A fiery horse with a speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty. Hi-oh, Silver, the Lone Ranger. In the early days of the western United States, the local sheriffs had a full-time job preserving the peace. They knew very little about law. There was no adequate court system, and the men, women, and children who couldn't defend their rights by force had no law-enforcing agency to protect them. The mask rider of the planes was the only man to whom they could turn for help. And in time, Hi-oh, Silver became the battle cry of justice. And now return with us to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past, from the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse, Silver, the Lone Ranger rides again. Hi-oh, Silver, we're heading west to the gold country. Hi-oh, Silver. Our story opens in the district surrounding Flat Rock, one of the richest gold-producing sections in the state. Barnaby Greer opens the door of his home and looks outside for his partner. The letter he holds in his hand contains important news. Stan, hey you, Stan, come over here. What's the matter with you? Come here, I got bad news lawyer in St. Louis. St. Louis? That's where your brother's young ones was. Was, is right. But they ain't there now. They're being sent here by stage. That lawyer must have heard something. He heard about all I was to hear. I didn't think news would get back there, but it has. And them good-for-nothing young'uns of Pete's are being sent here to lay claim to the gold mine their father left them. That's bad, Barnaby. That is bad. Especially after us figuring it was ours. It'll mean I'll have to give an accounting of all the gold we took out in the mine. Hmm, that's bad. We gotta do something. You're the one told me the kids would never know about their father's claim. I was sure of it. The lawyer mentions the mine right here in this letter. Hmm. Well, think of something. Don't just stand there gaping like a hood owl. Think of something. When does the stage get in? It's due at Flat Rock Tuesday. That's half a day's ride from here. I know. Letter come by Pony Express. Doggone you and your ideas. We'll likely go to jail now for stealing the kids' gold. Most of what we took is spent. And them kids' lawyer will want an accountant. Leave it to me, Barnaby. Got any cash? No. You scraped together enough to ship them back to St. Louis. I don't want them pestering around here. Give them some sort of a story. It wouldn't do to use the gold. No. Get cash in town. And let that lawyer back east take care of them. Put them in an orphanage or something. I ain't gonna have three kids hanging around here. I'll plan to meet that stage and tell them a few things. Don't you worry about it. Just leave everything to me. On the day the stage was due, Stan borrowed money from everyone he saw in town. Tonto, the faithful Indian companion of the Lone Ranger, was buying supplies when the bartender gave Stan the last few dollars he needed. The stage had already arrived when he left the cafe and hurried to the express office. He found Tom, Sally, and little Betty waiting for their uncle. Well, now then you three come on over here and sit in the porch. I've got a few things to tell you. But where's my Uncle Barnaby? Ain't he to be here? Tom, he ain't well. He couldn't get here. What's the matter with him, mister? I hope he isn't real sick. Well, tell the truth, girl. Your father's debts and worry about you three young'uns ought to warm down. You see, your old man thought he had a sizable sum of cash here, as well as some mining claims. We were told there was a house and a gold mine and some cash in the bank for us as well. Yes, we come to live with Uncle Barnaby. The trouble is, kids, a mine caved in. It'd cost too much to tunnel it out again. Caved in? Yep. Then your uncle went broke. And then, as if that wasn't enough, his creditors come and took the house and property. It was just a few dollars left, and I got that. Your uncle sent it so as to buy you a stage passage back east where you come from. You know people there. But we can't go back there, Mr. Denton. There's no place to go there. No, no place but the orphanage where the lawyer said we'd have to go. Well, shucks, even that'd be better than starving out here and putting your poor, sick old uncle a lot of worry, wouldn't it? Oh, we don't want to worry him or be a bother. There, now that's right nice of you, Sally. Let's see. Tom, you're the oldest. I'll hand this cash money over to you, and you sign this paper showing you got it. Yes, sir. You're the man of the family, you know. Sign important papers and everything. I'll go see Mrs. Beebe. That's her house across the street. She'll put you three up for the night, and you can pay her a dollar or so forth. Yes, sir. Then tomorrow the stage will come through, and you can get on it and get back where you come from. There's cash enough to buy your passies there. Here, now sign here. Yes, sir. This isn't the way we