2-Gun Western, November 1955 — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

96 2-GUN WESTERN the saddle and spurred through the jackpines that hemmed the cabin. He put the dun into a mile-eating lope and headed southward. He knew he was doing a crazy thing. But he had to get Barbara and the boy out of that cabin. Jack Ivor had dragged them down to disgrace and shame. Now, unless they left that cabin, they'd die. Kent Varing knew that Kilrain would be furious at his desertion, and suspicious. Maybe he wouldn’t wait till midnight to start on his murder- ous mission. The moon was high in the sky when Varing pushed his tired dun through the canyon mouth and stopped before Jack Ivor’s cabin, The cabin was dark and quiet. Hope lifted inside Kent Varing. Maybe, after all, Kilrain’s _ warning had had its effect. Then, suddenly, a puppy started barking excitedly inside the cabin. Billy would never have gone off with- out the pup. Kent Varing dismounted, stepped across the porch and rapped on the-door with his knuckles. For a moment there was deathly silence. Even the pup had stopped barking. Then Barbara’s voice, calm but de- . fiant, called out, “Get away from that door, or I’ll shoot!” Varing said, “Barbara, it’s me— Kent Varing. Open the door!” And Jack Ivor’s voice, high-pitched, fearful. “Don’t open the door—it’s a trick! Varing’s one of Kilrain’ S gang. Don’t open the door!” But footsteps sounded, a latch lift- ed and the door opened. Barbara. stood revealed in murky light, a gun in her hand, and Vafring saw that the windows had been blinded. There wasn’t any fear or distrust on Bar- bara’s pale face as she stood aside for Kent “Varing to enter. Varing stepped inside, closed it and stood with his back to it. pee preparations for a fight had been made. There was an air of tension in the room. Barbara was dressed in denims and shirt. Billy huddled on a pallet on the floor, eyes wide and_ bewildered, his puppy clutched in his arms. Jack Ivor stood against the wall, repeating rifle in his hands. Ivor’s face was ghastly pale through his stubble of beard. His hands were shaking, and stark fear showed in his staring eyes. Jack Ivor said shrilly, “Blast you, Varing, I know what you're up to. Russ Kilrain sent you. Put up your hands or I’ll cut you in two!” “Please, Jack!” Barbara said sharp- ly. Then, “What is it, Kent?” “All of you must leave here, now,’ Varing said swiftly, ignoring ‘ack Ivor. “There’s no time to explain.” “You don’t need to explain,” Bar- bara said quietly. “Russ Kilrain, if that was his name, made everythihg pretty plain when he was here this evening. He told us to leave, or he’d kill us.” Varing said to Jack Ivor, “You fool, why haven’t you taken her and the boy away? Kilrain wasn’t bluffing. He may show up any minute.” Jack Ivor was plucking nervously: at the buttons on his dirty shirt. His lips seemed stiff. “I tried to get her to he whined. “I told her Kilrain . leave,” would kill us all. But she wouldn’t leave. Maybe she’ll listen to you, Varing.” “I won’t” Barbara declared firmly. “If we left here we’d have nothing, no place to go. We’d be out on the prairie, homeless, with the rain and wind in our faces. What we have here is piti- fully little, but it holds all our hopes for the future. It’s worth fighting for, | worth dying for if we have to!” “There are other places, Barbara,” Jack Ivor said pleadingly. “I—I know I haven’t been much of a husband. I’ve been weak, worthless; I’ve dragged you and the boy down with me. But leave here with me, Barbara, and I promise you things will be different. I'll get a job. I'll quit whiskey, and all the other things. I’ll be a man.” Barbara’s face was pale and strained, but she was adamant. She said, “If you want to be a man, you'll never have a better chance than to be one right here, tonight!” Billy had gotten up from the pallet. He went to Jack Ivor and looked up into his fear-distorted face. “I’m not afraid,” he lisped. _ My daddy won’t let anybody hurt me.’ Jack Ivor looked down at the youngster, as if just then aware of his existance, His trembling fingers Gomichbooksszco im