The Lone Ranger! A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-yo silver! The Lone Ranger! Before this exciting adventure, a word from our sponsor. 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 crowd! I'm Silver! Edna Corey left the general store in Rimrock and started toward the hitch rack where her horse was waiting. As she moved along the boardwalk, the bulky figure of a man suddenly blocked her path and spoke. What's your hurry, Miss Edna? Edna, startled by this interruption, Edna paused a moment and looked up into the grinning face of Steve Bartlett, who owned a ranch near her father's spread. If you don't mind, Mr. Bartlett, I'm in a hurry. Oh, now, Miss Edna, no use being unfriendly, seeing as how we're neighbors, and your father and I are aiming to get together on a land deal and all. Steve Bartlett, let go of my arm. Calm down, I'm not aiming to hurt you, Miss Edna. Your father would like for us to be friends. I said let me go. Lady said let go, Bartlett. Oh, you sneaking coyote. Oh, let's... He out-drawn, Bartlett. Yeah, I saw him sock steal. Yes, it's all out. Hey, please, you're trapped in a crowd. Put away your guns. All right, go on, beat it, everybody. This will be settled another time. Please hold your guns. All right, Miss Corey. I just will. So, Bob Allison, the nester, is trying to play the big hero, huh? The time will come and you'll be sorry for what you did a minute ago, Allison. I'll be waiting, Bartlett. I have a horse at the hitch rack, Miss Corey, if you're heading that way. Well, thank you. So long, Bartlett. My turn will come later, Allison. I'm afraid I caused you trouble. Don't let it worry you, ma'am. We'd better get started. Steady. Easy, boy. I'm ready. Come on, get up. Get up. That evening, Hank Corey and his daughter sat on the front porch of the ranch house. They watched intently as a horseman rode in toward them. Then Hank spoke. Looks like Steve Bartlett coming to call. Yep, that's Steve, all right. I'm going inside. See where you are. But, Dad, I... Sit down. Steve is a friend or neighbor. I don't want him to think you left because you didn't want to see him. But I don't want to see him. He can talk to you. Sit down, do you hear me? Hi, Steve. Glad to see you. Come up and join us. Hi, Hank. Evening, Miss Edmund. I'm going to my room right now. Edna, come back here. Edna. I'll settle this right now. No daughter of mine is... Oh, forget it, Hank. Sit down. The trouble is, you don't realize Edna's a grown woman now. She's bound to act ornery now and then. That's the first time Edna's ever crossed me, Steve. Well, I've never seen her give way like that before. Well, I reckon a girl acts like that when you talk about some hombre she thinks she's fallen for. Say, wait a minute. Are you talking about that nester you mentioned before, Bob Allison? Uh-huh. She got sore at me in town today because I told her you wouldn't like having them going together. Why, Thunder, I'm going to settle this with Edna right now. I'm going to tell her to stay away from that ornery young man. Now, wait a minute, Hank. That's the wrong way to go about it. The thing to do is to face Bob Allison. Lay the law down to him about it. All right. Then that's what I'll do. He usually hangs out in the cafe in town in the evenings. You can warn him in front of witnesses. And if he pulls anything tricky... All right. I'll get my horse. Then we'll go to town and see... Better if I don't go with you. Huh? I hope someday to get Edna to like me, you know. And if I'm mixed up in this, she'll turn against me more than ever. Yes, I guess you're right. I'll ride to town alone and see Allison. And before I get through talking, he'll know I really mean what I say. That night, the Lone Ranger decided to find out for himself what was taking place in town. He spent considerable time disguising himself as an Indian. When his disguised appearance was finally approved by Tonto, the Lone Ranger knew it would get by the less critical townsman. The two men mounted and rode to the edge of town where they left their horses and went on foot to the cafe. The crowd paid no attention to the two Indians who moved to the back of the cafe and stood as though waiting for someone. For some length of time, the Lone Ranger and Tonto watched and listened to the general conversation around them. Finally, the door opened and the rancher Hank Corey came into the cafe. I'm looking for Bob, where is he? Well, he's in here someplace. Yeah, he's at one of the back tables. Here I am, Mr. Corey. Back here. Let's get close at that table, Tonto. Unnoticed by the others, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, seemingly both Indians, moved closer to Bob's table. Well, listen, I want to talk to you. Howdy, Mr. Corey. Drop the chair. Look, what I got to say can be said better standing. Much more, you better listen close, because I don't aim to repeat what I have to say, you're savvy. All right, I'm listening. Go ahead. I understand you've been keeping company with my daughter behind my back. Well, Mr. Corey, if you call riding out the trail as far as your gate with it a day, keeping company... Hey, you only sneaking nester standing there trying to laugh it off isn't going to do you any good. Now, hold on, Mr. Corey. Those are the kind of harsh words you're using. But seeing as how you're Edna's head, I don't... Edna, eh? So that's what you call her? She gave me the right to call her. Well, I'm taking that back here and now, you savvy. She's Miss Corey to you. And from now on, stay away from her. And what if I don't? If you don't, I'll come gunning for you and shoot you down like an ornery coyote. Then