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Suppliers must be enrolled and located in the United States. 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 hi O Silver the Lone Ranger. Forget whatever plans you have this weekend because you're staying at home and playing on Spin Quest. And there's never been a better time to sign up than right now. New users get $30 coin packs for just $10. All the table games you love, with hundreds of slot games and real cash Prizes. That's at spinquest.coms p-I n q u s t.com Spin Quest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. With this faithful Indian companion, Taco, the masked rider of the Plains, led the fight for law and order in the early Western United States. The stories of his strength and courage, his daring and resourcefulness, have come down to us through the generations. And nowhere in the pages of history can one find a greater champion of justice. Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear. From out of the past come the thundering hoof beats of the great horse. Silver the Lone Ranger rides again. Come on, Silver. We're heading for the Black Hills. There's going to be trouble. Silver. When gold was found in the Black Hills, new communities sprang up almost overnight. Each day brought men with their families who had staked all on being among the lucky ones who struck it rich. Flimsy houses were thrown together. Cafes and gambling places did a flourishing business. Prices of commodities went sky high and everyone talked in millions. The Lone Ranger and Tonto arrived in the Black Hills after a trip of many days. From the country to the south, they headed toward Deadwood. We may camp somewhere near Cranesville, Toto. That long way before town. Deadwood. I know it. But I want to talk to a few people in Cranesville. Maybe we won't have to go to Deadwood. Why that? We want to learn all we can about Clark Drexel. That's right. Cranesville is near one of the richest gold mines in the Black Hills. In fact, the town is named after the owner of the mine, old Eli Crane. If Clark Drexel and his gold mine syndicate have had any dealings in the Black Hills, well, Eli Crane will know about them. I think we can learn as much from Crane as we can in Deadwood City. And maybe find where Drexel do crooked work, huh? We better find something in the career of that man, Toto. Some evidence of crimes where he can be jailed. Yes, we know that Drexel was one of the organizers at the Black Arrow. That fact can't be proved. The only thing we can do is find some other reason for jailing Clark Drexel. And it won't be an easy matter. Look down there. Tanu in the valley. Their town. That's the town of Cranesville. We'll make camp here until morning. Then we'll push on to town and have a talk with Eli Crane. Ah, you wait. What is it? Me here. Horse. Wagon. Come this way. Wagon? These mountains. Yes, you're right. That tale of. I hear it too. There come from hill above. You see it? Yes. This is a fine place for a man to bring a wagon. Why he didn't use pack mules. Here. Pull up the trail tunnel. Getting as much room as we can. He'll need it. Come, scout, come. That's it, boy. Easy now. Cantankerous horses. They want to keep going downhill. Mask, Mast. Never mind where they are. Lige, fly up and get. Behold. This is just the way we'd have planted in special order. Get maybe them color loco. You hear them? Yes, I heard them. Connor, why them take empty wagon downhill? I don't know. Why are they using a wagon at all? A hard trail for a pack mule. Dangerous for a wagon. Wagon empty. There's no town uphill from here. The only town close by is Cranesville. If they'd been going uphill I would think they'd plan to bring ore down in their wagon. But this. You. You see the way one fellow look at you? Yes, at my mask. I wonder what he meant by that statement. You remember what him say? Yes. He looked at me at the mask and said. Never mind who they are. Get for home. This is the way we'd have it if we'd planned a special order. Home. Him say get for home. That mean downhill? Maybe Craneville. You want to follow? Not tonight, Tono. Our horses have had enough. We'll camp until morning. Then we'll ride to Cranesville. Eli Crane was an old man and a. His gold mine was the richest in the Black Hills and his home the largest in the district. His son Jim lived with Eli as well as Jim's daughter Molly. Molly was a pretty girl of 19. As she opened the door for her grandfather, her face showed worry and concern. Graham, you've been hurt. What happened? Oh God it all. It's my cutted infernal bad luck again. Come in. Let me wash your hair. You poor dear. What happened? Don't get yourself excited. It's just a little cut. Not near as bad as it looks. Get her washed off and it won't amount to anything. This way. Grandpa. How did you do it? I didn't do it. You think I'm plum roko bashing my own head? I was in the Gold Crown Cafe and a couple of liquor swizzling saddle bums got dodged in then shooting. It's a buzz wound. Just