2-Gun Western, February 1954 — page 46: what you’re looking at

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

46 ing into the flames of his fire, when he heard the sounds in the darkness. They were the noises of two horses approaching. Cameron rose to his feet and stepped back until he was out of the range of the firelight. He stood with his hand on his gun, listening to the horses come nearer, They halted while still concealed by the dark. Cameron heard the squeak of saddle leather as the riders dismounted. There was a brief mur- mur of voices and a moment later someone came walking into the light of the fire. It was Lucy Holbrook. Cameron was sorry now he had stopped. He should have kept on go- ing all night until he would have been well rid of this country and its people. This was the reason he had not stayed in Silver Hill. He had not wanted to see Lucy again but now she was here, sight of her putting that hopeless anguish in his heart once more. He walked slowly up to her. He felt angry and disgusted. “I’m so glad I found you, Steve,” she said. “Why did you leave so sud- denly? You must have known I'd want to thank you.” He did not look at her face, It hurt too much when he saw the shape of her mouth. He could not bear looking at any part of her. He peered off into the darkness. “Who came with you?” he asked. “Tr Oni.: He said nothing. He knew a swift surge of hate and hoped it did not show on his features but he felt the tightening of his lips and the angry narrowing of his eyes. “He didn’t know how you'd take it, Steve,” she said. “He wants to thank you but he doesn’t: know how you'd feel about it. Is it all right for him to come in?” He did not answer. She reached out and touched his arm. “Please, Steve,” she said, tears in her voice. “It means everything to me. I don’t want the two of you hating each oth- er. Won’t you do it? For me?” This was his weakness, he thought. For her, he’d do anything, even when . there was nothing in it for him. If it hadn’t been for her, he would have A 2-GUN WESTERN let Holbrook rot in prison as he him- self had rotted. It would have been a fair exchange. But she had asked a favor of him and he had agreed—as he would always agree, which was the reason he was leaving this coun- try for good now. “Please, Steve,’ she said, her fin- gers digging into his arm. He did not want to accede but be- cause it was her asking he nodded. She called out her husband’s name. She and Cameron were both startled when the faint jingle of spurs sound- ed behind them. They turned and saw Tom Holbrook. He came into view with a tight lit- tle smile on his lips. He had always been heavy-built but to Cameron he seemed even more so now. He had a wide, darkly-handsome face that at this moment seemed alive with a gloating excitement. The gun in his hand was pointed at Cameron’s heart. Lucy cried out when she saw this. It was a forlorn sound in the sudden stillness. Cameron felt himself go cold with helpless rage and fear and then, abruptly, he ceased to care. His last illusion had been broken. She had been a party to its shattering and now for Cameron the world held nothing. “Take his gun, Lucy,” Holbrook said. “Tom?” she cried, a shrill, query- ing note in her tone. Holbrook’s voice hardened. “I said — take his gun!” HE MADE a small, whimpering sound and then Cameron felt the weight going out of his holster. He did not look at her but he was con- scious of her standing to one side with his gun held tightly in both hands. Her breathing was a hard, rap- id whisper in his ears, “Tom?” she whimpered again. The smile became a snarling grim- ace on Holbrook’s mouth. “How dumb do you think I am?” he said. “He might have fooled you but he didn’t fool me.” “What do you mean, Tom?” “Do you think he got me out of jail out of the goodness of his heart? He wanted me out so he could kill me!” COPMICLOOOKS (E@)