Fiery horse with the speed of light, a clod of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver. The Lone Ranger. Companion Toto, 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. Oh, Silver. Let's go, big fella. Are you, Silver? The bloodiest of all wars between the Indians and the United States Army in the West had ended with a treaty. The government gave to the Indian nation, led by Chief Angry Wolf, a vast area of land in exchange for the Indians' promise to permit white emigrants to pass through their territory freely and in safety. In Washington, D.C., Thomas Gray, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, spoke with Robert Lynn, who, by treaty agreement, would be the field agent in charge of the newly created Indian Territory. Your job is important to this nation, Bob, and to all the people in the West. You'll deal directly with Chief Angry Wolf. Angry Wolf? Well, you'll find the chief, in spite of his one-time enmity, a very honorable man. Well, that's good to know. In that case, Commissioner, we'll have no trouble in that part of the West, ever. Well, I hope you're right, Bob. Unfortunately, we've learned from sad experience that our own people are sometimes the ones most anxious for the Indians to fight against us. But... but what kind of man would want that to happen? The greedy ones, Bob. The dealers in guns and contraband. If death and destruction mean profit to them, they don't care what color the victims may be. The only colors that interest them are gold, silver, and green. The colors of money. Dan Banning was one of these merchants of death. But in the outpost town of Ransom, on the eastern banks of the Canyon River, Dan Banning was known as a traitor, honest and above suspicion. Directly across the river, extending westward, was the new Indian Territory. It was of this territory that Banning spoke when he met in secret with his henchmen, Tad Davis, and Jock Griffin. I want you to go there and start agitating. By terms of the treaty, the Indians are forbidden to carry or keep firearms. Chief Angry Wolf has already turned over the guns from all his tribe to the soldiers at Fort Manning. Well, and all they have are bows and arrows. That's all, Jock. I'm relying on you two to see that they buy new rifles. Thousands of them. Dan Angry Wolf may be a tough hombre to do business with. I remember what happened to Blackie Dawson when Wolf caught himself in fire water to his brain. Yeah, me too. Blackie got himself killed, that's what. Dan Angry Wolf said against that stuff. He'll hear that we're trying to sell it and he'll run us out of the territory. No, he'll not if you play it smart. Don't forget, those Indians of his were pushed back 200 miles west from what used to be their country. This new territory is strange to them. The tribes are scattered all over it, getting settled. Yeah, but Angry Wolf's village is the first one you come to after you cross the river, only 10 miles inland. Then bypass his village when you go to do business with the other chiefs. There'll be a government supervisor here before long, so the sooner you get trouble started, the better. A few days later in Washington, D.C., Commissioner Gray entered Robert Lynn's office. Bob, when you leave for the West tonight, I'll be with you. Oh? I just received word from one of our agents that he's made contact with the one man in the West who may ensure the success of your mission among the Indians. Who is he? Well, I can't tell you until we meet him, Bob. All I can say now is that our train will stop before we get to Ransom at a landmark already agreed on. The man we're to meet will be waiting there. That evening, Commissioner Gray and Robert Lynn left Washington. Days later in the hills 10 miles east of Ransom, the train slowed to a stop. Gray and Lynn left the train and prodded a few paces to the grassy expanse that bordered the tracks. The conductor standing on the car platform gazed at the hills behind them, then at the vast area of isolation that seemed to engulf them. Commissioner, are you sure this is where you're supposed to get off? Yes, thank you. There's no one here to meet you. You're miles from everywhere. We know that. We'll stay here. Signal the engineer to start again. Yes, Commissioner. Do you still want me to leave your baggage at the station in Ransom? Yes, we'll pick it up when we get there. Well, I hope so. What? What's the matter, Bob? You look puzzled. I am. Commissioner, this can't be the place for our appointment. This is wilderness. Well, that's why we're meeting here. You see... Commissioner, get your gun out. We're in for a holdup. Look, coming out of the underbrush, back in the foothills, it's a masked man, an outlaw. He's not an outlaw, Bob. He's the man I want you to meet. What? Man I've met before, and whom the government considers the most important person in the West. If that's the case, then he must be... But of course. He's masked, he's riding a white horse, and there's an Indian with him. Commissioner, I've heard and read about such a man. Am I right? Is he the Lone Ranger? He is, Bob. He's promised to help you get started in your new job. Commissioner Gray, whom the Lone Ranger had assisted in the past, greeted the masked man warmly, then introduced him and Tonto to Robert Lynn. The men spent hours discussing the problems of the situation that faced Agent Lynn, and the Lone Ranger supplied the answer to most of them. The meeting ended in mid-afternoon. The masked