Tom Alberti

Storms Along the Trail Tom Alberti

This is a collection of short stories, involving people who encounter trouble on the trail or in their lives in the West. The opening tells of John Alexander and his grandson Charley caught in a strong thunderstorm on their way home. They seek refuge in an old stage coach way station. To pass the time, John tells a series of stories of people in trouble to his grandson. "No Good Deed" tells the story of Nick Maris, a desperate gambler caught in the wilderness without a horse, food or water. He comes upon the campsite of Warren Adcock who is dying. Adcock writes out a will and asks Maris to deliver it to his lawyer along with his prized horse. Little does Maris realize, this simple request in filling a dying man's wish, will find the gambler in danger of losing his life. "Riding for Papa", involves five children who need to deliver a valuable stud Appaloosa for their family, to a ranch in the mountains of Eastern Arizona. They seek the help of their disgraced grandfather to help deliver the horse. The grandfather and grandkids encounter a series of mishaps along the trail.