dust, and a hearty, Hi-oh, Silver! The Lone Ranger! ...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! Let's jingle the trailer! After Henry Travers built the railroad, he settled in a fair-sized town along the tracks. When he died, his wife Mary and daughter Jane inherited a fairly large fortune to keep them in comfort in the large house. The Lone Ranger and his nephew, the 14-year-old boy named Dan, reined up in the woods a few miles from the Travers' place. Now, Dan, look around you. Do you see any sign of a camp in this woods? No, sir, no sign of one. Yet, Tonto is camped nearby. Then he hasn't got a campfire. Yes, he has. By golly, I can't see it. Come this way. Tonto sure has an act of building a fire that doesn't show. One of his secrets is to build it in such a way that there's no reflection on the leaves overhead. But how does he do that? Oh, several ways. If possible, he finds a small clearing where there are no overhead branches. Hey, now I see the camp. Nearer than you thought, isn't it? I should say it is. How? Hello, Tonto. Have you been here long? Before dark. Steady, big fella. I'll take care of the horses. I'll attend to Silver, Dan. You take care of Victor. You stop in last town? Yes, I made a few inquiries about Mary Travers. Oh. You didn't tell me why you were asking about her. Her husband used to be a good friend, Dan. In fact, Tonto and I helped him a little when he was building the railroad. Oh. He's the one that Tonto told me about. Probably. You see, we promised him that we'd do what we could to help his wife after he died. Oh. Is there something the matter? A lot of money is always likely to be a victim of the crooks around here. What you'll hear about her? Oh, not a great deal, Kimo Sabe. Steady there, Silver. We'll be moving on in just a minute. Moving on? I started to unsaddle my horse. That's right, Dan. But you said... I'm going out alone for a little while. I'll go over and call on Mrs. Travers. Oh. And you stay here, Dan. I'd never met her. You will in time, Dan. You have a few lessons to recite to Tonto. You can do that while I'm gone. His house is, Tonto. Is that right, Dan? He didn't want us to worry, so he didn't tell us anymore. But he did hint that he might not be back. What do you think we ought to do? Oh? What did the lone ranger say? Well, he said I should recite my lessons. That right. I'm ready to recite them, Tonto. Inside the large Travers' house, Mary Travers and her daughter, Jane, were talking. I guess all the windows are shuttered, but I'd better have one more look to make sure. Oh, Mom, I don't see why you're so nervous. What's there to worry about? Jane, I can't explain it. It's something intangible, but it's been hanging over this house for the past week. Did anything happen to make you worry? No. That is, nothing you could put your finger on. I felt it. That is, I felt worried when the story went out about how much money there was in the bank. Oh, that. It was so foolish of the clerk in the bank to get into that argument. What difference did it make to him whether the bank here or the bank in South Forks are the richest depositor? Well, there's a lot of bad men in this part of the country, Jane. Men that'd stop at nothing to get a few thousand dollars away from us. Well, they can't do it. They can't rob the bank and there's nothing around the house that's worth stealing. Well, that's what I keep telling myself, Jane. But I can't seem to shake off that worried feeling. Nate is living here in the house now. He's not only a good business manager, he's a good pistol shot and a brave man. Well, I suppose so. He's as good as a soldier. In fact, he was a soldier. Nothing can possibly happen while he's here. Oh, there's gunfire. I want to see what it is. Jane, Jane, don't you go out of this house. But someone just... I heard gunfire. It was outside, Nate. Nate, don't let Jane get out of this house. You better stay here, Jane. I'll look into it. I want to go with you. I can ammo a gun if I have to. There's a man on the ground. Oh, Nate. I don't see anyone else around. Do be careful. Just that white horse. Nate, Jane, I wish you'd call some of the men from the bunkhouse. It's dangerous. I have a gun with me, Mrs. Waltravers. I'll keep