A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high of 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 arrives again. Come on, Silver. Let's go, big fellow. Are you still there? When the railroad was being built through the west, the center of activity was the town at the end of track. It was a temporary community of light shacks and tents that could be picked up and moved ahead periodically as the work progressed. In addition to quarters for the railroad workers and their families, there were shops and stores and cafes. Various traders, as well as gamblers, confidence men, and crooks moved with the town. Brad Carter was in charge of construction for the railroad, and Brad felt fine as he relaxed at a table in one of the cafes with several of his friends. Yes, siree, boys. This is the first time in weeks that I've been able to take an evening for a little talk and relaxation. Work is going good now, eh, Brad? First rate. And reports state the land ahead is clear redskins. Shouldn't have no more trouble at all. I hope you're not being too optimistic, Brad. Why do you say that, Steve? Well, I'm thinking of Sloan. Oh, that crook. Yeah. He's a dangerous crook, too. Well, I'm shot of him now. Glad I learned about his pals before he had the chance to make trouble. Sloan won't take kindly to being fired off the job. Oh, he's gone from these parts. I hope so. We won't hear no more of them. Hey, Carter. Who just came in? It's your wife, Molly. Sakes alive. Brad! She's seen you. Looks like she's upset about something. Oh, Brad. Brad, thank goodness I found you. Molly, what in tarnation are you doing here? Oh, Brad, I came to warn you. Ted Sloan's looking for you. Sloan? We were just speaking of him. One of the men came to the shack, and he said that Sloan was coming here. If he makes any trouble, I'll drive him into the ground like a wooden stake. And I won't bother sharpening the end. Oh, please, Brad. Please don't fight with him. He's dangerous. And Joe said he was in an ugly mood. Take it easy, Molly. Don't worry. Look, he just came through the batwing door. I and everyone in the place looking for you. I'm right here, Sloan. So I see. I promised myself a showdown, Carter. All right. Just start collecting. Oh, no. No, please don't fight with him. There'll be no fight, Molly. If Sloan starts trouble, I'll finish it. Sloan, when I learned you'd done time in jail for stealing cash, I warned you that I'd give you a chance to make good. I warned you to steer clear of your old pals. No man can tell me who'll be my friend. I don't care who you choose for friends. But I won't have a man working close to payroll cash if he hobnobs with crooks like Prescott and Knowles. That's why I fired you. That's why I'm here to call you on it. You're wearing a gun, Carter. Go for it. Not me, Sloan. You want gunplay, you start it. All right, I'll start it. Look out! Good work, Carter. Yes, I'm a little faster than you figured, huh, Sloan? I tried to shoot away your gun. My bullet brushed your arm. You sure had it coming to you. Sloan, you slapped Lillard first. You sure did. You asked for trouble and you got it. You wait, Carter. I'll square things. You better get out of here, Sloan. And out of town as well. If I hear any more from you, I'll put the next bullet where the effect will be more lasting. Now get. You wait, Carter. You just wait. You haven't heard the last of me. Gosh, Brad, you sure threw a fast shot. Grease light. I didn't mean to crease his arm. Maybe it's as well I did. He might not be so free to start gunplay when we meet the next time. Oh, Brad, he'll be back. Oh, I don't know, Molly. He will be. I know it. He'll never rest until he gets you. Brad, I'm afraid Molly's right. Tad Sloan will be back. And he won't come alone. Next time, he'll bring some of them crooked palsies along with him. Oh, Brad. Oh, stop it, boys. He's no use giving Molly things to worry about. I'm not concerned about what Sloan will do to me. I can take care of myself. The only thing that worries me is the railroad payroll. Brad, you think he'll make a play to get that? Might be. He knows when it comes from the east and how it comes. From now on, we'll have to be gosh-awful careful. Yes, sirree, gosh-awful careful. After leaving the cafe at the end of track, Tad Sloan mounted his horse and rode eastward to an arroyo where Prescott and several other hard-faced men were camped. Their campfire was small and fairly well obscured, but it was enough to attract the attention of an Indian who dismounted from his paint horse and advanced silently to the rim of the arroyo. The