grazed me. It's in a quarter inch of killing you. No, it hurts when you wash it. Claire, you shouldn't be allowed outside the house. The trouble you've been into during the past week. It's my doggone bad luck. If I'd have had this kind of luck all my life, I'd never lived to be past 60. Easy with that there biting burning medicine. Now Molly. This'll fix the wound. Now don't yell when it starts biting. No, that's like a red hot branded iron. That's the worst ever. Now you'll be all right. That scratch won't need a bandage. How's your arm? Oh, my arm's all right. But it's a nine day wonder. It wasn't busted from that fall I got when the bridge went down. I wonder you weren't killed by that fall. You sure must be a tough one, Grant. It wasn't being tough. That saved my neck. Was grabbing onto a tree on the bank when the bridge caved in under me. So Hang it all, Molly. I wonder if I'm jinxed and hoodooed lately. Seriously, Grandpa, do you think all the things that have happened to you, the narrow escapes were. Were really accidents? What else there be? You haven't any enemies? Enemies? Of course not. There might be a few men I wouldn't call friends, but no enemies that want to kill me. Now, sit down and rest. Your head must ache. Something frightened. Well, not too much. So, Rodney Grantown. Oh, then. And he's back from Deadwood City? Yep. Did. Did he see Pa there, Talk to him? Oh, I'm glad. Let me know that pace. Rodney said that Jim wanted him to tell us he'd be back here in a week or 10 days. Good. It was just a plum foolish notion of yours, Molly, that anything had happened to Jim. I suppose so. Tarnation. Take it. You had me beginning to worry. Where'd you get the ID in the first place? I. I don't know, Grandpa. Why, I felt that something had happened to Pa. Just a woman's full hunt, I guess. I guess so. And Rodney Grant said he might drop in for a little while. Oh, he don't act over pleased about it. Why should I? All right, Molly. Your father thinks Rodney make a fine husband for you. Rodney thinks the same. But by Juniper, I'm with you whatever you decide. Rodney's educated, of course, and a good job working for that big gold mine syndicate. But you make up your own mind, honey. Don't let yourself be influenced. I'll answer it. It's probably Rodney now. Well, Miss Molly, good evening. Good evening, Mr. Grant. Would you step in? Thanks. Well, Eli, how. What happened to your head? Got grazed by a bullet in the cafe just after you left. You don't say. Yep. Sit down if you like. Thanks. You had a narrow escape, Eli. Had a lot of them the past week. It's getting kind of tiresome. Oh, I told Molly that she'd talk with Jim. Oh, you're sure? Thank you, Mr. Grant. It was kind of you to go all the way to Deadwood just because of my silly feeling that something had happened to Pa. Anything to give a pretty girl like you a little peace of mind. Worry's an ugly thing. So foolish. When that old prospector came in from his trip and told of seeing a dead man at the bottom of a ravine, I had the strangest feeling that it was Paul that he'd seen. I don't know why I felt that way, but I couldn't shake it off. You needn't have any further concern, my dear. Your father's alive and well in Deadwood City. Does anyone know who the dead man is? No, but we will very soon. Two men went after the body. Should be back by this time. Probably some poor prospects. You're a modest man, Rodney. You didn't say that you hired Lige and Hank to go after him. Oh, well, I. Did you? Really nothing at all. Drexel Syndicate will be glad to pay the expenses. We have a great interest in all prospectors and miners. You know what I hear? That outfit you work for can well afford to help prospectors and miners and see em get a decent burial. Right you are, Eli. Oh, that. That reminds me. Have you reconsidered my proposition? Nothing to reconsider. I won't sell my mine, of course. It's up to you, Grandpa. You really should think it over some more. Paul says you'd do well to sell out. All of us could go. I know what the mine's worth. And Drexel Syndicate don't come close to that price. We can't. You see, Eli, many a time a mine will peter out suddenly. And of course, the way we operate, it costs a lot to bring and install a heavy machine. When I'm dead and gone, Jim can do what he's a mind to. While I'm here, I'm keeping the mine. No hard dreams about it? Of course not. Not at all. What's happening outside? Well, that's Lige, one of the men I sent to get the dead man. I left word for him to report to me here. Hey, Mr. Grant. What is it? Wait, you hear. It was stolen. This man done interrupted. Wait a minute. Lige, you come inside with me. The rest of you stay there. Mr. Dog on the scene. Really? Here, Mr. Grant. We went up there where the prospector said. Did he go with you? No. He told me and Hank where he saw the dead man on the floor of the ravine. We found him all right. Was it anyone you knew? No. Just no prospecting. Why did you take the body? That's just it. We was held up on the