A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-o-silver. The Lone Ranger. And companion Toto, 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. It was the hour before dawn. Toto urged Scout up the draw to the top of the bluff, where the Indian ponies were bedded down, and the Lone Ranger stood beside the great horse, Silver, looking down at the village in the valley. Oh, Scalho, fella. Easy, Scout. Easy, fella. Well, Dono, it's no good, Kemoshubby. Thundercloud, not the valley. Well, didn't you tell him that Canfield was trying to massacre his whole tribe? Ah. Thundercloud say him make treaty with government. Blue Creek Valley belonged to Indians. Indians promised to stay in valley. Thundercloud, not leave. Didn't you tell him that troops were on the way from the capital? Thundercloud say troops not hurt Indians. If they were federal troops, he'd be right. But they're militia, raised by Canfield himself. They're his political followers. They've all been promised land in the valley after the Indians are wiped out. Toto say all that. And he wouldn't believe you? Thundercloud say, Governor, not let Canfield hurt Indians. The governor's been recalled to Washington. Canfield's taken over in his absence. He's running everything. Thundercloud, not understand. No. He's made a promise and he'll keep it. He can't understand such treachery. When he's convinced of it, it will be too late. All Indians die. We can't let that happen. The troops will march through that pass to the south into the valley. Indians entrapped. There's a way out through the draw you just rode. Once they're up here, the Indians can escape to the hills. Then wait too long. Unless we do something. Thundercloud not listen to us. Words are no use. We'll have to substitute action. How you, me, stop 500 men? I think I know of a way. Horses, Toto. Horses? Yes. These Indian ponies. Only Canfield's officers are mounted. Come on. They round up the ponies. Drive them to the opening of the draw and then wait. The Indian ponies were driven into a compact group near the opening of the draw. They milled around for a while and then settled down to grazing as the sun rose above the eastern rim of the valley. The Indian village woke to life. An hour later, General Canfield rode through the south pass, the militia marching behind him. As the Lone Ranger and Toto watched, they saw Thundercloud raise an American flag above his lodge. Then he and several of the older Braves started forward to meet the troops. Thundercloud carried a white flag. In a moment, the Lone Ranger's worst fears were realized. Canfield ordered the troops to halt. A single rifleman stepped forward, took aim at Thundercloud and his delegation, and fired. The distance was too great for accurate shooting. A brave to the right of Thundercloud dropped to the ground. Other Braves jumped in front of the chief. Panic broke out among the Indians, and men, women, and children ran toward the lodges. The troops darted forward at the double. All right, Toto. Let's go. Come on, Thundercloud! Let's go! The Lone Ranger and Toto drove the herd of Indian ponies down the draw. The draw opened into the valley between the village and the pass, and when the level ground was reached, the yells of the Indians were enough to swing the herd toward the pass and the oncoming militia. The Lone Ranger and Toto drove them on, shouting and shooting in the air, broke ranks, and ran to escape the thundering hoofs of the herd. The Lone Ranger and Toto turned back to the village and pulled their mounts to a stop in front of Thundercloud's lodge. Hold on, hold on, hold on. How do you believe what Toto told you, Thundercloud? Uh, can be a great treaty. There's no time to argue about that. Get your people up the draw. Tell them to keep moving on into the hills. Uh, Manitia, Romano, Romano! You have a few ponies tethered down here. Give me 20 braves to ride them. We'll hold the mouth of the draw until the rest of your people reach the high places. That's good. Thundercloud, do what mass friends say. Good. Over the eagle! Before Canfield could rally his troops, the Indians were moving up the draw. 20 braves under the command of the Lone Ranger took cover just beyond the narrow opening. Canfield's men were forced to attack in a single column, and the withering fire drove them back. They refused to attack again. The Lone Ranger and the Indians held the draw for two hours, and then they raced after Thundercloud and his people into the hills. Canfield took possession of the village and set up his headquarters