RELEASE A Tragedy in One Act By EDWARD H. SMITH VAGABOND PLAYS~No. 4 / / RELEASE A Tragedy in One Act BT EDWARD H, SMITH 3 J J The Norman, Remington Company Baltimore 1921 f^^A^ '« 6^ Copyright, 1921 Br EDWARD H. SMITH TMP96-C06t>31 JUN -9 1921 \ ^ Cf.D 57006 -<^\* To EDITH DE LONG SMITH In Remembrance First Produced at THE VAGABOND PLAYHOUSE Baltimore November 1st, 1920 by the VAGABOND PLAYERS CAST Lefty Veneziano\ Joseph TF. Swikert Eabbit Moretto ( p . T. Buck Kid Malloy / ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^ Holbein Bull O'Malley ) John McGrath Tarpey, a Keeper Frederick W. Marburger CHARACTERS Gangsters : LEFTY VENEZIANO RABBIT MORETTO KID MALLOY BULL O'MALLEY TARPEY, a Keeper, A county jail in upstate New York. Present, Three men are seen through the barred front of a wide shallow cell, ivhich extends almost across the stage. Similar cells suggested right and left. The cage has side and rear walls of masonry ivith a small barred window in the rear. Four bunks in pairs, one above the other, are fixed to the rear wall, Otherivise the cell contains nothing but tivo stool chairs and four galvanized buckets. Entrance to the cage is through a steel door in the lower left hand corner of the cell fronts RELEASE Rabbit and Kid are moving about restlessly in the cell. Lefty sits on a stool, sulking. LEFTY {Suspiciously) Whot's Bull doin' p/long wid dat mouthpiece? KID {Peering off left through the bars] He^s tryin* to git us out o' dis. Give um time. RABBIT It*s awrful waiting here, not knowin'- LEFTY W'y didn ya let me go talk to de lawyer? KID We wanted Bull, thas w'y. LEFTY But it's me dats up agin it- RABBIT Thought you said we was all in ut the same. LEFTY We are, but . How d' I know wot Bull's cook- ing up out dere? KID Bull's a right guy. 7 RELEASE LEFTY Didn dat Willie dump us already to save hisself ? KID Willie ain't one o' de gang. Ya gotta spec a louse showfer ya picked up on de street to cough his guts. LEFTY Buiril cross us to save hisself, same as anybody. KID Yer wrong, ya fmk! LEFTY {Moves his stool and sits down dejectedly) Aw, dat mouthpiece can't do no good, nohow. KID Bull says he kin. LEFTY Bull's nuts. We gits a tumble an' de cops grabs us right off de bat. Den dat damn Willie belches all he knows. Den de Kid's moll turns inside out. How's any lawyer gonna beat dat? KID Ya tink dey got us? LEFTY Ta rights! RABBIT Good Gawd! KID (Moving uneasily) Dey won't send us all to de Chair? LEFTY W'y won't dey? 8 RELEASE RABBIT Four men f er croaking one ? LEFTY De four of us was dere. KID T'ree didn 'ave nuttin to do wid de killin, LEFTY Know de law, doncha? RABBIT Lissen, Yefty: De four of us goes out on a job to git a little jack — not meanin to kill no- body . Ya mean to say de whole gauges in fer it de same as de guy wot did de croakin? LEFTY Tryin to quit, Rabbit? RABBIT Naw— — , but dey only send ya to de chair fer firs' degree . Das premeditated. KID An' we wasn premeditatin no killin. LEFTY Wot's de use arguin? If a mob goes out graftin an some simp gets killed de whole push goes to de chair. Das de law in dis state. RABBIT It's murder to top Kid an' Bull an' me ! We didn' kill no one. RELEASE LEFTY But it's all right fer me, huh? RABBIT Well ya killed th' ole man, didn' ya? LEFTY De district attorney don' know dat. KID Naw, an' he can't fin' out neither. We ain't a gonna tell 'im. LEFTY Ya better not ! Ya can't ! It wouldn' do you no good, nohow. We was all dere. De law says we're all guilty. You fellers as much as me! RABBIT 'Sa lousy deal ; 'sail I gotta say. LEFTY Yaaaaaaaas; an' ya kin blame de Kid — blabbin his head off to his broad. KID It's my fault, huh? LEFTY Ya moll-struck boob! If ya hadn' quatched to dat bimbo dey never could convict us. KID {Menacing) Wat 'bout you so fast on yer gun? Ef ya didn't shoot dat old stiff we wouldn't be here ! 