A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. Years of unrest that followed the Civil War, a powerful secret organization called the Legion of the Black Arrow sprang up in the western United States. Its members were to be found everywhere, defying the law or using the law for their own purposes, working toward the ultimate goal of revolt and the foundation of a despotic empire. It was the masked rider of the plains who led the fight against this band of outlaws and traitors, and for once his great strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness were taxed to the utmost in the cause of democracy. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of a great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! On the tail of the Black Arrow! Come on, Silver! Thunder crashed, jagged streaks of lightning cut across the sky, and a torrential wind-driven rain swept the trail to Fairfield. Nate Bragg and his men had taken cover under an overhang, and they were preparing to make a temporary camp. Then suddenly, on one of the brief flashes from the sky, Nate saw a solitary figure on the trail. Did you see him, Al? Yeah, Pilgrim. He's no curl hand. He's wearing a broadcloth coat. Maybe somebody important. Back in your saddles, boys. Pull your bandannas over your faces. Watch out. Hey, don't you gonna make camp. There's easy picking on the trail. Follow me. Get up there! The outlaws raced toward their victim. The man rode with head bowed toward the storm. He was unaware of the approaching danger until a gang had surrounded him. Oh! All right, mister, up with your hands. Are you outlaws? Never mind the questions. Hand over your money. Are you hungry? What's that? If you're hungry, I'll gladly share with the money I have. If you're not, I won't park with a penny. Will you listen to that? Grab him, boys. Hand your ground. Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. He can arm his servants with a strength of ten. I need the money I carry to build a church in Fairfield. A church? Are you a preacher? I am. A sky pilot in Fairfield. That's good. Maybe you never heard it, mister, but they say there's no Sunday west of Junction City and no preaching west of Selina. You're a long way out of your territory. Father, forgive them. Never mind that. How can you blaspheme when his pal and his majesty are all about you? What's the matter with you armies? I told you to grab him. Boss, look who's coming. Look down the trail when the lightning flashes again. Look. A masked man and an engine. I'd know that white horse anywhere. It's the Lone Ranger. Let's get out of here while the getting is good. Not before I get this preacher's money. I'll rip open those saddlebags if I have to do it myself. No. Try to stop me, huh? Come on, boss. You can't stop here anymore. Get up. Get up. Get up, man. Get up. There may not drown. Let's hope he isn't dead. What do you think? He's still alive. There's a shelter over there with the cliff. We'll take him there. Here. Hold him across your saddle, Tano. You got him. What about outlaw? This man's life can be saved if we work fast. That comes first. Come on, sit down. Get him up. Get down. Well, the storm's over, Kimo Sabe. That right. Moon come out now. There. He moved. He'll open his eyes in a second. Don't try to get up just yet. What? Your wound isn't serious, but you'll have to be careful for a while. Are you? Are you the man who shot me? No, I'm not. But you're not law. Oh, I'm not that either. I remember now. They called you the Lone Ranger. They were afraid of you. Where were you heading when they stopped you? Do you have any friends around here? No, I'm going to Fairfield. I'm going to build a church there. A church in Fairfield? You don't have to tell me. I know the reputation of the place. As different from its name as it could be. Fairfield. It should be a sleepy country village. Instead, it's as bad as Dodge City and Abilene. It's worse. There's no real business there. It's only a hangout for outlaws and gunmen. There must be a few decent people. A few. A few ranchers and homesteaders. There are more ranchers and homesteaders coming in all the time, but... But what? I'm not going to try and discourage you. We'll take you to the sheriff's ranch. Matt, not far from here. It'll be a week or two before you're well enough to get around. During that time, you'll learn more about the country. You'll be able to decide better. My mind's made up, Massman. I, uh... I'm glad to hear it. It just don't seem right, Massman. A preacher in Fairfield. There's nothing wrong about it, is there? I'm thinking about him. He's going to get mighty discouraged. Of course, I'll give more protection I