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PART TWO
CHAPTER ONE
1 James Easton, the Federal agent at Downside, a short, fat, balding man on the wrong side of fifty had begun his career in the Federal Bureau of Investigation during the gangster period. At that time, fired with a youthful ambition, he had had great hopes of a spectacular career, but it hadnt worked out that way. In his first gun fight, Easton had learned the bitter truth that he was a coward. This, he tried to console himself, was something he couldnt do anything about. It was, he told himself, a matter of glands. You either had the right glands that enabled you to face an armed gangster or you hadnt. From then on he took every possible opportunity to avoid any kind of danger to himself with the result he was finally transferred from San Francisco to Downside and he became lost to the general activity of the Bureau, for Downside had the lowest Federal crime rate in the country. He had a one-room office and a secretary. Her name was Mavis Hart. She wasnt pretty, but she was young, and Easton was grateful to her because she allowed him a lot of liberties which at his age he found necessary to lighten an otherwise drab existence. His home life depressed him. His
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2 Ten minutes after the last performance, Iris left the darkened movie house and started the short walk to the bus stop. It was now raining heavily and she walked with her head bent against the driving rain. A familiar voice called, Hey! Iris! She looked up and saw Ken Travers leaning out of his car window, waving to her. As she ran towards him, he opened the off-side door. Why, Ken, she said as she scrambled in, what are you doing here? What a surprise! They kissed. She was immediately aware how tense he was and she drew away to look sharply at him. Is there something wrong? Its not Kit? Nothings wrong, he said and put his arm around her, holding her against him. I had to see you, honey. Ive taken time off and came over. The sheriff and Easton are holding the fort, but Ive got to get back within an hour. He looked at her, his face alight with excitement. Somethings come up that could affect us both something pretty good. What is it? Somethings come up with me, too, thats pretty good. Im so glad you came. I wanted to talk to you about it. What is it? No, you tell me first. The bank is offering a reward for the bank robber, Ken said. Sixty thousand dollars! Can you imagine! Sixty thousand dollars and Im pretty sure Im going to get it! Iris gasped. Oh, Ken. You really think youll get it? I guess so. Travers tightened his grip on her. If I got all that money, your mother wouldnt object to us marrying, would she? I mean the only thing she has against me is that Im not earning enough. Thats the only thing, isnt it? She has nothing against you, Iris said. Its just that she has had such a rough time, she doesnt want me to live the way she did. Yes, of course, if we had all that money, Kit would be wild with joy. Im sure she would! Thats what I hoped you would say, Travers said, staring through the rain-drenched windshield. You remember Max Heldon? The guy I went to school with and who started that mink farm out at Westfields? You remember I told you he wanted me to go in as partner, but I hadnt the money? Well, he wrote to me last week. Hes
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