Rawhide Kid #11
Six-Gun Thunder!
The Rawhide Kid has cornered a young outlaw named Jack Bell in a shack. When Jack uses up all of his bullets, the Kid pretends to have been struck, tricking the boy into coming out. He subdues Jack and believing that the boy can redeem himself asks why he has become an outlaw. Learning that he was forced into the lifestyle by his uncle, Matt Dawson, the Rawhide Kid invites Jack to come back to his home to stay with him and his ward Randy Clayton and get his life back in order.
Jack instantly takes to this new lifestyle and makes fast friends with young Randy who is enthralled with Jack's various stories and his the skills he teaches the young boy. Days later, while Jack is working alone in the barn he is confronted by his Uncle Matt who seeks to drag him back into the outlaw lifestyle, threatening to hurt the Rawhide Kid and Randy if he doesn't. With no choice, Jack goes to the Rawhide Kid and tells him he has to leave. Not understanding why, the Rawhide Kid accepts Bell's decision and wishes him the best of luck.
Dawson then forces Jack to follow him to Shotgun City where he orders the boy to assist him to rob the Stage Depot. However when they arrive, Jack refuses to participate in the robbery turning on Matt at the last minute. Before Dawson can react, the Rawhide Kid storms in with guns blazing, disarming Matt and taking him into custody. As he walks out with Matt as his prisoner, the Rawhide Kid tells Jack that he does not have to sorry about his uncle meddling in his chances of starting a new life ever again.
Recurring Characters
Rawhide Kid
Randy Clayton
Sheriff Ben Yarby
Apache
Wanted: Dead or Alive!
The Rawhide Kid and Randy Clayton witness a man tied to his horse galloping into town. Checking him they find the man clinging to life and bring him to Dr. Garret for treatment. Sending Randy to get the sheriff, the Rawhide Kid checks the man's belonging and learns that he is a US Marshal from Shawnee county who had a warrant out for the Shand gang with a message "dead men can't serve warrants!" written on it by Clem Shand the leader of the gang. When Sheriff Yarby arrives both he and the Kid go to the telegraph office to have permission to go after the gang by the Shawnee authorities. Once a positive response is received, Yarby gathers a posse is gathered and sent up into the mountains to try and capture the Shand gang. However that night they return to town tied to their horses, apparently tricked into an ambush when Shand and his gang waved the white flag of truce.
Learning that the gang is holed up in Grizzly Cave, the Rawhide Kid has the sheriff deputize him so he can go up and face the gang alone. The Kid then rides up to Grizzly Cave where he is attacked by the Shand gang. The Kid waves the white flag of truce and orders them to surrender. However Shand pulls a gun and takes the Kid prisoner, revealing that they have enough food and water to stay holed up for a while. They then force the Rawhide Kid to build a fire. The Kid complies, but builds a big enough fire that begins to burn up the oxygen in the cave and the entire gang passes out due to lack of oxygen. The Rawhide Kid barely manages to make it out of the cave by himself. He then ties up the gang and brings them back into town.
Recurring Characters
Rawhide Kid
Randy Clayton
Apache
Rawhide Kid
A gang of outlaws smash the tax office of Shotgun City, escaping with the paperwork the tax collector had been compiling on back taxes and escape. When the Rawhide Kid comes to see what the commotion was about, he learns about the various tax dodgers that are holed up Bushwacker County. When the auditor tells him that the city is in dire need of taxes to pay the school teacher and keep the school open, the Rawhide Kid goes to see Sheriff Ben Yarby to be deputized as a tax collector.
He takes the auditor, Jeb Halloway, along with him as he goes up into Bushwacker County where they catch up to the two men who were responsible for robbing the tax office. There the Kid disarms them and forces the outlaws to take him and Jeb to their employer at the Bar-H Ranch, there the Rawhide Kid shoots the gun out of the rancher's hand and forces him to pay his outstanding taxes. Soon the Kid and Jeb collect all the outstanding taxes. However on their way back to Shotgun City, they are pursued by the various outstanding debtors. The Kid sends Jeb back to town and leads the tax evaders on a wild chase. When they finally catch up with the Rawhide Kid, he explains that he tricked them, sending the money with Jeb back to town knowing they would figure that the money was with the man on the faster horse, thus giving Jeb enough time to get back to town. Realizing they have been outsmarted the ranchers agree to be compliant with their taxes in the future.
Recurring Characters
Rawhide Kid
Sheriff Ben Yarby
Apache
Retribution!
Riding into town during a storm, the Rawhide Kid is greeted by Sheriff Ben Yarby who tells the Kid that a freak lightning strike managed to free Bat Kimball out of his cell, however they hope to capture him as the lightning had blinded him and they go out searching for him.
Bat Kimball however has managed to stumble his way to the Rawhide Kid's ranch and begins banging on the door for shelter. He is invited in by Randy Clayton who kindness prompts Bat to tell the truth about his situation, but tells Randy that he was framed by Mako Tilson and that he needs to get to Laramee to get him to pay for his crimes. Sympathetic for his plight, Randy agrees to help Bat to get to Laramee to confront Mako Tilson by giving him a horse and pointing him in the right direction. By this time, the Rawhide Kid has given up on the search and returns home. There Randy tells him what happened. Trusting Randy's judgement and goes to lend Bat a hand, knowing he will be easily cut down due to his blindness.
Meanwhile, in Laramee Bat has gone to see a doctor who tells him that his vision will eventually return. As his check-up is going on, the Rawhide Kid arrives in town and finds Mako Tilson and tells him that Bat Kimball is after him. Refusing to surrender, Mako goes out to confront Bat out in the storm. However as fate would have it, just before Mako can shoot, a bolt of lightning crashes down in front of Mako's face blinding him and allowing the Rawhide Kid to take him into custody.
Recurring Characters
Rawhide Kid
Randy Clayton
Sheriff Ben Yarby
Apache
