Wild Horse Range

This double novel issue contains "Wild Horse Range" by Dan J. Stevens and "The Man from Boot Hill." The Stevens novel follows Sheriff Jim Bruce attempting to impose order on the Colorado frontier while countering the schemes of cattle baron Holt Klein, whose rustling operations and violence threaten the region. Bruce navigates conflicts between Klein's ambitions, local ranchers on Banjo Mesa, and mysterious murders. The narrative includes Bruce's personal history—the unsolved murder of his neighbor Tim Ryan and the subsequent death of Ryan's wife. The excerpt depicts Bruce's evening visit to his cabin, where he encounters Angela Klein, the cattle baron's wife, who has prepared a meal. Their tense conversation hints at hidden tensions, dissatisfaction, and the broader corruption plaguing the frontier community. The story emphasizes gunplay, frontier justice, and moral conflict amid Western violence and land struggles.