Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

« Every Tiiesaay "Of course I do." "And you don't want to know what I'm supposed to have done?" " You'll tell me when you want to." She squeezed his hands, then gently freed herself. "You'd belter go now. Bill. Good luck!" He turned and hurried away. The day of the race came at last. The Dolice had been to see Stella, and had gone away empty-handed. And Gregoi-y. gloating, had heard that Stella had engaged another jockey for the race. Tne horses paraded in the enclosure, then moved up the course to the starting- post. Gregoi-y, watching them through his glasses, chuckled as he saw Stella's colours. Poor girl, he thought. It was hard luck on her chat he had to do this, but he was desperate for money. And in the racing game there was no room for kindheaitedness. Suddenly the chuckle died. He re- focused his glasses and stared. There was something very familiar about the face of the jockey on Flying Fifty-Five. There was something " It was Bill Urnuhart! He looked round, trying to locate a police officer. One was standing some distance away, and Gregory hun-ied over lo him. But just as he reached the man a terrific cry went up. "They're off!" Gregory groaned. There was nothing he could do now. If Flying Fifty-Five came home first he was ruined. The horses swept along the hill on the other side of the course, turned and came down towards the grand stand. Nearby Gregory could hear Stella's voice. "Bill!" she cried. "Come on. Bill!" The horses made a second turn and entered the straight. But something had happened. Up to a few seconds ago Plying Fifty-Five had been leading, but now, after the last turn, he had dropped back to second place. It was Tempest who was leading now— Gregory's horse! The horses cam.e down towards the fuiishing-post, and Bill strove hard to bring Plying Fifty-Five back into the lead. The horse was running magnificently, but somehow he just couldn't make up that few feet which he had lost at the turn. The horses came on, nearer—nearer "Tempest wins!" went up the cit. and Bill, his eyes closed, realised that he had lost by a short head. He led Flying Fifty-Five into the un- saddling enclosure. Gregory came bound- ing towards him, pocket-book in hand. "I didn't see how you did it," he said, "but you evidently changed your mind." He took Bill's cheque out and tore it up. "I'm grateful to you, young man. And you can see that I always keep my word." "You do, eh?" said Bill grimly. "Well. I'm going to keep mine. I .promised myself that when the right moment came I'd deal with you in the way you deserved, and I'm. going to do it." He reached out suddenly and gripped Gregory by the shoulders. He spun him round and gave him a shove. And as Gregory staggered away Bill took aim and planted a kick hard on the seat of his pants. Gregory, white of face, ran across the course to where a police inspector was talking to a constable. He would show Bill Urquhart that he wasn't the kind of man who would stand for outrageous treatment like that. " Inspector" he said, " I want you to come with me. I want you to arrest a man for murder." "Murder!" The inspector stared at him sharp'y. " Who has done the murder, and where?" "It's the Bill Urquhart case," Gregory explained. "I've found the man who did it.^ The inspector looked at Gregory queerly. "I don't know what you're trymg to do, sir," he said, "but if i were vou I'd not say anything more. We've got the murderer in that case, and he's confessed. BOY'S CINEMA He was a tramp, and he killed his brother tramp In a quarrel. The property belonging to Mr. Urquhart that had been found must have been stolen, or some- thing. You'll read about it in the papers somewhere." Grctcory tottered away. Then he cheered up. None of what the inspector had told him could alter the fact that Tempest had won the race. But again he was wrong. Bill and Stella were even then hurrying to the stewards' room. As they went. Bill said: "I felt Tempest's jockey ride into me just as we got to the second turn. I didn't realise what had happened at first, because I was trying to win, but it all comes back to me now." They stopped before the stewards' door and knocked. Someone called out: "Come in!" They entered, to find the stewards in session. They were seated at a long table, and the chairman was standing up. Fac- ing him was a jockey. It was the one who had ridden Tempest. "Halio, Miss Barrington!" said the chairman. "You'd better come inside, and bring your rider with you." Stella and Bill walked fonvard a few paces wonderingly. The chairman turned to the jockey who was standing before him, and went on' "It is the findings of the stewards that you have been guilty of gross misconduct. You were seen to ride into another horse, thereby delibei'ately impairing that other horse's chances of success. And you were so careless about it that you could even be seen from the judge's box. Have you been betting on Tempest?" The jockey hesitated. He knew it was no good lying. The stewards could find out. "Yes, sir," he answered. " I see. In that case, you are suspended from all racecourses belonging to the association for a period of twelve months. 17 and you are disqualified In the Ninc- F'urJong Handicap." Stella and Bill clutched at each other. Stella saia: "Does that mean Plying Fifty-Five is the winner?" "Yes. Miss Banington. And the stewards offer you their very sincere congratulations." Stella closed her eyes and leaned against Bill. Bill put his arm around her. "Don't faint yet," he whi.spered in her ear. " I've got a lot to talk to you about first." Grinning broadly, he led her out of the room. As they reached the open, a man came running towards them. It was Stella's brother. "Charles!" Stella cried. "Where have you been all these weeks?" Charles stared at Bill for a moment or two, then said: "Golly. I thought you were dead!" And without waiting for Bill to say anything, he went on: "Steha, everytning is all right. I can put us on our feet again. A fellow who has just won a packet on Tempest has lent me a tenner, and I've got a dead cert for the next race—a fifty- to-one shot!" Bill laughed, took Stella by the arm and led her away. There was a whole lot he had to tell her about, and he didn't need an audience! By permission of Edgar Wallace, Ltd., and RKO Radio Pictures, Ltd. Based on the film "Flying Fifty-Five," which has the following cast: Deirick de Marney as Bill Urquhart Nancy Burne as Stella Harrington Marius Goring as Charles Barrington John Warwick as Jebson Peter Gawthorne as Mr. Urquhart D. A. Clarke-Smith as Jacques Gregory Is it Tom Walls ? Mickey Rooney ? Gordon Karker ? How about Spencer Tracy ? Or Laurel and Hardy ? Of course, there are hundreds of other possibles—and they are all in BOY'S CINEMA AN.NUAL, where you can see magnificent new photographs of the film stars, and read all about them. There are some grand film stories too, such as " Old Bones of the River," " Suez," and others, also " Gungn Din " in pictures, " How Talkies are Made," and altogether 160 big pages of splendid entertainment. This is the big " Annual" treat for " BOY'S CINEM.-V " readers ; be sure you don't miss it I BOrs CINEMA ANN UAi (^ Of o/f Nt^wtadenti one/ Bookivlleri November 4th, 1939.