Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

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6 Rose Again. A BANQUET was being devoured in a private room of one of New York's hotels. It was the night following the Kid's smashing victory over Prince Pearl, and, bearing no signs of punishment except a strip of plaster over one eye, the Kid sat at the head of the table with George Regan on his left hand. The rest of the party included a num- ber of old-timers who were not too favourably situated as regards money, and seldom had the price of a square meal. It had become the Kid's com- mendable custom to entertain these un- fortunates after each contest that brought him nearer to the peak of Fame —the world's championship. The Kid was making a speech. ■'I only lost three or four fights in my whole life," he was saying, "an' that was because I didn't listen to what George said. See? He's the best manager in the whole world—see ? So I reckon we all oughta give George a hand." There was loud applause, and George Pegan climbed to his feet. "I'll have to admit the Kid was right when he said a little while ago that I won that light," he declared, with a twinkle in his eye. "I won it all by myself. The Kid didn't have a thing to do with it "—ho grinned—"except, maybe, a coupla pounds of dynamite in each hand and a body and chin that must be made of iron. ()f course, maybe it's pig iron. Well, boys, I haven't anything more to say except that—well, the next feed the Kid throws will be on the night he takes the championship away from Mike Shay!" The Kid went to bed that night with the cheers of his admirers ringing in his ears. But the next morning he and George received at their rooms a visitor who had not hitherto been numbered among the coming young prize-fighter's friends. He was Riley the gambler. "I know you've always been on the square, you and the Kid, George," Riley told Regan, "and I gncss I musta been crazy when I tried to fix you guys with Mandell." "Well, you learned your les.son." George Regan said. "I ain't tiyin' to '■ preach, Riley, but the Kid's got where he is because he's always been on the : leyel. The newspapers know it, too. I That's why they've been fightin' so hard I to get us a match with Mike Shay, the champion." Kiley pursed his lips. "Yeah, I know," he murmured. "But 1 think you pulled a rotten deal \\hen you let Mike Shay arrange it so he'd get all the purse." "Hey, wait a minute," the Kid broke in, from the other side of the room. "What do you mean—Mike Shay get all the purse ?" "The match is for win}icr take all. ain't it?" said Riley. "Well, how does that get Shay a dime?" scoffed the Kid. Kili'y laughed. "Ob. that's the way you feel about it." mused Riley. "Kinda confident, huh?" "Well. Mike will probably murder tlu Kid," observed (Jeorgc Reyan, already beginning to bait his jjrotcge over his coining contest in that scathing, but effective, style w-hich he had learned to employ. "But what's the difTerence? He's made plenty of money already." The telephone bell rang at that momenl. The caller was a girl by the name of Gladys De Vere, and her motive in ringing up was to threaten breach of promise. Now; the Ki<i, who was still .July lltl), 1931. BOY'S CINEMA legally the husband of Rose, had made no promises. But Gladys De Vcre's par- ticular "graft" was to become ac- quainted with celebrities and then attempt blackmail, knowing that in nine cases out of ten they would pay up rather than face the undesirable publicity of a court action. For her, the Kid's case proved tlie u7ilucky tenth. George Regan saw to that, and, with the invaluable assistance of Riley, convinced her that she was treading on dangerous ground. Immediately after the situation had been relieved a telegram arrived for the Kid, and as the latter was ripping it open George Regan gave him a few- words of advice. "After this, watch your step. Kid," he said, "watch your step." "Don't you worry," the Kid declared emphatically. "I'm through with the fair sex for life." Then, as he read the contents of the wire he had received, his face changed coloiu-, and: "Oh, George —George," he panted, "come in here." He backed into the bed-room, and Regan followed him. "What is it, Kid?" he demanded.