trail, and a man with a mask and a white horse stole a corpse. What's that? It's true. So help me, Eli. I don't know why. This is a fine thing to talk about in front of Miss Molly. You come outside and tell me the rest. Mr. Graham, such things are not for you to hear. Out with you. I'll talk to you later. Over here, Elijah. Crazy, let me tell you. Shut up and listen to me. No one else knew that Jim Crane went to that section instead of the deadwood. He was making a secret trip. I told you. Just to make sure it was Jim. And if so, to come back and say he hadn't been able to find the body. But listen, if we'd have done that, the sheriff might have sent the man who reported out there. Well, I saw Tooth the old prospector left the community. He's miles away now. Yeah, but we said we couldn't find the corpse. The sheriff might have sent more men hunting it. You could have hidden it until we needed it. The sheriff still might have found it. We did hide it. We saw that mask man and his Indian friend. We figured it'd be a good idea to say we stole him. Now, the sheriff will scour these mountains for the mask man. What if he finds that mask? Let him. The man's likely crook anyhow. What his word mean? Who'd believe him if he says he didn't steal the dead man? Now, you let us help you, Mr. Grant. Maybe you a slick operator, but me and Hank savvy the way things are handled in this part of the country. Let the sheriff find that. My man we'll handle. Following morning, when the Lone Ranger approached the community, he was seen by a man who let out a wild yell. There he is, driving into town. In an instant, men came running from the stores, the nearby houses and cafes. The sheriff, wearing his star of office on his vest, pushed in the foreground. Get off that horse, stranger. You're the gent we're looking for. What's the matter? Everyone got so that's our mask. Oh, yes. Well, let me talk to you alone, sheriff. And I think I can explain the mask. You'll explain a lot of things. And you'll do it right here. And now, here is a map of the prospector's pocket. I told you about that, Sheriff. You attacked two men. We're bringing a body of a prospector. You made off with the dead man. I what? Who told you that? I did. Here's my partner to back up what he said. The law acts. Fasten these parts, mister. You tell all you know and go on trial or you'll hang by sundown. How can I tell when I don't know? You can't make us think you don't know. Now talk. 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. Forget everything you had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch and winning from the comfort of your own home. I'm here With Spin Quest where you can play hundreds of slot games, all the table games you love and you could even win real cash prizes. New users $30 coin packs are on sale for 10 at spinquest.com SpinQuest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. Now to continue our story. The Lone Ranger remained in the saddle while the sheriff and many townsmen surrounded him with the demands for a confession of crime. Come on. We'll take you to the jail and maybe see if that won't make you ready to talk. One minute, Sheriff. I'm not going to jail. No? We'll see about that. Those men have lied. They saw me on the downtail. They saw an Indian with me. That's right, Sheriff. I told you about the redskin. Their wagon was empty at that time. We stole a corpse to get a map that he had on him. Show him where his plane was at. The name of the Indian with me is Taro. I rode ahead of him in case I met someone who misunderstood the reason for my mask. Right now Tanava's watching us. We'll arrest him too. He's watching and ready to shoot any man who tries to stop me. I'm leaving here. Come on, silvery. Doggone. They both got away. Here's any house sheriff. With the much room. Fine pack we are. A dozen of us here. And we'll let that masked man get away scot free. But that horse sizzling bacon. Did you see it travel? Nothing like it. We'll hunt him down. We'll start more men out to look for him. You deputies come to my office and we'll organize so he'll be hunted down. Go tell Mr. Greg what's happening. It's all worked out for his raven. All day long the town seethed with excitement. Men rode through the hills looking for the masked man and the Indian but found no trace of either one. Man in town followed events with more interest than anyone else. It was Eli Crane. These young upstarts never got around in the West, Molly. That's the trouble. Thunderation. I could tell them a few things about that masked man, the white horse and the Indian named Toto. You. You know him, grandpa? No, but by juniper I'd like, sir. Outlaw, my eye. Thief, my foot. Lige and hanker the outen Outness. No goods that ever lived. Only thing I wish is that I knew why they lied. I wish. Well, I'll be boiled in stale water. Grandpa. What? The masked man. Please don't be frightened. I had to slip in with the rear door. There he stands, Molly. Take a look at him. I am. They call that man the