a horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high-o'-silver, the Lone Ranger. With 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 come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! Hurry, big fellow! Ricky Meadows went to work in Chandler's General Store at six in the morning and stayed until six at night, except Saturdays when the store was open until nine in the evening. Now it was Saturday night, and as old man Chandler rang open the drawer of the cash register, he beckoned to young Ricky. Here you are, Rick. I'll take care of these few customers and lock up. Oh, thanks, Mr. Chandler. One, two, three, four, seven, eight, nine, ten. Hey, you made a mistake. No mistake, Ricky. From now on, I am paying you twelve dollars instead of ten. All right by you. All right. Gee, why golly, it's wonderful. Gee, thanks a lot. Look here a minute. Yeah? This ring here in the showcase. What's the best price you can give me on that one? Huh? Oh, you can have that for five dollars, I guess. That's about what it costs. No, no, no. I don't. I mean the one right next to it. The diamond. Diamond? Hey, you mean you and Jeannie Parker are figuring out... What's your ma say about it? Well, I can't buy the ring yet for a while. Just wanted to pick it out and pay you some on it every week, see? And then when it's all paid for, why... Then you'll pop the question, eh? What's your ma think of the idea? Well, I haven't mentioned it to her just yet. She... Yeah, I know what you mean, boy. If there was just some way a fellow could go ahead and get married to a fine girl like Jeannie Parker without having to get official permission from his ma. Well, I guess there ain't, though. How much for the ring? Well, a hundred and fifty dollars. That's exactly what I paid for it. It's worth two hundred, maybe more. Well, I'll take it. Here's two dollars. You can lay it away for me. Two dollars a week. Take you most a year and a half to get it at that rate. Well, maybe I can pay a little more on it after a while. I got a little money saved. Crazy good-for-nothing little fool. I heard what you done. Mrs. Benson was in the store and seen old man chant her take that ring out of the showcase and put it away for you. And she's seen you give him some money, too. How much money did you give him? Well, it was only two dollars, Ma. Just a deposit to hold it for me. Deposit? For what? For who? Who? Who are you buying diamond rings for? I thought maybe I'd ask Jenny. Well, seems like you'd have decency enough to ask your own mother about things like that. Oh, but Ma, gee whiz, I'm 22 years old. You think you know everything. You think you don't owe nothing to your poor old mother. Worked and slaved for you. War my fingers to the bone bringing you up. But it isn't as though you were poor, Ma. You got money. Everybody knows you got what Dad left you. You shut your mouth. My business is my own. Fine thing for a son to stand there and talk to his own mother that way. Oh, I didn't mean to be sassy, Ma. Never mind what you meant. You got paid tonight, didn't you? Well? Yeah. Here, I got it. There it is. Oh, never mind. Just hand it over. Guess I can count it without no help. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten. I thought you paid down two dollars on that ring. Oh, I did. You see, Mr. Chandler gave me a raise this week. A raise? You ain't told me a word about it? Well, I haven't had a chance to. Now, don't get fresh, young man. How much raise did you get? Two dollars. And how much was the ring you had him lay away? $150. A hundred? Oh, you crazy fool. You brainless idiot. You, you... Well, that store opens up Monday morning. I want you to march right in there and get that two dollars back. You hear? You tell Chandler I said to give it back to you. You hear me? Well, answer me. You hear me? Yeah. Yeah, sure, I hear you, Ma. You crazy little fool. Do you mean to tell me you worked all afternoon for Judge Parker and didn't charge him nothing for it? You tell old man Chandler you want more money, you hear? Oh, but Ma, he just gave me a raise two weeks ago. I don't care if he gave you two raises. You tell him you want more money and see that you bring it home with you. You hear? All right, Ma. Two dollars and a half for that thing. You better let that girl buy her own birthday presents and save your money. Oh, but Ma, listen. Oh, you listen. I'm getting sick and tired of you throwing your money away. You're a lazy, good-for-nothing waster, that's what. Just like your father was a good-for-nothing waster. Well, maybe you're right, Ma. If you had any gumption about you at all, you'd be out making real money instead of wasting your time clerking for $12 a week. Well, I wanted to go to school at Lawrenceville and learn a good trade, but you said... Go to school. Ain't you learned to read and write? Ain't that good enough for you? Your father never went to school and he left $20,000 when he passed away. Oh. And he was just a good-for-nothing waster. Save your money. Take it back. Give me that money. You're lazy, good-for-nothing. Give it here. Money. Where's that money? Ricky. Ain't you got no pride? Ain't you got any gumption? $12 a week. Oh, I've got to have to sleep. You ought to be ashamed. It was mid-summer, and