2 Gun Western, May 1957 — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

84 2-GUN WESTERN “Your friends are dropping i in fora little visit, Griffith,” he said, “We'll be listening from the hall. There'll be a gun on your back every minute, so if I were you I’d make it pretty. | Come on, Linda, we can...” “No, Will.” And as he turned to face the girl he saw that the gun was still in her hand, still covering him determinedly. “You’ve got to under- stand that things are different now. You can’t order people around like cattle, Will. That’s what causes all the fighting and killing in the first place. It caused your father’s death and if you start it all over it would cause a lot more. Jack doubled the value of the Bar Bench and he’s en- titled to a third interest. Dad wanted me to have a share, you know that. That leaves a third for you, Will. You’ve got to be fair. You—I thought you'd be different, Will, but I—” “Give me that gun!” Will knew the girl didn’t understand, didn’t know the true state of things. “T’ll shoot before I'll let you stir up trouble in the valley again!” But he came on and as he reached abruptly for the gun it exploded be- neath the pressure of her finger. Will froze in mid-stride, shocked by the blast of flaming powder, the searing, branding finger of leaden bullet that grazed his ribs. He was standing that way, unbelieving, when the front door opened and men burst into the room. Lou Durant was there, and Ben Dawson of the Double D spread, and coming in behind, the broad grinning figure of Matt Gorman. There was the sound of other men from the porch outside. “There he is!” Du- rant’s voice came. “Get him, Matt!” But as Will stood there, half-blind- ed by the acrid fumes of powder smoke, the girl was suddenly there against him, sobbing, crying words, her arms about him in sudden fear and hysterical realization of what she’d done, “Hold up, there!’ Ben Dawson bat- ted a heavy hand against the gun that was coming up in Matt Gorman’s fist. “I've got him covered! Don’t move, Bowman!” UT WILL Bowman had no in- tention of SRISVINE, peasing jhe ——— girl’s mumbled words against his chest, realizing with a quick upsurge of spirit the depth of the emotion that had brought her to him. “There won't be any trouble, Miss Taylor.” Dawson’s deep voice boomed. “When this hombre’s been tried and hung for killing Rufe Williams to- day, everything will be plumb peace- ful!” | Will came away from the girl then, hearing her exclamation at the ranch- er’s words, turning to face the men. “Don’t worry about my hanging, Dawson,” he said. “I’ve been here at the ranch since early this morning. I couldn’t have killed Williams. But, to tell you the truth, I’m not sur- prised at being accused of it. Or any- thing else that would get rid of me pronto. Here, look this over, Ben. It might give you an idea of the way things stand.” Will straightened the crumpled paper he held, holding it out to the man. There was the clink of glass as Jack Griffith poured himself a drink. The old rancher took the paper, hold- ing it a moment as he squinted across © at Griffith. “That right, Jack?” he demanded. “Bowman been here all day?” “Of course it’s right!” Linda’s eyes flashed defiantly. Griffith hesitated a long moment before speaking, avoiding the glances of Will and the girl. “Will got here an hour ago,” he said slowly, and there was hatred in the quick glance he gave Will as Linda’s gasp of dis- belief came. “You can’t believe what the. girl says, Ben,’ Durant said quickly. “You saw how things were a minute ago. I’ll have a look at that paper.” But old Ben Dawson was shaking his head slowly as Durant casually took the paper from his hand. “Now just a minute here...” But Will started forward as he saw Durant reach for the paper. “Don’t let him have that, Ben!” “Ease off, hombre!” Durant’s smile was there as Matt Gorman moved up beside him, sixgun center- ing Will’s middle. “Blast him if he moves another inch, Matt!” The man’s easy glance touched Ben Daw- son. “Why, this’s nothing but the CoOnmiclhooks.conn