Out of dust and a hearty, hi-yo, Silver, the Lone Ranger. Indian 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. Let's go, big fellow. Are you still there? When the train from Kansas City stopped to take on water at Border Town, Dad Jethro, the station agent and telecropher, made his way to one of two baggage coaches. He banged his fist against the car door until it finally slid open, revealing the figure of a young army lieutenant in the opening. Hi there, soldier. You got Lieutenant Gill in that car with you? I'm Lieutenant Douglas Gill. And you're the one this message is for. Your message? Yep. Came in over the wire from Mesa City just a few minutes ago, about noon. Reads mighty important, too. Engineer said I'd find you here. Let me see the message, will you, please? Oh, you probably can't read my handwriting. It's pretty bad. Better read the message to you myself. Lieutenant Douglas Gill, United States Army, aboard train number one. Ha! Ha! Number one, it says. Ha! Ha! Ha! There is no other train that comes this way. The way this reads, you think there was... Go on and tell me what it says, Dad, or else let me look at it. No, no, you couldn't read it. And here's what it says. Disregard orders re-USA 84. Dangerous to transfer shipment at Mesa City. All available personnel on special mission. Chasing the patches, I bet you. Arranged to halt train at Indian Cut. Where's that? I've never been this far west before. Well, it's about five hours from here. Eight or ten miles this side of Mesa City. Thanks. Go on. Arranged to halt train at Indian Cut. Undersigned in detail, will accept transfer of USA 84 at that point. What is this USA 84, Lute? A gold shipment. Oh, I mean, never mind what it means. Is that all the message says? Nope. Got a few words more. Here they are. Confirm receipt of these orders via immediate wire to Mesa City. Then it says Custer. Doggone Custer's dead! That's a code word. The right one. Who sent the wire? It's signed Glenn Baldwin, Captain, United States Army. Say, old Casey's tootin' because he's gonna start. Want me to send a reply to this like it says? Yes. Send a message to Captain Baldwin and say, instructions received. In lieu of orders, we'll proceed as advised. In lieu of orders, we'll proceed as advised. Little bighorn. That's his code words. Signed, Douglas Gill, 2nd Lieutenant, United States Army. Well, boss, it worked. That Lieutenant Gill is as dumb as you said he was. John Harris, the telegrapher and sole agent at Mesa City, was talking to a tall, dark man, Brett Kirby. Behind Kirby stood two other men, Taps Morell, thin-lipped and cold-eyed, and the young, weak-featured redhead, Emmett Garner. Kirby read again the message that Harris had received and laughed. Yeah, my little plan worked. It isn't that Gill is as dumb. It's just that he's not dry behind the ears yet. Well, Taps, I have to hand it to you. You got us all the right information about that gold shipment. Code words and all. Well, why shouldn't it be right? I stayed in those hills outside of Kansas City for more than a week, tapping all those telegraph wires that went into the post. And, Harris, you know how I tapped them. I'd climb a pole and I'd... Shut in, Douglas, how you did it. Now, look, we have a job to do. Let's do it. Johnny, what time will the train reach Indian Cut? About 5.30. We have plenty of time, man. I'll have Pedro get here about 5 o'clock to tie you up and gag you so as you'll have an alibi about the message. Well, what about this captain that's supposed to meet the train and get the money? He's had details meet trains before. They usually get here about a half an hour before the trains do. They wait out by the tracks, never around here. Yeah, look, Johnny and I figured all the angles before we decided to do this job, so don't worry. Pedro will be here about 5, Johnny, all right? Yeah. Only tell him to be careful when he rides away from here. The sheriff's away now, but he's due back in town around sundown. Pedro will be careful. One thing more before we go, Johnny. You have that mirror up in your cabin? Sure. Taps, do you have yours at the hideout? Sure. When are you going to start sending? Tomorrow morning. I'm not going to meet you, boss, for my cut until about ten days from now. But I'll flash a message in the morning and let you know how things turn out here tonight. Right. Then we'll leave you, Johnny. Come on, boy. Right. That's ready, boss. It was nearing 