Fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-oh silver. The Lone Ranger. Companion Toto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains, led the fight for law and order in the early western United States. Nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hootbeats of the great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. The morning stagecoach left Pecos for Fort Stockton. It carried four passengers. Helen Addison, whose cold beauty was intensified by the golden blonde hair that escaped from her tight-fitting bonnet, sat primly erect beside a 12-year-old boy in velvet knee pants and short jacket. A well-built young man in the 20s occupied the opposite seat together with a 14-year-old boy. Both wore homespun suits. Get up there! Oh, get up! Oh! I reckon you find the stage rough riding after your train trip, ma'am. I saw you get off the train in Pecos. Oh, really? I didn't know I was being a turn. Well, Brother Bird said he hoped you were going to take this stage. Keep quiet, Davey. Don't mind him, miss. Those kid brothers always talk out of turn. I suppose you found that out. You're mistaken. I have no brother. Helen's my cousin. We're going out to live with my father at Fort Stockton. Barry, please. You mustn't talk to strangers. If you're going to stay at the fort, we won't be strangers long, ma'am. You see, I'm stationed there. Davey lives there with me. Oh, that's interesting. Major Addison says my brother Bird is the best blacksmith in the West. A blacksmith? That's right. It's a good, honest profession, ma'am. Oh, I'm sure it is. I'm Barry Addison. Major Addison is my father. Your father? Gosh, miss, I didn't know you were the major's daughter. I'm Major Addison's niece. I already told you I have no brother. You must not have been listening. Gosh, Barry, with you at the fort, I'll have someone to play with. Uh-huh. And I'll come to the blacksmith shop and watch if your brother will let me. Glad to have you, son. Oh, ridiculous. Well, there'd be nothing to interest Barry at a blacksmith shop. Of course there is. A boy learns a lot around horses, ma'am. By the way, I'm Bert Tyler. This is my brother Davey. I hope, Mr. Tyler, you realize the difference in the position between Barry and your young brother. Remember, Barry is the son of the commandant at the fort. What's that got to do with it? Sure. I don't mind if Barry doesn't. We'll have lots of fun together. That's right, you will, Davey. You see, Barry, the major allows me to have my shop outside the stockade so I can help the townspeople, too. Davey comes out there every day to watch me work. He'll bring you along. I feel quite sure that Major Addison will not allow Barry to... Just a minute, ma'am. If you're trying to say you think the major isn't going to think Davey's good enough to play with Barry, you're mistaken. I'm proud of being a blacksmith, and I'm also proud to call the major my friend. Uncle John is from one of the best families in St. Louis. And I'm from one of the best and poorest families in Kentucky, ma'am. My folks were pioneers to the West. They were killed in an Indian massacre, so Davey and I are alone now. Well, I'm sorry about your family, Mr. Tyler, but that doesn't alter my opinion. If you stay in the West long enough, you'll find out that one person is as good as another, as long as he's honest and hardworking. I don't think I'll change, Mr. Tyler. For your own good, ma'am, I hope you do. Now you're being impudent. Nope, just frank. I like Davey, cousin Helen, and I'll ask Dad to let us play together. I like you too, Barry. I'll speak to your father, Barry, and I'm sure he'll agree with me. From now on, we'll have no further conversation until we reach Fort Stockton. After the stage arrived at the fort, Helen Addison was having a discussion with her uncle, the major. Uncle John, I really think it was a mistake to have Barry and me come out here to stay. Of course, I'm through at finishing school, but... But Barry should continue his studies in that private boy's school in St. Louis, if he's to be brought up as a gentleman. Nonsense, Helen. I want the boy here with me. You can coach him in his studies here, and he'll grow up as I want him to, knowing life as it really is. But if the boy is to take his place in society... Oh, Helen, out here, people are real. They accept others for what they are. There's no sham or pretense. They're God-fearing, helpful, and