A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hyo silver, the Lone Ranger. His faithful Indian companion, Tonto, the daring and resourceful mask 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. The Lone Ranger and Tonto were riding along the broken, rock-strewn ground near the stage trail when they saw two men sprawled motionless beneath the blistering hot sun. At the sound of the approaching hoofs of Scout and Silver, one of the men stirred slightly. His eyes were glazed. He was barely able to discern the horsemen until the Lone Ranger and Tonto came quite close. I can only erase my gun. But the weight of the gun was too much for the fast ebbing strength of the dying guard of the stagecoach. Oh, brother, move. I'll see what can be done for him, Tonto. You take a look at the other man. Let me do it. You come back to finish me. Steady, steady there. Go ahead, shoot me and be done with it. I'm not going to shoot you. I'm here to help you. Help me? Too late. Here, take a drink of water. How about that man, Tonto? Yes, Dan. See about this man's wound, will you? I'm going fast. Who are you? I'm a friend. I want to know who shot you. I don't know. Why are you masked? I see the tracks of the stagecoach. Are you the driver? I'm the guard. Other Pete beats the driver. Try to swallow some more water here. Can't do much, huh? Now take it easy. Tonto's going to bandage your wound. Oh. Where's the stage? But they drove it away. I'm tired. It's getting dark. Bandage not help, Kimasami. All right, Tonto. Have you any idea who shot you? What? I said have you any... Tonto. Him dead. He couldn't tell a thing about this. Tonto, whoever killed these men should be... Wait, Kimasami. You look, yonder. What? Ryder, come this way. Two riders. Yes, I see them. Get ready, Tonto. We may have to fight them right here. Maybe kill her. Come back. No, put your guns away. One of those men wears a sheriff's badge. Oh, let me see it. You may think we shot these men. So be ready, Tonto. We may have to get away in a hurry. Uh-huh. Me ready. Fred, where they are? Don't turn them off. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Get your hands up. Oh, Ed Heister will get the drop on you. Fred, you take a look at those two. See how bad they're hurt. All right, Sheriff Bedford. They're both dead, Sheriff. They are, eh? Well, I reckon you ought to know. Take the guns, Fred, and unmask that man. Don't try it, Fred. Now, look here. We can start shooting you if we want us. We found one of those men still living, but too far gone to help. He talked, but he didn't know who did the shooting or made off of the stage. This has happened too often, mister. We're taking you into Ranceville. You can go peaceable or go horizontal, whichever you want. All right, take his guns. Radd, I don't like the way he stands there, Sheriff. He looks ready to jump me if I get too close. Take his guns. How about it, mister? Will you surrender? No. You see, Curly? You'll grab me and use me for a shield. How about it, Sheriff? Are you going to shoot me because I won't surrender? I'll take those guns. I'll have that mask. Then I'll take you into jail. But I hope... But let me go. Hey, Curly, Curly, look out. He can't go. I'll have your gun, Sheriff. Let me go. Don't shoot me. Stand over there. How about your man, Father? You got gun. Now, you see what I meant, Curly? That masked man moved like Dree's lightning. I knew he was fast. I could tell him by the way he stood up, Fred. Sheriff, my apologies for being rough, but you were so. Never mind that stuff. Now that you've disarmed me and my deputy, I suppose you'll add our bodies to the corpses there in the ground, eh? I'll unload your gun. Do the same with the deputy's hardware, Toto. Ah, me savvy. Toto and I will be out of range before you can reload, Sheriff. You just wait. I'll get you, mister. I'll hang you for these murders. If we'd kill those men, do you think we'd have waited for you to capture us? I'll enlist every man in Ranchville. We'll find you if we have to scour the entire county. We'll meet again. You bet we will. You won't jump me another time. Your gun, Sheriff. Come on. Set a big foot. Easy stone. Get them up. Come on. Come on. Meanwhile, far off in another direction, six horses, cruelly driven, pulled a bouncing stage across ground that was too hard and rocky to show tracks. Two men rode on the stage, and six more rode alongside. All right, Dirk. Rain up here. This place is as good