ON SALE NEXT MONTH “The Boy Cried MURDER CONRAD WOOLRICH ‘ ALSO PRODUCED BY R. K. O. AS A GREAT MOVIE UNDER TITLE “THE WINDOW” WAS IT MURDER the boy saw on a hot summer night through a neighbor's window? The danger is spine-tingling, disaster sure, the suspense is grim—and no one believe him . . . except the killers! DANGER-- TERROR shadowed the boy who cried, “Mur- der”... and then a thrilling and un- expected climax. Don’t miss this story that’s a thriller from start to finish! T0¢ at newsstands in U.S.A. T5¢ postpaid in U.S. A. WHY YOU WILL LIKE BEAU GESTE “The reader's hair will stand on end countless times before be gets to the end of this book...” Spectator, 11/22/24 ‘BEAU GESTE® ‘The world famous story of the three Geste Brothers who tried to lose themselves in the ranks of the French Foreign Legion, HORROR WAS IN COMMAND at Fort Zinderneuff when the Foreign ‘Legion's relief column found the ram- parts manned by dead men! What had happened ? WHO STOLE tie $2,000,000 Blue Water Sapphire? The finger of suspi- cion pointed to the Geste Brothers, but were they guilty? “ You'll find the answers in FAST FICTION’S streamlined version of “BEAU GESTE” a story of mystery and high adventure = IF YOU WANT action YOU WANT AST FICTION! BAST FICTION March 1960 —Number 5. Title registered st United States Seaboard Publishers, Inc, 748 Pitth Aven New York 22, N. Application for entry ax Second Class Matt al version of Henu Geste adapted from the work Hoay ent pith 3: Be Lippincest Company, Authorised edition publi Past Pictlon eopyeenied 1900 bt Seaboard Publishers, Ine. All publication oF portions thereat in any-f: special arrange. B. Lippincott Company. Entire contentass ca, Tnclading the right to reoroduce WiGPhe immortal adventures Of Beau Geste and his brothers. = LEO! Bn FEENCR ont! FAST FICTION ft ji (/ Story Adaptation by if BIER BAVIS: Illustrated by HENRY ©. KIEFERFAST ‘FICTIONFAST FICTION ARABS ATTACK FORT peat YESTERDAY! YOU COME Za RIGHT AWAY IGHTING HAS BROKEN OUT IN THE DESERT! WE MARCH To THE RELIEF OF FORT ZINPERNEUF/ FIRTY KILOMETERS IN 20 @pDFAST FICTION 26 hours later we arrived But no siém of the Arabs/ On the wall, the defending troops stood at their posts, The flag still waved. But stranger than strange. there was no emoke...there was no ladkout on the platform! Fort Zinderneuf was as quiet as & grave/FAST FICTION = I appreached a Hows! misibe HE FORTS 1 AM the silent gates peceoRr ea RELIEF! THEY BO NoT SN a SEEM TO HEAR SS YOu, MAJOR. GATE, Foo! wHy Do You Stare? =U SernaFAST FICTION jon of the ee renostY Guard at Fort gindernent.