Monte Hale Western 74

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,WP K(iiy^r .^v/T^^V^^^V i^H Deep in. tke Sierra Nevadas |coiled aw evil region tkat- 3wew called, typhoid Valley/ \Here, fifty years before, tiuo 1families kacl fallen preu to aficoarge-liXe epidemic.' Siwce ithat time, laliewever strajwfei*


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MONTE HALE WESTERNBiggS goesigkt to uxor*.'.


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MONTE HALE WESTERNWhgn JAanis returnsMONTE -'I'M PLUMB GLAD TOSEE >OU / I CHECKED THEWATER SUPPLY AS YOUSUGGESTED.' BOTH THEBROOK AND THE SPRINGSARE CHOCK FULL OPTYPHOID. ,GERMS J GREAT DAY.'


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MONTE HALE WESTERN


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you've GOT T WERE 0SGO0DSUS DEAD T \ AMD LAWTONS/RIGHTS, HALE- ) YEARS AGO WHENSO WE MlSH / THE REST OP OLtRA* WELL r-^family died promSPILL THE TYPHOID, WE HADBEANS.' / THE DISEASE BUTSURVIVED/ BUT THENWE DISCOVERED ARICH VEIN OP-PRECIOUS JEWELS ffIN THE VALLEY / JKM

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f SO YOU^ right.' andDECIDED TO PREVENTTO HIDE OTHERS PROWOUT IN COM1NS IN,THE WE PLANTEDVALLEY TYPHOIDAND MINE (SERMS IN THETHE WATER IN THEDIAMONDS VALLEY.' I GOTYOUR- A JOB IN THE\ SELVES?J PORT BAILEYHOSPITAL ANDBROUGHT7 THE GERMS


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fJuy By B.F.-&oodriai and Hooc


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MONTE HALE WESTERN

A NEW MOON

LOOK, BETSY,THERE'S ANEW MOONOUT TONIGHT

I'M GOING TO \^^v-vA flUflRTER flNP I ^ V\A WJSH ON IT

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tvwyrtic nn wcaitriNQUICK ON THE DRAWBy Clement Qood

AT THE AGE of twenty. Jack McCraewas tall, dark and rugged. He had angood-humored smile and there was usu-a twinkle in his gray eyes.The two old-timers, Jeb and Luke, wereat their usual occupation, whittling and

tobacco, when they saw the posse rideJack grinned and waved at Jeb and Luke

he passed, and Jeb said, Mark my words,that there young feller is going to be

next sheriff. He's as brave as a wildcatGrimly, silently, swiftly, the possemen rodetoward the foothills. They were hotthe trail of the Ghost Raider and his hench-The ghost was so-called because after

foray he seemed to disappear into thinNo living person had ever seen himToday the Wells Fargo office had beenthe guard shot. Quickly alerted, theand his men were able to pursue the

desperadoes before the trail got cold.sun was setting as they rode into theof Dead End Canyon.

We've got 'em trapped, exclaimed one ofdeputies. They were plumb foolish toin here,

Take it easy cautioned Jack McCrea. Ittoo simple. Maybe we're the ones getting

a trap.Jack's right said the sheriff. Rein uptake coverHe had barely given the order when a rifle

and the deputy who had said, We've'em trapped, plummeted from his mount.leaped to the ground and dragged theman to cover behind jutting rocks, while

others scurried for hiding places. A hailrifle bullets chipped the rocks all aroundlawmen.The Ghost planned to ambush us, rightsaid the sheriff, but now that he's

his mitt, looks like we've got him bot-up.

Only 'looks like', said Jack.What do you mean? asked one of the men.Only way they can ride out of Dead EndCanyon is by going past us.True, this is the only way they can ride

out, Jack agreed. But it'll be dark in a littlewhile. Then they can forget their horses andclimb out the other end. We won't be able tosee them, we won't know where they've headed.Once more, the Ghost will disappear into thinair. That's why I aim to belly around theserocks and see if I can't circle and surprisethem.