can, but... You know, Sheriff, I have an idea. You won't have to do that. I think Matthew Bartlett is just the man you've been looking for to get the honest people around here behind you. When you do that... No, Massman. There's only one way to clean up Fairfield, and that's by fighting. Well, there are different ways of fighting. Helen and I won't be gone long, Sheriff. When we come back... Oh, are you leaving, Massman? Yes, Mrs. White. Well, don't you worry none about Mrs. Bartlett. We'll see he gets the best of care. I'm sure of that. Even if he don't stay long, I'm awful glad he come. It's going to make a lot of us remember the old days back home when everything was safe and peaceful, and you didn't hear about shooting and killing every day. Sounds like you've got to complain against me. Why, no, Lige. You do the best you can as Sheriff, but you're one man, and what's one man against a town full of gunmen? They elected you more for a joke than anything else. But just talking to Mr. Bartlett, I got to hoping again. Hoping that someday things would be peaceful here. Maybe we've got to fight, but maybe we'll win. That's almost what the Massman was saying. Won't be long, Sheriff. Ready, Tonto? Adios. Goodbye. We'll be expecting you. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. A week later, Matthew Bartlett had completely recovered. And although the Sheriff and his wife tried to persuade him to stay with him a little longer, he had only one answer for their arguments. I'm sorry. It's time that I'd be at my work. Oh, but it just ain't right for you to live in Fairfield. Where'd you stay? You know the woods on the hill above the town, Mrs. Weiser? Yes. I built my cabin there, and I built the church beside it. Well, who are you going to get to do that? We're right in the middle round up here. I can't spare any of my men. That's the way it is with all the ranches. And you won't find nobody that hankers to work in Fairfield. It won't have to be a large meeting house to start with. Yeah, but I don't... I can build it myself. Oh, that'd never do, Mr. Bartlett. Why not? Why, you're a preacher. You've got to think of your dignity. Well, you do. Chopping down trees and sawing logs and things like that. It's beneath you, that's what it is. It wasn't beneath the dignity of a certain carpenter, I can mention. What? Think, Martha. Oh. Oh, well, just the same. Just the same. I'll have the meeting house finished for the time the round-up's over. Almost, anyway. And all you ranchers can get together and help me raise the roof tree. How's that, Sheriff? Uh-huh. Sounds pretty good to me. Well, it's too dangerous for you to be up there on that hill all by yourself. Oh, do you want me to stand guard? No, Sheriff. Thought that's what you'd say. Masked man was sure right about you. The Lone Ranger? Yeah. Will he be back here, do you think? He sure will. Gave me his word. He'll be back here when we need him. And so, during the summer mornings, when all the cafes in Fairfield were quiet, the sound of an axe could be heard ringing out from the hill above the town. From his cabin window, Nate Bragg could watch the clearing as it grew in the two rough log buildings that rose out of the green woods. I don't like it, Al. What's the difference? You can't scare him. We get right up there tonight and start shooting. Yeah. What happened the last time you tried that? Well, he come to the door and asked us in for a cup of coffee. Yeah. You can't scare him. And all the ranchers and the homesteaders and the cow punchers are getting over being scared, too. Walk right into town like they own the place. Just to the store and the post office? That's enough. I used to ride 50 miles to Clarksville instead of coming here. I don't like it, Al. I wish I'd finished him out there on the trail. You can still do it. Oh, not now. It'd all be in our necks and there's more than I thought. I've been counting. Oh, why don't you quit worrying? Wait till Dirk comes back before you do anything. Maybe he'll figure I should have done something before this. Where'd he go? You know as much about it as I do. West, somewhere in the Sierras. He had to meet somebody there. Same place he went before we held up the Clarksville bank. Yeah, same place, I guess. Getting orders from somebody. But I don't ask no questions and you hadn't better either. Keno. He's gonna be sore. Somehow I gotta get rid of that preacher and pronto. Good evening, sir. Howdy, Parson. Let me unsaddle your horse and turn him loose in the caravan. I can't stay. That's what you think. If I let you get away from here half an hour before supper, Martha'd skin me alive. Well, I admit the invitation's tempting. Then climb