A force for the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. Before this exciting adventure, a word from our sponsor. General Mills, makers of Cheerios, the ready-to-eat oat cereal that gives you go power, and Wheaties, the breakfast of champions, present by special recording, the Lone Ranger. I know something you'll want to get from your grocer right away, the special Wheaties blackboard package. You see, there's a blackboard right on the back of this package, one you can write on with regular chalk. You can play games, draw pictures, write notes, practice spelling, all sorts of things. And you can use the Wheaties blackboard over and over again, wiping it off each time with a cloth or a regular blackboard eraser. In fact, it's a good idea to get several of these Wheaties blackboard packages, so you can let your friends join in with the fun, playing tic-tac-toe or having drawing contests. Or maybe you'll want extra blackboards, so you can save your own best drawings. Now, there's no extra charge for the blackboard, nothing to do, nothing to send in. You just pay the regular Wheaties price. So look for the Wheaties package with the sign on the front that says, Blackboard. That means there's one of these wonderful blackboards on the back, ready to use. Be sure to pick up several. They're at your grocer's right now. Just ask for the special Wheaties blackboard package. With his faithful 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 fella! I am, Silver! Hooray! It was early evening when Clarabelle Hornblow excitedly entered the sheriff's office in Red Rock. Well, where is he? What's he in jail for this time? And how much is it going to cost to get him out? When I get that ornery no good at the tooth work, how hand over... No, no, Clarabelle, take it easy. Ah, take it easy, you say. Well, I had to stop getting supper and come all the way into town when I got the message from one of my hands that you were holding Thunder Martin in jail. Guess that cowhand of yours didn't tell you why Thunder's in jail, did he? Nope, but I can guess. Got to carouse it and busted some more mirrors in the cafe or else... Now, wait a minute, Clarabelle, this is serious. You see, Thunder's here this time for murder. I don't give a hoot what he... What'd you say? He's in for murder. Murder? Now, look here. Thunder might be loco and all that, but he ain't one to go killing anybody. That'll be for the court to decide, Clarabelle. All I can say is it looks mighty bad for Thunder. Well, I just can't believe it. That you'd accuse Thunder, I mean. I just know he didn't do it. Want to see Thunder for a few minutes? No. Just tell him I was here and you tell him I'm gonna get the only person I know who can help find the yellow polecat who did the killing he's blamed for. I'm gonna find the Lone Ranger. That same evening, Clarabelle sent an urgent message to a Padre at a mission not far away. The following afternoon, the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode to the mission in response to smoke signals made by friendly Indians known to the Padre. They learned of Thunder's difficulty and immediately started for the town of Red Rock, 20 miles away. Darkness had fallen when the two men arrived at the outskirts of Red Rock. They rode the back trail and stopped behind the jail. Let's go, Tuttle. Yes, what can I do? Wait, no mask on me. Go go, Sheriff. We came to see Thunder Martin. You can't see him. No mask on me's gonna come. Take it to his cell and hurry. Seeing as how you got the drop on me, I reckon I'll have to. Come on. All right. Well, there he is. If you're figuring on helping him escape, mister, by... I'm alive. Am I glad to see you. Yeah, yeah, Sheriff. Yeah? Drop your arms and shake hands with the Lone Ranger. What? The Lone Ranger. Shipper. Great day. So that's who you are. That's right. This is my friend, Tonto. How? Sorry I had to pull guns on you, but you might not have waited for an explanation. May we talk to Thunder alone, Sheriff? Sure. He and Clarabelle are friends of mine, too, but, well, Thunder's got a lot of evidence against him. I have to keep him here. Why, of course, Sheriff. That's your duty. I'll leave you now. Be in my office when you're ready to leave. Oh, thanks. You know, I'm a thick-headed fool for being in this mess. But now that you and Tonto are here, I'm not worried anymore. We're sure you didn't kill anyone, Thunder, but we must convince everyone else of your innocence. The only way to do that is to get the full story from you and then try to find out who did commit the murder. That's