A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-o-silver, 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, Silver. Let's go, big fellow. Are you still there? Hooray! Get up, Black. I'll keep up there now. The wagon train heading into the rugged western country was led by Phil Bangs, a southerner, and Rufus Ford, a New England Yankee. Strangers until their meeting, they and the men and women who followed in the wagons behind them had become as one, united by the spirit that moved them from the safety and comfort of their homes to the ever-beckoning promise that lay in the west, beyond the Sierras. The Lone Ranger and Tonto sat astride their horses on a hill overlooking the spot where the wagon train had halted and was now preparing to move westward. Apparently, Tonto, that outfit down there doesn't have a guide. They seemed ready to continue along the trail. They could save themselves four or five days' needless travel if they headed northwest. You mean, they might take bridge across the ravine? That's right. Old John Tote built that bridge on his ranch so he could drive his cattle from the range across that ravine. When he found that the settlers heading west could save days if they used the bridge, he encouraged them to take advantage of it. You mean no, Kemosabe. But old man dead now. Yes. Nephew runs a ranch. I don't know him, but I imagine he's keeping the bridge open for travel. Maybe so, Kemosabe. I think we should tell whoever's in charge of that wagon train. They ought to head away from the trail when they get to Eagle Rock. Then get ready, Kemosabe. Then let's ride down at once. Get them up, Scott. The Lone Ranger and Tonto rode down the side of the hill and arrived at the first wagon just as Rufus Ford was leaving. Phil Bangs and his wife, Sarah, were about to start the lead wagon. Which one of you men is in charge of this train? We both are. What is this, a hold-up? Better not try anything, Masked Man. I'd only try to help you if you let me. Reckon we don't need any help, stranger. That right, Rufus? Yeah, that's right. Don't need help. If it's the mask I wear, forget it. I don't want to mess in, Mr. Ford, but why don't you hear what the man has to say? He and the Redskin look like they know this country. That's true, madam. That's why we have come to volunteer some information. Now, what's wrong with that, Phil? Nothing, honey. Only... Only listen. We got more than enough men in the outfit to outnumber them. I wouldn't be standing here with my gun hand free if I intended any harm. Well, sounds mighty logical. What do you say, Rufus? Nothing. Let's listen to him. Now, what is it, stranger? The Lone Ranger told them about the bridge across the great Toady Ranch. The bridge that leaped across a ravine perilously deep and 50 feet wide. Yet, in spanning the gap, it was possible for those who traveled west to save four or five days' journey. The difference, perhaps, between success and failure, survival and death. And you'll get to the bridge by sundown if you turn off the trail at Eagle Rock. That's straight head three, four miles. Well, the way our vittles stand, saving time like that, is the thing we fix to do most. You won't regret it, mister. Oh, uh, Bangs is my name. That's Mrs. Bangs, and this here's Rufus Ford. Howdy. Glad to know that. Howdy. You can't miss, Eagle Rock. Turn off the trail there and head northwest. You come to the Toady Ranch before you're near the ravine or the bridge. Got to make any arrangements to use the bridge? Oh, perhaps you better stop by the ranch. Arrangements may be different now that old Jack Toady's dead. I don't think you'll have any difficulty, though. It's good to hear that. We'll be getting along, then. All right. Well, this nephew fellow that's got the bridge, his name Toady, too? Yes, same as his uncle's. They call him Young Jack. Young Jack Toady had the same name as his uncle, but it was the only thing the two men shared in common. It was late afternoon that day when Toady, heading for his ranch house from the corral, stopped as he watched the galloping approach of his new foreman, but old henchman, Chick Fannin. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. What's the matter, Chick? You look upset. There's a wagon train heading this way, Jack. Eh? A big one. It's now more than a couple of miles away. That means they want to use the bridge, I guess. Ah, that uncle of mine was a fool to ever let anybody use that bridge, no matter who they were. You gonna turn this wagon train back? Of course I'm not. We got that herd of cattle coming in from the range tomorrow. We gotta get them in town in time for shipping the next morning. If we don't let this bunch cross the bridge, they'll turn around and camp out for the night, most likely. Block up the trail when we're driving the cows in. I can't take that chance. Those guards at the bridge don't mean nothing now, hmm? They mean more than they did before. Better add about ten or fifteen more men to the guard right away. What? I thought you said you were gonna let this outfit pass. I am. But they're gonna pay. And I mean pay. Are you gonna charge more than two bits of wagon? They'll pay ten dollars for every wagon that crosses. Ten dollars? They'll pay fifty cents for every man, woman, and child on the train. And if they've got animals along, they'll pay a dollar a head for them. Holy smoke, Jack. These are nesters, not millionaires. Then they won't cross the bridge. And if they try to without paying, tell our men to start shooting. The