Boy's Cinema (1935-39)

12 said the judge as he wont back to his place. He finished serving custoincrs, then picked up a wooden mallet*lying on the counter. He banged it down noisily. All talking stopped dead; the card players put down their hands, the young man at the piano lifted his fingers from the keys. "This court will please come to Older!" came the shout. "Deputies, bring the accused before the bar of justice \" The judge gestured towards the talkative stranger, whereupon his tv.o bullies sidled up to Wellman and seized liini by (he arms. They dragged him along the bar to where their master stood, mallet in hand. "Stranger, I'm Judge Blako, lawfully appointed to this .section. This is my court. You're accused of allowing as how there's no law in this territory I'Nccpt that of a six-shooter." "Why, judge," stuitered Wellman, " I^—I didn't say no such 'thing." "By implication jou done it," Blake Japped out. "I heard you. Guilty or not guilty?" "Why, not guilty. I—I mean guilty." There was a nuirderous throat in JUake's eyes. The nuillot was put down. "As law:fully chosen representative of I he people, I, Judge Blake, resent this ,-lur on a law-abiding community. But I will temper justice with mercy." He winked at the bullies, who released Wellman only to promptly unstrap the money-belt about his waist. They flung it on the counter. Blake shook out the dollars and notes in the belt, counted them up at a f^lance. He pushed the loose silver lowards the trembling Wellman. "You're fined five hundred dollars, stranger !" " But I've only got five hundred and a l)it " "Order in court!" Blake bellowed. "You're discharged ! Throw him out, Kittke. This session of the court is ^(PVc'jy adjourned." . ■'The unfortunate Wellman was hustled tb the door and flung into the street glitter. Luke and his comrade shot at him with their guns -nhen ho got up, aiining high to scare him—then, when he was in terrified flight, they returned to their place* at the bar. Blake came (o them isresently. " When arc you heading for Burton's ranch?" he whispered. ' "Everything's set," answered Luke. "We'll clear him out this'time. Not a boss left for him to ride to church on." "How nuich stock has he got?" 1^1 a ke wanted to know. "Fifteen hundred head, ma\be," sjjoke Luke. . The other man, dago, gesticulated. ' More than that, he's got a towsand !" Blake glanced at iuiiiioured contenipt. "Glad you aren't (,'arlos! You sure your own dirty fingers along the bar. " Don't let anything stand in your'was', boys." ■ The young jnan at the piano softly closed the lid over the keys. Ho rose up. stietching himself. A tall, well- built youngster, dressed in close-fitting riding kit. He picked up his big felt hat and strolled out of the saloon into the freshness of the )ittlc main street of Pecos. A New Hand AT-the hitchingrail below the porch- way of a biggish frame house situated in a flowery garden, two liorsca were tetheied. Burton and his foreman, Jordan, had just dismounted. .Manjli 27tli, 1937, a greasy-looking jedge! I guess him with good- my caii't bookkeeper, reckon up He moved BOY'S CINEMA They stopped a moment or so on the porch, turning about to stare towards the rows of stables on the left. "We'll sec developments here, Jordan. Right now in London the Texas Cattle Company is being formed. They're ready to invest on a big scale." " It sure would be great to get some good people in with us," Jordan agreed. " But what with the shootin' and rustlin' we've had lately, folks'll think law ani't- of much account here- abouts." "We've not lost many," Burton argued. "Over a hundred head. I'll ba glad when we've got the next bunch delivered." They turned to enter the house. Burton jingling the dollar's in his trousers-pocket. He spoke, half to himself: "I'll be glad, too. I haven't too big a balance at the bank." A dark-haired, pietty girl was at the well-laid supper-table, putting the finish- ing touches to it. An older lady was lighting a kerosene-lamp at the side- board. The girl smiled at the men. "Oh, good ! We've been waiting for you, dad," she said. "Everything's ready." " Lay another place, Alice—I've asked Jordan to cat with us. Hallo, Carrie —how's tricks?" The older woman brought the lamp to the table. " I don't know how you can live here, John," she complained. "Such a savage country !" " You'll like it when you're used to it," Burton told his sister, chuckling. "And it's not so savage. Just a gun goes off now and then. But no one's hurt." Alice had laid knife- and fork and fflass for the foreman. "Sit down, please. You going to start early to-inorrow ?" ■'Yes, miss—at daybreak. The