The Blackbird
1
London's Limehouse District -
with its lust, greed, and
love....a sea of fog; a
stream of human faces.
2
Dan Tate - -
THE BLACKBIRD.
3
In the midst of this evil were
the welcoming lights of a
mission conducted by The
Blackbird's bother.
4
The Blackbird's brother --
for years all Limehouse
had loved him and called
him, "The Bishop."
5
"We're brothers all...
my friends. Bear no
ill will....life is what
we make it."
6
"It's you we 'ave to
be thankin', Bishop,
that she's livin' today."
7
"Sorry, Bishop...but
we've got to check
up on your brother
Dan. There's just
been a robbery."
8
"Why is it that man
and the law are always
so ready to accuse?"
9
"We're not exactly
accusing him --"
10
"But my poor, wayward
brother 'as been asleep
upstairs for hours. I'll
get 'im."
11
"The Blackbird's no good,
'e ain't! Never does
nothin' but undo the
good what 'is brother,
The Bishop, does."
12
"Am I to be blamed
for everything that
'appens in Limehouse?"
13
"Gimme me cap!"
14
"Next we 'ave Vera,
the Nightingale! She
will sing that immortal
ballad - - 'The 'Eart
Bowed Down'!"
15
"Aw, she's an ole blister!"
16
"Nevertheless....she will
sing 'The 'Eart Bowed
Down'."
17
"West End Bertie"....known
to his fashionable friends
as Bertram P. Glayde.
18
"Doing a bit of slum-
ming....would like to
see your show."
19
"Next we 'ave the triumphant
'ome-coming of our favorite,
....Limehouse Polly!"
20
Years ago Polly had
been The Blackbird's
wife.
21
"I wish you'd put your
feet where they belong!"
22
"If I did, you wouldn't
sit down for a month!"
23
"Startin' the third week
of 'er sensational
engagement, we 'ave...
Mademosielle Fifi Lorraine!"
24
"You're still our Limehouse
Polly....'aven't changed
a bit."
25
"The Blackbird's fair
balmy over you....'e
sent you a present."
26
"Want me to tell your
Dad you're with a
Chink?"
27
"Go 'ome and get that
paint off your face!"
28
"What did you ever see
in 'im to love?"
29
"It may be that I sees
the soul in 'im....that
'e don't know 'e's got
'imself."
30
"Bli'me, Polly....you
still loves 'im!"
31
"What you think, M'sieur.
For a present The
Blackbird send me....
a pistol!"
32
"Just the same, I'd thank
'im for it. Might keep
'im from gettin' nasty."
33
"You're so bloomin'
pretty you needs
somethin' to protect
you; a gun.....or
somebody."
34
"Do you like that?"
35
"I'll get you one just
like it!"
36
"Pouf! Where you get
the money?"
37
"She is charming! Do
you think she would
have a glass of wine
with us?"
38
"I....married?"
39
"I say....we are going
down Plum Alley to
see the Chinkies
smoking."
40
"I say....shall we go?"
41
"'ello, Dan."
42
"I've been away a long
time, Dan....can't you
say ''ello'?"
43
"Clever, ain't you....
'avin' your men rob
your slummin' party...
an' yourself, too."
44
"Brains!"
45
"You knows you turned
this in Limehouse....
so it's me an' me men
they'll be suspectin'."
46
"I admit you have a
cause for complaint!"
47
"What do you say to our
going half-and-half?"
48
"The winner takes the
diamond collar....the
loser gets the pearls."
49
"You're clever, Bertie...
But no one ever fools
The Blackbird."
50
Mademoiselle Fifi
surely had The
Blackbird "fair balmy".
First a pistol...then
came violets.
51
"Frenchy, 'e's waitin' in
the bar for you."
52
"I say....have you
still that - -?"
53
"I should like to purchase it."
54
"Wilted!"
55
"Wilted!"
56
"I say, Fifi....I should
like tremendously to
take you to a night
club."
57
"No, no! We'll have
champagne with supper...
later."
58
Bertie had brains...
he admitted it.
And suddenly he jolly
well discovered he had
a heart
59
"No, Dan...you're wrong!
I ain't chasin' after you."
60
"Don't you understand...
I'm only trying to save
you from yourself."
61
"Oh, do you sell rings?"
62
"No....I collect them!"
63
"--and this one--"
64
"Until death do us part!"
65
"Since I promised this
little lady that I would
marry you, I 'ave
learned that you are
a notorious crook!"
66
"I see! Your brother,
The Blackbird, has
been talking!"
67
"Well....I am!"
68
"But what difference
does it make? I can
engage in some other
profession."
69
"You admit you're a
crook....an' yet you
expect this sweet girl
to marry you."
70
"Why....I never thought
you would mind it so."
71
"After all, nothing
matters but you. I
was going to chuck
it all....gladly."
72
"You'll never be sorry,
dear."
