Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

16 build reaclied its maik, and Stub looked round for tlie applause of tlie company. But no applause came, and no one seemed surprised. "That's how I did it," remarked Stub, "and I'll tell you the guy didn't iaiiffh at my Jiat again." "Let's look at your gun," said Spot Skee. "I used to have a gun like that," he added, as Stub handed him the weapon, "and I used to be able to shoot some, too. Watch!" Ho aimed at the remainder of the stump, and shot off another inch of it. One by one the gangsters showed Stub Wallock that they could slioot quite as well, if not better, than he could, and the foreman's face fell more and more as the firing proceeded. "Don't get it into your head that the ^■owboys of the Wild West are the only guys who can shoot," sneered Spot Skee, as he gave the gun back to Stub. "I thought .so," replied Stub de- jectedly, "but I'll allow 1 was wrong. You city men can shoot some, sure!" Sue Vancey, fascinated by the conver- sation of the wily gang-leader, had re- mained in the house talking to him. She had put on her liat and coat in readiness to take Kedge Darvis for a walk round her gardens, when the sound of .^hooting came to her ears. "What's that?" she exclaimed. "Come out, Mr. Darvis. They've got their guns out. I hope there's nothing wrong I" She rushed out. followed by Darvis, to find nothing wrong, except that the gangsters were still tormenting Stub Wallock with their sneei's at life in the West. Brad Farley had been walking disconsolately about by him.self, but he had now come back to the front of the house and was talking to Mayor Hor-ton. Sue was in time to overhear what he Baid. "Well, mayor, I don't believe these guys are capitalists at all. I reckon they're just fakers." "Hovr dare you say such a thing!" flashed Sue angrily. " You ought to apologise to Mr. DarvLs right now." "Don't trouble. Miss Sue," said Darvis. "It isn't worth taking notice of such remarks as that." "Are you going to apologise?" de- manded Sue fiercely. "I reckon not." replied Brad quietly but firmly, looking the gang-leader .straight in the face. "I'll say it again —to him this time, if he likes!" "You can't talk to my guests like that!" stormed Sue indignantly. "I'm sure sorry if you're annoyed. Sue." said Brad calmly, "but I ain't apologising to anyone for saying what I think is the truth, oven if he is your pruest. Guest under false pretences, I reckon. Get that, Darvis?" "Mr. Farley," remarked Sue in her iciest tones, before Darvis could reply, "vou can get oflf my ranch—and keep off!" "Okay, Sue!" said Brad quietly. "Tf tliat's the way you feel about it. I'm off. O'mon, Stub, we'll go!" And in another minute Vancey Ranch had seen the last of Brad Farley and Stub Wallock. who rode off at a gallop to resume their inustang-hunting in the hills. Darvis Shows His Hand. FOR a whole week Kedge Darvis had played the gentleman. His fol- lowers were growing impatient, for rarely had (hey passed so long a time without some excitement, and in this J-emotc country ranch there seemed little riiance of any opportunity to show (heir prowess with (he gun. No orders came from Kedge. NoIkkIv was put " on the I Si'ptfniliiT l'>tli, K«l BOY'S CINEMA spot," nor did it seem likely that any- one would be "taken for a ride." Sue Vancey had forgotten the warn- ings of Brad, and she took no notice of the occasional well-meant hints of Tack Gillup, who distrusted the "capi- talists " more and more as the days went on. She rode out daily with Kedge Darvis, taking him all round the great ranch until he v;as heartily tired of riding, for he was not at home on a horse. His conver.«ation, with its suggestion of great wealth, power and position, still fascinated the girl, though, so far, none of the "million- aires " liad shown any disposition to in- vest any money in Bunsen. One day Sue and Darvis were riding together in a little valley some miles fiom the ranch-house. Down the middle of the valley ran a small stream, and in the distance they saw a man stoop- ing over the water. Presently they came up to him, and Sue saw that it was " Strike '' Jackson, the old prospector. Hampsey Dell had told he» mistress that the old man had announced the finding of gold. Sue did not believe the tale, for Strike had obtained his nickname by continually finding veins of gold which invariably turned out to be worthless. "Say, Miss Vancey," cried the old man as Sue rode up, "I've struck it rich this time. See here. Nuggets. Real gold !" He came up to Sue's horse, and put some nuggets into tho girl's hand. She examined them carefully, and so did Kedge Darvis. His eyes gleamed at the sight, and he looked thoughtfully