Apache Kid #19
The Flaming Totem
Believing that the white men have broken their word, Red Hawk chief of the Apaches orders his braves to prepare to war, sending Flying Eagle to lead the army with the flaming totem. Elsewhere, Captain Bill Gregory and Aloysius Kare are out riding when Kare hears the approach of the Apache war party. They rush off to Fort Madison. There Mr. Jennings is hoping to force the US Army to allow him to hunt for buffalo on Apache land. Bill Gregory orders his men to defend the fort but don't shoot to kill any of the Apaches. He then sends Aloysius Kare to try and appease the Apaches.
Kare leaves the base and confronts Red Hawk and his men and asks them to explain why they are going to war. Red Hawk tells Kare that the promises made by the white men have been broken and they wish to drive the soldiers from their land. Red Hawk then asks Kare to send the Apache Kid to join them. Aloysius races to cover where he changes into his alter-ego of the Apache Kid. The Apache Kid tells his father that he will take them to war and takes the flaming totem from Flying Eagle and leads the charge.
However, the Kid races his horse Nightwind far ahead and wedges the flaming totem into the saddle and jumps off his horse so he can watch his people. Sure his enough his observations bare fruit as he witnesses Flying Eagle break off from the war party and head toward the Fort. Following Flying Eagle, he spies on the traitors meeting Mr. Jennings, learning that the pair are working together to force a war between the Apache and the US Army in the hopes it will give the government the right to take their buffalo hunting grounds, and that Flying Eagle would get a cut of the profits. When Flying Eagle expresses his concern about the Apache Kid getting involved. But Jennings tells him to deal with him alone. Flying Eagle then takes Jennings prisoner to force his help.
As they rush toward Nightwind on horseback, Jennings tries to shoot the Apache Kid but finds that he is not on the horse. His shots jars the Flaming Totem loose and it is about to fall on Jennings when the Apache Kid races in and grabs it. Shocked that the Apache Kid is not burned by the totem, he surrenders. The Apache Kid then removes the contract between Flying Eagle and Jennings and shows it to both Bill Gregory and Red Hawk, ending aggression and installing peace. When Jennings asks Red Hawk how the Apache Kid did not get burned, Red Hawk explains that the totem only burns those who are unjust.
Recurring Characters
Apache Kid
Apaches
Red Hawk
Bill Gregory
Nightwind
Bayonets and Spears
Joe Moss and his gang are seeking cowpokes for their current scheme and some of his men spot roving cowboy Aloysius Kare and offer him the job. With work being light, Kare takes the job and is brought to Joe's ranch house. There he learns that they are planning on disguising themselves as Apaches to loot the entire town. Moss tells his men not to worry about the Apache Kid as he will handle him, this causes Aloysius Kare to smile.
The attack goes off and the town is looted. Joe Moss then leads his men back to his ranch to change out of their costumes to wait for the military to arrive. Just as the sheriff in town is bringing Captain Bill Gregory to town, Aloysius Kare sends up a smoke signal to warn Red Hawk and his tribe to hide until the plot has been exposed. While Moss is distracted, Kare creates a lot of smoke from the fire to cover him while he changes into his alter-ego the Apache Kid.
The Apache Kid easily trounces Ross in a fight and tells him that he is going to warn the soldiers of his deception. While Ross gathers his men to try and intercept the Apache Kid, the Kid once more uses the smoke cover to change back into Aloysius Kare to join the troop. However along the way, Kare tells Ross that he sees the Apache Kid unconscious on the ground ahead. Sending Ross ahead, Kare changes back into the Apache Kid and overpowers Ross and then carries him up to a cliff above the soldiers and forces Ross to make a confession, ending Ross's plot.
Recurring Characters
Apache Kid
Red Hawk
Nightwind
The Call of the Wilderness
The Apache Kid is along with his fellows Apaches rounding up wild horses. When the horses hoof beats cause an avalanche the Apaches get to cover but the racing wild horses are doomed when suddenly Nightwind throws the Apache Kid off his back and leads the horses to safety. However, when the Apache Kid calls Nightwind back he is shocked when the horse ignores his commands and realizes that his horse is answering the call of the wild and no longer obeys his command. When his fellow warrior Red Horse suggests that Nightwind cannot be tamed again.
The Apache Kid refuses to believe this and rushes into the woods and changes into his alter-ego of the Aloysius Kare to try and tame Nightwind again. To the Apaches they only see a white man who has come to steal their bravest warriors horse and rush to stop him. However Kare manages to get onto Whirlwind's back and ride him. While Nightwind struggles, he kicks up enough dust to allow Kare to change into the Apache Kid once again.
Eventually the Apache Kid tames Nightwind and the Apaches are shocked when they see no sign of the white man and the Apache Kid in their presence once more. The Kid dismisses what his people have seen, suggested that they were perhaps seeing things.
Recurring Characters
Apache Kid
Nightwind
The Man Who Came Back
After being framed for cattle rustling, Aloysius Kare is order by sheriff of Cayuse County and ordered never to come back, all according to the plan Ben Hobson the real mastermind of the rustling who wanted Kare out of the way to prevent his interference when they move the cattle out of the area. To reinforce this matter, Hobson presses the sheriff -- whom people think is too old for his job -- to keep him focused on keeping Kare out of town, despite the protests of his daughter Pat.
At the his Circle-X ranch, the sheriff gathers a posse to go out and look to make sure that Aloysius Kare is no longer in the area. Unaware to them, Kare is watching from a nearby hill and notes that Hobson and his associate Blaine are not among the men out looking for him. Kare then changes into the Apache Kid just as a gang of masked men storm the Circle-X to steal the cattle there. The Kid rushes in, taking down their leader and using Nightwind to route the stampeding cattle while the rest of the gang gets away.
The Apache Kid then carries the leader of the gang to the sheriff and his posse and unmasks him as Bob Hobson. However Hobson tries to convince the sheriff that the Apache Kid is responsible for rustling the cattle and is in league with Aloysius Kare. With no way to prove either story, he is forced to let Bob go. However when Pat arrives and confirms the Apache Kid's story, the sheriff orders his men to go after him. The Apache Kid gets the lead and changes into Aloysius Kare and gets the jump on Jobson and easily subdues him. The sheriff thanks Kare for his help and apologizes for running him out of town.
Recurring Characters
Apache Kid
Nightwind
