fiery horse to the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. The pioneers who first settled the western United States fought outlaws and hostile Indians to protect their new homes. They accepted gun law as a natural thing and even the most honest ranchers prided themselves on the quickness of their draw. It was the masked rider of the plains who made them realize that there could be no peace and security on the frontier until law and order was established. It was he more than any other man who brought justice and civilization to the new territory. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on silver! Bert Walker lost his trail heard! There's going to be trouble! It was almost midnight but Wolf Snyder's last chance cafe was still going at full blast. The sound of discordant music and shrill laughter was heard clearly by Bert Walker and his grim-faced companions as they walked up the steps of the cafe and... All right, fellas. Just a second before we step inside. Yeah. This is my fight, Savvy. I don't aim to have none of you interfering. But boss... You heard me, Vic. All you're to do is see that nobody else butts in either. When we get inside, spread out and keep an eye on things. Many of Dan's men slap leather, they're your meat. But Dan is for me and don't forget it. We ain't forgetting. All right, come on. Howdy, Bert. Just stay behind your bar, Wolf, and get ready to duck lead. There's a skunk in here that's going to get his needin'. Now don't you go shootin' up my place, Bert. Shut up. There he is, boss. Cross the room there. I see him. Spread out like I told you. Sure. Dan Bowman. Me. I don't drink with polecats. Hey, what's wrong? Just get out of that chair. I'm waitin' for you to fill your hand. Stand aside, folks. Anybody gettin' between me and Dan there is likely to get hurt. What's got into you, Bert? You gone loco? You and me have been sharin' the contract for government beef. Sure we do, but what's that... Shut up! But you've been gettin' notions. You've been gettin' the idea you'd like to have that contract all for yourself. No such thing. You stampede my trail herd before I can make delivery. I lost near all of them. I got a warning from the agent. One more failure to make delivery and my part of the contract's canceled. You say I stampeded your cows? You're crazy. Slap leather. Somebody slap them out. Hey, barkeep, light some candles. We can't see a thing. Now don't get excited, folks. There'll be lights on in just a second. Get them candles going, barkeep. There, Wolf. There they are. Boss, where are you? Hey, where's Bert got to? What's that? Boss. Hey, boss. He's gone. Has Dan done this? Dan's gone too. Well, I'll be. Ain't no sign of either one. But what's happened to them? They disappeared while the lights was out. Where have they got to? It's a doggone funny thing. Beats me. Vic, maybe they went outside to settle their fight. You'd better take a look. Yeah, I reckon I'd better. Excitement's over, gents. There's nothing more to worry about. Line up the bar and name your poison. The barkeep will take care of you. The drinks are on the house. Wolf Snyder's invitation for a free drink on the house brought the customers to their feet, and they crowded close to the bar. During the confusion, Wolf slipped quietly to the back of the cafe and spoke in a low voice to a man hidden behind the stairway, leading to the living quarters overhead. You there, Jake? Yeah. Put up your shooting irons and come out from behind there. This is a spiral thing. They just disappeared, huh? Slick as a whistle. Come on to my office. Thorne's waiting for us. Yeah. Get inside. Master Thorne, I wish I knew. Things go wrong? Just as wrong as he could. Who fired them shots? I don't know. It was a masked man, Wolf. I seen him just for a second when he stepped inside. A masked man, eh? Yeah, he was... Forget about it. Now we gotta figure out some other scheme. To hear you talk, Wolf, there wasn't nothing gonna stop this one. Thorne, I don't know how it happened. Everything was set. I'd moan, fellas, stampede Walker's cows, making it look as though Bowman was the cause of it. When Walker come in here gunning for Bowman, Jack was all set to drill them both from cover while he was shooting it out. Oh, gone, Thorne. You couldn't ask for a better setup than that. It didn't work, did it? No. Look here, Wolf. I want that government beef contract. I can't get it till Walker and Bowman lose out. I hired you to see if the job was done right. But if you can't handle it, then I'll get somebody else. Oh, I'll figure out something. Yeah, you don't even know where they are. For all you know, they might be together right now comparing notes. And if they do that, they're gonna put two and two together and begin getting the facts straight. I do. You'll find them fellas and show me some action. Hold on, Thorne. Well? Don't go distracting me. It wouldn't be healthy. With what I got on you, you'll string along with me and like it. You