A fiery horse with the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. During the 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 girl. The mysterious girl, who had so often aided the Lone Ranger, sent a letter to the masked man. Before he could read it, however, a tall stranger stepped from the trees, holding a gun in his left hand and keeping his right hand concealed behind his back. Drop that letter, mister. One minute. Drop what I tell you. I'm not fooling. I'm dead serious. Drop it. You look like someone I've known in the past. Never mind what I look like. Isn't that beard a fake? That letter. There's something about your eyes that's mighty familiar. Hello. You remember this man? No. May not know him. Look here, mister. Tried to give you a chance. If you want this letter, come forward and take it. And let you with a redskin jump me? No, thanks. I'll take it my way. Your way? Right. Look, I... I wondered what you held behind your back. A bullwhip. Did I touch your hand with it? No, but you did a neat job of snatching away the letter. Well, then that's that. I didn't want to use the whip if I didn't have to. I'm going to take that letter away from you. Now, wait. Wait for what? Stand where you are. I don't want to shoot. Oh, doggone it. Stay back. I'm taking that letter and you're not shooting. Don't. There. Oh. While I'm at it, I'll see about that beard. Wait, don't. Hang it on. There. Kimo Sambi. This fellow, our old friend. Oh, now you know. Arizona Pete. Yeah, it's old Arizona Pete all right enough. I don't expect it'll do no good to ask you not to read that letter. Not a bit of good. How long have you been going around taking things away from people? So, where have you been all these years, Pete? Oh, I've been around the country. Heard about you being in these parts and wanted to see you. That's about all there is to tell. What about the letter? I ain't talking about that. How did you know I was going to get it? I was in town and heard something said, that's all. Now, I ain't going to say another word. You spotted who I was right off the bat, didn't you? When you used the bullwhip. That's why I didn't want to use it. I knew you wouldn't use that gun on me, Pete. Just as I know that you had some mighty strong reason for not wanting me to read this letter. Watch him, Tonto. See as he stays here, we'll have a look at the girl's message. Ah, Tonto, watch him. It's a long time, Arizona, since Trey last crossed. It's been a powerful long time, Tonto. Sorry that we had to meet up like this. Reckon the masked man will be downright peevish at me now. No, him not get crossed. Him knew all time, you good friend. Listen, maybe you've got plenty of good reason to take letter. I've got more reason than he'd believe. I know what that letter is sending him to face. I know the outfit that he's going to have to fight. And I'd give him my life if I could just keep him out of this night's work by doing so. Maybe you're wrong. But I ain't wrong. Well, Pete, I've read the note. You heard what I said to Tonto, didn't you? Maybe you don't understand, Pete. The girl who sent this has been a mighty big help in the past. She knows what she's doing. She's trying to get killed tonight, though. I tell you, I know, and I'm the only one that does know. You know what? I know a man called Oremus. I know he's downright dangerous. You know where he can be found? I wouldn't tell you if I did. I only know that he keeps out of sight. No one ever gets to see him. But then that starts hunting him, never come back. All the more reason to start hunting him at once. Huh? The longer we wait, the more likely he'll be to learn that we are hunting for him. Oh, now, look. Please don't do it, Lone Ranger. Please don't do it. If it was a ton of wildcatchers, it was the fight, I'd say go ahead. If you had to stack yourself and Tonto again, 20 crooks this side of the Rockies, I'd say you'd probably lick him. If you had to fight anything that's human or animal, I'd stack my guns alongside of yours and ask you to let me help. But this is different. Why is this different? Now, look. Oremus isn't like anything human. Well, he's like a ghost. He knows everything that goes on. He knows who's hunting for them and where they are and what they're doing. He probably knew about that letter before you did. The girl that wrote you don't understand. She just knows that Oremus is a name that stands for trouble. Pete. What is it? We've worked together before. Do you want to help me go after