Fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-ho, Silver, the Lone Ranger. His faithful 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 and the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver, faster, boy, faster, all the way. The Lone Ranger and Tonto rode into the town of Sagebrush and went directly to the office of an old friend, Sheriff Benson. The two-fisted lawman was emptying his desk, putting his property into a small chest. When he saw the masked man and the Indian, his face lighted in pleasure. Well, of all the people in the world, you're the most welcome. Sheriff Benson, it's good to see you again. And Tonto, I am hanged if you ain't a sight for tired eyes. I'm me glad to see you. I was just thinking about you two. You especially, Tonto. Remember the last time he was here about three months ago? Oh, me remember. That was when Dan Reed was with us. Oh, that's so. Is he still with you? No, Dan's in California. Oh, what's he doing there? He's in school. Well, he thought it better to give him some formal education. Yeah, that's right. That's downright good judgment. Tonto, the last time you was here in Sagebrush, you left your bow and a quiver of arrows with me. Do you remember? Um, that's right. Well, there they are. I was just packing my stuff out of my desk here. The bow was too long to go into the chest. That made me think of you. You better take the bow along with you. Oh, me take it. There's one arrow missing, Tonto. I hope you don't mind. Oh, me not mind. Are you leaving the office, Sheriff Benson? Uh-huh. I won't be the sheriff no more after tomorrow. You won't be? Hank Gordon will have the job. You know Hank. Yes, I remember him. He was the deputy. That's right. And the first-rate one at that. He'll make a good sheriff. Oh, a little wishy-washy, but maybe he'll get stronger as he gets more experience in dealing with the job. But why are you leaving? Oh, it's a long story and not interesting. I want to send this chest with what few things I've got to my nephew in St. Louis. I reckon he'd so that I'd like to handle things. You're putting your guns in that chest? Yep. Guns, cartridges, gun belt, and everything. Well, aren't you going to use them anymore? Nope. Won't need them. I, uh... That is, you might say I'm retiring. Why? You're a young man. I know it, but there ain't no choice in the matter. Benson, we've been... Well, of all things, it's the Lone Ranger. Hello, Gordon. I understand you're to be the new sheriff. Not because I want to be. I got most everything finished here, Hank. I guess you might as well take over now. Thanks, Sheriff. You can drop the sheriff. Oh, I can't drop it. And I won't drop it. Not as long as you're on the job. Hang it, old Benson. It's going to be tough to do what I've got to do. Stop being a weak sister and do your job. Thanks for trusting me and letting me pack this stuff. You shouldn't have done it, Hank. I wouldn't have let a man do what you let me do. You ain't me. Look here, Gordon. Why is Benson quitting? Oh, he ain't told you? No. Well, I was getting to it, Hank, but it ain't easy to tell a man like the Lone Ranger. Maybe the masked man can help. Nope, he can't. You see, mister, I... I'm going from here to the jail. They're trying me this afternoon for a murder. Murder? You murder? Tomorrow morning they'll hang me. Live by the gun and die by the gun. That's me. Only I'll die by the rope. Who are you accused of killing? Weasel Perry. I don't know him. A worthless, no-good skin flint that should have been out of this world years ago. He swindled everyone in town, including Sheriff Benson. He swindled the sheriff? Ah, he was a crook all through. He needed killing. Maybe the best thing I'd done since I got to be sheriff was to rid the community of that crook. But you're going to hang for it. Why not? I'm a killer. I tried to get Benson to plead not guilty and let the court prove otherwise, but he's too darn honest. Hank, I've been sheriff long enough to know evidence when I see it. Benson, did you kill Perry? Well, I must have. But you're not sure? Well, I... Well, sure I am. Sure I'm sure. If anyone else was in my place, I'd have no doubt about his guilt. How was it done? Tonto's bow and arrow. A nice, quick, clean-cut, silent way of doing murder. Uh, you used this bow? Yep. And Dara? I told you there was one arrow missing. Well, that's the one that's held as the evidence. It'll be turned up at my trial tomorrow. If only it wasn't so cussed, stubborn, honest. Masked man, he's hammered the men around here for so many years about their duty on a jury. Well, that's one thing you'll have when you're sheriff, Hank. You'll get honest juries at the trials. I got the men around here trained. Every doggone one of the men on that jury hated Weasel Perry. There ain't a man of them that won't