Hashknife of the Double Bar — W.C. Tuttle

1936. Western novels and short stories from the pulp era often contained some elements of detection, especially W. C. Tuttle's Hashknife Hartley novels. Hashknife of the Double Bar 8 begins: James Eaton Legg hooked his heels over the rounds of his high stool, stretched wearily and looked out through the none-too-clean windows to where a heavy fog almost obscured the traffic. Heavy trucks lumbered past, grinding harshly over the cobbles. Somewhere a street car motorman did a trap-drum effect on his gong; a ferry boat whistled boomingly. And there was the incessant roar of the everyday noises of the commercial district.