A fiery horse with a speed of light A cloud of dust and a hearty The Lone Ranger The Lone Ranger With his 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 hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, tell them. Let's go, big fellow. The Lone Ranger and Tonto had left Frontier Town after leading the capture of a number of crooks. They planned to call on their friends Mustang Mag and Missouri. As they neared the ranch house, they heard Mag's voice, and Mag was angry. That's Mag, come on. Something's going on in there. Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Poor Missouri. I hate to walk in on one of their arguments. She's been threatening Missouri with a skillet for as long as I can remember. Oh, Mag, not cool this time. Easy, big fellow. Come on, Tonto. Mag, what have you done? Great day, it's our mass friend. Look, look at what Mag's done. She cracked that armory right on the top with a stretch and with a skillet. Take a look at him, Tonto. See how badly he's hurt. He had it come in the skin, Flint. We heard it outside. We thought you'd hit Missouri. Oh, why? No, I couldn't have stood a crack like Mag gave that to him. Not even with my hat on. I figured his hat would take up most of the blow. Him only knocked out. Him not hurt bad. That'll teach him not to come around here unloading worthless, no-good mining stock on a poor, helpless, unsuspecting critter like me. What helpless, he says? Who is this man? He calls himself Fenimore Tubbs. And a slicker talker you never heard. Oh, that is Fenimore Tubbs. You've heard of him? Yes, Missouri. You say he sold you interest in a gold mine, Mag? Half interest. I should have been suspicious when he was willing to sell out such a big interest for only $200. But he was a slick talker. Yeah, come here. Come here today. Telling Mag the mine had petered out to nothing. But he had another proposition. I didn't let him get started with his slick talk. I talked first. Told him to hand over my $200. Or else. Or else means a skillet. He didn't have the $200. He got it. In the skillet, I mean. Mag, a lot of people have been swindled by Tubbs. He probably sold interest in the gold mine to a dozen people. Sold each one half interest. But Dad Rattity couldn't do that. There's only two halves in a hole. As long as this project fails, doesn't matter how much of it he sells. No one expects any profit. I think... You... You... You was going to say something? Mag, I've just thought of something. This man has avoided jail for a long time. Because he's a smooth talker. Well, what about it? You know about Joe Jolly's pedometer. Joe wants to organize a company to manufacture and sell the device. Hmm. I wonder if my plan would work. Worth trying. What's your plan? Mag, where is the gold mine stock you bought from Tubbs? Right there in the table drawer. Let me borrow it. I'm going to show it to Judge Knott at Frontier Town. He owns the bank. Yes. He can be a big help. Hollow, take Tubbs to our camp. Hold him there until I join you. The Lone Ranger helped lift Fenimore Tubbs to the back of Tonto's horse. Then went into Frontier Town to call on a few of his friends while the Indian took the unconscious, confident man into camp. In the meantime, a swarthy individual with the features of a half-breed and a man whose face wore an unmistakable prison pallor approached the community from another direction. Breed, are you sure Fenimore Tubbs was heading for Frontier Town? Si, senor. There is no doubt of it. Every time I think of that scheming sidewinder, I get riled up. With his slick talking, he can steal hundreds of dollars. But me? I get caught trying to steal ten dollars and spend six months in jail for it. Patience, amigo. Soon we will have many times ten dollars. And we will if Tubbs don't get lynched and if he manages to skin the same people twice. We wait and watch, amigo, while the fat one does all the work. Then when Tubbs is ready to leave, we step in and take the money from him. In Frontier Town, the Lone Ranger, despite his mask, was accepted by Judge Knopf, Joe Jolly, and several others as a friend. The judge was also owner of the bank, and it was in his office that he met the masked man. Yes, indeed. I'm convinced that Joe Jolly's device has tremendous possibilities. And it takes money to get into production on an article like the Pedometer. That's what I thought. I've helped Joe organize a company. Cash is needed before there can be any further expansion. Why won't the townspeople buy shares in the company? Well, you know how it is. People admire the Pedometer. They think it's clever. Yes, it certainly is. Everyone admits that. But when it comes to investing cash, well, either Joe nor I have the persuasive powers of the salesman. I've seen confidence men unload utterly worthless stock on smart people here in town. But when it comes to investing in something worthwhile... Yes, yes, I know what you mean. It does not look at this. Does this stock certificate look familiar? It was bought by Mustang Mag. It represents half interest in a gold mine. A great gem mine. I, um... I bought stock in that mine. Oh, how much stock? I'm ashamed to admit it. But it seemed like a good proposition when it was described. I bought half interest. Then you and Mustang Mag are