10 RELEASE LEFTY Didn' I shoot to git de coin fer you guys? Didn' dat old stiff put up a fight? Yer all eaten me cause I had de hard kick to settle dat ole bloke. Now ya aird like to duck out on me. But yer gonna stick. Buhlieve me, yer gonna ! (Commotion off left) KID Here's Bull! (Bull O'M alley appears tvalJcing before Keeper Tarpey, who is in uniform. Bull measures up to his gang name — a huge ox of a man. He has a strut, and holds himself in the pose of a pugilist re- ceiving the plaudits of the ring, ivhere he is, perhaps, more at home than in crime. Being an indifferent hand at either, he has had to work in both fields, tvith success sufficient to bring him to his present dilcmna. He is thirty. Tarpey is fifty, fat, ruddy and shretvd, tvith all the characteristic mendoxity that groivs in men set to watch other men. The door is sivung open and Bull enters the cage. Tarpey locks him in) tarpey Waall now you seen yer lawyer, I spose yu'll be ready to see tha district attorney He'll be sendin down any time now. BULL All right, Tarpey. tarpey {Lingering) Didjer lawyer tell yu to come clean and fess up? 11 RELEA^SE LEFTY Beat it, Screws. We TARPEY Wanna talk, huh? Not gonna come clean, huh? Waall, that ain't gonna save yu from thu Chair, m'boys. Buhlieve me, this feller upstairs don't stand fer no foolin. He's a wise bird. BULL So wise he don't know w'ich one he TARPEY (Shreivdly) I guess that's worryin you more'n him, m'boy. — By the way, djever see that Chair down at Sing Sing? Ya know I was down there onct, ta see 'em top a feller that killed his wife. LEFTY Can it, Screws! (Bull, Rabbit and the Kid move about impa- tiently. Lefty is plainly responding to the keeper's inquisition) TARPEY (With pantomime) They got the Chair in a white room, nice and clean, like a room in a 'ospital. The chair's at this end, screwed to the floor, an' there's a little door over here where they bring you in. See, ya come in like this and here's the Chair. Then they grab you an' slam ya into it, like that! In a second they got belts around ya here (Indicates his ivaist) and aroun' yer arms and legs, so ya can't move . An' then the cap comes down 12 RELEASE LEFTY For Christ's sake, stop! TARPEY {Blandly) Wot's the matter with the boy? LEFTY I can't stand it, Screws! TARPEY {Relentlessly) An' then the cap comes clown like this and fits yer dome. Then they brings a black mask over yer face. Then there's a guy over here. He's got this hand on the switch. The bell rings ting-a-ling-ling he throv/s her in a little, bz-z-z-z-z-z-z. Just (Lefty lets out a screech and begins kicking and shouting) KID Shut up, Screws! Aincha got no heart? TARPEY {Innocently) A bunch of brave killers, so delicate like, huh? Waall, anyhow, that's all there is to it, 'cept the autopsy, w'ere they rips yu open to- KID Shut yer face, ya damn beast! {The keepe)' dratvs back, startled at the man's vehemence) 13 RELEASE BULL That third degree stuff don't go, Tarpey. Run along TARPEY (Shrugging) Think it over while yu kin, m'boy. Any time yu got somethin' ta tell me jes rattle on the bars. {He goes off sloivly, Bull luatching him till he's Old of sight) BULL (To Lefty) That ole crook's jes try in ta make ya come through. Aincha wise ? {The men croivd about Bull expectantly) RABBIT Well? KID What'd the mouthpiece say? BULL They found Lefty's gat where he ditched it. LEFTY {Blanching) Dey found de gun? BULL An' the hockshop where ya bought it. RABBIT Good night fer us! {Silence) KID So dat's all de hope dat lawyer gives us? 14 RELEASE BULL Pretty near. The four of us is got just one chance. LEFTY (Tortured) Yes? Yes? BULL We gotta plead guilty. RABBIT Plead guilty! ! KID (Aghast) Wot'll that git us? BULL We pleads it second degree. LEFTY (Seeing himself saved from death) An' we don' go to dat Chair! KID (Lighting) Will they stand fer it? BULL The mouthpiece is upstairs now findin out. KID Bull, if ut goes through ya saved all our lives! RABBIT Aw, dey