A fiery horse with the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. Faithful Indian companion Tonto, the masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Outlaws and hostile Indians, renegades, gamblers, and confidence men learned to fear his strength and courage. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. 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! There's danger on the trail ahead! We've got to warn Tonto! Come on, Silver! As dusk settled over the slightly rolling country near the Texas border, a gaunt, grim-faced horseman headed for a rendezvous in a woods about two hours from the nearest town. The rider was known in town as Jim Jackson, an assistant to the United States Marshal. But he had another name, a sinister one that struck terror to the hearts of many pioneers. He was the mysterious, seldom-seen leader of a gang of smugglers, the notorious Black Jack. Oh, there! Well, where are you, Blake? Come out and show yourself and make it fast. I'm here, Black Jack. I ducked into hiding if I was sure it was you. Who else would be coming here? Well, I don't know, boss, but with things as they are, we just can't take chances. What about that last job? Everything go all right? Sure. Things always go right when you make the plans, boss. Well, head over the cash. You didn't have trouble selling the smuggled goods, did you? No trouble at all. Here's the cash. I, uh... Well, boss, uh... Stop stammering about what you want to say. Well, Butch and some of the other boys feel they should get more of a share of the cash. They're getting plenty. I know that. Only they feel that... Well, they feel they should have more. I tried to talk to them. I tried to tell them... You tell them they're getting more than they earned. Just ask them how long there'd be free men if it wasn't for me. Well, they... It's kind of hard to tell them things. They feel you don't trust them. I don't. I wouldn't trust the best man among them. If they can only know you. None of the boys ever see you. They don't know what you... I don't want them to. As long as you're the go-between, everything will be all right. Just let a lot of double-crossing saddle bums find out who I am... And sooner or later, when I'm going to get to talking. I'll tell them, Blackjack. Here's something else you can tell them. Just tell them if it hadn't been for the boss who works in the background... That pack of greasy coyotes would have been dangling at the end of a rope a long time ago. I'll tell them. And what's more, they can try their hand without me any time they want. And they'll be trapped so quick they won't know what struck them. You still working hand-in-glove with the United States Marshal? Yeah. And he thinks I'm about the best man he's got... Because I've led him so close to capturing Blackjack. If he only knew that the man the whole region is hunting for... Is the one that's giving him advice... I reckon he'd change color. He sure would. One thing you gotta know, Blake. Yeah? If anyone ever finds my hideout... Or learns that I'm Blackjack, I'll hold you to blame. I wouldn't give you away, boss. I don't want you to come near my place in the hills unless it's a matter of life and death. You savvy that? Sure. All right, then. Now I gotta get back to town and see the Marshal. He made an appointment to tell me something special. What's he gonna tell you? I don't know. Maybe he's got some new information about Blackjack that he's gonna tell Jim Jackson. Huh? Later that night, the United States Marshal met the man he knew as Jim Jackson. We're going to have help that we didn't count on, Jackson. What kind of help, Marshal? Help for what? What do we need help on? There's only one big problem before us now, and that's the smashing of the smuggling ring. We know the name of the leader is Blackjack. That's all we do know. I know that. I got word from a man who helped me a couple of times before. He said he might be able to help locate Blackjack. He must be doggone smart then. None of us have had much luck at that job. I'll tell you who he is, and you can judge for yourself how smart he is. He's known as the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Right. What does he know about Blackjack? That's hard to say. He didn't say what he knew. Have you talked to him? Not yet. But you will? I'm supposed to meet him at the top of Sandwich Hill. When? Sun-up tomorrow morning. That's when he'll tell all he knows about Blackjack, huh? That's right. I thought, being as you've worked hand-in-glove with me all along, Jim, you'd like to go up there with me. I sure would. Good enough. Hey, there's another thing. Yeah? I wonder how the Lone Ranger got information about Blackjack. I don't know. The chances are if he knows something, there are others that know it, too. It might be. In fact, he hinted that what he knew was pretty generally known in the part of country he's coming from. Well, tomorrow morning we'll know all there is to learn from the Lone Ranger. That'll be something. It sure will. Come on over to the cafe now, Marshal. I'll buy you a drink. I don't mind if I do. We'll, uh, we'll drink to the capture of Blackjack. To the capture of Blackjack. Right. And to the health of the Lone Ranger. You're sleepy. You've been working hard, Marshal. It isn't that. That one drink. Come on, Marshal. Let's