2 Gun Western, May 1957 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

PEACEMAKER MEANS POWDERSMOKE give them. After tonight, both Jimmy and me will be taken care of!” HE DEPUTY stared at him. » “What are you talking about!” he demanded. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Del pushed back from the table, stood up with the gun level in his hand. “I reckon I ought to plug you, Kirk, for a double-crossing rat; but I guess I can’t. I ain’t forgotten we used to be friends once, even if you have.” y, “Honest to God, Del—”’ “Shut up!” He threw open the door on gathering dusk, cast a glance down the trail, “These friends of mine will be coming in a few minutes and it wouldn’t be _ particularly healthy for you if they saw you.” He motioned with the gun. “Come on. I better take care of you before they get here.” Kirk moved woodenly as he stood up, with arms at shoulder height. Face expressionless, he stepped out of the shack ahead of the man with the gun. As he passed Brannon, the latter snaked the six-gun out of the deputy’s holster, thrust it into ‘his own waistband. They went in silence along the face of the hill. Boots scuffing in loose rubble, weeds whip- ping their legs as they followed the old path toward the dark mouth of the mine pit, above them. : When they reached the opening, Kirk hesitated; but a jab from Bran- non’s gun sent him on into the nar- row tunnel. “This’ll do,’ said the other. Kirk waited, uncertainly. And then his arms were jerked do-vn be- hind his back and felt the burn of a rope scraping his wrists. In a few minutes Brannon had him tied hand and foot, and lying on the floor of the dark mine cut. “Hope you don’t get too uncomfortable,” he said. “You won’t be there long—maybe a - few hours. We’re headin’ out as soon as we finish our job tonight, but I’ll find some way to get you loose. I just don’t want you mixing up our plans; and I don’t want Shan to lay eyes on you.” — : Then he was gone. Leaving Kirk _ 67 alone in the dark of the tunnel’s throat, and with sudden understand- ing striking him like a blow. Shan! Shan Dupree and his guncrowd! Del Brannon had joined up with them, and he was going to help in the raid on the bank at the county seat—tonight! He remembered what Del had said about the hombres who were glad to throw in with him because of the in- formation he could give them. Infor- mation about the town, and the layout of the bank building! | But there was one thing Del didn’t know and couldn’t tell them—that Sheriff Cowley and the banker were ready for them, had a trap all planned to spring when Dupree tried his play. Del would be riding into that trap with the outlaw crew—maybe riding to his death! Kirk tried to yell, to call after Brannon and bring him back. But his voice was muffled against the rock floor of the tunnel where he lay; and by the time he managed to roll over, Del was gone out of hearing. Kirk lay there, then, with sweat standing on his brow; thinking in horror of what was to come that evening. He thought he knew what had turned Brannon outlaw. The chance to even his score with Ward Shipton had appealed to him; and the chance for a cut in the loot from’ Shipton’s bank. money that Jimmy would need. Running into Dupree and his gang must have seemed a lucky break, a good out for him. But instead, it would mean death in front of flaming guns, in the trap Sheriff Cowley had planned... Co desperately, Kirk was 7 struggling with his bons, Fight- ing the knots that Brannon had worked in them. He had to get loose, to stop Del. He owed Jimmy that much. And too, Del was his friend; no matter what had happened. But try as he would, he couldn’t seem to do anything with the ropes that held him. Del had done too good a job with them. Kirk tore at the knots until his fingers were bleeding and the sweat streamed from his body, but he hadn’t fazed them. aA He started inching along the rock | floor, then, toward the opening where (CONMUCL YOO KS n(GO)