A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver, the Lone Ranger. Full 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! Are you still there? The engineer and fireman on the westbound crane were intent on their duties when suddenly the engineer closed the throttle and applied the brakes. The engine lurked, sending the fireman's shovel from his grasp and sprawling him on the floor of the closely confined cab. As the train screeched to a stop, the engineer wiped his forehead in relief. I stopped her just in time. You all right, shovel? Yeah, I think so. What did Geronimo's main commander? A pile of lies across the track. A pile of shovels. Shovels, huh? Golly I am! It's bandits, the whole raft of them! All right, this is a haul of jetpack inside the train! Drop that conductor! Shoot him! You hear that? They shot a conductor. Yeah, we shot him. If you don't want the same thing, stand on your feet and raise your hands high. Yes, I'm standing. My hands are up. And stay that way and nobody will hurt you. All right, boys, I got these two. Go ahead. Inside the train, after shooting three men, the bandits called passengers and crew and robbed them individually. The leaders killed the guards in the baggage car and escaped with more than $20,000. Then the bandits joined outside the train and kept their guns ready as they backed away to where their horses were tied. They fired shots wildly at the train, leaped onto their horses and galloped off into the nearby hills. Let's go! Jay Kincaid, vice president of the railroad, met in the main office at St. Joseph's with Guy Morgan, head of railroad police. Well, Morgan, the Lawton gang again fell off the train. Fourth time they fell off one of our trains within a month. Mr. Kincaid, I don't know how it's possible, but they seem to be getting inside information. The four trains they robbed were the only ones that carried big sums of money on the baggage car. There's no other sense. If there's a leak, it's your job to find it. Yes, sir. We've another money shippin' next Wednesday. The payroll for our employees at Dodge City. And the cash reserves for the new bank they've started there. We'll lie down to the mountains and we'll try another hold-up until shortly time. There'll be almost $70,000 in the train. They wouldn't pass that up. If they knew which train was carrying them, we'll make sure they don't. Relance the banks to cooperate. Yeah, let's hope so. Nevertheless, I'll expect you to take extraordinary precautions this time. I'll do that, sir. I have an idea in mind already. I'll gather my men together before the shipment leaves here. They'll get the instructions in. Guy Morgan assembled his railroad detective squad in St. Joseph four days before the train would leave with a large money shipment. Now, maybe it's just an accident that the Lotton outfit was held up only trains where the railroad was carrying large sums. But then again, it may not be so accidental. Mr. Morgan. Yes, Benit? Do you mean you have an idea where the Lotton could get the information from? I didn't say that, Benit. Do you have an idea? Me? Oh, no, of course not. Do any of you other men? No, no. Then I'll continue. There's a reward for us if we capture the Lotton gang. We don't expect they'll learn of this shipment we're about to make, but we'll take no chances. We'll have a trap set and ready for them. So with that thought in mind, I'm selecting 20 of you men, and I'm swearing you to complete secrecy. Later, alone with the 20 men selected, Morgan gave his instructions. Only two of you will leave St. Joe with a shipment next month. Now that, of course, is ready to proceed. The others will leave singly or in pairs today, quietly. You'll stop at towns I name along the train route. Then you'll stay there and board the train when it reaches the towns I schedule. That way, it's hardly likely you'll be noticed, just in case the Lottons have a spy somewhere at this end or on the train. That's not likely, Smith. Not between here and Junction City. Lotton and the other gangs work west of there, where it's hilly, not greatly populated. We'll all be aboard when the train leaves Junction City. And you'll be ready to start shooting if any outlaws try to hold up the train after that. The Lotton gang did have a spy who advised them when the railroad carried large money shipments. He was one of Morgan's own private detectives, Scott Beeler. Beeler, who had obtained his job with false credentials, was sent ahead to Junction City, where he would board the money train when it reached there. Two days later in Junction City, away from the railroad station, he