speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high of silver, the Lone Ranger. Full Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful mask rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. 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. On silver. Let's go, McFull. A deputy came out of the sheriff's office with a hammer, a few horseshoe nails, and a new handbill. Hey, Lefty, give me a hand with this. Got a nailer up wherever you wanted to see it. Who's the critter that's wanted? Name's Brannigan. Now, just hold this in place while I put a couple of nails in. This gives a pretty fair description of the critter. Yep. Wanted for a string of robberies. Don't say nothing about murders. I guess the critter steered clear of hanging crimes. With this description, it won't be hard to recognize Brannigan if he comes this way. Sheriff Comstock figures he'll pass close to this town on his way to the border. Thinks he'll head for the border, huh? Yep. I guess that'll hold her in place. Steve, look over there. Express office. Stop that man! Get him! Here he goes, running for a horse. Here comes the sheriff on the dead run. Steve! Lefty! Get the horses! Right. Express office has been robbed. We saw the critter right away. It's Brannigan. Great day. Then he did come here. Get them horses. All you men, get your horses and meet me here right away. I won't take time to square each of you and there's a deputy. We gotta catch Brannigan before he can cross the border into Mexico. Lefty, you take five men and ride direct to the border. Right. Maybe you can cut him off. The rest of you men will come with me. We'll follow the trail. Come on. You'll ride this way. Good. Get up. Between the town and the border, an Indian had dismounted near a water hole. He heard hoofs approaching and looked up as Brannigan came close. Hoo, hoo, hoo. Hi there, engine. How? You ride plenty fast. Yeah, and if I'm seen, I'll be shot on sight. I'm taking your jacket in place of my coat. Huh? Oh, you outlaw. Yeah, and I got no time to argue. Oh! Oh, if I can get about one minute more. The lawmen were not far behind the outlaw Brannigan. The sheriff and those with him rode from one direction while Lefty and the others came from the south. Between the two, a man lay on the ground. There he is, boys. He stretched out on the ground. It's a trick. You sure that's Brannigan? Look at the coat. That's the bright can when Rance told about. There comes Lefty from the other side. Good. Hoo, hoo, hoo. Hoo, hoo, hoo. Look out for tricks. You may be playing possum. Keep your guns ready. Yeah, Lefty. Have your boys keep their guns on Brannigan. He's playing some sort of a game. Now, come on, Brannigan. Stand up and stop playing possum. Get up before we get rough with you. We know he ain't asleep. Wake up. I'll wake him up. Get up. Stand on your feet. Hey, that ain't Brannigan. It's an Indian. He's hurt. What's the matter, Injun? Who's got a canteen handy? Here's one. Here, take a drink, Injun. Now, steady now, Injun. Me, me tanto. Now, take it easy, fella. We can savvy. Brannigan got you and changed clothes. Is that what happened? That, that right. Now, wait a minute. That it all to blazes. I seen what I thought was a redskin. He was riding south. For the border? Yeah. It must have been Brannigan. We can't touch him in Mexico. Me, sorry. If it wasn't for your clothes, he'd never got away. Hey, hold on, Steve. Take it easy. But this Indian here... This man's an Indian, but it ain't his fault. It's our own fault for not capturing Brannigan sooner. You, you see, fella? I see him, all right. Wearing Injun's clothes. Him ride horse? Yeah. It paint horse? Oh, it was a chestnut. Oh, that good. Why is it good? For him not get scout. Who? Scout. Horse, a Tonto. Maybe Tonto. Maybe Scout Fetch, friend here. Look here, Tonto, or whatever your name is. I'm Sheriff Comstock. I'm the man that's to blame for that killer being free today. It's my job to run him down and I failed at it. Now, I have heard of an Indian named Tonto and he said to ride a paint called Scout. That right? What's more, this Indian I speak of is supposed to have a friend. That right. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I ain't. Anyhow, I'm going to tell you something. If this paint horse brings a friend you mentioned, then by any chance that friend is masked. Uh-huh. What are you driving there, Comstock? What do you mean, a masked friend of this Indian? Boys, I'm talking to Tonto. As I was saying, Tonto, you might mention to your friend that Brannigan has crossed the border and there ain't no way I can get him now. I'd be downright grateful for some help. Savvy? Uh-uh. Tonto savvy. Thanks. Is there anything you need now? No. All right, boys. We'll head back for town. Ain't you going to follow the trail no more? Maybe we can catch him. You giving up, Sheriff? I says we're heading back. Ain't no sense of riding farther south. Come on, now. Get up there! Get up! The lone ranger waiting in camp for Tonto was surprised when Scout came in without a rider. He soon realized that something had happened to his friend. Here, Silver. It was the work of but a few moments to saddle up. Then