Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday pressure of Piccardi's fingers on her arms again—saw his hirelings instinc- tively stiffen as their hands flashed to coat pockets where their fingers fas- tened around the butts of their guns. "You know wliat you've to do, Lita," Piccardi hissed through gritted teeth. "Act naturally and__ ho won't suspect—then we'll get him." She nodded slowly; watched the racketeer and his men tip-toe swiftly to a door that gave access to a smaller room, then, as they disappeared, she dropped into the chesterfield and picked up a magazine that was lying there. "Come in." She glanced up with every appearance of casualness as the door from the restaurant opened, then smiled bewitchingly as her visitor strode into the room. "Oh, it's you, Big Boy. Sharp on time, too. Splen- did, for I've only engaged this room for lialf an hour. Time enough for a nice little chat, though, isn't it?" Howard Smith alias Big Boy nodded and coming across to her, he dropped on to the couch and took Iier hands in his. "Look here, kid," he said somewhat gruffly, " when I met up with you last month I thought we were going to be mighty good friends. Then what hap- pened? I went off for a spell and on my return found that you'd been mix- ing with another crowd. Too bad, Lita.. Of course, Pecunni's all right, but " "Piccardi did you say?" she inter- rupted him teasingly. "Hell!" The word ripped from be- tween Big Boy's curling lips and hi-- eyes blazed with an ugly gleam. "Why, Lita, if I thought you'd been mixing with that skunk I'd kill you both—I swear J. -.vould I" But Lita only smiled. It pacified her to know that he had not the slightest suspicion of her relationship with his rival and it also gave her the necessarv bit of confidence to go right through with the diabolical part she had to play. BOY'S CINEMA "Then I'm glad I don't know this Piccardi, Big Boy, if that's what you'd feel about such a friendship," she said with a disiarming smile. ■' Yeah." He squeezed her hands, gazing wistfully into her pale blue eyes. •'But forget Piccardi, Lita, and let's talk of more pleasant things. Now I'm back in the city and have hit on you once more, why not join up with me again? You're a pretty kid and I'm mighty fond of you. What do you say?" Lita was silent. Not because she was at a loss for words, but because her gaze was riveted on the door across the room that led into the adjoining apart- ment. Slowly and stealthily it was being pushed open by avenging hands ! "Stick 'em up, you rat!" The words were spat out with savage intensity, but if Big Boy felt any qualms ho did not show them even by the merest flicker of an eyelid. Slowly, he turned his head, and Lita, watching him closely, could not help but admire the coolness of the man. ".Ah, Piccardi. Lot me congratulate you on this very clever prearranged niecting." He looked with an air of bravado at his deadly rival, and then at the five men with him, who were clasping revolvers which were directed at him through their jacket pockets. "But why got a woman to frame me for you, Piccardi? That shows that you arc "Silence, you skunk, or by heavens I'll drill you just where you are!" Piccardi's face was a mask of cold fury, and his finger trembled on the tiigger of the gim that he gripped in his hand. A moment of silence wliilc the two eyed each other levelly, then: "You get up. Big Boy, and keep your blamed hand away from that pocket. You hear me?" Big Boy rose languidly to his feet, dropping Lita's hands, then smile<) quizzically as Pircardi'.s hirelings ranged themselves around him, still covering him with their guns. "Well, and what's the big idea?" Big 16 Boy inquired, though he knew the answer. "You know well enough!" snapped Piccardi, glowering savagely at him. "Encroach on my territory, steal rny trade; run off with my booze, kill my men! You'd do that, would you, you swine! Well, you'll not do it again, by heavens you won't! I've got you—got you at last. Big Boy, and, by heck, you're going for your last ride! You hear me, you scum?" Big Boy drew himself i\p, eyes agleam, hands clenching tightly at his sides. For a moment it seemed that he would fling himself at his rival, but a sudden threatening movement of those hands held ready in the pockets of Pic- cardi's henchmen told Big Boy that violence woidd avail him nothing. "Through that door there!" Piccardi stabbed a finger viciously towards a door opposite the one that led into the small communicating room. This was a way out to the back of the premises. "And keep moving. Big Boy. Understand?" Big Boy inclined his head, gazed deep into Piccardi's burning eyes for a moment or two, then bracing his shoulders he turned on his heel and strode towards the indicated door. Not a sound in the room, then, save the shuffling of feet as Big Boy strode onwards to his doom followed by Pic- cardi's men with their guns trained on his back. They disappeared, then Pic- cardi, lighting a cigarette, turned to Lita who was standing white-faced by the ciiestorfield striving to master the emotions that stormed her breast. "I'll be seeing you, Lita," he said in a cool gloating voice, and quickly turn- ing from her he sped after that grim little procession. Big Boy's Homecoming. AT the precise moment that Big Boy was forced from that room at the pistol's point a man arid a boy came into the almost deserted restaurant. Roy Smith and Detective Brady, a wizen-faced little man with MptMiii). 1 2Cth, 1031.