in Thundercloud's lodge. The self-styled general was livid with rage at the failure of his murderous plans. How many dead? Of our men? No Indians. Twelve. Twelve. And hundreds of them escaped. All because of that masked man on the white horse. I'm putting a price on his head. I'm offering $5,000 reward for his catcher. In the days that followed, Canfield carried out his plans. He proclaimed a state of war with the Indians. He placed the territory under martial law. He ordered the militia to shoot every Indian on sight. The capital seethed with excitement, and the Lone Ranger himself, without his mask, and dressed as an ordinary prospector, walked the streets of the city, gauging the temper of the people. He stopped beside a man outside the post office. The man was reading a newspaper and muttering to himself. He should know better. He should know better. Well, who should know better? General Canfield? Oh, stranger. Howdy, Fairburn, the editor. Look at this paper. I used to know Fairburn when he first came west. He has a habit of speaking the truth. Truth or not, he's stuck his neck out this time. See the headline? Is this America? And what he says about Canfield and his proclaiming martial law. Don't you believe the general has exceeded his authority? Not with the way things are now. Not with the engines out to get all our scalps. Who says they are? Canfield. And all these men who took part in the Battle of Blue Creek. The Battle of Blue Creek? Well, haven't you heard about that? The way the Indians attacked the militia under cover of a flag of truce? Hmm. Fairburn doesn't seem to think that's the way it happened at all. That's what I say. He's practically taken the side of the Indians. You mark my word. He'll end up before a firing squad. Is this America? Huh? Oh, I was reading the headline again. It's a good question. Firing squads. What's happened to a man's right to trial by jury? Firing the squad? To trial by jury? Don't matter. Fairburn will end up with a hole in his head. And so will that renegade who helped Thundercloud. That mass man on the big white horse. You mark my words. That same afternoon, Captain Hugh McNeil rode into the Capitol. His first stop was at the office of the Mountain News. And Laurie, Howard Fairburn's daughter, greeted him as an old friend. Howdy. Oh, Hugh, welcome to Mountain City. Hello, Laurie. Dad? Dad? Come and see who's here. Oh, Hugh, I can't tell you how glad I am to see you. That goes for me, too. Hello, Captain. Hello, Mr. Fairburn. This is like old times. It is, it is. You know, I asked for this assignment just so we could have a reunion. Assignment? You want to be stationed here? That's right. We're going to have federal troops? Well, no, not exactly. You're going to have me. Isn't that enough? I don't understand, Hugh. It's simple enough. The Army's sending rifles and ammunition for your militia to use. I'm here to act as a liaison officer between your General Canfield and the regular Army. But Hugh, that's terrible. Why? General Canfield. Have you met him? No, I haven't reported yet. You sound as if he were some sort of a monster. He is. Well, he seems to have done a pretty good job of putting down this Indian uprising. Oh, tell him, Dad. Tell him what he's getting into. What's wrong, Mr. Fairburn? Everything. In the first place, Canfield isn't a soldier. He's a politician. He raised his regiment by promising every recruit he'd share in the gold and furs that were captured from the Indians. It's a regiment of riffraff, roofnicks. Gunmen, indeed. They've fought well. What about the engagement at Blue Creek? You can't make me believe it happened the way Canfield says it did. There was no ambush? I do believe there was. Why not, sir? Because Thunder Cloud is an honorable man, for one thing. For another, it was a masked man who helped him and his people escape from the valley after the so-called battle. But you're not sure it's the same one, Dad. Reasomly sure. And he wouldn't be fighting with Thunder Cloud if the chief weren't in the right. What masked man are you talking about? Oh, you know him. When was it? Five, six years ago when your troop rescued our wagon train from the Sioux? Yes. The masked man who brought you to our assistance. What? Well, that was the Lone Ranger. I'm convinced this masked man is the Lone Ranger. Here, you. Here's the latest edition of the modern news. Read it. And you'll have some idea of what the situation is really like. This is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The captain read the paper and then left