Western Story Magazine, May 12, 1934 — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

o 46 masked as he sensed some one, his sister probably, had identified the weapon. “No, that’s not my gun,” he ad- mitted; “it’s Dan Stuart's. He didn’t like the balance, and I did, so we traded several days before I left the Hole.” “Very interesting,’ Judge Ritchie drawled. They left the jail, and, when a safe distance from possible listeners, the judge said to Alice: “Your brother is lying. He is shielding somebody. Can it be this Dan Stuart?” Again his eyes peered over the glasses. “Are you keepmg anything from me?” “Dan robbed Wagon Gap Bank,” Alice said. “He was disguised as an old prospector, and tricked the man hunters into going out of town.” She saw a glint of admiration come into the judge’s eyes. ‘“‘Al went along against my wishes to give Dan help if he needed it.” “Hm-m-m! It is well you told me, but we'll not mention the rob- bery at the trial, otherwise if we are given an acquittal on the self-defense issue, the State. will hold Al on the grounds he aided in the bank rob- bery. This, my dear girl, is a com- plicated case. Id like to talk to Stuart.” “Huh!” Alice sniffed. “You won't get anywhere with him. He’s a queer person, stubborn as a mule. I can’t do a thing with him. But I’m not forgetting one thing Al once said. He was telling me about Dan breaking jail and taking him along. Dan risked his life again and again that time, and Al said: ‘I owe him my life. It’s a-debt Ill never for- get to pay. ”’ Judge Ritchie pulled thoughtfully at his jaw. Many years as a trial judge in Western courts had taught Street & Smith’s Western Story Magazine him a keen insight into men and their motives. “And your Al has decided to pay the debt,” he said softly. “The boy has set his jaw on the matter, nor dare we bring up the bank-robbing affair. I guess we'll have to fight it along the lines he’s insisting—he killed Beasley in self-defense.” The two girls exchanged helpless glances, but Alice did not give up hope. She was all for law and or- der, and she hated violence, prefer- ring to build rather than tear down. But she had Sanchez’s premise that he would release her brother by force if need be. On this she pinned her hopes. There was, however, the disturbing possibility the prisoner, if found guilty, might be immediately removed to State’s prison and be- yond Sanchez’s reach. “Now what'll we do?” Sally cried. “We'll just have to wait,” Alice answered. “And you must ‘be pre- pared to go wherever Al goes—and go in a hurry. Don’t ask me any more questions, because I can’t an- swer them. Let’s try and keep up our courage until after the trial.” OURAGE ebbed and flowed in the days that followed. Judge Ritchie worked on Al Ford from various angles, but he could not induce him either by pleas or threats to change his mind. “You're protecting an outlaw, and I know it,” the judge stormed the day before the trial. “Your cour- age should be directed toward a worthier object. Hang it, boy, don’t you realize the best ’'m hoping for is a life sentence?” ‘“That’s the best I’m hoping for,” Al answered. He could not tell him of Dan’s promise to see him through his trouble, but his faith never wa- vered