Introduction
This brief synopsis outlines the frame of Robert E. Howard’s story The Apache Mountain War, another of the Breckinridge Elkins tales. Though sparse in detail, the structure suggests a classic arc of misdirection, chaos, and return—a hallmark of Howard’s humorous Westerns.
Summary
The story begins with Breckinridge Elkins arriving at his Uncle Shadrach Polk’s cabin. Instead of heading straight back to Bear Creek as planned, he diverts to the nearby Apache Mountain settlement. The core action unfolds there (not detailed in the synopsis), and the tale concludes with Elkins returning to the Polk cabin, suggesting a full-circle resolution after an off-track adventure.
Characters
- Breckinridge Elkins – The protagonist, returning from a trip but diverted into new trouble before making it back home.
- Shadrach Polk – Breckinridge’s uncle, whose cabin bookends the story’s action.
