Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday I "SUMDOWN TRAIL" } T (Continned £rom page 18.) T i^^* ****** » ♦^♦..^^..^^ attorney or his captors, she stooped as tho reached the hall and picked up the document that had fallen from AJars- den's hand a few seconds previously. She was gazing at the document when Currier moved into view, and as she heard his footfalls she looked np quickly. Next instant she drew back'' with an exclamation. "Just a minute, sister," said Currier. "This is unexpected good luck." Dorothy whipped round and darted towards the stairs again, but one of Currier's men slipped between her and her objective and pushed her away loughly. "Take it easy, ma'am," ho advised. "Kinda looks as if the boss 'ud like to have your company." " Yeah, tho boss would," observed Currier. "You see, we'll have to take you along with us, lady—as you might put the sheriff on our track too soon. We don't want any description of u.? circulated until we're a long way from liere." One of Currier's men caught Dorothy •by the wrist. The other was standing guard over the cringing figure ot iMarsden. " Well," the gang-loader continued, "we'd better get to business, I reckon. I'll lift that money from the safe, boys. and then we'll hit tho saddle. Bring the gal^ along—an' that guy iMarsden. too. We'll show 'cm tho moonlight on the river—from (ho other side." He was thinking of the JMoxican reaches of the Rio Grande, which he hoped to make before midnight. Once over the border he and his men would Ix' safe from U.S. law, and could safely allow Dorothy and JMarsdcn to return. Currier did not know that I5uck Sawyer was approacT'ing the ranch- house at that very moment to tether his horse in a range of brush and steal for- ward noiselessly. It was as well for Buck that he em- ployed caution, for when ho had almost IKnetrated tho thicket he discovered the two men, Blaney and Carson, standing on the edge of the brush. Buck crouched down. The gangsters wore somewhat to the left of him, but ho could hear their voices distinctly and made out every word that they uttered. "I reckon wo oughta tour around the house," Blaney was saying. "We're only watchin' the front of it from here." " Okay, Blaney," agreed Carson. "That's a good idea. I'll walk this way and you walk the other." They separated, and Carson's steps took him towards tho point whore Buck was hiding. By the time he was passing the ranch-foreman, Blaney had vanished beyond a corner of the house. Buck sprang to his feet and lunged forward. Carson caught sight of him in the instant of his attack, and reached for his six-gun with a cry, but tlie ex- clamation was stifled as Buck clapped a hand over Ins mouth. Nor was the rogue successful in his attempt to draw his revolver, for Buck forestalled bim and snatched the weapon out of its bolster before tho crook's fingers could close on the butt. Buck had thrown his arm around j'Carson's neck and face, and as the fellow began to struggle tho big foreman Iclubbed tho six-gun and struck him a htumiing blow on the temple. |i Carson sagged to the ground in a llicap and lay still. Buck, throwing the BOY'S CINEMA man's revolver far into the brush, moved on to the ranch-house. He gained the wall of it. and peered in through a window of the lounge. He immediately saw Dorothy, Marsden and their captors, and realised that it would bo suicidal to enter by tho front door, as the crooks happened to be facing it. Buck drew back and took stock of the outside wall of the building. A moment later ho was climbing to a balcony on the upper floor, and, having scrambled over the rail of this, he made his way quietly through a bed-room and stepped out on to a landing overlooking the hall- lounge. The occupants of tho lounge were in more or less the same position as when ho had last seen them, and Currier and his men now had their backs to him. "Up with your hands'!" Buck com- manded imperatively. There was a scufHing of feet as the crooks wheeled. Looking towards the gallery, they discerned Buck standing near the head of the stairs with a forty- five in his grasp, and the muzzle of the weapon was threatening them indis- criminately. They rai.scd their arms with only a momentary hesitation. Buck