His 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 and the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver, the lone ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! Faster, boy, faster! I'm Silver! In Chicago, two railroad officials sat at a table in one of the city's finest restaurants. Let me tell you, Ralph, this meal is not one bit better than Randall serves. Why, I can't believe it, Terry. Ralph, this fellow Randall has fine linen on the tables and silverware as good as this. For waitresses, he has highly cultured, educated young ladies. Do you mean to say that all this is to be found in the wilderness? Ferry Junction is exactly wilderness. It's a western cattle town. But think what it means to the passengers on our trains to find such a place. They die in there while the engine refuels and takes on water. But what are you getting at, Terry? Well, I'd like to see a Randall restaurant wherever our trains stop. And Randall would like to operate them. I've talked to him. It'll be a great thing for our railroad, Ralph. It'll make travel much more attractive. Mm-hmm, no doubt. It can be done if we loan Randall the money to establish more restaurants. All operate under the Randall policy. Refined atmosphere, good food, and fair prices. Terry, a suggestion merits consideration. Now, I'm going west next week. I'll investigate Randall. I'll see if his place is all that you claim. It is, Ralph, I assure you. I'll stop there. What's the name of that town? Prairie Junction. Randall's restaurant in Prairie Junction. Ladies and gentlemen, the train is ready. You have five minutes to get back on the train. Prairie Junction should be proud. This is a fine restaurant, sir. Thank you. Thank you, sir. A fair price. I enjoyed it, Randall. Well, come again, Wally. Thanks for a good meal, Randall. Well, there's plenty of time now. There are more like it. Thank you, Mel. Bye, Randall. Sure enjoyed that meal. Bye, Randall. Nice to meet you. Most of the people in Randall's left to board the Westbound train. A few people, however, lingered at the tables. Dan, Reed, and Tonto were at a table next to the wall. This is just as fine as anything in San Francisco, isn't it, Tonto? Oh. Maybe someday Randall have many places like this. How's that? A sea fellow at table in corner. Man in the dark suit? Ah. Him named Ralph. Him boss of railroad. Oh, golly. Him here to see Randall. Maybe railroad helped Randall open another restaurant in another city. Well, I know one thing, Tonto. A lone ranger thinks that Randall's doing a lot of good in Prairie Junction. Wait, wait, Dan. What's the matter, Tonto? Looked like trouble come. You mean that man outside? Ah. Him boss Cardigan. Who's he? Him run cafe across street. He sure has some ugly looking men with him. Ah. Him plenty bad fella. Him come in here now. Hi there, Randall. I want to talk to you. I'm sorry, Cardigan. I'm busy. You ain't too busy to talk to me, Randall. There's nothing to talk about. No. Well, I say there is. They usually get my way. Unfortunately for the decent people in Prairie Junction, you do usually have your way. But not in here. You want to talk here or in your office? You don't have a... It's a gun that's touching your side, Randall. My boys are outside the window to give their version of anything that happens. I see. Just as they did when you shot Jim Blake in self-defense. Walk to the back room and keep close enough so the gun don't show. Well, pretty high-handed, Cardigan. What is it, a cheap robbery? You know me better than that, Randall. Keep walking. I will. But only because I don't want gunplay in here. Open your office door. Now go on in. Well, what's the meaning of this, Cardigan? Randall, you know I'm just about the boss of this town. The town is accursed with you. Now let that pass. I've let a lot of things pass, Randall. I was willing to do the right thing by you. Well? You took all of my eating customers away and I didn't complain. Then a lot of my customers quit drinking because these girls wouldn't speak to drinking men. The ladies who work here have high standards. My wife had most of them as students when she taught in college. A lot of my best gambling customers quit gambling because they got moon-eyed over these ladies. I still