ain't got no more on me than I got on you. Then we'd be fools to split up. You just leave things to me. This won't work out yet. Well, it better. Careful. My ass man. Wolf, that's the same ass fella that shot the lights out. Is that so? It is. Who are you? That's something you won't find out. Don't reach for that gun. Take it easy, Thorne. We'll get to the bottom of this. Maybe he had something to do with Bert and Dan disappearing. Did ya? Wolf, right now, both those men are my prisoners. Oh, well, uh... What was the idea? Maybe I wanted to cut myself in on this game. You? What are you talking about? Game? We ain't got no game. No? Those men stand between Thorne here and the rich contract for army and reservation beef. I don't know... Jake here was instructed to shoot them, making it look as though they'd killed each other. Huh? How'd you find out all that? I have my own way of learning things. I still don't see what... You don't have to see. Where have you got Walker and Bowman? Well, you won't find them. They can't be far. They aren't. They're just outside town. When I leave here, I'm taking them to my camp. Then you're welcome to look for them as much as you want. What are you butting in for? This ain't no concern of yours. I'm making it mine. But what for? Thorne is paying you well, isn't he, Wolf? Yes. Oh, that's it. You're after cash too, huh? Perhaps. You figure I'll pay up to have them two fellas turned over to me. Is that it? I have the whip hand. Sure, Walker. Thorne, you came to Wolf to get this job done. He ain't said so. He doesn't have to. I happen to know the facts. And Thorne couldn't have made a worse move when he hired you. What do you mean by that? Thorne, how long do you think you could get away with murder? Until Walker's herd was stampeded, he and Bowman had always been good friends. People are going to remember that. Now look here. Keep still, Wolf. Maybe this hombre's talking sense. Go ahead, stranger. You overlooked another fact. Yeah? You made Walker believe Bowman wanted that contract for himself. Walker lost his temper and didn't stop to reason things out. If he had, he'd realize that Bowman wouldn't want the entire contract. He hasn't enough cows to fill it. Nobody would bother to think that out. That's where you're mistaken. And when they did, they'd realize that Thorne here benefited by the killings. Why would they? Somebody'd have to take over the beef contract, wouldn't they? That wouldn't be reason for suspicion of Thorne. Thorne, however, is the only rancher in the district who could take over the contract. He's the only rancher with a large enough herd. But I... Ranger, I'm beginning to think that it's lucky we made up. Letting Wolf have his way, I might have gotten real trouble. Exactly. You for hire? I might be. Supposing I hired you, what would you suggest? I'd suggest that instead of killing Walker and Bowman, you'd drive them out. Yeah? Throw a scare into them. Make them believe they have their choice between giving up their contract or losing their lives. But you just now said killing wasn't safe. I didn't suggest killing. I suggested making them believe their lives are in danger. There's a difference. They'd still suspicion who was behind it. Let them suspect all they want. If you did it cleverly, they'd have no proof. How do you mean? You can handle that to suit yourself. If we come to terms, I'll deliver both men to you tomorrow night. They'll be blindfolded so they can't recognize you. How much is this going to cost me? What will you pay? 500. Good enough. What time do we get them and whereabouts? At midnight tomorrow beside Eagle Rock. Eagle Rock ain't convenient. Let's make it... I said Eagle Rock. Take it or leave it. Seems like I ain't got no choice. You haven't. I ain't paying you nothing till I get them. Very well. Thorne your logo. How do you know this fella ain't up to some trick? If he tries anything, he don't get paid. Then it's settled. Sure, stranger. I'll be on my way then. Remember, midnight tomorrow at Eagle Rock. I'd like to catch the fella that left that back door unlocked up. Hey, what's the dog gonna amuse him, Thorne? That mask fellow, Wolf. Oh, golly. I don't see nothing funny about it. His button in is just going to cost two K's. That ain't it. Well... What struck me funny was that mask fellow trying to make me think he's a crook. Huh? Why, you blamed Idget. Didn't you guess who he was? How could I with him wearing that mask? That was the Lone Ranger. Oh. You sure? I'm willing to bet on it. Golly, then we'd better watch our step. Wolf, this is one time the Lone Ranger gets fooled. Yeah? You say of your scheme? Why he'd be so blamed anxious for us to meet him at Eagle Rock? I don't know. So you'd have the law planted there to get evidence against us? Just so. Only it ain't gonna work out that way. We'll stay away, sure. But how'll we get a hold of Walker and Bowman? If that fella's a Lone Ranger, he'll give them a warning. That won't matter. Why won't