TEX RITTER WESTERN m ITTik 'MACK GOLD" TEX RITTER WESTERN WELL, I'LL SO OUT ANP WHAT WF SAYS. T'D HE WORE A CLOTH ^ I'M RIGHT WITH _ VOU/ SEE WHAT HE SAYS. I’D LIRE YOU TO COME f —7 ALONG. S BUT I RNOW RROW/ WHO >ULD HAVE >N ? I'VE 'GOT EMIES... .j I SMELLED PLENTY OF | KEROSENE AFTER THE FIRE, AND I’M BETTIN' IF YOU LOOK IN HIS BARN, VOU’LL FIND THE CAN ' » COME ON, * S BARROW.. .WE'LL ALL TAKE A LOOK IN THE BARN ! J LATER, AT EP BARROW'S RANCH. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO DO, RANGER... APMIT ^ BELIEVE ME, TEX, i. WE'D BE I'VE NEVER SEEN \ FOOLSToj THAT CAN BEFORE/ I BELIEVE l . „ 1 THAT/ , ALM05T EMPTY-' WHAT ABOUT IT BARROW? WHAT'D I TELL you? LOOK/ TEX RITTER WESTERN SORRY BARROW... IT DOESN'T ADD \ I'LL BE AT UP RIGHT/ YOU'RE UNDER ARREST |THE HOTEL FOR ARSON AND ASSAULT WITH / IN TOWN A DEADLY WEAPON/ LET'S J WHEN YOU (30/ msS WANT ME, TEX’... g BETTER ' MAKE ANY < STATEMENT YOU WANT TO HAVE ON THE RECORD, « BARROW. 1 WELL, WHEN MY RANCH WAS UP FOR SALE, I PAID A STIFF PRICE FOR IT BECAUSE AL BENSON PROMISED TO LET ME USE HIS f WATER HOLE. LATER, HE WENT || BACK ON HIS WORD... j WHEN T WENT TO HIM AND TOLD HIM I COULDN'T OPERATE WITHOUT HIS WATER, HE OFFERED TO BUY ME OUT... FOR PRACTICALLY NOTHING / X THINK HE WANTED THE RANCH FROM THE START, , BUT HE COULDN'T PAY THE PRICE I PUT UP , HE'D HAVE TO WANT IT PRETTY BAD TO < SHOOT HIMSELF AND BURN HIS RANCH TO FRAME YOU... I WELL, ALL I KNOW IS THERE'S ENOUGH OIL \ UNDER OUR RANCHES THAT WE COULD'VE l BOTH BEEN r , ll Tlf a k. _ RICH/ MESS DOES BENSON KNOW THERE'S OIL UNDER .. HIS RANGE ? ^ * I DON’T KNOW... I SUPPOSE ft SO ' J OIL/ HOW DO you , KNOW THAT? RANGE... IT'S LOADED WITH OIL/ I'D HOPED TO MAKE ENOUGH ON MY CATTLE TO EXPLOIT MY LAND NEXT , YEAR, BUT NOW TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX RITTER WESTERN I'LL BE A RICH ...THINKING HE'D SELL IT TO YOU, CHEAP' BUT HE DIDN'T WANT jj SEE _ TO SELI r-'YOU GOT FIGURED IP YOU KNEW OF THE OIL UNDER THAT LAND, WHY OIL, RITTER. ... MAN, SOON'S I GET AHOLD OF BARROW'S LAND AND BRING IN THE OIL UNDER ,, BOTH OUR I SPREADS.' SIMPLE. ..WHAT MONEY I HAVE, T NEED TO DRILL WITH / I TALKED BARROW INTO BUYING UP THE PLACE, THEN I SHUT OFF HIS a WATER... L.AINU, YVn 7 DIDN'T YOU BUY IT LAST SUMMER? HE FOUND OUT ABOUT THE OIL, TOO.' WELL, THIS IS AS GOOD A PLACE AS ANY TO GIVE YOU WHAT SNOOPERS SET... BUT, AS BENSON RAISES HIS j PISTOL AND STEPS FORWARD, HIS FOOT GOES THROUGH A i ROTTEN FLOOR BOARD/AND-.