A fiery horse with the 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. I'll Silver. The valley town of Barkville nestled in the midst of towering mountains whose wealth consisted of hardwood forests. It had been an ordinary day in Barkville, a lazy day with nothing to disturb the tranquility of Sheriff Turnbull's office. At three o'clock, an Indian came through the door. The lawman looked up. There was nothing about the visitor to indicate that his entrance marked the beginning of a sequence of events that would make this day one of the liveliest days that Turnbull had ever known. Yes, what can I do for you? Well, me, Tonto. Tonto, huh? Tonto, what can I... That's your name? Ah. Tonto. Tonto. Something familiar about that name. I can't figure just what it is. You been around here for long? Well, me come here only two days back. Well, what do you want? A friend come here soon. Him wonder if you know. If I know what? If you know what this means. A cartridge. Indians send a sheaf of arrows as a war threat. Is this bullet something of the sort? Oh, it's not war threat. It's sign of friends. Well, this here... This isn't an ordinary cartridge. The bullet don't look like lead. The way it made is silver. Silver. Ah. Friend ride horse named Silver. Friend wear masks. Say, I've heard stories about a certain party who answers that. Friend maybe want help from lawmen. And maybe count on you. Now I got it. Now I know why your name was familiar. I've heard about you and your friend as well. He's a lone ranger. He wants my help, you say? Ah. Great day, I... Hello, Sheriff Turnbull. Oh, hello, Mr. Bellows. Just get in from your trip to the high timber? That's right. And I must observe that mountain climbing is not to be recommended for a man of my weight. My tonnage and the high altitude make a most exhausting combination. Yeah, I reckon so. Yes, I'm glad I can earn a living with my brain rather than my brawn. I declare I get exhausted by merely watching those lumbermen at work. How are they doing? Fine. Splendidly. Ah, it's a thrilling sight. The keen-edged axes gleaming in the sunlight. The mighty monarchs of the forest crashing to the ground. It's inspiring to see the woody giants conquered by a mere puny man. Nothing puny about those lumberjacks. Figure of speech, Sheriff. Just a figure of speech. Reminds me of David and Goliath. That's what it does. A most inspiring sight. Especially when you figure how much profit you'll make on that timberland. That's enough to inspire anyone. And I dare say I shall have a modest profit from my venture. Oh, forgive me. I have intruded on a conference. You were talking to this man when I so rudely broke in. Oh, it's all right. We've not met. Bellows is my name. Herkimer Bellows. Me, Tonto. You look like a man of brawn. If you can swing an axe, I have a job for you. Double the usual pay. Oh, Tonto wouldn't be interested, Mr. Bellows. He's already got things that sort of keep him busy. Now, if you've got business with me... Merely this, Sheriff. This document. I'd like you to lock it in your safe for me. What is that? Looks like a legal paper. My agreement with Sam Calkins. Oh. I purchased the timberland from Sam. Yeah, yeah, I know. How did his daughter, Janie, take to the sale? Well, how could she or anyone else object when my offer was so generous? I guess this is a legal contract. My dear sir, do you think that an attorney of my standing would enter into an agreement that was not legal? Or one that was not binding to both bodies? Or one where you didn't stand to make a tidy profit. Now, Sheriff. You're not fooling me, Bellows. You're a skinflint. Touch, touch. Someday you'll step outside the law. Then you'll have me to deal with. Sheriff, you do me a grave injustice. Notice the price I gave Sam Calkins for his timberland. Yes, I've got to admit it's a high price. That's what I can't figure out. It's not like you to be generous. The answer is quite simple. He wasn't interested in selling the timberland. I wanted it. I wanted it badly enough to pay high. Frankly, I think I'm the one who got skinned. Sam Calkins is a very good businessman. Calkins, a businessman? Oh, that's one thing you can't call Sam Calkins. Call him honest. Call him simple, likable. Call him meek and mild. But don't call him a businessman. I... What's the matter, Sheriff? Speaking of Calkins... Look through that window. His daughter, Janie, has just rode up and stopped outside. She's wearing a gun. She looks geared for trouble. Now, Janie... There's a double-dealing skin lid I want. Oh, no, no, don't