with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-oh silver, the Lone Ranger. In 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. Go on, Silver! Faster, boy, faster! Luke's city was quiet and dark, as heavy clouds drifted across a full moon, blurring outlines to shadows. The same darkness that obscured building fronts covered the solitary figure moving stealthily down the street toward a row of small houses whose shabbiness didn't show through the night. Silently, but no less forcibly, the man cursed the clouds separating occasionally to flood the town with moonlight. Hugging the shadows till darkness settled again, he moved from house to house till at length he reached the last one in the row. Inside, old Mrs. McDermott slept peacefully, unconscious of the stranger approaching her door. As I'm inside, I still gotta find it. It's locked. Should've known it would be. Maybe the window. There it's open. What is it? Who's there? Shut up. Who? You have no right to be here. Get out. Get out of my house. Your gun's loaded, lady, so you better keep your mouth shut. Unless you want to get hurt. You ain't gonna shoot. You'd have the whole town down here in two minutes. Now get out. I'll get out, all right. But I'm taking that poke of gold you got. Where is it? You think I'd tell you why you... I told you to keep quiet. Turn that gold over to me. I can shoot you and be out of here before anybody ever gets to the door. No. No, I won't. Then... Don't. Don't shoot me. Don't... It's just as well. Now I can look for the dust. Quickly, the man searched out the room, his movement sure and cat-like. His practiced fingers knowing instinctively the places the old woman might hide her hoard of precious dust. Finding what he wanted, he shifted the sack from hand to hand, testing its weight speculatively. Then, smiling to himself, opened the door and disappeared into the night. The next day, Sam Burns found two people waiting for him to open his store. One was a boy of 14. The other was Mike Thomas, whose worn clothes and calloused hands spoke of many lonesome months of prospecting. Just one minute, gents, and I'll have the store open for business. I need some food packed for traveling. Ah, son, you just stand aside and let me do my buying first, huh? I'm in a doggone big hurry to get home to my folks. I ain't seen them for months. Sure thing, mister. It's all right. I don't mind waiting. There we are, gents. Step right in and state your desires. Who's first? Take care of this gentleman first. All right, fine lad by a junior. Thanks, son. What's your name? Dan Reed. Good name. Yes, sir. Good name. What can I do for you? Well, sir, I'm buying presents for my folks. That so? What you got in mind? Well, let's see. Hold up one of them shirts there, will you? Sure. Yeah, that looks like it ought to fit them. I'll take a dozen of them. And a couple for this Dan Reed. Oh, you needn't do that. A dozen? That's what I said. Pardoner, them shirts ain't cheap. Ain't looking for cheap presents, mister. When a man goes home for the first time in five years, there ain't nothing too good to tote with him. That's what I always say. Five years is a mighty long time. Yep, and you notice it more when you're by yourself. Well, let's see now. What have you got in yard goods? Something pretty for making dresses. Got just the thing to show you. How's this? Brand new bolt, sis. State just brought in the other day. Hey. Yeah, that is pretty. You think so, Dan? Yes, sir. It's real nice looking. Yep, I'll take it. How much you want? Whole thing. Huh? Sure must have struck it rich. Prospecting? Yeah, up in the hills. I was about to give it up, and all of a sudden, there was the dust. Just as pretty as you please. Looked mighty good to me, I can tell you. Well, I guess you better do them things up for me. I don't see anything else. Yeah, where are you from? Folks are over in Harrison County. That's where I'm going now. Thomas is the name. Ever heard of them? Thomas? No, I don't believe so. Then I don't get over to them parts often. Yeah, makes it about even. I don't get to Loop City much. I always say it's a good place to go through. I'll have to tell Sheriff Peterson that. About the only thing Loop City's got is a good sheriff. Yeah, you're right there. He's cleaned up this place. We don't have no outlaws here at all anymore. Of course, you can't say that that for Harrison County long as that Ty Morson keeps his ornery neck out of the