By special recording, General Mills, makers of Cheerios, the oak cereal ready to eat, and Wheaties, breakfast of champions, presents... The Lone Ranger! First with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a haughty, high old silver! The Lone Ranger! This faithful Indian companion, Toto, the daring and resourceful masked rider of the planes, 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, Richard! When boys line up to run a race, galloping garden sets the pace, he comes in first because he knows... They're Cheerios, the cereal that's fun to eat because it's shaped like little leparos! The only ready-to-eat oat cereal with this fresh toasted oat flavor. And listen, every delicious spoonful of Cheerios and milk is real muscle-building food. Each spoonful contains vitamins, minerals, and proteins your body needs. Yes, the good things in a Cheerios breakfast do good things for your body. Help you have healthy nerves, good red blood, strong bones and muscles. Cheerios! Yes, Cheerios is made to give you real go-power. So every morning, get going and keep going with Cheerios! Then you'll hear people say... He's feeling his Cheerios! The Lone Ranger and Toto were deep in Texas and heading south to a stand of cottonwoods. As they came out of the woods, they saw the tracks of a railroad and heard the distance whistle of a locomotive. Can we stop here, Kemosabe, and watch the train go by? All right, Toto. Hold on. Suddenly, Toto pointed to an object on the track some distance away. That looked like man. It is a man. Come on, Toto! Dashing ahead of Toto, the masked man raced along the single track toward the oncoming locomotive. Hold on. Steady! He brought his mighty stallion to a sliding stop and leaped to the ground beside the still form of a man who lay across the rails. Hold on. Hold on. Keep it hurry. Train, very close. I'll get him off the track. Leading out of the locomotive cab, the engineer waved frantically and pulled the whistle cord. I'll get him. There. That does it. The train raced by, enveloping the Lone Ranger, Toto, and the unconscious man in a cloud of steam. That was a close call. He's alive. He can get conscious now. He has some severe head wounds, Toto. Possibly a fractured skull. Maybe it's dangerous to move him. We can't camp here beside the tracks. We'll have to hide him before the engineer sends someone to investigate. We'll make a litter and carry him to the woods. In the shelter of the cottonwoods, Toto made camp while the masked man did what he could to attend the stranger's injuries. In half an hour, the rescued man was fully conscious. He looked around the camp with a somewhat bewildered expression. And then turned his eyes toward the Lone Ranger. I'm glad to see you're feeling better. Don't let it alarm you. It doesn't. I saw a masked man in action go in an engine fight. He had a host called Silver. An engine friend named Toto. Where was that? At Yellow Springs. I was there when you persuaded Liam Byrd to surrender. Were you a soldier? Yeah. A cavalryman. My name's Ben Thorpe. I was honorably discharged last month. I don't know how I got here. We found you unconscious on the railroad tracks. You've had several blows on the head. One of them very hard. Mack James. Who, Mack James? I met him on a freight train. He tried to kill me. But I'll get him for it. I'll find him. That squinting eye of his is a dead giveaway. Squinting eye? Kimo Sabe. Maybe he... Ben, can you describe the squint-eyed man? Well, he was about my size and build, and his whiskers had grown about the same as mine. And he had that squinting eye. We jumped off the train together and came to this woods. And the sneaky polecat pulled his gun on me. I couldn't imagine what he was after. Oh, Mack, are you loco holding me up? You know I've got no money. I don't want money. I want your cavalry cape and your hat. Also your army discharge. What, Mack? They're worthless. You didn't know it, Ben, but the law is looking for Mack James. So I aim to have him killed. Then I'll be Ben Thorpe. Why, you dirty... Take off that cape. You'll have to shoot me to get it. Shoot you? Not a chance. I've got a better way. That's all I remember, mister. Your cap and your cloak are gone. What about your army discharge? All my clothes are gone. These are Mack's clothes I'm wearing. Look through the pockets. I'll try. Help him, Tonto. I'll need help. I reckon Mack must have knocked me out with his gun barrel then. After switching clothes, left me on the railroad tracks. He must have known a train would be along before you regained consciousness. Or he might have thought he killed you with a blow. Oh, here. Here's something in the pocket. An old envelope. It's