shoot. I'll take you. Look out. He got her. Oh, my gunhead. Save me, save me. Hang on, Tonto. Go, I tell you. I'll deal with that fat blubber head. Oh. Let me take a gun. That's better. Save me. Save me. Get a doctor. Give me back that gun. Give it to me. It's mine. Now, calm down, Janie. Calm down. Take it easy. You can't come in here shooting people. All right, get up, fellas. You're not hit. You're pulling one into the ceiling. If that Indian hadn't had a grip on my wrist, I would have... She tried to kill me. She tried to murder me. You better drop the cartridges out of that gun, Tonto. Let me do it. Now, Janie, calm yourself. What in tarnation's gotten into you? That crook. My thunder, I bet you would have shot him if Tonto hadn't grabbed the gun. You bet I would. Sheriff, he's a crook. He's a cheating, swindling crook. That's what he is. That's not true. You got it coming, bellows. My dad's going to be gunning for you. I hoped I could get you first, because being a woman, I thought I might stand a better chance at the murder trial. Now, hold on. I never saw you or your paw riled up to the lead-throwing point. Just what's happened? I'll tell you what happened. That skinflint is stealing our timber. It's not your timber. It's mine. I bought that land. Janie, I've got the bill of sale right here. Look, here's the agreement signed by your father and witnessed by three men. Your father named the price, and I agreed to it. Yes, but you said you didn't have the cash to pay all at once. You made up another agreement and paid Dad 10% of the price. The rest was to be paid in six months. Is that true, bellows? Of course it's true. Nothing wrong with that. I'll tell you what's wrong with it. Sheriff, Dad and I moved out of our house up in the timber and went to live in a little shack at the foot of the hill right near the flume that was built to send the logs down. Yeah? Sheriff, this morning Dad went up the mountain to our old house to get a couple of things he forgot. That was just after Mr. Bellows had been there. One of the foremen who didn't know Dad offered him a job at double pay. What? He said all the timber had to be cleared away inside of five and a half months. I begin to see. Yes. Yes. The agreement says that if Mr. Bellows doesn't pay the 90% balance due in six months, he forfeits the 10% he paid and the land goes back to Dad. I see. Well, he plans to forfeit. That's what he plans to do. Well, Dad will get the land back, but Bellows will have all the timber. Bellows, is that what you aim to do? I don't care to discuss my plans with anyone. I've got a legal contract and an agreement that's binding. Sheriff, tell him he can't cut timber. Go ahead, Sheriff. Sheriff, you try to stop me and I'll give you a lesson in law. Ah, Dad busted, Janie. I'm afraid he's got you and your dad. The law is on his side. Law? What kind of law is it that protects a man like Bellows and robs a man like my dad? Honey, I admit you're in a bad spot. Well, say, where are you going, Tonto? For me, come back. By and by. We take message to the mass friend. Bellows, come. Bellows, you can thank that Indian that you're still alive. And Janie, you can thank him that you're not being held for murder. Now, now, don't try any more stunts like that. You just relax and... Well, don't you figure everything is lost just yet. Maybe you've got some help that you don't know about. Who do you mean? That Indian and a friend of his. A friend who wears a mask. After leaving the office of the sheriff, Tonto rode at top speed to a nearby camp where the Lone Ranger had been waiting. The masked man was gratified to hear that Sheriff Turnbull had understood the meaning of the silver bullet. Then he listened attentively while Tonto told of Bellows' narrow escape and Jane Calkin's violent anger. It's a strange coincidence. And what, Dan? Perkimer Bellows is one of the reasons we came to this part of the country. Ah. He's broken a lot of people with his sharp practice. It's time someone turned the tables on him. Well, how we do that? Him stay inside law? Perhaps we can turn his own weapons against him. But first, I'd like to call on Sam Calkins. Well, girls say him live in small shack at foot of mountains. All right, we'll go there, Tonto. Here, Silver. I'm Scout. Maybe girl back home at this time. Good. I want to talk to Janie as well as her father. If I can work out the details of a certain plan I have in mind, we'll need the help of both. Easy, big fella. Easy, Scott. Easy, fella. Move, fill there. I'm up to town. At regular