Lash LaRue Western #7

Lash LaRue, posing as a visitor, investigates the death of a lumber camp worker found near an observation post, quickly deducing the man was murdered rather than having fallen. As he begins questioning the camp’s foreman and staff, he uncovers inconsistencies in their stories and notices a cook with a bandaged hand, prompting him to suspect a hidden motive. With the camp’s routines and secrets unraveling, Lash sets out to follow a suspicious figure who may be fleeing the truth.

In a humorous Western exchange, Wagon-Wheels joins a group of cowboys debating the greatest invention, sparking a lighthearted argument between those who champion the wheel and others who insist the safety pin is superior. The story plays on the contrast between practicality and whimsy, with the characters’ banter highlighting the absurdity of the debate in a frontier setting.

In the dusty town of Larado, gambler Bradley Hedgrogue is cornered by creditors after losing his ranch to debt, but when Blacky Phillips is found dead and the law refuses to act, the fearless Marshal Lash LaRue arrives to uncover the truth. As suspicion falls on Hedgrogue, the missing body and a series of strange events lead Lash to a daring plan involving a theatrical impersonation to expose the real killer.

Lash Lareue, the roving marshal, arrives in Gopher Gulch just as tensions flare between rancher Hughes and his nephew Andrew’s foster guardian, Case, over a disputed fence line and a poisoned creek. When Hughes discovers his cattle are dying and finds Case’s hat near the tainted water, he confronts Case, only to be outmaneuvered by a web of deception that implicates Andrew in a plot to frame Case for murder.

Hippety Hopp tries to borrow a dollar from a friend to send a birthday telegram to his parents, claiming he’s lived twenty-five summers and fifteen winters—explaining the imbalance by saying he spent ten years in California, where there are no winters. His friend, unimpressed by the excuse, refuses to lend him money, reminding him he should earn it instead, leading to a humorous exchange about past grueling work and the value of hard labor.

Dusty, a self-proclaimed "handle" of the frontier, encounters a flamboyant city slicker named Fletcher F. Fletcher, who claims to be in town to scout locations for his next "moving pictures." The man’s baffling misunderstandings of basic logic and ranch life lead to a series of escalating comedic miscommunications, culminating in a hilariously absurd negotiation over renting the land — and a cow — for his film.

Molasses Mouth heads to the general store to buy diapers for Mrs. Holmes’ baby, only to be stunned by a one-dollar price tag that includes tax. Shocked by the cost, he’s reminded that Mrs. Holmes actually uses safety pins instead—prompting a quick shift to a cheaper alternative.

Mangy and Kurr, two crooked operators in the frontier town, grow nervous as they believe Lash LaRue is closing in on their dope ring. They split up to warn Captain Blutter, but confusion sets in when both claim Lash was following them—leading to a wild chase and a hidden note tossed into the river. As the river boat prepares to depart, Lash’s presence is revealed in a surprising twist, and a showdown looms between the lawman and the criminals, including the bartender and Captain Blutter, who may be deeper in the scheme than anyone expected.