Dan Tells a Story - The Lone Ranger (11-22-43)

Original Air Date: November 22, 1943
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Show: The Lone Ranger
Phone: (707) 98 OTRDW (6-8739)

Stars:
• Brace Beemer (Lone Ranger)
• John Todd (Tonto)
Writer:
• Fran Striker
Producer:
• George W. Trendle
Music:
• Ben Bonnell

Exit music from: Roundup on the Prairie by Aaron Kenny https://bit.ly/3kTj0kK

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
M h. Welcome to the OldTime Radio Westerns. I'm your host Andrew
Ryns and let's get into this episode. This episode is gonna be the Lone
Ranger. Original Ernie is November twentytwo, nineteen forty three, and the

(00:23):
title is Dan tells a story.Let's get into it and I hope you
enjoy. I'm super hiry harsh witha speak of light, a cloud of

(00:50):
dust, and a hardy hio silverA Lone Rangers. As In the years

(02:30):
following the gold rich many men inCalifornia rose to fabulous heights of wealth and
power. One of these was ArnoldGerson, whose wealth reached out to develop
the vast resources of the Far West. Unlike the thousands of gold seekers,
adventures and parasites who sought to grabonly what they could hold in their hands,
Arnold Gerson was in the Far Westto stay. Geerson saw the growing

(02:53):
influx the disruptible element and knew thatthey could and would destroy what he and
others like him had wrested from thisland. To promise, he decided to
strike at the heart the infamous BarbaryCoast in an effort to stamp out the
viciousness. Gearson sought for and foundthe Lone Ranger. This masked rider of
mystery, though reluctant to leave theplains and mountains of the Cattle Country,

(03:15):
answered the call and soon found himselffinding a new type of criminal in the
Barbary Coast. Return with us nowof those thrilling days of yesteryear from out
of the past, and the thunderinghoofbeats of the great horse Silver, a
Lone Ranger rides again. While DanReid was at school, he shared a

(03:46):
room with his friend Bob Gearson.Many a happy hour was spent telling of
the Masked Man's adventures before he cameto California. I can tell from his
letters bad he'd be mighty glad toget back to the cattle Country of the
Mountains. Who run her home tunnellikes in San Francisco. Donal wouldn't like
a big city any better than theLone Ranger, and neither would I.
I'd give anything to be back inTexas instead of school. Yeah. The

(04:10):
only reason I'm willing to stick herein school is because the Lone Ranger asked
me to learn the stuff they teachher. The sooner I learn it,
the sooner I'll be able to goback with him. But Dan, the
Lone Rangers helping my dad clean upthe Barbary coast, and didn't think it
was safe for you to stay backthere in San Francisco because it's no more
exciting though than some things that happenedwhen we were back on the plains,
for instance, or the time inthe Lone Ranger own a haunted ranch.

(04:31):
The Lone Ranger own the haunted ranch. Yeah, let's see, where's the
best place to start the story by? You better start it mighty soon,
Dan, And so after seven thirtyin our study hour begins at eight.
Start anywhere, but tell about thehaunted Ranch. Well, the first the
Lone Ranger and I knew about itwas when we were in camp. Title
should have joined us there at sundown, but it was about two hours after

(04:55):
dark. Let's scout tell those hardHe must have me he come, Oh
golly, I thought something had happenedto you. Plenty happened anyone, Come
here, hullo. They come longway round to hide trail to camp.

(05:15):
Think maybe longman fine camping put youin jail too. In jail, Dan
will take care of your horse.Tell us about it a name town to
feller, come and save me killera killer? Ah think he killed three
men at Collins Ranch. Save mestranger in town. Ask plenty question,
but me not answer. So theyjailed you on no more evidence than that.

(05:38):
That right? How did you getout that plenty? Strange Feller come
to winder jail him young feller him, say him work at Collins Ranch.
They give you his name, Aname Jeff Mason. Jeff Mason, cowboy
at the Collins Ranch. At right, him talking soft voice, see him

(05:58):
there. I know you ain't toKiller Ranch. And I also know that
Sheriff Ride has got to find someoneto blame for the murders of my boss's
bread. And you're the unlucky critterthat's elected to hang. Well, why
hang me? Because well, youdon't have any friends. It's likely no
one would complain about flimsy evidence.Why not hang real murder? Sheriff not

(06:23):
want to find real murder. I'lltell you why they can't hang the real
killer of the three men. Whybecause they can't hang a ghost. Do
you really think the ghost to killthose three men? Ah? Him plenty
serious. He met me out ofjail and say you ride long way and

(06:44):
keep going. If Lassie Tatto again, law shoot on sight, we pack
up an head for the columns.Ranch. Help me know where ranch is,
y, so do I. We'llmake it by sun up. I
want to see the place where ghostscome at a murder. Set yourself down,

(07:08):
Sam, I'll have the tears donein a minute. Bad Jeff and
knows I got in the appetite forbreakfast this morning, Sam Collins, are
you going to believe all this idlechatter but our range being ghosted? What
else could it be? Start eating? Jeff told you last evening that while
he was in town yesterday or Redskinhad been charged with the shootings. That's
wrong, Sheriff Tucker's wrong too.He just wants to make an arrest.

