Tonto: Tales of the Lone Ranger

Originally Aired: July 18, 1938
The Lone Ranger #854, "The Crawford Sisters," two young women from Louisiana arrive in the West to join their Uncle Dan at the Bar Square Ranch, only to receive shocking news during their stagecoach journey. A fellow passenger, the wealthy rancher Pablo Vernado, informs Molly and Betty Crawford that their uncle has died under mysterious circumstances and that his ranch is suspected of harboring stolen cattle. Vernado ominously hints that he may have legal claims against the Bar Square himself.
Meanwhile, the Lone Ranger and Tonto conduct their own investigation of the ranch and discover something suspicious: hundreds of cattle bearing Pablo's brand are scattered across Bar Square land, yet the brands appear unchanged. The masked rider, who knew Dan Crawford as an honest man, grows suspicious of Pablo's involvement and his convenient claims. When they encounter armed half-breeds working the ranch and spot what appear to be Pablo's men from across the border, the Lone Ranger realizes the Crawford sisters may be walking into a dangerous trap involving their uncle's disappearance and a scheme to steal their inheritance.

Originally Aired: July 15, 1938
The Lone Ranger #853, "The Horse With The Cross J Brand,"
When Sue Mulvey's prized horse Midnight is stolen by the same rustler who's been plaguing her father Jeb's Cross J Ranch, the 60-year-old rancher finally catches a break. After hearing Midnight's distress, Jeb discovers the thief's footprints in the muddy ground and carefully preserves them from the rain. But before he can share what he suspects with Sue, a bullet crashes through the window, striking him in the shoulder. Convinced the rustler was watching and shot to silence him, Sue races through the storm to fetch Doc Seely and the sheriff, desperately fearing her father is dying.
Meanwhile, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, camped beside the trail during the storm, hear Sue's frantic ride and split up to help—the Ranger following her while Tonto backtracks to the ranch. When Sue returns with Doc Seely, the sheriff, and his deputies, they make a startling discovery: despite his wound, Jeb Mulvey has vanished from the ranch house, and the mystery deepens as to where he's gone and who tried to kill him.

Originally Aired: July 13, 1938
The Lone Ranger #852, "Signed Confession," a deadly conspiracy threatens to cost an innocent rancher everything. When old Laif Catlett dies and leaves his Box B ranch to his son Larry, the young man finds himself framed for the murder of Bill Sweeney. Larry flees the district, but his uncle Jake Brimmer quickly takes control of the ranch. What Larry doesn't know is that Jake has made a sinister bargain with Sheriff Walt Travis, who witnessed Jake commit the actual murder and forced him to sign a confession. The sheriff promises to keep the document secret in exchange for half the ranch once Larry is hanged and Jake gains full ownership.
Three months later, Larry returns to River City determined to confront his crooked uncle and the corrupt sheriff, but his plan backfires when he's spotted, shot in the shoulder, and thrown in jail. The sheriff refuses to let Larry speak to anyone, and Jake hints at a new scheme to permanently eliminate his nephew. When the Lone Ranger arrives and secretly visits Larry's cell, he learns the young man's desperate situation. Soon Larry finds himself sharing a cell with another prisoner named Clegg, who claims to have stolen the deputy's keys and offers a chance at escape.

Originally Aired: July 11, 1938
The Lone Ranger #851, "The Wrong Pete Lorenzo," finds the masked rider and Tonto arriving in Carson City just as chaos erupts. The town banker has been murdered during a robbery, and a witness named Felden claims to have seen the notorious killer Pete Lorenzo fleeing the scene. Felden provides a detailed description of the outlaw—a man with long, straggly hair and a distinctive limp from a bullet wound in his leg, riding a chestnut horse. Sheriff Connard quickly organizes a posse, with Felden riding along to identify the killer when they find him.
The Lone Ranger and Tonto follow at a distance, suspicious of the situation. As the posse searches the countryside, the masked man questions how Felden could be the only living witness to Pete Lorenzo when the killer's reputation suggests he leaves no one alive to identify him. When Felden leads a small group including Sheriff Connard to a campfire where they believe they've cornered Lorenzo, the Lone Ranger's doubts about the witness's story deepen, suggesting something more sinister may be unfolding.

Originally Aired: July 8, 1938
The Lone Ranger #850, "Half A Claim," begins when young prospector Jim Rockwell returns to his Uncle Ike's home with exciting news: he's discovered a rich gold strike. Concerned about his idle, dissipated cousin Matt, who spends his days gambling and drinking, Jim makes a generous offer. He proposes taking Matt back to the claim as a partner, hoping that honest work and the promise of wealth will reform him. Uncle Ike is grateful but skeptical, knowing Matt's troublesome nature all too well. Meanwhile, the Lone Ranger and Tonto observe the cousins' arrival in the remote gold country, noting that the shack they're building sits dangerously beneath unstable rocks on a hillside.
As Jim and Matt settle in to begin their mining operation, tension quickly develops between the hardworking Jim and the lazy, hot-tempered Matt. Matt smokes nervously and grows suspicious, even accusing Jim of tricking him about the claim's value. Jim has done most of the work building their shack while Matt contributed little, and he's rapidly losing patience with his cousin's "onry cussedness." With the Lone Ranger watching from afar and Matt's volatile temperament threatening to explode, trouble seems inevitable at this isolated mining camp.

