A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty Hiyo 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, still there. Let's go, big fellow. I'm still there. During his earlier days, Big Bill Jackson had been a fire-eating sheriff in the town of Gunstock. His deadly accuracy with six guns had earned him the nickname Old Calamity. He was re-elected sheriff year after year, despite the fact that for the past five years he had been inactive. Rheumatism and old age kept him confined to a chair. But Old Calamity was happy. He lived with his 35-year-old son, Tom, and Tom's wife, Jane, and their 14-year-old boy named Jimmy. His house was just beyond the edge of town. Yes, sirree, Jimmy. There's my badge. I reckon your pa will have to be content with the deputy's badge until I'm dead and gone. Oh, my gosh, Grandpa. I sure hope I can be a lawman like you. Do you think Dad's as fast with his guns as you used to be? He sure is, Jimmy. Yes, sirree. He's every bit as fast. And mark my words, now that he's back from the East and working with me, he'll bring the law to Gunstock. You think he'll clean out Dude Markheim's gang? Markheim? That tin-horned owl hoot? He's mighty strong here in Gunstock. Where'd you get that idea? I heard Dad telling Ma that Dude Markheim was getting awful rich and powerful with his cafe and gambling place. Oh, I reckon he got a sort of toehold here in Gunstock when I couldn't find the right man to act as deputy. But now your pa is back. He'll clean things up. Hi there, Jane. Jimmy's Dad. Oh, there's Dad. I'm in here, Dad, with Grandpa. Hi there, son. Hello, Dad. How are they? Look what I have. What's that, Tom? Affidavits. I finally got them. The statements sworn to and witnessed. These will prove that Dude Markheim runs a crooked gambling game. One of these is from a man who worked for him. Now I can make an arrest and have it stick. Good work, Tom. Good work. Where's Jane? Oh, she didn't expect you home until later, son. She went to town to get a few vittles. I can't wait for her to come back, Dad. I've got to get over to the cafe and put Dude Markheim under arrest. See you later, Dad. Good morning, son. Good luck, Dad. Dude Markheim's office in the rear of his cafe was a small room that had been made soundproof. Dude was there with one of his henchmen, a shifty-eyed, swarthy individual known as Slick. I'm telling you, Markheim, the new deputy is likely to make trouble. For me? Don't laugh about it, Dude. It's not funny. See who that is. Right. Slick, I've got to see the boss. What do you want, Weasel? Listen, boss, number one deputy has just come into the cafe. Tom Jackson? Yeah, with a warrant for your arrest. What? What did I tell you? You shut up. A warrant for my arrest. Why, that tail on... Candy's talking to him. He's got affidavits. Swore to, signed and witnessed. I see. Dude, you better take steps. I'll take steps, all right. I'll take permanent steps. Now listen, Weasel. You bring Tom Jackson in here. Bring Candy along, too. Whatever you say, boss. He's coming in here, but he's going out the private door. Slick, you hits the buckboard. We're going to take the new deputy for a little trip. Oh, dude, listen. If you plan to get rid of him, that's going the long way. Tom Jackson is going on a trip, that's all. Just spread the word that he's left town, and he aims to stay away. Boss, I'll back any play you make. But we can't get by with any story such as that. We can get by with anything if we just let it be known that it's unhealthy for anyone to ask too many questions. All right. Now bring that lawman in here. We'll see what he has to say before he takes his little trip into the unknown. It's very interesting, Jackson. Very interesting. Those affidavits would do a lot of damage to me. Too bad you won't get a chance to use them. You're taking a ride in the buckboard. Why? I'll show you. Weasel, you and Candy know where to take him. Right. Two of you get back to the cafe as soon as possible. Right, boss. Get up. Get up now. It was several weeks later when the Lone Ranger and Toto rode into the patio of a little Spanish mission. Friends of the Masked Man knew that he called frequently on the Padre, and that messages in care of the Padre would ultimately reach the mysterious rider. There's the Padre, Toto, coming out to meet us. Amigo. Amigo, I'm glad to see you. Hmm. You Mac, like him, got plenty of important news. Hello, Padre. It's good to see you again. And you, my son. You too, Toto. Oh. When you come out of the mission to meet us, it's generally a sign that you have news. Not always. But on this occasion, I have a message. An urgent message. And I, I wish I did not have to give it to you. What is it, Padre? One week ago, a man came here in a wagon with his, one of his deputies. He's a lawman, but he can no longer walk. Where did he come from? A community called Gunstock. Oh, you know him, Kimasabi. Old Calamity. Huh? His name was Jackson. Oh, see, that is right. One of the finest, squareest lawmen in the West. It's too bad there aren't more like him. Then you know him well? They rode together for several weeks when