Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

10 looked like makiii' a pincli so far as wf'ro couccriied." "But some day tliore might lie a slip- up," Bug.s answered, "and I don't aim to Jiavc that happen, I'm thinking of inviting Kenneth Stone to look on mo as a partner. I'm thinking of going into straight business.'' "And what do we get out of it?" Nails Markey demanded. "Tlie Truck Ijusiness," Bugs rejoined, and strolled tlirough to another room. Daisy do Lisle was there, trying on a new fur coat that siie had bought with the generous allowiance that Bugs niade her. She stood before a fuU- lougth mirror and studied her reflection appraisingly. Bugs eyed her for a moment. She wore clothes as expensive as Dorothy Stone's, and her features were as pleas- ing. Yet the two girls seemed worlds ap.irt. It was personality that Daisy lacked—and "class." She would never possess either, she. would never hold for him the appeal of that daughter of Society to whom he was being drawn irresistibly. "Daisy," Bugs mused, "you're pretty smart, but you need finish. You know what I've been thinkin'? I've been thinking you ought to travel—go away for a year or so. To Europe. See Paris. London, Berlin, Home. I'm told there's notliing like travel for giving you poise." Daisy remained motionless, but there was a curious expression in her eyes. "I'd stake you up to twenty-five thousand dollars," Bugs continued. "You could have a swell time—live at. the best hotels—see life. What do you gay. huh?" She turned and looked at him. "Who's the other dame, Bugs?" she asked quietly. Straight Business. KENNETH STONE had Jiad no choice in regard to the partner- ship Bugs Raymond had pro- posed, and had reluctantly placed at his disposal a room adjoining his own ollice. To that room came Nails Markey and the boys. They had been in none too iiappy a frame of mind ever since Bugs iuid announced his intention of quitting the racket, and they seemed loath to let him relinquish the leadership of the gang. It had all the appearance of a raw deal to them. Bugs had used them and made quick millions, and now he was for dropping out, leaving them the ,monopoly of (he Truck i>usiness as a con.solation prize. Nails Markey appointed himself .siiokesman. and annouiiced the gang's <lissatisfaction. whereupon Bugs stood up and addressed the group collectively and curtly. "What are you winning at?" he de- manded. "You've got control of the Truck conibiiu', and the dough you draw from that will keep you all on I'lasy Street. Now listen, boys, I'm busy, and jl can't talk to you about this thing at the moment." The gang rose sourly and filed to- wards the door. "Oh, Nails," Bugs called, as they were on the point of leaving, "don't bring the bo.\s up here any more. I'll (hop in on you now and then." The gangsters exchanged meaning glances with one another as they re- tired, but Bugs had already turned his back on them, lie was not left alone ' for long, however, for shortly after the d(>parlure of Nails and the boys Dai.sy de Lisle was shown in. "Bugs," she said, as soon as the door August 29111, 1031. BOY'S CINEMA had closed behind her, "I'm here for a show-down, I'm not going to Europe, ani I'm i>ot going to let you give mo the run-around for any other dame." Bugs made an impatient pass with his hand. "I tell you there's no other dame," he snapped, and even as he spoke (he words the door opened and Dorothy Stone appeared on the threshold. "Oh, I'm sorry." she apologised, as she saw that Bugs had coBipany, "I thought'you were alone. I just looked in to see if you were ready for the races." — "The races?" Bugs echoed. "Oh. yeah, we'd made up a party, hadn't we? I'll be right with you in a moment, Miss Stone." Dorothy went out again, and Daisy glared at Bugs. "Was that the girl you're sweet on?"' che demanded. "Supposing it was," Bugs drawled, and with that Daisy lost her temper and struck him across the face. She had oau.se to regret it, for Bugs took that treatment neither from man nor woman, and after a fierce scuffle Daisy finished up on the floor, cower- ing in alarm as the infuriated ex-truck driver stood over her threateningly. The sounds of the struggle did not reach the ears of Stone, Dorothy and a girl-friend who was to accompany them to the race-course, but they chafed at the delay which it caused. "He invited himself," said Dorothy herself, "and j)er.soually I don't see why we can't go on without him." "Dorothy, we daren't," her brother told her. "We can't take the risk of" offending him." So they waited for Bugs, and drove with him to the course, where Bugs, for one, spent a profitable afternoon. He siiowed just how profitable it had been when he pulled out a thick wad of