Oremus? I'd do anything in the world to stop you from going after him. Do you want to help me go after Oremus? Nothing that'll change your mind? I asked you a question, Pete. If you are going after him, you can bet your boots I'm going with you. Where do we start hunting the critter? Good. We're going to camp in the woods until midnight. Then we'll ride for town. Midnight? All we need to make it complete is a rip-snorting, thundering, lightning storm. And we get that. Cloud come now. Heap soon come lightning. Then maybe rain. Plenty storm by midnight. Well, that'll be just dandy. It's after 11 o'clock. Don't you figure we could start for town now? Wait till midnight, Pete. Maybe the storm will be over by that time. The storm lasts a long time after midnight. In town, the buildings darkened as the hour grew late. There was a rambling house at the edge of town where a lamp still burned in a small living room. A motherly woman rocked back and forth as she talked to an attractive girl. Sex alive. I've been taking borders here for close to 12 years, honey. And I heard more problems than you can shake a stick at. But this one of mine is different. Oh, they're all different. Now tell me more about it. Maybe I can help. I've told as much as I can. You don't want this man to see you. Yet there's no other way you can help him. Well, my sex alive, honey. Let him see you. It'll feast his eyes. You're right pretty to look at. But if he sees me, what? What if he does? I won't be able to help him as I have in the past. Besides, I... Let me ask a couple of questions, honey. Why, I'm too heavy to get around very much, but I've seen a plenty. I can put two and two together. Well? You sent a letter to this man, didn't you? Yes. You told him that you'd leave another letter with the clerk at the hotel. And that you'd tell him where to meet you. Ain't that so? How did you know? Oh, I know lots of things, honey. Lots of things. Well, what if you're all right? You told this man to come here. Now you're worrying because you'll see you. Yes. Yet you don't know how you can tell him what you want him to know without letting him see you. You can't write it down. No, I can't. It deals with a certain man that's mighty crafty. A man that's known round here as Toremus. How did you know that? I haven't told that to anyone. I know things. I told you that before. What else do you know about Toremus? I... You seem to know quite a bit. Suppose you tell me what you know about him. Sure, I don't mind telling you. Did you know that he runs this town? Yes. That most of the high taxes have been set by him? That most of the cash that's collected in taxes finds its way to his pocket? I know it. Did you know that Toremus has got a score of men released from jails and he can send them back to jail anytime they don't follow his orders? Did you know that he already found out about the letter you sent to the Lone Ranger? Oh, you mean... That he knew all about it and he's already switched a letter of his own for the one you left at the hotel? Did you know that? No. I didn't think you did. You know all these things... Maybe you didn't know that Toremus has found out all about you, too. He's found that you were sent here from Washington to help the Lone Ranger. He's seen all the private papers you keep in your trunk. There's only one way you could know about all this. The black arrow. You're right, honey. And here's something else for you to hear and think over. Toremus won't ever be found out. I'll tell you why. Everyone that hunts him looks for a man. They never thought of looking for a woman. A woman? You. They never thought of looking right here in town. In old Sissy Sparrow's room and house and they never will. You here and your husband running the hotel. Between you, you can find out everything concerning everyone who comes to town. Just so, honey. And the Lone Ranger won't be needed. I'll take care of you without his help. Not with that gun, honey. I took the lead out in it a while ago. Besides, you're going to take a little trip. Take her away, boys. Right. Come on, hurry up. You just won't go. Grab her other arm, Jake. I got it. Take her where I told you. And if she gets loose, you know what'll happen to the lot of you. She won't get loose. Wait. One thing more. Yeah? Just remember that you two are the only ones I trust to know who I am. If anyone else finds out, you know what to do with them. We know. And if anyone finds out from any source but me, I'll hold the two of you responsible. You know