Of course, with the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty high-o, Selver, the Lone Ranger. The rest 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, Selver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Selver, we're on the trail of the black girl. Come, Selver, away! On the trail from Painted Bend, heading west toward the Sawtooth Range, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were galloping along when they suddenly saw a giant tree ahead of them crack and start swaying just as a solitary rider and his horse stumbled beneath the tree. That rider dropped to ground. Tree, come down plenty quick. His horse is out of the path of the tree, but he's lying on the ground. Tonto! Danger! Are you shouting, Tonto? He's stunned. Ride for it. Come on, Selver! Look out for tree! I'll try to drag him away. What tree? Oh, come on, Selver! Miss Harvey, you all right? Steady, Selver. Steady, boy. Let me take care of this range rider. You're not hurt. No, Tonto. Selver's speed carried me past the falling tree by inches. You drag man away plenty quick. Your arm take all his weight. Him plenty heavy. I got his belt in my hand, Tonto. My arm's a little sore, but it'll pass. Selver, go like racing wind. Scout not able to keep up with him. We have to stop another side of tree. Where's my pony? Easy, mister. Tonto, is he all right? Let me see. What happened? Well, him not hurt. Him hit ground plenty hard, that all. Where's my pony? Must have stepped into a gulf of a hole. Your horse was tripped. Huh? The rope was stretched taut across the trail. When your pony's hoofs hit it, that tree started falling. What tree? You mean a... Mavericks. Was I lying under that? Mavericks ran right hard. Got you out just in time. Said I had a nasty accident. It wasn't an accident. That tree had been cut through and propped up with a sturdy branch. But the rope would pull the branch away and bring the tree crashing down. He was deliberately set to kill you. You rode into a deadfall. A deadfall? Well, mister, I'm sure obliged. What? Your mask. You're wearing a mask. Who did this to you? That all depends on where you were, mister. You and the engine. Outlaws, huh? Maybe you fixed up that deadfall for me. Stop acting that way. We're trying to... Yeah, I know. You're my friends. We'll store it in your saddlebags. Gary Reynolds ain't got no friends. The next time, don't try this old dodge of saving a gent from a trap you fixed yourself just to win his confidence. I'm wise to your schemes. You're suspicious, don't you? Mighty suspicious. And I aim to stay that way. Once burned, twice shy, I am ass man. Adios and no thanks to you. Get along, pony. Ah, him not think you save his life. Doesn't look as if he wants company, Tonto. Let him go. Him not want to help to find out who said deadfall, that's his business. We go back a long trail, huh? That depends, Tonto. We might try and go... Look out! Look, Kimasabi. Somebody shoot arrow from other side of canyon. It hit tree. There's a note fastened to that arrow. Huh? It's not black arrow. It's plain arrow. A note says keep after him. Huh? Must mean Gary Reynolds. Not right, but who shoot arrow from? Tonto. Uh, Tonto, see. Black horse on other side of canyon. Right out from behind rock. It's a mysterious girl. The girl who's helped us before. She sent note by arrow. We go after her, huh? No, Kimasabi. It's too far to see her face. We'd have to take the long way around to reach the other rim of the canyon. She'd be gone by then. Ah, that's right. Besides, she wants to stay unknown. We must respect her wish. Here, Silver. Oh, Scout. Oh, Silver. We'll head along the trail. Gary Reynolds may not want our help, but one of the noddies is going to get it. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. The little town of Sawtooth stood at the base of Clawhammer Mountain, highest peak in the Sawtooth range. Several hours after dark, two men rode into town and hitched their horses at the rail of the Blue Star. One stayed outside. The other entered through the back door. Who's that? Speak up and reach for your guns. Sure fancy the dark, don't you, Slade? Oh, it's you, Dorgan. Yeah. I left Latigo outside. We didn't get Reynolds. A masked man on a white horse saved him. So the Lone Ranger's meddling again, eh? That's who it was, Slade. I wonder how come he happened to be around that spot. That's passing done