right. Will you tell us all the facts as you remember them? Why, sure. It was this way. The other day, I was standing with a group of hombres in the cafe. They were joshing me about Clarabelle as usual. You and Clarabelle have been sweet on each other for a long time now, Thunder. When are you going to pop the question? Well, now, so far, all I get from Clarabelle is sour looks and a lot of bellowing. Now, if you call that being sweet on somebody, you're loco. Well, the fact is, Clarabelle's a mighty fine woman. Even if she is a mite rough and ready, we get along mighty well together when we're apart. Well, howdy, stranger. Step up and join us. Sure. Don't care if I do. The drink is on me. Well, shut him up, bartender. You see, boys, this hombre knows the quickest way to make friends around here. He sure does. He's all right, eh, boy? You must have struck it rich, mister, to be throwing your money around like that. Don't just hold out my farm down at Drygouche. I'm riding up to Pecos to take the train to St. Louis. Decided to pull up stakes, huh? Yep. Got a good price for the farm. So I'm taking the money with me. Going to set myself up in a little business back east. Hey, stranger, my name's Lucky Hilton. I run the gaming room here. What name do you go by, mister? My name's Jim Graham. Well, sir, now maybe you'd like to try a few of the games with some of your money. Might be your lucky day. No, don't go in for gambling. Had the bank pay me with $2,000 federal notes so that I wouldn't break into them too easy. I already had enough small bills for expenses. All right, enjoy yourself, Crane. And if you change your mind, just come in the other room. All right, I'll do that. Well, sir, I stayed a while after the stranger left. Then, after picking up some supplies at the general store, I rode out of town toward our ranch. After going a few miles, I saw a body on the trail. Whoa, there. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, Steve. Great jump on Jupiter. It's that stranger shot in the back. Let's see. He's done for all right. Some sneaking yellow coyote dragged off to him before he had a chance to... Oh, here comes a couple of hombres. Lucky they come along. Hey, come here. Hurry it up. Oh, hold on. Hey, I'm glad you come along. This hombre's been dragged off. Reach, just that quick. Wait a minute. Watch out. He thought you were red-handed. Reach like he said. Now, hold on. You got things all wrong. I didn't kill him. I just come along. Shut up. Take his gun, Biff. Sure. Oh, wait. Now, Biff, take this hombre who's been shot along with this homely gorilla to town. Now, let's go. Shut up. Well, that's the way it was. And when the sheriff looked at my gun, there was two bullets missing. I remember one of the hombres fired a couple of shots at a prairie dog on the way back to town. I told the sheriff he must have used my gun for those shots, but they both said I was lying that no shot were fired at all. Hmm. Where did the killing take place? Butcher, about three miles out the North Trail. There's a big gully to the left out there. Well, I'll be a dog here. Muckhead, I just knew you'd get here in a hurry, mister, if you got my message. Oh, I'm sure glad and relieved to see both of you. Hello, Clarabelle. Howdy, Clarabelle. I told Clarabelle you were here. We came as soon as we received your message, Clarabelle. Did Thunder tell you what happened? Yes, and knowing Thunder as we do, I'm sure he's been framed. Sheriff, what about the stranger's cache? It was missing, of course, and still is. Thunder didn't have it on him or in his saddlebags. If we could only find that cache. Todd and I'll do all we can to find it and prove that Thunder didn't commit murder. We'll continue our Lone Ranger adventure in just a moment. Fullback Bobby is a boy of nine. He can really hit that line. He's a star because he knows he's got gold power from Cheerios. Yes, he's got gold power. There he goes. He's feeling his Cheerios. Cheerios. Cheerios. Yes, it's a fact. Cheerios does give you real gold power. You see, Cheerios is made from oats. And 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. And Cheerios is so much fun to eat with its distinctive O shape and its wonderful toasted oat flavor. So tomorrow morning and every morning, start the day right with a Cheerios breakfast. Then you'll hear people saying... He's feeling his Cheerios. Now to continue. Meanwhile, one of the men who had accused Thunder hurriedly entered Lucky Hilton's office at the cafe. Hey, Lucky. There's a masked man at the sheriff's office. I could see him through