-- The bugler volunteered to go over the! wall. He was a brave lad : a _.adead-men Stoo with rifles in thas lifeless hands: cwear this on my jonoer as an office = of the French, orale Legion What her was this? LL OPEN THe GATE FROM THE INSIDE! You ARE STi. GREEN, YouNasTER. THe ARASS DO NOT PLAY THiS GAME. DIP THE ARABS CAPTURE THE FORT? THEY SHOOT, KILL... AND TORTURE! THIS 1sFAST FICTION Fach one dead.” then care. [| Yo,MAY NAVE SEEN fully posed and made to look AROUN. alive... while standing ina x43} Pool of « Blood. T THINK T WE WILL SEARCH THE FORT... EACH GO A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. MEET HERE. IN FIVE MINUTES. IF ONE OF US DOES NOT URN, THE OTHER 1S TO GRING IN THE TROOPS!ie morgue the stone after they where the dead ar in battles Foae sti. warm! WINE ON THE TASLE/ wuaT Dis- AGIER HAS LURED THE BRAVE WTO THEIR DEATH ON THE WALLS (AT FORT ZINCBRNEUF/ FAST FICTION ply! Not one dead bedy rested Plac ‘The arsenat was neat-as if for general tnspection/ WHAT MADNESS! How UPSIDE OWN! THE woRGUE EMPTe- AND DEAD MEN ON Another mystery--my bugler failed to return seen again of alive! Gone from the face of the desert / never to beFAST FICTION pied PP en HNO vg, Tm : Uf sc2GEANT Lesaune {uum ? A) # MURDERED! ‘econ,THIS FELLOW WASN'T KILLED BY THE BOpY'S BEEN COLD AND STIFF FOR 4 COUPLE OF HOURS O8 MORE. Bi Dead bodies wel Ni] returned to duty by | Sergeant. Lejaun Unwilling to-surrender-- Tejaune fired dead men's guns! The| Arats, fooled by his strategy. retreated! Then the Sergeant was murdered by one of the Legion who had lived with him through the battle/ Where was | the murderer? Had he slain my trumpeter’ as well?FAST_FICTION. it was a confession’ Sut the signature hich brother was WG the Che Dredpaalee. of Scotlamcl Yanick! Onc abl wRoin it 7 OES 7 Tageacor Sepeubae? parses /apbaae de hat mor immotenE pirecn: may BE auapecticl and token otele the gruel Sappitne fonourw a, Paddy Bramclowe. 3as he killed in ba Or murdered ? Where wasthe ~ Sapphire? The Blue ‘Water? The money. - 7 belt was empty. Was robbery the motive behind this “maddening puzzle?NO_MAN OF BRAVE SouIERS = YP me place 1s. OF THE LEGION-= Wo MiQUNTED «= CAN? WILL FIGHT THE FIRED. FIGHT GHOSTS! You can so ALONE, mAsoR! OPERATION FORT ZINDERNEUR APRAIR IS ‘A CLOSED caseyFAST FICTION estai And here are photos of ay: ca ily j taken just one ves ago-- before the trouble This a photo of myself and my two brother Lady Branden, our Aunt Patricia Blue Water Sapphire. A kn husband, Uncle Hector--not shown here--was mean and selfish.FAST FICTION. GoooNESs/ |e IT SAFE Jo Have THE BLUE WATER OUT LiKE THIS? DIONIT LIKE UNCLE Hi WAS 4 HARD ANP CRUEL MAN’ TD aie nama Fre LIGHTS WENT OUT! Tw MoT APRAID, WHEN BEAU cteie 13 ARQUND.Blo au was veer care. | Bnew tee wswrs WENT OUT, = STOOD BESIDE THe JEWEL CASKET. 