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. Let's go, big fellow. Hi-o-silver. Hi-o-silver. The name Jess Hardy was fast becoming synonymous with the word trouble throughout the territory surrounding the town of Belleville. Jess Hardy and his ruthless gang of outlaws seemed to be everywhere and to know when and where to strike to the best advantage. For instance, when there was a large payroll being carried on the stagecoach in Milltown, get up, get up, get up, come on. Hey, look, how long are you holding the macro? Must be the Hardy, get on, get up there, get up there, get up there, come on, get up there. And when there was a gold shipment from the Belleville bank by express on the railroad, an umbrella horse up ahead there, waving for us to stop, looks like. Maybe it's an owl hoot. Better blow the whistle for them to get off the tracks. All right. Great day, there's a lot of them further on. And logs piled on the tracks. It's a holdup! If it's that Hardy bunch, the guard and the express car haven't got a chance. And Jess Hardy's outlaw gang seemed to know when a town was unprotected. Yep, the sheriff and the posse's gone over to Mason City to hunt down the Hardy gang. Got away with the big bank robbery there. That Jess Hardy's got spars everywhere, it seems like. He sure gets around with that gang of his. I assume they got everybody scared to death. Take cover, everybody! Here comes the Hardy gang! Hey, fellas, it's Hardy gang! One morning, two horsemen rode along the trail toward Belleville. One was a stalwart Indian on a paint horse. The other was a tall, striking figure wearing a black mask and riding a white stallion. Tonto and the Lone Ranger had ridden for some time in silence. Then the masked man spoke. Well, Jess Hardy and his men seem to have struck terror to almost every man, woman, and child in this territory, Tonto. Ah, I'm that right. People seem afraid to mention the name of Jess Hardy. They strike suddenly and move out fast. Even some of the lawmen are getting to the point where they think it's useless to try to track them down. Not, not good, Kimisabi. No, it isn't. Makes those outlaws colder and more ruthless than ever. Ah, and them have good hiding place. Yes, no one's been able to locate their hideout. You think Hardy find out, Marshal ask you track down gang? Oh, that's hard to say, Tonto. Jess Hardy seems to have ways and means of finding out a good many things. We find a good place to pitch camp before we reach Belleville. Then, after you get supplies and find out what you can in town, we'll make some plans. Come on. Come on. That afternoon, a horseman reined up in front of the Nugget Cafe in Belleville. Oh, there. Ho, ho, boy. Ho. Easy there. What can I do for you, stranger? Got a plug of Bulldog Chorn Tobacco, Barkeep? Oh, I'm sorry. Never heard of that kind, mister. Hey, mister. Did I hear you ask for Bulldog Chorn Tobacco? That's right, I did. I got some of that kind. Glad to let you have part of it. Well, thanks. My name's Joe. Mine's Andy. Sit down and join me. Sure. I come with a message for Jess. Where's he have your station, Joe? Milltown. I found out the Marshal asked a certain hombre to get on Jess's trail. Ah, lots of hombres on Jess's trail. Sure, I know. But you better get to Jess and tell him this. Tell him the Marshal's got a masked hombre called the Lone Ranger hunting the gang. Lone Ranger, you say? Yeah, that's right. I've heard of that, hombre. I better go on Jess right away. You come along. Jess might have something he wants to tell you before he has you go back to milltown. All right, let's get going. About an hour later, the two outlaw spies, Joe and Andy, entered Jess Hardy's shack at the outlaw's hideout. Well, Joe, I see you found Andy all right. Sure. Went to the cafe in town and asked for Bulldog Chorn Tobacco. Andy spoke up and said he had some. I knew he was with the gang. I brought him on out here, Jess, in case you had some orders for him. Good. What did you leave milltown for? Got some letters? Yeah. I found out the Marshal's asked an hombre called the Lone Ranger for help in tracking down you and the gang. Huh? I guess you've heard of that, hombre, haven't you, Jess? Yeah, sure. Where's the black mask can rise a white stallion? That's right. There's an Indian that goes along with him. With him tracking us down, it means we've got to be more careful. That's right, Jess. Why? He isn't the only one who's trying to catch up with us. Listen, Andy, I guess you haven't heard as much about that mask, hombre, as I have. He works on the side of the law, and he's plenty smart. Maybe so. But what can one or two men do against a gang like we got, Jess? No use crawling in a hole just because him and that Indian are out hunting us. He's broken up many a gang before this one, Andy. I'm not afraid of anybody. Until we find out where that mask, hombre, is and do something about stopping him, I won't feel any too easy about it. I'm thinking the same way. What do you intend to do? I want Joe to stay around Belleville with you for a while. Two of you keep your ears and eyes open. Try to get a line on the Lone Ranger. The minute you find out anything, come here and let me know. Sure. Now, get back to town and keep watching. All right, Jess. Come on. That afternoon, Tonto returned from