thought it would be. Now, don't lose your nerve, Sally. I'm not going to let you and Baby go to the orphanage. I'll get a job and work. Don't you worry. There. Now, wait right there, and I'll go across the street and see Mrs. Beebe about you. Yes, sir. Tom, what about Baby? It's an awful long trip. We can't turn right back and go through it all again. I don't know what else we can do, Sally. This money won't keep us long if we stay here, and it's all there is. Tonto, see, Baby? Oh, a real Indian. Oh, gosh, I... They're plenty nice. Sally, look. Baby's smiling. That's the first time in days she smiles. She likes the Indians. Me. Tonto. You from East, huh? Yes. We... We came here to live with our uncle, but all the money was lost, and he's ailing. So we're going back East. Hmm, that long trip. It's an awful long trip. I... I wish we didn't have to go. Who? Uncle. His name's Barnaby Greer. Do you know him? Oh. I don't know him. You do? Get away from the youngster's engine. Come on, kids. You stay with Mrs. Beebe till the stage comes. Now, wait, Mr. Denton. This engine's friendly. I told you to get. You say Greer's sick? Yes, he's sick. You say money all gone? Ain't none of your business. Now, clear up before I... All the cash that was left out of what Paul had was given to us, Tonto. You give him cash? Yes. Oh. What's it to you? Tonto, go now. You'd better. You'll not worry. Maybe you'll not go East. Not go East? What do you mean? Tonto, maybe see you later. Good riddance to him. Don't you kids talk to no redskins. Ain't safe, Savvy. Now, come on. Get him up, scout. Tonto rode to join his masked friend, the Lone Ranger, and briefly explained what he'd seen take place in town. Late that evening, Stan Denton raced up the hill to Greer's place and reined in his horse before the door. Oh, oh, there, who? Barnaby, open the door. Hey, Barnaby. What are you on horseback for? Where's the buckboard? I had to leave it in town. I had to get here fast. Listen to me, Barnaby. Well, go on, talk. What's all the excitement? Let me come in and get my wind back. I wanted to be sure I got here first. First? What do you mean? I'll tell you in a minute. Well, go on, I'll talk. Get to see the kids. Hi. Let's get some cash. You know, I vowed enough to give them a stage pair back to St. Louis, but it didn't do no good. They ain't going back. Ain't going back? Where are they now? They're on their way here. On their way here? Confound you, Stan. I told you. I knew what you told me, Barnaby. I carried out things just as we'd planned. I met the kids and told them the mine had caved in. Yeah? What'd they say? They believed it, all right. Everything was going swell. They was going to stop for the night with Mrs. Beebe and catch the eastbound stage tomorrow. Well, why ain't they doing it? Why are they coming here? Who's bringing them here? I'm trying to tell you as fast as I can. While I was at Mrs. Beebe's, an engine got to talking to the kids, and they told them all about themselves. What'd you find out? Well, for one thing, I told the kids the money I gave them was what their pod left them, and the engine seen me borrow it in the cafe. Blasted engine, spoiling all our plans. That ain't the worst of it. The kids didn't want to go back. Of course not. So they was quick to believe anything that was told them. Yeah, what was told them? They didn't believe an engine over you, did they? Well, not at first. I left them with Mrs. Beebe, you see. Then I hung around town for a while. I figured there wasn't any sense in coming back too soon, so I dropped in the cafe. Next thing I know, the engine come in and took me out. Then what? Outside, there was a masked man. He told me the kids was coming here, and him and the engine was bringing them. A masked man? What in thunderation is a masked man doing interfering with our business? He told me he knowed the whole thing was a lie, that the kids' mine was good, and they was going to get it. He talked to the kids? Yeah. Tom, that's the old one. I know. Go on. Well, Tom showed him the letter the lawyer wrote, proving who he was, and telling anyone of my concern that he was the rightful owner of this mine we've been working. We gotta do something. We gotta do something. We gotta do it doggone fast. Barnaby, if them kids get here and see that mine's being worked, they'll know the whole thing's a fake. There ain't no telling what this masked man will do. Doggone it. I didn't think they'd get folks on the airside five minutes after hitting town. Gotta do something. Gotta do something fast. There ain't but one thing we can do, Barnaby. Well, go on. I shouldn't know better than to listen to your ideas, but go on. Tell me. If the kids get here and see the mine's working, they'll expect all the gold that's been taken out of it to be theirs. That's where the shoe pinches. We ain't got it. Not having it, we'll both go to jail. You ain't telling me no news. Thought you said you had a plan. I'm getting to it, Barnaby. Only