A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old 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 hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, tell us. Let's go, big fellow. I'll tell us. Jud Wright, according to his own stories, had been a two-gun terror in his earlier days. As station agent for the Union Pacific Railroad in Frontier Town, he spent most of his time on the station platform telling of deeds of daring and valorous exploits with himself as the heroic figure. He was always delighted to see a stranger who had never heard his oft-told tales, so his leathery face lighted with interest as a buckboard approached, carrying a man and a woman he'd never seen before. The raw-boned woman holding the reins wore a man's hat at a jaunty angle, and a heavy gun was strapped around her generous hips. Whoa! Whoa there! Holy fritters! Howdy, ma'am! Howdy, there! Welcome to Frontier Town! Now, let me give you a hand down from that there rig. I've been getting down from buckboards without no help for 40 years, and I can do so now. Stay inside. Who's in charge of this here station? Well, you're looking at him, ma'am. Jud Wright's the name. Maybe you hear to me. Two-gun kid, they used to call me. I didn't drive all this distance to hear about your past. No, ma'am. Come to find out why in tarnation I can't get my freight. Your freight? Yep, from approving my ranch. I bought and paid for a lot of hardware to be shipped from the east. Water-pumping machinery and the like. Well, ma'am, if it's to come by Union Pacific... It's already come by Union Pacific. Here in this station somewhere. What's the name? Hornblow. Clarabelle Hornblow. Oh! So you're Mrs. Hornblow. It's Miss Hornblow. Oh, hi. Well, I saw the gents sitting in the buckboard. He's my hired man. Thunder Martin is the name. Well, your stuff's been here for four weeks. There it is. Them cases over yonder piled up on the platform. I've been wondering what to do about them. Well, why in tarnation don't you deliver them? We don't freight except the railroad. What about Wells Fargo? Wells Fargo has regular routes, like their stage line, and you're not on the regular route. You've got to get Freight and Jake to tote that stuff to your place. Hmm, Freight and Jake, my. I had a letter from that thieving highbinder telling how much he wanted for a freighting job. I won't pay no such prices. There ain't no other way to freight your stuff. No, there ain't, huh? Thunder! Thunder, come over here and have a look at these cases. Where is your hardware cart out? Them cases yonder. You mean to say that's all there is? Them cases is plenty heavy. Why, doggone it. I figured from what Jake to pinner was asking to move this freight, it'd be ten times as much. All right, Thunder, you better braggin' a plenty about your mules. Do you reckon they could handle these cases? Why, sure, nothin' to it. Well, that's why you're wrong, mister. Now, Baldy, I don't like to be called wrong. Now, Baldy, you see here. Now, Thunder Martin is the best mule skinner in this part of the country, and there's not a man alive can out-yell him when he gets going. Oh, gosh, Clarabelle. He knows what a mule can do. He's been with them so much, he thinks like they do. By thunder, sometimes he even looks like a jackass. Oh, Clarabelle. Well, now, I don't say you can't move these goods from mule train. Maybe it could be done all right if it wasn't for Jake to pinner. What about Jake to pinner? He won't stand for it. Now, let me get this straight, mister. You're telling me that if I aim to move this hardware with my pack mules, this here Jake to pinner will try to argue the point? I reckon he will. Why, you hear that, Clarabelle? This trip's likely to turn out worthwhile. That's freightin' Jake over yonder. He's comin' here. Now, you better be careful, mister, because Jake to pinner handles all the freightin' in this part of the country, and he don't tolerate interference. Well, I aim to mule freight that hardware, and I don't tolerate no interference either. Oh, hold on. Hey, howdy, Jake. Steady, boy. Over there, all right? Just rode over to see if you've heard anything new about that hardware for the Hornblow outfit. I'm the Hornblow outfit. Oh, you are, eh? Well, howdy, ma'am. Save your howdies for Thunder Martin, who's gonna move my freight with mules. Oh, is that so? You know, there was a time once before when a critter had objections to what I aimed to do. What happened to him is something awful. He's done no objectin' since then. Now, what was you gonna say? A couple of other men had ideas of handling freight