horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty hi-oh silver, the Lone Ranger. As cowboys gather around their campfires, they still tell stories of the most picturesque and colorful character ever to ride the planes. The masked rider of justice whose deeds have been handed down through the years by the people of seven western states. A thrilling adventure lies ahead as the Lone Ranger rides again. Just a hurry! Hi-oh silver! Jake Caldwell and Lem Purdy had fought hard and worked hard throughout their years together. They had seen stampedes and dusty drives over long trails. They'd known good times and bad. They'd quarreled, and each on more than one occasion had saved the other's life. But they'd never been parted, and as they grew old, they lived in a small two-room shack some distance from town, their lifetime savings hidden in their home. It is night as our story opens, Jake, disturbed by a noise, excitedly awakens his partner. Lem, Lem, wake up. Come on. Stop shaking me. Wake up, Trachy, and keep quiet. Oh, what's the matter? Tain't morning, is it? Ain't even light outside. I know it ain't, but wake up. I hear the door of the house squeaking. Oh, wind blowing it like as not. Wind nothing. Ain't the breath of air stirring. What's more, I borrowed that door myself before I come to bed. Jake, did you say someone was in the house? Dad, Ratchet, get the sleep rubbed out in your eyes and get your shooting iron. I'm awake now. Let go of me. I'm wide awake. Someone's in this here house, Lem. Someone's after our money. Well, then, let's get going. Now, stand ready. Get your gun steady, and I'll open the door suddenly. I'm ready. Calling him to stand still. If he don't, he'll just open fire. You sure there's someone there? I don't know. If he ain't, it's all right. Here goes. Stand where you are. There you see him. He's shooting. Shoot back. He's getting out. Take a shot. I'm winged. There he goes. Shoot him, Jake. Shoot him. Missed. Blast the dark. I missed him. Get a lamp going. See if he's got our cash. How bad you hurt, Lem. Never mind me. I'm just winged. Get after that critter. How can I? Get a light. See if our cash is gone. Don't set yourself down. Take it easy till I get this lamp lit. I gotta see how bad you hurt. That's the first thing. Our cash. Your cash won't be no good to you if you're dead. Maybe that wound's bad. What ain't bad? I'll have a light in a jiffy now. There we are. See about the money. If we lose that cash, we're cleaned. Every dime we had in the world was in the box. Look. The box is gone. Oh, he got it, Jake. He's cleaned us out. It's the same skunk we've been hearing about. Rob. Flat broke. The dirty, orange-ripped polecat. The snake. The long... Let me see that wound. Oh, but we'll get him. He can't get away. I was ready for him. Stop your noise and let me see your arm. The heck with my arm. Take a look outside the door. I fixed it so as a critter wouldn't rob us. Lem, don't excite yourself now. I ain't. I tell you, Jake, I trapped him. I figured he'd come to rob us sooner or later. Sure, sure thing, Lem. I know all about it. You think I'm loco. Sometimes a wound gives a man a fever. He don't know what he's saying. Now, just you wait till I get water heated up and I... Let me look outside the door. Lem, won't you sit still? I had reasons for not wanting you to use the front door, Jake. I've been wondering how long it'd be before the sneaking thief come to get our cash. Come here. All right, Lem. I'll humor you. Just fetch the lamp and take a look. A man couldn't come in the front door without walking on the porch. No, I reckon not. All right, now fetch the lamp. I'm fetching it. Here it is. Come on. That wound to yours needs that wound. Look, look here. Look. A couple days ago, you thought I was loco, didn't you? It didn't make sense. You're claiming you wanted to feed the birds and throwing flour in the porch firm. You thought I was loco. Well, I thought... I was trying to feed flour to the birds. Well, all I wanted was to spread flour on the porch. Now, now look. Why, doggone. A footprint. A clear one and a good one. Turn if it ain't. There's the mark of the sneak thief. Sheik, these rewards hurry. Yeah. He's been working all around here. Rob someone most every night. Yep, and takes care not to leave tracks. Well, there's his track. Sure enough is. And that track will hang the skunk. I told the sheriff what it done. Now, all we got to do is to get him here. Let him find the boot that matches that mark. That won't be hard, Lem. Well, why won't it? Look at the size of them boots. Ain't but three men in the whole blame town wears boots that big. And it's passed. You see? Yes, sir. Jake, we're going to get our money back and get that reward and all the