with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. Faithful Indian companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful masked 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 hoofbeat to the great horse Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Come on Silver, let's go big fellow, come on Silver, come on! A privately chartered stagecoach was due in the town of Three Pines. When word came that the stage had been sighted, a number of townsmen gathered to watch the arrival. No one suspected that a tall member of the group near the stagecoach office was the almost legendary character known as the Lone Ranger. The stage ahead of schedule? Not decent, stranger. This stage don't run on schedule. This here's a special one. I see. Special passenger, too. The government sent a man to settle an argument between Jake Canfield and a pack of redskins. Chief Whitecloud's people? Yeah. You know about him? Well, I've heard about the disagreement. Canfield's trying to take land that belongs to the Indians, isn't he? Well, that all depends on how you look at it. Some say the land belongs to Canfield. Some say it's the Indians. That's why the government sent a man to settle it. Do you know who's coming? No. I'm just hanging around here to see if it's anyone I know. I see Canfield and Whitecloud have been here for the same region. Oh, have they? Yeah, that gen over there, leaning on the hitch rail. It's one of Canfield's men. Name's Corbett. Oh, yes. And I suppose that redskin over here and there is one of Whitecloud's men. I think the stage is in sight. Yep. Excuse me, mister. I've got to get closer. I think Whitecloud sent you here. If not, Manor. Canfield has a man here to see who's on the stage. You'll know him? His name's Corbett. He's a man in the black hat that's leaning on the hitch rail. Keep an eye on him. We can't stay here all day. Get a move on. Step lively. Yeah, I'll open the door and let the judge step out and stretch his legs. Yeah. Boys, this here's Judge Allen. What do you do? Right glad to meet up with you. I'm Hank Timmons. Glad to know you. All right. You've all seen the judge. Now shove on. See here, Corbett. Who do you think you are? You too, Hank. Get going. I've got to see the judge and some business. Well, I don't see why I have to put you... Step over this way, Judge Allen. Well, go to the porch where it's shady. That's a good idea. Better, huh? Much better. Care to sit down? No, thanks, Corbett. I'd rather stand for a while. You know, Judge Allen, we're mighty glad the government sent a man like you to handle things. I reckon it won't take you long to put White Cloud in his place, huh? Do you think White Cloud is the one to be put in his place? Sure he is. He's trying to grab land that belongs to Ace Canfield. That wasn't my impression. Why, the whole thing's down in black and white. What do you mean? The agreement between Canfield and the Indians. Bitter Creek is a dividing line between the land that each of them owns. Canfield is north of the creek and the Indians are south. The trouble began when the Indians claimed land on the north side of the creek. But when the boundaries were agreed upon, the creek didn't follow its present course. There was a landslide, wasn't there? Yeah. The landslide changed the creek. Now it flows far south of where it used to. Sure. Let me get another fact confirmed. Huh? You say White Cloud's people are now on land north of the creek. Yeah. Have they always had the same land? Yes. But they should have moved when the landslide changed the creek, and they haven't done so. In other words, Canfield wants land to belong to the Indians before the landslide. He's got a right to it. He wants more land than he first held. It's not his doing it, the creek changed course. We'll see. By thunder. It sounds to me like you favor the Indians. I'll have to make a complete investigation before I decide. Hey, Judge! We're going to get aboard and we're ready to shove our arms. All right, Judge. Ace Canfield will be mighty sore if you decide against him. Canfield will get what he deserves. No more, no less. Step right in, Judge. We got a long way to go. Well, then, let's get started. Bye, Judge. Come on, get up! Get up! Well, Corbett, did you find out where... Get out of my way! Hey, don't shut me! Where are you going? None of your business! Steady there, boy! Get up! Get up! As Corbett set out across the rolling plain, the Indian called Tonto and the tall man walked