say he's better off dead. Not a man there but what would ignore the evidence and vote not guilty for you if it wasn't that you'd train them to do their duty honest no matter who it hits. You say the trial is this afternoon. That's right. But maybe you didn't kill Weasel. Ain't there a chance it could have been someone else? Not a chance. A one-armed man can't pull a bow as strong as Edwin. And the footprints in the mud bear out that I done it. My own footprints all the way from here to the back window of Weasel's house and back here again. What did you say about a one-armed man? Weasel Perry's half-brother. What part did he play? He's the witness. Where can I find him? Why'd you want to see him? I want his version of the story. Well, I reckon he'll be at Perry's house. He lived with Perry. Come on, Tonto. Wait. Do you think there's a chance the sheriff didn't commit the murder? The sheriff hasn't told me the story. And if the trial's this afternoon there's no time to waste. I can tell you the story in a few words. Well, I drank one too many. I didn't remember what I was doing. And that's why I've been a little undecided. But, well, the footprints tell the story. I left my office here with Tonto's bow and arrow. I went to the back of Weasel's house, shot an arrow into his worthless hide and came back here. Then I slept till this morning. You see? He don't remember doing it. Look, there ain't but one place a man could have stood to shoot that arrow. Only one man stood there. The footprints are mine. And the patch on the boot was so plain and I knew it at a glance. Did anyone see you? Jake saw me. That's the half-brother. Then we'll see Jake. The Lone Ranger, impelled by friendship for the honest Sheriff Benson and her desire to do all he could to find some means of helping him, hurried to the low, rambling house where Perry and his half-brother had lived. The one-armed man saw the horseman approaching and was at the open door to meet them. Steady, Sylvia. Hey, get your hands up. Stay right in that saddle like you're close. I've got you coming. Even if I only got one arm, I can handle the pistol. Just still, Toto. That man's likely to shoot. Ah, him but bad eye. We came to talk about your brother's death. Oh, you did, huh? What's that mask mean? Suppose you think you can come here and loot the house, rob a dead man, steal the gold and silver, huh? I'm not a thief. I warn you, I can protect what's mine every bit as well as Perry, regardless of what was his. I suppose now you'll own everything your brother had. I already owned it. I owned it the second he died. There ain't another man in the world but me. No other relations. You knew that Sheriff Benson was to stand trial this afternoon, didn't you? He'll do more than stand trial. He'll stand convicted. Did you see the murder? Just about. Jake, I want to talk to you. Stay in that saddle. Put down that gun. You'll not shoot me. You've got too much to live for. What? If you try to shoot me, my friend Tonto will get you. Steady, Silver. And, uh, you wouldn't have time to enjoy all the money you've inherited. Well, all right. Now you're dismounted. What do you want? Your story. What do you mean, my story? Just what you saw. You can hear it by coming to the court this afternoon. Jake, unless I'm convinced that Sheriff Benson is guilty, there will be no trial this afternoon. What do you mean? I'll take Benson away from here. Sheriff Benson isn't a man that would commit murder. He has too much respect for the law. He admits his guilt. He thinks he did it under the influence of liquor. He doesn't realize that a man is very unlikely to do something in that condition that he won't do any other time. He done it all right. Tell me about it. Are you serious in saying you will sneak him away from here? I am. The settlement of Perry's estate might be tied up for a long time if the murderer isn't found and convicted. Why? Because you're the heir. There might be a suspicion that you did the killing. Me? How in thunder could I do it? You're the only one to benefit by Perry's death. He was sharp with an arrow. I can't use a bow. What did you see last night? Well, I'll tell you. I was in my bedroom, Perry and his. They're both at the rear of the house looking out on the mud flat. Yes? I heard Perry make a funny noise and then fall like out of bed. And what did you do? Well, I looked out the window and saw someone running away from the house. It was too dark to see who it was. Then I went into Perry's room and there he was on the floor with an arrow in him. Dead? Yes. So I hurried to the sheriff's office. I knew Benson often worked at night and sometimes real late. He was in his office when he got there sleeping in his chair. Sleeping? Dead to the world. But his boots was muddy and still a little wet. I shook him until he was