A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty, hi-ho, Silver, the Lone Ranger. Companion Tonto, the masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness, have come down to us through the generations. And nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. There's danger on the trail ahead. Come, Silver, hoi! As the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode steadily up the gentle slope of a hill, their horses showed increasing signs of nervousness. Come on, Silver. What's the matter with you, big fella? Scout on easy, too. Something wrong on the other side of the hill. We'll soon know what it is. There aren't many trees here. The valley beyond is as bare as this side of the hill. We'll be able to see for miles. You wait, Kimo Sabe. Whoa, whoa, whoa. You hear? Yes, I don't like it. We go to top of a hill plenty quick. Take a look. Get him up, Scout! Come on, Silver! One minute more and we see him. Sounds like a stampede. That's right. Come on, Silver. Come on, boy. You look, Kimo Sabe. Hold there, Silver. Hold on. Hold on. Otto, there must be thousands of buffalo there. That's right. And a big stampede. Otto, there are horsemen ahead of them. Ah, three people. They cannot run that herd. Their horses are tired. You see Big Rock on south? They'd be safe behind those rocks, but they don't see them. Otto, we've got to show them the way. Get him up, Scout! Come on, Silver! Scout and Silver raced downhill at breakneck speed. The lone ranger and Otto rode straight toward the thundering herd of frenzied buffalo. They saw the bobbing of huge shoulders, a mass of dirty ragged fur that surged forward like a brown wave that would swallow all that stood before it. They saw the tiny evil eyes of the nearest beasts, the sharp pounding hoops that could trample man and horse. Come on, Silver! Come on, big fella! The lives of those people depend on you! Split seconds counted in the race with death. The three trapped riders and their exhausted horses were scarcely 50 yards ahead of the oncoming herd when the masked man and Otto joined them. Scout and Silver wheeled quickly as the lone ranger shouted, Follow us! It's no use! We're done! To the south! Save yourselves! You've got fresh horses! To your left, I tell you! Get over! We'll try! It's no use, so we're all in! We'll make it! There's rocks, sir! Rocks! That's a little further! Come on! Huge boulders twice as high as a man loomed just ahead of the lone ranger and those he wanted to rescue. At another moment, those rocks were between the horsemen and the stampeding buffalo. The horses were halted and the pounding hoops sped harmlessly by. Who's, sir? It's Teddy, Teddy, Teddy, Sue! No! Don't seem possible. Jabber, is your sister all right? Yeah, are you, Sue? I'm all right, but I don't want to go through that again. Thought, sure, we were done for... How are the horses, Tuttle? Plenty tired, but I'm all right. Stranger, I don't know what to say. Take it easy till you get rested. I'm all right now. But I hate to think of what the three of us would be like if you hadn't shown up and shown those rocks to us to get behind. We never would have seen them from where we were. Oh, you might at least thank the masked man and the Indian. Hang it, Sue. You can't thank a man that's risked his neck to save your life. All I can say is that the three of us are alive because of what you've done, mister. Please don't go on. Well, anyhow, Hank Coggins never forgets. The time comes that the law catches up with you, well, I only hope I'm on the jury. The law? Oh, shucks, I shouldn't have said that. Oh, you mean because of my mask? Well... It's all right, Coggins. I never saw a riding like you and the Indian just did. Horses like those. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you coming toward us. It looked like sure death for you. Anyhow, stranger, if there's ever a time... What started the stampede? Well, I know, but I'm not saying. You know? You're doggone right. It's something personal, and I'll square things for it. You mean it was started on purpose? Mister, if we'd been killed, it wouldn't have been no accident. It would have been murder, downright murder. There wouldn't be a man in the world who could prove it. Even now, you can't prove anything, Paul. Remember that. I can prove it to my own satisfaction, and I'll get square. Can you prove it to the sheriff? The sheriff? I reckon he knows it was done on purpose. Well, what do you mean, Coggins? It's the sheriff that wants us out of the way. Are you sure? Well, I'd better not say any more. As soon as our horses are rested, we'll start for home. You live in Crow Corner? Yep. Don't think we're like the others there. We're not superstitious like most of them. Well, superstitious? Well, Paul means like the old-timers that live there. They believe in a lot of signs and things of that sort. I reckon they even believe in ghosts. I know that some of them do. Yeah, and the sheriff as well as the rest. He's scared of the hermit. The hermit? Well, I call him