A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hail silver, the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger. 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 from the thundering hoofbeats of a great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. When the Lone Ranger and Tonto stopped at the old mission, they found the Padre awaiting them in a state of great anxiety. It's my old friend, Rainbow, who has me worried so. You mean Rainbow Kenny Padre, the prospect? You see, always on the way down from the mums, he stops here. Always he comes on the same day, almost the same hour, steady, like the sun. And he hasn't appeared this week, is that it? That is right. One week has passed since the day he always comes. He's an old man who works alone all the time. Because this is so, but most because he is my friend, I'm worried. Maybe him's sick. That is what I think. What else may happen, I do not like to think. Always, Rainbow is a happy man. But this last day, he is happier than ever. He greets me with big salutation. Soon he is telling me why. And Padre, I finally struck it rich up there. Yes, sirree, you're looking at a rich man. Oh, that is good. If you find silver to make you rich, and being rich makes you a happy man, then, amigo, I am happy for you. But it's not silver that's making me rich, Padre. It's gold. Gold? You find gold in these mountains? Why, sure, I knowed it was there. All it needed was finding. Now, they've been laughing at me all these years. They're laughing and calling me Rainbow. On account of there's some saying about a rainbow and a pot of gold. See, I know this saying. Well, there's another saying, Padre, about them that laughs last. And let me tell you, they're going to see some last laughing today, they are. Amiga Rainbow, would it not be wise for you to keep your discovery a secret? Yeah, you think some of the crooks in town might steal the dust and nuggets I got with me or follow me back and find my diggings? Si. Well, then, forget about it, Padre. I'll keep an eye out for them. They may find my trail, Padre, but they'll never find my mind. But today's the day I have my laugh at them that's been making fun of me. He went on into Lynchville, and I've not seen my friend since then. Well, him not stop by here on way back? He doesn't go back to the mountain for the same trail ever. The east trail coming down this side is steep and dangerous, but it is fast when man and beast travel without burden. So, when he got his provisions, he'd go back for the west trail, huh? Si, on the other side of town. But I don't know where he stays in the mountains. He may be sure it's high up, Padre, in the wilder regions. Still, the fact that he can travel the east and west trails localizes the area. We'll see. You will try to find Rainbow? You know we will, Padre. We'll start out at once. We'll let you know what we find out. The Lone Ranger and Tonto discussed their plans as they guided their horses away from the mission at a slow gait. The chances of finding him soon will be greater if we separate here, Tonto. Now, you take the east trail up the mountain, and I'll ride up the west trail. Oh, Kimisabe. If either of us finds Kenny, we'll do whatever the circumstances call for. And if we not find him? Then we'll meet on the ridge near the top of the mountain and continue the search together from there. Good, Kimisabe. We start now. All right. And wait on the ridge for a reasonable length of time. Because first I'm going to change into a disguise and go into town. Maybe I can learn something about what happened that last day Rainbow Kenny went there. The Lone Ranger left his horse in a small grove outside the town. Then, disguised as a weather-beaten ranch hand, he strolled along the main street of Lynchville and walked into the general store. Oh, good morning, friend. Hi. You run this place? Yep. Brandon's her name. Skeets Brandon. What can I do for you, cowboy? I'm looking for an old friend from these parts. Old Rainbow Kenny. Seen the critter lately? Well, now, that's what I call funny. I was going to ask the same question myself. The first person I met this morning. How come you're looking for him, cowboy? I told you, how come. He's an old friend. Haven't seen him in a few years. Shucks, I seen him a couple of weeks ago. But last Saturday's the first time he didn't show up to get vittles in, oh, four or five years. Sure enough. But he did get him the week before. You should have seen Old Rainbow that morning. Oh, he comes bubbling in here like olives and giving out some of his usual wild talk about striking it rich. Then he walks out without taking his stuff. He says he's going over to Al Stacey's Cafe for a whoop-de-doo. He says he'll be back and pay me off in gold dust or some such nonsense. But he didn't come back? No, sir, he shouldn't have been. Yes, he must have flung that whoop-de-doo he was snorting about all right. You know, Deke Schuller picked up Rainbow's stuff and says he'll have to tie Rainbow on his burrow and point him toward the