"The Silver Arrow for Pittsburgh and Chicago leaving at one o'clock." "It's crazy how you can get yourself in a mess sometimes and not even be able to think about it with any sense, and yet not be able to think about anything else." "You get so you're no good for anything or anybody." "Maybe it begins by taking life too serious." "Anyway, I think that's the way it began for me, just before my fight with Rodriguez, three days ago." " Hello?" " Hello, Davey." " What kept you?" " How are you?" "OK, but it's getting late." "I hate to wait around like this." "You better hop a cab." "I had some trouble with the car." "I'll meet you at the arena." " OK." " Right." "Bye." " You're doing all right for yourself." " What do you mean?" " Oh, he just lives in the building." " Oh." " Used to be a pretty good fighter." " A fighter?" "Sure." "He's fighting tonight, as a matter of fact." "We can watch him on the TV." "Dear Davey, we still haven't heard from you yet this month, and we wondered whether everything was still all right with you." "Out here everything's about the same." "I still get into Seattle every week and the ranch is prospering nicely." "Last week I finally bought Mr. Henderson's chestnut Arabian stallion." "Your Aunt Grace's arthritis is much better." "She can even take short rides on Jumper now and then." "Well, I guess that's all now, except that we miss you a lot, Davey." "Write soon." "Love, Uncle George and Aunt Grace." "...brings together two very game boys." "The youngster, undefeated in 22 professional encounters, Kid Rodriguez, and the veteran, Davey Gordon, who's emerged victorious in 88 fights, while losing nine and drawing two." "Gordon's long career-he's now 29 - has been one long promise without fulfilment, at least thus far." "As hard a puncher as they come, a clever boxer, he's been plagued by a weak chin and the unlucky knack of being at his worst for the big ones." "And tonight is a big one indeed, with a title bout in the offing for the winner." "Now let's take time out for a friendly word from our sponsor." "How often have you come home and wanted to feel the..." "One." "Two." "Three." "Four." "Five." "Six." "Seven." "Eight." "One." "Two." "Three." "Four." "Five." "Six." "Seven." "Eight." "Tonight we may have seen ring history in the making, in the form of the young welterweight Rodriguez and his impressive KO over the experienced campaigner Gordon." "But, for Gordon, tonight must come as a bitter pill." "He was to prove that his glass chin had been remade into sterner stuff, but, unfortunately for him, tonight again it was as fragile as ever." "It's a well-known ring adage that too much education spoils a fighter." "Hello?" "Mr. Davey Gordon, please." "That's me." "Just a moment." "Your party is on the line." " Hi, Davey." "This is Uncle George." " Hey, Uncle George." " How are you?" " Fine." "How are you?" "We're all fine, too." "Say, how would you like to take a vacation out here, spend a little time with us?" "Country's mighty nice this time of the year." "It's really nice of you to ask me out but..." " Dave, we saw the fight on TV tonight." " So?" " Nothing." "We just saw it." " Must have looked great." " Well, these things happen." " I don't know what happened." "Forget it." "You need a vacation, and we haven't seen you for two years." "Why don't you make a reservation and come on out?" "Well, look, I don't know." "Say, look, I feel a little dopey right now, George, but..." "let me think about it." "I'll, uh..." "I'll call you." " Wait." "You're not hurt, are you, Dave?" " No, no." "I'm just tired, that's all." " Good." "Let us know as soon as you can." " Sure." " Your Aunt Grace sends her love." " Tell her the same from here." "OK." "As it stands now, you'll let us know when to expect you." "I certainly will." "Thanks for calling." "It was nice hearing from you." " Take care of yourself." " You, too." "Good night." "Good night, Davey." "Go on home, you lying bum!" "You're a bum!" "Go on home, boy." "I don't..." "Hey!" "What's goin' on in there?" "There you go." "That's better." "Look, if you don't mind me..." "if you don't mind me asking you, what happened?" "Well, about an hour ago..." "Well?" "What do you want?" "I'm sorry." "I really am sorry." " It doesn't matter now." " I said I'm sorry." "Can't you forgive me?" " No." " Please." " Gloria, please." " Go away." "Get out." "Yeah, that figures to be." "All my life I've