Apache Kid #16
Beyond The Bad Lands!
With their villages being destroyed by fire, Apache chief Red Hawk has called his people to go to war, but the Apache Kid cautions his adopted father to refrain from needless bloodshed. Red Hawk balks at this caution and, angered at his son's refusal to fight, orders Apache Kid to be sequestered in a teepee until their battle is over. The Apache Kid promises his father not to disobey him and remain incarcerated. However, when he is left alone the Apache Kid changes into his alter ego of cowboy Aloysius Kare, and sneaks out of the teepee in order to prevent a war from breaking out.
Following the Apaches' trail, Kare is led into the badlands where he finds a shack. Here, an outlaw named Buzz and his men are plotting to drive the Apaches from their land as it is rich with oil. Kare is caught spying by one of Buzz's men and easily defeats him. When Buzz and his minions come outside to learn the source of the commotion, Aloysius offers his aid in setting an ambush for the Apaches. Buzz accepts Kare's offer and Aloysius leads them to an "ideal" spot for the ambush, and then goes off to scout for the Apaches. Away from Buzz and his men, Kare changes back into the Apache Kid and confronts Red Hawk and his army and tells them that the men responsible for starting the fires are waiting for them in ambush.
As the Apaches attack Buzz and his men, the Apache Kid slips away from the battle. Seeing his men losing the fight Buzz tries to flee up a hill and runs into Aloysius Kare. Kare easily defeats Buzz and turns him over to Red Hawk, to give over to the local sheriff, and then leaves the scene. Red Hawk returns to his camp and is confused when Apache Kid exits the tepee, appearing to have never left to begin with.
Recurring Characters
Apache Kid
Red Hawk
Nightwind
Brand of the Outlaw!
While attempting to cross the plains to hunt for buffalo Red Hawk and the Apache Kid are surprised to find a fence put up on part of the land and a warning from Warner Grant, the landowner, that all trespassers particularly Native Americans will be shot on sight. Faced with the potential starvation of his people, the Apache Kid tells Red Hawk and the others to wait for him to find a solution to the problem and rides off. Out of sight the Apache Kid changes into his alter-ego of Aloysius Kare and crosses over onto Grant's land. Shortly after doing so he is almost blown up by an explosive charge and shot at by Grant himself.
Grant warns Kare that his land is booby-trapped with explosives and explains that he has done so to keep people off his land, Native Americans in particular due to the bloodshed caused by the last Indian War he vowed to never let either party on any land that he should own. Kare tells Grant that he has no right to bar the Apaches from getting to the hunting grounds they have used for hundreds of years. Grant refuses to listen and sets off another charge using the blast to escape. The blast also frees a flow of water that threatens to flood the gulch they are fighting in. Kare manages to escape the quickly flooding land, and tracks Grant back to his home. There he spots some of the flood water seeping toward the electrified fence that Grant has erected around his property.
The sparks from the contact from the water and fence cause Grants house to light on fire with Grant trapped inside. Kare then changes into the Apache Kid and rescues Grant from the danger. Realizing the errors of his way, Grant promises to take down his fence and allow the Apaches to travel through his land to hunt from now on.
Recurring Characters
Apache Kid
Red Hawk
Nightwind
The Flaming Tomahawk!
The Apache Kid returns to his home on day to hear local malcontent Swift Buffalo telling his son Little White Pine that the white men who have settled on their lands need to be driven out. Apache Kid confronts Swift Buffalo telling him that fighting the white man will lead to the destruction of their people. Angered, Swift Buffalo challenges the Apache Kid to a fight, a trail of combat that the Kid easily wins. Accepting defeat Swift Buffalo decides to take his son and leave the tribe and find others that will help him wage war against the settlers who have encroached on their lands. Hearing this Red Hawk fears the worst if Swift Buffalo can find those willing to take up his cause, but the Apache Kid assures his adopted father that he will resolve the conflict before there is any bloodshed.
Leaving the village, the Apache Kid changes into his alter ego of Aloysius Kare and pays a visit to Fort Madison to meet with his friend Captain Bill Gregory. Kare tries to get Bill to agree to not fight back against any attacks from Native Americans, but when a flaming tomahawk -- a declaration of war -- lands at the fort, Bill tells Kare that he cannot shirk his duty as a soldier and rallies his troops for the counter-attack. Kare rushes out and changes back into the Apache Kid and tracks down Swift Buffalo and his army. He then watches as they engage the soldiers, when Swift Buffalo takes a bullet to the shoulder his son Little White Pine tries to rush to his aid. Seeing his son running into harms way, Swift Buffalo orders him to turn back but the boy does not listen. The Apache Kid then pulls the boy to safety making Swift Buffalo to realize the errors of his way and surrenders to the army soldiers promising not to fight in the future. Swift Buffalo then thanks the Apache Kid for teaching him that war is not the way.
Recurring Characters
Apache Kid
Red Hawk
Bill Gregory
Nightwind
