WESTERN RITTER/WE'VE GOT V ^ SURROUNDED/ TEX RITTER WESTERN 21 ATOMIC MOUSE + ftArusrc rre . - foBowIng wlrtandi. ouManding mogeiinai art took IdonKfitd h th. word, A CHARLTON HJIiLICATION ATOMIC MOUSE ★ 0ADSEOF JUSTICE * mnc kct, c V'l " ruBUCAflON ERN * DANGER and ADVENTURE * HJMNVAMiSmc^ * COWBOY LOVE * COWBOY WEST RODS and RACING CARS * USHUB*TSmKK fSKfK * ®»>™AvYs * LANE * SIX-GUN HEROES * SOLDIER a^dM a E «^r* MY LITTLE MARGIE * ROCKY £ A ,5L","I? E ' * “WBIB * tk »™ * ” w,nslow •' *■ ;ssn, * .. to iniwt mat th, w COf hightrt qualify of .hot. some , Satcufivt Editor 140 Vm «*«® YZ, ■tr WON’T YUM BE COLD HUNTING IN JUST -» a shirt ? ✓ I, KNOW.' IT’S REALLY MY COUSIN FILTHY JOE’S -3 SWEATER HE AND THE ] ^SWE ATER ARE EXACTLY J MMJL ALIKE THAT SWEATER’S MIGHTY Pjrty.' WELL, IF YO’RE GOING HUNTING, YUM SHOULD TAKE SOME FOOD ALONG.' HERE ARE SOME COOKIES I MADE MYSELF.' YO’RE WELCOME TO THEM WELL, WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THAT 5 " 1 AFTER I TRIED ) TO BITE INTO /ONE, 1 DECIDED I WAS BETTER OFF EATING THE AMMUNITION AND ■S SHOOTING THE . \C00KIES r~ / NO THANKS.' X TOOK * YORE COOKIES ALONG JHE LAST TIME X WENT HUNTING ARE YUH TRYING TO SAY 1 DON’T KNOW HOW TO MAKE COOKIES? i I RECKON SO, BUT THERE’S NOTHING TO BE ANGRY ABOUT.' AFTER ALL, YUH CAN MAKE AMMUNITION AND HOW IS MANY PEOPLE CAN ) -i DO THAT Si. WHAT ARE YIJH AIMING TO HUNT I’D LIKE TO HUNT FER^® BUFFALOES, BUT I RECKON I’LL END UP CHASING CATS fat— **,. AGAIN CHASING CRTS HOW COME? THE LAST TIME I WENT HUNTING I SHOT MYSELF AND I HAP TO , OET A BIOOP TRAN3FU5ION / THE ONLY THING AROUND WAS . A DOS SO THEY USED HIM TO GIVE ME A TRANSFUSION. 1 AND NOW EVERYTIME I GO OUT V I CHASE CA TS/y-j' » THAT’S ALMOST AS BAP AS WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BROTHER .' HE’S BRLP AND THE BARBER TALKED HIM INTO GRAFTING ANIMALS’ FUR , [ ONTO HIS HEAD. 1 ^ — ■< - I DON’T KNOW, BUT EVERYTIME MY BROTHER GETS MAD, I HAVE TO ' LEAVE THE HOUSE/ J _ ( OH, A SKUNK DON’T CALL NOBODY CALLED YORE BROTHER HO WONDER HE LOOKED AS IF HE HAD A C GRAY STREAK. 1 J WELL, 3 RECKON (.I’D BETTER BE -v GOING ! r MY BROTHER < A 5KUNK. 1 A SKUNK / 3 JUST SAID THEY MUST HAVE USED A SKUNK’S ON HIS HEAD .< , fl ) ME GO AFTER A WOLF PACK _ ARE YUH LOCO? JUST THINK, DUSTY, P YUH SHOT THEM DOWN. YUH’P BE A HERO.' CERTAINLY.' WHY, ALL THE FOLH5 ABOUND HYAR WOULD GIVE , YUH GIFTS .' _ V BUT THE FLOWERS WOULDN’T BE .IN A BOX/ , NO, BUT IF X WENT AFTER THE WOLF PACK, T wnni n be i HOLD ON.' YUH CAN’T SMELL FLOWERS ^THROUGH A BOX.' j~ I WOULD BE. GIFT5 I RECKON I CAN PO WITHOUT THIS HERO " 1 STUFF .' - YUH STRIKE ME IS A COWARD.' A COWARD WOULDN’T STRIKE YUH I’M JUST USING MY HEAP.' , SO LONG ! S ' ’ii ]W J ! 