Monte Hale Western #48

Monte Hale rides into Faro Gulch hoping to learn why fugitive Chuck Hawley has emerged from hiding, only to find the outlaw attempting to rob the Stockmen's Bank with the help of accomplices. When Hawley and his gang rig a deadly trap at the printing office and kidnap Nan Burton, the newspaper editor who's been struggling to keep her family's gazette afloat, Monte must outthink the outlaws before they make their escape with the stolen payroll.

Gabby Hayes, the talkative foreman of the Bar Nothing Ranch, finds himself in a tight spot when a seemingly innocent cold remedy from Doc Quackenpill lands him squarely in the sights of the notorious outlaws Yam and Yegg, who mistake his affliction-fueled mutterings for news of a gold shipment. When the bandits catch up to him on the trail with rope and gunfire, Gabby's got to use his wits—and maybe a little help from that contraption—to turn the tables on the ruthless sidewinders.

When Monte Hale stops by his old friend Jed Barton's ranch, he discovers that Jed is racing to fulfill an army cattle contract for Fort Craig—and that his ruthless neighbor Sledge Mason is determined to sabotage the deal. As Monte helps drive a thousand steers toward the fort, he uncovers the work of the Gopher, a master criminal who operates through underground tunnels and pitfalls, and realizes the outlaw is working to steal the herd piece by piece. Monte must outwit the Gopher's cunning scheme to get Jed's cattle safely delivered before the deadline runs out.

When outlaws use a traveling circus as cover for their scheme to steal the schoolhouse fund, Monte Hale steps in to turn Doc Bender's camel act into an unexpected ally. Using quick thinking and a clever bit of marksmanship, Monte pursues the thieves across the desert and fights to rescue a child caught in their grasp while bringing the fund-stealing varmints to justice.

A crooked politician named Boswell shows up at the post office looking for Old Slick's vote, turning on the charm as an old friend—but Old Slick sees right through the election-time flattery. When pressed for his support, Old Slick delivers a stinging punchline about exactly where Boswell ranks on his ballot.

Sam the Sheriff has his hands full when the quick-witted outlaw Trigger Tom—locked up and facing the gallows—uses his gift for gab and a perfectly timed blow to escape his cell. Now Sam must track down the escaped criminal before the town catches wind of the breakout, leading to a showdown at the local bookstore where Trigger Tom has set his sights on a robbery. It's a race against time as Sam works to recapture his slippery prisoner and restore order to town.

When con artists strike it rich—or so they think—with stolen rough diamonds, they hatch a scheme to sell shares in a phony diamond claim to the desperate townsfolk of Lode Gap. It falls to Monte Hale to see through the swindle before the whole town loses their savings to a smooth-talking band of crooks who are counting on slipping across the border before anyone catches on. With his wits as quick as his draw, Monte races to stop them before they vanish into Mexico with the town's money.