empty. Let me see it, Tonto. All right. I reckon that's all I left in the pockets. This is addressed to Mack James at Fort Smith, Arkansas. The return address is Joe Santo, Trail City. Trail City? Not near here. Plane on way there. That's interesting. Mister, yes. You were mighty interested when I told you that Mack James had a squinting eye. Yes, Ben. We've been looking for a man named James McKay. Alias Mack James and sometimes known as Squint. Is he wanted by the law? Indeed he is. What's he done? Bank robbery and murder. Have you ever seen him? No, but I've seen pictures of him on handbills. You might find him in Trail City. That's what I think. I've heard rumors that Joe Santo runs a hideout for crooks in Trail City. Kimasabi. Eh? Let me go there, look around. Yes, Tonto. See if you can learn something about Joe Santo. Ah, let me do it. I'll stay here with Ben. Easy, Scott. Easy, fella. Get him up. Come. The southbound train that nearly took Ben Fork's life reached Trail City shortly after noon. For the next two hours, men were busy unloading cattle. At 2.15, the engineer looked at his watch and showed him patience. Meanwhile, several blocks from the station, Trail City's main street was practically deserted. Two men leaned against the hitch rail in front of Joe Santo's hotel and cafe. The sheriff greeted them. Sam, you would rip look as if you'd lost your best friend. We lost our last dime in the card game. Yeah. We even lost the guns. Doggone without my shooting iron, I feel half-dressed. Well, stay away from Santo's card game. Gee, what are you looking at, Sam? That gent coming down the street there. Looks like a newcomer. Yeah, stranger to me. Must have been a soldier. He's wearing a cavalry cape. I'll go and meet him. Hey, I'd like to know about newcomers. Hello there, mister. I'm Sheriff Newton. Well, I'm not dodging the law. What's your name? Ben Thorpe. Glad to know you, Thorpe. I judge you've been in the Army. Yeah, mustered out a month ago. I'm looking for work. Well, Thorpe, I don't mean to give offense, but the fact is we've been getting more than our share of cooks in Trails City. So it's part of my job to sort of investigate strangers. Now, if you say your name is Thorpe... You want to see my Army discharge? Well, let it just about prove you, Ben Thorpe. All right, my papers are here in my inside pocket. Mack James, posing as Ben Thorpe, unbuttoned his Army cape and reached beneath it with both hands. His left hand brought out the Army discharge, but the right remained hidden and gripping a gun. There's the paper. Did you get hurt, or have you always had that squint? 5-11-170, black squinting eyes. You're not reading that from the Army discharge. I'm remembering it from a handbill. Yeah. Yeah, you're... Before the sheriff's gun cleared leather, Mack James fired from beneath the cape, then turned and fled toward the railroad tracks. Late that afternoon, Toto returned to the camp with Scout running hard. The lone ranger, who'd been sitting beside Ben Thorpe, leaped to his feet. Won't come over there. What's the news, Toto? Sheriff Newton shot. Maybe him died. Who shot him? Everyone thinks Ben Thorpe do it. Me? Matt Wright. Them fine Army paper. Your name on it. Matt James. He framed me the squint-eyed crook. Toto, start at the beginning and tell us all you know. Well, me go into town. Hide Scout behind hotel. While me there among trees, me see fella come out back door hotel. Him carry wash basin and dump it in ground. Then what? While him go inside hotel. Me go look where basin dumped. Find soapy water with plenty black whiskers. Then me go to Main Street. Plenty people there. There are plenty talk of shooting. The shooting of the sheriff? Huh. Me listen. Hear how I'm shot by man in Army Cape. If anyone saw Matt James close up, they'll remember his squinting eyes. No one see him close. Only sheriff. Him unconscious. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger adventure. Before the next exciting theme, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Get a load of this terrific offer. Now you can get a copy of a real, genuine, original Confederate bill free in each specially marked package of Cheerios. There are nine different bills in the whole set, ranging from $1 to $1,000. And each bill looks so much like the original Confederate bill, you can hardly tell the difference. Say, won't you and your gang have fun with these? As I said, one bill comes free with each special Cheerios package. No waiting, nothing to send in. It's right at your grocers. If you get a $2 bill in your first package, you may get a $500 bill in the next and so on. It's easy to collect the whole set of nine different bills. And I bet