the window. I looked around for his horse and finally found it behind the jail. A white stallion. What? A lone ranger. So he's here in town. Yeah, I figured that was him. If he does too much do from work... Look, why don't Carl and I wait in the shadows near the sheriff's office and gun him when he comes out. No, don't gun him here in town. Follow him. When he leaves and then plug him on the trail someplace. That'll be better. Right. See you later. Ranger and Tottle left the jail with Clarabelle and started for her ranch to spend the night. As they rode the trail about a mile out of town, Tottle glanced back. Then spoke quickly. He must have it. Yes? He looked back. See two riders come over hill. Ride from trail into gully. Me think them follow us. They go around the bend ahead. They'll get the drop on them if they come along the trail. Come on. Come, Scout. Come, get up. After rounding the bend, they pulled to a halt behind some large boulders. Have your gun ready. Cut up. They're coming along the trail now. Stop and reach. You're coming. Oh, boy. What's the idea? He's mad. Must be a holdup. No. But we're convinced you're following it. Huh? Why should we follow you? That's what I want to find out. You made a mistake, mister. We not make mistakes. The Lone Ranger looked keenly at the two men whose faces were clearly seen in the bright moonlight. He quickly decided he'd learn more about them if he allowed them to escape. Unnoticed by the two men, he touched Silver with his heel, causing the intelligent horse to rear and bump slightly against Tonto's horse. Oh, oh. Easy, Silver. Easy. Let's get away from here, Tom. Get up. Get up. Hey, they're getting away. I want them to get away, Clarabelle. Easy, Silver. Easy. Good work, fella. Me see you signal Silver. Them right to town, Jim, buddy. Now, we'll follow them and see where they go. They may have been connected with a murder. Say, someone in town must have seen you leaving the sheriff's office, figured you were the Lone Ranger, and that you were investigating the murder. Yes, that's possible. All right, let's go. Move, Silver. Get them up. Get up there. When they reached the outskirts of town, the masked man and Clarabelle waited, while Tonto followed the hoof marks from there. Soon, Tonto returned to report. What did you find out, Tom? Hoof marks lead to cafe. May have gone there to report to someone. I say we ought to go there right now and find out who those sneaking coyotes are, accuse them of killing the stranger, and then... Oh, right now, the evidence is against Thunder, Clarabelle. We can't accuse anyone without proof. But the trial starts in the morning, and from the looks of things, Thunder doesn't have much of a chance. We'll not give up hope yet. Say, do you think the sheriff would cooperate with us in a certain plan I have in mind? Why, sure. The sheriff liked Thunder, and he'd do all he could to help prove him innocent. Good. I don't want to be seen again at his office, Clarabelle. I'll tell you what to say, and you talk to the sheriff. Now, this is what I'd like him to do. After listening carefully to the Lone Ranger's instructions, Clarabelle rode to the sheriff's office and told him of the plan. Later that night, the cafe was crowded, and everyone was discussing the murder and the coming trial. Thunder Martin is rough and loud, but I say he's not a killer. Now, we saw it happen, didn't we, Carl? Sure. Martin's guilty, all right. It seems to me it's risky to wait for a trial. The sheriff is a friend of Martin's and might fix it so he can escape it. I think we ought to make sure he pays for what he did. We could take him from the jail and settle this thing tonight. Right. Hey, what's all the excitement here? What's going on? Carl and Biff are afraid Thunder Martin might escape. They figure we ought to handle things our own way tonight. Now, quiet. Quiet, everybody. You better get up that idea right now. And as for you, Carl, you, Biff, keep your mouth shut. Law will take care of Thunder Martin, so just forget about the mob taking the law into their own hands. What's that I heard about a mob? Oh, it's all right, Sheriff. Some of the boys got a little excited about the murder, that's all. I told them the law will take care of Thunder Martin. There's plenty of evidence against him. Of course, the case would be really clinched if we found what he did with the cash and poke of gold that's missing. Cash and poke of gold, did you say? Uh-huh. I met and talked with a stranger before he came into the cafe the day of the murder. He told me about selling property and