"Isn't it nice?" she said. "You must be very happy to have found this place. Everything's so expensive." "Oh, we are, lady," Benny said weakly. "We're very happy." Just then the large suit case which he had been carrying under his coat slipped and thudded to the floor. "Oh," Toffee said. "Were you thinking of packing up a few things?" "Well," Dippy said unhappily, "yes, to tell you the absolute truth, lady, that's exactly what we had in mind." "Well, don't let me stop you," Toffee said airily. "Go right ahead while I use the telephone." She left in the direction of the hall. "Holy gee, Dippy!" Benny exclaimed. "Is that broad right in the head? She acts like she wants to be robbed." * * * * * Dippy glanced around the room. "Maybe she don't like this stuff and wants to get rid of it. Or maybe it's some sort of insurance pitch. Maybe she's been out there choppin' up and down the front porch for nights, just waitin' for a couple of guys like us to come along. It's screwy." Benny shrugged. "Well, maybe we should cooperate with her. What have we got to lose?" Together they went to the side board to investigate. They pulled open a drawer that fairly gleamed with expensive silver. "Oh, boy!" Benny said. "Just look at that stuff." "Yeah," Dippy said, and picked up a handful. But his manner was hesitant. "You know," he said, "it don't seem fair to the profession." "Uh-huh," Benny said. "I know. Funny, ain't it? We always been complainin' about how people take such an uncooperative outlook on our trade and all, but ... oh, gosh...." "Yeah," Dippy said gloomily. "Why didn't she just go on about her own business and leave us alone? She could have at least screamed and carried on or somethin'. That ain't too much to ask from somebody you're robbin'. She's just takin' an unfair advantage of us, that's all." "Maybe she just don't know any better," Benny suggested charitably. "Anyway, let's take some of the silver, just a little. She might get her feelings hurt and get sore as hell if we don't." Just then Toffee came into the room and observed the scene at the side board without concern. "Oh," she said brightly, "taking the silver, I see." With a sigh, Dippy gently replaced the silver he'd taken from the drawer. "You see, Benny?" he said. "See what I mean? She just ruins everything. She don't give us a chance." Benny turned to Toffee. "We were only takin' a few pieces," he said half-heartedly. "That isn't going to do you any good," Toffee said. "If you're going to take any of the silver you'd better take it all. But, of course, that's your business, not mine." Dippy's shoulders sagged dejectedly. "She makes me feel like bawlin'," he said. "Yeah," Benny said. "She went and took all the heart out of it." "I wonder if you two would mind doing something else for me?" Toffee asked. "The phone's dead...." "Yeah," Benny said. "We cut the wires. I'm sorry. I wish it had been my throat."