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When a big-time racketeer
shows off to a golddigger
you can look for action,
and here you have it in
a rapid-fire short story
By
PATRICK S. BILKS
lllutlraliont By JOE KISG
EUNICE laughed as the listened lo the
speed top' motorcycle chug away
beck into ihe night.
Duke Mitchell, at Ker tide, glared
down at hii speedometer. Il was still,
now, uid at leio. He stalled lo iwur, bul.
intlead. raced tlx engine madly, mapped in the
clutch and lurched back into the ttieain of cara
headed down the Albany Post Road (or New
Yoik City.
She mocked him.
"So you're the little cop-squelcher, the duke,
himself, ui person this u not a movie and
you let a hick town cop take t ten ipot off you
for doing over 35 milea in hour I "
I fe chuM to ignore the tatt crack.
"I wm doing over 65. Anyway, Eunice,
you know I can't afford lo gel into trouble with
the law. It wouldn't help my firm al all" Hit
manner became boastful. "There's not a jail
houv in the La it that's got my record, and I
don't figure on giving them a chance to get me
at lent not when a louiy ten-spot will keep
me out of trouble."
He looked at her face in the dim glow of
the daih light. There war something there he
didn't like. He taw diibelief. And in spite of
hit 42 years. Duke Mitchell wil a big school
hoy itickmg out hit cheil and trying lo thine
up to hii giiL He was goofy over Eunice.
SHE, on the other hand, could lake her men
or leave them. She wai a prominent mem
ber in good standing of the Chorinet' Pro
tective Association and often graced the front
linea of the more ritzy revues. Although the
Wat a notorious gold dig
ger. L.unice Uoruell gava
only big timert a tumble.
Mitchell had made hit
little pile and he wat no
fooL He wat "laying low"
for a while and enjoying
the fruit of hit labors.
Hit last racket had been
within the law welli al
most within the law
wiling real estate
hy a clever intern
ol misrepresentation!,
and he crowned hit
efforts by finally do
ing hit partner, Sol
liiomtein, out of hit
hare of the profits.
The mob laughed at
Brontlein and
slapped Mitchell on
the ahoulder.
Duke Mitchell
firnt met her five
and a half feet of shimmering, blond
beauty at the opening of the Nine
o'Clock Revels at the Gotham tix
months before and he had made the
going pretty easy for her ever since.
She wat known to be his girl and now
now, he fell her slipping from htm. He
thought he detected contempt in her tone.
T-IAT burned the Duke up. He
look it out on the ireelerator. Sixty
five. 68. 71. 70. 73. 71 this
kind of thing for over six miles, not
even slowing down for crossings.
"I'll tell you what I'm going to do.
Eunice," he finally said, "I'm going to
get that ten back with interest ten
thousand per cent. I mean ten thousand
per cent I I II make lh.it hick town of
Abington come through good and
proper.
He went to bed with a well worked
out plan of revenge on his mind.
It wat a dapper, youngish-looking man of 42,
arrayed in pearl-gray topcoat and spats, who
hummed a tune from the Nine o'Clock Revels
at he waited impatiently at the paying teller's
window of ihe Hudson River Trust Company
on Broadway.
A short time later Duke Mitchell pushed
jauntily out through the revolving doors of the
bank and into the grimy sunlight of a Broadway
Saturday morning. Ha stepped up to the curb
and raised hit cane to summon a lexical).
He gave the cab driver the name of a "club"
on West 49th ttreet. The hackman knew the
place and maneuvered through the mazes of
traffic up to the door. Mitchell told him to
wail.
PRESENTLY he emerged and ordered:
"The Vernier Motor Salesroom Gibbons'
place. You know where it is?"
The driver know. "Sure, near Fi'ty-fort.
At the cab wormed through traffic Mitchell
produced a small bottle from his inside pocket
and took a sip. The fiery rye burned as it
went down. He slipped the chauffeur a bill
for a tip in full view of a group of salesmen
in- the window of tha Gibbons-Vernier Com
pany. .Would the salesman thow him a car).
TheV all hooped out alter Mitchell . .
looked at the tpeedometer, felt the radiator.
find no catch in it at all . . . iul a Brand-nets. Vernier Eight
for a thoumnd Julian , , , Something fahul
raced the motor.
Thef could
Would M Well. You iuit bet he would I
"How about that big yellow and maroon
roadster in Ihe window)' Duke asked, stepping
over to examine it.
