Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

24 He lianded the note to King, who read it and grinned. "You've got the right girl, sure enough," he stated. "Where is slie?" "In the back room," McGee told him. "But wait a minute, Smoky. This Rogers seems to have got the dope on them carrier pigeons. It seems to me that when he let loose the bird that brought his message he'd most likely start out after it." King laughwi in a scoffing tone. "Tell me another story," he sneered. " How's any man gonna follow a carrier pigeon through these hills, unless his l>ronc"s got ii pair o' wings?" "Well, I don't like the looks of it," McGee protested insistently. "All right,'" King retorted. "You three get down to the pass and keep on the watch, while I have a word with Miss Ginger.'" McGee, Larson, and Norton moved away, and King strolled on into the cabin. He crossed the living-room, and rapped on the door of an apartment that was connected with it. Ginger's voice answered the summons. "Come in." she called, and, pushhig open the door. Smoky King stepped over the threshold. Ginger was brushing her hair before a mirror, but she turned with an e.xpect- ant smile as the newcomer entered the room. The smile faded from her pretty fac« as she recognised King. "YouI" she stammered. "W'hy, 1— I " "You was expectin' Jim Logan, huh?'" drawled the foreman. A look of anxiety appeared in Ginger's blue eyes. "Where is Jim?" she demanded. " Snoopin' around somewhere, I guess," King observed, "but not so close that he should bother me any. Listen, Ginger, you ain't elopin' with that cow- hand. You're riding with me—see?'" He had drawn nearer to her while he had been speaking, and now he tried to take her hands. But she retreated quickly. "Keep away from me!" she panted. "Now don't get het up!" ihe rapped out. "You and me are takin' the same trail, and maybe we'll be married, so's I can fall heir to your old man's rancho. And if that proposition don't appeal to you—well, then, I reckon it'll cost your dad a whole lotta dough for ransom, C'mon now, be sensible, girlie, and let's get going. For I aim to take you some place else where we'll bo safe from visitors." Ginger was still holding the brush with which .she had been smoothing out her hair. With a sudden movement she flung it at King's head, and then darted towards the doorway. King ducked, and the hairbrush went flying into the living-room. Ginger tried to follow it, but with a jump King over- took her and seized her, 'There was a frenzied scufTle. the girl soYatrhing and kicking violently, so tliat King soon bore the marks of conflict. Ginger managed to break away from him, and almost escaped through the living-room. Smoky King caught her again as she was darling across the thresliold. however, and with a wrench he dragged her back. Fight. RIDING up to the mouth of the pa&s which Smoky King had entered before him, Jim Logan dis- mounted in the shadow of some trees and looke<l forward to descry the hide- out of the rascally foreman's associates. Jim's fust concern was to dispose of Starlight, and, taking the pony's rein, he led him info a mass of dense thickets, July ^'■f^, 1831. BOY'S CINEMA where he «as effectively hidden from view. He then made his way back to the trees, and as he glanced in the direc- tion of tlie cabin again he caught sight of Lew Lareon, Slim McGee, and Top- Hand Norton striding towards the pass. They were talking animatedly, and kept turning their heads and looking over their shoulders at the dwelling whence they had emerged a minute or two before. They had not discerned Jim, but he realised that unless they changed their course they must approach the very spot where he was standing. He looked around him, and a forked tree near by provided him with an inspiration. Clam- bering up its divided trunk, he settled himself in the fork, and snapped off a"- thick piece of dead branch that would serve as a formidable weapon in his hands. King's three accomplices entered the pass, and came to a halt immediately beneath Jim's hiding-place. "You know," said McGee, "I don't like the way things are shapin'. It that gal's father finds his way here with a posse we're liable to be in a jam. We better keep a pretty strict look-out," They turned their faces southward, and Jim decided that the moment was opportune. He singled out the centre man, who happened to be Larson, and with stunning force brought his cudgel crasliing down on the rogue's head, Larson sagged with a hollow groan. McGee whipped round, lifted his glance, and uttered a cry, a cry that was cut short as Jim struck again, felling him as effectively as he had stretched Larson, Top-Hand Norton had taken the alarm, and, his hand diving towards his hip, he wheeled with an oath, Jim dropped on him from the fork of the tree, and bore him to the ground with the impact. There was a fierce .struggle, during which Norton made desperate