man made an appointment with Lynn for the following morning. Now, there's only one main trail in the Indian Territory, and that starts directly across the river from Ransom. Tonto and I avoid towns whenever possible. We'll meet you on the west bank of the river an hour after sunup tomorrow. I'll be there. Will you be with us, Commissioner Gray, when we go to visit Chief Angry Wolf? No, it's better, I think, that Bob and the Chief meet for the first time without my being present. And your introduction will carry much more weight with the Indians than mine. But, Commissioner, I... Don't try to deny it. I recognize facts. Now, you said a while ago that you had horses which Bob and I may ride. Where are they? Back among the trees. We'll take you to them and ride with you to the outskirts of Ransom. Shall we go to the horses? At that moment, Tad Davis and Jock Griffin met with calamity. Since their arrival in Indian Territory, they had failed in their attempts to trade with the minor chiefs of Angry Wolf's nation. Now, after an unsuccessful effort to sell their illicit wares to members of an outlying tribe, the chief of that tribe made them prisoners and took them to Angry Wolf's village. Angry Wolf's tribal council was not impressed when the white renegades tried to justify their actions. They failed to convince the chiefs that the Indians should arm for war. When Davis finished pleading his case, Angry Wolf spoke with great indignation. You'll break Indian laws, law of white man, when you try sell guns and firewater and reservation. Angry Wolf tell you Indian tribes not want guns, firewater, not want them ever. Now, chief, you're paying too much attention to that treaty. The government gave you all this land now, but it'll try to take it from you again. You'll see. That's why you need guns, chief. That's why we're interested in trading, do you? You need them. You can't trust anybody, including soldiers. You speak no more. Angry Wolf believes soldier of great white father friend. Now, that's where you're all wrong. Let me tell you what... You tell Angry Wolf nothing more. Go. Take horses, ride back over river. Ingins not harm you now. But Angry Wolf warn you. If you come back, Angry Wolf calls soldier. Soldier may keep big trouble for you. Oh, don't worry, chief. If that's the way you feel, we'll never come back. You go with Fierce Eagle. Him take you to where he put your horses. Now, go. The Indian, Fierce Eagle, led Davis and Griffin to where their horses were tied, in front of the oversized log cabin called a Hogan, where the Indians stored their food supplies. Now, you'll ride away fast. Not wait longer. Steady, steady, steady, steady. Get up! Come on, get up! The two white traders galloped their horses away from the camp and headed eastward. Less than a mile from their starting point, Jock Griffin suddenly grew back in his saddle and roughly pulled on the reins. Hold, hold, hold, hold it, hold it. Hold it, Tad, hold it. Come back here, quick. Come on, get around here. What's the matter? Hold, hold. What are you stopping for? Tad, see that rock over there beside the brook where I'm pointing? That's gold, real gold. You're local. It's the way the sun's playing on that rock. Don't tell me. I did some mining a few years back, placer and hard rock. I tell you, that's gold. Let's go and investigate. I'm going to prove it to you as soon as I get the axe out of my saddlebag. Yeah, I was right, Tad. It's gold, all right. Look at that rock. When you see a vein like that, it means the whole place is covered with gold. Yeah, well, if that gold's always been there, how come the Indians never found it? Because they just moved into this country, that's why. They're not familiar with the land yet. We'd better stake a claim here and get it. And have the soldiers march in and take it away from us? Hey, Jock, don't forget, this is Angry Wolf's land. Anything found here belongs to him. The treaty says so. But we can't let the Redskins get the fortune that's here. I know that. So we'll take a sample of this ore back to Banning. And if there's a way for getting the gold out of the territory without causing trouble with the soldiers, Dan Banning will find it. Dan Banning, after hearing Tad's and Jock's story and examining the gold ore, came to a conclusion. There's only one way to get hold of that gold without making trouble for ourselves. How's that? We'll make the Indians declare war on the white man once more. War? Sure, when they do that, the treaty will be broken. And the government will take back the land, open it for emigration, free for anyone to claim. Yeah, I get it. When that happens, we move in and stake claims to the section where we found the gold. That's the idea. Boys go back to Angry Wolf's village during the night. Start a fire in the Hogan where their food supplies are stored. The flames will spread from there. I don't think that's enough to send them on the warpath. It will if you do as I tell you. I have a room full of army surplus material that I bought for almost nothing. A lot of oil cans marked property of United States Army, Fort Manning. When you set the fire, leave those cans behind you. So the Indians will think soldiers started the fire, huh? Yeah, so it'll be proof to them that they've been double-crossed by the treaty. And the war will start. 