it? Because that mask fellow ain't no fool. He knows doggone well we won't go near Eagle Rock lest we see him bring them ranchers there. I suppose. But if he's gonna have the law waiting there... Let him. We'll get Walker and Bowman. Only we'll get them before they reach Eagle Rock. We'll get them on their way there from the mask fellow's camp. But you don't know where his camp is. We'll find out. And where's that engine you hired last week? The one you said could follow a trail with his eyes closed. Right, Al? Yeah, get him in here. Go ahead, Jake. The engine's in the ballroom. Bring him in here? Yeah. You're figuring on the Redskin trailer in the mask man, huh? Right. Maybe he won't be able to. And if he ain't as good a trailer as he claims to be, it's time he was finding out so he can save his wages. Well, it's worth trying. There he is. Get in there, Redskin. The boss wants to talk to you. Red Elk, you've been telling me how good you can follow a sign. Me, he good. Could you follow the trail of a horse at night? Me do that. Then that's what you're gonna do right now. Where trail? Oh, there's a feller in here just now. Come in the back way. So he must have had his horse waiting out back. You can pick up his trail from there. Ah. Jake. Yeah? You'll go along with the engine. I want somebody with him I can trust. And if we find that mask fellow's camp? Just get back as fast as you can and let us know where it is. And don't let him know you found it, neither. We won't. Then get on with you. Right. Come along, engine. That's that. And Wolf, if that Redskin finds a masked man's hideout, we've got things all our own way. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. When the Lone Ranger left the Last Chance Cafe, he returned to the edge of town where Burt Walker and Dan Bowman, securely tied, awaited him. Mounting his two prisoners on extra horses, he led the way across country to his well-hidden camp in a small wood. Oh, Silver, oh, what? All right, out of the saddle. Here, your hands are tied. I'll help you, Burt. Now, Dan. If this is a stunt you and Burt fixed up between you... It isn't. That's me and the masked man fixed up. Why, drat your hide, Dan. If anybody planned this, it was you. You don't know what... Both of you, keep still. I'll do the talking. You'll both remain tied until I'm finished. You better talk fast. If I hadn't interfered, you men would be dead. Dan would. Why, you not... Quiet. I said both of you and I meant both of you. Burt, you let yourself be tricked. Dan had nothing to do with the stampeding of your trail herd. That ain't so. My crew seen one of Dan's men. Which one? Tex Seeley. Tex is really in the pay of Wolf Snyder. What? I'd like to know what this is all about. Burt's saying I was after the whole beef contract for myself and you saying Tex is a crook. He is. You got proof of that? I'll tell you the facts and you can judge for yourself. In the first place, for the last month, there have been rumors at the fort that Thorne was going to take over the government beef contract. Thorne? Yes. No one seemed to know why or how. So I came here to investigate. Thorne. Dan, Tex gambles quite a lot at Wolf's place, doesn't he? What of it? And he's been winning. You know Wolf's games are crooked. Did it ever occur to you that Wolf might be letting him win? Why would he? To pay Tex for selling you out. Tex let himself be seen when Burt's herd was stampeded. Burt naturally suspected you were behind it. Stranger, this sounds interesting. You, Burt, went gunning for Dan. Wolf had one of his gunmen planted in the cafe. If you'd had your fight, he would have shot both of you. And in the confusion, everyone present would have been certain you'd shot each other. How do you know all these things? You'll learn that later. Do you believe what I've told you? Well, it did seem funny that after me and Dan being friends for so long, he'd try to break me. Well, I was so mad I didn't stop to think. You don't have to believe me. Tomorrow night, I'll give you proof. Of what? Proof that Wolf is behind this trouble. And that Thorn in turn is behind him. Thorn's hired him? He has. How will you prove it? I called on Wolf and Thorn after I took you from the cafe. I let them think I was a crook who wanted money. Tomorrow night, I'll turn you over to Thorn and he'll pay me. So you are in with him? I'm not. But you said you were going to give us up. Because it's the only way to bring Thorn and Wolf to justice. You'll understand when the time comes. But I don't say... In the meantime, if you'll give me your words not to escape, I'll release you. Well... I don't cotton much to be in tithe. If you don't promise, you'll stay tithe. How long does that promise hold? Until tomorrow night. I'll promise. I'll get a hankering to see what's going to happen. And you, Bert? Stranger, you got my word, too. Take off these ropes. Wolf Snyder's last chance cafe had long since closed for the night. But as dawn came, Wolf and Thorn still waited in