got us. Ef you tink dat distric' 'torney's gonna let us git away wid pleas when 15 RELEASE he kin send four guys to the chair an' make a name for hisself, I DON'T. BULL We hadda try it, Rabbit. It's the only chanct the four of us is got. RABBIT How'll we know de answer? BULL Our lawyer'll shoot us a scratch. It oughta bh here now. RABBIT An ef dat note says "nuttin doin" ? LEFTY He's gotta let us plead guilty. RABBIT Like hell he's gotta. KID (Tentatively) Mebbe he will. He's yooman, ain't he? BULL There's a chance. Tryin four men fer murder costs money. I figgered maybe this district at- torney '11 dope it out that savin the coin'U win 'im more votes in this hick county than sendin men ta die. LEFTY An' no guy wants to have four dead men on his mind. He can't sleep. Ain't I right? 16 RELEASE BULL We gotta look-in, I says. But it ain't because he'll lose any sleep over us or cause he's yooman. That feller may go light on us, but it won't be 'cause he's givin us justice. It'll be 'cause it's gittin somethin' fer him. Thas all. RABBIT Yas an' ef he figgers agin us; wot den? BULL Then we gotta put our nuts together an' find the way out. We gotta light ta live. Four men can't go ta that Chair. You guys kin lay down an' take tha dose ef ya v/anna, but not me. Bull O'Malley wants ta live an' there's somethin in 'im's gonna fight. Ef he's gotta die fer wot one a you guys done he'll die game. But before he does that he's gonna fight game! Who's wid him? KID Who said Bull's wrong? RABBIT I'm widja. LEFTY Me, too. BULL Then we sticks together fer the good of the bunch — an' no hollerin ef the game's lost. (Tarpey hustles in from the right) RABBIT (At the bars) Shhhhh ! 17 RELEASE LEFTY Got a scratch fer us? (The men press fomvard. Tarpey stops before the cage, deliberately opens note and reads) BULL Here! That's mine! TARPEY When ya get it, it is. RABBIT Dat's private, ya damn flatf oot ! TARPEY (Chuckling) So, yu were gonna take pleas so nice, wuz yu? (The men press themselves painfully against the bars) Trying ta duck thu chair so neat, eh? (He passes the note to Lefty) Naw ya don't, m' boys ; naw ya don't ! lefty (Staring at note) We gotta stand trial! (The Keeper laughs shortly and strolls off as he came) RABBIT (After a pause) We're as good as four dead men ! bull (Snatches the note from Lefty and tears it up) Not yet. Now! We gotta work fast! ! 18 RELEASE LEFTY Wotta ya mean? BULL There's a way three of us can be saved. LEFTY (With rising suspicion) Wot way's dat? BULL One man's gotta go to the front an' die for the rest. {The men stare at each other and at Bull) KID Ya mean ~? BULL I mean if one of us goes up there to the district attorney and says "I croaked that ole man. I done it alone." Well, then the other three 'ud git out of it. KID An' the guy wot goes the route ? BULL He does his Becker. KID (Falls back, thinking) I see the Chair. (The men draiv atvay) BULL (Laughing shortly) Well, any volunteers? 10 RELEASE LEFTY {With mounting nervousness) Did that lawyer say it'd work? BULL He did. LEFTY They'd never believe it. BULL They gotta, an' they will. Ef I go up an' say we all agreed not to shoot an' then I shot anyhow . . . that's all there's to ut. It may not gitcha 'way clean, but yu won't go to tha chair. No jury '11 stand fer it. It's a plain lay, I tell ya. It's one dead man er four. I say, better one. Now, who's it gonna be? {Pause) LEFTY I — I — I gotcha, Bull. BULL You have, huh? LEFTY I said yu'd cook up somethin out dere. What you mean to say is: Lefty, you go die fer us BULL I didn't say it, did I? LEFTY Naw, but dat's wotcha mean. Well, I won't do it. Ef you wanna go down ta Sing Sing and take dat burn, yo\x fer it, but not me. My life's as good as yours an' I mean to fight fer it, same as you. I wanna chance fer my white alley ! 