Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

22 Pat Hceley had come round and was struggling to escape from llic debris. "Help him, Iioys," the superintend- ent ordered "But watch overhead." And he pointed to the roof, from which muck was still falling in small showers, as if threatening another collapse. Pat was extricated, and, in spite of liis bruises, immediately assisted the workmen to locate June and her fatlier. Miadison was pulled out in a semi- conscious condition, and then June was dragged clear. "Aisy, boys—take iier ai.sy !" Pat urged with anxiety, but. rhougli she was dazed, and aching in every limb, Jime managed to speak reassuringly. "Oh—I'm all right.'' she faltered. "But—but Where's Bob?" The superintendent had turned to Madison. "What was the idea of going past that flag?" he was saying gruffly. "Were you trying to kill yourselves? " "Never mind that," June's father re- torted, rousing him.self with an effort. "There's another man in that car!" The workmen turnei their attentio)i on the debris once more, only to dis- cover that the fourth occupant of the i^ar had vanished. Pat Heelcy and the Madisous received the news of ]iis dis- appearance with consternation, and were gazing at one another blankly when the flagman approached. "Say," l)e observed, "the fellow you're lookin' for must be the same guy that was carried off by those men that were chasing you I saw 'em pile .somebody into their car and drive away." June looked at her father. "Daddy!" she panted. "Those men have got Bob ! Oh, isn't there any- thing we can do?" Madison bit his lip. and then turned all at once to the superintendent of the road gang. "Perhaps you can iielp us." he .s,aid. "Have you a telephone here, or a car I can nse ?" "I haven't a teloplione." was the an- swer, "but I'll lend you my car. Come on roinid to the other end of the tunnel." They followed him. June being helped by two of the workmen, for her hip had been bruised and she was lame. They reached the far end of the tunnel and climbed into the auto the super- intendent had been generous enough to offer them. "We'll drive up to the Mountain Inn," said Madison. "I'll have your Mr .sent down from there, my friend," m.' added to the superintendent. At the Cabin. ARRIVED at their destination in the heart of the mountain forests. Beldon and his com- panions lifted their prisoner out of the oar and bore him into the Madison lodge. " "We'll see if he's got what we're aftei'." said Spike, as the unconscious captive was placed in a chair. "Butch —Merlin—get busy, will yuh?" Deft bands proceeded to search Bob. and, while he remained insensible, a thorough examination was carried out. But it failed to jjioduce the precious document that the crooks were so anxious to secure. Spike pursed hi.s lips as Butch and Merlin drew back and looked at him hopele.ssly. "The boss'll have a fit if we don't find that formula," he muttered. "He had it with him in this cabin not twenty minutes ago. I saw it with me own eyes through that window." With a sudden air of resolution he Octoher I7tli, IMl. BOY'S CINEMA leaned forward and struck Bob smartly across the cheek, repeating the proce- dure till the prisoner began to show signs of recovering his wits. "Come on, snap out of it!" Spike Beldon snarled. " Do you wanna sleep for ever?" The harsh voice impressed itself on Bob's dawning consciousness. He opened his eyes, stared blankly at his captors for a moment and then, as the memory of all that had happened re- curred to h'lm in a flash, sat up with a start. "June!" he panted, Lis first and fore- most thought being of her. "Where's Jime? Is she—is she hurt?" "Never mind about the girl!" Spike ground out. "I want that formula ot yours, and I want it right now!" Bob was still in too weak a state to show fight, and his bruised limbs felt like leaden weights. But no physical injuries could have impaired his iron will, and at Beldon's words his mouth seemed to tighten into a firm line of determination. "I haven't got it with me," he said doggedly, "and you'll never find out where it is from me." Spike turned to his associates. "Keep a hold on him, boj'S," he ordered. "Don't let him get away! Tliis cabin is wired for a telephone, an' I'm gonna find it and put through a call." He located the instrument in another room, and, after closing the door to make certain that Bob should not over- hear his conversation, he picked up the receiver. "Hallo, operator.'' he growled. "Gimme the Mountain