The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1939-07-25


Chapter 10
Face On The Night Club Floor
@DULL up in front of this place, |"
1 Tacks ordered his driver. y
want TO speak to the Emperor.
The driver complied. The door
man, hand outstretched to assist
q supposed patron of The Heel Tap
70 aiight, paused suddenly. A kind
Of terrible face that, in the shadow
Of q muddy and rain-soaked hat.
looked as If it had spent the early
evening stopping a few OF Joe
LOuis's efforts, was peerlng out at
him. Noting this, the doorman's
attitude altered visibly. He with
drew his hand, folded his arms and
awaited developments in unen-
couraging silence.
Tacks cut short an embarrassing
interval
Listen" he said, "who was that
young lady?"
The doormai1 appeared TO see no
reason why he should pamper the
curiosity of a street braWler.
Who" he demanded. with q
trace Of turbulence. wants to
known"
Tacks started. From doormen.
walters. bartenders and such. he
was accustomed to a becoming SER
Witty. He now forgot that he
looked like something ripe for the
broom and dust-pan.
Keep a civil tongue in your
head" he warned the doorman. "or
you might get into trouble"
This seemed to amuse the vast
Cerberus. Behind the bulwark of
his mustache he shook with dig
nifed mirth.
@HoI" he calculated at length.
Is that so?"
sYes. that's So" snapped Tacks.
II suppose the management OF this
. dive parks a statue like you out
here just to insult-er-ah-pos-
sible patrons?"
The doorman ceased to shake
and regarded Tacks with hostile
eve.
Fat chance of you being pos
sible patron" he observed.
What the er began
lacks and stopped suddenly He
was remembering at last that he
had spent good deal of time this
evening slithering around IN gut
tiers. There was just a chance that
the doorman was within his rights
in refusing to rate him among the
customers of The Heel Tap.
Drawing himself up to his full
|. heighth the doorman extended a
stern finger not at Tacks. but a, the
cab driver.
Move onl" he ordered males
tically.
"Just q mo nentl" cut in Tacks.
Are you going to tell me who
that girl is and what she's doing
here or aren't your"
The doorman favored him with q
frosty stare.
Il am not" he said decisiveiy.
Because, young fella it amt none
Of your business" he turned to
the driver again. Come on. bud
dyl Step on i'll"
The gorilla in charge of the cab,
who had been enjoying this bit of
byplay immensely. Looked at his
temporary employer fo1 confirma-
ton Of these marching orders.
lacks snarled at him, managing to
incorporate the address Of the PEN
gum Club in the snarl He was
feeling baff1ed and worsted. Well.
he was fool. that was all. Just q
plain damn fool. Nevertheless. he
intended TO get hunk with this
snooty doorman if il took him a
lifetime. No doorman. he assured
himself savagely. could highhat an
Adams and get away with it.
No Patricia!
A LITTLE more than an hour
a later Mr.. Adams again pre-
sented himself at the door of The
Heel Tap. The behemoth with the
mustache was still at his post. He
did not, however, recognize Tacks.
In the interval that had passed
since his former visit Mr.. Adams
had wrought noteworthy changes
IN his appearance. True, his Jaw
was now literally plastered with
adhesive tape. But, aside from that.
Al his perfectly dinner jacket
he looked TO the doorTnan like any
Of the other young gentlemen who
freQuented The Heel Tap. In no
way connecting him with the dis
reputable face which had grimaced
out Of taxicab an hour ago, the
doorman bowed him politely into
the night club.
Tacks suffered the ceremony In
silence. Sometime he was going 20
square accounts with this door
man. But not tonight. Tonight
graver considerations were at
hand. This very Heel Tap had swal-
lowed Miss Patricia North. II II
still held her in its tolls Mr.. Adams
was going, IL humanity possible, TO
get her out OF them. And when
that had been accomplished. he
intended to demand h0w-come IN
z big way. He was getting exceed
ingly tired Of being booted about
like q soccer ball.
The Heel Tap was q place OF lit
lie whites clothed tables. soft lights
and thick gray carpets. At one end,
Just Of the usual postage stamp Of
dance floor. q very bluey orchestra
was dispensing very bluey rhythm.
The head waiter approached Tacks