supposed to be the sole owners. But I think investigation will prove that Fenimore Tubbs sold 50% of the mine to many others. That crook, he pledged me to absolute secrecy. Of course he did. You compared notes with some of the people in town, you'd realize that you'd been swindled. I see. Uh, Judge Knot, Tubbs is coming back to Frontier Town. He should be in jail. Yes, perhaps he should. But he does have a lot of ability. Ability that can be used. You say he's on his way back to Frontier Town. How do you know? Because he's in my camp right now. Judge Knot, I'll tell you my plan. If you like it, you can go with me to call on Joe Jolly. You know, sitting here beside this creek, I've been trying to figure things out. My friend, no, you Fenimore Tubbs. Him, no, you crook. Well, that makes it all the more difficult to figure out his motive. If he intended bodily harm, he'd hardly have rescued me from the crutches of that dirt. That woman, if he wanted to turn me over to law, though, of course, the law is nothing on me, he wouldn't have brought me to this camp. Oh, he'll come back plenty soon. You ask him questions. Who is your friend? You not know him. Why do you say that? I know many people. My acquaintances extend from here to the Pecos. You look over there. Friend come now. Oh, he's on that white horse. He's masked. That's right. I fall in the hands of outlaws. Who is that masked man? Oh, Kimo Sabi. Aye. Is that a big fellow? Well, how's the prisoner, Tonto? Him all right. My dear sir, I've been trying to explain to your Indian companion that despite my clothing, I have no money. Save it, Tubbs. I can pay nothing for my freedom. You have something that's worth a lot more than money. I? Yes, you have the ability to sell. All you need is something to peddle. You can get all the money you want. You, uh... I know you. You swindled Mustang Mag with worthless mining stockers. But you... You sold Judge Knott stock in the same mine. Also Milo Phillips, Joe Jolly, a number of others in Frontier Town. But I... You knew when you sold them stock in the Great Gem Mine that it was worthless. You... No. You sold every one of them 50% interest in that mine. And pledged everyone to secrecy. If it might have been worth anything, a dozen people would have tried to collect half interest in it. Well, I... I made a few mistakes. Yes, and your biggest mistake was in returning to the vicinity of Frontier Town. My dear sir, if you would but let me explain. I made a mistake. I should have made out those certificates for 5% instead of 50. And I didn't know at the time that the Great Gem would prove a poor investment. I acted in good faith, believe me, sir. I don't believe a word you say. I came back to this community to make restitution. I came back to replace stock in the Great Gem with stock in the... In the Galo Kanda. You saw that stock? Yes, we inspected your carpet bag. Oh. You were going to give shares in the Galo Kanda in exchange for the worthless Great Gem. Plus a certain amount of cash. Isn't that it? Well, I... Tubbs, you're a piker. What? Well, you could probably work your list of victims a second time and get away with it. You're slick enough. But why don't you make a real cleanup while you're at it? Yes? What? What do you mean? Have you heard of Joe Jolly's pedometer? No. Everyone in Frontier Town knows of it. And there's nothing fraudulent about it. You say, pedometer? Yes. It's an instrument a little larger than a watch. It's one on the belt and tied to a leg. It operates automatically to measure the distance a man walks. You don't say. Yes. Here's one. Look at it. Each stride is counted. Now, these figures show about how far you've walked. Wouldn't it be easier to sell stock in this than in a gold mine no one has seen? What? Why, sir? This is a gold mine. Well, Joe Jolly is not much of a businessman. He's given me a letter authorizing the sale of stock in the company that is to manufacture this pedometer. Now, you, Tubbs, are a salesman. Do you want to go to work? Selling stock in the pedometer company? Yes. You can do it honestly. Yes. What's in it for me? Here are stock certificates ready to be filled in as you sell them. Jolly wants to sell 49% interest in the pedometer. When that's been done, we'll talk about your commission. I see. Very well. Sir, I'd like to see your face. I think I find you a man after my own heart. Shall we say, an opportunist. How did you get permission to sell this kind of stuff? We'll not exchange confidences just yet. Very well. Come here to my camp each evening and report your progress. And remember this, Tubbs. Don't try any crooked deals. 