Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesaay An elderly man sat opposite him, reading a paper. The front page was i i-ned towards Nick, and suddenly a headline caught his eye—a headline that seemed to transmit a violent shock to him, so that all at once he sprang to his feet and snatched the paper from the stranger's grasp. "Say, what's the idea?" gasped the man. "Give me back my paper! You've got a nerve!" But Nick was not listening. He was glaring tike a madman at^that head- line: "HICKORY SHORT TO BE RE- LEASED FROM GAOL AT END OF THE MONTH." There in cold print Nick Venizelos read of the genuine Hickory Short's arrest fcix weeks previously for a breach of the gaming laws. There, before his eyes he saw a revelation that told him ho had been fooled into entering the wrong game, and he knew then that he had been amongst a school of card- sharping swindlers. That was the news he would have to take back to Irontown unless The Return of the Trimmed. A KNOCK on the door of Room 346 brought the bogus Hickory Short, otherwise known in crook gambling circles as Sleepy Sam, to his feet. "Well, well," he said, as he recog- nised his caller, "if it isn't Nick." "It ain't his sister," the little Iron- tbwn barber replied with an affability that masked the volcanic rage in his soul. "By the way. Hickory, it was nice of you to send me down that fizz water." "Not at all," drawled Sleepy Sam. "The pleasure was all mine. But is tliis a social visit, or did you locate some fresh money, Nick?" Nick pulled out a thick wad, held by an elastic baud. The top note was genuine currency, and, before a close examination could detect that those beneath were mere blank slips of paper cut to the same shape, he returned the package to his wallet. " I told you my brother works in the _ mint," said Nick, atid, fairly into the room now, ho greeted Schultz, Tompkins, Barnes and River, who were sitting At the card table. "Sit in, Nick," called Barnes. "Sure," Nick answered, taking a chair. "Gimme some chins. I'll take three thousand dollars' worth." A stack of discs was pushed across the tflble, and Nick con- trived to take them without immediat-ely offering cash in return. There was nothing un- usual in this so long as t>he other gamblers contmued to believe he carried a bank-roll. Cards were dc<»lt. If the pro- cedure of the previous evening was followed, Nick knew thar he would be allowed to win a fairly comfortable amount on the first few hsnds, .merely to encourage him. He was not disappointed. Hundred-dollar chips and thousand-dollar chips were pushed into the pool as the players backed their card.<;, and, with the stack in the middle of the table representing five BOY'S CINEMA thousand " bucks," the betting was brought to a close. "Pair of kings," said Schultz, show- ing his hand. "That beats you and Barnes, Tompkins "—as these two laid out their cards. "Beats me, too," put in River. "But not me," said Sleepy Sam. "Mine are aces, and a queen." Nick leaned forward and revealed his hand. "I think I top you. Hickory," he observed. "Aces, and a king." "You win, Nick," Sleepy Sam agreed. "Looks like your lucky day." But as he said the words he exchanged a sar- donic smile with his confederates. Nick raked in the chips, kept two thousand to himself and then pushed the rest across the table. "Here's my three thousand back," he explained. "I'll play with the two- grand I won." "Ah, you keep those three thousand as well, Nick," Sleepy Sam told him. "Keep 'em—pay for 'em. You may need 'em later." "That's all right," Nick persisted. "If I need more than the two thousand I've won, I'll buv some. But why buy now?" • ' A glitter began to assert itself in the heavy-lidded eyes of Sleepy Sam. "Well, that ain't the idea. Nick," he argued. "I mean, a guy can come in here and sit in cold, without any dough. Oh, I know you've got dough, but it just ain't done—that's all. We like to see the colour of the money. You buy your chips and then cash "in on your winnings when you're through playin'." "Oh, what's the difference. Hickory?" put in Schultz. "We're holdin' up the game." "This is my room and my game," Sleepy Sam rapped out, his voice rising a key. "An' the game is gonna be played according to rules." Nick stood up, feigning indignation. "All right," he jerked. "Pay nie otF. I blew another game to come up hero to-night, and I reckon I'll go back t.') it." ■'We ain't runnin' any credit system," Sleepy Sam barked. "You am't in Irontown now. Let's see jour dough." "You saw my dough yesterday—ten grand of it!" snapped Nick. " Pav mo offl" "'Y'esterday was another day," Barne- cut in. "What's the idea, Venizelos' Tryin' to pull a fast one on us? Say. who do you think you're playin' viith — a lotta chumps? Come on, show us your dough 1" Nick bared his teeth. "I don't show nothin'," ho blaze.l. "You cheap bunch of chisclers. I knox^ who you are! Hickory Short. hu!i ' Didn't take you long to get out of tli it gaol in Florida, did it—Sleepy Sam?" " Supposin' I ain't Hickory Short." sneered the leader of the gang. "Sup- posin' I am Sleepy Sam." "Yeah, an' supposin' these guys ain't Schultz, Tompkins, River an' Barnes cither," Nick flung at him. "Ah, you guys ain't gamblers—you're burglars. How'd you like somebody to show your racket to the police, huh?" he added fiercely. " Come on—do I get my dough or not ?" "You get nothin'." snarled Sleepv Sam. "You small-time squealer—yon tinhorn from the sticks. You get nothin' from us." "Well. I'll show you!" Nick shouted, and. reckless of the odds against him. ho threw himself at the leader of tho card-sharp ring. The following morning, a large plaster over one eye and a mournful • conn tenance betrayed the fact that the odds had been too heavy for Nick Venizelos. and that ho had roooivod rather nior ■ than nothing—in short, a good deal of punishment, but not a cent in cash. The little gambler laid her on a couch. Jack watching him the while. SeuliMiiber -GtU, 1'.)^!.