A hairy horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-ho silver, the Lone Ranger. Indian 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. We're heading for the hills. Jim Winant went into the west as an engineer, but abandoned this profession when he struck a promising-looking gold claim. He stood inside the mouth of his tunnel, working with hand tools on a strange-looking contraption. His wife, Mary, stood by. But what if it doesn't work? Oh, it'll work, Mary. It's got to. Well, when the water boils in this big boiler, it'll build up a pressure of steam. The only way the steam can get out is through these pipelines. And the wheel just has to turn. Now, show Scar Fennery can't break me. Oh, Jim, if only you could. Serve him right. All those double-crosser men will work with him. Jim, I guess I'm pretty slow thinking, but what will you do when you get the steam engine running? Use it to haul the ore out of the tunnel. Well, Scar thought he had me beaten. He thought I couldn't get ore out unless he and his men worked. Well, I'll get it out. I've made a little car and smoothed the tunnel floor so it can roll easy. I'll hitch a line from the engine to the car, you see? I suppose that will be easier than making the tunnel big enough to drive a wagon engine. Sure. I'm almost ready to try the engine. I'll throw in some more wood and we'll have steam pressure up in no time. Jim. Yeah? Scar Fenner's coming. Let him come. I'll let him see what I've got here. I hope he doesn't make trouble. You won't. Hey there, Winant. I want to talk to you. Go ahead and start talking. What's that crazy-looking contraption? Machinery. Yeah. I knew it wasn't a horned toad. What do you want here, Scar? I just dropped over to see if you'd thought over the proposition I made you. There's nothing to think over. No. Well, maybe there is. Seems to me we made a fair deal. Listen to me, Fenner. You and the rest worked here and got paid in cash every Saturday. I paid what you wanted, didn't I? That's water over the day. The men were satisfied and willing to stick with me until we got the pay dirt out before you talked to them. We're entitled to a share of the profit. Not unless you share the risks. I made you men two propositions. The first was that you'd work for a share of the mine. The second that I'd pay you in cash. You took the cash. Why should we gamble our time for nothing? Now that the pay dirt is exposed and ready to haul out, you want a share in the mine. Why not? Well, you won't get it. Look here, Winant. We know where we stand. You can't get the pay dirt out without men to haul it. I'll get it out. Well, you just try. I suppose you think that contraption there will take the place of the men. You'll see. I'm going to try it now. The pressure's high enough. I've got a little car loaded with ore way back in the tunnel. As soon as I start this engine, the rope will wind on this drum and hold the car right here to the entrance. Then I can load it to a wagon. Here it goes. That won't ever work. It will so. Now. It is working. The rope's winding. There. You see that? You tell the men if they want to come back to work, I'll hire them at the same price as before. If they don't want to work, they can go hang. I don't need them now. You won't get away with it, Winant. No? Well, take a look. Here comes the car bringing as much ore as six men could move. I beat you, Scar. Beat you to a finish. Let's go. Otto, that sound comes from the other side of the hill. Isn't that right? Say, what do you suppose it is? Well, Dan, it sounds like a steam engine. But I didn't know there was a railroad around here. Golly. This part of the country is sure progressing fast. Come on. We'll have a look. Come on. Come on. Get them up to the scum. As the Lone Ranger, Tonto, and the masked man's nephew, Dan Reed, reached the crest of the hill, they saw live steam coming from the entrance to a tunnel in the valley. They approached with curiosity and found Jim Winant and his wife jubilant with the success of their engine. Three loads, Mary. Scarpen and his gang are licked. Shall I shut it off now, Jim? Yeah. Now I'll throw this load in the wagon. Hey, Dick. Masked. We're interested in that engine. Are you some new members of Scarpen and his gang? We're members of nobody's gang. Did that engine really move that oar out of the tunnel? Yes, it did. Oh, golly. I'd like to see it work. Well, I don't... Isn't your name Winant? Yes. How do you know? Then this