efforts to drag his six-shooter from its holster. Rut cro ho could succeed Jim plied the cudgel once more, and scattered the rogue's wits with the shock of the blow. He climbed to his feet in time to see McGeo attempting to rise. Managing to straighten up, the crook stumbled towards him, but Jim tapped him play- fully over the skull and with a stupid expression on his unshaven countenance, McGee sagged limply. Starlight had trotted out of the rhickets where his master h«cl concealed him, and from the peg on the saddle Jim took his lariat and bound the three senseless ruHians securely. Then he reached for his pinto"s rein and turned the intelligent creature so that he was facing southward, "Take the road to the nanch, old- timer!" he said, "And bring Ginger's (lad right here. Go on, beat it!" Starlight to.ssed his head and bounded foi ward into a gallop, his hoofs drum- ming over the nicscjuite grass. Jim watched him till lie had disappeared, and then began to advance towards the cabin beyond the pass. As he set foot on the veranda he hoard the commotion that was going on inside, and, striding into the living- room, he discerned King and Ginger struggling in the apartment beyond, \\ilh a shout he sprang througii to the bedroom, caught the foreman by the shoulder, swung him aroimd and drove (lie bunched knuckles of his right into tin- kidnapper's mouth. King staggered back, his lips cut and bh-eding. A snarl escaped him, and lu K-achcd for his forty-five, but as he |)ulled tlie we^ipon clear of its holster .iim pounced on him and gripped his wrist. He twisted the rogue's arm, and King Every Tuesday let the weapon fall with a clatter. But next moment he slammed his left to the puncher's jaw and knocked him half- way across the room, Jim recovered himself, and made a Hying rush. The foreman wliii^ped up a cliair and hurled it with all his strength, but tiie young cowboy ducked, and it swept over his head and crashed into tiir wall, "I'iie two men closed, and, wrestling grimly, they lurched towards th,; door- way. Then Jim pulled his loft free and drew blood from King"s nose wirli a stinging punch. King reeled into the living-room, and Jim followed him up to connect with a right swing that lifted the foreman off his feet and flung hini headlong against a stove in the corner. The stove-pipe came down with an uglj- clangour, but King collected his wits and leapt at Jim with an angry bellow. He broke through the young cowboy's guard and knocked him across the table, then flung himself upon him and fas- toned his hands on Jim's throat. His fingers clenched in a vice-like grasp, and .Iim felt the blood surging to his head, while a red mist seemed to dance before his eyes. But he mustered all hi.s. strength with a tremendous effort of will. and. breaking the foreman's hold, threw him aside. King leapt at him again, and they grappled. A wild stagger took the pair of them out on to the veranda, where they tripped and came sprawling. They ivcrc up in a second, and hit out at each other savagely, their fists thudding home against face and body. Ginger had followed them to the door of the cabin. She watched with bate<l breath, and followed eveiy blow, her heart boating high when she saw Jim score, and smking when she saw him take punishment. King was fighting like a madman, and for a spell the advantage seemed to rest with him. But Jim was standing on the defensive against a whirlwind onslaught, and he was only biding liis time ere turning the aggressor. He saw his chance when King lefl tiimself wide open, and before the ruffian could lift his guard the young cowboy ripped his fist to the jaw. The foreman fell, and Jim flung himself upon him. But King was by no nieans at the end of his tether, for, with a desiierate effort he heaved the puncher aside, and scrambled to his feet. Jim was struggling up when the .scoundrel kicked at him savagely. Starlight. GALLOPING from the pass that led to Smoky King's lair. Starlight picked up the Carson road and swerved southward, his hoofs drumming on the sun-cracked surface of the trail. He covered ground at top speed, and loss than twenty minutes later his quick oars warned him of the approach of a body of horsemen. As he swung round a bend he saw them cantering towards him—Cap Rogers, the sheriff and a posse. Starlight came to a standstill and waited for them to ride nearer. They reached the spot whore he had halted, and looked at him curiously. "This bronc belongs to that ornery cow-hand, Logan," said Cap Rogers. " So I reckon Logan cain"t be far away. Sheriff, I want that hombre put in gaol. Understand?" The sheriff made no lanswer. He ww watching Starlight, who had began to act in a manner that comiielled atten- tion, wh(>oling first of all and dashing off ill the direction whence he had come, then returning as no one followed him, and tossing his fine head in a fashion that suggested impatience.