Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

Every Tuesday have been operating in it and drawing huge fHofits from thoir undertakings. Mining, umbering and the fur trade are three indus- tries 1 can mention whoso big bosses might see in the setthng of Oregon a direct threat to the strangle-noid they've got in that region.'" I'here was a silence, and then Mason squared liis shoulders. "Well," he declared, "your theory may be right, Jeff, but the U.S. Government is spon- soring (he colonisation of Oregon, and no un- scrupulous combine is going to stop me from carving out a livelihood for myself in that territory. I started for Oregon and I mean to get there." "And I'm with you!" another of the im- migrants proclaimed stoutly. " Oregon or bust, Mr. Mason I" A chorus of assent was raised by the other pioneers in the group, .Jeff and Deadvvood eyeing- them approvingly the while. Then Mason addressed himself to the elder of the two scouts. "Dcadwood," ho asked, "how long do you figure it will take the boys to round up those stray beeves?" "Well," came the response, "I calc'late they oughta have all the critters back here by sundown." "Sundown, eh?" John Mason reflected. " It will be too late in the day to break camp then and set out on the next stage of our journey. But wo can get rolling the first thing in the morning " It was at that point that he was interrupted by Jeff, who drew liis attention to a formidable crowd of men who were approaching from the town. They were the citizens who had been incited by Morgan's hirelings to demand com- pensation from the immigrants, and, headed by Morgan and Bowser and the latter's par- ticular cronies, they came marching on until they arrived at the spot where John Mason and his friends were gathered. "Mr. Mason," Sam Morgan began apolo- getically, as he confronted the leader of the settlers, "I hate to say this after all the trouble you and your people have had, but— well, the folks here seem to think you owe them something for the damage your cattle did to our town." John Mason knitted his brows. "I'm sorry they feel that way, Mr. Morgan," he rejoined, "but it was through no fault of ours that those beeves stampAled." "We appreciate that," the fur-trader observed suavely. " But—after all—they were your cattle. "I know. Unfortunately, we've no money to ■' Mason was cut short by Bowser, who thrust his way between him and Sam Morgan with a truculent air. "We didn't come here to argue with you!" he snapped at the leader of the immigrants. ."Either you pay up, or we're holdin' all your cattle till you do!" "Our cattle!" Mason ejaculated in disnsay. "Why, you wouldn't do that!" Bowser's eyes narrowed. " Don't tell me what we would or wouldn't do!" he hit out, and had grasped the butt of his six-shooter when Jeff Scott faced up to him. "Just a minute!" the frontiersman said. "There's no cal! to use threats!" "You keep outa this, Scott!" Bowser warned viciously, tugging at his gim as he spoke the words. " These here settlers are payin' up even if 1 have to " The sentence was never finished—nor was Bowser's ominous gesture ever completed. For ere the man could draw, Jeff whipped his own forty-five out of its holster with a move- ment swift as sleight-of-hand, and in the instant that the light of day glinted upon its barrel a shot burst from the weapon—a shot that blistered Bowser's wrist and then ploughed into the ground a yard or so behind the rogue. Bowser let go of the butt of his " iron " and recoiled with a yelp of pain. At the same time his accomplices attempted to reach for their six-guns, but in a moment found them- selves menaced by Jeff's revolver and that of Dcadwood Hawkins, who had been prompt to BOY'S CINEMA snatch forth his Colt in support of the younger scout. liowser's cronies stayed their hands. As for tho honest townsmen who formed the bulk of the throng which had marched out of Clear- water, th.jir tempers seemed to have been cooled down considerably by tho sharp lesson Bowser had received, and, after a short inter- val during which no one stirred, Jed spoke to the crowd of citizens in level tones. "Now, unless there's anybody else that feels this question of compensation can't bo settled peaceably, maybe wo can talk liko sensible people," ho stated. "I'm sure Mr. Mason and his friends wouldn't want to cheat you, and I'm sure they're prepared to accept re- sponsibility for the damage done in that stam- pede and iuo willing to pay for it—^with cattle if you like, but not with tho whole herd." Morgan stepped forward again. "Scott," he said, concealing tho chagrin he inwardly felt over the turn events had taken, "I'd lilte you to understand that it wasn't my idea to resort to any violence " " T didn't think it was, Mr. Morgan," Jeff broke in. "But to get down to cases—I sug- gest that twenty per cent of tho Mason outfit s herd ought to be enough to cover the damage done to town property." Mason and his friends were agreeable to that proposal, which was eminently fair, and, under the circumstances, Morgan saw nothing for it but to advise his fellow-citizens to accept tho offer. This he did with as good a grace as he could muster—but some time afterwards, back in his office where Breed, Slade and Daggett were awaiting him, the fur-merchant gave vent to his true sentiments. " A fine bvmch of gun-throwers Bowser and his crew turned out to be!" he snarled. He went on to describe to Slade, Breed and Daggett all that had taken place at the wagon camp, and it was when he had finished his story that Breed addressed' him thoughtfully. "Boss, how long are them colonists gonna be here now?" the half-blood queried. "They're staying overnight," Morgan answered. "While Mason and some of his men were cutting out two hundred head of cattle 19 to turn 'em over to tho lownsfolk, Soott men- tioned to me that tho column aimed to hit tho trail to-morrow morning. But why do you a-sk, anyway?" Brood sidled towards him with a crafty oxpression on his swarthy face. 'I got an idea the Shoshone Indians might help us again, boss," he said. "I hapix-n to know thoir headchiof, Spotted Elk, has gone to the (-'orn Festival, and his renegade son, Yellow Snake will bo in charge at his village. Now if I persuaded Yellow Snake to raid tho Mason camp with a bunch of his braves to-night and drive off all them settlers' ponies—well, a wagon train can't get very far without horscfl, can it?" Slado vetoed tho suggestion. "You're crazy. Breed. Them pioneers would fight like dovils to keep their bosses. Yeah, and in no time the townspeople would bo out at the camp backin' thorn up " He was silenced by Morgan. It was plain that tho trader was impressed by the plan the half-blood had outlined. "Pipe down, Slade," he struck in. "Breed's got something there. Most of tho citizens of this town will be at tho saloon to-night, for there's a project afoot to hold a meeting there and elect a new marshal. And if Mason and the bulk of his men could be induced to attend the election. Yellow Snake and his braves would meet with precious little opposition. Thoy could swoop down on tho camp and be away with ■the settlers' horses in the space of a few minutes— —" He che.cked all at once, a look of inspiration dawning on his fat, sallow countenance. "Say, \ know what I'll do," he announced. "I'll_ mov* that Jeff Scott should be given fc^" job of marshal. It miijht be a good idea '%'' ^ooV it, at that. With him stuck here, tv% Mason train would never reach Oregon— even if they managed to get fresh horses some- how' or other." AT THE SALOON LATER that day, shortly after the pioneen had received word from Morgan that the people of Clearwater would appreciate Leaning forward, Morgan started to pin tlie badge of the late town raarsbal on Jefi's shirt-front January 27th. 1940.