Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

14 "Young girls shouldn't niiud their Biotlicrs' business," Buttina Moore re- lortcd l-dughingly. " Now listen, Sally, i want you to find that young chauffeur Coleman and toll him to have the car loady in a quarter of an hour." Sally departed thoughtfully, and looutcd Jerry near the garage. "Mother wants you to drive her some- wlicre in the car," she told him. "Do you know where she's going?" "Yes," said Jerry, ''to the Blue Moon, I think." Sally gave him a penetrating glance. "By tlie way," she said, "I saw you and mother in close conversation not long ago.. What were you talking about ?" The question embarrassed Jerry, for he knew too well that the subject of his conversation with Bcttiua Moore was ono which must on no account be divulged to Sally. "You mustn't ask me that, miss," he stammered, and, beating a hasty re- treat, he entered the garage and started up the car. A few minutes later he was at the front door, which was presently opened by Sallys mother. She joined him in the automobile, and he drove her into the centre of the city, finally pulling up in a side street that flanked the premises of the Blue Moon Night Club. Telling Jerry to follow her, Bettino. Moore let herself into the building and took him to an office with a door that opened immediately on to the restaurant, which was already half-filled with diners. The office was occupied by a big man with ail amiable but formidable countenance. "1 got your message, Mrs. Moore," the big man said, " and some of the boys are on hand." "This is Tiger Callahan, my manager," Sally's mother told Jerry. ■' You must understand that, although this place is on the level, I liavc to have protection against the racketeers. Tiger has a gang of rough-necks at his beck and call, and no racketeer or black- mailer dares to dictate to me. Farley is going to find that out to-night." Tiger Callahan smiled grim apprecia- tion of the statement, and then broached the subject of their consultiation. It was not long before full antingcments had been made. "I get the idea," said Callahan. " Farley and these bank bandits arc to show up in this office at ten. Sharp on time, the boys start a fight in the restaurant." "Then you call the cops," put in Jerry, "and Farley and the bandits will bo grabbed in the round-up. It'll look like just la plain accident, and they'll never suspect Mrs. Moore h-as arranged it. They'll go to gaol without squealing about anything that happened in the past." They separated. Tiger and Mrs. Moore going out into the restaurant, Jerry re- turning to the car, where he waited for the space of an hour. At the end of an hour he saw throe stealthy figures enter tlie side door of. the Blue Moon Night Club. The Back Room. WITH a good deal of caution Farley led his associates into that back room which was Bcttina Moore's office. His companions looked around them suspiciously. One w»s a tallj dark man with a, hatchet face and a pair of brood- ing eyes; the other was a coarse- featured thug of scant intelligence. "What's this, Joo—a double-cross?" the tailor mai^ d<-niandod of Farley in September 19th, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA a threatening tone. '"It don't look much like a hide-out to me !" "Ah, keep your shirt on!" snapped Farley, his eyes fastening greedily and covetously on a leather bag that the other was carrying. " When you find out who's runuin' this joint you'll feel as safe as a baby in a cradle, Moore." "Ukay, Joe," Jim Mooro returned, "but I'll take no chances. Slug," he added to -the third man, " go out and watch that side door we came in by." The hour of ten was striking, and at that moment Tiger Callahan was 'phoning Baxter. He gave the captain only a few bare details, but as a result of that conversation a radio call was sent forth from the broadcasting-rpom at headquarters. " Squad cars seven and nine," ran the message. " Squad cars seven and nine. Squad cars seven and nine. Hold up the Blue Moon Cafe. Hold up the Blue Moon Cafe. Hold " But Farley and his associates had never an inkling of the net that was closing around them, though they stood on the qui vive when the door leading to the restaurant was opened. Farley breathed again as he saw that it was only Bettina Moore. Then he heard a startled exclamation from the man by his side. "You!" said Jim Moore. "Yes, your wife, Jim," Bettina Moore answered. "So you're with Farley's mob now," the man from the past said slowly. Bettina's eyes flashed. "Get this straight, Jim," she said curtly. " I'm not with any mob. 1 was forced into this hide-out act, and I'm doing it to save Sally." "The