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. Now to continue. It was shortly before dawn when Tad Davison and Jock Griffin reached the village of Angry Wolf and made their way quietly to the Indian storehouse. Quickly, they struck matches and lighted oil-soaked torches. Then they tossed these into the building through the open windows. Inside the Hogan, they heard the sudden crackle of leaping flame as they lighted torches once more and hurled them in a crimson arc into the interior of the log-made structure. That does it, Jock. Look at those flames, will you? We'd better get out of here and hurry. Wait till I drop these cans where the flames can't reach them. Hey, Jock, look. There's an engine come out of that last tee beat. Hey, Jesus. You'll give the alarm... Out of my way. Tad had seized a boyknife from his belt and with expert aim sent it streaking through the air at the Indian. Before the startled red man could voice his alarm, the blade of the knife pierced his neck. With a faint gasp, he slumped to the ground. Nice throwing, Tad. Nice aim. He didn't get to make a sound. Come on. Indian agent Robert Lynn met the Lone Ranger and Tonto an hour after dawn that morning. The trio set out at once for Angry Wolf's village. Come on, sir. Yes, come. The three horsemen reached the edge of the village and stopped short when they viewed the site before them. Hold it. Hold it. The entire village is in ruins. Burn to the ground. Come this way. They're carrying bows and arrows. Some of them are pointing at us. Keep cool. These Indians know me. I'll ask them to take us to Angry Wolf. Chief Angry Wolf was cold to the greeting of the Lone Ranger and his voice was acid as he spoke. Why, you come here. Why? My purpose, Angry Wolf, was to introduce my friend, Mr. Lynn, who is to be with you as a representative of the Great White Father in Washington. Words like treaty mean nothing. Soldiers come at night, destroy food. Them set fire to village. Stick knife in the son of Angry Wolf. So now, engine ready, make war. You're making a mistake, Angry Wolf. No soldiers have done these things to you. They know what happened. Them set fire to Hogan where food's kept. Sparks fly to air. Set fire to teepees. Engines fight to stop fire. Try save women, children. Find Joseph's son of Angry Wolf with knife in throat. Medicine man, try now to save him. Maybe him die soon. Were any of your people killed? No. Great spirit, protect them. Them escape. Why do you say that soldiers started the fire? Braves find cans of old oil which start fire. Cans belong to army. We got them here in teepee. See, them in corner. Chief, those cans may have been army property. It doesn't mean that the army used the oil in them to start the fire. And there's no proof that soldiers started the blaze. Angry Wolf, think different. Chief, if only for the sake of your own people, you can't risk war. Listen to me, please. The Lone Ranger, using reason and his powers of persuasion, convinced Angry Wolf that war would be the last resort of the red men. At first, effort should be made to learn who started the fire and why. The chief and white men visited the ground near the Hogan, and there Tonto came upon only fresh prints in the vicinity. Foot prints here, Kimasabi. You see? And hook prints over there. And them not made long ago. May be made by men who start fires. May see marks, but only show two men walk. Only show mark of two horses. Which proves, chief, that there were only two men here riding two horses. It shows how wrong you are in thinking the fire may have been started by a troop or any other body of soldiers. We look at Hope Drents, and them go east. Look like riders go back to river, ride to ransom. Why don't we try to follow that trail and go after them? Yes, we'll do that. Tonto will take after them at once. What are you going to do? If Angry Wolf will permit me, I'd like to look at his son, Joseph. Chief, I have a medical kit in my cell. Angry Wolf wants son to live. If Mask Man helped do this, Angry Wolf lead him to where son lies in sickness. Fort Manning's not far from Ransom, is it? Five mile, maybe. While Tonto's trailing the horses that made those hoof prints, I'll ride to Ransom and wire the commander at the fort. I'll have soldiers come here with food, tents, and the army doctor. Chief, I'll return. Tonto and Robert Lynn rode east toward Ransom, and the Lone Ranger went with Angry Wolf to the teepee, where the badly wounded Joseph lay. The Mask Man used his medicines and surgical instruments to ease the pain and treat the wound of the young brave. When he rode from the camp an hour later, Angry Wolf, grateful, spoke to the warrior who stood with him. Him save life of Joseph. Maybe him find snakes who start fire. Him great man. When the Lone Ranger crossed the Canyon River, he rode toward Ransom. He was surprised when he saw Tonto in a tree-studded area near shore. Tonto signaled with a wave of his hand, and the Mask Man joined him. Hose over, hose. Then Tonto informed the Lone Ranger that he had followed the hoof prints to Ransom, and had already located the men who had ridden the horses. Them in building at Ender Street, Kimisabe. Me look through in to see him. Them talk with men who own building. Who is he, Tonto? Do you know? Ah, me know him, Kimisabe. Name, Bannon. Bannon is supposed to be a reputable man. What would he be doing with two men like that? You may not know, Kimisabe. But when we tell man from government about him, him go to Bannon's office. Is Robert Lynn there now? Him go there, after him send wire to Fort Manon. Tonto, go back and keep an eye on the