Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

20 got out. Ho follovvfd lier, deserting the car to plead his cause, but she declared . that sKe was going home and that he was not as good a man as either Moc Levino or Terry C'alahan. "I'm a better man than both of thcni," he retorted. "I can lick Calahan, and I can out-smart Lcvinc—■ and voii know it. in your heart." " I don't !" cried Rosie, and ran off. A jjohceman was standing by the car when he returned to it. "Y'ju own this car?" inquired the policeman. "You do? Well, here's a ticket for you, for leaving it unattended in the way of a fireplug." "Oh, for the love of Mike!" groaned Tommy. A Shock for Rosie. ROSIE reached home in tears, and Kajilan and O'Orady, who were playing draught* in the shop- parlour, sprang up in alarm. "I know what's the matter!" cried Kaplan indignantly. "It's that fellow Sinclair—McLean—or whatever his name is." Rosie flew past them, making for that refuge of a girl in distress—her bed- room. Said O'Orady sternly: "I'm going to look up this Sinclair fellow and lay down the law to him." "I'll go with you," decided Kaplan. "What do you know about law? Listen, Pat, lemme do all the talking. With your muscle and my brains " They went off together to Park A\enue, relying on Rosie to attend to any customere who might arrive in their absence. They reached the stately bi'ownstone house which was Tommy's liouje, and an austere butler opened the door to them, and left them standing in l.he hall while he informed his master of their presence and their desire to see them. Tommy's father was in the drawing- room, and, not recognising their names, he told the butler to say that he was out. But the butler had left the draw- ing-room door open, and they heard. "You may be out, but we're in!" cried Kaplan, striding into the room with O'Orady behind him. "Show your badge, Pat! We want to see Mr. Sin- clair." Mr, Sinclair was surprised, and eyed them doubtfully, but announced that his name was Sinclair. "Oh!" exclaimed the pawnbroker. "You're his father, ch ?" "Has my .'■on been getting into trouble of some sort?'' asked Mr. Sin- clair witli sudden irriegiving. "Well, not exactly," admitted O'Orady. "but he's heading for trouble mighty fast. If he thinks he can fool around with my daughter " ■'My daughter!" corrected Kaplan. .^"I ought to know !" "Gentlemen!" said Mr. Sinclair. "Please make up your minds!" "Well, all right," said Kaplan, less violently. "Our daughter—she's our adopted daughter, you understand " Between them they managed to make the whole story more or less clear, but it took a long time, and involved con- eiderable bickering between the story- tellers. Mr. Sinclair (hen explained that |the whole thing had begun as a frolic 'on the part of his son, but tliat he imderstood Tommy was really keen about Rosie. ' "And, of cour.se," he added, "having begun with deception, he had to go on with it. I can see thai ! McLean is my rhaull'eur. But, of course, if your daughter i.s engaged (o (liis Levino " ••Terry Oalahan!" barked O'Orady. September Ctli. 1930. BOY'S CINEMA "I'll speak to my son," hastily inter- posed Mr. Smclair. Evidently he did speak to Tonmiy; but what he said had considerably less effect upon that very determined young man than what Rosie had already said. For the next morning Tommy stalked into Moe Levine's little office in an un- attractive street not far removed from the Webster Hall Club. Terry was in the office, arguing with Moe because, as his manager, the young ,Je\v had not provided him with a satis- factory number of boxing contests. They stopped short and stared at the intruder. "You!" exploded Terry. "Didn't I tell you the next time I. saw you I was going to knock you silly?" "That's just what I've come to .see you about," was the retort. "But just a moment—I understand you're a prize- fighter. Well, I've done a little boxing myself, and I think I can lick the tar out of you!" "You can what?"' bellowed Terry, ad- vancing upon him. "Vait, vait, ,vait!" cried Moe hastily, launching himself between them. "Never give away anything that you can sell." He turned to Tommy. " What's your proposition ?" Tommy laughed. "I'm willing to bet five thousand dollars," he said, "that I can put your man to sleep in eight rounds." Terry made unpleasant noises of de- rision, but Moe silenced him. "Sit down, Mr, Sinclair!" he said eagerly. "Tell me anything you want to tell me—I'm open for business." As a result of that interview, an- nouncements of a forthcoming fight be- tween