Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday Cookie, well gioomod, immaciilatoU clad, giinned broadly. "Well, if it isn't Detective-liciiteiian: O'Dowd himself!" he exclaimed. "How are you, sweetheart?" "AH right. And you?" "Fine!" Mike stared. The black patch had gone; Cookie's left eye looked quite as ^.''ood as his right one, except that it did not move. "Oh. pipe the new headlight!" he ex- claimed. "Yes, sir," drawled Cookie. "Eighteen carat glass, and guaranteed to look on the gunny side of life!" "It's a knock-out!" quoth Mike. "You know I could hardly tell the dif- ference myself, if I didn't remember the night over there." "Forget it," recommended Cookie, and sat down at the table. "Well, I'm glad to see you. old flatfoot." ".Same here," declared Mike, Keatiii:? him.self. "You know we haven't seen much of each other lately. Molly was speaking of it the other day." "Well, I've been pretty busy." "Yeah—and a year has certainly done a lot for you. Cookie." "Well, you haven't done so badl.y yourself, lieutenant." He waved a hancl. "What do you think of the joint?" "Swell!" conceded Mike. "And to think that you started with only one truck-load!'' "Why, lieutenant," said Cookie in- nocently, "whatever do you mean?" "You're not kidding anybody! I know ;■ how ,\ou got your start—and so does , ■ Marino!" "You don't believe everything you read in the pajjcrs, do you?" "No, but I happen to know! Cookie, you remind me of the fellow who wears a toupee—he doesn't fool anybody but himself," He dropped his voice. "Kid- ''^' ding aside. Cookie," he said earnestly, "you can't get away with it," "Are you speaking personally, or pro- fessionally?" "Both, We've been through a lot fo BOY'S CINEMA gether, and I'm not forgetting it, bvt if you staj' in this racket, it's only a question of time " "Until the strong aim of the law reaches out in the person of Lieutenant O'Dowd and nabs poor little Cookie Leonard. Is that it?" Mike toyed with a serviette on the plate before him. "It's not so funny," he said slowly. "I hope that time never comes.'" "And if it does—friendshii) cease:-, eh?" "It would be a tough spot for both of ?o and lay an egg." growied "You're alwavs singing the "Aw, Cookie, blues." Mike lit a cigarette. Cookie looked about his restaurant. "There's Molly!" he exclaimed sud- denly. They jumped up and went together to meet Molly, who had entered the restaurant with her brother Larry. She "vvas in an evening gown all black satin and white lace, with a fur collar round her neck, and she looked wholly adcr- able to both men. Larry cut an excel- lent figure of young manliood in iiis dinner-jacket suit. It was Molly's birthday, and Cookie, wlio forgot nothing, had invited all three to celebrate it with a dinner at his establishnu-nt. "It's great to see you again." Molly told him, after greetings had been ex- changed. "Look at Cookie's new lam[)." direc^ed Mike, and three pairs of eyes wei'.- focused on the artificial one. "It's wonderful." breathed Afolly. "Why, I wouldn't know which was which!" "That's easy," jeered Mike. "The fake one is the one with the honest look in it!" "Oh. these cops." groaned Cojkie. "Maybe if we don't pay any attention 9 to him he'll go home. How about a little birthday kiss?" "Of course," nodded Molly-, and kissed him without the slightest embarrass- ment. After all, the floor was crowded with dancers, and nobody seemed to be taking any notice. Except Mike! "Hi, break away!" he growled. "Does that one for all and all for one stuff still go?" "It does," said Molly emphatically, and transferred her lips to his, "Be careful," said Cookie dolefully, "You mav have to marry the girl," "Maybe I will!" "Over my dead body!" They walked on together to the litUe recess draped with gold curtains behiiid the semi-circular scat. "Oh, what a lovelv table!" cried Molly. "Speaking of tables," said Cookie, "I'm working on a new invention—a table without legs, so Mike can get his feet under them," - "Another jibe from you, and I'm going to plant one of those big feet where it'll do most good," thrcatenet? Mike. "In that case," decided Cookie, "I think we'd better sit down," They sat: Molly in the middle witli Cookie on her right and Mike on her left, Larry in a chair pushed forward by a waiter, Molly admired the flowers with whlrli the table was decorated, and Mike tugged a blue Morocco case from his pocket. "A little present for you, Molly," ho said gruffly. "It isn't much, but " Molly opened the case. Inside was a gold wrist-«atch with a band of g>ld mesh. "Oh. Mike." she cried, "how sweet! Look. Cookie!" Cookie looked. Marino, scowling, said fiercely : " And it my name don't stay out of the newspapers, it's just gonna be too bad ! •' July ISth, 1931.