Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

10 A biiiiicttc of iindoiibtotl cliarni sat at tho wheel, and smiled with joy as the car answered to her touch. A small felt hat crowned a head of dark curls, laughing eyes peered from beneath long lashes, whilst a dimple came and went in tho soft checks, and tho shapely mouth opened with expectant delight as tho car took a corner on two wheels. Seated beside hor was a big-faced man of about thirty-eight to forty years. His small moustache was neatly clipped, but the eyes .seemed a trifle too small for so large a face. Tho mouth was very big, whilst tho shaggy eyebrows gave the man a handsome but rather ominous attractiveness. At the moment his eyes wore flickering this way and that, and his breath coming in jerks. "I say, Helen—steady down!" "Not on your life, Hiarry Winslow !" came the dare-devil answer. "I'm just revelling in this. You beiit me riding and told mc I didn't know what speed was like. I'll show you !" With a sciecch of tyros, the car took another corner on two wheels, flinging stones in all directions and kicking up clouds of dust. Helen Sutter had just returned from a college in the East and she had brought the car with her. The college lads and lassies loved Helen, but those in charge sighed their relief. If there were a rag on foot, then the girl would be one of the ringleaders. Returning to her father's ranch, she had expected to be bored by the life, and it had been plcas.ant to find a cultured man like Winslow acting as manager. Winslow was a cattle man with modern ideas, and he expounded a proposition to Frank Sutter that he should utilise 'lis ranch and land-, not only for cattle, but as a holiday resort for tnod rasteinPi-> And, as business was bad, the Bar L had become a gue-^t house The manager had been pleased to look after this highspuit(,d girl Old man BOY'S CINEMA Sutter's laud was valuable property, and it might be well worth his while to con- sider Helen as a wife. At the moment Winslow almost detested the girl; he would curb her heels when she became his wife i "Tako it easy, Helen I" cautioned Winslow. " There's a nasty bend by the quarry, and the surface is very loose." "I've never known this bus not to answer," yelled back the tom-boy. "You've hoard of Lightning Hudson, the big race-driver—well, I've been lap- ping at a hundred and twenty with him. Once he let me drive, and the needle just touched the hundred. Gosh, it was a thrill!' Hudson taught me how to skid round corners. Shall I show you, Harry 1" "Thanks, but I'd rather not I" "It's dead easy. You aren't scared?" Tho girl looked at him for a second, and the car slithered towards a bank. "Here, hi, mind_ out!" yelled Winslow, and sighed his relief as Helen swung the oar back to the safety of the road. " Gosh, kid, but that was a near shave I" " Watch me take the quarry bend," was her answer. " I'll do it at just under fifty." Winslow had no chance to protest as the engine made such a noise as Helen stepped on the gas. Like a streak they shot forward. The quari-y corner. Bump! The wheel found a pot-hole and Helen knew then she was going too fast. Desperately she jammed on the brakes, but the car seemed out of control. Helen caught' a glimpse of a stretch of grass and decided that if they had to go over the bank heie was the place The stiong bidkes weie acting and " What hit me ? Norembcr 28tli, 19SL spluttered Jim, flinging aside the wreck of the tent. Every Tuesday slowing the car as she bumped off the road on to the old trail to the quarry. Ahead was something that flapped gro- tesquely and next moment the car had charged head on. Both Jim and Ben were inside the tent. There were two poles, and the youngster had fixed one and was attempting to tackle the second pole. " Wants someone outside to drive in some pegs," he cried. "I can just reach your pole with my hand, so if I hold Loth poles steady do you reckon you could drive in some pegs and fix a few ropes. Don't strain too much on the ropes when you're doing it or the tent will collapse." " Leave it to me, Jim, it's easy. Why " Ben never finished His sentence because the tent, poles and the owners were moved on with considerable force for five or six yards. The poles and canvas saved them from serious harm, though the two were hurled to the ground with much violence. "What the blue blazes," spluttered Jim, flinging aside the wreck of the tent. "What hit me?" ■' Reckon it's a wild bull," gurgled Ben, who was also in difficulties. "If I could get clear of this stufif I'd plug the crittur." Jim crawled out of the canvas and stared round. Almost on top of him was a car, and standing up were two people. The pretty girl had a hand to ashen cheeks, whilst the man looked scared. " Are you hurt V Helen's voice was vei'y pleasant, but to Jim it sounded Uke tearing cloth. "Oh, no, I'm just fine," he growled. "Say, what do you reckon you were doing with that sardine tin of yours ?" "Sardine tin!" At once the girl for- got her fear. "This is a Hupmobile and she cost " "I don't cai'e what she cost." Jim Bung aside the tent. "Seems to me a pram would have been more your mark. What made you come charging down here—did you lose control?" "Certainly not!" "Wouldn't the brakes act?" "Of course they acted." How her eyes flashed. "The bad surface caused this lady to be forced oflf the road." Winslow had recovered his nerve and was glaring at tlie youngster in the worn cow- boy outfit. "If there's any damage to your pro- perty I shall be pleased to compensate you." "Thanks," drawled Jim. "Ai-e you hurt, Ben?" "Nope." Ben felt him- self all over. " But I guess I'm mighty lucky not to be all busted up." "You were driving reck- lessly." Jim faced the girl with flashing eyes. " You must have come round that corner much too fast. You might have wrecked the car i.nd led us. You don't de- serve such luck. What girls like you want is a nurse." "Is that 60?" Helen was used to admiration and adoration, and this sort of treatment was un- known. "Are you going to stand there, Harry, and hear this man insult me?" Ponderously Winslow