the former's office. At last, they heard two horses thunder to a stop outside. Then, someone knocked on the door. Who's there? It's me, Wolf. Jake, come in. Well? Ingen done it. Is that right, Ingen? You find that mess, fellas, Cam? Uh, me find it. What about? Over in that woods, beyond the creek. Beyond the creek. That's the other side of Eagle Rock. Uh-huh. Ingen, you learned your keep. Wolf, I'm telling you, I never seen such trailing. He could see sign where it was so doggone dark, I could hardly see the ground. And got there almost as fast as the Redskin know where he was going right from the first. You're going to come in handy, Red Elk. Well, Thorn, what do you think? Jake, how close did you get to the masked fellas' camp? Close enough to learn you had things figured right. Yeah? You hear him talking? Yeah, just so. What'd he say? Said he struck a bargain with you to deliver them fellas at Eagle Rock for cash. Said when he'd done that same, it was going to jail. Jailers, huh? I reckon that. What have you got in mind? Jake, sit down here. Now, you two look here. Yeah. Say this is Eagle Rock, Savvy. That'd make it just about halfway between here and where Jake says the masked fellas' camp is. That's right. All right. Now, the creek is about halfway again from the rock to the camp. Meaning? Meaning that there's plenty of cover near the creek. Plenty of cover, Wolf, or say about four or five of your men. And then? The masked fellas set off from his camp with Walker and Bowman. He expects us to meet him at Eagle Rock. That's where you'll have the law waiting for him. I get it. Only he don't reach Eagle Rock, huh? Just so. Your men will be waiting for him where he ain't expecting it. At the creek. Before he gets to the rock. And out of gunshot or where the law will be hiding. Good enough. But you don't sound like you was planning to help, Thorne. I ain't. Neither's Wolf. We're staying in town, so we'll have alibis. Sure. You fellas will stay in town. And if anything goes wrong, it's us that get the blame while you stay in the creek. Don't be a fool, Jake. You'd get the blame anyhow, even if we was along, wouldn't you? You ought to take the same chance as the rest of us. I'm paying for this job. What's more, if you fellas should slip up, then you've still got me and Wolf free to look out for you. What good would it do to have us all jailed? Well. Besides, nothing's going wrong. Don't worry about it. I ain't. It was you that seemed to be doing all the worry. That'll be enough of that, Jake. Thorne's the boss here. All right. Well, Thorne, what do you want me to tell the boys? Should they drill them fellas or just take them prisoners? They can drill the mask, man, and take Walker and Bowman prisoner. Mask fella was trying to trick us, but he gave us some good advice just the same. Yeah? Sure. What's the use of killing them fellas to get that beef contract when a good scare will work just as well? Maybe so. And when they find out even the Lone Ranger can't help them, I got a notion they'll scare easy. That night, the outlaw, Jake, got a half dozen horsemen, made a wide detour around Eagle Rock, then pushed on toward the creek. The masked man would cross on his way to keep his appointment. Arriving at the stream, they urged their horses into a dense thicket. Hold up, fellas. This'll do. Oh, boy. What time you got, Jake? Can't be much after 11. We ain't too late. Thought you wanted to get here earlier. Yeah, and I would have if I hadn't wasted time looking for Wolf before we started. Wouldn't find him no place. What'd you want him for? Oh, nothing particular. Just to find out if he had any special orders is all. But he won't around, huh? Likely he kept away on purpose. Likely he figured if there was a slip-up, maybe somebody'd recollect Jake talking to him. Put two and two together. Yeah, that'd be his way. Huh. Wolf and Thorne. They don't come no slicker. Them fellas don't never take chances. Suits me. They can do the scheming and I'll do the work. For just as long as they pay good. Oh, I ain't kicking. Hey, Inchon. Uh-huh. You keeping a sharp botch in the trail? The masked man'll come? Um, me watch him. See that you do. There's a hill on the other side of the creek. When they top it, you ought to be able to see him again in the sky. Uh-huh. Just drill the masked fella? Yeah, I'll take him. Hmm. We ought to drill Bowman and Walker, too. Wolf and Thorne said not to. They're killed. Thorne's the only one that'll gain by it. They'd leave a straight trail pintin' right at him. If they ain't killed, they'll recognize us. I know they won't. Why not? The masked fella said he'd deliver them blindfolded. That ain't saying he will. Why won't he? He's got sense enough to make it look like he's keeping his part of the bargain, ain't he? He said blindfolded and they'll be blindfolded. Just to keep it lookin' right. Uh-huh. Then the idea is just to give them ranches a scare. Right. One that'll stick. One that'll persuade them. They don't