Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1930-05-17

SYNOPSIS

enough money TO enter Scnooi Dy ish. MS
lawyer friend Martin Thompson, takes him
to \ party given by Alderman Durant for
his daughter. Lyia. Rod. unused to So
eIety's Ways treads on the girls foot and
Il insuIted for his clumsiness by Reggie. her
flance. To avert trouble between the two.
she takes Rod into the garden where he
tells her of his life In the West. warm
friendship springs up between them.
Later. Lyla. Reggie. Rod, and several
others go TO the Swamp Hut, cabaret,
where Reggie drinks too much. He strikes
Roc who fails 20 return his blow. Lyla
thinks Rod is a coward, but she lea diff
ferent when he takes her from Wolf.
notorious gangster who had snatched her
from Resgie's arms while they were dan
cling.
Wolf attacks Roo and Is knocked out.
Several of VOLTS henchmen also attack
the youth but are routed just as police
raid the place. Rod Is able to get the girl
safely out OF the place.
The next night as he leaves her home
after having spent the evening with her.
he Is kidnapped by Wolf and his gang.
who take him out Of the city in their car.
They tell him they are going to kill him,
but he is saved by federal agents who are
laying in wait for bootleggers.
As manager of prizefighters, Killing, who
the gangsters, offers him a contract to be-
come boxer. and Rod accepts in order to
make enough money to enter school, AT
the gymnasium Killing orders Kelly, another
OF his boxers, to put on the gloves with
Rod In order TO see how skilled his new
fighter is. Kelly, afraid that Rod may re-
place him. tries TO harm him when they
get into the ring. but Rod knocks him out.
ThSt evening Rod goes to see Lyia. They
20 for a walk to the beach He tells her
n A-I-A hAs tNNA n lie
Intoxicated with her nearness and softness.
he kisses her hungrily. but she ayerts dis
aster by begging him not to spoil their
friendship.
They leave the beach. and a. they reach
the sidewalk. she discovers that she hasn't
her pocketbook Rod runs back after IL
and when he returns he sees her being
dragged into n car. half block away.
the machine crashes into the sidewalk and
Rod Is able to catch 1t.
pa finds Lyla's abductor is Reggie. who
has beer drinking heavily. However, Reg
gie's identity Is not known to him until
after he has beaten him severely, Iyla,
for some reason which he does not under
stand becomes angry at him and after
they take Reggie to n doctor. tells him to
90 away.
As the days pass, Rod trains faithfully
and sees no one except the other fighters
in the gym. He does not try to see Lyla.
One afternoon, his friend. Martin. takes
him to "tea party ut a young society
girls home There Is much gaiety at
the party. which Rod soon discovers Is
caused by free drinking OF liquor.
He meets n seductive looking girl named
Zeda, who makes him take n drink-the
first one in his life. Under the influence
of the liuuor he kisses Zeda in the hallway
OF the place and looks up to see Lyfa enter
ing. Zeda laughs triumphantiy and. pulling
Rol into the room. slams the door.
Rod goes to Kings Office. where his
manager informs him that. in two weeks.
he ) to fight Mickey Latzo. chief contend
er for the middleweight championship.
They go to the Office OF the Arenas man
ager where the contract Is signed, several
newspaper reporters being present.
when they leave the place. two OF the
reporters accompany them. At one OF the
city's busiest corners. truck carrying
number ot steers crashes into another ma
chine. One OF the animals breaks loose
and charges madly across the street.
Rod. trained on the range for just such
an emergency as this. leaps out in front
of the beast as hundreds OF people watch
In fascinated horror. Directly back or him
arc n number OF small children who VIII
be crushed by the enraged steer unless
Rod Is able to halt its terrible charge.
Rod leans aside just IN time to avoid the
charging steer. then after the fashion OF
the West. he succeeds In ''bulIdossing" the
animal by twisting its meek so that II falls
to the ground.
That night he Is awakened from sleep by
kisses. and bv soft hands stroking his face
and hair. At first. only half-awake. he
dreams II is Lyla. but Zeda's voice brings
him to the consciousness that she has come
into his room while he slept.
She tells him that when she wants man
she "gets" him. Being normal youth, Rod
gives in to her wiies, ant returns her kiss
es and embraces. more serious develop
ment is avoided when Martin, Rods lawyer
friend, arrives. Zeda hides In Rods closet.
Martin brings the evening papers which
contain Rods picture and the story OF his
exploit.
Finally he goes. and Zeda energies from
the closet dressed in Rod bathrobe. her
dress in her hand. Rod stares as she
throws off the robe. disclosing her lovely
form in sheer silk garments. She holds
out her arms to him. and he walks slowly
toward her.
Zelda has come to Rods room unan-
nounced, but is forced to hide In n clothes
closet when Rods friend, Martin, arrives.
After Martin leaves she energies almost
unclothed. but Martin. suspectins her pres
ence. returns unexpectedly. She Is furious.
and slaps his face. then leaves. Martin
explains to Rod that he doesn't want to
SEQ him mixed up with the girl, rs she has
been involved i'm several ugly scandals.
Killing comes to get Rod IN his car the
next morning. taking him TO the gymns-
slum where Rod trains before . large audi
ence Of FANS who. having resd sof his
heroism in the papers. are anxious to see