A fiery horse with a street of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver. The Lone Ranger. In Companion Tonto, the daring and resourceful mask 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. That's what we call. I am Silver. Al Starbuck, undercover man for outlaw Miles Hobson, had obtained the information he'd been ordered to get. He sneaked away from the loading area of the Overland Stage and Freight Hauling Company in Gateway City and met in the darkness with Chick Fallon, Hobson's right-hand man. Chick. Yeah? Just like Miles was told. There's a train of 50 to 60 freight wagons and about five passenger wagons leaving for California as soon as they can find drivers. Now the boss here will take any drivers he can get. Tell Miles if he'll send a few of his boys down here, they'll get jobs. A few hours later in a hideout far from town, Chick Fallon arrived with the news given to him by Al Starbuck. The door to the door to the cabin was opened by Marlowe, Miles Hobson's young and beautiful wife. A girl who married him only after the threat of death to herself if she didn't. She was blank-faced as she greeted Fallon. Miles and the boys are in the next room. They're waiting for you. Is Pete Shelton in here too? What do you mean by that? Do you think I'm blind, Marlowe? I still don't think... Oh, never mind. Forget what I said. I'm here to see Miles anyway. Miles Hobson, who had been playing cards with four of his men, rose as Chick entered the inside room. Well, Chick, what's the word? Overland's sending 60 wagons to the coast, including three wagon loads of guns and ammunition. Guns and ammunition? There'll be no troop escort until the wagon train reaches Fort Taylor. Listen, Miles. They need drivers for that train before they take off. About five or ten more. Al thinks three of our men could get jobs. And if they did... Hold it right there. If they did. Hey, what a thought I have. What is this idea, boss? You, Pancho, you, Casco, and Ascoda. Go to the Overland outfit and get jobs as drivers. You handle those big wagons, won't you? I see. And the mules, horses, anything. Me too. I know you can. Well, we know that the Overland train stopped for the night at the entrance to the pass that goes through Sandstone Gulch. That's on the second day out. You're right about that, Miles. Al told me that. Everyone knows that. Well, if you three men could stampede the horses on the picket line, every man in camp would be chasing them. And meanwhile, you have the three wagons hitched up to the gun wagons and gallop away with them. See, see, that is a good one. It could be done. Sure it could. And you'll ride right to the end of the gulch where running wolf and the Apaches would be waiting for. Take the gun right to the Indians? Running wolf? Sure. We're going to steal the guns we sell to them. But if it's a 60 wagon train, we give them the guns for nothing. For nothing, Miles. But that's crazy. The money from so many guns would make us rich. The Indians wouldn't have enough gold to pay us. They'll pay us in another way. And they'll make us all rich for doing it. Oh. As soon as they get the guns, they'll ride back and use those guns to wipe out the wagon train. When that's done, we move in, pick up the gold that's on the train, and anything else that's small enough and rich enough to carry away. You'll kill everyone on the wagon train? Yeah. Why not, Pete? Only it's the Indians who'll do it. And that's right. We can get away and get rid of any stuff we have to sell before the soldiers ever know about it. And I'll make sure that running wolf doesn't spoil our game. And I may even talk him into fighting the soldiers. With guns like we'll give his people, they might wipe out the army, too. That'd be funny. Boss, I think someone's listening at the door. Yeah, I see. And I know who it is. Wait here. When Miles Hobson walked into the outer room and closed the door behind him, he started to walk slowly and with a menacing air towards his beautiful young wife, Mallow. I thought I warned you never to eavesdrop. I thought I warned you not to... Stand right there, Miles. Hey, what the... Don't move another step. Gun. Mallow, where'd you get that gun? From inside the chimney where you'd hit it. Well, put it down. Stop pointing it. If it goes off... Yeah. If it goes off, it'll kill you. That may be the best thing that ever happened. Well, you're crazy, Mallow. Crazy. I may have been when I didn't leave you after I learned what an evil person you are. But I'm