Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

I Every Tuesday eviT liuijillt.il. I (lepernl on you not to djscue.i this woilv. oiilsiili", iiol. rw'it aliiniig yoiii'splvcR oi-'willi your fuuiilii--. J Know I oau depend on .you. You star) ou Monday in tho old slorc-rooin. That ;n ruiigi'iiKTit i.-, of i:()ui>i', only Icnipoiary. 'J'lumk you. 'I'lial'.s jill.'' Tho men filed out, afiain, each sccrclly ploasod thftt. ho had boon cho.^on for «o im- portant a job. On lli«- faco of Dave Millci- was a littlo .-se^^rei' smilo a.-i ho listened to ii voice within that vvhispercd: "Hero's your thance, Dave in'boy; he wants .sonieihintf on tliat liombcr, and here it is dropped right in your lap. Sure, you've made enough, iuit. you're not goiilff to refuse u. littlo more for ,\our nest-egg when I'he opportunity's llirown ^t^«.ight at you. Gee, your luck's in; yon didn't .stand "fl, Chinaman's chance of gettiuR- any snaps when you were at-ked for them, and now okf man Barton comes along aiul .-^ayb : • There y'ure, Dave, go right ahead.' Boy, are you hap))y !" He wouldn't have felt quite so happy, how- <>ver, if ho could have followed Mr. Barton into his private office, where pci'cctiyes C'ar- michael and Burns were awaiting hini. "I almost hope we're making a mistake," ho said as ho closed the door. " Those nie.'i liave been with me for yars." "Nobody else had access to the C.50, Mr. Barton," replied Carinichael, "so it must have been one of them who took those plans we intercepted. The quickest way to find out who's bringing a camera into the plant is to give him a good chance to use it. We've got al! tho possible suspects togetlser in_ a place where we can easily watch all the time, an>l the minute anyone uses <i camera wc'vo got him'" Fortunately for Dave's peace of mind he know nothing of the trap .set for him. On his way liome lie called in at the 'Photographic Agency," bought a roll of film and told tho proprietor he would soon be bringing in some more snaps, then, whistling cheerfully, he continued on his way. Tlie little photographer *tood for a while looking after his dupe, then retired into his sitting-room behind the shop where Executive "E" and Walter were waiting for him. '■ Success !" he announced jubilantly. " That sap Miller's just been in for some more iilm. By this time on Monday we shall have pictures of. the whole I'hing—blue prints and <t11. They've made it as oa.sy as failing off a log for him." Ho checked suddenly as ho sow no answering enthusiasm on the heavy face of Executive "E." •■Well, what's the matter?" "I don't like it. VVlioever heard of pnttuig shop men on a delicate optical instrument ? Davo Miller isn'l' trained for that kind of job. Thoso people aren't such fools as ihey seem. It's a trap!" " Heavens, I'd DCtter stop liini. We can't , afford to let him get caught. He'll drag lis into it." "No. They've got to let him take tlie„pic- tures before they catch him, haven't they? Well, all we've got to do is to think of a way we can get the pictures from Miller before the police get their hatids on him. You say the men will be working in the olil store- room at Barton's? Well, I think I know nt tt way to,rescue the snap?—it doesn't matter then wha:t happens to Miller." There was no thought of liis two-fold danger of discovery and desertion in Dave's mind as he opened his own front door-and affection- ately greeted his wife and son. Purposely ignoring ih(< fact that Bill had his new Scout uniform on and "was simplv dying foi' some remark about it. Dave went through the living- room into the kitc'acn, put down his luncheon basket and washed 'lis hands. It was not until his wife laughingly ibcw his attention 10 BiU thai he alTected to novice his son's uniform for ilie first time. ■■ Well, welt, well '. You look fine. Wh.-n did it come. Sprout?" "This morning, ilad. Look, here's my badge. I'm only « tenderfoot to start flifii. but ))reti'y soon I'll be a .-ooond-class Seont —and then a first-cla-s. Why I might even get to be a patrol-leader."' "What do you mran, 'might'? You've got just as good a chance as anyone else and e better one than most. Why, in this country " What praise Davo might have been BOY'S CINEMA about, to givp to III"' country ho was hiniscif bei'rnyjng was interrupted by the .shrill ring of the telephone. Mrs. Miller answered, and as she listened for a niomcut all Uio joy went out of her face. "It's foi- you, Dave," she tiniil tonch'SjIy. Dave took the receiver and 8iK)ke. "Hallo—oh. it's yoM, is it? Now? W«ll, I can't now. Oh, all riglil, all right, maybe ;'. /,•( important. I'll drop in on my way to work to-morrow. 'Bye." He liunied to meet Ihe reproachful glance of his wife. "All rigid, Mary. I know you ilon't lik.^ ihe fellow. But i <an't help it if he calls me up, can I? What-<lo yon want mc to do? Ilnng up on him?" "It's only that I don't want you to b<! mixed np in something you'll bo sorry for after, Dave." "Oh, lay off, will you? I'm not gefilng mixed up in anything," denied Dave, a denial that was rather spoiled by the re-entrance of Bill' from the kitchen crying: "Look what I foimd in dad's hmch box I" and holding the camera aloft' in triumph. It was too imicii for Dave. With a mut- tered curse he sprang at his son and wrenched the camera away from him. "Let that teach yon to keep your nose out of other iicople's business," ho snapped as he gave the boy a cuff. Bill, nearly in tears, went' sadly out into the garden, while his mother, now thoroughly (onvincc'd tliat something was definitely wrong, finally managed to persuade Davo to return tiic camera first thing in the morning But first thing in the morning, f!ie argu- ments of the little shopkeeper and Dave's own arced soon persuaded him back again and the camera was still in Dave's luncii basket as he passed into the Barton Munition Works. "CRIME DOES NOT PAY" EXECUTIVE E's plan was now ready. .Ml important papers and everything that could leave a clue to tho Photographic Agency's real business had already been packed and put in the car by the