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. Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. Let's go, big fellows. Are you still there? Bob Dayton was a quiet, likable young fellow, and he performed his duties as express clerk so well that Mr. Fred Dillon, the express agent, relied upon Bob more and more, looking upon him more as a son, especially since Sarah Dillon, the express agent's daughter, had promised to marry Bob. One evening, Sarah and her father entered the express office. You've got company, Bob. Better knock off and see that she's entertained. Sir, I didn't expect to see you until later. Well, if you're not pleased, I'll go back home, Bob. Gosh, no, but I won't be off until nine o'clock, and I... Well, seeing as how you won't be much use around here with Sarah waiting, you might as well quit now, Bob. Bob, I'll take over until closing time. Of course, I don't want you to think I'm going to make a habit of doing this. You understand? Oh, gee, that's mighty nice of you, Mr. Dillon. And you've been working plenty hard, and you deserve a few hours off now and then. Now, you and Sarah skedaddle out of here and enjoy yourselves. I'll see you both later at the farm. Dad, you're a darling. Let's go, Bob. It was after midnight when Bob, who lived at the local hotel, returned to town and went to his room. He unlocked the door and opened it. But just as he was about to enter, he stopped and stood staring, a strange look on his face. Two rough-looking men sat in his room, grinning back at him. Why don't you come in and say howdy to a couple of old friends? How did you get into my room? What are you here for? A silver dollar to the right hombre often gets a door unlocked, Deaton. We thought you'd rather hear what we got to say in the privacy of your own room. You don't look any too happy about seeing this. I'm not. I don't want to listen to anything you have to say. Now, get out of here and don't ever come back, Savvy. Yeah, that's rough talking to a couple of old friends. I'm not your friend and never was, as you well know. I've been around this town for almost a year, and I'm making my way in an honest job. Now, if you two don't get out of here and let me alone, I'll show you... Don't go threatening, Deaton. If you do, you'll be mighty sorry. That's right. You will. I don't reckon folks around here know that you did three months' time in prison, do they? Now, look. Both of you know I didn't have anything to do with that bank robbery in Pecos. You met me on the trail when I was driving a buckboard. You got off your horses and forced me to drive you to your hideout so as to throw the posse off the trail. Yeah, and then we all got caught. Both of you lied when you said I was waiting outside of town to help you escape. Sure. Otherwise, we might have got longer sentences. We got two years as it was. You only had to stay there three months. You made a jailbird out of me. You ought to be satisfied. Now I'm on my feet again. I want to be let alone. Now ain't that just too bad. Just when we need your help to pull off a nice paying job, too. If you think for one minute I'm going to help you... Sit down and listen. I'll do the talking. So that's it. Using your gun again to try to force me into something. Well, it won't work this time. You can go ahead and shoot for all I care. Oh, stop bluffing, Luke. You know he won't be any good to us dead. Not right now. I knew it was a bluff. Seems right, Bob. I wasn't going to plug you. You see, we got other ways to make you see things our way. What do you mean? Well, we hear you're fixing to marry the daughter of Dylan, the express agent. That you work for him at the express office. Well, what of it? That's none of your business. Did you stop to think what would happen if they were told about your jail term, for instance? He wouldn't want an ex-bank robber working at the express office. And he wouldn't let you marry that girl, either. Now, look, why don't you two leave me alone? You've done enough harm already. I never robbed any bank, and you know it. Yeah, but they don't know it, and neither does anyone else. If they look up your past record, it'll show you did time for helping in a bank robber. I won't help you do whatever it is you want me to do, no matter what. I don't reckon he'd want anything to happen to that nice girl ahead. Would he, Luke? Why, you dirty coyotes. If I thought for one minute you'd try to... Shut up, you... I got him covered with my gun, Luke. Now maybe you'll listen to reason. Get up, Dayton. Yeah. What? What is it you want me to do? Now he's getting some sense. Sit down and I'll tell you. I guess I'll have to play along with you. If you don't want anything to happen to that girl a year, you'd do better. What is it you want? If you do what we want, the girl will be safe enough. And you won't be blamed any if you keep your mouth shut. Tell him. All right. When you close up the express office tomorrow night, leave the safe unlocked and the inside bolt unlatched on the shutter of the back window, that's all. Well, you... You're planning to rob the express office. That's good guessing. Yeah. And that's how you can help. And you won't get blamed for it. I won't do it. I won't. I think you will. If you don't, everybody in town will hear about you being in jail. What's more, we'll get to that girl of yours and use a bullet on her before we leave town, Savvy. You wouldn't dare. You'd hang for murder if I didn't get to you first and fill you with lead. That's big talk, Dayton. But it doesn't scare us at all. We're staying here in the hotel. You