He stood suddenly erect. “No, tonight—now I shall tell you what—what you must know before you keep me in your home another hour. Before this I have robbed a few ice boxes—taken things to eat. But this time I came to get money, jewels, anything I could find that could be turned into money. I had the dope, too.”
“Dope?” she questioned as he hesitated.
“Yes. I was going to put you to sleep, so that I could have time to—to go over the house. You see I’m green at the work, and Jim—my pal—said that was the only way I could pull off the stunt.”
“Ach! So? Two of you?”
“Yes. He is an old hand.”
“Why did he send you? Why comes he not himself?”
“He said the police were on to him. If I was caught I could get off easy because it was my first offense and I am young. Besides it isn’t safe for the one that—that steals the goods to try to raise money on them.”
“So?” It is impossible to describe in words the changes the German woman could ring on that one little word. It could mean doubt, incredulity, surprise, joy, sorrow, pity, trust, love, and more.
This time it meant scorn. “So? You take all the risk. You give him the goods, ant he gets the money! It iss one fine scheme! When did you fall in his trap?”
“Today—yesterday, I mean,” he glanced at the clock that marked the hour of three, “when I was hunting work, hungrier all the time, I got angry. I said if a man wants work and can’t get it, at least he ought not to starve. Going to jail would save him from that.”