The Taking of Cloudy Mcgee by W.C. Tuttle
Ferdinand P. Putney, a lawyer in Lost Hills, and Amos K. Weed, a bank cashier, find themselves in a predicament when Amos embezzles $40,000 from the bank to invest in a failed oil venture. With the bank examiner due soon, they concoct a plan to stage a bank robbery to cover the loss. They enlist the help of Cloudy McGee, a notorious outlaw, offering him $1,000 to fake the robbery. Meanwhile, a U.S. Marshal named Morton, suffering from a cold and mistaken for McGee, arrives in town. Morton, having lost his belongings to McGee in a poker game, follows him to Lost Hills. As the plan unfolds, Morton captures McGee, revealing his true identity and thwarting the robbery. Amos receives news that the oil well has struck a gusher, saving him from ruin. The story concludes with the marshal discovering his ailment is hay fever, not pneumonia, bringing a humorous end to the chaotic events.
By W.C. Tuttle · First published 1968 · Genre: Western, Crime Fiction, Heist/Capers · 8,243 words
First lines
It was easy to see that fate had been kind to Ferdinand P. Putney, because he was not in jail. In fact, he never had been in jail. But he was comparatively a young man yet. He was six feet three inches tall, would weigh about a hundred and forty, and wore a size eleven shoe.
His face was very long, his eyes pouched, rather inclined to redness, which gave him the mien of a very old and very wise bloodhound. His almost yellow hair grew without much opposition from the barber, and he wore a derby hat of a decided green tinge.
What this Textopian page supports
The Taking of Cloudy Mcgee is listed on Textopian as a novella by W.C. Tuttle, dated 1968 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: W.C. Tuttle
- Date: 1968 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Western, Crime Fiction, Heist/Capers, Picaresque, Dark Comedy
- Length: 8,243 words
- Structure: 1 section, 283 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Taking of Cloudy Mcgee by W.C. Tuttle
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Western — Set in a small frontier town with regional dialects, cultural idiosyncrasies, and themes of rugged individualism.
- Crime Fiction — Central plot elements include bank robbery, schemes, and criminal activities that drive the narrative.
- Heist/Capers — The story revolves around the planning and execution of a bank heist with twists and double-crosses.
- Picaresque — Features roguish, larger-than-life characters navigating a corrupt society through misadventures.
Tags
Western · Adventure · Pulp · Action · Crime · Outlaw · Justice · Frontier · Rugged · Survival · Heroism · Confrontation