Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday "I'd know that woman if 1 met up with her," said a burly cowhoy. con- spicuous, in his flaminp; red ^hirt, "but I'll say she wants some finding." Matt Taylor descended the staircase from his office overhead iu time to hear that observation. "Boys. ' he pioclaimed, "two thou- sand dollars to the man that brings her to me personally." Jim swung round and nearly collided with the speaker. "Two thousand," he said thickly. " thash a lot o' dough. Boon's I get caught up on my drinkin'—hie—I—I'll have her—that is I—I'll bring her to you pershon'ly." Matt Taylor glare<l at Jim. and was completely misled. He gave him an im- jiatient push which seemed nearly to upset his balance, but he returned with drunken gravity to inquire: " Do any o' you homhres know where this fe-female bunch o' trouble is lo- cated?" "That's something we'd all like to know," quoth the little man scornfully. But a bulky though short-leggeil rancher fiom an adjoining district declaretl em- phatically : "1 wouldn't turn her in if I could. It would be blood-money! That girl's iu the right!" Instantly Matt Taylor's gun was iin his hand and its barrel was thrust into the si>eaker's back. "Is that it?" he snarled. "Well, now that you've had your say, get out of Lorado before morning—aiKl stay out. (io on!" The discomfited defender of Helen Clayton moved reluctantly towards the swing door.5. "It don't pay to talk too freely in this town," taiuited one of Taylor's fol- lowers ius he went. "I'll shay it don't," gufTawefl Jim, and shuffled over to the bar again. "With Helen Clayton's Compliments." THAT n\orning Helen Clayton and her own faithful followers had ridden through a gulch in the foot hills at the southern end of the pan-handle, folded the Lorado River — tributary of the Kio Clrande—and raided Matt Taylor's own ranch. Word had reached lier in her hide-away that Tavlor was in town with nearly all his men. and the op- portunity had seemed to her too goo<l tn miss. A score of cattle had been driven down-stream, just far enough to lose their tracks, then headed for the gulch. "There's some more stock Mutt Taylor will be missin' when ho jgets back!" chuckled Bob Nevady. "Take them over to our place," directed Helen, "and tell Lynn to go to Joel Winters at once and get that supply wagon out of town by midnight." Bill CJarnham, other- wise "Highpockets," rode up with four of Helen's outfit and a prisoner in their midst — a n ill - favoured, wide-faced rascal BOY'S CINEMA named Breed, who had been left in charge of the cattle. "Just caught one o' them wabble- eyed, shoot-em-in-the-back fellows," he reported. "Miss Helen, I'm wondering how it would be to plant a slug in ttic middle of such a nice, broad back!" Helen, from her horse, looked down at the squirming captive. "I've got a better idea," she said. "Tie him up and deliver him to Taylor —with my compliments." " You won't let us boys have any fun,'' complained Highpockets. "All right—hog-tie him, then." Breed was trussed up with a rope and replaced on his horse's back, whereafter he was conveyed to a spinney and dumped in the undergrowth till night- fall, with one of the outfit to keep guard over him. After dark Highix>ckets returned, and Breed was conveyed cautiously into town. The main street was compara- tively de.serted. the saloon was full; but Matt Taylor wa.s up in his office, talking to Sam Lanning, a bigger man than his dead brother had been, but a very ner- vous man since that brother had been mur<iered. "Matt," he complained, "I can't stand this liounding any longer. Every turn I make I find a warning note from that Clayton girl. They'i'e stuck in the door- way—they come flying through the win- dow on the point of a knife in the dead of night. I haven't slept hardly since Ed was done 'Well." growled Matt Taylor, "don't at which Sam Lanning was sitting you think I've been getting any little love-notes ? The last one I found was wrapped round my cigar!" "I lialf wish that bullet had got me, instead of Kd." "Aw, come off it, Sam,'' said Matt, lighting a cigar which obviously was not wrapped in any message. "That re- ward will bring her in sooner or later. And remember—you can't play for high stakes unless you take some risks." Fiom the street came the soun-d of galloping iior.ias. "What's that? ' criod Sam Lanning, starting to liis feet. Tlie sound ceased outside the saloon, Highpocket.'^ and his companio.n had brought Breed to the very foot of the^ steps leading to the veranda, and there they pushed him from his horse so that he fell heavily to the ground and rolled over on his back, roped hand and foot. Without dismounting. Highpocket* turned about, and over the top of the swing doors he threw a screwed-up slip of paper, weighted with a stone. The bald-headed bar-tender almo.st dropped a bottlo in his haste to secure the missile. The habitues of the place crowded round him as he smoothed out the piece of paper and stared at its mes- sage. "With Miss Helen Clayton's coni(ill iiients," he gasped. Jim, wlio had remained in the saloon ever since his arrival, and who had appeared to sleep away most of the afternoon with his head on a tabU-. lurched forward. "With Miss Helen Clayton's conipli- ments. huh?" he cried. "I guess that's a good 'un." In the noise and excitement of tho moment, tho sound of retreating hoofa went unnoticed. Matt Taylor had peered out of a window upstairs, but had assumed that some festive cow-hands h*(l arrived, and had gone back to the table But down in the saloon the receipt of that note and a shout from Breed sent nearly everyone running out into the street. Breed was lying in the roadway, shouting and cursing, and they gathered i"oun(l him. "Where's Taylor?" he howled. Jim. stooping drunkenly beside tha bar-tender, hi.s hands on his knees, his hat on one side, and a foolish expression on his face, immediately replied : Breed wa? lying in the roadway, shouting and cursing, and they gathered round him. September IDtli. 1931.