The medicine-man

"The medicine-man" by W. C. Tuttle is a Western novel written in the early 20th century. It centers on rancher Bud Daley, whose herd vanishes and who is swiftly accused of bank robbery and murder as Modoc County’s politics, rustlers, and rough humor collide. Into the mess ride Hashknife Hartley and Sleepy Stevens, turning the tale toward a frontier mystery about loyalty, corruption, and the fight to clear a friend. The opening of the novel shows Bud and his wife, May, reeling after all Triangle D cattle disappear; Uncle Jimmy Miller and Sody Slavin argue and commiserate, Sheriff Dug Breed doubts the theft, and power-broker Cleve Lavelle refuses Bud a loan and hints Bud staged it. A barroom tangle with Sody and Dinah Blewette ensues; drunk, Bud returns home and overhears Lavelle pressing May to leave him, then rides off crushed. By morning Breed arrests Bud for killing bank cashier George Findlay, citing a silver rosette from Bud’s chaps found on the vault floor; Bud offers no alibi. Soon after, drifters Hashknife and Sleepy—arriving to visit Bud—see masked men halt their train, uncuff Bud, and briefly make off with the express car; back in Modoc they hear the backstory, suspect Black Wells as a cattle outlet, and ride to the Daley ranch, where Ma Miller and May receive them just after Breed’s posse departs.

Summary written by Project Gutenberg, by machine.