horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. The first men to penetrate the mountainous regions of the western United States were prospectors in search of gold. They found great wealth, but the precious yellow metal seemed to bring out the worst in many of them. Robbery and murder were everyday occurrences in the mining camps until the Lone Ranger carried his fight for justice into the hill country. Without the force of his courage and resourcefulness, law and order might never have been established on that lawless frontier. Return with us now those thrilling days when the West was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. There will be trouble in the Gold King Mine. We've got to hurry. I'll seal. The Gold King Mine was one of the largest ore workings in the vicinity of Pine Bluffs. It employed an extensive crew, and the mine itself was composed of a dozen tunnels radiating from a central shaft. At the time our story opens, young Dave Muncy, the foreman, was directing operations within the mine. Suddenly, from the direction of number three tunnel, there came the sound of a powerful blast. Who set off that charge? You hear me? Who done that? What's happened? Hey, look, number three came in. Hold on to the block. Anybody trapped in there? You there, Bart. What you want? Come here. Well? Did you set off that blast, Bart? Yeah, what if I did? What if you did? Well, you brought down the whole tunnel. It'll take a week to clear up the damage you've done. That ain't nothing to me. What's that you said? You heard me, I reckon. You're through. Get your time and clear out. Getting high and mighty, ain't you? I said clear out. And Jeffs, who do you think you are? Why, you... Now, Jeffs, hold on a second, mister. I was hired for Wilkins. Seen as how he's manager while you're Jeffs Foreman, a wreck will take him to fire me. I've taken about enough from you, Bart. Yeah? You've been a troublemaker ever since you've come here. You've talked to others in the crew into disobeying orders. You've done your work just as carelessly as you could. It's you and the others in the crew like you that's put us behind on the production schedule. That's just too bad, ain't it? Now that I've fired you, I'm going to do something I've been aching to do for quite a spell. Yeah? What's that? This! You hit me! That was just the first one. Here's the mate to it. I'll get you for that. Come on. Take this! You missed. But this will do for you, I reckon. You storks, you can't get away with that. Come on, fellas, we'll teach the whippersnapper a lesson. Get back. Get back to work. Come on, fellas, rush him. Get back to work, men, or you can all draw your pay. I have done taking orders from you. Grab your picks, man. Take that, Jeff. There's one for you, Ted. And you, Mike. Let me at him with this pick. Drop that pick. Try and make me. I said drop it. Oh, my arm. Let me go. I'm doing like you say. Let me go. There. Get back. If you wasn't armed, I'd punch you. I haven't grown. Come after me if you wish. You guys, Trench, I don't know who you are or why you came here, but you happened along at just about the right time for me. They was likely to beat me up good. I heard the blast from outside and was afraid there might be trouble. It sounded too powerful for a regular blast. It was powerful enough to do all the damage you see over there. Yeah. All right, men. You're through. Every last one of you. Report to the office. Get your pay and keep moving. Maybe we will, mister. Maybe we won't. Here comes Wilkins. I guess he's got more to say around here than you have. Hey, Mr. Wilkins. What's all the trouble here? This fellow here. Hello. What are you doing here, mister? You're Wilkins. You're the manager? I am. What's that to you? I was trying to place you. Seems to me I've seen you before. You haven't answered my question. Well, I came because of the blast. I've already explained to your foreman. All right, Bart. What were you going to say? This skunk here says we're all fired. Mr. Wilkins, just take a look at the tunnel there. Some more of Bart's work. And the crew just now tried to mob me. If it hadn't been for the masked men, they would have, too. I said they was fired and I meant it. I'm sorry, Dave. Huh? I've been watching you work carefully for six months you've been here. What are you getting at? I told Mr. Potter when he sent you here that I was afraid you hadn't had the experience to handle mining men. Being the owner, he was privileged to overrule me, of course. But I think he'll agree with me now that you're scarcely the man for the job. Mr. Wilkins, that ain't fair. It ain't right. I worked hard, done everything I could. If I could just get cooperation from these fellows... Exactly. If you could. The right kind of foreman would. No, Dave, as I say, I'm sorry, but I'll have to give you a notice. You can't do that. Of course. You're a personal friend of the owner. But under the circumstances, I'm sure he'll back me up. This is the rottenest deal I ever got in my life. There's no use being bitter. Sublazes with being bitter. That ain't it at all. You blame me for not having authority over the men. But every time I try to use it, they go to you and you back them up. How can I have authority when you do that? We'll not discuss it further. And you're the fellow that was going to fire us. That's a good one. You can