Jackson was cleaning up Gunstock. Your work, I fear, was only temporary. How's that? Gambling men and criminals once more control the town. I heard that there'd been some trouble. But old Calamity's son, Tom Jackson, came back from the East. Him chip off old block. Him good lawman, my father. Tom Jackson is no longer in Gunstock. What? No longer there? It is said that he left town unexpectedly. His father insists that he was murdered. Tonto, tighten your cinch. May not take off saddle? No. But my son. Padre, if old Calamity needs me, I can't stop here now. Come on, Tonto. Easy, big fella. Adios, Padre. Hasta la vista, my son. Get him up. The Lone Ranger and Tonto heard intermittent gunfire as they approached the home of old Calamity at the edge of town. The shots came from somewhere in the rear of the house. Leave the horses, Tonto. Go around with the rear and see what the shooting means. The masked man led the way around the house. In back, he saw a 14-year-old boy sighting along the barrel of a heavy six-gun at a crudely drawn target 20 yards away. The big gun barked and jumped. That's a pretty heavy gun you're using. Mast. Get him up, yahoo. Get your hands up, you hear me? You must be Jimmy Jackson. Is your grandfather inside? That's none of your business. Jimmy! Jimmy, put on that gun. Put it down right here. That masked man's a friend of mine. Hello, Sheriff. Great day in the morning. Come in here. I've been hoping and praying you'd show up. Miss Whindersen, let's hear it. I'll be right in. Tonto, you take the horses over to the trough and water them. Ah, let me do it. I'm in here. Hello, Calamity. I came as soon as I received your message. Oh, the dad ratted polecats. They got my boy. They got Tom. One of the best darn lawmen that ever packed a six gun. Who got him? Dude Markham's gang. He began to get powerful after my rheumatics tied me down. I couldn't find deputies to handle the polecat until my boy came back from the east. By that time, dude had a lot of cash and the power that cash would buy. Your son Tom is supposed to have left town. In a pig's eye, Tom had evidence enough to throw Dude Markham into jail. He went to arrest Markham. That's the last anyone heard of him. I see. Markham spread a story about Tom leaving town. He's made folks think that my boy saw someone who had come from the east. Someone he was afraid of. And on account of that, he left town. But that's a lie. It's a downright lie, I tell you. Tom wouldn't leave town without a word to me. He wouldn't leave his wife and son. Do people believe Markham's story? They've got to believe it. Markham's gunslingers would get rough with anyone who questioned it. Well, what's your personal opinion? I think my son was murdered. I see. You get into the house, Jim Jack. No, Mom. I've told you to leave that gun alone. Gosh, I didn't expect Jane back from town so soon. How did you get it? Anthony, how did you get the gun? Mom, I can't kill you. Well, I can get it. Your grandfather gave it to you. No, Jane. Oh, Father, why did you do it? Why do you let Jimmy have your gun every time my back is turned? Dad ratted Jane. He wants to be a lawman. And he's got to know how to use a six gun. Lawman. Lawman. His father was a lawman. He could use a gun. What happened to him? Mom, I'm going to square things for Dad. You're not. You're not, you hear me? Jane, you... My brother was a lawman. So was my father. Both were shot in the back. Then Tom. And all of them were expert gunmen. If they hadn't been, they'd probably be alive today. I'll not have my son grow up to be like them. I'll not raise this boy to be shot and killed by outlaws. Jane, this man is... You. You, a masked man. I tried to tell you I had company. Another gunman? I didn't see you when I came into the room. Well, I didn't mean to hide. I just happened to be standing over here at the side. Well, get out. Get out, do you hear me? Dad ratted Jane. This man's here because I sent for him. You sent for him? Guns, masks, outlaws, shooting. That's all you think about, father. Did you hear me? I said get out of here. Very well. Now, Jane, he's going to do no such thing. All right, then. Let him stay here. I'll go and I'll take Jimmy with me. Please don't do that, Mrs. Jackson. I'll go at once. Look. Before you go, mister. Yes? If you want to square things for my boy, you go to Markheim's cafe. Go there with your guns a-blazing and get Markheim and his sidekicks. Their names are Candy Larrabee, Slick Watson, and Weasel Bates. You'll go gunning for them, won't you? No calamity. What? Jane's right. The kind of law that's needed here isn't to be found in the barrel of a six-gun. A dead rabbit! Wait. We'll meet again. Adios. Now. Now, you see, Jane? You see what you've done? You've driven out the one man in the country that could have found out the truth about your husband. What? That masked man 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. Both Jimmy and his mother were surprised to learn that the masked man who had been calling on old calamity Jackson was none other than the almost legendary Lone Ranger. It was that evening when two horsemen