^ "It's from—from Rose," the Kid answered. "She's in town—she wants to see me. Look, it says she's sick. She —she might even be dyin' " Regan's mouth had hardened. "Don't fall for that," he began, but the Kid interrupted him. "We've gotta see her, George," he jerked. "We've gotia see her!" Argument was in vain. Twenty minutes later they were alighting from a cab outside a dingy boarding-house, to wliich they were admitted by a harassed- looking landlady. "Your little wife's been a mighty sick little woman, Mr. Mason," the woman said, as soon as the Kid and Regan had introduced themselves. "Yeah, I know," the Kid rejoined hurriedly. Then, turning to his manager excitedly: "This is the place all right, George," he stammered, scarcely know- ing what he was saying. "What do you want me to do?" growled Regan. "Kiss it?" The landlady led the way iip.stair^, singing Rose's praises en route, while George Regan listened shrewdly and thought his own private thoughts. In a second-floor room a girl heard their approaching footfalls. She was Rose, and, the picture of health, she was reclining at her ease in a deep arm- chair. The moment the Kid's voice reached her ears, however, she gathered some cushions about her and lay back in a wilting attitude, like one recuperat- ing from a long and dangerous illness. The Kid came into the room, and Rose looked at him with an expressioi; guaranteed to arouse pity. "I was afraid—you wouldn't come," •she said in a frail voice. The Kid dropped on his knees beside her. "Why shouldn't I, honey?" he pro- tested. "I've been awful sick, Kid," she told him with a catch in her voice. "I almost (lied. And 1 missed you so. Oh, Kid, forgive me." "There's nothing to forgive, Rose!" Just outside the door George Regar, was talking to the landlady in an undei- tone. "How much does that baby owe you ?" ho demanded. "Aw, I'm not a sap, nia'm. How nnich is it?" "Oh—cr—four weeks' rent," the land- lady answered. "Forty-eight dollars. And meals—and private baths—;-" "I knew it," said Regan, handing over a sheaf of notes. "Rose wouldn't have Every Tuesday bothered to send that wire if things had been going well with hei-, or if the Kid had not made good——" Regan walked into the bed-room, and looked down at the re-united couple. " Tricks been comin' kinda tough lately, huh?" he said to Rose, not the least impressed by her play-acting. "Show business?" "Movies," she told him. "All tho directors admired my talents, but you'vo got to be on the inside at Hollywood. Maybe I'd have been all right if I hadn't taken the 'flu." "Well, you don't have to worry," Regan drawled in a queer tone. "The Kid's been knockin' 'em over lately." Rose leaned her head against the young boxer's shoulder with exaggerated affection. "Oh, I read every word of it," .sh.; breathed. "That's all I had eyes for." "Oh, you've been followin' his doings, huh?" Regan murmured. "I thought you'd be interested. But let me tell you somethin'. You'd better take a long look at the Kid, because you ain't gonna see much more of him until after Alike Shay gets through plasteriu' him around." Rose sat up with a jerk, her "sick- ness " for the moment forgotten. "Mike Shay?" she exclaimed. "Not the champion ?" " Sure, the Kid's matched to fight him," said Regan. "You'll be able to nurse him back to health after Mike's finished with him." "Yeah?" mocked the Kid, raising h's glance. "You thought the same about Prince Pearl. Well, let me tell y6n somethin'. You're lookin' at the nextc champion right now!" The Championship. IT was the afternoon of the big fight, and champ, and challenger were weigiiing in. The Kid, first to step on to the scales, posed for a Press photo- grapher, then drew aside for Shay, who^e- powerful frame and rugged countenance looked as forbidding as they were formid- able. The Kid walked to the background, where George Regan presently joincl him. "George," said the Kid in a husky unilertone. "I—I've gotta win that fight to-night. I've gotta be champion '' That evening Madison Square Garden? was the Mecca of fight fans from all over the American Continent, and thousands passed under the imposing archway. Fifty minutes after the last seat had been occupied, and when one or two minor contests had been staged, tho principals of the big battle for the cham- pionship stepped into the ring, amid an uproar of cheering. Preliminaries over, the seconds ducked outside the ropes, and to the sound of the bell champ, and challenger slid fiom their respective corners. They shook hands, tinned, and then circled warily under the arc-lights. th<5 Kid bearing in mind every word of counsel that George R(^gan had ever uttered, Shay hiding his time and takin^r the measure of his man ere loosing off his big guns. The Kid feinted for the body and ripped a punch towards the champion's jowl. Shay parried and slammed hi.s right to the ribs with a shock that brought a grunt from tho challenger. But the Kid connected with a stiff left, raising a murmur of approval from his supporters. Ten seconds later Shay .scored heavily in a hard spell of infighting, his strongest card, and as the Kid tried to dance out of range he leapt after him and crowded him to the ropes with a