2 Gun Western, May 1957 — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

_) PEACEMAKER MEANS POWDERSMOKE 69 | breath, Maybe Dupree_and his men would get suspicious and give up their project. No. They were slipping through the door now, one by one, easing into the shadows of the office. Kirk though the silhouette of the last to go in looked a lot like Del’s. Next moment, he was starting for the black opening of the door, himself; but just as he reached the barred window next to it he stopped, stared. A light had come up inside the lit- ‘tle room. The feeble, flickering light of a candle. It had been sitting on the desk, under a box or something; and now somebody had yanked away the covering and let its yellow gleam spring out upon the room. Kirk gasped. Though the window he saw the quartet of outlaws—heavy, dark-faced Shan Dupree; Del Bran- non; and two others that he knew were Dupree’s men, named Keno and Yance. They were fanned out in a half circle, just as they had been when the light flooded forth. And they were looking at the desk in the opposite corner. There were two little boys standing behind the desk. Larry Shipton was holding the waste basket he’d just ‘taken away from over the candle. And Jimmy Brannon wielded a big, over- sized revolver with both hands. “St-stick ’em up!” piped Jimmy, in a frightened voice. “We got the drop on you!” The outlaws, gripped by their sur- prise, could only stand there and gape at those two kids with the big gun. Jimmy said, in his best imitation of a magazine hero: “O.K., Larry; Pll cover ‘em while you go lift the hard- ware off’n the varmints!” Larry Shipton gulped once, eyes glued to Shan Dupree’s evil face. “S-sure, pal!” he agreed. But he cir- cled wide as he started toward the bandits. GDP he stopped, staring up “# at Del Brannon. Neither of the boys had really noticed him before. “Look, Jimmy!” Larry exclaimed. Jimmy saw his brother, too. His lips moved as he whispered Del’s name; and there was a world of shock and disappointment in his face, The gun sagged a little. | That gave Shan Dupree his chance. Before anyone knew what was hap- pening he had leaped, grabbed Larry Shipton by the collar and dragged his thin body over across his own for a shield, His six-gun was in his hand, pointed unwavering at Jimmy, “All right, kid!” he rasped. “Drop that gun, d’you hear?” , ‘Jimmy gasped into the mouth of Dupree’s weapon. Slowly his fingers _ opened and let the heavy gun drop to the desktop, off onto the floor. Then Dupree brought the barrel of his sixshooter down in a savage blow across the head of Larry Shipton, helpless in his grasp; and Larry crumpled. The outlaw threw his senseless body to the floor. The sight of that cruel blow tauted Lee Kirk, put his hands in a tight grip on the bars of the window to keep him from rushing in there, un- armed and helpless as he was. At the same moment, Del Brannon was saying, with shock in his voice: “Good God, Dupree! What did you hit the kid for? That wasn’t neces- sary!” Shan Dupree grunted something. And then he was striding across the little room to the desk where Jimmy Brannon stood wild-eyed and fright- ened. Dupree’s six-shooter was rising again. “Dupree!” Del Brannon shouted the’ name, “Leave that boy alone! He's my brother!” The outlaw didn’t stop. He was right over Jimmy now. Del dragged his gun in a line on the big man. “If you touch him, I'll kill you!’ he barked. Dupree whirled. His black eyes burned into the other. Keno and Yance were standing half crouched, too, waiting to see what was going to come of this. They’d ridden with Du- pree long enough to know you didn’t cross him. Not if you were smart. Suddenly, Jimmy Brannon reached. out with both hands and dragged Du- pree’s gunwrist; dragged it aside. The jerk pulled the outlaw’s thumb off the eared-back hammer, and the shot roared deafeningly. The outlaw turned, slammed Jimmy ~ CONNIClOOxS. conn