would be Mary Winant. You... You know me? Yes. The padre near the border told me about you. The padre? Well, then you must be Jim, the white horse, the Indian. Why, this is the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Well, if ever I was glad to see a man, this is the time. Who is Scar Fenner? He was the leader of the men who worked here. They thought I couldn't get along without him. Well, I'll show them. I've rigged up this engine. Look out. That steam's hot. The engine. It's not come from that way. There he is, the dirty skunk. Dan, stay here. Come on, silver. Come on, boy. The great white stallion leaped ahead like an arrow from a taut boat. The man who'd fired into the tunnel to smash the boiler looked up in alarm at the sight of the masked man riding down on him. He leaped with the saddle and tried to escape. But his dappled gray was no match for the flying hooves of the mighty silver. Bring up. Keep back. Keep away from me. Bring up. I'll shoot you. Bring up or I'll rope you. Oh, let me alone. Let me be, I tell you. I'll take that gun. Come on. Hold there, hoo, boy. Whoa, whoa. Leave my horse alone. Oh, silver, hoo, boy. Whoa, back. Now you leave me be. You fired a Jim Wynett. Why, I didn't. Did Scar Fenner order you to fire that shot? Oh, please let me go. I didn't mean no harm. Here. You take this bullet. Give it to Scar Fenner. And tell him there's to be no more violence around Jim Wynett's gold mine. Is that all? Get going. You bet. Get along, man. There's the bullet he gave me, Scar. That's silver. So that's it, huh? The Lone Ranger's dealt himself a hand in the Wynett business. Yeah. Well, I'm lucky to be here. Now, looky here, Scar. We had jobs at that there tunnel. We made good money. Before you got big notions... What's the matter with you, Jake? Well, I don't like to fight again the Lone Ranger. What are you afraid of? He don't hurt nobody. But hang and all, he don't need to shoot serious. He's got other ways of getting at a man. And why don't we all go back and get our jobs? Jim would give them to us. Jake, you honorary coyote. You're sticking with us. He'll stick. But I'd take... Or do you want a showdown with me? Scar, I only thought that we wouldn't have jobs or anything. Now we know Wynett won't give us a share of the gold mine. No, he won't give us no share. So we'll take it all. All? Scar, do you mean that? I don't talk unless I mean what I say. But how can we get it? It's all registered and recorded and everything. And it's in Jim's name. All we need is Wynett's signature to a paper. Giving us the mine. All? Strikes me that's a plenty. How can we get that? You boys stick to me and I'll show you. Dan Reed watched with keen interest while Jim repaired the damage to the engine. Then remained at the tunnel to help the young miner while the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode on. So we said I might stay here and learn something about mining gold for a few days. Sure hope I'm not in your way, Jim. In my way? Great Scott, Dan. You're more helped than any one of those other men could be. Now what you lack in size, you make up in energy. Golly, thanks. Oh, I mean it. I guess the Lone Ranger and Tonto are going to try to learn more about Scar Fenner and his gang. Yeah. The masked man had a hunch that those hombres had made trouble in other places. We'll soon have this car loaded. Will you use the engine to haul it out? Sure. Two of us couldn't budget without that engine. Do you think we'll hear any more from Scar? Well, Dan. That's hard to say. I don't like the way he's been keeping so quiet. You don't? Can't take the feeling that he's up to some deviltry. But what could he do? Well, I don't know. Might try to waylay the next load of ore I'll send out of the valley. Oh, he couldn't get away with that. He might be able to. And here's lawmen at the county seat, and that's quite a long way from here. Yeah, the Lone Ranger will fix Scar. I wonder. We'll wait and see. I'll bet when he gets back, he'll have something to work on. There. Guess that fills the car. Yep. Leave the pick and shovel here, Dan. We'll go up to the mouth and start the engine. Yes, sir. How'd you like to run her? Oh, swell. Golly, that'd be great. That's far enough. Scar Fener. Well, you figured I was too quiet, huh? Get out of this tunnel. You thought I was up to something. Yeah, and you were. Shut up, kid. You think the Lone Ranger will come back with something on it, sir? What do you want? You know