horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty, hi-yo, silver, the Lone Ranger. Pioneers who emigrated to the western United States during the frontier days looked forward to a new start in life, and they found a strong ally in the masked rider of the plains. Any man who proved that he was honest and upright could count on the Lone Ranger's help in time of danger or necessity. With his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, he fought crime and criminals throughout the new territory, and the memory of his deeds will remain as long as the memory of the early West itself. Return with us now to those thrilling days when adventure lay at the end of every trail. From out of the past come the thundering hoop beats of the great horse, Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver! We're heading for three months! Thomas waiting on the trail ahead! Hi-yo, Silver! Away! The Lone Ranger and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, were still some distance from the town of Fremont, when they caught the sound of shots very faint in the distance. The masked man raised his arm in a signal to Tonto, and the two men drew their great horses to a halt. Oh, Silver! Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! Were those shots, Tonto? They were so faint. We listened. Ah, them shots. They came from the left, I think. That way. Then come on, Kimo Sabi, we're going to investigate! Give him up, Scout! Come on, Silver! Come on! The masked man in the lead, they raced to the top of arise and saw in the distance a half-dozen mounted figures riding away from an isolated house. We chase, fella. To the house first, Tano. Hurry, old fella. Stretch out those great legs of yours. Come on, Silver. Rapidly they drew near to the house, the hoofs of scouts and silver beating the hard-packed earth. Then they reined in before the neatly painted porch. Oh, Silver. What's wrong in there? Come, Tano. Tano, come. Anybody inside? Was it a raid? Put down that gun. Team, don't fire. You good friend. Tano gets you. Let me go, Tano. Let me show you dirty outlaws. No, Tano, don't. Him wounds you. Tano, fix him. Stop it. Stop it. Tano, this man's a Texas Ranger. He wouldn't have fired at me if he thought he had a reason. They're wound. It's nothing, just a scratch. Siki Masabi, look for yourself. It ripped to the top of my shirt and barely grazed the skin. Now, let that man go. Now, Tano, let him go. There. Oh, Tim, Tim, you know what you've done? You fired the lone ranger. No. Len, say, couldn't you listen when I told you not to fire? That's all right. Tim made an honest mistake. My mask. There was no reason for him to know. The lone ranger. What's happened here? Who were those horsemen we saw riding off? Even the patches, that's what they were. Try to hold me up. Only Tim come along and drove them off. Tim, you attacked six men at once. I, it was my duty. Mr. Massey, you ain't gonna think harder, Tim, for what he done, are you? He's a fine boy. And shouldn't I know it, with him boarding and rooming here like he's been for the past month? You won't, will you? Of course not. Tano, come. We'll take after those Apaches. No, hold on. But I thought... It's all right. They're just Indians left the reservation to see what they could steal. I recognized all of them. You didn't go after them. They'll be picked up later, sure enough. You're sure of that? I'll just send word to the barracks, and a couple of the boys will keep an eye out. Them Redskids will head for the hills to hide out for a spell. Then when they figure the trouble's died down, they'll go back to the reservation, and the boys will grab them. You can take my word for it. Very well. We'll be getting on to camp, then. I'd like to say I'm sorry. Don't. Tim, you've heard of the Lone Ranger just like I have. Of course. You know the things he does for folks. The men and the women he helped out of all kind of trouble. The crooks he's seen jailed. I couldn't tell, Kate. Oh, but Tim, me boy, you could. He'd understand. He's just the kind of a man you ought to tell. No, I can't tell him. Please, Tim. Mr. Massman, you'd helped him out of trouble if you knew it wasn't his fault, wouldn't you? I'd be glad to help. No, Kate, it ain't fair. And especially after me shooting at him. Don't be so prideful, tubber-nigit. Just a minute now. Here, now. Just you read this letter. Addressed to Timothy Jordan in care of the Texas Ranger Barracks. That's the name I'm using. Using? Just read what's inside. But this, the letter itself, is addressed to Douglas Moore. Uh-huh, that's right. That's my real name. Go on, read the rest of it. Hmm. Blackmail. Filthy beast that do such a thing. Tim, are the things said in this letter true? They aren't, stranger. On my honor, as a Texas Ranger, they aren't. I swear it. The man who wrote that framed me. Hurley. That's the poor cat's name, Hurley. It says that unless you pay him a sum of money, he'll expose you as Douglas Moore. You say your real name is Douglas Moore, although you've joined the Texas Rangers as Timothy Jordan. You'll listen if I tell you the story? Of course I will. Well, you don't look to me as the kind of man who'd commit the crime you're accused of in here. You