Fifteen Western Tales, March 1954 — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

“rammed with SIX-GUNS SAY DIE! ‘“That’s right,” he said. ‘Crandell came in with ranch equipment of his own and a passel of the hardest hombres you ever seen to help him sell it. Wasn’t long before a thing or two was plain to see. If a rancher bought from Jed Raines, his wire got cut mysterious-like .or his well pipes busted or his pump stove in. If he bought from Crandell everything was fine. Seems that ranchers that bought from Raines got choused into fights with. Crandell’s men when they came to town and always came off second best. There was a couple of kill- ings, but the killers got off on self-defense alibis because they badgered the ranchers into drawing first.” “What did Jed Raines do?” Evers asked. “Jed were a fighter,”’ the old hostler said, “but he picked the wrong man-to start on, one of Crandell’s toughs named Macho Starnes.. After Jed got killed, Crandell had it pretty much his way. Mary took over her pa’s business, but she ain’t able to move much stuff. She’s got a warehouse ranch equipment — right now.” Evers said bluntly, “Looks like ‘the ranchers remembered their friends.” The old man’s head jerked up. “You can be hard on ’em,”’ he said. ‘But you- wasn't here for ten years of no rain and bad prices. They've had a bellyful -of trouble, and I ain’t one to blame ’em for sidesteppin’ some of it now. Besides, no- body’s ever been able to prove a thing on Crandell and his men, and it’s hard to fight when there ain’t nothing to hit.” The hostler broke off as a ‘tall, gray- haired man drove up in.a buckboard. The man stepped down and said, “Take care of ‘em, Hank. I'll be back in a couple of hours or so.”’ The hostler nodded and waited until the man was out of earshot, and then he turned to Evers again. “You take that feller right there,” he said. “Joe Raymond. He’s got a fair- sized spread out east of town, and he’s a _ 35 friend of Mary Raines. But he’s got a wife and three kids. What do you bet he’s going right now to place an order with Ard Crandell? Heard him say last week he was b set to make improvements, ’ Clay Evers watched the rancher head for a big yellow building with the sign ARD CRANDELL—RANCH EQUIPMENT _ painted high across its front. Evers was unaware of coming to any decision, and yet suddenly he was walking out of the livery and down bUNS UF THE NIGHT RIERS! By Marvin de Vries | \ The riders pulled into the ranch, their nooses and guns in their hands, hunting the rustlers. It was as it had been twenty years before—only this time the men at Arrow were guilty—and this time Arrew would die before it'd give up its men te the marauders! Also: other great Western stories by Shirreffs, Bouma, and many others. Don’t Miss the Big March Issue on Sale Now! giG-BOo, WESTER! N MAGAZINE Gomichbooks (E@)