ing," Hawkes pointed out. "How did
I plan to get away? The only ships leaving here for several months
belong to the Company. Do you think I'd be foolish enough to expect
them to let me slip out on one of their ships?"

"No. I think you intended to go out on the Strip yourself."

"All right then," Hawkes countered. "You admitted that this was a
two-man job. How could I protect myself when I returned, if I knew in
advance that I wouldn't know who I was, let alone what I had done?"

"I'll come back to that in a minute," Johnson said. "But now I'd
advise you to drop your gun on the floor and give yourself up. You've
got nothing to gain by carrying on the bluff. You know I'll never let
you get to the Strip. And, once I put you on the ship, the Company
will take over."

* * * * *

Hawkes' shoulders drooped. Finally he smiled raggedly. "There's no use
my arguing any longer," he said. "But you've made the mistake of
underestimating me, my friend. I've lost my gamble. That's all. You
have nothing on me. I'm not as ignorant of native law as I may have
pretended. Granted, I am carrying a lethal weapon. But I'm on private
property. That's legal. I shot a man. But only in defense of my own
life. His gun on the floor will prove he came in armed. So I'm clean
as far as the natives are concerned. Right?"

Johnson nodded.

"And, as for the Company, what will they hold me for? They can't prove
any connection between me and him." Hawkes indicated the man on the
floor. "And this robbery--it never actually came off. Earth laws don't
allow prosecution for intent. Now, where does that leave you?"

Johnson stood up. "You're right--as far as you went," he said. "But,
returning to your earlier question about one man pulling this job, I
asked myself how I would do it, if it had to be done alone. And I
found a way. You'd probably figure the same one. Now I'll take that
paper in your pocket. It will serve very well as a confession."

Suddenly Hawkes' right hand streaked toward a side pocket. Johnson
leaned forward and brought the flat of his gun across the other's
temple.

As Hawkes sagged, Johnson ripped open his coat and took out a sealed
envelope. He removed a sheet of paper and read:

_This has been written for my own information. My name is
Alton Hawkes. I have robbed the Interplanets Company and
gone out on the Strip with the money. When I read this my
memory will be gone and tw