friendly. They're all Americans together, helping to make our country great. And I suppose bankers, army officers, and ordinary tradesmen, such as... Well, a blacksmith, mixes friends. Right. Each has his place in helping America to grow. Why, every man out here, regardless of his start in life, has a chance to prosper. By the way, I noticed the blacksmith, Sergeant Bert Tyler, came on the stage with you. Yes, he did. Bert's a fine, hard-working fellow. Handsome, too. We couldn't operate here without him. But he is a blacksmith. Yep, one of the best. He's proud of his work. And we're proud of what he does for us here. I consider Bert as one of my good friends. Uncle. Well? Oh, nothing. But I did tell Bert he's not to play with the blacksmith's brother. What? Now, look here, Helen. How foolish can you get? Of course those boys will play together. You asked me to come here to help look after Barry, Uncle John. That's right. Then let me handle the boy in my way. Otherwise, I'll go back east. Don't go on it, Helen. I don't understand you. If your schooling made a snob out of you, it's about time you... Excuse me, Uncle John. I don't care to stay and be insulted. I don't know what young girls are thinking about these days. If I have anything to do with it, she'll get over that attitude. And fast. The blacksmith shop was located just outside the fort's stockade. A few days after Helen's talk with her uncle, Tonto, Indian companion to the Lone Ranger, brought his horse scout to the shop for a new shoe. There. Finished. And me see your brother playing near river with other boy. And them have plenty fun. Doggone it, I told Davey to play by himself. Huh? Why are you telling that? Tonto, the Major's niece, is living here. She doesn't think the Major's son should play with my brother. That made me sore, so I told Davey to play alone. He's not savvy. She doesn't think much of a blacksmith. Blacksmith, plenty important. Take care of horses, men wagons, make axles. West, have plenty trouble without blacksmith. Thanks. I like my work. Look, but it riles me to have a snobbish young woman like her talk as she does. Doggone it, someday I'll prove to her that we... Maybe girl beautiful, huh? Huh? Well, oh, yeah, yeah. She is pretty in a cold sort of way. Well, someday, her like blacksmith. You not bother boys. Them have fun together. Me go now. Adios. Easy scout, easy fella. Get him up, scout. Later, Tonto arrived at camp and told the Lone Ranger of his conversation with Bert. I'm sure the Major doesn't agree with his niece, Tonto. He and Bert Tyler are good friends. That right. But me here, girl who come to Fort, plenty snobbish round town. She'll soon learn that in this country, one person is considered as good as another, as long as he lives respectably. Ah, Kimo Sabe. Yes? Me learn, Major Addison, leave with many men for trip to Fort Davis, 20 mile away. Them be gone weak, maybe. Indians make attack on settlers near there. The Apaches are restless and clever. That could be a trick to get the Major and most of his troopers away from Fort Stockton. Ah. Major Addison asked us to do some scouting in this territory in case there might be an uprising. How many men are at Fort Stockton right now, do you know? Well, when we talk to Blacksmith, him say there are about 30 soldiers there. Even with the help of the people, that's not near enough to defend the fort in the town if trouble should start. I sincerely hope the Apaches don't plan to attack the fort while the Major's away. A few days later, the Major's son, Barry, was again playing with the Blacksmith's young brother, Davey, on the riverbank near the fort. Hey, Barry, watch this flat stone skip over the water. Let me try that. Here's another flat stone. What? Hey, my stone skip more times than yours. Well, let's see who can throw a stone the farthest. I'll... Barry, look over there, across the river. Gosh, Indians. Yeah, get down quick. These bushes will hide us. I see lots of them going along the trail over there. Davey, we'll be scalped. Let's stay in hiding till they leave. No, Barry. My brother said if anything happened while your father and the troopers are away, the Indians might go on the war path. We'll go tell Bert what we saw. Come on. Meantime, Bert Tyler was busy at the blacksmith shop. Mr. Tyler. Howdy, Miss Addison. Well, where's Barry? I'm sure he's playing with your brother in spite of what I've said. What if he is? I