Ringo Kid #19
Fang, Claw and Six-Gun!
The Ringo Kid is spying on Scar Parsons and his gang through a skylight at their meeting place as they plan a raid. The Kid comes crashing through the skylight and faces the outlaws. A gunfight breaks out but when the only lantern in the room is shot out the outlaws manage to escape. The Kid begins looking about the wreckage and finds some maps of the territory and a railroad time table. The Kid is soon joined by his father Cory and his friend Dull Knife who came to investigate what the commotion was. They examine the maps and deduce that Scar Parsons and his gang are plotting to attack the Prairie Express heading out of Kansas City on it's run to Fort Driscoll.
Along the way there they come across a US Marshal who had just been ambushed. They learn that it was Scar Parson who attacked him and took the two criminals that he was bringing in. Showing the Marshall the maps, he tells them that the Prairie Express is bringing payroll money to Fort Driscoll. Realizing that this was what they were coming to steal, the Kid and the others go to the Fort to warn Colonel Mark Stevens.
A plan is quickly formulated and the Ringo Kid and his friends escort a group of soldiers disguised as regular civilians to meet with the train and take the shipment before the robbery. They come and take what appears to be the shipment, and when Scar and his gang try to rob the train all the find is mail. Recalling how the train stopped for some riders, Scar and his men go after Ringo and his posse. They catch up and hold them up, but they find the payroll sacks are filled with nothing but rocks. Ringo and the others than draw their guns and overpower the outlaws taking them into custody. The Kid then reveals that the shipment was faked and that the real train carrying the money had already reached the Fort.
Recurring Characters
Ringo Kid
Cory Rand
Dull Knife
Arab
The Phantom of Coronado!
The Ringo Kid goes to visit his friend Joe Hammer, a local blacksmith in the town of Coronado, when his friend is suddenly shot dead, but oddly enough there is no sound of a gunshot. The locals tell him that it was the work of the so-called Phantom Gunman. Ringo meets with the sheriff and doctor's office. He then learns of Sam Peabody, a scientist who came to find safety with the doctor after someone was after his new silencer that he invented for firearms. Before Sam could tell the doctor who was after him, he was knocked out. When he woke up the silencer was stolen and Sam was dead.
The Ringo Kid returns to the scene of the crime and knowing how Joe was struck by the bullet he deduces the trajectory of the bullet came from a nearby hotel. Checking the room he finds empty shells belonging to a 45-70 rifle. The Kid then pays a visit to the local newspaper, the Clarion, to have the editor publish a story telling how he has evidence that can reveal the identity of the Phantom Gunman and that he is going to the local Fort to investigate further. The editor offers to go along to cover the story for the Clarion and the Kid agrees. However along the way, the report reveals that he is the gunman, pulling out his 45-70 rifle. He explains that he was part of the Confederate Army during the Civil War and that he is getting revenge against those who he believes betrayed the Confederacy. The Kid had already deduced he was the one responsible due to the fact that he had a matching rifle. However before the Kid can apprehend him, the Phantom Gunman manages to escape to get revenge against more people.
The Kid races into town and puts up a decoy to draw out the gunman. When he takes the bait, the Kid manages to capture him and turn him over to the authorities.
Recurring Characters
Ringo Kid
Arab
Man-Killer!
While in town the Ringo Kid is surprised when his horse Arab suddenly attacks a man named Morley and his men seemingly without provocation. When they try to shoot the stallion, the Ringo Kid shoots the guns out of their hands. When the sheriff arrives, Morley presses charges and the sheriff has no choice but to order the Ringo Kid to pen Arab pending trail.
Saddened by the fact that Arab might be ordered destroyed, the Ringo Kid wishes that his faithful steed could tell him what it knows, knowing that Arab would not have attacked anyone unprovoked. That evening the sheriff returns to tell the Kid that it has been decided that Arab has to be put down and the Kid convinces them to let him have one last night with his horse.
However unable to sleep, Ringo decides to pay a visit to Morley and find out why his horse attacked him. However Morley and his men get the drop on the Ringo Kid and reveal that the reason why Arab attacked them was due to the fact that they were the crooks who ambushed the Ringo Kid from behind in Black Mesa, an attack that found Ringo knocked out and unaware of who attacked him. The reason why Arab attacked them was due to the fact that the horse recognized them. Meanwhile at the stable, sensing that his master is in danger, Arab breaks free and rushes to Ringo's aid with the law following after him. The horse attacks the outlaws beating them into submission. When the Kid tells the law what happened, Arab is cleared of all charges.
Recurring Characters
Ringo Kid
Arab
The Riders of Doom
The Ringo Kid rides into a town and soon finds it under siege by the so-called Riders of Doom, remnants of the Union and Confederate armies who regularly come and raid the town. When nobody comes to the defence of the town, the Ringo Kid steps in and sends the Riders packing but takes one of their number captive. He brings him into the sheriff's office and learns that the sheriff and his deputies cannot handle the raids and that the local fort refuses to send men to deal with the matter because they view the members of the Riders of Doom as heroes of the Civil War. He is forced to let the captive go, but learns that the Riders hide out in the nearby badlands and decides to go out and try to stop the attacks on his own.
Out in the badlands, the Ringo Kid's approach is spotted by scouts for Captain Hillcroft of the Union faction of the Riders. He then meets with Captain Barclay of the Confederate faction. They both decide to have their best soldiers duel with the stranger one on one. When the Kid arrives he refuses to fight with them, seeking only to talk, but is forced to defend himself. The Kid manages to beat the best of their forces in one-on-one duels and tells the Riders that they have to stop raiding their country men. He learns that they have banded together because their countrymen have forgotten about them and that they have no homes to go to after the war ended. The Ringo Kid then tells them that they have spent far too long in isolation, telling the soldiers that the government has set aside land for all the soldiers who fought in the war and the Riders of Doom agree to stand down.
Recurring Characters
Ringo Kid
Arab
