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Outside the Law 1 Confucius said:

  If a country had none but good rulers

for a hundred years, crime might be stamped out and the death penalty abolished.

2 And down through the ages lived his philosophy and on the crest of a yellow torrent it swept through the Golden Gate into the Orient of America - 'Frisco's Chinatown.

3 And in the maze of these poppy-perfumed alleys stands the bazaar and home of Chang Low, one beloved and trusted by all -

4 - Chang Low, an ardent disciple of the ancient creed.

5 "Silent" Madden, once master- mind of the underworld - now slowly reforming under Chang Low's influence -

6 Molly Madden, his daughter - better known at police headquarters as "Silky Moll."

... PRISCILLA DEAN

7 "Dad, if Chang keeps on reforming us, you'll be turn- ing your gambling house into a Sunday-school!"

8 "She laughs, Madden - yet her jest may cloak a prophecy."

9 "Black Mike" Sylva - a rat, a vulture and a snake - feared even by his pals.

10 "Dapper Bill" Ballard - glib of tongue and deft of fingers.

11 "No, we've got to frame Madden - get him rail- roaded! That will turn her against the law - then leave her to me!"

12 "When we get him on the street, let the gang start shooting - I'll do the rest."

13 Ah Wing, the devoted servant of Chang Low.

14 "Well, Chang ... by the time you convince Molly that Confucius was right, I'll be back, and we'll take in a show."

15 "Old Simmons, the druggist, wants to see you right away - said to tell you it was important."

16 "No one, Molly! The fight started as I came along, and a stray bullet got me."

17 "For the shooting of

 Officer O'Brien!"

18 "We've got you this time, Madden! An eye-witness saw you shoot him, and plant the gun!"

19 "You're all wrong! There's going to be no slip-up - when she learns her daddy was framed - good-bye reform!"

20 "You and your philosophy - 'live straight'! - He did live straight! Now, what will he get for it - do you know?"

21 "No, Molly - who can tell the finish of a tale that's just begun?"

22 The Sundial of the Law cast its shadow. Lack of evidence saved Madden a life term - Yet, "because he was there", he must serve eight months - and the prophecy of "Black Mike" came true.

23 "It's the easiest trick we ever pulled! Bill knows the lay of the land, and the safe's a cinch."

24 "Yes - but how do you know the jewels are going to be there?"

25 "Listen, Blackie, I don't like the angle of double-crossing the girl!"

26 "You don't, eh? Well, I hate her! I swore I'd railroad the two of them, and here's my chance!"

27 "Yes, - but you have sent to prison an innocent man - who will come out, as others have - with murder in his heart!"

28 "You're wrong, Chang - we're running a good, clean administration."

29 "Yes - a clean administration - where the innocent must suffer with the guilty. That's what your man-made laws call justice!"

30 But in all his cruel, crafty planning "Black Mike" had overlooked one thing - the human heart.

31 "I came to tell you I'm not going through with it - the deal's off -"

32 "I'm going to come clean with you, Miss Madden. It was Black Mike who framed your dad and sent him over the road."

33 "Sure - and this trick's framed to railroad you - while we make our get- away with the jewels."

34 "Just as I said - she's gonna turn it alone. She and Mad- den had it framed with me before you jugged him."

35 "Aw Boss, you got me wrong! I got a personal grudge against that dame - she ain't gonna high-tone me and get away with it."

36 "Now the frame-up is this - I'm to slip you the small stuff - ditch you at the front door, and make my get- away through the garden, while the cops nab you at the machine."

37 "I think we're going through

         with it."

38 "You can't do that! They know it's you that's going to turn the trick!"

39 "Oh yes we can! For a million, I'll take a chance - and we'll let Blackie explain why I didn't come out the front door and get in the machine."

40 "Just as I thought -"

41 "- there's a reception on and as usual they're using a trick agency for pro- tection."

42 "Now I shouldn't do this - but let her go through with it - grab her when she comes out! I'll teach these rich bugs where to come for protection!"

43 "There's only one thing to do - rent a flat, and lay low until the coast is clear - so have your grips ready. I'll put them in the other car."

44 Like a jewel on its velvet dais, the Spencer home glowed in the darkness.

45 Among those present, by

 special request -

46 "There they sleep - we'll wake them up, in a moment."

47 "Very kind of you to see us, Mr. Spencer. Allow me to present my sister."

48 "I'm sure you'll pardon our intrusion, when you learn the purpose of our call."

49 "Stall him - I've got it open!"

50 "Never mind, Mr. Spencer - here's the butler now."

51 "All right, Mr. Spencer -

we'll join you later."

52 "Brother, we must see the new fountain Uncle Oliver spoke about."

53 "The ices are for Mr.

Spencer's - niece?"

54 "Why, no sir - they're stran- gers - Mr. Spencer never met them until tonight!"

55 The daily papers had their usual hue and cry - while in an apart- ment on Knob Hill, two self- sentenced prisoners tore the pages from the calendar, one by one.

56 "What's the matter? A guy might as well be in jail, as here. Thank God I can breathe without waiting for that boneheaded grocery boy!"

57 "It's the kid across the hall - he wants me to build him a kite."

58 "I told you not to let that kid come in here any more! Don't you know we're hiding out?"

59 "Oo don't love me like him

     do, does oo?"

60 "Dood luck."

61 "No .. no - don't tell me! I've been double-crossed - but I'll get those jewels if I have to crucify 'em both!"

62 "I drove them to the corner of California and Stockton - honest, that's all I know."

