A fiery horse with the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. It was discovered in the Black Hills, a new wave of emigration swept into the western United States. Along with the honest settlers came gamblers, criminals, and confidence men, and the mining towns ran wide open. It was in the hills that the Lone Ranger led the fight against the powerful and ruthless Drexel Syndicate, and it was only his strength and courage that made possible the victory of right over might. 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. We're heading for Deadwood. Hi-yo, Silver. Hooray. Clark Drexel, head of the Drexel Gold Mining Syndicate, was finally jailed through the efforts of the Lone Ranger. His capture and the events that led up to it furnished excitement enough to last the people of Deadwood for many weeks. Yes. Drexel was a subject of discussion in every cafe, on every porch, wherever men gathered. I don't know what we would have done about him if it hadn't been for the Lone Ranger. Too bad the Lone Ranger's rode away. Ain't it, though? I wish he'd stay here and settle down. Yeah, there's plenty of men would split their claims with him if he'd stay here. Shucks, the Lone Ranger. He don't want gold mines. How long do you think it'll be before Drexel hangs? Oh, I don't know. Hope he does hang. He's got it coming. Few people stopped to think that Drexel had become powerful because of his cleverness. Even while they talked, Clark Drexel was making plans for his escape. The sheriff, Glenn Bush, was the only man who felt concerned. Here's your slippers, Glenn. Get those boots off now and settle yourself. For my sake, stop your worrying. I'll keep my boots on till bedtime, Martha. I'll tell them what'll happen. You're not figuring on going out again tonight? I never can tell. Oh, my sake's alive. You've been worrying and fretting till you're losing weight. Well, it's Drexel. But he's in jail. Well, now he is. Well, he'll stay there. You got good men on guard. And the lock on the jail's the best that can be had. Good men are on guard, Martha. But Drexel has a mighty lot of money. What of it? There's a mighty few men that can't be tempted if there's enough money around. And Drexel knows he'll probably be sentenced to hang. At least you get life in jail. He can spend any amount of cash for his freedom and consider it worthwhile. Well, there's nothing you can do about it. If he gets out of jail, you'll have to bring him back, that's all. Well, that's a plenty. If he gets out, we'll never find him. All right, then you won't. But you won't be blamed. You can't be expected to be on the job 24 hours a day. Well, why not? Have you took leave of your senses? If the Lone Ranger hadn't been on the job 24 hours a day, Drexel would never have been caught. Why should the Lone Ranger do that? But he's... Because he likes the idea of fair dealing and straight playing. Well, I'm paid to help keep law and order. He's not. But if he can risk his neck helping me get Drexel behind bars, by Juniper, I'm going to do my best to keep him there. Oh, there's no arguing with you. Someone's stopping outside. I'll see who it is. More than one horse reigned up there. Sheriff! Sheriff, you better come fast. Hurry, Sheriff. We need your bed. What's the matter? Is it Drexel? How'd you know? Is it Drexel? Yeah, he's free. He got out of the jail. I knew it. Martha, toss my hat here. Hurry up and don't stand there. Be right with you, boys. How'd he get out? Oh, he had help. Who? We don't know. No shooting? Nope. Here's your hat. Buck, saddle up my horse and bring it along. I'll ride to the jail with Pete on your horse. Right. I'll go right to... How long has he been out? Well, we don't know. It might have been a couple hours. Pete, I'll go straight to the jail. You go to Hank Sanders and borrow his hound dog. Fetch it along in a hurry. Oh, boy. Get along there. Come on. Get along. He sawed through the bars. You can see where he cut him. No one saw him since he was giving his grub at sunset. He might have been gone for a couple hours. Yeah, dread it all. After all the trouble he had in getting the crook. He'll never be found in the hills. Here comes Hank and Pete. Hank's got his hound dog. All right. Quiet down. All of you shut up. Can't hear myself think. There's so much gabbing going on. Now, let me have the two facts. You, Steve, tell them to me and make them short. There's mighty little to tell, Sheriff. I took Drexler's grub at sunset. The plate of bully is still on the table. He never touched it. Didn't any of you look in on him after that? Well, I didn't. Me neither. I didn't think it was necessary. All right. Go ahead, Steve. What's the rest? Well, I was going off guard duty. Pete had come up to take my place. I took a look to make sure Drexler was all right and he was gone. Yeah, then I noticed where it sawed through the bars of the window. He got hold of a saw somewhere. Yeah, a fine thing. Hank, bring your hound around here. Any of you fellas got any of that stuff we took from Drexler? Yeah, I thought you'd need something. Here's his riding gloves. Give the hound a whiff and see if he can get a scent and follow it. Yeah, I'll take charge