Ben Price is an ace detective who is hot on the trail of serial safecracker Jimmy Valentine. Jimmy has only just been released from a prison stretch for doing the exact same thing, but already he is up to his old tricks again. He has cut a swathe through a number of Midwestern banks, displaying his trademark efficiency and skill in breaking open the safes and making off with their contents.
But after Jimmy winds up in a small town called Elmore, he renounces his former life. He settles down, establishes a shoe-repair business, and gets engaged to a young lady whose father happens to own the town bank. Jimmy writes Ben a letter telling him that he has given up his criminal ways and now wants to go straight. This is the main reason why Ben does not arrest Jimmy when he catches up with him at the end. Jimmy promised that he would stop cracking safes. Strictly speaking, he reneged on that promise, but there was a good reason for it—he only broke into the bank's safe to save the life of a child trapped inside. Among other things, this selfless act indicates to Ben that Jimmy meant what he said about putting his criminal past behind him. He leaves Jimmy to get on with living the rest of his life as a model citizen.
At the end of the story, Ben Price leaves without arresting Jimmy. The likely reason for Ben's strange behavior can be found in the story.
During a vault-showing at the Elmore Bank, a little girl, Agatha, is locked inside the walk-in safe. Agatha's mother is frantic with worry that her child will die in the vault. Meanwhile, Annabel, Jimmy's fiance, begs Jimmy to save Agatha. Even though he knows that he risks exposing his true identity, Jimmy makes the decision to use his tools on Agatha's behalf.
By saving Agatha, Jimmy demonstrates that he is a changed man. Essentially, Jimmy risks the possibility of going to jail in order to save a little girl's life. Because of his heroic actions, Ben Price chooses not to arrest Jimmy. This is why Ben walks away at the end of the story.
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