Hopalong Cassidy #4

Hopalong Cassidy arrives at the lumber camp to find tension simmering after Joe Bailey, the camp owner, confronts Frank Ames over unfair prices, only to be found dead the next morning—apparently a suicide. As Hopalong investigates, he uncovers signs that the death was staged, and soon realizes someone is trying to drive Bailey’s niece, Betty, out of the camp by sabotage and threats. With danger mounting and the camp under siege, Hopalong must protect Betty and uncover the true mastermind behind the plot.

Hopalong Cassidy finds himself guarding a stolen shipment of valuable paintings, pursued by the elusive Black Marauder and his gang. When the outlaw’s threat forces him to take refuge at Bud Cooper’s ranch, Cassidy uncovers a twist: the real danger may be closer than expected.

Hopalong Cassidy asks Pistol Packing Patty for help crossing the street, but she accidentally splashes mud on a group of women as she rides by. The women demand payment for their ruined dresses, but Patty refuses—until a sudden gunshot knocks her hat off, and the blinded horse comes to a sudden stop.

In Twin River, election day brings tension as Hopalong Cassidy rallies support for Bill Howard’s bid for county judge, while Roy Ferris’s campaign manager, Mr. Bell, plots to steal the town’s ballots. Hopalong and his companion Mesquite set out with the votes, only to be ambushed by unseen foes—forcing Hopalong to outwit his attackers and protect the ballots in a race against time.

When Mesquite is recruited to play a sheriff in a movie, Hopalong Cassidy finds himself caught in a real-life bank robbery scheme that mirrors the film’s plot—leaving him to race through treacherous terrain to clear Mesquite’s name before a mob does. As the posse closes in, Hopalong uses cunning and quick thinking to outwit the real criminals, proving that even in a staged performance, the truth can be the most dangerous role of all.

In a lighthearted moment, Hopalong Cassidy and a young man named Mesquite find themselves in a humorous situation involving a crowd of onlookers gathered to watch horses race. The story plays on the idea that horses seem to have more sense than people, as the duo reflects on the absurdity of the scene and the unexpected attention they receive.

Hill Billy panics when a large bee starts buzzing around his nose, prompting Hopalong Cassidy to warn him to either move or risk getting stung. With the bee still buzzing, Hill Billy dashes toward the cabin, determined to get ointment before it’s too late.

In "Bar OO Mystery," Hopalong Cassidy investigates a series of cattle rustlings tied to a mysterious brand change, leading him to suspect Slim Hill—despite the former outlaw's claim of innocence. As evidence mounts, Hopalong uncovers a web of deception involving Buck Dayton and his men, who stage a jailbreak to frame Slim. With tension rising and danger closing in, Hopalong must outwit the real rustlers before they escape with their secret.