Boy's Cinema (1939-40)

14 Vt'allaca to'd the pale-fac-ed woman. "I hope jju agree." Sandra Courtney's tear-stained eyes flashed. "I vaO't c^nainly do." she said bitterly. " Sly brother was killed in cold blood, and I'll E.fare no expense to have the killer brought to JLiitice.'" Wa^e Barton Icuncred forward. ■'ily boys and I could use that fifteen hundred dollars, Miss Courtney. We'll start combingf the countryside immediately for Don Aliso." "Wade Barton." said Wallace, as she looked at Wade interestedly; "he's the man re- sportsible for crettins t!ie money through to <he bank yesterday, Sandra. He can he depended upon." " I hope you succeed, Mr. Barton," she said evenly. "And you're welcome to make my rauch your headquarters." This W.15 jusi what Wade wanted to hear. "Thniik you. Miss Courtney." he smiled. " I may accept that invitation, but the boys foel hetrer campincr outside the town. They're not used to having a roof over their*heads."' "I understand. If you need any expense money, check with Mr. Wallace." Sayinir cood-bye to her. Wade was srlad he had found a way into the enemy camp, but lie was not so sure that Sandra Courtney coidd be counted amongst the enemies. THE FIQHT IN THE CAIMTINA ALTHOUGH Wade and his boys searched f.ir ar.;l wide, they found no trace of the fugitive rancher. The many ijeons and small ratichers they questioned fell stranarely dumb when his name was mentioned. Wade reported his failure to Wallace, men- tiinins his belief that Don Aliso must have erone acro-s the border. He also warned V» all ace that he might exiiect trouble with the Alexicans before the ten days was up. "Then the thine; to do," AVallace crinned, "is to beat them to the punch. You know, they say possession is iiine points of the law. Kow, if voii and your men are really open to a proposition. I'll arive you the job of drivinc: the Del Campos off their ranch." His plan was to eet an eviction order sisned by the sheriff. Wade v.as interested to learn that the sheriff would do anythins Wallace told him—a suspicio:i he had formed himself. "Vou don't have to v.-orry. Barton. It's a perfe<tly lea:al deal, and the law will back me "P " Though he knew it would put tiim in a bad liaht with Xita. Wade agreed; working: from iniide in this mannei-. he hoped to ffet full pnx)f acrainst the foreman. Tliat aftenu)on the sheriff, backed by Wade and his biirkaroos, servrd the eviction order on NitT. She was naturally furious and con- THRILLING BOOK-LENGTH ADVENTURE YARNS! " The Aussie at Highcliff" No. 708 \\'hen Danny McGee came straight from Australia and joined HighchS School he quickly set things ahght. Masters and school chums were amazed at his ex- ploits — but Danny was in for .1 shock ! "Was His Dad An Outlaw?" No. 707 Cliff Br>-ant thou?'nt ■his dad was dead— till everyone began to say that Red Scarf, the ghostly outlaw, was none other than Cliff's own father ! This thrilling stoiy tells how Cliff ci-i^overed the truth. // your mwii:{nt has sold oul as A liim ^^ Xi to order them for you. "T 2 February 17th, 1940. BOY'S CINEMA temptuous of the sheriff's need to bring such famous pun-fighters as W"ade Barton and his men against a defenceless woman and a few old servants. But she could offer no re- sistance. She had to stand aside, her eyes flashing with anger, while her possessions were brought out and piled in carts. But a sudden visit from Jose, one of her father's peons, heartened her. "Senorita." he said angrily. "Don Aliso will band together many of his frien's to fight these Americanos when I tell him what takes plaie here!" Xita warned him to be more carefid, for Wade was standing just behind them. She had completely disbelieved Wade's whispered attempts at an explanation of his actions, and he could not blame her. But the young gun-fighter kept his eyes on Jose, and when the peon rode furiously away lip the ix)ugh trail as the pathetic convoy began moving from the rancho. Wade fol- lowed with ilonty, after arranging with Ranee Potter to call at the .ranch next day for his pay. Wade had a hunch Jose might lead him to Don Aliso. Darkne.NS had fallen when they trailed him to a little Mexican village many miles away and saw him enter a smoky little cantina. "I'll do the talking. Monty," said Wade. hitching his horse to the rail. "You stay out here." He handed his gun-belt to his pal and calmly marched inside, unarmed. He strolled to the bar through a crowd of dark-faced men on whom a tense silence had suddenly fallen. Ignoring their hostile gaze, he cheerily greeted the plump proprietor. "Where's Jose?" he asked coolly, in reply to the other's question. " I do not know." the man shrugged. " Per- haps he is here, i>erhaps he is somewhere else. I'll fiiul out." "I'll find him." grinned Wade, and turned away from the bar. He went straight to a man who had been plavin? cards. "Hallo. Manuel! Where is Don Aliso?" "How should I know, senor?" ilanuel growled. " You helped him to escape, didn't you ?" " Si. but where he have disappear to no one knows," Manuel rose and stretched himself: then, without warning, he loosed a pimch at Wade. The gun-fighter staggered, and as he dtd so practically evei-yone in the room piled on