"Yet. sir. This it going to be the thing at
all the resorts this winter. You know you can
have any color combination "
"How much did you say this was) I mean
caih."
"Thirty-eight eighty-five delivered equipped,
sir."
"Well. I have special reasons for wanting
this car delivered immediately. Is il all ready
to be driven on the ttreet right now)"
The talesman concealed hit surprise behind
a polite smile.
"Ah I believe to. tir. Are you ready to
take it now)" The talesman appraised Duke's
haberdashery and neatly-tailored appearance.
He also caught the faint odor of Ihe liquor on
Mitchell's breath. A sport if there ever was
one!
'VES. I'll pay cash.
I check Mitchell
1 11, Vii
fore
Will you take a
it the name r. A.
Mitchell." He added this at if the
mere name should allay any yean or doubts
that might possibly enter an uncharitable mind.
He handed the bewildered salesman an en
graved card and went on to explain rather hur
riedly and with just the slightest touch of im-
fiatience thai he was a tilk buyer from Cleve
and and that hit wife had taken hit car on an
extended trip to Canada. He intended to go
down to the trackt in Maryland and well
have a little fun here and there.
"Very well. tir. lust take a teat over here,
please, while I have the mechanics look it over,
fill the tank, and get everything ready."
The salesman went back to the
shop and beckoned Mr. Long, jun
ior partner of the firm, to follow.
He directed the two mechanics lo
fill the tank and Hart the motor of
the roadster. He then turned and
explained the situation lo his chief.
"He looks all right to me, Henry."
he concluded.
"Oh. lure, he fould look all
right to you. But you know the
rule of the house on checks. I, per
tonally, don't like his
looks'
i f. Together they tp
N proached Duke, who
wat tilting in an easy
1 5i chair near the road
ster. As thev came ud he
reached into his inside coat
pocket and flashed forth a
check book and a long,
pink, authentic-looking slip
of paper. He spoke before
tSey did. His tone wat
toothing and seductive.
"You folkt needn't
worry," he said, waving
the pink slip. "This it a
casher's check on the
Hudson River Trust Com
pany. I can write you
my personal check for the
test.
Mr. Long examined the
check. It looked good.
"It's a rule of the house
that all checks mutt be
verified before the goods
are delivered. If you
wouldn't mind "
"Sure, sure, go ahead,"
Mitchell heartily agreed.
"Call ud the bank. Mr.
Reed will tell you all
about me. He's head
teller there and knows me very well."
While Long called up the bank, the tales
man eagerly, greedily made out the bill of tale.
Duke. Mitchell wrote a check for $1 385.
Yet, the account of Mr. F. X. Mitchell of
Cleveland ran well over $10,000. A cashier '
check for $2500 had been issued lo him that
morning. The account was over a year's
standing. Everything was satisfactory.
N a very short time Duke Mitchell wat feel
ing his way up congested Fifth Avenue.
The long, thinv beautv throbbed under hit
careful pressure on the accelerator.
He stopped at an inn just north of Yonker
and tat down to a rather elaborate meal.
Everything from toup to nuts. He had plenty
of time. Just two o clock. Give the bang em
ployes plenty of time to go home. Mitchell
always made ture everything was "in the bag"
before he started anything.
It was late in the afternoon when Duke
Mitchell pulled up outside the expansive win
dow of the Vernier Sale Company of Abing-ton-on-the-Hudson.
He climbed out of the
roadster and walked briskly into the taletroom.
A tall, blond young man with a varsity-football-team
look about him came forward.
"Who's in the market for a good car)" be
gan Duke, cheerfully aggressive, "A thou-
Although the ' ."j a
'notorious gold ! i g g tr
. . . Eunice Uordell
only big-timert a
tumble.
I
land dollars cash lakes
that brand-new Ver
nier Eight roadster
out there in front I
just bought it this
morning. I got to
gel back lo Chicago
quick and I need cold
caih. You'll never
gel a buy like thai in
your life again. Go
out and look her over.
She hain't done 45
miles yet"
THEY all trooped
out after Mitch
ell and. in turn,
raced the motor,
looked at the speed
ometer, examined the
tires, lilted the hood
and fell the radiator.
"Can't tell much
by the speedometer,
Walt," whiipercd one
of his cronies. "You
know they can fix
hem thing! to that it
don't show no mileage
at all."
Walt finally looked
up at Mitchell.