as any. Whoa there, boys. Rain up, boys. Get it. Whoa there. Whoa there. There. There. Sure got away with this cargo in neat order, huh, Dick? Yeah, we sure enough did, Blackie. As far as I know, we let both the guard and driver dead. Dead or mighty close to it. Don't matter anyhow. They didn't get a look at our faces. Come on, boys. Get the mail bags off the stage. All right. Come on, boys. Hurry it up, and don't stand around waiting for instructions. You know what you're going to do. Well, it was a lot easier to take the whole stage than to unload it and tote the mail bags on the horses. Unhits the horses, Doug. Right. I'll give you a hand. While the boys are examining the mail, we'll set fire to the stage. All right, Blackie. Too bad we can't use these horses. No, they're not saddle horses. I reckon we'll just have to leave them go. How about those mail sacks? Well, we got almost all of them off the stage. Cut them open, then. I want to go through the mail. Get them. Blackie, the leader of the group, hurriedly went through the mail, selecting letters that looked as though they might hold money. Yeah. Meanwhile, Dirk finished unhitching the horses. Get going. You two, kid. Get along there. Go on there. Well, that takes care of them. How about the mail, Blackie? Well, we'll get enough out of this to make the holdup worthwhile. Good. When we first started, I figured maybe Big Bill was stringing us along. He knows better than to do that. Now, how many stages does he want us to take over and destroy? You didn't say. Get doggone. Look at the cash-fold money in this here letter. Must be close to $500 here. Good. Put it with the rest, and when we're all done, we'll whack up and burn the rest of the mail when we burn the stagecoach. Hey, Blackie, maybe we could go to Big Bill and tell him there wasn't any cash on the stage. Then we could tell him he'd have to pay us if he wants us to keep on with this robbing and we'll end. Well, Dirk, it don't pay to try tricks with a man like Big Bill. Yeah, I guess maybe you're right. He'd never have got as far as he is if he could be taken in by gents like us. He's doggone smart. A man has to be smart to be a lawyer and a banker like Big Bill. Well, just why does he want us to do this to the stagecoaches? I didn't ask. Well, I don't see what he gets out of it. I don't either. But you can bet your boots he'll get plenty out of it in one way or another. I bet you'll Mosley be hit hard by today's work. The Lone Ranger and Toto tried without success to follow the tracks of the stolen stagecoach over hard-packed rocky ground. Then they made camp, where the masked man decided on a plan of action. He reached into his saddlebags and pulled out clothing. Clothes of an Easterner, Toto. You know, they're all I have here. That's a good disguise, Kimasabi. It will do as well as any. I'll try to look like an Eastern businessman. That's right. Here, put my shirt away, will you? Uh-huh. Let me do it. Tuck the mask in the pocket. Uh-huh. I'm going to go into Ransfield and see what I can learn about this stagecoach robbery. Let the owner give information. Jim Mosley? Uh-huh. I'd like to help him, Toto. It would be like repaying a debt. He once helped the Texas Rangers. Me, no. I'll have to have a reason for asking him questions. Oh, hand me that fancy vest, will you? Ah. Here. Here, vest. Oh, thanks. I might pose as an Easterner who's interested in buying the stage line and a share of it. Yes, I think that's what I'll do. Gail Mosley was on the porch when her father came home from the office of the stage line. The girl knew by Jim's dragging step that he looked on the situation as hopeless. I'll tell you before you ask me, Gail. They'll never find that stagecoach. It's gone. The boys have been looking everywhere and no tracks. Oh, Dad, I... I reckon we're lit. Dad, you can't talk like that. You're Jim Mosley. They used to call you fighting, Jim. You can't be licked by the loss of a stage. What about the murder of the guard and driver? Oh, no, Dad, but even so... Gail, I hadn't told you, but trouble has been building up for the past month. This isn't the first stage I've lost. There's been others. Dad, I didn't know that. Two or three of them last week. Now, I know what's behind it. It's that Eastern Critter that wants to buy me out. You told me the bank had spoken to you about selling the stage line, but I... Yes, that's right, honey. And he said his client in the East was downright