Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday BOY'S CINEMA 21 A band of crooks try to prevent a lad inheriting land rich in oil. A brave girl an«J a daredevil cowboy champion the boy and risk their lives to see justice done. Starring Jax:k Perrin and Eileen Sedgewick. EPISODE 5. "THE END OF THE TRAIL." Wells Fargo Takes Control. AFTER him!" Sheriff El Wiildoii shouted, biniidisliiiiK his Ciui in the air. " He can't have ffot far, and I reckon lie knows more than lio will tell." Three of the deputies made for the door, thrusting their weapons into (heir holsters as they ran. They were about to pass into the street wlioii tlio quiet voice of Wells Farco chocked them. "Let ]iim po, my friends," he said. "He cannot get away, and I dare say 1 know where to look for him when I v.ant him." The sheriff immediately protested. He was feeliuK somewhat sore at the way ho- had been left in the dark. "He's a slippery customer, "Mv. FarRo," he said, lialf in anxiety, half in aiuioyanee. "If he's allowed too mucli )ope, he'll clear out altopether." Fargo shruRsed his shoulders casually. He had proceeded too far with the case now not to know wliafc he was doing; at the same time, he was not disposed to take the sheriff into his confidence just yet. "He'll not clear out. And if he does, wh6 could stop him?" He looked at the sheriff shrewdly. " As I understand Ihings, you brought him here wilh the others for the purpose of holding an inquiiTT. Actually, you had nothing against him. Am I not right?" " I might not have liad just now, but I reckon he's as good as confessed," the sheriff retorted. "He's cleared out at a time when things were getting too wqira for him, and that's enough for me. I am entitled to hold him until 1 lan complete my inquiiies." Wells Fargo shook his head. "Tell me, what exactly have yon got against him apart from the fact that he ran away?" He paused, waiting for an answer. None came. " You see, you haven't even the ba.sis of a prosecution." Ho pliuigcd his hand into his pocket once more and drew out the handful of flint arrowheads that he had shown previously. "What have you found out about those, lor in.stance?" "N'oihing," replied the sheriff shortly. " E.xcept that one was found on the ground after the Toyahvalo stage coach was held up and the driver nnudered. Another was discovered afler the hold- up of the El Paso, Limited, six months ago, and two others were found on Jim ^L^rvin." Wells Fargo nodded slowly. " And so you jumped to the con- clusion that Jim Marvin was the leader of the hold-up gang," he murnnned ^oflly. " At the same time, yo>i knew he was not the type that made robbery and murder his profession. You must have been in a bad state over it." Sheriff El Waldon swung away savagely. He was quite well aware that Fargo was having a quiet laugh at his expense, and the thought did not please him. But he was unable to make any answers which would establish his stand- ing again. When he came to (hink over the whole case calmly, he lealised he knew as much about it as he did about battleshijis—exactly nothing. "Anyway, I am entitled to hold Trent and his men for attempted murder," he said obstinately. "They iiied to blow Jim Marvin and some others into small pieces down at the old silver mine." Wells Fargo looked round slowly, as if weighing in his mind what he ought to do. Then he calmly threw aside the rug that had been tucked round his knees, climbed out of the bathchair, and walked into the centre of the group. "That little deception was neeessai'v," he explained. " No one ever thinks a cripple is dangerous." He studied tho arrowheads in his hand for a fow moments, and then looked up Oiiro more. "These things are incriminatir.fj. As they have been found after a murder,' I should say that anyone w ho has 0!>«' of them in his possession at this mome!>t is liable to be indicted on the capit.;)! charge." He spoke quietly and deliberately; at the same time, there seemed to be in his expression a far-away, unalert op- pression, as though he were talking to himself. The ensin'ng silence was broken by a slight clatter. In a moment he h.^J swung round. "Those foiu- men over there!" he snapped, and his whole aditude bfifl undergone a change. "Get your haifds up! I am formally arresting you for' the killing of the driver of uhe Toyahville stage." His gun pointed in the direction of Collins, Skeggs, Maloney, and Perri;-'. If there had been any doubt that Col- lins was completely innocent of tbis accusation, it was speedily dispeJJetl now. He went dead white, and his hands shook with flight as he held thoii above his head. "I didn't—I didn't!" he blurted c->t. "I had nothing to do with it. I <--^4 all along that shooting the driver of the stage up was a mistake, and would IskJ u:. all in the calaboose." Fai'KO stepped quickly up to his side. "You're lying, Collins!" he said, "li was you that fired the fatal shot!" • It w asn't! I swear it wasn't ["- "Then who did?" "Jack Trent!" Wells Fargo returned to where -he February lOtli, JOSy. '