down out of that saddle. Yes, sir. I see your men haven't come back to the bunkhouse yet. They're still camped out on the range. Roundup will be over in a few days, though. How's it going? Fine. All the calves are branded and we've cut out 500 head to drive to Clarksville. George Hawkins was up on the hill yesterday. He said there would be one trailhead this year. That's right. Each of us are selling 500 head. So we're gonna drive them all to market, one bunch. Then we split what we get, even. Get in there. It's a good idea, Sheriff. You're working together. Yep. Funny how we never thought of doing that before. Let's mosey along inside. Is that one of your boys riding away from the house? What? No. Well, it can't be. At least wise, I don't recognize the horse. It's too dark to make out the ride, eh? That's a funny thing. It could be a woman, Sheriff. Yeah. Maybe Martha had a caller this afternoon. Miss Abbott or Miss... No, by Ginger. I took a look up at the house just a few minutes ago. There wasn't any horse out in front. One, two, three... Listen behind us. That sounds like... No like about it, Parson. That was a masked man calling to his horse. He's come back. Two horses. There's a paint. That's Tonto. Hello there. Hi. Good evening, masked man. Good evening. Has anything happened since we left? Nothing much. Roundup's most over. The meeting house is almost built. We saw that as we circled the town. I meant, has there been any trouble? No more than usual. Where have you been? To the west. We picked up Dirk Snyder's trail in Laramie, and we followed him back here. Dirk Snyder's back in town? Yes, Sheriff. That's bad. I thought we was rid of him for good. Maybe, shortly. Just say the word. If you got any evidence against Dirk, I'll slip the handcuffs on him pronto. You wouldn't have said that a month ago. I got men behind me now. And you believe this or not, three deputies that ain't afraid to act. What's more, there's a new lock on the jail. How long has it been there? A whole week. That's a record. You trot out your evidence against Dirk, and I'll see... There's no evidence yet, but I think there will be soon. Kimo Sabe. Yes, Tonto. There's something white and dull. Looked like note. Parson, that armchair that rode away. What's that? There was someone here just a moment ago. We couldn't be sure if it was a woman or a man. Maybe a girl. Better take a look. Does this mean there's going to be trouble, masked man? The trouble you was expecting before you left here? Yes, Sheriff. Can you see to read? Well, enough. From the girl, all right, Tonto. Ah. The girl? What girl? We don't know who she is, but she's helped us before. What's the note say? It wouldn't mean anything to you, Sheriff. You're looking mighty serious. Yes, Sheriff. Dirk Snyder is a member of the Black Arrow. 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. On the same night the Lone Ranger received the note from the girl, Dirk Snyder stood at the window in Nate Bragg's cabin, who's a lieutenant at his side. You can see, Dirk, that light way up there. That's his cabin. I see it. You've made a fine mess of things here. I told you I shot him out on the trail. Yeah, you told me. We used to own this town locked, stuck, and barrel. Just an hour after I got back, I knew everything was changed. The Sheriff isn't in his office as a deputy there. The jail's been fixed up. There didn't seem to be any sense in breaking into it. None of our boys are in there. Couldn't you see what was happening? Not at first. A preacher builds himself a cabin up on a hill. Wasn't much to that, you've got to admit it. And he starts on the church. A few of the homesteaders give him a hand and some of the ranchers. What of it? You don't have to ask me that now. The sight of that church up there has put gumption into the settlers. We've got a tough job ahead of us. Well, we were just waiting until you got back. You give the orders and we'll carry him out. And let him have the town. What's that? Why not? It's no good to us anymore. You mean hightail it out of here, run away without a fight? Not yet. How many men have we got? I'd say about 50 we can depend on. All good shots. 