haven't time to keep track of a couple of young boys. Well, Barry is my responsibility. And I distinctly told him not to come around here. Something's happened. We saw Indians at the river. Barry Addison. I thought I told you... Forget what you told him. Davey, tell me what you and Barry saw. Indians on the other side of the river. We hid in the bushes to watch them. That's right. We saw a lot of them. Uh-huh. We ran all the way from the river to tell you. You had no right down by the river, Barry. Now, you go straight to the house and stay there for the rest of the day. I'll tell your father when he comes back... Forget it, Miss Addison. How dare you talk to me like that? Get off your high horse, ma'am. You and the rest of us might not be here when the major gets back. What do you mean? Those Indians will attack. I'm sure of that. And what's more, we haven't enough men to hold them off. Oh, nonsense. Listen to me, Miss Addison. You and your highfalutin ways don't impress me or anyone else around here. Take Barry and get inside the stockade before the trouble starts. Don't you tell me what to do. Then stay here and take the consequences if you want to. Come along, boys. We're going inside the stockade and ring the warning bell to call in the townspeople. Barry, you stay right here with me. The... Cross the river. We have to get inside the stockade or we'll all be killed. Hurry. The warning bell brought the townspeople on the run to the stockade, while the Indians, firing as they moved across the river in many canoes, started the attack. Soon the big gates were closed and hurried preparations started to ward off the attack. Who had been riding the trail nearby, rode to tell the lone ranger. Oh, scum. Oh, fella. Easy, scum. Easy, fella. Hello. What's happened? Apache on war path. What? I'm going to take attack Fort Stockton. Burn buildings outside stockade. Kill people who not reach fort. Ride to Fort Davis and tell Major Addison. Ah. Help doesn't come soon. Your patches will take the fort and massacre those inside the stockade. Hurry. Get the troopers here as fast as possible. Ah, me hurry. I'll try to get through the stockade at Fort Stockton to help them. Go now, Tonto. Get on. Come. Stay, big fella. 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. The townspeople inside the besieged stockade did all they could to help the small garrison of soldiers withstand the attack. The townsmen shouldered rifles while the women kept guns loaded, brought water, and cared for the wounded. Helen Addison was nervously making bandages in one of the barracks as Barry stood watching. Soon dust fell and the raiding Apaches quieted down. But intermittent shots and occasional blazing arrows warned those inside that the Indians were still there. Helen looked up as one of the older women entered. We need more bandages, Miss Addison. Land sakes, we have a mighty lot of wounded. Take those rolls on the table there. All right. Is the danger past? No, I've been through an Indian raid before. They've quieted down now, but they'll start in again worse than ever later, mark my words. Yes, it's mighty bad with your uncle away with most of the troopers. The lieutenant left in charge is badly wounded, and so is the master sergeant. Well, who's giving orders to the men? Bert Tyler. What? Thank heavens he's still on his feet. You mean Bert Tyler, the blacksmith? That's right. He's a sergeant and is next in command. Oh, how awful. We'll soon all be massacred. Bert knows Indian warfare better than most around here, Miss Addison. Golly, do you think he'll keep the Indians from taking the fort? Oh, he'll do his best, son. The soldiers respect Bert. He's a mighty fine man. Best liked around here. Well, I, for one, don't like him at all. To think we have to rely on him at a time like this. If we ever come through this alive, Barry, I'll ask Uncle John to send us back east. But I don't want to go back east. Mr. Tyler isn't going to let those Indians hurt us on Cousin Helen. Of course he won't, son. Your Cousin Helen can't fool a woman. She talks too much about how much she dislikes Bert Tyler. What on earth do you mean? Why, I wouldn't... Something's happening out there. We'd better go out. Everybody's running through the big gates. The Indians must be attacking them. Barry, they're going to open the gates. Somebody's coming. But they mustn't open the gates. Who gave such an order? A brother Bert. I'll