Ambushed and Other Tales from the Pulps

Ernest Haycox (1899–1950) came up through the pulps and helped carry the Western into a more mature, character-driven form. He later became a regular in Collier’s and The Saturday Evening Post, published major novels, and saw “Stage to Lordsburg” become John Ford’s classic film Stagecoach. His work is noted for action shaped by choice, pressure, and moral cost.

These five early stories show Haycox testing history, humor, and danger in several settings. “Ambushed” follows a woman rancher forced to take command after betrayal and rustling threaten her home. “Trial by Fire” moves to Revolutionary New England, where duty and danger meet under British rule. “The Three Wise Men” offers a sharp look at judgment, gossip, and mercy in a fading desert town. “A Municipal Feud” finds comedy and rivalry in rough civic life. “The Rum Runners” leaves the frontier for a tense sea tale of smuggling, law, and desperate men.