awake. It was pretty dazed for a time he didn't seem to know much of anything. Doused a lot of cold water in his head while I stood waiting for him to get ready to talk. I'm sorry I was in such a state, Jake. I never had a couple of drinks hit me so hard. Must have been some special strong stuff. Now what's the trouble? It's Perry. He's been shot. A bow and arrow. Shot. Dead. Well, I'll go right along with you. Right, Scott. Jake. Look at that bow and arrow. I see it. That's one of the red skin left with me a long time ago. Wait till I count. There were seven arrows here. There's only six here now. You'll find the seventh in Perry's hide. There are my boots. The mud is wet. Where have I been? It looks to me like you've been walking in wet mud. Like out in the back of our house. Jake. Jake, this is awful. I got a gun, Sheriff Benchon. I can use it in spite of my handicap. Now hold on, Jake. You don't need to hold a gun on me. I'm the law and I'll put myself under arrest as fast as I would another man. I gotta get Hank out of bed. I'll need help on this. Come on, Jake. I'll get Hank out of bed. Hank went with him, Sheriff, and me and we came here to the house. It was clear when we got lanterns and looked at the tracks outside of the window that it was Benchon that done the murder. Well, that's all there is to it. I see. King Masabi, there's something plenty wrong. Yes, Tonto? I know there is. What do you mean? I don't think Benson is guilty. How can you stand there and say that? I have said it. You think a lad? I don't know. It's none of your business anyhow. I don't know why I'm wasting time with you. You ain't the judge and you ain't the jury. Benson is gonna be found guilty and he's gonna hang. This time tomorrow he'll be dead. Jake, I think you're wrong. What do you mean? By this time tomorrow Sheriff Benson will be at his desk making out a report on the real murderer. 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 threw Jake into a panic when he stated that he firmly believed that Sheriff Benson was not a murderer. You can't say that. You can't prove it. You can't tell you. What's the matter, Jake? It's a plot, that's all. It's a plot against me. A dirty underhanded scheme to keep me from getting my just rights. You'll get your rights, Jake. No one is going to keep you from what is rightfully yours. Where are you? Anyhow, what business is this of yours? Why don't you go away and let things take the course? Because I don't want an honest man to hang and a murderer to go free. You mean to stand there and tell me you think Sheriff Benson didn't kill my brother? Jake, I'm sure he didn't kill your brother. City big fella. Come on, Silver. Get him up. Get him up. Get him up. Get him up. An asked man and Tonto rode to the sheriff's office and paused outside the door. I'm going to jail with the deputy, Tonto. You keep the horses ready for a fast getaway. Steady. Me have them ready. Follow us on foot. Me do it. I'll take the sheriff with me on Silver. You understand the rest of your part, don't you? Me savvy. Good enough. Hello, Deputy Gordon. Did you talk to Jake? Yes. What did you think of him? I didn't like him very well. What do you think about the murder? I can understand why Sheriff Benson confessed. Pretty complete evidence against him, ain't there? Yes. The same evidence was stacked against anyone else. Sheriff Benson wouldn't have any doubt about the guilt. He knows the strength of evidence. He firmly believes he killed a man while under the influence of liquor. What do you think? He didn't. You sound pretty sure about that. I'm quite sure. Hank, will you take me to the sheriff and let me speak to him before he goes on trial? Sure. Why not? I want you in on the plans too, Hank. Come on. I'll take my step to the jail. With Hank Gordon, the deputy who would succeed Sheriff Benson, the Lone Ranger went to the jail, followed by Tonto who led the horses. Old Scouts and Silver right here, Tonto. Uh-huh. Me watch him. Me keep him ready. Ready for what? Come inside, Hank. Hi, guard. Oh, howdy, deputy. Come to see the prisoner? Yep. Hey, who's the masked man? What's the idea... He's all right now. Unlock the door. Yes, sir. Howdy, deputy. Benson, the masked man wants a few words with you. Sheriff Benson, you've always believed in giving every man a chance to prove his innocence. That's right. But you're denying a man that right. Huh? You confess the murder, Mr. Perry. You claim that evidence points to your guilt. You let it go at that. Oh, I reckon there's no question about my guilt. Yes, there is. But if you go on trial this afternoon, all question will be eliminated. You'll stand convicted and you'll hang in the morning. Well, that's what a trial is for, to eliminate any doubts of a man's guilt. Don't you realize what that means? What? If you hang the