Now, wait, Jack urged the sheriff. That'staking a mighty big chance. If anybody's todo that, it should be me.Jack grinned. Sheriff, we all know you'd

never ask any man to take on a job you wouldn'thandle yourself. But all I aim to do is sort ofsmoke them out a mite. You've got to be readyto grab them.Jack crawled away from the group, keepingto the cover of the rocks as much as possible.He circled wide in the fading twilight. Thesheriff and his men kept firing steadily to coverany noise Jack might make, but it wasn't reallynecessary for he was as quiet as a cat.Drop the guns Jack's voice burst on the

outlaws like a whipcrack, but they didn't obey.The rifleman turned and Jack's Colt blastedthe gun from his hands. A shot from the youngdeputy seared the wrist of a second outlawand caused him to drop his revolver and cryout in pain. But the third masked man hit Jackwith two quick shots and the young lawmantumbled to the ground.The two wounded outlaws cried out as the '

third scrambled away into the falling darkness.Hey, boss We're shot up Don't leave usThe boss' answer was two quick squeezes onthe trigger that provided two new candidatesfor Boot Hill. Once more the Ghost Raider


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MONTE HALE WESTERNmaking sure there'd b,e no witnesses alivecould identify him.

He won't ever get to be sheriff now, Luke,Jeb.

Reckon not, Jeb, responded Luke. Aeriff can't go chasing owlhoots in a wheel

Too bad. Sure was a promising youngThey both looked mournfully at JackJack was crippled Two slugs had been dug

of his right leg. Now they said he'd neverbe able to wa-lk without a cane and cer-he'd never be able to ride a horse. Jack

it with his usual courage and a grin. Heon the porch of the Cattlemen's Hotelkept his hands busy, not with whittling

Jeb and Luke did. but with sketches. Heso he could make a pretty good likeness

anyone who would pose. And when no oneposing he sketched the stage coach acrossstreet, the horses at the hitch rail, the

frame buildings or the distant

Most people were pleased and flattered totheir portraits made. But Four Flushwho ran the gambling casino, was dif-He was furious when he noticed Jacka sketch of himself. He snatched the

aper from Jack's hand and tore it to bitslNot a good likeness? asked Jack, raising

his eyebrows.Huh? Oh. I reckon it was good enough.

I'm just superstitious about having my picturemade. All gamblers are superstitious. Here,buy yourself some more paper.

Farro flipped a silver dollar into Jack's lapand hurried away. Jack looked at the coin andgrinned. This is all right Maybe I can makea good living by not drawing pictures

Weeks went by. Jack passed the lime of dayidly chatting with Jed and Luke, or sketchingover the things he had drawn before. TheGhost Raider struck again, this time robbinga rich rancher, north of town. As the posserode out, Jack fidgeted. To sit around idle,useless, was not his nature. Later the sheriffand the men came back empty-handed, as usual.The chief lawman stopped by to give JackMcCrca an account of the futile expedition.

As he finished he wiped hi* wrinkled brewand said, Gosh all fish-hooks. Jack, I wish youeould've ridden with us. You might've noticedsome clue that we missed.A few days afterward, Jed and Luke wereastonished to learn that Jack had taken a job.He was the new shotgun guard on the stageline between Pine Bush and Longhorn City.On Jack's first run, the Ghost Raider heldup the stage out on Prairie Flats. He gunnedthe driver without warning and as Jack leveledhis shotgun, a bullet ripped off his hat andred began oozing from his skull. Jack fellacross the seat. The horses, spooked by thegunplay, took off at a gallop 1The stage horses charged into Longhorn

City and halted at the livery stable of theirown accord. They were there for a full minutebefore anyone noticed Jack lying crumpled onthe seat. He was unconscious. Beside him wasa piece of paper with what appeared to bethe beginning of a sketch on it. But it wasonly an ear, nothing morelJack was taken to the hospital in Longhorn

City. Doctors later told his old friend, thesheriff, they thought he'd pull through, but hemight be unconscious for days. He may haveseen who shot him, but he won't be telling fora long while.

He's told already. grunted the sheriff,looking at the sltetch of an ear.The Sheriff arrested Four Flush Farro.

You're the Ghost Raider, declared the law-man, as he slipped on the handcuffs. You'vebeen identified by Jack McCrae.

But he couldn't recognize me cried thegambler. I wore a mask . . . that i . . .