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. Fenimore Tubbs moved into Frontier Town with a certain amount of uneasiness. He didn't know how he'd be received by those to whom he had previously sold interest in a worthless gold mine. He was reassured when he talked to Sally Phillips and her father Milo, publisher of the Southwest Bugle. Yes, indeed, Tubbs. It's certainly fine to see you again. We were speaking about you the other day. Wondering when we'd hear more about the gold mine. Uh, you, uh, meanly great, Jim? Yes. I hope you didn't spread the word of your investment, Mr. Phillips. Well, now, Tubbs, you know you can trust to use paper man. Oh, good. I'm glad to hear it. Has the mine begun to pay off? Miss Phillips, uh, I'm sorry to tell you that I was deeply disappointed in the great Jim. But? I, uh, I lost a lot of money in that piece of worthless property. You lost money? Eh? Well, if the gem isn't any good, what about my investment? Eh, that's why I'm here, Phillips. I want no one to suffer loss because of having trust in me. Eh? I wish to preserve the name of Fenimore Tubbs as one that implies honesty and fair dealing. I've been heart-sick over the loss. But now, now I come to you with good news. Good news? Ah, yes, yes, indeed. I'm going to let you in on the ground floor. I have here a letter authorizing me to represent the Joe Jolly Pedometer, the marvel of the age. Well, it's clever, all right, but when it comes to investing money... Phillips, to see the possibilities of the pedometer, you must be a man of vision. Let me tell you what the future holds. At the present time, we think little of distance. We measure distance and hours of travel. With the pedometer, we can measure miles. Yes. How would you like to have a portion of every dollar that's been spent for a watch or a compass? Think, man. Think of the person. Fenimore Tubbs painted a glowing picture of the possibilities in the pedometer. When he left the office of the newspaper, he had with him a substantial sum of money, for which he had given a certificate of stock. His next call was at the bank, where he visited Judge Knott. Tabbs, are you sure you're not trying to sell me something like the great gem gold mine? Judge Knott, you know Joe Jolly. You know about his pedometer. It's very good, but I have little cash to invest. Mr. Jolly's representative, I'm in a position to let you in on the ground floor. Did you say that the great gem gold mine wasn't worth nothing at all? I'm sorry about that, Jim, but I shall make good. I'm going to give you an opportunity to invest your money in a great idea. Tubbs visited the people who had bought stock in his fraudulent gold mine and sold each one stock in the newly organized company that was to manufacture the pedometer, pledging each one to secrecy. His activities were closely watched by a squint-eyed half-breed who hung around town. After three days, the breed and Pete met in the Bright Lights Café. Breed, I just totaled up the people you say Tubbs is called. Senor, when it is possible, I watch through windows to see what goes on while Tubbs is talking. Yeah, I see. Tubbs has done very well for us. It's about time we collected that cash. Senor, the Tubbs goes each evening to a camp in the hills. Senor, as I know, I have followed him. That he meets two others. Two others? Yes. One is an Indian, the other wears a mask. That makes it just right. Tubbs is in cahoots with a couple of crooks. We take the cash and Tubbs and his pals get the credit for stealing. All we got to do is make sure we kill those three and hide the bodies or they'll never be found. That is it, amigo. We go tonight, eh? Get the money, then we shoot to kill. We go right now. Come on, Breed. Lead the way to that camp. Can you find it? Milo Phillips was also in the Bright Lights Café. He started the table with Jim Lawson. Jim, I figure I'm building the second story on the house and putting a couple of rooms up there. How's that sound to you, Milo? Well, Jim, you're talking big. Maybe so. I knew you had a little cash saved up for nothing to warrant the expansion you're talking of. Did somebody die and leave your fortune? No, but I got a pretty good investment. Investment? Seems to me I remember you saying a man that invested money in anything but a bank was local. Milo, I'm going to tell you something confidential. Yes? I own half interest from Joe Jolly's pedometer. What? Don't take on so, Milo. Promise to keep it a secret. You bought stock from a man named Tubbs? Yes. How'd you know? I can golly if that don't beat all. Fifty percent, you say? Yep. Now, Jim, there's something wrong. If you own fifty percent and I own fifty percent, what's left for Jolly? You? Yeah, come on. We're going to talk to the banker. Shut him out. He's right over here. I was pledged to keep my mouth shut, too. Say, Jim, did you buy stock in a mine called the Great Jim? Yeah. Hey, that scheming crook. Well, hello there, Milo. Howdy, Jim. Now, Judge, listen to me. There's times when a man should keep a secret and times when he should talk. This is one of the latter. What do you mean, Milo? Jim Lawson owns half of Jolly's pedometer. Half? Tubbs came to me with a letter from Jolly authorizing him to make a deal for stock. He sold me half interest, too. I bought ten percent of it. Well, that's a hundred and ten percent. That can't be. I'm going to find out about this. If Jolly's been putting a slick one over on us, we're going to run him out of town. I'll go with you, Milo. Don't act too hasty. I wonder how many others in town have bought a share in that pedometer. I'm going to find out. So you dealt with Tubbs? Why, yes. I bought fifty percent interest in the pedometer. I bought thirty percent interest. Why, that crook. He told me I'd own forty percent. You come with us. We're calling on Joe Jolly. Come on, Joe. Open the door. Hurry it up, Jolly. We want to talk to you. Joe, are these people