Lone Ranger. Mister, I want to take your hand and shake it. Thanks, Eli. Thanks. I've got to speak to you alone, without Molly here. Yes, it's important. I'll go to my room, Grandpa. Thank you, Molly. You'll understand later. Very well, Eli. Do you recognize the silver belt buckle? Whatever. Where'd you get that? Do you recognize it? I gave it to my son when he was 21 years old. He's always wore it. This buckle brought me here. I. I found it in the hills. Jim was in Deadwood? No, Eli, he wasn't in Deadwood. The hills. Well, after Tundle and I got away from the sheriff's men, we followed the back trail of those two that lied about us. We found what they'd done with the man they took from the ravine. Go on. This isn't a pleasant duty, Eli, but it may prevent further mischief. You know now Jim is dead. Was Jim in the ravine? Yes. He took his belt, brought it here to make sure who he was. I hope to learn why those two hid the body. Was he murdered? No. He stood too close. The edge of a ravine. Ground caved in under his feet. I wonder. Don't call it all. I wonder what those two lied for. It was Rodney Grant that hired him. Grant? He's from the Drexel syndicate. Try him to buy my gold mine. I won't sell. Tell me some more, Eli. Tell me everything you can about Rodney Grant. Will you trust me that far? I'll tell everything I can think of. You sit down there and listen. For over an hour, old Eli talked, at times choking up a little as he thought of his son Jim. Then Molly was called into the room, and the little conference continued for another hour. Later that night, Great Scott shooting an old lighthouse. Get him. Get him. There he goes. Hurry. Hurry. Get the sheriff. You'll have to come at once. Down with my grandfather. Shot. You have the shots. You saw that mask, man? Mask, ma'? Am? Great girl. Tell the sheriff to come. Oh, do hurry. Wait here, man. I'll see Miss Molly. I'm waiting for you. Come in. Right with you, Miss Molly. Come in, Sheriff, but come in alone. Wasn't it till the following day that Rodney Grant heard the news, and he called a meeting of the men who were helping him. He grinned as he closed the door behind him. 8. Certainly gave us a hand, boys. It's a good omen. Don't take stock in good omens. You pay us in cash. And I'll make you feel lots better. Well, I can't give you all. I promise just yet, boys. It'll come. Never fear. Don't tell us you're short of cash money. Well, I had to pay out a lot. Remember that? Several men who tried to put old Eli the way had to be paid. What did they. They didn't do anything. The old man escaped everything they tried. And I didn't want them to be dissatisfied and start talking. How much did it cost to hire that mas man? Yeah, that's what I've been wondering. How'd you get him lined up to do the shooting? I didn't have anything to do with the murder. That's the strange part of it. That's why I said that fate was good to us now. But are you ready for us to make the next move? Yes. Can you two get out of town with your wagon without being seen? Sure thing. They won't be heard. The sheriff will spend most of his time at the Crane house. Very well. Get everything fixed. Then we'll plan the fire for the night. We got the shack all fixed. It's between here and Deadwood, all right. Sure, it will be hard on poor Miss Molly. I'm sorry, Furry. It'll be the best thing for in the long run. She thinks your father's still alive. She's got to know sometime. Now she can sell a mine and go east of the fortune. Maybe. As my wife, I count on you two to handle a fire tonight. Don't slip up. I'll pay you as soon as I get more cash in my company. They'll send it, won't they? When they hear that I can buy the Eli Crane gold mine? I should say they will send it. All right, then. Come on, Hank. We got things to do. Well, there's nothing in the way. Nothing at all. The girl will sell. No doubt of that. Hey, Mr. Grant. Well, the sheriff's over at the clean place. He's going to read Eli's will. Well, you want to go over? He said you. He thought you might be interested in it. Oh, sure. Thanks. This is my big day. You. You could sit right there, Mr. Grange. Thank you. I won't waste time going through all the legal angles. I'll just tell what the will says. I hope, Sheriff, you're not displeasing Miss Molly by rushing things. After all, a few days. Wait till Jim Crane gets home and Eli is buried. There's a reason for doing this now. Grand. As long as Molly doesn't object. Eli made this will Some time ago. It leaves everything to his son, Jim. That's simple and clear. But if Jim dies before Eli, or if Jim marries again, then there's a cash settlement to Ms. Molly, the granddaughter. All the gold mine property goes to Jim's younger brother. Oh, younger brother, huh? Yes, he's in the East. He's an operator in gold mines. He wouldn't sell to you, Grant. Well, as it stands now, then Jim Crane owns the property, doesn't he? That's about it. Now, do any of you folks have questions? Well, if there are no questions, Sheriff, I'd like