Boy's Cinema (1933)

24 Why, Jerry Sutton. Let's go get him." Some wanted to argue, but a few hot- heads like Collins were thirsty for vengeance. As long as someone was killed or hung they would feel that the dead citizens had been avenged. " Well, you go find Jerry Sutton for yourself," cried one old campaigner. "An' if you do get him, I'll see that he gete a fairer trial than Rogers had. I reckon, Collins, you're a mighty lucky man." •Why, old-timer?" "If I had been Rogers I'd have gone a gunnin' for you," was the answer. " Maybe Jerry Sutton did betray us, and the blame for.this killin' can be put on him, but some folks might think that one of their citizens hadn't played too good a part. You go get Jerry Sutton, an' you try an' get him hung. Maybe lie deserves it, but I shan't hesitate to tell the court what I thinks about a man who acts hasty an' is twice warned. That's all I've got to say." The old-timer took away most of the men with him, but the sheriff had his duty. "Sutton must be found, Collins," he stated. "I'll go with you an' some of your friends. I'm comin' with you, Collins, to see justice done. Let's get goin'." " We'll try Sutton's shack," Collins cried. "I'll not rest till I've cleared Red Gulch of these villains." Kent Rogers and Lupita rode out of Red Gulch. Once more the youngster had his guns. "Guess I owe my life to you, Lupita." He gazed at her with a new interest. "Why did you do it?" "Because you are a man." Her teeth flashed in a dazzling smile. " You are like the Spaniards who came to America hundreds of years ago and fought many battles. You are brave, and you would give your life for your friend or your country. That is one good reason, and the other is that I like you verra much. I " "Lupita," Kent 6poke hastily, "I thank you, and I'm going to apologise. I've never had much time for girls, and I don't intend to have much time until I've made a name for myself, have a ranch, money, and respect to offer to them. But of all those I have met you're the best." "I think I understand." Tears shone in the dark eyes. "And so you will ride away?" "Yes, and take Jerry with me." Kent started. "By gar, I've been forgetting all about Jerry. Suppose that snake Collins or the sheriff look for him, they will " "I did not tell the judge where you lake Jerry." Lupita smiled through her tears. "I say you take him away." " Then they'll either search my shack or Jerry's," he decided. "Come on, Lupita, we've got to move. Jerry and I must hit the trail this very day." A horse was hitched outside Lupita's house. "Buck Gallagher." Lupita clutched his arm. "I know his horse anywhere. He come here to kill Jerry." The Death of Buck Gallagher. KENT ROGERS motioned to Lupita not to make a sound. He slid from the saddle, but stayed the girl when she made to dismount. "Take my horse and your own round to the back of your shack," he ordered. " Otherwise Gallagher may see you from (he window. Go with great caution in case others of the gang are there." Buck Gallagher had decided that as Jerry Sutton had not turned Up there was only one place where he could be— January 21st, 1933. BOY'S CINEMA the shack of Lupita. He rode there and approached the shack with caution. The place was deserted, or so it seemed at first. Muffled sounds from a cupboard made him swing round his shot-gun. Gallagher went closer and listened. "Lupita! Lupita!" came the faint cries. Buck Gallagher swung open the door and stared at the bound and gagged figure of Jerry Sutton. Kent had done his work well, because Jerry, for all his striving, had not been able to get free, though he had managed to gnaw away part of the gag. The leader of the gang surveyed the figure. "So this is where you have been." Gallagher stepped forward and loosened the gag. "Who did this?" "What's that got to do with you?" Jerry defied the scoundrel. They did not hear Kent Rogers as he tiptoed over the veranda to the open door. "Your friend Kent Rogers fix you," snarled Gallagher. "He try warn train, but that fool Collins not listen. Almost I wish he had listened, because Kent Rogers kill six of my best men." "Pity he didn't shoot you!" Jerry cried. "You fix this between you." Gallagher nodded his evil head. "I not like men that talk. I'm glad I find you, because I close your mouth for ever. Then I think that square the deal." "Oh, no, you don't!" drawled Kent Rogers. "Stay quite still, Gallagher, because it would be a real pleasure to loose off this gun." "I thought you killed!" Gallagher's small eyes closed to mere slits. "Bad luck, wasn't it?" scoffed Kent. "I've been wanting to meet you, Gallagher, for