Matt Slade, Gunfighter #2

Mark of the Gunman!

Matt Slade is on the trail of outlaw Flash Kellogg chasing him down a trail on horseback. The chase comes to an abrupt end when Kellogg's horse trips and sends both falling to their deaths at the bottom of a cliff. Slade goes down and takes the body back to town. Meeting with the local doctor, Slade decides to go and inform Kellogg's next of kin to claim the body when the doctor points out that Matt and Flash bare an uncanny resemblance.

He arrives at the Kellogg ranch just as Flash's sister Helen is dealing with Mr. Bard who has a document signed by Flash seven years ago giving him title over the ranch. Bard still cannot take hold of the ranch as Flash's father -- although on his death bed -- is still alive and has main ownership. Matt is held back by Macklin the foreman until Bard leaves and then he allows Slade to go in and talk to Mr. Kellogg. Meeting with the ill old man, Matt is surprised when the elder Kellogg confuses Slade with his wayward son who had been gone for over a decade. Kellogg is happy to see "Flash" there as well as Helen who also mistakes Matt for her brother and welcomes him back.

Macklin, also makes a mistake, and asks to talk to "Flash" and berates Slade for coming to ruin their plans. Explaining that Bard wants to take the land as it is rich with gold and offered Kellogg a share. Slade fights back and forces Macklin to take him to Bard's property. When they arrive there, Bard points out that "Flash Kellogg" is an impostor and orders his men to kill him. Slade however is a faster draw and easily out shoots them. He then subdues Bard and recovers the document that Kellogg signed all those years ago and then warns Bard to stay away from the Kellogg family or he will come after him again.

When Slade returns to the ranch, Helen informs him that her father just died, and is shocked when Helen informs him that she knew that he wasn't her brother the entire time but only played along so that her father could die happy knowing that his son came to see him on his deathbed. Informing Sally of what happened, Matt burns the legal document and then departs, although he was happy to fell like he belong to a family again at least for a short while.

Recurring Characters

• Matt Slade

Gunsmoke Trail

Matt Slade is on the trail of Hawk Mosby after he robbed $200,000 in a bank robbery, but Mosby managed to escape after Slade is thrown from his horse. As Matt recovers from his fall he is approached by a government official who asks him to return to town and meet with governor Anson Clinton for his next set of orders. Clinton informs Slade about Don Sebastian a man who owns land under a Spanish grant but refuses to sell a small section for a crucial line of railroad to be laid down. As a friend of Don Sebastian, Clinton asks Slade to go and talk him into allowing the sale to go through.

When Slade later arrives at Don Sebastian's hacienda he soon funds himself surrounded by gunmen. Before Slade can his guns out he is knocked out from behind. Slade is then brought into a room where Don and his daughter who inform him that these outlaws have come and forced him to not accept the offer to sign off on the portion of his land for the railroad. Don's daughter also tells them that one of the outlaws, Del, has a soft sport for her. Suddenly, Del comes into the room informing the trio that their leader, Hawk Mosby, has arrived. He then helps free them but is caught in the act, but Slade knocks out the guard. Matt then sends Del to round up the ranch hands while he attacks Mosby and his gang. Soon Hawk is assisted by the ranch hands and they take down Mosby and his gang. When Slade takes them back to town to face justice, he tells Del to stay as he earned a second chance at a good life after helping them out.

Recurring Characters

• Matt Slade

• Anson Clinton

Matt Slade, Gunfighter

Matt Slade is at the local Express Office when suddenly what appears to be a Native American tries to shoot him but misses. When Slade tries to defend himself the would-be killer flees the scene. The clerk tells Slade that the shooter must be the man who robbed the express previously of $50,000. When Slade looks around the scene he finds a tube of face paint and deduces that the shooter and thief must be somehow connected to the circus that setup near by and decides to go and investigate.

When arrives on the circus ground when he suddenly hears a shot and watches someone flee the managers office. When Slade tries to follow after him the owner of the circus stops him, telling Matt that they were only examining a gun when it accidentally went off, scaring his friend away.

However Slade doesn't buy the story since the man who fled the scene was carrying a money sack and decides to follow after him. In a nearby canyon, Slade is attacked by the masked robber and easily subdues him. Unmasking the thief he is surprised to find that the man is none other than the express agent he met the night before. He then rides back to the circus to meet with Mr. Clooney the owner. When he enters the office, Clooney comes up from behind and puts a gun into Slade's back. Clooney then admits that he and the express office owner were working together to rob, using a Native American disguise to fool law enforcement. However Slade is fast at the draw and easily shoots the gun out of Clooney's hand and takes him into custody.

Recurring Characters

• Matt Slade

Matt Slade, Gunfighter

Matt Slade is after the Utah Kid, chasing him into the Mojave Desert. When the chase turns into a fire fight, Slade's horse is shot dead and as he is running to cover so is his canteen, destroying his only supply of water, in the scramble for cover the Kid manages to escape. Without water, Kid goes on a desperate search for more under the blazing sun of the Mojave. Along the way he comes across some men going after a wild stallion, likely due to the fact that it was stealing their mares. He witnesses as the horse falls seemingly shot to death.

In a weakened state, Slade tries to gather the strength to fire his gun but does not have the energy to do so and the riders soon disappear. Slade is surprised to find that the wild stallion is still alive. When it gets up and begins to move he realizes that the horse has scented some water. Slade follows after the horse and they soon find a watering hole. When the stallion collapses, Slade brings it water from his hat. When the two regain their strength, Slade feeds the horse and the two become fast friends. That night they attempt to find shelter in a cave and come upon the Utah Kid and his gang. With the help of the stallion, the Kid easily trounces the gang. But when the Kid tries to bring Utah to justice on another horse, the stallion bucks at this and the Kid realizes the stallion wants him to ride it. He does so and decides to named the horse Eagle due to his swift speed.

Recurring Characters

• Matt Slade

• Eagle