“Ralph, didn’t yez ever hear a bird in hand’s worth two in bush? Besides I could never be friend ter feller of your nature, Ralph! My hand’s agin’ you, Ralph! Because I’ve a criminal record, Ralph, every man’s hand’s agin’ me. And my hand’s agin’ every man. I’m a man without any heart. I’d as soon put a bullet through a bloke as look at him.
“No, Ralph, the burglar’s life I’ve chosen kin alone afford the excitement I need. Up me sleeve, I didn’t take the least stock in all your soft soap as we sat in the park. Your pet names and promises mean nothin’ ter me at all! You sure must take me for a softy in |Method of Robbery.| me promisin’ ter live with a feller like yourself! You’re now goin’ ter have a taste of what use I have for that kind of feller! Hand out your money! Hand out your money!”
As he spoke, he clutched a shoulder with one hand and clenched the other in my face. I handed over my wallet.
“Here! I’ll relieve yez of that watch and chain.... And off with that ring!... Now take off every stitch so I kin see if you’ve any concealed bills.”
Neighborhood Where Harvey Green Thought He “Finished” Jennie June
“You’re welcome to all I have on me, Harvey, and I love you too much to prosecute. Only please, please, let me depart unharmed! I forgive everything! If only you will let me depart unharmed, I will immediately |Author Robbed Two Hundred Times.| take you around to my room and put into your hand a hundred dollars I have locked in my desk.”
“I could n’t do that. It’d be too risky.”
While we argued, I undressed meekly and in unspeakable terror. I realized I might be experiencing my last five minutes of life. I took as much time as possible in the hope that a watchman might chance along. But why a watchman in a store-yard of paving stones?
“I guess now I’ve got everythin’ of value, though not as much as expected. You sneak, why didn’t yez have more bills onter your carcass?”