Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

20 at length, "but I sliould say lie ain't quite broken in, judge." "That's the ti-oul)le," said tlic judge regretfully, "but I've got a man who can ride iiiin. In the morning 111 have him out, and you can see how ho goes." "Thanks, judge,'" said Jack. "I must bo leaving now, but I'll be around in thc^norning." The youngster got his horse and rode away, while Judge Sheldon went in to nsk liis daughter for the truth about Bruce Reed. To the girl's great indig- nation, her father woidd not believe that tlie rancher had really tried to carry her off, for he wanted her to marry Bruce, and could sec no rea.son why his friend should «ct in the way that Doris described. So the girl re- tired that night, far from content, and a little anxious as to what Reed might do the next day. In the morning Judge Sheldon had the horse. Lightning, brought out to a field behind the house. Bruce Reeil came up, as cordial as ever in manner. The cattlemen lounging about looked in surprise at his face, which was adorned with two black eyes and various strips of plaster, but nobody ventured to ask uny questions. He greeted the judge with great warmth, but the old man was too much occupied in watching his horse to pay much attention to the rancher. "Good-morning, Doris," said Bruce to the girl, who was leaning over the rail next to her father. "Has the judge got anvone to ride liightning yet?" "I don't want to talk to you!" re- torted Doris sharijly, and Reed edged away and remained silent, glaring angrily as Jack Allen came up, to be gicete'd with cordiality by the girl and her father. Meanwhile, the horse Lightning was plunging and rearing violently in the middle of tie field, with two of the judge's men clinging desperately to the reins. One of the men, an individual named Slat, had several times tried to mount him. but so far the horse had had the best of it. "Anvone ever ridden that horse?" asked Jack of Doris, as he stood by her side. . , . "Two have tried Jack. replied the girl. "Slat rode him a little way, and father had hopes that he would manage him." "How can he expect to win the race on Saturday, if nobodx can ride the horse properly?" muttered Jack, as Lightning threw Slat, who had at last managed to mount. '.'That fellow Slat ! " howled Judge Sheldon in a rage. "He swore he'd break him in and ride him in the race, and he's my best rider. Yesterday I thought he was making it, and now look at him !" "I'd like to look at Lightning, if I may," .'aid Jack quietly. "Mean you think you could ride him?" cried the judge. "I reckon .so.'' replied Jack. "There ain't any horse in Arizona that I can't ride, and we've got .some down ther(> worse than Lightning to manage. I gue.ss." "Well. Jack. 1 hope you'll make it," said the judge, rather dubiously, calling his men to bring tli:' o.nimal up. With the greatest dilliciilty they per- suaded Lightning towards the rail. Still snorting with rage and plunging diin- geioiisly, he came forward, but it siid- <tenly seemed to occur to him that he was going ba<k to his stable, and for the moment he quietened down. Jack seized his opportunity, and with a quick leap he bestrode the fierv-tem- August 8tli, 19S1. BOY'S CINEMA pored animal and seated himself firmly in the saddle. Lightning leaped higli in the air with indignation, and went off down the field, re.iring and bucking furiously to rid liim.seif of the insolent human who had dared to got on his back, and to stay on. Jack sat tight, and Lightning reared and bucked in vain, for the finest horse- man in Arizona was on his back, and there' was no trick of an unbroken animal which he did not know. All down the field went Lightning but .still the Arizona Kid kept the saddle, while Judge Sheldon and his men shouted and cheered frantically as they leaned watch- ing over the rail. "I hope he breaks his neck," mut- tered Reed viciously as he watched the successful rider. He noticed Doris cheering and clapping, her face radiant with joy, and jealous rage flamed higher still in his heart. Sleanwhile. the Riding Kid had at last convinced Lightning that he had met his match, and presently he rode the horse back in triumph to the judge. "You'll ride him in the race on Satur- day, Jack?" asked the old man. Jack Allen looked down thoughtfully at the eager faces of the judge and his daughter. "I sure will, judge !" he said. Bruce Reed heard the answer, and smiled to himself. "You sure won't." he murmured to himself. "I'll see to that!" The White Horse. J\CK ALLEN, astride his own horse, rode slowly through the town that evening, and prosoiitly he saw Doris Sheldon walking down the street. The girl's face lighted up at the sight of iiim, and he stopped at