1 nit tvt-aitit.N oimontiiis oy onarlton ooml an. Copyright 1964 by Charlton Comica G up. Designed »T AJ Vt sc TEX RITTER WESTERN A MOMENT LATER AS HARMAN STARTS] TO PDRD THE SHALLOW RIVER BEND... ( SHOT THROUGH THE HEART, THE RANCHER PITCHES FROM HIS REARING MOUNT WITHOUT A SOUND / QUIET, BOY/ CAN’T MAKE OUT WHO HE TWO DAYS LATER TEX RITTER AND HIS DEPUTY, BILL LAWTON, ARE CROSSINS A CORNER OF THE ARAPAHOE RESERVATION, WHEN ... I YEAH... INJUN . KILLIN’/ STbIll... NOT MUCH LEFT OF HIM/. STAKED OUT OVER AN ANT HILL... DON'T KNOW, BILL, BUT HE’S SURE MAKING A FUSS/ BETTER HAVE A LOOK-SEE... HEY TEX... WHAT’S AILIN' FURY OVER. THERE? SET MY BLANKET ROLLOFF WHITE FLASH, BILL . WE’LL WRAP UP TME BODY AND TAKE IT BACK TO TOWN. MAYBE SOMEBODY CAN IDENTIFY HIM... — AS THE TWO LAWMEN RIDE INTO TOWN . UH-HUH... UNLESS N I’M MISTAKEN, IT’S TOM HARMAN'S WIFE,, -v ANNE. > LOOKS AS IF SOME BODY'S WAITIN’ AT THE JAIL FOR US, _ TEX... ©RAIN TEX RITTER WESTERN .I’M APBAID IVE ALREADY UXTEE, AFTER THE BODY HAQ BEEN IDENTIFIED... SOMETHING 1 IT'S ABOUT MV \ HMMM. — I CAN DO /HUSBAND. TOM, ) FOUND YOUE HUSBAND, MAM/ ( FOe VOU, / EANG EE/HE CAME \ BILL, EIDE OUT TO THE EOCKING MES. \ TO TOWN THURSDAY \ £ AND GET JESSE HARMAN , HAEMAN ?) TO WITHDRAW SOME (TOM'S BROTHER... I WANT THEM ~iy MONEY FEOM THE /BOTH TO IDENTIFY HIM... IF IT T5=r\ mi BANK.. AND HE HASN’T ) IS HAEMAN WEVE GOT/ COME HOME... J. VES, IT'S DEFINITELY ) THOSE TOM'S WATCH AND /BLASTED BINS, RANGER / \ INJUNS/ I’M POSITIVE OF ) THEY IT/ THEE ATEN EC TOM... THEY DID? WHEN...? YES ... IT LOOKS AS IF THEY CARRIED OUT THAT THREAT/ GUESS WE’LL TAKE A SIDE OUT TO THE ARAPAHOE CAMP, BILL/ IT WAS LAST SPEJNS. TOM HAD WARNED THEM ABOUT HUNTING AND FISHING ON HIS LAND. THE LAZY J IS EIGHT BESIDE THE RESERVA- TION, YOU KNOW. WELL, HE FINALLY EAN TWO OF THEM OFF BY SHOOTING OVEE THEIE HEADS/ A FEW DAYS LATEE HE EAN INTO A PAETY OF THEM... THEY TOLD HIM IF THEY CAUGHT ^ HIM ON THEIE EESEBVATION, ,, — m — ■ THEY’D KILL Y AN HOUR LATEE THE OFFICERS AEEIVt AT THE INDIAN CAMP. CAN IT NOT WAIT UNTIL OUE WHITE FEI END’S HORSES' AEE FED AND THEIE El DEES HAVE SMOKED AND EESTED, TEX EITTEE ? . I MUST SPEAK. TO YOU ON A GEAVE . MATTEE, CHIEF FLYING CLOUD... TEX RITTER WESTERN each or my warriors has spoken, tex ritter... n KNOWS or SUCH AN EVIL DEED AS VOU DESCRIBE/ TOM HARMAN WAS A FRIEND OF THE ARAPAHOE AND NEVER. TOLD US NOT TO HUNT OR FISH ON WfiS&S ^ J HIS RANCH... ...HAD HE SO SPOKEN, )THE DEAD MAN'S NO ARAPAHOE WOULD / WIFE TELLS ME A HAVE VIOLATED HIS \ DIFFERENT STORV WISH / MY PEOPLE HAVE ) FLYING CLOUD/ LIVED IN PEACE WITH J YOU'LL .HAVE TO THE WHITE MAN, AND \ RETURN TO TOWN WISH IT TO REMAIN SO/ J. WITH ME, TO... CHIEF OF THE ARAPAHOE DOES NOT GO WITH YOU, WHITEMAN... . UGHH... THAT’S WHAT. YOU THINK, YOUNG FELLOW/ NOW YOU ‘DIE, WHITE S DOS.../ AfZRGHH. TEX RITTER WESTERN THIS HAS GONE FAE ENOUGH. I SHALL GO TO FACE THIS WOMAN WHO L'ES ABOUT < THE AEAPAHOE/ THESE WILL BE NO MOEE TEOUBLE. HOLSTEE YOUE WEAPON, ■ r^. WHITEMAN/ ^ LEATHEE ' YOUE GUN, BILL.' CHIEF FLYING < CLOUD’S > WOED IS , GOOD 4 ENOUGH 1 FOE ME/ A LISTEN CAEEFULLY, OH, WHITE MAN... FLYING CLOUD GOES WITH YOU WILLINGLY, BUT MANY TIMES HAS THE EED’ MAN BEEN TEICK.ED BY YOUE. PEOPLE/ SHOULD OUR CHIEF NOT EETUEN BY SUNDOWN TOMOEBOW, THE AEAPAHOE SHALL BIDE THE PATH OF WAS/ THE THE EE HORSEMEN HAVE HARDLV CROSSED) Tuer Ml lunev cuctu/ccm *ri_icr ffc-ccDwAriAM SHOT THEOUGH THE HEAET AND HID UN-DEE THAT ‘ BEUSH ... THE BOUNDEY BETWEEN THE EESEEVATION AND THE LAZY J, AND AEE APPEOAOHING THE INDIAN EiVER FOED, WHEN FURY MAKES ANOTHER DISCOVERY/ IS TOM HARMAN’S v_- BODY/ j BSsSf !