"Say, miiter, the
ture lookt O. K. to
me. What is the mat
ter with it) Split cyl
inder block or some
thing)" "The car is exactly as I bought it this
morning. I paid $3885 for it and I'm willing
to let it go right now if someone shows me
$ 1 000 cash. Here's the bill of sale and every
thing." They all sized him up curiously as he banded
tho yellow piece of paper lo Walt They
peeped over Walt't shoulder to read it. The
Gibbons Company of New York. Witnessed
and everything. Something fishy. Must be one
of those Chicago racketeers. A brand new
Vernier Eight sport roaditer for a thousand
dollars) Walt hedged :
"I haven't got a thousand dollars myself bul
I can get you five hundred now and five hun
dred say tomorrow."
Duke frowned at he antwered: "Get the
five hundred and then we'll talk business."
"I'll see what I can do. .muter. Go inside
and have a seat. I'm going to run up the
street to see a friend of mine. I think he can
fix me up."
WALT disappeared into a florist shop on
the next block. Five minute later he
was hurrying down the ttreet back to
ihe taletroom.
After a bit of ttalling Walt asked Mitchell
if he could drive it around a Utile. Sure thing.
Mitchell went with him and he took a few turns
up and down the road. He passed the tales
room five times, then diew up again at the
curb.
"I think she'll do." said Walt reflectively.
Let' go inside and I'll make up a bill of sale
for you."
As Duke stepped inside the door he was
seized on both sides by the wrists and, in leu
time than it lakes to tell it, manacles were
mapped on him by two brass-buttoned members
of the Abington township police. He struggled
faintly and cursed his captors.
"Not so fast, big boy. not so fast" spoke
up one of the officers. They both gave him a
quick but thorough frisking. They found no
weapons. They plainly showed their disappoint
ment and pushed him violently toward a chair.
Sit down there," growled the officer.
"Oh, you guys are brave, aren't you) Push
ing a poor defenseless citizen around. Take
these bracelets off, you stupid donkey. What
did I do to deserve this treatment)"
"That' what we're going to find out pretty
soon, see." And the officer, a big. raw-boned
fellow, pushed him in the face to hard that
Mitchell head whacked against the back of
the chair. They were playing right into Duke's
hands, y
A SMALL crowd was gathering outside the
window and some few came inside the
tore to allay their curiosity. Walt was
trying to get the Gibbons-Vernier Motor Com
pany on the wire.
' . . . O hello. . . This Gibbons-Vernier
Company) , . . This is the Halliday Vernier
Sales Company in Abington. . . . Abington-on-the-Hudson
... no, ABINGTON . .
yet, that't it . . ."
When Mr. Long at Gibbons learned that
Mitchell wat trying to tell the car for a thou
sand or less heburned up the wire. "Hold
him, hold him," he shrieked. "He gave us
check in payment for that car Ihit morning.
Take care of the car, will you) He' from
Chicago, it he) He told us he was a Cleveland
business man. He's a crook, that't what he ill
.(Copyright, 1SI0, b. EvsryWetlt Maaaslnt Printed la V,
fs Duke ttepped imide the door . . . he not seized on both side by
the B-riits . . . and manaclet nsre snapped on. . . . Mitchell fought
all the nay to Ihe station . . . arid hovled to high heaven.
I'll be up there myself Monday evening."
Mitchell fought every foot of the. way to the
station house. His collar was torn off his neck
and be wat a sorry looking sight with his bloody
nose. In vain did Duke protest that he had an
important date in New York.
When he got to the jail Mitchell demanded
a trial right then and there. They just laughed
at him and slammed a cell door in his face.
He then started to raise his cries to high
heaven. He played to perfection the part of
the outraged citizen.
This finally KOI on the nerves of the keener.
who told him he'd sock Mitchell in the iaw
: L- j:j : i '
ii tic uiuii I ULe aowu.
Mitchell dared him to lock away, and he
did. Police had to come downstairs into the
cell blocks to separate the two.
It was a moral victory for tht Duke. Once
more alone in his cell he rubbed his bruised jaw
meditatively and reflected that they'd pay for
all this, and through the nose.
a The county papers carried stories of the
"slick Chicago gangster" that had tried to "pull
a fast one on a prominent Abington business
man." Two of them had editorials the nest
day warning New York and Chicago gangsters
away from Westchester County. The New
York Sunday papers copied the stories in part
Lots of fine publicity that Abinzton-on-the
Hudson would pay for later, and pay for
dearly.
