the speed of light, the cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. And Yon 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 hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. Let's go, big fellow. I am Silver. The westbound stage carried two passengers. One was a man of about 35, the other a girl who appeared to be just past 21. You're almost at the end of your trip, Miss Palmer. Yes, but you're going all the way west, aren't you, Mr. Jordan? That's right. Do you like what you've seen of it? Yes, I do. You may tell me there's a lot of opportunity out here. It seems to be all open country, too, not many settlers. Oh, I imagine there are enough people scattered about. Well, doesn't that make you a little nervous going to take possession of a big ranch? Nervous? Why should I be nervous? Well, you've no one to protect you. Oh, I'm sure I'll be quite all right. Well, there's some pretty dangerous outlaws out here. Well, I shan't worry about that until the time comes. Oh, as a matter of fact, a little excitement would be welcome. Things have been so terribly quiet since Mother passed away. Are you expected at the ranch? Oh, yes. I wrote and told the manager I was coming. Your first trip? Mm-hmm. Well, I hope you're not disappointed. I can't be disappointed because I'm not expecting very much. I see. How did you become owner of the Lazy D, Miss Palmer? My uncle, my father's brother, left it to me when he died. Oh, I see. That was about five years ago. I stayed east with Mother as long as she lived. I suppose the ranch has gone along just about as it did when Uncle Jim was alive. I hear from the foreman once in a while. Mm. You sound dubious, Mr. Jordan. Well, things have a way, a way of happening. You know, I hear the... Oh! Oh! What in the world is that? Bandits. Oh, bring up now! This is where to get off! Highwaymen! Come on, get out of that stage, all of you! I have a pistol. Oh, please be... Oh, you're shopping! We mean business. Now, get out of that stage, Miss. We ain't fooling you. You've hurt this man! Do something for him! Do something! Do you hear me? That's her, all right. Plenty of spunk. Yeah, it's the girl. Come on, miss. Take your dirty hands off me! Well, out with you, then. We won't hurt you unless you try to resist. I'm getting out. Better do what they say, Miss Palmer. They're right bad, hombres. You heard what the guard said. There's a wagon over there. Get aboard it. You're traveling with us from here on. What about this man? You can't just leave him here like this. You heard bad squint? Ah, he'll be all right. Well, that's tough. You'll have to come with us, then. I'll haul him out. What's the meaning of this? Where are you taking him? Don't mind them bags. You can leave them right where they are, Miss Palmer. We've got no time to waste. Get aboard that wagon. We'll start traveling. Get the dude in the wagon, too, squint. All right. Guard. Throw that man's bag down. Get out. Now, put it in the wagon. Can someone do something? Molly, get on the stage now. Right, Pete. Oh. So this is the fine lady from the east, huh? Who are you? Where did you come? From now on, I'm Jean Palmer. I'm going to take your place. Pete drove to the Lazy D with a girl who took Jean Palmer's place. It was several days later when he saw two horsemen approaching. He didn't know that one was the Lone Ranger traveling with a disguise on his face instead of a mask, and the other was the Indian known as Tonto. Oh, Silver, who are you? Oh, fella. Oh, fella. Here, big fella. And this is where we find girl? Yes, Tonto. And I'm anxious to talk to Jean Palmer. Fella, come this way. What do you want here, stranger? We came to see Miss Palmer. Why? Who are you and what do you want? City, big fella. You're Pete Winters, the foreman, aren't you? That's right. What of it? You looking for a job? No, I'm not looking for a job. Then who are you? I'll introduce myself to Miss Palmer. You do no such thing, but I know who you are and why you're here. Are we going to have an argument? Lone. Take me to Miss Palmer. All right. There's the house, and she's inside. Go wrap on the door. You stay with the horses, Tonto. You'll have to excuse me, Indian. Got to see one of the men over yonder. Hey, squint. We've got visitors. Oh, I see. Who's the critter rapping on the door? I don't know. I don't think he ever saw the Palmer