A fiery horse for the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high of 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 in the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! Let's go, big fellow! I'm Silver! The hold-up went off according to schedule. That is, it did at the start. Jeff Meeker and his partners rode into the little town of Clearyville, like any other group of cowhands coming to cash their paychecks. At first, they weren't noticed at all. There were plenty of punchers in town on Saturday afternoon. And Jeff, being the youngest and newest member of the gang, received instructions on how to be a horseholder. Now, remember, kid, your job is to wait here with the horses and keep your eyes peeled. I will. You know, being a horseholder is an important job. Because when me and the boys come out of this bank, we're going to come a-running. Now, you understand? Sure, Trigg, I know. I'll have the Bronx ready. Keep your nerve. You won't always be a horseholder. Al, Pete, let's go. Yeah. Jeff watched Trigg Oliver, Al Lash, and Pete Slade as they sauntered casually into the bank. They were big, lean, hawk-eyed men with broad shoulders and cat-like strides. He waited for a moment that seemed like an hour. Waited for a sound he knew would come. The dull, coughing explosion of a .45. Instantly, Jeff swung the horses from the hitch rack and pointed the noses toward the street. Then he waited again, nerves taut, and found himself talking almost prayerfully. Oh, please. Come a-running. Come a-running. In the next split second, pandemonium broke loose. Help Al with one of those sacks. Yeah, I got it. Oh! Freak. Freak, I can't. Quick, kid. Get him onto your bronc and ride. Pete, and I'll cover for you. What? All right. That's it. Now, come on. We got to sweat leather. Dig your spurs. In the confusion of wild shouts and gunfire, no one in Clearyville saw or heard two men bring their horses to a sudden halt at one end of the street. Oh, oh, oh. I didn't expect him to go into action so soon, Tonto. That's what we do. I should have warned every sheriff in this part of the country. Tonto, get right for them. Oh, wait a minute. Here they come. Look. One horse carried two fellas. Yes, but I... He's down. The horse is down. I'm throwing both of them. Ah. Ah. Ah. Ah. Ah. Other crew, get away. Not if we can trail them steady. Hurry, Tonto. Ah. Come on, Silver. Get him up. Scound. They're heading west toward Mulehide Canyon. Ah. Faster, Silver. Get him up. Scound. Pounding swiftly over the hard-panned flats and mesquite-covered slopes that led to Mulehide Canyon, the Lone Ranger and Tonto kept the fleeing outlaws in sight. Use your gun, Tonto. Maybe the smell of flying men will slow them down. Ah. I've got them cornered, Tonto. See? They're in a pocket. Right by those chimney rocks. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Oh, oh, oh. Be careful. This may be a trap. Ah. They're holed up back there. The only place they can be. Ah. Me watch them. Come out of there. They've got you covered. Well, that's strange. You... You think maybe they... I don't know, but we'll soon find out. Kimo Sambi. Them gone. Yes, Tonto. They tricked us. Oh. Me not Sambi. Evidently, they know every inch of this canyon. Very simple now that we're behind the rocks. See? This trail that bears to the left. Ah. It's all in soft earth, so we couldn't hear their horses. This chimney forms a hood that hides it from any point on the other side of the rocks. Ah. What do we do? Head back for Clearyville. The lawman there. Catch one crook. Yes. But he didn't look like a professional outlaw to me. Steady, big fella. I'd like to ask the sheriff some questions. Come on, Silver. Get him out of the scouts. Jeff Meeker was no longer the official horse holder for the Trigg-Oliver gang. His mount had been shot from under him, and he'd been captured. Now, he stood in the sheriff's office and faced Frank Beals, the lawman. What's your name, kid? Does it make any difference? Oh. Hard case, huh? What's your name? I don't remember. Might be a good idea to remember that three men were killed in that bank job you and your parts just pulled. What do you want me to say? You're dealing. I'll play whatever card you hand me. All right. The first thing I'm handing out is an iron cell. I'll start walking. Long before sundown, the town of Clearyville was in an uproar. Groups of men gathered on the main street and exchanged heated, ominous talk. A short time later, they seemed to have reached an agreement. Sheriff Fred Beals, dry-lipped and nervous, watched him from the window of his office. He was so preoccupied, he didn't see the two horsemen who rode up the hitch rack at the rear of the jail. Well, consequently, he was off guard when a door opened suddenly. What? Mask. I'll reach for it, Sheriff. You're covered. And a red skin. You'll let me do the talking. We may be able to help you. Well, help from outlaws? The United States Marshal for this territory told me you might be hard to convince. Well, here's my identification. Even if you have got me under your guns, you can't... Wait. It's a bullet. Yeah, a silver