to report for duty. He returned to the newspaper office at ten o'clock that evening. Lori and her father were locking up for the night. Mr. Fairburn. Yes? How soon can you get out of town? Do you have a horse? Well, I have one out in the back, but... What do you mean? What's happened? Canfield's read the mountain news. What have you? You ought to be arrested tonight. On with guns. Treason. So now he's repealing the bit of rights. There's to be no freedom of the press in the territory. There's no time to argue about it. Once you're in jail, there's no telling what might happen to you. I agree that the man's demented. King Canfield. But he has a regiment to back him up. I won't run away. Oh, dear. There's someone knocking at the back door. Could it be Canfield's man? No, they haven't left headquarters yet, and they wouldn't come to the back door. I'll see who it is. Hello, Fairburn. The masked man. Yes. Howdy, mister. Hello, Captain. Oh, heaven help us. Come inside. Don't you realize there's a price on your head? Yes. I've been reading all about it. How did you get here without being seen? To the back streets. It's a dark night. Where can we hide you? I haven't come here to hide. You are life's in danger, man. Yes, so is yours, Fairburn. I want you to leave town with me. I don't want to run away. You want to fight Canfield, don't you? That's what I mean. You can't do it from here. Our only chance is through Washington. You won't be allowed to use the telegraph here. Canfield has the office guarded. I've been trying to persuade him to leave. Canfield means to arrest him. Well, that should settle it. How can you fight if you're behind bars? But, Laurie... I'll be all right. I'll take care of her. I'm telling you, there's no time to lose. They'll be here any minute. All right. I'll go with you. Good enough. Come on, then. Adios. Good luck here, Paul. Oh, Hugh, if only he can get away safely. He will. The Lone Ranger will take care of him. There they go. Now, let's get this place locked up. I'll take you home. It's one door. It's a militia. And Canfield's with him. Where's your father, Miss Tavern? I don't know. Where is he? Left house. You have as much chance of finding him as you have of finding the masked man. You're under arrest. What for? We're aiding and abetting treason. They're going to jail, men. Why, don't any of you lay a hand on her? And you're under arrest, too, Captain. You can't arrest me. I represent the United States government. We'll discuss that at your court-martial. All right. Take them away. Oh, I'll take them away. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger adventure. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. After the Lone Ranger and Howard Fairburn left Mountain City, they stopped at the well-hidden camp where Tonto was waiting. And then the three men rolled down from the foothills and across the Great Plain. Early the next morning, they reached a small settlement far to the east. Fairburn rolled into town to send a telegram and returned in a few hours with a message. Hold on. Hold on. Just listen to this. From the Secretary of the Interior. Macklin has been relieved as governor. New governor, Alexander Kilgore, now on the way to territory. Should arrive at Cheyenne today. We'll travel south by stage. Suggests contacting him at Capitol and making formal charges against Canfield on arrival. This couldn't be better. Kilgore's a good man. Uh, you know him? By reputation. Why, what's the matter? Canfield must have this new law ready. Yes, I suppose so. It won't suit him at all to have a new governor taking over. He wants the job himself. You'll never get it now. Unless something happens to Kilgore. At the dangerous trail through the hills from Cheyenne to the Capitol. Canfield wouldn't dare. Oh, wouldn't he? He's already defying the Constitution of the United States. Not to mention a few government treaties. What's a hole-up in a murder? That's another crime the Indians will answer for. Yes, it's true. He could do it. I think you'd better have a talk with the new governor before Canfield and his men have a chance to reach him. Come on, Tano, let's get saddled. You're heading north? The Cheyenne Trail, as fast as we can make it. Two days later, the Lone Ranger, Tottle, and Fairburn were standing beside their horses on a high ridge. Below them, they could see the Cheyenne Trail for miles, twisting and turning up a wooded slope. The masked man was studying a small crowd of dust near the foot of the ridge through his binoculars. That's a stage, all right. If