Hail Silver! For the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty Hail Silver! The Lone Ranger! 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 come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again! Come on, Silver! Let's go, big fellow! Are you still there? Organized crime hit Texas like a hurricane. Small bands of masked men attacked the coaches on the Butterfield Line. Larger groups sacked towns and villages. Little larger gangs attacked supply terrains destined for their army posts. It was a tidal wave of crime running rampant from the Rio Grande to the Panhandle. It all seemed to be directed by one brain. The outlaw bands, both large and small, had many things in common. The same foresightedness and planning was evident in every affair. It was this careful planning that made it possible for a short, thick-set man to occupy a mansion in Taos and to have a fortune in tax collections in his library. The money is a great responsibility, Mr. Dorick. Are you sure you can't take it with you when you leave? What's the matter, Crawford? Don't you like being the Commissioner of Taxes? I lie awake all night worrying about the money. My safe over there is full of it. Thousands of dollars. That's nothing at all. More coming in every day. The collectors I gave you are fishing day, Crawford. Yes, but all the money. You should see our headquarters, Crawford. Not only money, but arms and ammunition, uniforms, horses, cannon. I can well imagine. You needn't worry about thieves. Who is it to steal the money? Nothing is done unless I so direct... Even so... Keep the money here until I send for it. Soon we shall have to put our men in uniforms, and then the cash will go quickly enough. It takes money to feed and pay an army. Dorick, do you think that we can get away with these plans of yours? I'm sure of it. Before we are through, Crawford, we shall have a nation of our own. A nation extending from the Pacific to the west bank of the Mississippi. The United States will end at the east bank of that river. You plan to put all the gangs together when you're ready to declare a new government? To be sure. Are you expecting company? No. Who is it? That's Feeney. He's one of my collectors. Don't introduce him to me. All right. Mr. Crawford, I've got to... Oh, I thought you were alone. It's all right, Feeney. You may speak. Look, this is mighty confidential, boss. I said you might speak. No matter what? No matter what. Well, all right, then. You and the rest of us are in for some trouble with the Federal Marshal. What do you mean? They found the real Frederick Crawford. What do you mean? They have. Who found him? All I know is what a friend heard from the telegraph operator. What's that? This guy was found a few days ago. The man that found him told the Marshal that it was Frederick Crawford, and the Marshal said he was loco. Just the same, a description was sent to Washington. The reply just came in. What was the reply? They identified the guy by birthmarks. The Marshal knows that the real Commissioner of Taxes was killed on the way out here. That means that he knows that you're a fake. Confound it. That's bad. I have the credentials that the man carried. It's just a matter of time, and the Marshal will be here to accuse me of the murder. They should have eliminated the Federal Marshal's. They should have done that first of all. What'll they do? You've got to disappear right away, and so have I. I can't be found here with you. I'll leave at once. You get all your credentials together. Get the cash from your safe and get out of town. Meet me in the main headquarters. Very well. As soon as possible. I think you've got half an hour or so, boss. The Marshal is getting some men together. Give me a hand, Feeney. Yeah. Put these documents into that handbag. Right. I'll open the safe and get the money. I don't know why the Galusa gun coffer didn't do a better job of hiding the body. And I don't know why the leader of this outfit didn't get his own men in the lawman's jobs before it began bigger operations. I've got all the papers in this bag. Now what? Put it right there in the desk. The window. What the? Look. At the window. He's masked. Don't shoot. The lamp. Do something. Get your gun. I got it. Get him. Where is he? Shoot. Shoot him. I can't see anything. He's coming in. I hear him. Get a light. Shoot him. I can't see anything. Can't see to shoot. You don't need to see. He's right here. Feeney. Feeney, what happened? Where are you? He hit me. Where's your gun? Shoot him. He's going out that window. I can't. Oh, wait. Here's a match. Wipe that candle. What happened to you? Oh, my jaw. Come, come, Feeney. You were close to him? Did you see him at all? What happened? I was at the desk. Someone came close to me and grabbed at the handbag. I tried to stop him and he hit me. The handbag? Where is it? I guess he got it. Oh, with all my private papers in it. What's this? A bullet. He must have left it. A silver bullet. So that's who came here. Who? The Lone Ranger. In Washington, D.C., two men sat in one of the most private of all offices, holding a conference in grim earnestness. Seabird, these documents confirm our suspicions. Oh, it's incredible. How can one man hope to take over the West and set up an independent country? Several men have thought of it. Aaron Burr had complete plans to do it. And you're convinced