bullet. That's right. Then you must be... Oh, but you got here too late. A gang of outlaws held up the cattleman's bank this afternoon. Yes, I know. Todd and I were at the other end of the street. We saw it happen. You were here? Then why didn't you... We weren't close enough to stop it. We tried to pick up the trail of the men who got away. Well, did you? No, they doubled back and threw us off somewhere in Mulehide Canyon. I got two of them. One's dead. The other's back there in a cell. Is it the young boy? Yeah. That's too bad. Not half as bad as the problem I'm going to have getting him out of here and over to the county seat at Benton. You mean the mob that's starting to form outside? Not that I blame him very much. This hyena and his pardes killed three men at the bank. Sheriff, may I talk to your prisoner? Oh, yes, if you want to. Right through that door. There's only one cell. Thanks. I'll be right back. Come over here a moment. I want to talk to you. Mast. Say, how'd you ever... You're not afraid of me, are you? No. I just thought I was the only Al Hooten here. What's your name? Why should I tell you? You don't have to tell me. Meeker's the name. Jeff Meeker. Jeff, I saw the gunfight in the holdup. So did a lot of other people. You're not on any wanted list. This was your first robbery, wasn't it? What if it was? You didn't fire any shots. I don't believe you even carried a gun. You must have been the horse holder. Isn't that right? Most gangs have a boy about your age for that job. Get out of here and let me alone. I'm getting along all right. And it's generally true that the horse holder is the first one to get caught. I said let me alone. Jeff, I don't think you're half as tough as you pretend to be. Why... I'll leave me alone. All right, Jeff. Me, little devil, ain't he? No, Sheriff. I think he's more scared than anything else. There's plenty of reason for it. Where's Tonto, my Indian friend? Oh, he went outside. Said he'd be back soon. Tonto. They're a big mob on the street. Them make talk. Say them lynch outlaw. I knew it. I knew there was lynch talk brewing. What are you going to do, Sheriff? Well, what can I do? I'm supposed to take that kid to the county seat in Brenton. Sheriff! Most everybody in town is heading this way. They're going to take your prisoner to... Who's the mask hombre? Never mind. Never mind him. Go back out there and try to talk sense to those lynch crazy cowbuckers. Yeah. Well, all right, Sheriff. But I'm telling you now, it won't do any good. He's right. He's right. I've seen and heard too many lynch mobs. You'll defend the jail, won't you, Sheriff? Defend it? That's impossible. Once a mob gets started, it's like a herd of stampeding cattle. You'll have the law on your side. Oh, what does that mean? Why put up a fight? More killing just to save a bank robber who'll hang anyway. Maybe, maybe. But he's entitled to a fair trial. Well, the only place he'll get it is in Benton. And I can't take him there. Why? There you go, Sheriff. Right outside. You want to know why? That's why. That mob of bloodthirsty critters right out there. Can't you deputize some of them and hold off the rest? No, they'd drill me if I even mention it. Then what are you going to do? You're the law. Nothing can stop them now. Not anymore, I'm not. I quit. I've got a wife and two kids to think about. There's the badge, the gun, the keys. Now, wait a minute, Sheriff. Make me a deputy. I'll take your prisoner to Benton. Yeah, the badge is there. You or anybody else can have it. I'm getting out that back door. Where's the other man, Toto? Him go with Lowman. Hand me those keys. Here. Say, I can hear a mob outside. Does that mean that... I need your help, Jeff. You need me? I've got to get you out of here and into the territorial prison at Benton. You want me to help put myself in another jail? You'll be safe there. Or would you rather take a chance with that mob outside? Well, I... This don't make sense. You must be an out-mob. Forget that. We're going to get to Benton. I'll have to trust you quite a bit. Well, how about it? Well, I... I'll do anything you say. Good. We'll have to move fast. Over there on the hook are some chaps and a brown leather shirt. Put them on instead of the ones you're wearing. Change clothes? I don't... Don't ask questions. Hurry. Is the mob getting any bigger, Toto? Ah, plenty more fellows. And them got for over. Yes, I know. That means we'll have to... Toto, go into the back room and put on the clothes that Jeff Meeker takes off. Ah, lucky him big fellow. Then sneak out to the stable and get a horse. Wait there until I signal you. Toto, do it. These duds don't fit very well. They'll serve the purpose. Hurry, Toto. Uh-huh. Here, Jeff. I want you to pin this deputy star on your shirt. You mean I'm going to be your... And here's the gun the sheriff left. Remember, Jeff, I'm trusting you. I don't know why you're doing it, but I won't forget. I'll pin that badge up high so it can be seen. No, no, like this. Now, come on. We're going outside. In front of them lynchers? Come on, Jeff. Hey, Sheriff Beals, he's wearing a mask. An alcohol. He's wearing a sheriff's mask. Who's that other robbery? Hey, where's the sheriff? I'm the sheriff for the time being. We want the murderer you've got locked up inside. He's in the hands of the law. We're the law when it comes to coyotes like him. He's nothing but a bluffing owl hoot. Let's rush him. Now, wait. Hold it. I'm warning all of you. One step further and I'll shoot. So will we. Break out your hardware, boys, and drill that out. Now, Jeff, stay down. Don't use that gun. I'll take care of the shooting. 