with. No sense wondering. What troubles me is what's going to happen from now on in. Lone Ranger don't leave things half finished, Slade. Yeah. I reckon the Black Eyel better get busy, Dorgan. Anything you say. We've been doing all we could to keep Reynolds from marrying Sally Blake. We ain't killed him yet, but otherwise we're doing all right. You're a smooth-talking hombre, Dorgan. Sally thinks I'm right pleasant company. Dorgan, I reckon you better mosey over at the Blake Rancho. Get there early in the morning. I got some things I want you to show, Miss Sally. Morning, Miss Sally. Fine day, isn't it? Rod Dorgan, howdy. I just rode out from Sawtooth to pass the time of day. How's everything? Who's that? Who is... Oh, howdy, Dorgan. Howdy, Mr. Blake. Wonder if I could see you private-like. What about? Well, I got something wrapped up in this here blanket you might be interested... Fucking thunder. Brandon Irons. Slipped. I didn't mean for Miss Sally to see them. They're running irons, but why shouldn't I see them? Is there any reason? Keno, I reckon there's no use telling you to close your eyes now. Mr. Blake, I don't know how you regard Gary Reynolds, but this here's going to be bad news for you, Miss Sally. Reynolds is a no-good coyote. Howdy. Howdy, Miss Sally. Howdy, Mr. Blake. Sally, I come back to tell you I'm quite sorry. Reynolds, turn around and get off my spread. Huh? Did you say that... Vamoose! Hightail out of here and don't ever come back. Oh, now, wait a minute. I don't savvy. Gosh, Sally, all we had was a little quarrel, and an argument doesn't mean we've got to break up... There's no use talking about it. I never believed you were a cattle rustler, but... Cattle rustler? Me? Not half an hour ago, someone came here with proof. Two Brandon irons with our brand on them and your glove. They were found on our range. Father wanted to turn you over to the sheriff, but I asked him to just let you go because I... Because I... You'd better go. Go now. Oh, Sally. Go before Father changes his mind. Go. Adios. Come on, boy. Oh, Father. Reynolds, go this way long trail, huh? There's a ranch up ahead, Tato. You ought to be there by now, and then... Tato. Uh-huh. Rain up. There's Reynolds now. Ah. Him right from ranch and him right fast. He didn't stay there very long, did he? We go off trail? No. Wait for him. Wait right here on the path. What do you want? Hello, Reynolds. The mass man. Mister, I owe you on the engine something. Ah. You're not thankers of far. It's not thanks I owe you, engine. I just come from the Lazy Bee Ranch. Miss Sally and the father consider me a cattle rustler. Not an hour ago, they were given a couple of Brandon irons in one of my gloves. Those Brandon irons were used to change brains, to rustle Blake's cattle, and with my glove. That's evidence that you're the guilty one? Who took that evidence to Sally's father, mister? You or the engine? Ah, will you... Never mind. I reckon it must have been the engine. You're masked. But even if it was the engine, you're the one behind it. You're making a mistake, Reynolds. What are you trying to do? Force me to turn outlaw like you are? Him not outlaw. Don't make me bust out laughing, engine. Not an outlaw. Look, mister. Maybe you planned that dead fall back on the trail and then rescued me to make me grateful to you. You're wrong again, Reynolds. You're so mad you can't see, sir. Yeah, mister, I'm mad. I'm plenty mad. But savvy this. I ain't being pushed around because things have been fixed to make me look bad in Miss Sally's eyes. I ain't going local and turning an outlaw just because folks don't trust me. And I can still see straight enough to shoot. You're not full guns. Wait for your shooting iron's mask, man, before I blast you out of your saddle. Don't be a fool, Reynolds. You wise for it, I warned you. You shot the guns right out of my hands. Otto, pick up his guns and give them back to him. Oh, Tom, he'll do it. Here. Here, guns. And you not try to use them. Hey, Keno. Mister, you beat me to the draw this time. Nah, him got past this drawing west. Maybe he has now, engine. But I aim to practice up savvy. Call it quits, Reynolds. We didn't set that deadfall and we didn't plant that evidence against you. Let's join forces. Nothing doing, not while I'm alive. I'm saying adios to you, but I ain't forgetting. We'll meet up again, savvy. We'll meet again, and when