(07:31):
He knows blamed well that no Redskincould have shot the men without leaving tracks
and with our own guns. Atthat any rate, you didn't do it.
Whoever did it, as sure ofbringing on my ruination, I won't
be able to keep a cow handhere at any price. If this slaughter
keeps up, Sam, I dodeclare you're as nervous as a hen with
new hatch chicks. Come in morning, this gull, Hello, Jeff Mason.

(08:00):
What's the latest? Ain't good?What do you mean? The latest
is that Pete Looms shot himself lastnight. Watch yep. Boys found him
near the north line a little whileago. How do they know? He
shot himself and his own gun wasfired and still in his hand. Wasn't
tracks of anyone man or horse outsidethe line fence? Oh, I don't

(08:20):
know what to do. I reckonyou'd better try and hire some new hands.
Most the boys are planning to leavehere, say the spread as who
dude, Jeff, go talk tothem, Ask him if they won't stay
just a little longer, give usa chance to find the cause of all.
Ask him, I don't know us. He'll stay, Madge, what

(08:41):
are we going to do? Sellup? Watch there, Sam at the
back window. He's met my gun, Columns, the killer, Madge,
run for Jeff, catchman, gethim come in now, hen Indian.
Then there's a whole band of em, three of us. Columns. We
aren't killers, that Indian. JeffMason said that it from her horse in

(09:03):
jail. Listen to me. Ifit just a minute, Collins, and
you'll have a choice choice. Youcan ask us to leave or invite us
to stay. Either one. Youknow Mustang, Meg, Mustang, Meg,
I should say I do so theway he's one of our best friends.
Hasn't, hasn't. She's spoken ofa man who wears a mask,
Sam, she has. Do youremember at the last meeting of the Cattleman's

(09:26):
Association. You don't mean here's abullet, Sam, silver one a silver
bullet. And he does have anice way of speaking. But what are
you here for? I never yetfound a true case of murder by a
ghost because I don't believe in ghosts. You are the lone Ranger. You've
got to be the union mask,the door tutto. No one comes here

(09:52):
until we have finished talking. Collins. You've got to trust me. I
know. I've got to have gotno choice all the way. Why do
you say that you've got to trustme so far that you'll give me your
ranch? What and depend on myword that you'll get it back? Well,
I do what you think is best, Sam Mustang. Mag's often talked

(10:13):
about you. Oh, whatever yousay, Collins, I'll do it.
I've heard stories about the Lone Ranger, plenty of stories. I'll do anything
you say, good Am. Wego to drop a paper at once and
I'll have to borrow some of yourclothes. I'll put the horses in one

(10:37):
of the sheds, and gave allthree of them a rub down to put
in the time while the lone rangerwent over his plans with Sam Collins.
I was just about finished when Ilooked up and saw a man in the
doorway. Hey, who are you? I didn't know Collins had hired new
hands or kids to work his cowhands or I'm not working here yet?

(11:00):
Horses are those? One is mine? The others belong to my friends.
Gone good horse flesh, Gone,good horse flesh. Come with me to
the house. My name's Mason,Jeff Mason. I'm top hand around here,
and I want to make sure theboss knows about you being here.
My friends are there with your bossright now. All right, then you

(11:22):
can join them. Odd things havebeen happening around here. Come on,
we got to investigate all strangers.Jeff Mason. Huh, what's the aught
about that? Nothing? Oh?Why do you look at me that way?
Who are you? My name's DanReid. Here we are, hey,

(11:46):
boss. Find a kid working inthe shed, woll bob. When
this man, Mason and I enteredthe room, there, said mister Collins
and his wife. Another man wasthere too. I knew who he was.
It was the lone Ranger. Buthe wasn't wearing a mask. No,

(12:07):
we had disguised his face like I'dseen him do many times before,
when he had a good reason fordoing it. When we opened the door,
mister Collins said, come in,Mason. This kid was in the
shed with three new horses, afine one. I want you to hear
the news. What news shake handswith? This man was to mister Justice

(12:28):
or Justice you're Jeff Mason, thoughthat's the name. I didn't see you
come here. I guess you sawmy horse. Yes, and this is
your friend. Huh, that's right. The kid said there was another man
here. Oh, he's not inthe room at the moment. Yeah.
Read this and you can go andtell the rest of the men about it.