get out of here. The cool night air will help you. Uh, Jim, I, I guess you, you'll have to help me. Blackjack stretched the United States Marshal on his bunk. He listened to his breathing. Breathing, regular. Be all right as soon as he sleeps off that drug. Couldn't take chances on letting him talk to the Lone Ranger. I'll meet that Lone Ranger myself. Sun up at the top of Sandwich Hill. I'll sure be there. Sandwich Hill saw light before the valley tore the border on the south. A tall, masked man brought his white horse to a stop in the gray dawn. He removed the mask from the upper part of his face and disguised himself. This was the famous masked mystery rider. The almost legendary character known as the Lone Ranger. He was playing a dangerous game. Taking risks that he had never taken before. In the hope of bringing one of the worst gangs in Texas into the hands of the law. The mighty stallion Silver watched each move of the master. When the disguise was complete, the mask was once more put in place. Then the Lone Ranger wrote a short message which he fastened to the saddle. He whispered in the horse's ear. And Silver seemed to understand. Then... All right, Silver. Go on, boy. For some time, the masked man stood watching his famous horse race down the hill. Then he turned his attention to the building of three fires. Signal fires. Which he hoped would bring the help he was sure he would need. Later in the morning, an Indian raced toward the distant towers of smoke. Get him up, scout! It was Tonto who had read their meaning. Friend want a scout. Friend need help. Get him up, scout! Oh, scout! Oh! This is where... This is where fire was. Meet the Lone Ranger. Lone Ranger walk here. Input footprint overmarked Silver. Silver, go away. Friend still here. Tonto read a story in the marks that were on the ground. He knew that Silver had gone away without a rider. He also knew that the Lone Ranger wanted him to follow the trail of the white stallion. Scout, you may not like what me see here. Lone Ranger, go one way. Silver, go other way. Friend want Tonto follow Silver. Scout, we follow Silver. That's what friends say we do. Get him up, scout! As Tonto followed Silver's trail, he realized he was heading for a familiar ranch. It was the home of Mustang Mag in old Missouri, where the son of Silver had been left. Great D, it's Tonto. Get down off on that horse, Tonto. There's lots of things that need telling. Hi there, Tonto. Great six, I'm glad you got here. Where? Where's Silver? There, Silver. Silver, he raced in a while ago, and there was a message fastened to the saddle. It was for you. Missouri. Dad rat, your leathery old heart. Do you know more than I do about what's taking place? Mag, it's the most dangerous and risky thing the Lone Ranger's ever tackled. What's that masked man tackling now? He's trying to get the Black Jack gang. Oh, my sakes alive. Here, Tonto. Here's the note that was tied to the saddle when Silver came in here. Huh, me read it. I already read it. I guess I shouldn't have, but I sure was excited when I saw it. No one knew that I was in town last night. I saw Jim Jackson, but there must be definite proof against him. The gang will know where to reach him. Jim Jackson, the leader of the smuggler gang. It will be up to Tonto if he is found. Otherwise, Missouri and Marshall will have to find me. Hey, don't read the rest of it now. The Lone Ranger has a plan. I'll tell you why we ride. We've got to act fast. We're going after the Lone Ranger. Blake and the other members of the smuggler band made a pretense of ranching to cover their real activities. Tonto and Missouri rode to the line fence after a short meeting with the United States Marshal where they left Silver. Missouri cut the wires and the two rode on until they came close to the house. Here they dismounted. Now we'll go forward on foot and be as quiet as we can, Tonto. This house, plenty big. Yeah. And if Blake and the others stop to think, they'll be sure we're plenty foolish to try sneaking close to the house in broad daylight. Crouching low, Missouri and Tonto crept toward the house until... Stand where you are. Get your hands up. A dead rat-a-doll. Hank, come here, quick. What's this, Butch? Who are these two? That's what we've got to find out. You two make a fast move and we'll let you have it. Get inside that house. Blake will want to talk with you. Why, this is the old galoot they call Missouri. And you two are some of them smuggling crooks. What's that? Take it easy, Hank. Let Blake do the talking. Open that door, you, and go inside. Hey, what's this? We nailed these two sneaking around here, Blake. For what? On account of what you crooks are doing. You're the smugglers. Who said so? Everyone knows it. What's more, you'll soon be dangling at the end of a rope. The pack of you. Take their guns, Butch. Hank, you keep them covered. Yeah. I reckon we'll have to listen to what these two have to say. We ain't talking. No? Well, there's ways to change your mind about that. Who's the Redskin? I ain't saying a word. Now do what you please. Who's the Redskin? Hey, Tonto. Tonto. There's something familiar about that name. Search the two of them, Butch. Yeah, right. Where have I heard that name before? Tonto. Bleak, did you notice the horses they rode here on? The paint is the finest I ever seen, and that young white one is even finer. Here's a note of some sort. It was in the pocket of the Indian's jacket. It's torn off. It's only part of a note. What's it say, Butch? Great Scott. This note puts a whole new slant on things. How's that? What's the matter? This says, I saw Jim Jackson drug the sheriff's drink. No one would believe that Jackson is really Black Jack. What are you talking about? Boys, this note calls for the showdown. 