Lash La Rue Western #66

In the story "Little Brother," a young man named Buddy Carver, known for his size and tendency to cause trouble, is taken in hand by the tough but fair Lash La Rue after a brawl in town. When Buddy’s older brothers arrive to rescue him, Lash insists on teaching him responsibility by making him work on the ranch, leading to a moment of realization about his spoiled ways.

The roving marshal investigates a series of robberies linked to a missing gold shipment, leading him to Crazy Mike, the reclusive hermit who lives on a high knoll and refuses to speak with anyone. As the marshal pieces together clues, he begins to suspect that the hermit’s isolated location and fierce reputation may be hiding a deeper truth about the outlaws operating in the area.

Art Finley, a lone rancher on the edge of the high desert, stands defiant against Dave Acker’s attempt to seize his land, even as Acker sends his enforcer, Chick Frio, to intimidate him. When Frio attacks and forces Art to retreat, Art’s wife Mary is caught in the crossfire, prompting Art to go on the offensive in secret—using sabotage and guerrilla tactics to turn the valley’s other ranchers against Acker’s forces.

In the dusty frontier town of Red Dog Saloon, a young man named Mangy and his partner Kurrr grow nervous as they believe lawman Lash La Rue is closing in on their contraband operation. When Mangy tries to send a secret note to Captain Blutter via a ruse involving a tossed paper, Lash intercepts it—only to find himself caught in a web of deception as the real danger may lie not with the smugglers, but with the crew of the river boat Dreamer.