building. When Lynn comes out, return here and let me know what's happened. I'll be waiting. When Tonto returned shortly after, Robert Lynn was with him. He was both chagrined and angry as he spoke. I'm afraid I made a fool of myself. I steamed into Mr. Bannon's office and accused the two men who were with him of setting fire to the Indian village and... Well, I made a mistake. Why? Mr. Bannon said they weren't in Indian territory yesterday. He said they work as traitors for him, dealing only in furs and hides. And that they'd been at his home since yesterday. Now him lie. Bannon said that, did he? Would he swear to it? I told him it might be necessary. I let him know who I was and told him my authority. What is it, Tonto? What do you see? He can see street from here. Men, we talk about. Leave office now. Get on horses. Hey, you're right. They're riding in the other direction. They may be trying to escape. If they get away now, the law may not have a chance to investigate. Then Tonto and I will take the place of the law for the time being. Easy, sir. Easy, fella. Come on, Tonto. Get them up. Come on. Davis and Griffin became aware of their pursuers when the Lone Ranger and Tonto, riding furiously, closed in on the crooks as they rode into the hills. The escaping men drew their guns and began to fire over their shoulders. Their shots fired from the backs of their careening steeds were all wild. Davis and Griffin tried to load their pistols as they rode, but they were too late. The Lone Ranger and Tonto overtook them, grabbing the reins of the horses, then covering the crooks with their guns. Oh, Silver, oh, easy, silly now. All right, get out off your horses. Yeah, yeah, don't shoot. We're doing what you say. Yeah, but what's the idea? We didn't do anything. You put knife and throw to Fran. Are you from Angry Wolf's village? That tells us all we need to know, Tonto. Yes, we failed you from there. Now you'll pay for what you did. Well, what are you going to do with this? Take you to where you'll pay the penalty for what you've done. You made a mistake when you knifed the son of Angry Wolf and I... You mean that that engine we threw the knife at was Angry Wolf's son? Is he dead? Didn't you leave him for dead? No, it was his own fault. Look, we know how important the son of an engine chief is. We know what their law is. For killing the chief's son, they'll torture us. Please don't take us back to those engines. We're not the only ones in on this. I know I'm not going to die the hard way and let Banning stay alive to get that gold some other way. So Dan Banning told you to set fire to Angry Wolf's village, did he? Sure. It's all his fault this thing's happening to us. Ted, he'll get away with this and we'll get killed. He'll find that place where the gold is. Oh, wait. If you tell me everything there is to know, perhaps things may not go too bad for you. All right, I'll tell you. Ted Davis told the complete story of his and Jock Griffin's crimes and the role of leader that Dan Banning played in them. He related the finding of the gold in the Indian territory and ended with an account of Banning's plot for a bloody war in an effort to get that gold. When he finished, the Lone Ranger and Toto tied the crooks and lifted them onto their horses. Then, despite protests, they led the horses back into the town of Ransom. Come on, Silver. Get them up, scoward. When they reached the main street of Ransom, they saw a small body of United States cavalry near the crossing at the river. Indian agent Robert Lynn was in earnest conversation with an officer in captain's uniform. The conversation ended at once when the masked man and Indian appeared with their captives. Oh, Silver. You caught up with him. Yes, Mr. Lynn. We also caught up with Dan Banning. This is Captain Monroe. He and his detachment just arrived from Fort Manning in response to my wire. Food, medicine, and equipment are on their way from the fort now. Also a doctor for Angry Wolf's son. A doctor? You mean he's not dead? I never said he was. Say, isn't that Banning leaving his building now? Of course it is. He's running away. He must have seen us ride into town with these two and seen all of us talking here. Come on, sit over there. The Lone Ranger had sped along the street after Banning. Banning never reached the place where his horse was stabled. The Lone Ranger caught him and circled him with a lariat and brought him back to where Agent Lynn, Captain Monroe, and the soldiers stood watching in fascinated amazement. Oh, Silver. Oh, easy, steady. There he is. Banning's the man who's been selling guns to all the Indian tribe that have caused you trouble, Captain. He planned that... Let those other two men tell you what he planned. Well, don't worry. We'll tell him the same thing we told you. Then Toto and I have done our part. We'll leave you. Good luck in your job, Mr. Lynn. The Indians with gold on their land will be more peaceful than ever. Adios. Adios. Goodbye. Let's go, Toto. Come on, sir. Let's count. Well, Captain, what do you think of that? Now, Mr. Lynn, before that man arrived with these two crooks, you told me all that he had done. And since that time, I've seen with my own eyes why he impressed you so. I've heard of a man who's a legend, a man who rides a white horse and wears a mask. Is that... Yes, Captain. He's the man the government depends on to hold the West for our country. He's 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.