Lone Ranger and Tonto rode on to where they figured the wagon train might stop at sunset. But there was no sign of the pioneers in the vicinity of Jack Toadie's Bridge. Only a company of tough-looking guards. Unobserved, the masked man and the Indian rode along the edge of the ravine, heading southward again toward the main trail. They came upon the pioneers, preparing to encamp for the night, a few rods away from the Toadie ranch on the open range land. When they dismounted and walked toward the spot where they saw Phil Bangs and Rufus Ford talking to the crowd of men and women, they were unprepared for the reception given them. Here's that masked man right now. Yeah, it's easy. They fixed it this way. You're all gone, you masked man. You've a nerve to show your face here after what you've done to us. Now, just a minute. I don't know what you're talking about. What is it, Bangs? We know not why you talk this way. Then I'll tell you why. Go ahead, Rufus. They're trying to rob us. That's what they were doing. Ten dollars a wagon. And Rufus Ford told the Lone Ranger Jack Toadie had refused them the use of the bridge unless they paid him the outlandish fee demanded for every wagon, man, woman, child, and animal. When they had refused because of inability to pay, Toadie ordered them to leave his ranch property and had called upon his common to see that the order was obeyed. The pioneers had turned around and continued along the ravine's edge until they reached the spot where they were now encamped on the open range. Rufus Ford was coldly indignant as he finished. Yeah, he owns the bridge and he can charge a toll if he wants to. We recognize that right. But we won't stand for highway robbery. And that's what this is. I wish we could build our own bridge. You said something, Mrs. Bangs, that I was going to suggest. Just what are you putting out with now, stranger? You were going to suggest what? About a bridge? Exactly. You have a large number of men here. You have axes and saws and shovels and everything. Of course we have. We've got whatever we're going to need wherever it is we go. Then you can build your own bridge across this ravine. What's he doing? If you work fast, you'll be able to leave tomorrow. And you will save all the time I said you would. You really mean that we can make a bridge strong enough to hold our wagons when they cross? I do. Get that first tree down. I'll cross to the other side on it with Tonto. Any of your men who will chance it. We'll start digging there and making braces for the end of the tree. While you do the same on this side. Five more trees will give us a framework. It's all planks tonight. In the morning, you can lay them crosswise. You'll have a bridge as good as the one toady owns. Sounds right, now. All right, men, let's go. Get axes out first. Axes and soar. During the next hour or more, the busiest beehive in the world was drone-like compared to the activity of the men from the wagon train. Led and spurred on by the Lone Ranger, they laid trees cut lengthwise through the center across the chasm and then interlaced these with freshly cut smaller logs. So busy were they at their labors, they failed to notice the stranger who passed among them and who had familiarized himself with what was taking place. The stranger was Jack Toady's foreman, Chick Fannin. And in the short time necessary to move from the scene without attracting notice, he was reporting the scene he had witnessed to his boss. It's the doings of this mass man and engine. They got themselves camped out a little to the south of them people in the wagons. I'm glad you found that out, Chick. I'll show these people. The mass man included. They can't fool around with Jack Toady. They'll wish they never trespassed on this property. What are you going to do, Jack? Me personally? Nothing. And none of my men are. But you're going to get someone who'll take care of the whole shebang. Yeah? Who am I going to get? Ace Rodell and Lou North. They're in town, aren't they? Yeah, Jack. But you mean you're going to have them kill some of these people? The mass man and the Indian, maybe. If they don't kill them, they can maim them or do whatever they want. But, uh, they can get blasting powder too, can't they? Ace and Lou? Why, sure. I get it. You're going to have them blow up the bridge these fellas put up, huh? Right. I'm not going to trust your instructions in this chick. Those fellas have never been out this way. I'll give you a note to Ace telling him just what to do and when. The blasting will have to be done in the middle of the night. But first, they can take care of that mass man and Indian. Now, where'd you say they were camped out? That'll be their first job. It was after midnight, and the campfire of the Lone Ranger was burning low. Covered with blankets, he and Tonto slept in the shadows, just outside the crimson circle cast by the flames. Suddenly, like a clarion, the whinny of a horse was heard from the grove where Silver and Scout had been tied for the night. Immediately, the Lone Ranger stirred, and his eyes opened as every sense became alert. Tonto, I'm like warning. I'm sure it is, Tonto. Listen. He must have me. Find out who they are and what they want. Silver whinnied once more. The masked man, bending low, arranged his blanket, then slid into the shadows. He tensed as he saw the first of two figures appear in the campfire's glow. 