Indian was Tonto, the companion of the Lone Ranger. He could hear the men's voices. Come on with that gear. I'm in a hurry. I'm doing things as fast as I can, Sloan. I'll have the rest of the Blangus Road and tied in a jiffy. It wouldn't hurt you to lend a hand, Sloan. My arm hurts where Carter's bullet creased it. Hey, that'll do. That horse set to travel, Prescott? Yeah. Get him. Sloan, what are you going to do about Carter? I'll get the critter. I'll get him if it's the last thing I do. Your last try came close to being the last thing you did. That bullet had him in a little more the center, you'd be a gone goose. Save it. If I was you, Sloan, I'd leave him alone. I'll take no chances next time. I'll get him first. Then we'll go after that payroll cash. You'd have had a snap getting the cash if you hadn't lost your job. We'll get the cash. How do you aim to get Carter? I know a couple of places just west of town where I can lie and wait. Drill him from ambush. Where they're laying the new rails? Yeah. Horses are all ready to move out, Sloan. All right, mount up and we'll shove on. Get up. It was one hour later and daybreak was close at hand. The Lone Ranger lay in his blankets beside the embers of a dying fire. The fast beat of approaching hoofs roused the masked man to instant wakefulness. Silver's whinny was one of welcome that told the Lone Ranger that it was his friend Tonto who was riding in. What the? Oh, fella. Oh. Tonto, you've ridden hard. Not right. You learn anything about Sloan? Me learn plenty, Kimo Sabe. See the one we've been looking for? Yeah, him same fella who robbed bank in St. Joe. And he's been working for the railroad? Not work now. Him fired. Him got crooked friends. Them planned dry gulch boss named Carter. Brad Carter? Uh-huh. When? This morning, when Carter get on job. Come on, Tonto. Get my bridle, will you please? Let me get it. Steady, Silver. We've got to move fast. Sloan fella, plan wait an ambush near end of track. We'll have to hurry to get there in time. Uh-huh. Just one second, boy, and we'll be on our way. The cinch is tight there. Silver ready now. Right. Easy, big fella. Easy, scout. One, two, there. Get him up, scout. Daybreak found the trackman at work as Sloan, Prescott, and two other men took places of concealment on a slight rise overlooking the tracks. Yes, a good hiding place. Good enough? There's some men on the far side of the tracks. One of them looks like Brad Carter. I think I got him spotted. But I won't be sure till it gets a little lighter. Looks like Carter's own horse. That's Carter all right enough. Why don't you drill him and be done with it? If I do, those men with him will come after us. We'll have to run for it. Might get caught. I'm not taking any chances. Sloan, what kind of talk is that? We'll have to run for it, whether you fire now or ten minutes from now or, for that matter, an hour from now. In a couple of minutes, we'll get more of a head start. How do you figure that? Look to the east there. See that work train shoving cars this way? Yeah. What about it? She'll stop at the end of tracks so the rails can be unloaded. A line of cars will be right between Carter's pals and us. They'll be cut off. Before they can take after us, they'll have to go all the way around the line of cars. We'll have a good head start. See, now, that's slick. I'll fire just before the train passes in front of Carter. Smart thinking, so. Mighty smart thinking. Keep on with that kind of thinking. We'll soon have us a railroad payroll. Quiet now. The train's getting close. I'll draw a bead on Carter. Don't mess with your first shot. Don't worry. Sheltered by rocks, Sloan lined up the sights of his rifle and prepared to fire the death bullet when the work train came close. He didn't see two hard-riding men coming from far beyond the tracks. He wasn't aware of them until his partner spoke. Hey, Sloan, look yonder. Those riders, one's masked. The others are redskins. Shut up. I gotta make this shot count. Train's close to Carter. Carter, shoot. A couple of seconds more. When the Lone Ranger fired into the air to attract attention, Carter and his men turned quickly. At that moment, Sloan's carbine spoke just once. You got him. The train's got off the view. Fire just in time. Train's stopping now. All right, boys, come on. Hit your saddles and train. I think I got square with Carter. Oh, yeah. In the confusion of the moment, the men with Carter couldn't determine the direction from which the shot came. They had all been looking at the approaching masked man and his Indian companion. They knew that the hard-riding