A fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust, and a hearty high old silver, the Lone Ranger. The road first stretched its gleaming rails into the western United States. Civilization was brought to the frontier, but the fight for law and order was not won. Train hold-ups took the place of stage hold-ups. The outlaws were more than a match for the local sheriffs and might never have been brought to justice without the help of the masked rider of the plains. It was that great champion of justice who put an end to crime in the new territory. It was he, more than any other man, who made the winning of the West possible. 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 hoofbeats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. Come on! We've got to hurry! How are you, silver? How are you? The Union Pacific, pride of the West, was roaring across the open stretches where vast ranches separated the small crossroads communities. Then, as the line of cars and the great iron horse neared the town of Redstone... Now, get them! Line up there, all of you! What is this? Shut your mouth! Line up there! Train robbers! They was hid there! Hurry up, get moving! All right, boys, let them have it! Don't leave any survivors! Get that last one! Spare me! Take it! Send me out a drink, barkeep! Dad ratted, I need it after leaving the posse to try to locate them train robbers. Right, Sheriff. Go on, tell some more, Sheriff. How do you know they were three men? One of the guards lived long enough to tell me that much. But he didn't get no description to amount to anything. Dad ratted, Steve. Now I know the law made a mistake on the last train hold-up. How's that, Sheriff? You remember, Steve. We suspicioned Bill Andrews because he worked for the Union Pacific and was fired and sore at the railroad. He was sent to jail on what's called circumstantial evidence. Yeah, his kid brother's been took in by the schoolmarm. But now, being as this second robbery was done the same way, it sort of shows that Bill warned the guilty one. Sheriff, maybe I should tell you. What's that? Bill Andrews busted out in the jail at Pine Flats. Busted out? Yeah, the night before the robbery. Why didn't you say so, Steve? Why, hang it all? Then that's the man we want. I'm going to search the schoolmarm's ranch and yours as well, being you're the nearest to it. It's likely that Bill Andrews will hide out near the kid. You might look your ranch over yourself. All them old buildings on it. I sure enough will. I ain't work my place much, and there's some of the buildings that don't get looked into from one year to the next. Just so. There's a sizable reward for these train robbers. And now I've got something to work on. Have a drink, Steve. A drink on me. Barkeep. Set out a drink for Steve and one for the stranger, too. Sure thing, Sheriff. What's your name, stranger? You wouldn't be interested, Sheriff. I'm not planning to stay around here long. I says, what's your name? What's the difference? Why, doggone your hide. Stand still and let me get a close look at you. I heard what you said about that train robbery. Never mind that. Stop backing off. I want to see your face close up. Stand still when the sheriff says to. Funderation. You've got some sort of disguise and coloring on your face. I want to Bill Andrews' gang. Raise your hand. Bill him. Not so fast. Don't shoot in here. Stand back. That goes for you men, too. Keep your hands high. Reach for guns and I'll blow them out of your hand. You, Steve, whatever your name is, keep them up. That's as good as a confession. Is it? Well, you'll need more proof than that, Sheriff. Someone get him. Shoot him. Don't let him get loose. I'm not one of your train robbers. I'm not going to stay around here to get framed by the real robbers. You stay right where you are until you've heard me right away. The stranger backed through the swinging doors. Then with lightning speed, he jammed the guns in leather, whirled and leaped to stride a powerful white stallion. Come on, boy! Men screamed from the cafe, shouting after the hard-riding figure. Guns barked and bullets zoomed past the rider's head. Get along, old fellow! Come on there! Get up! But soon, the stranger was out of reach of gunfire. As he rode, leaning low on the saddle, he took a sharp turn to the north and broke into a clump of cottonwoods. Then he reined up at a small, well-concealed camp. Roll! Roll there, boy! An Indian rose to beat him. Hurry, Tonto. My mask. My own hat and shirt. What happened? I was suspected of being one of the train robbers. With his shirt changed, the stranger put his battered black hat into a saddlebag. The Indian handed him a white sombrero, and then... Yes, Tonto? The Indian's paint horse, already saddled and bridled, trotted forward, while the stranger fastened a black mask across his eyes. He stood there for one brief instant. The familiar figure of the Western Plains. The masked rider whose deeds of daring in the name of justice were known throughout the length and breadth of seven states. Swinging to the saddle, he