5.30 when the train slowed to a stop. The buzzer inside the private baggage car broke the stillness. Lieutenant Gill turned to the two sergeants who were in the car with him. That's the signal from the engineer. We're at Indian Cut. Sergeant Daly, open the door, will you? Yes, sir. Captain Baldwin will be waiting here. Here you are, sir. I don't see any. Oh, beg your pardon, sir. Here comes an officer now riding from behind those trees over there. Well, let me see. It must be Captain Baldwin. Oh, there. Oh, there. Lieutenant Gill? Yes, sir. How are you? How do you do, Lieutenant? I'm Captain Baldwin. Where's the money? Right here in the car, sir. The men with me are arranging it. How many men are in there with you? Two. But your message said you'd have a detail, sir. You'll need one. This gold is heavy, you know. Yeah. Wait till I just mount and get into the car with you. Steady. Grab my hand, will you? There. Up. Thanks. I'm in it back there among the trees, Lieutenant. Hiding from many Apaches who may be scouting the hills. All right, men. Over here. How many do you have, sir? Ten. You have horses for us, sir? I presume we'll ride to the post with you from here. Oh. Oh. What goes, Captain? You stay in the car, Lieutenant. Get in here, boys. Give me your hand, Taps. Yeah. All right, Taps. Get the sergeant. One, two. All right, Lieutenant. Move another inch and I'll shoot you. Sergeant. That man shot both of them. No, not Captain Baldwin. How did you guess it? Come on, boys. Get the money bags out of here. Boss. Some train men are coming this way. Well, take care of them. Keep them away. Start shooting if you have to. Just get those bags out. Give me that gun. You're not going to get away with this. Somebody hit him. Yeah, I'll get him. There. That's good. He's out cold. All right, hurry that money along. You got it all out? Yeah, I lost it. Then come on. Brett Kirby jumped from the baggage car onto the cinders, followed by Taps Morrell and the crooks who'd been inside the car. At that moment, one of the approaching trainmen, viewing the situation, drew his gun and started to fire. Shoot back at him, boys. We'll have to make a run for him. All right, boys. Eat your draft of bag and get on to your horses. We got the money, Brett. We're all set. Hey. That was close. You ready, men? Keep firing. Hold those train men back. Start riding. Hey, Emmett, what's the matter? Hey, they got me. I'm shot. Oh, never mind that. Start riding. Yeah. Hold Emmett on this horse, somebody. Ride. Get up. The lone ranger and Tonto, who'd been riding high in the hills on their way to Mesa City, heard the shots from the valley far below. Tonto, those shots are from down by the railroad tracks. There may be trouble. Ah. We hit train before. Now it's stopped. It sounds like trouble. We're going down there. Come on, sir. While the lone ranger and Tonto rode down from the hills, the crook sped along a narrow path for about a quarter of a mile, then veered and started to cross a great expanse of shale-covered ground toward the hills that led to Bald Peak. But Emmett Garner, shot by one of the trainmen, slowed his horse and began to slump at his saddle. Taps Morrell, who'd been riding in front, looked back over his shoulder and saw Garner's horse stop. He turned and rode back to him. Easy, boy. Easy. What's the matter with you, Emmett? Why are you stopping? Ho, ho. I'm sorry, Taps. It hurts. It hurts bad. I can't go on. What do you mean you can't go on? Start moving. All right. I'll make you move. Taps, don't. He brought his cork down hard on the horse's flank. The animal, frightened, bolted madly. Oh. He stumbled over a boulder that sent the beast tumbling to the ground and hurled Emmett Garner against another boulder with a sickening thud. Ah, you stupid ox. Get up and get out. He's not moving. He's not moving even a little. Ah, well, he was dying anyway. He'll never talk again. Come on, Cactus. Let's get out of here. Get out. Come on. The Lone Ranger and Tonto reached level ground and saw the railroad tracks about half a mile ahead. They were riding along the edge of the shale-covered area when they saw the riderless horse and a man laying motionless on the ground. They turned off the road and sped to where Emmett Garner lay and dismounted him. Hold it, hold it, hold it. Hold it, hold it. Easy, Scott. Easy, Scott. Tonto, this man is wounded. Badly wounded. He has a bad head injury. There's a bullet wound, too. Kimo