THE

BY & GoscinnY (Charles E. Bolton) The ghost/poet/robber of who signed off his attacks by leaving poems he’d written in the empty safes. Here is a sample of his strange lyrical talent:

I’ve labored long and hard for bread, For honor and for riches, But on my corns too long you’ve tred, You fine-haired sons of b… Black Bart the Po-8

Original title: – Original edition: © Editeur Paris 1968 by Goscinny and Morris © Lucky Comics www.lucky-luke.com English translation: © 2010 Ltd Translator: Luke Spear Lettering and text layout: Imadjinn sarl Printed in Spain by Just Colour Graphic This edition published in Great Britain in 2010 by Cinebook Ltd 56 Beech Avenue Canterbury, Kent CT4 7TA www.cinebook.com A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978-1-84918-052-8 ON THE ROAD TO DENVER IN COLO- I’M A POOR RADO. DAY WAS LONESOME , BREAKING… AND A LONG WAY FROM HOME…

I HAVE A LETTER REQUESTING A WE’RE HERE, MEETING, SIGNED BY MR. OAKLEAF, . YOUR MANAGER. I’M LUCKY LUKE. OH, YES! THE MANAGER IS WAITING FOR YOU. FUNNY NAME FOR A SALOON…

AH, MR. LUKE! WHAT A PLEASURE YOU KNOW THAT WELLS FARGO IS … IT TURNS OUT THAT, FOR A WHILE TO SEE YOU! THANK YOU FOR… THE BIGGEST TRANSPORT COMPANY NOW, ATTACKS ON OUR STAGE- IN THE COUNTRY… WE OWN BANKS, COACHES HAVE BEEN MULTIPLYING… AND OUR STAGECOACHES NOT ONLY ARE WE LOSING A LOT YEAH. CARRY TRAVELLERS, OF MONEY, AS WE ALWAYS FULLY WHY HAVE MAIL AND GOLD… REIMBURSE OUR YOU ASKED CLIENTELE… ME TO COME SO FAR?

… BUT PEOPLE ARE LOSING … THAT’S WHY WE HAVE CONFIDENCE IN US. THEY’RE AFRAID DECIDED TO DEAL WITH THIS TO TRAVEL IN OUR STAGECOACHES. ONCE AND FOR ALL! TOMORROW, A STAGECOACH OUR PRESTIGIOUS REPUTATION WILL LEAVE DENVER IS DAMAGED… HEADED FOR SAN FRANCISCO WITH A LOAD OF GOLD OF UNPRECEDENTED VALUE!

The driver will be HANK BULLY.

Wells Fargo & Co has secured the assistance of the FAMOUS LUCKY LUKE as a special escort.

WELLS FARGO ALWAYS GETS THROUGH!

3 WE JUST NEED YOUR HA AND HERE’S AGREEMENT BEFORE POSTING HANK BULLY, THE THESE ON EVERY WALL IN TOWN! BEST “WHIP” IN THE COMPANY!… HAHA HA! CLACK ?

CR ACK … THAT’S WHAT WE CALL OUR STAGECOACH DRIVERS! !!!!! BANG

AND THIS IS HAHAHA!!! I THINK WE’LL GET ALONG, NOW THAT THE INTRODUCTIONS ARE LUCKY LUKE, LUCKY! I LIKE PEOPLE WHO UNDER- OUT OF THE WAY, LUCKY LUKE, WHAT HANK. STAND MY SUBTLE JOKES! SHOULD WE DO WITH THESE ! ! ! ! ! POSTERS?

IT’S A GREAT WALK, LUCKY! PUT UP THE POSTERS!! YOU RANG, MR. DENVER, FORT BRIDGER, OAKLEAF? PUT UP SALT LAKE CITY, CARSON CITY, THE POSTERS! SACRAMENTO, SAN FRANCISCO! YAHOO-EEE…! LET EVERYBODY IMPASSABLE MOUNTAINS, INFERNAL KNOW THAT WELLS DESERTS, FEARSOME ROADS, FARGO ALWAYS BLOODTHIRSTY NATIVES AND ALL BANG! GETS THROUGH! THE DESPERADOES IN THE LAND AT OUR HEELS!

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4 I’LL PREPARE YOUR CONTRACT, LOOK, THE FIRST POSTERS THEY’RE YEP! NOBODY MR. LUKE. WE LEAVE TOMORROW ARE ALREADY UP. COMPLETELY IF THAT WILL EVEN MORNING. CRAZY! STAGECOACH WANT TO LET’S DOESN’T MAKE TRUST THEM DRINK TO IT TO SAN FRANCISCO, WITH THEIR THAT IN THE WELLS FARGO IS UNDERWEAR! SALOON! DONE FOR!