7 WoULe CATCH THE THER! BEAU! WHAT WAS THE SAME QUESTION GOES FOR YOU, BROTHER JOHN! FAST FICTION ONE OF US HAS THE SWE WateR, MLL TURN CUT THE LIGHTS, ANO E exPect WHOEVER HAS THE! STONE 70 AU Morr Back! 0 MORE CF TWS NONSENSE. I'LL LEAVE THE CASKET HERE ON THIS TABLE FIND THE BLUE WATER RETURNED AND soup!BF set 4 POUND NOTE BEAL HAS A | MBazes war same ony, 1 Foun a LETTER Ge SIGNED FoR THE FOREIGN UNDER MY DOOR... BUT THB TIME APCRESSED| WE ALWAYS TALKED OF Gol @) OME IN DiGBY's HaNoWETMG/fie curse oF Twe)s.ue sapPHiRe wap x FALLEN UPON BEAU GESTE AND HIS BROTHERS!YOU, JOHN GESTE, DO HEREBY SWEAR 70 UPHOLD THE MoNOR OF FRANCE FOR AN ENUGTMENT OF FIVE YEARS. T swear IN THE NAME OF FRANCES [FIND MY BROTHERS THE, OF THE BLUE SAB> PHiRE) 1 Wan AT OME ORPERED WO FRENCH NORTH ABRICA,FAST FICTION i (Pe KIDDED agour Te mrsaius JEWELS. Vv 50 You've COME 72 Join, THe vewee THIEVES! 21D You BRING THE PRICELESS GEM WITH OUP, SAPPHIRE INA WHICH PLL GIVE ~YOU LaTER! ATA Taste veaney, av wveavony eeu Gen on mie Lason Leroi 70 eveey OED SPOKEN TO BEAU GeaTe AND HT protec tars was SERGEANT BOLDIN! WHAT TOOK So toxs 6c feee “Seon ENGLAND, JOHN? 1 WAS OFFERED A KALE. Mitton POUNDS, BUT 1 SAID hp Warr HL THE MARKETFAST FICTION. SERIOUSLY, LADS,..NO 1M THE LAST. JOKING... WHAT PO WE Mow About THE MA FOS! INTERNA TONAL JEWEL THIEVES! IFT CAN GET MyHANDS BLE SaPPHige? ) WORD OF HONOR, ON THAT *BLUE SAPPHIRE: Gh THEY CANT COMPLAIN (Sa To THE Pouce ABOUT SIOLEN PROPERTY. 1 WILL MAKE "ARRANGE: MENTS" TO GRAB THAT GRARKLEE, 1 wagner x PERHAPS NoT, BEAy GESTE, BUT MANY HAVE OIGO in THe fl Siece... Tazoars cut FROM EAR 70 SAR... FOR Voices WHEN You SPEAK OF JEWELS IN THIS CAFE! Perveniis 1a We sareccns, Sy We UT ALL OUR MONEY In ‘SEAU'S BELT. coRPaRAL BOLPINI BOLDIN WILL NEED HAS SIG EARS AND ) MORE THAN THAT 70 MANY ACCOMPLICES, 4 FIND A JEWEL WE IE BOLDIN: sacKS UP;TONIGHT, THE GESTE.cep___—FAST FICTION re =) Pie suet Was A eiealcek. 7 was WOF BO) GPAAT NigitT IN THE i BARRACKE... Spy HERES THe eascal! HE was vi EECE ae zi viiots Te , iis 7 RASCAL!FAST FICTION EEIAUNE PASSED GUT NEW A. FOR. CLOSE FIGHTING: ye Mente tater -- ews Cae OF A FER ENT KID OF ATTACK... ARABS ACROSS NORTH CHECK GRENADES! - RIFLE AMMO! = SHARP KNIVES eeical aty BROTHERS AND 2 WERE TOUGH FROM A MONTH'S DESERT TRAINS ING, DIGBY HAD BECOME GUE COMPANY BUSLER! Tousw CHAP-- 1 wise WE HAD TEN 6000" THINS HE GETS THIS LEJAUNE! ‘MORE LIKE HIM! WS KILING AS A ScLDIEE. CTHERWIGE NEO PROBABLY BE UP FOR MURDER! ony TRUST, HIM ASELEY TOU JONES THE THE ARAGS AIN'T Gor AL DAY! THIS 1S WHAT 5 e7. 4 PREACH FOREIGN LEGS FOR ADVENTURE! 