The Killer

Stewart Edward White (1873 - 1846) was the author of adventure stories and narratives of the western frontier. His love of the American wilderness and concern for its preservation is obvious in the descriptive detail that permeates his writing. He was an outdoorsman, a hunter and an explorer of nature. A gifted writer and a master of detail, he brought to life the colorful days of the cowboy, the miner, and the pioneer. "The Killer" - Henry Hooper is as mean as they come. It takes a...
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Stewart Edward White (1873 - 1846) was the author of adventure stories and narratives of the western frontier. His love of the American wilderness and concern for its preservation is obvious in the descriptive detail that permeates his writing. He was an outdoorsman, a hunter and an explorer of nature. A gifted writer and a master of detail, he brought to life the colorful days of the cowboy, the miner, and the pioneer. "The Killer" - Henry Hooper is as mean as they come. It takes a brave man (or a foolish one) to ride alone into his adobe compound. "Sandy" Sanborn, the narrator, does just that, but chalks it up to his youth. Sanborn is a young cowboy of no special importance and he makes his entrance on a dare. His future may be very short. This is a story of fraud, kidnapping, and murder set on the Arizona open range.The Road Agent" - George and Jimmy Gaynes have obviously been taken for suckers in paying a thousand dollars for the Lost Dog mine, even with its "excellent five stamp-mill. The locals label them the "Babes." But after months of work, the brothers find a little color and it looks like their investment might just pay-until a road agent steals their first small shipment out and mysteriously disappears. "The Tide" - Over three generations, the Gates family rises from the covered wagon to Nob Hill and the height of San Francisco society. White's story is not only a family saga, it is the story of the making of modern California from the early days of the gold rush to urban sophistication in the early twentieth century. "Climbing for Goats" - With this selection, the author shifts to narratives of personal experiences. White and two companions have been hunting for elk and other game at the foot of the Rockies near the Canadian border. Their attention, however, is drawn to the high snowy cliffs and the prospect of bagging the ultimate American game animal-the Rocky Mountain Goat. "Moisture, a Trace" - It's a ten-hour ride from the railroad to the Arizona ranch of an old friend, but it won't be on the back of a horse. This bucking devil is an early taxi, heavily cross-braced for the desert trail and driven by an old cowboy who does not steer around obstacles. It's not the visit but the cowboy and his taxi who are the story here. "The Ranch" - More hunting stories. This time the pace is a bit more leisurely. The Chino ranch of California offers guests comfortable lodging, great meals, and a variety of ways to show their hunting skills. The author's shooting skills were lauded by none other than Theodore Roosevelt; the skill even more in evidence in this selection is the descriptive writing skill of Stewart Edward White.