The guardian., 1941-06-07
Dangerous Men
-
By GRIFF CRAWFORD
Mcclure Syndicate-WNU Service.l

AeASt' ny SlCdlly, DdlIly lett equal
If not superior to the rival that had,
almost from the beginning, usurped
his place at the side of Tess Ambers,
the sophisticated cashier at Nelson's
Night View
Il could bust him in the face"
Danny admitted, "but there's the
gat!" And Danny had a holy hor-
ror of gats. Somehow, the thought of
a gun-and bullets-had always
terminated a sickening feeling at
the pit of his stomach. And it was
broadly limited that Bliss Taggart
was a master with the weapon he
always carried. Some declared he
was entitled to four notches on the
butt of it and the bearing of the man
carried out the declaration. If any,
one depicted positive badness by
mere looks and atmosphere it was
Bliss Taggart.
He's got the grim smile of a
killer" Danny had heard one of the
guests declare as the object of his
words stood nonchalantly leaning
against the cashiers desk breathing
words into the shell-like ear of Miss
AmberS.
Damn him!" Danny muttered,
IF it wasn't for that gat I'd go up
against him. I'm as dangerous as
he ls-H you don't count the gun.
Tess falls for him because she
thinks he's a hero. 1 could" he
stopped his rumination suddenly.
Bliss Taggart had stepped aside and
was removing something from his
pocket. Danny's heart gave an ex-
ira thump as he saw what it was
the gat!
Shielded as he was by the con-
tour of the recessed spot probably
none but Tess and Danny saw him
reach over and slip the weapon in
the overcoat pocket which was con-
veniently near. At that moment one
OF the house girls relieved Tess and
the trim, little vision stepped out to
be taken in the arms of her waiting
Romeo.
They're going to Dance" Danny
reflected and an instant later they
whirled away. 1t was then that an
inspiration struck Danny like a ton
of bricks.
Gosh, maybe it's a break!" he
muttered as he arose and sauntered
over toward the cage. Already the
new incumbent was holding hands
| slyly with her boy friend and watch
ing, with others, the newest addition
to Nelson's Night View who danced
as he sang the latest hit from Tin
Pan Alley.
1t was but the work of a second
to reach over, remove the gun, ex-
tract the cartridge clip and replace
the weapon in the overcoat pocket.
With the deadly shells in his own
possession Danny walked back and
sat down.
When the number was finished
Bliss Taggart seated Bess at table
and excused himself. He went to
his overcoat and secured the gat
once more, slipped it into the hip
| pocket of his dress suit and returned
to the waiting girl. 81 don't like to
wear it when I dance but I feel bet
ter when I've got it," he explained.
"Whatu you have, Bright Eyes?"
He glanced up as a shadow fell
| across the cloth. Danny Rogers was
seating himself directly across from
him. Instantly the grim smile, the
one the man had described as that
of killer, came to Bliss Taggart's s
lips.
"Scram!" he Kissed, "this is a
| private session."
"Sez who?" Danny's tone was in
solent. Bliss looked his surprise
and Tess hooked a hand to her ear
to determine whether she was hear
ing Alright. Then she screamed.
Danny had reached over and
slapped Bliss Taggart squarely on
the cheek. The hubbub of the place
subsided as if it had been shut off
! by a valve. Only the scraping of
Bliss Taggart's chair sounded as he
leaped to his feet and produced the
gat.
"T'n blow your blankety-blank
heart out" he yelled; "get down on
your knees and apologize. Quick!"
"Oh, yeah? Listen, you big false
ALARM" Danny was grinning into
his rivals face. "Listen. You amt
got the nerve, you hunk O. cheesel
I'm going to show these folks how
yellow you are. I'm going to wallop
you to frazzle right here-and
NOW" He kicked the table from
between them as he finished speak
ing and reached for the agitated
Mr.. Taggart. But his hands found
empty air. The killers legs were
bearing him valiantly down the hall
and out of the door. They had not
even paused to let their owner get
his overcoat. And the gat lay where
it had fallen on the night club floor.
Some one picked it up. Danny
watched amusedly.
"Darling" Tess threw her arms
about him and laid her peroxide fluff
close against his own dark brown
hair. "And l always thought you
were-were yellow. My brave Tar
zan! My e"
"Steel jackets" The man who