we do, there'll be another gunfight. Next time, it'll be me that's faster on the draw. Get up. Get up, Pony. Oh, not plenty bad. Him got plenty bad temper. Yes, Toto. A hair-trigger temper. Toto, I wonder who's behind all this. Oh, that's enough, Dorgan. I said that's enough. Sure, sure, Slade. So you saw Reynolds beat the lone ranger, yeah? Yeah, that's what started me laughing. Reynolds is acting loco. He's so mad. He had a shooting scrape with the masked man. Leaves the ranger a ton of frame to him, huh? Reckon that's the way of it, Slade. Sure leaves us riding high and handsome, doesn't it? With Reynolds forbid to trespass on the lazy bee spread, I said I don't think it should take long before you get to be foreman there, Dorgan. Too bad Abner Blake didn't call the sheriff. Never mind. Maybe it's better this way. Maybe Reynolds will kill the lone ranger and save the black arrow a job. Once I'm foreman, we can run those cattle off by the dozens. I'll get a cowhand job for Letigo, so he can help me there. Where's Letigo now, I said? Yeah, out the back door. Want me to fetch you? Yeah, come along. I want to go for a ride anyways. What's that? Sounds like Letigo. Yeah. I wonder what the ruckus was. Wouldn't have been nothing much. It was over most as soon as it started. Letigo! I don't see him. I told him to stay put. Letigo usually obeys orders. I can't understand what happened. What are you doing? Look here. Huh? I found it right here on the ground, right beside the hoof marks of a horse. You mean... I mean Letigo was yanked off his feet by a man riding that horse. He was taken away from here. Who could have done it? Don't be a maverick. Use your eyes. Look what I'm holding. A bullet. A silver bullet, Dorgan. It was a lone ranger. 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. Holding Letigo in an iron grip, the lone ranger guided silver up the slopes of Clawhammer Mountain until he reached the spot where Tonto had made camp. Then while Tonto stood grimly by, the masked man shot question after question at the outlaw. Oh, senor! I have nothing to do with this. No, he was talking that way. I looked in the window of the blue star before you saw me. That man inside was Slade. Who was the other man? He got name of Dorgan. Does he have anything to do with the Lazy Bee ranch? No, senor. Will he have anything to do with it? How much you hear, huh? Enough to know when you're not telling the truth. Oh, si. Si, masked man. Letigo talk. Dorgan, he will perhaps be Segundo for Lazy Bee. Uh-huh. Segundo. Foreman. I see. Slade is an outlaw who specializes in cattle rustling. You've got knowledge of many things. Si, that is so. That's the reason for the attempt on Reynolds' life? Si. He was foreman at the rancho. To get him out of the way so Dorgan could get the job. That's right. How did Reynolds' glove get mixed up with those running irons? Dorgan, he's friend to Reynolds. Oh, friend, huh? Si. Ah. Him not friend, him enemy. Sometime Reynolds is going to find that out. Him got head like bull. Him stubborn not listen. You believe what he sees with his own eyes. Look at this man's wrist, Tonto. Ah. Oh, what's the matter? I have nothing on wrist. Ah, you let me look. Ah. No mark on wrist. Only Slade and Dorgan, they... Go on. They what? Si. On wrist. They got tattoo mark of little black arrow. Ah, Tonto, sure of that. Senor, what that arrow means, huh? If you don't know, you can count yourself lucky. Oh. Then I don't ask, huh? I have one more question. Slade doesn't stay in town. Where does he camp? Senor, I must not tell. Where? Well, a little bit more up mountain. Slade got camp. A camp up on Clawhammer Mountain? Si. Tonto will tie you up. We're keeping you a prisoner. You not put me in jail? You go to jail when we got Slade and Dorgan in as well. And that shouldn't be very far off. The following day, Rod Dorgan met Slade on the edge of town. Slade had just ridden down from his camp up in the mountain. I got news, Dorgan. On the way down the mountainside, I happened to notice smoke rising through the trees. I left my horse and investigated it. What was it? Somebody's camp? Not somebody's. It was a mass man's. The Lone Ranger's? Yeah. Letigo was there in the engine, but the mass man wasn't there. I wonder where he could be. I don't know, but he'll be back in camp come nightfall. Heard the engine say so. You know where to get a hold of