Wild Western #7

The Curse of the Chinese Idol!

While on the trail, Kid Colt gets a hold of a two week old newspaper and reads about a the theft of a Chinese idol by a gang of international jewel thieves: Jackie Stevens, Harold Fitz-Greville, Baron von Steinhause, Whitey Bartlett and Eric Svendson. As coincidence would have it, Kid Colt hears some gunshots and rushes to their source. He finds a dead man whom he identified as a foreigner. Suddenly, two men -- Whitey Bartlett and Baron von Steinhause -- who identify the dead man as Eric Svendson. Believing that Kid Colt killed Svendson they demand he hand over the idol. When Kid Colt explains that he doesn't have it, Bartlett recognizes the famous outlaw and explain that they were betrayed Harry Fritz-Greville and Svendson who tried to steal the idol. When they search the Kid's saddle and find no trace of the stolen idol, they offer Kid Colt the opportunity to join them in tracking it down and collecting on the profit. When the Kid refuses, Bartlett tries to shoot him, but Kid Colt easily shoots the gun out of his hands. However, this leaves him open to a judo blow from Steinhause, knocking him out. Bartlett decides to let Kid Colt live, as he is a fellow outlaw and would not rat them out to the authorities and risk capture and they leave.

When Kid Colt comes around he follows the thieves backtrail to Cuttonwood Gulch where he is witnessed by a woman who purposely makes her horse ride out of control. The Kid falls for the ploy and saves her. The girl introduces herself as Jennifer Stone and tells Kid Colt that she is in danger and invites him back up to her hotel room. Along the way she explains that she has been hired to recover the idol from the thieves. When they arrive they find Bartlett and Steinhause waiting for them. Kid Colt quickly disarms them and Stone holds them at gun point. When Steinhause tries to fight back with his Judo skills, Kid Colt beats him up using good old fashioned American fist fighting. When Kid Colt lets them leave he explains to Jennifer that he is hoping that they will lead him to the idol and tells Stone to wait for him. The Kid follows them to the Grand Palace Saloon where he witnesses them meet up with Harold Fitz-Greville. Harold tells them that he has the idol and has a proposition for them. The other thieves have other intentions in mind and a fight breaks out, and they all fatally wound each other. Kid Colt bursts in and talks to the dying Fitz-Greville who tells them that their leader Jackie Stevens is still loose.

Kid Colt rushes back to Jennifer's hotel room to warn her and escort her to the train station. As they are gathering her bags, her suitcase pops open and the idol falls out. Kid Colt realizes that "Jennifer" is really Jackie Stevens. When she tries to shoot him, he knocks her out and ties her up, leaving her and the stolen idol for the authorities while he rides out of town.

Recurring Characters

• Kid Colt

• Steel

The Land Pirate!

Louella Welstead is being chased by two gunslingers across the range. She has the lead when suddenly her horse gets caught in a gopher hole causing a crash. Before the men can get her the Two-Gun Kid happens by and rescues the girl, riding away. She takes Lou back to her fathers ranch where her father is once more turning down Jim Cullen on an offer to buy his ranch land. When explaining what happened, Louella wishes that her fiancée Red Farrel had not left for Texas to buy a spread for themselves. Mr. Welstead does not like the idea, thinking his ranch is good enough for the couple.

With Louella safe, Two-Gun Kid bids them farewell and rides off. Along the range he is confronted by two men who accuse him of trespassing on private property and beat him up before sending him packing. Along the way back, Two-Gun recognizes the men as the two who were chasing Lou earlier. Along the way he comes across an elderly couple camping. They explain to the Kid that they were offered to sell their ranch to Cullen, but when they refused Cullen and his men drove them off their property.

Realizing that the Welstead's are in trouble, Two-Gun decides to ride up to Cullen's ranch. Arriving there and peeking through a window they find that Cullen's men have Red Farrel prisoner as a means of pressuring the Welstead's to sell their property. Knocking the captors out, Two-Gun frees Red and learns that they forced Red to write a letter when they couldn't capture Lou. Two-Gun then sends Red to get the sheriff while he rides to the Welstead ranch. Meanwhile, Cullen shows the Welstead's the letter from Red, and demands that they sell the ranch in order to see him free. With no choice, Mr. Welstead begins signing a deed of sale when the Two-Gun Kid arrives. Although they mange to knock the Kid briefly out, he plays possum and gets the drop on them. Before Cullen and his men can fight back, Red and the sheriff arrive and they are arrested. With the crisis over, Red decides that he and Lou are going to stay and help Mr. Welstead with his ranch. In the aftermath, The Two-Gun Kid once more rides off into the sunset.

