Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday und tlic cowboys riislicd for the house m a body—all but one, for Brad Farley ^till sat on his horse, looking eagerly at Sue. She turned her back on him and walked away, but Tack Gillup made frantic signs to the young man. who hurriedly dismounted and caught Sue up at the door. "Can't wo take up v.here wc left off, Sue?" he said pleadingly. "Xo!" snapped the girl, going into the house without another word, and Brad turned disconsolately away to Tack Gillup, who -nas Iiolding- his horse. "You givinjT up like that "for a word ?" said Tack as Brad came up to him. Still holdijig the reins with one liand, the foreman put the other on the young man's shoulder, and spoke very seriously. "Sue wants your help, boy, though slic don't know it. I've seen those guys from the East, and those fellows arc rattlesnakes. Brad. They're dangerous. Don't give up. Go in after lier, boy !' Th«s encouraged by tlic friendly fore- man. Brad went back to the door, opened it, and found Sue Yancey inside the house. "What," she cned, "you again? What do you want now?" "I want to talk to you. Sue," said Brad determinedly. "We iised to be good friends, and not long ago, cither. Why not now?" "I know, but things arc difTcrent now. Brad," replied Sue. "Why dilTerent?" asked Brad, in puzzled tones. " Why don't you make something of yourself?" Sue burst out suddenly. "Make something of myself ? W}iy, I reckon I've done middling well these two years," said Brad. "Even this last six months " "Oh. yes," interrupted Sue im- patiently, "well enough in your way. But the West is all helrind, out of date —and you're part of it. Do you call looking after cattJo a man's job?" " Never seen any cripples make good at it," said Brad dryly. " I wish you were more like these men from the East. Tlicre's Mr. Darvis. He's got power, posi- BOY'S CINEMA "Perhaps Mr.—er—Farley will play to us," sneered Darvis. "I don't play," said Brad shortly. "I thought you had a lot of cowboy songs ready to hand," came the scorn- ful reply. "Must be vei-y interesting!" Sue laughed, and Brad turned on his heel and went out in disgust. And as he went he saw Kedge Darvis sit down at the piano to play, with Sue's eyes still fi.xcd admiringly on the up-to-date man from the East. Ordered Off ! STUB WALLOCK made much more progress with Hampsey Dell than his boss had done with Sue Yancey. The jovial foreman found liis sweetheart very busy on tlie veranda, and, creeping up behind her, he seized her round the waist, laughing heartily. "Oh," .screamed Hampsey, "is that you. Stub ? You're always coming at the wrong time, when I'm busy, or when I've got a cold or something." "I como when I can, girl," protested Stub. " Why don't you come and see me in the moonlight sometimes, instead of when I'm peeling potatoes or cooking the dinner?" wailed Hampsey. "And now I'm going to be ever so busy in the daytime, 'cos of these visitors we've got." "Okay, Hampsey! I'll come along in the moonlight next time if I can," said Stub. "But say, girl, what d'you think of these millionaire guys, eh?" " I've heard 'em sneering at the West already," replied Hampsey, "and that one they call Spot has been laughing at you cowboy.s—said you were a lot of out-of-date saps, or something like that." "Ho did. eh?" cried Stub angril.y. "I'll show 'em! You watch me!" The conversation was interrupted at that moment by the arrival of the calves, and after the cowboys had driven the animals back into their corral, the cook was too busy to talk to Stub for a while. The foreman took his place at 15 the breakfast-table when it was ready again, and he, with some of the guests, went on with the interrupted meal, though Sue Yancey and Kedge Darvis did not come back. "Fine, the way you boys rounded up those calves," remarked Spot Skee in a sarcastic tone. "Well, we're used to that kind of thing," replied Stub complacently, fail- ing to observe the sarcasm in the gang- ster's voice. "Way you fought that calf to the ground was sure the good.?," observed another gangster with a grin. "If that's your work I reckon it's like cliild's play," sneered Spot. Stub saw the sneer this time, and Hampsey Dell, who happened to over- hear the last remark, glared angrily at the gangster. "You try it for a week," she snorted, tossing her head. "Say, d'you remember that yarn about the man who made fun of my hat?" asked Stub, turning to Uie mayor. "Sure, Stub," said Horton wearily. "I've heaixl you tell it twenty times." " !Maybe, mayor, but these guys ain't heard it, so I reckon I'll just tell 'cm. I was getting oft' the train one day, and a fellow comes up and sees me, and he begins laughing at my hat." "You don't say—laughing at your hat?" said Spot, winking at his com- panions. "Sure he was laughing," repeated Stub. "Now that fellow was smoking a cigar, a big, fat cigar; so I gets out my gun, and " Stub checked himself and looked round for a mark. On the other side of the table he noticed a dead tree, and on it one branch which had broken off short, leaving a little stump. "Sec that stump?" he cried. "Well, say that stump was the gtiy's cigar, and the tip of it was just the glow, see? Now, yon watch!" He raise<l his gim and fired nt tho stump. The tip of it vanished as tho Sue wants your help, boy, though she don't know it'" said the foreman seriously. now. money, tion. date." "Sue," cried very gravely, know nothing these men. He's up-to Brad "you about except what they have told you, and " The door openc behind them, aiul Kedge Darvis came in. Sue turned and smiled on him, to Brad's ill-concealed disgust. She began to talk eagerly to the "capitalist," and Brad retreated to the window. Pre- sently Darvis asked the girl to play some- thing on the piano. "I don't play well enough for you folk from the great cities," said Sue. "Why don't you play somo- thing yourself, Mr. Da/vis ?" Si ptember 12tli, 1931.