20 RELEASE BULL {Coldly) Yer gonna git ut. LEFTY You said it, I am! BULL One of us is gotta die, that's all ; an three is gotta live. LEFTY A fair chance, I want ; fair as any of ya, BULL That's wot yu'll git, no mor', no less. Listen! That district attorney don't know who croaked that ole guy, an' he can't fin' out, ef we stick together. Now the Kid didn't, an' neither did Rabbit. Neither did I. But I'm wiilin' ta say I did — ef I lose. LEFTY {Nervously) Wot're ya gettin at? BULL We gotta throw fer it. LEFTY {Falls back) Trow fer a man's life? BULL Fer three men's lives and one man's death. LEFTY Jesu Christi! 21 RELEASE BULL Quick, or it's too late. KID rm game. RABBIT {Examining the cell) Ain't there no way out, Bull? Can't we lamm dis place? BULL We got no tools an' we can't make a break. An' ef we could it would do us no good. We got no darb an' no friends outside; no chance fer a getaway. We figgered all that. It don't go. RABBIT Then we gotta do it. I'm game wid de rest. BULL Lefty; want any better'n that? LEFTY Dis is on de level? BULL Whaddaya mean? Djever see me w'en I was crooked ? LEFTY Shoot. (Bull rattles the door) LEFTY Whaddaya up to? 22 RELEASE BULL We gotta have somcthin to throv/ wid. KID 'Srightr There ain't a jit in de crowd. LEFTY Ya ain't gonna crack to dat Screws? (Tarpey avveavs, rattling his keys) TARPEY What's up ? BULL Listen, Tarpey; Lend us a half buck like a good feller, will ya? TARPEY Lend j a wot? BULL Jest fer a little w'ile. We'll give it right back. TARPEY (Crossly) Whadda ya want with ut? BULL Jes' play a little game to amuse ourselves while we're waitin, thas all. TARPEY (Getting half dollar from his pocket) Amuse yourselves, huh? Waaall (Gives it.) No funny work, now, or 23 RELEASE BULL Thanks. Yu kin come fer it purty soon. TARPEY Bulieve me, I will. (Goes off, shaking Ms head) BULL Now then, we're ready. LEFTY How ya gonna flip? BULL We kin stay in the pairs we was when they brought us here, Rabbit and Kid on one side and you an' me on the other. 'Tsabout right anyhow — one Wop an one Mick on a side. Suit ya? LEFTY Go ahead. BULL 0. K. then. Now we flops first ta see what two is out. RABBIT Wadda ya mean, out? BULL Ef you two goes out, yer lucky. Then me'n Lefty's gotta flip ta see w'ich one goes to tha chair. KID Gee! BULL Ef it turns agin ya, then you'n the Kid has the privluge o' choosin tha dead man. 24 RELEASE Ugh! KID • Got it straight? BULL We gotcha. (Lefty does about the cell) not RABBIT ansiver, hut pi 'oivls nervously Who's gonna floi: BULL >? RABBIT Tha Kid shoots fer us. He's lousy wid luck. BULL {Giving Kid the coin) Then loe calls. {To Lefty) Suit you, ole feller? LEFTY {Sullenly) Wotsa difference? BULL Wait a minnit! Don' it suitcha, Lefty? LEFTY 'Sail right. BULL Ya got nawthin better, have ya? LEFTY I'm sa'asfied, 'slong as uts done square. 25 RELEASE BULL Let 'er go, Kid. {The Kid shakes the coin betiveen his cupped palms) KID All set, now! Here she goes. Here she LEFTY Jiggeroo ! KID Wot's wrong? LEFTY (Digging into his shirt) Hold on! (He brings out a small metal crucifix ivorn on a tape about the neck) Ya gotta swear on dis here cross ! BULL Is that better'n the law o' the gang? LEFTY You gotta take oat' you're gonna go de route ef you lose. You gotta ask God ta witness dat de one dat loses goes to da Chair fer de rest. (He crosses himself. The men stir uneasily. Lefty searches their faces) Come on! Yer all Cath'lics. BULL I'm nawthin. LEFTY Swear on dis ting. 26 RELEASE BULL {Smiling) Ef that sa'asfies ya, shoot. LEFTY (Hands crucifix to Rabbit) Start it. RABBIT Holy God, I swear ta do my bit ef I lose. (He kisses it, crosses himself and gives it to the Kid) KID I swear. (Kisses the emhle^n, passes it to Lefty. Then stands crossing himself, his eyes doivn) LEFTY (Raising the crucifix) Holy God, hear me! (Falls on his knees and mumbles passionately) Jesus, Savior, hear me! Mary, Mother of God, grant my prayer! Holy Mary, intercede for me! Holy^ Queen, Mother of Mercy, spare me, save my life, intercede for me, save me ! Spare me ! I don' wanna die! Save me! (He sobs and is silent. After a pause he rises, kisses the cross and holds it out to Bull) RABBIT I didn't hear ya swear nawthin. LEFTY (Indignantly but avoiding Rabbit's eves) I did RABBIT Not as I heard. 