out of Frontier Town. And they had mighty bad luck. Yes, sir, mighty bad luck. Well, once in a while my luck runs muddy, but I generally find the source of the trouble. And after that, things improve sudden. As I recollect, ma'am, your outfit's north of Flying Arrow's village. That's right. Well, I don't hanker to handle a job like that. Maybe it would be better for your friend to be afraid of the hardware on mules. That's just what I aim to do. Of course, if the Indians attack you or something of the sort, you'll see why I made my price so high. Hey, Clare Bell, you go on to Ma Willard's boarding house and get yourself a place to sleep for a few days while I go back to the ranch and get my mules. Now, who's giving orders? Listen to me, you big ugly. I'm going to Ma Willard's boarding house and get myself a place to sleep for a couple of days while you go back to the ranch and get your mules. All right, Clare Bell. Adios. Adios. Well, I'll go along. Good luck to you, ma'am. I hope nothing happens to your hardware. Steady there, boy. I'd hate to be in your shoes, mister. Well, it takes a full-grown man to fill my shoes, Baldy. Well, Freighton Jake's got a look in his eye. He'll make trouble for... Well, trouble's like a hot potato. If someone tosses it my way, I grab her quick and toss her right back. Dan Reed, the 14-year-old nephew of the Lone Ranger, urged his horse, Victor, to full speed as he dashed from Frontier Town to a small camp not far from the old lookout tower. The masked man and Tonto looked up as Dan approached. They were on their feet when the boy reined up. Oh, oh, Victor. Oh, oh, oh. Stay away. All right. Pretty hard, Dan. Yes, Tonto. I have some news. It's about some of our best friends. Who do you think is in Frontier Town? It's Clare Bell Hornblow. Alone? Thunder Martin not in town? No, but he... What happened, Thunder? Well, he'll be back, and there may be trouble. Yes, there generally is when Thunder Martin comes to town. He's gone back to the ranch to get his mules. He's going to move some freight from the Union Pacific Station. Thunder Martin? Yes. Some cases full of equipment for Clare Bell's ranch. Golly, I don't know what'll happen. Jake DePinna handles all the freighting around here. I know it. And him make plenty trouble when other fellow interfere. Well, you see, he set a price for moving Clare Bell's goods, and it was too high. DePinna's a robber. Clare Bell wouldn't pay the price. Thunder's going to move the stuff with his mules, and Jake DePinna may make trouble. Why do you say that, Dan? Well, everyone in town is saying it. I heard at least three people say that Thunder had never delivered the cargo. Two men were willing to bet on it. Several men have tried to start a freighting business and competition to DePinna. Something has happened to every one of them. Accidents. Oh, golly. Tonto, do you know Jake DePinna when you see him? Uh-huh. Me know him. Then go into town with Dan. Keep an eye on DePinna and everyone he talks to. If DePinna is what I think he is, Thunder Martin will need help. Let me go right way. Come on, Tonto. We can probably find DePinna in Happy Jack's restaurant. He eats there every noon. Steady, boy. Be ready. We'll be back soon. Adios. Adios. Get off it. When Dan and Tonto reached Happy Jack's restaurant, they saw Jake DePinna and a man named Arden at a table near the window. DePinna had pushed back the remains of his meal and was using a pencil to make lines on the tablecloth. I'll show you exactly what I mean, Arden. I haven't said I'd take the job yet. You will when you see there's no risk. Now here, right where I'm putting this dot, is a town. Martin will leave here along the North Trail. Traveling North. Yeah. Now over here is where he has to go. This represents the Hornblow Range. Happy Jack won't like you marking up the tablecloth. I don't care what he likes. Now this is a range, as I said. All right. Go on from there. Now here, right about here, after Martin crosses Sagebrush Hollow, he has to go through a canyon. He'll stay in that canyon for about 15 miles. How do you know he'll take that route? Because it'll save him two days of travel. I see. Go ahead. He'll enter the canyon right about here. Now don't attack at once. Let him reach a point along, well, right about here. How far in is that, DePinna? About four hours of travel. Go ahead. Over here, near the canyon's bend, is Flying Arrows Indian Village. I see. As soon as you attack, shoot Thunder Martin. Make it look like an Indian massacre. Uh-huh. Then unload the mules. Throw the cargo into the river. And be sure you'll