"We can not do anything at all," snarled another man. "No matter what
we try, he betters us. He's a sharper. If we try something legal, he's
our better. If we get dirty, he cleans us anyway--but the devil does it
legally. You can't win."
"There were once twenty-three of us," said Peter Wilks. "Three are
in jail--for crimes they did not commit. One is in jail for a crime
that he did commit, the crime of trying to frame Wanniston. Two are
dead--suicides because they could no longer take defeat after defeat at
Wanniston's fine Machiavellian hand. He's a menace."
"We're like the mice that decided to hang a bell on the cat," laughed
Conan bitterly. "Six of us have tried and failed. Must we try
separately? Can he read minds?"