thing we can do is blow up the entrance to the mine. Blow it up? We gotta do it, Barnaby. When the kids see it's caved in, they'll believe I told them the truth. Then we can convince them the masked man and the engine was just scheming something. And we can still send them back east. There'll be another stage heading there in a week. Yeah, we can tolerate them for a week. But with the mine caved in, we'll have all the trouble of digging it out. Well, what do you want to do? Dig the mine out again or go to jail? There ain't no choice. Go on, get ready to set that blast. Meanwhile, the Lone Ranger was guiding the buckboard along the narrow backcountry trail. When they neared Barnaby's place, he turned to Tommy. Don't think too hard of you, Uncle Barnaby, Tom. I can't believe he'd double-cross me like that, mister. Suppose you just believe that he was forced to do it by bad companions. Gosh, maybe that was it. My pa used to tell me about the trouble men could get into if they had bad friends. That's it, Tom. We'll see what we can do about getting rid of your uncle's companion. Then you can settle down with Barnaby. Is the mine there all right, mister? I think you'll find it all right, Sally. Then we won't have to go back east. Gosh, it sure is lucky we met you in the engine. You didn't seem to be afraid of me, even when you saw my mask. As soon as I heard you talk, I knew you were friendly, mister. Thanks, Tom. What are you thanking me for? Perhaps when you're grown up, you'll understand why it means more to a man to have young fellas like you believe in them than grown men. Maybe so, but I don't understand it now. How soon will we be at Uncle Barnaby's place? We're almost there now, Sally. Gosh, I'll be glad. I'm awful tired. There. House. Yes. Good. Is that the house? That's it. Where's the mine? It goes up that hill. It's a little way beyond the house. Golly, imagine us owning a gold mine. Hey, there! Hey! Is that Uncle Barnaby? Yes. You've never seen him, have you? No, sir. Oh, tell him. Oh, tell him. Barnaby, I want to have a talk with you. That suits me all right, stranger. My partner come back and told me he was bringing the youngsters here. I'm afraid you made a mistake, though. I don't think so. They're the owners of the gold mine. Didn't Stan tell him the mine caved in? Yes, sir, he did. You're Tom, ain't you? Yes, sir. And you must be Sally. Yes, sir, Uncle Barnaby. Well, it's a doggone shame this here masked man and the engine was fools enough to bring you all the way here. We'll find out about that when daylight comes, Barnaby. I told them you must have been forced to send word that the mine caved in. We don't hold it against Uncle Barnaby. This masked man is trying to work some schemes of his own. The mine has caved in. It has? It's caved in, and you can see for yourself as soon as daylight comes. But you come in now, and I'll put you up for the night, and then I'll have to take you back to town first thing in the morning. You mean to tell me the mine is actually caved in? You can hear, can't you? Tonto, you stay right here. Keep an eye on these children. Me too. I'm going to find out something just as soon as I can. I'm going to find out just as soon as I can. I didn't think the masked man was working any scheme up Uncle Barnaby. He's masked, ain't he? Well, yes. Ain't your paul ever told you outlaws in the West wear masks? Now come in the house. If that hombre didn't pack two guns, I'd hold him and turn him over to the law. We'll be sometime tomorrow, Barnaby. I'll still... Will the masked man be able to win back the children's inheritance? In just a moment, we'll continue with Act II of our Lone Ranger drama. Now to continue our story. Barnaby Greer's nephew and niece were up at dawn, despite the late hour at which they'd gone to bed. Greer talked with them at breakfast while Tonto remained outside the house. I'll finish up. Eat your breakfast and then I'll show you the cave-in and start you back east again. Gosh, I don't hardly know who to believe, do you, Sally? No, I don't. What do you mean? Of course, it's our own uncle's word against the masked man. But I like that masked man. He didn't seem like a man who wouldn't tell it wasn't true. A masked man and a ninja. They both said that the mime was paying. You and Mr. Denton said it caved in. There ain't no question about it. As soon as you're done eating, I'll show you. Anyway, even if we do lose the mime we sort of counted on and have to go back east, it'll be good to know that you're on the level. Uh-huh. I'd sure hate to know that our own uncle planned to cheat us. Now, Tom, that ain't what the masked man said. Well, he said that Uncle Barnaby... He said that if Uncle Barnaby was trying to do us out of the mime, it wasn't his fault. It was because of his bad companion. Bad companion? Yes, sir. The masked man said that? Uh-huh. Well, I'll be... Go on, eat your cornmeal and get done with it. I don't want any more. Neither do I. You better take a