11 THEY Cau A MOLY WAR FOR ALLAH! WAITING FO yOu OvE® THE NEXT Hit?FAST FICTIONre Rae ane oi eee BUT QUITE A FEW OF CUR ARAB COUSINS: GONE Sneene LEGION Wo MORES GOOD WORK, LEJAUNE. GUT WE MUST NOT REST. THe anass. WILL REFORM OUI, -MAJoR AND $7RiKE AGAIN! REPORT Wit DE BEAUJOLAIS, YOUR MEN To FORT ZINDEENEUE/ BBe baie Leavin We EADERnEa EXCEPT THis BUGLER/ LEAVIN —— ONLY como | HAVE BEEN PREVENTED! if ONLY He couLo Mare COME T NEED 4 eUcLER FoR THE i | WITH BEAU AND ME 7 ZINDERNEUR THINGS MIGHT | WAVE BEEN DIFFERENT! 50 LONG, Jon. CHEBRIO, BEAU! IF YoU NEED ANY ‘HELP, VLL come!FAST FICTION urge URGTENANT... A VICTIM OF PESERT. CTAONeSS.. SUICIDE! SERZEANT taaume Joon COMMAND AT FORT ZINDERNELE. WiLL You JOIN U5? ARE You Pigs 08 EAN -- PIGS OF BUTCHERS? WE PLAN TO ACT WHILE WE HAVE LES 70 SAVE! THINK OVER WHAT 1 HAVE $210 WE wit STRIKEFAST FICTION as levat eousjena ce) |-[ AIRY wag goviean wao nap Tmmp 70.RO BEAL WE LEGION, WE STICK TAL THe BARRACKS. BOLICWR WAS NOW LeJAUNeS SeRceant ‘| ORDERLY... : BoupAR, ARE Yeu cone 75" pe Ps Of...” BUTCHER" © LEJAUNE ARRANGED BOLDINI PLOTTED | LEJAUNE KNows BEAU EVERYTHING THRGUGH WITH SERGEANT JcesTE WAS THE SLUE HIS ACCOMPLICE LEJAUNE? WHY? OL DIN: Tie WORTH Hi ~ POUNDS. LEJAUNE HAS: ARRANGEC FOR BOLDIN! TO STAGE A FAKE MUTINY! YOU, BEAU GESTE, ‘1 WAVE BEEN ORDERED 70 WILL" BE KILLED IN'THE SHOOT BOLDINI APTER HE YOUR’ BROTHER, THEN LEJAUNE WIL STEAL THE SAPPHIREAFTER TILL BOLDINI, LEVAUNE WILL KILL ME TO DESTROY THE EVIDENCE OF Hig PLOT!) NO MUTINY: MEANS NO OPPORTUNITY FOR, BOLDIN To SHOOT JOHN AND ME. THEN OU NEED NOT HOOT BOLBINI... AND LEJAUNE WILL NOT SHOOT You! WHY SAVE THAT RASCAL'S SKINP. EpATER THAY NIGHT, THE MAD SERGEANT. TEJAUNG APPEARED iM THE BARRACKS. HE MOST HAVE HAD A SRY LISTENING. NO FUNNY) BUSINESS, BEAV GEste! civE ME THE BLUE SAPPHIRE! WE'LL WARN SOMETHING WE CAN JMR BOLDIN THAT THE 00 70 SAVE OUR, SKINS, YOUR PLOT 1S KNOWN, BOLDIN ONE FALSE MOVE FROM YoU AND LEJAUNE ‘A LEGAL EXCUSE TO HAS GONE CAEARD.. DESERT CRAZY! Wil See HIM INTHE monn! A M05 1 was ABUT To 60 70 BiB, A CRY RANG OU) ARABS! ARABS ATTACKING!UP THERE with YOU, BOLDINIS TAKE THE LooKou Gater in tHe 24 CONTINUED, THE ARA| RETREAT. ARE THEY ae = QUITTING? 4 NO, THEY i af ARE biscins Ww Pick US OFF- ‘ONE BY ONE!Butiny was rorcorten as THE MEN OLE THE ARABS! THERE Goes BOLDIN! WHO'LL LEVAUNE Ger RIO Ff iu : Patron! eg ‘ PL Lf ed wou HE wMeth is [BBaacke ean ro each Man AB He WAS HiT! (GUE THREW HIM BACK INTO TE BAELEHE EVERY MAN AT 43. POST... ALIVE Gibon ares eae, a ceee ian FIGHT ON, MEN OF THE LEGIONSFAST FICTION (B@isnteau. Foun ony ree or Y= EP = wave sent a US LEFT ALIVE ON THE WALLS. May TO SIDI- BEL- ABBES 7 BOQLIDAR WAS STILL ON THE FoR Reuer! PLATFORM + «+ cad NE MORE fs WE ARE SAFE DAYLIGHT ATTACK aa UNTIL DAWN, ARABS WILL FINISH USS r DO. NOT ATTACK i= Ser r a AT NIGHT, (AF —_ ms aa aN ry LAST NIGHT I HAD TWO. LET'S HOPE THE GOUMS GOT THROUGH OoTWO NATIVE GOUMS STATIONED OUTSIDE THE WALLS “THEY ARE OUR ONLY CHANCE OLE: TRICK INTHE E LIVE THROUGH SUNRISESFAST FICTION is AB ATTACK OID NOT come IS Ws EXPECTED (7 Te Ceanty | WARRIORS HAD RETREATED LEAVING A GUARD OF THREE, RIFLEMEN 1A) THE TREES cue mire FIRE OF Dig pay gEroRe Must NAVE Cost THEM HEAVY CASUALTIES 50-- BEAU GESTE'S PRECIOUS JEWEL! 