Western Story Magazine, May 12, 1934 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

10 Street & Smith’s Western Story Magazine done this to me—a year bein’ held for trial for a crime I never commit- ted. A year in a cell so damp the walls sweat. Did you ever see stone walls sweat?” Alice Ford shuddered. Perhaps her twin brother Al now leeked like Coe. Al had been held for months in Beasley’s jail. Again and again his case had been set for trial, only to be mysteriously postpened. | “Tell me-the: truth, Bud,” Alice suddenly insisted. “How is AIP Have you; seen him?” “You Fords have always faced the music, Alice, so I’m giving it to you straight. Al’s: a. pretty ‘sick boy. He’s twenty years old, and they say he looks: forty. That’s why [Tm here. Dan: Stuart, Al’s cell mate, heard they was turnin’ me loose, so he sneaked me-this note. Beasley won’t stand for prisoners talkin’ among theirselves.” Alice Ford unfolded a_ small square of soiled paper and read: Drsar Miss Forp: Please be a quarter of a mile north of the jail farm Friday night, nine o’clock.- Bring another girl with you; also one span. of fast horses hitched to a buckboard; also two good saddle horses. Hide in that willow thicket and no matter what happens, don’t leave the thicket until I tell you to. —a VHE note was unsigned, as naturally a man contemplat- 7 ing a jail break was not likely to identify himself if it could be avoided. The girl studied the hand- writing with interest. Something in the bold strekes suggested the note had been written by a man ac- customed to planning as well as com- plete obedience. It was not diffi- cult to imagine him smashing through all opposition, regardless of cost until he had attained the goal —a good friend and a good enemy, too. And he was asking her to as- Al. “That's never sist in a jail break—a crime in it- self. He must know. something of her and have reached the conclusion. she would stop: at nothing to free The need of a buckboard, an- other girl, and two..saddle horses, indicated Stuart was bringing an- other with him, so that man must be her brother. . “What sort of man is he, Bud?” Alice asked. | “I saw him a lot. He was never still, always. moving when in the yard for exercise. He made me think of a tiger—always restraining his fury. He’s got more self-control than any man I ever saw, and he had plenty of chance to use it. He’s one man Beasley can’t seem to break, and yet as “Yes?” she said quickly. “Tt seemed as if he began to crack around the edges after they put him in Al’s cell,” answered “Bud” Coe. “What's he in jail for?” Alice asked. “He tried to rob the bank at Wagon Gap.” An odd expression appeared on Coe’s face as he spoke. “The fool!” Alice exclaimed. been done. Even Sanchez won’t try that.” “Dan Stuart tackled it. He’s tack- ling a jail break, too.” Coe jerked his head toward the lower country where Beasley’s jail stood. “And that’s never been done, either. Well, Vl mosey along.” “Were you acquitted of that cat- tle-rustling charge?” Alice asked. He bowed his head, the gesture of a beaten man. “TI never rustled them cows,” he said, “‘and I never had a chance to prove it in court. They’d keep postponin’ the trial. I’ve got a wife and kids to think of, so when they said they'd drop charges if I’d get out of the country, I said Vd light out.” MiGbooksseom