look at the baby, Sally, and make sure she's all right. I will, right away. Hurry it up now. I will. You three have got to catch that eastbound stage. If you miss it, you'll have to spend the whole week here. I'm all ready, Uncle Barnaby. What about you, Sally? Coming. Is the baby all right? She's still sleeping. Yeah, rat at all, anyhow. Well, what's the matter, Uncle Barnaby? Come on, let's go see the mime. Will baby be all right here? Sure, we won't be going wrong. It ain't far. Gosh, I'll hate to leave this country. Look at those hills, Sally. They're a sight different than what we see back east, aren't they? Say, uh, Tom. Yes, sir? Did you mean to say you'd sooner lose the gold mine than to find that I was a crook? Sure. You're the last relation we've got, Uncle Barnaby. Ma and Pa always told us about you. Hmm. Dead rat it. Where's Mr. Denton? Doesn't he live with you? I don't know where he is. Ain't seen him since last evening when he left to... To what? Oh, uh, do something at the mine. Me come to. Are you still hanging around here, Injun? It's Tonto. Uh, me still here. Well, bless your hide. Stay close. What are those people doing over there? Why, Don? They're all around my... What was left of your claim? Is that where the gold mine was? Yes, you can see now that it's all caved in. It sure is. What in tucker are they doing there? Uncle Barnaby. It looks as if they're digging it out. Well, of all... Hey, what's this mean? Howdy, Greer. You're just the man we want to see. I reckon this will save me going to your house and looking for you. What do you mean, Sheriff? Just that. The law's likely to want you... The law? Sadly, he's the sheriff. What are you talking about, Sheriff? You'll see later on. Now, look here. Don't leave here till the men are done working. What are they doing? Looking for the body. What? What? Now, you see here, Mr. Sheriff, my Uncle Barnaby ain't done anything wrong. How do you know, kid? Because he hasn't. He's my pa's brother. He wouldn't do anything wrong. He told us the truth about the mob. Now, listen. You come with Tonto. Who are you? Go on, you kids. Go with the engine. Let me talk to the sheriff. Anyhow, they can't say you did anything dishonest. If they do, they'll have Tom and me to argue with. That's right, Sally. See you later, Uncle Barnaby. Come on, Tonto. Got a couple of loyal young'uns there, Barnaby. I know it. Blasted. I've been feeling like an ornery low-down cuss. It's a shame you are such a cuss. Look, if there was any way to undo what I've done... There ain't no way to undo a murder, Barnaby. Murder? Just so. Now she hears you have. That there's all wrong. I never killed a man in my life. We'll know. Blame soon. I didn't. I've done some pretty raw things. I did scheme to rob them young'uns, but that was before I knowed them before I seen the way they could look at me and tell me how they trusted me. And that was before I seen the way both of them kids went and stuck up for me when they seen you. It still stands. I want you for the murder of your partner, Stan Denton. Stan Denton? Yeah. Come on. Step over here a ways. That mine wasn't closed up yesterday like that, was it? No. And Stan was seen in town yesterday. Seems that you and him argued frequent. Sure, but there wasn't anything serious. We'll see. Stop here. It's my bet that we'll find Stan's remains inside that tunnel. But we... Listen, Sheriff. I'll tell you the truth. Stan told those kids that the mine which was theirs had caved in. There was a mask man that brought the kids here. Him and that engine. Telling them that the mine hadn't caved in. Mask man, huh? A white horse? Yeah. Go on with your lies. They ain't lies. He came here with the kids and Stan come ahead of him. And the only way we could make our story true was to blast the mine. Last night? Yes, last night. You're slick, Barnaby. I admit I stole them kids' gold but I never killed. You decide sooner go to jail for stealing gold than hang for murder, huh? Now let me tell you a thing or two. You got a story all fixed that seems to fit the cases. Only here's what happened. I was at home last night asleep when I heard a horse pull up outside the house. I woke up and heard mask man shouting. Hold on, Silver. Hold on. I get out in bed to see what it was and I heard a hammering on the door. Then before I could get to the door this man walked in. He had a pair of six guns holding them on me. Hey, what's the idea of them six guns? I yelled. Then he just stood there quiet saying... You'd better get dressed and come with me, Sheriff. You may find a murder. I couldn't savvy what he was getting at at first. I was just half awake and then he says... You must have heard the blast. What blast? Near the Greer mine about an hour ago. Seems like I did hear something but didn't pay much attention to it. Come over there and see what the footprints around the entrance to the mine show. But it's dark. There's a moon. Can't study footprints in the moonlight. You'll