Reynolds? Reckon I can. Tip him off where the mass man is camping. Tell him if he gets up there tonight, he'll get the mass man, sure. I'll tell him, but it's more likely the mass man will get him. Only savvy this, Dorgan, it'll be dark. In the daytime, the mass man can aim good enough to shoot a gun from a man's hand, but in the darkness, he's just as apt to miss a gun and hit Reynolds. That's right, Slade. There ain't many got eyes like yours that can see in the dark. All right, get traveling. Talk to Reynolds. He thinks you're his friend and work on that temper of his savvy. Get him so mad, he'll head straight for the mass man's camp just as soon as it gets dark. Father, I hear a horse coming. Now, Sally, don't you go thinking it's Gary Reynolds coming back just because you... I'm going to find out. Oh, oh, I thought you might be. You're Miss Blake, aren't you? You thought I was Gary Reynolds. Yes, I did. You don't know me, Miss Blake, but I've just learned that Gary Reynolds isn't the rustler your father thinks he is. You wear a mask, but I already know who you are, and I know that Gary isn't guilty. You already know? Yes. I spoke to a girl on a black horse, mister. She was waiting near the spring. A girl? Did you see her face? No, she was hidden behind a branch of the tree, but she told me that a masked man riding a white horse might come to the ranch and that he'd be the lone ranger. And she convinced you of Reynolds' innocence? I reckon I was easy to convince, mister. I love Gary. Maybe you're convinced, Sally, but I'm not. I need more than the word of a mysterious girl, and I need more than the word of this masked man. Mr. Blake, the men who have been rustling your cattle are Slade and Dorgan. Yeah, then prove it. That's what I'm here for. Will you ride with me to locate young Reynolds? Well, I... Please, father. After we talk to him, then we'll go after Dorgan and Slade. How about it, Blake? Keno, mister. I reckon Sally won't rest till this is straightened out. We'll get our horses. Won't be a minute, masked man. Heading back toward Sawtooth, Abner Blake went ahead into town, while the lone ranger and Sally Blake looked around outside the town. Toward evening, Blake returned with word of Reynolds' whereabouts. It took a while, mister, but I finally got some information from the barkeeper at the Blue Star. Reynolds is staying at an abandoned line shack near Clawhammer Creek. There's still time to get there before dark. This way. Get him on, get him there. Gary? Gary, it's Sally. Where are you? There's no light and his horse is gone. Hey, Reynolds. He isn't here, masked man. He's pulled up stakes. And where can he be? Blake. Huh? Here, look at these tracks. How many horses does Reynolds have? He only had one. That's right, mister. And he already had one collar today and not long ago. Here are the hoof marks of two horses. You're right. And this one here is Reynolds' horse. I can tell. Mister, it looks to me like he started traveling mighty fast. He's headed up the mountain. What does it mean? I'm not sure. It's too late to follow his trail. It's getting dark and the ground turns rocky. But I have a camp up on Clawhammer Mountain. Suppose we go up there. Anything you say, mister. We'd better move pronto. Sally, Silver. Get up, my lad. Get along, Heidi. Come on, good morning. We look for Reynolds. Fix everything, huh? I hope we locate him, Tonto. There's a lot of space on Clawhammer Mountain, mister. Slade and Dorgan have a camp further up the mountain. Kemosabe. Yes, what is it, Tonto? We walk over to near horses, huh? Something to tell me. Not right. Blake, will you keep an eye on our prisoner? I sure will, mister. I'll keep a big old occupied. Yes, what is it, Tonto? When you leave, somebody comes to spy on camp. What's that? Oh, Tonto C-Sign. Who is it, Kemosabe? Tonto not know. Ride or go away before Tonto find tracks. That's bad. Might have been Slade. Maybe Dorgan. Either one, that means they know where we're camped and we don't know where they are. We may be fine trail in dark. It's possible, but it'll be difficult. As long as we're cautious and make sure nobody attacks our camp during the night, You said those words too late, mister. I was told I'd find you here. It's Reynolds. Reynolds, we've been looking for you. How did you find my camp? A friend of mine named Dorgan told me about it. He said I'd find you here and he was