not crazy now. Oh, now, look, darling. I said stay there. Don't call me Doug. Planning to have running Wolf in his Apache slaughter I don't know how many people. Hundreds, perhaps. And you're planning to have them murdered because it'll help you get rich. Oh, come now, darling. You're all wrong. Really, you are. I'm not. Oh, but you are. Oh, nice work, Pancho. Grab her, Arthur. How did you... Now, take that gun, darling. Don't struggle. You really fell for that old trick, didn't you? Oh, don't. Don't you're hurting me. Help me, someone help me. No, a real wildcat, aren't you? Well, I'll show you a thing. Miles, what's wrong? Come on, nothing. Take that gun away from her, chick. Yeah, sure. Here, let me have it. There, that's it. Oh, my arm. I'm sorry, Mallow. Cut that, Pete. All right. Pancho Acosta, grab her tire up. See. No. No. Come on. I hold the pressure, you tire. What's this all about, Miles? What happened? It's not what happened. It's what might happen if I leave her here. What do you mean? She heard what we planned. She has a conscience suddenly. I don't want to kill her, but I can't chance leaving her here. You mean she's coming with us? Yeah. With you, Pete, and me. We'll manage to keep an eye on her. See that she doesn't escape. The next morning, Casco Mead, Pancho, and Oscoda prepared to leave for Gateway City, where the Overland Stage and Freight Hauling Company was located. Hobson gave the men final instructions, concluding, and we'll be waiting for you two days after you leave at Rock Pastry. Overland wagon train stopped there to prepare for the journey into the mountain country next morning. You'll take the wagons then. Have that straight? See, boss. Then go ahead. Good luck now. Be careful. Pete. Yeah, boss. Get Mallow's horse. Bring it here. Oh, yeah, boss. Right away. Chick, let's go inside and escort my wife out here. My loving, dutiful wife. You're not going to keep her gagged? No, not while we're riding the back trails that I plan taking to the Apache country. We'll be around her at all times, three of us. There's no need to gag her to keep her tied either. There's no place she could go if she did escape. She doesn't know this part of the country at all. So we'll let her ride free and have nothing to worry about. A few minutes later, the three men, Hobson, Chick Fallon, and Pete Shelton, rode westward. Their horses formed a moving wedge around Mallow Hobson as eyes spray her head and lips firm, she moved with them. Whitey Kelso, hiring boss at the Oberlin Freight Company, was almost delirious with joy when he signed on Casco, Oscoda, and Poncho as drivers for the great wagons. I've landed just three drivers in order to get this wagon train started. Now that I have experienced men like you, we can set off in the morning. Vandy! Vandy! What is it, Whitey? Spread the word around. Tell passengers, drivers, and guards we got the men we needed. We're taking off in the morning. Right. The next morning, Miles Hobson and his men broke the camp where they had remained for the night and continued their journey towards the Apache country. Once more, they formed a wedge around Mallow Hobson as they rode. And at the same moment in Gateway City, the great wagon train of freight and passengers started toward the west and the gold California. And that evening, Miles to the west, Miles Hobson and his party camped for the night. Ho! Ho! Ho! It's a good spot. It's near the Apache camp. I'll see Runnin' Wolf in the morning and get him ready for the attack. Chick, help Mallow from her horse. We'll take turns guarding her while the others sleep. The next day, Miles Hobson met with Chief Runnin' Wolf and laid down the terms for turning over three wagon loads of guns to the Apaches. Runnin' Wolf gravely considered the matter and gave his answer. Uh, me agree. You give guns, we use guns. Catch them, wagon train. That's Sandstone Gulch. We'll get the wagons to you there. We'll have engines. Many hundred engines wait there. When guns come, we take them. Kill people with wagon trains. That's the idea. And I'll tell you what else I have in mind. Pete Shelton was supposed to be watching over Mallow Hobson as Miles Hobson and Chick Fallon ate that evening. When they weren't looking, he whispered, I'll be on the third watch. I'll take care of them then. Be ready. And that night on the third watch, Pete waited until he heard his two bosses asleep. He crawled to where they slept, his gun butt ready. He brought it down on their heads in rapid succession. Then