Lily, Rosemary And The Jack Of Hearts

The festival was over and The boys were all plannin' for a fall. The cabaret was quiet Ex - cept for the drillin' in the wall. The curfew had been lifted and The gamblin' wheel shut down Anyone with any sense Had a - ready left town. He was standin' in the doorway Lookin' like the Jack of Hear - arts. He moved across the mirrored room "Set em up for everyone" he said Then everyone commenced to do What they'd been doin' Be - fore he moved their heads. Then he walked up to a stranger and He asked him with a grin "Could you kindly tell me mister What time the show be - gins?" He moved into the corner Face down like the Jack of Hear - arts Back - stage the girls were playin' Five-card stud by the stairs Lily had two queens She was hopin' for a third To match her pair. Out - side the streets were fillin' up and A window was open wide A gentle breeze was blowin' You could feel it from in - side. Lily called a - nother bet and Drew up the Jack of Hear - arts. Big Jim was no one's fool He owned the town's only diamond mine He made his usual entrance Lookin' all so dandy and so fine. With his bodyguards and silver cane and Every hair in place He took whatever he wanted to and He laid it all to waste. But his bodyguards and his silver cane They were no match for the Jack of Hear - arts Rose - mary co - ombed her hair and Took the carriage into town She slipped into the side door Lookin' like a queen without a crown. She fluttered her false eyelashes and Whispered in his ear "I'm sorry darlin' that I'm late" But he didn't seem to hear. He was starin' into space Over at the Jack of Hear - arts. "Well I know I've seen that face somewhere" Big Jim was thinkin' to him - self "Maybe down in Mexico or A picture up - on some - body's shelf." But then the crowd began to stamp their feet and The house lights did dim and In the darkness of the room There was only Jim and him Starin' at the butterfly Who just up drew up the Jack of Hear - arts Lily was a princess She was fair-skinned and precious as a child She had that certain something Was a kind of a flash Every time she smiled. She'd come away from a broken home Had lots of strange af - fairs With men in every walk of life Who took her every - where. But she'd never met any - one Quite like the Jack of Hear - arts. The hangin' judge came in un - noticed and Was being wined and dined The drillin' in the wall kept up But no one seemed to pay it any mind. It was known all a - round That Lily had Jim's ring and Nothing would ever come Between Lily and the king. No nothin' ever could Ex - cept maybe the Jack of Hear - arts. Rosemary started drinkin' hard and Seein' her re - flection in the knife She was tired of the at - tention Tired of playin' the role of Big Jim's wife. She had done a lot of bad things Even once tried sui - cide Was lookin' to do just one good deed Before she died. She was gazin' to the future Riding on the Jack of Hear - arts Lily took her dress off Buried it a - way. "Has your luck run out?" she laughed at him "I guess you must have known it would some - day. Be careful not to touch the wall There's a brand-new coat of paint I'm glad to see you're still alive and You're lookin' like a saint." Down the hallway footsteps Were comin' for the Jack of Hear - arts The Backstage manager was pacin' All a - round by his chair. "There's somethin' funny going on " I know I can just feel it in the air." He went to get the hangin' judge But the hangin' judge was drunk and The leading actor hurried by In the costume of a monk. But there was no actor any - where Better than the Jack of Hear - arts. Lili had her arms a - round the man She dearly loved to touch She for - got all a - bout the man She hated who hounded her so much I missed you so she said to him and He thought she was sincere But in the hallway he fou - ound Jealousy and fear Just another night in the life of the Jack of Hear - arts No one knew the circumstance But they say that it happened pretty quick The door to the dressing room burst open and A cold revolver clicked and Big Jim was standin' there You couldn't say sur - prised Rose - mary right be - side him Steady in her eyes. She was with Big Jim But she was leanin' to the Jack of Hear - arts Two doors down and the boys Finally made it through the wall and They cleaned out the bank safe Said they got off with quite a haul and In the darkness of the riverbed They waited on the ground For one more member Who had business back in town. But they couldn't go no further With - out the Jack of Hear - arts. Well the next day was hangin' day The sky was overcast and black Big Jim lay covered up Killed by a penknife in the back and Rose - mary on the gallows Lord she didn't even blink The hangin' judge was sober Lord he hadn't had a drink and The only person on the scene Missing was the Jack of Hear - arts Well the cabaret was quiet now and A sign said "Closed for re - pair" Lily had already taken all of the dye Out of her hair. She was thinkin' about her father Who she very rarely saw Thinkin' about Rosemary and Thinkin' about the law. But most of a - all she was thinkin' About the Jack of Hear - arts.