Fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty, Hi-oh, silver, the lone ranger. The faithful Indian companion Tonto, the masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Whenever men gathered around the campfire, stories were told of his great strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness. And these stories have come down to us through the generations. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. 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 south for the Rio Grande. There's going to be trouble. Hi-oh, Silver. Away. The little town of Alexandra on the north bank of the Rio Grande was dominated by the Border Queen Cafe. The place was owned by Alexandra White, and ever since it had been opened two years before, the town had become a haven for outlaws from both sides of the border. On the afternoon of election day, Alexandra sat alone in her office working at her books. The cafe was closed, but suddenly she heard footsteps echoing in the great empty room outside. The door of the office opened and Sheriff Van Gordon entered. Hello, Alex. What are you doing here? I wanted to see you. It's election day. You ought to be in Bennett City. I have been. Get out of here and get back there. It's no use, Alex. We're beaten. It's a landslide for Neil Chalmers. How can you tell so soon? Shorty passed me the word. No chance at all? Nope. I'm all washed up. Finished. I'll be a new sheriff by tonight. You didn't have to run away. Better to run than be ridden out of town on a rail. I never saw Bennett City more crowded in my life. Folks that I didn't even know lived in the county. There's been a lot of new settlers. Yeah, that's what's one for Chalmers. They got their bright idea to get up early and go and vote for him. He did a lot better job than I thought he could. What happens now? You're so good at figuring things out. Maybe you can tell me that. Neil's an old friend of mine. Wanted to marry me once. Might have said yes if it hadn't meant giving up the border. Queen. That's water under the bridge. Answer him a question. This may help to answer it. I don't think he's forgotten me. He's not our kind, Alex. He's honest. You always knew that. Yeah, I suppose I did. Our codes were never the same, but still I... Senorita! Who's that? Manuel. Senorita Alexandra! What's the matter? It is him. I would know that white horse anywhere. It is the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Where's he at? He's right down the street. He come here. Here. Keep your gun in your holster, Van. But what if he tries to take us back to Bennett City? He won't. The law is nothing against you and me. I've made sure of that. It is him. It is the mask man. Sit down, Van. Here beside me. Manuel, stand over there. Si, senorita. Yes? And Gordon, you must have left Bennett City before I did. I just got here. Have you had time to tell Miss White about the election? He has. But may I suggest that my friends call me Alex? I know that, Miss White. I see. What brings you here? The future of this town and this cafe. It's nice of you to worry about it. I'm not worried exactly. I'm only warning you that you must close your doors. But you realize that I have no intention of doing that. You have a reputation for brains, Miss White. Why not use them? I shall. For the past two years, you've controlled the sheriff's office. You've harbored outlaws. I ask no questions of the men who come here. I understand. You ask no questions. In return, they pay you well. The West is changing. Law and order have come to stay. And there's no place in the county or in the state for a town like Alexandra. We don't agree, masked man. This town was named for me and I'll fight to defend it. You'll have to, Miss White. I'll show you that we're ready. Manuel, close the shutters on that window. Si, senorita. You'll notice that they're hung on the inside. Made of thick wood. Thick enough to stop any bullet. They're fitted out with loopholes. We have plenty of rifles and ammunition. The Border Queen is a fort as well as a cafe. And if we ever have to, we can stand off any posse the sheriff Chalmers can raise. For how long? For as long as we're attacked. You can tell the sheriff that with my compliments. You don't have to. Neil knows how this place is built. Yeah, he knows. But sometimes he's headstrong. And while you're giving out warnings, masked man, you might as well give Neil one. We can't be driven out. You might as well admit it. You will be driven out. There's no place for Alexandra in the West. Sounds a little personal. It was meant to be. Neil Chalmers asked me to come here, Miss White. He did? There's no criminal evidence against you. You're free to leave the country and that's what the sheriff wants you to do. I intend to stay. Then be careful. Well, the town seems to be deserted now. I suppose that most of the men who work for you are in Bennett City. And your guests are using some other hideout until after the election. That's possible. You better tell them they're no longer safe here. You can't give them protection anymore. I don't know what you're talking about. If you try it, you'll share their guilt in the eyes of the law. You'll go to jail. If they go to jail. They will. Well, that's all, Miss White. I've delivered the sheriff's message. Keep your gun and your holster back. I can pick him up before he gets to the front door. When he turned his back on us, it was a compliment to me. My code may not be the same as his, but it doesn't stand for