1 JUST 60T flN IPEA - °° IN<3 ANTING, WHY DON’T . YL'H TRY TO SHOOT DOWN THAT WILD THAT’S BEEN ATTACKING / ALL THE CATTLE IN THESE HYAR ^ PARTS ? WHAT AM I BID ON TWS FINE SADDLE, ONCE THE PROPERTY OF CALABASH, THE NOTORIOUS BANK. ROBBER WHO ©err HIMSELF HANGED PCK WS TROUBLE LAST WEEK ' COUNTY AUCTION/ Pew Prkonerc Ukuimeo Pkopekn WHCA, WHITE FLASH l THAT SADDLE LOOKS MIGHTY FAMILIAR HOLD ON V THERE, , 1 SHERIFF. J THAT SADOLE 19 , MINS.' <~TO\TH«r SADOLE WAS STOLEN WHAT'S \ FROM ME BY CALABASH, THAT, I AFTER HE ESCAPED , TEX? J FROM THE RK3 JAIL/ y r^f BUT WHEN X TURNED \ | HIM CYEK. TO YOU LAST ' l V WEEK HE WASN'T USING \| V ITi WHERE DO YOU ) i find rr ? S I CAM STILL WEAR TWEIR HOOF- BEAT'S 1 THEY 1 BE IN A POWER- FUL MURKY ! r .-_ SCUTTLE DUST, WHITE: FLASH, WE’VE GOT A PASSEL OF COYOTES TO TOO NO UP ' THERE’S "THE tWCXAN VILLAGE AND THE TOTEM POLE JUST LIKE THE MAP SHOWS J SWING OOWKl ANO ^ UNCOIL THAT FUSE WE BROUGHT 11 ■ _ -i ALONG I HAVE TWENTY MORE MEN OUT THERE IN THE PARK SURROUND- ING THE VILLAGE I THEIR GUNS ARE READY TO FILL r -T YOU WITH LEAP, SO / WHAT ' OONIT TRY ANY- ./PALEFACE . THING' WANT? LET'S GO l PIPE IN \th«T WAS A ANO GET THE JUMP 1 MIGHTY SUCK OU THE INDIANS J PIG-UP YOU ANO "THEN GO TO /JUST MAPS, WORK ON THE BRIG i ITU FOOL TOTEM POLE 1 /T ANYBODY i READ Y OUNGDoc Jefferson was bone-weary and he slept hard, so hard that he didn’t hear the thundering hoofs thudding closer through the black night. Doc had put in a very busy day. Besides all his regular calls and patients he had done the extra work of patching up a half-dozen badly perforated men who had been lucky enough to escape from Curly Steele’s gang with their lives. It had been one of the biggest gun battles ever known in this lawless outpost of civiliza- tion where gun battles were common. A deputy sheriff and two. possemen had been killed and four of Curly Steele’s outlaws had bitten the dust. But Curly himself had, as always, es- caped. Even in his deep sleep, Doc couldn’t get away from the thunder of the guns. He tossed restlessly on the bed. Then he heard the bang- ing again and he sat up. Someone was knock- ing on the solid oak door and shouting, “Hey, Doc! Wake up! Wake up!” Rubbing his eyes. Doc rose from his bed and moved to the window. He could see the shad- owy figure of a man at the front door. “What is it?" asked the physiciap. The man looked up. "Hurry, Doc. Been an accident. Fellow got hurt bad.- Hurry! I’ve got a horse here for you !” “Be with you pronto!” responded Jefferson. In seconds he was dressed and riding beside the other into the inky darkness that stretched out of town, towwd the foothills, toward the black mountain pevks. There were questions Doc wanted to ask buv he well knew the futili- ty of trying to carry on a conversation across a pair of galloping stallions. He shrugged. His curiosity would be satisfied soon enough. The other man led. They‘d been in the saddle nearly half an hour when