New Britain herald., 1924-07-25
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY

suppose you expect me 10 be
 lieve that you'd shoot?" I jeered.
 T guess you'll believe 1t when
 tell you that I'm Swede Thomassen,
 he retortcd. "Leedon gave me (
 thousand dollars. But what's a thou
 sand dollars to me? I've got to hay,
 enough money SO that l can play tn,
 part Of the wealthy gentleman wht
 has whole suite on an ocean liner
 whose privacy mustn't be disturbed d
 I've got to have enough to bribe
 lot Of people if want to make m,
 getaway"
 Extremely interesting" said I
 But why come to me7 Why no,
 get 1t from your friend Leedon?"
 Because as soon as Leedon saw
 tonights papers. and found out wh,
 was hiding he made an excuse te
 get out. didn't know he'd seer
 the papers or I'd never have let him
 go. I found the paper after he'd
 gone And there's nothing I could
 prove against him. And anyway
 whether could or not. he'd gone
 out to give me up. But you-you're different"
 "YYou can't prove anythi,g against me-" told him.
 T said you were different. Leedon could stand & scandal He isn't afraid of them. He claims to be an honest pawnbroker. But you-what do you claim to be? Can you stand police inquiry into your life?" He was more intelligent and better educated than had gathered from my newspaper reading. And he had me. Not merely literally, with a gun trained upon me, but figuratively, he had me. The subterranean activi- ties of such a man as Leedon were so we'll known to the police that fear of exposure by Thomassen would not deter the pawnbroker from deliver- ing him up. It was by sometimes tained certain immunity. But my case was different could make no terms. And was quite sure that if I refused Thomassen, he would. when captured, betray me out of that sheer hatred for the world which made him the beast he was
 A man. then, whom I would have considered it pleasurable duty to kill, had me at his mercy. And if chose to perform that pleasurable duty, the action meant the end of my security. For even though I pre- tended that had killed Thomassen while he was burglarizing my apart ment the police would inevitably ask me certain questions which would not care to answer.
 "A sensible man knows when he's licked" said Thomassen. You look sensible"
 You expect me to hide you here while I'm waiting for Leedon to raise the money?" demanded.
 The murderer shook his head. "I'm taking no chance like that. You'd be on the level. You'd have to he But I'm going to get out of town to- night. Leedon isn't the only man that buys tsolen goods. want half of the jewels themselves. Get out the box"
 Do you think keep them here ?" asked. They're in a safe-deposit oox downtown"
 Go get them," he ordered. 'Iu be right here"
 And now sheer wrath at his inso- ence, combined with horror at his 'rime, made me forgetful of his hreat of exposure--or if not forget ul, careless But Thomassen was lot merely intelligent; he was hrewd. The hand that was buried n his jacket pocket was withdrawn With movement so speedy that it 'ut to shame my own gift of Ierer. lemain.
 No you won't" he jeered. Neither now nor later! You're a ensible man, Mir. Ainsley, or what ver you call yourself, as I said a minute ago. You won't step into n juliet when you haven't a chance. Ind l know what's going on in that rain of yours. You're figuring that oull take me off my guard. But I now a gentleman when I see one. md l reckon you know a killer when ou see one. You're a gentleman. m killer. You give me your word f honor that you won't try to bump 1e off yourself, that you won't slug le or drug me or anything like that, don't ask you to promise not to i've me away to anyone. You'd have give yourself away. I just want 1e promise I've asked"
 And if I don't give it?" I asked, I'm a killer" he replied. I can nly go to the chair once. You give Ie your word within ten seconds. or Il kill you"
 He meant 1t: there was not the ightest doubt in my mind as to that
 was the most humiiatjng moment my life. Moreover, in addition to y humiliation, suffered the pangsI
 hope deferred. For I had no ade, no profession. On less than rec hundred thousand dollars I uld not hope to re-establish myself
 my home town. under my proper me. And l must divide with this oundreli
 And Of course, Mir. Ainsley. it's lderstood that you get the jewels e first thing in the morning, bring em here and divide"
 What could do? I gave him my ,rd.
 I will say for him that. loathsome ough he was, he knew blood. He CIV that I would rather have died