New Britain herald., 1930-01-25

and pettcd him and told him 1t would all come out all right. Such love as theirs had to come out all right. And he patted her golden hair and sighed and said he hoped So-but, gee, he wished it hadn't happened.
 And next morning he went out to work, looking rather glum and gloomy. He said he'd be home around live o'clock So Blondie went to picture after she had prepared the dinner, all but the final cooking, and got back around four.
 She opened the door with her little key and had one foot across the threshold when the disorder all about the room struck her eye. She looked down-and the blood went cold in her.
 In heap lay the kid-her Kid!
 Furniture was tumbled about, the rug under him was rumpled. There had been a fight. She dropped trem- blingly to her knees and picked up the Kids head. It was clammy and chilly A terrible fear benumbed her. She al- most tainted as she bent down further to look at his face, which was quite lifeless. She gripped his wrist des pcrately. She felt no pulse.
 The Kid was dead, sure enough.
 Around his throat was a bluish irregular line, ond on both sides of the windpjpe were bluer areas of bruised skin that had been torn through and tortured in the grip of murderous thumb and forcingcr.
 Another racketecr killed. Well, it was no extraordinary occurrence. The newspapers hoped to it. The secret marriage came out and they went pretty for Blondie, who pictured we'll But nobody thought to ask who had done tout loud.
 He was just one of Boots Magec'z mob. And those men aren't meant to die in bed.
 The gang gave him a grand funeral. Magec was profoundly affected. He told the boys to spare no eXpense-the Kid had been one of them-one of the best of them.
 At the funeral he got into the car with Blondie He consoled her and promised that she wouldn't want for anything. The boys would look after her-ycs. he would look after her in person. She thanked him inaudibly. 1hey all admired the way she bore up al the grave, as she leaned on the am of Boots Magee.
 Four nights later she was seen din ing with him at the cafe where the Magcc outfit fraterniZed. Some of the fellows smiled a little and passed the knowing wink. Magee was fast worker, all right. What a man.
 Several times again B!ondie was seen with Boots.
 He would get plastcrcd and loud, and they heard him telling her what a pip she was, and how cookoo he was about her. She would give him the faintest ripple of a smile. She looked gorgeous in mourning, and there wasn't one in the Magce caboodle who didn't envy the Boss.
 Magee had a flat in the center ot town that he kept as a playhouse, as 8 rendezvous and as hideavay where he could fall in when he stayed in oyel night instead of going to his home il Westchcstcr.
 There Magce had done some spec. tacular and sensational entertaining It was stocked with anything you coulo think of to drink, it was furnished lux. uriously if not elegantly, and it was . Walk-up, with a secluded entrance where no one could see who came ano went.
 On one of the nights, perhaps z couple of weeks after they had buried the Kid, Magec and Blonde were ir the cafe shortly before midnight. He was cockcycd and boisterous ant clustering,
 He staggered his big frame from ont table to another, leaving Blonde where she sat, and he winhcd as he gave then all notice:
 Nobody comes up to the flat nigh get me? No comp'ny-rll have al the comp'ny want. See'H
 They saw.
 K They saw him unsteadiIy walk ou with Blonde.
 N The next they saw of Boots Mage,
 he was on slab in the undertaken s He had been found on the floor of tn, . living room of his secret apartment. 4 bullet had torn through his vitals. Be side his body lay revolver. The polio, never traced it. But everyone of tn, Magee mob recognized it.
 It had belonged to the Silklined Kid ssA@ssssaEska1D