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Foreign. Welcome to the Old Time Radio Westerns. I'm your host, Andrew Rines, and I'm excited to bring you another episode. This is one of over 80 episodes released monthly for your enjoyment, you can find more Western shows at our website by going to otrwesterns.com now let's get into this episode. Fiery horse with the speed of light, a cloud of dust and a hearty high. O Silver Ranger. During the years of unrest that followed the Civil War, a powerful secret organization called the Legion of the Black Arrows sprang up in the western United States. Its members were to be found everywhere, defying the law or using the law for their own purposes, working toward the ultimate goal of revolt and the foundation of a despotic empire. It was the masked rider of the plains who led the fight against this band of outlaws and traitors. And for once, his great strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness were taxed to the utmost in the cause of democracy. Return with us now to those thrilling days when the west was young. From out of the past come the thundering hoof beats of the great horse Silver. The Lone Ranger rides again. One Silver on the tail of my garrow. Until that. One night while a coyote howled from a ridge and the pale stars glittered over the western plains, two men squatted on their heels beside a buffalo chip fire under their weather beaten Stetson. Their eyes were cold and sharp as they watched each other. And the holsters of her six guns were strapped tight to their thighs, a sure sign that neither man trusted the other. You'd as soon kill me as look at me, Slater. I know that for a fact. You're not exactly fond of me either, Ferdie. If you were lost on the plains and up to your neck in quick Sandy and I had a rope to pull you out, I'd throw it the other way. And lad, we understand each other. You and me are business partners, nothing more. Suits me down to the ground. Can we get this deal run off? It's a truce, Sevy. Aye. Savvy. Much as I dislike you, I long for cash. That's what we're after. Gino, just so she understands and get busy, start explaining. There's a twig right beside you. Yeah. This marks the course of the Yellow Dog River. Like this. Wondering north. Yeah. Can you make it out? Fire's bright enough. Now, this is us right here. How far to the yellow dog? 40, 50 miles. Now the trail bends past the blockhouse, goes up the right bank of the yellow dog. Maybe 30 miles. Go on. And this Is it, Sleety? Right on this spot. This is it. This is where we get that cash. You're not mistaken, Purdy. I'm counting you out. That's where I get the cash. What do you. Yeah, Purdy. My six guns. You took your eyes off me when you started scratching in the ground. You didn't even hear my gun slide out of the holsters, Purdy. But you can hear this later, don't you? Hello. There's a campfire up ahead, Humphrey. Horse. Standardized fire we've been plowing was made by two riders. Where's the second horse? I do not know. Something looks wrong there, Kimosabe. That's that horse nuzzling that dark shape beside the fire. It looks like. That look like Man. That man all right. Him dead? Yes. Not at close range. Looks of the fire. It must have happened at least six hours ago. That's right. You wasn't alone, Tonto. Here are the marks of another man's boots. Another man Murder. Take a look at that horse. Check his left hind shoe. Tanto, do that. Steady. You've not kicked Tonto on him. You're Toto. There it is. A good horse. Kimasabi. That same horse we follow for a long time but never see him. Got broken toe and left back shoe. This man, Purdy. Yes. The man we learned about from the mysterious girl. Tano. They've gotten here too late. Him not talk anymore. Him never talk. Before he was shot, he used a twig to draw this in the dirt. Can you see it? No, not clear enough to see. No, he fell across it. Most of the lines are rubbed out. That was a map. You must have it not do any good now. No, he had only what matter what you stare at. Out of his left arm flung out with a hand close to the fire. Look at his wrist Tattoo. Mark on wrist. Black Cara. Howdy, soldier. All right to wander into the Black House looking for a plainsman by the name of Decker. And a rendezvous with him at this garrison. Straight ahead, mister. That's him talking to Captain Wainwright. Thanks, soldier. Hold on to your scalp. To tell you the truth, Captain, I wouldn't give you a dead man's hand for your garrison here. You got 