dismounted a short distance from the Jackson house. One was Tonto. The man on silver looked nothing like the masked rider. He wore a battered hat and well-worn clothing. A scrubby beard covered much of his face. He had the appearance of an old desert rat, and his easy grace as he dismounted belied his apparent age. Actually, it was the Lone Ranger in disguise. You stay right here with the horses until I return, Tonto. I hope I'll bring Jimmy Jackson with me. You think maybe plan worked out all right? I hope so. If it doesn't, we'll have to think of another way to get proof that Markheim murdered Tom Jackson. In disguise, you looked like plenty old feller. Your voice sounds strange. From now on, I'll try to match my voice to my appearance. You think this is better, Tonto? Not plenty better. And I'll go on to the house. This man turned all those crooks over to the law. He got aboard his horse and rolled away without even waiting for thanks. Golly, Grandpa, tell me some more about the Lone Ranger. Well, I could go on for hours telling you stories about him, Jimmy. Father, I never dreamed it was the Lone Ranger who was here with you today. I'm terribly sorry I spoke as I did. Dad Raddett, wonder if we'll ever hear from him again. I'll see who's at the door. When I think of Jimmy wearing guns, shooting people, being shot at, being killed. Just a minute, Jane. There's an old galoot at the door. What's he want, Jimmy? He wants to see you, Grandpa. Well, come on in, stranger. What's on your mind? I came to talk to you about your son, Tom Jackson. What about him? Well, Calamity, you've got the notion that he was murdered by Dude Markheim's outfit. I'd like the chance to prove that. What's that got to do with you, stranger? Maybe I could get proof against him. I'd like to see it, mister. But it's a job that even the Lone Ranger turned down. He turned it down, you say? Yes. I tried to get him to go to Markheim's cafe with his guns a-blazing and get Markheim and his sidekicks. Calamity, gunplay was all right in your day, but things have changed. What do you mean by that, mister? Well, take this boy. He hears about crooks who go down shooting. He thinks it's a glamorous way to go. He and others like him think there's something strong and heroic, something brave about a crook who stands up and shoots it out with lawmen. That's not good. I see here. What are you getting at? This country needs a different kind of law calamity. It needs a law that's meted out in courts, the kind that takes away their guns, exposes them as vicious beasts. But, Jumater, while you were talking, your voice changed. I caught something. It sounded like the Lone Ranger. To get Markheim and his gang, I needed a disguise. I wanted to see if it would be convincing. Grandpa, then you... I left this afternoon, Calamity. I said we'd meet again. You're the Lone Ranger. I have a plan to prove that Markheim and his men are killers. I'll need some help, Calamity. I'll need a special deputy. Someone who knows Markheim's pals by sight. Oh, if I could only use my legs. I'd like to help you, but I can't. I... I don't know who I could trust. Oh, what about Jimmy? Oh, no. No, not my boy. Mrs. Jackson, I think he'd make a fine lawman. The new kind of lawman. The kind that's needed in the West. Let me help him, Mom. Please let me help him. Dad, Randy, Jane, you've got to agree. It's the Lone Ranger who's talking. Very well. But please... Don't worry, Jane. Jimmy will be with Tonto. Now, one thing more, Calamity. I want to borrow something that belonged to your son. That evening, the Lone Ranger, still disguised as an old man, stood outside Markheim's cafe with Tonto and young Jimmy Jackson. He drew from his pocket a valuable belt buckle on which was the name of Jimmy's father. Now, Tonto, you and Jimmy know the part you're to play. Ah, we savvy. Jimmy, you said you knew those men by sight. Markheim's pals? Yes. Weasel, Slick, and Candy. Yeah, you bet I knew them. Well, if one or more of them come out of the cafe in the next half hour, point them out to Tonto. Right. You mean what to do after that. All right. So I'll go inside. What do you want, Weasel? Got something to show you, Markheim. Here. Take a look at this belt buckle. What about it? There's an old galoot out there who wants to sell it. Hmm. Looks like it might be worth considerable. There's a name on it. Look careful. Here, turn it around. Hey, what's this? Tom Jackson. Yeah. Tom Jackson. Weasel, was Jackson wearing this when... Well, was he wearing it? I don't recollect. If that old man has found the body... I don't see how he... But if he has, it won't be good. We'll have to dispose of him. Send him in here. I don't think you can get him to talk. Send him in here anyway. Then you and Candy go and see if anything has been disturbed at... I know where. I'll keep the critter here until you get back. Tonto, look. See those two men coming out of the cafe? Ah, let me see them. The first one's Candy. The other man's called Weasel. You come, Jimmy. You stay close to Tonto. We follow them, too. Weasel and Candy hurried to an obscure place about three miles