Boy's Cinema (1933)

Every Tuesday ■ Howell?" Owens trapped. Red looked mystified. "No; cliilu': see a soul." Owens groaned. "Gosh, wo must have been sirring th< re like fools, staring at his gun, while be was making a clean getaway!" Xfue enough. By that time Blaze hail pur the beet part of a mile between himself ami the Collins' ranch, and was riding among the sage brush to the little canip he had made for inn.-elf in a gully. ''I'm mighty glad I took rhe trouble to snoop around there tin's morning. Tarzan," he told the horse as he rode. "So I've been framed again, have I? Now I wonder why it's always Owens that's so mighty keen to accuse me of everything? He was rhe first one to suggest that I'd robbed the. train, and I'll lay a million dollars to one that it ■was /<<- who found my glove there by the safe. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me, Tarzan, old-timer, if he'd put the glove there himself. Mr. Owens is a mighty fishy gent '." He became silent for a little while as he rode, his brow corrugated with thought, then a smile curved his lips. "And lie's going to the fancy dress dance asj a eaballero, is hi;?" he mused. "Now wouldn't it be funny if / went, a< a caballero, too '." And he chuckled softly. It was mid-afternoon, when, riding from a peon village where he had suc- cessfully bought a caballero's outfit. Blaze checked Tarzan as he saw, on the horizon, a small figure riding a hone awkwardly, making towards an old, Tuined hacienda that crumbled alone among the "ago brush. The rider was not dressed as a cow- but in ordinary riding-brei with a tweed jacket, and a cap pulled down low over blS eyes, As Blaze >ed, the man dismounted his horse outside the ruined hacienda and <li- appeared within the ruins. That was Smitbers, old Collins' :ary. or I'm an Injun!" Blaze exclaimed softly. "Now what in blue blazes is that funny little runt doing around these parts all by himself?" ?!■• chirruped softly to Tarzan, and silently approached the ruined hacienda. Outside he dismounted, and then quiet!} crept towards the hacienda through the weed-grown courtyard. Silent on his soft-leathered riding . Blaze crept into the remains of what oid once been the living-room of the hacienda. In the doorway he paused, motionless, his eyes round with mishment. Kneeling at the fireplace, scratching at the loos,, brick-work there, was Smit !kt-. t'ol 1 ■ try—and tucked under his arm was a bla<],japanned cash-box. Blaze stepped quietly across the room. Siniihers was so absorbed in what be wns doing, that lie completely failed to • nee, until Blaze'«> hand f.-ll beavilj on iiis shoulder. I opped the caeh-bex, and Started upright with a terrified Rjueal. II weak, watery eyes blinked fearful]) of Blaze. ' " IMazo began, when the little man chattered in a shaking voi " No ' No I " he a ailed. " I swear I didn't steal i' ' I swear it ! I found v\ u ii those terrible men held up the 'rain I still didn't think it ■•■ ifor a Little while. I was terrified. — I'm naturally a nervous person." Blaze grinned, for eren now the little was shaking like a leaf, on," he ordered briefly. BOY'S CINEMA "I—I was hiding near the guard's van—and—and I found this in some bushes beside the track. I swear, on my honour, that that's true." "I think I believe you," Blaze said slowly. "But why didn't you tell any- one :'" "I didn't dare, in case they thought that I was mixed up in the robbery," Smifchers confessed. "It was terrible. I didn't know what to do. And then, when I was out riding the other day, I thought this would be a good place to hide it. Oh. you take it! You'll know what to do." "All right, now, don't get excited." Blaze soothed. "I'm not going to do anything to you, little feller, don't you worry yourself. You've given me an idea." He looked at the box, lying on the floor, then continued : " Here—help me hide this box, just as you were going to. We're going to use this twenty thousand dollars in here as bait." "Bait?" Smithers asked, as he scrabbled at the old brick-work of the fireplace. "Yes, bait'" Blaze answered im- pressively. "Bait to catch a few rotten crooks I" The Masked Ball. THE hacienda of the Collins' ranch blazed with light. Geoffrey Collins hadn't allowed the loss of twenty thousand dollars to interfere with the masked ball he was giving for his daughter. People from the neigh bourhood were there in force. A Spanish orchestra was giving forth lilt- ing music, and couples in gay fancy dress Boated around the floor gracefully. Outside in the courtyard and the gardens, the ranch-hands were stationed in dark hiding-places, with strict in- structions from Parke Owens to keep a keen look-out for Blaze Howell. The sheriff was there, too, with a couple of deputies, and everyone knew his orders -o far as Blaze was concerned. "If you see him, shoot first, and ask questions after," was Owens' older. "And shoot— to kill!" lb' was dressed .1- lie said he was L'oirig to be—as a caballero, and be looked a fine figure in his flowing cloak and -tiff, wide-Drinuned sombrero, and dark mask that hid the upper part of his face. He stood talking to Red for a few minutes, then made olf into the in search of D01 i-. 19 A few minutes later Doris was chat- tering brightly to the tall figure of a man, cloaked and masked as a cabal- lero, with whom she was dancing. " The party's going off awfully well, isn't it, Mr. "Owens," she said. "D'voa know, this is the first dance Fve managed to have to-night so far, I've been so busy " "I said I'd get the first, didn't' I?" a soft voice asked, and Doris stiffened in her partner's arms. She peered at the black mask, close to hers, and her eyes dilated. "You!" she breathed. "Blaze Howell! You've dared to come here "I had to convince you that I'm inno- cent of all the wrong things you think of me," Blaze said in a low voice. ' i just want you to believe in me. if you can, Doris. It—means a lot to me. In time I'll prove I'm innocent—but won't you believe—now?" "I don't know." Doris breathed. "I —I—oh, well—I'll try !" "Listen," Blaze urged her. "Come outside a little while, and we can talk better than in here." He guided her to a place outside on the pillared balcony to where they were alone and out of earshot. "I've got ideas about this guy Owens," Blaze told her in a low voice. " And I want to see him " He stopped abruptly as a dark figure loomed between the pillars and approached them. "Run away." Blaze breathed tensely to Doris "It's Owens. Now's my chance to talk to him." Bewildered, not a little frightened, Doris did as she was told. As Owen* saw the tall, lithe figure so like himsell lounging against the pillar, he spoke sharply : "' Who are you ?" "Don't go for that gun. Owens.'' Blaze drawled. "I'll ha\e pleasure in drilling you where you stand!" "The train robber!" Owens snaried. "That'll be enough. Owens!" Blaze clipped "I'm here to give you a word of advice. Your pais have been double- crossing you. You know as well a9 I do thai- I didn't rob that train. And if you want to know when- the moiiex is— I'd advise uiii to lake a look in the old hacienda over the ridges. In the fire- place " He looked significant]) a: Owen-, who was staring ai hini in amazement. "That's a straight* tip, Owens," Blaze continued. "And now \ou stay NEXT WEEK'S MAGNIFICENT FREE PLATE I No. 11 of our series of Postcard Art Plates: STAN LAUREL and OLIVER HARDY. Order your copy of BOY'S CINEMA TO-DAY ! April 8th, 19J»