you'll want to be the first in your neighborhood to have them all. And you'll have something else that's good, too. Cheerios! Seems everybody loves that wonderful toasted oat flavor. And everybody needs the go-power Cheerios gives. Remember now, inside each special Cheerios package, there's a copy of a real, genuine Confederate bill. Start collecting yours today. Now to continue. Tonto reported all that he knew about the shooting, including the escape of a gunman on the southbound train. And then he added, Keller telegraphed Marshal, next town. Ask him to stop train. Search for gunmen. Did the reply come from the Marshal before you left Treo City? Ah, me wait there till answer come. Marshal say, crook not on train. But in freight car, him find army cape. Door car, wide open. My cape. Mac James must have jumped off the train between stations. Probably. Then, me remember soapy water and black whiskers. Yes, Mac James might have sneaked back to Joe Santos' hotel and shaved. In that case, he's still in town. But no one will tie him into the shooting? Not unless the sheriff recovers and remembers his squinting eye. They'll hang me if they catch me. I've got to get away. I've got to run. Oh, oh, oh. In one conscious, Ken. Tonto, he needs the doctor's attention. That's right. We go to town for doctors? No. If the sheriff's condition is critical, the doctor must stay with him. We'll have to take Ben Thorpe to the doctor. Uh-huh. I intend to call on Joe Santos. The Lone Ranger and Tonto started for town at sunset. They traveled slowly and took turns carrying Ben Thorpe, who was still unconscious. It was nearly dark when they finally drew rain behind the house where the doctor lived and maintained his office. Tonto and Thorpe stayed with the doctor while the Lone Ranger went in search of Joe Santos. Meanwhile, Joe Santos wrapped on the door of the room he'd rented to Mac James on the second floor of the hotel. That's you, Joe? Yes. You look like a new man. Yeah, the shave and new clothes make a difference. That suit of mine fits you first rate. Yeah. What's the news? Has anyone found the body on the tracks? Not yet. There were so many men out looking for Thorpe I thought it'd be found by now. Everyone is looking south of town. They think you, I mean Ben Thorpe, jumped off the train between here and the next station. No one figures I sneaked right back here. No. Well, they'll find the body sooner or later. Only they'll never know it's Ben Thorpe. They'll think it's Mac James. Is there any way to identify it as you? Yes. I left an old envelope with my name on it in the coat pocket. Oh, that should do it. Unless someone looks for the squinting eye. I left the body on the tracks, Joe. Who can tell about the eye after the train's gone by? Officially, Mac James will be dead. They'll all go on searching for Ben Thorpe for the shooting of the sheriff. But he'll never be found. Oh, I gotta admit you're smart. Smart enough to outwit the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Yeah. I heard in a roundabout way that he's hunting for me. Why didn't you tell me? What's the difference? When did I know he was after you I'd never have taken you in. I'd sooner had a rattlesnake beneath my shirt than had a man who was hunted by the Lone Ranger. Don't worry, Joe. I'll only be here for a few days. As soon as someone finds that body in the tracks the word will spread that Mac James is dead. And the Lone Ranger will quit hunting me and I'll be free to travel with a new name. That squidding eye will be a giveaway. Not if I'm officially dead. Don't worry, Joe. Everything will be all right. If the sheriff don't recover. I see. The sheriff stole the dog's house? Yes, and still unconscious. But if he comes to... He won't. Hey, why are you striving on your gun? Going to the doc's house to attend to some unfinished business. You're going out? Yes. But if you're seeing... It's dark. Wait here, Joe. I'll be back. Mac James went down the rear stairs and out the back door of the hotel. He walked through the alley at the side of the building to the main street, then headed boldly toward the doctor's house, confident that he would be unnoticed in the darkness. Meanwhile, the lone ranger traveled in the opposite direction behind the row of buildings. He entered the hotel's back door, the door that the killer had just used as an exit, and made his way to the kitchen. The cook was startled. What? Quiet. Don't shoot, mister. Where's Joe Sato? Well, I'm not supposed to... Where is he? Oh, Barb. Do you want to lose the use of this arm? Well, he's upstairs in one of the rooms. What room? He'll fire me. Number 10. In room 10, Joe Sato paced the floor nervously. It seemed like