pair had fired their guns, and they knew that Brad Carter had been hit and knocked from his horse. Oh, sir. Hurry, hurry, hurry. Brad. Brad, what happened? What have they done to you? That masked man did it. Get your hands up, both of you. You too, redskins. We saw you riding down, blazing away with your guns. Toto, see how badly Carter's hurt. I said get him off. That can wait. See what you can do for him, Toto. Them hurt pretty bad. Brad. Brad, speak to me. Speak to me, Brad. You're Mrs. Carter. Yes. You shot him. You were hired by Sloan. You, oh, you murdered him. Mrs. Carter, they were coming to warn your husband of an ambush. Likely story. That shot came from the other side of the tracks. We saw some men in ambush halfway up the hill. Where are they now? The train came in and cut them off. Maybe so, maybe not. All we know is that you came in with guns blazing and Carter got hit. We'll hold you for the time being. How about him, Toto? Bulletin did, Kimasabi. Him made doctor. Steve, Frank, where's the nearest doctor? Gosh, I don't know. Isn't there one back in town? No. Then this man will have to be taken into Batesville. Get him on that work train. Toto and I will do what we can for him while we're on the way to the doctor. Now, hold on, mister. You're our prisoner. We'll settle for that for the time being. Save this man's life. But don't try to disarm us or remove my mask. But, Dad, run it while you're packing those shooting lines. Take care of Brad. Yes. Put him into the caboose and unhits those flat cars that are ahead of the engines. We're safe enough here, boys. Until we get our wind, Sloan. We made a slick getaway. We sure did. You sure you got Carter for keeps? I think I did. That mask man that was shooting might have thrown me a little off my aim, but I think Carter's done for. Now, men, we'll round up the rest of the gang. All right, boss. Then we'll make plans to take charge of the next payroll that comes through from the east. Come on. Get him off. Get him off. 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. Brad Carter lay on the floor of the caboose with his wife and friends watching anxiously while the Lone Ranger and Tonto did what they could until the wounded man could get to a doctor. The engine and caboose moved more and more slowly on a long upgrade. Oh. Brad. Brad, can you speak to me? Molly. I'm right here. You're going to be all right, boss. We're taking you to the sawbones at Gatesville. Yeah. And we got the man that drilled you. Sloan. Tad Sloan. You're wrong, boss. It's a masked man. He's right here with us. The doctor removed this bullet. You see that you made a mistake. Carter was hit by a rifle bullet. How'd you know? I heard the shot. I heard you shooting. That's enough for me. Tonto. Open the rear door of the caboose. Now hold on. Get as much air in here as possible. Oh. Well, if that's why you want the door open, we'll... Oh, look. Look, those horses. Yes, Captain Silver catching up to us. Hey, this train's hardly moving. Well, we'll soon be over the crest. Then we can make better time. Men, Tonto and I have done all that we can do. Now on, it's up to the doctor. We're going to try to find the man who shot Carter. You're staying right here. Don't try to leave this caboose. Sorry. He's got me. Hey, don't shoot. I don't intend to shoot. I do intend to leave this car. Go on, Tonto. Jump off the rear. Get to the saddle and cover me while I jump. There. Me, Moe. You can't get away. But I have every man in the railroad looking for you. Meanwhile, I'll be looking for Tad Sloan. Hey, Tonto. Tonto's got you covered. We'll meet again. Hey, he jumped to his horse. Hasta la vista. Come on, fill it away. Get him up and jump. It was two days later. Brad Carter was rapidly recovering his strength but was still confined to bed in the temporary cabin that was his home in the town near the end of track. For the first time since being wounded, he was able to sit up and ask questions. Now, go over it again, Molly. Give me all the facts about that mask man. But, Brad, I've told you all I know. You say he wore a mask and was lightning fast with his six guns? Yes, he was. And his Indian friend was called Tonto? Brad, I've... Molly, tell me just one thing. You said he had a white horse. He did. That critter was right behind the caboose on the upgrade when that mask man jumped off and escaped. What did he call his horse? Brad, I don't know. Think back, Molly. Think back. Did he call it Silver? Come to think of it, Brad, I reckon he did. Doggone. Molly, you mean to say the boys blamed that mask man for shooting