was met by one of the Lotton brothers' gang, Buzz Geary. Hi, Scott. The boys got you missing. They were surprised to hear from you so soon. Something wrong? No, Buzz, why'd they send you? You're one of them as much as they are. Suppose someone sees you. Now let me worry about that part, huh, Scott? It won't stay long if that's what you're nervous about. It's not that, Buzz. I just think the boys should be more careful, that's all. Sure. I'll tell them that. Now stop looking over your shoulder and tell us the reason for the message. Nervously, afraid to be seen with a notorious outlaw, Scott Beeler told of the plans for protecting the money that would be aboard the Wednesday train from St. Joseph. He sent us a threat more than anything else. But why is it someone's tipping the gang off? Not wise to you, though. Oh, no. If there were, I wouldn't be here. Be truthful, Buzz, I don't think either Tom or Arnie Lawton will want to try for this money. It's my job to tell them when it's coming through, so I thought I would. They can decide for themselves. Yeah, they usually do. Hey, Buzz. What's wrong with you? What are you staring at? That Indian across the street. See him? Looking right at us. What's the matter? Is it against the law of engines to look at people? He's just another engine. Lots of them in this town. He's only walking anyway. Yeah, but the way he looked, I thought maybe he knew you. Don't quit being so afraid to be with me, will you? All right, Scott. If you tell me what you want the boys to know, I'll tell them. On the outskirts of Junction City, the Lone Ranger awaited Toto's return from a nearby general store. When the Indian returned, the Lone Ranger could tell by his manner that something was wrong. Toto, what's happened? He must have been. That one street, round corner, he see Buzz Geary. The outlaw? Toto, are you sure? No. Him talk with other man. Other man, act, pray. There's no one on the street to notice my mask. Lead me to where you saw him, Toto. The masked man followed Toto, but stopped suddenly as a horse and rig turned the corner. They stepped back into a space beside a deserted shack. As the rig passed, Toto grasped the Lone Ranger's arm and knotted his head towards the man driving. He must have been. Man in rig. Him talking to Buzz Geary. Let's hurry before Geary gets away. When they turned the corner, there was no sign of Geary anywhere. The Lone Ranger reached a decision. Toto, I'll write a note to the Sheriff, telling him you saw Buzz Geary in town. That'll put him on the alert. He and his men can do whatever they decide from this point. Toto delivered the message to the Sheriff, met the Lone Ranger at their appointed spot, and together they rode westward over the main trail. Montevideo! Shut him up! Two days passed before Buzz Geary arrived at the secret hideout of the notorious Lawton brothers, high in the rugged hills that overlook the single-track railroad. Tom Lawton, older of the two brothers, listened to Beeler's message as relayed by Geary, and turned with coldly smiling eyes to his brother, Arnie. Arnie, you hear that? Seventy thousand dollars. By one hole like that, we could settle down for life. Yeah, we sure could. We could sneak down to Mexico and forget all about the Lone Ranger. What do you say? About taking over this train? I'm all for it. Tom, Arnie, didn't you hear what I said? There'll be 20 railroad cops on board, all carrying guns and ready to use them. They may have guns, but if they're dead, they can't use them. Now, you see, we wrecked the train. Wreck it so completely, we'd kill everybody aboard. What do you think of that? Everybody. Now, Tom, you wouldn't do that. You, you shut up. Arnie, what do you say? They're gonna hang us for the murders we did already, if they get us. It doesn't matter how many we kill now. I like your idea, Tom. It is if we get the 70,000. If everybody's dead, we'll have all the time in the world to go through the baggage code. No matter how bad it's wrecked. Yeah, but suppose they don't all die. We have 15 men with guns. They'll die, all right. All right, let's start planning. The train leaves St. Joe today. It'll be along sometime tomorrow, won't we? Yeah, it usually gets to Snake Hill early in the afternoon. That's where we're gonna wreck the train. On Snake Hill? At the bottom of it. Figure it out. The train's gotta climb that steep grade at the top of Snake Hill. Then at the top, it's gotta make that half-end turn between those two rocks on both sides of the track. Yeah. And it goes right downhill. And it's pretty fast, too. Right. The best part is, when it's passing between those