A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high-o silver, the Lone Ranger. A phantom figure of the plains rode the trails of the western United States, helping the agencies of law to bring peace to a lawless new land. It was the famous Lone Ranger, his identity unknown to anyone except his loyal Indian friend, Tonto. Adventure always followed him in his exciting exploits. So let's thrill once again as we turn back many years to the wild and untamed west of old, The Lone Ranger rides again! Eagle Pass was a narrow cut between two sheer walls of solid rock. It separated the fertile valley where fine cattle grazed from the trail that led to the nearest shipping point. The general store and hotel, run by old Pop Carter, was located at the pass. Here the cattlemen were accustomed to pause for rest and supplies before continuing their cattle drives eastward. In the first scene of our Lone Ranger drama, we find Clem Peabody guiding his large herd toward the pass. Hey, Pop! Don't go if you ain't a sight for sore eyes! Aye, Clem! Maybe you won't be so glad to see me when you hear what I gotta tell ya! Oh, there! Oh, steady boy! I'll draw up and pass a word while I wait for the critters to catch up to me. I got the finest stock ever! Just look at them longhorns! Yeah. What's the matter? You look like you'd aged ten years since last time I come through here. Reckon I have, Clem. Things ain't been good with me. What's the matter? Big Bill Lawson's outfit. Them cow thieves working around here? Not exactly. But you'll have trouble with them. I got men to wipe them out. Don't get that sort of idea, Clem. Take a look ahead. There's bars across the pass. You see? What's them for? Toll. Toll? Yep. You see, my land went across the pass, as you know. Sure, but what about it? I always had a pretty fair income from a store there. And I was glad to leave things stand like they was. But then Big Bill and his breeds and polecats come along. Where they at now? Right inside my place. They took it over. You mean they took you... I mean they bought it from me. I had my choice of selling or die. Well, of all things... So I sold it to them. And they let me stay here to sort of tell you and all other ranchers that'll be passing this way how things stand. Ah, Clem, it's a bad state of affairs. What's laws and what? Cash. You said something about toll. Yep. Two bits for every head that goes through the pass. Two bits? Well, I got over 2,000 head of cattle. And then it'll cost you plenty to get them through the pass. I won't pay it. It's robbery. I'm afraid you ain't no choice, Clem. Well, I'll turn back. Go back and you won't get no cows to market. You know as well as I do that you can't go around no other way. Doggone it. It'll mount up to near $500. Well, if you prefer, you can sign one-fourth of your cattle over to Big Bill. One quarter of my cattle. That's even worse robbery. Yeah. You see, he don't want to take the cattle. He'd sooner have the cash. Well, if I give him 500 cows, I'll never come out even. I know it. So's Big Bill. He's figuring nobody will leave cattle with him. And if I will. Is that him over yonder? Yeah, that's him. I'll go see him. Get up there. $500 or $500 head of cattle. I should say that. Hey there, Lord. I want to talk with you. I figured you would. What's your name? Clam Peabody from the Bar X brand. What's this I hear about you robbing men that aim to get to market? I ain't robbing nobody, Peabody. I own this land now. If you want to cross, you pay two bits of head for cows. That's all there is to it. I've heard of you and your outlaws and your rustling. Now, hold on there, Peabody. I don't like to listen to that kind of talk. In the first place, there ain't a lawman in the country looking for me or any man that's with me. Ain't a lawman wouldn't like to have some proof of the things you've done. That may be right. But lacking proof, they can't do much, can they? So now you scheme a legal way to rob folks. Well, I ain't no cash with me. That's all right, Peabody. Cash or cattle, it don't matter. One cow to you for every three I take through. Them's the terms. It's robbery. I don't aim to make it too hard for you gents. You can give me your note and pay it when you come back here on your way home. You're mighty trusting, ain't you? Of course, you could go the long way around through the hills. And travel a hundred miles to cross the canyon. If you went through the pass and took the other route back, I'd just send men to your ranch to collect on the note. So I don't take no chance in trusting, you see? Five hundred dollars. If you got two thousand head, that's just right. Why, you ordinary low-down