persistent. He hinted a couple of weeks ago that Turner might come here to make trouble for me if I didn't sell out. Then you think these criminals have been sent to make trouble for you by Mr. Turner. That's what I think, Gail. And I'm not the only one to think so. Big Bill Carlton, the banker, suspects the same. But can't you fight him? Oh, honey, how can I fight a man that works from the East and hires... Looks like a stranger coming this way, Dad. I wonder, Gail, look at that gent. He's an Easterner. He looks like one. Well, there, well, easy. Ready? Are you Jim Mosley? That's my name. Big Bill? You're the man I want to talk to. The Lone Ranger's disguise was perfect. He made a very convincing-looking Eastern businessman as he walked up the steps to Mosley's veranda. Mosley squinted suspiciously as he eyed the tall stranger. Why do you want to see me, mister? I'd like to talk about buying out your stage line. So that's it. So you're the critter. By thunder, you're John Turner that's been making all the trouble for me. Trouble for you? You can't fool me, Turner. You tried to get the banker to negotiate a deal for you. When he couldn't do it, you came out here. Well, I won't sell this line. I built her up from nothing. Fought Redskins all the way from here to St. Joe to keep my franchise. I won't sell out. You hear that? Yes, I hear it. I'm glad you're here. By Juniper, I am glad you came here. At last we can have the showdown. I hope he'd come. You want a showdown, huh? The same old fighting gym I've heard about. And you taught me a new way to fight. When you couldn't scare or bluff me into selling out, then I suppose you handled things your own self instead of letting Big Bill handle it for you. You hired killers. You made off with my stages and you shot my friends. Dad, you can't make such charges without proof. I'm calling you, Turner. Yes, I heard you. You turned to gunplay to get what you wanted. Well, two can play that game, Turner. Dad, in the name of mercy, stop. That's gun talk. That's just what it's meant to be. You got a gun under that there coat of yours, mister. I can see the butt end sticking out. Dad, stop. One minute fighting, Jim. One minute nothing. You made the rules of the game, Turner, and the rules include gun smoke. Let's have the showdown here and now. Reach for that shooting iron. It's you or me. 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. When the Lone Ranger, disguised as an Easterner, approached Mosley in the hope of learning more about the troubles of the stage line, he was mistaken for a man named Turner. You heard me, Turner. Reach for that gun. What if I don't draw, Jim? Then I'll shoot you anyway. I'm drawing right now. That's the way you did when you fought on the General Custer. What? The way you did when you helped the Texas Rangers clean out those smugglers at the border. And the way you did on... Wait, wait, hold on now. How did you know about those times? You couldn't shoot a man who won't draw his gun to defend himself, Jim. No, not you. Why, who the Sam Hill... Who are you? Jim, I'm not from the East and my name's not Turner. But Big Bill Carlton, the banger, he said... I want to talk to Bill Carlton. I want to know more about Turner. But who are you? I'm from Texas. Dad, you hear that? I was with your guard and driver yesterday just after they'd been shot. The guard died in my arms. Oh. The sheriff wanted to arrest me for the murder. That's why I came here in disguise. But why are you interested in my troubles? Because you helped the Texas Rangers, Jim. Now sit down and give me some facts. It was the next day when Mosley entered Banker Carlton's office. Come in, come in. Well, you sure have been having a run of hard luck, Jim. I'm mighty sorry. Yep. Hard luck is right. Sit down, Jim. Thank you. Must have hit you hard when your guard and driver were killed. Sure did. You know, Jim, I was talking to the sheriff about that. He says he and his men practically caught the killers. Masked men and Indian. But they got away. Bill, you hinted that this Easterner named Turner would go a long way to get my stage line. Well, of course, he's interested in the franchise. He'd like to put stages of his own along the route. That franchise is worth a heap to me. You think Turner would go as far as this to get it? Well, there's no way to prove Turner had a hand with the things that have happened. I think you're up against something you can't fight. Well, that's