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. Tonto was lying beside the campfire as if asleep. And next to him, a rumpled blanket formed an outline that in the shadows looked too as if a man might be at rest within its folds. Crawling stealthily like two beasts of prey, the killers, Ace Rodell and Lou North, made their way just outside the edge of the fire's glow to the spot where they would plunge their knives into the bodies of the intended victims. And then as they paused to withdraw the weapons from their belts, the masked man left seemingly from nowhere to send both men sprawling. Well, there's odds. Drop that knife. Take that. You're not too bad. You're not asleep like you think. You're a smart old brace, aren't you? You're nothing. What? See if you can use your knife now. Here's another. Open another. Keep on top of that pillow, Tonto. You have him now. That's it. You're not using knife. I'm in the fire. You're not feel fire after this. Don't you go too. That good punch, Kimosabe. Look, both plenty fast asleep. We're lucky we're not asleep forever, Tonto. If Silver hadn't went and warned us, they would have finished us. Them still knocked out. Not move muscle. Who are these men? Why'd they come after us? Well, me not seeing them before. Look like tough hombres. They're never tough when they go out like that. Let's look in their clothes and see if we can identify them. This one not having anything in pocket. Name may be in belt. Say north. Doesn't matter, Tonto. I think I have something here. I'll say I have. That fellow is north. The one I searched is Rodell. Ace Rodell. This is a note from Jack Toady. Toady? Yes. Somehow he's learned about us and what we've done. He wanted us killed. Oh. Here's the interesting part. These men have instructions to blow up the bridge we've been building tonight. Good thing we stopped them. Them not blow it up now. Good thing we stopped them for a better reason than that. Our lives. But see here, Tonto. If I read this correctly, these fellows have never been out here before. Tonto, see if they have any blasting powder hidden in the bushes over there, will you? Ah. Let me look. Did you find something there, Tonto? Ah. That's powder and juice here. Bring them here, will you? Ah. I wonder. Tonto, this note tells these fellows how to get to the spot where we are now. That's how they found us. It goes on to say after they get rid of us, they ought to go on about a quarter of a mile. Blow up the bridge they'll find there. Them not do that now. No, not that bridge. Look at them. They'll be out for quite a while yet. Them hit plenty hard. Them stay asleep a long time. They'll be groggy when they come, too. Tonto, we'll take them on horses as quickly as we can. Put them on the ground about a mile from here, beyond our unfinished bridge. Put them on ground, Kemosabe? Near any undergrowth that resembles this. Put their blasting powder and fuses there. Let them come to and find them. Let them maybe make explosion, then. That's what I want them to do. Turn about is fair play. Let's see, it says here to go on and blow up the bridge a quarter of a mile beyond. To watch out for the guards there. I don't imagine the guards on Toto's bridge will be so alert tonight. They're at the bridge at all. You mean, Kemosabe... These fellows are awake and are conscious enough to go on with their instructions. They'll go on another quarter of a mile and... You see, Tonto? Less than an hour later, Jack Toady and his foreman, Chick Fandom, near the end of a period that had become an ordeal. Toady had given Rodell and North definite instructions for blowing up the bridge. And according to his calculations, the explosion should have occurred long minutes ago. But the night outside the ranch house gave forth no sound beyond the old familiar ones. Highly expectant, yet impelled to hide their feelings, the two men had begun to sense a tension, each within himself and in the other. But still they did not talk. Instead, they drained the glasses which they had filled with increasing nervousness after successive drinks. And now they had taken to pacing the floor. Pacing from one end of the room to the other. Standing before a window as if to see a sound. Yet none came. It was Chick Fannin who finally broke the electric silence. Jack, it's getting late. Think maybe the boys set off the explosion and we didn't hear it? I don't think so. That camp of theirs can't be too far away from the ranch. No, it's not. I told you where it was. I wonder if anything went wrong. Don't start pacing around again. And we've got plenty of time. There could be a million reasons why they might have to take it easy before they do anything. Yeah, but there could be a million reasons. Did you hear that? The explosion. Yeah. They must have used enough powder to blow up six bridges. You'd think that explosion was right out here. Listen to the yelling. That's right down here a bit. What's that? You're right. Come on. Chick. Those are our men running this way. And look, down by the ravine. A fire. Our bridge. They did, Jack. Look, a fire. The bridge is gone. What? Chick, it's gone. Do you realize what that means? Sure, you'll have to build it up. It means I'm ruined. Completely. You know, we've got to get the cattle in for shipping tomorrow. And that was the only way we could do it. It'll be more than a week now before we can get another bridge laid. And then it'll be too late. It's... Chick. What? I just thought... Oh, no. It won't work. Yet I'll have to try. I've got to get those cattle to town. And those nesters have the only bridge. I've got to go and plead with them. The sun was not yet high