didn't complain because I fell in love with my own self. Indeed. It might be smart to talk to the girl I decided to marry. What do you mean? Randall, a lot could happen to this place. It might take fire. Why, you contemptible... There might be a fight in here and things would get all smashed up. Or maybe someone would get spoiled food and get poisoned. And Doc Sawtell would order this place closed up. You're powerful enough to do any of those things. Is that it? I reckon you know what I can do. Yes, backed by your five murderers. You wouldn't bulldoze the mayor and the sheriff and everyone else if you weren't backed by those cutthroats. But the point is, Randall, I am backed. You see, I could even go beyond what I said. Something might happen to your wife. A gunfight and lead flying wild, you know? Or, uh, something might happen to you. What are you getting at? Like I said, I fell in love. I asked the girl to marry me. I hope she slapped your face for the insult. She did. I'm going to ask her one more time. It'd, uh, be smart for you to talk to her before I do. It's your daughter. What? Jenny. You coyote! Randall, I won't forget that blow. Get out of here! Oh, Dad, I... Oh, I didn't know someone was in your office. He's just about to leave, Jenny. Hello, Dave. Hello, Mr. Randall. Oh, Miss Jenny, I was just speaking to your father about you. You were just about to leave, weren't you, Cardigan? Well, I was. But now that Miss Jenny's here, I'd like to say a word. Cardigan, get out of here. That's a fast, Randall. Maybe your daughter ought to know what the situation is. You heard what Mr. Randall said. Get... Dave, don't forget I'm 50 pounds heavier than you. Oh, please, now... The last time are you getting out? No. Now, why, you hip squeak! Dave, look out! It's all right, Jenny. I'll break you in two. I'll help you, Dave. I'll smash you, both of you. Dave, Dave, Dave! Cardigan's gang's coming! Randall fought furiously against Boss Cardigan and his five pounds. The battle rocked out of the small office and into the restaurant. Tables and chairs went spinning across the floor. Glassware shattered to the floor. Dave was battered about the face and barely able to stand beneath the rain of blows, small sides. Randall lay stunned in a corner. The destruction was frightful. Then, Tonto raced to the door, followed by a tall mask man. Need your help? Hang on, we're with you. Oh, what a blimey! What's this? Who's the mask man? Out for the rest. Oh, no, you don't. What's that one, Tonto? Here's one for you, Cardigan. Hey, behind you. Let me pick something to get this one. The advent of the Lone Ranger and Tonto, the tide of the battle soon changed. Piledriver blows, dropped red, gipped, loggered. One of the masked man's hard-driven fists fell flush on Boss Cardigan's chin and sent him sprawling. Then, the Cardigan gang soon lost interest in the fight. Get out of here. Oh, now. You get to. I'm going, I'm going. We ain't done yet. You, Cardigan, I'll help you out. Hold on, take your hands off me. Oh, let go of me. Hey, Lord, back of us, Tonto. Ah! Oh, golly. Oh, Dave. Dave, look at your face, you poor... I'm all right, Tony. How about you, Mr. Randall? I, I'm not hurt much. But look at the restaurant. But, Dad, if it hadn't been for that masked man, why, why, you and Dave would have been killed. Where did he come from? I don't know. Are you all right, Randall? Yes, I'm all right, Mr. Roth. I'm, I'm sorry you had to see this. So am I, Randall. Why, Mr. Roth. Who was the masked man? I don't know. We don't even know where he came from. Well, there was an Indian boy at a side table. When the fight began, they left in a hurry. Then the Indian came in with the masked man. The boy stood outside holding the horse. I see. I certainly am indebted to them. Who is this man called Cardigan? You saw him come in, Mr. Roth. Yes. Cardigan's a crook. He runs the cafe across the road. I gathered as much from what I could hear. He just about runs this town. He's got those killers back of him. They can get away with anything. He will, of course, be made to pay for this damage. Oh, no, he won't. You mean to say he can get away with this? That poor cat can get away with anything. He's got the sheriff, the mayor, and everyone else scared of him. Oh, I