through the foothills bordering the Sawtooth Range, the Lone Ranger and Tonto made their way toward the town of El Caminillo. Sun will be down in another hour. We'll make camp when we reach the river. Ah. You'll ride to El Caminillo tonight? Later. Hey, I'm anxious to talk with our old friend Sheriff Morley. Oh. Maybe him have news about Phantom Rider, Feller, huh? I shouldn't wonder, Kemosabe. Here, let's leave the trail here and cut over to the river. Ambush. Come on, Silver. Get him up, Scout. Hurry, his tunnel up above. Oh, Silver, ho, ho, ho. All right, mister. Come out with your hands up. You needn't shoot again. I'm coming. Perhaps you can explain why you shot at us from ambush. Explain? Why would anybody take a shot at the Phantom except for a thousand dollar reward? You ever thought me to be the Phantom Rider? Thought you to be? Look, you already made a monkey out of me with your fancy shooting. Ain't that enough? No. What makes you think I'm the Phantom? Well, you sure don't look like... Ah, you're kidding me. Only I always thought you traveled alone. My friend would have been traveling alone if I hadn't rained my horse off the trail just as you fired. Who are you? Sam Walker. What are you going to do with me? What would you do with anyone who tried to murder you? Well, uh, now listen. You listen. Have you ever heard of the Phantom Rider shooting a man in the back from ambush? No, but he's... Has he ever done in you any personal injury? I can't say he has, but he... You're a bounty hunter, aren't you? I'm doing my duty as a law-abiding citizen, helping to catch them that breaks the law. Walker, I've met a lot of criminals. I think you're lower than the worst of them. Now, get your horse and ride. All right, you outlaw. But maybe we'll meet again. Get going and don't look back. Get up. Get up. I know. I don't think we'd better make camp in this vicinity. Ah. Weasel-faced fella and maybe come back, huh? Oh, I wasn't thinking of that. I was thinking we'd better ride on to El Camino, find out how much John Morley knows about this Phantom Rider. Let's go. Get him up, scowl. Rick Meadows left the store at El Camino and walked the short distance to the cottage where he lived with his mother. He must be working. He's no good. He's no good. Well, it's about time you get home. Stuff is on the stove, probably cold by now. Hello, Ma. Hi, Mr. Walker. Working overtime again? Yeah, yeah. I've been taking inventory at the store. Big job. What? Old Chandler pay you extra for working evenings? Well, it's part of my job. I get paid for it. Paid? Twelve dollars a week he gets paid. Now, ain't that awful. Big, stout fella like Ricky. Only getting twelve dollars a week. Of course, I don't mind saying you ain't so big and stout as you used to be. Must be working you pretty hard down the store. It's disgraceful. That old Chandler's a regular slave driver. Yes, me. Ricky's lost weight for the last month. And on Saturday night, he comes home with a measly twelve dollars. That's awful, Abby. Awful. Twelve dollars. Did you make twelve dollars last week, Mr. Walker? Why, not exactly. Of course, in my business... Ricky Meadows, you sassy young pup, what's come over you lately? You better mind your manners. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure, Ma. What was you saying about your business, Mr. Walker? I don't get paid every week. Sometimes I don't get paid for two or three months at a time. But when I do... When he does, he really gets something worthwhile. Uh-huh. Now, like today, for instance, I come within a split throw of making an even thousand dollars. A thousand dollars? Why, well, Sam... What for, huh? For plugging the Phantom Rider, that's what for. Oh, Ricky, you clumsy fool. My best china set. Well, I'm sorry, Ma. What do you mean, plugging the Phantom Rider? I seen him coming up the trail. He had a bead right dead center on his gizzard. Just when I squeezed the trigger, he turned his big horse off on the trail. You... you missed him? I missed him. Before I could get in another shot, the varmint peppered a couple of slugs at me and smashed my rifle, the smithereens. Well, I declare... Uh, how'd you come to spot this ombre as the Phantom Rider? Couldn't have been no one else. He was wearing a mask, see? Yeah. You know what the blame fool did? Just kind of give me a tongue whipping for bounty hunting and turn me loose. Well, what's funny about that? You should be grateful. Someone else might have done differently with you. Yeah, well, he didn't. I wonder if that buzzard thought I'd be fool enough to ride off and leave a thousand dollars reward just because he told me to. What do you mean, Mr. Walker? There ain't a man in the territory knows this sawtooth country like I do. Yeah, I know. Well, I just got out of sight and circled back and watched the Phantom Rider and his pal. Pretty soon they slipped off in the brush and whacked up a camp spot. Then they rode away. I got the place marked, all right. And as soon as the sheriff gets back to town this evening, I'm taking him out to grab the Phantom Rider. Why, Sam, then you'll be getting the thousand dollar reward, won't you? Sure. It won't matter none whether I catch the fellow myself or just leave the sheriff to where he is, see? I