tin' leader cut sharp- ly left into a narrow trail through a dense woods. Soon Doc Jefferson could make out a yellow light shining through the trees up ahead. A cabin loomed up in a tiny clearing. “This is it,” said the man. He dismounted and the doctor did likewise. As Jefferson’s feet touched the ground, the other man was beside and behind him, snatch- ing Doc Jefferson’s gun from its holster. “Hey! What’s the idea?” Doc exclaimed. “Just taking no chances,” drawled the other. “Step inside, Doc.” Doc Jefferson recognized him at once. There was no other man in all these parts with yel- low, wavy hair like that. That was certainly Curly Steele stretched out on the cot, his chest crudely bandaged and splotched with red. There were three other men in the room, mean- eyed, watchful, alert. Curly seemed pale and weak, but there was no weakness in his voice as he snarled, “Doc, there’s a bullet in me. You better take it out, nice and easy. And you’d better not let me die, because my boys have got instructions just what to do with you in that case.” Doc Jefferson seemed unruffled by this bristling speech. He carried his satchel toward the wounded man, saying, “Ll« back and be quiet. Your chances of recovery are better if you don't exert yourself with a Hot of palaver.” The candles threw a poor light, the cot made an infirm operating table. But Doe Jefferson went right to work with skill and precision, probing for the lead slug, removing it, patch- ing and bandaging the patient. He was used to working under the crude conditions of the frontier. “Will he-live. Doc?” asked one of the men. "Yes, he’ll live unless this develops into a bad case of hempus larynxus,” responded the n ’hat means in plain talk ”** * T '" “ » ha > •X,™ T ,h " -* ** ■— C “rly frowned a, 1 r; ; " , °“ n ' i -" snarled, "Yon’re jus, stalling dTtT"'' ’“=h disease a, ,h„ Yo „, *’ Ther « * „o Thats ,t, Doc! Take him away, boys Tak quick and painless.” ’ make 11 Two of the men moved beside tb„ j r— .Xt^r firm Steps. They were a, the ,dg. of ,h! , mg when one of them commented, "You d^onh seem scared, Doc.” aon * ^Jou don., either, tespooded, he P hy siti , n "Why sh„ old »e be seared! If, y 011 gomg to get shot." "Sure." responded Doc' Jefferson. . ek and a, most painless. ° nth , oth « rh ; | :; finrs ed T ' ' ” "" *'«»«« fims ed as „ of th . simply too horrible to p„, i„,„ words The escorts stopped abruptly. One of the™ :~r h "“' * S he whi *pered. said”,/ 0 ^ m7 diagnosis,” 1 doctor, solemnly. Td , a y there’s an chance y„„ two „ m di= of ft definf," a h S '“ ia,i0n ” i,h Cur| y Steele would definitely be a contributory factor” "Doc !" exclaimed one of ,h, , wo . us np "f sn 't there something you can give us td prevent this her. disease?” "Sure. Can you. Doc? W, airf, g 0 , ,„ y „, [d “'-'fig you because it^sTh, b0 °"”' y°u give us some cure?” asked » ‘T*’ Can ’' , doctor paused. 