Pete ran to Mallow. It's all right. I did it. You didn't kill him. No, I stopped at killing. Even for those who deserve it. It's so good of you, Pete. When I was alone with you today and asked you to help me, I was afraid... I mightn't. The only reason I came along, ma'am, I wouldn't let myself have any part of helping Indians murder my own people. I've done a lot of things, but never that. I thought you might feel that way, Pete. But we haven't time to talk. Let's grab the horses and get out of here. This way. A few minutes later, Mallow and Pete Shelton galloped away from the camp, heading eastward. But unknown to them, the man's anxiety to save the girl was to be his undoing. He had failed to tie the wrists and ankles of the two leaders, and his blows had only part of the effect he had expected. Within a short time, both Miles Hobson and Chick Fallon were on their feet, conscious. Miles! She's gone. So is Pete. So are the horses. And look. The hoof prints lead out here. You see? They're heading back east. Toward the main road. Miles. They're going to try and warn the wagon train. That's it. You're right. I should have been wise to Pete. He didn't go for this job at all. And he does go for Mallow. He doesn't like the way you treat her. Don't look at me like that. I'm sure of it. Snake, I'll kill him. I'll kill her, too. But they're gone, Miles. They must have a few hours lead on us. If they've gone by the main trail... The only place they can be heading. If you can go by the prints, and that's what they do if they want to stop the train. Yeah, but I know this country. You see that rise over there to the east? Yeah. What about it? Well, by riding hard over that rise, we'll reach the main road in a couple of hours. By staying on the trail that they took, it'll take them four to five hours more to reach the same point. You mean we'll be waiting for them? Yeah. And Chick, huh? We're gonna kill both of them. 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. To continue, it was dawn when Miles Hobson and Chick Fallon, after riding hard and fast over the ridge, came to the spot where they hoped to intercept the couple they were pursuing. An hour passed before Chick saw the riders coming from the west. Hey, here they come, Miles. Yeah, I see them. Get your gun out, Chick. Yeah. We'll move in on them. Get up there. Get up there. Get up there. Pete Shelton, riding in advance of Marlowe Hobson, saw the horsemen coming down from the ridge while they were still half a mile away. Oh, oh, oh, oh. He recognized the horses and the men who rode them. Who were sunk. They came to and got here before us. Oh, no. Yeah. Marlowe, turn around. Ride fast up into those hills. Go as fast and as far as you can. I'll try and hold them off. You come with me. You can't stay here. I'm going to do it. I'll try to get them before they get me. Because if they kill me, it means a massacre of those people with the wagon train. No, but... Go on, ride. If I escape, I'll go after you. Only save yourself first, now. I shouldn't, but... Good luck, Pete. I'll try to find help. Get up, boy. Marlowe turned her horse, galloped through the brush, and started upward into the hills. Pete Shelton rode his horse among a group of trees and waited. A few minutes later, Chick and Miles Hobson came along the main road riding cautiously. Miles, I think they saw us. They stopped. Yeah. And it'll be somewhere around here. Hey, look. Over there in the trees. A horse. Let's go. Come on, get up there. All right, don't come any further. We'll shoot if you do. Ho, ho, ho, ho. You're going to make a fight of it, Chick. Yeah. It's no good, Pete. We'll take you. No matter what you do. Come on, make a man. Hey, that was close. Too close. We'll have to work in on the miles. Right over to this side of the road, behind the rocks. Yeah. Get up there. Come on. Watch out. That went right through my head. He's a good shot. We'll have to be careful. Start shooting, Chick. Hobson and Fallon, fighting with Pete Shelton in the brush, were unaware that Marlowe had ridden away into the hills. She rode desperately, without let-up for hours. Hours in which every sound behind her seemed to be the one that would herald the approach of her murder-bent husband and his partner. Suddenly, her horse stopped, whinnied in a pitiful manner, and sunk to the ground in exhaustion. And at that moment, the underbrush in front of her parted, and two horsemen rode toward her. The sight of the mask on the face of the first man and the