WE’RE celebrating the holidays with Harold F. Cruickshank—creator of those great Aces of the Western Front’s Hell Skies—Red Eagle, Sky Wolf, and Sky Devil. But this holiday season it’s going to be a down home Christmas featuring Cruickshank’s Pioneer Folk stories from the pages of Range Riders Western (1945-1952) on Mondays and Fridays; and Cruickshank’s own recollections of homesteading life from The Edmonton Journal’s The Third Column on Wednesdays.

Cruickshank wrote 35 stories chronicling the trials and tribulations of Dal and Mary Baldwin as they carved out their piece of the Wilderness in Sun Bear Valley, Wyoming and establish a growing community. Looking to strengthen his horse breeding stock, Dal goes in search of King, the great wild stallion he had seen when he and Mary had first arrived in the valley, who has been absent from Sun Bear Valley and in the process discovers another valley beyond with close to two hundred and fifty acres of tillable land, and pasture range beyond.

From the August 1946 number of Range Riders Western, it’s Harold F. Cruickshank’s Pioneer Folks in “Wild Hoof Warfare!”

Dal and Mary Baldwin seek strong stock— which leads Dal to strive for the conquest of the great King Stallion!

• Download “Wild Hoof Warfare” (August 1946, Range Riders Western)

Be sure to stop back Friday when the Baldwins explore “The Valley Beyond!”