The San Francisco call., 1907-02-10
@ovysy2H Hy,
OCdd, mead
O. Co..

The person TO whom he spoke IN the
village told me SO.
"Theh wiY did that person not ap-
because / ask% her not to-" told
him. IF she had given evidence the
verdict must have been different
one
1T seems 10 me- he said quietly,
that you have acted foolishly. If that
young woman. whoever she may be.
chooses to Leil the truth later on you
VIII be in an awkward position"
IF she he'd told the truth yesterday"
] answered. -the position would have
been quite awkward enough. Let that
GO I want 10 know who that man
was. what he wanted with me-"
Colonel Ray shrugged his shoulders.
My young friend he said, have
you come from Brsster to ask that
question:"
ITO give you the ring and to ask
you that question"
How do you know that the ring is
mine?e
4 saw it on your rrger when you
were giving me wine"
Then You believe he said, that l,
killed himzr'
1T is no concern OF mine," ! cried
hoarsely. Il do not want to know. I
do not want 10 hear. But / tell you
that the mans face haunts me. He
asked for me In the village. ] feel
that he came TO Rowchester to see me.
And he is dead Whatever he came to
say or to tell me viii be buried with
him. Who was he2 Tell me that2'
Ray smoked on for a few moments
refiectiVely.
~sit down. sit down. he said gruffiy,
and do abandon that tragical aspect,
The creature was not worth all this
agitation. He lived like a dog, and he
died like one
TT is true then?" 1 murmured.
If you insist upon knowing" Ray
said coolly, Il killed hint There are
insects upon which ones foot falls,
reptiles which one removes from the
earth without a vestige of a .quain,
with a certain sense of relief. He was
Of this order
HE was a human being" I answered.
He was none the better for that,
Ray declared Il have known animals
of finer disposition
You at least" ] said fierceiy' were
not his Judge. You struck him In the
dark. too. IT was a cowardly action"
Ray turned his head. Then I saw
that around his neck was a circular
bandage-
.If il interests you to know it." he
remarked dryiy, Il was not the assail-
ant But for the fact that was warned
il might have been my body which you
came across on the sands. ! started
a second too soon for our friend-and
our exchange OF compliments sent him
to eternity
ut was in self-defcnse, then?"
scarcely that He would have run
away if he could. I decided other
wise
"Tell me who he was ] insisted.
Ray shook his head.
Better for you not TO know, he
remarked refiectively. Much better
NY cheeks grew hot with anger.
Colonel Ray, I said, this may yet
be a serious affair for YOU Why you
should assume that ! am willing to
be silent accessory to your crime j
cannot imagine. / Insist upon knowing
who this man was.
you have come to London" Ray
answered quietly. ito ask me this?'
Il have told you before why I am
here" I answered. Il win not be put
of any longer. Who was that man,
and what did he want with me2"
For a period OF time which l could
not measure, but which. seemed to me
Of great duration, there was silence
between us. Then Ray leaned over
toward me.
Il think" he said, "that 1t is my
turn to talk. You have come to me like
a hysterical schoolboy: you seem igno-
rant of the prineval elements of
Justice After all II is not wonderful
As yet you have only looked in upon
life. You look in. but you do
me a coward. 1t is only year or SO
since His Majesty pinned little cross
upon my coat--for valor. I won that
for saving a mans life. Mind you, he
was q man. He was man and COM
rade. TO save him rode through a
hell OF bullets. 1t ought to have
meant death. AS a matter OF fact 1t
didn't That was my luck. But you
mustn't call me a coward, Ducains. 1t
IS an insult to my decoration
-,Oh, I know that you are brave
enough" / answered but this man
was a poor weak creature, baby in
your hands"
$50 are the snakes we stamp beneath
our feet" he answered coolly. Yet
we kill them In Egypt 1 have been in
more than one hot corner where we
fought hand to hand. I have killed
men more than once. / have watched
them galloping up with waving swords
and their fine faces ablaze with joy
Of battle, and all the time ones re-
volver went spit, and the saddles were
empty Yet never once have ! sent
brave man to his last account with
out regret, enemy and fanatic though
When I kill, il is because necessity
demands it. AS for that creature
whom you found in the marshes, well,
If there were a dozen such in this room
now, / would do my best to rid the
earth of them. Take my advice. Dis
miss the whole subject from your
mind. Go back to Braster and wait.
Something may happen within the
next twenty-four hours which will be
very much 10 your benefit Go back to
Braster and walt"
You Will tell me nothing, then?"
I asked. 1T is treating me like a
child. I am not a sentimentalist. II
the man deserved death the matter is
between you and your conscience. But
he came 70 Rowchester to see me- l
want to know why
GO back to Rowchester and wait"
Ray said. II shall tell you nothing.
Depend upon it that his business with
you. IL he had any, was evil business.
He and his whole brood left their
mark for evil wherever they crawled."
His name?" I asked
Were there no paners unou him, -,