The story begins with the main character Wat Bell, initially known as the Papago Kid, being where he was told to be, the Tin Cup ranch. Things were not too healthy there as he shows up he sees a man get shot dead. He tries to even out the odds with a few rifle shots. The murders just run off. Hugh Taylor told him that he was a wanted man and it was for murder. He was told to lay low at the Tin Cup ranch. The sheriff and his posse ride up with the sounds of shots still bouncing off the hills. The first question was why did you shot him? I was in the box again running from one murder that I didn’t commit right into a second one I didn’t do either.
This short story has all kinds of twists and turns with a little true love thrown in to keep the women folk happy. The story has all of the makings of a full western novel all it needed was more details and the complexities of the story to be highlighted and fleshed out.
I have enjoyed reading the short stories of Louis L’Amour and would recommend them to any reader.
