Western Story Magazine, May 12, 1934 — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

34 She led the way to a thicket. Something in her face caused his pulse to quicken. They had grown close the last few weeks. Al could not forget Dan freed him from Beas- ley’s cell, then took care of him when the pursuit got hot. Alice could not forget Dan had stood over her brother when he was at Death’s crossroads and laughed at the thought of his dying and so filled the youth with confidence that he renewed the fight and was now well. “Dan, must you go?” she asked. “Does it mean so much to you, Alice?” he countered, looking down mto her serious face. “I mean my angle, not Al’s,” he explained. | “You know it does, Dan,” she said quietly. He drew a deep breath, as if the problems that lay ahead were difh- cult. “I think the time has come,” he said slowly, “to tell you that I love you.” He turned her chin up and smiled into her eyes. “Alice, you are loyal, sweet, and courageous. IT like you here in Calico Hole, with the mighty walls, the falls, the rich bottom land, and the cattle. It is a picture—this.” He swept his hand over a land awakening. “And you complete it.” “I love you, Dan. If you could only remain the Dan I love, and not be a predatory, wolfish creature lust- ing for blood some of the time, we could be happy.” She looked gravely about. “But I can see noth- ing ahead but heartache.” “Things have a way of working themselves out,” he answered. “You've something else on your mind.” It was a statement, not a query. “Yes, Dan, I have. I can’t shake off the conviction you are hewmg to a line and that you don’t care much where the chips fall,” she went on hurriedly. Street & Smith’s Western Story Magazine | “To gam your ends, you ll saerifice your own life.” “Why shouldn’t a man sacrifice everything to gain an end?” he ar- gued. “But it’s not fair, not just for you to sacrifice my brother. Oh, Dan! He’s all I’ve got. He’s deter- mined to string with you. It all goes back to the living death he endured under Beasley. You saved him, and now he feels he should give up everything in return. It means he will trail you to Wagon Gap and that he will follow you on future raids with Sanchez’s band if you suc- ceed and become a member. It means hanging or violent death in the long run. Now, Dan, I put it squarely up to you, does anything justify that?” “No, from your standpoint; yes, from mine. I’m going ahead. Al’s got to use some sense,” he grimly declared. “And I want him to keep out of it. Ill tell Sanchez to stop him from. following me.” Dan started to go, but the girl, in a frenzy of fear, flung herself into his arms. “T can’t let you go, Dan,” she sobbed. “Oh, I love you so much! You can be so gentle and fine. Let’s develop that and fight off the wolf streak together. I'll go any- where with you, shoot our way out of this place with you, if you'll only let me help you, Dan.” Her outburst shook him. She felt him tremble from head to foot, and his arms tightened, then relaxed. “No,” he answered, “it’s too late for me to turn back now. I’m going ahead.” “Then if you’re going to the devil, Dan Stuart, [ll go along with you. I don’t care what becomes of me now. A day’s happimess, or a week’s, it doesn’t matter, just so I get it. 5 ° $5 I’m going. comicbooks.com