Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday She sliook Lcr head at him, bul smiled. "You mustn't bo too ttasty, Billy," she said. "Look—you sec this ring? There's a Jcgoud in our family tiiat the youngest bride always wears this, und v.hen you decide to marry I will signify my approval of your choice by taking it off my finger and giving it to your sweetheart. But be very sure, Billy." "Gee. mother, you're a peach!" ne exulted. And just then the curtains over the dining-room doorway were thrown back, and the butler announced loudly; "Dinner is served !" "The Three Musketeers." AT the long dining-table Doc sat between Judge \\'all and white- haired Mrs. Raymond, and he kept the table in a roar. Rosie was marched to a chair by Madeline, who &at beside her till Billy in>isted on Madeline moving up so "that he could sit between the two girls. Exactly what had transpired between these two Billy coidd only conjecture, but Rosie seemed quiet, almost sad. Something was said which Judge Wall discredited. "It all sounds like a myth to me," he declared. "Myth?" echoed Doc. 'Surely you know wliat a myth is?" rebuked the judge. "Oh, yes, I know," responded Doc brightly, "it's a female moth I" Judge U'all looked annoyed, but everybody else laughed—even a deaf nian named Doanes, after the joke had boon repeated lo him three times. •■'"What's the matter?" whispered Billv anxiouslj- to Rosie. "You don't seein to be a bit happy." "I'm having la wonderful time," she assured him. "Everybody is so nice to me, and " Madeline, listening alertlv, winced. sBiHy interrupted. "It's :ny birthday, you know," he said; and squeezed her hand. After the sweets had been served the ^ butler marched into the room bearing ■. with gre^it solemnity a massive iced cake, decorated with twenty-one candles. He placed it on the table in front cf Billy, and Mrs. Lowe rose to her feet. '"It's Billy's birthday," she said. "He's twenty-one. Who do you want to cut the cake, Billy?" BOY'S CINEMA Billy looked acro-ss the table and grinned at Doc. •^'Will i/ou do the honours?" he asked. "Okay, son—okay!" Doc immediately responded, and, pushing back his chair, «int round to the cake, receiving a big knife from the butler on his way. "Here's to the birthday, boy!'' he cried, sharpening the knife on a steel. "And here's to little Rosie, the only girl with iwo birthdays in a year ;"' Mrs, Lowe looked up, startled. "Two birthdays?" slic exclaimed. "Yes," proclaimed Doc, waving the knife. "One on the day she was born, the other on the day I picked her up." Mr.?. Lowe and Judge Wall frowned at one another; Mr, Lowe bit his lip, and Madeline's red lips curled con- temptuously. It is to be feared that the rest of the company stared. "Picked her up?" repeated Mrs. Lowe faintly. "Rememlier that. Rosie?" inquired Doc, flushed with cocktails and wine and rather reckless. "You were miglity dirty, but you wore cute. You followed me—I didn't follow vou. Don't forgot that!" " '■Fifteen years ago, wasn't it, Doc?" said Rosie quietly. "But you always .say I'm a real, grown-up lady now." "And what a lady !" cried Doc. "The sweetest lady in the world I" "You'll always say that, Doc?" "You ber your young life I'll always .sa.\ it ! Well, here's where we attack the cake !" The cake was cut, the pieces were served, and some of the guests nibbled while others devoured. They were not to know that while they were "celebrating Billy's birthday, two ugly crooks named Quinn and Willis were cracking a safe in a certain jewellerv establishment, the property of Adolf Oberdorf. From the- dining-room the guests streamed away to the drawing-room, and there Doc produced his walnut-shells and his pea. displaying them on a small table. "Hero wc are. folks," he said in his best fair-ground manner—'"here we are! All ready to go—all ready to go! This is a, great little game, so step a little u closer, folks—step ;i little closer, anj don't block the sidewalk." Men and women gatlieiod curiou.sly around him, while Rosie looked on askance. "I kiieu- you all wanted a little ex- citement" declared Doc. "so I brought the three musketeers along," "Well," said Madeline, somewhat superciliously, as she squeezed in bo tween Mrs, Lowe and the exponent of the trick, "how docs it work?" "Oh, very simple—very simple!" lie proceeded to show Iticm nd " Here wc have three little shells and one little pea," he said. "We put Iho little pea under this little shell—so! Wo make a few forward passes "—suiting the action to the words and moving tho .shells about. " Now you guess where Iha little pea is !" Madeline guessed, and guessed wrongly. Judge W'aW moved up beside Doc, "Is it a gambling ganie?" inquired a girl nervously. "Gambling?" echoed Doc, as though in pain. "Tut. tut, tut ! No, no, no- well, of course. I mean—just to add a little zest to the party, perhaps But only for small stakes—only for very small stakes." There was a fumbling in pockets, a searching in handbags. "Well," said Madeline loudly, "I'll bet two dollars." Mrs. Raymond cautiously decided to bet fifty cents on Madeline. Others b(;t more. JMadeline, watching closely as Doc manipulated the shells, selected tlia middle one—but the pea was not be- neath it. In some mysterious fashion it had secreted itself beneath tho shell on the right. "She loses," said Doc regretfully, "It was under there all the time, !^ I take the money—see?" Rosie looked sadly away as Doc scooped in tlie notes and coins; but Billy, pressing fonvard, cried : "Sounds exciting, I think I'll try." He tried—and lost. Madeline tried ogam and again, while Judge Wall stood with his hand behind his back, grimly looking on. >'SoI(l for three doUars I " boomed Doc. " Aod now you have the whole principle or an auction sale '. •• f)ctoijec lutu, IDU,