Western Story Magazine, May 12, 1934 — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

= 30 Street & Smith’s Western Story Magazine - Sanchez stared at each in turn, then turned to Dan again. “No horses took a notion to leave before yeu came,” the outlaw leader said. “It looks bad for you.” “Your men are light sleepers,” Dan retorted. “Every time I turned over, somebody woke up and looked at me. A fine chance I’d have had to sneak out and get away with a horse without somebody hearing “She couldn’t get through the barbed wire down at the entrance,” Sanchez said thoughtfully, “so she must have had some help.” “That mare could,” a man argued. “She’s the smartest little trick we ever put a rope on.” There the subject dropped. AN, you look like a _ sheep- D herder,” Alice said, when the third day found him with a heavy black stubble covering his face. “Can’t you borrow a razor?” “I’m afraid not,’ Dan explained; “T’m growing a beard for important reasons. I’ve got two months to do it; “Part of your plan to rob the Wagon Gap Bank, I suppose?” she asked. “Yes, but only part. The plan‘is rather complicated, but it must suc- ceed,” he said. “T think you’d risk life and for- tune on the turn of a card,” she in- formed him bluntly. “T’ve done so,” he answered. “T’ll do so again. It’s not hard, if you draw the card.” From that moment Alice Ford’s tactics changed. She no longer ar- gued with Dan, or tried to trick him into an admission of the plan she intuitively felt he was following, but made an effort to win his confidence. She moved slowly, drifting into friendship in the days that followed, but listening attentively to every- thing he said, then trying to piece things together, yet with rather poor success. 2 There were times during that first week when it looked as if the girl’s brother might steadily sink. The reaction to his escape was tremen- dous, and his condition took a criti- eal turn. Al talked of death con- stantly, and expressed his thanks again and again to Dan. He regret- ted he could not go along when Dan raided the bank. “T’d like to show you what you mean to me,” he whispered. “I'd like to stand behind you and back your play.” And Dan, who watched at Al’s side while Alice cried softly into her handkerchief, laughed and told the sick man the account between them was squared. | “If you do owe me anything, Al,” he said, “if you really feel that way about it, shake off this morbid streak and get well. You’re an eagle, you know, and you're back among the peaks, and that should answer everything.” “You're not lying to me?” Al asked eagerly. “I’ve got a chance?” “Tf I didn’t think you were going to get well, Al,” Dan lied, “I'd be running around trying to do some- thing about it. I didn’t get you out of jail just to attend your funeral, you know. Now, confound you, turn over and go to sleep!” He grinned and walked away. Alice followed Dan outside. *“He’s breathing so hard, and can’t seem to rest,” she sobbed. “You de- ceived him, bless you, but you didn’t deceive me. I saw the muscles in your face work as you talked to him.” “T guess you did, Alice,’ he ad-- mitted. “Qne of my kid brothers is dead, and I’m nretty soft where 0) O)O