A while back I had the distinct pleasure of reading a western by Charles Stanley Strong, an author that wrote many westerns and juvenile stories via house names Carolyn Keene and Franklin W. Dixon. As previously noted, his Wikipedia entry is woefully incomplete, and after reading yet another “Chuck Stanley” western, I am beginning to think someone ought to construct a better one. Don’t look to me!
According to the 1950 census, he was married to Ida M., living with them was her father, Robert Brower (age 78). Ida M. was born circa 1906-1907, a year younger than Charles. They had two children: Charles R. aged 14 and Ida L. aged 13. All were born in New York. After Charles’ death, Ida renewed the copyright to one novel in 1986, while her son renewed another in 1989 after his mother had died. Publishers Arcadia and Crown renewed other rights after the author died. Thus far I have not been able to trace either sibling, but if alive, both would be nearing 90 years of age.
This one is Larabee of Big Spring. It was originally published in America by the Phoenix Press in 1947 and reprinted in England by Wells Gardner Darton & Co late 1948, with cover art by Reginald Mills.
The plot centers around the self-proclaimed plumb peaceable Vic Larabee, a hulking man, riding toward a distant town and pulling along his wagon laden with blacksmith goods, the tools of his trade. He’s beset by a band of outlaws; finding him to be a simple blacksmith and carrying no gun, they let him be with a fair warning. He rides in, sets up shop in an abandoned shed, and begins to work. It’s a slow job earning the town’s trust, but soon he has a growing business. Larabee learns of local rustling activities. He’s asked to join the local committee to thwart the violent interests. Is assaulted in the middle of the night by a would-be killer, only to find Larabee’s ham-sized fist rock his world. Larabee sends him to the sandman, tosses his dead weight outside, and nonchalantly goes back to bed. Such is the way of this seemingly peaceable man. Nobody seems to notice the weaponless man is capable of handling himself but slowly we see a pattern and, what’s more, he takes an active interest in the rustling activities. Clearly there is more to Larabee than blacksmithing.
But, who precisely is heading the rustling activities? Is it the rich hotel proprietor? The proprietor’s gun-hand seems shifty, but is he working in conjunction with the proprietor and committee or playing a lone hand? Or is he in bed with the rustlers? The wealthy rancher? His trigger-itchy ranch hand? What of Ranger Lance Gillen, whose manner of law and order seems to coincide with an active distrust of Larabee, going so far as to arrest him?
Well, after having read the last “Chuck Stanley” western, which was filled with a vast web-work of plot twists, I suspected our author was going to toss all manner of misdirected information at me and hell, I was not disappointed!
Lance Gillen is an impostor. Turns out Larabee knew this from the start, because he himself is an undercover Ranger, and partnered up with the real Lance Gillen to infiltrate the rustlers and earn the trust of the honest citizens of the town. Gillen was murdered by an outlaw; he in turn impersonated the dead Ranger. What he didn’t know was that drawing a gun on Larabee while he packed his own hardware was the fastest invite to boot-hill, for he is known the land over as Lightning Larabee. (NOTE: The scene depicted on the front cover is Larabee gunning down the faux-Ranger). Suffice to say he cleans up the town, wipes out the outlaws with the help of the committee and ranchers, and solves the identity of various characters, including the mastermind. I won’t divulge all that here lest I ruin the story for some future reader.
Naturally, I’d love to hear from anyone that has read this novel.