Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday Nick,'' he said, "and ycKi'll win fo' sho'." "Thanks, Snake Eyes," Nick answered. "You know, I've practically cleaned up that big game now. Come here, nigger, and gimme luck." And to the amusement of the onlooker.^ ho rubbed the palm of his hand on Snake Eyes' crop of woolly liair. "Say, Nick," someone called, "you know ^\here to send my share of the dough you make." " Sure, I know," Nick an.swered laugh- ingly. "Of course, you boys all under- stand. I pay you back your original investments, and we split the wiiwiingi in proportion." "How much you t'eenk you gonna win, boss?" asked Bikelas the Greek. "Why, J ween so much," Nick re- joined, imitating the Greek's accent, "you can send back to de old country for your wife—and your sweetheart, too." * Jack came forward. "Nick," he said, a little unsteadily, "I'll miss you." "Boy. a.s soon as I make my killing I'll send for you," Nick assured him, "and that won't be long." "All aboard,"' came the voice of an official, and a moment later the gambling coterie of Irontown was waving farewell to their "best bet" as the train pulled out. Nick dumped his luggage and made his way to the ob.scrvation car. Standing on the snriall platform there, lio watolied familiar scenes till Irontown was out of sight, and then he turned briskly to an oraciul who happenefl to be near by. "Say, conductor." he aaked, "what time do we get into New York?" "We're due in there at six-forty-two," the official answered, "and we've never been lato yet." "Bet you ten to five we don't make it on time," Nick offircd quickly. The Big City. NICK emerged from the room he had booked at a certain New York super-hotel, and took the elevator to the ground floor. A rapid descent BOY'S CINEMA through sixteen stories brought him to the palatial foyer and lounge. "Nice ride—thanks," lio drawled to the lift attendant, and with the air of a man entirely at his case he strolled over to the register clerk's desk. "Good-morning, Mr. V^enizelos," the clerk greeted politely. "I hope you are finding evei-ything satisfactory." "Oh, yeah!" Nick rejoined. "Fine hotel you got here. Er—by the way, you haven't seen Hickory Short around to-day, have you?" A queer look passed across the clerk's face. "Oh, you mean—Hickory Short the gambler?" he said. "He doesn't live here." "No? I heard he'did." Nick eyed the clerk keenly. He was convinced that the fellow was evading the truth, and could hardly blame him. With the authorities always on the look-out for any breach of the gaming laws, the Utmost caution had to be exercised. "Oh, say," he went on, leaning closer and speaking to the clerk in an under- tone, "you don't happen to know in which room the—er—the big roving poker game is going on to-night?" "No, sir, I don't," the clerk answered. " Wo don't permit anything like that around this hotel, sir." "Oh, I see! Thanks." Nick moved away, looking around him casually till his glance encountered two things which, in imison, wort' as irre- sistible to him as the gambling lure—a blonde Jiead and a pretty face. Tliey belonged to a girl behind a candy and tobacco counter, and Nick walked over and asked for a good cigar. "Those are very nice," the girl said, producing a box of cheroots. "A dollar each. I can recommend them." "Do you smoke them yourself?" Nick inquired whimsically, and then, as she shook her head with a pretty laugh: "I'll talte five of them." He had handed her a bill, and w;us telling her to keep the cliaiige when he observed a" familiar-looking object on fclie counter—a small, cylindrical wooden box containing two ivory cubes. "What are these things for?" he asked innocently. "Poker dice," the girl explairied. "It's a dollar if you lose, and if you win you get two dollars' worth of mer- chandise." "Anything behind the counter?" "Anything in merchandise." the girl informed him, wibli a twinkle in her eye. Nick grinned. "Well, you're a cuto litHo package." he declared. "Mind you, I'm a little green at this sort of thing, but hero goes. Poker dice, one flop." And he picked up the box and rattled the " bones." Three times he played his luck against the girl's, and three times he won. "Look here." he said then, "we'd better quit this. I'd hate to see a nice little girl like you lose her job." "All right, we quit," the girl answered. "That's three games on the house.. My, but you're lucky! Do you gamble mucli—I mean for big money?" "Well, do I look like a tinhorn?" Nick retorted. "Sure. I take a little flutter once in a while. But how much do I owe you ?" "Three dollars for the games," the girl told him, "and you get six dollars' worth of merchandise. What will you have?" Nick pointed. "I've got my eye on that big box of candy marked six bucks," he • .said. "No, no, donjt wrap it up. You keeii it, baby." "Oh, I co\ddn't do tliatl" she pro- tested sweetly. "That's all right." N'ick rejoined. "I don't eat candy. It gets in my teeth. Look here, I'm a stranger in town, you ktiow, and I'm kinda ione- .some. How'd you like to conio out and have dinner with me -to-night?" She shook her blonde head. "Oh. I couldn't—my mother doesn't let me stay out at night." "Too bad," Nick nninnuied. "Are Nick seemed to sag in his chair. Said Hickory Short, sitting on his left against you to-night, barber." " The luck's certainly running September 2«th, 19M.