his trip to town and reined up at the temporary camp in the hills where the Lone Ranger was waiting. Hold it out. Easy. Well, Dotto, any news in Belleville? May not hear anything, Kimisabi. I may get supplies, have them, and saddlebags. Good. Tonto, I want you to help me put on a disguise so that I'll look like a tough cowhand. Ah. Then we'll use some of your root dye to put markings on silver so he won't be recognized. That'd be easy. After I have the disguise, I'll go on into town for a while and be back in time for supper. Come on. Let's get busy. May help, Kimisabi. It was sometime later that afternoon when the Lone Ranger, without his mask, but disguised as a tough-looking cowhand, entered the Nugget Cafe in Belleville. As the Lone Ranger crossed the cafe, the barkeep was talking to a salesman. Are you sure you don't sell that brand of charm and tobacco I was telling you about? Sure, I'm sure. I carry about every brand there is. But I never heard of Bulldog, friend. Bulldog. You're not the first one to ask me, though. Well, who else been trying to get it? Well, it seems like some ombre asked for it in the cafe over at Mason City a couple weeks ago. And the barkeep in Milltown said someone come in there asking for it, too. Well, the funny thing is, it was an ombre sitting at one of the tables who said he had some. And offered to give the stranger part of it. Is that right? The same thing happened in the other two places, they told me. I wonder where the ombre's who had it bought that kind. I don't know. But if I see the one who had some for the gear, I'll ask you. Good. Anything else you need right now? No, but guess I got everything. Well, I'll see you next time you come through here. All right, all right. So long. Something for you, mister? Not right now, thanks. I'm waiting for someone. All right. Call me if you decide you want something. All right. All right. The Lone Ranger walked to a nearby table and sat down. The conversation he had just overheard had set him thinking. And whenever anyone entered and approached the barkeep, he listened attentively. Finally, two men came in. They approached the bar, and the Lone Ranger heard the barkeep address one of them. Say, uh, I've been wanting to ask you something, mister. Yeah? What is it? Well, when your friend there came in a while ago and asked me for a full dog chewing tobacco, you spoke up and said you had some that you'd give him. Well, what about it? Nothing. Only I was just wondering where you got it. I tried to buy some from the salesman this afternoon, but he says there isn't any such brand. I got mine in Milltown. It's any of your business. We're going to sit down. Bring us a couple of drinks, Prado. Sure. Two coming up, Prado. That's a snack. They're nosy, hombre, isn't they? Yeah. Too nosy. Howdy, gents. What do you want, mister? You meant to ask for some bulldog chewing tobacco. I just heard the barkeep saying you carried some of it. Yeah. Sit down. Thanks. Where are you from? Milltown. Milltown? Shut up, Joe. So you're spying out in Milltown, huh? What brings you here? I have some news. Yeah? What is it? It's something I can't tell to anyone but the boss. Now, listen here, Andy. Quiet, Joe. I told you I'm handling this. If he wants to talk to the boss, there's no reason why he can't. Come on. We'll take him out there right now. As the Lone Ranger rode along with the two outlaws, he realized he was heading for trouble. Since Jess Hardy, whom he expected was the man they were taking him to, would immediately know he was not one of the gang. Yet he was determined to face Hardy in hopes that somehow he could bluff things through. A storm came up as they neared the hideout. Looks like we're going to get wet unless we hurry up. Yeah. We have much farther to go. Now, we're almost there. Let's get a move on. Get along there. Get up. Get up there. Hello, boy. Oh, gee, that was nice. Come on. I'm soaked. Yeah, so am I. Easy now. I'm pretty wet, too. From the storm, huh? Do it back here. Who's that with you? This hombre comes up to us at the cafe and uses the password for us. It says he's stationed at Milltown, but we know all the time he was... Just a minute, Andy. Look, Hardy. I said I came from Milltown. Not that I was stationed there. I got wires to your password, and I tried it out. But I wanted to join up with you. I knew these hombres wouldn't talk to me about it, so I said I had to talk to you. He sure got a lot of nerve. I know right away he wasn't one of the gang since Joe was stationed at Milltown. He looks like he could be useful all right, Chess. Yeah. You were pretty smart to figure things the way you did, mister. What name did you go by? You can call me Bill. That's not my real name. That'll do. Lots of the hombres with us aren't using their real names. Joe, you better take the horse around to cover till the rain lets up. Yeah, go ahead, Joe. All right. I want to talk to this hombre a little more before I decide about him. Hey. Yeah? Come here, man. What's the matter? Take a look out there at the stranger's horse. What about it? Say, the spots and markings are gone. Now it's all white. Yeah. White style. Don't move, mister. Oh, wait a minute. I got... You're smart enough. You're not smart enough. You had that stallion fixed up. You didn't count on rain to wash away the markings you put on him, eh? Draw your guns, man, and watch him close. I have a feeling this hombre is the Lone Ranger. 