“Bart’s going to go after Durgan, soon,” said Madge. “That’s why Durgan is out to get Bart first. You can knock off Durgan before he tries his game. It’s soft for you, Cliff!”
“Wait a minute.” Cliff seemed to recover from his indecision. “I’m going to make a telephone call. I’ll be back.”
MADGE watched Cliff approvingly as he started toward the telephone booth. She did not know his exact purpose, but she felt sure that it would lead to what she wanted — the termination of Killer Durgan’s career of crime!
In the booth, Cliff obtained the number that he knew so well. Positive that he was not being overheard, he discarded the usual code of emphasized words and explained the situation briefly. He merely omitted names, knowing that they would be understood.
The information that he imparted was that Killer Durgan, accompanied by Ernie Shires and a few others, intended to appear on a Brooklyn dock where both Hennesy and Larrigan would be, and be the motive of a general uprising that would end the tottering regime of Bart Hennesy.
“Call me in twenty minutes,” came the quiet order from the other end of the wire.
Cliff returned to Madge. The girl observed the expression on his face and decided that she had won her cause.
It would be unwise to try further persuasion. Madge sought to be alluring rather than revengeful. Her honeyed words brought a pleased smile to Cliff’s lips.
“I’m your moll, Cliff,” declared Madge. “Gee! I wish I’d met you long ago! But it was worth waiting, Cliff. Tell me, Cliff. You don’t ever think of any other girl, do you?”
“Not now.” Cliff had been thinking of another girl, one whose photograph he had seen in the society section of yesterday’s newspaper. “There was a girl — once — but that was all forgotten when I was put away.”