honor of getting the thief on top of it. Lem, I thought at first that you was touched in the head. I knew it. And then I thought you was a little feverish. And then I thought for sure you was loco. But I take it all back. You're smart. Early the next morning, the two excited old men reported the robbery to the sheriff. They also told him of the footprint. And the lawman returned to their shack to make an investigation. It's about the clearest footprint I've ever seen. And we seen it last night, Sheriff. And then we put a box over so it wouldn't blow away. You can trace a crook by it, can't you, Sheriff? Now, let me see. How many men wears that size boot, is he? Two, maybe three. That's what I figured. There's one of them who wouldn't stop it robbing you. Who? Big Wally Burke. Wally Burke. By darn, that sounds like the man. He never was good for much, was he? Drunk half the time and sleeping most of the rest. His wife's most crazy trying to make something of him. Then he's the one. He keeps telling it around that he's going to come into some money somewhere. Yeah, well, he's come into it. But by darn, he won't keep it for long. Lem, last week when you told me about the scheme you had in mind, I thought you was loco. Me too. Well, it wasn't as things as proved. You give me the clue that'll make it so as I can get that sneak thief that's been working around here and jail him. He wounded me. Well, maybe we can hang him for that. It wasn't his fault that you wasn't killed. He's shot to kill. You gonna call Aunt Burke now? I sure as thunder am. And when I do, I'll take a look at his boots. And if they got a patch that matches this, we got the goods on him. Our scene changes to the home of Wally Burke. Wally was a typical character to be found in almost any small town. He was big but lazy. Good-natured but shiftless. He was honest but not clever. He seldom possessed anything more than small sums of cash. And it was with surprise that his wife watched him as he counted a large pile of money. Uh, I still can't believe it, Wally. All that money. Ours. Yep. Honest? It's as honest as any cash that's circulated out here, Mary. But where'd it come from? I told you, Mary, that someday it'd come to me. It's reward money. For what? Well, I can't tell much without sort of boosting. What'd you ever do that got a reward? Help to catch five killers over Pecos Way. They was masked men that'd done most of the work. But he promised me that I'd get the reward. And he gave it to you? Yep. Last night when I read out. I guess I kind of sneaked out the house on you. But I've been going out to Flat Rock every night, hoping sometime this man would be there with the cash. Last night he was there. Oh, Wally. Now if you'd only straighten up and stop drinking and do something worthwhile. I'm a-going to, Mary. I promise you that. I'm a changed man. Now I'm a man of affairs. If only you'd prove that by your actions. I'm going to put this cash in the bank. If we've seen the last of the hard days, I'd be the happiest woman in the world. See who's there, will you, honey? And fetch my boots when you come back from by the door. I will. I'll put the cash away till I go to the bank. Howdy, Mary. Sheriff. I want to speak to Wally. Come on in. Howdy, Sheriff. Come on in. Well, there's Lemon Jake. You two old galoots. How in tarnation are you? Not as bad as it might be. Where's that cash from? Take a look, Sheriff. My luck's changed. Yeah, changed for the worse. What's the matter? That's our cash. Yours? Looks like we got you for the goods, Burke. Huh? Why now, Sheriff? She's here. They were our place last night, didn't you? So our cash. So did Lem. Now, gents, I don't know what you... Wally, is that the truth? Why, no. Was this critter out of the house last night, Mary? Yes. He's been out most every night. Now, look here. So you're the critter that robbed Lem and Jake, eh? I never done no such a thing. Where'd that cash come from? Why, it's reward money. I got it for something I did in Pecos. When? I got the cash last night. That's likely. How long since Pecos been paying reward cash in the middle of the night? Well, it wasn't paid direct by Pecos. A man fetched it to me. What's his name? I don't know that. Where's he from? I don't know. Where's he now? I don't know nothing about him. He was mad. If that don't be all. Expect that sort of story, I'll be believed. Hold on, boys. Let me handle this. Oh, Wally. Wally. You can't fib your way out of it. Why don't you tell the truth about it? I ain't fibbing, Mary. I'm trying to tell the truth. Wally, you didn't need to go to Lem and Jake's place to meet this masked hombre that you didn't know nothing about, did you? I wasn't nowhere near Jake's place. Then tell me how your boot made a