The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-05-19

tsaFaS &s1H3HptS aEAGHFz ara HffkExNa
everywhere ana Il Banndn had found
out about you In time Il sTould hara
needed only a word
He paused and shaddered to think
what might have ensned had that word
been spoken ana the girl been caught
waiting for her train in the Care d.
Nord.
''Mereifullg. we've escaped that. And
now. with any sort Of luck, Bannou
ought to be busy enough. irving 10 get
--or keep-his precious Mr.. Greggs
out of the Sante. 10 give us chance.
And a fighting chance Is all ask.
-Mr. Lanyard girl bent toward
him across the table with gesture Of
eager interest-"haye you any idea
why he-why Mr. Bannon hates you
sofs
But does he? don't know"
IF he doesn't. why does he connive
in plot to cast suspicion Of murder
on you? Why was he so anxious to
know whether you were really the
Lone Wolf? l saw his eyes tight up
when De Morbihan mentioned that
name after dinner: and II ever saw
hatred in a mans face. IT was in his
as he watched you when you weren't
looking"
AS far as ! know, ] never heard OF
him before" Lanyard said carelessly.
Il fancy it was nothing more than the
excitement of man-hunt. Now that
they've found me out. De Morbihan
and his crew won't rest until they've
got my scalp"
But why is that"
professional jealousy. We're all
crooks, all in the same boat, only |
won't row to their stroke. I've always
played a lone hand successfully; now
they insist on coming into the game
and sharing my winnings. And I've
told them where thay could go"
"And because of that, they'd
There's nothing they wouldn't do,
Miss Shannon. to bring me TO my
knees or see me put well out of the
way, where my operations can't hurt
their pocketbooks. Well--all ask is
a fighting chance, and they shall have
their way!"
Her brows contracted. 81 don't I'M
derstand. You want a fighting chance
Ito surrender-to give in to their de-
mands?"
In a way--yes. want q fighting
chance to do what I'd never in the
world get them to believe | mean to
do--ehuck it all up and leave them
free field"
And then. VIXEN still she searched
his face with puzzled eyes, he insist
ed: Il mean it; | want to get away
clear out-chuck the game for good
and ALL"
A little silence greeted this an
nouncement. Lanyard. at pause near
the table, resting a hand on it, bent
to the girls upturned face grave but
candid regard And the deeps OF her
eyes that never sweryed from his were
troubled strangely in his vision.
He could by no means account for
the light he seemed to see therein-a
light that kindled while he watched,
like tiny fame, feeble, fearful, yaeil-
liant; then, as the moments passed,
steadied and grew stronger, but ever
leaped and danced, so that he, lost in
wonder of 1t and forgetful OF himself,
thought of it as the ardent face of
happy child dancing IN the depths Of
some brown autumnal woodland.
YOU she breathed ncredulously---
you mean you're going to stop"
4 have stopped, Miss Shannon. The
Lone Wolf has prowled for the last
time. | didn't know 1t till just now
when woke up an hour or SO ago
but I've turned my last job"
But why?" she demanded in bewil-
derment But why do you say that?
What can have happened to make
you"
Not fear of that Pack' he laughed
mot that, promise you. II thought
Paris too small for them and me I'd
never leave 1t alive!"
ooh, know!" she said impatiently
II know that very we'll. But still
don't understand"
III 1t won't bore you, I'll try to ex.
plain" He drew up his chair and sat
down again, facing her across the lit
tered table. Il don't suppose you've
ever stopped to consider what an es-
sentially stupid animal crook must
be. Most of them are stupid because
they practice clumsily one of the most
difficult professions imaginable, and In
eyitably fail at it, yet persist. They
wouldn't think of undertaking diff
cult piece Of engineering without any
sort Of preparation, but they'll tackle
dangerous proposition in burglary
without thought and pay for failure
with years of Imprisonment, and once
out, try it again. That's one kind Of
criminal - the acknowledgement
class-incurably stupid!
There's another class, men whose
imaginations forewarn them of dan
gers and whose mental training, tech.
nical equipment, and sheer manual
dexterity enable them to attack q
formidable proposition like modern
safely way of illustration-and force
its secret. They're the successful
criminals, like myself-but they're no
less stupid. no less failures than the
other ninety-nine in our every hun
bred, because they never stop to think.
1t never occurs to them that the same
intelligence, applied to any one Of the
trades they must be masters Of. would
not only pay them better, but leave
them their self-respect and rid them
forever Of the haunting dread Of arrest
that dogs us all like the memory OF
some shameful act. All of which is
much more of a lecture than | meant
A. a GA.