faithful Indian companion Tonto, the mask 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, from the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again! Come on, Silver! Up the trail! Our story had its beginning in New York, in one of the most fashionable old mansions on Park Avenue. This way, Dr. Marlowe. So the old man's bad off, eh, Reynolds? Very bad, sir. Mr. Armbruster's very ill, I'm certain. Hmm. Last night, sir, we were afraid he would... Oh, here. In this room, doctor. Please, sir, try not to excite him, won't you? Go on, Reynolds. Open the door. Yes, sir. You're fired! Yes, sir. Very good, sir. Will that be all, sir? Marlowe, so help me if you step into this room, I'll... That's all, Reynolds. I'll call you if I need you. Very good, sir. Well, Henry, I warned you... Now, now, now, don't you Henry me, you butcher. And I'm warning you. Get out of my room and stay out. Now, now. I want my clothes. They took my clothes away from me. I'm a prisoner in my own house. Now, Henry, you've got to listen to reason. You're a very sick man. Sick, am I? I'll say I'm sick. I'm sick of you and that pasty-faced butler and... And 10,000 relatives hanging around my house practicing up to sing the funeral march. I ain't dead yet. Not by a long shot. Henry, forget for a moment that I'm your doctor. Let's just have a friendly chat, shall we? Mm-hmm. You're 73 years old. Don't remind me. You've worked hard all your life. You've built a tremendous fortune through your own courage and skill. Yes, I built one for you, too, Marlowe. Listening to your foolish advice. Henry, you've got to take it easy. You've got to, do you hear? If you don't, you'll be a dead man inside of three months. Yeah, nice, friendly chat. Tell me I'm going to be dead. Get out of here, you pill-pushing parasite. Get out and tell that weasel-faced butler to bring me my clothes or I'll skin him alive. Very well, Henry. It's your life to do with as you please. I'll tell Reynolds you want to see him. I don't want to see him. Don't want to see anybody. All I want is my clothes, you hear? The following morning, the Armbruster mansion was in a state of uproar. Dozens of relatives filled the house and chattered excitedly, watching the policemen and detectives going through every room. Now, let's get this straight. You say Mr. Armbruster was sick in bed. He was very ill, sir, very ill. But he made you bring his clothes to him. He got dressed and went out and didn't return. Exactly, sir. That's it, exactly. I've been Mr. Armbruster's servant for 27 years, sir. And never, never has he stayed away from home all night. Officer, I know something dreadful has happened to him. I know it. Wait a minute, wait a minute. What do you want? I happen to be Mr. Armbruster's personal attorney officer. And I'm inclined to agree with Reynolds. You mean you think something dreadful has happened to Henry J. Armbruster? I've just been checking with officials at the Chase National Bank. Yeah? So what did you find out? Henry J. Armbruster went to the bank yesterday afternoon and made a withdrawal. Well, what about it? It's his money to take out, ain't it? Mr. Armbruster withdrew one million dollars in cash. And now, he has disappeared. The disappearance of one of the wealthiest financiers in the East created a sensation. The search began statewide and continued to spread. Newspapers ran front page stories in every section of the country and offering a reward of $10,000 for information leading to his whereabouts and safe return. The days ran into weeks. And then, on the incoming stage of drawing wells, nearly 2,000 miles to the westward, Oh! Oh, mister! Hells, eh? Sounds interesting. Very interesting. I wish you could have seen him. Honestly, he looked like a little bulldog ready to bite somebody. How did you happen to meet the old man, then? I happened to be near the stage depot when he arrived. It seems he bought a ticket clear through to San Francisco, but for some reason decided to get off at Roaring Wells. Oh, that sounds like waste of money. The driver asked him what he would do with the ticket to San Francisco. The old man told him to give it to someone going that way. Then he stuck out his chin and started off down the street. And then? He stopped, right where I was standing. He asked me where the hotel was, and when I told him, he asked me if I'd carry his bag. The satchel, he called it, to the hotel. Go on, then. Well, we started down the street, and we were just going past the saloon, when he stopped again. Well, what happened then? He sort of studied the place for a minute. Then he said something about not having a drink for 30 years. Then he said, Sonny, you take my satchel down to the hotel and get a room for me. Tell him I'll be along