27 RELEASE LEFTY I swore, I tell ya. KID We didn' hear ya. Do it again ! LEFTY {Looks about, hunted. Dangles the cross) W'y do I have to swear twice? BULL Come on, Guinney! It's your proposition. Let's hear ya. LEFTY {After hesitation raises the cross) I swear. {He reaches it to Bull ivho takes it with no shoiv of reverence) BULL {Clearly) My word's better'n this business. LEFTY Swear, like we did ! BULL Fm gonna, don' worry, but it don't mean nawthin to me. I never seen yer God an' I don't make 'im. He never done nothin fer me, an' I don't believe in 'im. LEFTY Damn infidel. BULL That religion stuff was invented for people that's scared to die. I ain't no coward an' I don't need no God. 28 RELEASE RABBIT You're temptin God's vengeance, Bull. > BULL But here's wot I gotta say . I swear ef I lose I'll go to the Chair fer a murder I didn't do. I'll go widout a holler an' widout bein afeared, I'll go fer me pals cause I give me word. (Lifts crucifix above his head) I swear it by a God I don't have no trust in, cause I think he's wrong (The othei^s gasp) An' I swear it by Bull O'Malley, cause I know he's 7'ight. (Tosses the crucifix to one of the bunks) LEFTY God'll show you BULL Flip the coin! (Kid takes his position in the center, shakes the half dollar betiveen his cupped palms, breathes on it, rubs it against his trousers. His hands shake and he drops it. It rolls aivay under a chair and he scrambles after it) RABBIT (Ne7^vously) Jesus, Kid! Cancha hold on to it? LEFTY (Agitated) Freeze to it, ya fool! (Bull smiles, takes out a cigarette, lights it and 29 RELEASE waits. The KiD recovers the coin, breathes on it as on a pair of dice, rubs it against his clothing, then against his forehead. He kisses it and speaks to it) KID Come on Betsy! Don't fool me now! Don't fool me this time! Ya know I always loved ja! Don't trow me down ! Treat me right, Babay ! Treat me right fer Gawd's sake! ! You call, Lefty. Heads! BULL LEFTY KID (Agonized) Oh, treat me right! ! (He flips the coin above his head. It glitters a moment, falls ivith a clijik, runs in a circle, stops and spins. The four men bend toward it with bulg- ing eyes) Turn tails ! Tails ! ! Tails ! ! 1 LEFTY Heads, damn ya ! Heads ! ! Gawd ! It's stoppin! It's turnin! RABBIT KID RABBIT 30 RELEASE LEFTY {Averting a distorted face) It's down! Jesus Mary! It's down! ! Wot is it? BULL {Coldly) Tails. (Lefty groans. Rabbit and Kid take in their breath with loud sounds of relief. They shake each other's hands. All mop their faces. Lefty shifts from foot to foot in torment) BULL Take a good look at it, ever'body. {The others do not move. Lefty goes and bends down) LEFTY {Drawing away. Hoarsely) It's tails. BULL {Briskly) Now it's between you and me, Lefty. {Picks up the coin) Ready? LEFTY W-w-wait a minit, c-cancha? RABBIT Sure, Bull. A man needs a chance ta get hi.'j breath after dat. KID I trowed fer some stakes in my time, but gee! {Striking his heart) 31 RELEASE I tinked de old pump was gonna blow up on me dat time. LEFTY (Morosely) Dry up! KID I ain't botherin ya, am I? LEFTY Ya won, dincha? Ya ain't gotta crow 'bout it. BULL Let's stop the guff and get it over. {He shakes the coin betiveen his palms) Wot's yer call? (Lefty comes toward him with tense movements. The other two draiv hack respectfully in the presence of the issue of death) lefty {Prayerfully) I ask Your protection bull {Shaking the coin) S'pose I asked it, too? He'd 'ave a tough time pleasin us both, huh? lefty You're as good as a dead man! BULL Yes, I s'pose so. Ef I lose, it's God's wilk Ef ya lose it's tough luck Well, wot's yer call? 32 RELEASE