Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1941)

Romance of the Rio Grande (Continued from page 40) but, having won her love, would find it impossible to leave her. "Tell us what happened, my boy," the old man's voice broke in on his meditations. "Are you sure you were not injured during the holdup?" Cisco shook his head. "Not a scratch, Grandfather," he answered easily. "Only stunned. When the robbers had fled, after killing the driver and leaving me for dead, this kind man," indicating Gordito, "found me and took me to his home, where I recovered. Then he brought me to you." "But if you were shot," Ricardo began insolently. "I was not shot," Cisco said coolly. "Only this was shot." He drew a small religious medal from around his neck. "See where the bullet have twisted it?" In truth the tiny medallion was scarred by a bullet — a bullet which Cisco, in careful preparation for his masquerade, had fired into it before reaching the rancho to lend credence to his story of a bullet which had sped toward his heart but had not harmed him. Don Fernando and Maria bent over the medal, exclaiming that anything so small could save a man's life. Intent as they were, they did not see the glances which Ricardo and Rosita exchanged; only Cisco caught the look of fury and frustration on Ricardo's face. He wondered what undercurrents of evil and unrest ran through the hacienda. With Cisco, to ponder about a situation was to try to learn more about it. So when the household retired, he walked with Rosita to her door. "You are charming, senorita," he told her, "fascinating." Smiling, he bent his head as though to kiss her, but with a demure "Buenos noches" which was more invitation than farewell she slipped through the door and closed it gently behind her. Whistling softly, Cisco turned away. Ricardo was standing a little way down the corridor, his fists clenched in impotent fury. "Buenos noches, Cousin Ricardo," Cisco called politely, then he strolled down the stairs again and out into the patio. THE moon was out in all its glory, filling 1 the patio with brilliant light and deepening the shadows in the corners. In one corner Cisco found Maria, huddled on a bench and singing a plaintive little song beneath her breath. She started with alarm when Cisco approached but he said reassuringly, "Do not be afraid, my little one. Your song — it was so beautiful — I had to come to tell you so." "Gracias, Don Carlos," the girl answered. Cisco seated himself beside her. "Do you like Rancho Santa Margarita?" she asked then. "Very much. I am very lucky to be here — and very happy." He moved along the bench toward her and Maria timidly edged away. (< "Please, senorita," Cisco said pleadingly, "do not draw away from me. I have been watching you all evening — with my heart beating faster and faster." He paused, then, "You like Don Carlos, too, a little bit?" "I — I hoped to," she replied, then added angrily, "but if you are the kind of man who wastes time in pretty speeches while bandits are stealing our cattle — even killing our men — " "But this I did not know," Cisco said gently. "Who are these bandits?" FEBRUARY, 1941 "Ricardo thinks their leader is the Cisco Kid." "No! Not the Cisco Kid!" "What do you know of the Cisco Kid?" Maria asked. "Surely you didn't hear of him in Spain." "I — he — the stagecoach driver talk of this Cisco Kid," he stammered. "But he say he never kill, never steal, only," he smiled at his secret joke, "only that he is very brave man who like adventure, excitement." "But Ricardo is so sure it's the Cisco Kid," Maria insisted. "Once during a cattle raid, he shot at him but he got away." "So," Cisco said slowly, "perhaps I better talk to Ricardo. Perhaps, together, we can capture this bandit." "Oh, Don Carlos," Maria breathed. "I hoped you would say that. Don Fernando has been so worried. He's such a good man, but he's so old and frail — oh, I am so glad you are here to take care of everything!" She stopped, embarrassed, then said, softly. "I must go in now. Buenos noches, Don Carlos." She turned away, but Cisco stepped in front of her. "Not yet," he smiled. "Not without the good night kiss," and he caught her in his arms. For a brief moment he felt the pressure of her lips, then she pulled herself away and sped across the patio and into the hacienda. A MOMENT later Gordito joined Cisco in the patio. "You told me to listen and find out things," he said, "so I have listen, Cisco, and I find out many things. This Ricardo who is Don Fernando's nephew always hope the ranch will be his someday. So when he hear that the grandson is coming he hire two men, the servant Manuel and a Senor Carver, to hold up the stagecoach and kill the grandson. Now he is ver* angry with them because they have not kill him and have told him that they must kill him again — only this time he will be you." "Ricardo, Manuel and Carver," Cisco repeated. "Well, we have to stop them from killing this make-believe grandson who is me." "Why," Gordito urged, "not just take money and jewels from rancho and go?" "No," Cisco said. "No, Gordito, we stay here. Tomorrow you go to Mama Lopez, tell her to make Don Carlos well so he can come back to his grandfather." "But Cisco, you say if we come here we have much wealth." "Don Fernando is fine man," Cisco said slowly. "I make mistake to come here. All my life I want adventure, excitement — but not to be cheap thief — liar. No, Gordito, we will bring Don Carlos to his grandfather — then we go away again." But Don Fernando was never to see his grandson. That night, as Cisco was preparing for bed, a shot was fired at him. It missed him and the intruder made his escape. But Don Fernando, aroused by the noise, tried to stop the bandit only to be thrown to the floor and injured so severely that he died a few hours later. His dying words were that the rancho should go to Don Carlos. Should Don Carlos die, the property would then become Ricardo's. Furthermore, the old man asked that Don Carlos make Rosita his wife and that he care for Maria as her godfather had done. After the old man had been laid to rest in the little cemetery which for five generations had received the Davegas, Cisco was strolling in the patio with Maria. At the spot farthest from the you long to have hair that invites admiring glances . . the kind that sparkles with a brilliant luster . . use Nestle Colorinse. What a thrilling difference . . and how economical . . only five cents a rinse. Nestle Colorinse is not an ordinary dye nor a bleach . . washes out with shampooing. 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