at the old i)ro.spector, who was still talking eagerly to Sue about liis dis- covery. "Well, Strike, I believe you really have found a good vein this time," ex- claimed Sue at length. "Come back with me to the hou.se and I'll make arrangements for working the vein. You shall have half of whatever we find." "Thank you, Miss Vancey," said the old man. "That will sure be okay." Sue, with Kedge Darvis and the old piospcctor, rode straight back to the house, where they found Tack Gillup talking to Spot Skee and tlie other gangsters. "Strike Jackson really is Strike this time," cried Sue joyfully as she dis- mounted. "Show them the nuggets you found, Strike." "I'll say they look good," remarked Spot Skee, examining them. "It's sure the real thing this time," added Tack Gillup. "He found 'em on your land, I suppose, Miss Sue?" You going to work the vein?" "Of course," cried Sue excitedly. "I'm going into Bunsen riglit now to register the claim." Kedge Darvis looked at his men. That one glance was enough, and the next instant each of the gangsters had a gun in his hand. "Put 'em up!" barked Darvis. as his men covered Sue, Strike Jackson and Hampsey Dell, who had just come out of the house, while the gang-leader himself thrust his gun ominously for- ward as Tack Gillup turned iipon him. The whole group seemed frozen stiff with astonishment for a moment, and then slowly the hands went up. "You ain't going to town this morn- ing," said Darvis to the bewildered Sue. who could hardly believe her eyes as she saw the "capitalist " change in a moment from a polished gentleman to a ruthless-looking gunman. "No one's going to Bunsen," con- tinued the gjang-Ieader. "And I'm Every Tuesday working that gold myself. Get that!" "Why—why, whatever is the nuitt«r with you, Mr. Darvis?" gasped Suo. "I'll put you poor mutts wise," said Darvis. "I'm what the papers call a gangster, and my business is murder." "I ain't going to stand for thi.s," stammered Strike Jackson, turning to walk away. "I'm going to fetch the sheriff. There's law for rotten skunki like you." Darvis fired instantly at the old man's back, and before the report of the gun had died away Strike Jackson lay face downward on the ground, dead. Sue Vancey shrieked with horror and fear as .she witnessed the cowardly murder of the helpless old prospector, while Tack Gillup took an involuntary step towards the gang-leader, but the pressure of Spot Skee's gun in the small of his back was convincing proof that resistance was useless. Brisk footsteps came along the path, and round the corner of the house ap- peared Mayor Horton and Posey Meed, the sheriff, who stopped short in amaze- ment at the unexpected sight of the hold-up and the dead body of Strike Jackson. "Stay there and put 'em up!" shouted Darvis. "Now, Mr. Mayor, I'll tell you I'm taking over the town of Bunsen and this ranch. You'll stay here and so will the sheriff. Don't move, or I shoot!" "You take over the town of Bunsen?" gasped the mayor. "Who are you, then, to talk like that?" "I'm a gang - leader," snar>ped Darvis, "and I rim a town three hun- dred times the size of Bunsen. And what I say goes. Another word and you'll follow that old fool there," lio lidded, nodding towards Strike's body. The sheriff was an utterly fearless man. Disregarding the threatening gun, and wholly undeterred by the gangster's menaces, he advanced to do his duty. "I arrest yoH for the murder of Strike Jackson," he said firmly. "I call on you to submit to the authority of the law. You " That word was the last the sheriff ever spoke. Kedge's gun barked again, and Posey Meed fell by the side of the old prospector, a bullet through his heart. "That'll show you I mean business!" snarled Darvis, glaring angrily round. "There ain't any law where I am. The law is ME/"' Nobody thought it safe to reply to this statement, and Darvis continued his remarks to au audience petrified with horror. "Now, Horton." he said, addressing the mayor, "there's this girl Suo. You wouldn't like anything to h.i(>pen to her, would you ?" Horton managed somehow to ga"!!* out "No,"\vhile Sue, her face drained of all colour, nearly fainted with horror at the sight of the murdered men and at the threat to her own life. "Then you'll do as I say," continued Darvis. "Into the house, all of you!" As the captive.- were hustled into the iu)usc, Kedcre Darvis turned to S|JOt. Skee. "Go down and wire for the boys," he ordered. "We'll Iiave the whole crowd up here right away." Tacl< Qillup Escapes. KEDGK DARVIS made sure of bin ground at once. All .Sue's ser- , vants were rounded up anJ imprisoned in the house, except for Hainp.'ey's Chinese assistant. Yuan T,ee, who was allowed some measure of li