Recurring Characters

• Two-Gun Kid

• Cyclone

The Disguise That Failed!

Leslie Krug and his gang hold up a train, the sudden stoppage attracts the attention of Tex Morgan and Lobo who decide to investigate. They try to stop the robbers from getting away, gunning down most of them but Leslie Krug manages to escape. Krug gives them a good chase, and decides to abandon his horse and slip across the Mexican border. Tex loses his trail and reunites with Lobo who has joined the sheriff and his posse in searching for Krug. They begin fanning out and checking along the border for Krug.

Meanwhile, Leslie spots a merchant wagon passing by and slips into the back. Inside he finds a make up kit and disguises himself as the old man riding the wagon and knocks him out, intending to pose as the merchant to slip across into Mexico. When Tex and Lobo check a border crossing they learn that the only a merchant went through. Suspicious, Tex rides after it and questions the driver. Quickly seeing through the disguise, Tex jumps Krug and easily beats him. In the back he finds the stolen loot and the merchant all tied up in the back. Tex then has the merchant ride the wagon back to the posse and turns Krug over the authorities.

Recurring Characters

• Tex Morgan

• Lobo

• Lightning

• Cloud

Too Many Killers!

Blaze Carson is visiting his old friend Ben Adams and learns of the marital problems that his daughter Viola is having with her husband Shad Dayton. Overhearing an argument, they watch as Shad abruptly leaves the house telling Viola to mind her own business. Blaze pays his leave, and as he rides back to Red Dog thinks about how Shad is nothing but trouble waiting to happen.

Ahead of him, Shad arrives in town and goes to Franco's Dance Palace for a date with his mistress, a chorus girl named Millie. Millie expresses her concern about getting caught, and about Shad's gambling debts to Franco. Shad dismisses these as paltry concerns and the couple go up to Millie's room. They sit down for a drink when a gunman fires through the window killing Shad. Franco and the other patrons rush to his side. Soon Blaze Carson arrives on the scene and hears what happened. He then goes back out to tell Ben about Shad's murder, and that he suspects Viola for the shooting. Instead, Ben admits to shooting Shad and is put under arrest.

However, Blaze Carson is not convinces that Ben was responsible for the shooting and decides to investigate further. He questions Franco and learns about Shad's gambling debts and then goes out back and searches for clues. In the back, he finds one of Viola's broaches and believes this proves that Viola is responsible for the murder. Going back to the Adam's house, Blaze talks to Viola who also admits to killing Shad. However the sudden admission of guilt still troubles Blaze. Later that night he sneaks into the Adam's house. Looking in the spot where the broach was kept he finds crumbs of tobacco indicating that someone else stole it.

He returns to Franco's Dance Hall and sneaks inside to take a look around. He then goes snooping through Franco's safe, but the creaky hinges awakens Franco upstairs and he and his men come charging down. However when they catch Blaze he has found the matching broach proving that Franco stole them, and was responsible for murdering Shad. When Franco and his men draw, Blaze mows them down, the shots attracting a posse he gets to help him apprehend the surviving members. With the mystery of Shad's killer solved, Blaze then releases the Adams from jail.

Recurring Characters

• Blaze Carson

Trapped at Haddon Forks!

Tex Taylor has been working on a ranch and is tired out. With it being pay day and a little break ahead, he tells his friend that he is going to the quiet town of Haddon Forks to relax and catch up on his sleep.

However, when Tex arrives in town he is witness to the Brannigan Gang robbing a bank. They knock him off his horse and the sheriff arrests Tex, believing him to be a member of the gang. Tex tries to sleep in his cell but finds the bed too uncomfortable to get a good rest. When the sheriff comes in to question him, Tex makes a quick escape and goes after the Brannigan Gang to clear his name.

Tex gets the jump on the gang, and has Fury to approach from another direction to make the gang thing a posse is approaching. He guns down most of the gang, and keeps the last two survivors at gun point until the sheriff and his posse arrive to arrest them. With his name cleared, Tex returns to his job at the ranch and soon falls asleep on his horse from not being able to get enough rest on his vacation.

Recurring Characters

• Tex Taylor

• Fury