(12:48):
What's this? It tells a story, Mason SAMs turned the ranch over
to what this says that mister Justicehas but the ranch lockstock and borrow,
That's what it says. But boss, why just sell it to him?
Did you forget that Jeremy Lockern wantedto buy the place. No, I
didn't forget that I told Lucker andI wouldn't sell. Yeah, but that
was a month ago. Now you'vechanged your mind. He'll be sore about

(13:11):
that. Luckern didn't offer a fairprice. No bos. Since we had
our bad luck around here, he'sbeen offering less than ever before. He's
gonna be done right sore about this, Collins. That's too bad. But
I'm a free man with a rightto make any deal I want to make.
Go and tell the boys it.From now on, they'll take orders
from mister Justice. I'll tell himdone him with the South Line, but
I'll tell him maybe now they willquit. Oh one thing more, you

(13:37):
tell the man that they'll be paiddouble. As long as I'm the owner,
I don't think there'll be any moremurders. All right, Well that's
that great word, Collins. Ijust had a thought, sae him.
Yes, man, go, don'tRanger owns the ranch now, or or
at least a man by the nameof Justice owns it. If he should

(14:00):
be killed before it turns it backto us, then then wouldn't we lose
our property. I'm going to takea lot of percussions to make sure nothing
like that happens. But if itdid, it would be a point for
the law to settle. I know, Dan, and who would be on
your side? Where is Tunnel?I thought he was here. He's waiting
to follow Jeff Mason. Follow him, see where he goes, and let

(14:20):
he talks to if possible, Ifind out if I Jeff wanted him to
escape from that jail. Last night, Tunnel managed to find brush or on
a roy or something so he couldstay close to Jeff Mason all the way
to town. He was outside awindow when Mason talked to Jeremy Lachron.

(14:43):
Although it's soul Lachron alighting and it'llbe sold again. The ghosts can get
the new him luck and you meanthat they do. He'll kill himself,
then maybe his ears will sim mypraise. They want that Ranger. The

(15:13):
curtain falls on the first act ofour Lone Ranger story. Before the next
exciting scenes, please reminis to pausefor just a few moments now to continue

(16:22):
our story. Dan Reid was inschool with Bob Garson and telling his classmate
about one of the Lone Ranger's adventuresin Texas or Bob. It was early
evening when Toto came back to meetthe Lone ranger and me in the shed
where we kept the horses. Hello, did your fellow Jeff makes it all
the way to town and him talkedto fellow named Jeremy Laugheran asked, laugh

(16:42):
and say you die tonight? Oh? He did him say ghosts make you
shoot yourself. If that happens,the cowboys here will be money disappointed.
They're counting on that extra pay.I promised them. You talked to um
asked hullo meet while Mason was intown. They are good men, all
of them. I can't blame themfor wanting to get away from here.

(17:04):
But they don't take stock and ghoststories, do they? And they're a
superstitious lot of men when things happenthat they can't understand why. Yes,
four men have been found dead.In each case, a man was near
a line fence and he'd been shotwith his own gun. There were no
tracks to show that anyone had cometo the fence on the other side.
What you do tonight, I'm goingto ride the line fence and see what

(17:27):
happens. I wish I could ridewith you. Me go no too,
I'm going to ride alone. I'mgoing to start right now here. Come
Jack, Mason, meegan outside,Yes, going him to see you?
Not yet, Mason, I wasin town this afternoon. I hear the

(17:48):
sheriff made the rest yesterday. I'mIndian who has suspected of causing the deaths
around You know, the red skinnyescape last night? He did. The
sheriff says, that's as good asproof that he's a killer. But he's
mistaken, mistaken. I'll tell you, mister, there's something beyond human understanding
this back of these shootings. Thereis, Oh you bet there is something

(18:08):
that makes the men shoot themselves.Oh, maybe I can find out what
it is. I don't think i'llshoot myself. You ain't going out tonight?
Why not? It's dangerous. Ican tell you that. Collins will
tell you too. I'll have totake my chances. Is Collins going with
you? No? How long willhe stay on living here? Oh?

