Bought with a Gun

by Luke Short

Some spine creasing and slight edge wear. Front cover has a stamp on top right edge and bottom corner has a small tear. Age discoloring and a few pages have rippling. Top edge has a small stamp. No other marks and intact. Ships very quickly and packaged carefully!

Genres: Westerns

190 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1940

About the author

Luke Short (real name Frederick Dilley Glidden) was a popular Western writer.

Born in Kewanee, Illinois Glidden attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for two and a half years and then transferred to the University of Missouri at Columbia to study journalism.

Following graduation in 1930 he worked for a number of newspapers before becoming a trapper in Canada then later moved to New Mexico to be an archeologist's assistant.

After reading Western pulp magazines and trying to escape unemployment he started writing Western fiction. He sold his first short story and novel in 1935 under the pen name of Luke Short (which was also the name of a famous gunslinger in the Old West, though it's unclear if he was aware of that when he assumed the pen name.)

After publishing over a dozen novels in the 1930s, he started writing for films in the 40s. In 1948 alone four Luke Short novels appeared as movies. Some of his memorable film credits includes Ramrod (1947) and Blood on the Moon (1948). He continued to write novels, despite increasing trouble with his eyes, until his death in 1975. His ashes are buried in Aspen, Colorado, his home at the time of his death.

Reviews

[Henry Avila · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam Teacher is getting a pardon from the territorial governor, set in the time of the Old West , with just a few stipulations. A Billy the Kid kind of desperado, twenty-one and already a killer of seven men (he claims all justifiable). The railroad is coming and they need the right of way from Matt Drury. Owner of the biggest ranch, Star 22 in the area. The only feasible spot for the tracks is you guessed it, on Drury's land . But the rich man hates the powerful railroad with a passion. If Sam can change that sentiment, everyone in the unnamed territory ( New Mexico), will prosper including himself. And Sam needs to stay out of trouble and avoid prison . It won't be easy while Santee Bales, Teacher's arch enemy is around, one of these days either Sam or Santee is going down. The governor even sweetens the pot with $12,000 for The Kid . The honorable governor stands to make a nice "little profit" himself. Sam accepts the offer and becomes a common ranch hand for Drury, him with all that money in his boots. Things don't go exactly right from the beginning. A fist fight with the boss's son Steve, over a mistreated horse doesn't help. Sam is surprised when he's not fired but nobody else. Matt thinks his son deserved the beating. Might make him a decent man the father thinks. The angry sister Celia, doesn't agree and slaps Sam's face several times . In retaliation before falling on a rose bush, ouch...The spoiled girl is pretty, so Sam doesn't mind too much either. You can guess what will happen in the future, between those two wildcats if you read or seen any westerns. He does mind when he's framed for murder, jailed and soon to be hung, that is going a little bit too far.. Sam has escaped from many jails before. All he needs to do is get out, find the real killer and once again become a free man and ride into the sunset. Simple, with the help of a friend he somehow manages this seemingly impossibility. Of course the posse follows... A kidnapping, a phony gold rush, bushwhacking and killings , even romance occurs. Sam will never live a dull moment, if he can only stay away from a bullet. Competent western with a lively plot to entertain the reader. The author took his name from an Old West gunman.

[Jay Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sam Teacher is approached by the Governor to get a railroad right of way from a rancher. The rancher has two spoiled children and on his first day of work, he beats up the bosses son. Rather than fired, he is kept on and the son is given a farm to work. He has his choice and chooses where the railroad right of way is to be located because he is tricked by a master crook. The plot is thick. The son murdered and it is blamed on Sam. Sam thinks outside the box and is always a step ahead. The book is short as are most Luke Short novels.

[Bob Brownlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly good Western pulp. Thanks, Dave

[Charmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was swift and enjoyable though the end is as predictable as any cowboy story the tale is still one worth reading. The days of rugged men long past!

[Two Envelopes And A Phone · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's formulaic - I could tell going in, that it would work to formula, never be Shakespeare in the Canyon, and never think of OHMSS-ing me or Se7en-ing me at the finale - but I had a blast.

The hero is Sam Teacher, but with some spice, because his past and general way of going about in the world makes him a marginal hero at best. The creep is Santee Bales - a terrific bad-guy, so bring lots of hisses, psychic vegetables, and cheers for Sam. The two opponents have a history, and both fail to get along with local Law, or heavy-duty Law brought to town to clean up the mess their deadly rivalry is making. The fast-flowing plot of the novel has a heartbeat of revenge, but money, property - even amnesty - become factors early on...and though chases, gun blasts, jail breaks, kidnappings, claim staking, and river diversion for profit all figure in, the extra ingredient is how smart and sneaky the two combatants are. Sure, a battle of wits will ultimately boil down to a battle of shots - but before our routine ending, two human bulldogs have played cat and mouse so entertainingly in hills, woods, and town, that I have no problem bumping formula execution, that's this lively, from 3 stars up to 4. Superbly snakey villain henchmen - I'm lookin' at you Tex and Shorty - a swell and loyal ally for Sam named Pearly (can you guess his last name...?), and a strong female character named Celia who actually attempts and achieves a discernible character arc in the midst of everything whizzing by, make this work, no tumbleweeds or crickets.

[Alonzo Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hero is one of those guys who everyone thinks is a cold blooded killer, when he is really just a good kid who has had some bad breaks. He still kills a couple of people, spends some time in jail and breaking jail, and gets involved in a couple nasty scams. Heroine is the usual spoiled rich kid who just needs to be brought to heel, before showing she’s a real thoroughbred. Also included, ranchers, railroaders, card cheats, lasso action, gunplay, a loyal sidekick, big fistfight and gold miners. (No showgirls, though)

Not bad. Not special. Moves pretty quickly. Surprised they didn’t make an Audie Murphy movie out of it.

[Murrel Lowry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Headline (required)

It wasn’t to long ago that the name, Luke Short, didn’t mean a whole lot to me. I have to tell you that time can change your way of looking at things. I found a great author by the name of “Luke Short” and I’m so glad that I did. I love to read tales about the old west and this author fills the bill. Zane Grey, to me was always at the top of my list. He now has company at that top spot. I haven’t been disappointed in any of his works yet. I for one will continue to search out this authors works. They are well worth my time and the pleasure of reading. Would that I could thank him for his efforts. Looking forward to more already.

[JLA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bought with a Gun by Luke Short fits the description of if you've read one western you've read them all. Nothing unique stands out in this book which is very much a product of it's time and the pulp fiction era. Plot holes large enough to drive an ore wagon through, unclear motivation for the sake of instigating action, causal misogyny and racism pretty much sum up the novel. Again, very much a product of it's time. The final sentence of the novel, however, has the potential for medicinal value as it nearly induced vomiting.

[william m perry, jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storyteller

I thought it was a very good story with a lot of twists and turns to keep the reader interested in the final out come. The one I like best is Blood on the moon.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good old fashioned western

[D. E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Luke Short Western/Railroad Right Away/An Outlaw/A Woman

LS has penned a western about a western outlaw who is wanted for various crimes. However, he is friends with a rancher that refused to allow the train to travel they his valley. The outlaw is approached by the Governor and promised a pardon if he can get his friend to allow the train through. This is an excellent read for the genre.....DEHS

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been a Luke Short fan for many, many, many years (at least 50), but this is not one of his best. It's okay, but he must have written this one in a hurry, it's fairly predictable. Still, recommended it you like westerns.