I'll get the other ranches together and burn out every yellow-bellied nester in the valley. That's all I got to say to you, Allison. Now I'll leave. As Corey stalked out of the cafe, Bob Allison stood looking after him for a moment. Then he too got up and left. A few minutes later, the Lone Ranger and Toto eased out the back door and went to the place where they had left their horses. Why, Silver? Rancher plenty mad, Kimusabi. Me know him mean, what him say to Allison. Yes. Steve Bartlett is behind that, Toto. And that's what me think. Bartlett wants to arouse the ranches against those nesters. I'm convinced he'll find a way to get Corey to carry out his threat against Allison and the others in the valley. We'll continue our Lone Ranger adventure in just a moment. This is Cleo Lane speaking. And this is Johnny Dankworth speaking. Now to continue. After hearing Corey threaten Bob Allison in the Rimrock Cafe, the Lone Ranger and Toto returned to their camp. It was almost midnight that same night when Steve Bartlett sat in the main room of his ranch house and listened to his foreman who had just come back from town. The foreman was telling about the threat Corey made to Bob Allison. Well, Senor Corey is red in the face like a beet. And he shakes his fist under the nose of Senor Allison. Allison was taken by surprise, huh, Carlos? Si. But he's hold his temper more than I expect. He was plenty scared of Hank Corey, I reckon. Oh, I do not exactly think that. But this Senor Allison may not give Corey any reason to carry out his threat. Well, I'll tell you about a plan I have that'll give Corey plenty of reason. And in the morning, we'll talk the plan over with the boys. With their help, we'll put it into effect so that things will really be popping before tomorrow night. The following morning, the lone ranger and Tonto rode to the edge of town and reined to a halt in a secluded clump of trees. I'll wait here, Tonto, or you go on into town and see what you can find out. Adios. Adios. Get him off, Scout. As Tonto rode into town, he saw Steve Bartlett entering the cafe alone. Tonto left Scout at the hitch rack, then sauntered into the cafe and moved unnoticed to the back as he glanced around for Bartlett. He saw Steve standing at the bar talking to the barkeep. You're in town early today, aren't you, Steve? Yeah, I'm a little earlier than usual, I reckon. Got some business to attend to. A couple of my men, Carlos and Lou, are supposed to meet me here. Well, here comes Carlos now, Steve. Oh, you get here already, eh, Steve? Yeah, yeah. Let's go back and sit at that back table. I think she's know how you made out. Come on. As the two men moved to a rear table, Tonto edged closer and seeing a vacant table next to theirs, he sat down and pretended to be dozing as they settled themselves and talked in voices that were low but audible to the Indian. How are things going? Early this morning, I have heard from one of the cowpokes at the ranch that Senor Correa rode to the West Range. Good. Go on. For a while, I wait. Then I arrive to the Correa Ranch house. I ask the girl if you have been there. Yeah, what'd she say? She say, no, Mr. Bartlett has not been there. Then she asks me, why would I expect you to be there so early in the morning? She's still peeved, but she'll get over it. Can you tell her what I told you to tell her? Oh, si, si, Senor Steve. I am saying, Senorita, it is because the Senor Bartlett is worried about your father. He say he goes with the gun to find Senor Allison. Yeah, what's she saying? Oh, the Senorita, she is much upset. She say she must get to town pronto. Then I leave and ride fast to meet you, Steve. Good. She ought to be coming along soon. Lou ought to be along soon, too. He went to tell Allison Edna Corey wants to see him in town. You think this hombre Allison will come? No, he'll come, all right. In a hurry, I'll bet. Yep, now I'll ride out to the West Range and tell Hank Corey that Allison and his daughter are meeting in town. They ought to be together by the time Hank and I get back here. Wait here for me, Carlos. We'll watch them. After Steve left the cafe, Tonto went to the edge of town where the Lone Ranger was waiting. He told the masked man what he had overheard. The Corey Ranch and the trail to the Nestor's Valley are on the other side of town. We'll circle the town and try to keep one of the three, Edna, Corey, or Allison, from coming into Rimrock. All right, let's hurry. Keeping behind the buildings, the Lone Ranger and Tonto rode toward the other end of town. As they passed an opening between two buildings, they saw Bob Allison standing in front of the hotel. Then as they reached the other end of town, they saw Edna Corey riding into Rimrock. She had already started up the main street when the masked man and Indian reigned to a halt. Hold it. Hold it. That was Edna Corey, Tonto. She'll meet Bob Allison in front of the hotel. Ah. And what we do, Kimo, subby? Maybe we can stop Corey before he reaches town. Let's go. Come on, Silver. Up, scout. For a short distance, the Lone Ranger and Tonto raced along the west trail in hopes of meeting Hank Corey. As they started over a rise in the trail, the masked man called for a quick halt. Wait, Tonto. Hold, Silver. Hold. Stay easy. Look, coming over that distant hill, a large dust cloud. That means a group of horsemen. Let's go into that arroyo to the left and hurry. Come on, Silver. Up, scout. Come on, Silver. I don't think they noticed us. They'll soon be passing here. I'm coming along the trail now, Kimo, subby. Yes, I know. Quiet, Silver. That's Hank Corey with Steve Bartlett and some of the men from the