Boy's Cinema (1933)

14 solemnly. "I say, you know—that's not in tho programme ! It's only hang- ing to-night. Where's tho victim?" Cried Bill, stepping backwards: " See for yourself—why, dash it, —he's gone!" His eyes nearly bulged out of his face. Singleton protested. " Gone! And I didn't take my eyes off him!" The old gentleman laughed throatily. "My dear fellow—and you, young lady " he smiled into the pallid face of Joan. "He was a ghost, of course! Dead Rogan cut down from his hook. Now I wonder if one of you is Captain Sturdy ? Let me look carefully at you in turn." "My name's Singleton," said Ralph. in an offended tone. "And this is Miss Lindsay, my betrothed. Wo are elop- ing—or rather, we were eloping when overtaken by the storm." "Ah, that storm!" growled the old gentleman. " What thunder—what wind ! What rain ! The storm delayed me over an hour " He turned to the still open door. "And now, if you'll be so good as to say good-bye—I have sole rights in the haunting to-night. I don't think any of you can be Sturdy. I am John Moon, of Melbourne." " We're from Sydney, me and my mate," said Bill. "And we're sleeping in the stable. We shan't disturb no one " He began to shuffle away. " It's funny where that feller got to. Seemed so solid to me." "All men aro ghosts," said Red Head in a sepulchral voice. He glared into John Moon's cherub face. "You're a ghost. You're Sturdy—I know it!" "Now, now, don't you begin all over again," Bill told him testily. Red took no notice. He tossed back his unkempt red hair with a jerk of his left hand. "Ghosts!" he muttered. "Ghosts everywhere! Ghost of the man I strangled. Yes, I strangled him—and now—he's here. He's haunting me alreadv. He's at my throat—ah, help, help!" He flung himself on the floor in a kind of fit, his eyes rolling, his fingers crooking and uncrooking. "Shut up!" shouted Bill. "Or I'll slog you one !" Dave had sneaked into the stable and had crept out with the splintered piece of wood. He gave it to Bill with a toothless chuckle. Red rolled over and over, then sud- denly leapt to his feet. "Ghosts!" he yelled. "Can't you see them? Can't you?" "Nothing!" growled Bill, taking a firm hold of the board. "I cannot see any ghosts," put in Singleton in his refined voice. "Can you, darling?" ho asked the girl. "Let's go." John Moon held up a hand. "Keep calm, all of you. It often happens that only one in a company can see a spirit. This fellow is clairvoyant—a medium." Red Head roared anew: "I see him, I tell you ! It's Sturdy—and he's com- ing for me ! He's got a noose " He snatched up a coil of rope lying in a corner of the barn, then dashed back to Moon. "He's going to make me hang myself on that hook ! He's hyp- notising me—I must, I must!" He flung the end of the rope over old John Moon's round head, knocking his bowler hat sideways. Bill brought down the splintered board with a wallop on that carrotty head. With a smothered yelp, Red fell flat on the ground. "Serves him right," Bill growled. "Dave, help me truss the blighter up!" May 6th, 1933. BOY'S CINEMA " He Has Poisoned Me Three Times ! " RED HEAD was fastened hands and feet, then carried into the stable. He made no struggles—Bill had hit him hard enough to stun him. Old John Moon signed Singleton. "Pity that whiskered friend of yours was so hasty. I was most interested in that red fellow. Quite a sensitive." "Yes," Singleton answered, politely. "What exactly is a sensitive?" "One who is in touch with the in- visible." "I see " Singleton glanced to- wards Joan. "If you'll excuse us, we'll get back to our bench. We have to start at daybreak." He lowered his voice. "Her uncle is trailing us. A scoundrel who's after her money. If Joan doesn't marry, he gets it all You understand?" " My dear young man, I fully under- stand." said Moon, in his kindly im- pulsive manner. "Anything I can do —but, first of all. let us shut the door. The air is chilly." Joan came close to the old gentle- man. "You'll help us, won't you?" she pleaded. " My uncle is without mercy—he has treated mo shamefully. He put me under lock and key." "Dear, dear " Moon broke in. "What a wretch! Count me as your friend—ah, here come our stalwarts! I hoped they had gone." Singleton unbuttoned his coat. " I wish you would take care of my money," he whispered, offering his wallet to Moon. "I take it you are going to keep awake all night. I'm awfully sleepy." Moon took tho wallet. "Well, really, you aro most trusting. But I guess you've heard of John Moon of Mel- bourne." He pushed the wallet loosely into an outside pocket of his overcoat. "Allow me to offer you a