see, mister, Timothy's my middle name. Jordan was my ma's before she got married. That's why I put the two of them together. I see. What you read in that letter happened more than a year ago. I'd been raised in the West over Montana way. But when Paul passed on right after Maude died, I thought I'd like to take me a trip east and see what it was like back there. You met Hurley in the east? Uh-huh, in Boston. The way we happened to meet was him noticing how much alike we looked. We did for the fact. You could hardly tell us apart even when we was together. No. We used to joke about it. He offered to show me the sights and we got to be right close friends. The least ways I thought we was. And then what happened? And then, stranger, the thing you read about happened. Hurley come round to the hotel where I was staying one day and said he wanted to fool some friends of his for a joke. Of course, it sounded sort of silly, but I was only in the east for a good time anyhow, so it didn't seem to matter none. And the joke? He didn't make it real clear. Just said we was to dress exactly alike. Well, we did. We took a handsome cab into the swell part of town, stopping in front of a big house. Hurley said he'd go in first and sort of prepare the way for me while I waited outside. I said that'd be all right. The next thing I knew, I heard a shot inside. Women folks screaming and a regular hullabaloo. The next thing I knew, I was being arrested. Arrested for what? Why, that dirty double crossover Hurley had gone inside, robbed the folks that lived there, killed one of the men and lit out, leaving me to take the blame. If I hadn't made a break for it when I'd seen I was due to swing, I'd have paid for what he'd done. That was why you changed your name. And joined the Texas Rangers just a short while back. And Tim, tell the masked man who the fellow is you've been sent to look for by Captain Bowers. Stranger, a reward notice come from the east a couple of weeks ago. A notice offering a thousand dollars for the arrest of Douglas Moore. For the arrest of yourself? Right. The notice described me so close, I wanted to get clear of the barracks for a while. So I told Captain Bowers I'd seen a fellow answering the description over to Fremont, just a couple of miles from here. And so, here I am, looking for myself so as I can arrest myself. That's one of the strangest stories I ever heard. For mercy's sake, I've been so worried ever since Tim told me about it. I haven't known what to do. But why would a reward notice have been sent all the way to Texas for a crime committed in the east? You've seen that letter. I've been getting one like it almost every day. Hurley's on his way here right now, by stage. And my hunch is, he's the one that's seen to it. The reward notice was sent here. Figured maybe they'd give me a scare and sort of prepare the way in case he did tell the law about me. Yes, that's possible. You don't know where Hurley is at the moment, do you? I can tell from the places he's mailed the letters. Right now he ought to be at King City. The stage leaves there at noon and reaches Excelsior by nine o'clock in the evening. Are the barracks at Excelsior? They are. What Hurley will do after he gets there, I don't know. I'm going to have a talk with him. You mean that? Oh, bless you, Mr. Masked Man, if you do. He may listen to reason. Come, Tonto. You'll let me know how you come up. I'll return here. I should meet the stage between King and Excelsior if I hurry. I can be back here by ten or eleven o'clock. I'll be waiting. Steady, Silver. Come on, Silver. Let's go. The stage, bound for Excelsior, carried two passengers that day. One was the Easterner Hurley. The other was a thin-faced man with eyes too close together. While the stage swayed and bounced, traveling the rough trail, its passengers were engrossed in the gambling game they had devised to pass the time. Hurley held in his hand a greasy deck of cards. The other looked at him thoughtfully, then made a decision. A hundred dollars, it's high. I'll turn the card over. The three of spades. That's another hundred I win. Blast you? I'll take the money now. Just a second. There. You just about cleaned me, mister. I got two hundred left. I'll bet the whole works on the turn of the next card. Suits me. What's your guess? High. Let's see. Friend, I'm sorry. The six of diamonds. Why, you low-down crook. Here now. I've seen you take that card from the bottom of the deck. I was just waiting for you to pull a stunt like that. I knew, blame well, you couldn't have took me for over $2,000 and go without you were cheating. Wait, don't. That gun. I'll just take that cash back, pronto. Yes, I'll give it to you. Where? Hey, driver. What are you pulling up out here in the country for? I'm the reason. Move, move, Silver. Keep the driver and guard covered, Tonto. Ah, Tonto, do that. Hold up. Your name's Hurley? What if it is? You and I are going to have a talk. Climb out of that stage. Get out. The stage will wait for you. Yes, sir. You there. Aren't you Spud Cooper? There's folks that call me that. Any business of yours who I am, stranger? When did you get out of jail? What's it to you? I wondered. You served your term. I'd see to it. I went