later. Didn't he tell you his name when he asked you to reserve a room for him? That's what's so funny. I asked him his name, and he said, just tell him to set it aside, room for Bill or Joe or Peter, or whatever name they like, and tell him to put my satchel in my room for me. Oh. So I went to the hotel and got the room for him and described him to the clerk. I told the clerk the old man would register for it when he came in. And what clerk will I say, Dan? Well, at first he wasn't going to set aside a room unless it was paid for in advance, but then he agreed to keep one for the old man. I don't think he needed to worry about payment in advance. Huh? What do you mean, sir? Here, Dan. Take a look at this newspaper clipping. Did the old man look anything like this description? Why, sure. That's him. Golly. Then the satchel which you carried to the hotel very likely contained a million dollars in cash. What? Here. You can read the whole story. Otto, come on. What we do, Kimo Sabe? We're riding to Roaring Wells right now. Here, Silver. Here, Scout. After leaving young Dan Reed on the street in town, Henry J. Armbruster stood for a long moment gazing at the bat-wing doors of the Wagon Wheel Saloon. It's your life to live, Henry, man, inside of three months. Then, with an ironic twinkle in his faded blue eyes, the old man muttered to himself, You're darn well tootin' it's my life to live. And I'm not dead yet. Not by a long shot. Well, pool table. Well, I tell you right now what I can do. Mm-hmm. Argument looks like. Looks like it. Put your money where your mouth is, Butcher. I got a hundred dollars. Says you can't make that shot. Oh, you know I ain't got no hundred dollars. Well, you sure sound awful big until somebody caused your blood. Hey! Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to bump you, friend. What seems to be the argument? Yeah, this big galoot's trying to tell me he can make the deuce, the ten, and the thirteen ball all in one shot. Mm. I offered him a hundred dollar bet, but he backed up. Oh, well, you are a good pool player, aren't you, Mr. Butcher? Me? Why, sure. One of the best. Then here. Here's a hundred dollars. Take his bet, and let's see you make the shot. What? Well, I'll be jiggered. Uh, what's the idea? There's a hundred. Suppose you, uh, put your money where your mouth is, and we'll see whether he can make the shot or not, eh? Oh, you doggone right. There you are. Go on, Butcher. Shoot. All right. Now, watch this, you fellas. You missed the thirteen. I knew you couldn't do it. There ain't nobody could make a shot like that. Just a moment, my friend. What? You have two hundred dollars there. Here's another two hundred, which I will wager that I can make the shot our friend Butcher just missed. You? Is it a bet? I'll say it is. Hey. Hey, uh, set the deuce, the ten and the thirteen right back where they were. Roll the cue ball down to the old man. Hey. Hand me that chalk, will you, buddy? Hey. Thanks. Hey. Hold on. He's going to make it. He's going to make it. I'm telling you, he's going to make it. Watch it. Hey, I'll be. Hey, I'll bet you're a professional pool shark. Two hundred, three hundred, four hundred. Hmm? What's that? Pool shark? Nonsense. I haven't had a stick in my hand in forty years. Ace. Yeah? Come in the office right away. Sure, Chief. Hey. Sure don't play like a man that ain't held a cue in forty years. Yeah? What's up, Chief? We've been in Roaring Wells for three years, trying to make money. So? We've grub-staked prospectors and stole from them. We've run crooked card games. We've sold barrels of rot-gut liquor. Huh? What are you getting there, Chief? Well, we got our fortune right in the house, Ace. And we ain't going to let it get away. Now listen, I don't know what... You listen, and look at this. That's a paper come from Abilene yesterday. Recognize a fellow described in this article? Henry J. Armbruster. Missing. Jesus. Holy cow. And he's carrying a million dollars cash. Recognize him? Of course. It's the old man, the pool shark. Pool shark, my grandmother. Get him in here right now. Wanted to see me? Sure. Have a chair, Mr. Armbruster. I see. How did you learn my name? Never mind that right now, old timer. What I want to know is where's that bonanza you've been lugging around all over this country? Huh? The money you took when you left New York. Where is it? That, sir, is none of your business. Now, if that's all you wanted to ask me, I'll be... Yeah. Throw him in the cellar. Maybe later you'll feel more like talking. 