The Washington times., 1930-11-25
CHAPTER Is

really, 4O1 CIAC osCoNJ "ASe~~AA S~
traffic is moving up and down,
back and FORTH, on either side
of the tiny parks that divide
the broad thoroughfare. Down
the grade which begins around
Seventy-second Street the boule-
ward apparently comes to an
abrupt end at the tall and
graceful New York Central
Building itself, for the street
enters it. on both sides.
This dignified and beauteous
avenue is flanked on both sides
by stately and snobbish apart
ment houses, where people 1--we
at yearly rents which would
pale a bank presidents salary
society folks, gamblers, boot.
leggers, racketeers, stars and
actresses. And in one Of these
structures lived SILK Freeman,
in a structure that he himself
had planned and built for the
sole purpose Of providing q
sanctuary befitting his station
in life and ways Of lie.
silks" Own DOOrman
Before this building, under its
Illuminated marquee, stood as
one of a regiment of uniformed
puppets up and down the street
dre~sed like Slavonic generals
S:N own doorman, a huge'
dark-visaged man who had run
the gamut of vice and murdef.
This grisly Cerberus guarded
the portals of Silks palace
And the huge, hairy paw which
opened the doors Of the limou-
sines that stopped there was
more fitted to handle a gat or
q blackjack.
On the evening that the Big
Boy had set as the deadiine Tor
final negotiations toward ran
soming Alice Schuyler, and q
short time before that appointed
hour. a smart delivery truck,
with the sleek, trim lines OF
limousine, stopped directly IN
front Of the service entrance.
The doorman, to whom suspl.
cion was second nature, strolled
varily toward 1t, end as man,
garbed in smart uniform, leaped
down from the drivers seat.
"Whatcha want?" growled the
doorman.
Got a desk here to be de-
livered to the third floor-to
Mr.. Freeman" snapped the
other, going around as If to
open the rear door of the truck.
There amt no Freeman
here" bristled the doorman.
what address you want?"
The other took a slip OF
paper from his pocket and
handed it to the doorman. The
latter read it and grunted.
Must be some mistake" he
said.
Il was told to speak to the
elevator man-he knows ABOUT
it-this desk is to be put in to-
night, and was told not to
leave here until it was"
The doorman looked hesltat-
ingly at the driver a moment
then turned and walked into
the building. Three other cars,
Just then, slid up to the curb
behind the truck, and as the
doorman went inside a dozen
men leaped out. Six Of them
followed him in. In a moment
one came out.
"Oke!" he bit off sharply.
"Dem two blokes won't bother
U.s."
Two others wrenched open
the door of the truck and
dragged out a new and shiny
desk. Cars were streaming by
the door and people were leis-
urely walking up and down
some with dogs, some With
canes, some with only bored
looks.
The desk was carried into
the foyer and pushed on to the
elevator. Seven men crowded
in behind it. Five more, tough
and well-heeled, loitered IN the
lobby. = Outside three more cars
had drawn up and inside them
wefp dozen more, but they
remained in their seats, grim
viSaged and prepared for any
thR2mnd everything.
III $50 Far, So Good
Asatae elevator shot up to
the .~ird floor Tommy Gillespie
! 1oc .et. at Cyclone Tim Nc
! Closky. who was beside him
and smiled.
so far, so good" he chirped.
/ Cyclone Tim only narrowed
i 4 eyes and shook his head.
Nf1e elevator stopped. The
lCasE was carefully, noiselessly
caitied off. One man was
strapping on pair of goggles
such as an aviator might wear.
Another lifted the lid of the
desk, which came off, and two
others drew from its vitals a
tank, coils of hose and a long,
twin-tnbed. spider-like instru-
peat
Tommy stood back admiring
tle trained swiftness Of the
workers. The acetylene torch
was soon rigged. Cyclone Tim
lad been carefully inspecting
The steel door which shut out
the Big Boys apartment. With
q piece of chalk he drew a
circle around the lock and then
Tined to the be-goggled man.
-s"Cut 'er out around here" he
ordered. The torch spat and