Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

13 Alamniliig the door violently behind hirn. He would see Myra immediately, dis- cover once and for nil if it was indeed true that bhc was Winter's girl. A Fight that Ended Disastrously. MYRA herself opened the door in answer to Bob's knocking, and sight of the boy standing on the steps caused her to catch her breath sharply. Nearly eight o'clock, and Winter was due at any moment now to call for lier. If he found Bob iicrc tliere would be a sccn^, for she knew the jealous disposition of the man. At the least he would sack Bob from liis employ—might possibly resort to more \ iolent measures. 'What is it you want. Bob?" she asked agitatedly. "Didn't you get my note?" ''Yes, but I had to see you." As he gazed into her prctt\' face all the fury ebbed from him, and he felt that iiothing could shatter the affection he bore her. But in another moment he remembered what had brought him hero—realised that for his own jieacc of mind he must discovci* the truth. "iMyra, there's .something I want to talk to you about. May I come in?" "Well, I haven't much time," she told him liesitatingly. "So you must make it short and snappy." Wondering what he could want she closed the cloor as he stepped into the hall, then led him to her drawing-room. 'J'hen it was that Bob noticed the won- derful dress she was wearing, the costly jewels that adorned her neck and hands. Obviously she expected a caller—was going out. Savagely he clenched his tists, for he felt that there was some- thing in what he had heard, after all— that Myra was indeed on friendly terms wirh their employer. '"You'rj waiting for someone, aren't you?" he accused her. She shrugged her .shoulders as she dropped into a chair. It was imperative that she got rid of Bob as quickly as was possible, and the only way to do this that she could think of was to doliberatcly set out to hurt his feelings. "My dear boy." Her tone was mocking. "You're not seriously cross- examining me, are you?" "It's Winter, isn't it?" Bob shot at lier fiercely. , "Um—am!" Another shrug of the shoulders. Then suddenly she frowned. "Bur what right have you to put such a question to me ?"' Bob faced her squarely, gazing deep into her pools of eyes. "Because I love you, Myra !" he stated boldly, and would have caught at her hands had she not leaped to her feet at that precise moment. "You silly boy. You don't know what you're talking flbout. It's just \outhful infatuation. Why, if you never saw me again you'd " She broke o(l' as the clock on the manteliiiecc chimed the hour, and a look of deep concern leaped into her face. She knew now lluit she loved Bob fis mucii as iio did her; knew, too. that it could never be. The last tinkling note of the " clock and she caught at tiic boy's a?m. "Bob, you must really go now. I " A knock at the front door that caused her face to blanch, followed instantly by footsteps in the passage. Her maid answering tlio summons. Myra seemed powerless to move—and then the drawing-room door opened and William Winter came in smoking a large cigar. "Oh, I'm sorr.v." There was a sneer ill his tone and lie frowned darki.v. "Didn't know \oii had visitors, Mjt-t." "It's quite " all riglit, Bill." She •Octol)er 10th, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA pulled herself together, summoned up a smile. "He—he just came in from the office with Some copy. You know each other, don't you? Mr. Winter- Mr. Mar.shall." Winter bowed his head mockingly to Bob, who glared at him ferociously. Then the youngster turned to the girl. "Why, don't you tell him the truth?" he said somewhat fiercely. "What on earth do you mean, boy?" Winter came up to Bob and thrust out his jaw menacinglv. "The truth? What is it?" . Bob paid no heed to Myra's wiirning glance, the distressed expression that had come into her pretty face. " Well, I didn't come here from the ofTice," Bob said quietly. "I came be- cause I love Myra, and " "Is that so?" Winter laughed sar- donically. "Well, then, you'd better be going. It's me Myra loves—you don't stand an earthly." The air of assurance of the man nettled Bob, aroused the streak of ob- stinacy in his nature. Somehow, he felt that the girl could not possibly like so cynical and cold-hearted a man as Winter appeared to be. No doubt ho was trading on the fact that he was her boss—that she feared he might dismiss her from her post if she did not humour him. "jNIyra." Bob turned determinedly to the distracted girl. "Out of the oflTiee I'm not taking orders from Mr. Winter. Until you ask me to go I'm no; leaving here." "Then, Bob," Myra quickly began, intending to ask him to leave at once, and so avoid possible trouble, "do, please " "You impertinent little rat!" The infuriated words burst from Winter as, livid of face, he suddenly leaped for- ward, caught at Bob's arm, and swung him round. "What the blazes do you mean ? You'll