Inn, will yuh? No, I don't know the number, but you get it for me an' make it snappy." There was a pause, and a few seconds later a telephone-fiell rang in the annexe of the Mountain Inn, a hotel much fre- quented bj' visitors during the holiday season. The desk-clerk answered it, and heard Spike Beldon's gruff voico. "Yes. this is the Mountain Inn," the clerk said. "A Mr. Mitchell, sir? Yes, he arrived here an hour ago. Do you wislt to speak with him?" He laid down the receiver and emerged from the 'phone box just as Dan Mitchell came downstairs from his room and entered the hotel annexe. "Oh, Mr. Mitchell," the clerk hailed him. "You're wanted on the 'phone, sir.'' Mitchell thanked him, slipped a coin in his hand and entered the boorti. As he lifted the receiver and spoke into the mouthpiece Spike's well-known tones reached his ear. "Hallo—that you, Mitchell? Say, we didn't make out at all. Darrow hasn't the formula with him, an' Heeley an' the Madisons got sinashed up in a;i accident." "Accident?" Mitchell exclaimed. "What accident? Was June hurt?" "I guess not," Spike answered. "But we didn't have much time to look, boss " Mitchell cut him short. Through a hotel window near by he had seen a car draw up. and liad recognise*! Heeley. June and her father. "They've just arrived, Spike." he said, "and they're all right. Now listen, we've got to get that fornnda, and I've got a plan that ought to work He made certain that the door of the 'phone-box was closed, and (hen pro- ceeded to outline a ctmning scheme, which wa5 received enthusiastically by Beldon. A little later Mitchell left the Every Tuesday 'phone-booth and strolled out to the porch to see June limping up the steps with the support of her father and Pat Heeley. "A good hot bath and a rub down and you'll feel fine," Madison was say- ing. "Oh, I'm all right, dad," June assured him. "It's just my hip." Mitchell hastened forward with feigned surprise and astonishment. "Why, what's happened?" he ex- claimed. "Is there anything I can do, June?" "No, thank }-ou, Dan," the girl answered him, wincing a little with pain. "I'm all right—really." "Tou'd better go on in, dear," hei father advised. "But say, Mitchell, wliat are j-oii doing here ? We never expected to run across 3-ou in these parts." " Why, I—well, I have business inter- ests here," Mitchell replied. "Connected with the timber." "H'm!" Madison murmured. "You never told me you had business intereiits up here among the mountain forests." Mitchell eyed him blandly. "No," he rejoined, "I don't believe I did, now you come to mention it. But what happened ? What kind of trouble have you been running into?'" "We had an accident," Madison ex- plained, "and Darrow has disappeared. 1 stopped on the way to the inn anfl sent for some rangers to start a search. But come into the hotel and I'll tell you all about it." Meanwhile, at the cabin from which ho had 'phoned Mitchell, Spike Beldon had joined his confederates in the room where Bob was a prisoner. "Come on, fellers," Spike said briskly. "We'll fix this biixl so he's ready to talk. Tie him up to that pillar," he added, pointing to a strong_ ix)st built as a support to the ceiling. "1 reckon he won't tear that down." Bob was lifted bodily and pinioned tO' the timber column that Spike had in- dicated. Then the gangsters drew off, and. lowering his voice so that Bob coidd not hear a single word. Beldon proceeded to explain the plan that Mitchell had detailed over the tele- phone. It was greeted with approval, Connolly being loudest in his praise of it. "Say, that's a great idea!" he de- clared. "It sure is," Spike stated. "Now j'ou get goin', Silk." Connolly departed after some further whispering and as the door closed behind him Spike walked over to Bob. "So you don't want to tell us where that formula is, huh?" he sneered. "No," rk>b answered firmly, "and what's moie—1 don't intend to tell you." Spike's eyes narrowed. "Maybe wo got a way to make yuh tell." • he drawled. Bob met his glance unflinchingly, his I lip curling with contempt as he looked I at the man. "Maybe," he retorted in a snrcastisJ tone. ^\ The Searchers. ALONE horseman drew rein on-'ij motuitaiu track a few miles fromj the cabin to which Mitchell's hire lings had carried their prisoner. Hi! was wearing the khaki uniform of «J trooper of the California Ranger Serj vice. Another mounted figure had appearcfl on the crest of a ridge. He was dreasecj ii'j the s.inie outfit, and, recognising hiu»|