straight from now on, if I were you. You're a fine one to talk. It would pay you to remember what I said. Come along, Hurley. We're going over by those trees. What I have to say to you is private. I don't see why I am. You will. Here, give me your hand. There now. Hup, will you? Come on, Silver. How did you know who I was? A certain young fellow told me about you, Hurley. I wasn't sure of his story at first. After comparing you with him, however, I think I'd take his word before yours. This will do. Go on, Silver. Young fellow? Yeah. Douglas Moore, or Tim Jordan, whichever you wish to call him. How'd you know? He told me his story. You do look a great deal alike. I still don't see why... Listen to me. You've come out here to blackmail Tim. Don't deny it, because I'm satisfied that's true. He's a killer. I doubt it. If there were, that still wouldn't justify blackmailing. What, I tell you, I... Wait. You're a stranger to this part of the country, Hurley. You aren't familiar with our customs. In the East, everything is done according to the established law. In the West, things are sometimes handled differently. You're threatening me? Perhaps. Understand this. Carry out your plan, and you'll regret it. You can save yourself a lot of trouble by taking the first stage East out of Excelsior. After you reach town and returning where you came from. You wouldn't shoot me, would you? I'm not saying what I do. I'm telling you what you're going to do. Do you understand? Yes. You're going back? I don't want trouble. There'll be no more efforts at blackmail? No, there won't. Good. You can go back to the stage. As long as you behave yourself, nothing will be done. I think you understand. Just a moment. What are you doing with those gold pieces? Just putting them in my money belt. You can do that in the stage. No, wait. I'm almost finished. Hurry, then. There. That's it. Into the saddle with you. Come on, old fellow. How much longer are you going to hold us up? I'm returning your passenger. You can get on your way at once. There you are. Oh, oh, boy. I can go now? But don't forget what I said. I won't. All right, fellow. Let's go. Get him up. How old? What did that masked fellow want with you? It was a holdup. Hey, you mean to say he got my cash? He took every dollar of yours and mine both. Well, took all you had, huh? Never bothered me at all, huh? That's what he did. Mister, you're pretty slick, ain't you? What do you mean? Oh, ain't nothing much, mister. Hardly nothing at all. All I meant was that there's slickersome ease come to this country and sometimes makes unhealthy mistakes. What? Maybe you don't savvy just now, mister. But you will. You just bet you will. The curtain falls on the first act of our thrilling Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue the story. The Lone Ranger had warned the Easterner, Hurley, that it would be advisable for him to return to the East as promptly as possible without putting into effect his plan to collect blackmail. The masked man received Hurley's promise to do as he had been told. They questioned the Easterner's sincerity. When they had drawn out of sight of the stage, the Lone Ranger and Tonto halted. Oh, Silver. Oh, Scal. Oh, boy. Oh, Scal. I'm leaving you here, Tonto. Where you go? I mistrust that fellow. Hurley said he'd take the next stage east again. He may keep his promise. He strikes me as a treacherous coward, however. The kind of man who'll make a promise to avoid trouble, then break it at the first opportunity. Ah, him look like he bad fellow. I'd like to find out more about him. Tim may know something. He hadn't a chance to tell me that we could use. Ah. But in the meantime, I want you to watch Hurley. The Texas Ranger barracks are at Excelsior. Prevent Hurley's going there if he makes an attempt. Might mean that he planned to tell Tim's real identity. Tonto do that. Otherwise, don't interfere with him. We'll not bother him unless he causes trouble for Tim. Ah. I'll get in touch with you at our old camp near town. If I get information from Tim, that'll help us. Me? Look there for you. Keep an eye out. On the other hand, if anything develops here, ride as fast as you can to that house near Fremont. I'll probably not leave there until morning. Ah. Good luck, Kimo Sabe, and I'll see you later. Come on, children. Get him up. John. Leaving Tonto to keep Hurley in sight, the Lone Ranger urged Silver toward the house where he had first met Tim. There he found Tim and motherly Kate Rooney, Tim's landlady, anxiously awaiting his report. The masked man told them what had happened when he had stopped the stage, then closely questioned Tim concerning the eastern crook, but he was unable to obtain any more information and... I'm sorry, stranger. I've gone over everything the Polk had ever said or done when I was with him, but I can't recollect nothing you could use. I'd hope you'd know something of his past that he wouldn't want revealed. Sometimes that's the only way to deal with blackmailers, threaten them in turn. The only thing I know for sure is that he killed that fellow in Boston, but I can never prove it. It's me that's wanted for that murder. You think he'll go back east? I wish I could feel sure of it. There's