in the sky when the pioneers started across the newly made bridge next morning. Westward bound again. Here, indeed, a miracle had been performed. A miracle of their own making performed for their own good. Their numbers were great and their spirits high. This was the bridge they had built. Their bridge. And though it spanned a chasm of minor width, it also spanned a precious piece of time. Four long days, perhaps. And if they crossed it safely, who could tell? It might be a bridge that, ensuring their survival, would be the keystone for generations to follow. Children and their children's children who would bring life to the great Northwest. Because these people here today had built a bridge to beat time and the hunger that might have come with it had they followed the original and longer route. Slowly at first, the animals and wagons had set across the newly planked span across the ravine. When it became evident that the bridge was solidly banked and gave not even an inch beneath the weight of wagons, beasts, and humans, the spirit of the people, young and old, became almost a singing thing. Phil Bangs, who with the Lone Ranger had led the first force-drawn vehicle across the yawning gap, was back on the starting side once more, watching the last wagon of the caravan head to safety and the shorter passage westward. He turned to Rufus Ford and to his wife Sarah and spoke, his eyes shining. You all have looked on something we'll remember as long as we live. I wouldn't have believed it possible last night. I still can't believe it's true now. Phil, nothing's going to be hard now. We'll save four or five days through the worst territory imaginable. The masked man told me. Phil, Rufus, look back yonder. Those two men riding towards us. I declare they're waving their arms at us. And that one of them is... Jack told him, sure enough. One of you thinks we blew up his bridge. He knows who blew up his bridge. That was mighty perp thinking in the part of the masked man. He sure is a caution, isn't he? Oh, oh, oh, oh. Uh, you. Oh, which one of you is leader of this wagon trade? We both are. Sort of a corporation. Ah. Why you ask that? You are? Are you, uh, going to tear down that bridge after you get across? Why, that's just what we're fixing to do. Oh. See the boys over there on the other side? They're just waiting for us to give them the word. Right, honey? Huh? Oh. Why, why, sure. Yeah, that's what we're fixing to do. Sure enough. Look, you can if you do it. Let me handle this, chick. Uh, see here. I've got some cattle over on the other side of the ravine. I've got to get them to market today. My bridge is down there. It's down quicker than London Bridge, buddy. What the? Thanks to your instructions to Rodell and North. Hey, where'd he come from? And back there in the grove. I see here now. You, mass man, and all of you, I'm sorry about what happened. You're sorry? You send men to kill us. You'll be sorrier before the day is over, Toadie. Nothing happened to you or anybody else. I'm the only one who suffered, and I guess I deserve it. But I'll lose everything unless I get my cattle over this side of the ravine. And I've got to do it today. And doggone build yourself a new bridge like we did. We can't do that. The ravine's too wide on our range. We'd need to hire bridge builders like we did when my uncle built it. But we haven't time. That's why I've come to you. To ask you to leave up this bridge of yours, you've got to. Not for me so much. Oh, no, not much. If not for you, Toadie, then for who? Well, for the ranch hands and... Oh, the ranch hands. You can't believe I'm laughing, Jack. I've got to laugh myself. Why? I'll show you, Toadie, we've got more heart than you. You'll let him use a bridge, huh, Bangs? Bridge for a bridge is fair as far as it goes. But there's something else that needs balance, too. You'll need more money than you possess in your entire wagon train before you're settled in the far west. As I recall, Toadie here wanted to charge you for every person, animal, and wagon that crossed his bridge. Now, Bangs, you've got that southern heart you were talking about. Rufus Ford here has a big heart, too, I'm sure. But he has a Yankee background when it comes to trading. Go ahead, Rufus. You can do it. Uh, Toadie was charging 50 cents for us and a dollar a head for animals yesterday. You bargained from there, Rufus. Yeah. Mask man was right. You were the money man of this outfit. Uh, Toadie, I don't know how many heather cattle you're going to run over that bridge today. But we'll stand there and collect, even if it means adding time on our journey. You'll pay, say, 25 cents a head. Why, the crook wanted to charge us a dollar. And only 50 cents for humans, remember? Well, we'll show this fellow that we've got a better sense of values. We can charge you for labor and material, too, if we leave the bridge here after today. I don't care what you charge me. Just leave that bridge there. I'll meet your terms. Jack, that mask man sure fixed you up pretty. He's the one that made everything come out good, like it has. Now, look here, mask man. I wonder why... Why, he's gone. Sure enough has. Wonder who he was. You know Toadie? Yeah. I'm sorry to say I do. Now, that's the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger! This is a product of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, created and produced by George W. Trendle, directed by Fred Flowerday, and edited by Fran Stryker. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.