not, get up here for another hour. I'll stop the stage, get aboard, and you'll follow with my horse. Maybe you'll ride all the way to Capitol. That depends on whether the governor believes me or not. Tottle, take the glasses. This side of the hairpin curve, about half the way up, what do you see? There are men there. Indians. Look like Indians. But Tonto see horse and their brand on hip. That's not Indian horse. Ken feels men dressed up like Indians. Yes, I think so. Do we have time to get down below the curve? Huh? You wait here, Fairburn. We need your horse. You're going to stop the stage before it gets to the curve? We can. Easy set it, big fella. You'll be able to see how we make out. Yes, here's the reins. Oh, thanks. Tonto show best way through trees. Get him up. The grade was steep and the trail was narrow. The coach was traveling slowly, but even so it swayed from side to side, and the guard was holding on. When the coach rounded a bend and the two men rode out on the trail, he was unable to go for his guns. Brain up. They got us covered. No chance for me to get a beat on them. Oh, yeah. Oh, you big. Oh. A man's man on a white horse. And an in-man. What's the matter? It looks like a hold-up, Governor. You can call it that if you want to. I'm not arguing. I got my hands up. But you're making a mistake. We're not carrying any gold. I'm not interested in gold. Step out of the coach, Governor. What for? Better do as he says, Governor. There's a price on this man's head. He's a desperate character. I have very little money on me. You're coming with us, Governor. With you? Yes, here. Get mounted, please. Do you realize who I am? Yes, Governor. I must ask you to hurry. I... Oh, very well. Oh, now. Steady. All right. Get your coach started. Yes. Go ahead. Lead the way, fellow. Get him up. Get up there. Oh, sit up there. Governor spent that night in the mountain valley where Thunder Cloud had led his people. And as they sat around the campfire, he listened to the old chief, to Fairburn and the Lone Ranger. His anger at being taken prisoner seeped away. But he found it hard to believe the facts that were laid before him. This is your side of the story. Before I can reach any decision, I'll have to hear Canfield's. Will you let me leave now? Canfield will deny everything we've told you. That's right. And if you believe him, he won't live long, Governor. There were men on the trail waiting to kill you. The only men I saw were you and your Indian friend. Will you let me go? We haven't convinced you. I'm afraid not. Will you give us a chance to prove our case, Governor? How can you do that? Governor, what do you think would happen to Fairburn and me if we gave ourselves up? You'd be given a fair trial. No, Governor, no. I'd go to jail and the masked man would be shot. What do you think would happen to Thundercloud and the members of his council if they rode into the Capitol under a flag of truce? They'd be perfectly safe. Governor, would you ride with us to the Capitol tomorrow morning? Why, of course. Would you conceal your real identity? Conceal my identity? Yes. Would you let us stain your face and hands? Would you wear buckskin so that Canfield will think you're an Indian, that he has no reason to be afraid? Would you give him a chance to convict himself? Yes, I will. I must warn you that you'll be risking your life. You'll carry no weapons? No, none. Then there's no danger? We'll see, Governor. We'll start for the Capitol as soon as possible. We must get there just as dawn is, Prager. That same night, long after midnight, the door of Captain McNeil's cell opened, and the captain jumped up from the wooden bench where he had been trying to sleep. Who's there? It's me, Sergeant O'Grady. I smuggled some good food in for the girl, and she insisted I bring you some. You're a friend in need, Sergeant. I wish I could be a better one. You mean that? I wish I could set you both free. We're getting fed up with Canfield. He had one of the men whipped this morning. Then why don't you do something about it? What can we do? We got a bear by the tail. Try to let go near Klaus to death. But if you all acted together, man... We haven't got the nerve. No. Each one of us is afraid of his own miserable hide. And me, too. Me and O'Grady. I'm scared, Sergeant. No. It's no good talking. Each of them. As night faded into day the following morning, the main street of the Capitol was deserted. The lone ranger, Thundercloud, the governor, and the other members of the party, rode slowly toward the white bulk of the