getting paid in large bills he had in his wallet. He said he had the bank give him park payment in gold dust so he could show it to his folks back east. He carried it in leather polka. Gold dust, huh? Yep. Must have been worth considerable. Uh-huh. Let's, uh, let's hope it turns up. Uh-huh. I, uh, I don't think the crowd will start anything, Sheriff. After what I said to them, I'll give them refreshments on the house, take their minds off the kiln. Good, good. Step up, everybody. Refreshments around the house. I think I changed their minds, Sheriff, but, uh, maybe you'd better stay here and talk to them some more, huh? All right, I'll do that. Sure. Refreshments around the house for everybody. Now, Biff. Carl. Yes. I want to talk to you two in the office. Come on. Sure. Outside in the shadows, the Lone Ranger and Toto had been watching through the side window of the cafe. As Biff and Carl went toward the back office with Lucky, Toto spoke. He must have a good. Them two fellas who follow us on trail. Them going into office with another fella. Here you go. Stand outside the back door, Toto. I think we might learn something. Come on. All right. In his office, Lucky turned and faced Biff and Carl angrily. Now, you're sneaking pole cats. What happened to that poke of gold dust that stranger carried? You gotta believe us, Lucky. All we found was the wallet we brought you. We even searched the saddlebags before Thunder came along. That's right, Lucky. Carl's telling the truth. The crane didn't have any gold with him. You heard what the sheriff said. You two held out on me. Now, speak up. Where'd that poke of gold? Well, I said he would. Hey, what? There wasn't any gold. Hey, look, the masked man. He sneaked in the back door. He's got us covered. Well, grab your gun. Hold it. I'll move you two. Good work, mister. Well, Sheriff, our plan seems to have worked. Yep. We were listening just outside the office door. We could hear what was said. You can't prove anything on us. Keep him covered, mister. I'll search his desk. Right. Why, here's a wallet in the bottom drawer. Oh, that... That's an old one of mine. Yeah? What about the initials stamped on the inside? J.C. The victim's name was Jim Crane. We heard you. Matt admits you killed him. No, no, no. Wait a minute, Sheriff. I didn't have anything to do with it. Carl and Bip were in here last night. One of them left that wallet on my desk. I dropped it into a drawer. Oh, he's lying. Lucky planned the whole thing. He sent us to ambush and rob Crane after he saw the cash in that wallet. And you fired two shots from his gun to make it look like he'd gunned the stranger. Oh, Carl thought of that. We've heard enough, Sheriff. Lucky in these two men are responsible for the murder. I ought to tell Thunder what they did. Then put him into the cell with him one at a time before I release him. Oh, no, he's murderous. Thunder isn't a murderer. But he would give you both a beating you'd remember. However, he'll be satisfied with his release. Take these sneaking coyotes over to the jail, men. All right, Sheriff. All right, Sheriff. Later, Thunder Martin with Clarabelle and the sheriff entered the cafe where Thunder was immediately the center of attraction. Thunder, we all knew you were innocent. Well, thanks. It's sure good to be out of that rat hole as Sheriff calls the jail. I'm as glad to have you out of there as you are to be free, Thunder. The masked man's plan sure worked. We found the new $1,000 federal notes in Lucky's safe. And he broke down and confessed they were stolen from the stranger. So he still blames Carl and Biff. What about the poke of Golda? There wasn't any. I had my fingers crossed when I told about that. But it sure brought out the truth. I reckon you're relieved, Clarabelle, to have Thunder's name cleared. I sure am. You think I wanted to look all over the territory for a new mule skinner? You mean that's all you worried about? Well, now, I'd have felt bound to pay for your burial if you'd have been found guilty and hanged. Oh, come on home, you big lumphead. Those mules will be happy to see you back. Oh, now, Clarabelle! Don't worry, Thunder. She was mighty upset when you were in jail. She's the one who sent for the hombre who brought the killers to light, the Lone Ranger. A copyrighted feature of The Lone Ranger Incorporated is produced by Pendle Campbell Muir Incorporated. The part of The Lone Ranger is played by Brace Beamer, your announcer, Fred Poy. Listen to The Lone Ranger, brought to you by special recording Mondays through Fridays at this same time. Thank you.
