Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

10 All three of them were sure that they would never see the light of another day, but suddenly a gleam of hope dawned on Mollie as she perceived that a telegraph wire which had afforded communication between Cheyenne and Laramie had been torn down by the collapse of the water- tank, and was lying across an open hatch- way in the roof of the caboose. Her training as a postmistress standing her in good stead, she rigged up a make- shift connection and contrived to trans- mit a call for aid; and though she knew that no help could arrive for a consider- able time, it was clear that the pillaging Redskins were going throug:h the long line of wrecked coaches in a leisurely fashion. For as far as the occupants of the caboose could tell, the savages were still concentrating their attentions on the foremost carriage, despite the fact that fully fifteen minutes had elapsed since they had first set foot in it. Actually two hours passed before any of the Indians attempted to gain entry into the caboose—two hours which were fraught with suspense for Mollie, Dick and Jeff—two hoiu:s of waiting that cul- minated when a petty chieftain in charge of a handful of the Redskins made an effort to force his way into the little car wherein the last three surviving whites were sheltering. A bullet from Jeff's rifle dropped the chieftain, and that shot was the signal for an infuriated outcry and a desperate rush on the part of the stricken warrior's immediate companions, whose number was quickly swelled as the entire band of Indians surged towards the caboose. Dick, Jeff and Mollie stemmed the initial onset of the fallen chieftain's immediate companions by rapid fire. Yet they were convinced that within the next few seconds the three of them would be overwhelmed by an irresistible horde of foes and mercilessly exterminated. And such must have been their fate if the shrill blast of a train's whistle had not become audible all at once and caused the Redskins to beat a hasty retreat from the caboose The whistle that had sounded was the siren of a relief train packed with soldiery, and less than a minute later those soldiers were going into action against the Indians—raking the savages with volleys of musketry that laid scores of them low, and finally driving the remnants of the Pawnees in helter- skelter flight from the scene of their crime. ASSASSIN'S BULLET IN spite of having been exposed as the instigator of the campaign to hinder the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad, Asa M. Barrows had evacjed his . just deserts becau.se he was lucky enough to possess powerful friends in Washing- ton. And indeed he even made one more attempt to delay the progress of the line —by bribing a government engineer to condemn twenty-seven miles of the Union track and allege that the sleepers of that stretch of track were not secure. This effort to delay the Union Pacific's undertaking was Barrows' last, and it ended somewhat ignominiously for him. For on the night after that section of track was stated to be insecure Fiesta and Leach Overmile abducted Asa M. Barrows from a Cheyenne hotel in which he and the government engineer had booked accommodation; and, under the supervision of the Texan and the Mexican, the financier was compelled to wield a ponderous hammer and thump heartily at every sleeper bolt on the afore- mentioned stretch of railroad. When he had accomplished that lengthy and arduous task, Asa M. Borrows had no desire to bribe the government engineer to criticise any further portions of the Union outfit's line. And so it was that on a certain memoiable day the Union Pacific carried Its steel highway into Ogden, Utah- some hours prior to the Central Pacific OcUAh'A- 28tli, 1U39. BOY'S CINEMA reaching that settlement from the west. Ij-onically enough, it fell to the lot of Mr. Barrows to carry out the function of driving home the last spikes that linked the lines of the two companies. It was a symbolic function that any of the high officials of the two concerns would have been eager to perform, but none of them could have achieved it with the skill and precision of Mr. Barrows. Though of slight build and sallow com- plexion, Asa M. Barrows carried out the ceremony as lustily and as surely as any platelayer. Then he crossed to Fiesta and Leach Overmile, who were in the forefront of a large crowd of onlookers and who were the only ones present who knew why the financier had hammered in those spikes so expertly. "I'd do my best to put you in jail but for one thing," Barrows told them in a low tone. "You mean you like us, eh?" Fiesta inquired smilingly. Asa M. Barrows scowled. "No," he breathed, "I hate the sight of both of you, for you've cost me millions of dollars. But—you've cured my indigestion." Laughing Fiesta and Leach moved away, and then, reflecting that the occasion called for a mild celebration, they set out for the .principal bar-room in Ogden, and were turning into the town's main street when they espied a figure lurking in an alley between two buildings , little