Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday She was fully dressed in a grey frock that became her, and she was standing just inside the door, with her hands on her hips. "You're even lower than I thought!" she said with intent to hurt. And then abruptly she smiled, for Dixon was standing behind Jim with Alabam's six- shooter in his hand. "Put up j-our hands, Caitlew!" he rasped. vJim raised his hands and looked at Anne with a curious expression in his grey eyes as these words of the song floated up the staircase: "I've been waiting a long time, my darling, for those sweet words " He turne<l slowly and faced the gun. "I'd like to kill you now," said Dixon, " but we're leaving here—and you're taking us!" Jim looked over the speaker's shoulder out into the deserted passage. "It's all right, Beaver," he said. Dixon turned his head, just as Jim had expected him to do, and in that second the gun was wrested fi'om his hand and a fist came up, caught him on the point of the jaw with a i-osounding thud, and sent him flat on his back, half vmconscious. With a quiet grin Jim stowed the gun in a jjocket, then picked Anne up in his arms and carried lier out to the stairs. "I only came up to invite you to our little party," he told her calmly, and strode down the stairs with her into the saloon. The singing stopped dead; the men stared. "Strike up a time, Alabam," directed Jim, and deposited Anne on her feet. "Make it a dance," he added. Alabam obediently plucked the strings of his guitar, and Jim took Anne in his arms and began to move about the floor with her. Hugh, nursing his aching jaw, crept down the stairs and stood gloomily in a doorway, watching them. And then, abruptly, a cracked bell began to ring, somewhere on the out- skirts of the ghost cit}-—the cracked bell of the dilapidated little church. Jim stopped short, and motioned to Alabam to cease playing. "It's Sunday night,'" he said solemnly. "I forgot! Come on, everybody!'' And he marched Anne to the swing doors. The others followed—all save Dixon. But Beaver went back for him. BOY'S CINEMA "Come on!" he barked menacingly. "Everybody goes to church here!" And he grabbed the reluctant crook by the arm and pulled him out. In a straggling procession the whole party moved across the sandy ground to the isolated wooden church; and there was the parson, standing on the top step with a Bible in his hand, waiting for them. "Good evening, par.son," said Jim. "Meet a new member of our congrega- tion." "Glad to have you with us this evening, sister," said the little man, shaking hands with Anne. "Shake hands with the parson, son,'' commanded Beaver, pushing Dixon for- ward, and Dixon reluctantly held out his hand. A remarkable congregation; but then everything was remarkable about Sky- fields. The men made their way to long forms in the body of the building, and Jim sat beside Anne on the left, while Beaver pulled Dixon down beside him on the right. The parson mounted to a roughly fashioned pulpit, after he. had distributed hymn-books. "I want you all to join me in singing the giand old hymn, ' There's a Great Day Coming,' " he said. "Page 167— one, six, seven." Evidently these bandits knew the hymn quite well, for they sang with gusto. A prayer followed, with everyone on their knees; and then came a Scrip- ture lesson, taken from a number of pas- sages from the Old Testament prophet.s. Arme sat amazed; Dixon could hardly believe his ears; for this tiny parson, with his fervid manner, hurle<l at his listeners denunciations such as these: "' My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer, but ye have made of it a den of thieves. . . My face will I turn also from them. And they shall pollute my secret place—for the robbers shall enter and defile it. And if ye will not be formed, I will bring a sword upon you.' " After it was all over they trooped back again to the saloon, quiet, subdue^l. Next day they might embark upon some fresh robbery, but to-night they had the manner of law-abiding, Godfearing people. 9 In the Desert. IN the weeks that followed there were many mysterious comings and goings on the part of Jim and his gang, but always two men were left behind to guard Anne and Dixon, both of whom were set to menial tasks. Anne was made to fetch and carry and help the princess in the kitchen; Dixon was com- pelled to do all manner of odd jobs for which he had no liking. "I'm getting to look more liko you every day," Anne said bitterly to the sqtiaw one morning, as she picked up a loaded tray. "Onah!" retorted the princess in her own language, and then curtly: "They are waiting!" Anne Went out into the saloon to .serve Jim and his followers with coffee. The parson was sitting at a tabic with Jim; they had just finished a meal. She poured a cup of coffee for him, then held one out to Jim. "This coffee's cold and weak," he complained, after he had sipped at it. " Well, why don't you keep some wootJ in the kitchen?" she retorted angrily. "Or perhaps you'd like to have me do that, too?" Dixon looked apprehensive. "Where am I to get any more wood ?" he growled. "I can't grow it!" "'There are plenty of broken-down owbins in the place," snapped Jim. Anne went back to the kitchen to make fresh coffee, but she was sitting at the big table with her faje in hei' hands when Dixon came in at the back door with an armful of wood, which he threw viciou.sly on the floor, and pro- ceeded to re-light the fire. The princess was out in the saloon, gathering up the used plates. "I wish T were dead!" exclaimed Anne tragically. "I'd mther die a thousand time.9 than stay here another day." "We're not going to stay here an- other day." declared Dixon in a low voice, feeding flaring paper with broken wood. "Listen, Anne,, we've only got one chance. The hoises are guarded night and day. We've got to walk it— are you game ?" She rose land went over to him. "I'm game enough," she said eagerly. "When?" "To-night." His finger was on the trigger when Alabam saw him stand-* ing there, and fired. ' July 4th, 193^