The Affair at Alkali — Virginia Coffman

A miner had been killed in Alkali, and there were those who wanted to give Padge Regan the necktie treatment before his wealthy parents could influence the law. But others were determined that the youngster should be given a fair trial, even though his mother might come to his defense and sway judge and jury by her beauty and her eloquence.

Among Padge's defenders, if that could be a proper description of those who wanted to see him hang legally, was the town dentist, Doc Millard. But since he was a dark, cynical and somewhat dubious individual, there was a question as to the purity of his motives. This was not true of most of the other residents of the rough and howling frontier town; their motives were clear, and consisted largely of a thirst for blood.

An off-beat Western by the author of “Moura.”