try to stop him. It's suicide. Smith will have us all massacred. Troopers. Get ready to open the gates, man. He's firing at the Redskins to hold him back. Smith's gate. I'm giving the orders, ma'am. The masked friend of the Major's has broken through the Indian line. He's heading this way. We have to get him inside. Ready, men. Here he comes. Bring the gates open and keep them covered as he rides inside. Cousin Helen, we're sure glad to see you. Good thing we spotted you galloping this way. I waited until the Indians had withdrawn to the river. Then I managed to ride just out of range to the gates. If they hadn't been opened, I wouldn't have had a chance. Mr. Tyler, you risked all our lives opening the gates for this masked man. Why should you do this? He's a friend of Major Addison and can give us plenty of help. That's why. You, uh, you must be Miss Addison. I am. And I'm sure if my uncle had been here... Excuse me, Miss Addison. Sergeant Tyler and I have plans to make. Come on, Bert. That girl is so busy being a snob, she doesn't take time to be afraid. She'll change, Bert. I'm sure of that. Now, about the Apaches. I don't think they'll wait long to attack again. We can't withstand a big attack too long. What'll we do? We'll stand posts upright on the ramparts. Then place hats on them where the hats will show a little. Bert, get the hats of all those who have been shot or wounded. I don't savvy. In the moonlight, the Apaches might think they're men. It may help to hold off the big attack until the Major arrives with help. Following the Lone Ranger's suggestion, the small garrison of soldiers and townsmen carried logs up to the platform and stood them on end near the top of the stockade. Hats were placed upon the upper end of each log. And to anyone looking toward the fort from a distance, it would seem that there were still many troopers ready to defend the fort. During the night, sporadic raids were made against the fort. But the Apaches didn't come forward in full force. The Lone Ranger and Bert Tyler moved about the enclosure tirelessly. Their constant vigilance helped to encourage the men and to prevent disastrous fires from blazing arrows. A short time before daybreak, the masked man spoke to Bert. I think the big attack will come at dawn, Bert. I reckon you're right. You know, I've been thinking. There are many more Indians out there than anyone expected there would be. That's true. If the Major returns with just the men who are left with him, they'll be massacred if they're not warned. No one could get out of here now. I thought of that, too. In fact, I thought of the possibility of using the drainpipe at the back of the stockade, hoping I could get through to the gully back there. But the drainpipe is too small for a man to get through. Even if you or anyone else got through, you'd be without a horse. Some of the settlers' horses are loose near the river. One of those could be used. There's no way to reach them. We'll make the rounds now and see just how we stand. Bert nor the masked man realized that the blacksmith's brother, Davey, had overheard their conversation. A short time later, the Major's son, Barry, ran up to Bert and the Lone Ranger. Mr. Tyler, Davey's gone. Gone? Gone where? He crawled through a drainpipe back there. He said he was going to warn my dad. He wouldn't let me go with him. The boy must have heard us talking, Bert. He'll be killed. Maybe not, Bert. He may get through. I have to know. I'm going up to the lookout tower. I have to know. Bert, wait! He'll be a perfect target up there. Bert must be local. He'll get shot up there. The crowd watched breathlessly as Bert Tyler climbed the ladder and stepped onto the platform of the tower, which rose above the stockade. The young blacksmith stood in plain sight of those outside the forge. The Apache Sea, Bert. They'll kill him. The watching crowd suddenly gasped as more shots were fired, and Bert Tyler staggered, then fell. He's been shot. Yeah, he's crawling to the ladder. He's hurt fast. Step aside. Let me through. Wait, don't you go up there, mister. I'm going to get Bert. You men, keep up a heavy fire. While the others kept up a constant barrage, the Lone Ranger climbed the ladder to reach Bert. A moment later, he stepped upon the platform. The Redskins see the masked man. He'll be shot, too. Keep firing! The Lone Ranger, protecting Bert with his own body, started down slowly, giving little