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 hoped to trap the leader of a gang of smugglers and allowed himself to be captured. Then Tonto and Missouri were captured by the rest of the gang. The outlaws found a note on Tonto from the masked man in which Black Jack was identified. That's what this note says. Jackson and Black Jack are the same. Great Scott, is that the truth? Why, Jackson is an assistant to the United States Marshal. All right. Now you boys know the truth. That's the reason he's been able to keep the law from coming close to us when we're carrying out our business. Curly, I never would have suspected it. You Indians speak fast. Who wrote this note? Lone Ranger, writer. Yeah, now Lone Ranger will get the back of you. Where is this Lone Ranger? By now, he'll be with your crooked boy. Where? How do I know? You'd better know if you know what's good for you. I don't know where the two of them would be. Go ahead and cock your gun. That won't give me facts that I ain't got. Shoot me if you want to. I can't tell what I don't know. I won't shoot you, Missouri. I'll shoot this redskin. If you don't want to see him die, you'd better speak fast. I tell you, I don't know. Now, isn't that too bad? I'm not fooling, Missouri. This is dead serious. I'll give you just three seconds to start talking. But I can't. I don't know. One. Blake, I tell you. Two. Blake. Wait. A redskin? What have you got to say? Me nowhere lone ranger meet blackjack color. Where? Top of Sandwich Hill. You go there, maybe find trail to hide out. Oh, no. You'll find that trail, Tonto. It's said that you're good at that. We'll see just how good you are. Saddle up the horses, boys. Hank, you rope these two. All right. We'll keep them alive while there's a chance that we can use them. While Blake forced Tonto in Missouri to ride with his men, Jim Jackson, otherwise known as Black Jack, had a prisoner in his cabin in the hills. The lone ranger was questioned endlessly by Black Jack, whose fury mounted with a continued refusal of the masked man to give any information. Talk, I tell you. Talk or else. He knew that it was imperative to find out who else had learned the secret of his two identities. I'll get you talking. His anger reached a fever pitch at the determined silence of the masked man. All right, then. A cruel fist smashed to the lone ranger's jaw. The lone ranger fell to the floor. Yeah, knocked him out. Now I've got to wait for him to come to before I can question him again. Blessed at all. I've got to learn the names of anyone else that knows what he knows. I've got to. Trail, plenty hard to follow here. Well, you'd better be able to follow it, Redskin. You don't watch me put lead into the hide of your friend. I ain't sooner have you drill me than see that cocksure smile on your ugly-looking face. Yeah? Blake. Well? Won't Black Jack be mighty mad at us for coming to his hideout? Can't be helped if he is. If the lone ranger's got him prisoner, he'll squeal his yellow head off about the rest of us. Yeah, that's so. More than that, there'll be all manner of evidence against a pack of us in that hideout. I always wondered where it was. Sure, set back in a remote place. Yeah. Now, go. This way. Tonto, are you really following the trail? Not right. Why ain't the lone ranger have you do this in the first place? Then we get only Black Jack. This way, maybe get whole gang. Oh, that's so. If we can get him. You two needn't talk to each other. Let's keep leading the way. We ain't saying nothing. Boys, there's one thing we want to be sure of. What's that, Blake? Shoot on sight. Don't give that lone ranger the chance to shoot it out with us. You hear that, Tonto? Blake, you can't do that. You can't shoot a man without giving him half a chance to defend himself. Who says I can't? But there wouldn't nobody be owner enough for that. No? Well, we're not taking any chances. You seem mighty concerned all of a sudden. Now, I'll see you. You shut your mouth and keep going. Hey, there's a house ahead of us. Yeah, I see it. That must be the place. You only pool catch. Rain up, boys. Will this mount go forward on foot? It might be good to fan out and close in from different directions. Keep your guns ready and shoot when you see the lone ranger. I ain't gonna let you out. Try and tackle me, will you, you old goat? You hurt bad? I'm all right. Now, if either one of you wants to make another sudden move, just say so. All right, here, Butch. And Hank, you two will keep close to me. Right, Blake. I had another reason for keeping these two alive. They'll make first-class shields for us. The lone ranger won't shoot his own friends. He don't shoot to kill, anyhow. No, but he's got a doggone handy way of shooting away a man's guns. Now, you two herd close together and keep right ahead of us. Butch, we'll have guns at the back of your heads in case you move suddenly. If being shot would