lily, rosemary and the jack of hearts

the festival was over

the boys were all planning for a fall

the cabaret was quiet except for the drilling in the wall. the curfew had been lifted and the gambling wheel shut down

anyone with any sense had already left town. he was standing in the doorway lookin' like the jack of hearts. he moved across the mirrored room

set it 'em for everyone

he said

then everyone commenced to do what they were doin' before he moved their heads. then he walked up to a stranger and he asked him with a grin

could you kindly tell me

friend

what time the show begins?

then he moved into the corner

face down like the jack of hearts. backstage the girls were playin' five-card stud by the stairs

lily had two queens

she was hopin' for a third to match her pair. outside the streets were fillin' up

the window was open wide

a gentle breeze was blowing

you could feel it from inside. lily called another bet and drew up the jack of hearts. big jim was no one's fool

he owned the town's only diamond mine

he made his usual entrance lookin' oh 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 silver cane were no match for the jack of hearts. rosemary combed her hair and took a carriage into town

she slipped in through the side door lookin' like a queen without a crown. she fluttered her false eyelashes and whispered in his ear

sorry

darlin'

that i'm late

but he didn't seem to hear. he was staring into space over at the jack of hearts. i know i've seen that face before

big jim was thinkin' to himself

maybe down in mexico or a picture up on somebody'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

staring at the butterfly who just drew the jack of hearts. lily was a princess

she was fair-skinned and precious as a child

she did whatever she had to do

it was a kind of a flash every time she smiled. she'd come away from a broken home

had lots of strange affairs

with men in every walk of life which took her everywhere. but she'd never met anyone quite like the jack of hearts. the hangin' judge came in unnoticed and was being wined and dined

the drilling in the wall kept up but no one seemed to pay it any mind. it was known all around that lily had jim's ring

and nothin' would ever come between lily and the king. no

nothing ever would 'cept maybe the jack of hearts. rosemary started drinkin' hard and seein' her reflection in the knife

she was tired of the attention

tired of playin' the role of big jim's wife. she had done a lot of bad things

even once tried suicide

was lookin' to do just one good deed before she died. she was gazin' to the future

riding on the jack of hearts. lily washed her face

took her dress off and buried it away. has your luck run out? she laughed at him

well

i guess you must

have known it would someday. be careful not to touch the wall

there's a brand-new coat of paint

i'm glad to see you're still alive

you're lookin' like a saint. down the hallway footsteps were comin' for the jack of hearts. the backstage manager was pacing all around by his chair. there's something 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. there was no actor anywhere better than the jack of hearts. lily's had her arms around the man that she dearly loved to touch

she forgot all about the man she hated

who hounded her so much. i've missed you so

she said to him

and he felt she was sincere

but just beyond the door he felt jealousy and fear. just another night in the life of the jack of hearts. 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 surprised

rosemary right beside him

steady in her eyes. she was with big jim but she was leanin' to the jack of hearts. two doors down and the boys finally made it through the wall

cleaned out the bank safe

it's said that they got off with quite a haul. in the darkness by the riverbed they waited on the ground

for one more member who had business back in town. but they couldn't go no further without the jack of hearts. well the next day was hangin' day

and the sky was overcast and black

big jim lay covered up

killed by a penknife in the back. and rosemary on the gallows

boy

she didn't even blink

the hangin' judge was sober

lord

he hadn't had a drink. the only person on the scene missing was the jack of hearts. the cabaret was quiet now

a sign said

closed for repair

lily had already taken all of the dye out of her hair. she was thinkin' 'bout her father

who she very rarely saw

thinkin' about rosemary and thinkin' about the law. but

most of all she was thinkin' about the jack of hearts.