He was with Malay John in this room to-day when a gambler
from up the State somewhere blew in with a roll of about three thousand
dollars, and handed it over to Malay to keep while he knocked around
town for a day or two. Malay put the money in this safe here, and
that's what Slimmy was after for a starter. I told Slimmy I was all
through--that I was goin' straight. He wouldn't believe me. I guess you
don't. I guess nobody will. I got a record that's mabbe too black to
live down, and--oh, well, what's the use! I meant to live decent, but I
guess any chance I had is gone now." His voice choked. "That's the way
I had doped it out up there in the pen--that I was goin' straight.
That's all, isn't it? I told Slimmy I was through--but Slimmy held
something over me that was good for twenty years. What could I do? I
said I'd come in on this, figurin' that I could queer the game by
stallin'. I--I tried it. If you were here, you saw me. I pretended that
I couldn't open the safe, and--"
"_Can_ you?" inquired Jimmie Dale gently.
"That thing!" Birdie Lee smiled mirthlessly. "Why it's only a double
combin--"
"Open it, then," prompted Jimmie Dale.
Birdie Lee stooped impulsively to the dial of the safe; hesitated, then
straightened up again, and shook his head.
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