print on his front porch. Huh? Lem had flowers spread there. He said it is a trap and it worked. This boot fits that mark on the porch. I don't see how that could be. I didn't wear them boots and I wasn't near the porch. I snuck out of the house last night so Mary couldn't stop me. I was wearing these moccasin slippers I got on right now. You thief. I wasn't even near the house. I got this money on us from the mask man. Ain't no use trying to brazen it out, Wally. They got you. We'll take our cash back if you don't mind, Sheriff. Take it. Now then, Burke, you're under arrest. But Sheriff, I tell you... Maybe you can save yourself from hanging by telling where you've hid all the rest of the stuff you sold. I ain't stole nothing. Mary, you tell them. I'm sorry, Wally. Much as I'd like to be on your side, I can't believe you're anything but a sneak thief. There's been a lot of talk around here about the sneaking coyote that's robbed everyone. But to think it had to be you, you of all people... But Mary... It's no use, Wally. I'd have stuck by you through almost anything. But stealing like that and shooting at a poor old man like Lynn. Well, you'll have to take what's coming to you. That's all I can say. Come on, Burke. But guys, Sheriff, Jake, Lynn... Let me, rat. Come on, there. Boys, let me get these slippers off and get my boots on. You won't need boots in jail. Honey, don't you believe what they say. I'm telling you the truth. Who's that? Mrs. Burke. Masked. Who are you? I'm the masked man who met your husband last night. Didn't he tell you about it? You? Yes. You gave him money that was for a reward? Yes. Why? Where is he? Then he told the truth. What? Well, mister, they took him to jail. He's charged with stealing. He couldn't even make me believe the truth. Whoever you are, in the name of heaven, help poor Wally. I'll be back. The curtain falls on the first act of tonight's Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. The savings of Jake Caldwell and Lem Purdy were stolen by a thief who entered their shack at night. A footprint left by the thief made them suspect Wally Burke. Wally was discovered by the sheriff in possession of a large sum of money and thrown into prison. But the cash was reward money given him by the Lone Ranger. When the masked man learned what had happened, he rode to his camp, where he met Tonto. So after I left Burke's home, Tonto, I inquired around the town and learned all about this sneak thief. Who him? I don't know who the real thief is, Tonto, but I do know it isn't Wally Burke. You with him last night? Yes. We were together at the time this prowler went to the home of those two old men. Ah. But you and I are the only ones who know that Burke is innocent. Lawmen not believe you. No, they have Burke in jail. The curious thing is, his boots do fit the print on Lem's front porch. Oh. The thief stole much less from those two than Burke got as his reward. The sheriff naturally supposed that other stolen money was with Lem's and Jake's. We get Burke free, huh? We're going to get him free, Kimo Sabe, but I don't know just how we'll do it. You sure boot fit print on porch? The sheriff said he did. Maybe him wrong. He might be, but it's hardly likely. However, we'll make sure for ourselves that the print is still there. Oh, footprint's still there? The sheriff has it covered to make sure the flower doesn't blow away. He plans to use it as evidence at Burke's trial. What law do to Burke? As nearly as I can find out, they plan to hang him. Him, not killer? I know it. Him, not horse thief? The man who stole Lem's money wounded him. The sheriff claims that the shot was fired with the intention of killing. On the strength of that, they'll try to hang poor Wally Burke. Him, our friend. We came all the way from Pecos to give him the reward he earned. We're going to do our best to give him the freedom to enjoy that money. Tonto, you stay in town and learn everything you can. Find out all there is to know about the sneak thief. Meanwhile, I'll learn what I can in another way. We'll meet here in two days' time and compare notes. Tonto, go to town now. And I'm going back to Mary Burke's place. I want to hear more about her husband. Come on, children. Get him up, white fellow. The sheriff locked Burke in the jail, then made his way to another cell, where Simon Boswell was in prison for cattle stealing. The sheriff, not wishing to be overheard, spoke to Boswell in guarded tones. It's worked slick as silk, Boswell. Burke sure to be convicted, ain't he? Never was anything more sure. Good. It's a good thing I was told about that flower on Lem's front porch. It'd give us the chance to leave them footprints there. Yeah. Prince, the biggest man in the town. When I saw Wally sneak