why I'm here, Bill. You're a good businessman and I want your advice. Mm-hmm. Now, what did you suggest? Jim, as a friend of yours and as a businessman, I suggest you take a fair deal and sell out to Turner. What is a fair deal? Well, you know what Mr. Turner offered. Oh, that wasn't a fair price. Why, the horses and rolling stock alone are worth more than he offered. Well, you've had some losses since his offer. Maybe you'll have to take less than he offered. Less? Why, he wouldn't... Jim, your stock and equipment isn't worth as much as you think. Especially to a man like Turner who intends to buy a lot of new stagecoaches. Well, it's worth more than he offers. Shall I write him and tell him you still refuse to accept his terms? You write him and tell him to come out here and make a deal with me. Come out here? That's what I said. I'm willing to listen to terms, but he's got to come here to make them. But Jim, Mr. Turner's a busy man. He's a long way off. He's asked me to represent him in negotiations with you. What I do business with a man is face to face. That's always been my style. All right. But it may take several weeks for him to get here. I can wait. The Lone Ranger and Tonto remained in the vicinity of Ranceville. Each day, Tonto went into town and each night he returned to the well-concealed camp with a report. Still no word about Turner, huh, Tonto? No. Him not come yet, but to him on way. Is that what the banker said? Not right. Tonto, if our trap works, we'll have the biggest cook in this part of the country. A crook who has been posing as an honest banker for a long time. That's right. You think plan work? With Jim Mosley on our side, willing to help us to get Bill Carlton one way or another, I think we'll get him by forcing his hand. Oh, you know when Mr. Turner is to arrive? Well, he's supposed to come 10th a month. Thanks, Tonto. We'll plan accordingly. During the next two weeks, the sheriff's men located the burned remains of Mosley's stagecoach, but sought in vain for the bandits who had stolen it and killed the guard and driver. Mosley's other stages ran on schedule uneventfully. Tonto continued to scout the town, paying particular attention to all who visited the bank. It was on the morning of the 8th that the Indian saw a stranger go in to call on banker Carlton. Then Tonto moved stealthily to the rear window of the office. The window was closed, but the Indian, listening outside, caught significant parts of the conversation. So you see, Blackie, I've got to have a listener aboard the stagecoach to reach his ransom in on the 10th. Yeah, I can see where you have to. Yeah, fighting Jim sort of crossed you up when he insisted that Turner deal face to face with him. Ah, the old fool. I don't know as I'd call him an old fool, Carlton. Strikes me as a pretty sharp old man. If he'd deal like a businessman and negotiate with me... If he would, it'd be ten times as easy for you to carry out your bluff about an Easterner named Turner wanting the stage like. Well, the whole point is just this, Blackie. You've got to take the part of Mr. Turner. Hmm? You'll have to ride east as far as Parksville and then change into Easterners clothes and board the stage. That's a little out of my line. I know that. Gunplay, that's all right. But acting the part, that's something different again. You can do it. Yeah, I can. If the price is right. You've always been paid well. And always expect to be. You'll have to lay out five hundred dollars for my part, Carl. What? Well, that's robbery. That's my line. One hundred is plenty for what you'll do. Well, then find yourself someone else. I can't. Oh, you'd be ready to leave here tonight. Now, as to the details of my negotiations with, I should say your negotiations with old Jim. That evening when Tonto met his masked friend, he had news. He reported what he had learned that day. That's what we've been waiting for, Tonto. I'll saddle Silver. And what we do, get in there, boys, steady. I'll meet you later, Tonto. I'm going to call on Jim Mosley and ask him to call on Sheriff Bedford. A moment later, the masked man leaped to the saddle and called out to his great horse, Silver. He went directly to town and to the rear door of Jim Mosley's home. Concealed by darkness, he dismounted and rapped on the door. It was Mosley himself who responded. Jim. Great day, a mask. I wore the clothing of an Easterner the last time we talked. That voice is familiar. You once