cattle... I don't like harsh words, Peabody. Now pay up, sign a note, or turn your cattle back. One of the three. And what if I head right on through? I'd order my boys to open fire on your critters for trespassing on my land. Reckon I know my legal rights. Reckon you're a dirty polecat. I have to give you my note. Ain't no choice. And when will I tell the boys at the Longhorn Cafe about your scheme? Yes, you wait. I ain't done yet. The Longhorn Cafe was filled with cattlemen and cowboys. Clem Peabody entered and joined his friends. They gathered around him while he told of the Lawson gang in control of Eagle Pass. The dirtiest thing you ever heard tell of? Clem, I don't see how Lawson could get away with that sort of thing. He's a-doin' it. Did you talk to the sheriff? I talked to the sheriff, talked to the banker, and talked to the United States Marshal. They all said he was within his rights. Charge and toll. Yep, he can charge whatever he doggone pleases. Fact is, if you don't want to let the cattle through, he can stop it altogether. That's doggone funny law, if you ask me. Well, what's a man to do about it? Here, I got the cash for my cattle. I gotta hand over $500 of it to that owner of Coyote on my way back. What if you don't do it? He's holding my note. Yeah, but just the same here. If I don't pay the cash, he'll stop me from going back to my ranch. Now, ain't that the darnest thing you ever heard of? It's getting sore, man. Can't make a living no more. And the worst of it is, every cattleman in the valley will have to do the same doggone thing. How many men is there? Man's sakes, ain't you never heard? That's the biggest grazing in the whole state. Must be at least 50 or 60 ranches there. At least that. Runs on for miles in every direction. How many head do you figure come through there this year? Shucks, if there ain't over 150,000 head, I'll miss my guess. What you need, Clem's drink? I need a couple of them. I'll keep fetch up that bottle and set her down. Hello. Did you hear what Clem Peabody was telling? Hmm. I don't hear. The law has tried for years to put Bill Lawson and his gang in jail. Them plenty bad. Nothing has ever been proved against them, though. Them fine way to beat law. There's a disguise on my face all right, Hunter. Hmm. It's plenty good. I'll not be recognized if I move around here in the cafe without a mask. No. And I'm going to get closer and hear more of what Clem Peabody has to say. You maybe talk to him, huh? I think I will. Come over this way with me, Hunter. And if you don't want to pay two bits a head, you can leave a quarter of your cattle. Twenty-five percent of your cows? That's right. What can Sam Hill and Lawson do with all that cattle? He won't do nothing with it. He don't figure out getting nothing. All he wants is the cash money. Rod in this game, they're hurt, teller. It certainly is, like... Did you hear that, Hunter? Hmm. Lawson would have a hard time handling a lot of cattle. Hmm, that's right. And with his reputation as an outlaw, he'd have an almost impossible time selling branded cattle. Hmm. All he could do would be to hold it for a year and sell the unbranded calves. Now, I'm going to talk to Clem Peabody. Hmm, that's good. Well, you maybe got a plan, or perhaps I have. At Eagle Pass, Bill Lawson and his men had converted the general store into a lounging room with tables for cards. Old Pop Carter, its former owner, sat alone behind the counter, which had been made into a bar. A man entered, slapping dust from his clothes. And Lawson looked up, saying... Well, Butch, took you long enough to get back from town. Yeah, I was sort of hell up there. Things didn't work out just the way we figured they would. What do you mean, it didn't work out? Just what I say. I kept an eye on Clem Peabody, just like you told me to. Well, what'd he do? Sold the critters and got the cash from him. Yeah, then what? Hey, give me a drink there, Pop. I'm thirsty from the ride. Never mind that. Where's Clem Peabody? Heading back this way with 500 head of cattle. 