Sergeant Preston of the Yukon #9

In "The Trader's Ransom," Sergeant Preston and his dog are awakened in the frozen wilderness when the animal detects something amiss. A wounded man lies half-buried in the snow, and just as Preston reaches him, a shadowy figure emerges from the trees—evidently the one who shot him. Written by Gaylord Du Bois and illustrated by Alberto Giolitti, this tense early episode from the 1953 Dell series captures the stark isolation and sudden danger of the Yukon frontier. The cover by Alberto Giolitti perfectly sets the mood for a story where trust is scarce and every step could be a trap.