heed to any bullets or arrows that might fly his way. Once, his grip loosened as a bullet grazed his wrist. But he recovered his hold, and thanks to the heavy barrage laid down by the garrison, he reached the ground. There, he placed the wounded blacksmith in waiting and willing hands. He'll need immediate attention. Oh, your wrist, you've been shot. Oh, it's nothing. Don't worry about me. Attend to Bert, Tyler. Men, take Bert to the barracks where the other wounded are. He'll need special care. I'll go with him. Perhaps I might be able to help. Mister, the Apache's a massing at the gates. This is a big attack. Every man to his post. Mister, about Bert. None of us know enough to care for one who's so badly wounded. The other women are tuckered out. Bring him into the barracks. I'll look after him, Mr. Tyler. I've had some nursing experience in a federal hospital during the war between the states. Well, I don't know. Well, hurry, don't... The lady says, men. The rest of you, come with me. While the masked man and the others left to ward off the attack, Helen Addison followed the two men who carried Bert Tyler to the barracks. The wounded young blacksmith was left in her care, and before long, she had expertly dressed his wound and made him comfortable. When Bert opened his eyes, she was standing over him with a cup of water. You... I didn't... Don't try to talk. Here. Do something. I'm bad, I reckon. You'll be all right. That noise. Yes. The Indians are trying to smash in the gates. You're not afraid? There's no time for fear now. I was frightened before, but... Well, things have changed. Yes, it's possible they'll take the fort. If they do, well... Earl Addison... Mr. Tyler, I've seen enough bravery during this siege to last a lifetime. and you and that masked man and your brother. This may be the end. But before it comes up... Bert, I'm so sorry for the way I've acted toward you and Davy. Gosh. I see the real side of life now, the real side of people. Before the end, Bert, I'm fine, I think you are. And it is something to be proud of, as Uncle John said. Oh, please, Bert... Wait. That bugle... The Major and the troopers have come at last. Oh, yes. Now rest, Mr. Tyler. Others need attention. I'll be back to see you later. After a terrific battle, the Major and the troopers drove off the Apaches. It was later when the Lone Ranger, the Major, Barry, and Davy stood beside Bert Tyler's cot in the barracks. Bert, I've heard great reports about you and my masked friend. And here's Davy, safe and sound. Davy. Davy, you little maverick. I... I thought you... Oh, I got through all right, Bert. But the Major had brought more troops with him than you thought he would. He was glad to know about there being so many Apaches, though. Davy's warning saved the day for us, Bert. Barry, you're mighty proud that you have a friend like Davy. We'll have lots of fun together. You sure will, son. You know, Major, your niece, Miss Helen, she turned out to be mighty brave. She was kind of, well, nice to me, too. Until she realized the troopers had come to save us. Then she froze up, soda, and left. Well, here comes Helen now, Bert. I notice she's fixed her hair different, too. Gosh. It looks like spun gold. I have never seen her smile before. Bert says she's beautiful, Davy. I... Oh, Bert Tyler. I overheard what Davy said. Were you about to deny it? I reckon I can't deny the truth, ma'am. And please don't call me ma'am. My name is Helen, remember? Have you decided to go back east, Helen? No, Uncle. There's so much I have to learn. About the blacksmith trade, for instance. Golly, Helen. The masked man said you'd change, but... Say, where is he? He knows when it's time to disappear, Bert. I reckon he's gone. Gone to help others who need him. Come along, boys. We'll go tell him goodbye. Yes, sir. All right, Dad. I owe so much to that masked man, Bert. When I saw you fall up there on that platform, well, I thought he'd never get you down safely. I got the idea. He knew it would turn out like this for us. He... He's almost as brave and as handsome as you are, Bert. Oh, by Jiminy, I... I never thought anyone would ever be fooled into thinking I'm braver and handsomer than the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger, Incorporated, created by George W. Trendle, produced by Trendle Campbell-Mure, 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 Phil Leslie G. Jay The Lone Ranger
