Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

20 "SMART MONEY."! (Continued irom page 12.) I ing. "You've got class. T!iat'.s what I like about you. You know, I think you're about the prettiest little 'thing I've ever seen—and the sweetest!" A shudder seemed to pass through her. She could not bear to liear him talk- ing liko that, when her conscience was telling lier that she was a coward and a traitor—a traitor to the man who had done so much for her. "Nick," she told Jiim dully, "I'm not what you think 1 am." "What, not sweet?" he cried. "Now, don't tell me; I know. Nick used to be a sugar-taster." He laughed, and: "Say, look at this! Something I got for you." And he pulled out a jewelled bracelet and snappe<l it on her wrist. "I can't take it, Nick," she faltered. "Oh, yes, you can!" he told her. "And what's more, before long I'm goin' to give you a ring for that third finger of yours. But what's the matter?" he added with sudden concern. "Honey, you're shaking like a leaf." "I—I'm all upset to-night, Nick," she said, and even as she spoke there was a sudden uproar in the salon below. Nick seemed to stiffen, and then, wheeling, he darted to a small, concealed trap-door and lifted it. Beneath him he saw men and women running in a panic as the district attorney and his minions burst into the room. He saw- tables overturned, gambling parapher- nalia wantonlj' smashed by the repre- sentatives of the law. He saw Jack in the grip of a plain-clothes man, fighting like mad to free himself. Nick whipped round. "It's a raid," he said to Irene. "You stay right here." And with the words he dashed through to his office with the intention of destroy- ing all incriminating papers in his desk. Irene rose to her feet slowly. Tears were glistening in her eyes, and her under-lip was quivering. She opened her handbag and took out a folded sheet of paper. Then she moved towards a clothes-stand on which Nick's overcoat was hanging. With a hand that trembled she slipped the folded sheet of paper into an inside pocket. Evidence. IT was only after he had lo.?t liis jacket and bruised both knuckles with a considerable amount of hard punch- ing that Jack managed to escape the attentions of the plain-clothes man who had seized him. THE GREATEST GAME ON THE FINEST "HOME" BILLIARD TABLE . Dining Tables, in various sizes and - styles, are also offered for cash or ^ • oasv terms. Send for Free. Art ]..ist, f I (Icsoriliing them. Kilcys are the ^ : larRCst makers of full-size Billiard j •"• Tables in Gt. Britain. ^ E« r% -w M ry -x^ ¥ T* T^ Howard Works, ^ . J. K11-.£<Y, L. I U.9 ACCRINGTON, i and Oepl. 35. 147, AldersgoU Street, LONDON E.C.I. a 32 FREE Billiard Tables. Send for details and price list. Seplemlier 201 li, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA At the top of his speed Jack raced to the head of fhe staircase, turned sharp to the left along the landing and then luirled himself at the door of Nick's private sitting-room. As he flung it open and lurched across the threshold he saw Irene at the clothes- stand—saw her in the very act of thrust- ing that folded sheet of paper into the inside ix)oket of Nick's overcoat. She had turned her head quickly as Jack had plunged into the room, and now, as Jier eyes met his own, Jack detected the guilt written on her face. Pausing in. the doorway, dishevelled, breathless, he remained motionless for a spell, and. while pandemonium continued to rage in tlie salon below, he looked at her in mute accusation. Then all at once he clo.sed the door behind him and moved across to her. "I thought so," ho .said, his lip curl- ing scornfully. "It was you who let those coppers in. You dirty little stool- pigeon!" And he took his hand across iier cheek witli a sting that left a red weal. "Oh!" she criod sharplj-, stumbling back, and in that same instant a pan- therish figure leapt from the adjoining office. It was the figure of Nick, and he was w^iite with rage. He liad turned in time to see the blow struck, without realising the rea.soii for it, and in a bound ho was between Jack and Irene. "What's all this about?" he rasped, gripping hol3 of Jack and drawing back a clenched fist. Jack clutched him by "the shoulder. "Lay off. Nick," he said earnestly. "She's framing evidence on you!" "Ah. you and your suspicions " "She's framin' you, I tell you!" Jack