shouted that familiar cry... Oh, Silver! Once more, the Lone Ranger raced into action, ready to risk his own life and the cause of justice. Come on, Silver! Bill Andrews was hidden in a small shack on Steve Logan's ranch. Hearing the clatter of approaching hoofs, he thought it was Steve and one of his men returning. I wonder if he's got some news. Ready now, Silver, old boy? Silver? That ain't the name of Steve's horse. I... I'd better take a look through the cracks in the wall. Wish I had a shooting... Stand where you are. Take it easy, Bill. I know you're not armed. Masked? Who... What in places... Steve is on his way here. You've got to get away. Who are you? I happen to be one man who believed you're not guilty of those train robberies. Those? There was only one. There was a second one last night. Last night? Yes. Just a little while after, Steve Logan helped you break out of jail and brought you here. But who are you? That doesn't matter. Steve told the sheriff you'd escape from jail. That fact, combined with last night's robbery, made the sheriff dead sure you're the leader of the train's robbers. I ain't. I ain't, I tell you. Why did Steve help you get free? To prove your innocence by being free to find the real crooks? Yes, and you ain't going to stop me. No, I'm going to help you. Didn't it occur to you that as long as you were alive, there was a chance the real crooks could be found? But once you're dead, the case will be marked closed. But come on with me. I ain't leaving here. Where's Steve? Steve is on his way here right now. And I think he's coming to kill you. That ain't so. He's my friend. Your friend? Why did he tell the sheriff you were free? Why did he tell you to stay here and hiding instead of making your getaway? Now, are you coming, or shall I rope you and drag you with me? I ain't coming. Very well. We can't wait till Steve Logan gets here. You wait him, Tonto. Tonto, get him. Let me go and blast you. There's no use putting up a fight. We're just wasting good time, Bill. I'll get a rope on him, Tonto. Let me go. There. That'll hold you for the time. Steve will kill you for this. You'll just wait till we get to camp and have time to talk. I'll tell you who I think the real train robbers are. I'll tell you how we can make them show their hands. Hand them up here, Tonto. You say you think you know who they are? We've been checking hoof marks and footprints, Bill. Now, wait till we get to camp. Come on, Tonto. I tell you, Jake, it'll be as easy as falling off in a log. Didn't the sheriff want to know how you know that Andrews was out of jail? No, he didn't ask. Now, get your gun and go drill, Andrew. Right, sooner not. You do as I tell you. All right, all right, Steve. Go on. I'll wait here and see that you do the job right. Maybe I ought to drill Jake while he's doing it. Let the sheriff have them both and not have to split no reward. Steve, he ain't here. Ain't there? What do you mean he ain't? Well, he ain't. Come on, boy. Oh, there. Now, let me see. I told you we should have roped him. You fool. I'll go to rope him and not have him suspect something funny going on. Well, now he's gone. Well, I got a blame-good idea where we can find him. You told him to wait right here, Steve. Sure. But he's likely gone and see his kid brother over to the school mom's place. We'll go there. Come on. Get up. Get up. Get up there. Meanwhile, at Jane's ranch, 15-year-old Jackie stood before the school teacher and made a declaration. You don't have no right to pry into my affairs, Miss Winters, and I don't have to answer your question. As long as you live in this house, you're going to behave yourself and do what you're told. Now answer me, Jack Andrews. Where did you go last night? I won't tell. You will tell. You slipped out of your room after you went to bed and you were gone for over two hours. I won't tell a thing. We'll get back to this discussion later on. I see the sheriff's stopping out for us. I wonder what he's doing here. Howdy, ma'am. Hello, sheriff. I think I don't have enough talk with Jack there. Oh. How about it, Jack? You know anything you think I ought to be told? No, sir. What's he done? Where was you last night, Jack? I was right here. I went to bed at the usual time. Is that the case, ma'am? Yes. Jack went to bed at the usual time, sheriff. What's the trouble? Did you stay in bed, son, or did you get up and sneak out? Well, sheriff, what a ridiculous question. Why should he sneak out after turning in? That don't answer my question none. Jack, when your brother was took away, he left what cash he had with you. Isn't that so? Yes, sir, he did. I suppose you still got that cash. Well, I... It's none of your business, sheriff. Unless you tell why you ask these things, I'll not permit Jackie to answer any more of your questions. Maybe you'd better know the truth of things, ma'am. I'm hunting train robbers and killers. They took the lives of three men on the Union Pacific last night and got away with cash. Again? Yep, again. And Bill Andrews busted out in jail just a little while before. Jackie, you