the masked man set out to follow Scout's back trail. Let's go, Scouts. On, Silver. Oh, Silver. Oh, boy. Easy. Keep him happy. You come and bring Scouts. There, big fella. Tonto, what happened to you? Me. Wait here. Me know you come soon. Those clothes. A fella catch Tonto off guard. You're hurt. It's not much. Lawman come here. Him say, hope you help. Lawman? Ah, Sheriff named Comstock. Comstock? He's a good sheriff. Don't tell me he's the one who gave you that cut on the head. No. No, it's a fella named Brannigan. Brannigan? Is he around here? No. Him scaped to border. Him wear Tonto's clothes. If he gets across a real grand, the law can't touch him. That's what sheriffs say. Sheriff, hope you help. I see. You go on trail? Well, how about you, Tonto? You think you can follow his trail? Ah, me be all right. Let me look at that wound and see how badly you hurt. Oh, not bad. We can pick up Brannigan's trail south of the Rio Grande. Ah, me find it. Yeah, wound's not very deep. We go now. Find trail, huh? Sheriff got plenty of faith in you. All right, Tonto. We'll try to earn a good lawman's confidence. Steady, big fella. He's got to study. Get him up. Whoa, silver. The masked man and Tonto followed the trail to the Rio Grande where it disappeared in shallow water. On the southern shore of the muddy river, Brannigan made no effort to conceal his tracks. him go shore right here. Come on, silver. Come on, boy. Right up, Tonto. Oh, silver. Come on, brother. Oh, brother. Trail easy from now on. It's a good thing, Tonto. Because from here on, I'll have to go without your help. Why do you say that? Tonto, I've been thinking of Brannigan. As long as he stays on this side of the river, he can't be touched by the law in Texas. That's right. He mustn't know that I found you in his clothes. Why? I can't go into it now, Kimo Sabe. I've got to shove on before it gets dark. Oh. I want you to find Sheriff Comstock. Tonto turned back toward Texas while the Lone Ranger continued on the outlaw's trail. He saw that the trail led directly to a small doby house. Here he reined up. Oh, boy. No silver. Steady big fella. Wonder if a bluff will work with a man like Brannigan. Let's see. Hello there. I'm coming in. Hold it. You're covered. It's all right. Tonto, who said that? I said it. After the bright sun, I can hardly see in this, Dobie. Where are you? Right here. You're covered. Huh? Oh, I thought you were Tonto. Yeah, just as he was. Yeah? Those are his clothes. What about it? Where'd you get them? Where did you get that mask you're wearing? At least I didn't steal it from an Indian. Where is the Indian who was to meet me here? Look here, mister. Before we talk anymore, I'll take those guns you're packing. Before we talk anymore, you'll put away the gun you're holding on me. Hmm. That's big talk. Especially for the man that's under gun sights. Hand over those guns. I'd be more willing to talk if you'd hand over yours. Oh, you would, huh? Or, uh, must I take it away from you? If you're tired of living, stranger, just you try it. Very well. Hey! Oh! Oh, I... Oh, I... Uh, that hurt, didn't it? You... You... The bullet probably wrecked your gun. You, uh, should have done as I asked. I never saw anything like that draw of yours. Oh, we'll talk things over. Shall we sit down? My hand hurts like fury. How about my Indian friend? Where is he? Uh, he ain't nowhere around here. Don't tell me that. We had a big deal lined up. I was to meet him. Well, he... Uh, that is... Where'd you leave him? I, uh... Answer me. In Texas, north of the border. Oh. You left him in Texas, huh? I, uh, suppose you want me to go and find him. Well, I... That's too thin. The Texas law can't act in this country, so you came here to meet me in place of the Indian and tricked me into crossing the border. Is that it? No, no. Don't lie to me. This is the Texas lawman sent you down here to meet me. None of them. How did you find out about the plans I had? See here. If you're dodging the Texas law, maybe we can get together. You, tin horn, go on back and tell the law that your scheme didn't work. Tell them that they can sit on the north shore of the Rio Grande until they grow whiskers a yard long. They won't get me. Oh, wait a minute. I ain't working with no lawman. My name's Branigan. You must have heard of me. Why should anyone have heard of you? Well, I'm on the dodge my own self. Save your life for someone else. It's the truth. Why don't the two of us team up? If you've got something good in the fire, I can do anything that Indian pal of yours can do. Big talk. I can. Just try me out. I can't handle a gun as fast as you did, but I'm no slouch. What do you know about silver mines? Silver mines? I'm not interested in two-bit plays, like sticking up a stagecoach or robbing an express office. I'm after something big. Listen, I can help. I know I can. How about bossing a bunch of breeds? Oh, Mexicans, eh? The mines on this side of the border. See, that's swell. That's first rate. Tell me more about it. I asked if you could boss a bunch of breeds. Sure I can. Oh, I wonder. How much is this thing good for? How much? Vanigan, if you travel with me for a little while, you'll never have to worry about a job for the rest of your life. 