Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday freedom in order to do the cookin_ Sue and Hampsey were shut into a; room together, and tlie door was locked upon them, while Tack Gillup was (hrust into the cellar. One gangster ivas ordered to keep a special watch on the Chinaman, particularly when he took food to the prisoners. "Now," said Kedge to his men when these arrangements were completed, "I reckon the good folk of Bunsen are going to get a surprise to-morrow when the boys come. Some of 'em will work the vein. I'll see to that, and the others will take over Bunsen. Spot, you'll run the town." "Okay, Kedge," grinned Spot Skee, "that's sure an ca.sy job." There's only one guy who might butt in on us," said Kedge thought- fully, "and that's Brad Farley. It's Hire lucky Sue Vancey quarrelled with him." '" "He won't trouble us, Kedge," laughed Spot. "I'll see that no news gets to him. Trust me!" The next day the boys arrived, and parvis had some seventy men at his disposal. The people of Bunsen had _as yet no idea of what had happened on 'the Vancey Ranch, though they were beginning to wonder why the mayor and the sherifT stayed there so long. 'The townsfolk were amazed to see the mob of gangsters pour out of the station, and there were many rumours as to the reason for tiic arrival of so Tiiany strangers. It was not long before Bunsen found out the reason. Kedge Darvis and Spot Skee met the _gang, and while the former took half ;<)f them off to begin work at once on .the vein of gold. Spot informed the otl|crs that Bun.?en was to be "run." An(}. without delay he began to run 'tl^f town. BOY'S CINEMA Gangsters were posted at strategic spots, and all the roads leading into the town were patrolled. The railway station was picketed, and passengers wishing to leave Bunsen by railway were kept out, while the officials dared not inform the guards or drivers of passing trains about tlie situation, for they were working under the eyes of armed gangsters. The telegraph office received Spot's special attention, and a gunman sat there continually watch- ing the operator, and handling his gun significantly whenever a message was sent off. For the next few days Bunsen lived under a reign of terror. One or two of the bolder spirits made an attempt at first to shoot Spot Skee and some of his henchmen, but in vain. The gangsters were far quicker on the draw, and the dead bodies of several unfor- tunate fellow-townsmen told the citizens of Bunsen that resistance was useless. Meanwhile at Vancey Ranch, Kedge Darvis was monarch of all he surveyed. His men were busy working the vein, which proved to be very rich. The prisoners were closely guarded, and no news of what was happening was allowed to reach them. Tack Gillup, in the dismal cellar, 'nad no idea whether Sue Vancej' was alive or dead, and at length he deter- mined to try to get sonic information from Yuan Lee. "Say, Yuan," he remarked the next time the Chinaman brought him a meal, "these guys are sure doing the thing in style. Bread and water, eh? Well. I suppose I can live on that. What have they done with Miss Sue?" "Me no talkce," said Yuan Lee in an unnaturally loud voice, looking fixedly not at Tack Gillup, but at the half loaf of bread he had brought to the 17 prisoner. And Tack caught the faintest suspicion of a wink. , "No, you no talkce," cried a gangster from the cellar stairs. "You talkce, you' die. You no talkee, you no die. Savvy ?" "Yis, sail, me savvy allee light," sa-d Yuan, retiring hastily. , Tack Gillup waited until the China- man and the watching gunman had gone, and then he very carefully ex- amined the bread. Cunningly con- cealed within it he found a tiny scrap of paper, which he smoothed out eagerly. "Me dig hole. One day you como out," he read. Tack destroyed the note at once, and that night he lay awake for a long time listening intently. He heard nothing to indicate that Yuan Lee was at work, either on that night or the nest, but ori the third night faint sounds outsido seemed to show that the Chinaman was endeavouring to keep his promise. "Sounds like digging," muttered Tack as he listened. "I wonder how he's managed to dodge that gunman. Too cimnmg for him, I reckon." Tack was right. The cunning of the Oriental had proved more than a match for the brute force of the gangsters. The gunmen had treated Yuan I..ee like a dog. Kicks and blows were showered on him daily, until he was filled witli a bitter hatred of Kedge Darvis and his men. He showed no outward sig'i nf his feelings, simulating a cowardly fear so well by cringing and cowering before his tormentors, that their vigilance began to relax. ■The gangster appointed to guard tho Chinaman began to grow careless, tJiink- ing that no danger could possibly como from such a mean-spirited coward as Yuan appeared to be. Little did he I'm a gang leader," snapped Darvis, •' and I run a town three hundred times the size of Bunsen. And what I say goes I ?! September 12tli, 1031.