girl. Didn't act like he was a friend. In that case, maybe he won't know Molly's taking Gene Palmer's place. Better keep your guns handy just in case. Yeah. I wonder if the stage driver was doing any talking in town. I was wondering the same thing myself. I'd feel a lot better, squint, if we'd shot that driver. He'd be making a run to Farwell tomorrow. We could fix things so he'd be shot in a holdup. We'll see about it. Maybe it won't be necessary if the guard convinces him to keep his mouth shut. Hey, look. Molly's opened the door. She's letting the stranger in. Come on, squint. We go on in the back door and listen to what goes on. Quite well. I came here to see you. One of the reasons. What are the others? Well, since the death of your uncle, a lot of cattle have been sold. The foreman's been in charge. I suppose he ran things as he thought best. He could hardly think it good business to sell cattle for less than a third of its value. Is that what he did? Yes. The sheriff thought you'd complain about it. What's the sheriff got to do with it? It's my own affair, isn't it? Oh, yes, Miss Palmer. I suppose it is. But there's another matter. Well? What is the other matter? Did you receive a letter from the sheriff asking you to call on him when you got here? I don't remember. Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. I get a lot of letters. Why should I call on the sheriff? There's a paper of some sort that needs your signature. My signature? Yes. If you don't care to go to town, the sheriff will bring the document here for you to sign. Well, I guess that'd be better. I'll tell him. When will he be here? He'll probably ride over later in the day, if that'll be all right. Yeah. That'll... That is... Well? That'll be all right. Very well, Miss Palmer. I'll tell him. Me and Squint was in the other room. Heard everything that was said. Pete, what do we do? The sheriff's coming here with a paper that's got to be signed. Yeah. Got to do something about that. Pete, I'm scared. Take it easy, Molly. You done all right. Don't worry. Me and Squint will handle things. How are the two down in the cellar, Squint? Well, they're still full of height, especially the Palmer girl. I figured we'd have plenty of time to persuade her to sign a bill of sale for this outfit. But if the sheriff is here with something that calls for her signature, it's a different situation. Molly can't sign for her. Of course I can't. Well, we don't know about that. Maybe Molly can do the signing. We've been figuring that we'd have to get the real Gene Palmer to sign a bill of sale. Maybe that won't be necessary. Maybe there's no one around here who knows what the signature looks like. Pete, if we could be sure of that... We'll find out when the law comes with that other paper to sign. Meanwhile, we'll just fix things so as the girl in the cellar will be ready and willing to sign her name. We need her. You, Squint. Yeah? Go below and un-gag the girl and the man that was on the stage with her. I'll be along a little while. Meanwhile, the Lone Ranger and Tonto had ridden to the top of a nearby hill. From there, they could watch the Lazy D without being seen. Now they get the mask on and start for town. You think something wrong at Lazy D? For an Easterner who's been in the West only a few days, that girl is very tanned. You tell girl you're a friend or uncle? Yes, but she wasn't very friendly. Oh. She was a lot different than I expected her to be. Well, for a girl with a background and education Jean Palmer's had, she is... Tonto. What matter? I wonder. It's possible that would account for it. Strange manner, tanned face, unfriendly attitude. What do you think about? Tonto, I think that girl's an imposter. I'm going to find out. You think Palmer girl's captured by crooks? It's possible. Pete Winters has been selling cattle to the Barkay Ranch for practically nothing. He may own part of the Barkay. Oh, what'd you do? I told her the sheriff would bring a paper for her signature. That means the real Jean Palmer will have to be there to sign it. You sure Palmer girl come here? If she's here, they'll have to produce her. If she isn't, the sheriff will find things aren't as they should be at the Lazy D. You stay here and watch the house, Tonto. Oh, you do it. I'll be back with the sheriff. Well, anyone who leaves and blazes trails will I'll be able to find