Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday Jim, who was in his sliirtsleevcs, shrugged and grinned. " The boys are right, Beaver. Some- thiti<» has happened!" "Same thing happened to nie once," declared Beaver. " She was a red- head." "How arc things back home, Beaver?" "Pretty bad. ■ Your friend McBride's startin' trouble again." Jim frowned. "Is that so?" he growled. "Yes. him and liis gang has joined forces with Winnipeg." "What a fine bunch of cut-throats that'll be'." " Ye.5," nodded lieaver solemnly, "and if voii don't come on back we might as well quit, because they swear they're goin' to wipe us out clean!" "Is that so?" " Yes, and the boys are gettin' kinda nervous without you, Jim." "Well," said Jim, pacing the carpet, "you go on back and tell the boys I'll be in on Friday night." "We'll be there to meet you." "Right! Now, go on! Get out of here, will you ?" Beaver picked up the hook and moved slowly doorwards with it. " I'm going to try this on the red- head hoochie dancer over at Sharkey's place," he said. But Jim retrieved the book before he bundled hi.s henchman out into the corridor. A Shock for Jim. OX the following morning Jim went off to Aime's flat full of deter- mination to declare his love for her in flowery nhra.ses before he bade her faro-.vcll. But, sitting awkwardly on the cdg(< of a chesterfield Vieside her, the words deserted him, and finally he blurted this: "Miss Anne, I've gone and fallen in love! I just couldn't help it!" She >>-ianced sideways at his face, which was very red, then looked down at her hands, which were folded in her lap. "Oh, vou don't have to BOY'S CINEMA She tugged him round at that, so that he faced her. "I know," she nodded. "You're going to tell me that you've been in love with another girl." " Xo, ma'am," he contradicted, "iluch worse than that. Fact is, I've been a pretty bad fellow in my time, and when you find out how bad, I'm afraid you won't " She put a little hand over his mouth. "If you love me," she said, "nothing else matters." "Just the same," he persisted, re- moving the hand and holding it, "there's sometliing you've got to know before " "I forgive everything in advance, so there '." "Gee!" he exclaimed, with infinite relief. "That's mighty fine!" He groped in a pocket and brought out a little book. "That's for you," he said. She took the book and examined it. It was a bank-book, in her name, in w' ich she v,as credited with five thousand dollars. "Jim," she exclaimed, round-eyed, "you know I can't take this!" "Sure you can," he lesponded. "And besides, young lady, iiereafter you're going to do as I say, and, just to keep you out of mischief, I want you to go shopping every dav, and buy a lot of pretty things to wear on our honey- moon." "Your mine must be awfully rich, Jim," she said, "Where is it?" "Well, you see," replied Jim airily, "I have a, lot of 'em, scattered all around." "I wish I could go back with j"Ou, .lim. I'd give anything to see your mines. It must be terribly interesting." "Yes, ma'am," said Jim, a trifle grimly. "It does get quite interesting sometimes." He looked irro's at the gilt rlotk on give me your answer now I'd and the he said hoarsely, rather have you wait, sort of get used to idea." Her hands came up and held his face, and looked laughingly into his eyes. "Oh, you big goo.se!" she cried. "I thought you were never going to a.sk me! Aren't you going to kiss me?" "Yes, ma'am," said Jim bashfully, and gave a little peck at her cheek. She kissed him full on the lips, and then, ]x)s- sessivoly, he took her in his arms and hugged her like a bear. But after a uliile a fi'own settled about his brows, and he got up and walked away from her. "I've got some- thing I want to tell you. Miss Anne," he said, with gloom. "Anne!" she in- sisted, and followed him. "Anne, I mean," he amended. " It— it's something I've been ashamed of since I inel you." 5 the mantelpiece. It was eight minuter, past eleven. "Say, I'd better be moving along," he remarked ruefully, "or I'm going to miss my boat." "Oh, I wish 7,ou didn't have to go!" "So do I. But I'll be right back in a couple o' months for our wedding." He left her soon afterwards, and re- turned to his hotel to pack. He had filled one suitoaso, and was placing a framed photograpli of Anne on the top of his .--hirts in a second one, when there came a knock at the bed-room door. "Come in!" he called. The door opened, but it was not the page-boy with his bill who entered. It was a tall young man in a light grey suit, whose eyes were a curious sandy brown and penetrating. "Mr. James Cardew?" inquired the stranger. " Y03." "I'm Inspector Brant, of the Coast- line Steamship Companv." "Glad to know you," said Jinr. "Sit down !" And he removed the second suitcaso from a chair. "Thank you." said Brant, and. seat ing liimself, fished out an official-look- ing sheet of blue paper. "Mr. Cardew, you More a passenger on the s.s Alloa, arriving here on the i9th of last month, weren't vou ?'' "That's right." "You remember a young man by the name of Hugh Dixon, who committed suicide on the night before the vessel docked ?" "I sure do," replied Jim wondor- inglv. "Why?" 'rl'.e big sheet of paper was extended in his direction. "Is that the man?" Jim studied the paper. It was headed: "ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS REWARD " Then ^^a■. a picture whiih unmis- t ikal)K \\a'~ of Hugh Dixon, and leneath the pictuio wa" thi<- surprising statement ' \\ ante d for Laic"n\ Embezzle- ment and T'ljud—Hugh Dixon, alias " I'll get you for this! " hissed the swarthy bandit, as he handed down the bag. Jul\ 1th, 1931.