500 head of cattle for what? For you, I reckon. Butch, who said he'd sold his cattle? So he did. Then he talked to a stranger. Two of them left the cafe and still kept on talking. Who's the stranger? Don't know. Never seen him before. Then what? He stayed over till the next morning. So I had to stay along, too, to keep an eye on him like you said to do. Yeah? Well, next morning he goes to the agent he'd sold the cows to and bought back 500 head. For cash money? Sure. And he rounded up his waddies and they started driving 500 head of cattle back this way. They're heading this way now. How far back? They'll be here in an hour or so, I reckon. I didn't want to get too far ahead of them. I wanted to make sure they was heading back this way. I wonder what the Sam Hill is bringing back 500 head of cattle for. What did he do with the rest of his cash money? Left it in the bank there. Banked it? You mean to say he's coming back without no cash? That's just what he's doing. But I got his note. I got his note for 500 dollars. Yeah, I know you have. He owes me 500 dollars. Or 500 head of cattle. Maybe he figures on paying you in cattle. He's crazy if he does. That cattle's worth a sight more than 500 dollars. Crazy like a fox. Shut up! Maybe it ain't worth that much to him. What'd he pay for it to buy it back, do you know? Nope. Couldn't find out. There's Clem Peabody heading this way now. You can see him off in the distance. Let me take a look. You see, Bill? There he is. Ain't that him? Looks like him. That's him, all right. I don't want them cattle. I didn't figure anybody would pay us off on cattle. I want the cash. Looks like you're going to get the cattle instead, Bill. What'll we do with the critters? There ain't no grazing here for them. I'll tell you what I figure. In fact, I was told that by an engine named Tonto. Ever hear of him, Pop? Well, I might have. And again, I might not. Never mind that. What'd he tell you? You see, Bill? This engine, he come up to me and he says the only way they could drive us out in here was to get you to do something illegal. Yeah? Such as selling branded cattle. They can't get me if I buy it legal, can they? Well, as to that, they might be able to. Might be hard for a man with your background to prove you got it legal, Savvy. Anyhow, we're wised up to what Clem Peabody is scheming. That's something. Let him bring the cattle. I'll accept it. They don't get me on no law angles. I'm too smart for him. Engine named Tonto with a white horse. What are you caping and laughing about, you old fool? Oh, nothing. As you say, Bill, you're too smart to get trapped easy. The curtain falls on the first act of tonight's thrilling Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. Bill Lawson purchased the control of Eagle Pass and demanded that he receive either cash or cattle for each herd driven through the cut. Clem Peabody, following the advice of the Lone Ranger, paid his toll in cattle. Our next scene opens in Clem Peabody's house. His wife is scolding him for giving Lawson 500 cows. Of all the plain and fancy food. Oh, darling, I know what I was doing. Not fun you did. Of all things I ever hear tell of, this is the limit. All right, darling, let it go at that. I won't let it go. You must have lost your mind. You had all the cash money and was to turn $500 of it over to Bill Lawson. That's a lot of money. But you spent sight more than that buying back 500 head of cattle. I know. What ever got into you? Well, I, uh, I talked to a man at Longhorn. You talked to a man? My sakes alive, I'm glad you didn't talk to two men. You might have come back without banking a dime. Someone coming, darling. All right, now hush up while we got company. Come on in. Clem, I want to speak with you. Hey, Brent. Hey, Ginger, it's good to see you. Leave the door open. It's kind of stuffy in here. You're a long ways from your own spread. Clem, I heard things about Eagle Pass. Hmm. And there's plenty to hear about. I just got back. I know that. You had to choose between $500 and 500 head of cattle. That's right. And the doggone Idget gave away the cattle. So I heard. That's why I come here. Clem, you ain't touching the head, are you? No. Ain't been eating local weed. No. Every one of your waddies was plum disgusted with you for what you done. I better not say so, Al. I can hear him. Clem, I'm an old friend. I'm here to see just what's being behind that move of yours. Now, you ain't a fool. And you never in your life went off half-cocked in a business deal. Not till now. But he sure made up for all the caution he showed here to force. Now, hold on, Dolly. There's a smart look in his face. Clem, just what's your angle on it? Abe, there's a masked man heading this way. He's coming around through the hills to get to this grazing without going through the past. Yeah? He's a-riding a white horse. A finest horse in the whole blame country. Go on. He's the one told me to give them critters cattle instead of cash. Mask and riding a white horse? Yep. Tell me some more. He's going to have a talk with all you ranches before you drive your cows through the past. Yeah? And try and persuade you to do what I've done. By all that's righteous. If he thinks he can do that, he's more a fool than Clem is. Ain't so sure he won't persuade the boys