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. Partially concealed and shield by a low wooden railing in front of the jail, the Lone Ranger and Jeff Beals knew their protection couldn't last long. The masked man's answering shots were aimed high above the heads of the crowd. You're aiming too high. Yes, I know it. What's the idea? Ain't they doing our best to kill us? Kill on me, open up maybe I... No, Jeff, wait. If I can scare one of the leaders, the rest of them will quit. Oh, my head! They're not hurt. That's no more than a scratch. Hold your fire. Hold your fire, all of you. Whoever he is, the varmint can really sling lead. Keep those guns in leather, and none of us will get hurt. You better talk fast. I can't fool him much longer. We won't have to. I just signaled, Tonto. You mean the Indian? What's he got to do with it? Listen. Get him out! Get him out! Look! That critter getting away on the horse. Ain't he the one we want? Wait a minute. This hombre in a mask, wearing a sheriff's badge. He talks too easy and shoots too slick. Maybe it's some kind of a trick. You think the bank robber is still in jail? Here are the keys. Go in and find him. Yeah. Listen, stranger. I, for one, don't like the high-handed way you're talking. I don't think you're the sheriff, and I don't think the hombre who rode away is the kid we're going to lynch. There are the keys to the jail. You can come in and look for him, or you can trail the man who rode away. He headed for the south trail. We could cut him off of the canyon. Come on, let's ride! They're really breaking up. Yeah, so far so good. But it isn't far enough. The mob can change his mind for little or no reason. What are we doing? See that white stallion in the paint tied to the hitch rack? Yeah. We'll walk over there and mount, but not fast enough to attract attention. Now, come on. What will that mob do when they catch up to your Indian friend and find out it's not me? I don't think they'll ever catch him, said the big fella. You ride the paint, Jeff. They'll see us leave. By that time, we'll have a head start. A good head start. Come on, Silver. Get up! Come on! Get up! The mass gen who claims he's a sheriff is hightailing it. It's a trick. They threw us off. We can beat them. We'll split the posse and follow both trails. Come on! As the angry citizens of Clearyville prepared to form a double posse, Trigg Oliver and Pete Slade watched them from the shelter of a vacant building nearby. I can't figure it out. That's the same mass critter who trailed us to the canyon. Yeah, but he had a redskin with him. Now when we circled back to break the kid out of jail, he's telling these yokels he's the sheriff. Lawmen don't wear masks. That's right. Must be a freebooter. And he and Jeff lit out for the south trail, towards Benton. Whoever he is, we'd better get the kid out of his hands. Jeff's nothing but a horse holder. A green kid. And if they're headed for Benton, we can waylay him at Dover. Come on. Oh, Silver. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Easy, big fella. What are we stopping here for? We have to split up, Jeff. Can't take a chance on the posse overtaking us. Now there's a little town called Dover, about a quarter mile ahead. You can walk that far. I don't understand. Now first, I want to ask you some questions. Where's your home, Jeff? I haven't got one. There aren't any folks either. Mother died a long time ago. Dad got shot for stealing beef. Where have you been living? Just drifting, mostly. Then I met Trigg and Pete and Al. They needed a horse holder, so... You became an outlaw. Ain't that what you are? All in a place like us have got to keep running around. No, we don't. Any outlaw can stop running away, square himself with the law, and get a new start. Yeah. At the end of a rope. Not necessarily. Your chance is better than coughing your life out in the dust, like the man who was riding with you when the sheriff shot your horse. Well, I don't know. Jeff, even though you are an outlaw, I think you're the kind of boy who pays his debts. Well, I am. I guess you mean I owe you something for sneaking me away from that mob in Clearerville. Well, I haven't got any money, mister, but if you want something done, I'll do it. Good. All I want is a promise. From me? Your word that you'll walk into Dover, cut the stage from there to Benton, and report to the warden of territorial prison. What? You mean turn myself over to the law? Yes, I know the warden. I'll explain your case to him. The fact that you report of your own free will might mean a lighter sentence. But... But I'm an outlaw. So are you. Giving