always spoiled the things that meant the most to me." " All my life." " I don't care." "I just want you to get out." "Gloria, can't you understand?" "If only you could know how low and worthless I feel." " I didn't even know you had any feelings." " You foolish girl." "I'm mad about you." "I wanna get you outta here." "I'll set you up right." "I'll be your slave all my life." " You couldn't do anything for me." " Don't forgive me, just tolerate me," " And let me suffer, knowing how you feel." " Can't you get it, Vinnie?" "To me you're just an old man." "You smell bad." "I'm mad about you." "I can't stand when I see those guys dancing with you." "My insides burst." " Well, you won't have to see it any more." " Please." " Please, just another chance." " No." "No chance, no nothing." " Please." " Let go of me or I'll scream." "Don't think about it any more." "Why, he won't come back." "Don't worry." "I'm so tired now." "Just close your eyes." "Don't worry about anything." "I'll sit here with you." "I locked her door and went home." "But first thing in the morning I went back to see how she was." "My knocking woke her up, but she was all smiles and invited me in for breakfast." "Over coffee she told me she had seen the fight." "I suppose that got me started talking about myself, about what a washup I was, how I was going back to Seattle and work on my uncle's ranch." "But when I think back about it now" "I realise that, all the time I was talking, the thing that was really in my mind was to remember not to ask what it was her boss Rappalo was so sorry for." "Anyway, let's talk about you." "Like, who are those people in the picture?" "And how did you get messed up with that dance-hall guy?" "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "Just that... so funny you should ask those questions that way." " Together that way." " Why?" "Well, they have both so much to do with each other." " How do you mean?" " It's involved." "Do you wanna hear it?" "If you don't mind telling me, I would." "I don't mind." "For some reason I feel like telling you." "I've never told anybody before." "This is my father." "This is my sister Iris." "But I suppose it's really Iris's story." "She was a ballet dancer, and everyone said she was very good." "She adored Daddy, and of course she was his favourite." "But let me start from the beginning." "Iris was eight years old." "Father was a writer with a growing reputation, and Mother was very beautiful and very intelligent." "They loved each other very much and they were very happy." "Then I was born and my mother died on the same day." "They say Father went on a two-week drunk to celebrate the event." "And after that I don't think he ever thought of another woman." "Time passed and Iris grew more beautiful each day." "She was the image of her mother." "Everyone said so." "Iris was Daddy's favourite, and I was very jealous." "And maybe I began to hate her." "Daddy was good to me." "Maybe he loved me a little, too." "By the time she was 20, she was dancing with the Ballets Russes, and Daddy was so proud of her." "And then" " I remember the day clearly - it was my thirteenth birthday," "Sunday afternoon." "Iris came home excited and told us of her marriage proposal." "The man wasn't bad-looking, in his early thirties, and very rich." "Father knew him and liked him, but he couldn't stop laughing when Iris told how she said no, simply because the fellow wanted her to give up her dancing and just be his wife." "She never said if she loved him or not." "Then, a few months later, Daddy took sick and didn't get better." "And it turned out that he never would, and that he would need constant medical care until the end." "Six months to two years, they said." "Iris's salary wasn't enough, and in two months' time all our savings were gone." "I couldn't work." "I was only 13, still in grade school." "The next thing I knew, she married her rich suitor, and we were all living in great style on his estate in Long Island." "Daddy had the best care money could buy, and he seemed happy despite it all." "Iris gave up her dancing, according to the marriage bargain, and did little else but sit at Daddy's bedside." "Sick as he was, he always laughed a lot when they were together." "I guess I hated her more than ever now." "A year passed like that." "Her husband was a sweet man, but none of us paid much attention to him." "And by then I'm sure he