim to be a target for nobody. Let's get our horses. There's two of us and only one of him. We ought to be able to handle him easy. When I catch him, I'll teach him to mind his own business and not go looking for trouble. There he is. Still edging around with that horse of his. Come on, before he gets away. Now it's safe to go inside the mine. Looks mighty dark in there. Here. We'll take one of the burning logs from the guard's fire. It'll give us plenty of light. Good idea. Now follow me closely. I'm right behind you. We'll have to act quickly. Yeah. It won't take those men long to find out that they've been tricked. They can't catch Tonto. Wouldn't be exactly comfortable to have Jed catch us in here. What's your footing? The shaft goes down sharply. I ain't been in here for a good long time. But I reckon I can remember how it goes. Look out for that little old timber. Oh, it's about my head that time. Stay close to me. You'll need this light, too. I ain't hankering to get very far off in here, stranger. Look. That must be where they made the new strike. Right over there. Yeah, I reckon it is. Quick. It won't take me long to find out what I want to know. This is where the new vein comes in. Here. Take this pick line here. Yeah. Now I want a sample of both oars. The old and the new. Oh, here's where the new mining was done. That ought to be enough. It is. Did you notice anything out about this new vein? Only thing is how rich this stuff is. Guys, if Jed don't get a million out in it, I'll eat my hat. I doubt if Jed will get a cent out of it, Andrews. If you were thinking that this mine's salted, mister, you got another guess coming. I've seen all kinds of fakes in my day, but this stuff here is the real thing. I know. Now let's get some samples of the old vein. Lead the way. Gee, what if them guards is back? Well, Tyler, we'll see that they don't return until we've had sufficient time. Now we want some of this ore. All right, yeah. Are you sure you can't prove Jed Mason stole this mine from you? Not a chance. He done it too slick. Tomorrow we may find he isn't as clever as he thinks he is. You sure got me puzzled. Come. We have our samples of ore, and I've seen enough. Come back here tomorrow, Andrews. We'll see what can be done. Jed Mason remained at the cafe long after most of his patrons were gone. He played on, careless of the sums he was losing in the face of the luck that had made him a rich man once again. Here's another 500, Jed. That makes it an even 5,000 you owe me. You really can't be lucky every time it is. You owe me nearly 7,000, Jed. But I'm not worrying. If I owned that there Silver Star mine of yours, I'd back low pairs and get a royal flush. Raise it 200. I'm staying in. Well, I ain't gonna quit on you fellas just cause I ain't holding much. Jed, ain't that fella looking for you? He's looking this way, all right. One of your outfit, Jed. Yeah. Over here. What do you want? Here. Listen. Can't you see him busy? Hey, what brought you to come bustin' in on me like this? I heard something down at your house. Young Tom Andrews. Hey. Hey, that poor cat. What do you mean, hangin' around my place? I heard him talkin' to Betty. Hey, that young coyote. He told her that he was out lookin' for you. Got in for me, eh? I'll fix that fella. Where's he at now? Heading this way. He'll be here any minute. Good. Now listen. Now hand me an ID. I'm gonna finish that coyote once and for all. Want us to plug him for you? Yeah. And here's how we're gonna do it. You see that door over there? Yeah. Get behind it. And if he goes to plug me, shoot him. You shoot first. I ain't done. But when he comes in, I'll drop my arm toward my hip like I was. When he reaches for a shootin' iron, plug him. Well, sure, but... Ain't nobody gonna blame you for shootin' a yellow coyote that had tried to shoot down an unarmed man, is he? I always did say you were mighty smart, Jed. Smart and lucky, too. That's a winning hand anywhere. You're behind that door. That's right where I'm going. Don't look up, Jed. But young Andrews is just by the door. Yeah, he's comin' in. Jed! Jed Mason! Hey, what do you want? We got somethin' to settle. Yeah. I reckon we have. I aim to settle for all the things you've done to my pa. And to Betty, too, you feelin' coyote. Hey, you puppy. I ought to take you out and drown you. You ain't man enough. You're yellow crooked from your head to your heel. I ain't takin' that talk from no one. You don't have to. If you wasn't so much a coward, you'd shoot it out like a man. Start countin', fella. One. Two. Where are you? Come, watch out! Oh, you shot me! You hit me! Oh, my hand! Stand back, everyone! Mess, man! What's the matter? What are you doin' here? Why'd you keep me from killin' this skunk? Tom, I was a trap. Look at Jed Mason's gun belt. Well, he's... He's on our... Yes. The man behind the door was gonna shoot you down. He'd reclaimed you drew on a man who couldn't defend himself. I never thought he was sittin' there at that table. I couldn't see. That's exactly what they planned on. This is the second time you've crossed me, stranger. But not the last time, Jed Mason. What do you mean? I'll see you at the Silver Star tomorrow. The next morning, the Lone Ranger made a trip to the claim agent's office. Then he hurried back to the Silver Star mine where a crowd of people had already gathered. At the entrance, a masked man found Andrews talking to his son. Tom, there's Jed Mason over there now. He sure looks fussed up about something. Hello? Oh, it's a masked man again. Well, stranger, me and Tom are here like you told us to be. Good. I'm glad you came. I can promise you you won't regret it. I ain't thanked you yet for what you've done with us, Matt. Tom, there's Jed Mason over there. Call him over, will you? What? Sure, if you say so. Hey. Hey, that Jed. Jed Mason. Yeah. Come here, will you? Talking. I got a notion to get the sheriff here and have a lot of your jam. You calling me? There's the sheriff right now. All right. Sheriff, it's good that you're here. These cooks here are trying to... Just a minute. Huh? I'd like a few words with you, Sheriff. You know the mining laws in this part of the country. Yeah, I shouldn't. What about them? I'm here with Andrews to take possession of the vein of ore that was discovered yesterday in the Silver Star. You take possession? You and Andrews take possession? Why, I call it... Andrews has staked and recorded his claim according to the law. He's going to work that claim. And it's up to you, Sheriff, to see that he isn't interfered with. You can't do this. Why not? This claim is mine. It's my silver. You didn't investigate far enough, Mason. Now, hold on. There's something doggone unusual here. You seem to know what you're talking about, stranger. Everything I say can very easily be checked. Jed Mason was working a silver vein. I still am. I read the law in the country that can stop me. That's right, Mason. You can work your claim in your vein as much as you want to, as long as you take silver from your own vein. But I tell you... But see to it that you don't touch the new vein. New vein? But I found... You saw part of a vein that belongs to Andrews. He staked his claim to it, and it's his. This new vein does come close to the old one, Mason. So close that you might have thought it was part of the old one. But a mining engineer will prove otherwise. Sheriff. Sheriff, you can't let him get away with this. They're robbing me. I've heard of things like this happening before, Mason. I ain't no doubt about what the masked man's right. And if he is... By ginger, you ain't a good a touch and announce the silver that belongs to Andrews. Then it's ours? It belongs to Tom and me? That's the way I figure it. And the whole thing's took away from me? Quit your whining, Jed Mason. You sure didn't think you'd get away with being a crook all your life. You stole the mine originally from Paul. This is just what you deserve. The tables are turned, Jim. You come up again a man you couldn't trick. Just think, Paul. Now Betty and me can get married at last. And we got one man to thank for all of this. Where you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