quickly to the rear of the row of buildings. While the tall man spoke in a low voice, he drew a mask from beneath his shirt and adjusted it over his eyes. Tonto, Corbett is going through the hills. He's going to try to reach Canfield before the stage with Judge Allen. It'd take two, three days for stage to reach town near Canfield Ranch. Yes, I know it. I want you to get there ahead of the stage. Ahead of Corbett, if possible. Me try. Find out what Canfield will do when he learns that an honest judge is to decide the issue. Well, Silver, getting tired of waiting. Steady, Scott. Steady, fella. I'll meet you near the town of Newton. Ah. In an upscount. Steady, big fella. Come on, Silver. Bart Boswell held a local post as Indian agent in the town of Newton. He looked up from his desk as Ace Canfield opened and closed the door. Hello, Canfield. Have a chair. Perhaps it will. Did this get in from your ranch? Yep. Been tired of me, Corbett. Have you seen him around? No. Did you look in the cafe? I told him to come here to your office as soon as he got back from Three Pines. Three Pines? Well, that's quite a trip. What's he doing in Three Pines? I sent him over there a few days ago to watch for the special stage. I want to know who the government has sent him to settle the land argument. Oh. Ah, you're plenty smart, Canfield. Plenty smart. What do you mean? One of four men will come here. Three of them can be bought off so you can take White Cloud's land. But if it's Judge Allen, you'll have to do some fast thinking. My thinking is all done. If it's Judge Allen, you might be able to pick up a little cash by helping me. Suits me. Someone's stopping outside. Ah, it's Corbett. Saw him past the window. Hey, Bargis. Oh, hello, boss. Been waiting a long? I just got here. What's the news, Corbett? Well, the news ain't good. Judge Allen, the man? Yeah. I talked to him. He knows pretty much about the situation. He got all the facts before he came. Yeah. He's leaning toward White Cloud. I expected that. He'll decide for White Cloud unless he comes across something to change his mind. Well, we'll have to see that he comes across something. It's hard luck for him and a hard luck for the Indians. But I want that land. You got plans all made? Yeah. I'll get the land I want. And I'll make every Indian in this section of the hills run to save his hide. Then I'll... Just a minute, Ace. Yeah. Before you get to talking too free and easy, I'd better close the window. Never can tell when someone might be near enough to the window to hear what's set in this office. In a nearby woodland camp, Tonto waited until the Lone Ranger joined him in mid-afternoon. Oh, hold on. Hold on. He said it easy now. Tonto, I went to White Cloud's village. Ah. You see White Cloud? Yes. And he has a right to that land. His people have worked hard to clear the soil and plant crops. Me, no. They're made to leave before harvest time. They lose all their food. They won't be able to get through the winter. That's why Canfield want land. Him want all crops. Yes. Could you learn anything in town? Well, me near window, me here Canfield, talked to a fellow named Bart. Bart Boswell? Ah. He's the local Indian agent. Well, him friendly with Canfield. How friendly? Well, him ready to help Canfield. Oh, he is, huh? That's right. Canfield know that Judge Allen come here. Him know Judge, say, White Cloud, whole land. He learned that from Corbett. That's right. What's Canfield going to do about it? Well, him, say, him fix things. Him hurt Judge Allen. Hurt Indian. Him go over plan with Indian agents. What is the plan? Me not know. Me not hear anymore. So Boswell is going to help Canfield. Ah. In that case, he'll know what Canfield's going to do. Tonto, we're going to talk to Boswell. Tonto, we're going to talk to you about Canfield. Judge Allen had grown tired of riding alone inside the stage. He had changed his seat to ride beside the driver. Get up there! Get along, you lazy good fun Athens. You're not pushing the horses too hard, are you? Oh, we're most to the end of the trip. I figure we'll be in Newton by sundown. Good. I'll certainly be glad to see this trip ended. Judge, I gather from things you already said, you figure that the Redskins should hold on to that land. Is that so? Unless Canfield can present a very strong case. You know, Judge, I'm afraid that Canfield will have a doggone sight stronger case than you look for. How's that? Well, you see, this is sort of out of the way