see. Well, I must be going, Randall. I've got to pack my things at the hotel and catch the next train west. I guess there's no use going into a discussion of the plan I had in mind. Well, Mr. Randall, I like everything about your restaurant. Well, but you can hardly expect our railroad to finance you if things like this can happen. But, Mr. Roth, this is the only place where there's a Cardigan gang. That's right, Mr. Roth. It would be different in other places. We can't run the risk. I'll be back this way in a couple of weeks. Show me that you can conduct this place without such things I've just seen. Then I'll be ready to talk to you. Well, good luck to you, Randall. Cardigan sure picked a time to smash the place. Dad, if he hadn't come here, then Mr. Roth would have backed you and... Go, yeah. I'm sorry, Mr. Randall. Well, there's nothing we can do but repair the damage and hope that Cardigan doesn't come back. That night, the Lone Ranger, Dan, and Tonto sat at their campfire in a woods outside of town. The masked man listened to the story of events just prior to the fight. And then Randall hit him. Tonto and I were sitting right near the office so we could hear everything. And Cardigan was fool enough to think Randall would try to persuade Jenny to marry him. Yes. I guess Cardigan doesn't know much about men. I guess not. He used to travel with coyotes and bullies like himself. Now, what'd you learn about Cardigan? I've learned quite a bit about him, Tonto. He's just as bad as we thought he was. Everything we had heard about him is true. He really runs the town? Just about. Those five men that travel with him back every play he makes. Can't the law do anything to him? He's too powerful, Dan. You beat him up once. Maybe do that some more. That won't help, Tonto. We would... I wonder. Have you got an idea? I wonder how brave Cardigan would be if he had to stand alone without those five killers. But how would you get him... Dave Grant put up a strong fight. He's the one that Jenny Randolph plans to marry. Yes, I... I'm going back to town. Now? Tonight? Yes. I want to talk to Dave. But... If he's willing to help, I think we can put Cardigan where he belongs. 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 Dave Grant talked at length. The following day, Boss Cardigan sat in his smoke-filled office with his five bodyguards. All killers. I ain't done with Randall, boys. The fact is, I've just got started. Hadn't it been for that mask, man? Never mind him, Rad. Who was he? Where'd he come from? I don't know, and I don't care. I'm going to fix Randall. Who's that? Open the door, Cardigan. It's Dave Grant. Yeah, he's another one I'm going to fix. Come on, open the door. What do you want here? I want to speak to you, Cardigan. Out of your territory, ain't you? Maybe. But I won't be here any longer than's necessary. What do you want? You've been talking marriage to Jenny Randall. What about it? It's you or me, Cardigan. What do you mean? One of us gets her. The other feeds Buzzard's. No, no, no, Randall. Leave your gun in the leather. What are you getting at, Grant? I'm going to be at the Red Rocks in two hours. I'll wait there for you, Cardigan. I'm going alone. You'd better come alone. Is this a challenge? Call it that if you want to. Young upstart. I could break you in two with one hand. You'll have the chance to try it. Jenny knows where I'm going. She'll be able to see you when you're right out there. You take these five polecats with you. Well, you know what she'll say about that? It'll be murder. You'd better come alone. Unless you're afraid. Afraid? Are you? I'll take your guns, knives, or knuckles. I'll be waiting. Just one of us will come back. That's right. If you've got nerve enough to show up. You think I won't? Jenny thought you wouldn't. Personally, I don't know. You'll know soon enough. Good. If your boss isn't back by sundown, boys, you'd better choose a new leader for the gang and a new owner for this cafe. So long. I'll be back. Hey, boss, maybe it's a trip. Now you stay here. I might need you to swear to an alibi for me. I'll be waiting for you, Cardigan. Dave Grant rode out of town toward a pile of sandstone rocks that stood by themselves on the open plain. Soon after, boss, Cardigan, left