Black Rider #24

These Guns For Hire!

When a gang of outlaws manage to rob the Leadville bank, Sheriff Kirby refuses to lift a finger to do anything. This earns the ire of the townspeople who call him a coward and begin throwing rocks at him. One rock strikes the sheriff in the head knocking him out. Dr. Matthew Masters gets in the middle of things and calls off the angry people before taking the sheriff to his practice to treat his head injury. As Masters treats the wounded sheriff one of the gang members bursts in demanding to know if Kirby will pull through. When Matthew convinces him that the injury is only minor the masked man flees the scene. When the sheriff wakes up, the doctor demands answers but Kirby won't talk, telling him that he can't as the situation involves his son before blacking out again.

Realizing that there is a connection, Masters slips away to change into the Black Rider. He then goes to the local newspaper office where he gets the publisher to print a front page story that claims that the sheriff will tell all and that he will use his authority to bring them to justice. Word gets to Caitlin and his gang who decide to silence the sheriff. One of their number is the sheriff's son who tries to convince them to leave the sheriff alone. Caitlin has other ideas and knocks the boy out and the gang heads off to Leadville to silence the sheriff. When the boy recovers he rushes after them in the hopes of saving his father and crosses paths with the Black Rider who ropes the boy up. The Kirby boy explains that he joined up with the gang out of rebellion against his father but realizes the mistake he has made. The Black Rider then agrees to let the boy join him in defending his father.

Rushing back into town, the Black Rider and the Kirby boy fight back to back gunning down Caitlin and his minions until they are all dead. In the aftermath of the battle, the Kirby's are reunited, and the boy promises to go straight from then on.

Recurring Characters

• Black Rider

• Satan

Legion of Death

The Black Rider is on the trail of a gang of outlaws who call themselves the Legion of Death who have a reputation of burning down the towns that they raid. Following their trail, the Black Rider is forced to stop when Satan refuses to enter the swamp the gang has escaped into. Trying to continue on foot, the Black Rider falls into quicksand and it is only the quick thinking of Satan pulling his master out of the mire that saves the heroes life. Seeing no way of navigating through the swamp alone and with the trail cold, the Black Rider gives up for the night and returns to his alter-ego of Dr. Matthew Masters upon returning to Leadville. There the sheriff and some locals come to Masters and asks for his assistance in fighting the Legion of Death as they are planning on attacking the neighboring town of Shasta for a shipment of gold and that Leadville could be next. Masters reminds them of his oath as a doctor to never harm and kill and wishes them the best on their attempt to stop the gang.

However, later that night the Black Rider reappears and meets with the sheriff and runs down a plan of attack to stop the Legion of Death: They are to have the gold secretly shipped to Leadville and the Black Rider will wait in Shasta alone to confront the gang. When the gang arrives, the Black Rider singles out their leader and wounds him with a bullet forcing them to retreat. Returning to his medical practice, Dr. Masters is interrupted by the arrival of the gang who demand that Masters comes with them to their hideout to treat their wounded boss. Masters goes and is blindfolded along the way but trusts that Satan will be able to remember the way through to their hideout. After Masters treats the leader of the gang they take him away blindfolded again.

Once free and out of sight, Masters changes back into the Black Rider and Satan leads him back through the swamp to the hideout of the Legion of Death. The Black Rider attacks and flees back into the swamp tricking the gang into falling into the quicksand, leaving them to drown. He then returns to their hidden cabin where he duels their leader and slays him as well. Reporting back to the law about his success, the sheriff thanks the Black Rider for all his help.

Recurring Characters

• Black Rider

• Satan

Arrowhead

Arrowhead is warned by the approach of a posse led by the Native American hating Marshal Jesse Crawl when their silent approach disrupts a blue jay that gives away their element of surprise. Arrowhead manages to flee but soon his horse Eagle begins to slow forcing him to stop and see what's wrong. Examining one of Eagle's hoofs, Arrowhead notices a stone lodged in the horses hoof that has bruised his foot and realizes he cannot push his horse further for risk of causing permanent injury.

