36

“At that I’'m luckier than a lot of fellows. I'd hate
to tell you how many ‘kept boys’ have thrown them-
selves out of windows. A big percentage.

“And Jack? What happened to him?”

“He didn’t quite make the pavement. Instead he
hit the bottom of an elevator shaft one night.

“He picked up a piece of trade one night who tried
to rob him. Jack decided to put up a fight. The guy
held on to him with one arm forced open the ele-
vator door with the other and tossed him down. The
elevator man was out front. Saw nothing—except a
figure running down the steps and into the street. So

~ fast the elevator man couldn’t get a description.

“They found Jack’s body a half hour later—and
just about every piece of jewelry and cash in the
place lifted.

“It adds up—a thousand bucks of valuables—one
life. The way I figure that equals the right hand of a —

~ piano player.”