intervals, huge logs came down the wooden flume and splashed into a stream at the foot of one of the tallest mountains. Each log was heard by Sam Calkins and his daughter in the small shack 50 feet away. Oh, there goes another one, Janie. Another log that's being stolen. Dad, there's no use thinking about it. There's nothing we can do. Not unless we use a gun to square things with bellers. That's no good. I know it. It must have been loco to even think of it. Sakes alive, Janie, if that Indian hadn't stopped you from showing you. You know why I went gunning for him, Dad. I didn't want you to do it. You'd hang for sure, but I thought that I, being a woman, would... Well, there'd be no more of that. I'm surprised the Sheriff Turnbull let you come home. I guess he knew I wouldn't try the same thing again. Dad, look out here through the window. Hmm? There's the Indian I was telling you about. The one who grabbed my gun hand. And look. Look who's riding with him. The mask man. It's the man the Sheriff told me about. Oh, golly, Dad, he's coming here. No, I can't believe it. Not here. But he is, Dad. The Lone Ranger is coming right straight toward our shack. Come on, we'll meet him at the door. Oh, hello there. Come in. Oh, I'm really glad to see you. I want to thank you for stopping me when I was about to do something crazy. Give him good friends. Easy, silver. Pablo told me about you, Miss Corbin. And the Sheriff told me about you. This is my dad. I'm glad to know you're talking. Well, of course, mister. I never thought I'd see the day when I'd shake your hand. Well, most people are suspicious of me because of this mask. Suspicious? Of the Lone Ranger? You may be suspicious, too. Ah. No? Not by a jugful. Well, does that mean you'll do what I ask without question? Well. Why, of course it does. The Sheriff told me we could count on you as a friend. I want your shack. You, uh, you mean this place? Yes. Huh. This isn't my shack. I sold it along with all my timberland to Herkimer Bellows. Yes, I know. He told us we might use it for a home until we could make arrangements to move somewhere else. You'll have to make those arrangements between now and sunset. But, but why? Because I've declared war on Herkimer Bellows. This shack is going to be the battleground. 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. After talking to the Lone Ranger and listening to the masked man's plans, Sam Calkins and his daughter Jane loaded a few belongings on a buckboard and left the small shack at the foot of the mountain. Evening found them in Barkville, where they had rented rooms in the hotel. When they went into the dining room for supper, they were seen by Herkimer Bellows, who lifted his eyebrows and turned to his foreman, who shared the corner table. Well, I wonder what they're doing here, Brady. Both sort of slicked up. I guess they're spending the cash you gave them. Yeah, I wonder if they're gunning for you. I don't want a repetition of the last time I met the girl. Well, she just looked over this way. She see me? Yeah, she's still looking. Better turn a nod to her. Yeah, I'll do it. She returned my nod. Mm-hmm. I'd like to know why they left the shack. Why they're here. I think I'll go and speak to Captain's daughter. Wait here, Brady. Right. Good evening, Mr. Bellows. Good evening, Calkins. Good evening. I was rather surprised to see you and Miss Jane here. You're looking very well, miss. Thank you. I, uh, when I saw you in the dining room, I was prepared to duck beneath my table. It was very foolish of me to act as I did the other day. You won't have to dodge no more bullets from us, Mr. Bellows. Well, good. We'll likely be seeing considerable of each other for the next few days. You see, me and Jane are going to live here in town. Indeed? Yep. We rented out the shack where we've been staying. You rented it? Yeah. Got a pretty fair price for it, too. From whom? Well, now, I don't know what the critter's name is. You say he rented the shack from you? Yeah. Poor Galoot has a pocket full of silver and some gold. I could probably have sold him the place, excepting for the fact that I don't own it. Well, why did he want it? Well, he did some panning in the stream and figured he'd like to stick around and do some more. You mean to say he found gold in the stream? Gold? I should say not. If there was any gold around these hills, I'd have found it a long time ago. All that poor critter had was a sack full of pyrites. Fool's gold, eh? I hope, Mr. Bellows, you do not object to our rent in the house to him. No, no, no. Of