consider yourself released from this moment, Dave. You'll pay a week or two in advance, however. Why, you mealy mouth, two-timing polecat. I ought to... Hold it, Dave. But he said that... I said hold it. This man is your boss. He has a right to fire you if he wishes. Not like that, he ain't. You start anything here, you're in the wrong. A lowdown. You'd better take the advice of your outlaw friend, Dave. And when you go to Mr. Potter with your story, just remember this. We didn't fall down on production until you came here. And thanks to you, Mr. Potter may have to sell, for which I don't think he'll thank you. Now, clear up! You're coming along, Dave. You want to make trouble every another better time for us. Well, there goes our foreman, Mr. Williams. Mad enough to bust. And nothing he can do about it. Outside the mine, Dave parted from the masked man and with a heavy heart drew the money that was due him, gathered his equipment together, and left the property. That evening at home, his wife tried to console him with... Now, Dave, don't you take on so. There ain't nothing happens but what is for the best. The best? You know what this means, Mary? Well, I... It means I'm through as a mining man. It means there ain't another outfit in this part of the company that'll hire me. I'm a failure. A failure! He could go someplace else. The story'd soon get around. Mr. Potter was a good friend of your father's, Dave. Sure. That's why he gave me the job in the first place. You can tell him your side of it. Oh, shucks. I ain't no hand at writing. He was here so I could talk to him personal. But Dave, that's just it. He's coming here. He might even drop in to see us tonight. Oh, is that a fact? Well, how do you know? We got a letter from him this morning. I was saving the news for you. Gosh, that's swell. You see? I told you things weren't so bad. Now you'll be able to tell him how Mr. Wilkins kept siding with the men and how he blamed you for things that weren't so. And, well, he'll put you back on the job. Just see if he don't. Yeah, but I'd hate to have to work with Wilkins again. That'll be all right, too. After Mr. Potter tells him how to treat you. Where is that letter he wrote? When did he say he'd get the Pine Bluffs? He didn't get the letter. I can tell you what was in it. He said he'd be in by the afternoon stage. But that was hours ago. He'd go out to the mine first, wouldn't he? Yeah, that's right. Dave, I'll bet that's him now. Why, Mr. Potter, come in. I knew it was you. I just told Dave so. Good evening, sir. Good evening, Dave. You're looking good. Here, you sit right down. Thank you. Well, I ain't feeling so good, though, Mr. Potter. Mm-hmm. I was at the mine, you know. Then you know how awful that Mr. Wilkins treated Dave and Hunter. Please, honey. I'm sorry, Dave. You know that, of course. Wait. You mean you're taking his word for all that's happened? Dave, I was your father's best friend. And I'd like to talk to you like a father. But still, don't you see that I... One moment. You know, Dave, I think the world of you and Mary Boat. You've been awful good to it. I've only done what I could. But what I wish to say is this, Dave. Don't be too ready to blame others for your own mistakes. Then you do believe Wilkins. He's been with me a good many years. But you ain't worked with him like I have. You don't have to... Dave, every young fellow beginning life has to take some mighty hard bumps. If he's the right kind, he takes them, marks them up to experience, and tries over again. But I didn't fail. That's just what I mean. Frankly, Dave, you did. The records show it. I think you would be wiser to go after something else. That doesn't require so much practical knowledge. That isn't fair. Dave did his work as good as anyone. I gave Dave the job in the first place against Wilkins' advice. But even so, don't you see that... Hear me out, Dave. I don't think you quite realize the position I'm in. If things hadn't gone so badly these six months that you were a foreman, I could probably have afforded to keep you on until you really learned the ropes. Well, if you'd give me another chance, I'd make good on it. I'd even try to get along with Mr. Wilkins. Perhaps the next owner will give you the chance. Huh? The next owner? Well, Mr. Potter, you're not going to sell. I think I'll have to. But why? The Gold King's one of the richest mines around here. And in the last six months, there wasn't enough oil taken out to pay expenses. Things happened to hold us up, but... But even so, I figured you must be making plenty. Well, scarcely that. As I said, I didn't make expenses. Over and beyond that, I contracted certain obligations that must be satisfied at once. If production was stepped up to... It still wouldn't help. I must have the money at once. So I'm afraid there's no alternative but to sell. Here. You got a buyer? Colby's been interested. Colby? Ain't he the fellow that opened up the old lost nugget mine and built his own smelter? That's the one. Gosh, I'd rather almost anybody but him got the place. If it's got to be sold. I never did cotton to that fellow. I don't like him much myself. He's been doing well, however, and seems to be the only man able to pay the ready cash I need. Oh, that's awful tough. Don't worry about it, Dave. But, Mr. Potter, I feel as though it was mostly my fault. If I'd handled my job