called me Turner. That's it. But those clothes, that mask. You'll soon wear a mask, Jim, and so will the sheriff. He jumped to the conclusion that he was dealing with an outlaw and a killer because I wore a mask. But he's going to learn that there are times when the mask is not the mark of an outlaw. But I don't savvy. Tomorrow, Jim, you're to call on Sheriff Bedford. You're going to ask him to help you get the men who killed your guard and driver and the man who hired them. Now listen to what I have to say. On the morning of the 10th, Jim Mosley went to the office of the sheriff. You said you'd help out if there was a chance of getting the critters that killed the guard and driver. So I will, Jim. No matter what you have to do? No matter what. All right, then. That's a promise. My friend is waiting out back. I'll call him. Hey, mister, come on in here. Sheriff is ready. Good enough. Hello, Sheriff. You! Are you the man out there? We're going out and you and Jim will both wear masks. What? I'll take my word for it, Sheriff. This man's all right. Me wearing a mask? Sheriff, you promised. All right, then. I promised I'll see it through. What are we to do? Jim will tell you. Well, I'll go and get a photo. Now, Sheriff, we've got to pose as stage robbers and stop the westbound that's supposed to bring Mr. Turner here. For what? The saying is, set a crook to catch a crook. And that's just what it amounts to, Sheriff. But let me tell you something else. I know who that mask man is. Who is he? I'll tell you when his hand is played. Two days later, four men waited by the stage trail some distance east of Ranceville. One was an Indian. The other three wore masks. Well, here comes the stage coach. Are you ready, Sheriff? Ready as ever will be. It's a long time since I went out with horse and gun. By thunder, I'm enjoying it. It's getting close. All right, come on. Let me do the talking. Get off that seat. Where are the passengers? Get out, stranger. Hurry up. Get out of that stage. You guard, driver, passenger. Three of you line up. Quickly, quickly. We've had our orders. What do you mean you've got orders? Who gave you orders? The big boss. I'm sorry, but he doesn't want us to leave survivors. You mean you're going to get us down like this? Who can't? Listen here a minute, mister. Let me ask just one thing. Did you get orders to burn this stage? How did you guess it? This is your first job for the big boss, isn't it? You seem to be well informed. Of course I am. I know who your boss is. I've worked for him. Are you the one who went to Parksville to change into the clothing of an Easterner? Yes, yes, sure I am. I wonder if he's telling the truth. I am telling the truth. Say, listen, what's this talk mean? The big boss figured one more stage burned up would quench a certain deal he had in mind. Do you know what that deal is? I can tell you all about it. The boss wants to buy the stagecoach line. Old man Mosley wouldn't sell in spite of all the losses he'd had unless he dealt with a buyer direct. I'm acting in the part of the buyer. Then you've been working for Carlton all along. That's right. Well, you've got to believe me. He sounds as if he's talking straight, doesn't he? Yeah, he sure does. Maybe he can prove it some more by telling us who headed the last rig. I can tell you I handle it myself. The boys who were with me are camped out in Broad Basin. You were paid by Carlton? That's right. By thunder, that's all I wanted to know. I'm through with this here mask. Jim Mosley. Fighting Jim Mosley, owner of the stagecoach line. And here's a sample of my fighting. Hold it, Jim, not that way. Hold on, Jim, hold on. The law will take care of him as well as Carlton and the rest of the gang. Get on your feet, blackie. It's a frame-up, that's what it is. You'd never have caught me dressed like this, talking my way into trouble if you hadn't come wearing masks and posing as crooks. Get back on the stage. Right alongside and see that you get where you're going. Then we'll see that the rest of the crooks go with you. I never suspected you and the sheriff I thought you were highwaymen. Leave it to me. I'll see the Carlton pays back everything in full before he goes to jail. Jim, just one question. What's that, Sheriff? Who is that mask man? Well, great day. I thought you'd guess. He's the Lone Ranger. 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. A part of The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.