me? Why, yes. Then it's a mighty good thing I wasn't killed. Why, Dad read it. Molly, it'd be terrible if that mask man got strung up. He's the Lone Ranger. Brad, are you sure of that? I'm dead sure. I tell you, there's just one man who wants to kill me and that's Tad Sloan. Somehow or other, he's the one who did the shooting. The mask man blamed Sloan. He said he fired from the opposite side of the tracks just before the work train cut us off. My thunder, I'd give all I got if that Lone Ranger would get on the trail of Sloan and his pals. You won't have to give anything. Brad! What the... The mask man! I had to slip in to the back door. It's you! Yes, Brad. I didn't want to be seen by anyone in town. There seems to be a strong desire to stretch my neck. Well, I'll change that. Just wait till I get up and around to tell the truth about you. Mister, I want to thank you for getting me to the doctor. Brad, you said you wanted your enemy tracked down. Sloan is out to make trouble. This makes twice he's trying to get me. Sloan is wanted for a bank robbery. That's why I've been looking for him. He's done time in jail for a couple of crimes. You go back for a couple more. Oh, mister, I'll not sleep a wink as long as Sloan's around. If you could only track him down... That's what Tana and I have been doing. Brad, we picked up Sloan's tracks on the hillside where he waited to ambush you. You did? There were two men with him. There were a couple of no-good skunks he's been hobnobbing with. One is named Prescott. I don't know who the other one is. Could you follow his tracks? Yes, but it's been slow work. Early this morning we found a camp. Yeah? Sloan seemed to have spent considerable time in that camp. He was joined by some other men. Some others? Yes. There were at least 15 men in that camp. 15? Oh, Brad. He's up to something. Oh, mister, what can be done? I've got a lot of friends here in town as well as the men who were working at the end of track. Maybe if we took all of them and raided that camp... Sloan gang is on the move. Do you know where they're going? No. The trail became quite hard to follow. I left Tana to study it while I came here to speak to you. Mister, will you keep on that trail? Will you do it until I'm strong enough to take over? I'm not asking it for my sake. I'm asking it for the sake of the railroad. We'll do all we can to learn what Sloan is planning. Don't worry, Carter. That night, Sloan and Prescott and the rest of their gang were huddled close to a small fire in a new camp. We missed out the other day when we tried to get Brad Carter, but I don't aim to miss out anymore. What about that payroll money? That's what I'm going to talk about. We're starting out tomorrow morning before dawn. We'll head to the end of the tracks where the construction gang is spiking rails. Now hold on, Sloan. You said you were after payroll money. We are. Well, the payroll money will be in the cabin where Carter makes his home and office, and that's in the town. I know that. The working crew has gone ahead since the last time the town was moved. That's right. Fits right in with my plans. Suppose you tell us some more of your plans. That's what I aim to do if you'll shut up a minute. Well, get that payroll cash by being smart. Now listen, careful. Then check on your guns and be ready to break camp before daybreak. The construction crew had advanced several miles since the morning when Sloan had waited in ambush to shoot Brad Carter. There were nearly 20 men in Sloan's gang that rained up near end of the track. Right over there, boys. That's the layout. That's it. You'll shoot from here. You'll get plenty of cover. Right. Prescott, you take charge. Right. I'll take Hank with me to collect the payroll. Any questions? Let me just check on our part. We're to open fire on the laborers and keep firing until they send to town for reinforcements. That's right. Every man able to bear a gun will clear out of town. Leaving things easy for me and Hank to call on Carter. As soon as the reinforcements get, here to help the laborers, me and the boys clear out. Is that it? That's right. The attack here is just to draw men away from town while you and me get the payroll. That's soon. Right. Now, you boys open fire and me and Hank will start for town. Come on, Hank. Right. Get up. Oh, yeah. Open fire. Let them have it. I don't know how many men are attacking us, but we're outnumbered. We need help. Our horse is over yonder. I'll go to town and get more men. Oh, oh. Hold there. Oh, boy. All out. All out, boys. It's an attack. Get your horses and rifles. Get to the end of