Western Story Magazine, May 12, 1934 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

16 Street & Smith’s Western Story Magazine | -Dravus, Spike Fortune, and Apache Grimm, but. when they mentioned Sanchez, Tremper went away on a vacation.” “And that’s hard to believe,” Stu- art observed. “Oh, I don’t know,” Al said. “The man enjoys life as well as the next one. Have yeu‘heard the story of Sanchez’s initials?” “Let’s have it,” Stuart suggested, glancing out of the window at the watchful José. “His initials are P and §,” Al ex- plained, “and the P is formed by the graves of five deputy. sheriffs. There had to be a period after the initial, and so a sixth deputy was buried standing up. The 5 is formed by the graves of three Texas Rang- ers who tried to sneak into Calico Hole and take him alive, and two sherifts.”’ “How about the period?” Dan asked. “He’s got the grave dug,” Al in- formed him, “and ‘he’s going to bury Jud Tremper in the grave. Can you blame Tremper for taking a va- cation?” All eyes were on Stuart, interested in his reactions to this gruesome ar- rangement: of initials. “Yes, I blame Tremper,”’ Stuart said. “I’ve heard one of the Rangers was his brother. A brave man would never let up until he squared accounts. But what’s that got to do with me?” “Sanchez owes his safety to his caution in picking members of his band,” Al explained. “If he’s sus- picious of anybody who comes into Calico Hole, he plays safe and kills the man. [Tf you did get by Sanchez, then you’d have to quiet El Mudo’s suspicions. KE] Mudo means “The Dumb,’ in the Mexican language. This deaf-and-dumb man has a sixth you,” sense which seems to warn him of danger.” | “And he exercises a strange influ- ence over Sanchez,” Alice said. “The creature gives me the creeps.” “T think [ll take a chance,” Stu- art announced; “there’s an outfit that interests me.” “And that being the case, Dan,” Al said, “I string with you.” “Al!” Both girls spoke in uni- son. “Not that again—not Sanchez, an outlaw’s life and the end—the rope or jail,” : The intense loyalty Alice Ford had feared might control her brother was now evident. “Look at me,” he said. “I’m nearly dead. I’d have died but for Dan. I owe my life to him, and it’s his for the asking. It’s a debt Ill never forget to repay.” Alice was to remember his simply declared promise in tragic days to come, “Forget it, Al,” Stuart urged. “You owe me nothing. You’d bet- ter take your sister’s advice and pull out—make a new start somewhere.” “No, Dan, Vm stringing with Al insisted. “Nobody can stop me. When your're in the clear, then I'll pick up where I’ve left off.” “Al,” Sally pleaded, “den’t I mean a thing to you?” “Everything in the world, Sally,” Al quickly assured her, “but I’m stringing with Dan.’ LICE, knowing her brother A had resolved te go through with it, turned to Dan Stu- art. If, as she had heard, this man had fallen in love with her photo- eraph during his lonely hours, per- haps she might influence him. It was a pretty and rather convincing picture she painted of the four of them making a new start, and she Comicbooks.com