out of the house last night, I went in and got his boots. His missus was asleep. Say, them boots must have come all the way to your hips when you wore them, didn't they? Well, they were darned inconvenient, but I managed them all right enough. I even walked a little ways from the house to my horse, so it's leave prints on the ground as well as on the porch. Good. Now, there's one thing that's got me a little worried, Simon. What's that? Well, them and Jake seen you when you fired, didn't they? They seen someone was in the room, that's all. Did they see how undersized you was? I don't think so. It was dark. I reckon if they had, they'd have said something about it. I'm sure they would have. I never figured on us getting all the luck we had. What's that? Burke was given some reward money the same night. Oh, yeah. I heard about that. It worked out perfect. I'd figured he'd be catched with no cash, and we'd have to make folks think he hid the money. But he had the cash right with him. Too bad we can't get that, too. It's gone to Lamb and Jake. Yeah. Maybe if Wally could escape, you could slip out another night and go to Lamb's place again. Folks would think Burke went there and stole the cash before he made his getaway. That might be worth a try. By thunder, it could be done, Simon. Suppose it could. I can tell Wally that he's due to hang. I'll fix up a story and see how he takes it. I'll let you know by and by. I'll talk to him right now. All right. Do that. Sheriff, I tell you, you ain't giving me a fair chance. I want to speak to you, Burke. You talked with Boswell in the cell on the other side, but you won't come near to me. I'm here now, Burke. Listen, won't you just try and find that masked man? He'd tell you the truth. Well, your story's too thin, Wally. No jury'd believe it. Well, go to Paca. Too far. But, Gratis, I'm innocent. Listen, Burke. Will you listen a minute? Well? You're in a bad way. Maybe you don't realize what's ahead for you. Oh, I know. Jailed for about five years. No. Worse. You wouldn't keep me here no more than that. No jury would give me more. You won't stay in jail long, Wally. You shot Lamb. I did not. The facts say you're the one that was there. And the one that was there shot him. Attempting a murder is the same as murder, as far as punishment's concerned. You savvy? No. You're slated to hang, Wally. What? But I'm innocent. Now, hold on. I don't believe your intention was to kill. That's where I'm different from the jury that'll try you. I don't want to see you hang. I don't want to hang. There ain't but one way for you to avoid it. That's to make your getaway from the jail. How? Don't talk so loud. How can I get away? I'll help you, too. Late this afternoon, when folks ate around, I'll let you out. You get heading for the north country and keep moving. I'll have a horse for you. Then I'll be an outlaw. Take your choice. A living outlaw or a new grave in Boothill. I won't be able to see Mary no more. Reckon she don't care much about seeing you, Wally. No, I reckon she don't. I'm just born to hard luck. It'd be bad enough if I was guilty, but being innocent, being on the verge of having things that cashed by, then to see it all gone? Oh, Sheriff, I may as well head for the badlands. Late that afternoon, the Lone Ranger and Wally Burke's wife closely examined the ground near the shack for further evidence. Caldwell and Purdy, unable to understand what they were searching for, watched with open curiosity. What the same hell are they doing anyways? I don't know, I am. They're coming to the house now. May as well open the door and let them in. I'm sorry for Mary Burke. Yeah, so am I. Hi there, Mary. What you doing? I wanted to have a look at the print on your front porch, Len, if you don't mind. Them Wally's boots? Yes. I'm too polite to inquire about the mask, man. Seems you might show better judgment, though, Mary. What do you mean, Jake? Well, being as your husband's in jail, it ain't wise for you to associate with his outlaw friends. I'm not an outlaw. Now take the cover off that footprint. I want to see it. Gosh, you talk like you was used to giving orders, stranger. Let me see the print that sent Burke to jail. Lift the box up, Len. Yeah. There. The boot fits it all right, mister. Yes, but that doesn't prove that Wally Burke wore this boot. Huh? Unfortunately for the real criminal, he walked in the dirt here far enough where he strived to show. What do you mean? I don't say, Evie. Burke is about the same height as I am. Look how I'd have to walk to match this stride. Jump on Juniper. Jake, do you see that? Do I see it? Am I blind? Them short steps. Burke never could walk like that, let alone run for his horse to make a getaway. I know Burke isn't guilty