mountain. Yep, the old boy sure must have flung a whoop-de-doo. This is Deke Schuller. Where do I find him? You don't know, Deke? I thought everybody did. Well, you'll find him over at Al Stacey's Cafe, most likely. He's Stacey's right-hand man. Thanks. Much obliged. Oh, you can't miss Deke. He looks like a little Sandy Claws. He talks like a deacon and looks like one of them cupids with whiskers. But they do say he's the most ornery cuss ever can see. As the disguised Lone Ranger set off for Al Stacey's Cafe, Tonto neared the end of the rock-strewn east trail. Here, Scott. Yeah. Yeah, fella. I'd part over. Steady now. Steady. Oh, Scott, brother. Oh, brother there. Well, one thing sure. No burrow come down east trail in long time. Now we wait and find... Hail, Red Brother! Huh? Greetings in peace! Why, what you... I heard your horse coming up the trail. When I saw you were an Indian, at first I feared... You're not afraid of the Indians? Only for a fleeting second. Then I thought, there are no hostile Indians in this part of the country. If there were, what best way then to change their hearts is to greet them with words of peace. Tonto was surprised by the appearance of a small, white-bearded man with wide, childlike eyes and a friendly, serene manner. This was not the type of man one expected to meet at the end of the rugged east trail. Tonto's reactions were slow, but understandable. Words of peace. Oh, good. Oh, good. You've just finished a hard and tiring ride, brother. You must dismount and rest yourself in horse. There's a stream just below on the other side of the underbrush. I have food you may share. No, no, me not want food, no. But maybe you tell something. You stay in mountain long time? A very long time. Well, me look for man. Steady, scum. Steady, brother. You here long time, maybe you see him. Him named Rainbow. Rainbow? Ah. What a strange but beautiful name. No, I can't say I've heard of the man. You tell me about him. Oh, but wait. First, let us go to my camp. This way, brother. Uh, you have camp near? Down this hill, at least. It'll be easy after you get through here. The stream's just below. There. There, we're out of it. Now, me take horse to stream. You do that, brother. I'll stay behind. It's right down there. See? Come, scum. Come, brother. I need water now. Which you're not going to drink. What you say? You heard me. Now, get your hands up. Why? What you do? Why you point guns? Because if you move another inch, you sneaking red skin, I'll fill you with so much lead, they'll think you're a mine. Give me a gun. There. Now, turn around. Start walking where I tell you. Yeah. Leave the horse here. One of my men will get it. So, it was Kenny you're looking for. Who sent you trailing after him? That sniveling padre down to the vision? The bearded man, his gun hand leveled at Tonto's back, directed the Indian until they came to a small hollow. There in the center was a small window-boarded shack. And in front of the door, two men stood alert, their hands resting on their gun holsters. They relaxed when they saw the bewistered man. Yes, Dick, all right, man. Well, it's the Indian, you know. I do not know. But from looking Dick's eye, he assumed that Indian, I think. Well, well, there's a horse up in the brush back of the ridge. Get it. Take it down in the clearing. Then go back and get rid of this Indian's tracks, just in case any more snoopers come up this way. Si, Senor Dick, I do that. That will make it look as if no horse have been here in 20 years. All right, Redskin, put your hands down now. You, Yancy, open that door. Sure thing, Dick. Getting a full house, huh? You were looking for Rainbow Kenny, weren't you, Indian? Well, get inside that shack there and meet him. Him, live? A little. And you're a lucky, Indian. He is alive. Me, lucky? Yes. Because if you didn't come here looking for Rainbow Kenny, I'd have billed you the minute I got you off your horse up there. Go on, now, get inside. I've got company for you, Rainbow. Oh, who's that, my dear? Friend of yours. I was just telling him he's alive only because he is your friend. Looks like an Indian to me. I got no Indian friends. Rainbow denies everything we say, Injun. When he talks, he's a tough old hombre. And even after our special treatments, he refuses to tell us what we want to know. Not afraid to die, he says. And I'm not, you black, livid varmint. You'll never make me talk no matter what you do. You hear, your friend, Injun. He won't talk to save his own life, but maybe he will if it means the life of a friend. What do you mean? I mean Yancey and I are going to do some questioning. If Rainbow Kenny doesn't tell us where his secret gold mine is, we'll kill you, Redskim. You hear that, Rainbow? I hear you, Dick Scarlet, and I pay no attention. I told you I don't know no Redskins. And I'm not going to fall for one of your low-down tricks. We'll see. Get over there, Injun, and start talking to that old Coyote. I'll give you one hour to convince that old mine rat that I mean what I say. Make him tell you where that mine of his is, or you're a dead Injun. 