what I want. I want a deal. All right, I'll talk to you. But this boy's to go. Go ahead, Dan. Stand still. Now, see here. I'll give orders, Jim. Back by a couple of my boys. Winan, maybe you won't savvy what I do, but that don't matter. First of all, how long is it since you saw your wife? You leave Mary out of this. Here. Take a look at this paper. It's light enough coming in the tunnel to read it. It's all drawn up according to law. What is it? Read it. It's a bill of sale. I'm buying this hunk of real estate, Jim. Buying it from you. Like fun you are. I'm not fooling. Ask Jake or Hank. They'll tell you. Scar ain't fooling. Yeah, you better do what he said, Jim, and read that paper. Then you can sign down at the bottom there. Say, I'll see myself drawn and quoted before I sign this. Yeah, Jim, I figured you'd say something like that. It's no use, Fener. Now, hold on. You better hear what I got to say. Take a look at this. Do you recognize it? Mary's brooch. I guess you're savvy that I couldn't get that hunk of jewelry without seeing your wife, could I? Why, you dirty rat. That'll do. Grab him, boy. Oh, you won't get away with it. He's a fightin'. Hang on to him. Hit the open tan. Go get the long range here. Stop that kid. Help me with this maverick. Knock him down. That got him. Where'd that kid go? Come on, Victor. Where he goes? Stop him. Get him. You confounded, lame-witted fools, you dumb galoots. Let the kid get away. Well, we had our hands full with Jim. We knocked him out. We gotta work fast. That kid'll bring the Lone Ranger. Give me that bucket of water. Here, Scar. This'll bring him around in a hurry. Now, get on your feet. Oh. Ew. Yeah. Your little trick won't do any good. Because now we gotta work just that much faster. I guess you're already savvy that we got Mary a prisoner. If you want her to live, you'll sign that bill of sale and do it right away. Where is Mary? You'd like to know, wouldn't you? If I do sign this, how do I know you'll let her go? You won't take my word? Coyote. All right. Bring her in, boys. Oh, Jim. Jim, I'm sorry. They came to the house. Mary, are you all right? Yes, but they can't make you sign away your mind. I'll sign whatever they want. They got us out and numbered, and there's no question about how far they'll go to have their own way. Oh, you're showing good sense for a change. Here's a pencil. Jim, Jim, don't sign it. I know what I'm doing, Mary. There, there you are, Fanny. Oh, thanks, Jim. Thanks for the gold mine. You haven't got the mine yet. Oh, maybe you've got notions of riding to the county seat and telling why you signed this. Well, you aren't going to do any such thing. Tie them both, the two of them. They're staying right here in this tunnel. You said if I signed... I say whatever I have to say to get what I want. If a man's fool enough to believe me, that's his hard luck. Roe them, boys. Leave them here. 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 Lone Ranger and Tonto didn't know that Dan Reed had left the Wynette mine and was riding hard to join them. We find the masked man raining up at the Wynette house sometime after darkness fell. Oh, sir. Oh, Scott. How so dark. Why is there no light? I don't know, Kimo Sabe. Come on. We'll find out. Maybe a girl, a tunnel with Jim. We'll look inside first. Or wide open. So I see. Otto, there's been a struggle here. Look at that table and those chairs. Come on. Come on, Silver. Get him up. Meanwhile, Jake and Hank were with their crooked leader near the entrance to the tunnel. How long do you want us to stay here, Scar? Until that kid brings the Lone Ranger back. And I'll clear out and leave you two to watch. Yeah, but what'll we do while you're gone? You'll see to it that no one interferes with things, that's all. Hey, fellas, I hear someone coming. Maybe that'll be the critters we're after. You sure the two inside are tied up tight? I made sure of that. Hey, one of those horses is white. Good. That's the Lone Ranger all right enough. Come on, Silver. The Redskin is with him, but I don't see the kid. That don't matter. The kid won't make any trouble for us. Now, they'll just go right into the cave. They're stopping. Yeah, in this mountain. Jim. Jim, what are you? You hear that? The two of them are going inside. That's just swell, ain't it, Scar? It's all to the good. Just the way I wanted it. Now, boys, we act fast. Then I start for the county seat. Come with me and keep your guns handy. Unaware that