Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

26 tind tried to wrestle liiin, only to meet iwith another reverse. There was a fierce scuffle, during which Blaney ap- peared to hold his own for a second or two. Then Buck «wung him clean off his feet and lifted him in his powerful grasp. Bianey squealed as he was borne alofc. Poised above the banister rail, he struggled frantically as ho saw the hall twenty feet below him, but his struggles were of no avail, and a moment later iio was dropping through spiace. He crashed into a' bureau and rolled to the floor, groaning and breathless. By that time, however, Currier and the other two were ready for Buck, and Currier was running to the table to snatch up one of the guns Marsdcn had laid there. Buck climbed to the gallery rail and threw himself at a heavy chandelier which hung from the ceiling. He gripped It as he dived through mid-air, and the momentum oi his leap swung him forward «bovc the heads of his enemies. He let go of the chandelier and plunged downwards, and iic struck Currier feet-foremost. The gang leader was bowled over like a ninepin, and Buck sprawled atop of him. The other two rogues rushed to where the foreman lay, but before they could roach him the hall was in darkness. For Dorotiiy, standing near the door, had turned off the switch. Buck .scrambled to his feet and drove his bunched knuckles at a face which loomed close to him. The blow con- nected with an impact that was heard all over the lofty room, and the face disai^peared. The remaining gangster pounced on Buck and caught him with a savage punch that rocked the big foreman, so that ho tottered across the hall for .several paces. But he camo back at the crook and dashed him to the floor Mith a terrific hook. Blaney had roused himself, however, and so had Joe Currier and the man Bill; nv.d the three of them made a concerted attack on Buck that threat- ened to overwhelm him. A faint spark of unsuspected courage urged Marsdcn to go to the foreman's Jissistance. and he stumbled through the gloom and engaged Blaney, drag- ging him out of the melee and giving him a tap on the chin. Blaney retaliated with a full swing that spun Marsdcn across the iiall. The attorney brought up against a chair, and was steadied by the collision. But «s he was endeavouring to brace him- self for a fresh onslaught, a buxom figure stepped towards him from the rear. It was the figiu-e of Jenny, who had descended the stairs a mom(>nt before. She was carrying the cudgel with which she had armed herself the day the stage Jiad been robbed, and she deliberately lifted th..' bludgeon above George Marsden's head. She did not recognise the attorney in the gloom, and took him for one of Currier's rufhans. Down came the cudgel with a sniarl thwack, and, as Marsden eollap.sed. Jenny drew back into the deepest shadows. Buck, in the meantime, was battling desperatelv against his assailants. Bill wa^ felled by an upper-cut that might have .staggered a gorilla. Currier was luirlod across a .settee by a devastating light to the head. Blaney, after scor- ing with one or two blows, was driven iicross the hall before a rain of punches. ('iirripr and Bill regained their feet Isoveinlier 21st, 1D31. BOY'S CINEMA and closed on Buck once more. The fouith man, who had been laid low in the initial stages of the fight, now struggled up as well, but as ho was stumbling towards the scene of conflict Marsden rose to confront him. Marsdcn was still dizzy from the rap across the skull which Jenny had con- ferred on him. But he struck out hazih' at (he gangster. The crook hit back at him just as hazily, and soon tho two were exchang- ing a regular series of blows, most of which went wide. But as Marsden was wai'niing to his work, Jenny stepped out of hiding and, still under the impres- sion that I he attorney was one of Cur- rier's gang, she smote him once again over the back of the head. Marsden v/avercd at the knees and then sank into a sitting posture. Jenny withdrew once more, never dreaming that she had been instrumental in rais- ing the odds against Buck fi-oni three to four. Buck was knocked sprawling by an unlucky punch, but, as the crooks dashed towards him. he rolled aside iind sprang to his feet, in time to sec Currier and his men blundering into the big. open fireplace. The gangsters wheeled and renewed their atlaek in a body. Yet, despite tho odds against him. Buck did not choose to wait on the defensive. Spring- ing to meet them halfway, he tore into the ruffians with both hands, smashed two of them to tlie floor and. sweeping aside the burly form of Currier, ham- mered the wits out of another gangster. He had crushed the rogue under a storm of i)unches. when a girl's voice screamed a warning It was the voice of Dorothy, and. turning on his