want that beef contract no longer. And convince them they better not do no loose talkin' afterwards. You, Pete. Yeah? You're a good roper. You take the one closest to you. Sure. Squint'll take the other. If either one of you misses, the other'll lend a hand. Aye, aye. And don't be afraid to handle them rough. Drag them right off their horses, Savvy. Sure. Shake them up a bit, huh? Just so. When you got them on the ground, put spurs to your horses and drag them right back through the creek. It'll take some of the spunk out of them. It'll kind of hint that maybe they'd better listen to you. Then we'll let them get to this side of the creek before we do anything, huh? Right. Then come. Yeah, they just opened the rods. Don't pull out, you fool. Now get this, fellas, and get it straight, because there ain't much time left for talking. Go on. Have your ropes ready. See that they don't catch on nothing. Let them cross to this side of the creek, and wait till I give the word. I'll drill the mask, man. You fellas rope Bowman and Walker and pull them back through the creek. That's straight now. You got it. Then don't open your mouths again till I yell. Hey, like, blast it, I said to keep shot. I know it, I know it, Jake, but look, you can just make them out. Bowman and Walker are blindfolded, all right. The mask fella put gunny sack in over their head. They're so much the better. Now keep shut. They're almost to the creek. Get them. Get up there. Get up there. I'm gunning the mask fella. Come on, children. Ah, miss. Blasted redskin, you're bumping. You spoiled my aim. I wrote one of them. I got the other. Then pull them from their saddles. Drag them through the creek. Get up there, boys. Come on. Get up there. That's enough, men. We ain't to kill them. Pull, pull there. Pull, pull. Come on, we'll pick them up. The mask man will be coming back with the law. He's got the right eagle rock first. There's time enough. Look at them fellas. Ain't they in sight? The clothes just about tore off of them. They'll be squeezing water from their hides for a month to come. See the path they made when they was dragged up the bank. They made a furrow like they was plowed. Hey. Huh? What's the matter? There's something wrong. These fellas. There can't be nothing wrong. There is. Neither Bowman or Walker is as tall or hefty as these fellas. By a thunder. One more, Jade. Just a second. Quick. Wait, wait. I said do like I tell you. Get back. I'll do it myself. Pete, give me your life. Just a second. Hurry. Here you are. Pete, who does Jade think we got? I don't know. Golly. Wolf. And Thorne. You fools. Oh, you blessed idiots. You know, good idle-headed mavericks. We don't knock your heads off. You're like to kill us. Oh, my knee. But, Wolf, Mr. Thorne, how is we to know? We thought you was Bowman and Walker. We never met you before. Hold us out of the saddle. Drag us through the creek. I'll show you. Oh. No, Wolf. No. Don't hit me, please. Yes. Oh. Now, then. Talk up. You'll get the same as I give Jake. I will. Which one of you told the masked fella about our scheme? Which one of you let him know so she could come to town and take me and Thorne prisoner? That's why Jake couldn't find you before we left. Speak up, blessed. The masked fella knowed the whole thing. He made us change clothes with them ranchers. He put that gunny sack over our heads just so it couldn't be told who we was. Talk or I'll give every one of you just what I give Jake. Well, wait a minute, Walter. Wolf. Coming to, huh? Maybe you need some more. Wait, Wolf. The engine was... What about the engine? When I shot at the masked man, he bumped me. I thought it was accidental. But maybe he done it a purpose. Redskin, what about that? You stand back. Yeah. The engine. It was him that was such a good trailer, he could follow the masked man right to his camp. By thunder, he knowed where that camp was all the time. It was him who sold us out. I'll show you. Oh. You'll do nothing, Thorne. Come on, Marshall. Stand where you are. And look at your hands. The U.S. Marshal. Yes, and here's Bowman and Walker. To see you crooks jailed. And a good riddance to the lot of you. We never heard nobody. We tried. And we heard enough to prove it. But we figured the law was at Eagle Rock. How'd you get here so fast? It wasn't time. The law wasn't near Eagle Rock. We was hiding by the creek just like you was. Only we left our horses a ways back so they couldn't be heard. That dirty redskin. Careful, Wolf. You all right, Tonto? Me all right. Tonto? Did he call you Tonto, engine? Me. Me, Tonto. You told me your name was Red Elk. And me fooled you plenty. Why? You're still covered, Wolf. Wolf? Tonto joined your gang for exactly this. Tell me your plans and make sure they failed. Come on, Tonto. Shucks, Thorne. The trap you and Wolf fixed up worked all right. But thanks to Tonto and the mask man, you was the ones that caught. I don't kill my scout. Work to do. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