here... Hey, Jay, what's going on here? What sort of a committee is this? Where's that crooked confidence man you sent to swindle us? We want any more Tubbs. Boys, boys. Just a minute. What's the trouble? You and that pedometer. We've all bought interest in them. And the cat's out of the bag. So far, we've found that you've sold three hundred percent interest. Where's Venomore Tubbs? We're going to get our money back or string him up. You along with him, Jolly. Now, wait a minute. Wait a minute, boys. Don't be hasty. Give Joe a chance to explain things. Boys, boys, listen to me. I was told something like this might happen. And I was told what to do when it did happen. All right, it's happened. What are you going to do? I'm going to take you boys to Venomore Tubbs. You'll hear from the man who's with him in camp. Let's get down right away. The Lone Ranger and Tonto sat with Tubbs by the campfire. Well, I've just completed my work in town. I think I've raised enough cash to take care of promoting the pedometer. You've done well, Tubbs. Better than I expected. Did you do it honestly? My dear sir, you've questioned my integrity. Haven't I turned the cash over to you each evening? For that cash, you've sold forty-nine percent interest in the pedometer company. Is that right? Well, yes, that's right. Now, we split the cash and disappeared. Is that it? No, that isn't it. No, but I thought... When you turn the cash over to Jolly, he'll pay you a commission for selling the stock. What the hell? Well, I thought... Well, you and that mask... You didn't think the deal was honest? Well, I... Tubbs, it's a perfectly straightforward deal. Unless you handled it differently than you were told. Well, I... If you're holding out any money... My dear sir... No, I'll put that in the place. Hey, what's this? Who are these men? Hold it. All three of you. They'll shoot at the first move. We'd better do as they say, Tuttle. There's a drop on it. Now, he's heavy. You're a good friend, Senor. Now we'll relieve you of the cash to carry. Just a minute, Bree. We'll search the fat one first. No, no, please. I have no money. Shut up, Tubbs. Find out for myself. He has the money. Masked man has the money. I gave it to him. That, Senor, is a warning. Keep your hands sealing your mouth quiet. We'll search the mask, man, when we're through with you. Now, hold still. And that goes for you, too. He did. I hear horses. Our friends in town are about due. You two made a big mistake in coming here. Maybe he's going to come this way. All right. Take him, Tuttle. Look, look, look, look. That's it. That's it. Take him a lesson. Knock him lengthwise. Like this will do it. Oh. Ah, that's it. That's it. You got them both. Now, let's stay where you are, Tubbs. Well, we've got to get away. Those towns, when they're here, they look angry. Oh. Oh. There, Tubbs. He's the best man. Keep guns on. I want my money back. Can you hear that? Look. Two men on the ground. Maybe they wanted their cash back the same as we do. Now, just a minute. Listen to me. Now, quiet down, boys. Listen to the math man. Those men on the ground came to steal your money. The money you invested in the Jolly Pedometer. I've been twindled to want my money back. Any one of you who wants his money back can have it. But first, you'll listen to me. Joe Jolly wanted to raise cash to manufacture and market the Pedometer. He authorized the sale of 49% of his stock. 49%? I bought 50%. Quiet, quiet. Let me go on. Tubbs here has been a confidence man. He's a crook. But he does have imagination. He made every one of you see the possibilities in the Pedometer. Now, isn't that true? I discussed Tubbs with Judge Knott. That's true. I agreed that Tubbs could sell stock to raise the cash Joe Jolly needed. Tubbs misrepresented the price of the stock. He sold 10 shares for the price of one. I bought 50% interest. And so did I. Milo, you can have 5% instead of 50. Don't can Jim. Hank bought 30%. He'll keep 3% instead of 30. Man, this can be adjusted so you'll all have a fair share in the Pedometer. Now, if any of you want to back out, you may do so. Tubbs was dishonest in dealing with you. He wanted to make a quick cleanup. He expected to run away with your money. But Tubbs gave you a true picture of the future possibilities of the Pedometer. And that picture hasn't changed. What the masked man said before is right. I'll trade my stock for a new certificate showing the amount I really bought. Well, the Pedometer sounds good. I'd like to own part of it. I'll keep whatever you have to say can get. Boys, we'll go back to town and hold the stockholders meeting after we'll put Tubbs in jail. And those unconscious thieves along with him. In jail? Wait, listen. Tubbs. Tubbs, you had a chance to go straight. I warned you to stay honest. With that mask, I thought... Well, how was I to know that you were on the level? I thought the idea was to get cash fast and clear out. I thought you were a crook. Oh, steady, big fella. Come on, settle there. Come on, settle there. Come on, settle there. To that man a crook. Tubbs, that's the Lone Ranger. Come on, settle there. Oh! This is a copyrighted feature originated by George W. Trenble. This story was written by Fran Stryker. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.