course not. I'm glad you were able to pick up a little cash. But now I must get back to my companion. We'll probably be seeing each other in town. Yes, we'll probably be seeing each other all right now. Good evening, Mr. Bellows. Good evening. I'm going to choke on that food, Mr. Bellows. I'm in a hurry. We have a lot to do. Finish your meal, Brady. What's the rush? I told you that Calkins had rented the old shack where he's been living. Yeah, to an old prospector. One who has cash. Misguided fool who found some pyrites in the stream and mistook it for gold. Well? Calkins said he could have sold the land if he'd owned it. Land where the shack stands? Yes, yes. Well, I own it. I can sell it. And that prospector is just the man to buy it. I see. Might as well make a little easy money. All right, now hurry up. Finish eating. Must draw up a bill of sale and get to that shack. Good night. Certainly. I've got to close the deal before someone tells a prospector the difference between gold and pool gold. When he had finished his evening meal, Bellows went to his room and sat down at a desk. While Brady waited, the lawyer prepared two copies of a bill of sale. Then, with the same meticulous care, he drew up a dispossessed notice. Armed with these and other documents and accompanied by Brady, he called on Sheriff Turnbull. A dispossessed, huh? That's right, Sheriff. And I'll pay you double the usual fee if you'll serve it immediately. Tonight? Right. Hold on. This concerns that shack you let Sam Calkins move into. Calkins and his daughter have moved out. And what's the good of a dispossessed? Calkins rented the shack and the land on which it stands to an individual specified as John Doe. Oh, he did, huh? Calkins had no right to rent that property. It wasn't his to rent. The glue to rent it's got to clear out. I'll handle this, Brady. Sheriff, are you ready to go? I don't like to put a man out of his house and home in the middle of the night. I'll be fair. He may have until noon to get out. But I'd like that notice served as soon as possible. All right, Bellows. Brady will go with us to serve as a witness. Well, let's get going. Neither Brady nor Bellows noticed the twinkle that came into the blue eyes of Sheriff Turnbull and remained there while strong horses were saddled. It was a long ride through the moonlit night, and it was after midnight when the three horsemen reached the stream that flowed around the base of a towering mountain. The small cabin in the shadow of the mighty flume was dark and silent. Seems downright shameful to wake a man up at this time of night to tell him he's got to move out. Well, he should have taken the trouble to find out who owned the property before he made a deal and moved in. Well, here we are. I'll go inside and wake him up. Ten minutes later, Bellows, Brady, and Sheriff Turnbull sat on makeshift chairs inside the humble cabin. Yellow candlelight fell on the legal document held in the trembling hands of a man who gave the appearance of an old prospector. There was nothing about his appearance to indicate that the bent-over, blinking individual was the Lone Ranger. I... I'm not much on reading fancy words like this, mister. What'd you say the name was? Uh, Bellows. Name was Bellows. I'm the owner of this property. Bellows, huh? Notice you hold means that you've got to get out of this house and off this land as soon as possible. Out? Out of this house? Yeah, that's right. Uh, Mr. Bellows, maybe to be strictly legal, we should have a court order. I don't think that'll be necessary, Sheriff. But I... I paid for the use of this place. I paid Mr. Calkins. He said I could live here and that I... I could pan the stream. Calkins had no right to say that. But I paid my good money. I don't want to get out. Well, I'm sorry, mister. What is your name, anyway? One name is as good as another. A man my age has generally wore out several names. John Doe is good enough. Mr. Bellows, uh, I've got some money left. Maybe I could pay you for the use of this place the same as I paid Calkins. And maybe you'd sell it to me. You couldn't afford to buy property. Oh. Oh, I couldn't, huh? Well, I'll have you know I'm not broke. I've got cash. Uh, a thousand dollars. A thousand? How much you expect to pay? Well, I... Haven't you got any gold? Or perhaps some gold ore? Or, uh, some nuggets? I'm not doing business with gold, Mr. Bellows. But I'll tell you what. I'll pay you five hundred dollars in silver and paper money. Yeah, you've got it here. Is it a deal? Yeah, let me see the money. You drop