noose. Morson? Is he still on the loose? Yeah. Can't seem to catch up with him as I hear it. Well, stranger, that'll come to $210. Good enough. Let's see. Say, you carry all that gold around with you. Sure. There's plenty more where this comes from. I got more than $2,000 right here. That's a lot of dust. If you was ever to meet up with Morson carrying a poke like that, your life wouldn't be worth betting on. Well, those Thomasers aren't afraid, mister. Here you are. Yes, sir. I always like my customers to pay cash. Stop in when you're coming through Loop City. Thanks, I will. I don't aim to be back this way for a couple of years. Sam, I'm around it. Seen any strangers in town, Sam? What else, Sheriff? Looked like he was looking for trouble. Not looking for it, Sam. I'm just trying to straighten some out. You ain't answered me yet. Well, this here is... What did you say your first name was, mister? Mike. Mike Thomas. Yeah? You're a stranger in these parts, ain't you? Well, I've been to Loop City a couple of times before. Never stayed long. Why? Where are you from? You mean where's my home? That's what I said. Over in Harrison County. But I've been prospecting for the last few years. Harrison County, huh? Sheriff, I'm mighty curious about what's going on. You never... That's Mrs. McDermott, Sam. Mrs. McDermott? What's wrong with her? Some critter busted into her house last night and stole her gold. Most scared her to death. Well, for... Left her for dead more than likely. That's why I'm rounding up every stranger in town. How much gold did she lose, Sheriff? $2,000, Sam. $2,000? Oh, that's... that's too bad, Sheriff. You're right, it's too bad. So you're from Harrison County. That's where Ty Morrison is from. Now, wait a minute, Sheriff. You can't put me... Seems mighty peculiar to me. Wait till I get that handbill out. Here it is. Five feet ten. That's about right. But I ain't... Brown hair and blue eyes. Solid built. Couldn't be no more like you than a pitcher. What's that you're buying? I just bought some presents to take home with me for Christmas. And as for that description... All right, men. Search him. Right, Sheriff. Now, see here, Sheriff. I ain't stole no money. I don't even know this old lady. Yeah? Where were you last night? Coming down from the hills where I've been prospecting for the last five years. And I guess you were alone. Well, sure I was. I've been prospecting alone. You think I'd ride into town with anybody just for the company? Hey, Sheriff, look. A poke of dust. I was going to tell you, Sheriff. That's my gold. How much is there, Slim? Let's see. I calculate there's a little more than $2,000 here. Why, you dirty coyote. Just as I thought. That's my dust, I tell you. Yours, after you took it from the poor old woman. You left her for dead. Come on, men. Where are you going, Sheriff? Over to Mrs. McDermott. After she identifies as farmer, we'll have a trial and put him where he belongs. Now, hold on a minute. Give me back that dust. At least I can... You ain't holding this dust anymore, Mawson. It's going back where it came from. But you've got to give me a chance to prove I ain't Mawson. I tell you, I'm Mike Thomas. Get Sheriff Mason from Harrison County. He knows Ty Mawson and he knows me. Are you coming, peaceable? We ain't got much patience with murdering thieves in this county, so you better get moving. While Mike was marched to jail at gunpoint, Dan Reed leaped to the saddle of the white horse at the hitch rack and raced out of town to a nearby woods where the Lone Ranger and Tonto were camped and waiting. Oh, hope it you hope. They've got the wrong man. I'm sure of it. What's wrong, Dan? Mike. That's his name. He was arrested in town. They thought he was Ty Mawson. Wanted him for robbery? Ty Mawson? Oh, him. Plenty bad outlaw. I know this man's not Ty. Mike isn't a crook. How do you know, Dan? I looked at his face and his eyes. I studied him as you've taught me to do. He's on a level, but he'll probably hang if something isn't done. Dan, something will be done. Sheriff Mason could come from Harrison County. Sheriff Mason? Mike said the sheriff knew him. Then I'll go after the sheriff. Dan, Tonto, I'll be gone for some time. It's a long trip to the Harrison County seat. All right, plenty long. And justice here moves fast. You two get into town. Be sure they don't hang Mike. Will they hang him for robbery? I don't know, but prevent any such thing until I get back. Now, do