- j ...THE PRAIRIE RANGER'S HANDS FLASH DOWN TO HIS OWN MATCHED COLTS; ALL RIGHT, BENSON... ON YOUR FEET.' YOU'RE ONLY HIT IN THE SHOULDER.' YOU WON'T DRILL FOR ANY MM OIL WHERE YOU'RE ■■ GOING.' ; THE OLD BARN SHUDDERS (THE ROAR OF HEAVY CALIBRE REVOLVERS... n TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX RITTER WESTERN •LOOK! THAT’5 CUNT MORGAN , ' HE’S DEAD.' j V £K fULOTtS THE STOKY. / I DON’T COTTON TO TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX RITTER WESTERN /3 TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX RITTER WESTERN KID COMES BACK& By Westbrook mhon T HE YOUNG MAN gazed out of the train window, a smile lighting up his round, good-natured face. Familiar sights were com- ing into view now. There were the neat build- ings of the J-Bar. There were the sparkling waters of the Big Chief river, winding through flatland. And far in the distance, rising above the purple mountains, was the jagged, upthrust rock known as Wolf Tooth Peak. “It looks kind of good after all these years,” he told himself. Once again he took the pen- ciled letter from his packet, unfolded it, and read: Dave Boy : Please come home right away. There’s terrible trouble and I need your help. Bessie sends her love. Pop. He. refolded the note and chuckled. “I reckon that’s the umteenth letter I got from Pop ask- ing me to come back. He always says there’s terrible trouble. Wonder what it can be this time? Maybe one of the hens has a toothache.” The train slowed and he picked up his big carpet bag and began walking down the aisle. “Anyway, it'll be good to see Pop and Bessie again — and the old place, too. Seems like I’ve been away a long time.” As he stepped onto the wooden station plat- form, the young man looked around. He didn’t see his father anywhere, but he was rather startled when an attractive young woman rushed up to him and gave him a big hug. Then the light dawned. “Sis!” he exclaimed. “It’s you! Why, you’re a growl* up woman and mighty pretty at that! Bessie, I confess. I hardly knew you!" “I allow I have changed some,” responded the girl. “I was only fourteen when you left home, Dave, and I’m nineteen now.” “Where’s pop?” asked Dave. “He’s laid up with a broken leg,” said Bessie. “Come on. Here’s the buckboard and old Nell. We’d better hurry home. Pop is all-fired anxiouB to see you.” “Broken leg? Golly, I’m sorry. Is that the trouble he wrote about?” “No, it’s worse. Bustlers!” “Well, that doesn’t sound like anything new,” drawled Dave. “I reckon there’ll always be rustlers as long as there are cattle.” “Don’t be so smug!” snapped Bessie. “It’s worse than you think. A lot of the ranchers around here suspect that Pop is the head rustler !” Pop Spangler sat in an easy chair, with his splinted leg propped and cushioned straight in front of him. He quickly dispensed with the greetings and salutations for a son who had been away five years and got down to the business at hand. “Bustlers have been very active. Hardly a ranch in these parts hasn’t been raided. Dave, I want you to catch them!” Dave looked startled. It was several seconds before he spoke. “Have they taken a lot of your cattle?” “Not a