right. He was hoping him to reach for a gun. Gary! Gary, don't! Drop that gun. Don't be crazy, really. Yes, we'll write. Shoot you the next time in a minute. Gary, look out! Gary! Gary! Gary, you shot him. You fell to the ground. You hot-headed young fool. He's your friend. He's the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? But I thought... You thought... You didn't have time to think. It was Dorgan and Slade that fixed it to make you look guilty. Dorgan... Dorgan was my friend. He wasn't. He just pretended. Tonto. Tonto was the masked man. Is he? Tonto, not sure. You bring torch. Tonto see a bullet hit him bad. Gary! Gary! What have you done? Shots down the mountain. Did you hear him, Slade? Yeah, I heard him. That was Reynolds. Either he's finished or the masked man is. Scared of that fire. I hear something. Scared of the fire. Somebody coming. Get busy. Yeah, that's right. I forgot you can see in the dark. Stand next to the horses. Coming this way. You can still spot the embers glowing Slade. As long as you don't spot us. Dorgan. Yeah. How long has it been since we heard those shots? Half an hour, maybe. Half an hour, yeah. Better make it about right. Right for what? Give this hombre time enough to get up here. It's either the masked man or Reynolds. Of his horse. Yeah. Must be walking toward the embers. I can't see him. I can. It's Reynolds. It's Reynolds, huh? That means he got the masked man. Quiet. I don't want him to hear you. Fire's been scattered, but I'll get him. Richel Storch, Reynolds. What the? Walked right in, didn't you? Forgot I could see better than most folks in the dark. Take his shooting eyes, Dorgan. You know. You're as dumb as a pack mule, Reynolds. That is, when you let your temper get the best of you. I know all about it. You two coyotes are the real rustlers. You frame me, not the masked man. The masked man's dead, ain't he? You shot him, didn't you? Yeah, I shot him, and I ought to... Man, you was told what a fool you were, so you come up here to make amends by getting us, eh? Do you know what we're going to do? You're going to go to jail. As soon as you notice, they're going to give you the same thing you gave the lone ranger. I'm going to pull the trigger on you, Reynolds, and you're going to... Oh, waiting blazes. You're not the only one who can see in the dark, Slade. Don't reach for those guns. It's the masked man. He's alive. Shoot him down, Dorgan. Fight him down, Silver. Where is he? Where is he? You're shooting wild, Dorgan. Take this. Hit. Now, don't move, Slade. My head snap. You shot me, masked man. You... Stop whimpering. You weren't touched. Reynolds, build up that fire. Mr. and Mr., you're alive. But I thought... One of your bullets grazed my forehead. I was unconscious for a few minutes. You mean after I galloped out of camp to get these lying umbrace? Yes, Tonto bathed my wound and I woke up. And we came after you. Some were on the fire so the others can see. Aye! Aye! King was happy! I see you got him, mister. Is Dorgan shot up? Him not shot. Masked friend hit Dorgan with fist, huh? Yes, Tonto. Blake, will you see that these two got what's coming to them? I sure will, mister. Don't you move a muscle, Slade. Adios, Silver. We can go then, Tonto. Adios. Adios. Adios. And don't you worry about a thing, masked man. From now on, Reynolds is going to be like one in a family. Adios. Is that right, Gary? Will you be like one of the family? Gosh, Miss Sally, I've been a bullheaded idiot. You certainly have. I tried to shoot the masked man. Twice I tried to. Then he turns around and saves my life and collars his hombres in a bargain. Oh, I reckon I'm just a pure skunk. Gary, you're a man who admits his mistakes. And I don't think you'll make any more. Somehow, when the Lone Ranger trusts a man, you can't help feeling that man is all right. Just like you're going to be all right, Gary. But where do we go from here? We take over Land Trail. We go to Majorville. What's that? Why Majorville? What makes you sound so positive? Well, Miss Sally, she tell me Mysterious Girl go to Majorville. Take over Land Trail. Hunter, sure, you go that way, too. Otto, wherever the Mysterious Girl goes, we always find Black Arrow outlaws to deal with. If she took the Overland Trail, so will we. Get him up, scout. Oh, so well. Hooray! The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated. The Lone Ranger.