you. Mon silver! You got the gag off your mouthpiece. I see you have, Sclint. Now listen, Jean, stop your crying. Pete here wants to talk to you. You beast. You'll pay for this. If this man dies of his wound, you will hang. How is it, Sclint? He don't look so good. His wound's infected and he needs a doctor. He'll die unless you do something for him. It's tough luck for being on the stagecoach with you, Miss Palmer. What do you want? Why did you capture me? What are you after? I figured you knew, but this time, we've shown you the paper we want you to sign. Yes. Bill of sale. You want me to sign away this ranch. You've been cussed stubborn about it. I'll never sign that paper. That's too bad, Miss. Sure is too bad. This man's got to die just on account of your stubbornness. Oh, but... Now, why don't you be sensible? You can see that we don't aim to let you go free unless you sign that paper. So you won't be able to use the ranch anyhow. And if this man dies for lack of attention, it'll be your stubbornness that killed him. Why don't you be smart, honey? Just do what Pete says, and we'll get a doctor and fix this man's wound. And then let both of you go free. You know very well that's a lie. You don't dare let us go free to put the law on you. The law? Shucks. We aimed to sell the ranch for cash and cut across the border. Law couldn't touch us. How's that there wound feel, Mr. Jordan? Hurts when I touch it, huh? Don't. Not again. Oh, wait. Just a minute, Squint. Was you about to say something, Miss? Yes. Will you... Will you promise to get a doctor for this man and then let us leave here if I give you this ranch? Sure thing. No. No, Miss Palmer, don't give in to them. I'll... I'll sign the bill of sale. Good. I'll get it. No, wait. Wait a minute. We may find that my signature will do as good as hers. We better wait to see if I sign the papers that the sheriff brings here. Molly's right. Gag the two of them again, Squint, and then come upstairs. I got a job for you. What sort of job you got for Squint? I wanted to ride over to town and have a talk with a stage guard. Got to be sure there's no squeal from the guard or the driver. Oh, that's right. One other thing, Pete. You don't really aim to turn that girl and the gent loose, do you? Not by a darn sight. As soon as we're sure we're not going to need them, we get rid of them for keeps. 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. How to continue our story. After leaving the Lazy D, where he appeared unmasked but disguised, the Lone Ranger resumed the familiar mask and rode into town. He reined up in the rear of the sheriff's office and entered by a back door. It took but a few moments to tell the lawman of his visit. There's something wrong at that place, Sheriff. The girl wasn't at all concerned over the fact that her cattle had been sold so cheaply. And if you rode up their way in that match... But I didn't. The girl I saw didn't look like an Easterner, and she didn't talk like one. Furthermore, she seemed very anxious to get rid of me. You told her you was a friend of her uncle's? Yes, but that didn't seem to mean anything to her. It's possible that the foreman has made threats. You might have warned her that something would happen if she didn't be careful of what she said, or it might be possible that the girl I talked to is an imposter. Well, I can probably find out if I go there and get her to sign the Catman's Association certificate. That's what I thought. Well, I'll get ready and ride over to the Lazy Day. Sheriff, do you know anything about that foreman? Who, Pete Rimmies? Yes. No, I can't say the dude. He was hired by Jim Daggett about a year before Jim died, and he's been running the Lazy Day ever since. That's how I thought it was. I wrote Miss Palmer when I found out about Pete selling the cattle as a cheap. But you didn't hear from her? The next thing I knew, she was getting off the stage here in town. You saw her get off the stage? Sure, why? And that simplifies things. When you ride out to the ranch, you can easily tell if the girl I talked to is the one you saw arrive in town. Sure. How soon are you going out there? Well, as soon as I can get the paper ready for signing and the horse saddle. I'll ride part of the way with you. That'll be first rate. I left Tonto watching the house from the top of the hill. We'll see if he has anything