The Horn Blows at Midnight Page #4

Say, Slippy,

this here's a friend of mine.

Let him sit in. If

he's ok, we'll hire him.

I solid will, boss.

You're just in time.

Get with it, buster.

Grab a chair. We're

going to start jumping.

Help him out,

you cats.

There's a lot of triple

tonguing in this arrangement.

Oh, I think

I'll manage, thank you.

Are you digging

this character?

He's going to

manage it.

So your boots

are laced, Junior.

Well, all reet,

all reet, all reet!

Give it to me!

A- one, a-two,

a- zeek, a-zoo!

Here's your chance

to get with it, bud.

That's you.

Me? There's nothing

there for 32 bars.

Take off, pops. Curl it,

beat it, and twist it!

Twist it?

Yeah.

Fake it, man.

Ain't you hep?

Oh, you mean

ad libitum.

Well...

- Get with it, guy.

- Come on, send me.

Oh, that man is sour!

Hey, is he

kidding?

What is this, a wake?

This is

murder, Slippy!

Oh, that man is sour!

Bounce that icky out

before he empties the joint.

Wait a minute!

Now, I'm Athanael, third phalanx, 15th-

Oh.

Did you say something, bud?

No, no. I thought you were a real angel.

Ha ha ha!

Fooled you, didn't I?

Table for one?

Here you are.

What'll it be,

Johnny?

Why, I'm afraid you have me

mixed up with someone else.

My name is Athanael.

My name is Porplinski.

Lew Porplinski.

May I have the honor

of to hustle you some grub?

Well, this is all

so new to me. I-

Say-say, that looks

rather interesting.

A double scoop

jumbo delight. Right.

Vanilla and strawberry ice

cream on a sliced banana

with chocolate syrup

and chopped walnuts.

Anything else, monsieur?

Well, I-

I'd-I'd like some

of that, I think.

You want that with a

double scoop jumbo delight?

Ok.

Imported herring with

domestic onions, a large order.

With a double scoop jumbo

delight, that goes just ducky.

Of course, the blend ain't exactly right

unless you got a nice,

big, juicy dill pickle.

Really?

Well, then a nice, big,

juicy dill pickle it shall be.

You got it, brother.

Hey, this is

going to be fun.

Uh... pardon me,

buddy,

but just in case something

should happen to you,

Who shall I notify?

Notify?

A close friend maybe.

Well, I have a close

friend, but you see,

I'm down here,

and she's up there.

You see,

there you go again.

Look, Elizabeth,

be reasonable.

I just can't let you go

down to that awful place.

Poor Athanael.

Well, suppose I let you go

and something went wrong.

I'd be ruined!

I'm responsible

for my messengers, you know.

Besides, the shortage in angel power...

You just don't trust me.

That's all.

Oh, I do, Elizabeth.

You know I do.

Then let me go.

I'll straighten the whole

thing out in no time.

Have I ever failed

you?

No, but-

Then please let me.

I promise I'll have Athanael

blow the trumpet tonight.

Please.

Oh, what ever became

of my willpower?

I'll leave right away

and be back with Athanael

a minute after midnight. Please, chief.

Well, I-

Oh, I knew

you'd say yes!

Wait a minute.

Who said yes?

Now, take care of

yourself while I'm gone

and don't worry.

But I will worry!

I know there's something wrong

with this. I've got a hunch.

Bye-bye, chief.

You're a darling.

I wouldn't have believed it

unless I seen it with me own eyes.

What did he have

after the watermelon?

Roast duck

with stuffing,

then a coconut custard,

and now an oyster stew.

We ought to send

for a doctor.

Oh, mr. Porplinski!

You want

something else?

No, thank you. Somehow, nothing

else seems to appeal to me.

Now if you'll excuse me,

thanks and good-bye.

Good-bye.

Say, not so fast.

What about the check?

The check?

I don't understand.

Come on, come on.

Give me $3.00.

Dollars?

You heard me.

You heard me.

And come up dig into

your pockets with $3.00.

Well, I'll try, but I'm quite

sure that I haven't any dollars,

Whatever they are.

You see?

Yeah, I see.

Well, I'm sorry to have

disappointed you.

You've been very generous, and I'd gladly

give you some dollars if I had some.

Well, good-Bye.

Holding on not a

chance. I'm to this bugle

Until you give me

the dough.

Dough? But you said

you wanted-

On your way.

Get out of here!

All right,

if you insist,

But you know what

you're doing?

You're driving me right

into the hot girdle business.

The first time this

happened, I didn't say a word.

I kept my temper. I

retained my self-control,

but there is a lim

it to my patience!

Please, lady Stover,

my humblest apologies.

Sloan!

Excuse me, ladies.

Now what?

Why don't you attend

to your business?

Round up suspects,

get a signed confession.

The roof elevator

is missing again.

Oh, no!

Well!

Just a moment,

young lady.

Would you mind telling

me where you've been

with that elevator

Yes, I would.

Well, that's

very kind of you.

Well, that one

wasn't so bad.

No.

Always on the dot,

though, aren't they?

Well, how about a cigar?

Pardon me.

Could you tell me where

I might find an ange-

I mean a gentleman

named Athanael?

Mr. Athanael? Yes, I believe

he's registered here.

Excuse me.

Funny, isn't it? Last night we

thought we were all washed up,

and here we are with

everything under control.

Yes. We're sitting

right on top of the-

Oh!

Am I seeing things?

Yes. You are seeing the

chief's secretary Elizabeth.

Why do you imagine

she's down here?

She didn't come down to pitch

for the brooklyn dodgers.

Yes. We booked mr. Athanael in

room 106 on the mezzanine floor.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is still

dr. Panache, your roving bridge expert,

doing our weekly quiz broadcast

from the lobby of the hotel universe.

Ah, there, young lady.

Just in time to answer a bridge

question for our radio audience.

But first, are you

a New Yorker, miss?

No. I just dropped in.

Well, well!

A stranger in town.

You're on a pleasure

trip perhaps, hmm?

Well, you'd hardly

call it that.

Anyway, here's

your bridge question.

You and your boyfriend

are defending a slam bid.

You lead a club,

knowing your boyfriend

is blank in that suit.

Now, what does

your boyfriend do?

Really,

I don't think I-

What does

your boyfriend play?

Oh, trumpet.

Trump it!

Absolutely correct!

That is the play that sets the

hand and wins you a prize of $5.00.

Thank you very much.

And that concludes our weekly broadcast

sponsored by the eureka card company.

This is your announcer, dr. Panache,

returning you now to the studio.

Hello, Athanael.

Hello, hello.

Well, aren't you

surprised to see me?

Oh, I don't know.

I've met so many people down here that-

Elizabeth!

Remember, I warned you not to let

anyone impose on your good nature.

But I was saving a soul

from mortal sin.

You weren't sent but

down here to do that.

Your instructions

were definite.

Was she pretty?

Pretty?

Was who pretty?

The girl whose soul

you saved.

Oh, her. Well...

oh, no, no.

As a matter of fact, I'd

say she was quite ordinary.

To me, she was just

a girl in trouble.

Not nearly as much trouble

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