Since the Westerns form the largest section of this anthology, the next story up is “Butler’s Nag” by Frank Richardson Pierce, which appeared in Western Story Magazine in 1925. The story is about an old cow puncher who had a fondness for a horse and later, in retirement, improbably finds him again and rescues him from a glue factory.
“Butler’s Nag” oozes with sentimentality. Although there is some slight suspense when it is unclear whether Butler will rescue his horse in time, several improbably devices appear to make sure everything turns out all right. The conclusion is downright anticlimactic.