that all the crimes of the West are the work of a central control body? Yes, I am, Seabird. Evidence points that way. Rifles that were stolen by one gang from an army supply train were used by another gang a few days later. And there are other reasons for the belief. What about the man who posed as the Commissioner of Taxes? He's in custody, isn't he? Yes. These documents came from his office. He's been identified. His name is Kenific. I'm expecting a telegram momentarily. Oh? The authorities in Texas are questioning him. If he'll name his co-conspirator, we may be able to nip this scheme before it gets out of control. Is anyone in particular under suspicion? Frankly, there is. Oh. The Secret Service knows of a man named Sidney Dorick. He used to be here in Washington. I see. He was a genius at organization. Fanatically ambitious. That was his undoing. He left here under a cloud some time ago. Does anyone know where he is now? No. But he and Kenific were close friends. Oh. Isn't there anything in the Kenific papers to show that Dorick is involved? Nothing. We've got a hope that Kenific will talk. What if he doesn't? In that case, Sievert, I'm going to call upon the man who proved that Kenific was an imposter. The man who found the real Frederick Crawford. The masked man? The Lone Ranger. Splendid. But for one thing. What's that? Well, it's nearly impossible to locate him, and even more difficult to keep track of him. He must have someone as an intermediary. I have someone in mind. Good. One of our most brilliant secret agents. Identity is Operator 10. That may be the telegram you're expecting. Come in. Mr. Nye. Oh, yes. A telegram came from Texas. I've been waiting for it. But how do you happen to be the one who brings it to me? The chief thought you might want to see me. Here's the message. Is it what we hoped it would be? No. Kenific is dead. Dead? He dropped dead before he could be questioned. Evidence points to poison. Possibly self-administered. Well, I guess the chief knew what he was doing when he had you deliver this message. He did? I don't believe I've met the young lady. Mr. Siebert, this is Operator 10. You? Why, you're only a girl in her teens. A sweet compliment, Mr. Siebert. Will you be seated? Thank you. I want to tell you all about conditions in the West. We're facing a most critical situation. Someone has to go there to work between this office and the Lone Ranger. Someone who can give the masked man the information upon which he can operate. You have been chosen for the assignment. I? Yes. Um, here's a ring. Gold? There's no other ring just like it. Now, look, let me show you something about it. It looks like solid gold, but it isn't. The ring's hollow. It opens in this way. There. Oh. In this small compartment, there's a small piece of thin paper with a message. So I see. The message is signed by... by someone very important. I'll close the ring. Are you to take this ring to the Lone Ranger? Very well. The ring will be recognized by men in high authority. And someday it may save the Lone Ranger's life. I see. We have a number of operatives in the West. Information received from these will be forwarded to you in Code W. You'll call at the Western Union office in Ashton for messages. Yes, sir. We will interpret the information and take it to the Padre, the small mission. I'll give you the address. You may also leave the ring with the Padre. He knows how to reach the Lone Ranger. Let's hope the Lone Ranger can help. If he can't see, but we may look at the Mississippi instead of the Pacific as our Western boundary. Like the tentacles of an octopus, the arms of Sidney Dorick reached out in all directions. His lieutenants were everywhere. There was little that went on unknown to them. A man named Dorneman lived in the Ashton Hotel, but spent most of his time in the cafe. He generally occupied a table in the darkest corner. It was here that he received information and passed out orders. He knew by the way Jake Ganson approached that Jake had news. Sit down and keep your voice low. Dorneman, you know the telegraph office. What about it? You told us to keep an eye on the place on account of the code messages that have been coming in during the past few days. Yes, those messages come from Washington. I want to know who they're for. Of course, you'd never guess. Do you know who they're for? No, but I can tell you. I hope they'd be for the Lone Ranger. Lone Ranger? Is he around here? I don't know. But the big boss would like to get rid of him. How's that? He's the one that exposed Kenefick. Oh, in Taos. Yeah. And he's the one that got Kenefick's confidential papers and sent them to Washington. Mr. Big thinks instructions will come from Washington for that masked man. You hoped those coded messages were for him, huh? Yes. Well, they ain't. Who are they for? It's a girl. A girl? Yep. I just come by the telegraph office and seen her in there going over me. You did? Yeah. She was sitting at a table. Peeked in the window and I could see that she was studying the messages we were wondering about. Why didn't you say so in the first place? Is she still there? I guess so. Get the rest of the boys. You know the routine. Get them together and capture that girl. Take her to the canyon hideout. She's going to tell me what those messages mean. 