country. Canfield sort of runs things around here. He's got a way of getting what he wants. Sometimes it's legal and sometimes it ain't. So I've heard. The trouble is, when it ain't legal, he sees to it that the law can't touch him for what he does. I've heard that too. You better be mighty careful in your dealings with these Canfields. I intend that we... What the... Oh, blow down! Oh, blow down! Oh, what a tad ratted luck. Look what's on the trail ahead of it. A tree? Yeah. It must have got blowed down by the wind. It's got us blocked. Can't you go around it? Yeah, maybe so, maybe not. There's level ground around that rock. If it ain't too soft, we maybe can go across it. I'll have to get down and take a look and see. I'll get down and look with you. It'll be a good chance to take the kinks out of my way and suit yourself. Listen, Judge Allen. What? What the... Take it easy. Don't go for a gun. Were you critters hiding back of that rock? It's possible. You cut down that tree of purpose to stop this stage. What? I know that man. That's Corbett. I saw you in three pines. That's right. If this is a robbery, you've wasted your effort. We have nothing of value. Don't underreach yourself, Judge Allen. What? What do you mean? You personally have considerable value to me. You see, my name is Canfield. Canfield? He's Canfield. Now, what's back in this play, Canfield? What do you think you're going to do? I'm going to entertain the judge. I may have something to say about that. Your Honor, you'll have a lot to say. You're going to decide whether the entertainment is to be profitable to you or fatal. 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. Judge Allen and the driver of the stagecoach were within an hour of the town of Newton when they were halted by a fallen tree. Ace Canfield and Corbett appeared holding guns. They forced the driver to unhitch the team while they tied the judge's hands. That's it. Now, get the judge's handbag overseas. If you want it, Canfield, get it yourself. There. Steady, steady. Go on and do what the boss says or I'll use a gun barrel the next time I whack you. We might as well do what they want, driver. All right, I'll get the bag. The judge might need some of the things that are in it. There's the bag. Now, come back here. Just what do you plan to do with us, Canfield? How far do you think you'll get with these high-handed methods? Far enough. Time to drive his hands, Corbin. Right. I'll see you here. Give me your paws and shut up. Make them good and tight. Don't worry. When I tie a man, he stays tied. Canfield, I suppose you plan to use force to make me rule in your favor on the title of that piece of land. That's a first-rate guess, Judge Allen. Corbett learned how I felt about the matter when he talked to me in Three Pines. You shouldn't have talked so much. If you think methods like these would do... You'll hear all the details when we get to where we're going. That'll hold you. If it doesn't hold me, Corbett, you'll be a dead pigeon. And that's a promise. Corbett, set fire to the stage. Right. Fire? Just as Indians would do. You see, this is to look like the work of Indians. Members of White Cloud's tribe. Oh, the cowardly tricks. We just started, Judge Allen. Before we're through, the Indians may be charged with a lot more than the burning of a stagecoach. There she goes. Good. That stage will burn like tinder. It's as dry as the bones on the desert. Now, Corbett, take the horses to White Cloud's territory and turn them loose. I'll meet you at White Road. I'll be there. That ought to make it by sundown. Steady, boy. Get out there. Come on. The stage burned briskly while Corbett took the horses in one direction... ...and Canfield forced the prisoners ahead of him in another. In the meantime, Bart Boswell was persuaded by Tonto to ride out of town toward a woods. Now, look here, Tonto, or whatever your name is. Where are you taking me? If not far. He said there was a man who wanted to speak to the one in charge of Indian affairs around here. That right. Well, where is he? Already come over a mile from town. You see him plenty soon. In this woods? That right. Well, why couldn't he come to see me in my office the same as everyone else does? Well, him wear a mask and face. Oh, an outlaw, huh? Well, why didn't you say so? Ho, ho there, ho. I'm going no farther. I want nothing. Maybe you change mine, man. Hey, now, hold on. Now, you... You move. Put that knife away. I'll go, will you say? Never