Fifteen Western Tales, March 1954 — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

ae ee Brothers under the Rope The tinhorn brothers had one draw left apiece, so they made it sixguns ... back to back! By Dennison Rust tances, partners started when the taller: one—named Parson from his habit of wearing a long black frock coat, and his generally devout mien—first learned that his stubby, jovial half-brother, Flash, was as crooked as any dog’s hind leg. Later, Fash grinned and winked at the dour-faced Parson. fish, feller,” he laughed. “All I need is to practice that deal some and I'll make us plenty of easy dinero. Hell, everybody ex- pects a gambler to cheat, an’ if he does it well enough, what’s the difference ?’ The Parson’s. long face grew bleak. “Front here out you an’ me split the blankets. The Golconda is a straight place, and I’m givin’ a square deal to every son who steps in these doors. I’m buyin’ you out—right now!”’ | Yet for all his underhand work, Flash Quaintance, in his new*place on Kansas Street, did a fine business. ° ~ That mutual hatred was bound to end in gunsmoke, had not something happened to change the course of their destinies. That factor was a growing civic consciousness on the part of Painted Springs. Therefore, it wasn’t strange that a grim deputation of citizens called on Flash , \HE famous feud between the Quain- -Quaintance one night, dismantled his Pal- ace saloon, and took him down toward the gnarled cottomwood on the edge of town. Then he saw another silent group leading his brother, Parson. “Parson seems straight enough, but he’s blood-brother to this snake, an” snake blood 5S in the Golconda, “Simple as shootin’. will out, shore’s. preachin’!”” explained one ‘citizen. But another citizen intervened. “Make ‘em cut cards to see which one will hang, an’ which one will head out.” The cards were shuffled, spread out on the level ground. Flash made his draw, the jack of spades, and watched Parson’s fingers steal over the deck... . Maybe it was because Parson had never | known temptation before, until his life de- pended on the turn of a card, that he tried his -funtbling, crooked play and came up with a king. Then he met his. brother’s- gaze, and for the first time something like a friendly smile of human understanding broke at once over the two gamblers’ faces. Amid the cries and shouts condemning — Parson’s obvious attempt, Flash elged close and whispered in his brother's ear. Parson swooped downward, his two hands already loosed, sought and found the stingy gun im Flash’s. boot-top.. And then they were to- gether, back to back, fighting their way to- ward. their horses: A few years later, two men answering the description of the Quaintance brothers were seem in the Nevada gold camps. The squat one grinned when asked about his tall, ministerial-looking partner. ‘‘Pshaw,” he said. “He’s just as human as you or me. He plays a straight game—they say I don't, You take yore choice. . And the tall, black-garbed one looked fondly down at his stocky, flashy little part- ner. “Don’t let anyone tell you,” he said, “that this feller ain’t straighter than any- one you ever met... Cards, gents?” CORMEOOO© <S) CO = * ——. T*2r%8. Ky