myself up don't make sense. Didn't you say you paid your debts? Well, I... All right. I'll do it. Good. I can't figure you out. How do you know I'll go all the way to Benton alone? Because you promised you will. And you believe me? Anybody who pays their debts will keep a promise. Well, I'll be doggone. Will you shake on it, Jeff? Well, sure. Sure I will. Well, I guess it's time for me to be moving. Will I see you again? Maybe. Good luck, Jeff. All right, scout. Come on, Silver. Maybe I'm loco, but I'm stringing along with that masked man. He's the first man I ever saw who trusts an outlaw. No sign of him yet, Trigg. This town's on the main south trail. They ought to be coming. Hey, wait. What's this coming? Benton's stage just pulling in. There's a sense they're not riding that. Yeah, they wouldn't. Hey. Hey, look. What do you mean? Ain't that the kid climbing into the stage? What? Well, he's alone. What happened to the mask, Crudder? The weak, yeah. Come on, leave the horses here. We're riding that stage, too. Oh, Silver. Go now. Oh, Silver. Oh, scout. Otto. Kimo Sabe. We've been waiting here in camp a long time. You bring scout, huh? Yes, Otto. Round up. We've got some more riding to do. Where'd young fella go? I think he's on the stage heading for Benton. What happened to the posse that trailed you? Me losing plenty fast. Come back here. Good. We'll cut back to Dover and follow the stage from there. You'll not trust young fella? Yes, I do, Kimo Sabe. I want to see the warden at the prison as soon as possible. Come on, Silver. Get him up, scout. Now, there's a slick getaway you made, Jeff. Who's the owl hoot with a mask? Oh, I don't know. I never saw him before. Me and Trigg come back to break you out of jail, but he beat us to it. He saved my life. That mob would have strung me up. He saved you. Why? That's what I can't figure out. So I'd keep a promise. Yeah? You're lucky there's crazy outlaws like him running around. Oh, Pete and I hid the money from the bank job. We grabbed some fresh Bronx and Benton. Ride back and get it. Not me, Trigg. I'm not going with you. Maybe our horse holder's got other plans, Trigg. I have. I'm going to report to the warden at the prison. Give myself up. What? Have you gone loco? I told you I made a promise to that masked man. If the law gets him, Trigg, you'll talk. That means we'll... I know what it means. You needn't worry. I won't mention your names or tell the law. You won't be able to, you double-crossing little coyote. That gun won't make any difference, Trigg. I'm still going to... Tell the driver to stop the coach, Pete. We're getting out right here. All three of us. Yeah. Hey, driver! Driver! Tell him to wait a few minutes, Pete. Me and our ex-horse holder are going for a little walk back along the trail. Yeah. And the job won't take long. All right, kid. Open that door and climb out. Why? Shut up and get moving. Now walk. As soon as we get back to those trees, I'm going to... Wait a minute. Let these riders go past. One peep out of you... Oh, who's the boat? Trigg! It's the same-ass crew! Shut up! Hello, Jeff. I kept my promise. I mean, I tried to, but... One more word out of you and I'll do what? Bless the sneaking little... Yes! My leg! Pete! Open up, buddy! Wait! Hold your fire! I dropped my gun! Get your hands up, both of you! Stop shooting! Golly! I've seen some pretty fast shooting, mister, but you top them all. Steady, big fella. I'll ride in the coach with you, Jeff. The warden's going to have three prisoners instead of one. Listen, we ain't hurt you. Get back in the coach. Move! How about your Indian friend? I'll follow us with the horses. All right, driver. Let's go! Get up there! Get him on this, Carl. Come on. It was less than an hour later when the Benton stagecoach and her orders from the Lone Ranger pulled up in front of Territorial Crystal. Oh, Lord, there! Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on. This is as far as we go. I'm out. Oh, my leg. Now, head up those steps. I'm sure the warden saw us pull up. He ought to be ready for us. What the... Some prisoners for you, warden. Bank robbers from Clearyville. Bank robbers, huh? Yes. You'll receive papers on them in a few days. Later on, I want to talk to you about Jeff here. Sure. I'll lock them all up for the time being. Good. And adios, Jeff. Wait. Wait a minute. I want to talk to you. Yes? What is it? I still can't figure out everything that's happened, but I want you to know that I'm going to stand trial. And whatever the verdict is, I'll face its square, just like you said. Good. I knew you'd made up your mind that way, whether you told me about it or not. What? Well, how could you know? You gave me your word. What good's that? The word of a kid horseholder. You're not a horseholder anymore, Jeff. You're a real man now whom anybody can trust. And I'm sure the warden will agree with me. Well, adios. You're lucky to have a friend like that, kid. Yeah. But I don't even know his name. That's easy. He's the Lone Ranger. Get him up, scum! Go, Sylvie! Hooray! The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of The Lone Ranger, Incorporated.
