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."