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. Sheriff Comstock sat in his office with the deputy called Lefty as Steve came in with word of the man who'd worked in the express office. Well, here he is now, Lefty. Steve! Well, I just come from the Sawbones. Said the poor gent that Brannigan Club will be as good as new in a few days. Well, it's not Brannigan's fault that he's not dead. There was no call for him to knock him down after he got the money. Brannigan must like to crack men on the head. He did the same thing with that engine. Sheriff, speaking of heads, there's folks in town that are going to be howling for your scalp if you don't do something. Do something? About Brannigan. Everyone says you're laying down on the job. Can't touch him while he's across the border. Any fool knows that. Sheriff Cornstalk, I got a few comments from my own self. What'd you hear, Lefty? Some of the men are grumbling about the way you gave up the trail. Grumbling, are they? Well, they... Let's have it, Lefty. Well, they figure we should have followed Brannigan to the border. For all we know, we may still be on this side. Not Brannigan. The doc figures you should have arrested the Indian as an accessory to his escape. Why? Because the poor critter got wrapped on the head by Brannigan? Well, if the crook hadn't been wearing the engine's jacket, I wouldn't have let him get past me. So that's how the doc figures, eh? Yeah. If that's his line of reasoning, this town's mighty lucky that the doc ain't a lawman. Why? Now, listen, you two. Let people talk all they want. They don't know who that redskin is. He said his name was Tonto. Yeah. And you heard what I told him, didn't you? About taking word to some friend? That's right. Look out that window. Huh? What? Ain't that Tonto raining up outside? Sure enough. So it is. Boys, you just sit tight and see if the seed I planted don't begin to show sprouts. Hi there, Tonto. How? I figured you'd be coming here sooner or later. Did that friend find you? Ah, him find Tonto. You passed my message on to him? That right. Him ride south. Him cross Rio Grande. Yeah? Did he send any word to me? Ah, him say, come here, see you. Ask you to help Tonto. Good. Help you? How? We need plenty men. Maybe ten, twelve men. Count on them. What else do you need? Get plenty shovel, get horse, and come dig and ground. All right. You hear that, boys? Get shovels and horses and get ready to dig. Dig what? Why? Never mind asking questions. Go get spades and start to dig wherever Tonto shows us. Oh, taking orders from an engine. I don't like it. Stop your grumbling and do what you're told. Any man that don't like it can hand in his badge right now. Well, Sheriff, an engine giving orders. I'm giving the orders, not the engine. What's more, maybe you don't know who that engine is. Unless I'm mighty mistaken what he says comes from the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Great Scott. Mask rider. Why'd you say so in the first place? Leaping Hannah. Now get spades and shovels. I'll get more men. I'll get horses hitched up. Anything the Lone Ranger says is right with me. Spades and shovels were soon loaded on wagons and the men followed Tonto out of town. It was a dry season and the Rio Grande was in many places nearly dry. Tonto led the way to a place where a mere trickle of shallow muddy water marked the boundary line between two nations. Here, under the Indian's direction, the lawmen began to dig. I never heard of making a river running a new channel. We got a powerful lot of digging to do. If you think you're working hard, look at the way that engine's making the dirt fly. Yeah. Hey, Tonto, what's back of all this digging? What's the plan? Make river run through gully. Don't you see his plan? The arroyo is where the river flowed a good many years ago. When we're done, it'll flow there again. Then what? Then the river won't flow along the border. It'll be north of the borderline. Brannigan is to be brought near here by that mass van. He'll figure he's safe as long as he stays south of the Rio. But the truth is, he'll be on Texas ground. I sure hope it works out that way. Give me a mighty surprised hombre. I'll bend to them shovels. We gotta get things ready. How's the mass man plan to get Brannigan here? Leave that to the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger had convinced Brannigan that it'd be wise to wait until darkness fell before leaving the small adobe house. It was a long dragging afternoon with little conversation. We're to be partners. I don't see why you can't let me have one of your guns. I don't trust you that far, Brannigan. But you smashed my gun with a bullet. You shouldn't have gone on me. Oh, that was before you talked about a silver mine. We weren't partners then. You sure you can find this place in the dark? Oh, I'll find the place all right. Still a couple of hours to wait. Darkness was an hour away when Brannigan looked out the window and saw two men riding hard toward the house. Hey, look. Those two are pals of mine. They are? Yeah, Moose Lacey and Breed Cortez. Are they wanted from the States? Yeah, same