Show The Fiction BENNY WISES UP ByC By Richard H. H Wilkinson C Corner orner ENNY got a big kick out of ot B BENNY eavesdropping on the sheriff It smacked of f adventure and the wild life lie he loved He got a bigger kick when he heard Sheriff Conrad mention Slick Dearborn Slick SUck Dearborn was the smartest I outlaw with whom Conrad had ever I had to contend He was Bennys Benny's Minute idol for he represented represented 3 Fiction the danger danger- dangerous ous freedom of which the boy had always dreamed One day three weeks ago Benny had seen Slick in the Faraway Saloon and something about the worshipful look in the youngsters youngster's eyes had attracted the outlaws outlaw's attention Benny had been almost speechless with gratitude when the outlaw spoke to him They had a long conversation con can conversation and when it was over Benny knew a sense of importance that was almost the fulfillment of his dreams Ear glued to the side of the building Benny held his breath while Sheriff Conrad and his deputy Joe Hicks Dicks carried on their voiced low-voiced conversation At 4 o'clock that afternoon Benny drew rein in the secret canyon where Slick was hiding He gave the secret whistle that he and the outlaw had agreed upon then waited waited wait wait- ed breathlessly Minutes passed and nothing hap hap- Benny moved down the canyon canyon can can- yon a ways and whistled again Suddenly Suddenly Suddenly Sud Sud- denly two men emerged from behind behind be be- hind a boutt boulder er One of them was Slick Dearborn Benny shouted at them Slick I just heard the sheriff sherif and his deputy They found out it was you who held up the theAt theAt r rt t lj r r At four o'clock that afternoon Benny enny drew rein In the secret canyon where Slick was hiding bank last week an they know youre you're up here an an they're comin to get yuh You come with us us said Slick SUck shortly keepin guard Slick called and the other outlaw outlaw out out- law slid back to the ground We gotta get out of here and git gU fast Kid did anyone see sec YOU yon leave town No sir Not a soul I done jest like you told me Good Youre You're comin with us The second outlaw came from behind behind be be- hind a screen of bushes riding one horse and leading another Slick swung aboard the extra animal There came the sound of a shot T The h e second outlaw uttered a scream clutched at his breast and plunged from the saddle A second shot followed and Slicks Slick's mount went to its knees S SLICK LICK SWORE VIOLENTLY as Benny crawled up beside him You damned little rat Thought you said nobody followed you out of town 1 Honest Slick Slick Slick-If Shut up Suddenly Slick seized him around the middle and leaped out of plain view of the two coming corning com corn ing up the canyon The pair reined In holding their fire as the outlaw outlaw out out- law using Benny as a n shield began shooting rapidly Sheriff Conrad and Joe Hicks sensing the bandits bandit's purpose flung themselves from the saddle and scurried for shelter Benny suddenly understood the purpose he was serving suddenly knew that Slick was using him as asa asa asa a means of protecting his own hide Slick Slick Lemme go They'll blast me down in cold blood Shut up you rat Slick brought the barrel of his gun down crushingly crushingly crush crush- on the boys boy's head Benny gasped struggled feebly then went limp When Benny opened his eyes he found Sheriff Conrad and Joe Hicks Dicks bending over him Feeling better kid Ye e Ye e ss Im I'm all right Wheres Where's Slick Taken care of ot Sheriff Sheri Conrad eyed Benny intently Listen Benny Ben ny fly you better get home before yo your ur maw begins to worry You can say you helped us run down Slick SUck Dear Dear- born Fact is you did When w we saw you with him three weeks ago we figured like this which is why we did some so you could lead us t to where he was Gosh said B Benny There were tears in his eyes For the first time tune in his life he realized what a perfectly per per- perfectly swell guy Sheriff Sherill Conrad was |