dry-gulching. He's gone. He'll be back and you'll be sorry you didn't let me plug him. I'd never have forgiven you nor myself if you had. You're a funny one, Alex. I wouldn't expect you to understand me then. But the masked man does. And I'm proud of it. What are we going to do? We've had our warning. When it comes to a fight, we'll be ready. Hello, Manuel. You know, I'm glad I lost that election. It's nice to be back here with the boys. You see how much Roberts win tonight? Win? Si. He win tonight. He win big. How much? Five thousand. There's an office with Senorita Alexandra now. He pay off that mortgage she holds on his ranch. She can't let him do that. She is. That ranch was supposed to come to me after we foreclosed. It's too bad he win tonight. Yeah. He hasn't got home yet. What do you mean by that? I'll cut you in on half of it if you come along with me. But what good will it do to kill him now? The mortgage has been paid. This widow won't have nothing to prove it. Do not forget Senorita Alexandra. She would not like it to do this without an order from her. I don't care what she likes. She promised me that ranch. You get half, Manuel. Who knows? Anything may happen if you make the Senorita mad. She may send us into Mexico or the military wait for us. Not her. Once it's done, she'll stick by us. What do you say? Here's a good ranch. Hurry up. Si. I go with you. Where's Roberts now? He's still in office. Plenty of time to get set then. Come on. Nothing for us to do at Bennett City. We'll move our camp tomorrow. And where we go? Not far. That woods near Alexandra. We watch town? Yes, Tonto. What that? You hear something? Tonto, put here to ground. Well? What's come this way plenty fast? From the south? That's right. We'd better put this fire out and get settled. Here's Cout. Here's Silver. There's the rider. We're catching up with him. Not far to Bennett City now. That isn't a man. Huh? It's a woman. It looks like Mrs. Roberts. Her ride plenty fast. Too fast for this trail. Something's wrong. Happy Saul. Horse go down. She's been thrown. Come on, Silver. She's coming to now, Sheriff. Yes, I see. What happened? Your horse stumbled and fell, Mrs. Roberts. Just outside of town. Sheriff? Yes. The masked man on the engine brought you to my office. They killed him. What's that? Joe. He's dead. Your husband? I saw them shoot him. I saw them. Please, Mrs. Roberts. You must tell me everything that happened. From the beginning. He said he was going to ride over to Alexander to Bison Tobacco. But he promised me he wouldn't gamble. It got late. I was worried. I saddled a horse that went after him. Yes, go on. I got to the top of a rise and I could see him riding toward me, so I reined up. All of a sudden, there was a rifle shot and he fell out of his saddle. You said you saw the man who did it. We're standing on the ridge. The moon was on their faces. Two men? Manuel and Van Gordon. Van Gordon. I'm going after a masked man. Alone? Yes, I'll find him at the border queen. It would be safer to take a posse. They killed him. I'm giving Alex a chance to turn him over. Do you mind if Tonto and I ride with you? You can come as far as the town. But I'm going into the cafe alone. Let's get started. Neil Chalmers. Oh, just a minute. Hello, Sheriff. Hello, Alex. Have a seat. No, thanks. It's been a long time. That's right. I can't believe that you only came to see me. What brings you to the border queen? You don't have to be told, Alex. Don't I? I want to remind you of something. Something you told me when we said goodbye. You don't have to remind me. If ever I needed your help, I could count on you. I remember. Well, I need your help now. In what way? Van Gordon's killed a man. I want you to help me find him. That isn't what I meant, Sheriff. If you were in any sort of danger, I'd risk my life to save you. But you're not in danger. It's Van that's in danger. Where is he? I can't tell you. He's here. He wouldn't dare cross the border. If you're so sure. Do I have to search the place, Alex? I can't allow that. Even a sheriff should have a warrant. Well, you realize that I'll be back. Alone? No, Alex. Maybe I've been wrong in giving you this chance. But it's your last one. Are you going to throw it away? Yes, Neil. Like that. Out the window. We're enemies now. We're enemies. If Van is found here, we both know he will be. I can't save you. Goodbye, Neil. Told the boys that you're under my protection until you get out of town. I hope you get back to Bennett City. A little closer to the cafe, Tonto. And keep to the shadows. What do you think? The girl won't tell him anything. She's like steel. Not bad. Rain up here. You think Sheriff get out of cafe all right? Yes. If Alexandra White has anything to say about it. There's no telling what her men will do. You look now. Yes. He's coming out. We'll wait for him here. No. What's the matter? This side, cafe. Moonshine and rifle. I see them. Men with rifles. Sheriff, ride this way. Them shooting. Come on, Silver. Get a much scout. We'll head west out of town. Then cut to the north. Faster, Silver. Faster. Sheriff, get on horse now. Turn him around. Ride with us. Men see us now. Go on the saddle, Tonto. Come on, Silver. What's up? Ride, Sheriff. What's the matter? Come on. That should answer your question. She lied. You'd have ridden into an ambush. Come on there, boy. Fire, 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. The Lone Ranger and Tonto saved the young sheriff of Bennett City from an ambush outside the Border