to give away cows, Dolly. If there was any point to it. Hey, there's someone riding down here now. Look out that door. A white horse, Clem. Get your gun. He must be one of the outlaws. Clem, he's called his horse Silver. You mean to say the man that told you what to do is the lone ranger? Yes, so. And there he comes to get the rest of you calm and to help. Well, if the lone ranger says for me to give them crooks cattle, I'll give them cattle. You'll do what Clem done? Yes, and so will all the other men. Dolly, mean to say you never heard of the lone ranger? Oh, oh, that's over all the way. Here I am, mister. He got through the hills in record time. Come with me, Clem. We've got to call on the other rangers before they drive their cattle to the pass. Here's one you can talk to right now, mister. This is Abe Brent. Tell him your scheme and he'll help to spread the word around. Good. Come on and ride with me. Clem, Clem, get your horse and stuff. Did you hear that? I heard it, and we're a-riding. Clem Peabody and Abe Brent rode with the lone ranger. They went from ranch to ranch, pausing only long enough to explain their plan and get a promise of cooperation from the owners. They covered the valley from end to end as they enlisted the ranchers and their cause. When their work was done, the lone ranger left the valley by way of the hills, avoiding Lawson's men. At Eagle Pass, Lawson himself was pacing the floor of the general store in a rage. Pop Carter, grinning, watched him from behind the counter. We've got to do something about it. What's the matter with you men? Can't none of you think of something? Who'd ever think the thing would work out this way? Every doggone critter that's gone through here with a herd has chosen to leave cattle instead of cash. We've got the whole place cluttered up with cattle. Boss, all I can suggest is that you stop accepting cattle. Make them pay in cattle. But blast it, how can I? They don't have the cash when they head for the east, and they can't get the cash if they don't sell the cattle. And they won't go through with cattle unless I take the doggone cows in payment of the toll. We can't go on like this much longer, boss. Them cows have got to be fed. Why don't you take a chance and drive them into town and sell them? Wouldn't that be smart now? Wouldn't that be smart? But every lawman in the country wanting to frame me for something, and I go to try and sell cattle with 50 assorted brands registered in other men's names. You can show bills to sale, though. You can prove the cattle's yours. Where's that engine that was around here? Right here beside me, Lawson. Hey, you. Come over here. Me come what you want. You've been hanging around here for the past week. Uh-huh. Me help you. I wonder if you've been helping. You said they was laying for me in town, waiting for me to try and sell some of this cattle. Why you not try? Where'd you get your facts? Me hear lawmen talk. What'd they say? Them say maybe get them you in jail last. What about selling cattle? Lawmen hope you try. Reckon that's all I need to know, then. There ain't no sense in playing right into their hands. They just hankered to have you run them cows to town, Bill. Well, we gotta do something. We got too much value on them cows to let them die for lack of grazing. See who that is. There ain't no more cows heading this way, is there? The guard said he would have said so if there was. What do you want? This Clem Peabody. Howdy, Paul. Howdy, Clem. Well, you got a lot of cattle that needs grazing, ain't you? What about it? I figured maybe you could use my men to drive the herd to town to sell it. Oh, you did, huh? Well, I'm wise to the scheme to get me to sell them critters, see? I ain't stepping into no frame up to land me in jail. How'd you know about that? I know about it. That's all that counts. Oh, shucks. Well, then, ain't no use us figuring no further. Reckon you got the best of it. Yeah, darn right. After me letting you have cows instead of cash, hoping to get you that way. Here. Now, get out of here. I'm broke now. Look here, Lawson. You need land, don't you? What if I do? Your cows has to eat. If you had a ranch and the brands would go with it, you'd be setting right well in the cattle business with all them critters to start with. Well? You'll have to hold them till next season if you don't own some brands of your own. Now, why don't you buy my spread? Huh? Maybe there's an idea, Bill. For how much? How much cash you got? None. I'll sign notes for the place. I sort of hope to get some cash. I ain't more than a thousand dollars, all told. You give me that much down, I take notes for the rest. How'd that be? What