Nick Peron

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Tex Taylor #3

...Roundup Time for Boot-Hill!

Tex Taylor is riding on the range when he hears a boy crying. Coming to the boys aid, he finds out that he is the son of Pete West, and that his father and their family have been run off their ranch. Tex decides to help the boy out and rides him to his aunts house. There the boys aunt tells Tex what has happened: Pete started hanging out with two men named Craig Peters and Red Monroe up until they started holding up stage coaches and that the two men have been gunning after him ever since. Tex decides to ride into town of Dusty Roads and deal with Red Monroe and begins asking around about him. This tips Red off that Tex is looking for him and is ready to deal with the cowpoke when he arrives at his office. However, when Tex questions him about Pete West, Red denies knowing him. Craig Peters tries to get the drop on Tex, but the hero manages to shoot his guns out of the outlaws hands and suspecting that Pete is still alive forces the two men to go to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff and Tex force Red to lead them to Pete and are taken to a nearby cave. There Red makes a break for it and manages to get shelter in the cave. Inside Red and his gang keep the sheriff and Tex at bay with gun fire. Learning that there is a back entrance into the cave, Tex rides out back and gets the drop on them, disarming the men and freeing Pete. With the outlaws in jail and Pete once more in possession of his ranch, Tex rides off into the range.

Recurring Characters

  • Tex Taylor

  • Fury

The Brand of the Bushwhacker!

Tex is taking a rest out on the range one day when he is approached by a man named Sandy who asks him if he'd like a job helping him drive his cattle to sale. Tex takes up the job and learns that Sandy's father is too old and his brothers too busy on the ranch to help him on the drives. Along the way they are suddenly attacked by cattle rustlers who gun Sandy down dead and manage to escape with the cattle, although one of their number is wounded in the gun fighting.

Tex buries Sandy and vows to recover the cattle and deliver them for his family. Tex then rides into the town of Wildwood where he spots a man named Dooley making unwanted advances on Jane Grey, the local school marm. Tex comes to her aid fighting off the men bothering her. Grey warns Tex to leave town because there are bad men who live in town. They are interrupted by the sheriff who wanted to see what all the commotion is about. Tex informs him at he has come to report some cattle rustling and the sheriff invites him back in his office. However, when Tex's guard is down the sheriff pistol whips him from behind and is tied to a chair. The sheriff leaves one of the rustlers, the one that Tex wounded earlier, to stand guard.

Angry at being wounded earlier, the man is about to shoot Tex when Miss Grey walks in, causing enough of a distraction for Tex to knock the gunman out. Grey unties Tex and he forces the rustler to talk, learning that the sheriff and the other rustlers are due back before they try and sell the stolen cattle. When the sheriff and his men arrive, Tex gets the drop on them. Tex disarms the men and keeps them covered until Jane can collect the local marshal to apprehend them.

Recurring Characters

  • Tex Taylor

  • Fury

Annie Shoots the Works!

Arizona Annie takes in the local fair with her boyfriend Slim Smith and his pal Cal. When Slim buys a watch for a dollar he soon finds that he has been ripped off. They soon come across a shooting gallery and decide to test their shooting skills. Slim misses every shot, unaware that the owners of the game have fixed the rifle and intend to try and sucker them out of their money.

One of the operators goads Annie into gambling their shots and at first Annie wins each round, but they then switch her rifle with a rigged gun hoping that she'll lose all her wages. However, when her shots begin to miss Slim laughs at her and she gives him a good crack over the head with the rifle. This rights the sight on the gun and she is able to win the competition and her money.

Realizing the the last game was rigged and the men try to take her money anyway, Annie pulls out her six shooters and begins shooting until the men surrender the money. Then to make sure that they don't rip anyone off again, she destroys their stand. As a final jest, she uses her winnings to force Slim and Cal to ride rides and drink soda pop until they start to feel sick.

Recurring Characters

  • Arizona Annie

  • Slim Smith

Thundering Hoofs and Blazing Guns!

While in town shopping Tex Taylor comes to the aid of a boy who is almost trampled down by a horse that has gotten loose. His thankful family invites them back to their ranch for supper and Tex gladly accepts the offer. When they arrive at the ranch, the father asks his son Billy to take a wagon full of blasting powder around back of the house. Inside the house, Tex is told about a running argument that the man has been having with Clay Simms a cattle owner who is disputing who owns the land.

Soon supper is interrupted by gun shots and Tex aids the family in trying to fight back the attackers. To their horror they see as the wagon of powder is lit on fire. Quickly, Tex rides his horse Fury and pulls the cart out into a nearby lake where it explodes harmlessly. Tex then pays a visit to the Simms ranch and manages to trick them by putting a sentry on the horse and sneaking up to the house. Whistling for Fury, the horse comes making it look as though Tex is brazenly riding in. It allows Tex to get the drop on Simms and his men and then turns them over to the authorities. Thanked by the family, Tex Morgan thanks them for their hospitality and rides off.

Recurring Characters

  • Tex Taylor

  • Fury