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. To continue our story, the girl from Washington, known only as Operator 10, was in the office of Western Union. For some time, she'd been seated at a table studying an accumulation of messages that had bewildered the operator because of a special code. You mean to say all that jumble makes sense to you, miss? I'm doing all right, Sparks. Hey, what's this? Take it easy, Sparks, and you won't get hurt. Who are you? Steady there. Put that gun down. What's the idea? You got to take this girl, Sparks. She's a criminal. Wondered in half a dozen counties. I don't believe it. I don't care whether you believe it or not. I got a deputy badge and I know what I'm talking about. Come on, miss. This gun's the authority. So's this. Great day. She had a gun, too. I have, and I can fire as fast as you. Sort of a stalemate, huh? You got to me. I'm going to send a message on that key. But I can't... You better lower that gun and come along, miss. Resisting the law is serious. Save it. Sparks, get this. Operator 10 amazed the Western Union man with her speed and precision as she tapped out a message with one hand while she held a gun on Jake with the other. While she pounded the key, Jake's companions approached the office, looked through the window, saw the stalemate, and rushed in. Grab the girl. Take her gun. Let her go. Let her go. The Padre, in a little mission, had a way of reaching the Lone Ranger. He passed the word to friendly Indians, and then, like wildfire, the news traveled far and wide in expanding circles, until the masked man knew and rode to the mission with Tonto. It was several days after the capture of the girl from Washington. The Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion sat with the Padre. I hope it is not too late, amigo mio. They were far from here, Padre. They came as quickly as possible. Si, si, I know you did. I want to tell you about the man who came here. Who was he? He is the telegraph operator in Ashton. He had a message for me? Si. But first, let me tell you his story. It was about a girl who came one night to the office. She claimed some messages in code. He said... Then a deputy sheriff and another man came in, pulled a gun on her, and told me she was wanted by the law. She pulled a gun, and there was a stalemate. It was meant for me. She told me to take the ring to you, Padre, and tell you it was for the Lone Ranger. She left the ring on the table. Here it is. Si, senor. What happened to the girl? Other men came in, one of them another deputy, and the girl was captured. As a criminal? The operator did not know what she was. He did as he asked him and went back to his job. Where is the ring he brought you? Here, amigo. This ring. Taro, look. Senor, what is it? Padre, this ring, there's no other like it. Came from the finger of one of our nation's greatest men. Is it possible? If that girl had this ring... Taro, you have to find her at once. Well, senor, can you not rest for a little while? Rest? There'll be no rest until we find the girl who wore this ring. Come on, Taro. You ready? May I give you food to take with you? There's no time, Padre. Ready there, Silver. Hasta la vista. Get him up, scowl. Boom, Silver. For several days after the capture of the girl from Washington, Dorneman remained in his hotel room and spent most of the time pacing the floor in anger. He wanted to talk to the Western Union man. That man had left town. Unfounded, Jake. Why was he allowed to leave town? Well, nobody said anything about holding him. I didn't know he was going to take a vacation. Ah, you. I hope you've got guards on the girl. Sure. But I don't like the idea of holding her in that shack. Why not? Well, I'm a deputy sheriff. I arrested her as a criminal. Well? I should have put her in the jail. You do as I say. Don't worry about your duties as a lawman. Wait. Who is it? Who is it? At last. Let them in, Jake. Sure. Well, it's the idea of bringing me here at the point of a gun. You better have a good excuse, Dorniman. Where have you been? I took a few days off. My helper ran the office. If the telegraph company don't complain, I don't know if anyone should. It's none of your affair. Sit down there. Hey, call you Sparks, don't they? That's right. Perhaps my men were a little crude in bringing you here. That galoot was standing in my office. He drew a gun on me as I came up. Red, you should know better than that. But you told me... Enough. Just what do you want of me, anyhow? Sparks, I didn't have a chance to tell you about the girl who was taken into custody in your office. Where is she? Oh, she's been turned over to the law. Federal prisoner. You see, Sparks, we have to work in a mighty different way than the local law officers. Are you a federal man? Well, I wouldn't want to generally know her. Well, I guess I'll keep what I know to myself for the time being. I want to find out more about that girl. Very well, Sparks. I'm going to talk to the sheriff. Well, I'm a deputy. I said the sheriff. That is, unless you figure to keep me here. Oh, you're free to leave. Then I'm leaving. Got to be careful how we handle him. A whole of Western Union is back of him. But he's going to talk to the sheriff. I've got the sheriff in my pocket. After the telegrapher talked to the sheriff, he was more confused than ever. Walking to his home, he thought of contradictory facts. Got to do plenty of thinking on this. Plenty of