1 HAVE IT AT LAST?FAST FICTION T DIDN'T KNOW THAT MEN CREPT AROUND AFTER A FiGHT ANG ROBBED THE PEAD. THEV- ING CUR! YOU! SHOULD BE PICK FY FORTUNE 1S MADE, THANKS TO YOU THE ARABS STOPFED THE MUTINY BY WHICH 1 HAD PLANNED To GET THIS SAPPHIRE. NOW EVERY- | LEGION OF HONOR... a CAPTAIN'S COMMISSION... 4 ONE 18 DEAD. EXCEPT You, AFTER TRIP 70 PARIS 10 RECEINE THANKS AND A PAR- KILLING YOU, 1 WILL WAIT FOR THE ADE FOR MY MAGNIFICENT DEFENSE LEGION 70 RESCUE ME! NEAT, EH? OF FORT ZINDERNEUR,THE RACKET... TAKE (7, TO AUNT PATRICIA IN ENGLAND. THE OTHER LETTER 18 AY CONEESSION. LEAVE THE CONFESSION. HERE. LEGION OFFICIALS WILL HAVE IT PUBLISHED... ALWAYS DO CASES iSEM 1M DEATH, BEAU INSIBTED ON HOQULDERING THE BLAME. JEM CAUGHT HERE, ML BE TRIED FOR THE MURDER OF SERGEANT LEJAUNE. THEY? LL NEVER UNDERSTAND THAT HEFAST FICTION Ge ceasieo A sion oven Tak TEAPS 19 SLOW THEM CONN AND give me WME 72.GET AWAT! TWE OFFICER AND wis BucteR age ALMOST IN THE FORT, HOW PUZZLED THEY must 65. BY PPNe ccaicee came ouT ALONE BUA? Ovex, 2 SIGNALLED TO HIS MEN To SPEND THE NIGHT AT THE oa. NOT WANTING TO SREND THEINIGHT IN TH BORT OF TNE DeaD, BUT WHAT OFTHE BUGLE > eT =a a Vit MIDE ing THE SHADOW OF THE SAND» DUNES. UNTIL NIGHTFALL. MOYBE 1 COULD STEAL A CAMEL, Ghee orricer war BEEN LET IN THtousH THE GATE BY THE BUGLER, Wid HAD CLIMBED THE WALL. NOW THE OFFICER WAS ALONE, MAP WITH CURIOSITY, NO CQUBT THE BualeR HAD PIGAPPEARED,(BB Man cearep OFF THE auaNiNe V7 PORT... 16 MY DIRECTION? (ee = P. 2IGBY, Ry 2 142 70.cer Hi ecrose | Ee cap! you ALWAYS K WERE EXcITABLE/. FS TDFAST FICTION Y WHERE He Never ™ i ye I CHECKED “| OVER THE DEAD. Tt It'S 6000 7 OF US ARE b Wo sti AND You SET YES, BUT 1 HAD MY REASONS, FIRE 70 THE FORT, BEAU GESTE WAS 4 GREAT WARRIOR, PIGBy? 1 GAVE HIM A WARRIOR'S FUNERAL. WH A 906 AT HIS FEET/AU GESTE'S H 4 WARD OF FIGHTING MEN OF THE W. WITH A 0G AT HIB PEET-- Tu CUR LEJAUNE...FAST FICTIONFAST FICTION Beau caerels LETTE2 10 MANY YEARS AGO, WHEN MY BROTHERS AND (AUNT PATRICIA... qT WERE YOUNG BOYS, YOU MAGE THE SALE INTHE ALL WHILE UNCLE HECTOR WAS AWAY BELOVED AUNT: I 1D WHAT L THOUGHT BEST ANG NOW THAT UNCLE HECTOR |S EAD, TCAN TELL-THE WHOLE TRUTH ABOUT THE SAPPHIRE. einer THAT You HAG BOLO THE GENUINE SlUE WATER 70 AN INBIAN AMAHARAIAH CONCEALED IN THE HACL SUIT OF ARMOUR, (DIG, JOHN AND I WERE PLAYING HIDE AND SEex) 1 HEARD THE WHOLE ARRANGEMENT AND AFTER YOU HAD