mind. Huh? Well, who's that? We can talk right here, Boswell. You... You're the best man the Indians spoke of. Yes. Get off that horse. All right, all right. Don't drag me off. Come down here. There. Now, Boswell, you're not going to waste any time. You ought to talk and talk fast. I want to know what Ace Canfield plans to do with Judge Allen. Well, what do you mean? Don't stall. Talk. But, but... Well, give me a chance. Come over here with that knife, Toto. Get ready. No. No, no, don't let him use... Canfield told you his plans. What are they? I don't know. Go to work on him, Toto. No, no. I'll talk. Make it fast, then. Well, what do you want to know? Canfield hopes to force Judge Allen to rule in his favor against Whitecloud. You know all about it because he told you his plans. Now you can tell him to me. No. No, I can't. I can't tell you. Ace will kill me. What do you think me do? Take that knife away. Canfield's not near here. Toto's right next to you with that knife. Please. All right. I can't waste any more time with you. Take over, Toto. I'll take him over. No, wait. Wait a second. I'll talk. Canfield is going to capture Judge Allen. He's going to force him to put his ruling into writing. And then whatever he has to do, he'll blame it on the Indians. Where's Canfield? He's going to stop the stagecoach just beyond the east bend. If you hurry, you can catch him there. I'm up, Toto. I'll get silver. No, wait. Don't tie me up. I've told you all I know. Let me go. Let me tie you up. Can you tell any more? No, no. Honest, I can't. What were you going to do to help Canfield? I was just going to help him frame Whitecloud's people. I was just going to back the judge's report and decision. That's all. That rope's too tight. Where's Canfield going to take the judge? I don't know anymore than I told you. Honest, I don't. All right. We'll see. Hold him until I get back, Toto. Say it, be color. Come on, silver. The Lone Ranger rode at top speed in the gathering twilight. He followed the stage trail toward the east until he rounded a bend. Just beyond a tree lay on the ground. Hold, hold, silver. Hold. Easy, big fella. Steady now. The masked man dismounted, looked beyond the tree and saw the smoldering remains of the stagecoach. Too late, silver. We're too late. Toto had built a small fire in the woods to serve as a beacon in the darkness. For some time, he sat watching the Indian agent. From time to time, he toyed with a keen-edged knife. I wish you'd put that knife away. What matter? The way you look at it and you look at me. It makes me feel that you want to use it on me. Maybe you not tell truth. Maybe you have cause to be afraid. I did tell the truth. Oh, we see. What was that? Sound like nightbird. Sometime nightbird worn of danger. Maybe it good me go that way. Take a look. The Indian moved away from a circle of light and disappeared among the trees. In a few moments, he was back at the side of the captured Indian agent. Did you see anything? You not used to woods at night, huh? You scare plenty easy. What are you doing? Me make sure ropes plenty tight. Oh, maybe masked man not come back for a long time. It good me get some sleep. As Toto leaned to inspect the ropes, Boswell saw something glitter in the firelight as it slipped from the Indian's belt. It was Toto's knife. It lay on the ground within easy reach. Boswell held his breath, hoping against hope that Toto wouldn't discover it. Al, you not get way. What are you going to do now? Now me lie down in black and get some sleep. Silence broken only by the sounds of night. Silence, while Toto lay near the fire. Boswell waited until he saw the Indian breathing slowly as if asleep. He moved stealthily an inch at a time. Toto didn't stir. Then Boswell had the knife. He strained to bring the keen edge against the ropes that held him. Then a moment later, he was free. In the meantime, Judge Allen and the driver of the stage saw no hope of getting free of their bonds. Canfield and Corbett stood over the captives who lay on the ground near a great white boulder on the hillside. Look here, Judge Allen. You might as well be sensible about things. And be dishonest. Don't interrupt when Canfield's talk. The horses from the stage will be found in White Cloud's territory. The Redskins will get the blame for burning the stage and for anything that happens to you and the driver. Yeah, you ornery buzzard. The local agent of Indian affairs is working with me. Mark Boswell? Sure thing. You'll