thinking. Mustn't make the wrong move. Now get to bed and sleep on it. I have company. Well, what do you want? It's easy. You Sparks, don't they? Yes. But who are you? Mass. And I brought this ring with me. The Lone Ranger. For some time, the masked man and the telegrapher talked in low tones. Then, instead of going to bed as he'd planned, Sparks blew out the candle and returned to Dorniman's room at the hotel. Dorniman was pleasantly surprised. Come in, Sparks. I didn't expect to see you again tonight. I had a talk with the sheriff. So I heard. I guess he set you right, didn't he? You still want to know what that girl said to me the other day? You like talking now, huh? Sit down. What did she say? She asked me to get word to the Lone Ranger. She did? That's why I left town for a time. Did you get word to him? Yes, and he's coming here. If you're on the level, Mr. Dorniman, I sure had the wrong idea about the Lone Ranger. When is he coming? Real soon. He's going to have men enough to take that girl away from you. He is, huh? Does he know how many friends I have to help me? I guess he does. Well, that's different. I don't like that. Well, look here, Dorniman. If you're sort of working for the government, the soldiers would be on your side, wouldn't they? Soldiers? Is that what he's... Now, hold on. Doggone it, you look downright scared. You've been lying in your teeth. You're not at the size of the law at all. And the Lone Ranger is. Get your hands up. Up with him and hurry. Jake, come in here. I heard him, Mr. Dorniman. Get out the back way with this man. Take him with us. You better watch yourself, Dorniman. I intend to watch myself. You've blundered into something. The cards are down. I'll come along, or we'll pour lead in you. Do what the boss says. Get going. Sparks was taken out of rear door of the hotel, then forced to ride a borrowed horse between Dorniman and Jake. Outside the town, Dorniman hauled at a shack that looked abandoned. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. I didn't sign with you. Take him in, Jake, and call the men together. No time to lose. Right. Well, it's the boss himself. Open Sparks. All of you, listen to me. The lone ranger's coming here with a cavalry. I never said that. Too late to deny it now. This man's too dangerous for us. He's got to go with a girl. Get that rope tighter, Jake. I'll try. But it's plenty tight now. What are we going to do? We've got to get the girl and Sparks away from here. Oh, shoot him. That's what I say. I want information from that girl. She can be valuable. We can make her write letters and reports that'll throw everyone off the trail. We can make Sparks send messages that'll help us. Like fun, you can. You'll do a lot before you'll see her suffer. Red, Jake, you two will stay and help me. The rest of you ride out to meet the lone ranger and the men with him. Sure, Red. Hold them off for about one hour. That'll give us time to get a head start. Get moving now and hurry. The outlaws hurried to obey Dorman's command. They leaped to the saddles and rode out on the north trail. Dorman, meanwhile, threw things into saddlebags. I'll be ready in another minute. Jake, you keep watch on Sparks. I will. Red, take this key. Unlock the door of the girl's room. Good enough. Get her hands tied before you let her out. If she makes any trouble, hit her on the head with your gun. She won't make no trouble. Look out at the front door. Get those hands up. He's here, the lone ranger. No, you don't. Get him, drill him. There's a redskin, too. At them, Toto. Here, one for you. Good going, redskin. No, you don't. This is for you. Let me use this knife. I'll get them. Let me at them. No, you don't. Well, doggone if I didn't knock him down. Good work, Sparks. That does it. He was going to knife me. I couldn't do any more than bump him with my shoulders. I didn't want to shoot. I didn't know where the girl was. In that room there. Red would just open the door. All knocked out now. Dead rope's on them, Toto. They have these three for prisoners. And I think Dorneman is one of the ringleaders. Yeah, I'll cut those rope, Sparks. That crook can tell him plenty. My ginger sure worked out just right. Just like you hoped. Dorneman's scheme in mind filled in the spaces I left. And he figured he had to clear out with the girl and take me along. You followed us here, huh? Yes, there. I get that sheriff, too. But first, let's look in that other room. The girl isn't here. She was here. Wait, she left a note. She must have slipped out while we was fighting. What's the note say? Dorneman can name... Toto, Dorneman can name the man on top. Him not top, now came a sobby. Him dead. Dead? I didn't hit him that hard. Let me see. I just shouldered him. Knocked him down. All his knife. Oh, God. I thought we'd found a trail to the head man. And now what we do? Well, two of these men are alive to be jailed. I'll go for the marshal. You wait here? Yes, Toto. I'll be back soon. I'll stay with Toto. Very well. Maybe these polecats will get conscious before he gets back. Then I'll have the chance to tell him a few things. I'll see you later. The Lone Ranger is on his greatest manhunt. The next episode finds him wearing the mysterious ring and moving into the midst of the outlaw army. Be sure to listen. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of The Lone Ranger, Incorporated.
