Crooked Trails and Straight

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

26911

Title

Crooked Trails and Straight

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in the rugged Arizona frontier, this Western adventure follows Curly Flandrau, a young horseman entangled in a dangerous rustling scheme. When his partners are hunted by a ruthless gang, Curly must flee to save his life, only to discover a kidnapped girl and face a deadly feud. Blending high-stakes action with romance and redemption, the story explores themes of honor, loyalty, and the harsh realities of outlaw life against a backdrop of sweeping desert landscapes.

Summary up to 500 words

In William MacLeod Raine's *Crooked Trails and Straight*, the narrative follows Curly Flandrau, a young cowboy drawn into a life of crime after joining a gang of horse rustlers. Arriving in Saguache with stolen stock intended for Mexican rebels, Curly's plan unravels when his old friend, Slats Davis, recognizes him. Realizing they are being hunted by the notorious Bar Double M gang, Curly and his partner Mac escape, only to be relentlessly pursued by the gang's foreman, Kite Bonfils. Parallel to this danger is the plight of Kate Cullison, daughter of the missing Luck Cullison. After her father vanishes following an accusation of robbing the W.& S. Express Company, Kate travels to a remote canyon to find him. There, she encounters Cass Fendrick, a rival rancher involved in a long-standing feud with her family. Fendrick taunts Kate about her father's alleged crime, provoking a violent confrontation where she lashes out at him with her quirt. The plot intensifies when Curly and Mac are captured by Lute Blackwell, a violent ex-convict in their group. Blackwell holds Kate hostage in the mountains, intending to use her as leverage. As his hunters close in, Blackwell devises a desperate plan to swap clothes with Kate, sending her down the mountain to distract the pursuers while he attempts to climb a steep cliff to evade capture. Trusting her captor, Kate rides blindly into a trap and is shot, nearly killed. Curly arrives just in time to rescue her from Blackwell's clutches. In the ensuing chaos, Blackwell is shot and killed by one of his own men, effectively ending his reign of terror and the primary threat to the protagonists. With Blackwell dead, the feud between the Cullisons and Fendrick dissolves, as the primary antagonist is removed. Curly and Kate are reunited with Luck Cullison and Cass Fendrick, who reconcile. The story concludes with Curly facing trial for horse rustling. Despite evidence placing him with the outlaws, the jury is swayed by the testimony of his accomplices (who are dead or recanted) and, most importantly, by the presence of his new wife, Kate, who sat beside him in court. Public sentiment favors Curly, and he is acquitted. The novel ends with Curly and Kate married, having found love and redemption after a season of crime and danger.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Western Fiction