rocks, the engineer can't see the bottom of the hill. But that's where you and Jake will remove the tracks tomorrow morning. The bottom of the hill. Just the two of us? Yep. Only got tools for two men. You two know how to use them best. It'll take two of us some time to remove one section of track, and that's what we'll have to do. Don't you have time enough to do it? Meanwhile, Arnie and I and the boys will be up in the hills. We'll keep an eye out to the train when it's way in the distance before getting to Snake Hill. When we see it, we'll ride down. Join you, fellas. And be ready to take over when the train crashes. Once the train starts down that grade, the engineer won't have time to stop it. The Lone Ranger and Tonto, after leaving Junction City, rode through the hills, heading westward always. Shortly after high noon on the third day, they were riding along the trail that looked down on the railroad tracks below. The spot where the rails snaked uphill through walls of rock, made a wide turn, and then seemed to plunge downward abruptly until it reached level ground once more. A movement near the track at the bottom of the hill caused the Lone Ranger to stop his horse. He raised his field glasses to his eyes. Oh, that's strange. Men working the way out here on the track. There's no work car. A hand car near. Tonto. Look through these glasses. There are two men down there. Look at the one on the right. It's him. That's Geary, isn't it? Yeah. It's him. Be sure. Him one we see in Junction City. The train from St. Joseph to Dodge City passes on this track sometime today. But Geary's down there. He's up to no good. We could down after him, Timo Tonto. At once, Tonto. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger adventure. Before the next exciting scene, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue. When the Lone Ranger and Tonto arrived at the wooded area behind the place where they had seen Buzz Geary and another man, they slowed their horses to a stop. Then they dismounted. They walked slowly, almost noiselessly, until they reached a spot where they could see and hear the two men. The outlaws had disconnected an entire section of rail from the track and were now busy using sledgehammers on the last connecting length of steel. Buzz Geary and Jake Alton brought their sledgehammers down against the rail and sent it sliding across the ties onto the embankment to the side. What do you know, Jake? We finally made it. Doggone I'm hot. We haven't time to rest even. That train will be along any minute now. Look where the sun is. Yeah. You'd think Tom or Arnie would have sent down to see if we had this rail knocked out of place, wouldn't you? They knew we'd have most of it busted up. Now that we got it all out, things will be perfect. Doggone what a wreck this is gonna be. There was a lot of mess that caused us to get... How much did you say was on the train? That biller says $70,000. That's just for a payroll. That bank in Dodge City. Could be a lot more. Well, let's get back in the shade. Yes, but keep your hands up when you do. A masked man. And an Indian. All right, you've got the drop on us. You must have a... you hear? Train whistle. Yes, I hear. It's miles away. What's the idea? The idea is we're going to stop you and the Lawtons from slaughtering hundreds of innocent people. Hey, how do you know about the Lawtons? We stood behind the trees back there to hear why you planned to wreck the train. You told us why. Well, you heard, huh? What good will it do you? You can't stop it now. Besides, the boys will be down behind you in a few minutes and then... Hey, what are you doing? The Lone Ranger took the rope that Tonto was carrying and stepped towards Buzz Geary. Tonto kept his gun leveled at both outlaws. Geary, I'm going to tire you and your partner. No, no, you're not. Too slow, Geary. There! You knocked him out. You won't take it! He's out too, Tonto. That makes it easier. Train getting near, Kimo Sani? Still hasn't reached the other side of the hill. I'll ride along the side of the track, get to the top and make the turn, then ride down the other side. I'll stop the train before it begins the upgrade climb. Ah. Me tie up these two. Drag them back behind, please. As Tonto bound the outlaws, the Lone Ranger went to where Silver was tied, mounted the horse, then started upward alongside the railroad tracks. When he reached the top of the incline with a track curve, the siding ended abruptly. At this point, two rock walls seemed to close in on the track, allowing only enough room for the train to pass without making contact with the natural