head!” asserted Pop. “Not a single whitefacd from us! And that’s just what makes some of the other ranchers suspect that I’m in with the varmints. That and one other thing?” “What other thing?” “The tracks always show that the cattle are driven onto our land, across the bench on the north forty. The tracks disappear on the rocks, of course. And the cattle disappear, too — like into thin air.” “They probably . . .” Dave Spangler halted his speech as a tall, wiry man entered the room. Pop looked up and said, "Oh, by the by, Dave, this is my foreman. Squint Skell. Squint, shake hands with my son, Dave. Dreamy Dave, we used to call him, because he spent all his time dreaming about far-off places.” Dave grinned amiably, and the tall foreman grunted, "Howdy!” Pop said solemnly, "Dave, boy, after I’m dead and gone, you’ll inherit this spread. There’s only one promise I want from you and this is it. I want Squint to be foreman here just as long as he wants the job. He saved my life!" The old man related the tale. He had been riding over the ranch’s private bridge, crossing TEX RITTER WESTERN Roaring Creek. A couple of planks were loose. The horse stumbled. Pop was pitched into the stream, breaking a leg. Without hesitation. Squint had dived in and saved . the old man from drowning. There were tears of gratitude in Pop’s eyes as he finished the tale. Everybody had expected Dave to fly into action at once to stop the rustlers. Instead, he had merely yawned. “Well, they aren’t bothering this spread. And, Pop, if you’re not in league with them, nobody can ever find you guilty. So why the fuss?’’ The next morning Dave wandered out into the chicken yard and spent a considerable time trying to teach a young rooster to sit on his shoulder and eat com from his hand. Squint, who had been watching him for some time, finally came over and said, “Mr. Dave, I’m riding out to the north forty now. That’s where the rustlers operate. Care to go along?” “Thanks, Squint, some other time,” grinned Dave. “Right now I’m trying to teach this rooster some tricks. Used to be pretty good at when I was a kid.” Squint mounted and rode away, shaking his head. Sister Bessie emerged from the kitchen a moment later. “Dave, what are you doing?” "Why, I’m trying to teach this rooster some tricks,” he responded. “When I was a kid I used to dream of being an animal trainer in a circus. I used to . . She cut in sharply. “But what about the rustlers?” “Oh, I never tried to train any rustlers,” said Dave. Bessie turned impatiently and marched back to the house. “It’s no use,” she told herself. “He’s still as dreamy as ever.” The young man who had come home after five years to revive the memories of his boy- hood was not bothered any more that day. In the afternoon, he mounted a horse and rode north to an abandoned mine