town, heading in the same direction. The burly bully knew his strength. He was well pleased with the chance to dispose of a rival at the same time as he thought win the favor of Jenny Randall. The route took Cardigan through a clump of cottonwoods. He slowed his horse as he followed the turns of the trail through the woods. Then, suddenly, he reined up sharply at the sight of a masked man astride a white horse. Whoa, whoa, whoa, steady. Hey, what the... Hold it, Cardigan. Don't draw. No, don't shoot, don't shoot. I ain't going for my gun. I'm not going to shoot. No, wait, this ain't fair. Dave Grant tricked me. It wasn't Dave's idea. I was going to meet him fair and square. Knowing you're much bigger than he is. No, no, wait, now listen, don't rope me. No, no, no, take it off, please, don't I. No, this ain't fair. It's two to one. You're not so big without your gang. Well, what are you going to do to me? Nothing. You don't mean that. No, no, please, please let me go. I never made a move against you. Cardigan. Cardigan, you're just about as brave as I thought you'd be. Make those ropes tight, Tano. Ah. And take him to camp. You and Dan can watch him. Ah. Did you hear the news? Cardigan and Dave Grant are meeting. Cardigan will kill him. Ah, Dave ain't got a chance. Too bad about Dave. You got to hand it to him. He's got nerves. Force out weighs him 50 pounds. Cardigan should be getting back pretty soon. Why did Dave do such a foolish thing? He hasn't got a chance. I know it, Jenny. I don't know what ever possessed him. Oh, Dave. Dave. The town was held by increasing tension. Everyone assumed that it would be Cardigan who returned from the meeting, but many clung to the meager hope that by some miracle, Dave Grant could return the winner. As darkness gathered over the main street, a crowd formed in front of Cardigan's Café to wait for the return of the conqueror. He's coming. Hey, he's coming. Ho, ho. Well, ho. Steady. I just seen him. He's riding into town. The fight's over. Cardigan? The boss won, huh? No, no. It's Dave Grant that's coming back. Dave Grant? Are you sure? I can't believe it. Well, there he comes. You see him? Great day. I don't like this, boys. What happened? Tell us about it. How'd you fight? Was it guns or fists? Come on. Hold on, fellas. Take it easy. Let me get off my horse. Steady, boy. Steve, thank goodness you're all right. Daddy's all right when he isn't work. Let me through there. Now, Dave, please. Let him get to Dave. All right, Dave Grant. I want you. Hold on, Sheriff. I heard about the fight. I was waiting to put Cardigan under arrest for murder. Now it looks like it's the other way around. But I didn't even see Cardigan. What's that? You didn't see him? No. You can't arrest me for murder unless you can show that Cardigan's dead. He didn't show up for the meaning. Dave Smart. That's the right answer. He stumped the sheriff. Now hold on. I suppose you were smart enough to hide the body. Well, when you produce the body, I'll be ready to stand trial for the murder. Come on, Jenny. Let's go over to your dad's restaurant. Snagg, give him. I gotta sit down. Let's go into Cardigan's office. Five killers. The bodyguard of Boss Cardigan sat in the office of the cafe. All five were days stunned by the sudden turn of events. Dave licked him. Dave got him. I don't know how... But he got him. Then he was smart enough to tell the sheriff to produce the body before he laid a murder charge. He's hid the body. He'll get away with it. Well, boys... That's eating you, Nick. Now that Cardigan is gone, we gotta have a new boss. I'm it. Does anyone care to argue? I don't! Gosh, Red. What did you hit him with? My fist. You must have busted his jaw. And probably cracked his head when he hit the wall. Pick him up, Gimp. Take him over to the docks to be patched up. You snagg, tell the bartender to come in and pick up the pieces of that chair. Now hold on, Red. Who said you was the one to give orders? You'll hit him. Pick him up yourself. What are you talking about? I'm next in charge after Boss Cardigan... Who says so? I've been with him the longest. What's more, you've seen what he just done to that galoot. Well, that don't make you the boss. If it's fists and make the boss, try mine. That fixes