63 "That's a lead, chief. They're in that neighborhood under cover, sure as hell!"

64 "You poor simp! If you want to let the cops know we're here, why don't you blow a horn!"

65 "Gee Molly - if you ever felt that kid's arms around your neck, you wouldn't act that way."

66 "Yes, and if you keep on having him in here, there'll be a cop's arms around your neck!"

67 "I was just thinking, Molly - wouldn't it be great if we was married and had a little kid like that of our own?"

68 "What for? Aren't there enough crooks in the world?"

69 "What I was going to say is ... we weren't born crooks, were we?"

70 "No - but a child belonging to a couple of crooks would have a swell chance of going straight!"

71 Summer warmth gave place to Autumn chill. Leaden skies gave warning of approaching storm.

72 "What's eatin' me? I'm get- ting sick and tired of being caged up here, like a criminal!"

73 "Well, it's a cinch if I'm will- ing to wash your dirty shirts to keep some nosey wash- erwoman away, you've got no kick coming!"

74 "I ain't kicking, Molly - but there's something in that kid that tells me we ought to send back those jewels."

75 "Well, we're not going to - and you're not going to have that kid in here any more!"

76 "You're going to bring the cops in here on us - then

    you'll be sorry."

77 "Sorry or not - if I don't get some fresh air, I'll go dippy!"

78 "No, Chang Low - once the criminal steps beyond the pale of the law, you've got to make him pay!"

79 "If I prove to you my theories are correct, and she returns the jewels, will you drop the prosecution?"

80 "No sir, we've had no new tenants for the last year."

81 "Dere's somebodies at

      d' door."

82 "You see, his father's a cen- tral office detective, and when he's home, he likes to have the baby with him."

83 "So - his father's a head-

      quarters man!"

84 "I suppose she's now describ- ing the wonderful couple across the hall, that loves his baby so!"

85 "Oh Bill, you're right! It is wonderful to feel that kid's arms around your neck."

86 "Only yesterday, Chang Low said the White Lily was ra- diant with bloom - yet today she droops and withers."

87 "It's the God of Darkness - but when the light comes, then will the White Lily bloom again, more lovely than before."

88 "There's only one way to do it, Molly - send back the jewels."

89 "But we need something to go straight on - and they're our nest-egg!"

90 "But by keeping them Molly, there's always that fear of the law. It means we've got to hide for the rest of our lives."

91 "You're right, Bill ... it can't be done half way! We're going to send them back!"

92 "I knew you would, Molly - I knew something would happen!"

93 While the jackal tells the

 vulture of his prey -

94 And out of the dark void of yesterday new hopes were born - rivaling, in golden promise, the splendor of the morning sun.

95 "No - the jewels are still in

    their hiding place."

96 "I tell you Molly, when they see a couple of guys giving back a wad like this, they know we're going straight."

97 "But if Chang Low can square us, we'll have nothing in the world to worry about."

98 "That's funny, 'Blackie' ... we was just going out looking for you."

99 "Say, Bill - where do

     you bunk?"

100 "Why - I've got a room

 across the hall!"

101 "I said - where are they?"

102 "That's what I've been trying

 to find out, for months!"

103 "Well, you see - when I starts to close the door on her, she gets wise the cops are there -"

104 "Sure - but the 'house dick' was getting wise, so I had to slip her the rest of the jewels to protect myself!"

105 "Then when we get outside, she loses me ... but towards morning I trails her here."

106 "No - you're wrong! She's too foxy for that - she planted the jewels some- where, before she moved in here."

107 Hemmed in - fear ridden - with every glance from the window showing "Blackie's" men still on guard. - Day passed into night, and still no word from Bill.

108 "I tell you 'Blackie', the cops are going to spot 'Humpy' and the bunch down there and get wise we're here!"

109 "I'm gonna tell 'em to get under cover - I'll be right back!"

110 "Bill! Don't shoot, - it'll

     bring the cops!"

111 "Don't worry - I unloaded his gun in the other room."

112 "Now listen - there's one of you lying ... or both! Which is it?"

113 "My God! - The bulls!"

114 "I knew you'd fall for that cop stuff - you dirty rat!"

115 "Now listen here, 'Blackie'... we're trapped - and if we expect to get out of this, we've got to stick together."

116 "Put it down 'Blackie'! If you pull that trigger, I'll get you before I drop!"

117 The law had taken its pound of flesh, and as Chang Low prophesied, "Silent" Madden returned from prison - with murder in his heart.

118 "No Madden, you must try to forget those months you spent in prison."

119 "Dad, I know who framed you! - It was 'Black Mike'!"

120 "That's right, Madden - I was there when it happened!"

121 "Don't worry, Madden - we trapped him - he'll do twenty years before you see him again!"

122 "I didn't take your advice, - Bill and I turned a trick while you were gone."

123 "Never mind where we got them - we're going to send them back! There's only one way, Dad - Chang Low is right."

124 "You're a fine daughter - turning against your own dad!"

125 "Don't say that, - he's only protecting you against yourself."

126 "They're right, Madden - and through the theft of these jewels they've been brought back to a path from which they will never stray again."

127 "As I predicted, they have returned the jewels of their own free will -"

128 "- and I claim immunity for them, according to your promise."

129 "I just found 'Blackie' in the

   alley - he's dead!"

130 "Are these two really going

       straight?"

131 "Well - you've won, Chang Low - you've got the right dope. Keep up the good work."

132 "The Master says - 'The path to true happiness lies only through the valley of suffering and sacrifice. Once it be attained ...... cherish it as you would your first-born."

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