Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday thousand dollars' worth of damage had been couiiiiitted. The newspapers pub- lished leading articles on the scandal, and called for action, but the police department seemed powerless. The sinister campaign teiminatcd m a. truck-drivers' strike. It was ari-angtd iiceording to in-triictions from ISugs Raymond, and it affected every com- mercial eufcrprite ni town. It was a l>cslure that implied the far-reaching influence he was in a position to wield ov<r the city's trade and prosperity. 'flic strike came as a vital blow to Kenneth Stone, and put an end to operations that were in progress for the construction of a gigantic flat-iron build- ing, which had to be completed, accord- ing to contra< t, by a certain date. Kenneth Stone had already received representations from Bugs, and had ig/iored them, raging meanwhile at the power and audacity of this man who was clever enough to make war on society, yet leave the authorities without sufTK-ierit evidence for his arrest. But the strike forced Stone's hand, and he was compelled to 'phone Bugs Raymond's apiutuient and seek an in- terview. He need not hnw troubled. Bugs wojs already on his way to pay him the doubtful compliment of a call, and, on his arrival with Jimmy Kirk, was shown straightway into Stone's sanctinn. "What do you want?" Stone de- manded in a voice that was shaken by ill-concealed wrath. Jimmy Kirk stood by, and smiled. Bugs was cool politeness i^ersonified. He laid some papers on Stone's desk. "The.se will explain my terms," he drawled. "All they need is your signa- ture. I happen to know that the Slone Construction Company is working on a sixteen million dollar contract, and I've got more than a siu.aking fancy that every cent you own will be involve<l if you don't complete it by schedule." "You seem to know a good deal," Slone said with an effort. "The information cost me a lotta Dioiii v,' Uuj^s answered cheerfnilv. "I BOY'S CINEMA had to pay for it. But let's get down to business, Stone. If you'll take a look at those i>apers you'll see that I've drawn up in detail the amounts payable by you to sub-contractors. You'll see also how tliosi; amounts can be cut con- siderably if you count me in on the deal and accept ti:e proposals I've set down in black-and-white." Stone glanced through the documents that had been laid on his desk, and his face darkenetl. "This i^ plain crooked," he ground out. "But it will save the Stone Company from bankruptcy," Bugs observexl. "Re- member, I've only to say the word and you can resume operations at a moment's notice." Stone moved over to a cabinet, and, producing a decanter and a glass, poured hinii^elf out a stiff drink. "You've got me tied, Raymond," he said between his teeth. "How can I give you any answer but the one you want '!" Five minutes later Bugs and Jimmy emerged from Stone's office, and it was as Bugs was closing the door behind him that he o;ime face to face with the girl to whom he harl sold that news- paper a week or two previously. "Good-afternoon," he said to her. She returned tlie greeting with a puzzled little frown, and Bugs smih^d. " You don't remember nie. Miss Stone." he remarked; "but you paid me ten dollars for a copy of the ' Herald ' not so very long ago." "Oh, yes, I do remember you now," she murmured. "Your brother and I have just been talking over a deal," Bugs mentioned. "We'll be running in harness from now on, .so I'll probably be seeing you again." He was riglit, and in the week or two that followed he saw more of Dorothy Stone fhiin a mere business connection with her brother neeessitafed. Forced to tolerate him at the ofTiee, Stone resented the intrusion in his ' life, res(>iited the attentions that 15 but her brother put the situation to her, and explained that they must at least' pretend to accept Bugs Rayuiond socially. Bugs began to see loss of his associates of the underworld, and still more of Dorothy Stone. The girl dominated his thoughts, and that subtle charm which had impressed him on the occasion of their first meeting gained a hold on him that blinded him to everything else. "You know," he said to Dorothy one evening in the sitting-room of the Stones' palatial homo, "there are times when I think you haven't much use for me. And then again, there are times v.hen I think you kind of^ like me. What's your honest opinion of me?" Dorotliy looked .it him frankly. He had asked for the truth, and she was prepared to give it to him. Yet for her brother's sake she had to be guarded, and make her criticism with a smile. "If you must know," she told hiin, "I think you're a parasite. Wealth and power are your be all and end all, and you haven't any scruples about how \ ou come by them." "Aw. you've got me wrong," he said good-naturedly. "I'm just a man who makes opportunities for other fellows w'lo haven't the nerve to make 'em themselves, and I feather my nest in the process." Nevertheless it was in a thoughtful mooti that he returned to his own sumptuous apartments, to find that .some of the boys had drifted in, and there and tlien he made the first move in the severing of his association with th(-m. "Listen, you fellers,'' he said. "We've reached the peak, and there's no'sense in e-.irryin' on. for we'll only take a dive. This is where we turn honest and live clean, and keep away from the cops." " K(>ep away from (lie cops?" some- one growled. "Say, they've never Eager lor the iray, regardless of the consequences, he climbed to the bonnet and hurled himself at the f»- representative of the law. August 29th, 1091.