50 soldiers and every last one of them is ready to desert. You're entitled to your opinion, Decker, but remember where you are. Captain. Captain Wangard. Well, who's a pretty looking lady? He rode in with the last wagon. Fame sure is a humdinger, Captain. Way, guys. Excuse me, Decky. Reckon you didn't notice me standing here. Been expecting Me Long Decker. What Slater tell you got here at last? Rode all night and half the day. And I'll get my horse. Say, what about Purdy? Get your horse and we'll discuss it later. Better not to talk here. Well, Slater, we're out of sight of the blockhouse. Captain Wainwright, and you ain't on the best of terms, are you? Forget that all he's got are suspicions. Wits. Same. We're not far from the truth, eh? We didn't come out to talk about that. I want to know about Purdy. Decker. It's my sorrowful duty to inform you that the Black Arrow has one less member. He's dead. Dead, but not buried. I didn't wait to attend to that. You're not hurt? Pertie was right handy with his shoot. Nines I drew when he wasn't looking. You're a cold blooded hombre, Slater. So are you, Decker. Matter of strict facts. So's most of us black hero men. Heard he tried to get away with that army payroll all by himself instead of handing it over to the Black Arrow. So I was sent after him. And I got him a short story with a sudden ending. Keno. Slater, where's the army cash? I haven't got it. What? Blacken your reins, Decker. You're getting red in the face. That's Black Arrow money now, Slater. If you try a trick like Purdy, you'll end like Purdy. Yeah? By whose guns? My guns. Keep your boots on, Dicker. I'm not trying nothing. Then explain and do it, Prono. I said I took care of Purdy. Only Purdy didn't have the army cash on him. He hid it away. That's what took me so long. I had to find him. Then I had to persuade him. Where is it? Last night he finally drew me a map. The cache is buried up north, Decker, at a certain spot on the bank of the Yellow Dog. You can locate it? Like blinking my eyes. That's fine, Slater. Fine and dandy. Now we'll get the cash and the army garrison will begin to desert. You're certain of that? Those soldiers want their pay and they haven't got it. So. Aye, savvy. They'll leave their rifles and skedaddle. That is, unless their pay arrives, which it won't. It takes a long time to get to this place. I hope you're figuring right, Dacre. How do you mean? Are you certain you know those soldiers? Maybe Captain Wainwright will hold them together. Slaters we're gonna see down. Oh. Something up your sleeve, huh? Yeah, but first, you and me will head up the Yellow Dog and get that pay cash. Yeah. Hey, Decker, that girl, huh? You know, the one in the block house, one who called the Captain. What about her? She's nobody. Just passing through on a covered wagon heading west. I was just wondering. Seems to me I seen her before someplace back east near Pecos or someplace just around the time when I finally caught up with Purdy. Captain Wayne, I may be presuming, but I wonder if you know very much about this man Decker. Well, not much, miss, but little I know I don't like Lancet. Then be it known that the bearer of this writing is read the closest, marked with the great zeal of the government of the United States of America. And signed on this 14th day of the third month of the. Signed by the President. Yes, the President himself. May I have that back, please? Oh, of course. That's dangerous work for a young woman. I serve my country. How can I help you? I'll be leaving here soon, Captain Wainwright, but I want to tell you two things. First, be on guard against Decker. I'm not sure of his exact situation, but be on guard I will. Anything else? Yes. If a masked man arrives at the post. A masked man? Riding a great white stagger, accompanied by an Indian. Don't take it for granted. He's an outlaw. Masked man, you say? He calls his horse Silver, Captain Wainwright. That man can be trusted implicitly. He's the greatest single force for good in the West. We want to see your commanding officer. Lift your head so the lamp light will shine it. Wood in places. An outlaw carpet of the guard. Turn out the guard. Don't move. Now, what's this? Begging the captain's pardon, better stand clear. Not long or renegade engine. The guard will take care. Oh, no. Can it be that you, mister, wearing the mask? What's the name of your horse? This is Silver, Private. Lower your rifle. Inform the corporal that the guard isn't needed, huh? Look, those are