Arrowhead waits for his pursuers to catch up to him and attacks them, during the confusion the Pawnee warrior causes their horses to stampede and escapes on Eagle, taking Clint Holden, another man held prisoner by Crawl and his men along with him. Clint thanks him for his rescue who informs the warrior that he is a wanted man as he has been framed for the murder of Jesse Crawl's brother Hal. He explains that both he and Jesse were in love with a girl named Mary. Jealous, Jesse sent his brother Hal to kill him. Clint killed Hal in self defense but Jesse used the incident to put out a reward on Clint's head.

Believing his story, Arrowhead takes Clint to a cave where they can hideout and treats his wounds. Falling asleep, Arrowhead is awoken later by Hal who has his gun trained on him as he has decided to take Arrowhead in and claim the reward for himself so that he and Mary can live an easy life. However, Clint suddenly realizes that he cannot bring himself to do it and gives up. Arrowhead is pleased to hear this and explains that he unloaded the gun as a test to see if Clint could be trusted and that he was ready to slay Holden with his knife if he had to.

Arrowhead agrees to help clear Clint's name and that night they ride into town. There they get the drop on Jesse Crawl and force him to write a confession. However after doing so, Jesse raises the alarm and while Arrowhead and Clint fight off Crawl's minions the Marshal attempts to burn the confession. However, Arrowhead and Clint make short work of their attackers and Arrowhead kills Crawl. He then turns the confession over to Clint who is satisfied that it will help clear his name.

Recurring Characters

• Arrowhead

• Eagle

Trail of the Killer

The Black Rider confronts a gang in a Leadville saloon that he has been trailing since they robbed a coach. However, they claim to not have stolen anything. When the sheriff arrives and searches them they find no proof that they robbed the coach and are forced to let them go. The Black Rider begins to wonder who is helping the gang stash their thefts.

Changing back into his alter-ego of Dr. Matthew Masters, the Black Rider goes out riding with his love interest Marie Lathrop. Marie asks Matthew if he has time to meet Dr. Stevens the new physician who has set up shop in Leadville, but Masters had not had the time to do so. Suddenly, the pair are harassed by a local drunk who makes fun of Masters horse Ichabod. Masters shrugs it off as he knows that the drunk is only teasing. However, Dr. Stevens appears and takes great offense of the drunks rude behavior and shoots him.

The new doctors brash and brave attitude greatly impresses Marie who agrees to led Dr. Stevens ride her the rest of the way home while Masters takes the drunk back to his practice to treat his gunshot wound. Later, Masters changes back into the Black Rider to try and pick up the trail of the outlaws he was forced to let go. He spots them making a stop at Dr. Steven's home making him suspicious of the new doctor, but returns home to ponder what to do next. Back in his civilian guise, Masters is surprised when Marie comes bursting into his office with Bobby who has been wounded by a gunshot that he sustained when the outlaw gang came to steal cattle from her father’s ranch. She explains that she initially took Bobby to Dr. Stevens but the doctor didn't seem to know how to help Bobby so she took him away.

Examining the wound, Masters realizes that Stevens made a horrible hatchet job on trying to treat the wound and treats Bobby. He tells Marie to wait with Bobby while he goes to deal with Dr. Stevens. However it is not Matthew Masters who confronts Stevens at his home, but the Black Rider who accuses Stevens of being a fraud who is the go-between for the outlaw gang that has been operating in the area. The gang tries to get the drop on the Black Rider, but the hero is much to fast for them and the entire gang, along with Dr. Stevens, fall under the roar of his guns.

Changing back into Matthew Masters, the Black Rider returns to his medical practice where he informs Marie of what happened. Happy that Bobby is okay and that Dr. Stevens has been brought to justice Marie surprises Matthew by kissing him.

Recurring Characters

• Black Rider

• Marie Lathrop

• Bobby Lathrop

• Satan