some while." Lupita came running into the room, and Jerry's face lit up at sight of her. "Untie Jerry!" Kent cried to her. "No one in the corral?" "Not a person." Lupita gave - Kent a warning glance. "You make him put down that gun. I not trust Buck Gallagher." "Wisely spoken." The cowboy stared in a frank, disconcerting way at Buck Gallagher. "I don't kill men in cold blood, Gallagher^-I give them a chance. We're going outside to decide this affair, and the quickest man to the trigger wins." Buck Gallagher's evil soul rejoiced. He would find some way of shooting before Kent gave the signal—afid he would not miss. Lupita was busy cutting the bonds, but she left Jerry to rush towards Kent Rogers. Her arms went to Kent's shoulders, and her eyes were full of fear as she gazed up at him. "Oh, please, you not do this!" she cried. "He verra bad man. Kent, you not do this. You shoot him dead now if you like or you knock him on the head, but not fight the duel. Please not, Kent." All this while Buck Gallagher had been moving so that now he had his right side towards the youngster. Quietly his finger closed round the trigger. Kent was foolish enough to stare down at the beautiful Spanish girl, and Gallagher, over his shoulder, knew that this was his chance. "Look out!" Jerry Sutton shouted a warning, lie had seen (hat flicker in Gallagher's eyes. Kent did not shoot as Gallagher .swung round his gun, but kicked out viciously with his heavy boot, and at the same time swung Lupita to one side. Every Tuesday What happened is hard to say. The heavy boot must have crashed against Gallagher's knee-cap, causing the leg to double up. Gallagher must have lost his balance and fallen forward on top of his gun. Very possible because both hands were holding the gun it would be easy to lose the balance. Gallagher, m his fall, must have flung out his hands to save himself, and fell on top of his gun. The gun had a hammer action, and the shock released it. A dull explosion. Buck Gallagher squirmed, and then lay still. Lupita and the two men stared down at that still figure with horrified eyes. Kent was the first to act. He knelt beside the crook. "Well, that's queer justice." Kent turned to them. "He's dead." "I'm glad." Lupita's bold eyes gleamed. "Now his gang have no leader and they break up. It is good. What will you " Her sensitive ears had heard some- thing, and she ran to the door. One look she gave, and with a faint cry closed the door. " Who is it, Lupita ?" cried Jerry. "A posse of men." Kent and Jerry ran to a window. "The sheriff", Collins, and a posse," Kent muttered. "This is more of that cursed Collins' work. They'll want to arrest Jerry, and " His eyes glinted and his jaw set. "I know how we can fool them." "How?" demanded Jerry. "But why should you want to fool them? There are a lot of things I don't understand, and " "We'll clear them up later." Kent pushed hi6 friend away from the window. " Now you do as I say, and don't make a sound. Lupita, fetch a rug from the bed." Without wasting time on questions, she flew to do his bidding, whilst the cowboy knelt beside Gallagher. Care- fully he lifted the dead body and re- moved the long-barrelled gun. "Give me your gun and your ring, Jerry." Lupita and Jerry saw Kent open the man's right hand. He closed the stiffen- ing fingers round Jerry's gun, put the ring on the third finger, then he took the blanket from the girl and flung it oyer the body so that only the hand and pistol showed. "They're nearly here, Kent!" cried Lupita. "Back into that cupboard, Jerry," ordered the schemer. "Shut him in, Lupita, and remember you must not make a sound." "But why " " Get into that cupboard and keep quiet." Kent clenched his fists. "Jump to it!" That was done as the posse were hitching their horses outside. "Now, Lupita, I'll do the talking." He placed Gallagher's gun on the table. " You come close to me, Lupita, and cry softly against my shoulder." Lupita was a fine actress, because her tears were most realistic. The sheriff, Collins, Moe Ginsberg, and three other men burst into the shack, and they pulled up at the spectacle. Lupita cry- ing on Kent's shoulder and Kent staring down dully at the still figure. "Buck "Gallagher got him." He spoke in a toneless voice. "Gallagher must have reckoned Sutton had played him false. I heard the shooting as I rode this way looking for Jerry. I jumped on Gallagher as he came out of the shack—there's his gun, which he dropped—but he managed to make a get-away. Ah!" He sighed. "Well, th;il settles poor Jerry's troubles." Tht; sheriff removed his stetson, and so (Continued on page 28.)