* 3 ? TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX... YOU’RE CALLIN’ TOM'S WIPE AND BROTHER BOTH LIARS.../ £ ... THE HOMBBE STAKED OUT OVER. \ THE ANT HILL? I’M NOT POSITIVE ABOUT THAT, BUT I'M BEGINNING - © BE SURE S THESE INDIANS ABE TELLINS US / ^ THE TRUTH / CHIEP PLYING CLOUD... I FEAR I HAVE DONE YOU AN INJUSTICE/ THE KILLING OP TOM HAEMAN WAS A X WHITE MAN’S CRIME... ) THEN WHO WAS... MEANWHILE, AT THE LAZY J gANCH HOUSE. I'M READY DARLING/ PUT MY TRUNK. ON THE eig. ill being the SMALL BAGS. DID YOU GET THE MONEY? ARE YOU ALL PACKED AND BEADY TOGO, ANNE? I’VE GOT THE BIG OUT s FRONT, WAITING... Jgf IM NOT BEADY TO ACCUSE THEM OF LYING JUST YET, BILL, BUT AS LONG AS I’M THIS CLOSE TO THE HAEMAN EANCH HOUSE, I'M GOING ON OVEB THEBE AND ASK. A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS. YOU TAKE THE BODY IN. I’LL SEE YOU IN TOWN LATER... _ YES/ THE SLADE SYNDICATE IN CHEYENNE BOUGHT MY SPREAD AND TOM'S... FOR CASH/ WITH THE SEVEN HUNDRED TOM HAD WHEN I SHOT HIM, WE’VE GOT PLENTY TO START OVER ... IN STYLE/ TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX RITTER WESTERN THEN CO/AES THE OPENING THE PEAIRIE HANSES HAS BEEN WAITING POE ... ALL EIGHT, HAEM AN... GET UP/ VOU'EE GOING IN FOE — - aaaa/vv I’LL PUTA LISTEN... HOOF BEATS/ IT'S BILL LAWTON AND A POSSE/HUEEY... WE’VE _ SOT TO SET OUT OF y ^-7 HEEE ... CgA^n! SLUG IN ■ HIM... .MUEDEE/ OHHH._/. TEX RITTER WESTERN YOU'RE RIGHT, I'VE GOT TO GET OUT Or HERE/ BUT NOT YOU, ANNE, 1 A WOMAN WOULD JUST HOLD ME BACK, NOW._,/ ^ BILL... JUST KNOCKED OUT/ JESSE HAEM AN... SHOT... ME... SUDDENLY .THE FUGITIVE'S' HORSE PUTS HIS HOOF IN A GOPHER HOLE AND STUMBLES, SENDING HARMAN SPRAWLING FORWARD/ NOBODY IN SIGHT BEHIND ME YET/ WON'T GO CLEAR TO THE FORD... SWIM THE RIVER RIGHT HERE... HEAD FOR THE BORDER. ... ^ VES, YOU’RE RIGHT. WHY IS IT THE GOOD GUYS LUCE TOM HARMAN, WHO NEVER DO ANYBODY ANY HARM, HAVE TO TAKE IT IN THE NEC 1C FROM PEOPLE LIKE ANNE AND ^ JESSE, TEX ? LEG. PUT HIM OUT OF HIS MISERY, BILL. WE'LL RETURN THE SADDLE TO THE LAZY J ON THE WAY BACK TO TOWN. — — ALL RIGHT, TEX... PROBABLY IF JESSE HADN'T MOVED DOWN HERE AND BOUGHT THE SPREAD NEXT TO TOM'S, EVERYTHING WOULD’VE BEEN FINE. BUT HE DID, AND TOM TRUSTED HIM AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING BUT A BROTHER'S LOVE FOR HIM ... MAYBE... I'M NOT SO SURE THAT AN EMOTION THAT CAN LEAD TO MURDER FOR A MAN’S MONEY CAN BE CALLED LOVE, BILL... TEX RITTER WESTERN RlDIf/G THE RANGE With- i ^^TEX RITTER & I SURE SET A KICK OUT OP THESE L/'L PALA VER/NG SESS/ONS V, HAVE — I HOPE VOU ENJOY OUR POWWOWS AS MUCH AS I DO. A SHORT WHILE BACK I STOPPED OFF . , ON A RAMBLE ACROSS THE MESA, AT A LITTLE RANCH NEAR ROCK LEDCE. THE FEELER WHO LIVES THERE /S A OU/ET OLD GENT WHO SURE KNOWS HOW TO MAKE AN OVERNIGHT GUEST PEEL PLUMB AT HOME. AT A LITTLE . WHILE I WAS BEDDING DOWN WHITE FLASH FOR THE NIGHT, TWO R/DERS GALLOP-. ED UP AND ASKED IP THEY COULD BUNK FOR THE EVENING. WHEN THE OLD FELLER INVITED THEM TO STAY, THOSE RANN/ES JUMPED OFF THEIR WEARY BRONCS AND WENT RIGHT /NS/DE WITHOUT SO MUCH AS GLANCING BACK AT THEIR WEARY, HUNGRY ANIMALS. A HALF HOUR LATER, WHEN I HEARD THE VARMINTS SNORING TO BEAT ALL GET- OUT, THE OLD CODGER CAME LIMPING OUT TO THE BARN. WITHOUT A WORD, HB STARTED FEEr , “'~ >■*"««' *--«./«//-.