as I am. They're the ones that told me about this vacant house. Makes a first-rate hideout. They've seen our horses in the shed. I'll let them know who's here so they won't come in with their guns blazing. All right, boys. Come on in. I got someone you should meet. What's in the bag? We got a bag at St. McGowan. Yeah, but big hole, too. Only trouble is we have to kill two, Matt. Who's that? Mess. Ah, take it easy, boys. He's all right. Yeah. He's letting me in on something big. Why don't he take the mask off? That's my business. Get over there, Breed, on the far side of the room. See? That's it. Now, he can't cover both of us at one time. Don't count on that. Now, hold on, boys. There's no need to be suspicious of each other. We're all in the same boat. Oh, no, we're not, Brannigan. These friends of yours are wanted for murder on this side of the border. We're caught with them, we'll hang with them. Ah, so you don't like our company, huh? No. If the Mexican authorities can follow your tracks, I'll like it even less. Ah, wait, pal. We can let Moose and Breed in on the silver mine. Silver mine? What silver mine? Moose, I didn't make no argument about the mask because this gent's going to let me take the place of his partner who didn't show up. He's going to take me to a place where there's silver. Oh, he is, huh? I didn't promise that. Oh, don't hold out on my friends. Is this place near the border? Yeah, he said it was. Why? Brannigan, let me tell you something. Well, me and the Breed were on the way here. We passed close to a place where the Rio Grande is mighty narrow and shallow. Well? What do you think we seen? Well, how would I know? There was a dozen men on the Texas side. They was digging like fury. They was digging to change the course of the Rio so as it had run in an old bed some distance north of the border. What about it? Those men were lawmen. I recognized the sheriff and some of his deputies. Now, let me tell you something else. Yeah? I once had a pal that thought he was safe over here in Mexico. But he met up with a man that was going to do him a favor. You see? This man took him close to the Rio Grande. My pal figured to be safe as long as he stayed south of the Rio. But that's where he got fooled. the river was diverted to a new bed. The Texas law nailed him while he was still south of the Rio Grande. Hey, mask man, are you figuring to pull a trick like that? I'll tell you some more. The man that tricked my friend was tall. He wore two guns and a mask. What's more, he rode a white horse just like the one outside. Why, you... The horse was called Silver. That's what you called your horse? The man was called the Lone Ranger. Hold it. Looks like a stalemate. Doesn't it, Moose? Yeah. We got the drop on each other but Breach on the other side of the room. What are you going to do about him? I have the gun on you, senor. Watch him. You might get one of us, mister, but the other will get you. It was all a trick, huh? You were going to take me over to the border instead of to a silver mine. You'd be a lot better off, Bennigan. Texas, you're wanted for robbery. That means jail. Yeah. If you're caught with these friends of yours on this side of the border, you'll face a hangman and a firing squad. I wasn't with him on the killing. You're with him now. You'll be caught with him. You'll die with him. Never mind the talk. Take his guns, Brady and me. Don't try it. The law's already on the way here. Try it more tricks, huh? No, Moose, no tricks. You made the mistake that criminals often make. You underestimated the lawmen. They have followed your tracks. That is true. It ain't. I can see them through the window. He's right. They are coming here. You local fool, you left tracks they could follow. That is true. That's it. My armor. You too. I'll show you. Good. The law, it's coming. They're nearly here. They'll get us. I fix you for that. I fix you. I cut you to pieces. No, you don't. I get my hand free. I fix you. Better give you a lullaby. A lawman can bring those two back to consciousness. How about you, Brad? No, no, don't hit me. Don't give me what you gave those two. Let me out of here. The law will get me. It sure will. I'm here with the stolen money, those saddlebags. They'll hang me. I'm not a killer. I never killed anyone. How'd you like to cross the border? Yes, yes, I don't want to die here. Give me the law in Texas. Come on, then. This way. They'll get us. Come on up and come with me. They're shooting. Come on, Brannigan. We're going to Texas. Come on, son. Get up, get up. You mean to say we dig all this digging for nothing? Brannigan crossed of his own will. I've never seen the like of it. Hey, boys, Sheriff Constock says that we can pack the spades and go back to town. Brannigan has confessed everything. Did he cross the border of his own free will and without being dragged across? Well, he sure crossed of his own free will like a dozen demons was on his tail. Well, uh... But I reckon the masked man did a little persuading. I'll settle that. Oh! You have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated. No, but I... I don't know. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.