south of town. There, at the foot of a cliff, they dismounted... and threw aside a number of large stones to expose an area of recently turned soil. Fifty yards away, Tonto and Jimmy watched. From the concealment of a clump of cottonwoods. Golly, Tonto. Looks like the plan is going to work out. If those dirty pool... Jimmy. You not stay here any longer. I've got to help you. Me not need help. You hurry back to town. Tell old Calamity. Go to office. Me be there real soon. But Grandpa doesn't go to his office anymore. Him got wheelchair. Him go if there's plenty good reason. You tell him. Now go. All right. I'll go. Tonto watched while the boy hurried away on foot to where he had left his horse and waited several minutes longer while Jimmy rode away and the outlaws finished their digging. Ah, you see, Candy, we didn't have a thing to worry about. Neither did the boss. Things are just like we left them. All right. Let's push back the dirt and stones and go tell Mark. You get hands out of it. Hey, what? It's an Indian. What's he doing here? You. You two under arrest. Arrest? Well, of all the... I'll fix it. And you not go for guns. I'm not. I'm not. Don't shoot again. Sam Hill, are you? And what are you doing here? Take guns. Then take you to town. Disguised as the old man, the Lone Ranger was still in the office of Jude Markheim. Jude had asked a number of questions without getting any satisfactory answers. It was long past time for Candy and Weasel to return with their report. Markheim kept looking at his watch with increasing nervousness. How much longer do you want me to sit here? Not much longer. I don't intend to waste any more time with you. Where did this buckle come from? Are we going over that again? Maybe this will help you to start talking. Hey! Here's another. Stop slapping me around. Answer my question. Next time I'll use this gun instead of my open hand. Hey, Jude. What are you doing? None of your business. What do you want, Slick? You slapped me around. You shut up. Listen, boss. I just got word. Candy and Weasel have been taken to the jail. Had old calamities there in person. What? Yeah. And some special deputies are on their way here to see you. Something's gone wrong. Yeah, plenty. Get the boys together, all of them. There's going to be some gunfire popping in this town. Throw my men in jail, huh? I'll show them. Oh, you. You. You're staying in here, both of you. Why, you. Oh, what? I'll get you further. Why, try it. That's for one slap. This is for another. What, you. This is for good measure. Knock me down, will you? Well, out. You want gunplay, huh? Oh, my arm. My arm. Behavior, I'll break the other. Come on in. We're the sheriff's deputies. Calamity said you'd be waiting for us. You brought warrants? You bet we did. Your prisoners are there on the floor. One of them has a broken arm. He'll need a doctor. Well, dude, you look as if you'd tangled with a tornado. Yeah, that galoot, I'd like to. Come on. You're under arrest for the murder of Tom Jackson. No, no, I didn't have anything to do with that. You can't arrest me. We're taking both of you. Weasel and Candy are already behind bars. They've both signed confessions in the hope of getting leniency when they go on trial. You men can take charge here. I'll go ahead to the jail. I want to see calamity in these grandsmen. Mom, just a minute before you blow out the light. I want to talk to you. Yes, Jimmy, but not for long. It's very late. You must go to sleep. Mom, I... Don't you think it's better to know for sure about... About Dad? Yes. Yes, dear, of course I do. We know that he's at rest. Oh, golly. It's because of him that all those crooks are in jail. I wonder if he knows. I'm sure he does. It would make him mighty proud to know that he... That because of him, the town of Gunstock is rid of Markheim's gang. I'm sure your father's proud. And proud of you, too, son. Now go to sleep. Wait, Mom. Just one thing. Will you hand me that badge the Lone Ranger gave me? Yeah. Here you are. I'm going to keep it under my pillow. Yes, dear. You keep it under your pillow and remember what it represents. Remember everything the Lone Ranger told you. I sure will, Mom. I'll never forget what he told me. Good night, dear. Good night, Mom. I'll never forget what he told me. Jimmy, I'm going to give you this badge and make you a special deputy. My deputy. I can't remain in Gunstock. I have other places to go. I want you to represent me here. You've proved your right to wear this badge by your courage and love of law and decent living. Stick to those principles. Help enforce the law by serving as an example to others. Be honest, be fair, and be too big for selfishness and greed. Remember that at all times your dad is watching you. Keep him proud of you. You'll be forever able to hold high your head and fear no one but God. You bet I will. You bet I will, Lone Ranger. I'll do it! This is a feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, created and produced by George W. Trendle, directed by Charles D. Livingston, and edited by Fran Stryker. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.