-»«/» ... THEM CAREFUL KILL THE NESTER F RED CAMMER reined up sharply and stared at the door of his two-room cabin. His big hands trembled. If he had been asked whether that was caused by rage or fear, he couldn't have answered. “Combination.” he might have drawled in his word-saving manner of speech. Fred sat tall in the saddle. His shoulders were broad, his face bore a strong, rock-like quality. His hands were big and tough. He appeared not to be the type of man who would scare easily and yet, as he stared at his door, there was a second' when ice gripped his heart. On that door was his death warrant. Nothing as crude and straightforward as a scrawled note, but nevertheless a message that spelled his doom as surely as if it had been printed in black letters ten feet high. It was there, a bird’s nest, impaled against the door by a long-bladed knife. Fred Cammer sat still and looked at it. A flood of emotions surged through his brain and heart. That he had long expected it didn’t ease the shock. To him the message on the door read, “Kill the nester.” “Like a wreath !” he said aloud and his shoulders shook with mirthless, near-hysterical laughter. Then he leaped from his horse and tore the knife savagely from the door and hurled it to the ground. “Trouble, Fred?” asked a voice behind him. Fred turned. The U. S. Marshal, astride his big, white stallion, was looking down at him. Wordlessly, Fred pointed at the nest and knife on the ground. “Notice to vacate, eh?” said the Marshal gravely. "You aim to leave?” Fred shook his head from side to side. “I saw smoke in the sky, thought there might be trouble and rode on out,” said the Marshal. “Barn burned,” responded Fred. “Know who did 'it? Want to make any , charges?” asked the Marshal. Fred laughed, bitterly. ' His barn had been burned, his fences cut. Horses had trampled his corn. But he had no proof of anything, nothing the law could help him with. The Marshal spoke again to the taciturn farmer. “Boy, I admire your courage, but I won’t say it’s not downright foolish. True, you’ve got the law on your side. I know you have government papers that say this land is yours. I know you mind your own business and abide by the law. You’re not hurting any- body But cattlemen somehow just can’t abide nesters and there are some mighty mean cattle- men sometimes.” The lawman paused. He wasn’t naming names, but Fred Cammer knew he was referring to Bradley Duke, the local beef baron, and his men. Bradley Duke was a gun-slinging cattle king who had a reputation for killing anything or anybody who got in his way. Many a nester who’d tried to oppose him had become buzzard bait. “I won’t stand for murder,” continued the Marshal. “I’ll clamp down on anybody, nester or cattleman, I find get'ting out of line. But this is a mighty big country and "sometimes murder is hard to prove. If you’re determined to stay here, I’ll do what I can for you, boy, but you’re going to have to be ready to protect yourself. Be careful.” “Thanks," said Fred, grimly, as the Marshal turned his mount and rode away. Fred entered the cabin and threw himself on his bunk, his hands behind his head. He stared at the rough hewn ceiling. A stranger might have thought this the gesture of despair; of a man who had given up who was lying down waiting for death to come and get him. But