11,” guarantee , cu " .™" W fi ut at least I can ' he said - *• relieve you, “"/T T b0yS s°™«fi"g Setter if , a L it work, dKen tmmediatev sfto. r «ght after you s h 0o t m V " ex P° s ure, so "Right n o. ym should . . ” Right now,” exclaimed one of ,h g z : t “■ was given I™" "7"'“' ° f hi ° e-eorts tmee both became drowsy, °,' *' the ground before eifb sag ^ ed to f »und the ho“ tha, h " T* "* Mt E °‘ quietly down the trail a a h" h “"' “ from the cabin then m h "”dred yards town. ' ""d mou "*ed *»d headed for Williams, and ,f li \ "' aS men tha, were with E himXlr'n:je ,he end you’ii get , he rewar d ” '' 46 W EEL '" sa ‘d 'I 1 ' sheriff, "f don’t ex. bean ^ 7 ^ S ‘ Ck 0r an y thi ng, but I’ve h«n „ p0 s.d to those owlhoot, .„d , hn „ “own with e cete of hempu, l.r D oc Jefferson laughed “T .. have to worry, sheriff, I believe” you £ f°“ " * Tl ° n,y " urd ' r " a ™ ■“£ 'tempos la^rVX; l""’ Phr “’ . means hemp on th« 77" other words, a killer ia very Mksly to d,e from a rope around hi. throat 1”^ 1 THE END BUFFALO BULL " rut BXIU/AUf 0fAA ! " T RECKON r OUSHT TO GET RID op THIS HYAR old BEARSKIN IT'S JEST ABOUT ALL WORN OUT AND READY TD FALL APART WAIT A SBCOND/ WH/ SHOULD I THROW IT OUT * I CAN *ELI IT TO THAT DOPEY' RANCHER , SUS SUHBA.L / MY MOST PRIZED M ► POSSESSION. RANCHER OULIBALfe THAT HOMBfiE’S SO DUMB.X'I OLD SKIN IS VERY VALUAB UP BE&SlNG ME TO SELL FIFTY DOLLARS/ HA, HA, HO^DY, BUFFALO BULL) WHAT'S THAT YOR E ^ fa carrying ? JtaBKt SEE HYAR , YUH ^ CAN'T TALK ABOUT MV BesT FRIEND , THAT 'NAY | r 'ARB YUH LOCO? YUH V WOULDN'T PART WITH AN OLD, MANCY.WORN OUT BEARSKIN PER r ALL THE MONEY IN f* »_ ™e WORLD ^ WELL/ ONE DAY I WENT HUNTING WOODS AND I SPOTTED THIS B'<. MAGNIFICENT BEAR INTHE Dl I RAISED MY RIFLE TO SHOOT v AS X DID WSW THAR'S NOTHING TO ARGUe 'BOOT! EVfiRYBC I'M THE BEST SHOT THAT EVER CARRIED Ai_L r HAVE TO P O IS TARE AIM — AN ALL, BR OTHER I J ~~ r YUP! HE ASKED ME IF I WAS BUFFALO BULL AND WHEN r ANSWERED THAT I WAS. HE SMO I VU DONT HAVE TO BOTHER SHOOTING/ W VO * AIMING AT M*. I'M AS GOOD AS SNOT GO sav* yo«e mull.it /\ — — , — 'What! a ^ that's right! — ) AND WHAT A 7 COMPANION HE -f TURNED OUT TO l BE ! HE WAS -A EVEN SMARTER THAN t THOUGHT! HE WAS BRILLIANT! 'l FELT SO SOOD >— AT HIS COMPLIMENT. THAT I DECIDED ( NOT TO HURT HIM BUT TO TAKE HIM L HOME WITH ME A* A COMPANION* ! j — /that's right! HE\ J, KNEW HE DIDN'T l ~n. )} HAVE A CHANCE \ •> AGAINST A MARKS- / J MAN LIKE ME AND I ' HE WAS SMART A- ENOU&H TO ADMIT IT! 