of the dog, Hank. Here you are, fella. Dog looks like he's got the scent. Come on, follow him and hang on to that leash. All right, sir. At that moment, the Lone Ranger and Tonto were riding toward Deadwood. As they reached the outskirts of town... There's a light in the livery stable, Tonto. We won't have to go into town. We can stop there and find out from Jackson if there's any news. That's a good idea. Then we'll make camp at the spring. You look. Door open. Yes, that's Jackson standing there. What's the matter with him? Him hold on to the door, I like him. He's falling down. Jackson! Him hurt, baby. Head in there, Silvers. Head in, boy. Hip! Oh, it's gone. Oh, fella. Oh. He's unconscious. Someone hit him over the head. Oh. That bad mark. And now he's coming, too. I... Trying to say something. Drexel. Drexel. Quick, Kimo Sabe, get some water. I'll carry him into the office. We've got to find out what happened. The dog led the sheriff and his deputies to the edge of town and stopped in front of the livery stable door. Pete, you come with me. He's in there, sure as you're born. Buck, you and Steve go around to the rear, see that he don't get out the back way. Right. Come on, Steve. Yeah. Keep that dog quiet. Quiet, quiet, boy. Got your gun ready, Pete? Yeah, right. The rest of you keep back. There might be lead flying faster if Drexel's got himself a gun. Now stand ready, Pete. I'll kick the door open. I'm ready. All right, throw up your hands. You're covered. Make a move and we'll shoot. Take it easy, Sheriff. The mass man. The Lone Ranger. Come in and close the door. Hey, Sheriff, Sheriff, there's two horses in the back. Yeah, one of them's white, like the Lone Ranger's. Oh, he's here. What's the matter with Jackson? Well, he's been knocked down, but he's not seriously hurt. Tano's fixing him up. We followed Drexel's trail to here. He's out of the jail. Yes, I know it. But this time, he's well up in the mountains with the best horse Jackson had here. He is? Jackson's watch was smashed when he fell. That was over an hour ago. With that much of a start, there's not much chance. The dog won't help. Drexel won't leave a trail the dog can follow. Uh, drat it all. If only someone had seen him get out and drill the coyote. How is Jackson, Tano? Him be all right plenty quick now. But, uh, I thought you'd gone away. I thought we'd seen the last of you. I'm doggone glad you're back. But how did you know about... Sheriff, Drexel will be dangerous as long as he lives. I know, but how... I don't want to leave the Black Hills until I see him tried and sentenced to a federal prison. Uh, hung? Yeah, it isn't going to be easy to find him now. He not only knows the hills around here, but he can force most of the miners to help him. You mean because he holds most of the mortgages on their property? Yes. Drexel can spend a fortune to buy help. I reckon you're right there. I said something along the same line less than an hour ago. We may have to search the property of every man in the Black Hills before Drexel is found. Then by Juniper, we'll do that. Unless... Well, uh, what do you mean, Sheriff? Well, Tartle can follow a trail that can't be seen by anyone else. You think there's a chance that we could trail, Drexel? We're going to try, but we can't start until daybreak. Oh, well, then he'll have gotten where he's going. You be ready, Sheriff, and bring two of your best men with you. Right. We'll be ready at daybreak, me and Pete and Steve. Now, what can be done about poor Jackson? Get him in bed and keep him there for a couple of days. He'll be as good as new. Come along, Tartle. Yeah, me ready. We'll see you at daybreak, Sheriff. Sheriff, have you noticed the Lone Ranger and Tartle? Sure. I've kept my eyes on him ever since we started up this trail. Why? Well, that redskin has been pointing to the trail a lot and calling the Lone Ranger's attention to things he's seen. What about it? It strikes me he's not sure we're on the track of Drexel. I'll shove ahead and find out. Come on, boy. How are things going? Sheriff, have you been watching the trail? Sometimes, not always. Why? The first track going downhill as well as the one going up. What of it? I don't think the downhill track was made about the same time as the one we're following. Last night? Yes. What's that mean? Someone who came into town last night must have passed Drexel. Now, I wonder who came in. I didn't hear of anyone. Might have been one of the prospectors. They come and go from town quite often. Might be. Wait. Look ahead. Smoke. Campfire there. Hey, there's a fire up ahead. Maybe that's Drexel. We'll soon find out. Come on, Silver. Get up there. Come on. Keep your guns ready to use. That must be Drexel. The tracks lead right to that rock where the smoke is coming up. There's the man. He's coming out to see us. That's not Drexel. Hey, you. Come here. We want to talk with you. Howdy, Sheriff. What's the matter? What's your name? Me? I'm Lem Calloway. Why? Calloway? Look, Sheriff. That's one of Jackson's horses. Where'd you get that horse? I swapped him. Now, don't tell me that he's a stolen animal. That's just what he is. Oh, now, if that don't beat all for luck. I knowed