SOLD THE REAL SAPPHIRE, Z Saw YOU PUT AN IMITATION. GEM "IN TOUR JEWEL. CASE ASA SUBSTITUTE FOR THE REALONE. I 60 Not BLAME YOU. Z FEARED The Day KNEW YOU USED THE S i WHEN UNCLE HECTOR MONEY YOU GOT FOR THE WOULD LEARN THAT REAL JEWEL TO HELP TNE FALSE IMMTATION. SAP- POOR TENANTS GN YOUR j } PHIRE HAD REPLACED ESTATE-- PEOPLE WHOM THE BLUE WATER. SO, UNCLE HECTOR WOULD? HAVE OeAR AUNT PATRICIA, Z DRIVEN FROM THEIR HOMES (ARRANGED AN APPARENT AFTER FORECLOSING THEE THERT OF THE IMITATION STONE MORTGAGES... ‘$0 THAT UNCLE HECTOR WOULD. NEVER DISCOVER WHAT YOU HAD DONE! Tay ONLY REGRET IS THAT JOHN AND Dig” INSISTED ON FOLLOWING ME WHEN I JOINED THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION, YOUR LOVING NEPHEW, BEAU GESTE: The Life of P. C. Wren’s full name was Perci- val Christopher and he lived a life of action and thrilling adventure, much in the manner of his famous hero Beau Geste. P.C. Wren was born of a famous family—a descendant of the famous architect Sir Christopher Wren whose artistry and imagination was respon- sible for many of England's most famous and beautiful churches and public buildings. Young P. C. Wren was born in Devonshire, England, in the ancient house where the famous author, Charles Kingsley, laid the scene ‘of Amyas Leigh in his novel “Westward Ho!” But despite this literary begin- ning, young Wren did not begin to write until after he was gradu- ated from Oxford Univer- sity. For five years Wren travelled the world, seeing life first-hand, “serving as 2 schoolmas- ter, journalist, farm hand, explorer, hunter and soldier in the French Foreign Legion. Yes, P. C. Wren knew the true story of life in the Foreign Legion, because he “himself had served under the Flag of P.C. WREN France in regiments of the most des- perate men in the world. His adven- tures with the Legion in French North Africa furnished the true background. for his stories of the Geste family. Percival Christopher Wren has been described as having heen as ~ handsome as Beau Geste, himself. Tall, soldierly, with blue-gray eyes, the anthor was one of the most popu- lar literary personalities of his time. And it is to be remembered that he wrote about adventure as he knew it. P.C. Wren was no parlor scholar, In _ addition to serving with the Freneh Foreign Legion, he served with the British Cavalry and the Indian Army in East Africa. Readers of all ages have enjoyed books by P. C. Wren. Among the other~ famous titles which appeared under his name are: Beau Sabreur, Beau Ideal, and the Good Gestes.. These books are avail- able at most local libraries. Read them and enjoy them, in the knowledge that you are reading adventures written by a man who lived a life of high adventure, Perei- yal Christopher Wren.