him. He hit out stoutly, knocking them in all directions. Three men were hurled back, to collapse amongst the splintered wreckage of chairs and tables. But there must have been fully a score of wiry peons in that room, and they clung to Wade like flies. He had just fousrht free when a chair descended with shattering force on his head. Half-stunned, he was hauled to his feet just in time to see Don Aliso standing in the doorway of an inner room, "Bring him in here, Jose," the rancher commanded. "You will talk to the Don, senor," Jose threatened, " then I will take you out and fix you myself—personal!" With his arms gripped tightly. Wade was marched into Don Aliso's room. " I am very much disap|x>inted with you, Senor Wade," the old rancher .said bitterly. "I thought j-Ou were my good frien', and now "I am your friend. Don Aliso," said Wade earnestly. " And when I get you to a safer hiding-place and tell you what I've found out you'll realise it." " if you trust this hombre now," Jose growled, "it is vei-y" foolish." "You're the one that's foolish, Jose," Wade drawled, "Ben Wallace's men were sure to recognise you when you rode up to the hacienda to warn Xita, They're smart enough to put two and two together and know that you know where Don Aliso is hiding," " Perhaps the gringo eos speaking the truth," Pedio put in doubtfully, "You're dam tootin' he's tellin' the truth!" rasped a ne^y voice, and they turned to find Monty leaning through the window and covering them with ;i liig '.ix-shooter. Wade grinned at Don Aliso. "For the benefit of your friends in the can- Every Tuesday tina, we'll walk out arm-in-arm, talking as though nothing had happened." "1 am in no position to refuse," said Don Aliso with dignity. "You have heard Senor Wade's order. It is my wish that you obey." "But remember," Monty growled, "I'll be outside that window, so don't try any funny business." Thiough a roomful of silent, staring Mexicans Wade Barton and his captive walked ann-in-arm, chatting easily. Outside Don Aliso mounted and waited. Monty joined Wade hurriedly, handina him his gun-belt. Wade was buckling it on, watched by a curious ciowd in the doorway of the cantina, when the clattering of many hoofs was heard from up the road, A band of cowboys was approaching—and leading them was Ranee Potter, Don Aliso set spui-s to his horse and galloped away. Wade and Monty rushed to their hoi-ses, but they were still in the act of mounting when Ranee Potter, swinging his lariat, came dashing up, and the noose fell nefttly over the pair of them. Wade and his side-kick struggled on the ground. "Hey. give us some slack here!" Wade roared angrily. The lariat loosened as Ranee dismounted. Don Aliso had disappeared in the night. But Wade and 3,Ionty had had their hands full tning to wriggle out of the noose and fight off four of Potter's men at the same time, "I go to all the trouble of capturing Don Aliso," Wade growled, stepping out of the rope and over the prone figure of a man he had just knocked out, '"and you pull a dumb stunt like that!" "I pulled a dumb stunt?" snarled Ranee Potter. "When I see you and him actin' so friend-like, I natuvallj- figured you was tryin' to double-cross me!" Wade stepped close and stared him in the eye, "Don't make a remark like that again. Ranee. You just caused me to lose a fifteen- hundred-dollar reward for the capture of Don Aliso. I want you to know this—if any of you capture him again he belongs to me!'' Poller's eyes fell. "Guess I was plenty dumb, an' I'm apologisin'," he mumbled. "Apologisin' won't help me get that fifteen hundred dollars back," Wade scowled. "Let's get out of here before these Mexicans start something." The whole party mounted and rode back to- wards San Cylos, leaving a ciowd of grinning Mexicans shrugging over the madness of these gringos. A LITTLE BIT OF BLUFF NEXT morning, while they were washing outside the bunkhouse. Wade began work on Ranee Potter. He be.gan raising doubts about Wallace's frienulv feelings for his henchman; and when Ranee scoffed, told him coollv that Wallace had offered him a thousand dollars to sling a gun on him. "Oh, you're crazy!" said Ranee uneasily, handing Wade the soap. "There's no reason wh.v he should want me out of the wa.v." "Apparently he thinks different," Wade said casually, "He was mighty upset the way you let Don Aliso escape. He mentioned something about j'ou and the killing of Courtney." Ranee Potter laughed roughly. "Why, .vou got things all mixed up! The old Don bumped Courtney, and .vou know it." "That's not what Wallace told me," Wadi grinned. "He said .vou sneaked round to th« side of the hacienda, hit the old man on the head, and took his gun and murdered Courtney." That really got home. "If he think^s he's gonna pin that killin' on me, he's loco," said Potter angril.v, "He done the shootin'. I seen him." His voice tailed off. and Wade shot a swift glance at Monty, who had been standing nearby and listening hard. "You see," Wade went on cunningly, "I make m.v living hiring out my gun. Now, if you can see your way clear to raising the ante to sav fifteen hundred dollai-s, I don't see why Wallace shouldn't meet with a permanent accident."