shaft on the ranch property. “Here is where we £ids used to play pirates, like Tom Sawyer,” he thought. He dismounted and headed for the old mine- en- trance, well screened by wild growth of scrub brush and scraggly trees. Entering the old mine, he looked down, ex- claimed, “Ah ha!” and lolled against a side wall. While he lolled, he examined his six- guns to make sure they were loaded and ready. He had a long wait. After sunset, even the gray light of the cave-like shaft was turned to utter darkness. Then there was the slight silver of moonlight. Then, as he heard hoof- beats, he climbed to a ledge at the side of the shaft. Cattle came pouring into the shaft be- neath him and he could hear shouts outside. He couldn’t tell how many longhorns had passed beneath him, but there was a pause and he took a chance. He jumped down silently from his perch and made for the shaft en- trance. He saw the dark figures of three mounted men. One was saying, “How about Pop’s son? Do we have to worry about him?” “Dreamy Dave? A pantywaist!” came the sneering reply. Dave recognized the voice of Squint Skell. Dave rocketed one shot into the air to announce his presence, then snapped, “Raise ’em, rustlers!” Two men raised their hands. Squint dropped his fingers toward his holsters. Dave fired and the foreman howled as a searing bullet nipped his wrist. ‘WRJ'HEN the rustlers were securely tied up in the bunk house, under guard, Dave strolled in the ranch parlor. He drawled, “Pop, I knew it would be hard for you’ ever to sus» pect a man who saved your life. But I won- dered why a good foreman would ever let the planks on the bridge get loose. I figured he let them get loose on purpose. That was to be sure you spilled into the water, so he could save you and win your trust. When you broke your leg, that made it even better. “I suspected him right away. And when I heard the rustlers were making their cattle disappear on our land, I thought of that old mine shaft. It runs for about half a mile un- derground. And there’s a secret exit by the river bank. You know, when I was a dreamy kid, I dreamed that would be a good way to be a rustler — if I ever decided to be one!” Bessie looked at her brother with adnlira-. tion. “Dave,” she said, “you’re real dreamy 1” THE END n TEX RITTER WESTERN ■$TaX, £Vv'PMH— TEX RITTER WESTERN THE JOS WENT ' YOU'RE RIGHT, BURT BUT I u!Ja L / WISH you HADN'T SHOT HIM/ SAY... PO VOU HEAR A HORSE COMIN' ACROSS THAT KOCK FLAT WE JUST COMB OFF CLEAN AS A HOUND'S TOOTH 1 THESE ROCKS ■ ARE WORTH A' FORTUNE / J HOLD YOUR HORSE Qui E7 YOU'RE RIGHT/ I'LL CUM THIS TREE AND SEE IP I If CAN SPOT HIM... _ SUPPOSE THEY COULD BE OH . OUR TRAIL, S 'THEV'SURE ARE. SEE THEM TWO CRITTERS FISHIN 1 DOWN THE RIVER WELL, I GOT AN IDEA HOW WE CAN THROW RITTER OFF THE TRAIL/ UNLESS I'M GOIN' BLIND, THAT'S