The Range Finder
by Max Brand

The Whisperer: "The Whisperer" made its appearance early in Frederick Faust's writing career, just as a few of his stories were beginning to appear in Street & Smith's Western Story Magazine. It was published in the August 21, 1920, issue of Argosy/All-Story Weekly, where, that year, five of his seven short stories and five of his six serials appeared. This story of revenge relies on concealed identity—Who is the Whisperer?—one of Faust's favorite plot devices. What is unusual about the story is Faust's use of a woman, Patricia Lauriston, as his point of view character at the story's opening. Its inclusion in this collection marks its first appearance in paperback since its original publication.

Flaming Fortune: The issue of Street & Smith's Western Story Magazine dated February 19, 1927, marked the first appearance of "Flaming Fortune." George Owen Baxter was the Faust penname under which it was published, as were six other short stories and three serials that year. Additionally, 1927 saw the publication of two short stories under Faust's John Frederick byline and five serials and three short stories under the Max Brand byline. "Flaming Fortune" is a wonderful tale of love and greed in which an attempt is made to break the spirit of the hardworking, honest protagonist, Henry Ireton.

The Range Finder: James Lang has dedicated his life to perfecting long-range shooting. Though he does have some impressive skills, it's more by pure luck he's taken to be a dead shot and hailed as the next Wild Bill. When one of his new friends asks James to watch over his claim while he's away, James jumps at the chance. The money is good, the cabin comfortable, and there's plenty of game in the woods to give him target practice. Yet it's James who becomes the target. A gang of hardcases led by a wily Mexican have discovered a secret vein at the mine, and James will need to do some pretty fancy shooting indeed if he wants to stay alive.