proprietor, helped by Executive " E " and Walter, the; latter clad in the miusua! dress of an official transport man. Just before Jioon, when Davo had arranged to got the "snaps." the-three spies drove leisurely out to tho Barton works and parked thi-ir car in a blind alley ju,-t out- ride tlio windows of tlie store-room where th^ suspected men were ivorking on the bomb-siglit and where Detective Burns, safely liidden, was watcliing them, his fingers hovering over an electric f.larm connected to the private ofiiice of Mv. Barton. The noon whistle blew and things began to happen Left alone. Dave east a iiasty look round, tlsen took his camera from his Unich basket. Propping the blue prints on which he liad becii working against a screw vice, ho bent to olitain the be^t light and took several snaps. The hidden detective straightened up, pressed tiie buzzer twice and reached for his revolver. Ill the corridor outside the stOre-room ih.> police guard smiled across at the receiving clerk OS a tran.sport man walked up to the counter and deposited there a small package for which he obtained a receipt. In Mr. Bartoji's private office tlie buzzer -ounded twice. Detective Carrnichacl con- sulted a list on which was written the name's of all th.> suspects witli a corresponding list of signals and spoke to the waiting police officers. "Two. It's Miller. Now you know your places in-the corridor. Watch every riiove he makes, but give him plenty of rope. Let him have a chance to leave the wnrks if he wants to—we'll see where he goes." .\nd then, for a moment, all these varied activities on the part of all these people stoi)ped suddenly as- a terrific explosion .shat- teieil the ail-. The iniiocentlooking parcel delivered by the disguised Walter had exploded, killing the police guard and transforrainir the corridor outside the store-room into nn iiifcrno of Haines! 10 • Dave bad already tal'ii liis. pliolugiujtliB and was halfway across tli<! door to the ulidiiitr door leading lo the corridor. He covered the remaining few feet in a lioiind, 'fliintr hiinM-lf 1)11 the door and slid it open. A guht of tiiiiii'^ belc'lied ill tit him, foicini; him lo flo'c Ihn dour again. 'I'lapped, he glared aioniul tho room, the witnIov.M were llie only <>xit. Kraii- licully, he tried lo open tliem. He tried in vain, however. The hit nation was (rritical, mi, seizing a length (if pi|iiiig, lie cliinbe<l on tho bench (o break the window. Dimly he was silhoiintted against the frosted gla.s.s in tho blind alley where Executive K and Operator 15, now rejoined by Walter, were wailing for iiiin. They <lid not know that by cutting off Dave's escjirie thioiigh tho corriilor they had al.so shut him in with Detec- tive Burns, who now .stepped from his placo of concealment with his revolver pointing at Dave's unsuspecting back. "Drop it!" he rasped. Davo wheeled as if he had, in truth, been shot. Stark fear shoAved on his face—fear of Ihe fire raping outside the room, fear of tho detective facing him and fear of what might be. waiting for him outside (he window. 1I<^ snarled in impotent rage. "Come on, drop it." The piping fell to the ground with a dull thnd as Davo raised hi.s hands and waited for the detective to reach him. "Give me that camera."' Dave's hands slowly lowered, warily he reached for his pocket, one eye on the gun that covered him. For a minute as Burns stret<he<l out his hand for the camera. Dave saw his chance. Like lightning his left hand came up, knocking aside the detective's revolver; in the same split second he whipped his right fist round to the point of the detective's chin. Burns staggered back. With a tiger-like spring, Dave tackled him Rugger fa<-hion, and the next minute the two men were rolling on tlie Hoor in a desperate struggle. Even as tlity fought, they could hear the excited voices of would-be rescuers outside in the corridor. Out there was a scene of ordered con- fusion. Mr. Barton, Carinichael and the de- tectives were on the spot almost as soon as they heard the explosion, and under their directions the body of the unfortunate police guard had been taken away and the works' firemen were already at work with their hoses. Meanwhile, the faithful George, knowing that his friend, as he still thought him. was trapped, had seized an axe and at coiisiderabh> personal danger, was trying to break the store- room door down in order to rescue Dave. Curmichael stared at the scene with narroned eyes—he had noticed that the water from the fire-hoses was having no effect on the flames. Taking Mr. Barton liy the arm, he led him to a quiet corner and spoke rapidly and urgently. " This fire's no accident. That's thermite from a planted bomb. The fellows we're nr> against have their wits about them. Nov,, Mr. Barton, is there any other exit from the store-rgotn ? No? Then what about the win- dows—what do thc.v look out on? Is that alley guarded? It isn't! Then come on. we've no time to lose." Flinging a few onlers to his detectives, he led them at a run the way they had come, out into the open, round the building aiid unseen by the occupants o£ the .small car w.Titing out- side the store-room windows, posted them at strategic points behind some parked cars that commanded the v. hole length of the alley. In the store-room itself, Dave :ind Burns were still fightinc:. Half-choked by the smoke that was now creeping beneath the door, they foufiht grimly on. Burns with Dave clinging to him like a limpet, had strugcrled to his feet again, but Dave's artns were tight roimd hiin. and be could not get his fists free, flocked in a bearlike hug, he swuntr Dave against a work-table. Dave stagcrered, and, vxrenching himself free, the detective knocked his oppo- nent with a vicious upper-cut ngainsr a pile of boxes, bringing him aiid them smashing to the ground. With a yell, the detective flung himself forward. His triumph was short-lived, for Davo, keeping his wits about him. raised his foot as the detective sought lo close with liiin and kicked Burns back on the floor. necemlior 9th, 1330.