73
"Bishop, we owe The
Blackbird our thanks.
If he hadn't told you,
Fifi and I wouldn't have
this new happiness."
74
"My boy, you must first
return everything you
have stolen."
75
"You have suggested my
intentions...precisely!"
76
"- when you 'ave done
this, then come to me.
I will always be your
friend."
77
17 Bagby Lane.
78
"Scotland Yard man
shot....in West End
Bertie's flat."
79
"I came to get Bertie
for that robbery. He
escaped through the
window."
80
"I didn't shoot him!
I take an oath....I
didn't shoot him!"
81
"Someone told the coppers!
They came to my flat! I
was escaping....a shot
was fired - -"
82
"The police accuse
that my Bertie shoot
a man!"
83
"But they do not get
him! I have hide him
in my room!"
84
"But I know he is
innocent, Bishop! He
send back everything...
just like he promised!"
85
"I love him so! Please,
please help us!"
86
"If you can get 'im 'ere
safely....I 'ave a secret
room where 'e may
'ide!"
87
Three nights later - -
88
"You're safe 'ere....
but if you try gettin'
away tonight they'll
get you!"
89
"No, no....you can't
chance it tonight!
Limehouse seems
alive with Scotland
Yard men!"
90
"I believe someone 'as
told that you're 'idin'
in Limehouse!"
91
"Now that you 'ave
sent back everything...
that little French girl...
can you trust 'er?"
92
"Because, since you've
been 'ere, she an' my
brother 'ave been....
but.... you say you
can trust 'er."
93
"'e intends to leave
London on a boat
tonight...alone!"
94
"Don't say I told you...
but after what you've
done for 'im, I can't let
'im deceive you."
95
"Quick, Bertie! Get your
things ready! I think
we can get away on a
boat...tonight!"
96
"Someone told the
coppers that I'm hiding
in Limehouse! I can't
chance it tonight!"
97
"Oh, the police? I am so
sorry! So just tonight
they watch?"
98
"I believe I know now
who told the coppers."
99
"What you care who
tell? Why this one
night you afraid to go?"
100
"Look here! You don't
seem to care if I am
caught!"
101
"Where's Fifi?...where
is she?"
102
"You're chokin' me, Dan...
you're chokin' me!"
103
"You're tryin' to keep 'er
from me! She's the only
woman I ever loved!"
104
"Don't trust 'er, Dan!
She may love you
now....but sometime
she'll tell the coppers
on you, too!"
105
"Now I know you....you
dirty coppers' nark!"
106
"You don't believe that
of me!"
107
"So....your lover has
come to protect you!"
108
"It ain't right.....Bertie
chuckin' you over! I
wish I 'ad the right to
protect you!"
109
"Dan shot that Scotland
Yarder! Some bloke's
peached on 'im!"
110
"'E's at 'is brother's
mission....but they'll
follow me if I go there."
111
"I'm no bloke what
makes believe 'e's
good....but when I
loves a woman, I
sticks by 'er!"
112
"- and oh, 'ow sweet an'
clean you've made me!"
113
"You ain't angry at
me, Fifi....just 'cause
I loves you?"
114
"What you after again,
Polly....more money?"
115
"No, Dan....I did come
to see you, but I guess
now I 'ad better tell
your brother!"
116
"No you don't! You an'
that hypocrite brother
of mine ain't goin' to
turn me against Fifi!"
117
"I 'opes the coppers
gets you for shootin'
that Scotland Yard
man!"
118
"Get away, Dan! They're
breakin' in!"
119
"Don't Dan! You're
killin' me!"
120
"My back! My back
is broken!"
121
"Get a doctor!"
122
"No doctor - no doctor!"
123
"Did Dan do this?"
124
"We'll get him for this!
He'll never harm you
again, Bishop!"
125
"Don't let the doctor
come 'ere! I can't 'ave
a doctor!"
126
"God...I can't stand it!
The pain! The pain!!"
127
"Shut the door....don't
let anyone see me!"
128
"Those clothes....in the
cupboard! Get 'em....
and burn 'em!"
129
"Dan!"
130
"I played it once too
often! The fall...it
got me! Now I am
a cripple!"
131
"You see, Polly...that's
why I can't 'ave a
doctor! They'll find
out I ain't never been
crippled before! They'll
know who I am!"
132
"Oh, God...the pain!
The pain!!"
133
"But I'll fool 'em! I can't
let 'em get me....I'll
fool 'em!"
134
"They shan't take you!
I won't let 'em!"
135
"If you can only stand
the pain, Dan! Act
like you're asleep!"
136
"I'm foolin' 'em....I'm
foolin' 'em....I'm foolin'
'em - -"
137
"That's it, Dan....quiet."
138
"'E's all right, doctor...
'e's asleep!"
139
"We'll miss you, Bishop...
you'll never know 'ow
we'll miss you."
140
"God will be good to
you, Bishop....'cause
you were good to us."
The End
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