notes during the return journey. "And you won all that on the last race," Dorothy commented. "You cer- tainly were in luck's way." "Half of it's yours," he informed her. "Mine?" she exclaimed. "Oh, no— I backed the loser." Bugs shook his head. "You thought you did," he said. "But I took the liberty of putting your money on the horse I fancied myself. Here's your share." "I couldn't possibly take it," Dorothy assured him, emphatically. "But why not?'' he protested. Her lips almost curled. "You woiddn't understand," she mur- mured. Bugs certainly did not understand what she inferred by that last remark, and he dropped the subject. He had something else on his mind, anyway—somethiiig which he was able to broach when he found himself alone with her in the lounge of her home. She was sitting at the piano, her tapering fingers running idly over the ivory keys, when he drew a ring from his pocket. It was a platiiuim ring with a massive, square-cut solitaire diamond that had cost twelve thousand dollars. "What do you think of this?" he asked her. She stopped playing the piano and ex- amined it. "It'.s beautiful," she had to admit. "Dorothy," he said, "would you f"in- sider it—as an engagement ring?" She looked at him whimsically. "I could hardly do that." she answered, "since I'm engaged already." "Engaged already!" His fare clouded. "But^you don't wear a ring," "No," she said, "I mot him at college Every Tuesday —a year ago. He gave me his fraternity pin." And she pointed to a miniature badge that was fixed in her frock. "How is it I've never seen him around the house?" Bugs wanted to know. " He got a position in South America after he left college," Dorothy'told iiim. "I expect him back next month." Biigs glanced at the fraternity pin again, and laughed cynically. The thin;^ had probably cost twenty dollars at the most, "And you mean to tell me that's all he could give you?" he scoffed, thinking of his twelve-thousand dollar ring. "I never thought of its material value," Dorothy said simply. "You see, I'm in love with him, Mr. Raymond." Bugs was not in the best of moo-ls when he returned to his apartment that evening. Jimmy Kirk and Arkansas Smith were there, for, though he had cut adrift from the rest of the gang, Bugs had retained the services of thcsa tv.o, realising that he might find a body- guard essential to his safety.. Jimmy and Arkansas noticed that their employer was short-tempered that even- ing. The New Leader. IN the down-town club that had formerly been one of Bugs Ray- mond's haunts, Nails Markey dis- cussed the situation with several other members of the disgruntled gang. "Bugs is playin' solo," he stated grimly, "but we ain't the kind o' mugs to sit back an' let him call the hands, I reckon. Now, listen, you guys. Nobody ever said I was dumb— nud maybe I've got ideas for runnin' this town as smart as any hunch that Bugs ever had. Maybe I can take control of this out'!; and run it better'n he ever thought of runnin' it." There was a chorus of approval, and consequently the city once again found itself in the throes of gang administra- tion, rap;vcious thugs laying their clutches on every conceivable enterprise, black- mailing, bribing, threatening. But a long-sufTeriug public had reached the limits of endurance. The fress an- nounced its vehement disapproval in black and white. The question was de- bated over the radio by an influential reformer who organised a city-wide cam- paign. There were mass meetings at which the District Attorney, the judges, the politicians and the police were all accused of chicanery and corruption. And in the Press and over the radio, the name of the man deemed to be re- pponsible was but thinly-veiled—the nanuj Bugs Raymond. For who was ready to believe that the nptorious racketeer had in reality turned his back on his old associates ? The outcry had the inevitable effect of spurring the authorities to action. A conference was held in the City Hall, was attended by i)rofes>ional men and busi- ne.ss men, and was presided over by he District Attorney. The District Attorney made a spirited attack not only on the hoodlums vWio threatened to dominate the city, but ou those prominent members of the corn- niunity who had countenanced the gangsters and even withheld evidence that might have convicted some of them. Nor was the D.A.'s oratory in vaiu. Men came forward from the audience and admitted his charges. They were commercial magnates who had 'oeen brow-beaten or blackmailed during the months that Bugs Raymond had held un- disputed swav. Thev confessed th.at they had accepted thugdom out of the fear .;if their hearts, but announced their de- termination of making a solid stand against it in the future: