Max Brand is the final author in the Classic Westerns collection Evelyn game me for my birthday. Gunman's Reckoning (1915) and The Untamed (1919) share several features which are perhaps Brand trademarks. His descriptions make prominent use of sound, such as the sound of a train or the whistling of Whistlin' Dan; the stories take place over a short time period in only a few locations; the heroes are reluctant gunfighters who prefer to use their wiles rather than their side-irons; the young rancher's daughter inspires self-sacrificing love from the hero, who must court danger to help another man into her arms. All of the characters are strongly concerned about their reputations and come up with overly elaborate ruses to save face. None of the men understand women or fail to fall victim to their charms.
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