Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

26 "Tliey never did aim to get him out," Gabby inutteied, and tuiiied to reveal a blackened eye. "That double-crossing skunk would have let the kid swing." "You don't seem too fond of Red this morning." "I've cooked and sweated for him for months, and I got socked because there was a hornet in his tea," snarled Gabby. O'Malley glanced round quickly at a slight sound and saw Edith enter the shack carrying some clothes she had washed. Her hack was towards him, and with his foot he kicked the door so that it almost closed. Gabby, bending over a steaming pot, was too engrossed in the stew and in his own troubles to notice. "Then Bud Hyland didn't kill that Mountie?" he asked sharply. "No, Red or Butch plugged him," scoffed Gabby. " That Mountie was always hanging round the Eldorado, and one night Joe niusta told Red who he was, so they shot him, filled the kid full of doped liquor, and framed him. Gosh, didn't Red get a shock when you and the kid walked in. Reckon he must have thought it v.ore a ghost." " Wonder what Rod aims to do about young Bud ?" "Why wonder?" Gabby gave a raucous laugh. "It ain't hard to guess «hat happens to mugs what stand in Red's path. But I ain't scared of the big palooka. I mind the time Avhen there w-eren't a man quicker to the draw than Gabby Jones, and if my fingers weren't crippled with rheumatics I wouldn't be doing anj- pesky cooking." "Red is leaving some of the boys here to-night." O'Malley spoke loudly. "Are you going on tliis raid, Gabby?" "Not likely," scoffed the cook. "But if I don't get my share of the dough, then I'll stir up trouble for Red. I'm gettin' just about sick of this life." "Reckon you'd still be pretty useful in a bank hokl-up," remarked the trooper. " You may have rheumatics. Gabby, but you got a lotta nerve. And it wants nerve to stick up the Silver Cieek hank." "And I could do it." Gabby glared round. " If any Monnties show up them yeller skunks will be scared stiff." He narrowed his eyes. " Guess I'm talking too much." "I ain't telling Red or Butch," was the answer. " I'll see you get your rake-off, Gabby, and maybe I'll be leav- ing this bunch, and if you wanna come along we can lide together. Guess I'd better turn in for a spell; a tired man ain't no good on a stick-vip, and we ride at four. (Juess inost of the folk in Silver Creek will be asleep when we loot their old bank at midnight. Bet those fool Mountios will 1)0 all sleeping like hogs. They'd n^er think anyone w-ould have the nerve to try anything in Silver Creek." A slight sound made O'Malley edge to the door, and he peered through the slight crack in time to see Edith slip- ping out of the shack. He knew she had overheard everything. "Guess I'd like to ride with you, Dan," Gabby muttered. "I'm kinda sorry I caused a hit of trouble for you, but I siu-e did think I'd seen your face some place." " Maybe you'll remember one of these days," chuckled 0'Mall(>y. "See you later, pal." At four Red Jagger assembled his men and gave out his instructions. There was a slight delay outside the H.vlands' shack, where Red had the two prisoners brought out and threatened Bud with dire vengeance if he dared to try to escape. " And you get a swell meal ready for January 9th, 1937. BOY'S CINEMA us," Red shouted at the girl. "If it's stew, I'll make you marry old Gabby!" The outlaws laughed uproariously as they rode away. O'Malley glanced back and saw tiie girl standing there, with small fists clenched to her side and her eyes gleaming. He felt that he was going to win on his gamble. Th« Tables Turned IT wanted a half-hour to midnight when the band arrived on the out- skirts of Silver Creek. Red Jagger divided his men into three parties. Butch, Dan, and himself each to take two men and w-ork their way towards the bank. Then they would break into the bank whilst some remained on guard outside; it would be Dan's job to dynamite the safe. "Best not ride your horses down the main street," O'Malley suggested. "Hitch 'em to some place that's close and handy. We wanna get into that bank before the night watchman can raise a hue and cry." "Good notion," agreed Red. "Got the dynamite, Dan?" " Sure—enough to blow up the whole town." At a church some two himdred yards from the bank O'Malley cautioned his two men to move quietly. By some railings he gave the signal to dismount, and the men hitched their horses to the railings. O'Malley clenched his fists and waited. "What's the next move, Dan?" one asked. "This!" retorted O'Malley, and lashed out with a right that sent the man reeling back info his companion's arms. The other, realising they had been tricked, tried to whip out a gun, but a huge