Adventures and Western. Book 15

Adventures and Western. Book 15: 1. Rodeo Ranch; 2. Sixteen in Nome; 3. Seven Faces.

1. Rodeo Ranch: Published - 1923.

Doc Willis, despite the nickname, is just an unemployed cowboy in The Valley of Jewels. Daggett Valley holds many secrets from the past, including a now deserted mining camp. It is there that Buck Logan lures Willis with the promise of great riches to be gained. What Doc doesn’t even suspect is that he is to play a part in a most subtle feat of deception in which an old man, William Daggett, will be conned into believing that he is reliving his past. Rodeo Ranch is so called because of the rodeos sponsored by Ramon Alvarez. When an attempt is made on Alvarez’s life, a rodeo is held, but the only event that interests him is the shooting competition. The event is won by Duds Kobbe, who is hired to be Alvarez’s body guard. What Kobbe doesn’t realize is that he will be just as much a target as Alvarez.


2. Sixteen in Nome: Published - 1930.

Sixteen In Nome is narrated by young Joe May, an Arizonian who has come to Alaska to 'make his stake for a ranch.' Joe finds being on his own difficult as he reflects 'Sixteen is a bad age for a boy. It is too full of growing and not enough full of strength.' Joe's coming of age story in Alaska during the gold rush of the 1890's is an intertwining backdrop to the conflict between Hugh Massey and Arnie Calmont. Massey and Calmont were a legend in the Yukon, partners in all until they clash over a most extraordinary and powerful dog known as Alec the Great, and over a mystery woman, Marjorie, who puts herself up for auction to the highest bidder among the Nome miners. Calmont wins the auction but Massey wins Marjorie's heart, just as he had won Alec's heart when Alec belonged to Calmont.


3. Seven Faces: Published - 1936.

Police detective Angus Campbell, a dour and methodical Scottish American policeman, cordially disliked his partner, the ebullient and overweight Irish cop Patrick O’Rourke. And the feeling was cordially reciprocated by O’Rourke. Both were annoyed—but not really concerned—about orders to guard the frantic millionaire John Cobb on a late-night journey on the New York–Chicago train. After locking Cobb in his compartment, they would look forward to the pleasure of antagonizing each other in the club car. That is, until Cobb turned up missing. Whoever was responsible—and there were several possibilities among the passengers, including an incomparably strong and handsome man, a breathtakingly beautiful woman, and an improbably villainous stranger—had perhaps discounted each detective individually, and perhaps justly so. But what the malefactor could not know was the insight of their superior, Inspector Corrigan: “Separate they’re not much, but, when they’re together, they hate each other so much that they grind one another sharp as razors.