know anything about that? Let me tell you first, son, that whatever you answer, I don't know if it's true or not. Now, why don't you help the law and tell me where Bill's hiding now? I don't know. You deny seeing him last night? I ain't saying anything. And you can do what you want with me. Maybe this will sort of refresh your memory. I understand that a message was brought to you a few days back telling you to take Bill's cash and leave it where he'd go first to look for it. Did you do that? You can't make me talk. I'll make you talk. I tried to be square with you, but you choose to be a stubborn little schemer that's trying to shield a killer. Well, I... One moment, Sheriff. Well? How could Jack have done what you say if he didn't leave this house all night? He did leave it. Wouldn't I be more likely to know that than you? You sure of what you say? Of course I am. He's just a boy, and the way you come here and question him is enough to frighten a grown man. Now get out of here and go on about your business. There are killers around here. Go and find them and leave Jackie alone. Why didn't you say in the first place he hadn't left the house? Dad, Raddett, someone has made a mistake. Miss... Miss Winters, that was swell of you. Oh, Jackie, I didn't really fib. The sheriff thought I said that you were here all night. Now look, Jackie, I don't think Bill's guilty at all. I know he ain't. Bill wouldn't do that. You must tell me the truth, Jackie, otherwise I can't help you. You did leave the house last night. Yes, ma'am. Did you meet your brother? No, I didn't. What did you do? Well, I was sent word that he was going to get free. I did get a message like the sheriff said. It told me to put Bill's cash where he could get it. I put it in a hollow tree we both know of. That's where Bill meant for me to put it. But Jackie, don't you see if you tell the sheriff that it would prove that Bill didn't rob the train? If he had, he wouldn't have needed to put you in danger to get his cash. He wouldn't have needed that cash. I won't tell the sheriff anything. He'd make me tell who brought me the message from Bill. I won't double-cross Bill's friends that helped him get loose. You won't, huh? Yes. I had a hunch I might hear something if I listened outside. Yes, wait a minute. Listen, I... He ain't told you all he knows. Now, young'un, remember you're old enough to jail and I'll jail you for aiding and hiding a killer from the law. You better talk fast and tell all you know. I won't tell a thing. You'll talk or go to jail. Where's Bill hiding? I don't know. Jack, you've got to tell him. I'll tell you I don't know and no one can make me tell. Now, if you want to jail me, go ahead and do it. The curtain falls on the first act of tonight's Lone Ranger story. Before the next exciting scenes, please permit us to pause for just a few moments. Now to continue our story. While the sheriff tried to get information from Jackie Andrews, Steve Logan and his right-hand man, Jake, rode toward Jane Winter's home. The best thing for us to do, Jake, is to let the sheriff have plenty of proof that Bill's the one stuck up the train last night. But the kid, what about him? The kid helped him. The kid was one of the three crooks and that stranger in the cafe was the third. How's that sound? Good enough. But won't the kid tell who's fetching that message from Bill? What's his word again ours? Besides, I got the evidence all planted. Looks like the sheriff's horse outside Jane Winter's place. Yeah, that's his room, all right. Reckon he's there already. I just wish Bill hadn't got loose. That's the thing that's bothering me. Reckon his suspicions are too stable to things? Oh, don't see how he could. Over there. Sheriff's in there all right enough. Yeah. Come on, George. I can't tell you what you want to know. I didn't see Bill. Listen, Jake, before we go in. You lied about not being out in this house last night. You lied when you say you don't know where Bill's hid. Now let's go inside. I told you all I'm going for. We want to speak to the sheriff. Well, Steve, did you learn anything? I reckon we did, Sheriff. I searched my place like you said and found that Bill Andrews had been hiding out there. Where'd he go? He got away. I reckon that stranger we'd seen in the cafe must have met him. But he's the one that stuck up the train all right. I found this. Who sold it, Mike? Yeah. He overlooked these bills. I found them with some of his discarded boots in the shack where he hid. By ginger. That's the sort of cash that was stolen from the train. And the boots we found was Bill Andrews all right because a lot of the boys have seen him wearing them. Bill didn't rob that train. Why are you putting the blame on him after helping him to get free? Me helping him? Well, that's a good one. You did so. It was one of your own men that brought me that note from Bill. Is that the truth? Sheriff, I'm surprised that you're thinking such a thing of me. If I'd helped him escape, do you think I'd fetch this information to you? Sheriff, he did too. What's more, if