fact that the other rider was an Indian was too much. The nerve-wrought girl moaned and fainted beside the horse. The Lone Ranger dismounted and hurried to the girl. She's fainted, Toto. You must have scared her. And look, he must have been horse all sweat. Yes, he seems to be exhausted. Perhaps the girl is lost. Me get medicine kit. Do that, Toto. Now try to revive her and learn what it is that brings her up here. The Lone Ranger used the medical kit from his saddlebag to revive the girl quickly. She was in terror at first, but the soothing words and manner of the masked man soon calmed her. After a long period in which she said but little, her brain became alert once more, and she blurted out the story of her flight and the reasons behind it. The Lone Ranger tensed as she finished. Running Wolf and his Indians are getting ready to attack the wagon train? Yeah. The train starts at the pass at the entrance to Sandstone Gorge. That's 20 miles from here. Pancho and Ascoda and Cascore to stampede the horses during the night. Then they'll drop off with the wagons and deliver them to running wolves. We must do everything possible to stop that. I'll take you on my horse, Mrs. Hobson. We start the main road now, Kimo Sabe? At once, Toto. Mrs. Hobson gave me a good idea where Hobson and Fallon caught up to her and Pete Shelton to ride there first. The last rays of the sun revealed all the Lone Ranger had to know when he, Toto and Mrs. Hobson reached the main road. Two men were in the field away from the road digging a hole in the ground. There was a body beside them. Oh, it's Pete. He's dead. Who are those two men? Not my husband or Chick Fanny. Toto will help you to get down, Mrs. Hobson. Toto and the Lone Ranger assisted Mallow from Silver's back to the ground. Easy, steady, big fella. As the Lone Ranger dismounted and joined the Indian and the woman. The two men digging put their spades aside and raised their hands. Don't shoot him. We have no guns. See, a man's dead. We have no guns. We're burying him. Put your hands down and don't be frightened of this mask. This woman is a friend of the dead man. Look at him. They killed him. Killed him. Please, try not to cry. There's too much to be done. Where did you men come from? With the Overland wagon train. It passed here an hour ago. Found this man dead and he picked us to bury. We're supposed to go ahead and meet the train. At the pass to Sandstone Gulch. It's there by now if it passed here an hour ago. Ah. Soon it'd get real dark. You'll ride there at once, Tonto. You too, Mrs. Hobson. I'll help you on my horse. There you are. Thank you. Come, Tonto. There's not a moment to wait. Easy, steady, big fella. Easy, fella. Come on, sir. Come on, sir. Come on, sir. Come on, sir. Come on, sir. The Lone Ranger, Tonto, and Mrs. Hobson arrived at the widely extended wagon train camp early in the evening. Two men stepped out of the darkness and covered them with rifles. All right, mister. Up with those hands. You too, and raise them high. We have them high. Mister, where's the leader of the train? What do you care? I'm not an outlaw. I've come on a matter of life and death. I must see your leader at once. Why? Apaches, they're planning a raid on your train. Thought that my Indian friend would bear me out. He's going to raid. Well, don't just stand there. Come on, I'll take you to the man in charge right now, Whitey Kelso. Right this way. Whitey Kelso, in charge of the drivers on the expedition was unbelieving at first. But he was a veteran of the West, and his memory was a storage place for names and the deeds of men. He recalled hearing of the Lone Ranger and Miles Hobson. Miles Hobson, huh? Yeah. I thought he escaped into Mexico years ago. Well, he's here now, not far away. And his men are in your camp, ready to work against you. The filthy varmints. That is, if what you say is the truth. Well, let's find out, Kelso. Now, to stampede the horses after the camp is asleep, why don't we hide at the picket line and see if they do? Well, that's a sensible thing. Get your men down there now and place them around in spots where they're not being noticed. I'll do that, stranger. I want to be with you because there's more to this than just a stampede of horses. You're doing right, stranger. We have at least five hours before they'll attempt their move, I imagine. Sure. Camp doesn't get quiet till after midnight. Fort Taylor's about twenty miles to the west of the gulch. Polly will ride around the gulch and go to the fort. He