track. Get out there. Come on. Get out. Word spread through the community like wildfire, and the men lost no time in grabbing rifles, leaping to their saddles, and riding westward. Oh, oh. Hold there, boys. The messenger rang up before Brad Carter's home. Brad, it's the Sloan gang. What are they up to? Where are they? Attacking at the end of track. Molly. Molly, I gotta go help the boys. Brad, you can't get up. No, you stay here, boss. We'll have plenty of men to handle Sloan's gang. I've got every able-bodied man in town. I just wanted you to know what's going on. Molly, I wonder what Sloan is up to. I thought he'd come here to get the payroll cash. Darkness had forced the Lone Ranger and Tonto to call a halt as they followed the trail of the Sloan gang. They had resumed their way at daybreak and were riding slowly when they heard the sound of distant gunfire. Tonto, that's dead ahead. That's right. In the direction the Sloan's men went. Come on, we'll see what it means. Get him up. Move up. The two men rode at top speed until they reached the crest of a hill. Move over. Move over. In the valley beneath, they saw the end of track. They saw the road railroad workers firing at the outlaws who had sought cover halfway down the hill. That's Sloan gang. His gang, Tonto. I don't see Sloan himself. Me not see him. We've got to make sure. Remember, we open fire from here. Catch outlaw between two fires. Oh, wait. We cut off retreat of gang. Yes, we could. Then railroad men capture all crook Kimisabi. What is Sloan attack? What's he after? Me not know. Tonto, Sloan isn't there. I'm sure of it. Now listen to me. You stay here. Those men try to retreat, take shoulder behind that rock and open fire. Get off their escape. Miss, Savvy. Sloan is after payroll money. He'd be in town. That's where I'm going. I'll have the sheriff and his men join you here. One through there. In his home, Brad Carter was restless and angry. Confounded, Molly. Me here doing nothing while my men are fighting that gang? If I could only be out there fighting with them, I'd... Now, Brad, Brad, please. There's no use grumbling. You can't get out of bed. And even if you could, you couldn't ride a horse and pack a gun. Just the same, I don't like it when other men do my fighting for me. I'd like to do my own fighting. Hello, Carter. Sloan. Steady, there's no use trying to go for a gun. You won't beat me this time. My gun's already on you. You ornery, dry gulch and pull cat. Go ahead, Carter. Speak your piece. Let's get what we came for and get out of here, Sloan. Oh, we got plenty of time, Hank. You keep an eye on the woman. Go ahead, Sloan. Do your shooting and have it over with. You poison-faced rattler. I guess you know what we're here for, don't you, Carter? Two things. You and the payroll. If I had my gun... Well, you haven't. You can't shoot a defenseless man. You can't do it. You shut up. This is the third time I've come for you, Carter. First two times, I've failed. But this time, it's going to be different. Oh, no. Oh, yes. This time, it's going to be different. I'm going to put a bullet right between your eyes. I wonder if you can see it coming. Look fast. Hey, what is it? Drop that other gun. You, masked. Drop it or you've got the same as Sloan. Oh, my shoulder. Quickly. No, no, don't shoot. I dropped it. I'll kick the gun over to you, Brad. Pick it up. Yeah, I got it. Now, Sloan, as you said, this is the third time you've tried to get me and this time it's going to be different. Wait, wait. Listen, Carter. I'm not armed. You can't shoot a defenseless man. Now, the tune's different now, isn't it? He won't shoot you, Sloan. He's going to save you for the law. I can help keep these polecats covered until you get back. Until I get back? Yes. Yes, the rest of the gang are attacking the railroad workers. You needn't worry about the rest of Sloan's gang. They're trapped between two fires. By this time, they're prisoners. It's all gone, Sloan. It looks like three times an out, huh? Let's keep them covered until the sheriff gets here with the rest of Sloan's gang. Adios, Brad. Adios. That confounded mask man. If it hadn't been for him... Sloan, there's a lot of crooks in jail that wouldn't be there if it hadn't been for the Lone Ranger. Adios, hoi! This is a product of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated, created and produced by George W. Trendle and directed by Charles D. Livingston. Tonight's story was written by Fran Stryker. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. and �an Muslim to the Lone Ranger will dig into a min and to the Lone Ranger.
