Evening star., 1941-03-09
THIS WEEK MAGAZINE

breaker, II he used his brains and lnl-
tiative to catch safebreakers, would
make tirst-rate detective?'
The idea was so nutty, | began to
laugh. The picture of criminal turned
cop tickled me to pieces.
Sounds like pipe dream to you,
eh?' Collins's voice was hurried and
confidential, as if he and | shared a
secret he couldn't risk having the two
dicks outside overhear. It's an ex-
pertinent I've been planning to make
at any cost. mean to make it before
l die. A mind like yours, poisoned by
wrong thinking and living. | want it
naked in my laboratory - that means
this room - for me to study. | have
MT any idea how long the thing will
take, or whether I'm nothing but an
old dreamer whose dream will prove
a nightmare. It's your job as well as
mine His eyes narrowed, measuring
mine. Are you coward, or is there
dlly opOA toAlliioiiN III yOu'
If was coward, would have
had the CUTS to break in here?'
There you're dead wrong. You
broke in because you thought | was
upstairs asleep, But I've got a gun
handy now. | can protect myself.
can threaten you into obeylng my
will. l can say, Do as tell you or You
60 to jail. | can even threaten to
shoot you and the law will protect me.
But | won't do either. want you to
give yourself to my experiment be-
cause you're good sport enough and
have enough curiosity to watch it
work out He paused. i offer you a
roof over your head, food and cloth
ing. Call yourself my secretary. I'll
even pay you salary, not much but
enough to keep your pockets from
being empty.
"'And what's my end of the expert
ment? / can't take shorthand or
pound typewriter. What do | do
to earn this pocket money?
"'You do it all Collins leaned
closer. The whole job. You learn how
to think straight instead of crooked.
l just watch you and make notes.
"He didn't have me fooled, | could
see his trick was still up his sleeve.
we'll | was suddenly eager and
the tips of my fingers tingled. Well.
where do we go from there?
Anywhere! The skys the limit,
if you say the word. Or you can spend
the major part of your life behind
prison bars. It's entirely up to you
How? How is it up to me?'
"I want to prove my theory.
You're the crook want to make over
into cop
j DIDN'T answer | just stared at
him. He was tapping a paper knife
against his fingers and his narrowed
eyes never left mine. When | say,
cop,' he added, I don't mean the
corner policeman. I'm using your
term to describe detective. Or do
you call them dicks?'
Il thought of the cops stationed
outside. Whatever | made stab at,
this old boy had the best of me- My
weapon was in his safe. His was in
his pocket. 1 get you, was my come
back. You're gonna keep me pris-
oner here whether l say yes or no.
What chance have got with couple
of dicks, or whatever you wanta call
'em, as your side-kicks?'
Professor Collins got up and
opened the door to the hall He didn't
say anything, just held it open. No
body came in. There wasn't sound.
Then he went to the window and
whistled. A signal | sprang up, ready
to make dash for the open door,
"'There isn't soul here Collins
smiled. What's your hurry
"Still l didn't believe him. But l
froze where | stood. | couldn't guess
what he'd do next.
"IIe ker,t On cmilipo Il told you the