Introduction
A Elston to the Rescue is a Bearfield Elston reworking of the earlier Breckinridge Elkins story A Elkins Never Surrenders. Kline’s records document the title change and later circulation of the story; a published form is also known as The Curly Wolf of Sawtooth. The legacy catalogue records an income amount of $60.00 for this Work.
Otis Adelbert Kline (REH’s agent) first listed the title of the story as "A Elkins Never Surrenders". He offered it to V. I. Cooper, when he declined, Kline returned the story to REH. A month later it hits the logs again with a new title A Elston to the Rescue, and is then sold to Miller for STAR WESTERN. The published title is likely from the magazine editors. Received by Kline Agency on December 4, 1934. Circa May 1936 it was sold to Popular by Binder.
Summary spoilers
The story begins with Bearfield Elston arriving at his father's cabin, where his father, known as Pap, is cursing about a feud the Garfield family is involved in. Pap, afflicted by rheumatism, orders Bearfield to go to Arizona to help their relatives, the Garfields, in their conflict with the Clantons. Bearfield heads to Perdition to catch a stage to Arizona, engaging in some drinking challenges along the way. He wins money by downing quarts of liquor, eventually boarding the stage to Arizona, where he falls asleep for most of the journey.
When he wakes, he finds himself near the town of Sawtooth, Arizona, where the Garfields live. Upon arrival, Bearfield meets his grand-uncle Joel Garfield, who is surprised and somewhat alarmed by Bearfield's boldness and aggression. Bearfield immediately decides to confront one of the Clantons he spots in town, knocking him out with a single punch. This act of violence draws the attention of the local sheriff, whom Bearfield also overpowers and humiliates.
Bearfield announces his takeover of the Garfield clan's defense, disregarding any thoughts of truces or compromises. He forcibly mobilizes the Garfield family, despite their lack of enthusiasm for violence. He sends the women to safety in town and prepares for a siege, ordering the men to build shutters and stockpile water and ammunition. The Clantons, taken aback by Bearfield's aggressive tactics, retreat to their ranch.
Bearfield, not satisfied with merely preparing defenses, decides to take the fight to the Clantons. He attempts a dramatic attack using a cannon he borrows from the town, loading it with various projectiles and firing it at the Clanton house. The blast damages the house but fails to kill any Clantons, who had been sleeping upstairs. Bearfield then plans a night attack on the Clantons' camp in a nearby canyon.
He and Uncle Joel sneak up on the camp, but Bearfield's guns have been sabotaged by Joel, who had been trying to avoid further violence. When Bearfield discovers this, he is furious but continues the attack with his bare hands, scattering the Clantons. In the morning, Bearfield receives a letter revealing that the Garfields he has been fighting for are not his actual relatives; they spell their name differently and are unrelated. Realizing his mistake, Bearfield is enraged by the deception.
He confronts Uncle Joel, who admits to the ruse and his attempts to mitigate the violence. The story concludes with Bearfield making a dramatic escape from the approaching mob and soldiers, reaffirming his commitment to his family's honor and disdain for the Guarfeles' ingratitude and deception.