better think over what we said and do what we expect you to do tomorrow night. Let's get going, Sam. Sure. I reckon after Bob thinks it over, you'll see things our way. So long, Dayton. Bob spent a sleepless night. He realized that if Sarah and her father heard about his prison record, it might mean the loss of his job and, above all, the loss of Sarah. If he told Sarah about the two outlaws, he'd have to explain everything. Yet he felt that if he did as the outlaws wanted, he'd be suspected of aiding in the robbery. That would mean the same result, with a jail sentence perhaps added. The following morning, Toto, Indian companion to the Lone Ranger, returned to the camp he shared in the nearby hills with the masked man. Oh, scout. Oh, fella. Easy, scout. Easy. Hi, Kimo Sabe. Any news in town? Ah. Me see two men. Outlaws who go to jail two years ago. Who are they? Do you know? One named Luke. Me remember. Luke Banner? Ah. One of the men who robbed the bank in Pecos. Sound that right. Fella named Luke. See other young fella come out of hotels. One knee stop in front. Oh, fella. Them talk. You'll hear what them say. Morning, Dayton. Morning. Just going down to open up the express office. Steady, Scott. Steady, fella. Nice job you got, all right. Don't forget what we talked about last night. I won't. We're counting on you tonight. If things go all right, you won't have anything to worry about. Remember that. Maybe. I can't stop the talk. I have to get going. Ah. Big fella. Outlaw. Went to jail two years ago. You better tell Lone Ranger about him. Hey, Luke. Let's get some breakfast. All right. I just saw Dayton. Yeah? He wasn't feeling any too friendly. Ah. Me see other fella once before. It's not good them in town. Easy, Scott. Easy. Get him up, Scout. So, Luke Banner and his friends are in town, huh? And you say the young man Luke spoke to was called Dayton? Ah. Me hear him say name like that. A young fella named Bob Dayton was accused of aiding the outlaws in their escape from that bank. He was sent to prison for three months. Me remember. Him saying fella. Now him work at the express office. Him not want to talk to Luke Banner. I know about Dayton. He's engaged to the express agent's daughter. I don't know what his business is with Banner and the other outlaw. But the situation will bear careful watching, Tonto. That's right. But tonight, right after supper, you and I will ride to the edge of town and see what we can find out. Luke Banner must be up to something. It may be that he'll try to get Dayton mixed up in his plans. If he is up to anything, we're going to be around when it happens. It was noon when Mr. Dillon, the express agent, came hurriedly into the office and spoke to Bob. Hi, Bob. You been busy this morning? Not too busy, sir. How's Sarah? Oh, fine, fine. She'll be coming into town this afternoon, I reckon, to have supper with you. Mr. Dillon, I... I want to talk to you. Hmm? I have something I want to tell you about what happened to me before I came here. Now, now, it isn't anything that can't wait. I have to catch the stage for Stanton. Leaves in a few minutes. Got some business over there. I'll be back later tonight. In case you can run things till I get back, I need a paper I've got on my desk. But if you can listen a few minutes... Has it got anything to do with business? No, but it's still important... Tell me tomorrow. But be sure to get that stuff on the four o'clock stage and lock up good tonight. Now, look, what I want to say is important... See you later. Bob was upset because he didn't tell Mr. Dillon about his past. And as dusk fell and suppertime drew near, he locked the safe and the back door and windows. Then he walked slowly toward the front door to go and meet Sarah at the hotel dining room. Just then, the door opened. What? A mast, hombre. I got you covered, mister. So I see. I guess they sent you here to make sure I'm going through with their plan to rob the safe tonight. Well, you go tell Luke Banner I'm not going through with it. What's supposed to happen if you don't? You know well enough. But let them go ahead and tell what they want about me. You mean about your prison term? See, I told you you knew. Yes, I know all about that. I thought as much. But it doesn't make any difference now. Oh? What are you going to do? You'll soon find out, mister. Maybe it does mean the end of everything I've planned for the future. But I'm going to take you and turn you over to the sheriff. I'll tell him everything and let him settle with Luke and Sam before they can do any harm. That means, of course, he'll carry out their threat to expose your past. I'll tell the sheriff all about that, too. You'll see to it that they don't rob this office and that no harm comes to Sarah Dillon. Like they threatened if I didn't fix things so they could get into the safe. You realize what it means if your past becomes known, Dayton? I realize it well enough. Sarah won't want to see me anymore and I'll lose my job here. But like I said, that doesn't make any difference. I'm taking you over to the sheriff right now. You're sure that's what you want to do? I'm sure, all right. And so help me. If you try one false move, I'll put a bullet in you. Now I get going to the sheriff's office, pronto. Now, 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 had entered the express office at dusk, just as Bob Dayton was about to leave to meet Sarah for supper. Bob drew his gun and ordered the masked man to go with him to the sheriff after saying that he had decided not to go through with Luke's plan regardless