LEFTY (Tremblhig) Trow. (Bull flips the coin tuith scant ceremony. As he does so Lefty makes a choking, evasive sound, that may he either ''HEADS'' or ''TAJLSr The instant the coin falls Bull puts his foot on it) BULL Wot's yer call? LEFTY I called, didn't I? Wadda ya mean by — BULL (With menace) Call so we kin getcha. LEFTY Didn' I call? I— I— (To the other tivo) Didn' I call? RABBIT Ya called, but no one knov/s wotcha said. KID Be on de level. Wot's yer call? LEFTY I said heads. BULL Heads. Thats better. (He lifts his foot and steps aivay) Wot is it? (Lefty is draivn slowly toward the coin. He takes 33 RELEASE a step, leans doton, averts Ms face, and sloivly turns his neck. A gasp escapes the Kid. Lefty shudders and brings his eyes doivn to the coin. He stares, shrinks, is shaken ivith deep trembling. He draws aivay as slowly as he approached, takes a few steps backiuards and sinks upon the vacant stool) RABBIT (After a dead silence) It's tails! KID {In a queer voice) Bull wins ! RABBIT {Hysterically) Gawd! BULL Now! Was it God or luck? (Kid and Rabbit hastily cross themselves. Lefty sits huddled on his stool, tries to open his mouth but sinks back into something bordering on col- lapse. The others begin to yawn and move about. Bull finds an uncomfortable seat on the edge of one of the lotver bunks and smokes. Kid drags the sec- ond stool forivard and tilts back against the wall opposite Lefty. Rabbit leans against the bars) rabbit Tarpey'll be along fer his four bits now. KID 'N dat distric 'torney 34 RELEASE BULL (Softly, after a pause) Ya figgered out wot yer gonna say, Lefty ?- He'll be sendin down fer ya LEFTY {Morosely) Ya ain't gotta tell me wot ta do ! BULL {Withdrawing) All right, ole feller. {The men smoke a7id yawn) BULL {With rough tenderness) Lissen, Lefty — ! LEFTY {Grunts) Yuh. BULL Lissen, ole feller ; ya better lay down over here an' try ta poun' yer ear a w'ile. Ya'll need all the strength ya got w'en that guy sends down fer ya. KID {Patting Lefty) Go awn, ole dawg ; take a flop fer yaself . LEFTY {Rising siiddenhj) Lissen ta me ! BULL Yeah? 35 RELEASE LEFTY {Subsiding) Aw, let lit go. (He staggers hack and throivs liimself into one of the lower hunks. Bull takes the vacated stool and draivs it forivard. The men are silent a feto moments, glancing toward the hunk) KID He'll be some sore distric' 'torney, wot? RABBIT Ya said it. KID Funny game, huh? RABBIT V/ot? KID Makin yer livin sendin guys up to git baked. RABBIT Gawd ! KID 'N hopin ya'll git ta sen' up some big cheese, someday — some guy like Becker. Funny, ain't it? We croaks a guy an' gits baked fer it, 'n one o' dem guys croaks a dozen 'n dey makes 'im gov'nor. RABBIT 'Sail in da way ya does it. Kid Lemme a butt. Bull. (Bull silently passes a cigarette. Rabbit smokes) o 6 RELEASE KID (Glancing toivard Lefty's bunk) He's all in. RABBIT Poor feller. BULL 'S'e sleepin? RABBIT (Steps over to the bunk, peers in, listens) Looks like he's dead ta de world. BULL Let 'im snooze. KID (Subdued) He's actin kinda phoney, ef ya ask me. BULL Ya would too, ef ya hadda do his job. RABBIT Ya dink he'll do it? BULL Sure he will. KID (His back against the bars) Wot's gonna happen fus now? BULL They'll let us off wid a holdup charge, mebbe. KID Five yenrs mebbe ten- 37 RELEASE RABBIT Dat distric 'torney'll never let us go dat light. BULL He'll make us stand fer second degree. KID Twenty years to life ! RABBIT Aw Gawd! KID Ya kickin? Ain't it better'n da Chair? RABBIT Maybe . But tinka spendin yer life up dere. KID Twenty years. RABBIT We'll be ole men den. KID Whadda ya mean, old? RABBIT Ya'il be forty-tree an' me fortj^-five. B'liev me das old fer guys that's been twenty years in da bighouse. BULL An' Bull'll be fiftv. {Lefty leans his head out of his bunk and listens. They do not observe him) 38 RELEASE KID (Smoking) Well, ef I gotta I gotta. But I know wot I'm a gonna do w'en I