Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

I "THE KID FROM ARIZONA." | I (Continued horn pige 24.) I "WoU," said the; judge. "I owe you tnoro than I can over repay, Jack— niaishal, I should say." "I wouldn't say that, judge."' replied Jack .slowly, glancing at Doris, who blushed and began lO take a great interest in the scenery. "How Sid you get on the track of this gang?'' asked Judge Sheldon. "Well, I was on a jaunt from Arizona, just looking around.'' said the Riding Kid. "and I happen to know the marshal of this county. He told me some rustlers were hanging around here, and he made me his deputy to round 'em up if I could." "You've sure rounded 'em up okay!" remarked the judge, surveying the prostrate rustlers with a grin. " We'll go back and send a posse to gather 'cm in." "I'm sorry to interrupt a judge and a deputy-marshal,'' cried Doris suddenly, " but have you forgotten that the Endurance Race sti^rts in an hour's time?" Greased Lightning ! ON''a little wooden platform just out- side the town a group of excited ranchers stood that afternoon, waiting for the Endurance Race to stavt. The horsemen had assembled, and the starter, a cattleman named Pete Collins, began to call over the names. One by one the riders answered. "Judge Sheldon's Lightning, rider, Jack Allen," cried Pete. There was no reply, and Bruce Reed, hiding a grin, turned to Collins with a question. "How long before we start?" "About five minutes," said Pete. "Got into line now." Bruce Reed had waited all the morn- ing, hoping that his gang would discover from Judge Sheldon or from Doris where the white borse was. No news came, and Reed did not dare to leave the town himself to find out what had happened. At last he came down to the starting-point on a big black horse, a very good animal, though not the equal of the white stiillion. "Two minutes !" cried Pete Collins. "Hero's the judge!" yelled a score of voices as Judge Sheldon and Doris came riding up. "I'm a little late, boys," said the judge coolly, as he mounted the platform, "but don't scratch my entry. I'd like to make a slight change in my horse's name." He stooped. |)ickpd up a bit of chalk, and wrote the word "Greased " m front of "Lightning " on the board where the entries were written up. "Where's the horse?" said Pete. "It's lime, judge. I can't wait." " Ilorse will be here in time." replied Judge Sheldon calmly. "Go ahead, Pete." "Get ready there!" shouted the starter. "Don't crowd. Take vour time!" Bruce Reed could hardly believe his eyes as the judge and his daughter camo up. Something had obviously gone wrong with his scheme, but he had no time to think about it. The starter's gun barked, and tliey were off, just as Jack Allen on a great white horse swept in at August 8th, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA the rear of the field and took up (he race with the others. "That's okay," said the judge to Doris. "Reed ain't seen him yet." "That sure was a cute idea of Jack's to come up at the last second so that Reed couldn't challenge him about the horse!" cried Doris jubilantly. Bruce Reed had got away first, and Jack lay well back, saving Starlight's speed for a later period of the race. The Endurance Race was a stern test, over fifteen miles of country, much of the course being very rough ground in- deed, and the white horse had already travelled many miles that day. Over a level stretch of plain they flew, and then up a short, steep hill. The field had begun to string out, but still Jack made no effort to force his way forward, though Reed was gaining slowly all the time. Arangements had been made for a broadcast' of the race, and observers, stationed at intervals on the course, re- ported the progress of the riders from time to time. One of the ranchers put on ear-phones and calletl out the news to the eager crowd. "They're crossing the swamp now,'' he said after a while. "Reed is still leading. Two horses stuck in the mud." "Which?" gasped Doris eagerly. "Says he can't quite make out. Allen's through, lying 'bout sixth. They going up Stony Hill now. He can't see any more. Must wait for the next to take up." There was a pause for" some minutes, and then the rancher went on again. "Coming down the other side of Stony Hill. What's that? One of 'em down? Hideaway's down, he says. Put his foot in a hole. Your horse is okay, judge. Allen swerved away just in time, or he'd