what that means. Sure. All right, then. The girl knows me. I told her. So now you know what's got to be done. We'll do it. And see that it's done before morning. You fellow in charge of hotel? I am. What do you want, Injun? Kind of late to be around. A message say we not come till after midnight. Well, it's sure after midnight. And a wet night, too. What do you want? I'm just locking up. Um, me want message. Message? I don't know of any message that's for you. You got message here and me want it. I don't know what you're talking about. Message for men who wear masks. Girl leave message. Message here. Oh. Well, you don't wear a mask. Well, fellow wait outside. Him there now. You give Tonto a message. Well, I reckon it'll be all right. Here you are. Yeah. Tonto? Oh, your paper. Have any trouble getting it? No, fellow in hotel. Say me not wear a mask. Not want to give it to me. Well, you got it. That's the main thing. You don't care for the lights in the hotel. No. Why girls say wait till late at night? Probably because she didn't want us to risk coming here when there were so many people around. That's odd. What matter? She wrote this in a hurry. Writing is hard to read. What did it say? She's given us the location of a cave, Tonto. She tells us to go there and search the inside of the place. And what we find there? Something that will lead us to the person who's known as Doremus. Come on. We'll go and see if Arizona's finished feeding the horses. She's a suggestion and a good one. Warm food will be good for Silver and Scout. Uh-huh. I was going to say he knew the man in the stable. Yeah. Mad Lantern. Have an idea? Those horses are going to have a hard trip ahead of them. This cave is quite a ways up the side of the mountain. Well, where Arizona's horse? I don't know. But he'd bring his own in here with ours. Oh, him not here. Arizona. Where are you? In the handset. Arizona. Hello. I don't know if anything has happened to Arizona. Well, me take a look around outside. All right. Eddie, Silver. Eddie, you're glad you can't talk, old fellow. You might help a lot at a time like this. Silver, did you hear Tonto? Tonto, did you call? This is what I think it is. Someone is going to have a lot of trouble. Be right back, Silver. I... How cold. I got the two of them. Now I'll just have a look and see what this here notes is. 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. And now to continue our story. Arizona Pete, an old friend, was to help the Lone Ranger and Tonto, but disappeared from the saddle shed behind the hotel. While Tonto went into the rain to look for him, the Lone Ranger was struck on the head from behind. It was half an hour later that the masked man recovered consciousness. Tied. Tied hand and foot. No chance to get loose. You wait. Give me something. Tonto. Uh-huh. Here, back of you. What happened to you? I thought I heard you call out. We get hit in the head. Same as I did. Come to in here. Someone carry Tonto inside. Is there any chance that you'll be able to get free? Maybe. Tonto worked some time on rope. Rope wet. Maybe it stretched a little bit. You know who knocked us down? He know him. Arizona Pete. Him lead message beside you. You see it when you look. Oh. This is his effort to keep us safe. Can you lead message? Wait. Let me turn a little further. Yes. Says he has a letter from the girl. Ah. He's going to investigate the cave himself. And if it is a trap, he'll spring it. Tonto, how can we be angry at a man so willing to give his life to save ours? I haven't got big start. At least I remember where the cave is located. We can get loose. Maybe be loose in a minute now. I've been able to do a thing with ropes on my wrist. Perhaps if I try harder. You wait. Let me get free now. One hand free. Good for you, Tonto. No. No. Other hand free. I'll get knife. Cut ropes plenty soon. Hurry. We can only catch up to Arizona. He'll spoil everything. He doesn't know that the girl who writes those notes is dependable. That rope's on. Ankle. Tonto. Stand up. Get your hands free. Good. Your feet. You stand up. You all right? I'm all right. Untie your horse now. Be quick. I'll get silver. Steady, boy. We're going fast. Is that rope untied? Be ready. Come on, silver. Get him up. After her capture, the girl was taken to the cave. There she was tightly bound and closely guarded as the outlaws discussed their plan. That's tough you're talking. We've got things to discuss. What's there to discuss? I didn't know of anything. As near as I can