not leave till IMyra asks you. Well, let me tell you this is ray place and " 'You lie!" Bob flung at him fiercely, clenching his hands. "All tlie .same it is my apartment '" sneered the newspaper proprietor. "Miss Deane is not well off, certainly not in a position to run such a place as this. But she's clever, a good Society editor, and as such it is necessary for her to have good rooms. But. Mar- shall, perhaps next month she will allow you to pay the rent. A bold cavalier. But a whipper-snapper who coiddn't " He said no more, for, with a cry of rage. Bob whipped up his fist and crashed it clean into the leering face, .senditig Winter staggering. Right into an inlaid mahogany table the news- paper proprietor crashed, and. as he ■^hot out his hand to save himself from falling, his fingers came into contact with a l)ronze statue standing on the [lolished surface of the table. A terrified scream burst from M.\ra as she shrank back against the chester- field, white of face, trembling in every limb. Next second Bob, sensing Winter's intention, flung himself bodily at the man. In the nick of time he caught the other's wrist as, with nunder in Ills eyo"^, the newsi>aper proi)rietor swung back his arm to laimch the hea\.v mi.>-sile at the youngster's head. And then they were struggling furiously. The bronze statue went to the floor with a crash, and grasping fiercely at each other they lurclied all over the room. Ciach striving to throw the other, while Mvra watched with terrified eyes, calling frantically to them to stop. I'or two or three minutes the battle Every Tuesday raged, ilion BoTj's foot caught in the thick pile of a rug Desperately lie strove to save Inm-self from falling, but Winter, quick to seize the advantage, wrenched liimself free from the boy's clinging embrace, uttering a savage cry of triumph. Next second, and an iron- hard fist thudded to the side of Bob'a head, sending liim hurtling across tlio room to crash to the floor beside the window. "Oh, don't !" .screamed Myra implor- ingly, as Winter rushed down on the fallen boy. "Please don't!" But Bob was quickly on his feet again, and though dazed from the heavy blow, he was ready as Winter reached him. A clever feint and he dodged the vicious right that was aimed at him, then caught the newspaper proprietor a hefty blow clean between the eyes. Back went Winter to cannon into the chesterfield and Myra, with a frightened gasp, dodged quickly out of the way. Furiously Bob charged after his man. But Winter parried the blow that was aimed at his head and the tivo locked again. But late nights and too much wine had taken toll of the newspaper proprietor's stamina and suddenly, Bob, wriggling free from Winter's weakening grasp, whipped up his right and again landed heavily between the other's eyes. A sobbing gasp escaping him, Winter went toppling backwards over the chesterfiekl—then cam.e a thud as he crashed to the floor and the back of his head struck the curb of the fireplace. "Ooooh!" Horror in her e.ves, fearful that he might be badly hurt, Myra ran to the fallen man and dropped to her knees besides him. His ejes were closed, his face white and bleeding. Wildly she caught at his wrist, feeling for the pulse. Just a faint sign of beating—that vvas all. vSupposing he was to die ? The dread thought sent an icy chill down her spine and" she glanced quickly at Bob, who stood beside the chesterfield, clothes rumpled, hair tousled, breathing heavily from the i-esult of his exertions of the past few minutes. "He's—^lie's uncon- scious ! I'll take care of him. Go now. Please—please go, for my sake. There mustn't be any scandal. See what I mean? Hurry—oh, hurry I" Bob pulled himself together instantly. Well he knew what would haiJpen if he stayed there a moment longer and some- one happened on the scene. A terrible scandal—with the three of them in- volved. Besides, he might even be arrested for assault. A nod to Myra and then he was gone. But scarce had the door closed behind him than the horrified girl saw the inert figure of Winter give a sudden convul- sive tremor and then become strangely still. The man wa-f dead ! A while she knelt there stunned. What should she do? What could she do ? A scandal simply had to be avoided and above all that boy—Bob Marsluill, whom she realised in that terribltt moment meant more than life itself to her—Bob must be saved from the cou- sequences of that terrible scene. At last a thought occurred to her and, jumping to her feet, she rushed to the telephone, called up Frederick (lerk. Winter's secretary, and after telling fiini that the newspaper proprietor was dead, implored him to come straight to her apartments without breathing a word t'» anyone of what had taken place. Herk agreed to hrt' frantic requc-- somewhat reluctantly, and with a sigh ol relief the distracted girl sank limply into a chair to wait for him. (Continned oo page 80.) ••» If