better, then maybe you wouldn't have got into this fix. I'm so sorry, Mr. Potter. Forget about it. Both of you. So we all must have our worries, I guess. You have to leave already? I'm afraid I will. I've had a long trip. I'm tired. I have an appointment with Colby and his lawyer first thing in the morning. But we'll see you again before you go back to Denver? Why, of course. And, oh, that reminds me. If Colby and I come to terms, I'd like you to be there as witness to the sale. You mind? You'll have to be at the office by nine. Mr. Potter, I don't mind at all. I'll be there, but I sure wish you didn't have to sell. Amos Potter, accompanied by Dave, kept his appointment with Colby the following morning in the office of Colby's lawyer, Hanford Blake. Colby and Potter found it difficult to come to terms and... Colby, the gold king's worth $200,000 if it's worth a penny. You're a mining man. You should know that as well as I do. You're quite right, Potter. As a matter of fact, I'd say your mine is worth considerably more. Well, then... But my offer remains the same. $100,000. Don't sell to him, Mr. Potter. That's the same as robbery. Young man, I understand you was here simply to witness the sale if one was made. That's all right, but I say... I'll handle this, Dave. Colby, you can afford to offer more. You'll have the money. And something in this instance more valuable than money. Yes? Information, Potter. Information. Meaning? That I happen to know you must sell. That you haven't found anyone else willing to make the first payment you're asking. I see. I suspected something of the sort. $100,000 with $30,000 down. There. There's the $30,000 in currency, just as you said it would have to be. Take it or leave it. Don't, Mr. Potter. I must, Dave. And as long as Colby knows I must, there's no use holding out longer. I have the papers here. You'll find them all in order. Now, if you'll just put your signature where I've made it. You! What's the meaning of this? I'll take that money. Well, hold it. Careful. I never figured for a crook that it'd pull a stunt like this, mister. You're coming with me, Dave. I don't get it. Come on. Let go of me. Hold on. Wait. Keep your body safe, Colby. And Potter, I'll see you again. My $30,000. Oh! After him. Get the sheriff. Report this at once. I'll see you. There he goes. And if we don't get that money back, I'm ruined. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger drama. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. The masked man, riding double with Dave Muncy and with Colby's $30,000 in his pocket, sent Silver racing toward the well-hidden camp where Tonto waited. There he reined the powerful stallion to a halt. Hold, Silver. Oh, boy. You're safe. You... Get down. You'll get caught. You won't get away with this. After I've talked to you, you may not be so anxious for me to be caught. You won't get cashed. Here it is, Kimo Sabe. Put it where it'll be safe. Ah. How to do that. I just hope them bills are marked. I hope you're jailed when you try to spell Fendham. I'm neither spending that money nor keeping it. Then what'd you steal it for? For just one reason. To keep that sale from going through. Huh? They've reported the theft, of course, and the sheriff will be looking for us. We'll wait until the search has died down, and then we'll ride to town again. What for? To give the sheriff that money. What? I don't savvy. Dave, did it ever occur to you that Potter might have been the victim of a crooked scheme? A crooked scheme? A scheme to force him to sell? Well, he's had bad luck, but that don't mean there's anything crooked behind it. In the mine yesterday, I said I thought I'd seen Wilkins before. The manager of the mine? Yes. Yeah, I recollect you're saying something of the sort. What about her? Were Wilkins and Colby good friends? Friends? Well, I should say not. That's about the only good thing I can say for Wilkins, that he didn't say anything good about Colby. I thought as much. What do you mean? Before Tonto and I made camp here, we were camped near Colby's lost nugget mine. Yeah? And Wilkins called on Colby at least half a dozen times while we were there. More than that, they were very friendly. Are you sure of that? I am. I have no proof, of course. I'll have to ask you to take my word for it. Well, it could be all right. Yes? It'd fit in. If Wilkins wanted to slow up production so as Mr. Potter'd have to sell, well, he was going about it the right way. Can you give me some further information about that? Wait. Well? The crew at the mine. I was just thinking. Stranger, did you know that almost every one of them fellows has been hired in the last six months? That Wilkins got rid of all the men that had been there before? I hadn't known it. Well, that fits in, too. You just bet it does. That would explain why those men weren't afraid to go against your orders. They were in on the plot with Wilkins, and they knew they were safe. That's just it. Uh, you think a lot of Amos Potter, don't you? He's been one of the best friends a fellow could have. And together, we may save his mind. Oh, gosh, no. There's something else I just happened to think of. Yes? Saving the mine won't help him at all. It's cash he's got to have, and real quick. Gosh, I was near forgetting all about that. You get the mine, Dave, and the money he needs. Yeah? Well, how? Oh, I'll tell you when I can show you the proof at the same time. You can take my word for one thing. Slowing up production at the Gold King was just half the scheme against Potter. When we uncover the whole scheme, Potter's worries will be over. The sheriff scoured the countryside with a posse in his search for the mysterious masked man who had disappeared with Colby's money. When evening came, he was forced to return to Pine Bluffs empty-handed. That night, however, the masked man was not idle. Procuring a horse for Dave, he sent the young man into town. Then he and Tonto raced across country to make the first of several lightning-swift calls. Their great horses plundered across the prairie, never pausing until they reached a small cottage near the Gold King mine where Wilkins lived. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Come on, Tonto. Open up. One moment. What are you... The masked man. Where's your horse? In the lean-tooth. And saddle at once. You're riding. From the mine towards town they raced, Wilkins closely guarded by Tonto. In town, the masked man led the way to the hotel where Amos Potter was staying. They approached from the back, circled to the side, and halted. The masked man, leaping from the saddle and calling through Potter's half-raised window. Potter! Who's there? What? Get dressed. Who are you? What's the mean? The masked man. Right. Wilkins. Wilkins, what are you doing there? Never mind that. If you want your mind and the money you say you must have, get dressed and don't waste time. Colby, staying overnight at his lawyer's home, found himself rudely awakened, forced to dress, then thrust only half-awake into the saddle. What's this all about? Potter, is this you're doing? Are you behind us? If you are... Quiet. But I wonder... We're heading for your mind, Colby. The lost nugget. What's that? I meant just what I said. Now get going. Get him up, scouts! Help! Get him up! In the meantime, Dave followed the orders given him by the Lone Ranger and hurried to the home of the sheriff. When the sheriff admitted him, he strode to a table and made an open envelope before the lawman's astonished eyes. Take a look at that, Sheriff. Cash! Hey, let me look at that. You recognize it? Why? Well, this must be the cash that was stolen from Colby. It was taken from Colby, all right, Sheriff. But it wasn't stolen. It was, too. The masked man got it. Say, how'd you come across this? When the masked man took the money, he took me along also. I know that. You bust loose from him, did you? He sent me here with this. You must be local. I'm telling you the truth, Sheriff. He gave me this and told me to give it to you. But what for? Did he figure we was getting too close to his trail and he didn't want the posse after him no more? No. Then what was the... Sheriff, the masked man's going to prove that Colby's a crook. Now I know you're local. That's just half of it, Sheriff. You're going to help the masked man prove it. Maybe you'd better do some explaining. This is getting beyond me for fair. Just this, Sheriff. You and I are going to get the man from the assay office. Frank Sims? Right. Then the three of us are riding out to Colby's mine. Where's the masked man now? He'll be there waiting for us. I don't know. This sounds mighty funny to me. By, Thunder, Sheriff. You do like the masked man said or you're going to be the sorriest law officer this county ever seen. Now let's go. We've got to make tracks. Potter, Colby, and Wilkins all rode to the Gold Nugget Mine under protest. But the masked man and his faithful Indian companion, Tonto, gave them no opportunity to escape. The masked man called a halt at the entrance to the mine shaft. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Colby, if any of your men awaken, you ought to tell them everything's all right. Understand? This is an old trade. Maybe. But you'll do as I say. Tonto, we'll need a lantern. There's one over there marking the powder shed. Get it. Huh? Tonto, get it. Look here, stranger. You've made all three of us your prisoners. You've given no explanation. I, for one, demand an explanation at once. The sheriff will hear about this. Wilkins, you won't have to go into town to tell him. The sheriff is coming here. Here, of course. I think you can guess, Colby. But I haven't believed it. Thanks, Tonto. Colby, I see you have a door across the entrance to your mind. Of course I have. With a strong lock on it. Do you want to unlock this door or have us break it in? You can't do that. All right, keep quiet if I were you, Wilkins. You'll need your breath to explain to the law later on. That's private property. You have no right to enter that shaft. Hand me that bar at your feet, Tonto. Keep these fellows covered. Tonto, do it. We'll get inside this shaft. Oh, wait. I'll unlock the door. That's better. Go right ahead. I have my keys right here. There. Now open the door. I don't see... Open the door. Yes. All right, walk on in. You too, Wilkins, and you, Potter. It's dark. I have a lantern right here. You're going to lock us in here? No. I'm just going to take a look around. Colby, I see you have quite a bit of ore piled here near the entrance. What if I have? This ore came from the lost nugget? Of course it did. At one time, this mine was supposed to have been played out. You've been doing quite well with it, haven't you? The vein wasn't played