spoke to Marsden, who seemed incapable of thinking for himself. "Come on there," ho said. "Get their guns—and make it snappy." Marsden advanced to disarm the gangsters, and Dorothy willingly gave him a hand. Currier uttered an oath and for a second seemed inclined to resist, but Buck called a warning. " Back up there. Currier," he rapped out. "The hammer of this gun is itchin' to fall!" Currier accented the situation and was relieved of his six-shooters. His two hirelings were e'so obliged to remain passive while their "artillery" was taken from them. "All right," Buck called to Marsdo!) again. " I,ay the forty-(^ve on that table and then fetch some rope." Alarsden did as he was told, and pro- ceeded to bind the gangsters' wri.'its. Bare Fists. M.VRCHING around the house, Blaney wondered why he did not meet with Carson, and ho only discovered the reason when he came upon his comrade's body at the edge of the brush. Blaney stooped quickly, and as he peered at Carson he made out a dark bruise on tho fellow's temple. He at- tempted to arouse him, but his eflforts wore in vain. Carson, lay like a log, utterly oblivious of his surroundings. "Gosh !" Blaney muttered. "Some- body musta socked him just after we left each other." He straightened up and made for the ranch - house veranda, but as ho was approach- ing it he caught a glimpse of the hall through ono of the windows. Blaney took in 25 the scene at once—Marsden in the act of .securing Currier and the other two gangsters, Buck Sawyer covering them from the gallery. It was as easy for Blaney to climb to tho upper floor as it had been for Buck, and sixty seconds later the rufTiaa was moving on to tho landing to sur- prise the foreman from the rear. "Diop that iron, Sawyer!" he grated, janmiing the barrel of his forty-five into the small of tho cattle- man's back Tho young foreman lowered his gun and then let it fall to the floor. The thud of it synchi'onised with Currier's voice. "Good work, Blaney," the gang leader called. "Hey, Bill, get me loose, will yuh ?" Currier and ono of his companions had been bound, but the third man was still free, and, pushing Marsden aside, ho set about untying tho cords with which the other two had been secured. Meanwhile, Buck stood helpless on the landing, but an opportunity for action was yet to oomn. and it presented itself when a bod-room door suddenly opened. It was opened by no more formid- able a personage than Jenny. Dorothy's coloured servant, who h.ad been attracted by tho sound of strange voices. But Blaney whipped round in some alarm, and turned his gun from Buck, wlioreuiion the foreman turned swiftly and struck the weapon from his hand. Blaney uttered an angry bellow and lashed out at Buck, but tho young cattleman parried the blow and banged his fist to the bridge of Blaney's nose. The crook's strident roar became a howl of pain, and he bumped violently against the wall. "Hold him. Blanoy !" yelled Currier from tho hall. "We'll be with vuh in a couple of shakes ! Ouirk, Bill—get those cords slackened ofT !'' Marsden made ,t belated attempt to hinder the man Bill, but the latter turned on him and flung him info a corner with a swoop of his arm. Mean- while, up on the landing. Blaney was doing his best to tackle Buck. He grappled with tho big foreman GAME ON i " HOME' BILLIARD i TABLE ^ I THAT MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE! Our SECRET CODOGRAM. w)iiLh appiMrcd recently In lllis o.Tp.r, was seen by over a MII.I.ION BOYS! Yet only Boy Dcteetives could RE&D and UNDERSTAND its HIDDEN MESSAGE 1 WERE YOU ONE OF THEBI, or are you missuiK the most fascinating, thrilling and absorbing hobby oJ to-day P DON'T DELAY! Other mysterious messages arc appearing shortly, so bceomc a Boy "fee AT ONCE, and bo " in ihc krow." WORLD FAMOUS SECRET SERVICE OUTFITS, with secret eodonicter. marvellous radio, invisible and mystic fire inks, menihership badge, fingerprint powder., etc., etc. TEN ENTHRALLING ITEMS for only i;- post tree. Or larger Special Presentation Outfit, with four- teen items, only 2/6 post free, from THE BOY DETECTIVE SUPPLY STORES, Desk B.C., 32, CATHCART ST., GREENOCK. (ForcigQ Postage. 3d. m the sliilling extra.) November 21st, 1931,