TEX RITTER/ THEN LET'S DON'T JUST STAND ... AROUND/ RITTER \ . AIN'T FAR J 7 ftCHIMD/ rf ! COME ON POWN HERE/ I JUST GOT AN IDEA... HCY.yOU... PULL THAT LINE OUT HERE / PUT THIS CASE ON THE HOOK AND KEEP IT - UNDER FOR A r WHILE/ ^ 1 AND KEEP YOUR MOUTHS SHUT and let us do the TALKIN'/ WE BEEN HERE ALL PAY... . UNDERSTAND? ) NUTS TO VOU, MISTER/ THERE'S SOMETHIN’ CROOKED HERE/ .. in ^ ATTA BOY/ THROW him iN,eui?r / WE'VE GOT NO TIME TO "7 WASTE/ JT TEX RITTER WESTERN & FEW MINUTES LATER, AS THE PRAIRIE RANGER ROUNDS A SEND IN THE RIVER... • WHOA, BO Y/ WHAT'S THAT IN THE WATER.. WHV; IT'S... o TEX RITT ER WESTERN ' ST BB ■DOWN'S CABIN DOWN THERE... NO ONE MOVING AROUND , BETTE* TAKE A 1 LOOK... * HERE COMBS SOMEBODY... IT'S RITTBR / ^ _ GET THAT BIRD ^ OUT OF SIGHT AND ANSWER THE DOOR/ STALL HIM P OR A minute, and i'll PO THE REST... ^ TOWN A HALF HOUR AGO, RANGE*. HE'LL BE THERE ALL EVENING... 7^ IN THE BACK ROOM OF THE SHACK - ! RALPH JUDSON... BROWN'S PARTNER. WE WERE PROS- PECTING RED MOUNTAIN... , LIVED HERE TOGETHER. ■ THIS AFTERNOON WE WENT FISHINi AND... ,, f VOU'RB TOO A TRIGGER- HAPPV, BURT / SOME- BODY MIGHT > HEAR A SHOT... A , ANPWB GOTTA HOLE UP HERE > TILL PARK/ > TEX RITTER WESTERN ©UT AS BURT ST [INTO THE ROOM HIS CARBINE.. * * PLEASURE VOU WON'T NEED THAT GUN, VOU —r RAT/ T'ake him. JUDSON/ / ugh; hev... ^ SAR50N/ LOOK - OUT... HOLD IT, GAR SON/ OR I'LL DROP VOU r RIGHT THERE/ VOU GOT ME RITTER / DON 7 SHOOT... THAT'S ENOUGH, JUDSON... LEAVE ENOUGH F OR PUNK /I'LL. I RECKON I HAD THE COURT TO SENTENCE. VOU RE PRETTV HANDV \A/1TW NT7 A REASON TO SE, ^ HE KILLED THE BEST FRIEND I'VE r-A, EVER HAD, Jg TEX / WITH VOUR PISTS. 13 TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX RITTER WESTERN TEX RITTER WESTERN NOW HOLP ON. SAW / VUH HAVE NO RIGHT TO MAKE FALSE REMARKS LIKE THAT ABOUT MV . BROTHER , ESPECIALLY J WHEN He'S NOT ARQUNP TO PEFENP.T HIMSELF/ WELL VJHAR IS YORE. . BROTHER": IN A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS, HUH I -SUPPOSE IF Ha FELT ST RON 6 HE'P HAVE 1 STOLEN THE WHOLE OPERA i HOUSE ! -ftor^regA WELL, WE ALL MAKE , MISTAKES SOMETIMES/ I BROTHER MERELY STOLE I PIANO IN A MOMENT OF WEAKNESS, THAT'S ALL. WELL, I JUST u- '> WANTEF TO KNOW " WHAR YORE BROTHER IS, BUT AS y. LONG AS I KNOW HE'S BEHINC7 BARS, I I PON’T HAVE TO M WORRY HIM/ YUH CAN GO ^ y, ALONG NOW .' J /fil .$ SAM WALKS DOWN A PARK PESERTEI? 1 STREET.... 5 y V IT'S GETTING LATE.' ' I OPINE I'LL LOCK ^_ r UP ANP GO , HOME/ > REACH FEK THE SKY, THIS IS • A HOLPUP ' TEX RITTER WESTERN f WHY, IT'S BAP ^ * BART barton/ HE MUST HAVE SUSTEP OUT OP JAIL / HE. ■ DOESN'T KEC06NIZE. IN THE PARK / 1VE GOT TO TURNT E TABLES ON J HIM ! y—~ — Jr < COME ON, HANP t OVER TORE MONEY 7 PRONTO/ 1 | L ,L Slv i, A HARP ► ^CK S J 0R V/ WHEN ©ETS FEELING SORR FOR ME HE'LL LOWE V HIS GUN , THEN X'l ( GET THE PROP ON ?