Monte Hale Western #40

When a couple of swindlers strike "gold" at the Goldcliff Mine and begin selling shares to eager investors across the country, Monte Hale grows suspicious of their operation and infiltrates the mine to uncover the truth. What he discovers is a scheme far more sinister than simple fraud—one that puts him in direct conflict with a hired killer determined to keep the secret buried. With the help of Sheriff T. Dawes, Monte devises a bold plan to force the criminals to make things right before justice catches up with them.

Bronko Betsy eagerly boards a stagecoach for a visit to her grandmother's town, but her fellow passengers soon discover she's got a cold—and an attitude about sharing her handkerchief with strangers. This lighthearted western romp captures the spirited sass of a young frontier girl who won't be pushed around, even when she's under the weather.

When a mysterious midnight-black express train strikes across the Arizona Territory, robbing trains and vanishing without a trace, Monte Hale takes on the job of tracking down the outlaws and their ruthless captain. Armed with nothing but a hunch and access to the railroad schedules, Monte narrows his suspects to two veteran engineers and races to intercept the pirate train before it strikes again. It's a high-stakes pursuit across the rails where one misstep could mean disaster.

Old Slick and Toady lock horns over a book about medieval history, with the know-it-all cowpoke confident he can outwit the young squirt on the subject of the Dark Ages. When their knowledge gets put to the test, Old Slick scrambles to save face with a pun—but the payoff lands him in hot water.

When a lawless gunslinger calling himself the Coyote learns that retired Eastern millionaire Barkley Bell has settled in the sheriff-less town of Rimrock with wealthy guests, he hatches a kidnapping scheme that forces Monte Hale—now working as Bell's foreman—to see through a clever decoy and pursue the outlaws into dangerous hill country. With Bell at his side and the innocent hostages in peril, Hale must confront the Coyote and his gang to rescue Bell's friends and save the day.

When a cantankerous ranch foreman named Gabby Hayes gets thrown out of the kitchen by Aunt Hester, he storms off to the hills to prove he can fend for himself—but a chance encounter with "rampaging Indians" and a mysterious medicine ceremony turns his stubborn escape into something far more complicated. This lighthearted western romp from 1949 puts our hero in the middle of a tribal dance contest with some unexpected help from his faithful horse, Corker.

When a renowned musician named Mr. Andante visits a frontier home to hear a young girl named Bronko Betsy perform on the piano, he discovers that her playing is anything but what her proud parent has promised. Mr. Andante finds himself searching for the right words to describe what he's just witnessed in this humorous Western tale.

When Monte Hale learns the Wolfman has escaped from a sanitarium and rejoined his wolf pack, he's called to track down the dangerous creature ravaging cattle in the mountains. But as Monte pursues his quarry through a winter storm and into a hidden cave, he discovers the truth about the Wolfman is far more complex than anyone believed. What follows is a tense confrontation that reveals secrets about the Wolfman's nature and raises hard questions about who the real threat truly is.

Old Slick tangles with a couple of smart-aleck cowboys who make the mistake of teasing him about his rough appearance—but the wily prospector's got a joke of his own up his sleeve. This 1949 western-humor tale proves that Old Slick's got more than just tough skin; he's got quick wit to match.