d, and the old man was already beginning to
groan. He opened his eyes and saw the bills in front of him, at which
the woman was staring unbelievingly. His hand darted out, clutching it.
"God!" he moaned softly, and his eyes turned up slowly to Gordon.

"In there!" It was a shout from outside. Gordon had just time to
straighten up before the doorway was filled with two knife-men and a
heavier one behind them.

His hands dropped to the handcuffed man on the floor, and he caught him
up with a jerk, slapping his body back against the counter. He took a
step forward, jerking his hands up and putting his Earth-adapted
shoulders behind it. The hood sailed up and struck the two knife-men
squarely.

There was a scream as their automatic attempts to save themselves buried
both knives in the body of their friend. Then they went crashing down,
and Gordon was over them.

* * * * *

The desk captain at the precinct house groaned as they came in, then
shook his head. "Damn it," he said. "I suppose it can't be helped,
though; you're new, Gordon. Hennessy, get the corpse to the morgue, and
mark it down as a robbery attempt. I'm going to have to book you and
your men, Mr. Jurgens!"

The heavy leader of the two angry knife-men grinned. "Okay, Captain. But
it's going to slow down the work I'm doing on the Mayor's campaign for
re-election! Damn that Maxie--I told him to be discreet. Hey, you know
what you've got, though--a real considerate man! He gave the old guy his
money back!"

They took Bruce Gordon's testimony, and sent him home.

Jurgens was waiting for him when he came on the beat. From his look of
having slept well, he must have been out almost as soon as he was
booked. Two other men stood behind Gordon, while Jurgens explained that
he didn't like being interrupted on business calls "about the Mayor's
campaign, or anything else," and that next time there'd be real hard
feelings. Gordon was surprised when he wasn't beaten, but not when the
racketeer suggested that any money found at a crime was evidence and
should go to the police. The captain had told him the same.

By Friday, he had learned. He made his collections early. Gable had sold
him the list of what was expected, and he used it, though he cut down
the figures in a few cases. There was no sense in killing the geese that
laid the eggs.

The couple at the liquor store had their payment waiting, and they
handed it over, looking embar