False Story A

Originally Aired: October 19, 1938 The Lone Ranger #894, "False Story A," a daring bank robbery in Martinsville sets off a deadly chase across the prairie. Two bandits, Steve and Tennessee, flee town with over $15,000 in stolen cash, but they find themselves pursued by a mysterious rider on a white horse who steadily gains on them despite their breakneck pace. The outlaws race toward a bridge where their accomplice Sam Larkin waits, and in a desperate bid to stop their pursuer, Sam detonates explosives just as the masked rider reaches the span. The criminals believe their problem is solved when the bridge—and presumably the rider—are blown to bits. The cunning Steve has orchestrated an elaborate scheme. He sends Sam back to Martinsville with a fabricated story and false descriptions of the robbers, complete with bullet holes through his hat and sleeve as evidence. Meanwhile, Steve and Tennessee plan to hide in plain sight by returning to town as if they'd simply been on a prospecting trip. As Sam spins his tale to Sheriff Potsdam, the outlaws congratulate themselves on the perfect crime. But at the masked rider's camp, his faithful companion Tonto grows increasingly worried when his friend fails to return, and sets out at dawn to discover what has happened.