a shark watch and let you know if I see anyone. You hold the door open, Mrs. Travers, and we'll bring that man inside. I will. Nate, doesn't it look as if you wear the mask? Say, it does. Might be the way the moonlight falls on his face. Jane, he is masked. A robber, an outlaw. What's sad about a mask? Mother, this man is masked. Oh, my face alive, how dreadful. But who shot him? Where'd the bullet come from? Is he dead? Can't tell yet, Jane. Can you lift him? Well, I'll try. He's mighty heavy. We could just get him into the house. Hey there, what was that gunplay? Sam! Come on, Miss Jane, it's you. Come here, Sam. Help me carry this man to the house. He's alive, he's masked. You shot him, huh, Nate? No, I don't know who did it. You don't? Maybe it was one of the hands in the bunkhouse. Couldn't have been, Nate. They're all in town for the night, and he only went around the place. I told him to take the evening off if there was a mind. Don't stand there making guesses. Get this man inside so we can see how badly he's hurt. Yes, ma'am, I'll take a hold of his feet. Very well. Hey, that sure is a good horse he was riding. I'll take the horse to the stable, Sam. You can take care of him when you go back there. All right, Miss Jane. Come on, boy. Come along with me. But you've got to come. We're going to see what we can do for your master. Come along now. Is that man dead or alive? He's alive, ma'am, but it's mighty hard by that bullet. I'll get some hot water and bandages, even if he isn't... Oh, I... What's the matter, Mrs. Travis? Here, don't put him down there. Bring him to the new bedroom, this way. What, that room is... It's not half good enough for that man. How's that? He's not an outlaw. Sam, Nate, that's the Lone Ranger. He's a friend of mine. He was a friend of my husband's. Oh, put him down there. Easy. I'll take off that mask. You'll do nothing of the sort, Nate Prescott. This man wears that mask because he doesn't want people to know who he is. For that reason, he'll continue to have his face covered. Where's Jane? Taking care of the horse. That horse is Silver, the Lone Ranger's horse. My sakes alive. Here, here, Nate, give me a hand. We've got to get to work on that wound before he gets too weak to have a fighting chance. Very well. Oh, we must find who shot him. Sam, you didn't. Oh, ma'am. Nate, who did? Someone did. Someone must be around here. We've got to see where Jane is. Well, I told you, ma'am, she went to the stable. Jane! That's Jane! Suffering catfish! Come on. That yell came from near the stables. There's a horse in that stable raising a hob. Jane! Jane, what's the matter? Jane, where are you? Answer me. The door's closed. I'll get it open. Hurry with that door, Sam. What's the matter? All my hands are all thumbs, Dad. Right at all. There, there, now I got it. Look out, Sam. Stay to the side. Let him go. Sam, get a lantern going. We've got to find Jane. Yeah, I got one right here. Jane, answer me, Jane. Where are you? Oh, if that horse really was silver, it's your surprise and he let Jane lead him here to the barn. Get the light going. I am. Oh, do hurry. Something terrible must have happened to Jane. She screamed. I heard a Sam. There now, Mrs. Travis, you must be brave, ready to think clearly. We'll see things fixed, all right. First, the shots. The Lone Ranger shot and he might be dying for lack of attention. Now, Jane. There's a lantern going. I don't see any sign of a struggle here. Hey, that rear door, it's been open and should never be open at night. Jane's gone out that way. Or been taken out that way. Hold on. What is it? There seems to be a note of some sort on the edge of the store. Bring the lantern over here, Sam. A note? Yes, it's to you, Mrs. Travers. Oh, read it to me neat. Your daughter will be returned to you unharmed. Returned to me? She's been abducted. Oh. This is a demand for ransom. Well, I'll pay what's asked. I'll pay. If you call in the law, your daughter will be killed. I see. Now, Mrs. Travers, I felt that something was going to happen. Well, it has. Now we must cope with it. I'll help you back to the house. I don't need help. Go with Sam and in mercy's name save the life of that masked man. We might be in dire need of him. Meantime, we'll