MORE DEADLY THAN THE MALE
1
They were all there — Capone, Dillinger, Nelson, Karpis and Charlie Lucky. The table at which they sat was littered with poker chips, playing cards, whisky bottles and glasses. A green shadedlamp hung low over the table; its harsh light fell on their faces, whilethe rest of the room remained dark and shadowy.
Several men, almost invisible in the gloom and haze o f tobacco smoke, lounged behind the group at the table. They were small men, with eyes like wet stones, swarthy complexions and granite faces.
The group at the table and the men in the shadows suddenly stiffened when George Fraser walked into the room. He stood a few feet from the table, his hands in his coat pockets, his jaw thrustforward and his eyes threatening and cold.
No one spoke; no one moved.
''If any of you guys wants to start something," George Fraser said, after along pause, "I'll take care of his widow."
Very slowly, very cautiously, Capone laid his cards down on the table. "Hello, George," he said in a husky whisper.
George Fraser eyed him coldly. There were few men who would have had the nerve to walk alone into that back room and face five of the biggest and most dangerous bosses in the booze racket, butGeorge Fraser was without nerves.
"It's time we had a little talk," he said, biting off each word. "You guys have been running this show too long. You're through— the lot of you. From now on, I'm taking over this territory, and I'mrunning it my way."
There followed another long pause, then Dillinger, his eyes glowing and his face white with rage, snarled, "Who said?"
George Fraser smiled. "I said," he returned, in his clipped, cold voice.
Dillinger made a growling noise deep in his throat and his hand flashed to his hip pocket.
Capone, sitting next to him, grabbed frantically at his wrist. His fat face was blue-white with fear. "Do you want to commit suicide?" he yelled. "You don't stand a chance with Fraser!"
Dillinger, swearing under his breath, tried to break Capone's grip, and the table rocked as the two men wrestled. A bottle of whisky toppled and smashed to pieces on the floor.
"Let him alone, Al," George Fraser called. "If he wants to play it that way, you'd better give him some air."
Capone shot a terrified look at George Fraser. The pale, set face and the eyes that were now like chips o f ice completely unnerved him. He nearly fell over himself to get away from Dillinger.
"Look out!" he cried. "He's going to shoot!"