to report. This where you left the engine, pal? Yes, Sheriff. He's not here now. I told him to follow anyone who left the ranch. That's what he's done. Hey, big fella. He's left some stones on the ground. Here's a signal. What do they mean? They point the direction. If I want to, I can find him by following markers like this. But I'll wait here until you come back from the house. I'd sure appreciate it if you did. We that was friends of old Jim have got to stick together to be sure his niece gets a square deal. I'll be waiting. Right. Get up there. Get up. Hmm? Take a look out the front window and see who's coming. Who is it, Pete? Sheriff himself. It just rained up the side of the house. It's coming around the front. Pete, I wish you'd stay here while I'm talking to him. Yeah, sure thing, Molly. And for goodness sake, stop calling me Molly. The name is Gene Palmer and don't forget it. I'll let him in. Watch yourself, Molly. Don't make no slips. Howdy. I reckon you're expecting me. The Sheriff. Well, don't see much of you, Sheriff. Do come in, Sheriff. I've been expecting you. Thanks, Miss Palmer. Won't you sit down? Thanks. Thanks, Miss. I knew who you were from seeing you get off the stage in town the other day. You'll have to forgive me for not answering your letter, Sheriff. Oh, you got it all right, eh? Oh, yes. But as long as I was coming out here, I didn't think it necessary to answer. Well, there was a couple of things I figured you should know. Maybe it'd be better if, well, if I could talk to you alone, eh? Pete Winters is the foreman here, Sheriff. Everything about the ranch is in his hands. Yeah, but... I've already been told about some cattle sales. If you're curious as to why I sold off cattle at a low price, Sheriff, I can... You needn't explain, Pete. It's not the business of anyone else. Yes, ma'am. I don't expect to be here long, Sheriff. I'm going to sell the ranch and go back east. Well, of course, that's up to you, Miss Palmer. Your friend said you were bringing a paper that I had to sign. Yeah, I got it right here. It's just your certificate in the Cattlemen's Association, that's all. Oh, I see. I suppose it's important in business to sign everything the same way. I'm not sure whether my signature is known around here or not. Should I sign it with my full name or just my initials? I reckon you can sign it any way you want, Miss Palmer. Being as it'll be the first signing around here. Oh. Well, very well. Then I'll sign it, Jean Palmer. Well, she signed it herself, huh, Sheriff? Right there in front of me. What's more, she was the girl that got off the stage. I'm still not satisfied. You, uh, you said Tonto was following someone that left the ranch. Maybe he'll know something when he comes back. I'm not going to wait. I'm convinced that something's wrong at that ranch. I'm going to act on that conviction. I tell you, Molly, it was downright slick. Well, now we got nothing at all to worry about. We don't even have to get that girl to sign a bill of sale. I guess you're right about that, Pete. Well, sure I am. Why, the way things are now, if the real Jean Palmer was to sign a paper, her signature would look like a forgery. And remember what the sheriff said. He knew who you were from seeing you get off the stage in town the other day. It'll be all right if the guard and driver don't squeal. Ah, they won't. Squints in town making sure of that. I sure got a hander to you, Molly. Was downright smart the way you found out that the sheriff hadn't ever seen the real signature. Just the same. I'll feel a lot better when we're out of this game. It won't be long. What about the girl and man in the cellar? I'll take care of them right away. I've sent for Moose and Ramsey. They'll come to the house here as soon as they get some tools from the shed. Tools? Ah, that'll be the boys. What kind of tools? Pigs and shovels. We're digging a hole in the center. Come in, boys. Guess we got everything, Pete. Where'd I put these things? Right there in the corner, Ramsey. Next the cellar door. Them two ready for burying yet? No, Moose. You and Ramsey will have to ready them. I didn't figure there'd be a killing on this job. You'll be well paid for what you do, Ramsey. I'd better wait till the company's gone. Company? What company? Looks to be an old desert rat. Come to the bunkhouse on foot. Says he's a friend of