1940-01-19 — Page 16

Page 16:

SHORT STORY

1

SPIDER'S PARLOUR

THE CHINA MAIL, JANUARY 19, 1940

LEO GREX

By

THE faded gilt lettering over the bag." He stood up, towering into the deal of things-but they can wait now.

low, frowsy window announced smoky shadows above the cabin-lamp, "Spider's Parlour." Actually the place "I'll take my share now, Spider, and was one of the worst dives in Tiger drift.". Bay, that waterfront section of the

His hand came away from his coat Cardiff docks which is one of the pocket holding a gun. world's toughest spots for shore-leave sailors and police.

In the back room a group of men : were gathered round a table. To-

bacco smoke blued the air.

:

man

"Just to show I'm taking no "And that I chances," he grinned. don't like guys who trade in pals for their girl.”

His smile was gone, replaced by a blank mask, in which his eyes shone like round buttons.

"I want you all to know," the lean with the smudge of black moustache along his upper lip was But unfortunately for Joe Loftus it Spider saying, "that Jingo's out of the way was too late to have ideals. for good. Get that for good." Magee was in the game too deep too His eyes roved the room, and be risk a man getting out at this stage. prepared long weeks ago fore their challenging glitter the He had glances of the other men drooped. All against any such happening.

Under the table his hand sought Joe Loftus feared neither man nor devil. Some said it was the something cold and hard that lay on Irish streak in him, which was broad, a cunningly contrived ledge. Joe others that it was the nigger streak, Loftus slithered to the floor under the which was broad enough to give his hail' of bullets directed at him. The others sprank back from the table, face a deep tan.

cowering.

save one.

"How did you fix it. Spider?" ask-

ed Joe.

Spider Magee's knuckles gleamed whitely as he shifted his weight on to his clenched fists.

"The cops found him with a load of a satis- heroin, and he couldn't give factory answer.""

Joo smiled.

"You framed him, huh?" Spider frowned,

"I got rid of him,

I Joe that's what did. We can't afford, in this organisation, to have anyone holding out. We can't afford to have to carry a passenger. Agreed?” There were grunts of cautious approval. Joe Loftus's remained the only gaze directed at Magee's face.

"I would have had him rubbed out," Bald Spider, his tone suggesting that he had the softest heart in the world. "But I thought of his girl. She wouldn't like it."

Joe laughed.

"No, an' she wouldn't like

Spider-huh?”

Magee scowled.

of

"I don't have to take that sort lip, Joe," he reminded the other.

Joe wasn't perturbed. "You don't have to take anything, but you do,"

he grinned. "A bell of a lot."

For a moment there was uneasy silence, broken when Spider said, "Just to prevent any misunderstand ing, I'm taking over Betty. See?"

"Now," said Spider thinly. "you've "By God, yes, they can wait-every- just about said enough to let me out of the damned trap. Listen, sweet- thing can wait now!"

Again faintness assailed her limbs, heart. Jingo has been picked up by that the cops for being in possession of a and again she made an effort wearied her.

load of dope. Ain't that rich? Ain't "I don't think you really like me, that one on me! I try to shop him, Spider, or you wouldn't have kept me and I'm putting him back on his own

So Yes, that was it, she told door-step.

it's to-night, huh? so long." herself, she must appear petulant, Well, that just about gives me time. annoyed. That would hold him off, But you spoke too fast, sweetheart. give her time. She had to have time. There's one slick Yard man who's go- "You think I'm pretty, but I'm only ing to find he's a girl short."

Spider's brutal laugh all but froze a passing fancy, aren't I, Spider? I'm

her courage. not..."

"He'll get you, Spider." "Never! No cha will ever get

face. "You're a liar, Spider!"

He swept her into his arms again.

want "You're everything I

right now," he said huskily, and the wol- me- fish expression returned to his

The words, flung like a challenge He kissed her brutally. "Betty, I'm

Understand? Why, into the room, came from behind the crazy about you.

came between us I'd kill man standing with the knife in his if a man

hand. Upon the sound Spider Magee him with my own hands.”

against the swung round. Propped door was the stooped figure of Loftus.