see enough to convince you that there's need for the law. Barnaby, I went along with him and come here and what I seen was a plenty to hang you. No. No, Sheriff. The ground was tore up with a mess of footprints showing every sign of a scrap. I found an open knife and it had Stan Denton's letters on it. Like as not, he tried to use it in the fight. Then I found a part of his coat which was tore off and seen a blowed up entrance to the mine. You and Stan fought. It wasn't me. It was that masked man. The masked man is the one that fought with him and killed him. I was in the house all the while. Those kids can prove it. They showed that they'd do most anything to help save your neck. They don't know what a pool catcher are. Well, I fetched a crew to dig that mine out and just as soon as we find Stan Denton's remains, you're going to jail for murder. Find that masked man. He's the one you want to find. He's the killer. If that was the case, why'd he come for me? But I just... Stay right here where I keep an eye on you. Hurry up there, boys. Get that tunnel opened up. The men worked hard all morning. Sally went back to the house and cared for the baby. When she heard the shout announcing that the mine entrance was cleared, she hurried to her brother's side. Tom, Tom, are they going to hang Uncle Barnaby? I'm afraid they will if they find Mr. Denton dead. But they can't. He's our uncle. He wouldn't do anything wrong. Bless you for that. Uncle Barnaby, they can't take you away. Sally, you're the living image of your maul. Am I? She's a fine woman, too. We can't wait here no longer. Come on, Barnaby. I'll have to take you in while we hunt for Denton. Sheriff, now listen. No use arguing. But these kids, they need me. Denton made arrangements for them. They can stay with Mrs. Beebe till the next stage. But don't you see? This is their mine. Your men tunneled it out for them. Now they can get the gold, they can't leave here. But that's so. The mine isn't caved in no more. Tom, there comes the mask man. Sure enough. The mask man, Sheriff. If Denton's killed, there's Mr. Denton in the saddle with him. Come on, there, Silver. Denton's alive. There. You see, Sheriff, you were all wrong. But what in toleration? Hold that, Silver. Hold that, boy. You've got to arrest this man. Get down, Denton. No, no, you take Tom and Sally back to the house. Uh-huh. You, um... But we want to stay. Go along, Sally. I want to speak to your uncle. Don't let him take him to jail. They won't. Blasted, I want this thing explained. I think your little sister's crying, Sally. Oh, come on, Tom. We've got to go and see her. Uncle Barnaby, you'll be at the house, won't you? I don't know. He'll be there. Go along, Tom. Yes, sir. I'll see you there, Uncle Barnaby. You told me to come here and dig that tunnel to find a dead man. No, Sheriff. I only showed you the signs of a struggle. But you let me figure that... You figure that Barnaby and Denton fought and that Denton was killed and put in the tunnel. Sure. You didn't figure that Denton might have blasted that tunnel last night until the story that he and Greer told would be convincing to those children. But the fight... The fight took place when I captured Denton and took him to my camp to hold for you and went to get you. My boys and all the rest I brought worked all morning digging out that tunnel. And you've given those children the property that belongs to them. And I'm glad to see them get it. The only thing I don't like is that now all the faith they had in me will be shot to pieces. Sheriff, can't you take me to jail and not tell those kids where I went? I'm an old cuss and I got jail a-coming. But I... I hate to see the faith them kids had in human nature destroyed. Throw that masked man in jail. He captured me. You shut up, Denton. You never did have an idea that was worth a hoot. The masked man gave them kids their claim that have taken me years to tunnel the thing out again and no cash to work with. Sheriff, Barnaby Greer has three children to take care of. Mm-hmm. And a mind to manage for them. Jail isn't the place for him. I reckon you're right. But that's Keeman Crook. Now, wait. Don't you hold me. Yes, by darn, I'm going to. You blowed that tunnel up and there's been 30 men working here all morning. You're going to jail unless you pay for their time. That's it, Sheriff. The coyotes had me in trouble all these years with the cussed ideas. I can't pay them. I ain't no cash. You stay in jail till you can. Oh, I can't get cash if I'm in jail. That's great. You'll stay there from now on. As for you, Barnaby, behave yourself. So long. Come on along here now. I don't know what I've done to deserve a chance like this. Take good care of those children, Barnaby. You're all they have and they trust you. And they're all I got. And by darn, they'll have reason to trust their old Uncle Barnaby. I'll jail! All you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of The Lone Ranger, Inc. cooperating.