Queen Cafe. As they raced out of town, Alexandra White appeared in the doorway and called to the men in the street. They're shooting. Give it to them. Stop it. It is no use to have gone away. Van Gordon. What do you want? Come here. Come on, Marshal. Speak your piece, Alex. When you're finished, I'll start. I gave all you men strict orders that no one must draw a gun on the sheriff. That's right. Haven't you made enough trouble tonight? I don't think so, and neither to the boys. Who's running this place, Van? That's what we're going to settle. Oh. You're getting ideas, aren't you, Van? Maybe so. How about the rest of you? Now, don't answer just yet. I want you to realize what our friend here has done. You don't have to tell him. This cafe could have been run for months, for years maybe, without any trouble from the law. But Van got greedy and shot Joe Roberts. He promised me his ranch. When we foreclosed on it, not before. This is the first time a man has left here and didn't carry his winnings home. But that means much more to me than it does to you. What you should be interested in is this. These two no-account sidewinders were careless. They let themselves be seen. We went after the woman, but her horse was too fast. I'm glad of it. You hear that, everybody? You put every one of our necks in the noose, and I hope you hang for it. I told you she was in with the sheriff. If you were here, now I'd turn you over to him. Yeah. You're sore because we took a few shots at him. You disobeyed my orders, and no one's safe around here who does that. She's telling you, boys. I don't have to say a word. How long are we going to take orders from a woman that's working for the law? You all know better than that. You heard what she said. You say we are not safe, Senorita Alexandra. It is you who are not safe. How about it, boys? You run this town like Queen, like Border Queen. But now that it's all over, you will not treat us like dog anymore. We take orders from a man. It is one who will lead us. Well, boys, the sheriff told me he was offering a last chance. Didn't know how true that was. What are you going to do with me? We will kill you. Spoken like a first-class coyote, Manuel. Well, what are you waiting for? I'll show you. Get back. You cannot call me coyote. Shut up. You're our prisoner, Alex. I'm going to tie you up and throw you in the storeroom. And you'll stay there until after we've whipped the posse. After that, we'll see. By nightfall the following evening, Sheriff Chalmers had rounded up his posse. The men waited outside his office while the young lawman conferred with the Lone Ranger and Tonto. You know how the cafe is built, Sheriff. They can hold off your rifles for a long time. We're packing supplies. We're ready for a siege. They must have plenty of supplies themselves. I know. I'm glad you understand there's no chance of storming the place. It's going to be hard to hold the men back, but I'll do it. Joe Roberts was a great favorite around here, wasn't he? He sure was. We're going to bring Van to justice if it takes all year. Let's not take that long. I just meant that we... What Tonto meant was that we have a plan. If it works, you may be able to capture him tonight. How? There's a storeroom in back of the cafe. Yeah, sort of lean to. They must have a guard on the outside door. But if we can get close enough to overpower him and then get inside the storeroom... There's no bar on the door between there and the kitchen. We won't have to go beyond the storeroom. Tonto can build a smudge in it, a big one. He'll have plenty of material and the breeze is from the south tonight. What's that got to do with it? The outside door of the storeroom is on the south side of the building. When we open it in the door to the kitchen, the smoke will be blown straight into the cafe. They'll think the place is on fire. Perhaps. They'll find it hard to breathe anyway. We may be able to get it thick enough so they'll be driven out into the open. That's all we ask, mister. If they aren't, they'll start looking for the smudge. They won't be able to see well enough to shoot straight. And that's the moment when you can storm the place with some chance of success. I'd say it was worth trying. But you and Tonto would be taking an awful chance. There's more to the plan, Sheriff. We'll be ready. I only want to tell you where to wait. Yeah? There's a ridge just outside of Alexander to the north. Yes, I know. You should be able to reach it by midnight. Take cover there and wait until you hear three shots. Three shots, right. Is it a green? Sure thing. Then let's go, Tonto. We'll ride on ahead. Good luck. Mass men. Joe was my husband. But these boys were his friends. I don't want them to be killed to revenge him. Don't worry, Mrs. Roberts. But that awful place there... Tonto, smoke crook out. What? Yep. And the sheriff will explain. Steady, boy. Get him up, Scout. Come on, Silver. The guard's asleep, Tonto. Do you have something to gag him with? Yes. Do you have a rope? Come on. They gag him first. One yell from him. We'll all come running. Tonto, do it. I heard. You think I'm here, that? We'll take a chance on it. Tie his hands. Now, me tie him. Quickly, Tonto. And that's it. Now I see if the door is barred. It's unlocked. Just leave him there. You have gun ready. He behind me. What's that over in the corner? It looked like somebody tied up. It's a girl. Oh. Let me have your knife. Maybe better we leave her like that. I want to find out why she's here. Who gagged