But that's everything I do know. And,
there are hundreds of men who are good at these things. The man I tie
up with has got to be good at a lot of other things--and I've got to
know he's good!"
"Good at what other things, Maggie?" he asked with suppressed
eagerness.
"He's got to be good at putting over all kinds of situations. I don't
care how he does it. So clever at putting things over that no one ever
guesses he's the man who did it. And he's got to be able to give me
protection. You know what I mean. A woman in the game I'm going in for
is absolutely through, as far as doing anything big is concerned, the
minute she gets a police record. I've got to have a man who's able to
stand between me and the police. And I've got to know from past
performances that the man can do these things. Just large words about
what he can do, or hints about what he has done, don't count for a
nickel with me. This is plain, hard business I'm talking, Barney, and
I don't mean to hurt your feelings when I tell you that you don't
measure up in any way to the man I need."
It had been difficult for Barney to hold himself until she had
finished. To start with, he had the vain man's constant itch to tell
of his exploits, his dislike for the anonymity of his cleverness
unjustly ascribed to some other man.
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