he's got any of the stolen cash from the train, he's the one that robbed it. Can't you see that? That's foolish talk. Sheriff, the chances are that the kid here was the third one of the train robbers. Why, you want to... That's so. There were three of them. That stranger, Bill, and Jackie. You admit being out in his house last night. He admits that? Yeah. I told you where I went. I took Bill's savings to the hiding place just as the note Red Fenton brought from Bill told me to do. What hiding place? A hollow tree. The chances are you already know about it. Fenton's likely told you. Sheriff, ain't it likely that Bill has hid some of the stolen cash in that tree? Maybe so. He didn't steal the cash. You show us where that tree is, Jackie. I want to have a look in it. I'll show you. And I'll show you that there ain't a dollar of stolen cash in it. Jackie led the sheriff, Steve Logan, and Jake to the hiding place in the trunk of a hollow tree. There it is. I didn't go out to rob no train last night and I didn't see Bill. I just slipped his own savings in there. Well, just have a look. Come on, boy. Can you reach down far enough, Sheriff? Yeah, and there's something here. There is? Then it's Bill Savings. He ain't come to get us yet. Like fun, this is Bill Savings. This is new folding money. How'd that get there? Easy enough. Your brother and you hid it there. We did not. That's more of Steve Logan's doing. He robbed that train and he's trying to frame me and Bill. That's too thin, Jackie. I'll have to take you along to the jail. And I'm willing to bet that when you find Bill Andrews, you'll find that stranger with the white horse at the same time. There's your three train robbers and I'm claiming part of the reward. Sheriff, Sheriff, I can't believe him. Come on, kid. It's jail for you. It's a lucky thing you're so young or you get what your brother and the other man will get when we locate them. It hangs. Jackie was taken to jail. Everyone in town was given a description of the stranger the sheriff had seen in the cafe and told of the reward that was offered for his capture. No one, however, paid any attention to the Indian who moved from one group of excited men to another, gathering facts to take back to the small camp in the Cottonwoods. When the Lone Ranger and Bill Andrews heard what Tonto reported, the masked man said, that proves beyond a doubt that Steve Logan is a thief. That dirty double-crossing polecat posed as my friend while he schemed my death. He planted that money in your old boots and in that hiding place he has the rest of the stolen cash. And he's got to be made to give it up. Let me out in these ropes. Let me go and face that skunk. Just a minute, Bill. How far do you think you'd get? The sheriff's already convinced that you and your brother were in on the robbery. Nothing you could say would change his mind. Maybe not, but I'd have the pleasure of drilling lead through Steve Logan's double-crossing hide. That wouldn't help your brother, honey. And to think I put Jackie in this spot just because I thought Logan was a friend and could be trusted. Are you convinced now that I'm a friend? If it hadn't been for you, I'd either be in jail or dead. Will you help me prove that Steve is guilty? How can you prove it? He knows it as long as he don't confess. The law can't prove nothing. Will you help me try to prove the truth? What's your scheme? You'll have to do just what I tell you, Bill, and do it without question regardless of how foolish it may seem to you. What is it? Tonto, cut the rope so Bill will be free to go. Ah, Tonto fix him. There. Now you turn this way now. There. Can you reach him? Uh-huh. There. Good enough. Gosh, it's great to be rid of them ropes. Rub your wrists a little. Those ropes were pretty tight. We had to be sure you didn't get loose. I know. I know I was blamed fool enough to think you was the one that was aiming to get me. Well, I know different now. You just tell me what to do, mister, and count on that same being done. Tonight, as soon as it gets dark, Bill, I want you to go to the school teacher's house and borrow a couple of horses and a buckboard. Yeah? Steve Logan doesn't know where you've disappeared to look on him as your friend. The ornery snake? You'll have to conceal your real feelings, Bill, because you've got to go to his place with a buckboard. You've got to ask for his help. I'll do my best to hide how I feel about him. There may be some risk. You may need a gun. I'm going to let you take one. But I want your promise that you will not use it except if it's necessary to save your life. All right. I want you to promise not to shoot to kill. This gun, Bill, has never shot a man except to wound him. No one has died from a bullet fired by this weapon. All right, mister. I'll see that you won't have any cause handle. You'll ask Steve Logan to help you get out of the country with a buckboard. You'll have a lot of your property on it that you'll load up from your old home. Hi, Savvy. I'll get to see Jane Winters just as soon as you give the word. Following the Lone