DARN IT! I’M USING THE WRONG DECK FOR PATIENCE…

CAT THUMBS!! YOU OLD KEEP THE NOISE DOWN, HANK! THEY’D HAVE TO BE ONE HECK OF A DOG! THEY STILL HAVEN’T NOBODY KNOWS ME IN THIS TOWN. SUCKER TO AGREE TO PLAY WITH YOU! HANGED YOU YET ?! I’VE JUST GOTTEN HERE, AND I HOPE TO FIND MYSELF SOME COMPETITION NO MORE OF A SUCKER THAN FOR POKER. YOU WITH YOUR NEXT JOURNEY… I’M TRYING TO WAGER 20 TO ‘1 THAT YOU WON’T MAKE IT TO SAN FRANCISCO, BUT I CAN’T FIND ANY TAKERS!

TIRED OF CAT IS A TWO ERM… HANK… WOULD THE LOCALS ’ROUND HERE LIVING, HANK?… PROFESSIONAL GLASSES YOU MIND SETTLING AIN’T SO OPTIMISTIC!… I’M GOING DARN IT, CHEAT, BUT WHEN OF ROTGUT! YOUR LITTLE TAB TO BED. SEE YOU TOMORROW! ANOTHER HE’S NOT PLAYING, BEFORE LEAVING?… ACE! HE’S GREAT COMPANY!

5 THE FOLLOWING AH! MR. LUKE, YOU’RE MORNING… AN EARLY RISER. PERFECT!

HERE COMES HANK WITH THE STAGECOACH! CLACK!

AND 3.6 SECONDS LATER…

I TOLD YOU HANK LOAD UP THE GOLD YOU MEAN TO SAY WELL, YES. ?! ? WAS THE BEST WHIP AND PASSENGERS, THAT THERE ARE THEY’RE IN THE IN THE COMPANY! AND LET’S HIT THE PASSENGERS ON WAITING ROOM. ROAD! SUCH A JOUR- COME AND NEY?? MEET THEM.

6 HERE ARE YOUR I’M LUCKY LUKE. PASSENGERS, MR. LUKE. I’LL BE ESCORTING THIS STAGECOACH. YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS JOURNEY WILL BE PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS.

MY NAME IS JEREMIAH FALLINGS. I’M DIGGER STUBBLE. THERE’S I AM SINCLAIR I’M COMING ALONG BECAUSE IT’LL GOLD OF MINE ON BOARD… RAWLER, BROTHER. BE DANGEROUS. I HOPE TO TAKE I PERSONALLY WANT TO I WANT TO GO AND SOME SENSATIONAL PROTECT IT FROM PREACH THE PICTURES OF THIEVES. IT WAS HARD GOOD WORD TO STAGECOACH ENOUGH TO SAN FRANCISCO, ATTACKS THAT WILL MINE. A TOWN OF SIN MAKE ME FAMOUS IN THAT TRULY THE EAST COAST NEEDS IT. PRESS.

I’M ANNABELLA QUIET, DO YOU THINK YOU ARE NOT FLIMSY. MY AND OLIVER!… THAT A LADY GOING TO SAN HUSBAND I AM… THIS IS SHOULD YOU FRANCISCO HAS BEEN OLIVER RISK SEE, DEAR, ALONE! HIRED AS AN FLIMSY, MY SUCH A THAT’S WHAT I KNOW HOW I… YOU THINK, ACCOUNTANT IN HUSBAND. JOURNEY? OLIVER! SAN FRANCISCO. HE HAS TO GET BACK TO HIS JOB URGENTLY.

REPENT, MY WELL, THERE’RE ONLY FIVE OF WAIT! THERE’S ANOTHER BROTHER! YOU. YOU’LL BE COMFORTABLE!… PASSENGER FOR YOU, HANK! ALL ABOARD! ? ?

7 ? IT’S OLD CAT THUMBS!! HE JUST DOESN'T LOOK HIMSELF WHEN HE'S NOT WEARING HIS TAR AND FEATHERS!… WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU, CAT?…

I FOUND GAMES OF CHANCE ARE REPRE- WE GAVE HIM THE CHOICE: THE SOME POKER HENSIBLE, MY BROTHER. REPENT! ROPE OR IMMEDIATE DEPARTURE PLAYERS, BUT ON THE FIRST STAGECOACH. PEOPLE NOWADAYS IF THE GAME HAD REALLY BEEN JUST DON’T KNOW ONE OF CHANCE, I WOULDN’T HOW TO LOSE! BE ON THIS RAIL, REVEREND…

I DON’T KNOW IF I MADE A WISE DECISION, GIVE ME A I REFUSE TO BUT I’D LIKE TO SEE SAN FRANCISCO. MINUTE JUST TO TAKE A STAGE- YOU CAN PUT ME DOWN, GENTLEMEN. FRESHEN UP… COACH WITH THAT THANK YOU FOR THE RIDE… MAN !!… ?

I’M NOT LETTING THAT OLD HE WHO LIVES DOG CAT BE HANGED!! BY THE COLT HERE’S THE GOLD YOU’LL SO, HE’S COMING WITH WILL DIE BY THE BE TRANSPORTING. US. AND HE KNOWS COLT, MY HOW TO USE A GUN. BROTH- THAT COULD BE USEFUL ER… TO US!

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