do you think of it, boys? It's a goal? Real deal. Get out some paper and we'll draw up an agreement. Boys, we're going to be honest cattlemen. How's that, huh? An agreement was drawn up between Lawson and Clem, and the one thousand dollars paid over to the rancher. Unnoticed by anyone, Tonto left the store and rode to the cliff, where he sent up a smoke signal. Lawson's men began the roundup of their cattle. Their horses circled the herd, forcing the scattered animals into a compact group. Then the herd was started on its journey into the valley. Clem and Lawson rode side by side. We've got to reach the ranch, Lawson. How far? It'll take quite a while to get there. We've got to cross a dozen other ranches. We have? Yeah, you see the valley here is gosh awful long, but it ain't so wide. Each of the ranch owners owns an end from one side to the other. There's a square D just ahead. What are all them men lined up there? Looks like they've been fixing up the fences. Looks like they've been fixing up their shooting irons. What are the irons like that for? Oh, there, Leif. Hi, Clem. Oh, come on. Steady there. Steady. Woo, woo, woo. Hey, if I show him a ranch to Bill Lawson, he's moving his cattle to it. Yeah? Well, he has to cross my land to get there. All right, then. Let me through. Not so fast, Lawson. I'm charging toll to get across my ranch. What's that? Yeah. What's the matter, Bill? They aim to charge us to cross this land. Come on, Bill. Hey, there's a masked man coming to the lawman with him. Yeah. I figured maybe you wouldn't like paying toll as well as you like collecting it. So arrange for the sheriff to be here. He'd sure admire to see you start some trouble. Any trouble here? Not yet, Sheriff. Good lay. Bill ain't got no cash. That's all right. I'll take it out in cattle. A quarter of what he's got. Lawson turned over a fourth of his herd to the owner of the Square D Ranch, then continued his journey while the sheriff's posse and the lone ranger accompanied him. At length, they reached the boundary of the next ranch, where they were confronted by Sam Tuttle and his men, all heavily armed. Clem! What's all this? Hold out my place, Sam. Lawson is taking his critters there. Yeah? Well, that's interesting. Reckon I'll have to get some toll if he aims to cross my land. What's that? It's robbery. Of all the dreaded I've... Come on, Lawson. Make some trouble. Just start it. You'll have your choice, Lawson. Cash or a quarter of your stock? Yep. Cash or cows. No matter now. I won't do it. We'll go back. You'll pay to go back. Play for the Square D. We'll charge you again. How the Sam Hill Farage are a ranch? Quite as fair yet. Plast it all. Come on out a quarter of the cows and leave them here. We gotta go on. What's that? I reckon, Bill, that's another ranch we gotta cross. And more toll to pay? I reckon so. Grab them, come tie in these parts. Hey, up, or turn back. Turn back and them first two will collect again. Lawson, almost frantic, went on his way. With every ranch he crossed, more cows were taken. The cattlemen no longer asked for one-fourth, but each demanded the return of the same number of animals originally taken from him. When at last they reached Clem Peabody's ranch, less than a hundred cows remained. Lawson stared at the cattlemen, his temper beyond control. Oh, you can all go to blazes. I'm here. And what cows I got left are mine. I bought this land so clear off. One minute, Lawson. You want the land, but what will you do for water? What? Ain't there water here? Oh, I should have mentioned it, Bill. Hey, you gotta get your water from the next ranch. An old skin-flint lures is awful stingy. I'm a beard. He'll want cash money. I get it. The whole thing's a put-up job. You'll realize that at last, huh? I realized it when you called that horse Silver. You done this. You schemed to get the cows back to these ranchers. Lawson, you can stay here on Clem's land and do without water. Or you can let Clem keep the cattle that's left and the cash you paid and clear out. He was better off before we tried to go honest. You didn't try in the right way. Boys, we're quitting. Let's get out of here. I had enough. Come on. You keep your darn ranching cows. Thank you, Bill. Just sign this paper. I already got raw down. Give it to me. Had it already, huh? There. Now we're leaving here. Let's start now. The sooner the better. Hold on, Butch. Don't go back the way we come. We're heading for the hills. But that's all right. I says we're heading for the hills. If we go back across all them doggone ranches, we won't even have our horses left. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger, Incorporated.