way down the thoroughfare. It was the figure of a man who was shabbily attired, but who had once prided himself on the cut of his clothes. It was the figure of Sid Campeau-^so out-at-elbows that it was hard to reconcile him with the once-prosperous owner of the Big Tent. Yet Leach and Fiesta identified him readily for all his changed appearance, and the pair of them sud- denly recalled a rumour they had heard —to the effect that Campeau was looking for Jeff Butler and intended to square accounts with him. feyery Tuesday passing wayfarer -was not Jeff Butler, he had discharged a bullet that ripped through his victim's body and brought him crashing to the sidewalk in a lifeless heap. Only as Dick rolled over on to his back did Campeau discover his mistake, and at that he gave vent to an oath and ducked out of the alley. Almost in the same instant Jeff Butler came rurming from General Casement's ofiBce to in- vestigate the sound of the shot that had rung out, and at sight of him Campeau uttered a vicious snarl and swung up his smoking " iron " to draw a bead on him. Jeff was empty-handed—would have stood no chance against the vengeful blackguard. But Leach Overmile had plucked out his forty-five now, and ere the assassin could open fire on the railroad official the Texan's gun belched flame and lead, his shot piercmg Sid Campeau and killing him instantaneously. It was Jeff, of course, who broke the news of Dick Allen's death to Mollie, and though the tidings brought tears to her eyes, she was thankful when she had heard the full story that Campeau's bullet had not struck down the one for whom it had been intended. As for Jeff, he had known for a long time the reasons why Mollie had married Dick Allen—knew, too, that now fate had given her back her freedom the day was not far off when she would become Mrs. Jeff Butler. Yet at present he could only think of Dick Allen, who had been a scape- grace, admittedly, but who had possessed qualities that had endeared him to all who knew him—qualities that might have directed his career into nobler channels save for the streak of wild wilfulness that had run through his veins. "Dick will be waiting for us, Mollie," Jeff said. "He'll be waiting for us—at the End of Ti-ack—the track we call life." Mollie found his hands and clasped them tightly. „ ,, , , . . "Yes, Jeff," she whispered. "He'll be Even as they remembered that rumour waiting fo* us, like you say—at the End they saw Jeff Butler approaching along of Track " the street, on that side wherein Campeau's vantage-point was located, By permission of Paramount Pictures, and they were quick to realise that Ltd., based on the film, "Union Pacific," Campeau had seen Jeff as well. For the which has the following cast: ex-saloon owner was keeping back out of _ , _, „ , «• »> ^i the trouble shooter's view, and, hand on Joel McCrea as Jeff Butler the butt of a revolver he was carrying Barbara Stanwyck as Mollie Monahan upon his hip, the rogue was obviously Robert Preston as Dick Allen awaiting Jeff with murderous intent. ^kim -Tamiroff as Fiesta A4. iv, J f tT- i^ .i. i- J , Lynne Overman as Leach Overmile At the end of the street, unnoticed by ^^^^ Donlevy as Sid Campeau pampeau Leach pverniile and Fiesta j. m. Kerrigan as Msnahan reached for their forty-fives. But they Harrv Woods as Brett had no need to use them just then, for Anthony Quinn as Cordray as it happened Jeff turned into an office puzzy Knight as Cookie situated some thhty or forty yards from Robert Barrat as Duke Ring the afley where Campeau was skulking— Henry Bolker as Asa M. Barrows an office that General Casement had Stanley Ridges as General Casement rented on arriving in Ogden. Richard Lane as Reed A moment later Leach and Fiesta per- ceived another man coming along the • street, and recognised him as Dick Allen. /-n , . He was walking on the same side of the HaVC VOU nlied in VOUr thoroughfare as that along which Jeff ^-^ r^ . had been making his way, but he did not Order r Orm and given it enter General Casement's office. Instead .... ^ he held onward, upon a course that was tO 'VOUr Newsagent ? If bound to take him past Campeau's "^ , . ,r^„r . ambush, and Leach and Fiesta found not—do it NOW ' themselves wondering how he and '. Campeau would react when they met each other. jf *■■" " J The Texan and the Mexican did not : r\Dr\EDc/^DiL<i ' bargain for the drama that transpired. ! ^JfxLJtKrvJKn • They failed to apprehend that Campeau, • : crouching in the alley, had not observed : Please reserve for me every week a ! Jeff turn into Casement's office. They : copy of BOY'S CINEMA. : failed to apprehend that Campeau, hear- • : ing the oncoming footsteps of Dick Allen, : : mistook those footfalls for the tread of the : • Union Pacific's trouble shooter. • • With brisk gait Dick Allen continued • : his advance—until he was abreast of Sid ■ ■ Campeau's coign of vantage. Simul- : Date : taneously Sid Campeau snatched forth : fWrite name here, please.) ! the revolver with which he was armed ; k / . and before he had time to glean that the i .■..■•»....■...>■•»....•.. .,..;