The Sheriff's Son

by William MacLeod Raine, Harold James Cue

Roy Beaudry, the son of a sheriff who had died with his guns blazing, was known as "vaquero." But Beulah Rutherford knew the secret behind his reputation for bravery. She knew why he dared to ride into an outlaw kingdom without a gun -- and why he turned his back on a killer and calmly rolled himself a cigarette. Beulah had been brought up in a lawless outpost where surviving often meant choosing sides -- and hers had been chosen for her.

Genres: Westerns

180 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1917

About the author

William MacLeod Raine (June 22, 1871 - July 25, 1954), was a British-born American novelist who wrote fictional adventure stories about the American Old West.

William MacLeod Raine was born in London, the son of William and Jessie Raine. After his mother died, his family migrated from England to Arkansas when Macleod was ten years old, eventually settling on a cattle ranch near the Texas-Arkansas border.

In 1894, after graduating from Oberlin College, Macleod left Arkansas and headed for the western U.S. He became the principal of a school in Seattle while contributing columns to a local newspaper. After leaving Seattle, he moved to Denver, where he worked as a reporter and editorial writer for local periodicals, including the Republican, the Post, and the Rocky Mountain News. At this time he began to publish short stories, eventually becoming a full time free lance fiction writer, and finally finding his literary home in the novel.

His earliest novels were romantic histories taking place in the English countryside. However, after spending some time with the Arizona Rangers, Macleod shifted his literary focus and began to utilize the American West as a setting. The publication of Wyoming in 1908 marks the beginning of his prolific career, during which time he averaged nearly two western novels a year until his death in 1954. In 1920 he was awarded an M.L. degree from the University of Colorado where he had established that school's first journalism course. During the First World War 500,000 copies of one of his books were sent to British soldiers in the trenches. Twenty of his novels have been filmed. Despite his prolificness, he was a slow, careful, conscientious worker, intent on accurate detail, and considered himself a craftsman rather than an artist.

In 1905 Mr. Raine married Jennie P. Langley, who died in 1922. In 1924 he married Florence A Hollingsworth: they had a daughter. Though he traveled a good deal, Denver was considered his home.

William MacLeod Raine died on July 25, 1954 and is buried at Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado.

Reviews

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sheriff's Son opens with a touching prologue that relates how the sheriff, John Beaudry, met his end in a battle with the Rutherford gang, leaving behind a timid, traumatized little orphan son. Then the story picks up some years later, with Roy Beaudry, now grown a young man, receiving a summons to return to the same country and help out an old friend of his father's. It seems rancher Dave Dingwell has disappeared after meddling in the affairs of the same Rutherfords, who are suspected of pulling off a recent train robbery.

Though there is certainly danger involved, Roy's greatest battle comes from within, as he struggles with a tendency toward physical cowardice. Driven by fear in tight spots, he manages to give the mistaken impression of being fearless, which naturally complicates matters. Meanwhile, there is division among the Rutherford gang—some are ready to be done with the outlaw life and go straight, while others, still cherishing grudges against the late John Beaudry, would like nothing better than to wreak revenge against his son once they discover Roy's identity. In the middle of it all is fiery young Beulah Rutherford, fiercely loyal to her family even as she dreads and hates the idea of the crimes that she suspects them of committing. The portrayal of the central Rutherford family is one of the more interesting things about the book—though they're outlaws, or have been, the twists of the story find them standing against the worst villains in several places. The way things are settled in the end of the story makes for a surprisingly peaceful resolution.

Raine's writing is good, even if not quite as polished as some of his contemporaries I've read. Overall it's a good entertaining Western, with an engaging and sympathetic protagonist, and quite a nice romance woven in.

[Naomi McCullough · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a random selection from the shelf that quickly became a favorite. It has that delicious western humor and description, with a fantastic bunch of folks.
The main character witnessed his father murdered in a shoot out in a barn when he was a young boy. After growing up the rest of the way back east, he returns to the town as a lawyer, (who reads Sherlock, and Charles Dickens by the way). He's quickly drawn into a legal matter as well as the disappearance of a friend and all arrows are pointing toward the same bandit gang that killed his dad. The sheriff's son believes he is nothing like his father, and is not brave at all-while all the time proving courage is a matter of saddling up while scared to death anyways. He also finds out that the lady who has caught his heart is none other than the daughter of the leader of bandits!
Descriptions don't do it justice. You must read it for yourself.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful reading 📚