government building at the far end of the street, a mile away. Thundercloud himself carried the flag of truce. Blige Stewart, at the livery stable, was the first to see them. His first shot was one of fear. Then he saw the flag of truce and realized the men were unarmed. In house after house, windows were raised. Doors were thrown open. People poured into the street. By the time the procession had covered half the distance to the government building, it was being followed by a constantly increasing crowd. Guards came out of the Capitol and formed a solid rank of rifles in front of the building. The lone ranger and his companions rode straight toward them. At last, they pulled their mounts to a halt. Directly in front of the Capitol steps. The door of the building opened and Canfield stepped out, flanked by more riflemen. Thundercloud, come to ask for peace. Yes, General, tell Thundercloud what white men want Indian to do. Indian promise all white men ask. Indian want peace. Oh, so you want peace. Ah. What do you want, masked man? I'm here to face any charges that are against me. I want a fair trial. You took the new governor prisoner yesterday, didn't you? Oh, you might call it that. Where is he? As far as I know, he's here. Don't lie, you killed him. No, I didn't. It wasn't smart, masked man. I'm still governor and I'll stay governor. You've been charged with treason already. Now I'm charging you with murder and I'm finding you guilty. Well, without a trial? I say you're guilty, that's enough. Fairburn, you're going to jail. What's the charge against me? You'll be told later. But before I lock you up, I'm going to give you the pleasure of seeing this masked man and all your Indian friends executed. Thundercloud come here under flag of truth. What's that to me? The only good Indian is a dead Indian. And in 15 minutes, you're going to be one of the best. I grabbed them all, men. Dragged them off their horses, tied their hands behind their backs and lined them up to be shot. Wait! The man's insane. What's that? Which one of you Indians said that to me? I did. And I'm not an Indian. This is stain on my face and arms. Look. Look at my arm. A renegade, eh? No. The name is Alexander Kilgore. What? And I'm the governor of this territory. Fool. And here are my credentials. My appointment signed by the President of the United States. I thought that... That I was dead, eh? And that you were free to govern as you pleased. To set aside every federal and territorial law. To commit mass murder. It's all the Indians deserve. It's only justice for the mass murder. Justice? You don't know what the word means. But you're going to find out, can't you? You're not going to do anything to me. These soldiers are my men and they'll only take orders from me. I'm relieving you of your command. You can't. I'll show you. Guys, this man is an imposter. Shoot him with the rest of the traitors. Not a chance, Canfield. I saw the President's signature on that paper. This man's the real governor. And we're taking orders from him. You'll die for this, O'Grady. We'll all die if we don't get rid of you. Right, then? What are your orders, governor? Take him to jail. Come on, if you dare lay a hand on me. If you'll excuse me, gentlemen. Easy city, big fella. Just to make your work a little easier. No! That did it, mass man. Drag him away. Mountain City, thank you for your vote of confidence. I promise to discharge my duties in accordance with the laws of the territory and uphold the Constitution of the United States. I promise to safeguard your rights. And I promise you peace. Now, you're free to go, Thundercloud. And to lead your people back to Blue Creek Valley. That's good. Ronego! Are Todd and I free to go as well, governor? Yes, indeed you are. With all my thanks. Thank you, sir. Easy city. Are you all right? What's the matter? Oh, nothing. Now. We've been in jail since you left, Mr. Fairburn. The guard just let it out. And Kent Hill has taken your place. Yes. Governor, this is my doctor. And this is Captain Neal of the United States Army. Oh, pleasure. How do you do? We're so happy, governor. So grateful. Oh, not to me. Your gratitude and mine belong to the mask man. Who is he, Fairburn? One of the greatest men the West will ever know. He is the Lone Ranger. Incorporated. Created by George W. Trendle. Produced by Trendle Campbell Enterprises. Directed by Charles D. Livingston. And edited by Fran Stryker. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. A part of the Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.
