SHORT STORY
THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 26, 1940.
By
S.O.S. MESSAGE L.C. Douthwaite
A persistent, if small-time criminal since childhood, Inky Briggs had spent almost as much time in prison as in freedom. Then, following six months for the theft of a suitcase from St. Pancras Railway Station, it occurred to him that, to avoid being that would listed as an 'habitual' mean a long period of police "deten- tion" after his next conviction it would be as well to change his sphere
of action.
of
So he bought himself the job
bound deckhand on New York
a
skipped his freighter from Cardiff, ship within an hour of berthing, and two days later was arrested by an Irish policeman for picking pockets in Central Park on the afternoon be fore. And it was while he was under remand that he struck up an acquain- tance with one 'Fog' Kennedy.
"Half-after-two to-day?" he sug-. gested at last, wide face still expres sionless.
Fenoughty nodded,
that he was
gone.
S.O.S.
"I'm bailing him out," Fenoughty the Indictment was only that of in- spate by a glance at his wrist-watch. announced, and in the silence that come-tax evasion, but with this as ex- "You've just three minutes before I followed the Warden's eyes remained cuse for what lay behind, conviction stick the heat into you," he said, and fixed expressionlessly on the station would mean anything up to fifteen at the moment when he felt the circle ery-rack in front of him,
years in the pen.
of steel pressed into his neck, Inky Until then, with even his murders must have passed into a blind spot of just, matters of 'business' that might unconsciousness.
It was a voice that aroused him happen to anybody, Fenoughty had not realised his own potentiality for eventually, and not that of Dan Fen "That'll do fine," he agreed and
hate. But now, as disaster piled on oughty. turned. "I'll be seein' you," he said, disaster, he may be said to have dis- "Before the news", the voice announ- and left.
covered himself. When, secretly by ced throatily, "there is one With, by this, an exact knowledge night and with false passports, he was message. Will George Alfred Briggs, of gangsterdom's reaction to the un- smuggled aboard the Jeanne d'Arc. last heard of in Somers Town about forgivable sin of "gypping," nothing of French freighter homeward-bound for four years ago, go at once to the Royal what had gone before affected Inky Marseilles vin Liverpool, he was less Hospital for Women, Pimlico, where to anything like the same extent as a man than a devil incarnate. All the his mother, Mrs. Emily Maud Briggs, did the announcement
more so as it became so immediately is lying dangerously ill."
He was crouched so rigidly already free to leave, and further, that they obvious that there was neither room
That left were seeing he did so.
nor necessity for hi-jacking in Eng- that the sudden stiffening of the body him only the time taken by the sign land, and thus his occupation was passed unheeded by the gangster-as did the tightening of the clasp about ing of the necessary authority, and his
But in the days before prohibition Fenoughty's ankles. "I'll be out of here to-morrow," passage to the outer world, to think
opened the golden road to gangster- Even when, jerked so suddenly and that self-assured gangster promised out his chances.
He decided that, to protect the War dom in his own country, Fenoughty instantaneously, the gangster's feet confidently. "Then I'll set about
den, what was planned was unlikely had been a heist-guy. of some shot from under him, he made no pro- fixing your get-away."
to occur immediately outside the pri- eminence. Now, forced into his old test probably because, his head had Sure enough, at the hearing of the son. They would, he expected, profession, he selected a jeweller's struck the angle of the fender. case against Inky three days later, two follow to the McDougal rooming shop in Liverpool for his come-back, Eagerly, Inky scrambled to his feet; elaborately-suited but cold-eyed men house, and either break into his room and in making a frenzied getaway retrieved the pistol that, in falling whom he had never seen in his life there, or, from the window of the on the night of that ill-advised raid, from a suddenly nervous hand, had before, swore that at the material time building opposite, get him. as he came was obliged to shoot a policeman and slithered six feet away. Those relics the Englishman was with them in a out.. Alternatively, an automobile
one of the civilians who raced to cap- of a long-passed prosperity, the thread- pool-room on East 39th Street, and so might speed past
His interior ture him.
bare plush curtains, were caught back the case against the prisoner was dis- feeling as if in the grip of sudden Fresh from a land so much less by worsted cords, and in his voyages missed.
frost, he realised that for some small parochial in outlook, Fenoughty was Inky had acquired a working know- part of the way, at least, he would astounded at the stir caused by what ledge of knots. just have to take his chance and a he regarded as the only Inevitable The door locked carefully behind mighty small chance at that.