sandwich. I always bring a little re- freshment when I'm ghost trailing." Singleton shook his head violently. "No thanks! Not me!" "I thought you might be hungry," said Moon. "I always bring plenty of sandwiches and a flask on these occa- sions. Do you mind if I put out the lamps? We can't expect ghosts to manifest unless there is complete dark- ness." "I should prefer it " said Single- ton. "Come, Joan, dear " He led the girl back to the bench. Bill protested. "Put out the lamps? Why, we'll be all in the dark!" "Precisely," smiled Moon. "Guv'nor, leave us ono lamp," Bill wheedled. "Jest one." Comparative calm settled on the haunted barn. Old Moon blinked through his spectacles, happily expect- ing manifestations, spirit voices, and a phantom renewal of the fight of years agone betwixt Captain Sturdy and the craven Rogan. But waiting for ghosts is always tedious. They come unexpectedly—if at all. The night crept on—the far-off snoring of those in the stable made a kind of lullaby. Ralph and Joan slept like two children in their corner, and by degrees old Moon's head began to nod. He roused himself two or three times, then settled down into his scat near the door. Bill crept out of the stable and secretly relieved the old ghost hunter of all responsibility in regard to Single- ton's wallet. A shadow moved mysteriously in the loft—but both shadow and Bill failed to rouse those who slept. But a sudden grating kick at the barn door brought back old Moon to wakefulcss. Ho stood up, shook him- self and murmured. Every Tuesday "I heard every word you fellows said ! " A second knock made him think of unbarring tho door. He did so and opened the barn to a flood of morning sunlight. A tall young man in a slouch hat strode in. "He's here," said the tall young man. "Tell him not to be a fool." "Certainly," Moon smiled. "Who?" "Tom Rogan," camo tho answer. "Dear me," purred the ghost hunter. "So you arc Captain Sturdy's ghost? Pleased to meet you—but I expected you at midnight." "I'm Sturdy, all right " said the young man. "But I'm no ghost " "You soon will be! cried a shrill voice. "Hands up, Jack Sturdy, and don't move ! Feel my gun against your spine? The short, well-built young woman was at the tall young man's back. S'k. had pounced out of the scrubby bushes while he had been talk- ing to old Moon. "Say, Rose " urged the tall young man, putting up his hands. "What'a all tho trouble?" "You, you false villain!" came the girl's quick reply. "Stand away " She addressed the astonished Moon. "I've got bullets for everybody here, when I've fixed this wretch. Tell me, did Jack get him?" "No, my dear " said old Moon, thoroughly mystified. "I don't think ho got anyone. Are you a ghost, too?" "It's Rose Rogan " said Sturdy, hands up. "She's engaged to me." " I'm not, you liar !" "Well, you were engaged to me," spoke Sturdy, patiently. "Wo deter- mined to end up the feud between the families, sir. Then her brother Tom and me had a little quarrel over the cricketers. Tom Rogan, see? I said the M.C.C. would collar the Ashe?. Then Tom ran off last night from tlie farm, when I came along to say p'raps they wouldn't. Then I heard about the escaped loonies May I put my arms down, Rosie?" "One of them," she allowed. "But I don't believe a word you're saying." "It's true, Rosie. You know I love you better than anything in the wido world .... Can I put my other arm down I" "What for?" " To hold you, Rosie——" Young Sturdy was allowed to turn round; the pistol was thrust into the well-built, very pretty girl's oilskin pocket. The two embraced without the least regard for old Moon's surprised spectacles. Bill and Dave emerged from the stable, cautiously. They seemed to have something on their minds. "I suppose you didn't see anything of the lunatics?" asked Sturdy, when he left off kissing Rose. "I'm wondering whether I see them now " Old Moon was growling when a soft, flopping noiso from the centre of the bain brought all eyes to behold a very untidy youth just picking himself up from the floor where he had fallen from the rafters. " Tom !" Rosie cried joyously. "The corpse !" whispered Bill, clutch- ing at Dave. ''Hallo, Tom!" Sturdy greeted hiin. "Where have you been?" "Up there," *poko young Rogan. " Along of the spiders and the mice and the dust. I got real rattled with you. Jack, and came along here to get out of your way. Then folk began to show up for a haunting or something—so I hid in th'e loft to help things along. Then, when I was doing a bit of mystery work, blame me if I didn't slip over the rafter and cut my head against a hook ! Then (Continued on page 28.)