gets out, RABBIT Wot? KID I gives all dis graft da go-by. De ole Kid's gonna beat it to da bushes when he's out. RABBIT Same here! KID An' he's gonna start all over — lay ciT de booze, cut da fly molls an' go ta vrork. RABBIT Ya said a mouthful! KID An' ef I gets a start I'm gonna live en da level wid some square broad. RABBIT Dat's sometin to live fer ! ! BULL (Throics cigarette away) Yeaa, that's fme ef am'thin better'n a sow er j a bitch'll have ya then. RABBIT Dey vron't know v:ot we was. 39 RELEASE BULL But they'll know wot wt are — old an' sick an' broken down. KID Mebbe not. Ya gotta live perty clean up dere. BULL Too damn clean. (He rises. Lefty's head disappeai^s. BuLL leans against the bars) RABBIT Tinka layin dere all dat time widout no fun; widout one good laugh, ner a good smoke KID Ner a meal fit f er a dawg ! Not one good souse ta let off da steam! (Lefty leans out and hears every word) RABBIT 'N no burlyscue fer us nov/ — KID 'Member how we used ter sit up front an' kid dem chorus molls? No more leg shows BULL Not one woman in twenty years! RABBIT 'Sawrf ul ! BULL It's slow dyin of ev'rythin that's live in ya. 40 RELEASE KID But it's better'n da Chair! ^'^n dey send ya ta git baked it's no fun, no drinks, no women never again no nuttin ! Dat's worse ! ! (Lefty throios himself out of his bunk and runs forioard, screaming) LEFTY I IV 07V t do it ! ! ! RABBIT Ya v/on't ? LEFTY I'm not go'n up dere an' KID Ya swore, didn' ya? LEFTY I'm not gonna BULL (Sloioly) Ya lost, di'n't ya, Lefty? LEFTY I los' a flii3 of da coin, das alL BULL Ya gonna welch? LEFTY {Searching about with his eyes) It wuzzn't on da level. KID It was square. 41 RELEASE LEFTY Wot right'd he have to put his foot on ut ? Mebbe 'twoulda come ud heads. RABBIT Ya hadn' called, ya fink ! LEFTY We shoulda trowed agin. It was foul, I tell ya. I bin tinkin ut over an* I won't stand fer't. RABBIT (In digust) Ya quittin bastard! BULL (Interfering) Nix, Rabbit Ya say yer not sa'asfied, Lefty? LEFTY (Shrinks from BidVs eyes) 'Swot I said. BULL Ya think we shoulda flopped over? LEFTY 'Swot I said. BULL Well, I don' want no guy to get croaked fer me unless he says it's on the square. I'll flip ya agin! (Even Lefty's breath is taken) RABBIT Doncha do ut. Bull! 42 RELEASE KID He ain't worth it. BULL (Picking up the coin from the floor) Come on, Lefty. Your t'row this time. LEFTY {Eagerly reaching for it) Give it here. RABBIT {Holding Bull's arm) Yer crazy, Bull! Yer takln a double chanc't on yer life. BULL {Shaking him off) Somebody's gotta ! We can't all take the Chair. KID He won't stick ef he loses. BULL He'll stick. I give ya me word. LEFTY {Frightened) Wadda ya mean? BULL I mean whoever loses this time dies fer his pals, an' no gettin out of ut. (Lefty looks about him as if for escape. Bull fastens him luith his eye) BULL Throw, Wop! {He holds out the coin) 43 > > 3 •> J 1 J 5 RELEASE LEFTY {Taking it after hesitation) Wot's yer call? BULL Wen ya throw, I call. (Lefty shakes the coin sloivly between his hands. He stops, shifts his ground, stands first in one place, then in another. His brain is ivorking rapidly and darkly) BULL Hurry ! LEFTY (Turning) V/-Wait a minnit, w-woncher? KID Wot's wrong now? BULL Throw! We got no time to waste. (Lefty reluctantly chooses a position near the bars, ivith his face half averted from the audience and half turned toiuard the bunks on the left. He juggles the coin for a moment and then throtvs it aivkwardly) BULL {As the coin is throivn) I call tails. KID Tails is de call. {Whether through design or nervousness Lefty has throion the coin so that it rolls under the bunks to the rear left. The 7yioment it falls he dives after it) > • • RELEASE LEFTY Down! BULL (Steps before him and holds him back with his legs) Let 'er settle first. (After a moment he withdraivs and Lefty craivls toward the coin on hand and knees) LEFTY (Pretending) Were is