anyone who knew Fred Cammer would have known better. He was thinking. He was plan- ning. His body was relaxed, but his mind was active. No matter what the odds, Fred would go down fighting. As he stared at the ceiling, he tried to visual- ize what Bradley Duke would do next. Dry gulching was the likeliest possibility. Some- where, hidden partially by a rock, a rifle would gleam. Then a bullet would drive into the back , of Fred’s head. That was the pattern. That was what was believed to have happened to other nesters. “Well, maybe I can beat Bradley Duke at his own game,” thought Fred at last. He eased his lanky frame up from the bunk and left the cabin. Still lying in the corn patch where horsemen had knocked it over was the partly broken frame of a scarecrow. It had*been one of the first things the nester had erected on his “farm." “Doesn’t scare anything;” he once explained to the Marshal, "but it’s company.” Carrying the scarecrow, he led his horse into a shed and started working. Presently he led the horse . out again and, seated in the saddle, was a reasonably accurate facsimile of himself. Stuffed and padded and lashed to the saddle was a dummy in Fred’s hat, shirt and pants. "From a distance it’ll look all right,” Fred told himself. He led his decoy through the gate and sent the obedient horse ambling down the trail toward town. Fred himself circled and clambered up rocks to the ledge overlooking the road. He carried a shotgun. As he neared the top he worked cautiously, making sure that no crumbled rock was dis- lodged by his footsteps. He found a crack be- tween two jutting rocks and peered cautiously through. He saw what he had anticipated. Lying low on a ledge not twenty feet away was Bradley Duke, his rifle barrel gleaming. Duke had his back to Fred, his eyes on the narrow trail. Off to the left a tiny cloud of dust was getting larger. Fred’s faithful horse was coming along as scheduled, carrying the dummy. "The rat! He wouldn't even give a man a fighting chance,” , thought Fred. “Here comes the nester, right on schedule,” thought Duke. “How can these greenhorns be so dumb?” Fred made himself as comfortable as possible, keeping the shotgun ready. “As soon as he fires at the dummy, I'll have him dead to rights,” he thought. He watched patiently. Presently the steady clop-clop of the horse could be heard and then Duke raised his gun a little, began taking careful aim. “Oh, no! Not that angle! Liable to hit the horse!” Fred was unaware he had spoken aloud. Duke whirled and fired. Despite a slug in his shoulder, Fred leaped and covered the several feet in two jumps. His big fist caught the side of Bradley Duke’s jaw before the cattle king could shoot again. Just to make sure, Fred slammed his other fist against the man’s nose. Duke sprawled on the ledge, his rifle clattering on the rocks. “He was aiming to murder me, all right, but I don’t know whether I’ve got a case,” mused Fred, aloud. “You’ve got a case, all right,” said a voice behind him. “I saw the whole thing.” It was the Marshal. Not being as word-frugal, as the nester, the Marshal readily explained that he, too, had figured out that Duke would probably try to dry gulch Fred. He admitted he had been sur- prised to discover Fred in the role of stalker rather than stalked. He said he had lain low in the rocks, awaiting developments, but had had his gun ready to prevent any killings. “There’s no