you understand? Me savvy. You bet. Here, Silver. I'll be back as soon as I can. Come on, Silver. Dan and Tonto found the sheriff's men leading Mike to the home of Widow McDermott. They followed the men, anxious to know what Mike's fate would be when the victim of circumstances was brought up for identification. Miss McDermott. Lens' sake, Sheriff. What are all these people... Miss McDermott, you recognize this fellow here? Can't say as I do. Why? Because I got an idea. This here's the fellow that stole your gold last night. All we need is for you to identify him. Well, it was mighty dark, you know, Sheriff. But I will say he looks like about the same size. Would you know his voice? I reckon I would. But he talked so low, sort of gruff-like, and I was so afraid... I tell you, I ain't never seen this lady before in my life. Didn't you get a look at his face at all, ma'am? No, I didn't. He was wearing a bandana that covered him, so I can't say what he looked like. I gully, there's the bandana. Why, you old fool. There's not one of you aren't carrying bandanas in your pockets, and you know it. How much gold did you lose? Well, there was close to two thousand dollars in that sack, Sheriff. Everything I have in the world. In a sack? Yes, I kept it hid in a salt sack. I never see no gold in a salt sack. This poke don't look much like your salt sack. But would you say this is about the right amount of dust? Well, that looks just about right, Sheriff. I guess this is the fella that took it. That's all we need, boys. Oh, wait a minute, wait. Will you listen to me? Give Mrs. McDermott back her gold, Slim. Here you are, ma'am. I'm mighty glad to see you get it back. Oh, thank you. I never thought I'd see it again. That's my gold. It's all I've got with me. What do you mean it's yours? You gotta let me have that dust back, so as I can send for my folks, they'll tell you I'm not this mortian fella. You ain't sending for anybody, mister. Right now you're heading for jail. I never stole anything in my life. You'll have chance enough to speak up at your trial tomorrow. Come on, men. We'll take him to jail. Thank you again, Sheriff. I always did say you was the best, Sheriff, this county ever saw. Just doing my duty, ma'am. All right, you. Get going. You gotta give me a chance to explain, Sheriff. This is an awful mistake. The only mistake we made was letting you get into town in the first place. We'll fix that pronto. If we don't get 15 years here, we'll send you to Harrison County to hang. 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. How to continue our story. As poor Mike, his hopes of a jubilant return to his family and friends dashed to the ground, was taken to trial, the Lone Ranger reached the end of his long ride to find nothing but disappointment. You say the sheriff is gone? He won't be back for weeks. He went east on a long trip. Is there anyone here who knows Ty Morson? We all heard about him, but no one knows him. And deputy, you know Mike Thomas? No, never heard of him. Is there family? No. No Thomases around here, mister. Tell me why you're wearing the mask and why you're asking all these questions. I haven't time. I've got to find some way to save Mike Thomas, and I can't find it here. The law moved fast in Loop City. Mike Thomas came to trial the day after his arrest. It was a swift trial, and from the beginning the prospector knew he had little chance of acquittal. Loop City believed him to be the outlaw, Ty Morson, and as such he was treated. The courtroom was packed with townspeople, all anxious to see him sentenced. Few of them noticed a boy in an Indian who stood near the door, listening intently as the trial came to a conclusion. Morrison, or Thomas, whatever you call yourself, you've been found guilty. But I tell you I ain't guilty. You can't explain away that poke of gold, can you? I told you where I got that gold. Let him be, Sam. Let him be. No use arguing and going back over the evidence. You've been found guilty, and you'll go to jail for 15 years. 