The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-05-23
Martin. Call me at the Dove"

H DAN0GN e Martin. Call me at the Dove"
 She was surprised to get the flowers and see the signature but still more surprised at the excitement they produced in her. Why should she care?
 "Where shall I put them, Miss Clem?" asked the footman as he lifted up a great mass of American Beauty roses.
 Clem wondered whether she ought to send them back. The boys she knew didn't go in for American Beauties. Her eyes turned a little uncomfortably from the bowl of white gardenias which Jack Burden had given her to Dukes roses.
 Put them in that black crystal vase by the fireplace" she said. And see that they have plenty of water"
 Clem searched the telephone book for the Doves number. She read the card again. How could she accept that invitation? But then why shouldn't she, if she wanted to? Jack wouldn't mind he knew she loved him. If she had stopped to answer her own questions she would never have reached for the telephone. She acted quickly in order to be traitor to herself. "Is MT. Martin there? Oh, hello! Yes, I should like to come. I was just going to thank you. They're marvellous! What? Yes, I'll be there in half an hour"
 She sang as she dressed. How exciting life was! The appearance of her maid interrupted her thoughts.
 q couldn't haxe done so we'll, Mademoiselle," said Marie casting critical eyes over Clem's toilet. She looked like precocious but beautiful child in her smartly fitted black velveteen suit with her brown curls just showing be- heath a crazy little black velvet turban.
 Twenty minutes later she was facing Duke across a table in the tap room of the Dove. His dark blue serge, though carefully tailored, served to heighten the impression of powerful muscles beneath. This pugilistic strength seemed oddly at variance with the white silk handkerchief neatly tucked in his breast pocket and the gold link bracelet watch on his left wrist. Clem thought there was a sinister fascination in this incongruity.
 Have you been breaking any hearts today?" he inquired with heavy humor.
 q haven't had time. When your flowers came, I was still recover ing from last night" He raised his glass 'There's something about you can't re- sist." Clem flushed under the ardor of his eyes. She felt them stripping her.
 You don't have to be sentimen- tal," she said, you're interesting enough as yourself. Tell me about your life. It has had exciting mo- ments."
 She thrilled with the intimacy of the occasion as Martin lit cigaret and blew few smoke rings into the air. She and Duke and the bartender were the only people in the tap-room. On Sun- days the crowd did not begin to gather until after six. The place had the breeding quiet of impend- ing danger. Lit only by few soft sidelights. Clem could im- agine the room being the scene of exciting happenings, she was vague about what they might be, but she knew Duke would be mixed up in all of them.
 He was studying her face. You might call my life exciting" he said. "To me it has all been part OI LllS game.
 Skillfully he sketched in his beginning, telling only the side that would stir her emotionally. He spoke of his section, Hell's Kitchen.
 "A guy couldn't live in that neck of the wodS if he knew what fear meant. You had to be a killer, but that didn't mean you weren't soft hearted. In between fights my gang was usually rounding up the stray dogs and cats of teh neigh borhood and dragging them into corner saloons for feed. That's how we got our name. The Animal Crackers. We didn't mind the kidding. We could take 1t. We had the upper hand"
 How did you get it?" Clems elbows were resting on the table, her chin cupped in both hands as she hung on Dukes words.
 By shooting One-eared Mike. He was 8 tough guy, who lived near me-" Martin snapped finger at the bartender. Bring us two more Scotch and sodas, Jim."
 Go on," urged Clem.
 we locked horns in a game on 11th avenue. He wanted a share -G -l--e1 sI