Red. Yeah, you sure let him have one, snag. Been wanting to paste that galoot for a long time. Yeah, I'm afraid he's got some busted bones from hitting that table. Hey, look. What's the matter here? The mask man. You. Can't you decide who's to be boss? What are you doing here? Where'd you come from? You better get the doctor for these two. That ain't none of business of yours. Yes, both of these men are badly hurt. I'll send the doctor over. In the meantime, you three had better decide who's boss. Randall wants to make a deal. He wants to make a deal. You know what that means? Sure I do. He can get a railroad bagging. Then he'll be able to expand to a whole string of restaurants. If he can show that man, Rolf, that there won't be no more trouble. He's willing to pay. He'll pay a plenty. Yeah, I'll talk to Randall. Hold on, snag. I'll do the talk. Skip, don't forget what I handed Red. Well, I ain't Red. Now, hold on. I got something to say. You shut up. You're like fun. Who are you? Now, stop shoving me around here. And keep still. I won't. Oh, so that's it, huh? Stop. And I'll show both of you who's boss. The three-cornered battle royal made the building tremble, but the men in the cafe knew better than to interfere. The Lone Ranger had rightly judged Cardigan's men. They were like a pack of wolves fighting among themselves for the undisputed leadership. The fight ended with snag triumphant. He alone retained consciousness. Though bruised and battered, he sat at Cardigan's big desk, smoking one of Cardigan's big cigars. As the door opened, he was surprised to see Randall. What do you want here, Randall? Well, snag, this office looks about the same as my restaurant did when you left yesterday. All right, what about it? Those four look pretty badly hurt. Doc will take care of them. I'm running things now, Randall. If you want to make a deal, you can make it with me. With you? Well, I'll make it with Cardigan. He's the boss. He was, but he ain't. He's gone. Ain't you heard? He's back. What? Well, sure, he's roaring around town vowing to get even with some men who held him prisoner. I expect he'll be mighty sore when he sees that you've put four of his men out of commission. But, Randall, he, I thought... What are you laughing at? How he'll storm when he sees you at his desk, smoking his cigars. He won't like the way things are smashed around here, either. I'll get my men in trouble. Well, there he is now. Hey, walk it away with me! He's coming here now, snag. I thought he was dead. Of course you did. Just explain to him that you thought he'd been licked by a man half his size. Yeah, he won't like that. Oh, maybe not. I'm getting up, boys, and I'm going mad. Oh, golly. You be the next one. Get out of my way. I'm leaving by the window. Oh, look. Hello, Cardigan. What's this? Randall, what's happened here? Your killers were trying to decide who'd be the new boss. Snag won, but he just left by that window. But I... He was afraid to face you, Cardigan. You see, he didn't know what a rank coward you are when you don't have your gang back of you. But I do know. Wait. Wait, Randall. Hold on. I'm here to talk business, Cardigan. What do you mean? Here's the deal I'm offering you. Dinner is served. Dinner's all ready. Plenty of time to eat before the train starts again. They say the food is perfect. I'll be right over here. Right this way. Oh, Dave. Dave, there's Mr. Ross. He's come back just as he said he would. Jenny, he's here to help us cut our wedding cake. Oh, look. He's going over to speak to Lemuel. Oh, pardon me. I want to speak to you. Yes, sir. Say, I've seen you before. What's your name? Me? I'm Lemuel. I wash dishes and sweep the floor for Mr. Randall. Oh. Well, I see he has a place fixed up since the fight I saw the last time I was here. Yeah. By the way, there's no use talking to him unless he has... Perhaps you can tell me, Lemuel. Tell you what, sir? Hey, did Randall make those ruffians settle for the damage they did? Did he? Huh. I'm cardigan. You? I got six months more of this before I'm square. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Good for Randall. I do want to see him. But he didn't do it alone. He had the Lone Ranger on his side. You have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