(18:29):
I don't know, Mason. Wehaven't discussed his moving yet. Well,
I'll have guards posted along the linefence. I've done it before, but
it didn't help none. But ifyou yell out enough, there might be
somebody near by to hear you.What about you? You be out on
guard? I reckon, so mightsee you later. Very well. Well,
if it was me, I wouldn'tdo what you're doing. But I

(18:51):
reckon. You know, it's bestwe might meet tonight. Yeah, good
luck to you get longer, Bob. There's one thing more. You've got
to remember. The Lone Ranger hada paper in his pocket that gave him
title to the ranch. He wasin his pocket. Eh, Yeah,
didn't tattle ride with him that night, No tottlehead. The whole thing might

(19:15):
have been different. The Lone Rangerrode alone. I didn't know until some
time later what happened. He wasriding along the north line fence on Silver,
just walking slowly and hitting the linewith a stick ever so often to
be sure it wasn't broken. Itwas dark, pitch dark, just as
it had been on the nights whenfour minute been killed. Silver, Old

(19:37):
boy, there's a chance every oneof those other men was shot with his
own gun. That's what we're countingon. I don't think they can make
me do that. I just hopeI can depend on certain men. Yea
you Mason, Yeah, nothing alongthe fence from the northeast corner. Yeah,

(20:02):
you know, mister, I wasthinking, what's that do you have
a will made out in case somethingshould happen to you. I haven't thought
much about a will, and everyoneought to have a will would get this
piece of land. If you wereto be shot, I suppose my heirs
would be those who are closest tome. Why well, I just wondered
if that youngster was any relation toyours. He's probably as close to him

(20:23):
as anyone. You ain't got anyideas about the ghosts, have you?
There are no ghosts, Jeff?You should know that. That's right.
They ain't no ghost Hand over yourguns? What you heard me pass them
over? Both of them? Ihappen to know you were too. What
if I don't know? He'll helpmyself? Mason? What's the idea?

(20:47):
You still don't? Sally? Yes, I guess I do. You're the
killer. You were able to rideclose to every one of the four men
and take his guns where you didmine. You're smart. Why you'll be
found out and you'll hang. I'lltake that chance, Mason. Why are
you doing this? Logan? Willingto go this far to get Cullin's range?
Get off your horse. I'll staywhere I am. Seat yourself.

(21:12):
Maybe this will knock you off.You want to hear the shooting too.
Get some light around here, findsomething to burn. Where's Jeff Mason here?
I am, I got here justa minute ago. I was close

(21:32):
by when I heard the shot.Stand back, Jeff and let me see
him. Why it's mister Justice,a great day. Well? How is
he? Is? He hit bad? You know what a bullet does at
close range, Jeff, He's thesame as the others. This makes five
of them, five men. Doggune it all and they all got it
the same way. Hank, youand Lamb pick him up. We'll told

(21:52):
him to the ranch house. Maybesomeone better start down. Get to town,
says a Cheff can be here firstthing at daybreak. The sheriff won't
find no more than you did before. No tracks, no nothing me.
Boys, I ain't staying here atdouble the pay or ten times the pay.
Whatever it is that makes these menshoot themselves. We'll get us all
if we stay around. Take thelead rain off the white Horse boys.
Boys, you take care of theparty. I'll start for town right away.

(22:15):
Good idea, Jeff, that's thesheriff back with. Yeah. I
will get up there. Oh Sam, I don't think it had to happen
to him, old people, noman, Just you climb out and you'll
feel better. Good morning Collins,Dan, Dan, you haven't heard heard

(22:38):
and your friend was out riding theline fence last night. Yeah, it
happened to him. What same asto the others. The boys brought him
in and put him in the backbedroom to the sheriff in the corner could
get here. Mister Collins, youdon't mean that. Then my friend was
shot, his own guns found inhis own hands, just as the other
four men who were shot were found. I don't believe. Let it's true

(23:00):
enough. They brought him in alittle while ago. Jeff Mason has gone
for the sheriff and corner. Iwant to see him. We've got to
leave him in the years to thelaw is done. Damn the law be
hanged. I'm gonna see my friend. Where's the Indian? Don't know?
That's right? These are the horsesI've got to. Here's the law,
Collins. I guess it's high timewe ask you a few questions. Five
murders on your ranches, five toomany? Why shre you don't think?