doubt,” continued the Marshal, “but what I can get Bradley Duke convicted of attempted murder. It’s an open and shut case and people around here have been getting a mite tired of his high-handed ways. He'll go to jail, all right." “That’s good,” said Fred. “Then maybe I can run my little spread in peace.” “I doubt it,” said the Marshal, dryly. “You’ll be in jail, too." “What?” "There can be no doubt you were going to shoot Duke in the back if you hadn’t got wor- ried and excited about your horse,” said the lawman, pointing at Fred’s shotgun. “Attempted murder's as bad for one as it is for another. I like you personally, boy, but the law’s the law. You were aiming to shoot him and you’ll go to jail, too.” Fred laughed. “What’s so funny?" demanded the Marshal. “Look at my gun,” suggested Fred. The Marshal did so. “Well, I’ll be hanged!” he exclaimed. “It’s not loaded! Empty! Well, well. I guess you can’t accuse a man of wanting to shoot somebody if his gun isn't even loaded!” “No, I never wanted . to shoot anybody,” agreed Fred. “I just want to live and let live.” . THE END 7 7JJUJLL.IJ-11 awi THE m\)rdb zrn BANDITS/ 7^m\ Uj££&' WE STILL HAVE QUITE A DISTANCE BEFORE WE CROSS THE BORDER, WHITE FLASH, AND IT'S GETTING LATE. WE'LL BUNK AT THIS INN TILL MORNING AND START OUT FRESH THEN ! CQV\E AGAIN , ' SEflCR TEX . IT WAS A GREAT PLEASURE HAVING YOU AS M/ GUEST J rr was good to see TOU AGAIN, JUAN! NOW , I'VE GOT TO GET BACK ) TO THE STATES! y- / BUENOS DIAS! M, TEX RITTER WESTERN THERE'S A STABLE BEHIND THIS INN WHERE VOU CAN , STAY FOR THE NIGHT, A WHITE FLASH! TT ...AND I RECM3N THE BOSS WON’T EITHER! I’D BETTER WISE 1 HIM UP PRONTO! TANNER! WHAT'RE Y I AIN'T MOVING YUH DOIN' HYAR ? FROM HYAR, BOSS! TORE SUPPOSED ) TEX RITTER'S IN TO BE ON TORE \TOWN AND STOPPING WAY TUH SMUGGLE ] ACROSS THE STREET THAT GOLD ACROSS J IN THE BORDER THE BORDER 7 C/7V WV/ OKAY, YELLOW- \ BELLY! I'LL GfT . ONE OF THE ' OTHER BOVS TUH SMUGGLE IT ACROSS! WHO'LL VOLUNTEER ? A NOT )NOT ME] ME! y EITHER, <-i C'CPlKE! I I WANT ONE OF YOU \tAfJCHO OBL \feGASf TO LEAVE THIS NOTE I HE’S THE MEANEST A T THE INN FER TEX J KILLER IN THIS BART RTITER! THEN GO J OF MEXICO! I’M FIND RANCHO DEL ( BEGINNING TO CATCH ON! VEGAS ANO BRING f — — HIM BACK HYAR ! f KILLING HOMBRES f DON’T WORRY ABOUT THAT, ■ IS MY BUSINESS, I BAnCHO! I’VE ARRANGED IT SO !, BUT I DO NOT / ALL YUH HONE TO DO 6 HlOE ON MX IT WITH TEX / ONE SIDE OF THE INN AND YUH E IS TOO (3000 / CAN PICK HIM OFF AS HE COMES OT! C OUT IN A FEW MINUTES ! It A KITTtK WtVItKN I DOWT THINK.' I KNOW ! JUST PLANT YORES ELF ON ONE S'OE OP THE INN , ■ HE'LL 8E OUT J ^ ^ fi*=ANWHILE... 1 1 DION'T KNOW ANYONE 1 HERE KNEW ME. ITS ALMOST MIDNIGHT SO I MIGHT AS WELL SEE WHO THIS ‘FRIGHTENED FRIEND IS IT LOOKS AS IF MV FRIGHTENED FRIEND S NEITHER FH6HTENEP u NOR A friend : aMT WHAT’S THIS ? MyGUfiJ! HE SHOT IT RIGHT OUT OF lMY HAND! I'D BETTER VAMOOSE: ^ TEX RITTER WESTERN LOOK. BOSS! RITTER'S HE WON'T GIT THE CHANCE TO SHOOT OFF HIS MOUTH 1 I'L SEE TO TH/Wi I'VE SOT YOU ' START TALKING : . . HUH ? CAUGHT HIM.' OUR GAME'S UP.' RANCHO WILL SQUEAL A jo save his skin : ^#*2 HE'S DEAD ! WHOEVER SHOT HI /A WANTED TO KEEP HIM FROM TALKING THAT CAN ONLY MEAN THAT HE MUST HAVE BEEN BART OF A GANG THAT WAS OUT TO I^GET ME ! ^ ^ BUT WHY ? MAYBE I’lX^ FIND THE ANSWER IN THAT ROOM ABOVE THE GAMBLING CASINO , WHERE THE SHOT , CAME FROM A LOCKING THIS DOOR WON'T DO ANY GOOD : HUH ? IT'S EMPTY l WHOEVER IT WAS, HAS E5CAPED: I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT OR WHERE TO START LOOKING FOR THE MURDERING COYOTE ; I'LL TALK TO THE SHERIFF HERE ! HE MIGHT BE ABLE TO THROW . L SOME LIGHT ON WHAT'S GOING ON l TEX RITTER WESTERN AW/TW.YES: BUT MOT THE TRAP I'VE V\ORKED OUT.' TEX RITTER LD/E5 TWS HORSE, WHITE FLASH, AND HE'D DO ANYTHING PS? HIM / '50 T WHUT? I RECKON THE ONLY \ WAY WE'LL EVER GET TEX B TUH SET UP A , REAL DEATH TRAP tjFER HIM ! RITTER'S TOO SMART TO FALL PER ANY »TRAPJ w_ WHEN RITTER FINDS WHITE FLASH [ I GET rr! WHEN TEX FINDS ' GONE, HE'S GOING TJH LOOK HIS HORSE WHAR WE HIDE FER HIM ! TO MAKE IT EASY PER. / HIM, WE'LL BE WATTING TO RITTER, I'M LEAVING A TRAIL OF J GIT HIM A GREAT IDEA, OATS FER HIM TO FOLLOW l ^ BOSS.' X KNOW AN OLD BARN 7 — HILLS WE CAN HIDE OUT WHITE FLASH IS GONE .' IT LOOKS AS IF WHOEVER'S STOLEN HIM USED FOOD ^ TO LURE HIM AWAY/. . ^ TEX RITTER WESTERN SOMETHING'S WRONG! THIS TRAIL OF OAT5 LED HERE TOO PERFECTLY TO HAVE BEEN DROPPED ACCIDENTLY ! I'LL LOOK INSIDE FROM THE BACK "Vi_. BEFORE I GO IN ! -1 DON'T WORRY, BOSS! HE WONT GET AWAV THIS TIME ! WE’RE FOUR AGAINST ONE ! GET UNDER THAT HAY, T QUICK ! HYAR COMES RITTER NOW! IF I DON’T GIT THE DROP ON HIM , WHEN HE ENTERS, VUH / RANNIE5 JUMP HIM T|K PRONTO! THAT CRITTER MUST BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRST ATTEMPT ON MV LIFE , TOO CM NOT GOING TO BE CAUGHT OFF GUARD . AGAIN •' -T77JTM iiiiniMlMirWi J trS RITTER! HE MUST'VE CAUGHT ON IT WAS A TRAP' PILE ON HIM. ..QUICK! * NOW he's'licked fer GOOD! WE’VE GOT HIM — i DOWN ! ' JUMPING SAGEBRUSH, THERE'S A WHOLE . GANG UP HERE ! J TEX RITTER WESTERN is OOWM . ■ ■ but a4tt* out WHILE MY TB HENCHMEN ARE ^ BATTLING WITH RITTER, IT'LL GIVE ME A CHANCE TO GET l OUT OF HERE ! JH THESE THREE ARE IN NO CONDITION TO RUN AWAY SO I CAN LEAVE THEM JUST . -WHERE THEY ARE ! jfc NOW TO CATCH UP WITH THAT CRITTER.' HE'S PROBABLY THE HEAD OF THIS GANG ! ('GULP.') rr'S TEX. RITTER HE MUSTVE BEATEN UP MV GANG f I'LL KILL HIM J V •I DON'T KNOW WHV "lOU'RE SO ANXIOUS TO k. KILL ME... . TEX RITTER WESTERN .. .BUT I'LL FIND OUT AFTER IVE GIVEN YOU THE SAME MEDICINE I fc, GAVE YOU I? BOVS' SaTER, AT the LOCAL MEXICAN JALHOUSE, AND WHEN I GET THROUGH WITH YOU. I'LL PICK THEM UP AND WE'LL ALL HEAD BACK TO THE SHERIFF'S — .OFFICE ! - -r ^ — AND EVEN THOUGH WE SUSPECTED P IK# OF BEING THE HEAD OF THE GOLD SMUGGLERS , WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO CATCH HIM WITH THE GOODS — ' UNTIL YOU BROUGHT HIM IN ! ^ S AS YOU SAW WHEN I SEARCHED PIKE, I FOUND POUCHES OF GOLD ON HIM! THANKS TO YOU. VEX, WE'VE raUNDEO UP THE WHOLE GANG! . IT 5 HOWS YOU WHAT A GUILTY CONSCIENCE CAN DO ! WHEN THEY SAW ME THEY ASSUMED I WAS OUT LOOKING FOR THEM ...AND IN TRYING TO GET RID OF ME , THEY GOT THEM- , ^SELVES IN JAIL ! X RECKON WE WON'T BE NEEDED II MEXICO ANY MORE ! LET'S HEAO FOR HOME. WHITE FLASH ! I'M MIGHTY GLAD TO HAVE BEEN OF SSWICE, EVEN THOUGH I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS SOLVING WHEN I TACKLED THESE ^ MURDERERS.' M TTT TEX RITTER WESTERN yr here's your money, MR. HALL L THAT HORSE IS WORTH EVERY DOLLAR OF THE PRICE YOU'RE ASKING FOR. , HIM l .. -- rust/ hall ... ■" AND PARDNER t There's a combination that ■** i is known throughout the West No one would have believed that the day would ever come when " final, poignant farewells would be said by these two ! Yet here is the "■* amazing story of what happens ~ _= HALL SELLS PARDNER WuZTY HALLvb RIDIKI6 HARO AS SWIFT-FALLIM© ABRUPTLY, THE SHARP BARK OF A WINCHESTER RIFLE CUTS THROUGH THE AIR NIGHT CLOAKS THE TRAIL- MOVE , PARDNER J WE'VE SOT TO REACH THE BAR S RANCH SOON OR WE'LL BE CAMPIN© , » OUT TONIGHT l S TEX RITTER WESTERN ULP. HE SHOT THE SUN OUTTA MUH HAMD ! IWE IW6TANT RUflY HALL HITS THE k 6Roumd his quick reflexes come itno Play, a sum leaps wto his hawd. BUT HE WON'T SET, ANOTHER CHANCE i ] FttO Af/DetSOS. 