Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

\ Every Tuesday She strode away wrathfully. As angry as she, he called after her: "Remember, I didn't sign any papers!" He stopped suddenly and snapped his lingers excitedly. "Papers!" For the next few moments he was busy in the office with Jane, giving her instruc- tions about some papers he wanted typed. Then he buttonholed one of the hands. "Go over to the prop wagon and tell Mitch there'll be a couple of guys along in a few minutes who'll have a truck stuck in the mud." "Oh, and help them dig it out?" asked the man. Charlie grinned. "No, the deeper it gets into the mud. the better I'll like it." "I get it, Fixer," the man grinned. TAMINQ THE CROOKS AGGIE had joined Smiley by the cage in which her lions paced soundlessly. "Smiley," she said tensely, "don't let anybody touch those cats—no matter who it is." ,, , " I got ya, Aggie," her assistant nodded. "Nobody touches the cats." And he meant it. He was a strange man, loyal only to Aggie and the lions he tended. "Nobody," repeated Aggie savagely. " I'd rather turn 'em loose than let Darlow get his hands on them. They mean too much to us." She was to remember that remark later. Meanwhile, Charlie Dugan, tongue in cheek, was sympathising with Darlow and Jake. They had run their lorry slap into the big puddle he had noticed earlier in the day. It was immovable, up to the hubs in thick, clinging mud. Strangely enough, they didn't suspect him this time, and were grateful when he told them they'd get help at the prop wagon. "Meet me at the pay wagon when you get ready," he said, "and we'll sign the receipts." ^ "Receipts?" said Darlow cautiously. "Yeah, for Barvin." Charlie laughed. "You know, he's gi'eat on business detail. All that system, and so forth. Terrible, isn't it?" "Yeah, the outdoor racket is getting more like a business every year," Darlow grumbled. "Not like the old days." "You said it, brother," Charlie chuckled. They all met at the pay wagon. Aggie was suspicious and angry with Charlie. She still felt sure he had let her down. Joined by Smiley, she snapped: "I'm glad you're all here together, be- cause I've made up my mind that nobody's going to get those lions." "Now, wait a minute, Aggie," Charlie remonstrated. "Just take it easy. Hey, Jane!" He called into the wagon, and whispered to Darlow: " Remember, quick and quiet." "There's no sense in delaying this any further," Darlow said to the girl. "It's ail legal. You're only making trouble for yourself." Jane came to the door and gave a broad wink, seen only by Charlie. "Charlie Dugan," she said severely, "you know this ain't right." "Will you keep out of this, Jane! This ain't your deal." He took a bundle of papers from her. "Aggie, will you sign here, please?" "Sure, sign here!" the girl said scorn- fully. "What do you care? They're not vour cats." But. with a bad grace, she signed where indicated. Nobody noticed Smiley slinking away, his eyes gleaming. Then, despite Jake's warnings as to what the "old mai> " had said, Darlow signed. Charlie gathered up the papers and handed them to Jane. "Now, Jane, witness them all and bring cut a copy for Mr. Darlow. Bring this one and put the rest in the safe." Jane had hardly disappeared, when there sounded an uproar from the direc- tion of the tents—screams, yells, the sounds of a crowd in panic. A circus-hand rushed past, shouting: "There's a lion loose on the midway!" " Terry!" screamed Aggie in horror. She BOY'S CINEMA rushed away to her cage, and found Smiley struggling with one of the clowns. Her assistant, her desperate words burn- ing in his brain, had opened the cage. Just in time, the clown had grabbed him. But one lion—Nord^had escaped before the door swung shut again. Tail weaving, it was already loping down the midway, with terror-stricken people scattering in all directions before it. And somewhere out there was Terry. As it happened, the child, for the last few minutes, had been busy dodging Mrs. Fletcher, who had spotted her by one of the sideshows. Mrs. Fletcher saw the lion before she did, and screamed in horror. Alone in the aisle between the tents, Terry backed away, her face paper white, as the half-wild brute, snarling and growling, p>added towards her. Her panic made him bolder. She ducked behind the canvas covering of a stand, and heard the animal pawing on the other side. Then a voice said: " Nord!" It was Smiley, now realising what terrible consequences might result from his rash act. He faced the lion, hand out, staring it in the eyes. He was speak- ing all the time, gently, using its name. "Be nice, Nord. Get back, Nord.' And aside to the terrified girl: " Crawl under- neath the canvas, Terry." He wanted to get her out of the lion's sight. Gradually he backed the snarling animal away. Then, half-turning, he told Terry to climb up on the awning of the tent be- hind the stand, out of the reach of those slashing claws.- She was hardly up there on that precarious perch when Nord rushed. She screamed again and again as Smiley was hurled to the ground by a tremend- ously powerful paw. Nord seemed deter- mined to get her. He leaped, clawing at the awning, his hot bi-eath on her face, and his great fangs frighteningly near. 16 Ho fell back, and as he fell his tearing claws dragged the awnllig down. Terry dropped to the ground, half- enveloped in the canvas. She was trying to roll away when another voice cried: "Don't move!" It was Aggie. She began striking out with her whip, driving the lion back. "Back, Nord! Back!" Terry stayed still as stone as her friend fought the lion back step by step by sheer will-power and the cracking of a whip, and with the protection only of a long stick. The stick was jerked from her hand by that swiftly striking paw. The lion made another rush, and she made a supreme effort as out of the corner of her eye she spotted a band of circus-hands with a net, who had been collected by Charlie Dugan. "Back, Nord! Back!" Snarling, Nord, half-crouching, scuffled back in the dust. Then Aggie said softly : " Okay, boys, drop the net." Next moment the lion was tearing help- lessly at the enveloping strands, and slowly his huge, fighting bulk was dragged back to the cage. Charlie superintended the operation, and as people began drifting nervously back, he wiped his forehead, and began bawling: "Hey-ho! Hey-hi! Hurry over, hurry over! Evei-ything is free, everything you see. Now gather a little closer, gents, and keep that midway clear. That was just one part of the great outdoor exhibit, folks! Just a sample of what goes on inside!" The Fixer was at work again. With Aggie swiftly recovered from the strain and completely calm again, and Smiley, only mildly injured, in the hands of the doctor, there was time to give at- tention once more to Darlow and Jake. "Well, I guess we can start loading them, Jake," Darlow gilnned. "Thanks, Miss Modeno, for getting that lion back." "Wait a minute, Darlow," said Charlie •' Come on. Dugan, give me the keys to that wagon I " October 21st, 1939.