ther slowly climbed to his feet.
But he wasn't sharp enough--Panek's hand flashed out even before he
seemed to be standing erect, and slickly grabbed the wallet from the
inside pocket of Hanlon's jacket.

But the SS man, seeing what the other was after, stood there without
making any resistance.

"Take your time looking at 'em, Pal," he said easily. "I'm clean.
Strictly on my own in this. Just got kicked out of that snake's nest of
a Corps school on Terra ..."

The killer's head snapped up at mention of the Corps, and he stared
harder and more suspiciously than ever into Hanlon's eyes.

"... They said I cheated at exams, and wouldn't give me a chance to
defend myself," Hanlon continued quickly, but with heat. "That soured me
on 'em, but good! So I says to myself, blast John Law! From now on I'm
on the other side. Anything he's after must be worth plenty to any guy
who can outsmart him. Knowing his side of it and how he works, I figure
I'm just that good!"

He said all this with such a deadly serious voice, that although it was
bravado Panek could see it was also confidence. Hanlon had figured this
straight-forwardness was his best bet. Tell his side of it first, for if
he got in with them--or any gang--they would be sure to check, and would
find out he had been a cadet, anyway. "Beat 'em to the punch before they
form any contrariwise conclusions," was his judgment.

His plan seemed to be working, for as his explanation continued and was
completed the killer looked at him with some measure of respect,
although his eyes and manner were still filled with suspicion.

"Can't blame you for feeling sore, can't blame you, if they really did
kick you out. But I don't trust nobody that's ever had any connection at
all with the cops, don't trust 'em!"

"Look, Pal, use your head! If I was a John Law would I merely have
stopped you? I'd be arresting you--or killing you for pulling that knife
on me. I tell you I'm clean--and that I want an 'in' on Simonides."

"I heard, too, there was good pickings on Sime," the man said slowly.
"'Course, I'm not in on anything special, myself, not in on it. This
here's a purely personal grudge deal. But you prob'ly did me a good
turn, a good turn, and if you want to look me up after we land, I maybe
could introduce you to a man or two. I didn't know old Abrams carried
one of them needlers, didn't know that."

The thanks in his gruff voice showed his respect for those silent,
deadly littl