pulps
Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1159
This March 1905 pulp magazine issue features "Midnight Jack, the Road-Agent" and "Gopher Gid, the Boy Trapper of the Cheyenne," both by T.C. Harbaugh. The first installment depicts Old Tanglefoot, a whisky-smuggler traveling toward Deadwood in the Sioux country, whose wagon breaks down near Fort Sully. Unable to repair it adequately, Tanglefoot lightheadedly throws books and other cargo overboard to reduce weight, planning to blame the loss on Midnight Jack or Indians. When the boy Gopher Gid appears asking about the dropped cargo, Tanglefoot attempts to shoot him but is interrupted by mysterious war-cries from the hills. The narrative then shifts to Midnight Jack himself, a gentlemanly road-agent who operates the Dakota trails, known for his daring robberies and distinctive appearance with long dark hair and cavalry dress.