knows every path and shortcut. Ah, we get there maybe four or five hours. Be back with soldiers by sunrise. Kelso, we must take every precaution to prevent injuries to your people. It was after two o'clock in the morning when the three crooks, Casco, Poncho, and the Skoda made their move to the lines where horses and mules had been tied. As they neared the spot, they saw shadows everywhere, but none that moved like men. This is going to be easy, I think. It's not going to be easy until we get to the gulch where miles and running wolf are. Watch out now. Casco is right, Poncho. We have the gun wagons all hitched up without anyone seeing us. To get away, we must first stampede the horses. I don't think we're going to do that. Get your hands up, you scones. Stampede the horses. Blatons were lighted and played on the three men. Look, all around is men with guns. Yeah, you didn't expect us, did you? If we did, we would have used guns ourselves. And died because we didn't drill you. We ought to do that now. Not now, Kelso. There's the law to do that. And don't forget we have bigger game to look after now. Yeah, you're right. We still have to worry about those Apaches whether they get the guns or not. They keep them waiting till daylight and riding those wagons as we planned. If we do things in the right way, I think we'll have no trouble. Miles Hobson and Chick Fallon on their horses beside Chief Running Wolf were getting anxious. The stolen wagon trains were hours overdue and they feared now that their plot had been thwarted. Chick talked across Running Wolf to Miles Hobson. We should have kept looking for Marlowe. Maybe she got to the... Hey, look, here they come. You see, Chief? Just like we promised. The three wagons. Well, now. And it's all right, too. See? Poncha's driving the first one. And, sure, that's Costco and a squad on the other two. You see, Chief? You see. Now you go lead wagons here with guns. Sure. Come on, Miles. Get up. Get up, boy. Come on. Chick Fallon was the first to reach the wagon driven by Poncha. Poncha, what kept you? Been waiting for hours. Everything all right? I see. See, I think so. You and the boss go to the back of this wagon, please. Quick, please. Let's see what's back there, Chick. Get up. Get up, boy. Get up. Are the guns falling out, maybe? The bandit chiefs rode to the back of the first wagon. Oh, oh. Costco, what's back here? We are, mister. Hey, what the... Hey, welcome. Get your hands up, both of you. Why, you... Oh, my arm! Hey, who shot him? I did that. Don't you ask for the same, Colin. No, no. Get your hands up and forget about the gun. I'll get him up, all right. Oh, my arm. Well, a nice trick. Look, the wagon's full of men with guns. Two other wagons are, too. We made your men drive us here so we could take the two of them. I'm laughing because there are a thousand Indians up there. They'll ride down after hearing those shots and kill everybody. That is not so, chief. Do not push me with that gun, senor. I will not try to run. You see up on the hill, senor? Up where your Indian pals are hiding? Do those look like Indians to the up there now? Well, I'll be... Miles, look. Oh, my arm. It's soldiers up on the hill and down on the road. We didn't move toward the place where you people were until Tonto told us the soldiers are ready to ride in on you and your batch of friends. Soldiers want you and Hobson for gun smuggling and murder. How did this happen? Did... Did Marlowe do this? Hobson's wife? No. She's back in our camp safe, though. She'll get a marriage in a moment once she tells things to the court. But who did this to us? The masked man who shot your pal here. It was his friend Tonto, the Indian, who got the soldiers and told us they were ready to make the Apaches throw down their guns. By golly, they did, too. Hear that? Means the Indians have given up. But you didn't tell me who the masked man is. Well, let him tell you himself. He's gone, Whitey. He and the Indians rode off. Well, doggone. Here he saved a few hundred lives and he rides off before we can say thank you. That's the way he's always been, Whitey, I hear tell. Yeah. And maybe, Fallon, you can figure by this time that we're talking about the Lone Ranger. This is a feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated, created by George W. Trendle, produced by Trendle Campbell Muir, Incorporated, directed by Charles D. Livingston, and edited by Fran Stryker. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by the Lone Ranger.