help him, I'd be glad. That's not helping. Blake, there's someone coming out of the house. Yeah, I see him. Go out, Tommy! Oh! No more of that. Next time you try to yell a warning to the lone ranger in that Indian language of yours, I'll hit you with a lead slug. We'll have to hold the red skin up. We want him for a shield. He's gone limp. I'll help you, Butch. Just keep him in front of us till we're close enough to make our first shot count. Wait. Hold steady a second, boys. I'm going to take a shot with my rifle. Right. You sure that's the lone ranger? I can see the mask and the hat. Steady now. I don't want to miss. Hey, Blake. There comes someone else in the house. That must be Black Jack. He's grabbing the mask man. Yeah, they're fighting. Hang on. Why didn't Black Jack stay back? Black Jack is trying to drag him inside the house. If only I can get a shot at that mask, Critter. Now they're apart. You got him. You dropped him. Leave the red skin on the ground, boys. We'll go and make sure that the lone ranger's dead. Come on. Hurry. Come on. The smugglers raced ahead, eager to see the face of the man who sprawled on the porch of the house. Butch, take a good look and make sure he's out of the fight. He's still breathing. Turn him over. Let's see his face. Keep him covered. You murdering skunks. You'll regret this. You'll regret it. I'm telling you. Save your wind, Missouri. You'll be next. So there's the lone ranger, huh? The man that couldn't be captured. Well, I got him. I'm going inside and see Black Jack. It's luck. Hey, Black Jack, it's Blake. Open the door. What was that? It come from inside the house. But look over there. Horsemen. They're coming this way. It's the United States Marshal. There's that white horse in the lead. Open fire on him, boys. Let him have it. One thing I'll make sure of, I'll get this old galoot that brought us here. Go on, shoot me. I don't care what happens to me now. The lone ranger's alive. I'll shoot. Oh, my hand. My gun hand. That shot come from inside the house. We got to get in there. In the door. Come on, we'll stand the lawman off from in there. Smash the door down. Smash it down. We can't stand here in the open and fight the law. He's shooting through the door. We got to smash that door down. We got to get inside there. Don't try that door again. I can cover every one of you. We can't stay here. We can't fight him. We got the law on one side and the lone ranger on the other. Oh, my shoulder. They're getting close enough to shoot straight. Throw down your guns and we'll let you hug him. Ha, ha, ha, ha. You smuggled brooks? You hear that? Surrender, you get wiped out. That's the United States Marshal talking. I'll take my chances on the jury. I'm throwing down my guns. Don't fire no more. I'll give up. We quit. We surrender. Oh, shoot. Oh, shoot. Oh, shoot. Oh, I'm covered. This man who makes a move if he gets shot. You're under arrest. We won't resist. Get ropes on him in. Now, hold on, Mr. United States Marshal. What are the charges against us? Assault with deadly weapons will do. Something bigger turns up. Marshal, they shot that man that's on the porch there. They shot him down without giving him no chance at all. We saw it from where we were lying in waivers, are we? We had recently. Save it, Blake. I guess by the time we search that house, we'll have evidence enough so we won't have to quibble him on a technical point. Is that man badly hurt? He sure is, Marshal. He'd be dead now if it wasn't that he got into a wrestling match with... Wait. Listen. Take off that mask. Right. What? Jim Jackson. Blake, it was Jim you shot. It was Black Jack who we shot. Marshal. Well, Jackson, this is a bad end for a man who posed his alarm. Am I... Am I going out, Marshal? We can't tell. Anyhow, you got the goods on us. The evidence in the house there. The Lone Ranger. What are you doing with his mask and hat? Say, that reminds me. Two of you men go inside and see if the Lone Ranger's hurt. No. No, he ain't. I knocked him around some, trying to... trying to make him talk. Then I had a full notion. Putting on his... his hat and mask, trying to... trying to find out by posing as him just... just how much he knew. And then who else knew. Thought I'd be able to pose as a... as a Lone Ranger. Stop talking, Black Jack. You're going to kill him. You shut your mouth. Now, by thunder, it's my turn to say that. And I'll back it up. Shut your mouth, Blake. Stop back to you, old girl. Don't you hit me. You got one coming from Dondo, too. There it is. Oh, don't hit me. Hang on to that old wildcat. That door's locked go through the window. See why the Lone Ranger hasn't come out. I see it all now. What a pack of fools we've been. That old man, the Redskin, let us capture him. Then they tricked us into bringing him here so as the whole gang would be corralled. You're just right. I, sir. Well, Jackson. Quiet, boys. It's funny. A bullet meant for the Lone Ranger would have killed me at once if the Lone Ranger hadn't come to try and pull me inside the house. But I cheated the hangman anyhow. Cheated the hangman anyhow. Jackson has cheated the hangman. Hey, look. There ain't no use hunting the Lone Ranger in the house. There he is over there with Tonto. The Lone Ranger. Alive and ready to ride again. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger.