still collect the reward. Oh, look what time it's getting to be. You'll let me know if you catch that outlaw, eh, Sam? Don't worry. He's as good as caught right now. Good night. Now, there's a man with some get-up-and-go about it. Imagine. A thong- 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 small office of the Al Camino jail was dark when Sheriff John Morley returned to town. Weary from a long day's ride, Morley unlocked the door and stepped inside. A moment later, he struck a match in light of the oil lamp that hung from a wall bracket. Ah, getting too old for this gallivanting around. What the? Howdy, Sheriff. You'd better turn that lamp down. Smoking. Well, doggone if I ain't some glad to see you. First time mask man ever broke into this jail. Sheriff, I'm anxious to find out what you've learned about this phantom rider. Absolutely nothing. Except that he's been making things awful miserable for me lately. Oh, well, uh, what do you know about Sam Walker? Sam Walker? He's the worst kind of a crawling snake. Oh. Always out riding the bounty trail. But just try to get him for posse duty when there ain't no reward in sight. Where to buy him? He, uh, took a shot at me this afternoon. On my ambush. A sneaking coyote. He wouldn't know how to shoot a gun out in the open. He, uh, thought I was a phantom rider. But if you haven't seen him since you returned to town, I don't imagine he'll waste much time getting over here. Hmm. Well, maybe I better blow out the light and lock the door, huh? I know, Sheriff, no. I'm going to slip these guns inside my shirt. They're going to put me in a cell back there, leaving the cell door unlocked. Hey, what are you driving at? Maybe we can give Mr. Walker a few bad moments. Oh, I get it. Why, that low-down scavenger will go crazy if he thinks somebody else is getting that thousand-dollar reward. Well, that's just part of my reason for doing this. Now, about this man known as a phantom rider, I want you to let it be known that you've captured me and make it possible for me to have visitors. Understand? I think you've got things figured pretty straight. It's worth a try. Step out in your office, someone coming. Howdy, Walker. You look a-might excited. Sheriff. Sheriff, I've got great news for you. I've located the phantom rider. Oh, you don't say. Whereabouts? You don't seem awful glad to know it. Whereabouts? He's camped with an Indian pal of his, eight or ten miles west of here. Why didn't you bring him in, Sam? Well, I figured you could do that, after I showed you where to go, of course. Well, too bad you didn't fetch him along, Sam. Looks like leaving the hard part for someone else to do has cost you a thousand dollars. What? Well, what do you mean by that? Uh, describe this gent you call a phantom rider. Sure. Big. Real big. Wearing a black mask and packing two guns. Uh-huh. Rides a big white stallion. Uh, come here. I got something to show you. Uh, who, who? Take, take a look in that cell, Walker. That the fella? Well, wait. Yeah, but how... Yeah, brought him in myself, about an hour ago. But I get the reward, don't I? I shot at him this afternoon. Must have wounded him. He'll tell you that his own self. Why are you getting all excited, Sam? Ask him. Go on, ask him. Maybe he got scared when he found I was after him and surrendered to you, huh? Was that it? Why, I don't think so. Hey, uh, you remember me, don't you, masked man? Remember I seen you on the Sawtooth Trail? No. Isn't your name Sam Walker? Sure, sure. Ah, you see, Sheriff? Don't you carry a sharps rifle? Yes, sure. You remember me all right, don't you? I, uh, I'm just remembering someone warned me when I came into this country to be on the lookout for a bounty hunter named Sam Walker. Glad to know who you are. It looks like you're out of luck, Sam. But I tell you, I, I, hey, how's it come you got this fella in jail and he's still wearing that mask, huh? Answer me that. Why, uh, he just kind of objected to me taking it off, so I didn't make no fuss about it. Yeah, it sounds kind of fishy to me. Come here, I want to show you something. Huh? What? Hey, take a look through them cell bars, Sam. You see the hands on that big fella? Well, sure. Of course I see his hands. What about him? Nothing. Only I'd feel better having them around your neck than around mine. Now, I'll tell you what I'll do. You want to go in there and take off that mask he's wearing, I'll just open up the cell door and let you go right in, see? Ah, you give me a pain in the neck. Oh. You'd have a pain in the neck, all right. Sam Walker stormed out of the sheriff's office and lost no time in letting the townspeople know that the Phantom Rider had been captured, that he, the bounty hunter, was being cheated out of the reward. At the jail, where Sheriff Morley stood guard over his prisoner, the lone ranger impersonating the Phantom Rider received several visitors. Later, at the Meadows' home... Is that you, Ricky? Where you been? Down at the jailhouse. Say, is it true? Have they really captured that fella, the Phantom Rider? Did you hear if Sam's going to get the reward money? I think they made a mistake, Ma. It was for Sam Walker, that back-shooting bounty hunter. You'd better learn to show more respect for Mr. Walker. You're