Gangdom's Doom
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GANGDOM'S DOOM Maxwell Grant GANGDOM'S DOOM Table of Contents GANGDOM'S DOOM........................................................................................................................................1 Maxwell Grant.........................................................................................................................................1 CHAPTER I. AN INTERRUPTED FLIGHT..........................................................................................1 CHAPTER II. FELLOWS SPEAKS.......................................................................................................5 CHAPTER III. A VISITOR TO CHICAGO.........................................................................................10 CHAPTER IV. GANGSTERS MEET...................................................................................................16 CHAPTER V. GUNS BARK................................................................................................................22 CHAPTER VI. AT THE GRAY MILL.................................................................................................27 CHAPTER VII. PLANS ARE MADE..................................................................................................31 CHAPTER VIII. SAVOLI GIVES ORDERS.......................................................................................37 CHAPTER IX. MESSENGERS OF DEATH.......................................................................................42 CHAPTER X. THE SHADOW SPEAKS.............................................................................................46 CHAPTER XI. SAVOLl MAKES PLANS...........................................................................................52 CHAPTER XII. SAVOLI HAS VISITORS..........................................................................................57 CHAPTER XIII. MONK LOOKS FOR TROUBLE.............................................................................62 CHAPTER XIV. MONK TAKES CREDIT..........................................................................................67 CHAPTER XV. THE SHADOW HEARS............................................................................................72 CHAPTER XVI. THE PEACE DINNER..............................................................................................78 CHAPTER XVII. ENTER THE SHADOW..........................................................................................83 CHAPTER XVIII. MONK THURMAN RETURNS............................................................................89 CHAPTER XIX. VINCENT RECEIVES A MESSAGE.....................................................................94 CHAPTER XX. SAVOLI STRIKES.....................................................................................................99 CHAPTER XXI. MONK THURMAN SUGGESTS...........................................................................104 CHAPTER XXII. THE SHADOW STRIKES AGAIN.....................................................................108 CHAPTER XXIII. LARRIGAN IS SATISFIED................................................................................112 CHAPTER XXIV. THE PLOT AGAINST SAVOLI........................................................................118 CHAPTER XXV. LARRIGAN SWEARS VENGEANCE...............................................................123 CHAPTER XXVI. GANG WAR........................................................................................................126 CHAPTER XXVII. MOB RULE ENDS.............................................................................................132 i GANGDOM'S DOOM Maxwell Grant This page copyright © 2002 Blackmask Online. http://www.blackmask.com • CHAPTER I. AN INTERRUPTED FLIGHT • CHAPTER II. FELLOWS SPEAKS • CHAPTER III. A VISITOR TO CHICAGO • CHAPTER IV. GANGSTERS MEET • CHAPTER V. GUNS BARK • CHAPTER VI. AT THE GRAY MILL • CHAPTER VII. PLANS ARE MADE • CHAPTER VIII. SAVOLI GIVES ORDERS • CHAPTER IX. MESSENGERS OF DEATH • CHAPTER X. THE SHADOW SPEAKS • CHAPTER XI. SAVOLl MAKES PLANS • CHAPTER XII. SAVOLI HAS VISITORS • CHAPTER XIII. MONK LOOKS FOR TROUBLE • CHAPTER XIV. MONK TAKES CREDIT • CHAPTER XV. THE SHADOW HEARS • CHAPTER XVI. THE PEACE DINNER • CHAPTER XVII. ENTER THE SHADOW • CHAPTER XVIII. MONK THURMAN RETURNS • CHAPTER XIX. VINCENT RECEIVES A MESSAGE • CHAPTER XX. SAVOLI STRIKES • CHAPTER XXI. MONK THURMAN SUGGESTS • CHAPTER XXII. THE SHADOW STRIKES AGAIN • CHAPTER XXIII. LARRIGAN IS SATISFIED • CHAPTER XXIV. THE PLOT AGAINST SAVOLI • CHAPTER XXV. LARRIGAN SWEARS VENGEANCE • CHAPTER XXVI. GANG WAR • CHAPTER XXVII. MOB RULE ENDS CHAPTER I. AN INTERRUPTED FLIGHT TWO MEN sat facing each other in a luxurious penthouse