10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 67: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

_ BULLETS ON THE DOWNBEAT———————_65 was going to get me for my little part in putting the hot seat under his brother. “Step it up,” growled Millik. “We ain’t got all night!” I stepped on the gas. The little black truck lunged forward, faster and faster, into the wet darkness. You might say they had a good night for what they were going to do! I edged my hand downward, cau- tiously. “Keep both hands on the wheel!” the guy with the gun snapped, jabbing at my skull, “ft just wanted to wipe off the sweat,” I lied to them. “It’s gettin’ in my eyes.” “Yeah. Well, sweat or no sweat, keep your hands on that wheell And drive straight!” I was already getting ideas about crashing. But he was smart. He wasn’t taking chances like that. He leaped over the seat beside me and shoved his rod in my ribs. Millik stayed in back. I shot a look at the other guy. Now I knew him. I knew that pimply chin and those shifty pig-eyes.. The guy with the gun was Stunt Herrod. Another Marri- no gunman, So I forgot all about reaching for my handkerchief—and my little Roscoe. Might as well take a chance, I told my- self, and swung the wheel sharply. The truck lammed right toward a lamppost. Herrod cussed a blue streak and grabbed the wheel. My idea was to try to get his gun, but Millik dove down and beat me to it. Then he smacked me over the head with his gun butt. “That'll learn ya!” he yelled, “Lemme give it to him right now!” “Not yet,” Herrod said icily. “Why not?” Millik pleaded. I could just see him licking his fat lips. My head pained me like it was on fire. { groaned. Herrod swung the truck into the mouth of a long dark alley. There was nothing but brick walls on both sides. A deserted warehouse district it was. “Get out, Korkus!” Herrod told me, shoving me with his rod, I knew better than to plead with those guys. They was born with lumps of ice where most people got hearts. { shoved open the door. Slow. Then I stepped out into the sloppy alley. Slow. I wasn’t anxious. I didn’t want to die. é¢ EACH for your gun now, Kork- us!” Millik gloated. “Millik,” I rasped out. “You got me all wrong! I didn’t squeal on your brother! I didn’t know he done it! The cops nailed him!” A glint of light caught the barrel of Millik’s rod. I could see his finger closing over the trigger. I dropped flat on my face in the mud. His bullet slapped against the brick wall. I yanked out my rod, set it spitting wildly. Bullets grazed my head. I screamed, I’m not any yellower than the next guy, but I was scared sick. They waited, holding their fire so’s I wouldn’t know which part of the black- ness to shoot at. Then, before long, my gun was empty. I hugged the ground, wafting for cur- tains. Then guns started blasting, but for some reason I was still alive. I looked up, puzzled, Two guns were roaring, but one of the roars came from behind me! I couldn’t understand. But I was still in line of fire from both, so I crawled off to one side, on my belly. Then I saw Herrod was slumped over the wheel, dead as a mackerel. Millik was still blazing from the back of the truck. Suddenly he shoved Herrod off the wheel and leaped to the front seat. He started to back the truck down the alley. One more shot cut the drizzling dark- ness. I heard him give a yelp of agony, and grab his shoulder. Somebody leaped out of the dark onto him. Before I could get there, Millik was wearing a pair of steel bracelets. Herrod didn’t need none. The big guy, who had showed up just in time to keep Maxine from being a widow, turned. I saw his face. I gave a yell. It was Cop Otto Svenson! “Y-you saved my life’,” I stuttered, holding out my muddy paw and feeling like two plugged pesos. “I knew you was nervous about some- thing, Korkus. So I thought I’d take a chance and tail you. ’Specially when those kids back at Yoe’s place stuck their nickels in Number 7 and got Waltz of the Little Fairies instead of Yumping Yiminy Yivel It’s a wonder that a dumb Svede copper like me would even know the difference, isn’t it, Korkus?” Se, -__- COMicbooks co