kid!" breathed Moore, starting forward, and for a moment his face seined to lose the villainy of its expres- sion. "Betty, I'd like to see her. How is she?" "What's it to you?" his wife rapped out. "She thinks you're dead. You are to her. And get this—if you try to open up to her and teli her who you are, I'll kill you !" She had scarcely spoken the words when there was a sudden outcry in the restaurant, and next instant pande- nioniuni was raging in the cafe. With an oath Farley wrenched open the door and saw a mob of men fighting in the middle of the dance-floor. They were Tiger Callahan's rough-necks, and they wore playing their part convincingly. Farley whipped round in time to sec Bcttina take to her heels in feigned alarm. He looked at Jim Moore sourly. "Somebody's started a fight," he snarled. "Swell break for us, isn't it? Next thing we'll know, the cops will be here. Come on—lot's beat it !" He slid out of the office with Moore on his heels, and made for the side entrance by which they had gained ad- mittance to the premises. As the two men approached the doorway they made out the form of Slug, and realised that ho soemc^d to bo having an altercation with someone. That .someone was .Terry Coleman; for, moaning to be in the thick of any cxciteiiipnt, .Terry had left his car and atfcmptcd to enter the building, only to be stopped by Slug. "You can't go in there," Slug was now informing him, with grim emphasis. "Nobody gits past me!" "Try and stop mc !" .Terry challenged. And, with the words, he knocked Slug staggering with a right-hander to the jaw. Even as he struck the blow Farley and Moore slipped from the shadows, and something round and hard WaS Every Tuesday jammed into the small of Jerry's biick. "Be yourself, chauffeur!" Farley ground out. "Quick, whore's your car?" Jerry had lifted his hands, knowing that ho was covered by a man desperaii' enough to shoot in cold blood. In aiiswi?r to Farley's question, he now jerked his thumb to where the dim out- line of Bettina Moore's limousine could be seen. "Hop in and.drive us to 16, Franklin Court!' Farley ordered. Jerry did some fast thinking, and suddenly lowered his hands. "Put down that gun!" he said. " T'.ii in the know. I'm driving for Mrs. Moore." Farley and Jim Moore exchanged a glance. It was the latter who spoke. "We'll take a chance on you, chauffeur," he growled; "but watch your step! Come on—get goin' !" Jerry made for the car, Moore and Farley following him, and Slug bring- ing up the rear. A moment later the auto was swinging out of the side street. Sixty seconds after it had vanished. Squad cars Nos. 7 and 9 skidded to .a standstill outside the Blue Moon Night Club. They were joined at the kerb by another ear containing Captain Baxter in person, and it was the captain him- self who led the rush of uniformed officers into the cafe. A flying bottle hurled by an over- enthusiastic rough-neck struck the cap- tain a glancing blow on the temple, and OS he reeled Tiger Callahan sprang to- wards him anxiously. "Are you hurt, captain?" ho demanded. "No," Baxter told him, recovering himself with an effort. "But these bank raiders who were supposed to be here ! Are we too late?" "I hope not," Tiger rejoined crisply. "They were in the back room." Baxter hurried towards the office, but entered it only to find that the birds had flown. "A clean get-away," he jerked. And tl en : "Where's Bettina?" he asked of Tiger. "I don't know, captain," Callahan answered. " She went out of here during the fight." Baxter turned to one of his sub- ordinates in the force. "Keep a couple of the boys here," h" ordered. "I'm going to find Mrs. Moore and see if she is all right." In a Corner. STEERING the oar into the drive of Bettina Moore's home, Jerry brought the automobile to a stand- still and then led the crooks into the house. Ho had no very clear plan in his mind, but he was playing for time. The scheme to have Farley, Moore and Slug rounded up as if by accident had un- fortunately failed, and force of circum- stances had compelled .Terry to bring them to the Night Club Queen's private residence after all. Ho was hoping, however, that a chance might occur to straighten things out and rescue Bettina Moore from her strange dilemma. • Jerry escorted the crooks to the lounge, and there found Sally. She started up at sight of him, and then* looked at the men behind him in a bewildered fashion, for she was im- mediately struck by their scoundrelly bearing. "These gentlemen want to sec yotir mother,'-" Jerry said, and at that ho saw- Jim Mooro start forward, as if unable to restrain the impulse to take the girl in his arms and announce his identity.