walls. Careful now, Silver. Easy boy, easy. The last man guided his horse onto the track. Silver went around the hairpin curve, treading gingerly on the rail ties. Soon, the Lone Ranger was riding downhill once more in the direction of the oncoming train. As he reached the bottom where the upgrade would begin, he led Silver onto the side bank once more and galloped forward, just as he saw the train come into sight a few hundred yards away. The Lone Ranger leaped to the ground and led Silver away from the tracks. Then he sped back to the tracks and began to run along the ties in the direction of the oncoming engine, waving his white sombrero as he did so. Engineer Jeff Ford was about to reduce the speed of the train as it neared the start of the upgrade at Snake Bend. But his startled eyes as he leaned his head outside the engine cab saw something that caused him to change his mind. He shouted at his fireman, Shovel McCune. Shovel, get your gun ready. It's a hold-up. A hold-up? Yeah. One of the bandits is running this way along the tracks, trying to wave us down. How do you know it's a bandit? He's wearing a mask, and I'm running him down. Start shooting! The Lone Ranger was within 30 feet of the train when he realized the engineer was ignoring his frantic signals. The train seemed to increase speed, and he jumped nimbly to the side seconds before it bore down on the spot where he'd been. A movement from the engineer's cab caused him to dive to the side bank instinctively. He heard shots and the ricochet of bullets around him as he rolled down the side of the road bank. The man's crazy. Going up that grade full speed, I must stop him! The Lone Ranger leaped to his feet, astounded by the engineer's actions. He saw men leaning from the windows of the cars behind the coal cars. He started to signal them, then realized they had guns and were aiming at him. He made a dive into some roadside brush, but no shots followed him. The throttle was open, and the engine was climbing the grade too fast. The wheels began to spin on the rails, causing the train to lose traction. The cars lurched and bumped, sending the gun-aiming passengers to the floor. The Lone Ranger rose to his feet once more, filled with a new realization. I think I'm a holdup man. I'll shoot if I show myself. There's only one other chance, and I'll take it. The masked man ran back toward he'd left Silver. Then he galloped away from the track, found traces of a path leading upward on the hill, parallel to the stalled train, and guided his horse along this. He reached the summit of the hill and ran to the edge of the rock that walled in the train from one side. He saw the engine almost directly beneath him, with the loaded coal car directly behind. Without hesitation, he leaped from the top of the rock downward, landing on the coal pile. Engineer Jeff Ford was red-faced and intent on getting the train to the top and around the curve. Fireman Shovel McCune was stoking the roaring furnace. They paid no attention to the figure crawling into the cab from the coal car. You ain't blast these banded shovels. That's the first time I ever stalled. Maybe they'll catch up with us now. They will if you don't stop this engine right now. What? Shovel! What are you... Where's the masked man again? Stop this train. I don't want to use this gun, but stop it. All right. As Jeff Ford pulled back the lever, the train stopped abruptly, but this time atop the hill on the curve. At the same moment, he pulled a cord above his head. There, Dag Betcher. Shoot now if you want to. I'm a friend. I've come to warn you. The track at the other side of this hill has been torn away. Torn away, you say? At the bottom of the downgrade? Yes, and the Lawton gang is waiting there, ready to rob what they hoped would be a trainload of dead people. I don't believe you. It's too crazy a thing like that. It's true. Why are you wearing that mask? To a bandit. Weaving that gun, too. Sure you're a bandit. You think I'd be here talking to you if I were? You shot at me when I tried to stop you before. This gun isn't for my protection. Well, it's no help to you now. I pulled a cord when I stopped the train. It signaled the train guards in the first car to come up here. Like we arranged. Here's the head of them, right behind you, coming in the same way you did, over the coast. Stop that gun, mister. Get your hands up and turn around. Nice work, Mr. Morgan. Morgan? Mr. Guy Morgan? You? How did you get here? What's this all about? Mr. Morgan, you know this masked fellow? I'd like to tell from this cool pal. Well, sure I know him. He's the best friend the railroad and