Corey Ranch. That's right. It's not safe to try stopping. Yes, I know. We'll follow them to town. Let's hurry. Move, move, move, move, move, move. Meantime, Edna had ridden to Rimrock and went searching for her father and Bob Allison. She saw Bob in front of the hotel. Whoa, whoa there, whoa. Steady. I got your message and came to town right away. Message? I didn't send any message. What? Why don't say me this? Why are you here? Didn't you send an hombre to say you wanted to see me? No, no, Bob, I didn't. I see it all now. It was Dad's way of getting you here. He's out gunning for you. Now, now, take it easy, honey. Your dad warned me yesterday that if I kept on seeing you, he'd come gunning for me. But up to now, he isn't... If Dad's temper is up, there's no telling what he'll do, Bob. He must have changed his mind or something. Anyway, you must leave town right away before he sees you. Oh, please, Bob. No, no, honey, don't take on so. There's no need to worry about your dad getting hurt. About dad getting hurt? Bob, then you'll go before he... No, I'm staying. But he'll shoot you. He'll kill you. Oh, Bob, don't wait, Bob, please. Too late, Edna. Where's your dad now, dismounting at the hitchhack? For a tense moment, Bob and Edna stood side by side and watched as Hank Corey dismounted with Steve and the other men. Edna's father stood staring at them, his hands hanging at his sides. Then he left the other men and walked slowly to the middle of the street. News of the impending gun battle had spread rapidly and townsmen lined the sidewalks to watch. Hank Corey finally called out to Bob Allison. Allison, you didn't pay any attention to the warning they gave you last night. Now I'm giving you a chance to come out into the street and beat me to the draw. Bob, I'm going to tell Dad we didn't plan this meeting. No, Edna. He won't believe you. And folks will think I'm being yellow. I... I got to go now, honey. Adios. No. No, Bob. Slowly, Bob Allison walked into the street, then turned and slowly closed the distance between Corey and himself. When he was about ten feet away from Hank Corey, Bob stopped and stood with hands hanging. Allison! Steve Buttigieg is going to count to three. On the count of three, we draw, you shall we? All right, Steve. Start counting. The watching crowd tensed as they waited for the count. They looked from the young nester to the older rancher and back again as the two men stood motionless staring at each other. One. As the first number was called, the attention of the crowd was focused on the tense drama before them. They knew Hank Corey's reputation as a gunman, and a wave of silent admiration broke over the watchers at Bob Allison's steady nerve. So? The spectators moved restlessly as the final count neared, and even Edna, back on the walk, watched in tense, horrified silence as she waited for the fatal number to be called. Then... Moving quickly, the masked man and Tonto advanced to the middle of the street with drawn guns, each covering either side of the street. Hey, a masked man and an Indian. Look at those guns. A masked man's bullet nicked Corey's hand. Oh, you creased my head and made me drop my gun, mister. Look at Bob Allison, Corey. He still hasn't drawn. He didn't even make a move to draw. Say, he's right. Allison didn't try to draw. He was going to take Corey's bullet. Bob! Oh, Bob, thank heaven you're safe. I just couldn't see drawing against your dad, honey. Allison, you mean to say you didn't intend to draw against me? Of course you didn't, Corey. He didn't want to draw against the father of the girl he loves. Well, by your thunder, regardless of that, and in spite of him having you nearby to interfere, mister, I'll call my men here. Allison doesn't know me. He never saw me before. We found out that certain men planned this to suit their own purposes. Yeah? What do you mean? Steve Bartlett and his men planned it. He wants Allison out of the way, and he wants to see the valley cleared of Nestor's. One of his men got your daughter to come here. Another tricked Bob into coming to town. Then Steve Bartlett himself went to tell you that they were here together. Dad, the masked man's right. I came to town because I was told you'd already come here to kill Bob. I came here because one of Bartlett's men said Edna was in trouble. Bartlett wanted to get back at me for knocking him down yesterday when he insulted Edna. That's right. Bartlett insulted Edna. Where is that duchy? I'll fix that Nestor right now. No, you won't. Help me in. Grab Bartlett and his sneaking cowpokes. We're going to run them out of Rimrock for good and all. Now, listen. I guess I was a fool for letting myself be led so easy. I reckon I, well, ought to appreciate the way you were willing to take a bullet rather than plug me for Edna's sake. Sure. let's start all over and be friends. Shall we, son? Why, sure. Bob, I guess maybe Dad won't object if you ride home with me again. Will you, Dad? Well, I reckon someday you'll both be riding right past the ranch and into the valley. You know, having a nester in the family will be different anyhow. Dad, such a thing to say. I hope it'll be like that someday, honey. Who knows? The masked man seemed to know how you felt about me even before you did yourself. Bob? Yes. Why, he and the Indian are gone. Who is he anyhow? You know, I've figured out that there's only one man who could crease the back of my hand to spoil my aim. And that's the Lone Ranger. A copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated is produced by Trandall Campbell Muir Incorporated. The part of the Lone Ranger is played by Grace Beamer. Your announcer, Fred Foy.