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. Earlier that day, the Lone Ranger, still in disguise, left Skeets Brandon's general store and set out for the cafes that lined the end of the street. But on his way, he dropped into other stores where Rainbow Kenny conceivably might have gone on the morning he last came to Lynchville. It was in one of these stores that the Lone Ranger met Deputy Sheriff Lem Slakesby. And it was to the deputy that the disguised cowhand expressed his surprise that so few people recall seeing Rainbow Kenny in town after early morning. The old fellow's pretty loud, you know, Sheriff. I can't understand people not remember him on the day when he was going on what he called a whoop-de-doo. Tell you the truth, stranger, I don't recall him carrying on either. But there's a man you want to see across the street there. Al! Al Stacey! I know Rainbow was in Stacey's that morning. Al! Stranger here would like to get some information about Rainbow Kenny. Al Stacey, a tall, dark man with the bland manner and steel-gray eyes of a gambler, sauntered across the dust-thick street and smiled in greeting. Hi, Lem. Howdy, stranger. Howdy. What do you want to know? What's old Rainbow been up to now? Don't know myself. I'd appreciate, though, if you'd tell me what happened last time he was in town when he visited your cafe. Well, that was a few weeks back, I judge. Well, let's see now. Well, as I recollect, nothing happened. He just came and went, as usual. Yes, sir? Didn't leave any gold at your place. What? Oh, gold. Yeah, that's funny. Well, he had gold, all right. The last place he was seen was at your cafe. Oh, yeah? Who says so? People. Dave, maybe you can tell me this. Where did Deke Scullard take Rainbow's provisions? Deke Scullard? You're a right-hand man, I heard tell. Heard, too, he picked up Rainbow's vittles at the store last day anyone saw Rainbow. Hey, what is this? I know nothing about Rainbow, Kenny, or this provision story of yours. You'd better see Deke Scullard about that. Yeah. Well, I find Deke Scullard. I don't know. I paid him off two weeks ago and he left town on a train. Few people paid any attention to the weather-beaten cowboy who walked away from Lynchville and disappeared into a grove outside the city limits. But after he had made a lightning quick change, they would have been all attention had they seen the masked man who rode out of that grove a few minutes later astride the giant white horse Silver. Come on, through there! When Deke Scullard left and barred the door to the cabin where Tonto was now held captive together with Rainbow Kenny, the Indian found the old man suspicious and unwilling to talk to him. Yeah, it's no use, Injun. I'm not falling for any of Scullard's tricks. Tell him to take you away. I'm no fool. He can starve and beat and torture me. But I won't tell him or Stacy where the mine is. Maybe Padre tells you about Silver Bullet. Silver Bullet? Ah. Con sign of you, you know a lot, don't you? Tell me about the Silver Bullet and maybe I'll pay you some heed. Deke Scullard was walking back to the cabin when a sound of running feet in the underbrush caused him to stop and turn. The crook Yancey came running toward him. Deke! There you are! Deke, there's somebody riding up the west trail. Just one man? Yeah, and a white horse. Manuel's covering that trailer's name. Yeah, he'll take care of him. And what are you upset about? He has his orders what to do. Let him carry them out. I'm tired of staying up here and getting no place. It's over a week now since I hauled Kenny out of Stacy's place and sneaked him up here. You think he talked, the treatment he's been getting? Let's get in there. Come on. If Rainbow isn't willing to talk now, well, you'll just have to get rid of him and the Indian. The ride up the west trail was a hard one. Giving Silver his head, the lone ranger let the great horse carry him upward at a pace no other horse could ever achieve. But this was Silver. Tremendous white stallion. Greatest horse in all the west. You're almost there, Silver. I wonder if Tullo's waiting in weather. Say, what's the matter? What's the matter, Silver? The giant Silver had stopped suddenly, planting his front hoops into the ground. He stood there now, firm as a rock, refusing to move. What is it, Silver? Something wrong? As if an answer, the white horse whinnied low, then wheeled, directing his head toward the underbrush, nodding it up and down as if to point away. You don't want to go on, is that it? There's something in those bushes I should see. Any big fella? All right, I'll take your word for it. I'll leave you here and see what it is. The lone ranger left the trail and pushed through the thicket, his every sense alert. Then, deep in the undergrowth, his ears heard a sound that sent him running forward. There's a horse in there. Scout, it's Scout. Silver knew he was here. Scout boy, what are you doing here? Where's Tullo? You're tied to that tree, and that not holding