Sopi, him try to talk. Get some cloth from the saddlebag, Tonto. I'll try to stop the flow of blood. Let me get it. Take it easy now. Take it easy. What is it you want to say? I'm dying. We'll try to save you. I'm dying. Taps and gang hide. They hide in here. Here, Kimo Sopi. Here, bandage. Thanks, Tonto. Emmett Garner had become silent as a lone ranger stemmed the flow of blood. Then bandaged the man. Garner was placed across Silver's back in front of the saddle. The lone ranger and Tonto then rode toward the railroad tracks. Trainmen, now joined by passengers, formed a group around the baggage gunner. When they saw the masked man approaching, men drew guns and covered the riders. Get your hands up. Where are the men? Push up. Man, you're making a mistake. We're not crooks. We found this man wounded a short distance from here. If there's been a hold up, perhaps this is one of the crooks. Yeah, let me see his face. Yeah, that's one of them. I know him anyplace. Land aside. Here comes the lieutenant. All right. You, masked man. Get down off your horse. You too, Indian. We'll do as you say, lieutenant. These men don't have to keep us covered with guns. Before I dismount, though, will someone help me remove this man from here? He's badly wounded. So are my two sergeants. You gentlemen, take that wounded man from the horse and carry him to the train, will you? Sure. Get a hold of him from this side. Yeah. All right. Now, you, masked man. And you, Indian. Dismount. Easy, steady. Easy, Scott. Easy, fella. Keep those hands up. And don't try to talk. We haven't time for that sort of thing. Mark to the car. I'm taking you into Mesa City and handing you over to the authorities. Are we not? Don't speak. Move. 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. The bullet-ridden Emmett Garner was placed in the baggage car with the wounded army sergeants. Lieutenant Gill marched the Lone Ranger and Tonto to the side of the car, where the mask man, in spite of Gill's efforts to silence him, began to talk. Lieutenant, I'm not a crook. Neither is Tonto. I wear this mask for reasons of my own. Believe me, I'm on the side of law and order. Sheriff Young in Mesa City knows who I am. I've helped him in the past. If that's the truth, the sheriff will confirm it when we get to Mesa City. Get into the car. Well, uh, what about our horses? Ah, we need horses. Not to leave them out here. I'll see that they're taken care of at once. There's some empty cattle cars on this train. I'll have one of the trainmen set up a ramp and put your horses aboard. It was dark when the train arrived in Mesa City. Sheriff Young, who had returned to town but a short time earlier, was waiting at the station as he usually was when the train made his bi-weekly stop there. Waiting at the side of the tracks was Captain Baldwin and a military detail. Lieutenant Gill hurried from the car and told his story. Captain Baldwin, a hot-tempered man, was filled with consternation. Why, tar and feather me, Lieutenant, I never sent you a message. You should know better than that. You received written orders. You should have carried them out. But where are those men of yours, the ones who were wounded? Lieutenant Gill led the group to the baggage coach where the two soldiers and Emmett Garner lay. Sheriff Young identified the Lone Ranger and Tonto as friends of the law and arranged to have the sergeants and the still unconscious crook sent to the home of the town's lone doctor. While they were being taken away, Captain Baldwin, still raging, turned on Lieutenant Gill. Gill, this is as soury a mess as I have ever seen. Now, what about this message? If you'll pardon me, Captain, I learned the entire story on the way here. That message came from Mesa City. There seems to be no doubt about it. Well, therefore, the operator here should know who sent it. Well, now that's getting to the point. What are we standing here for? Get into action. Come on, Gill, let's see that operator at once. Yes, sir. Tonto went to retrieve the horses from the cattle car as the Lone Ranger accompanied the officers and the sheriff to the agent's shack. The place was in darkness. Sheriff Young had just lighted the overhead lamp when a noise was heard from a closet. Someone's in that closet. Open it, quick. The men, using their shoulders, broke the door down and found John Harris bound and gagged on the floor of the closet. As the sheriff and Lieutenant Gill untied