Doc. He's a sort of queer acting galoot that sells herbs and things to cure all manner of ailments. It's too bad he don't sell the sheriff something to cure him of being alive. Well, Paul, I reckon the horses can carry us now. They've most got over their skirt. Poor critters have had a bad time, but... Coggins. Eh? Don't take the law into your own hands. What's that? You know what you intend to do. Don't do it. But dread it, Oye. If you do, they'll hang you. He's right, Paul. Well, I got Jeb and Sue to think of. As long as they know the sheriff was trusted with the gold, they'll be in danger. So you left gold with the sheriff? Oh, I didn't mean to tell you. You think because I wear a mask, I'll try to steal the gold? Thunderation, no. If you want it, I'd admire to give it to you. But I'm hanged if I'll let that ornery scheming sheriff steal it. I mistrusted him all along. Yet you left gold in his care? He knew I had it. If we'd rode away and left it at home, he'd have stolen it. I figured by putting him in charge of the safe keeping of it, he wouldn't dare steal it. But I was wrong. He figured if we were stampeded to death, no one would ever know he had it. Mount up, you young ones. We're heading for Crow Corner. There'll be a gent wearing a badge that'll be downright surprised to see us. Good afternoon, Sheriff Larson. Hey, what are you doing here, Coggins? I'm just looking you over and wondering... wondering that you don't show more surprise to see me. I reckon the rabbit's foot the hermit gave me is luckier than I figured. Sure, I'm surprised to see you. I thought you and Jeb and Sue left for the South Country. We did leave. Well, then we... But we come back. Jeb and Sue with you? I sent them home. Because I figured the talk that's going to take place here mightn't be fitting for a girl like Sue to hear. Coggins, I'm sorry you came back so soon. I thought I'd have things straightened around before you got back. I hoped I would. Meaning what? You said you were afraid someone was out to steal your gold. Uh-huh, I was. You were right, Hank. They got it. What? Well, keep talking, Larson. You've got some accounting to do. Now, what's to tell? A while after you and Jeb and Sue left town, a couple of men with their faces covered come in and held up my office. A sack of gold was on the desk where you put it. I suppose you didn't have time to put it in your safe, eh? No, I didn't have time. So the gold was stolen. That's the story, Hank. You sure tell it smooth. I've got some leads on the crooks. I'm hoping to have them behind bars that day or so. How? By sitting here with your feet in your desk? My deputies are working. I thought I'd find the crooks and get the gold back before you return. Don't you worry about it, Hank. I'll have it back. Larson, what do you know about a stampede? Stampede? Buffalo. Mighty near trap, the three of us in the valley. If it had, I wouldn't have been back here to claim my gold. Then who would know you had it? Great day, Corkins. I'm glad you got away. You're lying. I see. Hey, I don't like the style you use. Let's suppose we'd all three of us been killed in that stampede. Then what would you have done with that gold? I don't know. Would you have turned it over to the town or would you have tried to find relatives of mine? Or would you have just kept your mouth shut and kept it for yourself? Naturally, I'd have looked for relatives. You're lying again. You stole that gold yourself, Larson, and you tried to have us killed. Now, you're upset that you wouldn't talk that way. I know what I'm saying. Well, I'm a patient man. I'd resent your attitude. I'm patient, too. I'm not saying much about the stampede. But if that gold's not back here by tomorrow... Sheriff Larson, I... Well, Butch Barton. Corkins. Fine company you're keeping these days, Sheriff Larson. What's the matter with the company he keeps? Nothing, except that you'd be dangling from a rope right now if the evidence against you hadn't disappeared from the Sheriff's office. What are you doing with that spade? Huh? Spade? Right in your hand and with fresh dirt on it. What have you been doing with it? Stop. Let me... Answer me, you poor cats. You've been digging in the ground. What for? Corkins, let him go. What have you been digging in the ground for? Corkins. Speak up, you dirty cackle. Let go of my safe. Yeah. I should have known you'd help him, Larson. Did you fool you? Did you want to strangle me? Vino lost a crow corner if I did. Now, get out of here before I throw you in jail for the step of the piece. Get out of your head. I'm just wondering if this coyote mightn't be the one who started the stampede. Then after coming back here, he took my gold and buried it someplace. I don't know anything about your gold, you crazy old fool. Well, I'll find out. There's ways of finding out things around here. I know a man will help me get to the truth of things. What I said still goes, Larson. I want that gold tomorrow. Or else. Hey, Larson. What do you mean? You fool. Why'd you walk in here with