- -r\ him / ^ WHAT ARE YUH KICKING ABOUT " THINK THINGS AR TOUGH FER YUH ? LOOK WAR — BULLETS, WELL, VO'RE GOING TO A FAMILIAR PLACE Jaii <5IT GOING/ PEACH FER THE SKY/ I'M SAM ’ THE SHERIFF/ , THOUGHT L-J YUH SOUNPEP V FAMILIAR/ / — ^ WHAT A ( coincidence/ ' X WONPEREP IF BAP BART I BARTON WAS IN ' TAIL — NOW I < KNOW HE WILL s '~~, BE / XI TEX RITTER WESTERN C7he sight of a gum barrel V POINTED IN HIS DIRECTION MADE HIM QUAIL WITH FEAR- ANP HE SOON BECAME BAIT FOR OUTLAWS BECAUSE HE BORE THE BRAND OF A CBWMO! BUT THERE WAS ONE COURAGEOUS, TWO-FiSTED PRAIRIE RANGER HE COULD TURN TO IN HIS HOUR OF PERIL - TEX RITTER- WHOSE BLAZING SUNS HAP LONG MADE HIM THE NEMESIS OF KILLERS.' ONCE MDRE.TEX RITTER JUMPED INTO THE FRACAS AMP HIS FIGHTING SPIRIT SPELLED DOOM FDR TWO MURDEROUS owLHocrrs and erased the STIGMA FROM A MAW THEY CALLED - THE COWARD.' •R STOPS AT THE TEX RITTER WESTERN g i2L K i NP ° F 61 AD 1 DIDN'T (.GAVE ^ WN BEFORE SPOTTING 7HBM. TUEVV^ mI miS^T i-IKE TO GIVE IT TO YOU fME BACK. I RECKON lit TRAIL BEEN THINKING ABOUT WU/ Vthat SOMepodv K CONFAB AND TEX RITTER WESTERN $££ms to me you've been AT THE RECEIVING END OP < -^MYFiST BEFORE/, CURSE you/ > x'll TARE, f-r YOU OH' THIS IS > MV ANSWER 7 to you, ' PIN EYf ) THAT'S ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD, I WARN YOU, PAWSONl DON'T GO FOP YOUR >< l GUN/ — SHALE DAWSON/ 3 VP AW/ r SHERIFF/ LET HIM DRAW/ WE'RE ASKING ^/THEY'RE NOT THE J YOU FOR THE - THOSE COYOTES?/ A TO FIND OUT, SHERIFF. V T *.3'M RIDING TO THE A Arz I CIRCLE O' HEH, HEH .' THE HID KNOWS WHAT KIND OF COMPANY HE WANTS TO ^ KEEP' — WE'LL BE SEEING TYOU, lawman.' SOME HOURS LATER, IN THE CIRCLE O BUNKHOUSE... TELL HIMA aLL RIGHT' I RECKON^ JOHNNY.' / I'M NOTHING BUT A J r FOR MY /CRAWLING COWARD, \ SAKEi ) JUST WHAT FOLKS CALL) _A^ME.' SHALE AND PINEY J [[I FOUND OUT THAT I'M . | / (RIDING WITH NANCY'S FATHER / /AND SOME OF THE BOYS WHO / ARE TAKING THE CATTLE TO II I MARKET. NANCY'S PAD WILL \l I BE CARRYING QUITE A BIT OF w MONEY AND THAT'S WHAT > THEY'RE GOING AFTER . ,/ THEY THREATENED TO PLUG ME, UNLESS I TOLD THEM THE TRAIL WE'RE TAKING r BACK TO THE RANCH ) AND THE TIME WE J EXPECT TO LEAVE. "S I WAS SCARED THEY'D KILL ME, SO I-I TOLD THEM. 'SO THEY'RE AFTER THE r CATTLE -r .MONEY, ) I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU, JOHNNY. WHAT HAVE THOSE TWO -< JASPERS GOT ON YOU? IF YOU CONFIDE IN ME, I'LL HE1 P YOU.' ^ ' NO! > I CAN'T! THEY'D J 7 KILL tf . ME! J I'LL HELP YOU; I- 1 DON'T KNOW WHY YOU HAVE ' ANYTHING TD DO WITH ME, NANCY. I'M JUST A YELLOW-BACK COWARD. ALL MY LIFE, ALL A MAN HAD TO DO WAS GO FOR HIS GUN-AND- / AND I'D BACKWATER. j-rT IT TOOK NERVE TO TELL ME y WHAT YOU •< ( DID, JOHNNY-, DON'T BERATE ' YOURSELF SO, JOHNNY. YOU CAN'T HELP < BEING SHY OF GUNFIRE/ CAN - CAN) I'M NOT GOING TO RUN ) \ YOU DO A>THEM DOWN UNTIL J (SOMETHING \AFTER they TAKE > 'TO STOP THE I THE MONEY.' THEN I'D ") COYOTES, /HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE Jm TEX? v/DN THEM TO SEND THEM XO JAIL FOR THE REST y-~ r / -r OF THEIR ,-<>/ 4e N^LI VeS/ ► a m TEX RITTER WESTERN BAYS LATER, TSjtf WATTS PATKNTtY FOR -THE ARRIVAL OF THE OKCIMO COWHANDS. ^ ^ M j— OLSCN WITH HIS MEN* THIS IS THE ) PLACE SHALE ANP riNUY ARE SUPPOSED TO JUMP THEM Jr' YOU -YOU ^.irs MV ONLY CHANCE , MEAN TOOKE/TD CATCH THEM WITH GQ5MGTC >THE EVIDENCE/ WE'LL LET THEM ■ — 1 /— 7SET SUSPICIOUS IF YOU/ 1/ I WEREN'T * VwoHTH£M?KX i AND THEY WOULDN'T HESITATE] TO PLUS YOU IF THEY EVEN ) SUSPECTED YOU HADTALKED.*' IT'S UP TO YOU, JOHNNY, TO „ H&P MB. I'M CERTAIN NANCY'S BAD WILL AGREE TO MY PLAN/ 77.U- RIGHT, ffl RANGER.' I'LL ^ DO AS YOU SAY' E AT JOHNNY, THE OU I um FAST GALLOP AND RIDES SCUTTLE DUST, WHITE FLASH! SURE 1 DO, BUT I'M NOT TELLING IT TO . YOU! I WAS A FOOL TO LISTEN \l TO YOUR IDEAS. ]V THOSE JASPERS // WERE ONE STEP ^S- OLSON, GIVE HIM . > THE . MONEY/ TEX RITTER WESTERN JOHNNY, WAIT FOR ME.' TOGETHER WE COULD DO \ SOMETHING.' VOU CAN'T MAKE A DEAL WITH THOSE’ OWLHOOTSJ THEY'LL TAKE THE MONEY ANP THEN KILL YOU AND NANCY ' THINK, SON.' I KNOW -tWHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT'/ ( — LET HIM GO, RITTER.' MY DAUGHTER MEANS MORE TO ME THAN . -r THAT MONEY.' rj \ NO, I'M TAILING SUM, I MISTER OLSON.' DON'T 'WORRY — I'LL BRING - BOTH THOSE KIDS BACK/ I'VE SEEM UP AGAINST . SHALE ANP PINEY ^ — r BEFORE/ -f HERE'S THE ) WHO DO YOU THINK 1 MONEY, -^YOU'RE ORDERING? DAWSON/ >NOW THAT WE'VE NOW RELEASE j GOT THE PINERO, -r NANCY/ J WE'RE FINISHING ±3 |-^AYOU BOTH OFF.' .i SO THAT'S WHERE THOSE COYOTES ARE HOLED UP.' THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO GET TO THAT T - / CAVE BUT BY THAT LAOPER.' •< THAT WOULD MAKE ANYBODY -4. A PERFECT TARGET FOR THEM U HE ACTUALLY WENT FOR I'M GOING TO LASSO THAT MURDERING DOUBLE-CROSSING DEVILS! I'LL — -A HIS GUN — / THE LITTLE COWARD HAS TURNED ■*.. r HERO. 1 HEH.HEH/ Ji JUTTING ROCK JUST ABOVE _ THE CAVE'S ENTRANCE \ AND SWING OVER J J TEX RITTER WESTERN ]HISISTUE SHOWDOWN, AG6HH} YOU MURDERING 7 COYOTES' y 7 ITS 'RITTER. Mi HAND. rWHT n r STAND THERE . GAPING AT HIM- r SHOOT* ~a LATER, AFTER THE OUTLAWS WITH THE OUTLAWS SECURELY BOUND, AMD NANCY FREED, TEX EXAMINES JOHNNY'S WOUND.' I'LL KHL THAT TIN- BADGE ' FCIR — AASHHHS , » Mi SHOULDER /r^ THANHS TO \ THAT'S NOT AIL' NOWA YOU, TEX, yVDU KNOW VOU HAVE TD I FOUND ^-^FIGHT FOR WHAT IS -< OUT YOU CAN'T I RIGHT.' NOBODY WILL MAKE A DEAL v'CALL YOU A COWARD WrrH ^psAGAlN, JOHNNY/* LAWBREAKF.RS'/ WTBKKME [IT'S ONLV A FLESH 1 .WOUND, BIJT HE'S WALLAt-CSTA LOT OF ^ iUT, f BLOOD.' ItL U^CV.'l CARRY HIM OUT. 1 ■ W e'll tare him Sliw TO A DOCTOR.'