Monte Hale Western #40

In the dusty frontier town of Goldcliff, a pair of strangers, Gill and McVey, claim to have struck a massive gold vein, drawing a flood of eager investors and spreading rumors of a fortune. When Monte Hale arrives and notices inconsistencies in the mine’s operations, he uncovers a dangerous scheme: the men are falsifying the ore to sell fake stock, and now he must outwit a hired killer to expose the fraud before innocent people lose everything.

Bronko Betsy is on a stagecoach ride to visit her grandma when she starts sniffing suspiciously at the air, causing a stir among the passengers. Her insistence on investigating the source of the smell leads to a humorous misunderstanding, testing the patience of those around her—especially when she refuses to lend her handkerchief to anyone.

Monte Hale investigates a series of daring train robberies committed by a mysterious gang known as the Pirate Train, which vanishes without a trace after striking along the Arizona and Pacific Railroad line. As he follows the trail from Cranston to El Paso, Monte races to uncover the outlaw crew’s secrets—especially after suspecting one of the railroad’s own engineers is behind the crimes.

In a humorous Western frontier scene, Old Slick boasts about his knowledge of the medieval era to Toady, claiming he knows more than the young man despite his confusion. When challenged on why the period is called the Dark Ages, Old Slick fumbles until Toady cleverly answers—earning a playful kick in the breeches.

Monte Hale arrives in Rimrock, a lawless town where the only sheriff to survive was buried, and quickly finds himself defending Barkley Bell, a retired Eastern millionaire who’s moved to the frontier for his health. When Bell’s guests are kidnapped by the notorious outlaw Coyote, Monte must track the gang through treacherous terrain—leading to a tense showdown at Bell’s ranch, where the true danger may be closer than expected.

In "Medicine Man," a frustrated Gabby Hayes, banished from the ranch after being scolded by Aunt Hester for his cooking habits, retreats to the hills—only to be captured by a Native American tribe who mistake him for a sacred medicine man. After accidentally ingesting a powerful herbal concoction, Gabby is thrust into a war dance contest, where his wild performance earns him unexpected acclaim and a surprising offer to stay with the tribe as their new chief.

Mr. Andante visits Bronko Betsy’s home to hear her daughter, Betsy, play the piano, impressed by her reputation. As Betsy performs with exaggerated flair, Mr. Andante struggles to find polite words for her surprisingly challenging rendition of simple music.

Monte Hale returns to the mountains after learning the Wolfman—once imprisoned and studied for his supposed savagery—has escaped and rejoined his wolf pack, now blamed for attacking ranchers’ cattle. As Monte tracks the beast through a snowstorm, he discovers the Wolfman is not the mindless killer he was believed to be, but a man who remembers him as a friend and speaks in human language.

Old Slick, a self-proclaimed barber with a thick skin, boasts about his past grooming habits to two bewildered cowpokes who question his fearlessness. When they mock his appearance, he delivers a punchline revealing his surprising history — he used to shave twenty to thirty times a day because he was a barber, leaving the cowpokes stunned.