heel. Buck saw what she had seen—the figure of Currier brandishing a chair in his hands and rushing across the hall like a maniac. Tiie yo\ing foreman .scarce had time to duck. He took the shock on his broad back, and the chair broke in two. Next second he had dosed with Currier. Over bv the stairs George Marsdcn rose for the third time, but as he was tottering forward shakily Jenny again assailed him, and .she struck him with the bludgeon even more lustily than before. Marsden drooned with a sigh and stretched himself out on the floor, whereupon .Tenny gave vont to an ex- clamation of satisfaction. "Ah alwa3'S gits . mah man!" she declared. Tho Clean-Up. WHEN Flash Prescott had left Buck, he had pushed everv inch of sjiced out of his bronc. and three miles of mesquite had slipped past under the ponv's drumming hoofs when he sighted .a moving herd of cattle. It was the stock that had been pur- chased from the liazy B outfit, and, drawing rein as the head of the cohmin approached him. Flash hailed the men who were riding at flank and rear. "Hey.'' he called. "Buck Sawyer's in trouble. He needs ns at the ranch- house. Joe Ciu'rier's gang !'' The boys were quick to comprehend his meaning, and <lid not waste time by asking for details. The herd was left in the charge of one or two men, and the rest followed Flash in a break- neck gallop across the prairie. They had seven or eight miles to cover, and they made the distance in record time. As they iieared their des- tination they saw the mounts of the gangsters telhcred by the chaparral, and knew, at least, that the.v were not too late to round-up the rogues. Every Tuesday^ Close to the ranch-house they dis- covered Carson. The man had recovered consciousness, but was still in a dazed condition, and before he could make his escape Flash and the boys overtook him. "Where's Buck Sawyer?" Flash de- manded. "I ain't seen him," Carson whined. " Somebody giabbed hold o' me au' gave me a biunp over the head. That's all I know." "One of you fellers stay out here and take care of this- hoiiibre," Flash said, indicating Caison. "The rest of .voii follow me. I guess Buck must be in the house.'" They dismouiitc<l and advanced to tho building, lea\ ing Carson in the charge of a stalwart ranch-hand. A few seconds later the.v were tramping acix>ss the veranda to the front door. Flash was the first to enter, and the boys crowded across the thresliold after him. The hall was still in darkness, but sounds of strife came to their e,u* through the gloom—the stamping of , feet and the thud of blows, and every now and then a gnmt that told of a solid puncii finding its mark. One of the boys located the electric switch and turned up the light, and the scene that met the newcomers' gaze was one that held them awestruck. Dorothy was cowering on the stairs. In the fireplace lay the huddled form of a gang.ster. A second man wa.s ^; sprawled under one of the wiudows, and ■;' a third was stretched out near the foot-^ of the staircase. All tliree were in- |v sensible, and tliev testified to the havoc j created by Buck Siiv.yer's fists. <.] Nearci, another still form was to be > seen. It was the form of George Mars- den, and Jenn.v was looking down on him in consternation, iier e.ves rolling comically as she recognised her victim. And at the far side of the hall Buck Sawyer and Joe Currier were fighting tooth and nail. Flash and the boys did not inter- fere, for, savagely as Currier struck out at the .young foreman, it was plain that Buck needed no assistance. He had accounted for three men single-handed, and he was cajiable of accounting fori, the fourth. Jj Currier did land one lucky punch™ that drove the cattleman backward. But as he tried to follow np the advan- tage Buck jerked his head aside and then ripped his right to the jaw in a' flashing cross-counter. Currier's onslaught was diecked. and he gave a kind of lurch. Buck hit him again, this time with a full swing that threw the gang-leader headlong into the hall-table. The table capsized, and Currier plunged over it and rolled across the floor. He picked himself np and stood on the defensive as Buck advanced. But the young foreman drew down lii» guard with a feint to the ribs and banged his fist to the jaw again. The smack of the blow must have been audible outside the ranch-house. Currier was knocked off iliis feet bv it, and with arms wide-spread he fell ott his back and lay quite motionless. Flash and the boys came fairly into the room, and Flash looked round at the prone bodies with a grin. " Soniebod.v must have made Buck mad," he opined humorousl.v. At that moment Buck was looking down at Dorothy, who had run forward and laid a hand on his arm. "Oh. Buck.'' she was saying. "I'm so grateful! I don't know what we'd have done without you." Bi i