have gone over, too. That's all from him." Doris held her breath with anxiety as the news came through, but the judge took out a note-book and began to take bets, to his daughter's horror. "Here wo are!" cried the rancher. "They've done tweKe miles. Great Jupiter! Only two left in the race! Bruce Reed and Jack Allen. All the others are out of it!" Bruce Reed had ridden a very good race. He had kept the lead through- out, and as he had never once looked back, he was still unaware that the horse Starlight was behind him. As they entered the straight run for the last mile, Reed observed that apparently only one of his rivals remained in the race, for he could hear but one horse galloping behind. He turned at last to look. The wily rancher nearly lost his seat as he saw the great white horse thun- dering on his track, some thirty yards away, with Jack Allen, his face grim and set, in the saddle. Reed recovered himself with a great effort, and spurred desperately on. The black horse, ex- hausted as it was, responded nobly, and for another half-mile held its own. "Hero they come!" yelled the crowd, as in the distance the two ridel's appeared. Bruce Reed's mount was "all out," and the rancher was riding for all he was worth. A length behind came Greased Ijightning, with Jack sit- ting calmly in the saddle, quirt and spurs unused. There were four hundred yards to go when the Riding Kid sliook up Ihc reins, and the while stallion replied with a burst of speed that took him to the front in a few strides. Every Tuesday Amidst frantic cheering Jack swept pa.>t the winning-post ten lengths ahead, instantly reined up, to dismount and to.=s the reins to the judge. Then he turne<I to wait for his rival. "That ain't your horse!" cried Reed, as he dismounted. "It's mine. You stole it!" "Ever hear of the Coj'ote Ranch ir. ^lontana?" Jack cut in. "You rustled him from there, you skunk, and he's going back to his owner soon." "Who do you think you are?'' hoivled Reed. "Seize him, boys! He's been rustling our cattle, as I told you!" The boys looked stonily at Reed, for they had heard enough from the judge to know that the rancher was lying. "I'm the deputy-marshal," said Jack coolly, " and I'm taking you to the county gaol right now for rustling cattle and horses and kidnapping Judge Shel don and daughter. Got that?" "You liar!" shouted Reed, springing fiercely at Jack. The fight that followed was short and sharj), for though Reed, in his fury, tried foul means, once endeavouring to kick his opponent in the face, in three minutes Jack had knocked him out. "And here's your precious gang," cried the Riding Kid, as a posse of armed men led by the sheriff came up with the "ghost Indians," feathers and all complete. "The vanishing Yunias, boys! Look at 'em!" "What d'you mean?" gasped Reed, staggering to his feet. "They ain't my men." "He's lying, marshal!" exclaimed Bill Hames, as a rancher, none loo gently, pushed him in front of Jack. The ras- cally foreman, who had posed as an In- dian chief, stumbled and went down on one knee as he glared at Reed. Then he spoke again. "He put us up to this, and he got me to take you off, judge." " That guy plugged a man the other day!" yelled Reed. "He's lying!" "You dirty double-crosser!" cried Haines. "I saw you knife Red Saunders in' the back, and you don't put that on me!" "Nice little bunch, ain't they?" said the judge disgustedly. "That's enough!" cried Jack. "Take 'em off, boys!'' The boys obeyed with immense alacrity, and that night the county gaol housed the whole gang of the rustlers ^^■ho had troubled Hamilton so fong. "An' now," said the judge, as he turned to Doris and Jack, who stood talking by Starlight's side, "I'm going home. I reckon—you'll come presently; eh, girl?" The old man smiled knowingly, but Doris was too happy to mind, and in another moment she and Jack were alone. "As I'm the Riding Kid, Doris, I s'pose 1 must ride—back to Arizona!" said Jack slowly. "Oh, Jack!" criwi Doris reproach- fully. "You mustn't go yet." "Yes, I must, honey," replied Jack. "But I reckon to take someono with me back there—a lady called Mrs. Jack Allen—and that's you ! Will you come, kid?" "Sure I will—marshal!'' laughed Don's happil.v, as Jack swept her eagerly into his arms. "Sure! I'll go anywhere, so ' long as I'm with you!" (By permission of the W. & F. Film Service, Ltd., starring Jack Perrin an4 »| Josephine Hilt.)