just like everyone else around here, jealous of Sam because he makes big money. He's got an important job. And what's more, he's working on the side of the law. Yeah. I guess if an outlaw drank poison, you could say the poison was legal in working on the side of the law. Walker, he's poison. Rick, I'm going to marry Sam Walker. You... Oh, you're kidding me. Ain't you, Ma? You... No. No, I can see you're not. Well, he's got a nice, tidy sum saved up. And I told him if he captured that Phantom Rider, we'd have enough to get married on. You... I never believed anyone could worship money the way you do. Young man... No, wait. For the first time in my life, let me do the talking. Everything I've ever tried to do, everything I've ever wanted to do, you've preached the gospel of money. Right now, you've got enough money for a dozen people, and you're going to marry Sam Walker to get your hands on more. Ricky, do you want me to slap your face? It doesn't matter much whether you do or not. You know, I've been working since I was nine years old. I'm 22 now. That's 13 years. Well... And all that time, all I've ever heard was money. Morning, noon, and night, you've preached money. I guess I got the fever the same as you. What? These last few weeks, there hasn't been any inventory at the store. No, in... What in blazes are you talking about? I'm talking about money. Come on into my room a minute, Ma. I wish you would stop all this. What do you got there? Here, take a look. Ricky. That's money, Ma. Real honest to goodness, United States currency. Do you want to count it? Or do you want me to tell you how much there is? Oh, Ricky, what... I'm a lazy, good-for-nothing young fool. No gumption, no pride. Just a simple-minded fool who wanted to work for $12 a week. But cheer up, Ma. There's $60,000 in that pile. Do you hear? 60,000 great, big, beautiful dollars. And every one of them is... Oh. Hello, Sam. I heard every word of that. Put up your hands, Ricky. Be quick about it. Oh, Sam, wait. Wait, listen to me. Let him take me in, Ma. Do you remember? You and Sam was planning to get married as soon as he collected that $1,000 reward for the Phantom Rider. Oh, Ricky. My boy. Sam, please listen to me. All right, get moving. Abby, don't you try to stop me from doing my duty, you hear? Me and Ricky are going to the jail. This time... This time you can lead the way, bounty hunter. Oh, please, wait. No, you're trying to cheat me again. You and that masked man are in cahoots. I'll fix him. We're in cahoots all right. Maybe before the day's over, you'll realize he didn't like to be shot at by bounty hunters. My arm, I think it's busted. Yeah, it's too bad it ain't your neck. All right, Ricky, gather up that money. Me? You want me to gather... Now, hey, you can't let him take that money. He's the Phantom Rider. Uh, yeah, yeah, I know, Sam. Ricky come down to the jailhouse about an hour ago and surrendered. Didn't you, Ricky? What? What? Well, sure, I guess that's what it amounted to, Sheriff. Now, see here... You shut up. Tonto, how about you taking this buzzer down to the clink and put him to roost? Ah, jailhouse. Good place for weasel-faced fellas. Now, hold on, Sheriff. What charge you got to give me? Attempted murder. All right, Tonto, get him out of here. Ah, come on. Well, easy. Abby, I guess you know I got to take Ricky, don't you? Please. Ricky, he's all I have in the world. In that case, you'll be willing to defend him, won't you? Defend him? Yes. You see, the Phantom Rider went in for robbery, but never murder. I wondered about the fact that he never got mixed up in any shooting scrapes, never injured anyone physically. I knew it wasn't for lack of courage because some of his crimes showed a great deal of risk. Well, you're the man Sam shot at on the sawtooth rail. Yes. Yes, I am. I wondered what the Phantom Rider's reaction would be if he thought someone else was about to suffer what he had done. Now, wait a minute. You mean to say you went to jail just to... Just to see if you'd do what you did. He went in and surrendered himself. Well, not quite, though it amounted to the same thing. He smuggled in a gun to the Lone Ranger. Told me you was it getting out. The Lone Ranger? You see, you've got too much courage to be an outlaw, Rick. No matter how this turns out, you can still be the man you always wanted to be. What about this money, Slick? Is it all right here? Yes, it's there. Every dollar the Phantom Rider ever stole is there. Well, you could be a lot worse off. As it is, you get credit for surrendering yourself and for returning every bit of the money. Maybe get off with a year or so. Maybe not that much. Maybe nothing at all if your Ma gets you a good lawyer. The lawyers cost money, Sheriff. And I've got money. Barrels of it. If I want to spend it on lawyers, I'll spend it on lawyers. You see? Why, Ma, you feel all right? No, Ricky. I won't feel all right until I've made things all right for you. And you know... Huh? After we get that lawyer paid for, I hope there's enough left to buy you and Jeannie a real nice wedding present. Golly. Ma, you mean that? More than I ever meant anything in my life, son. The thing you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. The Lone Ranger Incorporated