because I'm the man who brought the money to him. The money? The money he said was given him by a masked man. The money you claimed is your own. But we, me and Jake, we was robbed. Yes, and the thief still has what he took from you. Who's the smallest man in town? Grass, they don't grow small around here, stranger. There's that cattle thief. Oh, but no, it couldn't be Simon Boswell. Why? He's already in jail. He is? I want to see him. Who knew about the flour you spilled here? Why'd you want to know that? Because the thief made it a point to step in it. Who knew it was here? No one but me and Lamb. The sheriff, Jake. I told the sheriff. Look, there's Wally riding away. Your husband. Are you sure of that, Mary? Yes, I know his style of riding. That's him heading north from town. Here's over. Where's he going? He must have got loose from the jail. He's escaping. I'm going after him. We're going to learn things now. The Lone Ranger overtook Wally Burke, and together the two men rode out of sight. That night the jail was lighted only by the moon shining through the barred windows. The sheriff went silently to Simon Boswell's cell and unlocked the door. Jill, you're out of town, Boswell. Is everything all right? Sure, as long as you keep quiet. Careful not to leave no tracks tonight. I couldn't get them boots for you to wear again. Where are they? I don't know. I went to the house for them, but Mary wasn't home, and the boots was missing. I wonder where she put them. Never mind them. Get going now, and be sure you're back here so I can lock you up again before a morning. I'll be back all right. By the time you've finished your term in jail, we'll both be sitting pretty. We're sitting pretty already. I'll get going now. Well, maybe when I've got all I can out of him, he'll have an accident. Too bad for Wally Burke. But he should learn to take care of himself like I do. You stand still. What the? Now go back. Hey, what's the meaning of this? You'll find out by... By... Put on that gun. I'll have you hung for this. You're sticking up the law. Huh? That's right. You bad law. You cussed redskin. What do you expect to get out of this? You see. Now me take gun. No, you don't. You take that. You... Now you go in jail. Now hold on. Listen. You can't do this. Hey, don't. I'll lock you in jail. Wait. Listen, Indian. I'll make a deal with you. I'll pay you cash money. There's things you don't savvy. It's worth a lot to me to get out of here. I'll pay you more than you've ever seen before. Let me make a deal. Tonto disappeared and left the sheriff in the cell recently occupied by Simon Boswell. The sheriff, raging, shook the bars of his cell and called for help, but received no reply. The hours went by slowly until finally, at daybreak, Boswell returned and found the exhausted lawman locked in the jail. Very gosh. What's this mean? Let me out. Let me out before someone comes and sees me in here. How'd you get in there? Where's the key? I don't know where the key is. The engine's got it. Did you get the cash? No, it's right here in this package. Them two didn't even wake up this time. Who says so? Lynn. We was awake here, rat. You. We was awake all the time, keeping quiet. Now maybe the truth will come out. Burke. You back? We all here. It's a frame-up. It's a frame-up. You can't do more than jail me. That, Boswell, is for a jury to decide. The sheriff said the man who shot Lem will have to hang. No, no. I'll tell you everything if I don't hang. I'll tell you where the money's hid. That's the thing we want to know. Engine, you got the key for that there, Sel? Uh-huh. Me. Got. Then open the door and let Simon Boswell in along with the sheriff. There's the mask, man. Now give me the reward money. Maybe now you'll believe me, sheriff. It don't matter if he believes you, Wally. I do. Mary! Oh, gosh, Mary. Maybe at last our luck has changed. Listen here. I'll make a deal with all of you. The door, Tonto. Oh, there. Door. Door open. In with you, Boswell. I reckon when the United States Marshal takes charge, he'll be downright pleased to have all the true facts of the robberies in these parts and the sneaking lawman that led a prisoner out in jail to rob folks. Mister, you fetched me that reward money. I tried in Pecos to get you to take it. I'm offering it again right here now. Hey, wait a minute, mister. I'm talking to you. Come on, there, silver old fellow. There's trouble in San Carlo. How does they're waiting? The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature for paiո, and the daily type of services is a copyrighted feature and the second one is a copyrighted feature in the past. Theääb rider on Than 0, we only have in the first one is a copyrighted feature a copyrighted feature in Mann pic distint.