orders. Yes, sir. Corporal. Corporal of the guard. Never mind the guard. Masked man. I'm Captain Wainwright, commanding this garrison. How can I help you and the Indians? Captain Custer, and at your service. Well, you can explain your reason for trusting us later, Captain. Right. Now, have any strangers arrived at the blockhouse lately? Say around noon? Yes, a man named Slater. I think he came in from an easterly direction. Did he look like a gunman wore his gun strapped down. And that's the murderer we're after. We want that man. Murderer? Mister, he left early this afternoon. Hours ago. He went with a plainsman named Decker. They headed north up the Yellow Dog River. You must have me. Then we go. Wait, fellow. Captain Wainwright, tell me first, what's your reason for trusting us? I don't know who you are, masked man, but there was a young woman here. I have reason to believe her every word. She said to put my trust in a masked man riding a stallion named Silver. That girl, she won't help us. Captain, I'd like to meet that girl. Where is she? She too's left the fort. Oh, she's gone? Yes, headed south for the covered wagon. With the horses you're riding, it should be easy to overtake her. It would be very easy, but we're not going to. That girl has helped us many times, Captain. That fails across that we've never met, we can't meet this time. She heads south. The tunnel and I must go the other way. We're heading north. North along the Yellow Dog River. Murderer can't escape. Adios, Captain. Get him up, scout. Captain. Captain. Sir, are you all right? The way those two armories galloped off in such a rush. Yes, I'm all right. But I'd hate to be in Slater's boots right now. Not with that mask man on my tail. The curtain falls on the first act of our Lonely Ranger story before the next exciting scenes. Please permit us to pause for just a few moments, Sam. Now to continue our story, advised by Captain Wainwright that the man they seek is somewhere north on the Yellow Dog River. The Lone Ranger and Tonto head that way at once. But Slater and Decker had a long head start. At dawn they had already met a group of Decker's outlaw band and reached the spot of the river where Purdy had cashed the stolen army payroll. This is Buck Slater. According to Purdy's last words, it said. Yeah, this looks like fresh digging here, don't it? So does. Hand him that spade, Bowman. Yeah, can't be deep. Purdy was in a hurry. Let's talk. Dig. I don't favor your lingo, Decker. You want to handle this, Spade? Oh, don't be so doggone touchy, Slater. Get the pay cash. If it's here, Spade scrapes on the gravel like. Hey, what's that? That don't sound like gravel. Sure enough didn't. That's the pay cash. There it is. Open it up. See them silver dollars? That's it. That's the pay case for the soldiers. We got it. Money to stay. Never mind that. Quiet down. Quiet down, you hombre. Uh huh, Vicar. I reckon you figure it's the right time to shake out what you said you had up your sleeve, isn't it? You're smart, Slater. Yeah. Now if we got the cash. We're listening. See this cash, gents? It's all yours. That is, providing one thing. All yours. Just as soon as that army blockhouse gets burned to the ground. They're quiet now. Decker hired you gents for pay. You gotta do the job before you get paid. We can't burn that blockhouse. There's 50 soldiers there. We'd get wiped out. You could do it easy if There was only 10 soldiers, couldn't you? There's 50, not 10. But there won't be 50 bowmen. That's where you come in. I don't savage it. Simple as skinning a gopher. You see this? Yeah. It's your kerchief, Keno. A kerchief? That belonged to the gent who was driving that covered wagon. I. I borrowed it from him when we left the blockhouse. You're taking this kerchief, Owen. They don't know you at the blockhouse. You circle around and ride in front and south like he was in a Terran Hurry. We'll wait here for you. And here's what you're to. There's the man we came after. That must be Slater. The one near the fire. Him only one wear two guns. But there may be 15, 20 others where they come from. Captain. Him say Slater right. North with only one man. Then they met these others. Look. Look. Kimosabi. Those saddlebags sling across the branch of that cottonwood. See the markings on them? Army saddlebags. Stolen pay cash. Yes. Purdy must have stolen it first. And then Slater went after him. Black air. A fight among themselves. What we do now, Kimasabi? I'm not certain. Took us some time to trail them