Fifteen Western Tales, March 1954 — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

# % 21 HeIvade 1? BA FIFTEEN WESTERN TALES \ Ww in me.” “Perhaps he still has.” He looked quickly at her. “What do you mean, Marion?” : She lowered her voice. “In the month you have been gone he has never stopped trying to uncover more evidence.” Dane looked away. Sabin Lake had been like a father to him. He had néver forgot- ten the look in the old man’s eyes when the charges had been brought against Dane. Marion looked up at Dane. The moon- light brought out the soft contours of her face. “Why didn’t you stay and fight for a new trial, Dane?” “What use would it be? Corporal Den- nehy testified he had been on guard that night and saw me in the troop headquar- ters with the money. Trooper Shorrs was on guard near headquarters. He testified there had been a faint light in the squadron office and later he had seen me leave the office. Stuart Clifton testified he had seen me gambling in Prescott with a great deal of money. Charley Moulton, the gambler, wrote a statement that I had been heavily in debt at his gambling hall.” “All of it is circumstantial, Dane.” “Yes. But all of the evidence pointed against me. I was in troop headquarters counting money, but it was payroll money. First-Sergeant Kelly was ill. make out the payroll. I made it out and checked the money. It was that money that Dennehy saw. I took the payroll to Ser- geant-Major Adams for a re-check and saw a light in squadron headquarters. It went out as I approached and I was seen by Shorrs as I left the vicinity. I was gam- bling in Prescott, but with my own money.” I had hit a streak at Moulton’s and. was trying to run it up.” “What about Moulton’s statement?” Dane held out his hands. “A deliberate lie. I was deep into Charley, deeper than any « ore knevy Charley wrote that state- -~ He couldn't, wouldn’t have to pay me off. Some day I _ might trip him up.” She shook her head. “Charley Moulton was murdered three days after you left Whipple Barracks. Shot down in his room. The killer was never found.” “Then there isn’t much chance I can clear myself.”’ Marion stood up and came close to him. “You still have friends. Most of the men in the squadron still don’t believe you did it. Hank doesn’t and neither does dad. Above all,.I will never believe it.”’ Dane swept her into his arms and kissed her hungrily. She returned his kisses and clung to him.. She buried her face against his neck. “Please, Dane. Don’t stop fighting for your career, youf very life, and for me as well.” They sat down at the edge of the tank and she rested her head against his shoul- der. “Why were you — Arizona?” he asked quietly. _there was a reason. I can’t tell y®u ‘now.’ He held her close. If there was only a way to keep her with him, but he knew he couldn’t ask her to follow a man who was in disgrace. “T have a feeling about us, ‘Shas We'll be together many happy years.” She stood up, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. She turned quickly and left him. Dane stood up and touched his face. She had faith in him. He résolved to fight for his future, hopeless as it seemed, He turned and climbed up a fault in the rock wall. The desert was bathed in silver moonlight. A coyote howled far to the ee a ae wig Ey oS : m4 tee, Peart c, = Ss ato “True. I hurt him deeply. He had faith ment to get me out of the way so that he north. There was a furtive movement be- — low Dane. A man stepped out of the shad- ows near the entrance to the old tank and padded silently back to the camp. There was no mistaking the lean, gangling figure of Trooper George Shorrs. | (<0) “comicbooks « oo 4 > ‘ ¥ € - - _~ . abe ae ; ee sg ee a# st oo pe ee + ‘Fate ¥ Nr ATE ae sora ——A 4 em.