a bill of sale, Mr. Bellows. A legal-looking piece of paper like this notice. You just draw that up. Show you're ready to do business. And I'll produce the money. Yeah, I think you're bluffing. I don't think you've got five hundred dollars. But I'll find out. Here. Here's the bill of sale. Two copies of it. If you mean business, let's see your cash. It's a deal. It took but a few moments to complete the negotiations. Blank spaces on the bill of sale were filled in, and the property transferred to the man called John Doe. Both Brady and the sheriff signed their names as witnesses to the transaction. Then the Lone Ranger counted out five hundred dollars in a faltering voice. Four hundred eighty. Here's a twenty dollar bill to make it five hundred. Well, there's your money, Mr. Bellows. And here's your bill of sale. I suppose, Bellows, you wondered why I wanted this property. Maybe you didn't suspect that you've just made a very bad deal. You know what you've sold? Yes, yes, I know what I've sold. You think you're going to find gold in this property? This property is going to pay big dividends. I didn't buy it for myself. Hey, Wes, come over you. You're not talking like an old man? I'm not as old as you thought. Look at him, standing up. I bought it for Sam Calkins. Sam Calkins? I'm representing him. The first thing you're going to do, Bellows, is to tear down the flume that crosses this land. Flume? Tear down? Like fun, I would. Oh, yes, you will, Bellows. That flume's coming down. You take it down yourself or Calkins can pull it down. Now, hold on. Listen to me, Sheriff. I've heard enough from you, you sharp-shooting skinflint. You figured to do Sam Calkins out of his timber, but Sam's friend here was just a little bit too smart for you. There's no other place to build a flume. I can't bring timber to the stream without crossing this land. You're doggone right you can. I'll cancel out this deal. Now, hold on, Brady. That's it, Brady. Keep a gun on them. The deal's off. Your money's still there on the table. I'll take that bill of sale. Why don't you try coming close enough to get it, Bellows? There we are, boss. Go close, and he'll grab you and use you as a seal. Drop the paper, mister. Brady, you're flirting with a jail sentence. Oh, no, I'm not. No one's going to know what happened here. You wouldn't dare shoot the sheriff. Oh, wouldn't I? Well, get this, mister, whatever your name is. Some of my cash went into this lumber deal, along with Bellows. We're playing for big stakes, and the chips are down. We didn't want to get rough, but if gunplay is called for, there'll be gunplay. Then you think gunplay is called for? It is. Agreed. Look out, Brady. See where you are, Bellows. Go for a gun, and you'll get the same as Brady. I've got Brady's gun. My shoulder. My shoulder. Don't try to get up. Stay right where you are. We'll bandage your shoulder before we move you. And when we do move you, Brady, we're moving you to jail. As for you, Bellows... You have nothing against me. I didn't draw a gun. I've done nothing illegal. Don't you worry, Brady. I'll represent you. I'll appear in court for you. You'd better. Doesn't matter whether you stay in jail or not. The fact remains you'll move no timber until you make a deal with Sam Corkin. Yes, sirree. You should have been along with us, Sam. You and your daughter. Yes. The expression on Bellows' face when he saw he'd been taken in was something to see. Well, maybe so, Sheriff. But it was something also to see a little while ago when I talked to him. Oh, how'd you make out? Did you come to terms? Well, not exactly. You see, I told him he couldn't move timber across my land until he paid up the balance and due. Oh, paid it now instead of six months from now, is that it? Yes. He couldn't pay it, so he aims to clear out as soon as Brady's trial is over. Leaving you with the cash he paid you? Leaving me with the cash and my high timber. Oh, that friend of mine, the one who helped you, he has $500 coming to him. The cash he paid to Bellows. Well, I've already given that back to him. I guess I'm square that friend he owes as far as money goes, but I'm still mighty indebted. And I don't even know his name. Well, Sam, he used the name John Doe. Yes, but we both know doggone well that's not the real name of the Lone Ranger. This is a feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated, created and produced by George W. Trendle and directed by Fred Flowerday. Tonight's story was written by Fran Stryker. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.