Ranger's instructions, Bill Andrews took the buckboard by the shortest route to Steve Logan's ranch. Dismarming quickly, he rapped on the door and... Bill Andrews. What are you doing here? Steve, I sent you away this afternoon. I couldn't put you in a danger of having me found here. Where have you been? In hiding. I waited till dark and I got a buckboard and a couple of horses. I stopped at my old place and got the rest of my clothes. Now I'm ready to hightail it. Oh, you ain't seen the kid, brother? No. My best move is to get clear of this part of the country. Not stay around and try and locate the real crooks? No, I ain't nothing to work on. I appreciate all you've done for me, Steve, but there's one thing more I gotta ask you. I've got cash to pay you for some grub. Grub? Yeah. I don't dare try to buy none at the stores near here and I'll have to have food. If you could pack some on my buckboard, I could travel by night and hide daytimes and travel for weeks without showing myself. Reckon I can fix you up, Bill. Gosh, thanks. You and Jake stay here. I'll go see about stocking your rig. Where is it? Out back? Yeah. Good enough. Take care of him, Jake. I sure will. Hey, Red. Ain't that Bill Andrews that's come in? Yeah, and he's figuring on me to let him have grubs so he can make his getaway. Playing right into my hands. What are you figuring on doing? Planting a little more of the stolen cash. Some of the first robbery that's already been listed with the sheriff. Hmm. Then what? Then letting him get off my ranch and on the trail and then shooting him. Seems like you're giving away an awful lot of cash, Steve. We gotta do it, Red. We gotta have evidence of plenty again, Bill Andrews. The sheriff would never believe the story that we drilled him making him escape. If he went without some of the stolen cash. That's so. Here, take this box. I'll put a couple of cans of grub in it to weight it down. I'll put these in. I got them. I will hide some of the cash in there, put some more grub and put it on the buckboard. Steve Logan packed the supplies carefully. Then with Red's help, he loaded the boxes on the buckboard. Yeah, that'll do. It's a smart move to sacrifice part of the cash to make the case to get him complete. Now, Red, saddle up and get for the sheriff. Right. You'll likely find him around town if he ain't watching Jane Winter's place. Look there first. Good enough, Steve. I'll find him. Now to get him started on the trail. You're all set, Bill. And the sooner you start, the better. That suits me. Forget paying for the vittles. You're right welcome to him. God, Steve. Thanks. Come on. Me and Jake will see you started on your way. Good enough. Get up there. Rain up, Bill. What's the matter? Rain up a minute. Whoa. Over there. Over there. Whoa. Reckon me and Jake will turn back here, Bill. You're on the trail now. Yep. I'm on the trail all right, Steve. The right trail. What do you mean by putting it that way? The trail of the train robbers. Tice your hand. What the... Raise them, you too, Jake. Are you going loco? I was loco, thinking you was my friend, but I ain't now. I'll show you. Oh, my hand. Right again, Steve, and I'll blow your head off instead of your gun away. Come on, get over. Get up. What's this? Will you take over now, Bill? Sheriff, I just located this outlaw. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Over there. We can get the guns. What's the meaning of this? This time your smooth talk won't get you out of trouble, Steve. The masked man made me watch every move you made. We seen you through the window when you loaded the cash in that box. We seen you pack the box on the buckboard. Wait, that cash? That was stolen cash. We waited till you left the house to see the rest of it in your hiding place and make sure. Your friend Red is already on his way to jail with the deputy. I know it all along that you double-crossed me to cover your own robberies. I just wish I had a different shooting iron. I swear I'd kill you. You'd better give me that one, Bill, before you shoot again. Thanks. Thanks for the lend of it, Lone Ranger. Lone Ranger? I opened the gun, Sheriff, and seen silver bullets in it. And that accounts for the persuading ways he had. Dad Raddick, mister, I'm right honored to have been your prisoner while you let me see the two facts come out. Sheriff, can't you take these crooks in the buckboard? Sure. Why, Bill? I want to borrow Steve Logan's horse and saddle. I got to ride and get my kid brother out in the jail and I got to take him to Jane Winters and tell him the great news. Go ahead. Get off that saddle. Let go of me. There. Thanks, Lone Ranger. Thanks, no end. Get up. Now you'll set up your ranch again. Oh, it's most too good to be true. And you, Jane. You and Jack are the only ones that never lost faith in you. You're loco, Bill Andrews. What about that masked man? That's so. The two of you and the Lone Ranger. I reckon with three friends like that, I was richer than I'd have been if I had stuck up those trains. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated.
