The Black Rider and Other Stories

Our classic images of the cowboy, the gambler, the outlaw and other icons of the Old West come in large measure from the hundreds of western yarns that Brand (a pseudonym of Frederick Faust) sold to the pulps in the early half of this century. Here, Tuska (The Western Story: A Chronological Treasury) has resurrected three of Brand's characteristic short novels, as well as one of his rare short stories, all of which appear for the first time in book form. (For more short novels by Brand, see The Ghost Wagon and Other Great Western Adventures, reviewed below.) The Black Rider (1925) is a tale of intrigue and revenge set in old Spanish California, where a mysterious Navajo becomes more than just a nemesis to a brutal landowner and his simpering son. An arranged marriage, a murder, an arrogant duelist and several false identities combine to provide muscular action and some delightful surprises. In ""The Dreams of Macdonald"" (1923), Red Macdonald's desire to possess a magnificent horse drives him to cheat for the first time in his life and to confront an unexpected destiny. ""The Power of Prayer"" (1922) is an unusual and vexing Christmas story in which Gerald Kern, gentleman, gunman and fortune-hunter, must make a fateful choice when his cold-blooded nature and his love of a woman collide. And in the short story, ""Partners"" (1938), a tale of irony, anger and bad luck, mortal enemies share a secret that traps them together in a winter-filled mountain pass. Crisp and deftly crafted, these tales all offer strong takes on the human condition, a Brand trademark. (Mar.)