Due to eye issues (blindness) Alexa reads to me, a will written romantic thriller western novella with interesting will developed characters. The story line is set in New Mexico at the turn of the century with the wild west becoming more civilized. I would recommend this novella to anyone who enjoys westerns.Enjoy reading 🔰2021 😁

[John Sooter · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Western I Ever Read

I was in the fifth grade back in 1955 when I bought this book. It captured my imagination, and I have loved western novels ever since. Raines really is one of the masters of western genre. This is a great story of start-crossed lovers who find a way to overcome the tragic past of their fathers.

[David Greenberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good tale

A love story, slow in building but with Quite an interesting twist at the end. a good basis for a series.

[James Holliday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good reaf

Decent book. Enjoy reading books not filled with profanity. Good fast paced book. Good guy always wins in the end

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this western written in 1917 by William MacLeod Raine. Raine was a writer of popular western fiction in the early 20th century and was a contemporary of Zane Grey, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Harold Bell Wright, and other popular writers of the time. He was also one of my father's favorites behind Grey and Wright.

The Sheriff's Son was definitely dated and told the story of a young man, Royal Beaudry, whose father had been bushwhacked and killed by the Rutherford gang when he was just a young boy. When he later grows up, he is persuaded to try to rescue a local rancher, Dave Dingwell, who is being held by the Rutherfords because he recovered and hid the loot from an armed robbery by the gang. Royal is not much like his father, in fact he considers himself a coward, but he eventually finds the courage to take action against the leaders of the gang and as in most early 20th century popular novels, he falls in love -- but his love interest is for Beulah, the daughter of the head Rutherford. Can he conscientiously marry Beulah even though her father was instrumental in the death of his father? Well things usually work out in these "romance" novels and this was no exception.

This was one of Raine's very popular novels of the time and it was even made into a silent movie in 1919.



Overall, I did enjoy this in a nostalgic sort of way. I also enjoy reading Zane Grey and Edgar Rice Burroughs but have not done so in a while.

[Daniel Groth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book at a garage sale in Sioux Falls, SD. This was an old book and the copyright date is 1918. I bought the book because I like westerns and have never read a western book before that was written before the 1950's so I was very curious to what this book would be like. I absolutely LOVED this book. It is probably the best western I have ever read and I have read quite a lot. At first I didn't think I would like it to well but the farther I got into the book the better it became. This is a fabulous book and I HIGHLY recommend it!!!!

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A WMR. Western Action Adventure (TSS) (WN)

WMR. has penned a western action adventure titled, "The Sheriff's Son" which begins with the murder of a Sheriff by a ruthless gang of outlaws. The Sheriff's is sent back east and e fin i shes law school at Harvard and returns to the west to practice law and by chance is called to his old hometown to help a friend. He enters the danger area under a fictitious name. Thus begins the workof the attorney. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written Western, one of the Best.

This is one of the best western written I’ve ever read. There is a lot of description so that you visualize the characters and the background. The characters are well developed, showing their moods and personalities. The writers that think they are writing western today need to read some of these books, so they aren’t just putting the WRONG words down. A lot of the western authors today do know enough of the Western Nature to write a true book about Western Culture. This book is very enjoyable and I recommend this book.

[Judy Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read!!!

This was a good western story with all the usual stuff these stories are made of. Roy and Beulah are two kind, strong young people struggling to always do the right thing. And they succeed most of the time against all odds.

[Deirdre · Rating 5 out of 5]

read three times over the past 35 years and enjoyed it each time

[Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely ripping! I can't wait to try more of Raine's books, but this one will always have a place in my heart.
Roy Baudrey was born with inherited fear. Son of the courageous Sheriff who died at the hands of rustlers and murderers, he comes back to the town of his birth to start a law practice his fathers friend put him in. But when circumstances began to happen that pitch him right into the home of the men who killed his dad and abducted his friend, he battles through one situation after another with a courage fought for to cover his fear, and learns how to become a man-one who can win the love of the lovely and free-spirited daughter of the lead rustler!
Characters lovingly written, and well matched. I wish there had been more of this book. Completely love Royal and Beulah; and there were so many sentences that just make you lean back and sigh in rapture at their loveliness or deepness. Beautiful!!!