that spade with the fresh dirt on it? I didn't know he was here. Yeah, he was. I thought the stampede got all three corkins. I don't know why, but it didn't. He got the gold buried all right. Yeah. But now he suspects. Let him. He can't prove anything. Maybe we better put it somewhere else. No, you crazy fool. Don't go near where it's buried. He might be watching for us to do just that. As long as he can't get the gold, he can't prove a doggone thing. I remember that. But Sheriff Larson, I wonder... Yeah. He said he knew a man that'd help him. What do you mean? He might have been bluffing. You know Corkins better than that. He don't bluff. Maybe you're right. What do you mean? Butch, there's only one man he could have met. And we'll get rid of him tonight. That night, Hank Corkins told Jeb and Sue his plans as the three sat around the table in the light of an oil lamp. The Lone Ranger. That's the one to help us, Jeb. But, Pa, are you sure it was the Lone Ranger that helped us in the stampede? I'm more sure of it all the time. I don't know why I didn't think of him the minute I saw that white horse. Everything shakes. The mask and the horse called Silver. The Indian called Tano and the two heavy guns. It was the Lone Ranger, all right. And to think I was as close to him as I am to you two. The Lone Ranger. Yeah, but, Pa, how can he help us? He'll find a way. Are you sure Barton was burying the gold? As sure as you're alive, Sue. The guilty look on his ugly face was enough for me to say nothing about the spade. But how will you find the Lone Ranger again? Listen, Sue. He knows the stampede was man-made with murder intended. Yeah. That means he knows there's crooks in Crow Corner. Murder and crooks. Yeah. Then the Lone Ranger won't be far away till those crooks are in jail. First thing in the morning, I'll... I'll see who it is. You. Hello, Jim. Great Scott. We were just talking about you. The Lone Ranger. For sakes alive, mister. Come in, won't you? Thanks. I will. I didn't want to get too far from here till I was sure you weren't going to take the law into your own hands. What law? There's no law in Crow Corner. The sheriff is the biggest crook of them all. He's got no more right to wear a sheriff's badge than the worst of those stampeding buffalo. He says my gold was stolen from his office. Well, he's a crook that stole it. Paul, that's gun shooting. And right nearby. Yeah, look out the window here. Look near the hermit's place. Someone's riding from there and fast. Hey, Sue, get out of the way. Let me see. There's someone else near the house. Look. That's Tonto. He'll know what's happened. No, wait. Wait. I'll go with you. If someone has shot the poor old hermit, we'll get him. That's where the shooting was. Come on, Silver. Jeb, you stay here with Sue. I'm going over there. Well, let me go. Stay here. There's already been one play to kill us. There may be another. Stay here and keep your eyes open. 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. Hank Calkins ran to the shack where the old hermit lived alone. He found candles burning and the hermit on the floor between the masked man and Tonto. While he bathed the wound in the hermit's shoulder, the Indian told what had happened. Me see feller creep through shadow toward house. Me go close and watch him. Did you tell her who the man was? Oh, too dark for that. What happened next? Him draw a gun, aim through window. Him fire and Tonto fire, same time. You hit his gun hand? Ah, but him hit hermit and then run. Poor critter, is he hit bad? Oh, him, him not hurt bad. It's a shoulder wound, Calkins. I'll be all right, thanks to the Indian. Of course you'll be all right. Just stay there for a few minutes more. Shock was pretty bad. We can find the critter that did it if he took a bullet in the hand. He stays around town. Why should anyone want to shoot you, Doc? Oh, many people. It's a superstitious place. They, they think I'm in league with the evil one. Have you, uh, looked around this house, Tonto? Ah, him got herbs and roots and all things known to Indians. My cures are standard ones, known to all medical men. Are you a doctor? No. But you used to be? Once, in the east. Uh, let me sit up. Help him, Tonto. Let me help you up. I, I failed when my wife needed me. I, I lost her and then came here. I couldn't go on. So you made a living by preparing medicines and selling them. A living? Heh. In existence. Because my cures were good, the doctor who was here started stories about me. It didn't take much to make people around here afraid of me. No one ever listened to me or gave me a chance to talk to them. Some, a few, bought medicines. Dreaded everything the poor critter did was made out to look like black magic. You know how it is. Once a story gets started, it'll gather weight like a snowball rolling downhill. Yes, I know. Especially in a place like Crow Corner where everyone is superstitious about everything. But why in Tunkett would anyone shoot you, Doc? Afraid of what they call magic. Oh, shucks. Great jumping