(23:22):
Stand think the Indian? Hey,you stand where you are, Come in,
see what happened you're the Redchkin wehead in the jail right fixed,
she'll kill my boss up gun,Sriff, the mind Mason, you only
slapped down the gun you drew.I'll handle things here me, not Dronken.
You've got a lot to explain,Redkin. We already had your jail
as a suspect on the first threedeaths. The night you broke out,

(23:45):
another man was killed. And nowthe new owner of this ranch, and
here you are, Lauren. Whatare you doing here? If I want
to find out who inherits his ranch? Now that the new owner is dead,
who inherits it? Madge? Shipsure if no one gets that it's
our property. I reckon, you'rewrong there, missus Collins. But I'm
not wrong, Madge. And helistened to me. Sam will lose everything

(24:08):
it more than ever man, Ireckon, mister Lockerman is right. Collins.
You sold the rants and mister Justiceyou told us that yourself. Yes,
but I know that he's dead.It goes to his heirs. That
kid is the one nearest to him, Sheriff. I happen to know that
because he told me so. He'llbet the place from you. What's your
name? Now? Hold on thisis a fine time to talk about.

(24:30):
That really gives your rights in Yeah, you just step in and see me
and we'll make a deal. Itake the property off your hands in a
fair praise. Oh Sam, Sam, say something, do something. I've
got to think things out, Madge. I don't know just where we stand
if I can't helped straighten it out. Collins, me and the rest of

(24:52):
the hands around here. We're allin on a deal, all in on
a deal. Yeah, maybe itwas a kind of a funny deal.
Down from the bottom the deck,you might say, do you know anything
about these murders? Reckon, so, Sheriff, what about them? The
engine didn't have no part in them? Neither did no ghost, of course
not. It's all right. Itold him that everyone was here. Good
enough, Now we can talk.You told whom a gent that stacked the

(25:14):
cards? You see, the enginedidn't bust out of jail last night.
He was let out. He waslittis And name the one that did it.
I'll chug him. He was letout so as he wouldn't come to
trial and be proved not guilty ofthe murders. If he cleared out of
these parts, folks could blame themurders on him. But maybe he's still
the guilly one sheriff because you didn'ttake any stock in the humbug about ghosts
or who do and threw off themand they were back of the whole scheme,

(25:36):
meaning Logrin there, What do youmean by that? You wanted this
red Lagron when Collins wouldn't sell,You figured to scare away all the cow
hands so he couldn't run the ranchand you could buy it cheap. You
dug on near got away with itif he can make charges like that against
me. I know about you wantingto buy the ranch, Lagron, but
that doesn't mean anything. When theRedskin turned out to be a friend of
the Lone Ranger, he didn't runaway and hide. He brought the Lone

(25:59):
Ranger here. What kind of Tommyrod is a lord? Ranger ain't here
and he never was hold on JeffMason. He came to us and told
us his plan while you were intown yesterday. He wanted to get you
to show your hand, which youdid. Oh that's a lie. We
all figured it was a pretty tallstory when he first told us he thought
you were the killer, and whenhe showed that there'd be no harm done
if we tried his scheme. Wewere willing to try. Every one of

(26:22):
the boys I was on guard lastnight, had taken the let out of
his cartridges, including mister Justice.What you could have used the guns you
took away from any one of us, and it would have been the same
cartridges had no let in him.But Jeff, why we crowded in close
as soon as mister Justice went fromhis horse. We didn't want you to
see that he wasn't hurt at all. You're just trying to trick me.
I didn't have anything to do withit. And you tell that to me,

(26:42):
Mason. Huh, Sam, therehe is alive and well last time
you saw me, Mason, Ihad no mask, wore dis guys.
Allow myself. Mister Joel, youcan't prove anything against me? Who can't?
Why are you dirty? Killer?Three of us were less than twenty
feet away in the dark last nightwhen you took that mass man's guns and

(27:03):
fired adamation, you murderer. Eachof us had a good cartridge under the
hammer after we heard you start talking. If he'd Saignal that you were going
to shoot with your own gun,you'd have been drilled like a sieve.
Mason, it's a finish for you. Oh why did you do it?
You can't involved me and you puttingit. Mason wanted to buy the rand
locker and you're a dirty liar.You were in this as deep as me.

(27:25):
You told me I'd take your orders, or youd let Collins know I
held out on the last cattle.D If he lies, don't believe him.
Take the two of them in.We'll see what a trial and cock
brings out. Madge, We're nota hoodoo ranch anymore. Are that paper
the one that sold the ranch?Sand? It's there on the table.
Where's the Lone Ranger? He andhis friend slipped out when they saw that

(27:45):
Mason was fixed for the hangman.I saw him leave the paper there on
the table so you could tear itup. Has us to the story you've

(29:30):
just heard is a copyrighted feature ofThe Lone Ranger. And this has been
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(29:51):
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(30:14):
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