Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

22 fire-bomb. llis sa(ibf;iction at llic tipparci'it failure of the-experiment was ;iot complete, since lie realised that the whole affair liad served to increase the debt of gratitude which the Madisons ulrcady owed iJob Darrow. Bob's voice readied the shifty pro- moter's cars. -But I don't understand, Mr. Madi- r.on," the fireman was saying. "I'll admit that a sliglit explosion shouJd occur when one of the fire-grenades is thrown. But it's an entirely harmless explosion, and I doubt whether the force of ii would knock over a matchbo.\. There's nothing in my chemicals to cause the complete destruction of that hut." Madison pursed his lips. "Well, I took the bomb from that tray you brought from the laboratorv,'' lie muttered. Bob strode over to the table on which the rack containjng the grenades had been placed, lie lifted one of the glass receptacles and uncorked it, snifhng its contents su.spiciously. Then he held it up to the light and scrutinised the liquid which had been poured into it, and finally lie turned up the neck of it and moistened the end of his thumb with a few drops from it. "Say, daddy," young Jackie declared, "something must liave hajiiiened to that stufV sifter Bob made it in the labora- tory." Madison shook liis head. It was plain that he had been bitterlv disappointed |)y the test, and was uncler the impres- sion tliat it had proved Bobs invention to bo utterly worthless, as well as dangerous. "Nothing could have happened to it, sonny," he mused. "Then how was it that when the dog- kennel caught fire this morning Bob put it out in a jift'y'r" the boy argued. Madison shrugged. "Well, if anything did happen to it." lie said, "Darrow will find it out. That extinguisher seems to be about the only thing he can think of just now, and " He was interrupted by a shout from I'.ob, and turned to see the fireman Uurrying towards him, clutching the itncorkcd fire-bomb which he had been examining. "Wliat's wrong, Darrow?" Madison demanded. "Someone has tampered with this mixture," Bob told him quickly. "There's nitro in it! You know what that means." "Nitro!" Madison exclaimed. "Good heavens ! No wonder we had an ex- plosion !" Bob looked at him earnestly. "Mr. Madison," he said, "I want 3'ou to understand that what happened just now was no fault of mine. I want you to understand that it was oaused by no Haw in my invention. I've got com- plete faith in the extinguisher, sir, and 4ill I ask is another chance to prove its value to yon. I'll h<ave to scrap the ' doctored ' contents of the remaining grenades, and make up a fresh supply of the true ingredients. I'ortunalely, I have a formula, aud I can be ready for tt fresh test in a few days. And, l>elieve mo, I'll take every precaution to see that the grenades aren't tampered with again." "Very well, Darrow." Madison re turned. "I guess the least I can do is to stand by you. My laboratory is still at your disposal." The Nightingale Club. " X/'OUR move," said Kireman Pal I TIeelev to jv comrade who iiad challengcil Iiim to a game of ciies.s. September 19th, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA The other "smoke-cater " pondered long and deliberately, and then shifted one of his jiieces tentatively. Fireman I'at Hecley glanced up at Battalion (.'hief Watson, who was looking on witli amusement. "He moved, sorr," said I'at, with more than a trace of Irish brogue, and then he proceeded to make a series of manreuvres that swept the board clean. Not far laway two other men were dis- cussing a subject that had no relation to a chess-board, excepting perhaps that one of them was the pawn of a masterly schemer who played his own deep game from a checkered background of sliifty enterprises. lie had given the name of Thompson, and had asked to see Bob Darrow, and, with his first words to the young fire- man, had broached the reason tor Jiis call. Facing him now in the entrance to tlie station. Bob looked at the man curiously. "How did you know I was working On a chemicial fire-extinguisher?" he asked. Thompson smiled an oily smile. He was a small, stout, suave individual with a deceptive air of being a prosperous business man. "It's my business to know about things that there's money in," he mentioned. ■'And I believe that your extinguisher will be a bhj money-maker." "If it's successful," Bob murmured. "Well, I happen to know that it worked once," Thompson stated. "That's enough for me. All I want is an opportunity to talk this thing over with you." Bob was interested. Of course, he reflected, Madison had first claim on his process. But in the possible event of his turning it down, this fellow- Thompson might take it up. There was no harm in following up this