The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-12
Bandits Pursue RANGER

"A great sense Of loneliness assailed the Lone
Ranger. A longing to stay with the beautiful Sill
yer, and the futility of doing 50. He slowly
turned away. His heart was heavy: Dispiritedly,
he felt the urge OF the prairie again, of freedom
to be on his way. Yet, a duty to humanity, not to
be put aside by his own desires, and now already
too long delayed, brought him back to the realiza-
ton that he should be pressing forward to the
border. He wheeled Nellie about and briskly she
started off in the opposite direction.
About two miles Silver travelled before he
stopped. Turning about, he gazed back where he
had last seen the MAN. The man who had proved
his friend, and who now was but a speck swiftly
disappearing in the distance-forever.
His big heart was troubled. Something in him
had changed. For he was not glad to get away
from MAN as he thought he would be, at least.
not away from that man-the one who had caused
his pain to be lessened and had given him water
when he was thirsty.
Silver turned his head again toward the raoun~
tains and looked longingly at them. They lay but
had always valued so NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., he
turned his head back and watched the speck,
which disappeared from sight as it descended into
the valley.
ENEMIES NO MORE
Loyalty and love together were put on an
Imaginary scale, on which at the other end lay
freedom. Higher and higher rose freedom, and
Silver found a new feeling as he pictured the
MAN who had been so kind to him, by his side.
He could almost feel the hand again so softly
stroking his nose. With a whinny of joy and de-
cision, Silver dashed forward to the spot where
his FRIEND MAN had disappeared.
Loyalty and love had outweighed the once
precious freedom that was now Of so little sig
nifcance.
Reaching the hilltop, he stopped and there.
down in the valley, he saw his FRIEND MAN
on Nellie, who was trotting along. With a toss of
his proud head and a happy snort, he started on
a gallop to join them But as he neared a shyness
assailed Silver-not born of fear but more of q
self-consciousness of this new feeling toward
MAN, his open admission to his surrendering to
MANS domination-and he hung back, slacken-
ing his speed to equal Nellie's, and travelled a dis
lance from them.
A horseman trotting along at a good clip at
tracted the keen hearing of the sentinel of the
outlaws who with a word brought the four men,
asleep on their blankets, alertly to their feet.
"Who is it," asked one, as they squinted their
eyes for a close look at the Lone Ranger as he
rode along unaware Of their proximity.
The outlaw who had the keenest eyes replied,
cts the guy who got our chief"
what! Are you surel" chorused the gang az
they viewed the rider with new interest.
Positive" the keen-sighted one replied.
PURSUIT
"That must a been i'm who flew past, night
before last, when we were gettin' ready to break
boys. We're losin' time, standin' ERE gapin' at
i'm" said the side-kick Of the captured chief, who
had temporarily taken leadership. Saddle up.
Well sneak up on i'm fer a mile or So, and then
give iii the rush, 0OHI ku yourselves 10dC
there guy is equal to all youse coyotes together,
with them guns of is, and he's second to none in
the saddle. Now, if yer wants to reach the border
with yer necks, better not stop to clean yer teeth"
"We should ave got i'm last night COM
planned one, as he saddled his horse.
Hastily they made their plans. Mounting their
horses, they started off after the Lone Ranger.
Silver trotted along, his eyes steadily on his
now beloved friend-MAN, and on Nellie. His
attention was diverted by several shapes emery
ing from a clump Of trees after the Lone Ranger
had passed by.
Bufaloes-was the instant thought of Silver.
Hate for that creature now equalled that of his
previous hate for MAN. They were chasing his
FRIEND MAN. He dashed forward, ~forgetful
Of himself-he thought only of MANS safety.
His muscles, sore as they were, did not fail him
as he strained them to their utmost.
Then he saw-not buff aloes-but MEN, men
on horses. His hatred for MEN again came upon
him, as he watched these gallop after the MAN
who had proved to be HIS FRIEND. His fore
legs ripped into the earth as his hoofs slid over
the slippery grass, to a stop. He was bewildered.
What did all this mean? Had he misplaced his
faith in FRIEND MAN?
(Continned in this paper nerf Tuesday. Cut out each
ad for your Lone Ranger scrapbook)
Cl9s6. The Lone Ranger. Inc, Al Rights Reserved.