my luck was too good to last, but that man's mast. Lem, when did you get the horse? Last night. I was riding for Deadwood to get me some supplies when I met a gent riding up the trail. He stopped me and saw where my horse was just about stove in and done for, and he offered to swap horses and give me the supplies he had if I'd keep away from the town. Did he say why he wanted you to keep away from town? No, sir, and I didn't ask too many questions. I was glad to get this horse. So you took his horse and rode uphill in the direction he'd been riding. Yes, so. He took your horse and rode downhill. Yeah. Say, Sheriff. Did I do something wrong? That means that Drexel went right straight back to Deadwood. He's thrown us off the trail as neat as you please. Sheriff, take charge of this man. He may be able to tell us more. Hold on, now. You can't arrest me. Who can't? You've been receiving stolen property. If your story is true, we'll let you go. But, Dad, Roger... Come on! I'm going back to Deadwood, Sheriff. Drexel's up to something. Ah, him plenty smart. Hey, look downhill. Look down where the town is. Great gun, smoke. Fire there, plenty big fire. Come on, Tonto. Hit him up, scout. Come on, Silver. Get up! The Lone Ranger and Tonto raced at breakneck speed toward Deadwood, watching the smoke and flames that rose from the center of town. The wooden building that held the office of the Drexel Mining Syndicate was a mass of flames. The buckets of water thrown onto the townsmen had no effect at all. The dry wood crackled, and the fierce heat drove everyone back fully 100 yards. There's nothing we can do but let it burn. Look at those flames through the roof. They must be a mile high. How'd it start? Start it all over at once. Get water on those other buildings. Soon, the roof collapsed. Get back! Get out! Get out! Red sparks leaped above the smoke and flames. Then the walls of the building caved in. By the time the Lone Ranger and Tonto arrived, there was little left for the mass of embers. Well, he's done for. Maybe it's a good thing. Who are you talking about? Clark Drexel. Was he in there when the building caught fire? That's what they tell me. He was. He's beyond help now. Flames die out plenty soon now, and we find out. When did this fire start? It seems that it started a short time after you and the sheriff went out on the trail. And Drexel might have gotten into his office during the night. But right now, I want to find out why he came back and what started that fire. Yes. I want to know whether Drexel's dead or alive. 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 Drexel office was a cold mass of burned wood. The sheriff's men examined the ruins carefully, and then the lawman stated... I guess there's no question about Drexel being dead now. How sure are you, Sheriff? Well, here, take a look at the jewelry that was found in the ruins. There's a belt buckle and cufflinks. I remember Drexel wearing these. Me too. I remember those cufflinks. He had them on when he was in the jail. Yeah, Drexel is finished. That's sure. I guess all the records of the syndicate was burned up, too. Now nobody will know who owed Drexel money or what land he owed or held mortgages on or anything else. Drexel must have an heir. Huh? Someone who will inherit his money. Well, I reckon all his relatives, if he's got any, are in the East. Yes. There are other members of his firm. They're in the East, too. Well, nothing to do but wait till someone shows up to lay claim to the property. See you later, Sheriff. Well, where are you going now? The stage office. Stage office? For what? You don't figure on leaving your horse here and taking the stage East, do you? No, I want to look at the packages that are waiting for the next stage. Well, I'll go along. Sheriff, suppose I wanted to send a package to someone in the East. What would I do with it? Put the address on it and leave it in the office. The stage don't stop every day, so there's no point in having the agent there all the time. That's why the window's fixed so people can drop packages in. There's the window, see it? Yes. Can you open the office? Sure. I've got keys to every place in town. Have to have them in the line of duty. When does the next Eastbound stage stop here? They do tomorrow. Why? I just wondered. I'll have this door open in the jiffy. There you are. Smells a little musty in here. Door hasn't been open for three days. Is this the pile of packages for the East? Yep. There are all kinds of stuff here. Some of it's mail. The agent is postmaster, too, you know. Yes, I know. Some of the stuff is for the Wells Fargo line. You're looking for something in particular? Yes, Sheriff, I am. If you give me an idea of what you're after, maybe I could help. I'll have to recognize it by the handwriting, Sheriff. Here. This might be what I'm after. Yeah. Address to some critter in Chicago. But right on top, too. That would mean that it was one of the last things put through the window. That's right. Probably late last night or early this morning. See, here, how... Possibly put here by Clark Drexel. Say, do you think so? Yeah, this writing is very much like his. Might be his. Well, doggone. Sheriff, a