interview, at any rate. At least, so Bob imagined. "I'm off on Thursday night," he said to Thompson. "But, by the way, I'd like to be perfectly fair with you. Mr. Madison is interested in this chemical fire-extinguisher of mine, and I'm in- debted to him for some assistance in perfecting it. Naturally, I'd like him to handle it if it promises any success." "Don't worry about that, Darrow," Thompson rejoined. "I can probably come to some mutual agreement with Mr. Madison after I've talked it over with you. So we'll make it Thursday night, eh? And if you've no objection we'll combine business with pleasure. Nothing like talking business over a good dinner in cheerful surroundings. What do you say to meeting me at the Nightingale Club?" "I don't believe I know it," Bob told him. "Where is it ?" . Thompson wrote out the address for him. Bob did not know that it was a place with a somewhat ugly reputation, and, having agreed to meet Thompson there at nine o'clock on the evening of the following Tiiursday, saw his visitor off the premises. Leaving the fire-station. Thompson took a street-cvar to a block of offices down-town, and half an hour later he might have been seen opening a door which I)ore the legend. "D. Mitchell. Investments." that simple word "Invest- ments " covering a muliiiude of shady arlivities. Mitchell was dictating a statement to a girl secretary., but the moment he saw Thompson he dismissed his employee and sent her into an adjoining room. " Well." he said, as soon as he was alone with Thomp.son. "what's the news?" "Mitchell." was liie srnug answer, "he fell for it like a ton of coals !" Every Tuesday "Did you fix it for tlie Nightingale Club?" Thompson grinned. "He'll be there Thursday night—with bells on." " Good !' &aid Mitchell. " I'll have the Madisons there." Thompson leaned over the counter of Mitchell's desk. "Say," he drawled, "do tlie Madi- sons know tliat you own the Nightingale Club?" "No," Mitchell rejoined curtly; " and they'd better not find out, either. They don't know I'm connected in any way with that kind of a joint. They sort of figure that I'm of independent means. Get me?" "Oh, don't worry about me!" Thomp- son told him. "I'm speechless. But 1 ain't so sure of that girl Trixie you've been runnin" aroimd with. She's mighty jealous. Dan, an' if she sees you ttiero with another dame " "I'll take care of Trixie," Mitchell interrupted. "Now let's get down to business. I want to have everything cut and dried.' Thursday Night. HAUNT of notorious characters, the Nightingale Club was packed on the evening of Bob Darrow's aiipointnient. Entering it by an unjiretentious door- way in a back street, one suddenly found oneself in a bizarre restaurant. Dancing- girls provided entertainment on a polished strii^ of floor surrounded by small tables, and through a glitter of bright liglits stuffed elligies of song-birds flashed overhead on concealed wires, cunningly symbolical of the club's title. The habitues of the place were an un- savoury-looking crowd, but not all of those present were regular patrons. There was a sprinkling of sightseers who had merely come to study the types ot humanity to be found there, and to tliank the fates tliat they themselves were decent, law-respecting citizens. It was in the guise of a curious siglit- seer that Dan Mitchell liad prevailed upon .June Madison and her father to visit the place, and, seated with them at u table in a corner of the restaurant, he affected to deplore the surroundings. "Yes, Dan,'" said Madison, "it's on interesting enough place, but a regular plague-.spot, for all that. I notice, for one tiling, that they don't abide by the prohibition laws. It's the kind of place, Dan. that the police ought to get their hands on." "I agree with you heartily," . lied Mitchell, and then turned his attention to June. .^t a table in a kind of alcove on the other side of the room a man and two girls were sitting. The nuin was Thomp- son, and his (ompanions. a blonde and a brunette, had been chosen for their attractiveness, though they were some- what too heavily made-up. The brunette was Trixie Farrell, that, same Trixie in whom Dan Mitchell had been interested, though his infatuation for her had begun to wane ever since he had met June Madison. Trixie was staring at the table occupied by Mitchell and the Madi.sons, and there was a tiny gliiter in her dark eyes that betrayed resentment. "Who's that baby-faced dame with Dan?" she demanded of Thompson. Thompson fidgeted a trifle anxiously. "Oh. that's Madison's daughter June,' he returned, trying to sound casual. The.woman at his side bit her lip: "So that's Mitchell's game I" sin' snapped. "Playing tip to the old nim to get the girl, huh ?" "No, Trixie—no!" Thompson pro- 3 If i^