1 I IS THIS THE WAY YOU ' / SREET YOUR NO USE TRYIN6 TO FISHT , COME AND SET ME, YUH BLASTED RUSTLER DON’T BE ANSRY WrTH RIWTY, PARDNER HE JUST FOUSHT FOR HIS MASTER THE WAY YOU WERE FISHTINS FOR ME / EJ TAKE IT EASY, RINTY, THIS HOMBRE IS A FRIEND OF YOURS / J X ONLY FIRED A 1 WARNINS SHOT I WOULDN'T WANT TO KILL EVEN AN ORNERY RUSTLER ! BUT THE J WAY YUH SOT THE PROP ON ME , I'M SHORE OR THREE NIGHTS BUST* HALL HELPS HIS FRIEND KEEP WATCH. ANP THEN Y THANKS, FRED.' WE VE / BEEN FRIENDS A LONG TIME ! I’D SURE HATE TO SEE YOU LOSE YOUR SPREAD HOOFBEATS.' SHOD HORSES, WHAT'S \ TOO.' SOUNDS UKE A a THAT ? L— DOZEN MEN.' jam FOMENTS LATER, RUtfi HALL AND HIS FRIEND RIDE HEADLONG INTO THE MIDST OF A BLAZING GUN BATTLE ITS TEE BUSKERS . THEY'RE STARTING ANOTHER RAID .' TEX RITTER WESTERN YOU'LL BE ALL RIGHT 1 THE BULLET WENT CLEAN THROUGH, A DOCTOR WILL STOP THE N-NEVER MIND ME.’ DON'T.LET THEM STEAL MY HORSES.' IHH . THEY GOT me ,/gosry r YOU NEED A DOCTOR . THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT J BESIDES, THOSE ORNERY POLECATS HIGHTAILED IT AWAY FROM HERE g BUT- BUT THEY GRABBED SOME OF MY BEST BREED- ING STOCK THEY EVEN GOT MY HORSE , RlNTY " THEY WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS . I PROMISE YOU THAT BUT IF I DON'T GET YOU TO A MEDICO RIGHT AWAY. YOU ^ MIGHT BLEED TO DEATH l P HE'S LOST A LOT OF \ BLOOD ' BUT IT ISN’T ’ THE WOUND THAT WORRIES ME I HE JUST DOESN'T ) SEEM TO CARE WHETHER / HE PULLS THROUGH OR \ NOT.' KEEPS MUTTER- ING THAT THERE'S / NClTHING LEFT F OK / HIM TO LIVE FOR, y NOW.' r RECKOM YOU'D BETTER HAVE A TALK. WITH HIM IF A MAN LOSES THE WILL TO LIVE. THERE'S NOT MUCH A DOCTOR CAN DO l H MY HUSBAND'S G-GOiNG TO BE ALL RIGHT. ISN'T OHtttW/ (SOB. 1 ) TEX RITTER WESTERN ' FRED'S GOING TO PIE l 1 KNOW f COURAGE/ IT , RUSTY i WE /MARY: MAYBE CAN'T FIGHT ANY- \ YOU WON'T MORE i NOW THAT ) LOSE IT.' c ME KNOWS WE'RE L_ .GOING TO LOSE As THE RANCH .' KV^ ' WE RE BEATEN, \ LEAVE THAT RuirV l itSno ito me! i'll USE WE HAVEN'T J FIND THE ANY STOCK, ANO / MONEY, NO MONEY TO /SOMEHOW/ MEET THE K/ , ^ mortgage/ — Bo K a ^seu L-_ a hdrs es .rr/i GOOD.' I NEED THE MONEY RIGHT AWAY. I'VE GOT TO PAY OFF, A MORTGAGE ON THE -BAR S.' BUT I'D APPRECIATE IT, IF I COULD HAVE A FEW MINUTES ALONE ~7 WITH PARDNER HERE l , I NEED THREE FIFTY — CASH / YOU'LL^ GET THAT MUCH FOR PARDNER j A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW WHAT HE CAN DO /AND THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, PARDNER WILL CONVINCE MIGHTY QUICK.' HOW ^ ABOUT THREE HUNDRED ? y ^JilS IS THE MOST PAINFUL MOMENT IN KUSTy HALL'S LONG CAREER. IT IS A MOMENT FRAUGHT WITH MANY MEMORIES.... OUR TRAILS WILL CROSS AGAIN, PARDNER, SOME- DAY; I'M SURE OF IT; AND-AND YOU KNOW THAT, , WHATEVER HAPPENS.I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU/ NEVER/ a “you UNDERSTAND, DON'T YOU, PARDNER ? WE CAN GET ALONG. ...WITHOUT EACH OTHER, SOMEHOW.' IT'S The only way i can save fred , — ANDERSON'S LIFE / jj TEX RITTER WESTERN ' i don't know WHSX HE'LL SAY \ n'6 NO — ' WHEN HE FINDS I MATTER, MARY; OUT HOW YOU / MR. FROME REALLY RAISED /PROMISED ME THE MONEY' \ THAT PARDNER HOW CAN WE WOULD SET EVER REPAY / THE BEST OF voa.Husry ? / care ' thatS s, r-r-f WHAT MATTERS FTM M06T' 'FRED'S SLEEPING PEACEFULLY, T RLfry .' 