She strained against him. "But Jingo!" she gasped. He laughed, holding her tighter. "Jingo! He won't trouble you "A pity," said Spider, rising slowly, again. I've taken good care of him, "but the fool had it coming to him, sweetheart. Forget him!" His mouth was getting too slack. Grab I'm I haven't finished. your chairs, coming to the important part, and I haven't a hell of a lot of time."

"But you haven't- His face gloated. "Killed him? Not yet. But later, perhaps, when—” "No, Spider, no!

Sheepishly the others resumed their seats. The sprawled body of Joe re- der!" mained on the floor, untouched by the

glare of yellow light falling on the

scarred table-top.

Spider's voice droned on.

the door of the safe swung open.

Not-not

Joe

a hand He was holding

to his stomach, and blood was running be- tween his nerve-taut fingers. His other hand held a gun, and it Was waving just a little.

but

he

to

"Try throwing that knife, Spider and you'll never live to see how bad mur- your aim is." The knife Spider had

raised level with his chest fell again. His scowl returned. "Don't suy to his side. The wounded man's voice. that went on, "So you've been caught by you're still feeling soft. about

You tramp, Betty." He seized her roughly, your own trick, eh, Spider?

double-crossed ü man and found "Don't tell me you-"*

the She struggled, against him, In- you'd played into the hands of Behind him hung a heavy curtain.

She knew that police. And you wanted another girl,. Behind the curtain was a locked door, stinctively, blindly. Behind the locked door was a room in some way she had betrayed her- but this time you picked the wrong. Well, listen, Spider, I ain't got of self. She saw dawning comprehension sort, would have staggered any that

As she twisted to elude a hell of a lot to be proud of, those other men in the dingy room be- in his face.

the little you're not ruining this kid. Walk over hind the shop. It was sumptuously his grasp her dress tore,

there, and be damned careful!” furnished. Indirect light fell upon redbound book fell to the floor.

Groping from wall to chair, from velvet and chrome. Thick pile carpets Spider released her. He stood gaz- covered the floor. It was a room one ing down at the book, as though it chair to table, the wounded man, his clothes coaked with blood, moved would have expected to find in the were a pool of blood. most exclusive Mayfair flat, not tuck- "Great God!" he muttered, looking nearer to the other. Behind him you, ed away behind a waterfront dive in from the book to the closed safe. "So left a narrow trail of crimson on the

that's it a spy! You thought you carpet. Tiger Bay.

The girl watched that crimson. The girl in the room had bright, .could rob Spider Magee, and get away corn-coloured hair, and in the soft with it. You, Jingo's girl-a nark!" streak, with fascination.

So far Spider Magee had said noth- reflected from the His coarse laughter beat upon her

Then he ing. He was waiting, watching every pencil-lighting pastel-tinted walls her eyes were of suddenly numbed senses. that deep gentian blue that usually was quiet. Horribly quiet. He stood move made by the other, ready accompanies a flawless skin.

there for moments that to the terrified pounce at the first opening. But Joe. at Loftus had lived a hard life, and he: She was working over the tumblers girl seemed hours, just looking

She cowered back, knew the treachery of Spider. of a safe, all, her attention given to her, calculating.

"You tried to kill me, Spider. "I'd her task. At last, with a deft turn, facing him, defenceless.

Suddenly he flicked an arm, and in-have-been-torn to shreds if I hadn't... They saw all right. Betty was the

Eagerly she stepped forward and his hand was an open jack-knife. The worn a steel vest. As it was a couple to blue-eyed blonde who had hung

examined the contents. There were light touched its naked blade, turn- of slugs got under it. I never

under the Jingo's arm. Jingo hadn't gone down

of papers, bundles of money, ing it to a bar of brightness that held pected you to fire from

." He panted. Sweat beaded with Spider, and now the police had bonds, some small packages wrapped her gaze as the eyes of a snake hold

his forehead like dew. He sank slow-.. him on a trumped-up charge which

in tissue paper. There were pieces of the attention of a bird.

for- ly on to the diván, still covering the All of which went

of Magee had fixed.