to. I got some questions. I'm coming in. You like Crane here? You dirty schemer. Look at the man you tried to murder. You're not dead. You're doggone right I ain't. Where's the Lone Ranger? Where is he, Sheriff? I see him coming. He's dubbing outside now. Good. He's on the porch. Come in. You're just in time. And Hank have gone. I was watching them. Good. Those tools hit Grant's hand. But I don't understand you. Will you tell him, old ranger? Tell the weasel faced skunk you wanted to buy the Crane property for your boss, Clark Drexel? Of course. But I wouldn't sell. So you figured on having me killed off, knowing that Jim itself. And you learned that Jim had been killed in the fall. But you didn't tell me one. You looked up Eli's will. You found that with Jim dead before Eli, the property would go to another son. One who would not sell to you. I don't know what you're talking about. You will. You hired Large and Hank to hide Jim's body until Eli was dead. And you plan on making everyone think that Jim died after his father. This is ridiculous. Why should I? Law would then assume that Jim inherited the gold mine. When he died, his daughter would be the heiress. She would then sell to you at Drexel's price. You schemed it that way, Grant. You can't deny it. Who can't deny it? I deny every word of us. You lied when you said you talked to Paul and Deadwood. If you talk to him in Deadwood. How does it happen that I found this belt and the man Lige and Hank hid in the mountains? I don't know anything about it. Where are your pals Grants? Me find them. Them got wagon outside. Them talk plenty now. We didn't do no crime. We owned Lige. Look at me, Lige. You better tell all you know and save your neck. We didn't Always scheme to kill you A mask man. The Lone Ranger. You coyote. Go on. Don't do nothing to us. We got Jim from that ravine. We only kept him where he wouldn't be found, that's all. What were you going to do next? Why, we was. Go on, speak. We was to take him to Hunter's cabin. He should have fired tonight so everyone would think he'd burned to death 24 hours after his father was killed. Who suggested that to you? Elijah did. I'll get you for that. He did. He ate Peters. Tell more about him, Sheriff. He hired a couple of breeds to start a fight and shoot Eli as if by accident. He hired the same breed to try and kill Eli by cutting bridge under him. Juniper, I don't know what the law can do, but I know what I'm going to do. Reckon I can still handle my fist. Oh, Dreddy. Looks like he's busted that chair before. You're knocking clean out Eli. Try to kill me, Willie. Scheme to buy my gold mine. Molly, your paw wouldn't have sold at the price Grant was offering. No matter what he thought at first, he wouldn't have done it. No more than I would. Oh. When do you inherit? After I'm dead and gone. You can do what you want. I'll never sell. Never. We Cranes will always operate our mind. Some of us have got to stand by our land. Yeah. If this Drexel syndicate gets all the mines the way they're out to do, it'll be bad. They'll set the prices for men's labor. That's right. They'll set prices for shipping. They'll have too much power. This here country isn't based on giving one outfit all to say we've got to have competition. Free enterprise. Men that run their own businesses. I understand, Grandpa. Boys, you can take Lij and Hank to jail. Between them, they can tote Rodney Grant. If there's no law to jail Grant, then he'll be downright unlucky. Because if I know the men here, he'll leave town on a rail wearing hot horn feathers. Miss Molly. I'll attend to Jen. Thanks, J. Say, say, where's that bass man? Where's the Indian? What? They've gone. Well, well, get him. I want to thank him. There they are on their horses outside. I want to thank. Forget everything you had planned for this weekend because you are sitting on your couch and. And winning from the comfort of your own home. I'm here with Spin Quest, where you can play hundreds of slot games all the table games you love, and you could even win real cash prizes. New users $30 coin packs are on sale for 10@Spinquest.com SpinQuest is a free to play social casino void where prohibited. Visit spinquest.com for more details. Back in the Old west, folks didn't run to the pharmacy every time trouble hit. They relied on the know how and natural remedies. Kind of like how Tonto always seems to have a special mixture ready for whatever came next. If you want to learn how to do that today, check out the Beginner's Guide to Herbal Remedies, Easy steps for teas, tinctures and salves. Even if you've never tried herbs before, visit otrwesterns.comherbs to learn more again. OTR westerns.com herbs. Sam. 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 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 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 Like Copyright. For more information go to otrwesterns.com copyright have a great day and thanks for listening. 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