The Key West Citizen Newspaper, August 12, 1952, Page 6

Tuesday, August 12, 1952 SNUFFY SMITH Page & THE KEY WEST CITIZEN BARNEY GOOGLE AND HELL'S HORSEMAN BY WILLIAM HOPSON WELL, JUGHEAD-- iT WON'T BE LONG NOW BEFORE YOUR OL’ TIGER WILL HAVE TO GO BACK W THE MISS YE, MISS TIGER A_PACKAGE FOR MRS. JIGGS'S NEPHEW OSWALD- WELL- OPEN IT AN! PUT 4 =-AN' MY UNK SNUFFY WILL Miss YE, (: TOO, MISS SHET YORE TATER TRAR JUGHAID !! (LL DO MY Own MISSIN’! | | | BOOKS -IF I DIDN'T HAVE IT OPENED -HE AP Newsfeatures Chapter Seven HE Pased the corner of the sta- tion and was half-way along the road leading through the trees when the stage rattled by. Back of it loped Austin astride a black horse. He caught sight of Montana and reined up, easing into a walk and .ooking down. “Howdy,” he said, and bent over. “I’m goin’ that way. Lemme. take the saddle.” “Thanks,” was the reply. “Lookin’ for a job?” “A man can always use the right job.” Austin grinned at that one. “A man allus can,” he agreed. “You might get on with Forrest.” “What about Rundert? He stay- ing on?” Austin’s easygoing countenance’ lost its cheerful expression. “You know Ro?” he grunted. “Saw him on the train last night.” “He saw you too, I reckon. He ~ was givin’ you a queer look when you left the station just now.” Austin rode on for a few yards! in silence. Then the rider spoke again. “This much I can tell you, mis- ter. I don’t know who you are, but look out for the Read Runner. That’s all I got to say.” “Is that why you’re staying on the ranch?"g Montana grinned, looking up. “Who said I'm stayin’?” Austin snorted, to cover his confusion. “I did, Rundert wasn’t the only one who was doing some looking,” Montana said. “So were you. At Belle Ramson.” “Stranger,” Austin said angrily, leaning down t> return the “you can go plumb to hell!” He went on into town, his eyes’ on the leanto restaurant on one side. He went in, dumped saddle “Want to find ovt about the herd. Tl be back in a minute.” He passed by, and Montana thought, noting the two ivory- butted guns the man now wore, that it was strange Rundert want- ed to find out about the herd when the man Austin had just come from it Rundert crossed the square and Montana saw him nod to a man in front or a small ga- loon. The man followed him In- side. Montana saw. too, that the black horse ridden by Austin stood at a hitch rail in front of the saloon. “What did you wish?” asked the buxom florid-faced waitress. “On second thought, not any- thing,” Montanz replied, and got up. ‘E moved toward the door of the saloon, the coffee forgot- ten as he heard sounds of men’s voices coming from wi “I warned you before I left to pull ie lundert was saying coldly. “I don’t like you. I never did like the way you hung around Belle. taking care of her horses and such.” “Now I reckon that’s shore too bad,” came Austin’s drawling voice, cool in reply. “I must have plumb forgot al about it.” Montana ste; cheers the dcorway, coat bac] i hands hanging carelessly at his thighs. Over in a corner, at one end of a crude bar, an untouched drink before him, Austin stood as though at bay: for he was facing a number of men. One was Run- dert, his back to the open front door. The others Montana had never before seen. They appeared to be at ease, taking no part in the impending action between +] Austin and Ro Rundert. Two of the men Montana’s brief lance caught ir detail. One was ort, of enormous girth, and feature about him was a beard se jet black it had the sheen of a skunk’s fur, and above it were eyes to match. Black Jack Caswell and Dutch Saunders were in town. They were in town at a time when Hol- land Forrest was arriving to go out to his newly urchased ranch with six hund: head of cattle. McBain had been one of Black Jack’s men. And Ro Rundert had known McBain. That made it clear. Rundert, right-hand man of King Ramson, was beyond an: shadow of a doubt in with Caswe! and the Dutchman’s pack of horse thieves. Austin’s face was a little pale, for he knew he was doomed. He was not a gunfighter and Rundert was. Yet his voice still retained its liar friendly drawl : “Shore I stayed on on account of Belle, though she never knowed that. It’s the only reason I ke} working for a man I'd ly found out was a damned cow thief on a big scale.”. “That all you got to say?” “T ain't even started yet. I know —and you know—it’s mighty fun- ny Ramson sold all his stock to the packers before selling the ranch to that Easterner Forrest. Stripped the lapse clean except for Se dred or so head of good hosses. And you know why he did it? Because Ramson is going to rustle Forrest clean or just drive him o} the ranch and take over Some of the men stiffer shot looks at Black Jack and then at Rundert. The big man’s body had tensed _but something stayed the Road Runner's hand. Now he spoke again. “This is chips out for you, I warned you last week, before I took the train down to meet Forrest, to be off the ranch by the time I got back.” “Plumb pen my mind.” “It didn’t slip mine, amigo. And if it had, I'd have changed it when I saw you getting chummy i i nt| stood at the opposite end of the eres Sey ep ener bar noisily chewing a large hunk] back eS with owe gent — ; counter. of barkecued beef the silent and| killed P icBain = train + "At a corner table, drinking cof-| uneasy bartender had brought] Dight. I've _ eminence ‘im fee, sat Ro Rundert and He ae an opening that led back sons, tne im, ee Ramson, Holland Forrest and his| to a kitchen. He wiped a ac’. Jac! — strock daughter. Suddenly Rundert put] hand on his pants leg, a1 ; funny. Ro,” down his empty cup and got up.| the Leef, watched Austin through ecko gar " , Ro, where are you go-| Piggy eyes. : “deca oe) ing?” Forrest asked. ‘The other man was different. He | Dt behind heer Just saw one of the boys over| was angular to a point bordering right behind you, hee in the corner,” was the reply.'on the skinny. The most striking PPE aca PARES! pr. 1952, King Features Syndicate, Inc.. World rights 12¢ per line for one day llc per line for three days 0c per line for six days 9c per line for twelve days 8c per line for twenty-four days Minimum of 3 lines wow. WHY THAT GIVES . Iu Give YOU Dioner ME AN UTTERLY TeRrRiric IDEA-- NO KIDDING ./~ IF You WANT TO BE IN THIS SHOW — BUT AFRAID HE'LL SEE You ON T.V., MLL SWIPE ALL THE TUBES OuT OF His SETS Y WILLYOU STOP BY” HEY-VERA— \ TRYING TO BE 1S THIS For ) A GENIUS,AND Hurry?! We'LL N \ Bes =a t ed ae Si... PANCHO MY HEAVENS, WHAT HURRY, AMIGO! MY HANDS ARE WULL,IF'N ZIP KIN GIT IN SHAPE TTAKE OVUH AGIN AT SHAWTSTOP, US BUGS LL SHO’ BE IN CLOVUHY OZARK, WHY ARE THESE PLAYUHS OUT HERE SO SE) EARLY IN TH ws MAWNIN'? J Advertising Department The Key West Citizen