corollary to escape. And as he was him, he clattered down the stairs, and So it was with an infinity of cau- confronted everywhere he went with made at speed for the nearest tion that Inky passed out of the pri- his own photograph, and the announce- telephone booth.
to freedom-and on the ment of a reward for his apprehen-. "Put me through,” he said levelly son gates
operator who side-walk, all the worst of his many sion, he made his devious way south to the Scotland Yard fears realised, jerked to a halt. to London. After all, it was there replied to his ring, "to Inspector Car- that his real object awaited him-his ter," and following some argument, that the voice of that friendly enemy came nice boys' had traced the taxi
through. carried Limey to the 'Oslo.'
Fog Kennedy was waiting outside, and that same night introduced Inky to Smoothface Gambrini, who was chief-of-staff to the great Dan Fen- oughty himself. An hour or so later, the little Cockney found himself sworn in as general choreman and gunman- And for In-prospective to the gang. a matter of months, with more money to spend than ever in his life before,, and only enough work to keep him pleasantly occupied, Inky was sitting on top of the world.
of
For there, across the way, narrow shoulders supporting the wall, cigarette drooping from lips so thin it was sur prising it was not cut in two, lounged Fog Kennedy himself. ́`·
chances
With no illusion as to what would "Why, Inky, I thought you were the be Fenoughty's reaction to ruin. biggest of the big shots in New York!" Inky's life in London was both secret the inspector greeted him. and unenviable, With the wirelesst "Lissen, Mr. Carter." If self-
Inky's voice-- set he had taken over from the out- consciously American, going tenant as the only solace for was urgent. "That killer, Dan Fen- loneliness, he ventured out only for a oughty there's been all the talk about. nightly call at the local.'
Do you want him?"
As swiftly, but blindly, Inky took Then, quite suddenly, the situation
the direction he happened to be fac- changed. In spite of a new and dis-. concertingly insistent clamour from ing, it was no reassurance that Fog Press and public suggesting the ad- was tailing him; nor that at a foot- visability of a temporary lay-off in pace in the rear of the gunman follow- hi-jacking, the night came when, an ed a familiar grey-green car.
His agile Cockney brain working
What, however, he forgot to remem- The reply was immediate, and not automatic pistol wavering in a damp-
under forced draught, suddenly Inky ber, was his habit of holding up without a certain repressed excite- palmed hand, and in company with
was seized with inspiration. Fifty Somers Town to the Fenoughty gang ment. several keenly watchful members
the Bon Ton as the delectable land that his own "I say we do, Inky. Any informa the gang, the newly-christened 'Limey yards farther on was
Carl Henius, homesickness painted it, and the facts tion about him?" discovered himself cowering in a road- Cigar Store, and with
the proprietor," one of the Fenoughty concerning his 'nice boys' "past-his-- Not without due appreciation for side ditch on the New Jersey side.
boss-gangster's the dramatic values, Inky paused im- The moment for action at hand, more- connections, Inky knew him well. If tory are part of the
pressively before replying. over, Fog Kennedy dug the muzzle that Grecian-Hebrew had not been stock-in-trade.
It was to the strains of the wireless "I've got 'im 'ere," he said. "Tied of an automatic into the small of his told of the Limey gypping,
were pretty good.
to which it was his landlady's in- up in' a parcel-in my apartment." back, and ordered him to 'go to it.'
That haven-in-prospective reached, furiating habit to listen-in during his This time the silence was from the What followed immediately after Inky made a quick dive inside. A absence, that on his return from the other end of the line. the lorry drew up alongside
was startled look on the flattened, putty- "Wait-for-the-Wagon" Inn public "You talking turkey, Inky, or just worse, even, than Inky's nightmares coloured face, the Greek looked up, house, Inky threw open the door of trying to be funny?" Carter demand- had pictured. To the loudly-express- "The bulls are after me. Hi," Inky his room. And there, at ease in Inky's ed in a strained voice. ed annoyance of the hi-jackers, and shouted breathlessly, shot round the own chair, a smile on the thin lips "I'm not arguin,' I'm tellin' yer. I' the frozen terror of the latest-joined counter, and through the door at the and an expression behind the cold gottim 'ere," Inky insisted, and gave: recruit, the battle was joined, not be back, down a short passage to the eyes that turned the Cockney's interior the address. "Tried to put one over- tween the Fenoughty gang and the
yard, over a boundary wall, and into to ice and his knees to jelly, was Dan me in N'York", he explained; "follow- Bowery Boys, but between the first- the lane that, to the right, joined a Fenoughty.
ed me to 'ere-and pulled a gun on named and a carefully selected squad thoroughfare almost as narrow as it- "Shut the door, Limey," the Ameri- me-” of Federal Police. The upshot was self.
can said pleasantly.