the man, the telegraph began to work. I'll take the message that's coming over. I'm able to handle this set. While the Lone Ranger wrote down a routine message coming over the wire, John Harris related his rehearsed story of the men who had overpowered him and made him prisoner. The Lone Ranger, after the message had been received, joined the group as Harris finished. I think I know who may have sent that message. That wounded man Todd and I found gasped a few words before he became unconscious. He mentioned the name Taps. He could have referred to Taps Morell. Sheriff, does the name Taps Morell mean anything to you? Taps. Taps, let me see. Uh-huh. Sure it does. Taps Morell. That could be it. Sure it could. Who's Taps Morell? A railroad man. One of their best terracophers. He worked in with a gang of outlaws out here. Gave them information that made their halls the biggest ever made. That was the Brett Kirby gang. Yes. Taps Morell gave Kirby the information that the railroad considered confidential. That's how he was eventually caught and convicted. Yeah. But he broke out of jail about a year ago. Could be he's working right in with the Kirby gang now. Well, what are we fiddling and faddling for? Let's look for the Kirby gang. Wait, grab that man. He's fainting. Here, I have him. What's wrong, Harris? My head. Where they hit me, it hurts. Get him to a doctor. Don't stand there. No, doctor, please. I'll be all right. Take me home. Sheriff, do you know where he lives? Yes, in the hills south of town. Has a cabin there. I'll see if he gets home safely. Thank you, Sheriff. Sheriff Young had one of his deputies see that John Harris arrived home safely. Captain Baldwin billeted his detail in town in order to start a search for the bandits in the morning. The Lone Ranger and Tonto wished the soldiers and the lawmen luck. They went into the hills where they camped for the night. The last man and Indian were up at dawn, ready to leave their campsite. Tonto, the sheriff's posse and Captain Baldwin's men are going to set out for Indian Cut at 7 o'clock. If we ride there now, we'll be at the scene of the holdup a few hours before they arrive. Ah, maybe we find trail and then... Tonto, wait. Look to the south. Halfway up in the hills there. See that light flashing? Ah, it's very bright. You never see light in daytime like that. It looks as if someone was shining a mirror from there. It keeps flashing as if it were... Long, short. Long, short. Short, short. That's it, Tonto. It's Morse code. Only instead of sending it over a wire, that person is sending it by flashing a mirror in the sunlight. Like smoke signal. Exactly. He's repeating four letters over and over. There. There they go again. The letters, Tonto, are... T-A-P-S. Taps. Someone there is trying to flash a message to Taps Morrell. It's the only answer. But how can't he find out... Look, Tonto, to the north. At the top of Ball Peak, you see? Ah, somebody flash glass there. Yes, it must be Taps Morrell answering the other person's signal. Yes, it is. They're about to exchange messages. Tonto, get me pencil and paper from the bag, would you please, quickly? Ah, me get them, Kimusabi. Right here. Here, pencil and paper. Thanks. And look, Kimusabi. First glass start to shine again. They're finished, Tonto. Here's a message sent to Taps. Come at once. Sheriff seeks you. Emmett's still alive. Must act fast. We'll wait. That's all there is, Tonto. Sound like plenty enough. Yes, more than plenty, Tonto. Those hills below Ball Peak are about three miles from here. That near Indian Junction. Crooks maybe go there after holdup. Yes. The party who flashed that message just now must be the one who sent the decoy message yesterday. Someone who knows what happened in Mesa City last night. Who you think it is, Kimusabi? I'm not going to guess, Tonto. The place that message was sent from is too near to make guessing necessary. I'll find out. Will I use these few glasses? May be able to see the person who was flashing that mirror from the south hills. Do you see them, Kimusabi? No, but I do see a cabin there among the trees. That's where the message came from, Tonto. That's where I'll head now. And what me do? Ride into Mesa City. Tell Sheriff Young and Captain Baldwin what we've learned. Ask them to ride with you to that cabin in the south hills. You'll have no trouble finding it. Me see where it is now. We'll start it once. If Taps Morell is riding to