you isn't Tullo's. It's... Oh, you're right, senor. Or that not, she's made by me. No, no. If you make one more move like that for your gun, you are one dead masked man. All right. You've got the drop on me. A smart hombre. And what brings smart hombre in mass, snooping in bushes? I'm looking for my friend Tullo, an Indian, and for a man named Rainbow Kenny. Oh, then you've come to the right place. Both these men you see, they are nearby. It is your pleasure to die with him, huh? That is good. Then Tullo found Kenny. He isn't dead? Not yet. But soon he will be. What noise is that? Oh. Oh, what a nice big horse. Hello, senor horse. Oh, but do not come so close, no. Silver had come through the bushes and walked slowly toward the dark man, ignoring the lone ranger and scout. He lowered his head in friendly fashion, as if to have it stroked. Manuel let his eyes waver for a fraction of a second, and suddenly he heard... Take him, Silver. The great horse, Silver, brought his head up quickly and sharply, crashing it into the startled Manuel's arm. Let's get away. As his arm shot upward, releasing his hold on the revolver, Manuel found the weight of Silver's body moved slowly against him. And then as the horse swerved gently but firmly, the man went scrawling to the ground. Oh. Help. My arm on my back. I'm killed. Oh, my arm. Senor Mashman, keep this horse from me. Don't. Don't, horse. Keep over him, Silver, till I get his gun. Oh, there. Oh. Now let him up, Silver, but guard him. That's it. Now, whatever your name is. Manuel. Then let's go, Manuel. Oh, my back. Oh, senor. You will keep away this brute. Oh, look. He's going to bite me. Get me to my friend's the least amount of trouble. Si, senor. I will try. Try? Is that all? Silver. No, no. No, senor horse. I will more than try, senor. I will help you. There was one stunted candle flickering in the dark, musty cabin. Its wavering yellow light gave a grotesque appearance to the features of Rainbow Kenny lying plopped on the ground, and to Tonto, who stood above him. Weird shadows were cast on the walls by the slow but gesturing Deke Scullard and the gunman Yancey standing beside the bearded man. I wish you'd talk, Rainbow. Rainbow, you know I like things to be nice and peaceful. Sure you do, Deke. You like to beat and style people so that you can get something that's not yours. But I'm not getting it. That's the trouble. If you'd told me and Stacy where your mind was, you wouldn't be here now. Yeah, I know. I'd be dead. You and Stacy took that gold I had that morning. Took it before I had a chance to spend any of it. Took away my gold and took me away a couple of minutes after I walked into your cafe. We had to do that, Rainbow. Those were very fine specimens of gold you had. Yeah. You didn't even give me a chance to have my whoop-de-doo. A few more minutes to live, perhaps, and his only thought is a whoop-de-doo. You see, Injun, why having gold would be bad for this old man? Me only see you one bad hombre. All right, then, both of you. I've been nice long enough. Get out your gun, Yancey. Get it ready, Deke. All it needs is aim. Now listen to this, Rainbow. I said your friend's life might mean more to you than your own. I tell you, I never saw this engine before. But, well, I don't want to be the cause of a man losing his life. You not tell him, Rainbow. Yancey, I think you'd better give it to the Indian right away. I wouldn't try, Yancey. What's that? I'm shot! My arm! Pick up his gun, Tonto. You, Manuel. Take the gun away from that old goat with the whiskers. Si, senor, I do that. Deke, I do not like doing these things. But Mascombray have horse. Such a horse these eyes have never seen. The Lone Ranger and Tonto, assisted by the unwilling but horse-shy Manuel, had carried the weak and injured Rainbow back to Lynchville and to the doctors. And they turned the three crooks over to Deputy Sheriff Lem Slakesby. A short time later, the deputy had arrested Al Stacey. And now he was talking to the crowd of people gathered around Rainbow's bed. And Rainbow, I never did find out who the critter was who was asking about you yesterday. Bet he never figured Stacey knew where you were, or that Stacey had been the hooth guy today as a result. Well, him and Deke shouldn't have done what they'd done to me. Well, you'll soon be up and around again, Rainbow. And you'll have that mine of yours to work. No, not gonna work it. Well, that's true, boys. Padre says if gold don't make you happy, it's no good. I think he's right. Of course, if ever he needs any, or any of my... Or, uh, you feel like going on a hoop-de-doo. Well, they would use it for that. No, the only others I'd get it for would be that mask man or the engine. I see him right this minute through the window. Just came out of the sheriff's office. Who is that armory rainbow who can walk in and out of the sheriff's office and not take off his mask? Well, doggone, didn't I tell you? That's the Lone Ranger. Oh, my dear. I'll do it. Oh, my dear. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