little while ago, you told me that without the records in the Drexel office, it would be impossible to know who owed money or what mortgages Drexel held. Sure. I think you'll find that information in this package. You mean... I mean that Drexel set that fire on purpose. That's why he doubled back to town after he got away. He put all the important records into a bundle because he didn't want to lose his property. Then burned himself up? No, that don't hold... I don't think Drexel was near the fire after he started it. Great day. He set the fire and threw his jewelry in to make it look like he was gone. Then disappeared. Now we haven't a chance of trailing him. He might have taken any one of a dozen directions from town. Duh, gone. What can we do about it? I don't know yet. And he can't lay claim to his property. He can't come back here very well. I don't think he'll be far away for a few days. Why? You'll want to be sure his valuable package is taken with the stage. Furthermore, he can't travel far without a horse. You'll know what happens around here. What are you planning to do? Sheriff, call a meeting of your deputies and let me speak to them. I'll outline my plan and ask them to help out. All right. What is your plan? I'm going to rob the stagecoach. All right, boys. Quiet down now. Quiet down and let the Lone Ranger outline his scheme. Better be a good'un. Drexel is plenty slick. I still think he burned in that fire. Me too. Quiet, boys. Go on. Tell him your scheme. I'm going to hold up the stage and take the package Drexel left. Huh? I think Drexel will hear about the robbery and he'll know his package is gone. And a few days later, a stranger will come into Deadwood on a stage. A stranger will look and talk like an Easterner. And it'll be you, eh? Buck, keep still and let him go on. I'm sorry. Yes, I'll be posing as Easterner. I'll have the records with me and I'll start collecting the cash. I'll settle for half of what Drexel has coming. I'll sell mortgages cheap, sell gold mines for less than Drexel paid for them. I'll get all the cash I can. What's to be gained by that? Drexel won't let me get away with that. He'll either come himself or send someone to get me out of the way. But maybe he won't. He won't dare show himself. Yeah, that'd be too much risk. Well, anyway, how could he get you? Remember, Drexel has friends. Yeah, that's right. Someone helped him get out of jail by getting that saw to him. We don't know who it is, but someone in this town is willing to help Drexel. He could have that man make a play to get me without coming to town himself. The Lone Ranger scheme is worth trying anyhow. We're going to do it. The sheriff will tell the guard and driver of the stage what we're doing so they won't shoot too straight when I stop the stage. We wanted you deputies to know what was going on so that when you heard of the stage being held up, you wouldn't go gunning for the masked man too fast. Now, is everything clear? Yeah, Sheriff. Well, that guard is a dead shot, Sheriff. You better be sure and tell him what's to be done. Well, I'll tell him, Steve. You needn't worry about the guard. He won't shoot straight at the Lone Ranger. It'd be too bad if he did. He never misses. That night, when the town slept, one of the sheriff's deputies slipped quietly beyond the outskirts to a small hunter's cabin that had been abandoned for many years. No light showed in the cabin, but the deputy knew someone was there. He waited outside the door, listening intently in the darkness. When he was sure that no one had followed him, he tapped softly. Then the door opened. Buck? Yeah? Come on. Get in. Hurry. You keeping comfortable in here, Mr. Drexel? Not very, but I can tolerate some discomfort. How are things in Deadwood? Everything would be fine if it wasn't for that Lone Ranger. Now what? He don't think you died in the fire. Confound him. Found that package of stuff you left with the stage. He recognized your handwriting on it. He did? Yeah. Now he's got a scheme all cooked up. Does he know what my plans are? He's seen right through them. He knew you'd send the records to someone so they wouldn't be lost. Then someone could come here and run the office while you went back east and fixed up a deal with whoever inherits your money. So you keep drawing on your cash. I don't know how you reasoned it all out. Yeah. All it took was common sense. If he was sure I hadn't burned to death, he'd know the only move I could make. What's he going to do about it? Make believe to rob the stage. Get that stuff of yours from it. He figures you'll hear about it. Oh, he figures I'll hear about it, huh? Well, then what? Then he plans to pose as an Easterner and come to your office or you'll come out of hiding to get rid of him. Does he suspect you're working for me? Well, he's got a hunch that someone is. He figures that whoever you send to get rid of him will know where you are. If he captures your friend, he can get you. Well, what else can you tell me? The sheriff is fixing it with the guard and driver of the stage. When the masked man sticks it up, they'll know the holdup is a fake and they won't shoot to hurt him. Now, look, I've