that cabin, I want to be there to greet him. Easy, scound. Easy, fella. Come on, silly. Come on, scout. The lone ranger dismounted when he saw the cabin that loomed through the trees. He crawled through the thick grass and underbrush to a place directly behind the cabin. Slowly, almost silently, he made his way to the rear door and listened. There was no sound from within. Minutes later, though, he heard a horse gallop to the front of the cabin from the opposite direction. A man leaped to the ground and hurried inside. When Taps Morell entered the cabin, he began to talk immediately. Johnny, what's this you said in your message? That the sheriff is looking for me. How come? Taps, I told the sheriff in Baldwin the story Kirby wanted me to tell. I told it exactly as Kirby gave it to me. When I finished, they figured you were the one who sent the message. But why? You didn't mention my name, did you? No, Emmett did. Emmett. Are you crazy? He's dead. I saw him die. You only think you did. He's still alive. At least he was last night. He and the two soldiers are in a doctor's house a few miles from here. What? Emmett may talk today if he's alive and comes to. That's why I sent for someone to come here. He has to be killed or he'll talk. Yeah, you're right. If he's alive, he will squeal. Look, where's the doctor's house? I'll go there and get him before he has a chance to talk. That's what I was hoping someone would do, Taps. I don't want to get caught in this thing. But you are caught, Harris. Reach. Where are you? No! That's just your wrist. Back up. You too, Harris. Don't shoot at me. I have no gun, see? I didn't want to get mixed up in this robbery. I'll tell you all about it. Just take it easy. I'll talk. Tonto had led Captain Baldwin, Sheriff Young, and a posse of soldiers and lawmen into the South Hills. When they neared the cabin, Sheriff Young said, Say, that's Johnny Harris' cabin you're taking us to. Well, what do you know about that? There's the masked man in front of the cabin, Sheriff. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up. Get up there. Well, mister, what happened? Sheriff, there are two prisoners tied up inside. One of them is Taps Morell. Yes, he's wounded. The other prisoner is Johnny Harris. Johnny Harris was really in on the robbery? Yes, he sent the message. The story he told last night was all lies. The truth is in this confession he wrote for me while we waited for you. Well, I'll be a ring-tailed baboon. A confession. Yes, Captain. It may interest you to know that Taps Morell is a man who shot the two soldiers. And he's inside. I'm going in there and I'm... No, I'll leave that for Lieutenant Gill. Where is he, Captain? Gill? This Indian ported to a spot below Bald Peak where he said Taps Morell's... message was sent from. We figured that's the crook's hideout, so Gill has taken a detail up there. You'd better join him soon, Sheriff. I heard Taps say Brett Kirby and his men were hiding in the cave up there. Be careful. Thanks for the warning. There's only one cave in that locality and I know where it is. I'll lead you there, Captain. If those crooks have the protection of a cave, that means a fight. Get mounted, men, while Sheriff Young gets those two inside. I'll get up. You, Archer, ride with the sheriff's men. Yes, sir. You, stranger, suppose you ride with me. No, thank you, Captain. Well, Tonto and I are riding west to where we were headed yesterday. But this is your show. Don't you want to be with us when we take Kirby and recover the money? That'll be more important to Lieutenant Gill than it is to us. I hope he'll not be court-martial. Well, now that things are turning out this way, I suppose it would be unfair. He's young, inexperienced. But in the army, a responsible officer... Well, doggone, he simply gets on to his horse and rides off. Get along that night. All right, Captain. Here are the prisoners, Captain. We're ready to go to Bat's cave. Maybe we are. But first I want to know something. I've just met the first man in my life for whom I have great respect. And suddenly he leaves me. Well, he always leaves when he completes a mission, Captain. I'll bet before the day is over, he'll be far away from here but helping someone else who's in trouble. You see, that hombre is 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 Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer. The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer.