keep our guns handy in case someone else shows up. We sure will. Nate, you didn't read me the note. There must be more. Well, there are details as to how the ransom must be paid. We'll go over those later. Right now, the wounded man must be cared for. It's been about a half an hour, hasn't it, Tano? Oh, that's right. If another half hour passes and the Lone Ranger isn't back here in camp, we're to go after him, aren't we? Uh-huh. I think maybe... Wait, Dan. What is it? Me put ear to ground. Maybe hear something. Oh. Horse come. Sound like silver. Oh, good. Golly, I'm glad he's back. I was a little worried about what might happen. Wait. Something not right. How's that? We see plenty soon. Silver come, but not in usual way. Hey, I can hear him now. His stride's different than it's been. Dan, Silver come without Ryder. Without the Lone Ranger? Then something's happened. We see plenty quick. Oh, the Lone Ranger must be badly hurt. Silver! Silver old fellow, where is he? Come. Look at Victor. He understands too. He knows there's something mighty wrong. Yes, Scouts. Steady, Silver. We go plenty fast. Victor and I are ready, Tano. Uh-huh. That's right. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. Come on, Victor. I think the masked man will live, Mrs. Travers, but he's very weak. Oh, I'm glad to hear that, Nate. No, sir. I never thought I'd live to see the day when I'd be treating a wound for the Lone Ranger. I'm worried, Nate. I wish I could believe what that letter said. Believe it? That, that Mary would be returned safely for the ransom's paid. I'm sure she will be, Mrs. Travers. We must continue to believe she will. Tell me what those instructions were. Now, you need your rest, Mrs. Travers. I'll handle everything. No, no, I can't sleep. There's no use trying. I want to memorize the instructions. You ought to put $10,000 in cash in a saddlebag and take it into town. $10,000. I wonder why it's to be put in a saddlebag. Well, I don't know. Hold on. I, I heard something outside. The criminals have returned. They'll come back to take another shot at the Lone Ranger. Well, hey, Sundaro, get them this time. Careful, sir. 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 to continue our story. Sam fired the two horsemen who approached the Travers' home in darkness. No answering fire came. Instead, a rope snaked through the night and the noose dropped about the foreman's arms and shoulders. It was quickly jerked tight. Dad ran it. Tonto. Tonto? Yes. Yes, Sam, he's all right. Let him come in. He is coming in. What can I do to stop him? Then he's got somebody with him. Silver come without rider. Silver lead way here. Where, Masked Man? Yeah, is he here? Who are you? My name's Dan Reed. I travel with the Lone Ranger and Tonto. We're friends. What's happened? Dan Reed, huh? I'm sorry, sir. That is, Tonto and I were brought here by Silver. He wouldn't come for us unless his master were hurt. Come in, Dan Reed. Your friend's here and it sure's been a frightful night for things happening. Now, where Lone Ranger? He's inside here but he's unconscious and he's badly hurt. What's happened to him? He was shot. Shot by men who kidnapped Jane Travers. Through the night, Tonto and Dan sat by the Lone Ranger, the Indian applying his own remedies to the masked man's womb. If the Lone Ranger regained consciousness, none of those outside the bedroom knew it. When morning came, Nate went to the bank with Mary Travers. He didn't see Dan Reed in the town but he was there buying a strange assortment of things which he took back to Tonto. I guess I've got everything that's needed, Tonto. Me take a look later to make sure. Should we go into the bedroom? How is he now, Tonto? Well, him still awake but plenty weak. Him speak only and whisper. I can speak to him, though. He can hear me, can't he? Golly, sir, I sure hope you'll be back in the saddle soon. It's awful to see you there that way. Then, you'll not try, talk. Yeah, I got everything that you told me to get. Here, here's the spring, heavy wire, here's the gun. Had some trouble getting one of the cabs I use on the railroad, though. But you get it all right? Yes, Tonto. Well, me go to work now. Me know what Lone Ranger want and me fix it. You said