Pulp Fiction, 1953 · page 37 of 116
Fifteen Western Tales, January 1953 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page Analysis: "The Bushwhack Bargain" This page contains story prose from a pulp Western fiction titled "The Bushwhack Bargain" (page 37). The narrative follows Jesse, a gunslinger, meeting with brothers Cole and Jack Tolman and a Mexican named Ramos in a saloon. They attempt to hire Jesse to assassinate a sheriff in Beeker's Gulch for one hundred dollars—a price Jesse considers too low. The page ends with Jesse reaching for tobacco from his nearly-empty shirt pocket. The page also includes three period advertisements for Wildroot Cream-Oil hair tonic positioned at the bottom, featuring comic-strip style illustrations promoting the product as "America's Favorite Hair Tonic" at 29 cents.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE BUSHWHACK BARGAIN 37 brother Jack, in case you’re curious.” “T didn’t ask,” Jesse said, but then shifted his eyes to the Mexican inquiringly. “That’s Ramos,” Cole Tolman said. They had moved to a table in the saloon now and the two brothers arranged their chairs so they were facing Harder. The Mexican sat far to the left so that Jesse had to turn his head to watch him. “You need a job, Harder?” the brother said. He watched Jesse out of small, crafty eyes. “T asked, what’s your proposition?” Jesse said, annoyed at the man’s lack of direction. “T like you, Harder,” Cole said. “You’re a man who comes right to the point.” He smiled, exposing the gold teeth, and glanced warily around the saloon. “There’s a man in ‘Beeker’s Gulch, a sheriff. It’s an easy job. A gun slinger like you shouldn’t have any . trouble.” “YT never did a job on a sheriff before,” Jesse said. He looked at the: two brothers casually. “Tt’s like any other man,” Jack Tolman said. It was the first word he had spoken and his voice was sharp and cutting. Mand now to m nephew ne, I leave my bottle of Wildroot Cream-Oil eon best frond | [7 | bet 29¢ Wildroot Crgari- Oil does it better 1" “Tf he’s this easy, why don’t you do it yourself?” Jesse said. He looked over at the Mexican and found him staring at him with black, expressionless eyes. ““This Mex here ought to be able to do the job, even if he has to use an alley.” - The Mexican started out of his chair, but at a look from Cole Tolman’he sank back again. His mouth was set in a cruel, menac- ing sneer and his lips twitched for a mo- ment, but he didn’t speak. We’ re known in Beeker’s,” Cole said. “Tt’s too risky. If we have to, we'll do it ourselves, but this way there ain’t no trou- ble.” “YT never killed a sheriff before,” Jesse said thoughtfully. ‘The price will be high.” ‘We figured a hundred dollars,” Cole said, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands over the fatness of his belly. “That’s too low. That’s Injun money,” Jesse said. He reached his hand into the pocket of his shirt for tobacco and then stopped. The sack of tobacco was almost empty, only a few grains left. There wasn’t enough for a good smoke. He was trying to bring his hand down again unobserved when Widroot Cream Ci Bin dryness so well only need a drink every fourteen days | we America’s Favorite Hair Tonic! COmiclboo SS CO