their every move was being watched by Scar Fenner and the members of his outlaw gang, the Lone Ranger and Tonto reined up their horses at the entrance to Jim's gold mine. The two men were unaware that Jim and his wife had met with foul play. But under the circumstances, the masked man moved with caution as he passed the steam engine that was Jim's pride and joy and moved into the darkness of the cave. It's pitch dark in here. You ready for anything, Tonto? No, you ready. Where are you, Jim? Here. We're coming. This car do this. Here's the dirty coyote. Where did Dan find you? Dan? Where is he? Didn't you see him? No. There you are. Now rub your wrist. Did he come after me? He got away when those crooks came here. They made me sign a bill of sale, then tied Mary and me and left us here. Scar's gone to record the bill of sale. I gotta get to the county seat. Now you're free. Oh, thanks, Tonto. Save it till later, Mary. We've gotta help the Lone Ranger find Dan Reed. We circled and came back. That's why he missed us. You saddle up and hurry to town, Jim. Drop. A blast. Face down. Hug the ground. Shield the girl. There must be tons of rock there. We couldn't move it in a year of digging. And you've got trouble. Yes, Tonto, but they wouldn't help. Wait. There's a tiny opening here. Yes, I can feel air coming in. Jim, those men used blasting powder for this. Sure they did. Well, isn't there any more of that powder? I don't know, Mary. It was all in the shed. Hadn't used any for weeks. There's none here in the tunnel, though. Tonto, I gave you a stub of candle. Do you still have it in your pocket? Uh-uh. You got it. Let's have a little light while we look the situation over. Now I savvy why Scar didn't know we could get away with the scheme. He intended to get rid of us, so we couldn't tell how he got the bill of sale. Is there any chance of escape? I don't know, honey. We'll look the rocks light over and see, but I'm afraid. Uh-uh. You're light. Oh, it's even worse than I thought. I remember a big ledge that overhung the opening. Yeah, that's what those crooks blasted. They just dropped the whole ledge in front of the entrance. Let me have a try with that pick. Oh, the pick won't make an impression on those rocks, Jim. Oh, I can see it won't. Well, maybe Dan will come back. Maybe him see what happened and go fetch help. Dan does come. I wonder if he can get close enough to help us. What do you mean? Just this. If Scar Fenner is as smart as I think, he'll leave men on guard. Take a look. Ain't that the kid coming back? Yeah, that's what it is, Jake. That just about makes everything complete, don't it? Get ready. We'll nail him. I'm ready. There's scouting silver. Come on, Victor. Now, Hank. Rain up. Hey, you can't grow it. Grab that bridle. I got it. Come here, you. Let go of me. I'll show you. Come on, Victor. Fight him. Show him what silver would be. Hang on to that horse. I ain't got the critter. Calm down or I'll blow your head off. You'll leave me alone. I got the young squirt. Let go of the horse. Help me put a rope on the kid. You'll have to fight to do it. Stop your squirming. It won't get you nothing. Here, I'll fix him. That's it. Holler tight. You coyotes. What'd you do to the Lone Ranger? You've seen the last of him. There. Now, you may as well take it easy. You won't get loose. How about drilling him? No, we got to keep him till Scar gets back from town. But that won't be till late tomorrow. He won't be able to get into the office before morning. All right. Then we hold the kid till late tomorrow. Meanwhile, we stay right here to make sure no one else comes by. Yeah, you can't hurt the Lone Ranger. No. Well, maybe you can figure out how he'll move that rock from the entrance to the tunnel. He's trying to move that rock by hand. We've got to have the power of blasting powder. Oh, Jim, if there were only a keg of powder, you'd overlooked in here. Well, there isn't, Mary. I'm careful not to have it around. Power. What can we use for power? We've got to... Jim, how about that steam engine? How about it? I don't see any way to use it. But I do. It's right at the entrance, right close to the rock. Yes, but if you can close and block the safety valve, the boiler will explode. I don't know about that. It's a mighty strong boiler. Oh, the better. The stronger it is, the more pressure it will take to break it. You mean make the engine blow up? Yes. We've got to get out of here some way. But won't we be killed? Mary, we'll