La valle del morto

Called back by Tiger Jack to the Navajo Reservation , Tex goes with his faithful companion to the region of the Shining Mountains where strange things seem to happen. In reality, the tribe of the Children of the Sun lives in the mountains and jealously defends, even with violence, the secret of the gold found there. In the end, Tex will manage to convince them of his good intentions.

This story, like the previous one, is also a fill-in published to give space to Galep.

Curiosities

• This story is the second and last drawn by Mario Uggeri.
• The first reference to paranormal powers appears in this story. The Grand Father of the Sons of the Sun is, in fact, able to see from a distance, albeit for a short time, and spies on Tex and Tiger's moves.
• It was originally intended to come out immediately after "Avventura sul Rio Grande". This can be understood by observing that: Tex's separation from the pards to return to the Reserve appears specious and forced, as does his subsequent return to their side. Tiger Jack's clothing and his way of speaking are typical of his first appearances (dialogue now corrected in the New Reprint) and finally, at the opening of "L’orma della paura" there is an explicit reference to the return of Tex and Tiger from the Shining Mountains .

To defend a community of peaceful farmers from the abuses of the breeder Tom Tender, Tex and his pards do not hesitate to set a trap for him with Carson and Kit who, in the role of farmers, play the part of not exactly peaceful bait and after ambushes and shootings, the ruthless rancher must finally deal with the law.