Terry C'alahan and a "Mystery Man " appeared in the papers. Moe had used his brains, and he con- tinued to use them, making all the capital he could out of the circumstances, A day or two later headlines in the papers announce^l that Calahan's mysterious challenger was none other than Thomas Sinclair, son of the Wall Street millionaire. The fight, wliich was to take place at the Madison Square Gardens on a Saturday night, became quite a topic, and seats were booked at a premium. Moe was delighted, and even Terry beamed. It seemed to both of them that here was a wonderful opportunity of putting an ignominious end to their rival and of making quite a lot of money at the same time. On the Wednesday evening before the fight Tommy walked calmly into the pawnshop and crossed behind the counter into the little parlour. Rosie was alone in there, and she frowned up at him. "What can I do for you?" she in- quired icily. "You can forgive me for being a fool," said Tommy earnestly. "That chauffeur •itufl", Rosie—I wish you'd forget it." "I have forgotten it—and you!-' she retorted. "And if you will take my advice you'll get out of town before Saturdav afternoon." "You'tell that to Calahan!" "Why. Terry will kill you!" she crieil. "Oh, no, he won't—I have otlier plans. Aren't you interested in them? No? Well, you ought to be—j-ou're part of them. In fact " The door opened, and Kaplan and O'Grady entered together. "Good-evening, gentlemen!" said Tommy affably. O'Cirady scowled at him, but Kaplan looked him thoughtfully up and down. "Sny," he exclaimed, "how old are you?" Every Tuesday "Twenty-six," replied Tommy. " Why ? "Twenty-six, and you're goin' to fight Calahan? Why, you might have lived to sixty, or seventy. Well " "We're bettin' everything we have oii this prize-fight," broke in O'Grady. Rosie looked up, aghast; but Tommy said cheerfully: "Is that so? Who are you betting on?" "A sure thing!" boomed Kaplan. "Calahan !" "Really?" said Tommy. "Calahan? Well, well—bye-bye, Rosie!" And with- out another word he went out. Rcwie looked blankly at the door he had closed behind him, then jumped up and put on her ?iat and coat. "Where are you going. Rosie?" asked O'Grady, barring the way. "I'm going to see Terry," she said, with a curious little catch in her voice. "I'm going to stop that fight." . •■ "You can't do anything like that!" protested Kaplan. "The papers are all signed, the money's put up, and the seats are sold!" "And besides," chimed in O'Grady, "you can't see Calahan, anyway—he's at some place in Jersey, training." "Oh, but that poor boy will be killed!" faltered Rosie. "It isn't fair, and I'm going to stop the fight if I have to burn down the building!" It was then that Kaplan made an in- discreet remark. He declared that Tommy wasn't worth her teais—even hi.s own father had said so. "How do you know that?" she stormed. "Bccaase we went to see him." The fat was properly in the fire then. She insi.sted upon being told all about their visit to Mr. Sinclair, and she raved at both of ihein for doing such a thing, and wont off with tears in her eyes and an entirely new determination in her heart. ■' Now do you see what .you have done?" hissed Kaplan after she had gone. " A fine mess you have made of the whole thing, O'Grady!" The Winners. ROSIE made straight for the house in Park Avenue, and, a.s it happened, Tommy was out and Mr, Sinclair was at home. She was ushered into his presence, and slio poured forth her fears and begged him to stop the fight. "It isn't fair!" .she cried. "It won't be a fight, I toll you. It will be murder!" Tommy's father had taken full stock of her, and had decided that she was not merely a beautiful girl, but a sensible one—one who would be very good indeed for his wayward son. " You don't think nnich of Tommy, do you?" ho-said regretfully. "But ho thinks a groat deal of you. Ho must do, for this is the first time I've ever known him do anything really definite. He liai. made a bet of five thousand dollars on himself. 1 didn't give him the money — he dug it up somewhere. And I'm not going to stop the fight, my dear. He'* going to win it! I'm a conservative man by habit, but I'd stake everything I've got on that." " You would ?" exclaimed Rosie. look- ing up at him with eyes that shone. "I certainly would. Oh, and, by the way, last time I saw him ho invited mo to his wedding, and it may interest vou to know that he intends you to be flie Ijrido. r can't question his judgment in tlio matter, but I'm afraid you're going (Continued on page 25.)