knew she didn't love him." "But he never said anything." "Then one cold winter morning the maid woke us and said that Daddy was dead." "Iris was like a stone." "She didn't even blink." "I began to cry and shout that I hated her, that she had only pretended with Daddy, and that she didn't ever love him." "She didn't say a word." "In his room she stood quietly over his body for a long time and smiled." "Then she went up to her room and put on their favourite record." "It was from one of her ballets." "She played it very loud." "A short time later her husband found her in bed, the covers drawn up to her neck." "She'd cut her wrists and she was dead." "She left me a note." "Said she loved me." "She was sorry for making a mess of everything between us." "Later, I was in the city attending to some legal things, and I happened to pass the dance hall." "Sign read "Pleasureland." "Dancing partners wanted."" "I don't know what possessed me." "I went up." "I actually took the job." "I don't understand any part of it." "Every night I worked in that depraved place, a human zoo." "I kept thinking "At least Iris never had... had to dance like this."" "And then I started to feel less unhappy." "Come on, let's go out for a walk." "We went out for a walk." "I bought her an ice cream and saw her laugh for the first time." "We must have walked for hours, and slowly her mood changed." "She became very happy and optimistic about life in general." "But when I said I was taking the train back to Seattle the next day, she got serious again and very quiet." "I didn't know it, but I was already in over my head and I couldn't have cared less." "We didn't get back until after lunch." "And then in her apartment..." "Something's happened." "I know." " Do you know?" " Sure." "You kissed me." " Is that all?" " That's all I saw." "I watched all the time." "I love you." "Love me?" "That's funny." "Why is it so funny?" "Why?" "It's a mistake to confuse pity with love." "Look, Gloria..." "Looking back now, I don't know what her reasons were then, but she agreed to come out to Seattle with me." "I should have had sense enough to know it was no good, and she was so scared she'd grab at anything." "But I was kidding myself, and all I could think of was how much I wanted her." "We made reservations and wired Uncle George to brace himself for a niece." "And then we got our finances together." " Yes?" " This is Louie." "Gloria Price called to say she's coming in tonight for last week's salary." "You there, Mr. Rappalo?" "Thanks." " Albert?" " Hello, Davey." "How are you?" "OK." "Have you got enough money on you to cash my cheque from yesterday?" "What's the rush?" "I don't feel too good." "I think I'll go out to Seattle and take stock of things." " Wait a minute, I'll see." " Thanks." "I'd appreciate it." " OK." "Come on over." " Say, how about, uh..." "Pleasureland instead?" "You know, that dance hall at 49th and Broadway." "Maybe around eight tonight." "I'll be there, but it has to be 8.15." "I'm taking my wife to a show." "I'll just make it." " Right." "I'll see you there." "Take it easy." " OK." " Still feel the same way?" " Yes." " I understand you're going away." " Yes." " Where?" " That's my business." "I came for my pay." "Oh, sure." "How much do I owe you?" " A week." " Can't you tell me where you're going?" "No." " Will I ever see you again?" " I doubt it." " I couldn't take that." " You'll have to." " That's not true." " Why isn't it?" " I could kill you right here and now." " Oh, I don't think you will." " I wouldn't be too sure of that." " Look, Vinnie, I..." "I really am in a hurry." " For what?" " Somebody's waiting downstairs." " You going away with him?" " I don't have to tell you anything." " All the same, you are, aren't you?" " You figure it out." " Then you are." " No comment." " He's a bum." "You'll be grubbing for him." " Is that so?" "Sure." "Like the man said, "Can happiness buy money?"" "Well, you're a comedian, too." "See what I'm missing?" "Get out." "I'm not asking for favours, but you owe it to me." "Get out!" "Hey." "Hey." "Come on, give me back the scarf." "Come on." "Come on." "Hey." "Hey!" "Miss?" "The boss says he's sorry and if you go upstairs you can collect your money." "What do you guys want?" "Who are you?" "Here." "Do you want my money?" "Here, take it." " Where did you go?" " After my scarf." "Did you get the money?" "He said no, then gave me an