Fifteen Western Tales, March 1954 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

ae » s > asked. ~ aimed his words. os eS er es 2 ee — z — Se Se ane = —— ae : m SS rs 2 eS = » FIFTEEN WESTERN TALES a fe I told him I didn’t want them cows on my land. I told him if he pushed them across the creek I’d put a slug in his shoulder. He just laughed and kept coming, so I shot him.”’ 7 “What about it, Ed?” Butterworth against Pardee? You ain't told your side of this.” : Gilcher swung his head around and “T told you I'd handle it, Nate. Only way I ever knew to pay off lead was with more of the same. Pardee won't get off.” Hé strode away angrily. A> THE rancher disappeared around the corner, Butterworth stepped down and laid a hand on Pardee’s shoulder. ‘You've done Ed a big favor, Pardee. He knows _ you're in love with Marie and he don’t want her to die with a broken heart when some fast gun finally takes your rep away. He’d rather see you dead now while it won't make her a widow. Ed’s no slouch with a + gun sepa and he'll be calling on you again.’ . “He'll be doing me a favor,’ Pardee said tonelessly and swung aboard the sor- rel. He rode down the street without a backward glance. Nate watched him out of sight, knowing some- thing was amiss and not knowing what it was. Ed Gilcher was a man of his word. His shoulder mended quickly, and in three -weeks he sent for Fardee. Pardee was in Singletree at -the time. He’d spent a week grubbing mesquite out of - his lower pasture, and then he’d come to town in search of work which would help him store up enough cash to buy cattle. The livery stable had a band of thirty wild ‘mustangs which had to be gentled for the army, and after the contractor had seen a free sample of his work in the saddle, Par- dee got'the job at five dollars a head. Pardee relaxed on the bench in front of the blacksmith shop each evening. before - 4 “You want to lay up some charges » Butterworth he bedded down in the livery’s loft. could watch the trail to Gilcher’s Anchor Ranch from there, and he did not try to conceal his hope that Marie would ride in for a visit with him. When she didn’t come, he knew Gilcher either had forbidden her to leave the ranch or she was too angry and hurt over the wounding of her father to care for Pardee any riore. to know which reason had kept her away, and or the day he finished breaking the horses he planned to ride to Anchor for the answer. Marie was waiting beside his horse, how- ever, when he stepped outside with his blanket roll on his shoulder and the army contractor’s crisp new bills still wadded in his hand. The sun was dying on the horizon behind her, and the fiery sky made her look like she’d walked right out .. of heaven. Pardee called to her, but his quick grin faded as soon as he was near ip to see the tears in her eyes. ‘Marie clutched him to her and Pardee - had to hold her very close to understand the words which tumbled from her lips between sobs. But; when at last he understood her —understood that Ed Gilcher was waiting in the street to avenge the wound Pardee had inflicted upon him—he left her quick- ly. But Marie pursued him and Fardee had to force her arms loose so he could continue. Behind him, the girl sobbed brokenly and said, “I tried to make him stay home, Dale, but he wouldn’t listen. But at least I persuaded him to let me see you instead of sending one of the ranch hands for you. I'll wait here until—until you or father comes for me—and then I'll wait and wait —all my life for the other one.” Pardee went on down the street with the girl’s sobs echoing in his ears. He turned the corner at the blacksmith shop. Seventy yards ahead of him a big, defiant shadow stood alone in the street. It was Ed Gil- cher. — ae EOMmIcbOOKS. EO eI = Pardee had -