Originally Aired: July 4, 1938
The Lone Ranger #848, "When The Blind See," trouble brews in Big Bend as an Eastern syndicate attempts to seize settler land based on an old land grant. The Lone Ranger and Tonto arrive at the stagecoach station hoping to meet a government representative who will announce the official decision settling the dispute. Philip Randolph, the shrewd and dishonest syndicate agent, has been pressuring discouraged settlers to sell their property for a fraction of its worth, claiming the government will rule against them. Only Amos Drake, the settlers' leader, keeps them from giving in to Randolph's schemes.
At the station, a shocking discovery unfolds when Sam, the beloved longtime stagecoach driver, is revealed to be blind. Despite his remarkable ability to drive the familiar horses on their regular route, station manager John Perry reluctantly dismisses him. Randolph arranges for Joe Lieber, a questionable character, to replace Sam as driver. When the government man finally arrives on the Kenwood stage, the Lone Ranger and Tonto suspect foul play as Joe deliberately diverts the coach off the main trail, clearly part of Randolph's plot to prevent the settlers from learning the truth about the government's decision.

Originally Aired: July 1, 1938
The Lone Ranger #847, "The Secret Land," finds settlers lined up at the boundary of newly opened homestead territory, waiting for the cannon signal to stake their claims. Aaron Stewart and his wife Mary have made the long journey from the East, with Aaron planning to partner with Tom Granville to claim prime land Aaron scouted earlier. Mary warns her husband not to trust Granville, suspecting he still holds a grudge over her choosing Aaron years before. Her fears prove justified when Granville suddenly demands immediate payment on a two hundred dollar loan, seizing Aaron's horses when he cannot pay and leaving the couple stranded while claiming the choice land for himself.
As desperate Aaron moves from wagon to wagon begging for help, his fellow settlers refuse to spare horses or assistance, each focused on their own claims in tomorrow's land rush. With Mary ill from the hard journey and no way to move their wagon, the Stewarts face being abandoned on the prairie while everyone else races for homesteads at dawn. The couple's dreams of a new life seem crushed by Granville's calculated betrayal.

Originally Aired: June 29, 1938
In The Lone Ranger #846, "Three Against Geronimo," the masked rider and Tonto discover the feared Apache chief Geronimo leading a war dance in a remote valley. When they realize a major attack is being planned, Tonto infiltrates the gathering to learn the details of Geronimo's strategy. The wily chief, known as the Red Fox, reveals a cunning plan to approach Fort Custer under the guise of peace, carrying a peace pipe while concealing weapons beneath blankets. Once inside the fort's walls, the warriors will attack from within while the gates are opened for reinforcements, allowing Geronimo to seize the soldiers' guns and ammunition.
Armed with this critical intelligence, the Lone Ranger rides to Fort Custer to warn Captain Ruddy and his aide Peterson. Despite initial hostility and demands that he remove his mask, the Lone Ranger insists on speaking with the commander privately. With the fort's garrison of 123 men already weakened by dwindling food supplies and facing overwhelming odds of ten to one, the masked man must convince the skeptical captain to trust his information and prepare for Geronimo's treacherous deception before it's too late.

Originally Aired: June 27, 1938
The Lone Ranger #845, "Deal For Soldiers A,"
The Lone Ranger and Tonto are tracking the notorious Bull Kremer and his gang through the Blackfoot Hills when a massive explosion rocks the narrow mountain trail. They soon discover that Kremer has used blasting powder to trigger an avalanche, trapping a military detachment led by Lieutenant Jack Harris. The soldiers are carrying over $40,000 in Army payroll and funds for the Indian agent at Clear Lake. Sergeant Trask and his men find themselves caught between the impassable rockslide ahead and Kremer's gang closing in from behind.
Bull Kremer's carefully planned ambush succeeds as his outlaws overwhelm the soldiers and seize the cash. In a ruthless move, Kremer takes Lieutenant Harris hostage to prevent pursuit, warning Sergeant Trask that any shots fired will result in the lieutenant's death. Just as the situation grows desperate, the Lone Ranger and Tonto arrive on the scene. With the outlaws escaping up a hidden gully to the clifftop and a hostage's life hanging in the balance, the masked rider must organize a pursuit before Kremer reaches the safety of the Badlands.

Originally Aired: June 24, 1938
The Lone Ranger #844, "Lone Ranger Thief," a mysterious masked man riding a white horse is robbing prospectors and miners around Medicine Bowl of their gold and savings. When Tonto visits Lige Potter's general store, he learns that blacksmith Jim Blackwell has offered a $500 reward for any Indian, dead or alive, believing Tonto travels with the thief. The evidence seems damning: witnesses have seen the masked rider, and when Sandy Town was shot at, the bullet recovered was solid silver, just like those the Lone Ranger uses. However, Lige Potter and Sheriff Emerson have their doubts about the Lone Ranger's guilt, particularly since the legendary marksman somehow missed his target.
The real Lone Ranger and Tonto, camped nearby, learn they're being blamed for crimes they didn't commit. The clue of the silver bullet intrigues the masked rider, since he knows he didn't fire it. As more robberies occur and tension mounts in Medicine Bowl, an angry mob led by Jim Blackwell confronts Sheriff Emerson, demanding action. The Lone Ranger must find the real thief and prove his innocence before the vigilantes catch up with him.