pick a place where it's deep. And what about the mules? Leave them. The Indians will find them. They'll be glad to get them. They'll serve as proof that the Indians were the attackers. At DePinna, that's all right. Get a half a dozen men to help you. You think I'll need that many? Thunder Martin is big and tough. We'll take no chances. It was later the same day when Dan Reed and Tonto rejoined the Lone Ranger in camp. They unfolded a tablecloth they had borrowed from Happy Jack and showed markings that had been made by Jake DePinna. DePinna was talking to a man named Arden. While he talked, he drew this diagram on the tablecloth. Could you hear anything that was said? Not very much. We hear word here and there. They mentioned Flying Arrow. Oh, this mark right here might represent Flying Arrow's village. Ah, that right. This looks like the canyon here. DePinna mentioned the canyon. Ah, me hear him say, shoot Thunder Martin. Make it look like Indian massacre. So that's the plan. They're going to try to murder our friend and blame it on the Indians. Ah, Flying Arrow, good Indian. Nevertheless, Tonto, the people in Frontier Town will be quick to rise against your friends. There's any suspicion of Flying Arrow's people massacred a traveler? That right. Golly, what are we going to do? I don't know. Thunder Martin might change his plans if he knew there was an ambush. No, he wouldn't then. Thunder Martin would simply try to shoot his way through. Maybe him take another man as guard. Maybe we could travel with him. If Thunder had a guard, he might get through. Those crooks might not attack unless they saw Thunder was traveling alone. They didn't attack. Thunder might get through. That wouldn't be the right solution. How's that? I'd like to find some way to expose DePinna. To put him out of business. Make room for a freight line to operate at honest prices. Whoa. Wait. Just a minute, Dan. I think I have a plan. You have? If it works, it will expose Jake DePinna for what he is. Tonto, we're going to need the help of Flying Arrow and his Indians. Me go tell them? No. They'll not even know they're helping us. 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. The Lone Ranger knew that Jake DePinna planned to send Vic Arden and a number of other killers to ambush Thunder Martin as he made his way with pack mules through the canyon. The masked man watched from a distance while Dan Reed helped load the mules at the Union Pacific Station. Clarabelle was also on hand. Just stay in the side, Thunder. Let me check them ropes and be sure you've got the cargo tied on plenty of time. Well, I looked it over, ma'am. It looks all right to me. You looked it over? Yeah. You're a railroad man. Ain't likely you'd know a diamond hitch from a diamond jubilee. Them patches tight, Clarabelle. I reckon they'll do. I reckon you're just about set to start out. Yeah, that's right, Dan. Me and Clarabelle are much obliged to you for helping. Well, I'm not worried about having the cargo come unhitched, Martin. There's things a lot worse that can happen between here and Miss Honblow's egg. Well, whenever it comes, I reckon I can handle it. I can see trouble standing over yonder watching things. Depender, huh? Yeah. Ah, Clarabelle, you come with me. I aim to talk to Freight and Jake. Me too. Hey there, you, Depender. So, you're determined to make a try, Heather, then? I'm shoving off Prado with these here mules. You'll likely find out why my rates are high when Freight has to be packed through the can. I just wanted you to get something straight, Depender. Clarabelle here is going to stay here in Frontier Town for a few days, and Clarabelle packs a .45. Which same I can use when called on. You see, it wouldn't be smart, Depender, for you to try to leave town for the next couple of days. I have no intention of leaving town. That being the case, there likely won't be no trouble on Thunder Martin's trail. The way you talk, one would suppose that you suspect I'd try to make trouble. We don't know as to that, Depender. All we know is this. If you leave town, me and some friends of mine will come a-hunting for you. Now, Thunder, you get started. All right, Clarabelle. Come on, you long-eared, flat-doodle critters. Pick them up and lay them down. Now, get to marching. We got plenty of ground to cover, and I don't need to tarry on the trail. Now, get up there. Get along. The Lone Ranger kept some distance ahead of Thunder Martin, crossing the Sagebrush Hollow and entering the long canyon that went close to Flying Arrow's Indian village. Oh, Silver. He reined up near the moth of the