see, everything's all set. As near as you can see. Only you don't know everything. The boys got their orders, didn't they? Sure. They let the Lone Ranger and Tonto come into the cave. Then, when they get back near to here, they'll jump from behind and rub them. Uh-huh. And then stand guard on them. Well? Only they don't know what'll happen after that. What will? The old woman's not satisfied with this gang. She ain't. Why not? She has a hunch they're getting hard to handle. She knows what she can do. She's got everything about them written down. She can send them back to jail if she wants. Yeah, but she don't want to do that. She thinks one or two of them might have an idea of who the boss is. And they'd squeal if they went back to jail. What did she want? You and me. We're going to handle the work alone from now on. Huh? We're going to slip out of here during the night, you see. Then when the boys are all sleeping. Long about half an hour before a day break when they get tired of their card playing. We touch off a blast that's all set. Phew. She can nerve that, eh? Yeah. The highly old woman. She's got to where she is because she don't take no chances. A couple of these boys are good friends of mine. Oh, maybe you'd like to stay here with them. Oh, not me. All right, then. Maybe the blast won't get them all in. Oh, it will. It'll send about a million tons of rock again the mouth of the cave. That'll be news for... You shut up. Let me fix this gag on her. Should have known she'd make trouble. She'll yell a warning if she gets the chance. We should have gagged her in the first place. We'll do it now. Oh, I didn't want to do it on the kind of hurting her. Drat it all. I'm a weak sister when pretty girls are around. This will keep her quiet. I'm sorry, miss. That there gag hurts your face, but it's got to be that way. Remus gave us orders about this here girl. I hate like thunder to carry them out. Well, I hate more to go again to Remus' orders. Got your shooting eye limbered up? Me? That ain't my job. It's yours. If it's got to be done, I ain't going to do it. But hang it all. I can't just... Tied like she is. Well, then we'll do it my way. How's it? Just leave her here. The blast will do the trick for us. If you're sure it will. That there, powder is fixed to get everyone that's in here. And a pretty girl will get it just as quick as the men. Can't none of them get out, so... Well, how long can people live without air and food? Arizona Pete finally reached the cave, dismounted in the steady downpour of rain, and left his horse outside. This here's a place all right, isn't it? Now, let's see what there is here that the Lone Ranger should know about. Yeah, I know I've done the right thing. There's nothing like a trap here. I can find whatever there is to find, and then go back and tell the Lone Ranger and Tunnel. Likely I'll get to them before morning. Better stop here and light this here candle. Well, if Lone Ranger does get loose and come here, you'll at least be warned. Something should happen to me. Sure is a doggone roomy place. Can't see how far back it goes. Does look like a lot of men have been around here, though. Ground is sure broke up by footmarks. I'll just keep going as far back as I can. Then look around real careful on the way out. I sure hope the Lone Ranger don't feel too put out for what I've done to him. Seems like it's time for that Lone Ranger to get here. He's had plenty of time. Wait a minute. Let me listen. You hear something? I think so. Seems like... Get the rope now! I got him. I thought I heard something. Trap man! We'll take this and... He's giving him a fight. What's the matter with you men? Handle him. Get rope. Yeah, I'll fix that good before I unroped him. I thought he's yours! Hang on, then. Get rope around him. Here, grab one of this. Pull it tight. That's the ticket. Yeah, you crazy fools. You're not as smart as you figured. That'll hold him. Now fetch the lanterns and let's see about him. You two will go on and watch for that redskin. Yeah, go ahead and watch for Tano. Hey, this don't sound like the Lone Ranger. Hurry up with them laddies. We're getting them! You thought you could use that girl to trap the Lone Ranger, huh? Well, this is one time that old Oremus' flick fell down. Where is he? I'd like to tell him to his face what a bonehead movie's made. Anything you've got to say, you can say to me. Here's the light. No mask. Of course there's no mask. You crooks got the wrong man. Get those lights out. Get them out