grasshoppers. What is it, Hank? I was in the sheriff's office. Larson said that Crooks had taken my gold. Well, I didn't believe him. I knew he'd just helped himself to it. Then Butch Barton came in with a spade. A spade? Yes, with dirt on it. I knew right away what it meant. They'd been burying the gold someplace. Go on, Hank. I told him I wanted the gold back tomorrow or I'd make him sweat. I remember just what I said to him. I said there's ways of finding out things around here. I know a man that'll help me get to the truth of things. Yes? Well, it was you I was thinking about when I said that. But Larson and Butch Barton thought I meant the Doc here, the hermit. Those two crooks are superstitious as all get out. They thought I meant to get the hermit to help me. They think he can do things that are sort of supernatural. The ignorant fools. So the dirty snakes came here to shoot him. Shoot him without giving him a chance to defend himself. That proves they're crooks. Now I got things to do. Here, hold on. I'm going. You let me go. You're not going anyplace just yet. But I tell you. Listen to me, Hank. No, I got to see if one of those pole cats has got a wounded hand. If he hasn't by thunder, I'm going to start shooting. Now let me go. You go and you'll spoil every chance you have to get back that gold. Next thing I know, they'll shoot Sue and Jab. Now I... Hank, we're going to get those crooks. Take my word for it. We'll get them. We'll do it legally. Now, sit down there and cool off. If... If we get them for keeps. But how? I'll show you how. They're going to see some of the hermit's black magic. After making sure he wasn't followed, the sheriff went to a cabin in the woods where he found Butch Barton waiting. He dressed Barton's wounded hand in clumsy fashion and then... Fuggling one thing after another. It's a wonder to me you haven't hung before this. I never ran against such tough luck as I had today. You know who shot you? No. No more than I know, Al Calkins escaped the stampede. When I got shot, I didn't hang around to find out who it was. I cleared out fast. You can't be seen with that bandage on your hand. What about my share of the gold? Yeah. Take this cash and go to Pine Bluff. Wait there and lay alone until your hand's all right again. Then come back. I won't touch the gold until you get back. You hadn't better. I've got to get back to the office. There might be some working connection with the shooting of the hermit. When the sheriff reached his office, he found a note from the deputy, Jack Simmons. I've gone over to the hermit's place to look around. Well, I'd go over and join him. I sure hope that hermit is finished. In a few moments, the sheriff was with a group of people in the hermit's house. The hermit was speaking. We'll conduct a search in the morning, but I'll have to go out tonight to get a divining rod. Divining rod? Haven't you heard of the magic of a divining rod? Properly handled, it points right to where gold is buried in the ground. I've heard of that. Well, I'll go now. And if you'll help me, Hank, I'll go and select the divining rod by the light of the full moon. Sure, you can count on my help. Hank and the hermit walked side by side from the house and into the night with half a dozen curious people following. The sheriff walked to the side of the deputy. Hey, Jake, is there anything to what he says? Well, I've heard of these divining rods. They use them to find water. Are they magic or what? I don't know, but I've heard about them. They're nothing but a forked stick. The man that handles them and takes one of the ends of the stick in each hand and walks along the ground in a certain way. When the fork of the stick points down, that's the place he's looking for. Yeah, but does it really work? I never saw one work. Hey, looks like the hermit's found the right kind of tree. Hank, can you reach that lowest branch? I reckon so. I can climb up, Doc. I can reach her. Is this the one you want? I'll be sure it's a living branch. I'll make sure. Yep, it's green, all right. Here, now hand it to me. Here you are. Yeah, thanks. I'll just trim off the leaves and twigs and then take it home with me to work on. I'll finish preparing it there. Like magic. Larson was up at dawn. He dressed in nervous haste then hurried to his office. The door was half open. He went in and found the deputy already on hand. Oh, it's you, huh? Here early. You got here first. I haven't been here. You haven't? Then who left the door open? Open. Was it open? Just as you saw it. I thought you'd been here. No. Say, who was using this spade? Spade? Oh, I don't know. It was there when I came. It's been used recent. It was that way yesterday. Dirt on its dab. It's been used since then. Who used it? I don't know, Larson. I just got here to wait for the hermit and the others. They're starting the hunt from here, you know. Yeah, I know. There come some of the folks now. Yeah, I see them. There's old Doc the hermit in the lead holding the divining rod before him. I better take this