BILLY STEELE: KID RANGER, CHAPTER THREE

Even the masked monsters had to diffuse the rising hatred between these unholy competitors.

Don Diablo, meanwhile, kept the Indian renegades well armed with the "white man’s weapons." The renegades first rustled herds of cattle to feed their people left starving on the government’s reservations. Geronimo, Cochiese, Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse used the military’s Winchesters to devastate wagon trains full of new pioneers. Sprawling ranches, telegraph lines, and mining camps-all were burned down by the renegades as the stench of flaming human suffering and burnt gunpowder were forcibly inhaled by the magnificent Western canyons and hills.

As Billy Steele’s golden West home went up in flames under The Trinity Of Terror’s crazed crusade for conquest, The Dark Skull, The Wolf Man and Don Diablo seemed to stand on a mountain of mangled corpses, as they gleefully relished the death and destruction they have wrought!

Meanwhile, in the peaceful community of Paradise Valley, a contest of great importance was about to be decided…

"Legendary, the word you must spell to win the contest is legendary," the pretty school -teacher told Billy Steele as the boy nervously hoped to win the first annual Paradise Valley spelling bee.

Inside Billy’s little red school house, Billy’s family of Holt’s Rangers watched in great suspense, as their adopted son prepared to spell his way into the town’s history book. These uniformed super troopers joined other proud parents who watched their children participate in this great contest. Even Billy’s golden pony, Swifty and his flop eared puppy, "Lasses, peeked in the open window to watch Billy compete.

"This is a sign that civilization is finally coming to the wild frontier," Col. Tim said proudly as he watched his adopted son with the anticipation of any other father in the room. "Our boy’s growing up," he continued, "It felt like yesterday when Billy was an infant and we cradled him in the desert after saving him from The Dark Skull’s Legions."

"It’s a good thing I had Billy read Homer’s Odyssey as a way to prepare for this contest, " the buckskin clad senior scout Salvation McCoy whispered to the mammoth Sgt. Big Boy Haliday as the gentle giant stuffed his jaws with candy while he nervously watched Billy do his best.

"I bet you can’t spell legendary," Oscar the dummy said to his "partner" Cpl. Jubilee Jones as the jovial cavalryman and his wooden comrade in arms’ presence delighted everyone in the room.

"L-E-G-E-N-D-A-R-Y, Legendary," Billy spelled slowly as all eyes watched his every move.

"That is correct, Miss Cartright, Billy’s teacher said happily. "Billy Steele, I declare you winner of the first annual Paradise Valley spelling bee!"

"Yeeeehaaaaaa," Big Boy yelled in joy as he dropped his sacks of candy on the floor, his roar trembled the tiny school. Miss Cartright presented Billy with a fancy paper medal she made and the Rangers warmly congratulated their son.

Suddenly, Lester, Fort Yuma’s oafish dishwasher ran into the schoolhouse with an important message for the Col. The rotund, and bumbling "Sad Sack" of Fort Yuma even dropped the envelope he carried. This simple-minded soldier had been a fixture at the fort so long, no one suspected him of being anything more than an order taker.

Grimly, the Col. read the message and commanded his squad to fall in for duty.

"I’m sorry Billy," Col Tim sadly told Billy. "I’ve been ordered to go on immediate patrol. The entire west is being ravaged by an alliance of outlaws and renegades never seen before. Washington wants all available troopers to saddle up and join the hunt."

Billy hung his blond head sadly as his adopted father spoke.