body came hurtling through the air to smash him to the ground. The gun was wrenched away and tos.sed over the railings. The other rascal staggered to his feet, and steel-like fingers gripped him by the throat. O'Malley freed one hand and rammed home a hard punch. A moment later he grinned down at two still figures. O'Malley decided that they would not cause him any further trouble, and that they were cut for a lengthy count. Drawing his gun he hastened towards the main street. What a relief when he heard gun-fire. He had feared he might have to tackle Red Jagger and his band on his own, but the firing seemed to indicate that there were others on the scene. It was a rude shock for Red Jagger when from behind shacks and buildings a number of troopers appeared. Butch opened fire and dropped a moment later with a groan of pain. Some of the gang tried to get to cover, but the Mounties seemed everywhere. Trapped! Red Jagger turned and darted off iulo the darkness. That cursed Bud Hyland had got away and betrayed them. A bullet whined over his head, and, turning, Red fired, and saw a Moimtie drop. Panting and blowing, he reached his horse, flung himself into the saddle, and galloped recklessly down the street. Red Jagger was the only one to escape. O'Malley easily arrested Brodj' and Andy, who threw up their arms when he covered them with a gun. Out of the bank poured the sheriff' and a number of armed townsfolk. The moon caine out of the clouds and threw its light on the .scene. How those bandits scowled when they saw Dan Rawlings and hoard the Mounties congratulating I'.iin. "What's yer name?" Brody asked. " Trooper" O'Malley of the Mounted." laughed the bogus Dan Rawlings. His face hardened. "I swore to get you Every Tuesday crooks when you murdered Trooper Marshall." "We didn't shoot Marshall!" whined Brody. "It was Red and Butch." "Yeah, I know." O'Malley glanced round. "Where are those two?" "I think we've got Butch," stated the sergeant, as several of the armed townsfolk appeared carrying a limp form. "Yeah, that's Butch, and he seems hit pretty bad." O'Malley glanced round. "But whore's Red?" "He got away," said a voice, and the wounded trooper reeled forward. " He plugged me, and the last I heard of him he was heading north." "Sergeant, I got to go after him," shouted O'Malley. " Near the church you'll find two more of the bunch. Let two of the boys come with me." " Where do you reckon Jagger's heading for?" the sergeant asked as one of the troopers brought forward a fi-esh horse. "His hide-out." O'JIallcy leaped into the saddle. " Did Edith Hyland warn you about this bank hold-up?" The sergeant nodded. "And then she rode away before you could stop her." "Right again." "Well, she's gone back to her brother," rasped O'Malley. "And I leckon Red will reckon that one of these two betraj'od him, so I gotta ride fast." O'Malley was off like the wind. Two troopers galloped hard at his heels, but befors they had gone far O'Malley drew away. A Fighting Demon RED JAGGER flung himself from his horse and dashed into the main shack. Gabby blinked his eyes at the breathless figure. "What's wrong, Red?" he quavered. "Everything. We were tricked!" sr.arled Red. "Get everything packed up that two horses can cany—we gotta be away from here in an hour. Why ain't that girl here?" "I ain't seen her all the evening. Guess they're both over in their shack. Where are all the boys?" "The Mounties got 'em!" shouted Red. "And now I'm going to get the rat that squealed. Get busv! ' The 'oij man flung himself out of the shack and raced over the grass to the other shack. There was a light burning. Out of the shadows jumped two men—it was the guards. " Why, Rod " one cried. "Have you two been on guard all the while?" Red snarled at them. "Sure we have," they answered. "Neither of them have been outa this shack?" "The girl did because you told her to help Gabby." "Well, she squealed on us!" Rod said through clonchod teeth. "You two get down and help Gabby whilst I settle this dame and her snivelling brother." Edith Hyland was bandaging her brother's forehead when the door was kicked open. She gave a cry of alarm and the bandage slid from her hand. Rod Jagger kicked the door shut. "You two can well look scared!" he shouted hoarsely. " Which of you two told the Mounties?" They remained silent, eyeing him fearfully. "I'll make you talk if I have to twist the nocks off your bodies!" There was murder in those blazing eyes. "Bud Hyland, you got your white-faced sister to take a mosage to the Mounties, and you fooled my men bv kidding 'em that she was helping Gabby. "That's the truth, ain't it?" "Not quite," Edith answei-ed fear- lessly. "My brother didn't want me to