once to speak to iier. "Where are you going. Jack?" she asked, when the fiist greetings were over. "I thought I'd just take a ride round Fire Mountain this evching." "Oh," cried Doris in dismay, her face falling at once. "Please don't go there. Jack ! Those ghost Indians might get you, like they got Red Saunders." "Has the sheriff done anything about that yet?" asked Jack. "I don't know. He's up at dad's place now, I Jjclieve. but what can he do? No one in the town dares go near the mountain. And nearly every day .someone's stock is rustled." " I don't believe in this yarn altout ghosts," said Jack. "How long has this rustling been going on?" " Only two or three weeks." replied Doris, "but there certainly are some Indians about. Jack. They've been seen in several places. But it isn't .vour affair. Your job is to win that race for father." "Okay, Doris I" cried the Riding Kid heartily. "I'll be around "bout nine o'clock to-morrow and tr.v out Light- ning again. All the same, if I ?ee any of those ghosts this evening, I'll sure find out if they're made of flesh and blood. Goodrbye, kid !" "Do be careful. Jack I" said the girl, with great anxiety in her voice. "Don't you worry about me." cried Jack, witii a laugh. "I'll be okay, dear." He rode away at that, leaving Doris gazing after him with mingled feelings of anxiety aiul hap|>jness. for she was already indulging in a delightful vision of herself as Mrs. Jack Allen. Suddenly she .saw Bruce Reed some way off along the road, and though ho did not see Every Tuesday her, the vision faded, and she ran homo like a frightened hare. For an hour or more Jack trotted .slowly on towards Fire Mountain, think- ing not of the Indians or of the race, but of the pretty face of the judge's daughter. He came presently to a stretch of forest, and as he rode along a grassy glade between the trees he heard in the distance tlie beat of hoofs. Instantly Jack pulled into the shelter of a clump of trees and watched for the rider. Nearer and nearer came the sound of swift galloping hoofs, and soon he saw a splendid white horse racing along at full speed. There was no rider on its back, nor had it any saddle, bridle or reins. "Queer!" muttered Jack. 'Reckon I'll see into tliis." Ho shook up his horse and galloped after, but though he bestrode one of the speediest animals he had ever ridden and rode his best, he coiild not catch the swift white horse. On and on it flew, out of the woods and across tho plain, and Jack fell farther and farther behind. Presently, a mile away. Jack saw a corral in which were a number of horses. The white steed ran up to it and whinnied loudly, nosing at the gate, and the animals inside began to move restlessly. Jack urged on his horse, but he was still a quarter of a mile away when the horses inside the corral, furious with excitement, burst opei* the' gate, and, led by the white horse, raced over the plain towards Fire Moiuitain. "Reckon I'll surprise the cattlemen when I tell 'em this," said Jack. "I'll see where he leads 'cm if I can, though." He followed the runaway horses across the plain until the trail led him into the broken slopes at the foot of the moun- tain. Here and there were clumps of trees, and though Jack little suspected it, he was soon al.most within range of a party of men who were ensconced behind some rocks, eagerly watching. "Here he comes ! " cried the leader of the gang, as the white horse galloped into view. "And he's done it again!" Two figures in Indian costume roso silently as a stream of horses pa.ssed the rocks, and followed to secure th(> animals in the secret hide-out farther on. Bruce Reed, for the man who had sjiokcn was no other, had ridden straight for Fire Mountain that eveniTig. and so had arrived long before Jack. Ho now rose to follow the Indians, but another of the gang touched his arm. .and ho instantly sank down again behind tho rock. Jack came into view a couple of hun- dred yards away between some trees. He reined up and looked ahead at a gully up which he guessed the hor.ses had gone, and as he did so Reed raised his gun. "It's that blamed fellow from Arizona," he growled. "I'll plug him, or he'll spill tho beans." Jack moved on slowly ju.st as the rancher fired. He felt tho wind of a bullet which passed an inch beside his face, and instantly pulled the head of his horse round and rode otf as a second bullet grazed his ear. In another moment he was out of sight, and Bruco turned disgustedly to his companion. "I |iiilled a bead dead on him!" he cried angrily. "You thought you did. boss." sneered the man. "What you going to do now?" " We'll frame him. Tho fellow's a stranger hero—nobody knows him. I'H frame him right, yoii'll see." Jack Allen unconsciouslv aided tho