Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

, Every Tuesday BOY'S CINEMA A An ominous secret surrounds the box; many people try to steal it and learn its secret. A mystic force of terrible malignity lurks in the background. Don't miss the grim adventures of a daring youngster and a pretty heroine. Starring Jack Perrin and Louise Lorraine. EPISODE 7. "The Temple of the Sacred Jade." The Secret of the Jade. MORGAN'S ciy of tenor rang thiough the disordered room as the Shadow Man forced the re- volver around until its blackened muzzle was pointing at the financier's own head. Jack saw Morgan's arm and hand quivering under the strain as he tried to resist. He saw the man's finger being forced down on the trigger by the pressure of the ghostlike hand about liis own—and then Jack flung himself across the floor, with Percy shifting at his side. They grabbed at the revolver together, jerking it upwards. Both felt the strength of the Shadow Man's re- sistance as they struggled, while the weapon exploded, smashing a bullet to the ceiling so that flakes of plaster came showering down. White of face, Helen watched the fighting figuiee, Morgan helping to tr> and wrest the revolver clear. Over them reared the terrible form of the Shadow Man, black as ebony, as impalpable as a phantom, and yet gifted with amazing strength. Again the revolver exploded as the three stiiigglcd against the threshing black figure, and this time its bullet seared through the carijct. With the shot. Jack wrenched madly on the weapon, tearitig it away so that it went flying across the room.- It struck the wall and dropped to the floor. Jack saw the Shadow Man sweep across the room towards it, and he tried to beat him to the weapon, but the day- light ghost travelled faster. A filmy hand closed on the butt of tire gun, lifted the weapon, and pointed it at the open window. It blazed the remaining shots into the empty air outside, aiid then, very swiftly, the Shadow Man faded out, and the gun dropped to the floor. All that was left after that was the revolver, with smoke wreathing up from its reckmg barrel, and Morgan slumped against the wall, trembling like a man stricken with palsy, while Helen clutched the jade box and the sheet of paper which gave the key to opening it. Morgan hid been nearer to death than ever before when he looked down the barrel of that revolver, and he realised it. He had openly shown his enmity to Jack in trying to get the jade box from him, and tjic Shadow Man had wrecked his attempt to gain the secret. Quivering against the wall, Morgan forced his brain to clarity, obliged him- self to think quickly. He saw Helen staring at him, her eyes wide in bonified surprise. Percy Winslow was watchin.H him, his face set and his gaze cal- culating. Jack turned to regard him, frowning and wilh his fists bunched. "So j'ou were trying to hold us up," Jack said grimly, as he moved across the carpet. '" You were holding us up for the box, eh?" "You're wrong!" Morgan pushed himself off the wall. "I—I was just trying to save yon from yourselves." "It looked like Tt," Percy cut in quietly. "You said that if we didn't hand the jade and that paper to you, j'cui'd shoot us where we stood!" "I know I did, but I was only threatening you!" Morgan was recover- ing fast, while his glance darted about the room to mnko certain that all sign of the Shadow .Man had gone. "You see, there's a deadly secret in that jado bos—something terrible. I was afraid that you might harm yourselves with it if j-ou opened it, and " "And so you stuck us up with a gun to get it for yourself!" Percy grunted. "No. I was startled—I had to think quickly, " Morgan answered. "I did the first thing that came into my head, that's ail. I didn't mean any harm." Jack glanced at Percy. Both know perfectly well what Morgan's game v,'as, and they also remembered that he was Helen's uncle—revelation of his duplicity would only distress her. It was better. Jack decided, to appear to fall in vvith him and not to let him guess that they knew more than he thought. "Y'ou certainly scared us!" Jack ex- claimed, and I'ercy took his cue from his friend. "I tliought you meant buciness, Mr. Morgan !" he said. " Why, uncle wouldn't .shoot anybody ! 'He was only kidding!" Helen laughed a little nervously. "But—but the Shadow Man " " He meant business all right!" Percy eyed Morgan naiiowly as he spoke. "The way he turned that gun on you looked as though he know something!" "I'll pump lead into him the firet chance I get !" Morgan said desperately, and moved towards tne girl as he went on : " Let's look at that paper !" "We'll do that downstairs," Jack sug- gested. " Percy, help bring Helen's suitcases below, then we'll all study this key to the box!" Soon they were gathered in the wrecked roorn on the ground-floor, and Helen set the jade box on the financier's d^^sk. " Uo voii think we ougl't. to open it ?" September eth, 1930.