The Public Enemy Page #3

-Hello, Steve. How's business?

-Business?

Business is on the bum.

That's with telling us

you only took two kegs of beer last trip...

-but now you don't want any at all.

-Business is on the bum.

Give us a couple of beers.

That'll help a little.

-That ain't our beer.

-Where'd you get this slop?

lt's good, ain't it?

And it's cheaper than yours.

How much you paying for this stuff?

-Two bits a glass.

-All right. Screw.

l thought so.

You can sell ours for the same price.

Get your hands off that!

Somebody's got to protect

your customers.

What can l do? l can't help it

if l have to buy from Schemer Burns.

-They tell me the same thing that you do.

-You're yellow.

Please, you ain't gonna slug me, are you?

Maybe not today.

But l'm telling you this for the last time.

When Dutch comes,

he will leave some beer.

You're going to take it

and kick in with the dough.

lf you don't, somebody will come and kick

your teeth out one at a time. Get me?

You'll be needing some right away.

How many should we leave?

-Two kegs.

-You hear that, Dutch? Bring in five kegs.

''Mr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Ryan.''

''Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Grogan.''

''Welcome home, Michael Powers.''

''Samuel Nathan''?

l never heard of him.

Nails Nathan. One of Tom's new friends.

What's Tom doing now, Pat?

Mother said something

about a political job.

Yeah? And that ain't all.

He and Matt have been running around...

with a couple of girls

at the Washington Arms Hotel.

Now, the worst part of it all

is that he's been lying to his mother.

He's leaving her think

that he's made an honest success.

Why, sure it's only a question of time

when he's going to be caught.

And then he'll be

after breaking her poor heart.

But what's he doing?

Beer. Bootleg.

He's one of Paddy Ryan's gang.

But that's not all.

Sure, they stop at nothing.

You either take their beer,

or they put you on the spot.

l tell you, Michael, it is a wicked business.

Why, only last week....

-Got it?

-Yeah, l got it.

That's nice of you, Tommy...

but l don't think

Mike will be able to drink any.

lt's the best beer in town.

lt'll do him good.

Dinner's all ready, Michael.

-Shall l help you in?

-No, Mother. l can make it.

l'll be getting along. l'll see you all later.

Bye-bye.

How's the meat, Mikey?

Fine, Ma.

l wish you'd eat more.

Try some of this cabbage.

l've had plenty, Ma.

Say, we haven't drunk to your health yet.

This is a swell celebration.

There you are, Mike.

-That's enough for you, Ma.

-Put a head on that, will you?

Miss Powers.

Well, here's to you, Mike.

Why don't you drink, Mike?

Come on, it's only beer.

l don't want any, Matt.

What's eating you?

l'm not interfering with your drinking.

lf you want to drink it, go on.

lf l don't want to, l don't have to.

So beer ain't good enough for you?

You think l'd care

if it was just beer in that keg?

l know what's in it.

l know what you've been doing...

how you got those clothes

and those new cars.

You've been telling Ma you're in politics,

that you're on the city payroll.

Pat Burke told me everything.

You murderers!

There's not only beer in that keg,

there's beer and blood.

The blood of men!

You ain't changed a bit.

Besides, your hands ain't so clean.

You killed and liked it.

You didn't get them medals

for holding hands with Germans.

Please, he ain't himself.

He don't know what he's talking about.

This trip's been too much

for the poor soul.

Lord have pity on him.

Please, Tommy.

Come on, Matt. Let's get out of here

before l go screwy, too.

Don't go away, Tommy. Don't be angry.

You can send my clothes

to the Washington Arms Hotel.

Get up, lazybones.

What are you gonna do, sleep all day?

Button up. l can sleep as long as l like.

That's a fine way to talk to me

after l cooked this lovely breakfast for you.

With my own lily-white hands.

Lake View 8515. Right.

-Hello?

-Hello, is Tom there?

l just called his apartment. They said

he stepped across the hall for breakfast.

Nails Nathan.

Just a minute. Tom, it's for you.

-Who is it?

-Nails Nathan.

-Hello, kid.

-Hello, Tom.

-What's the matter, kid?

-Nothing.

Only the dame's beginning

to get on my nerves, that's all.

Listen, l'm getting fed up

on these rubber checks bouncing in.

We're laying down good beer and

getting nothing but a lot of bum paper.

l got one this morning for $1,200

from that Pete over on Kedzie Avenue.

Get over there. l want that dough.

Cash or his heart.

lf you can't bring in one, bring in the other.

l'll bring you both. Leave it to me, kid.

All right.

Come on in, Matt. Shake a leg.

Nails wants us to do him a favor.

ln a minute.

lt's all ready, Tom.

-Ain't you got a drink in the house?

-Not before breakfast, dear.

l didn't ask you for any lip.

-l asked you if you got a drink.

-l know, Tom...

-but l wish--

-There you go with that ''wishing'' stuff.

l wish you was a wishing well...

so that l could tie a bucket to you

and sink you.

Maybe you found someone you like better.

How goes it, babe?

-Going south?

-Yes.

But l'm not accustomed

to riding with strangers.

We're not going to be strangers.

-How far are you going?

-Pretty far. Near Jackson Park.

-ls that out of your way?

-No.

My chauffeur's just crazy

about long drives.

Step on it, James.

Well, do l look good to you?

-You sure do.

-l feel flattered.

You know,

you're not the worst l've seen, either.

-From Chicago?

-Not exactly. l came from Texas.

-Where you living?

-The Congress Hotel.

lf you're a stranger here,

Tom and me will show you the town.

Stick to your driving, mug.

Say, you can let me off here.

l'm going to meet my friends

on the corner.

Could l see you again later?

l'd be happy to have you

call me sometime.

l mean, later today.

l'll think it over. Give me

your phone number and l'll call you.

All right, babe. Yards 3771 .

l'll remember it.

And in the meantime, thanks.

-My name is Gwen. Gwen Allen.

-And mine's Tom Powers.

-Yeah, and mine is Matt.

-He ain't got a name, just a number.

She's a honey. l could go for her myself.

What do you mean,

you could go for her yourself?

You could go for

an 80-year-old chick with rheumatism.

When are you going to see her?

-She's going to call me.

-Find out if she's got a friend.

What do you want with her friend?

You got Mamie, ain't you?

Ain't you going to kiss your little baby?

-You got Kitty, ain't you?

-l ain't going to have her much longer.

l'm fed up. You can tell her so for me.

Step on the gas, will you?

Max, George, quick.

Delighted to see you, Mr. Nathan.

-How are you, Joe?

-Fine, thank you.

Where would you like to sit?

Where do l always sit?

Right at the ringside.

-May be full up there.

-We can fix that, sir.

Max, George, fix a table immediately

at the railing for Mr. Nathan.

Great. The best is none too good tonight.

This is a wedding celebration.

-Really?

-Yep.

Matt's decided

to take something lawful: a wife.

-That's something to celebrate about.

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