spade along in case he finds a place to dig. Hey there, deputy. You coming along with us? Wild horses couldn't keep me from seeing this. Come along if you want, but the Doc's got to have it quiet and he can't have anyone too close to him. I will walk slowly where the rod directs me. Yeah, look here. This is none of your business, Larson. You want to tag along, you can do so, but keep your trap shut. Is there divining rod working? Seems to. Look how it appears to pull the hermit right along. See there? Don't seem possibly. Glad you brought a spade, Jack. Maybe we'll find use for two of them. How's your sister after that experience yesterday, Jack? She's all right. Sort of resting at home. Jack, can you make an arrest if you have to? All I want is the chance, Jack. Good. What if you do find your gold cockings? That's what I'm after. Maybe those crooks I told you about really did bury it somewhere. Finding the gold won't stop you from keeping on the hunt for him, will it, Larson? That easy. I'll keep on the hunt. I've already got a couple of men out hunting him. Wait. There's a pull. A pull far stronger than that of gravity. It bends the raw earthward. My sakes alive, just look at that. That stick's pointing right down. Fresh-turned earth, too. Dig, there. Great work. Here, let me get this spade going. I'll help you. We'll make the dirt fly. It don't seem possible. Doc, I never saw the like of it. Wait, we're not sure that this is what you're after. It is, though. Look here, Pa. Here's your leather bag. Wait now. We'll have her out in no time. Very, very deep. Here, let me get my hands on it. I can haul it out. I'll give you a hand. Here she is. That's it. That's my sack, all right. And just as I left it, I've got my gold back. That's the main thing. Come on, all of you. Come to my place and we're celebrating. All right, all of you. You too, yeah. Come on. That's it. Larson stood alone, dumbfounded at what he had seen. He made no pretense of joining the party that headed for the Calkins' house. Instead, he waited until everyone was out of sight, then hurried away, muttering to himself. I don't want to read double-crossing, Crook. That's what I get for twisting a poor cat like Barton. Sneaked here in the night and changed the hiding place of the gold, huh? Figured to double-cross me. Even bust into the office and used my spade. Well, he'll be sorry. Just wait till I get to him. Larson lost no time. He hurried to his office, then through the office and out the back door. He carried another shovel in his hand and headed for a clump of trees not more than 50 yards away. Here he looked at the ground. And Crook even put the sod back in place so I'd never know I'd disturb the gold. I'll make sure it's gone, and I'll go where he is and deal with him. Double-crossing, Crook. Poor cat. He'll pay for this and double-cross. Maybe he crossed me all the way along. Maybe that's why Calkins wasn't hurt. Why the hermit wasn't shot dead. See, there's something here. Sure enough, there's something here. It's a leather sack. The same leather sack. Put your hands up, Larson. Hey, what the... That's the sack we're after. Mast, who are you? I'm the man who planted the second leather sack that you saw Calkins take home a few minutes ago. And he picks rope on Crook. Now, wait, hold on. The thing Calkins has now is filled with stones. I didn't know whether you'd dig first or go and accuse your pal of double-crossing you. Hell, it didn't matter. You tricked me. The hermit helped, and so did your superstition. Now, wait. Let me talk. We'll make a deal. You're mast. There's only one deal to make with you, Larson. Now, listen, Mr. Elliot. Not too tight, Tano. There's time enough to hold him. Him fixed all right now. Calkins wants Barton behind bars. You have evidence that will put him there. Perhaps if you do that, Calkins will recommend that you get jailed instead of hanging. No, they can't hang me in. You tried to kill Calkins. There's no proof. You tried to kill the hermit. I didn't. That was Barton's job. You planned it. No, no. It was all Barton. Barton's keep the whole thing. That'll do. You've told enough to make certain Barton gets what's coming to him. That's all we wanted. Now you can go on trial together. I didn't say a word. You can't prove it dead. My word against yours. That's where you're wrong, Larson. Look over there. The office is filled with people. We heard it all. We got enough on you, Larson, and Barton as well. Tricked again, Barton. The horses, Tano. Ah, me get him. We'll find Barton in short order, so you can be jailed together. Why, Juniper, it worked out sleek. The hermit sure made it look like he was making black magic. And there's the man that planned the whole thing. Hey, Lone Ranger, this here gold is yours. Take it. I want you to have it. You're gold, Hank. Good luck to you. Come on, Tano. Hey, but wait. Hey, big fella. We got a new sheriff now. Take over, Jack. I sure will. Get him up, scum. Come soon, then. Away. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