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, disguised as a tough cow hand, had tried to bluff through a meeting with Jess Hardy, the outlaw chief. When one of the outlaws went out into the rain to put up the horses, he called the others and pointed out that the markings which Tonto and the Lone Ranger had put on silver had washed off. Jess recognized the white stallion and quickly drew his gun, telling the others to do the same. Then he expressed the opinion that the new man was the Lone Ranger. But, Jess, the Lone Ranger wears a black mask. I told you before, the Lone Ranger was smart, plenty smart. I still think this is him, with his face fixed up somehow. I've seen that stallion before. I'd know him anywhere. Sure. And what's more, I noticed those extra special guns he's carrying when we met him in the cafe. And remember, Jess, I came over from Milltown to warn you that the Marshal was getting the Lone Ranger to try to track us down. Yeah, that's right. Now, wait a minute. You mean to tell me you on braze with belief for one minute that the Lone Ranger would pull a simple trick like I have? Come out here alone wearing his special guns and riding his own stallion? Well, that's... But you do have those special guns in that white stallion. Has it ever occurred to you that I might have taken them from the Lone Ranger? Taken them? Why not? Look, Artie said I'm smart for figuring things out. Getting out here to see him like I have. And they... Sure. But the Lone Ranger... I've never been afraid of him. Get that hombre pretty well figured out. Hey, Jess. Yes. If this hombre got away with a masked man's stallion and guns like he says, he'd be a good one. Why wasn't that stallion was fixed with fake marks, mister? If you were riding into town with a horse you didn't want to be recognized, what would you do? That's right, Jess. If he got away with the Lone Ranger's stallion, that masked man would have the law of watching for him. Sure, sure. But how could you get close enough to the Lone Ranger to get those fancy shooting iron? These are my own. None of you have ever been close enough to the Lone Ranger to inspect his guns? Have you? Come to think of it, I never have. It goes for me, too. How about you, Jess? Well, I've seen him wearing his guns, but not too close up, as Bill says. There you are. Now, let's talk business. Yeah, Jess. You know you stand here in the doorway gabbing. I knew this hombre was too tough and ugly looking to be the Lone Ranger. Yeah, what do you say, Jess? Want me to tend to the horses now? Yeah. Yeah, go ahead. Well, mister... You can call me Bill, Jess. Maybe I'll get around to it. Close the door, Andy. Sure, boss. Joe and Andy convince easier than I do. I'm going to give you a chance to prove you came here to join my gang. Yeah? Meantime, every move you make will be watched. You won't leave this camp until we all ride together. Sit down. Well, how do you want me to prove I'm here to join you, Hardy? Why, haven't you take part in something I have planned? That's a good idea, Jess. What is it you have planned? Look, right now in the vault at Belleville Bank is a big cash shipment waiting to go by Wells Fargo in the morning. When it leaves, it'll be heavily guarded. But it isn't going to leave. No? No. Tonight, we're going to take it from the bank. They'll have a guard inside. How do you expect I learned about that money? I don't know. From the night guard at the bank. He's in with us. But, Jess, you know... Shut up, Andy. I'm doing the talking. You just sit and listen and keep your eyes on this hombre. Sure. This hombre who calls himself Bill is going in by the back window, which will be left unlocked. While the rest of us keep watch, he'll help the guard bring out that cash. In fact, time to do the whole job alone. Is that it? No. Well, we'll all be there to cover you if anything starts. So you can get away with us. And our inside man, the night guard, will be helping you. Of course, if you have any objections. Oh, I have no objections. Good. Then consider it settled. All right. I'll put the horses up till it stops raining. I'd like to go see to my own horse, Jess. Yeah, sure. Go ahead. Now, say, Joe, keep your eye on Bill while he looks after his horse, huh? All right. But he couldn't get away from camp anyhow. I told the entrance guards to watch out. I have no intention of trying to leave. I'll be back shortly. If you do try to pull a fast move, you'll find you get plenty of lead in you. Come on. Hey, boss. Do you think he's... I'm not sure what I think about that hombre. But I'm smart enough not to take any chances. What do you mean? You know as well as I do that if there was a big amount of cash waiting in the bank to be expressed, it would be easier for us to grab it after it's on the road. We could still keep our man in the bank for further tip-offs. Yeah. That's what I was thinking. But what's the night... Go ahead into town. Slip word to text in the bank to leave the back window unlocked. Sure, but I... Tell him after this tall hombre crawls in for him to get the drop on him and let him have it. Then set up a holler. We'll wait long enough outside to make sure