Cowboy Short Stories, November 1939 — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

THE DEAD ARE IN THE SADDLE aim the telescope down the white, dusty | They |} were watching for the stage, quite possibly, | freight road and squint through it. coming down from the upper Wind River country to meet the railroad at Halfway, ten miles farther on. From the slope where the kid sat he could see the road, and he could see that the only moving object in sight was a solitary rider jog- ging along about half a mile back. RIFTER’S eyes flickered narrower. In- stead of skulking down deeper into the rocks to let the lone rider pass, as he expected them to do, the three men below him edged up closer to the road, keeping well out of sight in the lava. The kid whistled softly to himself and rubbed the back of his neck. He wasn’t watching a holdup but a bushwhacking. Well, it wasn’t his bustness, he reflected. His business was in Halfway, ten miles farther along the trail. He wondered how much the town had changed in the years he had been away from it, and more par- ticularly what old Bill Edmo would be like. He had been only twelve when Bill had decided he would be safer if he cut loose from Halfway until the railroad boom was over, so there would be a lot about the town that he wouldn’t recognize. It was even hard for him to recall what Bill Edmo looked like, even though old Bill had raised him from a three-year-old when nis father, Tex Haferty, had met a man faster with a gun than he was. The day he left, old Bill had told him, “Kid, there’s coal on this land yer pa left ye with, and the railroad’s comin’. There’s men in this country’d slit your throat to get that coal now, so I reckon you’re better off out of here until things smooth down. Pll have ye a fortune though, boy, when you come ridin’ back.” The kid’s hand dropped to his six-gun, then away from it again while he watched the three men directly below him, and the fourth rider jogging up toward them. Why in hell should he mix into that, he won- dered, when it didn’t concern him; and if there was a killing maybe get it pinned squarely onto him, when all he had to do was to ride down to Halfway and claim his inhertance. His mouth twisted into a thin-lipped grin. Hell, he'd be crazy to take a hand. For ten years, since he was twelve years old, he had been kicked around from one range camp to another, half starved at times (Continued on Page 96) PLAN YOUR LIFE — BY THE NEW ASTROLOGY 4 \. ‘ Many of the world’s greatest leaders in business and governmental affairs are to- day planning their lives according to the new astrology. For many years, astrology was much of a hit or miss affair. People didn’t know much about it. But we have been thru a transition period, and a new and mere scientific astrology has evolved. It is no longer a hit or miss affair. Over a period of years, the widest research into astrology which has ever been conducted has been steadily continujag in our Re- search Department. ad The fruits of this stupendous work “are now available to you. You may purchase your astrological forecast based on the very day, month and year of your birth, by Carl Payne Tobey, at the special price of two dol- lars. It is prepared by a special auto- matic process, so that despite the personal nature of the work, your personal forecast comes to you in a 100-page bound volume. It is of con- venient size. It will fit the lady’s handbag or the gentleman’s pocket. The volume is neatly bound in imita- tion leather, Vast numbers of the country’s most important business men today carry this little volume for their day, month and year of birth in their pockets. It is their guide. They consult it con- stantly. It shows them when to push for certain things, and when it is best to coast until conditions improve. This book will solve your problems. It is automatically prepared for 30,- 000 different birthdates. The breaks are always with you if you plan your life in accord with the new astrology. The attached coupon with two dollars will bring your copy swiftly to you. Don’t delay. The delay itself might cost you more than the two dollars. Department C., STARR PUBLISHING COMPANY, 227 West [3th Street, New York City. GENTLEMEN: For the enclosed two dollars, please send me my copy of your new astrological forecast based on my actual day, month and year of birth. I Wa DOFD! iccccscerccescssconcacee $000 00000000000 $00500 490000090000 00508 OGOF ONTO EES HOOD ERE SEES CesT OE DE EENESEEEES Ores ereerecverencerrerssce 9060000000 4005000000 DEdeSeneeeeouenEsearecesoeCE OO Go