atop one of the Boulevard's newer apartment houses. One was pale and nervous. His face twitched as he puffed his cigar with great rapidity. His companion was a sharp contrast. Short, chubby−faced, and calm, he bore the air of a man who seldom became perturbed. The roar of Chicago's night traffic seemed far away, yet it disturbed the nervous man. He threw his cigar in an ash stand, and walked to the window. He drew the curtains aside with caution and stared toward the twinkling lights of the Loop. Then he turned to face his companion. "I'm through with it, Fellows," he said, "I'm through. I want to get out if I can. But there's no getting out of this" GANGDOM'S DOOM 1 GANGDOM'S DOOM He swept his hand toward the window, to indicate the city below. His eyes were pleading as he stared at the quiet−faced man in the chair. Fellows was thoughtful for a few moments; then he spoke with deliberation. "How soon do you expect trouble, Prescott?" he asked. "Soon," was the reply. "Very soon!" "To−night?" "No. I think I can count on a few days of grace. But after that" Prescott began to pound one palm with the fist of his other hand. His haggard face showed signs of long, uninterrupted strain. He was nearing the breaking point. With an effort, he regained control of himself and sat down on the edge of a chair. "Fellows," he said, "I've talked too much. I did it to cover up. I thought that if I acted wise, as though I'd been checking up on gang stuff as a hobby, no one would ever suspect that Horace Prescott was in the racket, himself. "It worked all right until I became foolish. It was when I began to play with rival gangs that they figured I was giving them the double cross. "Now I'm slated to be put on the spot. On the spot, Fellows! You know what that means!" The other man interrupted. "Outside of Chicago" he began. "It's all the same," replied Prescott. "They'll follow me anywhere. They'll get me!" "Outside of Chicago," repeated Fellows insistently, "you will be safe. I promised you that you would be protected, once you were clear of this city. "You have done your part. You have given me the information I needed. You have had contact with both Pete Varona and Mike Larrigan." "Yes," agreed Prescott, "I know how those gangs work. I've seen too much of them"there was bitterness in his voice"and when I said that the big shot, Nick Savoli, can be reached through Pete Varona, I meant it. Pete's in with the big shot, all right." "You are right when you say that you talked too much," resumed Fellows quietly. "At the same time, your future safety lies in that very fact. "I represent a man, Prescott, who is more powerful than any of these gangsters!" "Not in Chicago," objected Prescott. "Not in Chicago," agreed Fellows. "Not here, at present. But later" − his voice was prophetic"the situation may be different." GANGDOM'S DOOM 2 GANGDOM'S DOOM HORACE PRESCOTT seemed somewhat reassured by the quiet manner of his visitor. He looked at Fellows inquiringly, hoping that the man would tell him more. "The man I mentioned," said Fellows, "has been planning a most astonishing campaign. Even I, his agent, do not know its details. "I know only that it concerns the present situation here in Chicago; that gangdom is about to learn the power of this man. I came here as a confidential investigator. I learned of you through Clyde Johnston." "He knows a lot about me," observed Prescott. "Johnston is a good friend of mine. "I've told you my racketselling booze to society and to exclusive clubs. The cops never bothered me. I was a society man, with a good income that came from an inheritance. That's partly correct. Only, I've been making lots more by running bootleg liquor than I have from clipping coupons." "My instructions," Fellows spoke again, "were to make contact with a man of your type. "I am an insurance broker by profession. My clients are men of means. It was easy for me to learn who was active in selling liquor to wealthy customers. In talking with Johnston, I discovered that you had admitted to him that you were in difficulties." Prescott nodded. "Johnston doesn't buy liquor," he said. "He gave me plenty of advice when he found out that I was in the racket. Old friend, you know. Thinking of my welfare. Told me to get out of the dirty game. I told him that I couldn't." "Yes," said Fellows, "he was very apprehensive about you. He told me all he knew about you when I suggested that I might find some way of helping you. He called you on the telephone when I was in his office. Hence our interview to−night." "I've played square, haven't I?" asked Prescott pleadingly. "I told you everything, didn't I? If you want me to write down all the details −" "There's no need for it," said Fellows dryly. "I have an excellent memory. I shall make out my report later. "The real task now is to