up here. Perhaps they've been up to something. In the meantime, we'll just. Kimasabi. Someone come on trail. Listen to joining the others. Hey, Dexter. Traitor. W. Get on your horses and wait. Clear. We can attack the floor. You hear that, J? Get up. Get up there. We'll turn the block house to the ground. Kimasabi. You hear what them say? Them burn blockhouse to ground. How'd they do that? There are 50 soldiers at Block house. That too many. Those outlaws were there to attack only if they knew they could win. I don't know what it is, but they must have some trick already planned. Silver, follow me. Tahoe. Better reach the blockhouse. Head of the outlook. Get him up. Silver. Silverstone. Scout Home. Hello. Who go there? Where? A lot of being catches planned, mister. Masked man in his engine car. Where's Captain Wainwright? I thought you two headed up the river. Answer me. 20 outlaws running behind us. We got here first, but there's no telling how soon they'll be here. Outlaws? Them come to burn blockhouse suffer and sassafras. Mister, we won't have a chance. There's practically nobody here. What that? Yeah, a rider come hightailing in from the south. He said engine marauders were scheming to dry gulch a covered wagon. They left here the day you did. Almost the whole company mustered out after the wagon. Captain Wainwright took his company on the southern trail. Uh huh. They left to the pack, Canterbury. They're miles away. He must have a man who come here not tell truth. Huh? Here was a trick, soldier. Trick to lure the company out so the bad men could burn this blockhouse. Why? We got hardly enough men to cover four sides of the stockade. And there's no way to bring the Captain back in time. You may be wrong about that, soldier. Huh? You ride on trail, soldiers. That's it. Join this garrison, Totto. Old Beckern is banned off as long as you can. I'll ride for the regiment. Well, hold on there, mister. I admire what you're trying to do. But there isn't any horse that ever inked grass can bring the Captain back in time. Words waste minutes. We haven't any to spare. Howdy, Osin. Do your best, Silver. Him plenty pass. Hey engine. Maybe he can do it. I never saw a horse cover ground the way that big stallion does. Why, he's faster than an antelope. We go inside and close and bar gate. We get ready for Batman. You call soldiers. Yeah, yeah. Hey, Johnson. Douglas. Trouble coming. Make post on the palisade. Look at that masked man travel. Into the night. Galloped the Lone Ranger heading south along the Yellow Dog. The lights of the army block house fading quickly behind him. His lean body slanting in the saddle. His face close to the mane of the great horse. He urged Silver on to greater effort. Silver, there's no horse like you in the west. I know you're tired. We've covered many trails. You've got to cover this one faster than ever before. Come on, Silver. Faster, Silver. Faster. Big fell. Are you so certain that we're in danger of Indian attack? Captain Wayne? R. We got a warning, miss. We've ridden a long way to safeguard you. We've seen no signs of Indians. That's when they're most Apt to strike. There's no danger any longer. Our plank is out on the slopes above this trail and my men are ready. Once this wagon cuts out of the hills onto the plain, we can leave you and return to the Black House. I know these Indians. They like the hills. Captain, you've seen the masked man? Yes, he stopped at the post. Who is he? That was the Lone Ranger. The Lone Ranger? Well, no wonder their government hurt him. He hit it north. Something wrong? I can't be certain. There's nothing desperate. Set your mind at rest, miss. Look how fit and ready my men are. When I think the Decker said they might desert because their pay money didn't arrive. He doesn't know the quality of American soldiers. I wish you'd been able to talk to Decker before I left the blockhouse. I'll talk to him. Good. If he ever returned. What in the world. There's a horseman coming up to pay behind the column. It's a Lone Ranger. What's he doing here? I intend to find out, miss. He. Wait. Aren't you going to meet him? It's better that he and I never meet, Captain, as much as I like to. I'll retire inside the wagon and take this, please. Very well, miss. Captain. Captain Wainwright. Goodbye, Miss. Get up, boy. What is it, Miss? Man. Captain Wainwright. Bring your cuddle head back to the lockhouse. Damon. What, Decker? Say, mister. Bring your column and head back. I've ridden all night to warn you. Decker's