Sunday afternoon the "Duke" had two pro
fessional callers. Doctor Riskind. before he
left, had filled eight pages with notet on con
tusions, abrasions, shocks and what not all
suffered by the prisoner while in the hands of
the Abington authorities.
Counselor-at-Law Marcus Soblow was,
meanwhile, listening and questioning Duke
Mitchell on matters of technical importance.
They both took a most cordial leave of
their client. The thing had run off like clock
work.
LATE the next morning, the chief of police,
a ladder and a wiser man, looked across
his desk and over the brass rail that repre
sented the bar of justice in Abington, at Connor,
his-lieutenant.
"Connor, I guess they just got us dead to
rights on this business, but what's done is done.
It gives ut an awful black mark. There wat no
excuse for that rough stuff. They tell me that
bird can collect plenty from this township and
it looks like he's not going to leave any ttone
unturned.
"That quack doctor of hit tayi hi patient
hat become mentally unbalanced or something
from the treatment we gave him. We know
it's a lie, but what can we do) I'd like to give
him a little treatment right now I
a"He can get a dozen witnesses to say that
he been raving ever tince we arrestee! him.
Crazy like a fox, that bird ill"
"Yeah, when they told me that the bank
cathed the check I knew it wat all up. Those
two copt ought to get a medal. Bright boyi."
Connor shook his head mournfully.
Outside the station house Duke Mitchell and
Eunice, who had come up the night before,
were holding a family reunion.
"You took "em over like Dempsey look
Firpo, didn't you, honey)" Elaine attempted
8, A.
to smooth hi wrinkled
cravat
"It' an old racket
but I never saw it fail.
I wish they'd hurry up and bring that car. I'm
tick of looking at this burg.
"A fine lot of high-binders.'' be snorted, his
temper suddenly rising as he thought of the .
rough treatment he had had to undergo just lo
gel even with a motor cop. Duke was used to
getting his without any rough (tuff, and bus jaw
was no more badly bruised than hi pride.
Eunice stroked his arm.
"Never mind, honey," she cooed, "you took
the hayshakeri for a ride all right didn't you)
You sure made good on that little promise I"
Duke Mitchell swelled visibly.
"Ten thousand per cent" he muttered.
That' what I said I'd take 'em for, baby,
and that's what I'm taking 'em tor.
"Just leave it to Duke. baby. What he
says he'll do. he'll do. and that include the
wellest big time tonight at Ravanb's that you
ever had.
"The only thing make me sore is that it'
the community that will have lo pay, and not
that wise cop. I wish he'd have to pay the
damages personally. I don't suppose he'll even
get demoted. Wise guy I
"Well, anyway, he know sow when not to
monkey with the buzz saw ..." Duke cut
himself short
"Here come the car now I Get flash of
that I" Duke enthused.
A he spoke, the long, underslung roadster,
with polished nickel gleaming in the dull sun
light, eased silently along the curb and came to
a stop in front of them. The uniformed police
officer at the wheel got out and smiled up at
Mitchell.
'POME bus there, bud. Everything is just
,J as.youjeft it" Then he added sotto
voice: "Even that half-pint of booze fa
the left-hand side pocket There' a law against
that I think. Transportation, you know."
Duke was suddenly very pale around tha
gills. He remembered the rye he had bought
Saturday. Ye gods, to think that everything
should go wrong now t the last minute I Maybe
he could well, it was just a chance. He
mumbled something about being "a regular
guy-"
I m a regular guy, all right" aid the
copper, 'but that don't buy me my groceries.
Think I'll have to pull ya in."
But even as he spoke he pulled out of the
breastpocket of his uniform a small booklet
labeled "Police Traffic Rule and City Ordi
nances of Abington." He opened it and handed
it to Mitchell.
Mitchell understood. He slid his right hand
into his pants pocket withdrew it, and, in the
most unobtrusive manner imaginable, slipped a
crisp ten dollar note between the pages of the
booklet which he was pretending, all the while,
to read. He handed the booklet back to the
officer who took it with a dignified nod and said
to Duke: "O. K. buddy; see y 'again some
time."
Mitchell drove without a word for the first
few minutes, enjoying his new-found freedom.
Then Eunice broke the silence.
"Say, Duke, didn't you recognize that cop)"
He looked at her with narrowed eye. "That
wasn't that motorcycle yeah)"
All the way back to New York he drove
like mad.
mi
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