I ever had. Well, doggone. Mr. Morgan, tell this engineer to get a good head of steam without delay, but not to move the train. There's a reason for it. What is it? All right. Do as he says, Jeff. Right. All right. Now, what's this all about? Tell me. Briefly and quickly, the Lone Ranger told his story up to the present moment. When he finished, he made a suggestion, and Morgan agreed. We'll do it. Say, Jeff. When the cord is pulled from back on the train, you start again. But very, very slowly, so that you'll not quite reach the bottom of the hill. You can manage that? Sure thing. If there's a break down there, I'll baby this engine right up to within two feet of it. No need to get that close. Come on. We'll climb back to the first car. Guy Morgan calmed the regular passengers, then assembled all his detectives on the tracks behind the last car of the train. He finished his instructions. Now, somehow, they learned about the money this train is carrying, and planned wholesale slaughter to get it. But maybe we'll surprise them. We'll try, anyway. Mr. Morgan, you say they were going to wreck this train? Wreck? Destroy is the word. None of us would have survived. I tell you, Beeler, the Lottons are... Oh, just a minute. Beeler, you said? Scott Beeler? Yes. Yes, what? Oh, but of course. I recognize you now, Beeler. I saw you drive away from your meeting with Buzz Geary three days ago, when you met him in Junction City. What's that? He met with Geary the outlaw? That's a lie. No, it's not. I heard Geary mention you by name only a short time ago. He said you gave Lawton the information. No, Beeler. Beeler, it's you who's the gang spy, huh? You won't take me, you won't... Too slow, Beeler. Nice shooting. All right, the eight of you who go back to the train, take Beeler with you. Manage him and tie him up. All right, Beeler, come here. Come in. Give the rest of us five minutes to get over the head. We'll come in behind the Lottons. In five minutes, pull the signal cord. The train will start. But have your guns ready to use when it stops. All right, everyone, let's get going. The Lone Ranger led Morgan and his eleven men down the hill, but away from the tracks, so that they came to the spot where Tonto and his prisoners waited. Tonto signaled for silence when he saw them, then whispered to the Lone Ranger, He was something. Old gang down the tracks. Wait for train. See him? Yes. I see the Lawton brothers, too. Mr. Morgan, we are too late. Tom Lawton and his gang had waited restively for more than twenty minutes. He turned to his tense-looking brother, Arnie. I don't know what to think. If they suspected about the tracks, it'd have come down here by now. No, Arnie, it's just another one of those dumb engineers. They don't know how to climb hills. You heard the train bumpin' and hit the top before. Yeah. As it comes down fast, it'll spoil all our plans. It'll mean we get it down. It's comin' now. All right, ready, boys. And comin' down slow. That means we'll have to hold it up. Come on, there's no chance of any wreck now. You're right, Tom. There'll be no wreck. Oh, my arm! I'm hit! You haven't a chance! Surrender! The Lone Ranger and Guy Morgan, leading the railroad police, quickly moved in on the Lawton gang. The outlaws turned ready to shoot, but the guns of the attackers mowed them down. A few of the bandits in panic started to run in the direction of the train, but the engines stopped and more men leaped from the cars, shooting at the bandits. In less than a minute, Arnie Lawton, wounded as his brother had been, called out for the rest of the gang. All right, we give up! We give up! Come on, me and take it! It took some time for the trainmen to get the track back in place, time during which the wounded outlaws were bandaged and in which Scott Beeler decided to talk. The Lone Ranger and Tato had remained on the scene, but now, as Morgan heard Beeler's complete confession, engineer Jeff Ford tugged at his shoulder. Mr. Morgan, you sure put an end to the Lawton gang today. Yes, that confession of Beeler's ties him up definitely with all the hold-ups and with murder. Yeah, but you know what? While you were sewing things up, the man who helped you sort of snuck off. He did? Why didn't you tell me, Jeff? I did nothing in this thing. He did it all. And we almost killed him before he had a chance to act. I'm sure glad I didn't run him down. I thought he was a bandit. Never thought he might be a... Say, Mr. Morgan, who is he anyway? I thought you might have guessed by now. He's the Lone Ranger. This is a feature of 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 Beemer.