JED AND LUKE were so interested theystopped their whittling while the sheriffunfolded the story. . . . yep. the human ear isone thing that can't be disguised and it's asure mark of identification. Jack got a goodlook at the hombre's ear in spite of the mask.and he sketched it just before he passed out.By the way. there's a thousand dollar rewardfor the Ghost Raider and Jack's going to getit so he can have an operation and have hisleg fixed up good as new. Likely he'll be thenext sheriff hereaboutsTHE END


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MONTE HALE WESTERN


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MONTE HALE WESTERN' I'M manse Benton/ TWMMM/yes I,I dUST ROPE IN FROM \ HAVE, BEWTOM.'MISSOURI / HAVE YOU I THEY'RE ABOUT


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/AMOMTH A&O, THOSE MEN---TWE' CKAWLEy BROTHERS HELD UP ASTA&ECOACH NEAR ST. LOUIS /THEy KILLED THE DRIVER AND GUARD,ROBBED THE MONEy BOX AND PLED .COMING ACROSS My BROTHER RaY ONTHE HIGHWAY, THEy KNOCKED HIM OUTAND PLANTED SOME OP THE LOOT

1 HIS SADDLE BASS/

S^ THEy DID FRAME HIM- L-, 'THE LAW FOUWD RAYGUILTY AMD SENTENCED HIMTO BE HUNS OM THE FIRST OFMARCH.' WHEW HE TOLD METHE TRUE SVOKY I BE&AWTO FOLLOW THE ORAWLEyBROTHERS.'


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MONTE HALE WESTERNBut thb pays fss y.BRINGING CLOSES. ANDCLOSER AM UNDESERVEDDOOM TO THE MAW WHOWAITS IN A MISSOURIPRISON /

LET'S OFFER ALITTLE BAIT AND SEEIF WE CAN DRAW THEMOUT.' FOLKS GATHERAROUND BIS- CAMP-FIRES AT NISWT,ANDGOSSIP SPREADSGJUICKLY FROM ONE ,

ARE you TR/IN&TO SAY THAT YOUDISCOVEREDJff SILVER ?\ **

'fWE'RE NOT TALKING-' gj] WE'RE NOT LOOKING'/ FOR ANY HIJACKERS TOCOME GUNNING AFTERUS .'BUT WE'VE ALREADYSOT THE LAND STAKEDOUT AND THE PRICE OFV SILVER l* GOING .J>, way up .'j=*/^^r> ~s*jmr

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.TODAY WE'RE GOIN6TO HAVE A CONTESTji^7Cr> (I'M COINSJWINNER GETS THE GRAND PRIZE.'J\| pADRAWiNiCuT0 win


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MONTE HALE WESTERNABByHAVESAhlDTHE-RODEORASCAL


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MONTE HALE WESTERNYUH CAUGHT ME COMPLETE 0Y SUR-PRISE WITH THAT THERE CAPER .YUH KNOW YO'Re ON& SUPPOSED

srr wdm x. SAY'BUCK';


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MONTE HALE WESTERN\l TAKE CORKER OUTO^ THE CWLTTE AHOM3U 60IM. sabs/WILL BE BUWPi=OL06C>,SO HE WONT KWOWTHE DIP^ERENCETILL TOO LATH .


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0U> SLICK CmOTMVHCHERl

hck m*y act * lift AHD MATH ADVeHTUM...

10c ON SALE AT YOUR FAVORITE NEWSSTAND 10(


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PRIN3 HA* COMCTHE MONTANARANfiE COUNTRY

I RECKON' WE'RE ALL IN THESAME FIX/ WE'VELOST HALF OURHERDS, AND NOWWE'VE SOT TO SETTHEM SACK/

LOOKS LIKE A ^\MISHTy MEAN dOfl,AS DALE SAyS-' BUTHARD WORK NEVERHURT A MAN.' I'DBE GLAD TO HELPOUT/ LETS STARTTODAy /


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MONTE HALE WESTERNI've Sot au ideatour vest iswill wet fromthat swim lastnismt, but it /should burn'


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MONTE HALE WESTERNWELL, IF STONE \WALLS WON'T HOLDHIM LET'5 SEE IFA THOUSAND HOOFSCAN TRAMPLE HIM.'STAMPEDE THEHERD/SEND THEM 1THROUGH .'

Monte Hale Western 74

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