an hour since Mac James had left, but it was less than five minutes. Then... Hold it, Joe. Don't move your hands. Mac? Who are... Wait. I want information. Who are you? Turn around while I see if you have a gun. I'm not around. I never carry a gun. I'm just a peace-loving man. If this is a robbery... There's no robbery. I want information. Where is Mac James? I don't know. How should I know? Also known as Squint. I don't know anyone, by the way. Turn around and face me. Commissioner, you're a friend of his... I'm not a friend. In that case, I... Sato, you're fat and flabby. You couldn't do much to defend yourself. I'd hate to take advantage of your weakness, but believe me, I'll go as far as necessary to make you talk. You're hiding Squint, and you're going to tell me where he is. I'm prepared to beat the information out of you. If you just tell me who you are... I'm... I'm known as the Lone Ranger. You know... Oh. Sato's face went ghastly white. Then Sato slumped to the floor. The Lone Ranger reached for a nearby pitcher of water and dumped it on the pasty face. Oh, no. The Lone Ranger. Come on, Sato, on your feet. Don't beat me. For the last time, where's Squint? He went to the Doc's house. I tried to stop him. I told him not to... Doc's house for what? To... To finish the sheriff. Come on, I'm taking you to the woodshed. The woodshed? Yes, I'll try and gag you there just as I did your cook. You'll be good and quiet company for each other. Sato and the doctor stood side by side with their hands raised and their backs against the bedroom wall. Squint was in the doorway, holding his own gun in one hand and Sato's in the other. The sheriff and Ben Thorpe lay on bunks. Both were conscious, but too weak to rise. I don't know who you are. How did I do, Doc? He's Meg James, the man who shot me. Good thing I came here, Sheriff. You'd have made trouble for me. You can't kill four of us and get away with it. Oh, yes I can, Doc. My story will be that Ben Thorpe did the shooting. I was passing by and heard three shots. I rushed in. I saw that he drilled you and the Indian and the sheriff. Well, I struggled with him. I took his gun and then clouded him a few times in the head. Fatally. You honorary polecat. My story will be believed, Thorpe, because you're already being hunted for shooting the sheriff. You know, I'd like to hear how you escaped from the train, but I've already wasted enough time. My curiosity must go unsatisfied. Not at all. Huh? My hand! What was it? He fixed him? Oh, no, that wasn't necessary. The only man came to us, I'd hate him need fist and face. I enjoyed seeing that. That was... Multi-hands while him are conscious. Now, there's plenty of time, Tonto. He'll be stiff for quite a while. Locked back, James in jail, Locked. If you pull me through, I'll see that he hangs. I know where he's wanted. Oh, you'll be all right, Sheriff. You're past the crisis and so we'll start. Sheriff, Joe Santo is guilty of concealing a known murderer. Accessually after the fact, did? By thunder, I've wanted to jail that critic. If I had the authority, I'd make the arrest and have him in jail by the time Mack James gets there. Authority? Yes, sir. Here's my badge. That's all the authority you need. Thanks, Sheriff. I'll be back, Tonto. Uh-huh. Now, there's a man, Doc, who should always wear a lawman's badge. I'll bet he's the first man to wear both a badge and a mask. Why not? He's the Lone Ranger. Get on your way. Get on your way. Get on your way with Wheaties. True, champions are made, not born. We can all get there if we try. Take champion Doak Walker, flashy halfback for the Detroit Lions. Doak, at the tender age of nine, decided football was his line. He practiced hours day after day and learned what champions have to say. Wheaties for breakfast, you're on your way. Now a touchdown team from top to toe, Walker and Wheaties, they really go. A guy can put away a lot of Wheaties in 18 years and that's how long Doak Walker's been eating them. Good for you? There's a whole kernel of wheat in every Wheaties' plate. Let's go, go. Dig for that, go. Hey, hey, hey. He's on his way. On his way. He's on his way. On his way. Get on your way with Wheaties. Cause champions are made, not born. Yes, sir. Get on your way. Get on your way. Get on your way with Wheaties. Breakfast of champions. A copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated is 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, your announcer, Fred Foy. The Lone Ranger is brought to you by General Mills every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at this same time. Be sure to listen. This recorded program has come to you from Detroit. This is ABC Radio Network.