blurted. "She put somethiu' in the inside pocket of your coat. Look for yourself." Nick glared at him and dipped into the garment. He glanced at the folded sheet of paper and then thrust it back. "Huh, nothing but a rfrcing-form. you smack-off!" he blazed. "And you struck her, eh?" A fit of ungovernable rage .seized Nick. He lashed out at Jack, his bunched knuckles battering into the yoimger man's face. Jack cannoned against the wall and Nick pounced on him, hitting at him with both fists. "Lay off, Nick, I toll you!" Jack panted. "Quit it, will you? I'm trying to steer you straight—tryin' to steer you straight——" A savage blow to the mouth cut short his protests, and his temper flared up. "Hang you, Nick!" Jack ground out. "I'm goiii' to lot you have it!" And he rushed blindly. He had the reach, but in Nick's stocky form there was a reserve of strength which more than counter - balan cod that advantage. Nick broke the at- tack and took the offensive again, hammering fiercely, connecting at last with a terrific jolt that swept Jack off his feet and biuled him to the floor. His head struck (lie "surround " of parquet with a sick- ening smack, and he lay >fin. with arms wide-spread. A n d in the very instant of his fall the door Vas flung open and Every Tuesday District Attorney Black stepped into tho room with three or four plain-clothes men, ■'Conic on, Nick," Black said quietly, " lefs go down-town." " What for ?" snapped Nick, glowering at him. " You got nothin' on mc. I'm just a guest hero, liko a hundred others. You can"t hang anything on me. 1 don't own this place—look tip the deed in the County Recorder's oflTico. All I own here is what I've got on." One of the detectives went to the clothes-stand and took Nick's overcoat. I>'rom a chair into which she had sunk miserably, Irono watched tho man re- move it from the hook, and there sccmod to be an agonised expression on her face. "It's hot and stuffy in here. Nick." said the district attorney. "Let's take a walk." Tho detective ,camc over from the dotlics-stand with Nick's coat and held it open for him. "H'm." Nick mused. "You got good manners for cops, you guys. All right." he added, with a laugh. "I'll oblign you. for all tho good it's gonna do you." The district attorney leaned forward before the coat could bo donned, and ho took something that was protruding from the inside pocket. "So all you own here is what you've got on. oh?'' drawled tho D.A. "Then, in that case, you've got plenty. " "That's nothin' but a racing form." Nick retorted. The district attorney smiled. "You probably don't know that ihere's an old Blue Law that classifies a racing form as gambling paraphornaha.'' he observed. " That same law makes pos- session of one punishable by a sit months' gaol sentence. I didn't know it myself till just a few days ago. but I know it now—and so do you. It's a law that most of us have forgotten.'' Nick's eyes blazed. Ho realised all at once how he had been tricked and "framed," so that he could be put awav for six months while his gambling-ring was systematically broken up. Round he wheeled, and .started for the bowed figure of the girl in the chair. But before ho could roach her the dis- trict attorney and one of his men had seized him. "You dirty double-crosisor, you!" Nick raged. " You " "Say. wliat's tho matter with this follow?" came tho voice of a dotoctiv? who had como upon tho still form of Jack. Nick turned his head. "I .socked him." he said between his tooth. "And I'm darned sorry! He didn't have it coming to him." "He's tincon.scious." observed the 'toe. "Let's be going. Nick," Said t'lo dis- trict attorney. " I " "Wait a minute!" It was the voira of the detective stooping -beside Jiok. "This fellow ain't unconscious. He's dead !" Nick blanched. "What's that?" Ho suddenly tore free and rushed to where his friend lav. "Jack—Jack!" ho cried. "Jack. I'm talkin" to you ! Jack 1" He lifted tho dead man's head, anil then ho tindorstood. There was a pointed doorstop .screwed into the floor, an.I Jack, in his fall, had struck it just be- tween the neck and tho skull. Someone drew the little barber to liis foot. I,.ike one in a trance he heard th.) voice of the district attorney, a voioa which betra\ed lilack's fooling of awe. '■ It ' looks liko manslaughter now. Nick " Nick turned slowly and looked at tho girl who had betrayed him.