'TUH MEAN \ ( THE BEAR SURRENDERED. TD YUH ? j , t TAUGHT HIM TO tMOKB A X PIPE AND READ THE PAPERS] * N0 00 THE WORK AROUNO I THE HOUSE) WHEREVER I A WENT, HE WENT ! HE GOT Ci > ■JEST AS. HUMAN AS ANVQ NE* SUT WHAT V/ CSIJHO ,, — VERY SAP Y [ THINS) AS I TOLO /] ^ YUH HE GOT VERY H HUMAN AND ONE TIME > WHEN I WENT HUNTING, HE WENT WITH MEy OUT CF THE BRUSH NEAR US - AND WHEN MY BEAR SAW HIM, UK WAS SO HUMAN-LIKE Ht CONTESTANTS WILL PITCH IN THE FOLLOWING L ORDER ... THERE IT IS, rEX... AIN'T IT A BEAUTY ? , STAY WITH IT, TOM.' IT S NARROWED DOWN TO YOU AND BULL BENSON / YOU'VE A GOOD CHANCE To .. [ UP * AND AT 'EM, BULL' WHEW... THIS IS GETTIN’TOBe HARD WORK, I TEX / NICE GOIN,’ ' ONE MORE PITCH AND BULL'S GOT A PERFECT SCO U, V Too WELL, THEY'LL HAVE TO \ PITCH AGAIN. ONE OF 'EM WILL BLOWUP PRETTY ) . soon/ / THAT DID IT.' ^ TOM DAVIS WINS v IT/ ™il5 I"!L° LL ° Y INI5 s ”ugpav «PTERHOON,aT ' 15, TOM/ I UNDERSTAND P^fpI U |, l K ESSM£N OF TWIN S, PINES PUT UP OVER THREE THOUSAND FOR IT/ SOLID SILVER WITH EIGHT LARGE DIAMONDS ' i WELL... I PERHAPS /YOU'RE RIGHT! I'LL JUST MAKE SURE THERE'S NO TROUBLE/ GONNA TAKE THIS BACK TO RRISON.TEX, ANP SEE WHAT AN GET FOR IT. .. WILL YOU GO [•H ME ? BENSON'S PRETTY 1 / RE AND I AIN'T CARRYIN' XL A GUN... 7 CONGRATULATIONS. rOM. IT'S ALL YOURS; l I SHOULDA ) ) WON / MY 'FOOT SLIPPED Ion the last Pitch/ TOUGH LUCK, BULL... I NEED THE CASH, MR. MORRISON. YOU CAN SELL THE STONES SteKto. AGAIN... ^ WHAT/ YOU... YOU WANT TO SELL IT BACK ? TO ME ? BUT. . IT'S ATROPHY, DAVIS... YOU... UH-IHUH... MORRISON'S JUST CLOSING Jl|| up/ JUST ( TELL YOU WHAT, PAV TO ME TOMORROW. UNDAY, BUT MAYBE BAN ONES WILL HELP US OUT, JUST THIS ONCE... s HMM... YES, OF COURSE. 1 WELL, ALL RIGHT... BUT IT'S 1 TOO LATE TO GET TO THE BANK NOW, AND I DON'T HAVE THAT ^KIND OF CASH ON HAND/ A HE'S RIGHT TEX. ..THE BANK WOULD -J BE ( CLOSED--- . WHAT' / -..AND YOU DON'T WANT TO CARRY IT AROUND ? DO YOU WANT ME TO HOLD IT FOR YOU UNTIL [ TOMORROW ? r& IN MORN'NS./ THEN WE CAN , — "1 TALK TO BANKER JONES/ ^ ALL RIGHT. I'LL SEE YOU IN THE MORNING, THEN... VTER, AFTER TOM HAS LEFT TOWN. ... f LISTEN, BENSON.. ■—fyOULOST THAT TROPHY FAIR AND SQUARE • MY J ADVICE IS FORGET IT/^-TjF VEAH... SURE THING, RITTER.' I WASN'T MEANIN’ TO START ANYTHING OVER JiEV, RITTER... I HEAR DAVIS KEEP THE H0 »S??? hoe anp GAVE IT TO VCMJ/ ISTHAT RIGHT ? DON'T TRY TO MAKE TROUBLE OVER GOOD KEEP IT THAT > WAY f THIS'S GONNA HOLD ft. YOU/ I'M NOT AS BE SIMPLE AS. SOUND ASLEEP AS YOU * f THOUGHT/ . HUH 6LEEPIN' LIKE A - IABY...AND THERE'S THE HORSESHOE... IIDNI&HT... OUTSIDE TEX RITTER’S HOTEL ROOM— VOW/ VA HAD A UNDER YOUR PI ^HE MASKED MAN jT-rr-ne. R A f \S\M A I? D ^THIS'LL WAKE THE WHOLE TOWN — BUT YA LEAVE ME NO CHOICE, RITTER ! STEPS BACKWARD AND DRAWS ON THE APPARENTLY UN ARMED RANSERi ^ALL RIGHT- -YOU WIN, RITTE R / X HAD TO ST WHAT THE-.- 1 .THOU&HT... WHAT ARE VOU DOING TRVIN \ TO STEAL THE HORSESHOE, \ MO RRISON ? YdU THINK I'D GO SOUND'* ASLEEP WITH THAT THINS SITTING RIGHT BESIDE ME ? NOW TAKE OFF . THAT MASK--- BENSON/ v DISCOVERED THAT I'D TAKENT — — . r~ i — Lnr\r.tC'J AUH PI IT Rl v£L ‘E'j cT