you and tied you up like this? Van. He convinced the boys I was working for the sheriff. Are you? From now on, mister. Good. We'll get you out of here. Is there enough light from the moon, Tonto? Can you see everything you'll need? Uh-huh. Me go to River, get water. There's water in that barrel over there. Uh-huh. Time to see. What are you planning to do? Start a smudge, open that door to the kitchen, and smoke them out. Where's Neil? By now, he and the posse ought to be on the other side of the ridge. Now wait there until they hear my signal. Why, you smoke. What's the matter with fire? It's going to have coal oil in here. Let the engine use that instead of water. No. Alex? Alex? Yes. Nice to be considered your friend. But this place belongs to me, masked man. I'm giving you permission to burn it to the ground. There are only a few of the gang who deserve to die. You know that. Yeah. You're right. Smoke is best. How long, Tonto? Not long. Tonto, hurry. I've just been outside. There's no sign of posse. Well? It is hot in coffee. Hey, the boys want to know if they can open up the shoulder. No. We're taking no chances. All right. All we do is wait. Is that it? All we do is wait. There is something I could do, Van. What? We have looked all around for the senorita's money. We have not been able to find it. That's why I'm letting her live until after the attack. Why not let me go out into the storehouse now? Let me promise to set her free if she tells us where the money is. Yeah? Well, not that we would, my friend. After we find out, we could get rid of her pronto. You're sure anxious to do that, aren't you? Why should I lie to you? It would give me great pleasure. She knows it, too. No, Manuel. It isn't a bad idea, but you're not the man for the job. She wouldn't trust you. Perhaps I could persuade her to trust me. With a knife, huh? Si, senor. You stay away from that storehouse. That's an order. Si, senor. That's someone in the kitchen. Quick, Tonto. Close the outside door. Tonto, do it. Open that corner where you were, Alex. My hand's untied. Hurry. Lie down with your face to the wall. Senorita. It is my way. Shut that door. Huh? Shut that door. You're coming back in the office where I can keep an eye on you. Good night, senorita. Light it, Tonto. How long will it take it to get going good? We open door to kitchen in ten minutes. I'll wait another five before I give the signal. And then, the attack. There's the signal, men. Come on. Get up there. Over the ridge. Ride straight to the cafe. There it is, Sheriff. I can't see any smoke. We will before long. He wouldn't have fired those shots if he hadn't gotten to the storeroom. How is a masked man going to get away? I'm not sure that he intends to. Look, they're opening one of the shutters. There's smoke for you. They can't stay inside the place. Ready with your guns, men. All right. Spread out. We're surrounding them. Cut them off from the river. Hogan. Yeah? Open fire. They're within range? Almost. I want them to hear our guns. There's smoke and the attack at the same time. That's what the lone ranger was counting on. Somebody's opening the front door. They'll come running out in a minute. That's the girl. That's Alex. What's she showing herself for? I'm going to take a shot at her, Neil. I can't tell you not to. I won't shoot to kill her. Don't. She's an outlaw like the rest of the lone ranger. He stepped right in front of her. Bill, you've shot the lone ranger. Give it to him, boys. Hey, man. Van over there. Van and the breed. Get up there, boy. Get up. Throw down your gun, Van. I haven't got one. Don't shoot. We give up, senor. We give up. Here's some handcuffs, Bill. Put them on them. You'd never got us if it hadn't been for that fire. Just make it smoke, Van. But it wasn't an accident. You can thank the lone ranger for it. It is hard to see anything in that cafe. But once it looked like Marshman at the front door. How'd he get inside? The girl let him in. Well, that's impossible. She was tied up. No, I see her, too. Tied up? What do you mean by that? Tied up for yourself. Bill, have you seen Alex? Not since we saw her in the doorway, but she must be... I'm right here, Sheriff. I've been looking for you. Alex, I don't understand. They said you were tied up. I was their prisoner until the masked man got here. He set me free. We saw you in the doorway. Yes. You see, after he fired the signal, the smoke was awfully thick, and he decided to take advantage of it. He went into the cafe and opened up the shutters in front. I'd followed him, and I thought it would be a good idea to open the front door. Then there'd be nothing to stop you. Gosh, if I'd only known that, Alex. It was you that fired the shot? Yeah. You saw the masked man step in front of me? Not in time. I'm glad it wasn't you, Neil. Tell me, Alex. Is he... You mean dead? Yeah. Oh, no. Well, I just caught him in the shoulder. Tano's bandaged it, and he's all right now. But I saw him fall. You may have thought you did. He just pulled me out of the way. Where is he now? I think he's gone, but he left a message for you. For me? What kind of a message? Well, I told him once that all my friends called me Alex. He wanted you to know that he called me that, too. Does it mean anything? Well, I've got a lot of questions. I'd like to know what made you change, but if he says you have, that's good enough for me. The Lone Ranger's word is all I need, Alex. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of The Lone Ranger, Incorporated.