real killer, we'll go free. Real killer? You didn't kill Perry. I wish I felt that way about it. The man who did kill him saw that you got something in your drink, some drug that would knock you out. Then he borrowed your boots and Tonto's bow and arrow and committed the crime. That's a pretty tall story to make a jury believe. Why would you, an expert with a pistol, who never used a bow, choose such an unfamiliar weapon? I don't know. The killer chose a bow because he selected you as the one who'd be accused. The arrow would be traced directly to your office. A bullet would have been anonymous. Hmm? If a bullet had been used, anyone could have fired it. It only takes one hand to use a pistol. What are you getting at? What do you mean it takes one hand to use a pistol? A bow and arrow requires two hands. If a gun had been used, you might have suspected the man who'll benefit by the death. The man who'll inherit Perry's money. You mean Jake? The half-brother? Yes. Now, wouldn't you have suspected him if a gun had been used? Hmm, yeah. But when a two-handed weapon was used, you dismissed all suspicion of Jake. That's right, Sheriff. But how could a one-armed man use a bow and arrow? He couldn't, but he could use an arrow. Huh? He could have used the arrow to stab Perry. Holy smoke, you think that might have been done? Isn't it possible? By Juniper, it is. And he could have slipped into your office, taken the arrow and taken your boots. He could have committed the crime, then returned the boots, roused you and reported the killing. Do you think there's a chance of that? There might be. Well, how could that be proved? The man was stabbed, Hank. The arrow would have been driven straight in. If he was shot by a bow, the arrow would have gone in like a drill or a bullet. An arrow fired from a bow has a spiral movement. It does? The wound will show how the arrow was used. Now, Benson, you're leaving with me. Yeah, but hold on. You can't stand trial until we have more evidence. Hank, you tell the court that Benson will be returned in time for another trial. Tell the court that he's been abducted. Tell anything you want. See here, you can't do it. Then you stand guard at the coroner's. Don't let anyone near the body. After I've hidden the sheriff or no one can trail him, I'll come back. Maybe sometime late tonight or tomorrow morning. Then you and I will examine the death wound, understand? But I can't let you abduct the prisoner. No, no, I can't run out. You, Benson, have no choice in the matter. As acting sheriff, And you, deputy, can't stop me. I'll take that gun. See here. That's it. No, no, wait. On your way, Benson. Guard, guard. What's the matter, deputy? What's going on? Out of the way, guard. No, you don't. Oh! See here, you're making me... Never mind what I'm making you. I'm trying to keep you from making yourself a murderer. Give me back my gun. I'll be blamed if you take him away. You remember what I told you. Come on, Benson. You shouldn't do this. Let me stay here. Up you go, Benson. Get to the back of my horse. Tonto, keep the deputy covered. Don't shoot. You keep back there and you not get hurt. I'm aboard. Let him, McSuller. Come on, Tonto. Get him up. Come on, Silver. The escape of the masked man with Sheriff Benson created a big stir in town. I didn't think there was any doubt of Benson's guilt. Why'd he run off? What's the masked man's game? There won't be a hanging tomorrow. What about the trial? I'll bet the judges saw about it. What'd Hank Gordon say? I'm forming a posse. I'll have a search started right away. Now, Pete, Jack, Jim, Dave, and you after you, watch you for a posse. And you finish as well. Marty, one finger. Mark. All the schemes to do me out of what's right to be mine. I'm a brother's heir. I got a right to his money. This ain't right. I can't be schemed out of it like this. I couldn't stop him. Neither could Hank Gordon. The masked man grabbed Hank's gun and let me have a fist to the chin. I come to and he's gone. I couldn't have stopped him. Oh, son of a... Oh, son of a... Oh, son of a... Oh, son of a... I hate to have everyone think I turned yellow at the last minute and ran away. Take it easy, Benson. Nobody will blame you. They'll blame me. But even so... Get to the ground. I think we've hidden our tracks, haven't we, Tonto? Ah, nobody follow us here in a hurry. I don't feel right about this. You do the same thing for another prisoner if I ask you to. Remember the time you shut your eyes while I broke your prisoner out of your jail so a lynch mob couldn't get him? But that was different. Oh, no, not very. That fellow proved to be innocent, too. He was framed for a murder, remember? But who'd want to frame me? Sometimes a motive is different than appears on the surface. What makes you so sure I was framed? The explanation