2-Gun Western, November 1955 — page 80: what you’re looking at

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

BLOOD AND SWEAT - OR BULLETS? a “Come and get ’em, if you think you're good enough. Ed, when I say the word, let ’em have that buckshot —both barrels. We'll show ’em who runs the law in these parts!” That put it all distinctly up to the mob and they didn’t like the spot. They might have rushed Ed Dow, had he been alone. They might even have rushed Barney Carr, had he been alone, But the prospect of rush- ing both these defenders of the law, when one held a sawed off shotgun and the other a pair of ready and potent six guns—well, that was some- thing else again. Those in the front rank of the mob began pushing back, away from the threat of the guns, Those in back and reasonably safe if the guns should bark, tried to hold the lines. Soon, the mob was quarreling and cursing back and forth among its members. Barney Carr knew the signs. “They don’t want any of it, kid,’ he told Ed Dow quietly. “They’ll be heading for the bars to try and drink > their self-respect back pretty quick.” Barney holstered his guns, lifted an arm for attention, “I see Chet Chad- row and Sten Vinson out there,’ he shouted. “They claim to be the most hurt by that hold-up. I'll talk com- promise with ’em—but I won't be bull- ied into anything. All right, Shadrow want to talk it over, we'll try and hit some agreement.” “Listen, chief,’ muttered Ed Dow in a choked sort of voice, “I ain’t sure but what I’ve made a damned fool of myself. But Caspian and Stud- inger get.a fair break before the law. I don’t stand for them to be turned over to Shadrow and Vinson on any kind of a compromise. That goes!” “Good kid!’ murmured Barney Carr. You’re learning.” The mob, knowing its bluff had been called, and anxious to save its face, hailed Barney Carr’s proposi- tion with a yell of approval. Shadrow and Vinson were shoved forward and they came up to the steps sullenly. “I’m tired, boys,” said Barney Carr. “My feet hurt. Let’s go in and sit down, where we can talk this over quiet.” H* LED the way in and relaxed with a sigh behind his battered old desk. At the rear of the office was a locked door. This led directly into the jail in back. Ed Dow moved over and stood with his back to that door. He was taking no chances on Shadrow and Vinson pulling some surprise move and winning a way past that door to the two prisoners beyond. Barney Carr smiled slightly to himself as he noted the move. Shadrow straddled a chair, stocky and sullenly defiant. Vinson, a thin faced man of medium size, nervous as a cat with all the excitement, paced up and down the room a couple of times before he sat down. “I’m surprised at you two,” said Barney Carr, in his old, amiable man- ner. “Last men in the world I'd ex- pect to see in a mob. That ain’t law and order and you know it.” “It ain’t law and order to let hold- ups and killers run loose in this coun- try, either,’ growled Chet Shadrow. “When the man supposed to handle such things, which is you, Carr, won’t get off the dime—why then you got _to expect the boys to take things into their own hands. If Ed Dow hadn’t listened to reason and gone out and slapped an arrest on Caspian and Studinger, them two whelps might have been clear out of the county by this time.” “Buck and Milo wouldn’t have left the county,’ drawled Barney Carr. “No need of ’em to. They ain’t done anything wrong. Ed made a mistake when he'went out and arrested them two. But Ed’s young and anxious to do his duty. Any kid is liable to get over-eager and make a mistake. So I ain’t blaming Ed none, I’m blam- ing,’ and here a distinct edge came into the old sheriff’s voice— “I’m blaming them who talked Ed into it. Which, I’ll gamble, is you, Shadrow— and you, Vinson, I figured you'd probably overplay your hand.” Shadrow grew very still in his chair. Vinson stirred, licking his lips. “What you driving at?” blurted Shad- row. “I don’t like what you’re hinting at.” “Shouldn’t imagine you would, Shadrow. You’re both under arrest, of course. I’m charging you with the murder of Jim Dykes and Shove Macklin, and for robbing the stage they were driving and guarding.” Ab- conmileloooks.c@©