the family. Doggone. Send him around to the front door, Pete. Sounds like he's got there. I'll go talk to him. You boys better wait here till he's gone. All right. You too, Molly. Right. I'm coming. Well, what do you want? Tell me, Sonny. Give me the true facts. Is it straight that old Jim's niece has moved in to take over the lazy D? What if she has? Then it's true, huh? What about it? I'm the manager. You can take your business up with me. Not on your tin type, Sonny. Stand aside and let me in. Hey! I do declare. I ain't seen Gene for a dog's age. Hey, listen, you old... Shut the door. Shut the door there, Sonny. You're letting in flies. Where's that girl? You a friend of hers? Well, I should smile. You just trot her in here. By darn, you'll see what a friend I am. Stay in here. I'll get her. Here? Who is he? You know as much as I do about the old coot. You better go in and talk to him. What if he knows the real Gene Palmer? Pete, maybe we'd better get her. You can't do it, Molly. You go talk to him. If he knows you're not Gene, we'll just have to get rid of him for keeps. But, Pete, I don't... I'll go with you and I'll have my gun handy. Yeah, sure thing. Here she is. I understand you're one of my... Where? I see her. Oh. What's the matter with you? You're looking right at her. Play a joke on old man. That's it, huh, Sonny? A joke? Well, I knew Jeannie Palmer in the East. I knew her Paul and his brother, her ma and her brother. I knew the whole shebang. Mister, this is Gene Palmer. I don't like to argue, mister, but on the... This does my argument. Gun. Say, what sort of things are going on around here? You'll find out a plenty soon. You know, Sonny, I think I'll find out right now. I don't like guns. Pete! Why, you... Now, get over there against the wall. Hey, who... Move! What the... I'll put the next one through your arm. You get over there, too. Why, you're not an old man at all. Not as old as I appeared. Now, we'll find out what's going on around here and what became of the real Gene Palmer. Right. What? You're covered. Drop that gun. Drop it or we'll drill you in the back. Serves me right for leaving an open door behind my back. Sure does. Give me that gun. I'll crease him with a barrel. No, no, Pete! Here! Hey, that dropped him. I'll finish him. Who is he? I don't know. Whoever he is, he knows I'm not Gene Palmer. Pose is an old friend of the family. Well, here's where he gets what's come. You can't come in here. You can't. Pete! Pete! Pete! Hey, what's going on? Get your hands up. The sheriff. I'll fix him. The window. Good work. I got you covered, Moose. Now, throw down him guns. You too, Pete. Stay still, Molly. Now, see, here, Sheriff. You must be... Now, the fellas are all captured. An Indian. You can't come here like this. You must be... Stay still, Molly. We know all about your scheme. We even know who you are. Now, hold on, Sheriff. Sheriff, that man came here to make trouble. And he tricked you into making the first move for a gun. He suspected what was going on, Pete. When Tonto found Squinty in town talking to the guard and driver of the stage, he confirmed the suspicions. How's your friend, Tonto? I'm all right. You boys search this house and find the real Gene Palmer and the man who was captured with her. All right, Sheriff. We'll take over from here, Tonto. The lone ranger and you have done your part. Oh, Gene, this has been the happiest two weeks of my life. I'll hate to leave the lazy day. Oh, but you needn't leave, Ernest. I must have a foreman to run the place. Thanks, Gene, but I can't stay. The doctor said my womb was all right and I've packed my things, so... Oh, I'll be very sorry to see you leave. I'd hoped you'd stay. Gene, I... I love you. I... I can't stay here caring so much for you. Golly, what... Well, what's wrong with love? Gene! You mean you'd marry me? Why don't you try and ask me? Ask you? Oh, God! Silly. Why did you think I asked you to stay? Oh, Gene. But you'd better be awful kind and good, honey. Because if you're not, I'll ask the sheriff to get word to the Lone Ranger. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. Well, who knows? 100,000 people here ... Oh, God. How come? Yeah. Oh, God. You don't need to be ע featuring him either, but I willں up the air for Heaven and I will sit here with you again. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
