Fifteen Western Tales, January 1953 — page 79: what you’re looking at

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

WHEN DODGE WAS WILD! 79 That night, Kennedy went to Ham Bell’s combination saloon and theater to see, with his own eyes, this paragon of the dance hall women, Dora Hand. Jim had been around long enough to be skeptical about the “pure- ness and decency” of any dance hall dames. There were, he knew, many who were moral- ly above reproach—but they were still very much in the minority, and he couldn't re- member ever before seeing one. It was with avid interest that he watched Dora Hand -come out on the stage and start to sing her sentimental ballads. Kennedy, accustomed to the hoarse, whis- key soprano voices of most variety hall lady’ Singers, was first surprised to hear that Dora Hand had a truly beautiful and refined voice. At the same time he noticed that the lady looked as beautiful as she sang. Within five minutes, Jim Kennedy had, like most others in Dodge, fallen in love with Dora Hand. But unlike most—-who loved her from a distance only—-Jim decided to do-something about it. Between acts he went to one of the bar- tenders, gave him a tip, and asked, “How can I get introduced to Dora Hand?” ,The bar man laughed. “All strangers ask that. Just introduce yourself, like you do any dance hall girl. - “But, she ain’t just any dance hall girl. She is in a class by herselfi—” “That’s right,” said the bartender. “But, you tipped me. Now let me tip you—don’t try to get too friendly with Dora. Mayor won’t like it.” “You mean Pitch—er, I mean, Dog Kelley won't like it? Why?” “Because he’s been making a play for her for a long time. He ain’t gettin’ very far. But he resents anybody else tryin to horn ‘in. Kind of figgers she is private property, maybe.” On hearing this, Jim Kennedy decided to wait no longer to kill Mayor Dog Kelley. The very thought of such a man making a play for such a lovely woman was enough to edge Jim into his grim decision—even though he had not yet so much as been The within twenty vards of the saloon lady. Still, playing his hand slowly, and patient- ly, Jim permitted five days to go by before putting his lethal plan into effect. Meantime, he learned that the Mayor lived in a nice, three-room house on the outskirts of town. He even ascertained which room the Mayor used to sleep in, and found it was the center one, right across the room from the middle side window. Not necessarily wishing to kill anybody under such sneaking circumstances, Jim Kennedy salved his conscience by telling himself that, in this case, there was no other way. Dog had too many friends in town. Also, it wasn’t just for revenge that the kill- ing would be done. It was to protect the lovely Dora Hand from marrying such a crook as Kelley--a man who would run away and leave a pal for dead, in order to save his own skin. During his entire stay in Dodge City, Jim had kept out of the Mayor’s sight. This was easy to do, once he learned which saloons the Mayor preferred. These he kept away from. Even in the variety hall, where both the Mayor and Kennedy went to see Dora’s act, Kennedy always was careful not to come into Dog’s line of sight. Kelley never knew that Jim was in town. After three nights of going over the ground, secretly, and laying his. final plans, Jim decided to act. It was shortly after midnight, pitch black on the edge of town, when Kennedy made his way, unseen, to the house of the Mayor. Quietly sneaking around the side of the house on which was the bedroom window, Jim Kennedy, gun in hand, edged up to the open window. Dimly, he could make out the bed on the far side of the room. Bringing up his sixgun, Jim fired four shots into the lumpy part of the bed coverings that told him his quarry was there. As quietly and surreptitiously as he had come, Jim Kennedy made his way back to town. Satisfied with his night’s work, he went to his room in the hotel amd went to sleep. His long search was over. The mission of three years stand- gto eS ‘s ay ii CoMmicbooolk< CO