you'd tell me what all this stuff was for, Tonto. Ah, me tell you by and by. Ah. You see Mrs. Travers in town? Yeah, she and Nate went to the bank. She drew out the money to pay the kidnappers. Ah, and now she come back here, huh? I suppose so. She come here to fix cash and saddlebag, as letters say. We have to work plenty fast. I spoke to the sheriff, too. He doesn't know anything about the abduction. Oh? I guess Mrs. Travers intends to follow those orders right to the letter. That's right. Tonto, what are you gonna do with that junk I got? Let me show you. You wait. While Dan watched Tonto at work with pieces of heavy wire and noisy torpedoes that were placed on the track to signal trains, Nate and Mrs. Travers brought up to the house in a buck for her. Oh, Nellie, boo, Betsy, boo, boo, boo. Well, take care of the rig, ma'am. All right, Sam. How's the wounded man? I don't know. Injun came out to the barn a while ago and fed those three fine-looking horses. And I tried to find out about the masked man, but the redskin didn't have much to say about him. Is he still unconscious? I guess he is. If only I wasn't so worried about Gene. It might be some help to that poor Indian and the lad. Well, I guess the Injun and the boy can take care of things all right. A young reed took his horse out for a time. Where'd he go? I don't know. He just said something about exercising a cruder, that's all. He was gone quite a while. All right, Sam. Did you bring the saddlebag to the house as I asked you to? Yep. Right on the table in the library. Thanks. As soon as we get the money fixed in the saddlebag, Nate, you'll take it to that hiding place for me, won't you? Of course I will, Mrs. Travers. Thank you. Get along there! I'll start out in just a few minutes. As soon as the saddlebag is ready. Won't take long to be ready. Here, just put this cash in it for me, Nate, will you? All right. While Nate put the $10,000 into the saddlebag, he didn't know that Tonto's keen ear was close to the door of the room, listening to determine the exact moment for the next move. Well, there, it's all ready. Good. You'd sooner I went alone? I will. There's no reason for me to go. They say in the note that Jane will be sent home as soon as they count the money. Yes. Then I'll stay. I want to be here when she comes, the poor girl. What she must have been through. Do you think they'll keep their word? I'm sure they will, Mrs. Travers. Shooting. Oh, will this never end? Shoot! Sam, Sam, what was the gunplay? It was over here, this way. Golly, did I frighten all of you? Dan, was that you shooting? Yes, ma'am. Tonto said it would be all right for me to take a few shots just to keep in practice. Why, you fool, you frightened everyone. Oh, golly, I'm sure sorry, sir. It's all right, Dan. We didn't know it was you. Get a dag nabbit, kid. The next time, give folks a warning. I won't fire anymore. How's your friend? Tonto says he's coming right along. I thought you were in his room. How did you leave without being seen by Mrs. Travers and me? You were in there talking and I didn't want to disturb you, so I ducked out the window. Well, no more gunplay. No, sir. I'll get the saddlebag, Mrs. Travers, and start right away. Yes, Nate, please do. Nate was gone for some time. Shortly after he returned with the announcement that he had left the saddlebag and the place directed, Jane herself rode up, leaped to the ground and rushed to the welcoming arms of her mother. Oh, mother. Honey, oh, you poor child. What you must have been through. Tell me, dear, did they hurt you? No, mother, not a bit. There were two men that kept their faces covered all the time, except when they had me blindfolded. Hello, Nate. Welcome home, Jane. It's been a trying experience for your mother. I'll bet it has. Yeah, tune up her, Miss Jane. It's sure fine to see you home again, safe and sound. Oh, thanks, Sam. It's good to be here. I suppose we should notify the sheriff now and let him start after those abductors, but, well, it would be dangerous. They might abduct you all over again. Oh, let the whole thing drop. I'm satisfied. Well, that's my advice, Mrs. Travers. Oh, mother, that masked man, how is he? Well, honey, he's been in the bedroom ever since, and his Indian friend came to take care of him. We haven't been in the room. Is he going to live? I guess so, but I do wish I could see him. Won't the Indian let you? No. There's a boy there, too, Dan Reed, a fine lad. Well, Jane, now that you're home, we can all relax again. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to my room. Of course, Nate. You can't tell who the abductors were, huh, Miss Jane? No, Sam. I didn't see their faces, and I didn't recognize their voices. Oh, pocats ought to be strung up for the worry they caused you more. And to think I'm getting away with all that money, it riles me. Hello, Tonto. Girl home safe, huh? Oh, you're the Indian, the friend of the Lone Ranger. That right. Tell me, Tonto, how is he? Is he getting better? Uh-huh. Him gets strength back plenty quick. Tonto, I guess everything's set. Isn't that good, Dan? Jane, this is Dan Reed, my daughter, Dan. How do you do, Miss Jane? Hello, Dan. I wish I might go in and speak to your friend. You know, he's a friend of ours, too. Ah, him here about trouble for you. That why him come here last night. He did? Ah, him come to warn you. Get shot on way here. I suppose it must have been those two that kidnapped Jane that shot him. Ah, maybe. Maybe other fellow are in on scheme, too. That why sheriff come here. But the sheriff isn't here. You didn't know it, Mrs. Travers, but he came here some time ago. The sheriff did? Yeah. Came into the house through the window, to the Lone Ranger's bedroom. He's in there now. But he... Well, who sent for him? I went after him this morning and asked him to come here without saying anything to anyone. Oh, Dan Reed, you are a strange one. You know why Dan shoot gun outside house? Why, he said... I shot it because it was part of the Lone Ranger's plan. Plan? Plan for what? To catch the kidnappers. Ah. You tell more, Dan. All right. You see, Mrs. Travers, when you and Nate rushed out to see what the shooting was, Tano slipped into this room and took the saddlebag with the cash in it. He left another one in its place. Then the abductors didn't get the cash? No, ma'am. It's in the bedroom safe and sound. Then why did they turn me loose? Because, Miss Jane, they had their orders. They were to turn you free with a horse at a certain time today. But if they didn't get the money, how did they know it would be paid? I guess it'll be hard to explain, Miss Travers, because the Lone Ranger can't speak very much. He heard something about the scheme and came here to warn you. But he was hurt and by the time he could speak, Miss Jane was gone. Then he knew that he had to play a careful hand or she would be killed. Howdy, Mrs. Travers. Hope you don't mind my butting in. Sheriff, this is all so confusing. Jane is back, but the money... Oh, if you just wait a bit, I reckon it'll be all cleared up. What's that? That's it. Come on, Tondo. Where are you going? Nate's room. Stick them up, Nate. We got them. Sure. See here, what is this? There's a saddlebag. Nate, why are you... That's the saddlebag he carried out today, ma'am. Supposed to be taking it to the kidnappers. Instead of that, he kept it with him. Reckon you did just what we figured, Nate. Opened the bag to have a look at what you thought was cash. Why, you... That saddlebag we fix. You fixed it, Tondo. That's the one he left on the table in place of the one with the cash, Miss Travers. It had a railroad torpedo in it with some springs and wire. So when the bag was open, the wire would snap down and fire the torpedo. Then the sheriff would come running and catch him with the goods. Lone Ranger gave me instructions, Nate. You can make us prove the case against you or you can squeal on your helpers and take a chance on a jury being lenient with you. I was tricked. You won't get me, though. Get the gun. I'm no good. Oh, great work, Tondo. You floored him neat. Sheriff, I never suspected he was a thief. Mean one at that, ma'am. He must have got word that the Lone Ranger was coming here and planned to kill him. Darn near did, too. But he didn't and the Lone Ranger will live to ride again. Even when he's wounded and too weak to lift a hand, the Lone Ranger can outwit a cook. What I've just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated.