bosses are in fine shape. We oughta make railhead without losing a single one." Supper was nigh finished when a sharp clatter of horses' hoofs was heard on the drive. Borton's hand went to the gun at his hip; Jordan rose quickly from the table to step towards the door. Aunt Carrie checked a little cry of fear as Alice spoke low: "Somebody calling you, dad." Jordan jerked open the door. An almost breathless boy ran in. "Rustlers!" he gasped. "They're running oIT the herd ! They've shot Jake off his hoss. They nearly got me \" Burton shouted to Jordan. "Come on! Let's go!" "Don't leave us, John!" cried Aunt Cajrie desperately. But her niece ran to her to puo a hand over her mouth. The three men dashed out of the house to their broncs at the hitchingrail and leapt into their saddles. They went tearing down the drive at full tilt, the loose gravel flying under the thunder of their horses' feet. Down in the darkening valley Burton's broncs were being stampedetl out of their corral by half a dozen wild fellows led by Luke and Carlos. The men fired their guns into the air, shouted and waved their arms, terrify- ing the horses. Gradually the herd began to stream off in the direction in which the rustlers were trying to head them—the flight became more and more headlong As Burton, with Jordan and the boy, came on the scene, the rustlers had got. the whole pack of whinnying animals I into a drive outwards towards open I country. J Every Tuesday Burton, with a furious shout, camo charging after the tliieves. The rustlers made off in the rear of the stampeding horses, driving them farther into the v.'ilderness. But, ever and again, they turned in their saddles to shoot back at their three pursuers. In an opoii fight they could easily have beaten off Jordan and his master, but the rascals didn't wi.sh to be identified and were hoping to get the horses safely away, under cover of the night, into the distant valley, where the rest of the gang were waiting with branding-irons all ready to change Burton's brand on the hides of his animals into those of their " boss." By to-morrow they planned to have all the animals re-marked and sold out, beyond all hope of Burton's being able to claim them as his. The boy cowhand was suddenly thrown. His mount had put a foot in a rabbit hole. Burton and Jordan charged onwarcL A shrewd shot from the major brought a squeal from the dago Carlos. His horse reared up, forelegs fighting in the air; then, with a sickening cra.sh, horse and rider camo to the ground. Luke checked his mount. Carlos was struggling free. "JumiJ up behind me,' Luke called to him, " it you ain't dead. No time to loss foolin' aljout." Major Burton had ridden in close to them. He aimed at Luke and missed by an inch Luke snapped back at him and got the major just above the heart. With a gasping groan Burton tumbled. sideways from the saddle. His mount, startled by the gun firing, sheered off at a gallop. "Serves you right." Luke jumped down to kick his enemy brutally in tho ribs. Burton's wallet was showing in his hip-pocket, and the desperado snatched at it. He si^raiig back into saddle. "Get up behind me, I tell yer !" he yelled at Carlos. There was no sign of Jordan, who had gone after the herd. He was firing wildly and had no hope of over- taking them. Luke and Carlos dashed away into the thickening night and were lost to sight. A bare ten minutes later, Alice, who had chased after her father astride her grey mare, came upon Burton lying on his side—his eyes closed, his face lined with the agony of his passing—a tlark, still oozing patch of blood staining tlio breast of his shirt from deep below it. Before dawn the rustled horses had been rebranded with a new mark, alter- ing the small circle and bar, which Burton had adopted, into a circle and cross. The animals were unidentifiable. " Mighty good of the major to choose an easy brand like he did, "chuckled, the man with the branding-iron as he kicked out the embers of the fire ho haJ used to heat his irons. "There ain't a Circle Bar left in Lone Star Valley 1" Carlos came along to Luke. " We take it easy now, si ?" "There ain't nothin' to worry about," Luke grunted. "Nothin' at all." "You think lieem iiurt bad?" Carlos inquired. "Burton won't talk no more," Luko answered. "There's no one to say a word." Later on they made camp under the trees. The horses were safely corialled. Some of tJie men ^vcnt to sleep, others of the gang played cards to keep awake. The moon got up and the dark vall>,y was lit with a silver brightness. Luko sat smoking a foul pipe and talking with Palmer, the judge's right-hand man at the Golden Apple.