Evening star., 1932-05-15
The Big Shot, had decided
his enemy must be erased
according to the formuIs
of fesngtsnd. :. but a radio
sermon changed his plans

pEehens5cu and fury as the two mes
sengeTs told their story. They told
il conyincingB, explicitly; they
spared neither the Big Shots pride
nor his rage.
Listen" he interrupted hoarsely. Let me
get this. You say Coyote Creme stepped across
the line into my territory? Are you sure?"
He looked sharply from one to the other.
"You say he's opening up in the North Side
.. selling his dirty beer In my district7"
The messengers nodded.
He sold to 20 Of the best speaks ON your
list" little Augie Humphrey reported. Took
them into his own combine. They don't need
your beer any more, they say. We was out
among 'em today, wasn't We, Tony"
And he's spreading out m1re" the second
messenger added. we went to see some of
Crcne's hoodlums. We asked EN-"
"And they say
"T1ney say he's going to keep right on crowd
ing you till he's got you pushed out in the
sticks" Little Augie reported. IT tell 'em this
is your territory. I tell 'em to be law-abidin'
They say you can 60 jump IN the lake. Coyote
Crone Is taking 1t over"
The Big shot digested this his temples
pounding, his small blue eyes hard, like chunks
of ice his lips tight and thin. The two men
opposite him waited nervously.
Well" the Big Shot decided, he made
his bed. he czn lay IN II. COyote am q kl0.
He knows the rules, and he knows me. He
knows never tried to muscle In on his West
Side. Square, that's me. Live and let 1--we.
I been too soft-hearted. that's the whole
trouble"
"Yeu sure hayel" Little Augie agreed
quickly. The second man did not speak, only
nodded violently again The Big Shot turned
to him and cleared his thick throat
IT guess it's your job, Tony The Coyote
don't leave we'll enough alone, so I guess we
got to rub him out. Erase him. How's your
old typewriter working, Tony7"'
Zinc" Tony reported. IAN oiled and cleaned
and ready to spit. got lots Of extry clips
all loaded"
Iu ETS see" The Big Shot rubbed his chin
|. with his right hand, and Tony gazed
admiringly at the stones that sparkled on the
plump fingers "This h Saturday night, huh9
Tomorrow's Sunday. Every Sunday mssning
Coyote Creme goes to the Third Ward Social
Club. Amt that right2"
Tony said: Sure that's right About IL
o'clock"
"He leaves the house about hah-past 1e,"
Little Augie amplifed. He goes dawn walnut
street to Fulton. Turns south on Fulton.
Walks slow. giving pennies to all the kids he
passes"
The Big Shot grunted
~He would Pennies That's his speed the
two-tfmer. Wen. they got to get along with
out their pennies from now on, the kids have.
Pay attention. Tony.
There's rooming house at the corner Of
Walnut and Fulton. southwest corner. Re-
member? A lady named Mrs. Mcguire runs It.
Go rent room there. First floor. Near the
corner Of the house. Sure, rent it tonight.
Move right IN"
T get you, chief" Tony replied
~And when he passes the window tomorrow.
plump fingers and smiled amiably at the other
two. Heat him. Heat him good. Wipe him
out"
Tony and Little Augie departed quickly and
the Big Shot sat a long time alone, trying to
think his way cut Of his perpIexity.
For nearly two years he had been safe from
this plague Of overstepping rivals. Two
peaceful profitable years. Two years without
a single threat against his North Side
absohtion.
This was his clover field He'd cleaned 1t
up, dug out and destroyed every noxious
weed and thorn of opposition Two three
little fellows had stood in his way at first But
they were gone now. They. hadn't been very
bright Didn't know when to quit They took
nice, long rides.
Two peaceful years! Not speak owner,
not an alky cooker not q beer fiat mamma
ounce except by his permission. And now the
Coyote had to 60 and spoil 1t all.
The Big Shot went to bed uneasy. He didn't
sleep well
Oh, it was not exactly his conscience that
was troubling him. He wasn't worried about
erasing the Coyote. Business was business.
It was the challenge that disturbed him. He
wondered whether he was getting soft.
A YEAR ago no one would have dared cross
the tracks Now . who could tell what
would happen? At length, when the clocks
were striking 3. he fell into troubled slumber.
He awakened at o. with the sun pouring in
to the room, put on his slippers and Chinese
silk dressing gown, and padded through the
living room The Sunday papers were props,ed