out. There was just a fault in it. We drilled another 50 yards and found it again. I see. That's more than I do. What's the sense of this? Right now, we're waiting for the sheriff. And that's probably him now. That's more than just the sheriff. Dave Muncy is along. James? Yes. And a third man I think Colby is going to be interested to meet. If that's really the sheriff, it won't matter who's with him. You'll go to jail. At least one of us will. One of us? You'll soon learn what I mean. Sheriff, this way. Inside the shaft. What's going on here? Sheriff, arrest this man. What for? He stole Colby's cash, didn't he? Maybe he did, but he ain't got it now. Found the cash? Mr. Potter, the masked man never stole the cash. Not to keep, that is. But just to keep you from selling your mine. Where is it now? The sheriff's got it safe to home. Dave. Dave, is this the man I asked you to bring along? Uh-huh. This is him, all right. Who are you? Why, my name is Frank Simms, Mr. Potter. I never heard of you. Well, you should have. I've signed more than one essay report for ore that came from your Gold King mine. He's head of the essay office, Mr. Potter. Well, what if he is? Frank, I've been told that an expert familiar with the ore from various veins can always tell from what mines the ore came. Well, I should say so. I'll do better than that if I have to. You just show me gold dust. Nine times out of ten, I can tell from that alone. In other words, it would be impossible for you to make a mistake about ore. Well, I've never made one yet. Why? I'll hold the lantern up so you can get a good look. Now, examine this ore I've just taken from my pocket. It's a small sample, but perhaps you can tell me where I got it. If you got it from anywhere around this district, I'll tell you. Sheriff, I protest this. This masked man forced his way in here. This is private property, my property. I want him arrested for trespass, and I insist that we leave here. This is all foolishness, and I refuse to have anything more to do with it. Colby's right, Sheriff. Sheriff, I'm forgetting how to get it. Don't move. I won't draw unless I have to. Try to leave, however, and I will. Are you going to stand for this, Sheriff? I tell you, Mr. Colby, I'm plumbly interested in some of the things the masked fellow's been saying. Then I order you out, all of you. You too, Sheriff. You can't enter my property against my will without a warrant. Getting awful legal, ain't you? Colby's forgetting that his law won't stand up against six guns. That's enough from you. Frank, what have you found out about that ore? Well, this comes from the Gold King. I couldn't mistake this. Right. I helped myself to that when I was there this evening. Now look at the ore on the shaft here. Where did that come from? From here, didn't it? Examina. Come on, Wilkins. Grab them. They're making a break for us. Now meet down. You get Colby. I'll be looking for my help. Come back here, you two. You're covered. Come on, Colby. And you, Wilkins. Just step back here easy, like. Another break and I'll drill you. You're arresting Colby and my foreman, but why? Mr. Potter, here's the answer right here. What? I don't know how it got here, but this ore in the shaft came from your mine. I'll stake my reputation on it. If there's any doubt about it, Colby can call in anyone he wishes to check with me. Ore from a Gold King here in Colby's mine? Potter, Colby's been stealing from you for months. This mine here was just a blind. He gave out the story. He found a continuation of the vein that it played out to explain where this ore came from. But Colby couldn't have stolen from the Gold King without Wilkins' knowledge. It would have been impossible. He's... That's just it, Mr. Potter. They was in cahoots. They not only stole from you, Potter, but finally forced you to a position where you believed you had to sell. You need cash. You have a legal right to everything Colby has banked in town. It came from your gold. But the whole thing seems incredible. The risk they took. They took practically no risk. Why do you suppose Colby built a smelter of his own? He did it because if he'd sent the ore to the smelter in town as you do, his trick would have been discovered. Here he could reduce the ore to pure gold. And no one but his old men would know what mine that gold came from. Colby, if I were ten years younger, I'd give you the beating of your life. Let me do it, Mr. Potter. Just let me teach the skunk a lesson. When I get through with him, I'll take on Wilkins. Don't come near me, Blasher. It's all right, Dave. I reckon the spell they're going to get in the jailhouse will teach him less than enough. Besides, Dave, I won't have a man who works for me getting into brawls. Works for you? Mr. Potter, you mean I got my job of foreman back again? You have not. Oh, well, I didn't expect quite that much to start, but I... You won't be foreman, Dave, because you'll be too busy managing the mine. Huh? I'll be manager? Oh, golly, wait till I tell Mary about this. And the mask man, I gotta thank him. Why, he ain't here. Now, why'd he leave like that? He always does, Dave. Huh? You know him? Not by name. But you've heard what he's called, I reckon. That mask fella was the Lone Ranger. Events are waiting for us on the trail ahead! I'll see over Hawaii! The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
