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As Lone Ranger and Tonto ride up to the sheriff’s cabin, they are greeted by his feisty daughter, and the business end of a shotgun. Can they convince her that all they want to do is help her dad with the rash of smuggling coming across the border? The peg leg sheriff has had such a problem in stopping the flow of illegal drugs that he isn’t sure if he can trust his own deputies, and is ready to give up.
Using his mask to his advantage, Lone Ranger sets himself up as a smuggler, and gets the attention of the band of deputies. Will they take his bait and go on the chase? It’s a test to see who the honest men are, knowing that only the dishonest ones won’t be interested in wasting time on the wild goose chase. Now that the honest men are identified, how can the masked man get them to believe his story, and that his silver bullet calling card is a valid testament to his identity?
As they approach the border, the lawmen have travelled long enough to know that they like the style of this masked man, and his indian friend. Will their word be enough for the sheriff as he rides up with the rest of the posse to arrest Lone Ranger for smuggling? Has Lone Ranger figured out how the smugglers have been moving their drugs across the Rio Grande?The honest sheriff has discovered how he was an inadvertent accomplice, but how does the Lone Ranger prove who the other smugglers are???
Trivia alert: Though everybody knows that the Lone Ranger’s horse is named Silver, in this episode, Tonto hasn’t named his horse. The pinto pony is only referred to as Painted Horse. Listen to the show to discover for yourself how Tonto named his horse, and who actually came up with the name.
Note: Though in the 1930’s drugs had become illegal, it was only in the previous decade or so. In the times of the old West, drugs were not only legal, but thought to be a cure for the dreaded alcoholism, and embraced by temperance groups as a way off the “Demon Rum.” If anything, it was thought of as an annoying, or dirty habit, but in no way illegal. The opium trade with the far East was booming and even government sanctioned. It was only just being discovered that this kind of substitute for alcohol might also be just as addicting.