tell the law he's got proof the White Cloud's people waylaid you. The Indians would have no motive. The law would never believe such a charge. The Indians would have plenty of motive. If they thought you were coming here to rule against them, Boswell will fix up a story that the law will believe. Now, just between you and I, Judge, if White Cloud is smart, he'll move and move fast, rather than face the charge of killing you. Yeah, among other things, you aim to frame the Indians for murder. I aim to get what I want. You see, Judge Allen, I'll get the land one way or the other. You can sign a decision the way I want it, or you can be a dead hero. Either way, I'll get what I'm after. You'll get it over my dead body. I'll not sign. So that's how you want it. Hold it, Corbett. Put the gun away. But he said he would. I have a little more to say. Judge Allen, you may have forgotten that there's another life at stake. Before we fix things so the Indians can be charged with killing you, we'll dispose of this young driver. Tell him to go to blazes. Even if you sign what they want, they'll kill both of us. They don't dare let us go. You shut up. Corbett, you better make sure I never get that chance to square things with you. I've unpacked your bag, Judge. You'll find all your legal forms right there on the ground. Are you ready to start writing a decision? I don't know. Hey, someone is coming. Get your gun ready. It is. If it's trouble, put the first shot on the judge. Hey, can't be used to it. It's Boswell. Oh, the fool. Why has he come here? Oh, boy. What do you want here? Ace, listen to me. Well? I was captured by an Indian mask man. What's that? They made me tell you how you planned to capture the judge. What? Why you? Steady, Corbett. You mean to say you're talking? Well, I had to. The Indian had a knife and he looked ready to slit my throat. I ought to drill you. Now, wait, Corbett. You'd have done the same thing. Figured they'd let me go when I told them what they wanted to know. Thought I'd have a chance to warn you. How did they know there was anything going on? I don't know. Did they let you go? No. The masked man rode away, leaving me tied up and guarded by the Indians. Then how did you get away? Well, he didn't know it, but he dropped his knife. And when he went to sleep, I got it and cut the rope. Sneaked my horse away and came here to warn you. What about the Indians? You get them? No. I didn't want to take a chance of going close enough to knife them. They'd take them a gun. I'd like to know how anyone got to wonder things. Was a redskin one of White Cloud's tribe? I don't think so. He didn't look like it. Ever seen him before? No, but I know his name. The masked man called him Tonto. Tonto? What about it, Alan? Do you know him? I wonder... Well, let's change the things. If someone knew the stage was held up by me and Corbett, we can't waste any more time. Corbett, you've been waiting for the chance to use that gun. You bet I have. Take the driver first, then the judge. And Boswell, you'll have to make White Cloud's outfit guilty of murder. I can do it. You don't know a driver, but you're lucky. I'm going to finish you with one shot instead of using you for practice. Oh, what the... Wait, hey! Hey! I'll take this one, Tonto. For you. Let me fix you. No! Oh, wait, listen. No, no, I can't... Don't finish him. Let me have a chance. Cut these ropes. Let me have the pole. Don't think Tonto will sleep first. No, don't. You plenty fool. No! Get up! Get that one! Corbett's getting away. Stop him! Get after Corbett. Come, Silver. You not worry. Masked man, catch him plenty quick. Here. He cut rope. Oh. So... So you are Tonto. That right. I thought Boswell had taken your knife. Me drop that knife so him get free. You wanted him to escape? Ah. Masked man make sound like bird. Me go meet him. Him say, let fellow escape. Maybe him make way to this place. Well, of all things. Now, your turn. Me cut you loose. Yeah. You sure done a fancy job of knocking Boswell out. How about Canfield? Look how the mask man dealt with him. I sure hope he lets me have a chance at Corbett if he catches him. Look. Him got Corbett now. Sure enough. Him put ropes on him. I was afraid to crit him out of escape. No one escaped from Lone Ranger. Lone Ranger? Great day, Judge. Did you know that? I wonder if White Cloud's people will ever know how greatly they're indebted to the Lone Ranger. You have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
