THE IRON MAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19201, 15 October 1930, Page 13

THE IRON MAN.

By y

W. R. Burnett.

(Copyright.)

IS ® BE ® 33 a f® El g tg gg ® ® IB S® IS ffi sg E! CHAPTER XXXI. (Contd.)

Well.” said Regan. 11 your name’s on the dotted line and you're working for me. Oet the idea?” ** Sure,” said Coke. All right,” said Regan. “ You get funny with me and I'll tie you up so y°tt t fight for a good long while.” What did I tell you! ” Lewis put in. “ You better keep out of this, you damn crook,” said Regan. “ I might tell some funny stories about you.” ** I been expecting you to,” said Lewis; “but I think Coke knows just about how much dependence to put on what you say.” “"Wait a minute,” said Coke. “I’m gonna do the talking. George, if you try to tie me up, I'll retire and then where’ll you be? I got plenty of money. If I never fight again, I won’t die in the poor house.” Regan stared at Coke, then walked away. About eight o’clock one night Coke went up to Regan’s room unannounced and knocked at the door. Regan let him in, but said nothing. C<lke took off his overcoat and hat, and picked himself out a chair; then he took out his cigar case. “ Cigar, George ? ” "Yeah, thanks,” said Regan, selecting one and sitting opposite Coke.

“Well, George,” said Coke, “how’s things?” “All right,” said Regan. “Where you been keeping yourself?” “ Oh, I been kind of sticking around since the wife went back on the stage,” said Coke. “I’m going down to the gymnasium to-morrow.” “ You better,” said Regan, “ and get some of that belly off.”

“Yeah,” said Coke. “ I bet you put on fifteen pounds.” “ Yeah. I wear a sixteen and a half collar now.” “ Horse collar,” said Regan; “ and me with a fourteen.”

“ Say,” said Coke, “ why don’t you never look me up no more . . ?” “ I don't like your gang,” said Regan; “ and while we’re on the subject, I want to have a little talk with you.” “ That’s what I came down for, George.” “Yeah?” said Regan. “Well, here’s the way it is, Coke. I’ll be frank with you. It don’t look to me like we’re ever gonna get along together again.” “ Aw, hell," said Coke, laughing. “ All right,” said Regan; “ laugh your head off. But a guy can’t work for two bosses. The missus has got you roped and hogtied, and you won’t listen to me no more. Now here’s the thing: either I’m your manager or I’m not. As it is, I’m not. I’m just a kind of junior partner that’s in the way. Get the idea? You never ask me about nothing. You never pay no attention to what I say. All you can see is the missus and her prompter.” “ What do you mean, her prompter ? ” Coke demanded.

“ I mean Lewis,” said Regan, “ and a dirtier crook never lived.”

“ Now wait, George,” N saic! Coke. “Lewis is a good friend of mine. You think he’s a crook, but I don’t. So let it go at that.”

“They sure got you hooked,’* said Regan, meditatively. Coke sighed and sat looking at the ash on his cigar. “Yeah,” said Regan. “Just like I said. It’s hopeless.” “ Hell,” said Coke, “ to hear you talk you’d think I didn’t have good sense.” “ I wouldn’t go that far,” said Regan. Coke got up and stood looking out the window. Regan leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. | “ Coke,” said Regan, “ Cahill’s ready I to fight O’Keefe.” “Yeah?” “ Yeah. And I'm going to bet two grand on O’Keefe.” “ Kiss that good-bye,” said Coke. “ Bat’ll left jab him to death.” “ Maybe,” said Regan, “ but you ain’t seen the Rattler lately. He’s a hundred per cent better than when he feught Joe Savella.” “ He’D have to be, unless Cahill takes it easy with him.” Regan laughed. “The only thing that worries me about the Rattler,” he said, “is his weight. , He’ll be a heavy some day, but I want him to make his mark in the middleweight division before he takes on weight.” “ Listen, George,” said Coke, “ a lot of people think that if you paid more attention to me and less to O’Keefe, you’d be a lot better off. ’Tain’t every guy that gets to manage a champion.” “ Well,” said Regan, “ I’ll admit I’ve got more breaks than a guy is entitled to. Because if anything happens to my champion, I got two more boys that will both make a bid for it.” “What do you mean?” “ Well,” said. Regan, “ with you put of the way, who do you think can lick O’Keefe? Nobody, that’s the answer. All right, that’s one. Now what do

you suppose would happen if Willy Strapp’d get big-hearted and give Speed a bout? Speed’d lick him. So you see, Coke, I’m fixed.”

“ Meaning,” said Coke, “ that you can get along without me, I guess, now since I made you a pile of jack. That’s what the wife says. She don’t think you’re giving me a square deal. Neither does Lewis or Coon.

“ Well, well,” said Regan. “By the way, Coke, they tell me that Coon’s leaving for Europe this week.” “Yeah,” said Coke, “he’s taking a trip around the world or something. That’s one reason I come down to see you, George. The missus and I are giving a party for him down at The Viennese. We got a private room with ali the fixings. I want you to come.” “ Do I have to wear a monkey-suit?” “Well . . ” “ You said enough.”

“ No, George,” said Coke, " you don’t have to. The missus likes that kind of stuff, you know; that dressing-up. But 1 don't, see? I just do it to please her. Look, George; all the other guys are gonna wear dress suits, but you don't need to, and I won’t.”

“ I'm not much on parties.” “ Be a sport, George.” “ Well,” said Regan, “ I’ll go.” Coke hit him on the back. “ That’s good. Glad to hear it,” he cried; then he looked at his watch “ Say, George, are you going any place to-night ? ” “ No,” said Regan. “ Why?” “ Let’s get a taxi and go down and see the missus,” said Coke. “ You ain’t seen her in the show yet, have you?” “ No.” “All right,” said Coke; "come on. If we step on it, we’ll just get there in time to see her.” “ It’s all right with me,” said Regan. (To be continued next Saturday.) *1 @ HI El HI ® ® ® a El HI S Sill iU S; © @ (*3 gi