quick. If the Lone Ranger comes and sees him, he'll be warned. I'll fix this in... That's better. You can have all the light you want. The Lone Ranger won't be coming here. Who says he won't? I do. And I'm the gent that knows. Bring him back where the girl is. We'll leave him together there. Come on, you. So she isn't coach with you. And double-cross the Lone Ranger. Maybe you'll have the chance to judge that for yourself. You can stop here. Just sit down on the ground and put a gag in your mouth. First, we'll have a little talk. I want to know who you are, why you're here, and why the Lone Ranger ain't coming. You want me to answer questions, huh? Yeah. Well, you can go to Blazers. I got nothing to say. Only this. The Lone Ranger knows about you and he'll get you. Uh-huh. We'll see about that. And from now on, I'm saying exactly nothing. The night dragged on. And Arizona Pete wondered that he was still alive. He realized the outlaws had left him. And from time to time, he heard the breathing of the helpless girl in the darkness. Then suddenly... You keep quiet. Time to get you loose in a short time. Now the gag is removed. Can you speak? It's hard to get so long. Pete, you're free now. How'd you get here? Keep your voice down. We were about to come into the cave when we heard the fight. And we saw the lights. We waited in the darkness. Most of the men were playing cards in a wall off part of the cave where the light didn't show. This here girl, she brought you here. Wait, let me speak. Lone Ranger, there's to be a blast. All the men here to be trapped. I'm going to risk a light. Wait. I beg you. You can make a light. You can see me, but I don't want you to. You are the girl who's helped so much. To serve my country. To help defeat the Black Arrow. I can tell you no more. But I wish you... Sometime, perhaps, when the Black Arrow is a thing of the past, you... Well... Perhaps you'll remove your mask at that time, too. But now... Believe me... When I say that it'll hinder our work if we know each other. And time is so short. There's to be an explosion. You and I were supposed to be trapped in it. I see. Only lead the way from here, then I can tell you who Doremus is. I can tell you where to find her, where to get the evidence that she's really... Her? She? Yes. Evidence that she's working with the Black Arrow. That she has a whole county paying huge taxes. So the tax relief can be promised by the Black Arrow. Hello. Hello. Need the way out of here. We'll follow close behind you. Shortly before dawn, the leaders of the gang approached the mouth of the cave. One of them crouched, fumbled, and struck a match. Did you find the end of the fuse? Yeah, I got it. I'll have it going in a second. Get ready to run. Good thing the rain stopped. I'm ready. I sure hate to think about the men inside. Every one of them is done murder. This will be better than hanging, won't it? I reckon so. There, run. Not too far. I want to be sure the thing goes off. Just find that rock over yonder. We'll be safe enough there. Yeah. Here we are. Listen to them. Soon we've seen the cave closed up. Report the old woman. You've been waiting for it. Who's that? You're covered. You've been looking for me. Lask. The old ranger. And me too, boys. We met before, remember? It's the one ahead of the cave. Take your guns, Tanner. Let me do it. Hey, look here. We have what he wants for. The law will want you men. Wait. There's a girl inside. There she came. She came out with us. We ain't done nothing. No? What about that blast? What about the men you've trapped in that cave? Well, we... I... We'll let the fuse burn. We'll let your blast go off. By the time those men have been rescued by the sheriff's posse, I'll be glad to tell all they can about you two. Then perhaps you two will tell a few things about Doremus. And whenever one gets through with telling what he can, the law will have a fine parcel of crooks to deal with. There it goes. That'll hold the prisoners until the law can take charge. And, uh, Pete. Mm-hmm. You wanted to run things your way tonight. Oh, now look, mister. I was only... I know. I know. Well, I'm going to count on you to keep these two crooks here while I ride for some men. But the girl's already going to get the sheriff and the posse. Yes. We'll need more than a posse for digging out those men. Just look. I'm going to get the army. You stand guard until it comes. Well, I sure will. Get them out, scound. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated. The End
