Outlaw Kid #4
Ghost Town
The Outlaw Kid is riding through a ghost town when he suddenly hears maniacal laughter. Tracing it to its source he is attacked by a strange man in the shadows who quickly escapes when the Outlaw Kid begins shooting, leaving no trace except his insane laughter. The Outlaw Kid rides back to Caliber City unaware that he is being observed by two men who are unimpressed with the heroes meddling in their affairs.
The next morning, Lance Temple is asks his father about any connection between Claryville and the recent troubles that the nearby railroad expansion has been having recently. Zane Temple dismisses the idea and thinks that the company should just build around the ghost town and be done with it. He tells Lance that somebody else will solve the problem, reminding his son about the vow of non-violence he has sworn to his father. Lance however decides that to get to the bottom of the mystery as the Outlaw Kid.
That night in one of the abandoned buildings in Claryville, Mr. Coyle a land owner and his man is meeting with their insane assistant, who believes that what they are doing is nothing more than a joke. Coyle has the man wear a sheet and orders him to ride through the railroad construction camp to frighten the workers. As the mad man leaves, Coyle hopes that this latest plan will force the railroad to build away from the ghost town and have to buy the passage rights through land he owns at double the cost he wants for it.
The man man, dressed as a ghost rides through the camp frightening the railroad workers, but the Outlaw Kid soon arrives and chases him off. The lunatics horse then takes a tumble once it reaches town allowing the Outlaw Kid to catch up to him. Before the crazy man can explain what happened he is shot by Coyle and his man, claiming that the mad man was going to shoot the Outlaw Kid. The Kid however has seen through this ploy and easily disarms the men by shooting the guns out of their hands. However before anything else can happen the dying simpleton shoots Coyle and his man dead. Dying the man tells the Outlaw Kid he thought the whole thing was just a joke.
The following day Zane tells Lance about how the trouble with the railroad was cleared up by the Outlaw Kid and asks his son how he knew the ghost town was connected. Lance tells his father that he just had a hunch.
Recurring Characters
Outlaw Kid
Zane Temple
Thunder
Death Battle
Bull Lafarge, a rough and violent logger, wishes to dam up the local river for his logging operations threatening the water supply needed by the cattlemen in the area. When one of the cattle owners confronts Bull, Lafarge attempts to attack him with his ax but the Outlaw Kid shoots the blade off the handle. Lafarge stands down but vows to get revenge. The young man thanks the Outlaw Kid for his help and explains all the trouble and how he wasn't going to stand aside and let Bull take the water the ranchers need. With the hour growing late, the Outlaw Kid races away to change back into his alter-ego of Lance Temple as he is taking his girlfriend Belle Taylor to the dance that evening.
When they both arrive in town they witness Bull Lafarge fighting it out with the young rancher. Bound to his vow of non-violence made to his father, Lance is unable to do anything much to Belle's frustration. When the fight is over, Lance and Belle take the young rancher to the doctor for treatment. With the young man expected to recover from his injuries, Lance takes Belle home where she muses how if the Outlaw Kid were around he would solve the problem, and Lance assures her that perhaps the hero will do just that.
Lance changes into the Outlaw Kid and rides to the nearby river where Bull Lafarge and his men are already busy building their dam. He easily defeats his guards. Bull then challenges the Outlaw Kid to a bo-staff fight on a pair of logs in the river. The Kid gains the upper hand knocking Bull off his log and sending him into the river. However, Bull manages to pull himself onto the Outlaw Kid's log and tries to attack the hero with a knife. The Kid knocks Bull down with a single punch sending him into the raging river again where he is pulled over a water fall to his death, while the Kid jumps to safety on the shore.
A few days later at the Temple ranch, Zane tells Belle and Lance about how the problem with the dam is over with thanks to the Outlaw Kid. Belle marvels about how there isn't another man like the Outlaw Kid for miles around and Lance is inclined to agree.
Recurring Characters
Outlaw Kid
Belle Taylor
Zane Temple
Thunder
RRUUMMBBLLE!
The Outlaw Kid finds himself caught in the middle of a stampede, unaware that the cattle are in the process of being rustled by an outlaw named Garko. The Kid tries to divert the stampede with gun fire alerting the rustlers of his presence. One of the men takes a shot at the Kid, creasing his brow and knocking him unconscious. Left for dead, the outlaws then gather up the cattle and depart. The Outlaw Kid however has survived and revives hours later and follows the trail of the cattle. The trail suddenly vanishes in a dead end valley and the Outlaw Kid decides to give up for the night.
The next afternoon, Lance Temple learns from his father about the current investigation of the missing cattle. That night he resumes his search for the stolen cattle as the Outlaw Kid. Going back to where the trail went dry, he observes one of the rustlers move a bush out of the way revealing a secret cave entrance behind it and follows after him. However the man heard the Kid's approach and tries to get the drop on him, but the Kid easily defeats and ropes up his attacker. Snooping around the Kid finds the cattle and spies on Garko and his men. However when some pebbles fall, they give away the Kid's position he is forced to fight it out. The gun fire causes the cattle to stampede again, and the Kid knocks Garko into their path where he is trampled to death.
The next day while at the general store, Lance hears the shop keeper talk about how the Outlaw Kid busted up fifteen men. Knowing there were only three, Lance questions him about the numbers and the store owner takes offence and threatens to fight it out with Lance to defend the Outlaw Kid's honor. Smiling at such loyalty to his alter ego, Lance tells the store owner that won't be necessary.
Recurring Characters
Outlaw Kid
Zane Temple
Thunder