he doesn't get out again. And then when the people begin to gather, we'll slip away, huh? Tex will be a hero for stopping a bank robber and the stranger will be out of the way. Good idea. Then you don't believe he's what he says. I'm not sure about him at all. But one thing I do know, he's too sharp to belong to my gang. No room for smart hombres like him here. He can't outsmart you, Jess. I haven't met anybody yet who could. Now I get going and see the things are set in town. Meantime, the outlawed Joe took the Lone Ranger to a large lean-to where the horses were kept. There's the horse you were riding over there. Good, I'll pull my saddle and bridle. I guess I might as well take the saddles off my horse, Nanny. While Joe was busy attending to the two other horses a short distance away, the Lone Ranger hastily scribbled a note and stuck it under the flap of one of the saddlebags on silver. Then he spoke cautiously to the stallion. What a ton of silver. Go home, fella. Home. Hey, what's going on over there? Oh, I missed him. The stallion, he's leaving. Go there, hold! Silver's one thought was to carry out the urgent order given him by his master. Training and experience had taught him that such an urgent command to leave the side of the Lone Ranger was spoken only in times of impending danger. The great white stallion sprang forward with such tremendous speed that the oncoming outlaw, Joe, ducked out of the way instead of trying to grab the bridle. The swift flying hoofs missed Joe by inches as the horse raced away through the rain, headed for the Lone Ranger's camp. I've lost a good stallion. He almost knocked me over getting away. It seems he just don't like your company, Bill. Yeah. Don't worry. We got an extra bronca, too. Guess we can fix you up. Good. Come on, we'll go back to Jess's shack. After dark, it had stopped raining. After making the arrangements, Andy had returned to the hideout. And soon, Jess Hardy, with the Lone Ranger beside him, led the outlaw gang toward the town of Belleville. They moved into the town in back of the buildings until they arrived behind the bank. All right, mister, this is it. We'll watch out here while you go in. I'm sure you'll find that back wind unlocked, and I'll get you on. Draw your guns, man, in case we need them. All right. What's the guard's name, Jess? The name's Tex. You'll be expecting one of the gangs, so it's all right. Go ahead. All right. I won't be long. I thought I got that note. This must be the window. Hey, Tex. Come on in. Make it quiet. All right. Over here, near the floor. Stooping down so that his outline wouldn't show against the back window, the Lone Ranger moved quickly off to the side and circled so that he could come up behind the man, Tex. Hey, where are you? I can't see you. I'm right behind you, Tex. With drawn guns. Hey, wait a minute. Stop your gun. Stop it. Look, I... Now I'm going to fire one shot. I want you to yell out. Make it loud. Yell as you would have yelled if you'd shot me as you planned. Now. Help! Robbers! Help! Hey, what the... What's going on? I don't know your friends are having trouble out there. He's a sheriff! He's a boss! What the... He's a man! Over here! I want that man! Well, looks like we got the whole Hardy gang out back. Good. And Tullo must have gotten my note. You mean that Indian? He sure did. Well, I guess the fight's over, sir. I had plenty of men hiding out there to close in on him when the break had started. So this guard is in with him, huh? That's right. He is. Here, Mr. Harvey. You all right? Yes, yes, Tullo. I figured Jess Harley fell too easily for my story. Planned this to get rid of me. Yeah, Jess planned it all. He sent word for me to shoot you down. And then for me to set up a ruckus to bring the sheriff and the townspeople. He figured if my shot didn't kill you, you'd be accused of attempted robbery anyway. I thought as much. Well, here's Jess Harley, Sheriff. They got out of his foes. They didn't expect the ambush we give him. That's you, fool. Why didn't you shoot that hombre like you were supposed to? He guessed there was something wrong. He got word to the sheriff somehow and double-crossed us. He couldn't. All right. That horse. That white stallion. Somehow you must have used him to make you... Good guessing, Jess. You let a horse outsmart you. Then you must be the man I thought you were. Yet the way you're looking, all right. Well, maybe this will make me look more familiar to you. He's putting on a mask. Yeah. What's the idea, I wonder? I can tell you about that. So don't let it bother you. Come on, Tonto. I'm sure you brought Silver along. Ah. Him outside in front. Good. Things seem to be under control here. All right. Let's go. Well, I'll be... Well, he is the Lone Ranger, after all. Yep. And he's got more nerve and brains than crooks like you will ever have, Jess Hardy. All right, sir. That masked man did in one day what every lawman hereabouts has been trying to do for months. Get you and that killer gang of yours. You see, that's the way the Lone Ranger always does things. This is a product of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, created and produced by George W. Trendle, directed by Charles D. Livingston, and edited by Fran Stryker. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.
