He wondered if there
could be a covert threat in this innocent confidence. He
answered laconically: "Oh, I suppose so. We read about crooks
in the magazines and then see their capers in the motion picture
thrillers, but down in real life, we find them a sordid,
unimaginative lot of rogues."
He proffered Shirley a cigarette from his jeweled case. As he
leaned toward the table to draw a match from the small bronze
holder, Helene observed Shirley deftly substitute it for one of
his own, secreting the first.
"Yes," continued Shirley, "the criminal who is caught generally
loses his game because he is mechanical and ungifted with talent.
But think of the criminals who have yet to be captured--the
brilliant, the inspired ones, the chess-players of wickedness who
love their game and play it with the finesse of experts."
Shirley smoothed away the ripple of suspicion which he had
mischievously aroused with, "So, that is why fellows like us would
not bother with the life. The same physical and intellectual effort
expended by a criminal genius would bring him money and power with
no clutching legal hand to fear.
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