extra hundred." "Weird." "Did you see Albert?" "Somebody was here before." "I guess he got tired of waiting." "We'll call him when he gets home." "We had ham and eggs and said goodbye to the bright lights." "Downstairs in the courtyard I suggested that we each get packed and I'd come over when I was through." "Open the door." "Open the door!" " Looks like he's gone." " Know where?" "No, sir." " Where's he from?" " I don't know." " When did he leave?" " I don't know." " How long's he lived here?" " Oh, about a year." " Give me a hand with this drawer." " Yes, sir." " What kind of trouble is he in?" " Bad trouble." "Found his manager's body an hour ago with his head bashed in." "OK." "Let's go." "Good morning, Mr. Rappalo." "I'm sorry I missed you at the arena last week, but..." "Anyway, Mr. Albert told me to tell you that..." "That was my manager you knocked off." " What?" " Where is she?" " What?" " The girl!" " I don't know." " You don't know." "I'm gonna count to three, and if you still don't know I'll blow your brains out." "One." "Two." " A loft on 24th Street." " How'd she get there?" " Boys were waiting." " She all right?" "Yeah, she's all right." "I had to do it." "She saw the boys at the dance hall." "She was a witness." "I thought you were dead." "They grabbed her and made it look like she'd left." "I thought you were dead." "I didn't want murder." "It's all gone wrong." "Get goin'." "Get 'em up." "Is that you, Mr. Rappalo?" "Yes, it's me, boys." "Up!" "Everybody up." "Against the wall and lean on your hands." "Come on." " How are you, baby?" " I'm OK." "I can't get the rope." "Be careful." "You." "Yeah, you." "Untie her." "Listen, Vinnie." "Don't kill me." "I don't wanna die." "I'll do anything you say." "Anything." "You love him, though, don't you?" "I don't know." "I don't think so." "I've only known him two days." "Two days!" "Please, Vinnie." "Please don't kill me." "You said you were mad about me." "Remember?" "I'm just an old man and I smell bad." "Remember?" "I didn't mean it." "You know I didn't mean it." " We could go away." " Sure." "Sure." "I got lots of money." "We could have loads of fun someplace." "Sure." "London." "Paris." "Sicily." " I'll do anything you want." " Maybe we could get married." "Settle down, have a couple of kids." "Sure." "What do you take me for?" "14-carat sucker?" "You and lover boy won't put me in the hot seat." "You liked me once." "Remember?" "Remember how nice it was?" " It could be like that again." " You're forgetting about him?" " I don't care." " You could have had anything, but you were too good for me." "So you come up to my office and get me mad." "I send the boys to work over lover boy." "They grab the wrong guy." "He bangs his head too hard on the sidewalk." "That makes me the sucker?" "Not on your life, baby." "Not on your life." "Hey!" "Don't shoot." "C'mon." "Stay with her." "Go ahead!" "He went down there." "Be careful." "It's a dead-end alley." "He'll never get out." "Look out!" "Get that down." "C'mon, hurry." "Oh!" "Oh." " What's the matter?" " My leg." " Come on!" " I can't." "I got him." "I gotta get outta here." "I don't see anything." "Do you, Joe?" "Let's go up and have a look anyway." "When the cops came I took them to free Gloria." "The guy on the roof was picked up later." "On the ride to the police station Gloria didn't say much." "I guess she was trying to work out in her own mind why I ran and left her alone." "I don't suppose she thought how I felt, listening to her talk to Rappalo that way." "At the station they separated us for questioning." "Five hours later they chalked off Rappalo as self-defence and had worked a confession from the hoods on Albert's murder." "I was free." "On my way out, the desk sergeant said Gloria had left an hour before." "There was no message for me, and I haven't heard from her or seen her since." "And now I don't suppose I ever will again." "Anyway, I guess the whole thing was pretty silly:" "know a girl for two days and fall in love." "So I cashed my cheque, sent flowers to Albert's widow, cleaned up, and here I am." "The Pathfinder to Chicago and Seattle leaving at two o'clock, west gate, track 13." "Passengers for Pittsburgh," "Chicago, St. Louis, and Seattle." "This train has reserved coaches, dining cars and sleeping cars, designated as 494," "493, 492, 491 and 490." "The Pathfinder to Chicago and Seattle, leaving at..." "Davey!" "Davey!"