canyon and watched from a place of concealment. Get your little circle towards the sidewaters. Heels. Now, get along there. Get up. Thunder can certainly handle a mule team, huh, Silver? The masked man waited in his hiding place. A quarter of an hour passed. Then half a dozen horsemen riding at a slow gait came along Thunder Martin's trail into the canyon. Beg Garden. Those are the men that plan to kill our friend. Now, Silver, steady there, boy. Easy. Go ride ahead and tell Thunder what's in store for him. Say, big fella. Come on, Silver. Riding along the rim of the canyon, the Lone Ranger went far ahead of the mule train, then made use of a perilous descent to the canyon's floor, where he waited until Thunder Martin arrived. Get along there with you. Here. Oh, oh, there. Oh, oh, oh. I want to speak to you, Thunder. My sex alive. You sure turn up in unexpected places. Hey, what in tarnation are you doing here? Waiting for you. Dan Reed was back in town. The fact is, he helped me load up the mules. I figured you was nearby, but I never looked toward meeting you out here in the canyon. Now, Thunder, listen to me. The pin is out to get you. But that's squin-eyed, no good pull cat. I'd be in Clarabelle's shore stopped his clock. No, you didn't. You know, mister, you're the only man alive that can contradict me direct like that and get away with it. I said the pin is out to get you, Thunder. The pin is being watched in town by Clarabelle. If he leaves town, he'll have more trouble than he can handle. But the pin won't leave town. He won't need to. His killers will do his work for him. They're following you, and they're planning to catch up to you when you're about two-thirds of the way through this canyon. How many of them? Six or seven. Well, I got two shooting irons here, which same can account for twelve men without reloading. Thunder, you may get one or two of them, but the rest will get you. Moreover, they'll use rifles. They'll start shooting before they come within pistol range. Now, wait. I have a plan, Thunder. I'm going to tell you what it is and outline your part. Tonto had gone on ahead of the Lone Ranger through the canyon to the village of his friend, Chief Flying Arrow. The Lone Ranger's friend had been warmly greeted and made the guest of honor at a feast. As Tonto and Flying Arrow squatted side by side on the ground at the edge of the village, Flying Arrow commented on the story Tonto had told. You're plenty safe here, Tonto. You not worry about bad men who come this way. Maybe bad men make plenty trouble for all Indians. No bad men come here unless in great number. Indian live in peace. Indian not want war. Tonto paid little attention to what his friend was saying. His ears were tuned to catch a certain bird call, a signal telling him that it was time for the next move in the Lone Ranger's plan. You're plenty welcome here. You stay as long as you can. Flying Arrow, go ahead. Wait, Flying Arrow. Wait. Stand, Tonto. Where you go? Me go over yonder to see if the horse all right. Flying Arrow watched as Tonto disappeared behind a massive rock where his horse had been tethered. An instant later, he heard a frenzied scream. Flying Arrow, do help! Tonto! Tonto! Jabba Kamo! Arrow raced in Tonto's direction just in time to see his friend struggling in the coils of a rope as he was lifted bodily off the ground by a man on a snow-white stallion. Flying Arrow! Come on, boy! Get a horse! Get a horse! Jabba! Can't move! Get after Tonto! Confusion reigned in the Indian village. Flying Arrow was everywhere, hurrying his men to the backs of their horses. Them go that way! Right! Get Tonto! In a moment, the Indians were mounted and racing in pursuit of Tonto and the one who carried him away. The great horse, Silver, carried a double burden at a breakneck speed along the canyon floor. The lone ranger knew that Flying Arrow's people were in hot pursuit. They'd been led to believe that the man who carried Tonto away from their village was an enemy. Come on, turn away! The masked man had calculated carefully with full knowledge that his life might well depend on the speed of his horse. Presently, the masked man and Tonto saw Thunder Martin halted in the canyon to water his mules at a narrow stream. Hold on, hold on, hold on! Well, well, well, fine day in the morning. You two sure aren't having passed. Thunder, have you seen any sign of the Arden gang? Well, not yet, but I'm going to keep my eye peeled. According to the map, they plan to close in on you about three miles north of here. Why, them ornery poor cats? I think we'll blow their plans wide