Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

BOY'S CINEMA Every Tuesday An eerie detective drama in which the chief surgeon of a hospital is murdered with a scalpel in the dark of an operating theatre, and the only person who knows the identity of the killer is blinded and rendered incapable of speech with acid. Adapted from the new Universal film in which Bruce Cabot is starred with Helen Mack AN URGENT CASE THE ordinary traffic of the street made way for the motor-ambulance whose noisy siren claimed right of passage, and with a skill born of long practice the white-coated driver of the almost spot- lessly white vehicle took a corner at top speed, and with, very little slackening, turned into a broad driveway that sloped down between high walls to the emer- gency entrance of St. Mary's Hospital. It was only a newsboy who occupied a stretcher inside the ambulance, but his case was as urgent as any millionaire's could have been, and no shrieking siren could disturb him. for he was unconscious. The driver locked his brakes and .lumped down from his seat to open the double doors of the ambulance. An interne descended beside him. and the stretcher was borne into ihe building. A quaint- faced house porter and a second-year in- terne took charge of it. and a slenderly graceful little nurse, beautiful in her white linen, led the way to the emergency- room. The interne bent over the injured boy. the nurse sped back to the door and stopped a blonde girl who was passing along the corridor. "Oh, Dora."' she said urgently, "get the surgeon on duty, please." "Okay. Carole." Carole Dale, the nurse, returned to the patient. The blonde girl continued on her way to a curved counter-like desk at the end of the corridor, and she had nearly reached it when the house porter caught up vvith her. "Hallo. Dora."' he said, catching hold of her arm. "You remember me?" She shook off the hand and gave its owner an icy stare. "I never forget a face." she snapped, "but in vour case I'll make an exception.' He followed her to the desk, grinning broadly. "Don't bo like that." he pleaded. " How about that kiss you promised me?" She skipped behind the desk, but he promptlv leaned over the top of it, his rjuaintlv uglv face close to hers. "Kisses spread germs,' she told him with a grimace. "Yeah, I know, " he nodded. "I want to be infected.' "Say, what's Clark Gable got that makes vou so gruesome?" "Now don't be like that! " he rebuked. She spoke into a dictograph; "Dr. Kennedy is wanted in Emergency. Dr. Kennedv is wanted in Emergency." "Yeah."' said the porter. Hank Manley by name. "And tell them to get the theatre ready for an operation. " Dora's face' was not exactly beautiful, even in repose, but she did not bother about her looks^particularly during con- versational encounters with Hank. She put out her tongue at him. "Don't you think it might be a better idea to have the doctor look at the patient first?" she derided. Hank struck an attitude of indignation Dcccmbtr 2i\0. 1930, "Do you mean to infer that I don't know anything about Ignoring him, she spoke into the dicto- graph again. "Dr. Kennedy wanted in Emergency. Dr. Kennedy wanted in Emergency. " Dr. Norman Kennedy, a tall, dark, and almost loo handsome yovmg surgeon with a very straight nose, a tiny moustache and a weak chin, was crossing the hall. He was dressed all in white because he was on duly. "Why," declared Hank loftily, "I was diagnosing cases before you knew the difference between patella and—and an ulna." ""What is the diffei'ence, Hank?'" in- quired a voice behind him. and his .law dropped as he swimg round and saw the surgeon standing there. "Well—er—the difference is " he stammered. "Dr. Kennedy." Dora broke in. ".you're wanted in Emergency." The young surgeon thanked her and went ofi' along the corridor. "Why didn't you tell him?," she jeered at Hank. "Well," replied the discomfited porter. "I didn't tell him because Oh, why should I teach him the business? Let him learn it himself, if he wants to. " "Yeah. " said Dora, "like you did!" In the emergency room, Carole Dale and the interne, and another muse, looked on with professional interest while Dr. Norman Kennedy examined the in- jured newsboy. "Fracture? " suggested Carole when the examination was over. "I'm afraid so," was the reply. "Send the boy to X-ray." "Shall I have them prepare for -an operation?" "No. ' Kennedy frowned and shook hi? head. "I think I'll wait and look at th(> pictures first.' "Well, " she ventured, "as a precaution "Just get me the X-ray," he interrupted sharply. "Yes, sir." The interne and the second nurse wheeled the stretcher to the door, and Carole opened it and went out with them to the electrical department. Dr. Kennedv went to a wall telephone and asked to be put through to Dr. Pinley Morton, the chief surgeon of the hospital, who was his uncle. Dr. Morton was in his office, on the first floor of the building, speaking into a telephone on his rather untidy desk. He was a man of about forty-five with a long, clean-shaven face, a very high brow, and a pair of very dark brown eyes. A nurse who was in the room answered Dr. Kennedy's call. Her name was Lila Haines, and she was of much the same build and age as Carole Dale., She was a very attractive-looking girl, and her skin was fair, but she had the slant eyes of an Oriental. "One moment, please, Norman," she said in a voice that was naturally soft and pleasing, and she held the telephone towards the seated surgeon, who glanced at it and said into the telephone he was using : "Excuse me. I'm wanted on the other phone. Yes. yes—^the usual place. Good- bye.' "I'm sorrv business has to interrupt."' commented the nurse. And then Dr. Morton took the house instrument from her. "Yes. Norman?" he questioned. "Who is he? Oh! Is he conscious? I see. Do a .'^pinal puncture and an X-ray. You'll probably have to operate. No. I won't be- here to-night^I have a very important meeting. I Use your own judgment." He handed the telephone back to Lila Haines and rose from his chair to discard his white jacket. "Another newsboy run over in the street," he said. "Norman will take care of him. You understand. I have this meeting '' "You don't have to explain to me," she broke in with a little toss of her head. We're not married!' "You don't think there is a meeting?" "Of course I don't! I remember when I was Aour board meeting. But I hope you won't let this appointment prevent yoiu- performing the Van Royden opera- tion to-morrow morning. That means great publicity—and five thou.sand dollars!" He smiled cynically. "Lila." he said, "we know each other too well to quarrel like this. ' She took his ordinary jacket from a peg and held it for him, and suddenly he took her into his arms and kissed her. "Ooh! ' gasped a voice at the door. It was Dora Stanley, the blonde re- ceptionist, who had opened the door and was gaping at them. They broke away from one another, and Dora recovered her wits. "Oh. excuse me. doctor." she gabbled. "I didn't know you were in consultation. The—the head nurse told me to bring you these—er—these reports." She laughed nervously as Morton took the sheet from her. " i guess I'm a little bit overcome, too." She winked at Lila and disappeared. Morton tluew the reports on his desk and took his hat from a peg. "Well I hope that doesn't get around the hospital." he remarked. ,"It won't," said Lila, "at least, for a minute!" He gave her a frown.