THE MARVELOUS MOVIE These were the strangest movies that anyone had ever seen—and they were free! SHERIFF SEEGER left his car at the edge of the parking-lot, not far from the highway, and, ignoring the misty drizzle and the trampled mud, advanced with purposeful strides on the floodlit building that loomed up beyond ranks of parked, wet-slick cars. His raincoat hid his badge and gunbelt, and he wasn’t wearing his cowboy boots on account of. the mud; no stranger would be apt to recognize him as a law officer.
The red-neon sign glared in his face. Free Movies, it said simply; no more, no name even. The Sheriff grinned to himself for a moment, recalling how Jesse Hupsman had almost had apoplexy telling him about that sign. Of course Jesse’s excitement was understandable—his El Dorado Theater had been the county seat’s one and only, until this crazy Yankee—Bullock, his name was according to the recorder’s office where he’d filed title to the land here—turned up and started showing pictures for nothing.
When the Sheriff had allowed he didn’t know as there was any law against doing that, Jesse had exploded: It was against nature and bad for business; and if it wasn’t illegal it ought to be. Besides—said Jesse in so many words—there would be another election one of these days . . . The sheriff’s grin faded, and he sighed; standing under the glaring sign, he surveyed the entrance dose at hand. The wildcat theater was a big, graceless, barnlike structure, built in evident haste out of raw unpainted lumber. “Might be able to get him on the fire-laws,” muttered Seeger to himself.
. . .