15 years? Ain't as long as it'd be if you was tried in some other places you're wanted. You mean I got to stay here 15 years? And it ain't half of what you deserve. Why don't we send him on over to Harrison County, Judge? They'll string him up on site over there. I'll thank you to remember we take care of our own crooks in our own way, Sam. The varmint stays here in our jail for the next 15 years. After that, if they catch him in another county, some other sheriff can worry about him. All right, Morrison. Your sentence begins now. Take him away, Sheriff. Someday you'll find out. I'm innocent, and if there's any justice... You've got a fair trial, and justice is done. Out of the way, Injun. Just let me send to my folks. They'll straighten it up. Prisoners don't get no privileges. You're going to jail. Although the citizens of Loop City were accustomed to the administration of swift and sure justice, the capture and trial of the outlaw Ty Morrison caused plenty of comment. All day long, the trial was the town's principal topic of conversation. It was discussed in detail time and again by everyone who had witnessed it. Opinions differed. Some thought that Morrison got what he deserved. Others were insistent that the sentence had been too light. Oddly enough, the men who were loudest in their claims that the punishment didn't fit the crime were strangers in Loop City. One man in particular made a point of convincing as many people as possible that justice had miscarried. After dark, he went to the town's largest cafe and soon was able to find a group of men who'd listen to his argument. Well, I don't know what you think, but I ain't in favor of feeding and housing that crook for no 15 years. Yeah, you're right. He ought to be hung. I know. What's to stop us from taking the law in our own hands? Well, you know the sheriff don't favor hanging unless the judge and jury calls for it. If he was over in Harrison County, he'd hang. What are we waiting for? I says to hang him. Maybe you're right, but Peterson... The sheriff don't have to know nothing about it. We can make our own plans. He won't find out till it's all over. And then it'll be too late to do anything about it. I say we ought to do it tonight. Right now. Come on. Wait. You stop. I'll get the sheriff. He'll stop him. Santa said it would drill you. We ain't to be stopped. Me shoot. Tonto, look out. Tonto. They hurt you badly, Tonto. Anyone else thank you to stop us? All right. Come on, boys. We won't let rats like Morrison live around here at our expense. Tonto, what do we do? If only the Lone Ranger can hurry back. Dan, you go to Hilltop. But your head... Oh, it'll just scratch. Go to Hilltop. Build three big fires. Ranger see signal long way off. Him come plenty fast. You bet I will. Come on, Victor. Dan raced to the top of the nearest hill and gathered dry grass and weeds into three great piles. In a few moments, three fires blazed, sending their gleams far out across the plains. Miles away, the masked man saw and understood. All right, big fella. More silver. Silver. The great horse, Silver, raced ahead, putting all his tremendous strength into a reply to the masked man's cries. That's a signal, Silver. They need us. There's trouble there. Come on, Silver. While in town, the men of Loop City led Mike Thomas to a selected tree where a rope was in readiness. I wish somebody believed me. I'm not Morrison. Still claim you're innocent, huh, Morrison? That's a good one. You're guilty, and it don't make no difference what you say. You're hanging tonight. Right. Nobody can come into Loop City and rob our women, folks. That's right, Sam. Pick them up now. Come on. Everything ready, lamb? Just like you said, Sam. Now we'll slip this here around your neck. Someday you'll find out you hung the wrong man. We'll worry about that then. Hey, someone's coming. Maybe the sheriff found out. Hurry and slap that horse. We'll get Morrison swinging before he can stop us. Oh, wait. Please, fellas. Just let me live for you. Save your breath. You won't have it long. Have it long, Jonah. Come on, Silver. I've got you, Mike. All of you, listen to me. He's masked. He shot right through the rope. Lifted Morrison to his saddle. That horse. You ever see anything like it? Ain't a horse that fast in these parts. Who are you, stranger? That's not important. The important thing is that I've just come from Harrison County. What'd you say? Harrison County? Well, that's what Morrison's wanted. They'd hang this crook there. What's the masked man got on his mind? Men, believe me. I don't know who you are, masked men, but if you're smart, you'll be on your way and let us finish what we started. If you ain't late long enough to listen to me, I'll... Oh, hey, look at them guns. Any man carrying guns like them sure gets my attention. Yeah, mine too. You'll soon have proof that this man here is not Ty Morrison. The