Blood on the Rimrock

In this solid western from veteran Dunlap, Deputy U.S. Marshal Piedmont Kelly is suspicious when drifter George Alvord shows up at his Arizona desert campsite; Kelly ties up Alvord for the night, and the next morning finds Alvord stabbed and his saddle bags gone. He sets out to catch the killer, and on the first day comes across Spotted Dog, an elderly Apache crippled by a bullet who claims to have been shot by his own people, who see him as a traitor. Once Kelly brings Spotted Dog into town, however, Sheriff Drago identifies the old man as one of the Apaches who robbed the Overland Stage of $10,000 and killed four people. Kelly suspects Drago knows more about the money than the Apache ever did, and the story moves ahead steadily, with Drago's vile sidekick, Cloyd, providing some squirms. Dunlap delivers few surprises, but a likable hero in Kelly. (Feb.)