no doubt the man's a coward, but he's sly, too. But a man of that type lacks in courage, he makes up in cunning. I'd like to deal with the vomit. You've been grand, Kate, worrying about me the way you have. Sure, and why not? Didn't I have a boy of me own? That'd have been just your age now, if the good Lord had spared him for me. It'll be daylight soon. I'd better be getting back to Excelsior. I told Tonto I'd meet him. What's that? A horseman. Might be Tonto. He said he'd ride here if he had news. Who is it? It's Tonto. Come in. The door ain't locked. Has anything happened, Kimo Sabi? Oh, there's plenty happened. Hurley didn't try to reveal Tim's identity. That's not it. Him dead. Huh? Dead? Hurley dead? Uh, him get shot. Shot? Tonto, who did it? Where did it happen? The fellow in stage do it. Spud Cooper? That's right. I wonder, there was something wrong there. Hurley hiding that money in the belt he wore. He was up to something. And this may be the result. Tonto, did Spud kill him while they were still in the stage? No. Him wait. Make Hurley fellow ride from town. Kill him outside town. Outside town? Couldn't you prevent it? No. Me too far back. He here shot. Ride past. Seek killer right way. I'm glad Tonto couldn't stop it. Glad. It was what he had coming. And Tim, now you're free. Now he can't blackmail you. Golly. Wait. Well? Don't you realize what this means? It means that the only man who could have been made to tell the truth about that shooting in Boston is dead. He can never clear Tim. Oh, heavens above. I never thought. Then, why then, stranger, I'm worse off than I was before. You are. You're still wanted by the law. So far, you haven't been recognized as Douglas Moore. But you will be sooner or later. And when you are, you'll not have a chance to prove your innocence. Only Hurley could have done that. But what'll I do? Clear out? Go into hiding? There may be something. Tonto. Huh? Did you report Hurley's death? Does anyone know of it yet? No. Me tell you first. But is Hurley's body where someone's likely to find it? Them not find it. Easy. It way off trail. And it's possible. You've got a plan? Oh, if you only had. I think it'll work. Tonto, where did Spud go after the shooting? Him right north. Toward the hills. Huh? Kate. Huh? Those letters Hurley wrote Tim. Get them for me, quickly. We haven't a moment to waste. They're in the drawer here. Tim, do you anything with your real name on it? A watch? Anything of the sort? I haven't, friend. I got rid of all them things when I come here. I couldn't take the chance that they'd be seen and me recognized. And the letters will have to do. But what have you got in mind? Tim, the letters that Hurley wrote to threaten you are going to be used to clear you. I don't say it. You will. Here they are, stranger. Every one of them. Good. Now take them out of their envelopes and see that the envelopes are destroyed. And then? Then go through the letters, pick out those that don't mention the fact you're a Texas ranger, and get rid of the others. There must be a half dozen like that. Get busy at it. Tonto, I have something for you to do. Uh-huh. Well, I've got a good idea where Spud has gone to if he's headed north. I think we can find him and bring him back. Maybe him head for cave. His old hideout. I'm banking. That's where he's gone. He doesn't know anyone but himself has any idea where his hideout is. He wasn't arrested there the last time he went to jail. He was arrested in town. Not right. Tim and I are going to do two things. What's that? First, we're going to find Hurley. And then we're going after Spud. Oh. What you want Tonto to do? Give Tim and I time to get to the hills and back. That should take us about eight hours. Uh-huh. Then ride to the Texas ranger headquarters at Excelsior. Find Captain Bowers and report that you've just discovered Hurley's body. Take him there. Tonto do that. Be sure, however, that you give us time to arrive at the spot as soon as the captain. I'll me fix it. Have you found the letters I want, Tim? You bet I have. Look, here's one and here's another and here's a third. Put them in your pocket and come with me. Kate, you'll destroy all these envelopes and the remaining letters. Of course I will, stranger. But what good is he going to do? He's going to close the case against Douglas Moore forever. With Tim beside him, the Lone Ranger first rode to the spot where Tonto had told him he would find Hurley, then headed for the hills. In the meantime, Tonto marked the hours and took care that no one discovered the body before the time appointed. But promptly, when eight hours had elapsed, she appeared at Captain Bower's office and told his story. You say you just now found him laying there? That's right. Who was the man? Did you recognize him? No, me not know him. Lindsay. Yes, sir? Bring two mounts to the front at once. We're riding with the Redskin to look into this. Right, sir. Have we far to go? If not far, maybe half an hour ride. Good. Come along. I'll have to insist that you return with us. That all right. Go ahead. Huh? Where's Lindsay? What's keeping him? Oh, there he is. Well, is this your horse, Redskin? Uh-huh. Matt, Scout. I'd like to have one as good. We're ready, sir. Thanks. You lead the way, Redskin. Tonto, do that. It that way. Very well. Ready, Lindsay? Yes, sir. Then come along. Get up there. Get up, Scout. Captain Bowers, following the lead of Tonto, did not realize that he was acting according to the plan of the Lone Ranger. The three men kept their mounts to the trail for almost two miles. Then, at a sign from Tonto, left it to ride toward a distant woods. There, they penetrated for several rods before Tonto pointed to a figure on the ground ahead of them. There, Peller. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa. Maybe, maybe you find out Peller's name. We'll see. Ever see this man before, Lindsay? I, I'd say I hadn't, sir, but, well, he does look familiar somehow. I can't just place what it is, but. Yes, I have the same feeling. Strange. Take a look through his pockets. There should be identification of some sort. Yes, sir. You see, trail. Huh? What's that? There, trail, a killer fellow. The killer's trail? Huh. How can you know there? You look. There where killer get off horse. You see? Uh-huh. And there where them have fight. See, ground all tore up. It's he big fight. Well, you can't be sure it's the... Look at Shoe, a dead man. It wore thin. Here mark a shoe like him wear. Redskin, I believe you're right. Huh? Let me look closer. Yeah, there can't be much doubt about it. Two men were struggling here. And one of them was this man who'd been shot. Huh? Here trail outlaw fellow make with horse. You see? I certainly do. Those men had a fight. A shot was fired. Yes, there's the empty shell. And the killer mounted again over here. We'll recognize the prints of that horse again when we see them. But wait, there'll be another horses here, too. One trail, scout make. Yes. Tonto not know who make other trail, but them not killer. Yes, that's plain enough. Lindsay, what have you got there? Captain, take a look at these. No wonder we thought there was something familiar about this fellow. What are those letters? Here. Captain, this man is Douglas Moore. He's the one described in that water notice we got from the east. Why, yes. You remember, sir? They wrote he was thought to have headed for Texas. What other identification have you found? Nothing, sir. But that's natural enough, isn't it? He was obviously trying to escape the law. He'd get rid of anything that would betray him. These letters, blackmail letters, the fellow probably had his own reasons for hanging on to them. Or he might have just received them. You see, the envelopes are gone. There's no telling when the letters were sent or from where. That's so. We'll have to get Moore's murderer, of course. But I'd say the fellow saved the state the expense of a trial. Well, we'd better... You hear that? Horses. And come in here. They've entered the woods, sir. Wait. Well, I'll be... It's young Jordan. And one of those fellows with him is masked. Jordan! I've got a mask. So you're the killer. You're mistaken, Captain. It's this fellow right here. Get out of that saddle. Now, you got me. But I'm telling you, Hurley had it coming to him. Hurley? But how... Yeah, Hurley. And I still say he had it coming. The sneaking card shop tricked me out of my cash when we was riding here on the stage. But I fixed the coyote. He won't be cheating nobody else. Wait. You call this man Hurley. How do you know that's his name? Traveled with him on the stage, didn't I? Didn't he tell me Hurley was his handle? But, Captain, those letters were signed by Hurley. One moment. What have you got to do with it? He's all right, Captain. I vouched for him. If it hadn't been for him, I'd never have caught the killer. He helped me trail him, then shot the polecat's gun out of his hand when he got the drop on me. Well, what were you going to say? We were here before you and saw those letters before you did. Isn't it possible when Moore came west, he borrowed the name of the man who tried to blackmail him? That's just the kind of thing that might have appealed to him. I'm not sure I understand your point. Hurley threatened his safety. Why then not use Hurley's name to ensure his safety? Assume Hurley's name for himself. Some men would enjoy doing that very thing. Sir, I think the masked man's hit on it. It's the only explanation I can see. Jordan has told me there was a wanted notice out for Moore. Moore was described as about 5 feet 11. Blonde, blue eyes, heavy hair, and a straight nose. Those are the things I recall. This man answers that identical description. You're right. He must be Moore. Sir, you're sending word east that the case is closed? That Moore is killed and he ain't wanted no more? Word will be sent at once. And, Jordan. Yes, sir. I wish to congratulate you upon your prompt capture of your prisoner. It was the masked fellow, sir. But you must have done your share. And you proved yourself worthy of the title of a Texas Ranger. Thank you, sir. And the masked man proved I had the right to another name. Another name? The name of Tim Jordan. I don't understand. No, sir. No, I expect you wouldn't. Because that's something between just me and the Lone Ranger. We're heading for Freeland! There's trouble there! Oh, silver! You have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