sheriff in Harrison County knows Ty. He's telling you the truth. I told you, but you wouldn't listen to me. Sheriff Mason knows me, and he knows Ty. But you wouldn't give me a chance to send for somebody so I could prove to you what I said to the gospel? I'm for waiting to see what the masked hombre has up his sleeve. Yeah. You say you just came from the county seat? Yes. All I ask you to do is to wait. Don't do any hanging yet. Well, what do you say, men? Wait a little while longer and you'll have a hanging. But you won't be taking the life of an innocent man. Well, I don't know who you are, stranger, but I'm with you. Me too. I'll wait. Who is he? He ain't related to Morrison, is he? Sure, he ain't allowed to lie himself. Look at that horse. What's going on here? Oh, it's the sheriff. Whitley finds out we were staging a hanging. More than likely, we'll be staging our own before he gets through. Just look at his face. Sheriff! We all decided 15 years in jail here in Loop City was too good for this critter here. Oh, you did, huh? You're revising the court decisions in this county, too, I reckon. Who are you? I guess I can put my guns away, now that you're here, Sheriff. Who are you? You thought you'd lynch Morrison. Broke him out of jail, did you? One of you will pay for this. I'll bust every one of your empty skulls wide open. Wait a minute, Sheriff. I know it looks bad, but the masked man here, he stopped us just about as we was to hang, Morrison. Don't get excited. Just give me a minute. Whether we was right or wrong, he stopped us anyway. And he claims, too, that this ain't Ty. Is that the truth? What's your interest in this anyway, stranger? My interest is to see the right man punished for his crimes. If these people had hung an innocent man, you never would have forgiven yourself, Sheriff. Neither would they. Otto, Dan. Yes, sir. Otto, your shoulder. Oh, it hit nothing. It only slide off shoulder. I've got to keep an eye on that man who led the mob. I watched him. Uh-huh. Him already moved away from Crown. Hey, golly, yeah. See him? There he goes. Just a minute. I said wait a minute. Huh? You think you're talking to me, stranger? I may be a stranger in Loop City. Can you identify yourself? Ain't got no cause to. Hey, he's about the same size Morrison, ain't he? Yeah. Same color hair and eyes, too. You were the man who started the lynching. What's wrong? Why don't you stay here till Mike Thomas is proven guilty or innocent? I, uh, I got an errand to do. An errand can wait. The storekeepers are all right here. I got to catch the stage for Dobie. Before he catches the stage, I think it would be a good idea if he were searched. What do you mean, searched? Nobody's searching me. Now, wait a minute, stranger. If you were so plum anxious to see Morrison here get what was coming to him, you sure can't have any objection to turning out your pocket. Oh, no, you don't. Hey, the alarm's cleft. That's it. Now, let's go. Say. What in tarnation? The salt sack from my store. Here, let me see that bag. You say this is from your store, Sam? You'll probably find Willow McDermott's $2,000 in there, Sheriff. How much did you say it is? He's right, Sheriff. By golly, this here's the dust that was stolen. I told you I didn't take that gold. If you compare this man with a description on the handbill, you'll find that it fits him. You can all be sure when Sheriff Mason comes over. Well, I think you should know. Sheriff Mason is in the east. He won't be back for several weeks. Well, I thought he was coming over here to identify Mike, if that's his name. I didn't say he'd be over. I said you'd soon have proof who was guilty. Well, you have it. By glory, he's right. That's what he said. Must have been this critter's conscience. I thought the sheriff was coming over and knew he'd recognize him in a flash. I was never so relieved of anything in all my life. I reckon we owe you an apology, Thomas. At least we can give you this gold here. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I'd never believed it. You might owe me an apology, Sheriff, but I owe my life to that mask man. Mister, this gold belongs to you. Why, where is he? He was here a minute ago. The engine's gone, too. The young Dan Reed. Well, I'll be a horse named Silver, an engine, tonneau, and the mask. Gee, horse-a-fat. I reckon I must owe my life to the Lone Ranger. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated. Don't wait a minute ago.