of what happened. And the Lone Ranger stood a moment looking at Bob, an odd smile playing across his lips. I said get moving before I let you have a bullet. Bob, what you said to me a moment ago is what I'd hoped to hear. What? What do you mean? I'm not in with Luke Banner. In fact, my Indian friend and I were the ones who caught the three of you after that bank robbery in Pecos. What? Don't you remember? What? Why, you're the masked homer. You came with the sheriff's posse that time. You're the Lone Ranger. Yes, that's right. Oh, I should have known, but, well, I'm sort of upset all day. I can understand that. You don't need that gun. I'm sorry. Well, now that I've told you, I guess the news will get out. But I was supposed to meet Sarah for supper. Her father's out of town till late tonight, but I... I haven't the nerve to face her and tell her about my past. Then what are you thinking of doing? You can tell the sheriff what I told you. I'll bring him the keys after I lock up later. Then, well, I'll leave town for good. I'd rather not see Sarah again. I couldn't stand to see her turn away from me. Maybe she wouldn't, Bob. Anyway, leaving town isn't the best thing to do. Why not stay and do your part in showing up Luke Banner and his friend? Oh, yeah, but how? They're dangerous outlaws. The best thing to do is to let them think you've gone through with their plan. Then arrange it so that they get caught in the act of robbing the safe. Well, I... I have a plan that should work, Bob. Leave the planning to me. You go ahead and have your engagement with Sarah Dillon and say nothing. I'll get in touch with you before you close for the night. But if those crooks are caught, they'll talk because I didn't go through with it. Wait and see what happens. Until then, stop worrying about what Sarah or her father might think or do. Now, lock the door and go meet Sarah for supper. A short time later that evening, Sam entered the hotel room he shared with Luke. Where you been, Sam? Watching Dayton Eaton in the dining room with that girl of his. Yeah? I guess he hasn't said anything to her. That's what I figured. Or else he wouldn't be with her. Look, do you reckon he'll do what we want him to tonight? If he doesn't, it'll be too bad for him. This girl will probably wait around for him to drive her out to her place. If we find he didn't leave that heavy window shutter unlocked at the express office, we'll catch up with him and face him down right in front of her about being an old prison pal of ours. I guess he knows you mean what you say about that. He'll be worried, too, about us harming the girl, like we said, if he doesn't do what we want. We got him cornered, all right. He'll do what we want and try to talk his way out of being implicated into the robbery. Maybe they'll believe him and maybe they won't. We won't care about that. But we'll be well on our way with the cash from the safe. Look, what time is he supposed to close that office? There's nine, so I found out. It's almost that now. We might as well mosey over that way. But we'll go out the back door and stick to the shadows. All right. Come on, we'll get the horses and have them ready for a fast getaway behind the express office. Luke and Sam hid their horses in a grove of trees behind the express office. Then they went toward the rear of the building to watch. The lamps are still lighted. Dayton's still in there. Yeah. Looks like he's getting ready to lock up. He's closing the front shutters. We'll wait till he shuts the one on the back window. Then we'll see if he leaves it unlocked. If he doesn't, we'll follow him. They'll worry, meets that girl of his. They got a big safe in there. You better be sure to leave that unlocked, too. There. He's closing the back shutter now. Inside the building so we can watch him leave him. Then we'll try the shutter. Come on, let's go. Luke and Sam watched from the shadows as Bob Dayton went out the front door of the express office and, locking it behind him, walked away in the direction of the hotel. He's going up the street and he's crossing to the hotel. Guess that's where his girl's waiting for him. Her buckboard's out in front of there. Now we can go try that shutter. Come on. Now try the shutters. By thunder, he did it. He left the shutters unbolted. I told you we had him buffaloed. That means he left the safe unlocked, too. Now this job will be a cinch. And Dayton will have to stay behind and do some explaining. Now let's get inside. Within a few minutes, the two outlaws were standing inside the express office with drawn guns. Luke pulled a candle from his pocket. Then kneeling and placing his gun on the floor, he struck a match and lit the candle. There. If I keep the candle down low, it won't shine through the cracks of the shutters in front. Now I'll hold my gun and carry the candle. Sam, you keep your gun handy just in case. Right. There's the safe over there. He left it unlocked all right. I was afraid for a minute he might try to pull a double cross. So was I. That's why we come in with our guns ready. He's too scared to squeal, though. Now see what's in the safe. Hey, money bags. Looks like... More like gold dust than them bags. Here, carry a couple. I'll take the other two. Right. We got them all. This is the easiest job we ever pulled. Yeah. Now let's go back out through the window. Come on. You go out first, Sam. All right. Better put out that candle. Yeah. It's light enough out to see the waves clear. I'll climb out now. All right, Luke. Come on. I'm coming. There's a wind on the shutter so nobody will be