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, arriving at Roaring Well shortly after dark, reined their horses to a stop just outside the feeble glow of the street lamps. A moment later, a moment later, inside Hargis' office. Hargis? Yeah? Listen, there's an engine out front asking about the old man. What? Hmm. I thought the old man came in on the last stage, Coach. Didn't figure anyone around here knew him. Yeah, me neither. Uh, tell the Redskin to come in, Ace. And you come in, too. Sure. Nice, Abby. Hey, you! Come here a minute. Uh, what you want, fella? Yeah, the boss was wondering about that old gent you was asking for. He thinks that, uh, well, maybe he can help you to find him. Ah, me talk to him, then. Sure. Come on, come on in. What's this old man look like, huh? Oh, him plenty old, wear store clothes. Where old man at? Oh, now, don't get excited. We said we'd help you find him, didn't we? Ace. Yeah. Oh! Ha, ha, ha, ha. Come on, help me get him into the cellar. All right. Easy, now. Hey, listen. What's that noise? Ha, ha, ha. The old man. He found a pick down there, and he's trying to dig himself out of the cellar. Ha, ha, ha, ha. Fat chance. Well, I'll fall. Come on, let's give him some company. Meanwhile, at the Roaring Wells Hotel. Well, don't make a move. I want some information. Sure. What do you want to know? There was a boy in here this evening. He reserved a room for an old man. What room did you give him? Well, the old man ain't come in yet. The boy left a handbag to be put in the man's room. Sure. I done that, like he said. What room? 205, second floor. Give me the key, quickly. Now, wait a minute. You can't. Give me the key. I'll look for my arm. Yes, here. Here you are. Help! Help! Robbery! What's up? Robbery! What's going on? On the second floor. A masked man in 205. Get him! There he goes! He's got the sidekick. Get him! Shoot! Come on! He went through the window! Come on! Come on! Maybe you better take it easy, old fellow. Ah, you sound just like that Dr. Marlowe. Take it easy. Take it easy. Well, no use dig cellar too deep. Take too long. Pretty soon, maybe, we get out. Doggone little honest work. I never felt better in my life. Why you leave big city with so much wampum? I'll tell you why. Because I... Wait. Listen. Upstairs. Ah, argument, eh? I wonder who it is. Tonto think maybe Lone Ranger come. Yeah. I'm kind of anxious to see this friend of yours, Tonto. Sounds like quite a fellow. Well, sounds like shooting up there. Kimo Savi. Come, old man. Door open now. Yeah. You go ahead, Tonto. I'll stay here for a spell. What? No, you come with Tonto. We get out of here. I'm going to stay here. Tonto, not sappy. Please carry you. Oh, put me down, you hear? No, you come here now. With Tonto and Lone Ranger. What's wrong, Tonto? Oh, say, old fellow not want to leave my cellar. Tonto, carry him. Put me down. Here, I'll help you. Oh, God, this fellow can't have no fun at all without a dozen pesky people looking after him. I'm going to... They're going to get out of here with us right now. Not on your tin type, I ain't. I'm going to... Hey, well, what's that mask for? Who are you? Him, Lone Ranger. I'm your friend, Mr. Armbruster. There's no need to worry. My friend, eh? Wearing a mask and shooting up the... Say, how'd you find out my name? Probably the same way Gil Hargis and Ace Daniels found out. The story of your disappearance has been in every newspaper in the country, I imagine. Oh, God, I wish people could learn to mind their own business once in a while. I wish... Tonto, get some rope and tie up Hargis and Daniels. I'll get Mr. Armbruster to his hotel and then send the sheriff over. Well, I tell you, I don't want to go to any hotel. All I want is for people to let me be and mind their own business. It's all gone at anyway. Come on, old timer. Come on, found in meddlers. Remember the boy whom you asked to get you a room at the hotel? Well, of course I remember him. You think I'm in my second childhood? Well, I, uh... Oh, uh... His name is Dan Reed. Particularly a good friend of mine. Yeah? What about him? That bag you gave Dan to take to the hotel for you. Am I right in thinking it contained the money you took from New York? Now, see here. That was my money. Taken from my own personal account. I didn't abscond with it. It didn't come from the depositors in my corporation. Oh. So that's what you're after. The money. Well, you'll play a fancy turn getting it, my friend. So happens I already have it, Mr. Armbruster. Oh, I... You have, eh? Well, I reckon I don't need it anyway. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. No. Come on, old timer. Since you're not interested in the money, I'll leave you at the hotel. And I'm turning your money over to Wells Fargo for safekeeping. I don't give a hoot what you do with it. All right, then. Here's the hotel. I'll see you later. Yeah? That's what you think. Leaving the eccentric old man at the hotel, the Lone Ranger hurriedly notified the sheriff of what had happened, then recovered the bag he'd hidden and turned it over to the Wells Fargo office in Roaring Wells. Then he returned to the Wagon Wheel Cafe to meet his friend Tonto. Arriving in front of the place, the masked man found a dozen people milling about, including Tonto and the sheriff. Oh, silver, oh, boy. Oh, easy. You, masked man, stop right where you are and don't make a move. You're under arrest. What's happened, Sheriff? That's just what I aim to find out. Come to my office and say you found old man Armbruster and return him to his hotel. That's true. Hell, it's a lie. I went to the hotel and I ain't seen hide nor hair of the old man. Merciful heavens, a masked man, an outlaw. I know something dreadful has happened to poor Mr. Armbruster. I just know. Sheriff, I demand that you arrest that masked man. No time to explain. Get ready to jump up behind me. We'll make a ride for it. Ah, get ready. Hey, what are you two mumbling about? Just wondering, who are these people, Sheriff? Friends of Armbruster from back east. His butler, lawyer, and the whole castle of relations. I'm his brother. I'm his brother. Oh, I see. All right, Tonto, here we go. An hour later, in the Lone Ranger's well-hidden camp... Maybe old man foolish, him loco. Golly, from the way he's acted, it certainly sounds that way. I'm not so sure he's loco, Tonto. Something deeper than that. After all, we do know that Hargis and Daniels were after him, and we know why. Ah, but them fellas in jail now. There are lots of other crooks around here who aren't in jail, and who might know who the old man really is. Oh, me not blaming because he'll run away in Hyden's cellar. I can't figure out why he's... Tonto, come on, take Dan's horse. We're going back to town. And we get scout? Yes, and I think we'll get to the bottom of this mystery at the same time. It's a good thing the sheriff put them fellas in jail. Now I can... Who... who's that? I wanted to see you again, Mr. Armbruster. Mr. Armbruster, no wonder you wanted to stay here. You get away from here. Go on, get. Well, no wonder you were having such a good time. Now, now see here, Mr. Maskman. Some friends of yours are in town from the east. They're quite concerned about you. Oh, I might have known it. Doggone it all anyway. Tell them my age. Can't even move no place without a bunch of wet nurses following after me. Suppose you go over to the sheriff's office. Just long enough to let everyone know you're all right, huh? I suppose I ain't got no choice, darn it. Your money is at the Wells Fargo office. What's money if a fella can't have a little fun? Hargis and Daniels tried their best to steal your money. If you want some fun, perhaps Hargis would sell you the Wagon Wheel Cafe. But I don't want to... Oh, yeah. Kidnapping's a serious charge in this country. They won't be around for quite a while. Come on. I've got to see the law for a minute. Also, my in-laws and out-laws. All right. All right. Now, simmer down. Simmer down before you get sick or something. I'm all right. That's all there is to it. Um, sheriff. Where's that fellow Hargis? He's back in the cell. Why? Want to talk to him for a minute, huh? Oh, sure, but I... Lead on, sheriff. Right here. You needn't worry about these two. They're going away for a long time. So I heard. Hargis, you want to sell that cafe of yours? Go on, you old fuzzlehead. Get out of here and let me alone. Uh, give you $5,000 for the place. Five? What? You heard me. Take it or leave it. I, uh, why... Why, sure. For $5,000. Where, where's that so-called lawyer of mine? Right here, Mr. Armbruster. Oh, give this, uh, this fuzzle-headed dimwit $5,000 and get me a receipt for the Wagon Wheel Cafe. You hear? But, Mr. Armbruster, a cafe? Oh, now, do like I tell you. Come on, sheriff. Well, I sure can't figure out what a millionaire like you wants with a cafe. That fellow Hargis. A swindler if I ever saw one. Yeah, sure is. Tried to make a fortune out of selling red-eye, stealing, and kidnapping. Heh. Why, he had a fortune right under his feet all the time and didn't know it. What? I don't savvy. Here. You, uh, savvy this, don't you, sheriff? Holy jumping Jupiter. Where'd you get a nugget like that? At first, I was trying to dig my way out of that torquing cellar. Then I, I darn near had to dig my way back in. You, you mean you found gold in that cellar? Yes. Biggest natural deposit you ever saw, sheriff. Oh, ho, ho, ho, I don't know when I had so much fun. Oh, where's that lawyer mine? I gotta tell him to fix up some corporation papers. Henry J. Armbruster, Mining Syndicate, Incorporated. Holy jumping Jupiter. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated. The Lone Ranger, Incorporated.