The detective's voice broke into the that, out-numbered and out-manoeu- He moved still swiftly until he came Inky attempted to speak, but for a pause that followed-- vred, and with one of their members to a taxi that took him to his bank- long time failed.
"And then?" he asked, and Inky- uninjured, but half fainting, in the he had lived sparsely since landing, "Why why-how are you, Dan?" wasted a nonchalant shrug. hands of the enemy, the Fenoughty and the gang had been contemptuous- he contrived hoarsely at last from "Well, o course," he said sternly, gang took to the woods with speed ly generous.
From the bank, in the somewhere back in his throat. "I wasn't goin' to 'ave that! So I same taxi to the docks, and here His smile undeviating, Fenoughty just knocked 'is and aside and let
with With business only intended, and a chance lined up
right, his wildest nodded appreciatively.
'im 'ave it-wham-left' an* result that was extremely gratifying dreams. Blue Peter flying, he re- "Now, that's what I call just fine!? right on the button. Down Dan went
con- cognised the dingy red-banded funnel he exclaimed.
and down 'e stayed. to the newly-awakened public
So I just tied science, they third degreed Inky for and rusty freeboard of the Oslo,
1m up, like-an-well, there 'e is!" ""Ow d'yer more than an hour, and within that wherein he had bribed his way from
mean, fine, Dan' ole' The main point, at least, of this, same time the grapevine brought word
man?" he stammered, finding no re- must have carried conviction, for now to the Fenoughty gang that "Limey"
assurance in his quick glance about the C.I.D. man's voice was brisk. the room.
"Good work, Inky, and had 'gypped.'
we won't "That you should be so blamed forget it-Hang about for a few minu- It was two or three days later that, light eyes steely, his mouth a thin line
anxious about my health, when you're tes, and I'll be right over with you." due for such a sudden and immediate Inky, however, shook his head. above an out-thrust jaw, Dan Fen-
As opposed to the several more breakdown of your own," the gangster "Sorry, Mr. Carter, an all that," he oughty passed unchallenged through. the prison where Inky was under re- widely-publicised ones that had gone explained, and it occurred to Inky to said decisively, "but not for a couple mand, and made directly for the office before, the new Mayoral-cum-Federal wonder that any human eye could be of hours or so, you won't, because I of the Warden who, because he was crime-drive was real and eanest, and so exactly resemblant of that of a got a date. 'Owever, you'll find the
It was due directly to the information snake.
key of my room under the mat, so dependent for some seven-tenths of
Unhurriedly, Fenoughty got to his you'll be able to collect Fenoughty all. his income on his visitor, greeted him furnished by Inky that several of the
right.". with deferential cordiality. Fen more reliable of Fenoughty's nice feet.
come, Inky, "Why - where're you going?" Car-· oughty, however, brushed these plen- boys were arrested on the capital Now the moment had
charge. Further, this time ball was throwing everything to the winds but ter's voice was quick with suspicion, santries aside.
refused, and witnesses not only iso- his own stark fear, cast himself at but Inky did not hesitate. little lated, but protected. And, not con Fenaughty's feet pleading, implor- "I'm going" at once," he stated grate- tent, apparently with these compara- ing. He could have done nothing to ly to the General Women's 'Ospital, tively insignificant fish, the Federal please the ngater more, Within Pimlico, where my mother, Mrg. Emily authorities issued a warrant for Fen- reason, then, there was no use in gut- Maud Brigge, is lyin dangerously- qughty, True with a complete absen- ting it short; it was what he
and determination.
"That (something-or-other) Limey the Federals pulled in Thurs day," he said curtly.
Slowly, comprehensively, the War- den nodded.
"Sure," he said, "What of him?"
Cardiff. Better luck still, Evan Wil- liams, the bo'sun, chief beneficiary in the deal, was aboard.
Three weeks later, relieved but still trepidous, Inky was back on his old stamping ground.
Inky gulped.
'ce of evidence on any graver, ocharge, there for But at last, he checked
urglar