you gave was all right enough. I'm sure you were framed. How can you be? Because, Sheriff Benson, Tonto's bow could never have been used. Huh? That's right. Me know something wrong when you first tell the story. Why couldn't your bow have been used? Tonto left it with you months ago as a souvenir. He made a new one for himself. Do you know why Tonto discarded that one? No, I reckon I don't. The bow was cracked. It couldn't stand one shot. It couldn't? If you'd used the bow, it would have broken. Great day. Are you sure of that? Yes, Sheriff, yes. Now we're going back to town. To town? I want to see the murdered man. It'll be dark by the time you get there. We travel in a big circle. We're nearer town than you think. But it will still be after dark when we arrive and I want it that way. As darkness gathered, the townsmen moved to the cafe where the main subject of conversation was the escape of the sheriff from the appearance in town of the masked man who forced that escape. There was one small building that was wrapped in total darkness. It was the one-room, single-story place that served as the office of the coroner. Hank Gordon, the deputy, sat in the gloom in a chair that was tillered against the outside of the locked door. Hank rose to his feet with the sound of approaching footsteps. Who is it? Come back, deputy. Oh, the masked man. I'm glad to see you're on the job. I'm doing just as you said. Has anyone been near here? Nope, not yet. But I figured if anyone was going to come, it wouldn't be till after dark. Is there any reason for anyone to come? Well, I'll tell you. Maybe I'd done the wrong thing. Oh, how's that? I figured maybe I could help your plan along a little bit. Yes? How? Well, you know what you said about a one-armed man being able to stab with an arrow? Yes. And how the nature of the wound would show if it was done that way? Or a shot from a bow? Yes, I remember saying that. Oh, I let Jake know about that. Oh? I figured if he was the crook, he might sneak up here and, well, maybe try to fix the wound so it would look like the arrow was fired from a bow. You see? He don't know I'm on watch. I can catch him with a proof of his guilt. Perhaps your plan will work out. You think the scheme is a good one? Any plan that works is good. A plan that fails is worthless. Maybe if we wait here in the shadows for a while instead of going in like you suggested. There's nothing to be lost by waiting here. I thought I heard someone moving about a few minutes ago. Did you? It'd be easy enough for Jake to sneak up to the rear of this place and go in through a window. Yeah. Wait a minute. Did you hear someone? I heard something. Stay right here. Watch this door. I'll go inside. If it's Jake, I'll catch him red-handed. Hank Gordon crept into the small building and moved soundlessly toward the rear. The window there was open. Suddenly, the deputy cried out. Stand where you are. What's this? I'll get you. My arm. No more shooting. I'll guard the window. Right. Hello. Get a lamp going. This is a frame-up. It's a dirty frame-up. No, Jake's the one. Jake's the one. He tried to shoot me. That's a downright lie. You did. Lamp going now. Jake, why are you here? Hey, Gordon told me to be here. He said he'd show me how to make sure I got my inheritance if I'd come here tonight and bring an arrow. He lies. Gordon, you've overplayed your hand. The sheriff and Tonto were going to watch to see if you didn't use an arrow to change the appearance of that wound while you had me waiting outside. You couldn't do anything before the coroner left here. And he had been asked to remain until dark. Hank, you realize that the Lone Ranger was going to prove me innocent. You decide to cover things so you'd never be proved guilty. You had Jake come here. You figured to shoot him and then let him take the blame for the murder. You, Henry, buzzard you. Sheriff, I didn't have a gun with me. Yet the skunk says I was going to shoot him. Jake's the killer. If the masked man hadn't drilled my arm, I'd have got him. Jake's the killer. Ain't it as plain as day? Jake couldn't be the killer. You know why? Look at his feet. He could never wear the shoes of the sheriff. But you could, Gordon. And you did. After the way I trusted you, you framed this on me to get my job. Well, by Juniper, I'm glad you brought Jake here. You'll make a first-rate witness. Now that I know I ain't the killer, I'll take back the job of sheriff. You're under arrest. Come on, Toto. Sheriff Benson doesn't need us now. I'll take over now by thunder. You won't get me alive. That's it, Jake. Oh, you had a trip, man. I tripped him, Sheriff. Yeah, I got him. He won't make another break to escape. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of The Lone Ranger, Incorporated. Jasper. 进 back to in. The Lone Ranger, Oregon,