open. I'd stop here just like you said. Get your mules as close to the canyon wall as possible and keep them there till Flying Arrow's people pass. Them come plenty quick. How far back are they? Not far. I can hear them. Well, after they pass, then what? Go on your way to Claribel's ranch. The Indians will take care of the Pinnis killers. Indians just round them. They'll get on our way, then. Come on, silver! Over the hoofbeats of the tireless silver, the lone ranger and Tonto can hear the yips and cries of the pursuing Indians. Then, in plain view, dead ahead, they saw Vic Arden and several well-armed horsemen. Arden and his men reined up when they saw the approaching white horse. Hey, Arden, what do you make of that white horse traveling this way? I don't know. That rider's a mask, man. I can see. We'd better get ready to open fire. For what? Thunder Martin is the man we want. That's an Indian riding behind the masked man. They're both traveling mighty fast. Let him go by. Hold on, hold on. Easy, steady, big fella. Keep right on going, mister. We don't aim to stop you. Arden, I want to talk to you. Who are you? What's the idea of that mask? I want Tonto to hit the ground. This is as far as you go with me. Uh, me, Sammy, if you think that Indian... You keep out of this. I have a few words for Arden, and I'm going on my way. How do you know me? Your plans won't work. Plans? You can't close in on Thunder Martin. Hey, what do you mean by that? Some Indians are coming this way and riding hard. Perhaps the gang has abducted their friend. Gang? Their friend? What gang? You, your gang. Thunder Martin is far beyond those redskins. He's out of your reach. Those redskins sound downright unfriendly. You better forget Thunder Martin and think of your own necks. You'll have a hard fight on your hands if those Indians got you. Must be 50 of them. We didn't have no hand in capturing that redskin. Try to tell that to the Indians. Arden, if they see that masked man talking to us, they'll think he's one of us. That's just what they're supposed to think. Why, you... Don't draw. I'll show you. I warned you. My arm. My arm. Arden. Arden, it's your party. You take it from here. I'm getting out of here. Come on, Thunder. Get behind the saddle. Get that man. Get him. There'll be more broken arms if anyone turns a gun this way. You ready? Come on, through it. Those redskins. We've got to fight or run. I can't fight. They're coming fast. My arm is smash. There's too many for us to handle. I'm getting out of here. What about that mule skinner? Mule skinner be hanged. What about us? I'm hitting the back trail. Get up. Get up. Oh, yeah. It was sometime after dark when Vic Arden, his arm in a sling, met Freighton Jake DePinna in a rear room of the Bright Lights Cafe. DePinna's face was livid with rage as he listened to the killer's recital. We had all we could do to get out of that canyon with our lives. I'm telling you, DePinna, those Indians would have killed us. What about the masked man and the Indians? I don't know what became of them. They cut off the east after they left the canyon. Who was a masked man? How do I know? Oh, you say you referred to our plan to waylay that mule skinner? He sure did. He seemed to know all about it. And you didn't get the mule skinner. How could we? You failed. Arden, you failed me. Now that he's gotten away with freighting his own supplies, others will try the same thing. Boss, wait. I don't tolerate failure. Now, listen, boss. Wait a minute. I've got a busted arm. Busted arm or no busted arm. I'm going to gun whip you within an inch of your life. No. When I give orders, I want to carry it out. No, no, wait, boss. Listen. Hey, what the... Stand back, Supreme Court. It's Deputy Sheriff. And you. I told you I'd be watching things here in Frontier Town. We heard your conversation, Defender. Heard enough to know that you hired this crook to go gunning for my mule skinner. Sheriff, wait a minute. Listen to me. Save it, Defender. Save it for the judge. I'm taking you in. And if Arden and the rest of his gang know what's good for them, they won't hold back when you're questioned on the witness stand. Stop, Framer. Those Indians, that masked man. That masked man couldn't have done a doggone thing to you, your killers, if you'd been on the level. But you weren't on the level. And being crooked, you're just the kind that's hunted by the Lone Ranger. This is a copyrighted feature originated by George W. Trendle and directed by Charles D. Livingston. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. This story was written by Fran Stryker.