leading a band of outlaws. Damn. The Yellow Dog managed to set fire to the blockhouse. We were warned that Indians were planning to attack. One of Decker's own men did that. At Decker's orders. Turn your column back to the army post. You hear that, man? Outlaws at the Black House. That's right. Catcher out of the fourth wheel at the gallop. Out of that masked man. Lead the way. Silver hit the trail. The army blockhouse stood dark and square, its stockade barely visible against the night sky. From their position in the heavy woods that springs the Yellow Dog River, Decker's outlaws lay in wait. They held their fire while Decker and Slater held a council. Last time we made a sortie, I counted the rifle flashes. Decker. Can't be more than four of them guarding the whole block of us. It ought to be dawn pretty soon. Yeah. Where's Bowman? I sent him to get some more. We got piles of dry wood all cut and tied in bundles. They'll catch fire like Kinder. Tina, we're ready to start. Bowman, you and the rest of the boys pour A heavy fire from this side. Savvy? Those few soldiers will come to this wall thinking it's a big attack. All set. Now where's that wood? Yonder? Good enough. On your horse. Slater, take those bundles of wood, circle around the far side of the bunk house, light em and drop them right inside the stockade. Right. It'll be a sink so long as the shooting is heavy from this direction. I'll see to that. Better get moving. It'll be getting light soon. Kino. Get up, horse. You can start shooting anytime, Bo. All right, gent, start to. Flashes of burning powder speckled the dock into the woods. The bad men poured a hail of bullets against the stockade. The heavy fire forced the defenders to leave the rear unguarded to meet the threatened assault. And meanwhile, Decker and Slater reach the other side of the blockhouse. They're all over there. Decker, light up those torches. Here we go. Yeah. We'll have that block out blazing inside of five minutes. Give me a light. Here's a match. Hit your horse with a stockade. We'll show them what the Decker of you go the cavalry. Come on. Kill. I've dropped the wooden shoes out. The main column is around the blockade and fell on the outlaws in the woods. The fast man drawing and shooting from his hip, sent the guns of his opponents flying. In a few minutes it was all over. Keep your hands raised high. Watch your horses around to the riverside. Try to get away, I might aim for you instead of your guns. How'd you get them here so soon? You got us by surprise. Silver travels fast. And so does the United States Army. Hear that bugle? Your men are captured, Decker. Your Black Arrow plan has been defeated. That is all. Your plans will be defeated. I see you got some ass men, Hoskins. Yes, Captain. Take these two and put them in the guardhouse. Captain, you might tell your men that they'll find these outlaws have your stolen payroll should be in their saddlebags. Our payroll? Yippee. I mean, yes, sir. In the guard house at the W. Hombres. Move along, you. Toby Hunter. Glad you're safe. Good to see you too. T'. Other. By the way, mister, this is the first chance I've had. Here's a note for you. A note? Yes, from the woman in the covered wagon. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll return to my post. But first, a salute. Adios. Adios, Captain. Imasabe. You see that captain give you salute? Army salute. That's great honor asked Hunno. But look at this note. Can you make out those two words. It say Ghost Canyon. Ghost Canyon? Where? That I don't know. Kimasabe. But wherever it is, that's where we're heading. Sa. The story you have just heard is a copyrighted feature of the Lone Ranger Incorporated. This has been a presentation of otrwesterns.com and we hope you enjoyed. Please take some time to like and rate this episode within your favorite podcast application. Follow us on Facebook by going to otrwesterns.com Facebook and subscribe to our YouTube channel by going to otrwesterns.Com YouTube become one of our ranch hands and unlock some exclusive content. We want to thank our most recent ranch hands Steve and Ron W. Who joined us recently. You too can join by going to otrwesterns.com donate send us an email podcasttrwesterns.com and you can call and leave us a voicemail 707-986-8739 this episode is copyrighted under the Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Copyright. For more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright right. Have a great day and thanks for listening.