it? W'ere'd it go? RABBIT Keep yer eye on 'im, Bull. (Lefty shifts about on his knees and maneuvers nearer the coin. He bends fortvard, sees what has been turned up and stiffens. For a moment he seems about to collapse. Then he marshals all his wits, glances covertly over either shoulder and shifts again. His left hand steals out toiuard the coin. Rabbit and Kid make an instinctive movement, but hold back) KID (Warning) Look out! (Lefty darts his hand for the coin, but too late. Bull has kicked him away from the fateful cast. Lefty lies for a few moments snarling. Then he C7xiwls aivay and drags himself up on his stool and sits, huddled and miserable) KID It^s tails ! 45 RELEASE RABBIT Ya satisfied, Lefty? (No anstuer) KID Well, ya oughta be. Ya had two chances fer your life. RABBIT Now ya gotta go de route. KID So's dere won't be no more foolin, I'm gonna call dat Screws, an' ya kin make yer spiel. (He goes to the door and puts his hands on the bars) Ya ready? LEFTY (Starts up. Hoarsely) Wait! KID (Taking hold of the door) Wot's wrong now? LEFTY I v/on't! (The three men turn on him ivith one movement He recoils against the right ivall of the cell and stands half crouching, hut defiant) RABBIT Ya won't? LEFTY No! I wanna live! ! 43 RELEASE BULL {Approaching tvith cold menace) So do we! Ya swore didn' ya? Ya had two chances, didn* ya? Ya heard me say ya'd go the route, ef ya lost, didncha? Ya lost didncha? Well, yer gonna go, buhlieve me, yer gonna go ! (He opens his hands and takes a step toivard Lefty) LEFTY (Shrinlmig in terror) Wait, Bull ! For Christ's sake ! BULL Wot is ut? LEFTY {Feverishly) Yer jus' robbin me of BULL Ya made a deal wid us, dincha? LEFTY Lissen! Dincha say we'd stan' tagether? Ya did say that. Ef we do we gotta chance. De guv'ner won' send four of us to da Chair. He won't. But he'll send me ef I go alone. Les stan' tagether ! Le's fight ut out tagether, all four of us. (Bull draivs hack in disgust) Das the way ta do it! Le's stan' tagether! BULL Cut that stuff. Wop! LEFTY I don't wanna take dat Chair! 47 RELEASE BULL Ya gotta go. LEFTY I wanna chance ta git free I got sometin to live fer ! BULL Ya gotta go, I said. LEFTY I heard wot ya said 'bout wimmin. I want as much as you. I got da same right to me chance. BULL Ya had yer chance an' ya lost. Now yer gonna go. LEFTY {Defiantly) Den free guys goes wid me. BULL Ya go alone! LEFTY Ef ya sends one man over da route, I sends free. I swear it! BULL That'll do ya no good. Ya kin go by the law of tha state, like a man — or like a rat, by the law of the gang! {He draivs back a little and pulls up his sleeves) Which'll ya have ? LEFTY {In horror) Ya won't ! ? 48 RELEASE BULL I will, or me mother's a slut! LEFTY Ya can't! BULL {Advancing) Ef ya says yes, Kid'll call the Screws. Ef ya says no I'll do me part. Now then I give ya three counts. One ! (Lefty shrinks against the wall, coiuering and trembling) Two! LEFTY (In choked undertone) Kid! Rabbit! Help! RABBIT Help yaself. Ya know th' answer. (Kid tiums his back) BULL THREE ! (Bull moves on Lefty) LEFTY {Turns suddenly and holds up the crucifix) Ya'll roast in Hell ef ya do ! (Bull is arrested for a breath. Then he makes a lunge, tears the crucifix from Lefty's hand and throws it down. Lefty springs at him ivith all fury. There is a brief, frightfid struggle. Bull tears the smaller man's grasp aivay, pins him against the 49 RELEASE wall and closes one of his hands about the Italian's throat. Lefty struggles and is still. Bull slowly releases his hold and the limp form sinks to the floor. Bull draws hack panting) RABBIT (Kneeling over Lefty) He's croaked! KID {Feeling the body) Ya killed him, Bull! BULL I said I would. rabbit (Straightening up in horror) God, Bull, dat don't do us no good! KID We're gone sure, now ! BULL Noiv we got somethin to die fer. (He sits down and lights a cigarette) Curtain 50 SS/ °^ CONGRESS 016 103 706