Robert Ervin Howard was an American pulp writer of fantasy, horror, historical adventure, boxing, western, and detective fiction. Howard wrote "over three-hundred stories and seven-hundred poems of raw power and unbridled emotion" and is especially noted for his memorable depictions of "a sombre universe of swashbuckling adventure and darkling horror." A humorous short story by a great writer. This is one of the best Robert E. Howard stories. It's the first in his western series starring Breckenridge Elkins. Breckenridge has to leave his mountain homeland for town to fetch a letter for his dad. Sounds easy enough, but turns out to be anything but easy.