By Richard Hall
The Iron Trail (New York: Dodd, Mead, 1938); originally published in Western Story Magazine as a six-part serial starting October 30, 1926.
Eddie Clews, youthful confidence man, is being pursued by the law. In a hobo jungle he happens upon two criminals. Fearful of his life, he uses his skill as a grifter. He seizes upon the mistrust between the crooks and maneuvers them into fighting each other; neither survives. Presently a posse appears, chasing one of the dead criminals who has robbed Colonel Exeter's bank. Clewes is credited with killing the crooks. Recovery of the money prevents the Colonel's bank from failing. In gratitude the Colonel takes in Clewes to teach him the banking business and make Clewes his heir. Clewes is smitten by the Colonel's daughter and his fortune in jewels. Clewes contemplates going straight. A companion-in-crime is in town, planning to steal those same jewels. Confronted by his erstwhile companion, Clewes refuses to join the stolen. In the dead of night, the jewels are stolen. Knowing the truth about his past will come out, and that nobody will believe that he is innocent, Clewes flees.
The remainder of the book is Clewes and his struggles to get the jewels back to the Colonel. He does this as much to clear his name as prove to himself he is on the path of righteousness and win the Colonel's daughter. He must recover the loot from Pritchard, who stole the jewels; Talbot, a trafficker in stolen jewels; and McKenzie, brother of desperado who died killing the bank robber.
The first half of the story is a façade, the plot elements blatantly set up the chase that closes the book; the Colonel's faith in a stranger plants the seed; the rich beautiful daughter convinces Clewes to turn a new leaf; the acquaintance from the past just happens to be casing the Colonel's fortune, deus ex machina forcing the obvious.
The fight and mutual murder of the two desperadoes is a jarring intrusion in the narrative. It is there only to add McKenzie to the chase. McKenzie and Clewes are in such different strata of crime that normally they would never encounter each other. The lead up, the fight, and the long bit of business with the posse are all interesting, but the entire episode was forced, as if it were inserted into the story to patch the narrative.
The "bad men" chase the "bad man who would become good" and is aware that he could become "good" given the chance. Clewes survives thanks to the following:
1. innate talents and intellect
2. the drive to become a "good" man (he became "good" in his own eyes by not stealing from the Colonel--he wants to become such in society's, and the daughter's, eyes by returning the jewels)
3. the skills of the "bad" man he once was
A lifelong good man would have stayed after the robbery, trusting justice. If a "good" man ran, being naïve, were he lucky he would be captured, otherwise killed by the desperadoes. In neither case would he regain the jewels.
And yet the robbery is the opportunity for a particular bad man of talent to become "good" in his eyes and those of society. Otherwise Clewes might take the jewels himself or leave and stay a grifter.
The same crime could brand a good man "bad" as Society itself is not perfect. Were it so, the case would be "not proved" and the "good" man would be exonerated, but the "good" know of the imperfection of justice and so might run and be branded "bad" just as if he were convicted.
From the writings on Brand and my reading of him, this is an uncommon tale, a slight western protagonist, effectively the easterner in the clothes of the west.
The cliché is that a Max Brand western has a great man and a great horse.
Brand's "great man" is in two parts:
1. Clewes--trained, intelligent, but slight, lives by his wits as a confidence man, plans, reacts, and learns
2. McKenzie--physical marvel, single minded, animalistic, untiring, driven by revenge
Brand's "great horse" is likewise in two parts:
1. Clewe's mustang--nimble, courageous, smart
2. McKenzie's charger--huge, strong, untiring
Links
The Iron Trail is currently out of print, but you might find a bargain-priced copy at Amazon.com by clicking here.
Find other articles on Max Brand elsewhere on The Pulp Rack by clicking here.
Posted by ds at July 6, 2006 09:39 PM
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