suspicious. Now let's get to the horses. The horses here is coming. Wait a minute. What's the matter? That whinny didn't come from that clump of trees. It came from between the buildings. I want to... Look at the edge of the building of mask, Hombrey. Don't move, either of you. Hey, there's some other men on the other side of the building. Coming this way. The sheriff and his men. Throw that, Sam. Quick. Now get that mask, Hombrey. No, you won't. No, I'm hit. I'm getting out of here. Dropping the bags he had taken from the safe, Luke Banner sprinted for the clump of trees as bullets spewed up the dust at his heels. Somehow, he managed to reach his horse and mount hurriedly. Don't let that Hombrey get away. I'll get him easy, big fella. Come on, Silver. Luke thanked his luck that he had escaped so far without taking a bullet. But he reckoned without the Lone Ranger when he hoped that further luck would allow him to get away. Though Luke had a fast horse, the great stallion, Silver, was faster. And as the masked man gave his urgent cry, the gallant white horse increased his speed to close up on the fleeing outlaw ahead. Come on, Silver. Faster, big fella. Faster. Luke, too, heard the ringing cry and turning in his saddle, poured bullets back toward the masked figure that was moving closer by the second. But his galloping horse spoiled his aim and still the Lone Ranger pressed on until he was only a short distance away from the outlaw. Then taking his lariat, he swung it over his head, then snaked it out. And the Luke settled and tightened around Luke's chest, pulling him from the saddle. Close it in the back. Stop. Don't shoot that. I'm hurt from the fall. Get up. You're not hurt. You can't blame me for that robbery. Bob Dayton who works in the express office, he's planted. He left a window open, a safe open, too, so as we can get... Are you lying, coward? Tell the truth, or I'll let you have it. My gun's gone. If you didn't have those guns of yours... Oh. There's my gun belt on the ground. I'll show you. That's what I was waiting for. Take this. I'll fix you for that. For a few minutes, the two men fought with their fists. Luke Banner was a big man and a strong one, but he soon began to realize that the masked man did more than just throw punches. He made every blow count. A look of frenzy fear crept into Luke's eyes when he knew for certain he was licked. He put all his effort into one final lunging blow. I'll kill you. You're through, Banner. Get up. You'll get more until you tell the truth. I planned it. We made Dayton leave the shutter. I locked it. Wait a minute. I want the others to hear this. Come on. We're going back now, and you'd better tell it right. Get going. It was later in the sheriff's office. Bob Dayton was there with Sarah and her father, who had just arrived along with the sheriff and his men. The Lone Ranger spoke. All right, Banner. Go ahead and tell them the truth. We'll go outside and finish the fight we started. I... We... Go ahead. We made Bob Dayton pictures so as we'd get into the office and into the safe. How could you force him to help you? Tell them that. By... By threatening to tell that he spent time in jail. Oh, look. Now, wait a minute, Bob. Wait a minute. Go on, Banner. Tell him why he was in jail. Well, he... He helped us escape when we robbed the Pecos Bank two years ago. You mean you forced him to help you escape. Was that it? That's what he says. Tell the truth, you yellow sidewinder. I'll... Let's go. We caught. We might as well tell. We... We did force him to at the point of a gun. You see that, deputy? He was on the trail in his buckboard when we met him. I thought that they must have lied against Bob to get him into jail with him. Well, Banner, did you lie when you testified? Yeah, yeah, we did. We never saw him before that night we robbed the bank. He didn't want his boss or girl to know about the jail term. That's how we was getting him to help us tonight. Bob, was that how they were trying to get you in with them? Well... Why, Dad knew about you. He looked up your past before he took you into the express office. So you see, I knew too. But we both felt that you were innocent of any wrongdoing. Well, this time, Banner, Bob didn't go for your blackmailing. He didn't intend to help you. It was because of him that a trap was set. The bags you tried to steal from the safe were filled with sand. Luke, you're a fool. I told you not to trust that date number. Oh, shut up. Come on, you two. Golly, Mr. Dillon, you knew all the time. I had no idea. Sure, but Sarah and me weren't going to let you ever know that we knew it. Now that this crook has cleared your name, it's good it come out in the open. I tried to tell you about it today, but you were in such a hurt... I figured that's what you was getting at, and I wasn't interested. I'm glad things turned out the way to have, Bob. Now we can be happier since you won't have that to think of. I'll go along now, Bob. Adios. Adios, mister. Thanks. I guess if Luke Banner knew what he was going to come up against tonight when he met that mask man, he wouldn't have stopped here in his town. He met that mask man once before, Sheriff. I guess Luke won't forget him for a long time, and neither will I. But, Bob, who is he? And why does he wear that mask? Oh, I can answer that, Miss Sarah. You see, he wears the mask so folks will never know just who he really is while he's helping the law and such. But lawmen and crooks alike know just who you mean when you mention the Lone Ranger. 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.