die if we don't get out. We know that for sure. Of course. Anything is better than sitting and waiting to starve or suffocate. Come on, Tano. Help me fire up that boiler. Here would. Yeah, I've got matches right here. I'll have the fire started in no time. Is there water in the boiler? Yes, I can see the gauge. I'll help, Tano. You fasten down that safety valve. I know a way to do it. I'll have it clamped down so nothing will loosen it. Just as soon as this kindling gets started, you can throw in the hardwood. There, that'll do. Get at the valve. Right. Let me help. I can carry wood, too. You better find a place as far back as you can get. I'll stay with you men. When it's too dangerous to stay here, you've got to get back, too. Look, this will hold the valve down. Nothing I'll ever budge it unless I take the clamp off. Good. Hey, let me fan that fire and get it started quicker. I don't care so much about the gold mine, but it dams in the hands of those skunks. I know it. Oh, Jim, I'm so very afraid of what they'll do to it. Don't give in yet, Mary. All the more reason to blow this thing up as soon as we can. Do you think there's any chance that it'll clear an opening? I think so, Jim. The air in the tunnel will form a cushion, so the force will have to go out. We'll only carry those rocks with it. Fire crackle now. Me fan flames, too. Pretty soon, fire start to roar. It doesn't take long to get the steam started. I'll put more wood in. There, let me take a turn at fanning. Jim, you and Mary find a place for us to wait for the blast. Jim and Mary beat a hasty retreat to the rear of the cave in the hope that they might find some place that would offer the four of them shelter when the terrific blast of the steam boiler occurred, and their luck was with them, for near Jim's latest diggings was a pile of rock and shale that had been cast aside in mining the gold. The cart that hauled the ore out of the cave was pulled back to a remote corner, and around this, Jim and his wife piled the rock and shale, making a strong and efficient barricade. Then they raced back to the mouth of the cave to see what progress the Lone Ranger and Tonto were making. The masked man looked at them and said, Forward. Tonto, the Lone Ranger, and Jim took turns fanning the roaring flames and throwing wood into the firebox. The needle on the indicator touched the danger point. Now, get back. I'll stay as long as... Jim, take her back, but there's a chance. What about you? We'll join you as soon as we build the fire up some more. Oh, dear. Here, more wood. Look at that needle. It's three notches past the danger point. It'll explode almost any minute. All right, come on, then. You just wait. The Lone Ranger will get out of there. Do you know any more funny stories? Shut up, kid. We heard enough from you. Yeah, well, you... Listen, kid. Why don't you tell us all you know about the Lone Ranger? Who is he? What's his name? Maybe if you give us some real facts, the boss will be generous with you. I won't do it. Hey, what? The tunnel. Look. He did it. He's blown it open. He couldn't. There was no powder in there. I told you. I told you. Look at Silver and Scout. They've seen what happened. They're racing to the opening. Jake, we've got to do something. Get your gun. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. They're riding down here. This way. There are two of them. Shut that kid up. Never mind him. Drill those two. Shoot him. Hey, you can't hit him. You can't hit the broad side of a barn. Shoot again. Drill him. I'm trying to. That's enough from you. Oh, my shoulder. Oh, good for you. Cover them, Cotto. Yeah, that's it. Right from the saddle. Fix this hook, too. Have you got them? Did you get them? Jim, I'll ride to town and see that Scar Fenner doesn't file that bill of sale. Saddle up and come after me. Right. Can you get there in time? Yes, Mary. Oh, Dan. Dan, did they hurt you? Oh, of course not. And now you free of ropes, Dan. I wish you'd have been here sooner to see the way Cotto dove at that crook from his saddle and smash his fist into his face. Oh, he's out cold. When I come back, I'll bring the sheriff and deputies as well as Scar Fenner. We'll watch these crooks till you get here. But I got to show you how much... Come on, Silver. Why, Mary, I'd give him all or any part of that gold mine. He wouldn't take it. I'll see you next time. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of The Lone Ranger, Incorporated.