50. And that should be enough. Enough of what? Now let me get this straight. The ranchers are sending their cattle to market in one herd, right? Right. How many head? About 3,000. Got them all together yet? Just about. They're north of the creek on the sheriff's range. Uh-huh. 3,000 head. In Abilene, that's $45,000. Now wait a minute. We got 50 men, sure. But stealing a trail herd, it just can't be done. You let me decide about that. We wouldn't sell them in Clarksville. We'd drive them north through the pass and head for Abilene. You're loco. It can't be done. There was some way we could draw all the crews down here. In the town? Yeah. Ten miles from the pass. We could get the herd through before they knew what was up. It would only take ten men to drive them on. Don't you figure the ranchers would come after us? Sure I do, but we'd have 40 men waiting in the pass for them. We could wipe them out. Yeah. Sure, there's no better spot in the whole county for an ambush. Yeah, that part's easy. Only we've got to think of some way... I've got it. What? They're mighty proud of that church. Up on the hill like it is, you can see it from all over the valley. If it was to catch on fire, Nate... Say! All right. At night, see? They'll all come running. Yeah, that does it. A few men with torches. The rest of us beyond the creek. We'll rustle a trail herd and we won't leave a man alive to tell the story. It was nearly 12 o'clock the following night... ...when the lone ranger and Tonto circled the town as they rode toward the camp. Suddenly, the masked man rained up. Eddie Silver. What's going on? What matter, Kimo Savi? I don't know, Tonto. Let's listen. Tonto not hear anything. It's plenty quiet. That's just it. When Fairfield's quiet at midnight, something's wrong. Oh. You can see the main street from here. It's almost deserted. That right? I can't understand it. Perhaps we made a mistake in riding off the sheriff's tonight. We should have stayed... Kimo Savi. What? Up on hill beyond town. That fire. Yes. It's more than a campfire. That church. Church and fire. Come on, Silver. Get him up to the count. We're heading straight to the town. No time to lose. Ah. Faster, Silver. Faster. Mr. Bartlett. Him not around. There he is on the porch. Oh. Him hurt. That fire's going to catch you. You look out. It's cold. There. Now, I'll carry you. You put him down on the ground. Over here. Yes, by the tree. It's far enough away. Yeah. I'll be here to make sound. Him not dead. There's an ugly cut on his head. Something hit him. Dead. What happened, Mr. Bartlett? This man. What caused the fire? Doesn't look as if it was started by accident. Men with torches. I tried to stop them. They hit me. Some of Dirk's gang. There's no doubt about that. How many were there, Parson? Only a few. And where are the rest of them, Tonto? We saw they weren't in town. That's right. Who's that coming? Oh, it's all right. Time to see sheriff. I'll get a bandage on that cut. There are plenty of men come uphill. I can see them now. Ranchers, cowboys, homesteaders. Looks like every man in the valley. Ah. They saw the fire. They've come to save the church. Even if they don't. To know it means so much to them. That's something. Yeah, that will do for the time. You watch men come uphill. Yes. A lot of them. Looks like every man in the valley. That's it. What? They set fire to the church to draw all the men here. They're going to strike someplace else. Strike. Strike where? I don't know. Wouldn't be one of the ranches. If they wanted to attack one of them, they wouldn't. Tonto. Ah. The trail herd. They're going after the trail herd. Maybe so. Parson. When the sheriff and his men have done everything they can to save the building, send them after us. We can build a new one. I'll send them at once. Well, that's up to you. Tonto and I are riding on ahead. Here, Silver. Here, Scouts. Won't you meet them on the way down? We're taking the short trail on the far side. Hit him. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scouts. Come on, Silver. Hooray. The Lone Ranger and Tonto raced down the thinly wooded slope on the far side of the hill. Once level ground was reached, the masked man called on Silver for his greatest speed. Scouts fought valiantly to keep up with him. Three, four, five miles. They splashed through the ford, then on again. Last, they thundered down the gentle slope of the wash where the herd had been bedded down. But where three thousand head had been grazing at sundown, not a single steer could be seen. We were right, Tonto. They've driven the herd away. Ah. Plenty mark and grass. Them go that way. Yes, to the north. They're heading for the pass. That's right. Cattle move plenty fast, not stopped to graze. They have them on the run. Not long ago, though. We'll see the pass when we get to the top of the next rise. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scouts. And when the rise was reached, the lone ranger and Tonto saw the last of the cattle disappearing into the pass. And at that moment, Dirk was arranging his ambush. Half an hour later... Here comes the sheriff and his men, Tonto. Ah. I'll go on to see us from pass here. We could be a lot closer. The sky's clouded over. There's no moon. It's the lone ranger and Tonto. Rain up. Oh, oh, oh, boy. Show them. Well, mask, men. Which way do they go? To the north and through the pass. Then let's get after them. I want you to split up your men into two parties, Sheriff. Sheriff, Tonto's found an old trail over on the ridge. Well, what's the matter with the canyon? It'll take us twice as long to climb the ridge. It's a little safer, though. Half of the posse will stay here with Tonto and one of your deputies. The other half will follow you and me. United we stand, divided we fall. What's the idea of splitting up? There's a good reason, Sheriff. Now, here's my plan. We're over the ridge, mask, men. But there's no sign of the herd. Yes, there is. That isn't mist up ahead. It's a cloud of dust. Right. Ready with the shooting arms, men. There's only a few men with the herd. I don't think we'll have a fight here. Is that you, Dirk? Dirk, nothing. It's the sheriff. You're under arrest. Up with your hands or we open fire. Don't shoot. Don't shoot. Round them up, boys. Here, packy yellow coyotes. That's it. Rope them good. A few manners right, mask, men. Can't be more than a dozen. I told you where the others are. Now, what do we do? Start the herd milling. Then turn them back toward the pass. All right. Jake, lefty, sundown. Up in front. Turn the point. The cowboys followed the sheriff's orders. The point of the herd was turned. And then when the leaders had been headed back for the pass, the riders started shooting and yelling. That's it. That's a moving. A few minutes of the half-wild longhorns broke into a run. Faster and faster, like a red flood sweeping over the plain. On they thundered toward the pass. The herd was stampeding. We've got to hold the point sharp. Drive them into the pass. Get up there. Come on, silver. In the canyon, the outlaws were still waiting. Getting light, Dirk. The more light, the straighter will shoot. What's that? It's Kettle. Yeah. You can see them at the far end of the canyon. Hey, they're heading this way. That fool, Al. It's a stampede. We've got to get out of here. Into your saddles, man. Back to the valley. It's a stampede. As the outlaws burst from the canyon, they found more than a hundred men waiting for them. There was no escape. The guns of a posse ahead. The herd behind them. Desperately, they warned the cowboys in the ranches of the danger. You've got to ride for your life. You ride where we tell you. Swing to left. That goes for you, too, Dirk. I got a gun on you. Don't try to get away from us or I'll pay you for the land. That'll come through past now. Oh, oh, oh, silver. That's good. That's cramping cattle to right. Like him saying. You can rain up now, you bullcats. You've saved your ordinary lives, but you'll spend the rest of them in jail. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh, oh. How do you not do that? What's the matter, Tonto? And Dirk fellow tried to swallow paper and Hunter get them. Oh, too yet he could. Hunter get them to Lone Ranger. Him right over here with Sheriff now. Yeah. Boys are getting the herd under control now. I guess it's all over. He'll capture them, I see. Yeah, Parson. You feel all right now? Oh, I'm fine. I've been watching from the rise. To think you've managed this without firing a shot. We can thank the masked man for that. He smoked the gang out of their ambush with cattle instead of gunfire. How's it going, Jerry? We got them all. Good. Now on, Fairfield's going to be a town to be proud of. I hope you don't feel too bad about the church, Parson. We can build another. And you won't have to do it alone this time. I'll say he won't. There ain't a man in the valley who doesn't want to help. It's going to be twice as big and twice as pretty as the other. You see, masked man, it wasn't a mistake to come here after all. Of course, if it hadn't been for you... I don't say that. Whether you realize it or not, you had more to do with rounding up these crooks than anyone. You gave the honest men around here courage and hope. You built the army. The sheriff and I only led it. He must have it. You read this. I report to. Where'd you get this, Tonto? From Dirk. We'll have to get there as fast as we can. You're leaving? We have to. This lead may be important. We're riding on to Clarksville. Has it got something to do with the Black Arrow? Don't worry about it, Sheriff. Your part of the job is to see that Dirk doesn't escape before a United States Marshal comes for him. You can depend on it. Let's go then, Tonto. Get him off this couch. Come on, Silver. Come on, Silver. Come on, Silver. Come on, Silver. Hooray. You have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