got an idea, Mr. Drexel. Yes? I'll talk to the guard and driver after the sheriff finishes. I'll tell him that there's really going to be a holdup. Tell him to really shoot to kill. Will they listen to you? Well, I'll fix it till they will. You leave that to me. The Lone Ranger don't know it yet, but when he stops that stage, the next thing he'll stop will be bullets. Two days later, the stage was loaded and ready to set out from Deadwood heading east. In the small office of the stage line, the guard sat listening to Deputy Bill. Well, of course, guard, you can do what you like. But I'm giving you the true facts. The sheriff has been took in. You'd feel mighty foolish letting the stage be robbed, wouldn't you? Yeah, I reckon I would, but... Well, you'd be blamed for it, too. Maybe charged with being in cahoots with the robbers. But on the other hand, if you do what the stage line pays you to do and shoot first, you'll be in the clear. The sheriff would be sore if he was right about what he said. What if the sheriff here is sore? He'd have to get over it, that's all. He'd be sore to me, too, but he can't do anything about it. All right, Buck. I'll shoot to kill. Fine, fine. Of course, I'm selfish about this, I admit it. If you get a couple of outlaws and the sheriff has told you to let him rob the stage, he'll be through and I'll get his job for trying to uphold law and order. All right, Buck. Now I gotta get started. Stage is waiting. With the usual flourish, the stagecoach prepared to start. The driver climbed to his seat and took up the reins. The guard made sure his rifle was ready. A crack of the whip and the eight in hand broke into a run. Get up! Buck, the deputy, waved his hand, then turned toward the nearest cafe. Lem came up to him and... Hey, Buck, the sheriff wants to see you in his office. Now? Yeah, right away. What's he want? How do I know? He just sent me to tell you. All right, thanks, Lem. Oh, come on in, Buck. Shut the door. You wanted to see me, Sheriff? Yeah. I reckon you know this, Jim. Say, are you still here in town? Yes, Buck. I've been talking to the sheriff. But I thought you was to be out on the stage line, you and Tano. Oh, there's plenty of time. Stage has to stick to the trail. Yeah, but... A man on horseback and cut down the side of the mountain and got to the Greystones half an hour ahead of the stage. Tano can't go with me, you see. Why not? Well, he's an Indian. Would be easily recognized in spite of a bandana on his face. The Lone Ranger wants you to go with him, Buck. Me? Yep. Saddle up and start. Well, I got something else to do. You've got nothing else that has to be done. You're a deputy on duty. What's the matter with Steve or Lem or one of the others? I've got other things for them to do. Oh, now, now, see here, my horse is in bad shape. You can take my horse. No, but Sheriff... You'll have to start right away, Buck. What's the matter with you? Why are you standing there like that? I don't feel right. You'll be all right when you're in the saddle. You're white as a ghost. I can't go with you. That's all there is to it. Why? Because I can't, that's all. Is it because you don't want to be killed? What? Because you told the guards to shoot to kill? I never said that. Because you're the one who helped Drexel? You know where he is right now. Oh, wait. You're the one who gave him the saw. The one who planned to have me killed by the guards. Oh, now, wait, listen. You scheming, double-crossing, Snake? You give me that badge. Sheriff. The Lone Ranger knew that someone had to help Drexel. He figured it was one of my deputies. No one else would have had a chance to slip a saw to him. Every one of the deputies was asked to go with the Lone Ranger. And everyone was willing, except you. And you wouldn't go because the guard was going to shoot to kill. That guard was told to play along with whoever approached him. Do you want to confess or go with me and see what happens? No, no, wait. Let me talk. Drexel made me do it. He threatened all manner of things if I didn't help him. That's a lie. He promised all kinds of things if you would help him. Come on in, boys. Oh, now, wait. How about tell him where Drexel's hid? You'll talk or you'll wish you had him. Let me ask that post. Stop. Don't let him at me, Sheriff. You've got to help me. They'll kill me. Where is Drexel? I'll show you. I'll take it to him. I swear I will. Come on, then. All right. Don't hurt me. While the sheriff's men were led to the hunter's cabin, the Lone Ranger and Tonto remained some distance behind the posse. From the distance, they could see the lawman closing in. Drexel hasn't a chance, Tonto. Not right. You're trapped, Drexel. Come out with your hands up or we'll come after you. I wonder, Tonto, will Drexel fight to the end or surrender? Him, no. There's no chance now. Look, Drexel's going out a window on the side. The sheriff's see him. There he is, boys. Stop or we fire. There he is, boys. Well, that's it, Tonto. Ah. Work here all done now. Yes. Clark Drexel is finally paid in full. Come, Tonto. They don't need us now. Get him up, scound. Get him up. Oh, Sue. Away. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
