2-Gun Western, February 1954 — page 76: what you’re looking at

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

OLKS ON the Jubilee range 1%) could never quite understand the deep bond of friendship and loyalty that lay between Tom Horn and Gil Farnol. Tom Horn was big, solid, hardworking, with roots plant- ed deep in the soil. Slender, dark- eyed Gil Farnol was wild and reck- less; Gil Farnol liked to wear flashy clothes and gamble and drink whis- key. He was proud of his good looks WESTERN |; CLASSIC |f * and his prowess with the fancy gun he wore. “Got gunpowder in his_ blood,” folks said. “He'll die by a bullet or a hangnoose....” Tom Horn and Gil Farnol were partners in the Hourglass outfit. It was a swell little ranch, plenty of good grass and water. They'd worked hard to build it up since taking it over a couple of years ago. That is, Tom Horn had done most of the work; Gil had spent a lot of time in Jubilee town, drinking and hell-rais- ing. Lately, Gil had been kicking over the traces worse than usual. He'd really gone hog-wild. Tom Horn had heard some talk. Gil was running with a bad bunch. He was losing a lot of money, and drinking too much whiskey. Tom hadn't tried to preach to the kid. Gil Farnol wasn't really bad, he figured, just wild. Left alone, he’d straighten himself out in a little whie.... It was long past midnight, and Tom Horn lay staring into the inky dark- ness of his Hourglass bedroom. Scme- thing had awakened him. He'd been sleeping only lightly, for he’d lain awake a long time, wondering why Gil Farnol didn’t come home. Gil had left early that morning, Go DOOLK (C@