Then he took the first step Jewellery, the proceeds of one

and other man. "And now, Spider, I'm She opened her mouth to show how dangerous it was to cross Spider's side-lines. But the girl did ward.

going to rub you out. And there's Spider, and how he usually got what not concern herself with these. She screamed.

with a lot of people will be happy at the he wanted in the end.

hunted until she found a small red- He laughed again, this time

news, men behind bars that you've "Does Betty know it?" asked Joe, bound book. A glance revealed that sneering inflexion.

These walls are sound-proof," he two-timed, men hiding abroad, men-"- lighting a fresh cigarette.

it had the information she sought.

A spasm of pain shook his body. For Then she was putting back the other mocked her.

He advanced to within a couple of a moment his eyelids trembled. papers, the bundles of currency, and

That moment was sufficient for the jewellery. She had closed the door feet of her. He had only to stretch out

sign of "She's here right now, waiting to be of the safe and sprung the lock, and a hand and her life could be shuned Spider Magee. It was the pleasant."

just had time to compose herself upon out. It was in those moments when weakness for which he had been wait- a silk-covered divan, when the farther she thought every thing lost that ing. He sprang, lithe, as though re- leased by a coiled spring. The knife door opened, and Magee, smiling with Betty rose to her greatest height. anticipation, came in.

"Your days as ruler of Tiger Bay, in his right hand` flashed."

Then instinctively the girl acted.. The door clicked shut behind him. Spider Magee," she said clearly, "are

side... "Well, Betty, now I have been over. You can kill me, but that won't Snatching up a bottle from a able to clear up a little business I've change things. You'll go to the scaf- table she threw it at Magee's head. The heavy glass splindered agalust got time to look after you, sweetheart." fold anyway."

"Words," he sneered, flourishing the his thin face, and she 'saw a stream of The girl felt a deep fear stir within

blood flow to his shoulder. Then. her, but there was no fear in her knife. face, as she turned towards him. She "It's only postponing your end, Spider crumpled over the body of Joe knew that the one thing she must Spider," she went on. “Jingo wasn't" Loftus. his knife striking against hons,

Terrified, Betty-ran. “ There was a muttered assent.

never show Spider Magee was fear, what you thought---""

between the said could have

where it Her loathing, which rose until it all

"I suppose he was a nark like you!" Through the door, originated, or who had opened his but choked her, had to be controlled, "He's inspector Jones of Scotland curtains, across the room still heavy lips. Magee watched the others, and hidden. He must never suspect her Yard. If he had been alive to go to with tobacco smoke, and out of the saw that he had to do something to secret, never! Or else. retain his hold on the situation.,

eyes

For a moment the Spider's gleamed wildly, but the next instant

he had himself in control.

I

There were one or two snickers.

wanted his

"So that's why you shopped Jingo,"

Joe. "You said

girl, Spider."

Magee sat down in his chair, and remained very still.

"I don't have to take that from you, Joe," he said very quietly.

"It might happen to any of us," said Joe. "We want to know where we stand. Don't we, boys?"

one

No

stacks

table

ex-

the local police to-night you wouldn't door beyond into the "parlour." Ching her have gone to bed a free man, Spider." Lee, the yellow-faced Oriental who at--

tended the junk-shop designated by He grabbed one of her wrists. "What's that you say?. To-night? the name "parlour," jerked to atten He's a Yard man-this special investition as she appeared. gator I heard about-and he'd fixed ---Missen no- to-night?”

His words "broke rudely upon "I'll tell you where you stand," he thoughts. said. “We shift the rest of the stuff,

"What have you got to say to me, to-night, to the new dump. I've got Betty? Aren't you glad to see me?" word that Scotland Yard are sending The girl rose, facing the wolfish a special investigator" down here. glare in his eyes. As his arms closed There's been too much dope slipping about her she felt faint, but steeled into the country, they've decided herself to undergo the ordeal. She it doesn't all come up the Thames. All had to right, we move ahead of things. That repan way wo” kèers.

"Not me,"

she told herself,

"I said it's only a postponement.” “And you?" he rapped.

courage was now in full

on Marggh smiled

urse, Spider. But you've been in his

and the others him." "I want my Ive dona' my" share.”

devouring her with

back, holding her arms,

His arm was out to stay her as the door rst open, and a swarm of men broke in. Betty encircled by 'a pair of za volos that brought

Into-

the, rink was

laughed. Hah

have:

του

manTM the (Continued on Pag