1 TOLD HIM THAT STORY ' ABOUT YOUR HAVING BROUGHT J BACK THE SROLEN HORSES / HE BELIEVED ME WHEN I MB SHOWED HIM THE MORTGAGE /NS . PAID UP/ /> good, 7™ /I / MARY/ HE'LL ee j 1 , \ I l AU- RIGHT NOW , VhI NEXT MORNING PARDNER IS BROUGHT DOWN TO THE TERMINAL TO AWAIT SHIPMENT. SUDDENLY HE SPOTS THE NAMIUAR FIGURE OF ... .RIMTYi S TOP THEM, YOEEOOiS.' DON'T LET THOSE HORSES GET AWAY / - TEX RITTER WESTERN ZUSTV, iOOfe'J I'LL SAY IT IS. ISN'T THAT < AUO THAT'S RlNTY YOUR HORSE ' ] WITH HIM ! fcDUT PAR ONER AND RlNTY SOON SHAKE OFF THEIR PURSUERS. STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW, PARD- NER LEADS THE WAY BACK To THE BAR S RANCH THE RUSTLERS i CHANGED RlNTY'S 1 BRAND — WITH A RUNNING IRON l LOOK HERE , BUT THE Y RUSTLERS TOOK RlNTY i I DON'T UNDERSTAND S HOW PARDNER A FOUND HIM J AGAIN ! y RlOE TO TOWN AND CALL THE SHERIFF, MARY , GOING BACK WITH PARONER TO WHERE HE CAME FROM i . r- PARONER GUESSED THE TRUTH WHEN HE SAW RlNTY.' I RECKON THATS WHY HE HIGHTAILED IT y BACK TO ME l THEY COMPLETED THE N S AND MADE IT AN 0 ' THE BARS RANCH WHY, THAT'S THE BRAND THAT HENRY FROME , SHIPS UNDER l r AFRAID THAT SOMEBODY'LL CHECK UP ON THOSE HORSES YOU'RE SHIPPING ? THEY MIGHT FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE RUSTLED STOCK— WfTH CHANGED BRANDS SEAL UP THAT HORSE CAR .' GET THE TRAIN MOVING— FAST.' WE'U. LEAVE WITHOUT THOSE TWO J HORSES THAT ESCAPED l Jfi TEX RITTER WESTERN ANYONE ELSE LOOKING FOR 6JN TROUBLE ? THIS IS THE PLACE TO FIND IT' . WERE NOT CRAZY, MISTER. NOBODY IN HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD SHOOT IT OUT WITH AN HOM8RE WHO DRAWS LIKE YOU DO.' - YOU HAD A NEAT SCHEME, FROME YOUR *> HORSE TRADING BUSINESS COVERED UP THE RUSTLING GANG YOU CHANGED BRANDS AND SHIPPED OUT STOLEN HORSES WITHOUT ANY- BODY SUSPECTING WHERE YOU GOT THEM.' ‘ BUT YOU OUTSMARTED YOURSELF WHEN YOU BOUGHT PARDNER.' I WARNED YOU PARONER IS A SMART HORSE Jater, WHEN THE SHERIFF ARRIVES to take over ■ WHEN HE SAW RlNTY BEING SHIPPED OUT, PARDNER FIGURED OUT WHAT HAPPENED .' RECKON YOUR DOWN- FALL WAS CAUSED BY PLAIN OLD ORDINARY... . — , HORSE SENSE .' a & ^ '''WE GOT BACK OUR RUSTLED STOCK , RUS r/ FRED AND X CAN'T EVER THANK YOU ENOUGH .' WH' DON'T YOU STAY WITH US AWHILE ? THANKS KINDLY, MARY ! BUT^ I PARDNER AND I HAVE ITCHING FEET RECKON WE'LL HIT THE 'TRAIL AGAIN . TOGETHER ! Since the first us. POSTAGE STAMP WAS printed .there have BEEN 700 DIFFERENT TYPES ISSUED. 2. flOUISlANNA ONCE BELONGED TO FRANCE. VRUE (PAUSE- - . . DF AN ENGLISHMAN SAYS 'THE PARTY'S A SNAKE * HE MEANS IT'S ROTTEN. snax s snai * AT3-\n s.u 3H-3STVU e anax e -anaL-t, 01/12 TEX RITTER WESTERN ' I’M WAITING TO TAKE MY LITTLE NEPHEW, CHICK, HONC FROM SCHOOL OH, THAR HE IS.* ^-y — THEY INVENTED THE PHOENICIAN CVENETIUN) ~—l BUNDS i THE PHOENICIANS.' *— GOSH, UNCLE MOLASSES MOUTH, PON’T TELL ME YOU PON’T KNOW WHO THE PHOENICIANS s . WERE ? J TEX RITTER WESTERN MRBtw mur Hou* VORE SOI NS TO SING, WAU.V ? ✓ j r-^ ■ ■wir / L — ^ ,^r 0 j — Inlll TEX RITTER WESTERN COMIrtd COMIC ATTRACTIONS