Evening star., 1921-07-05
CContfnued from Yesterdays Star.)

TT he don't. let me tell him" she
interrupted. ITO the nearest police
station! That's where I'm of.
Wrayson glanced quickly at the
Colonel. who seemed in no way dis
composed.
my dear young lady. will interfere
with you in your desire to carry out
your painfully imperfect sense OF
Justice. Pray pass out!
She hesitated for a moment. Her
poor little brain was struggling, per-
haps, for the last time, to adapt itself
to his point Of view-to understand
should treat her with the easy COM
posure and tolerant good-nature of
one who gives to spoilt child Its
own way Then she saw signs OF
further Interference on Wrayson's
part. and she delayed no longer.
The Colonel closed the door after
her. and stood for a moment with his
back against it, for Wrayson had
shown signs Of desire to follow
the woman whose egress he had just
permitted. He looked into their
faces, white with horror - full OF
dread of what was to como. and he
smiled reassuringly.
Amy" he said. turning to the
Baroness, surely you and Wrayson
here are possessed of some grains of
common sense Louise. know. Is too
easily swayed by sentiment. But you.
wrayson! Surely can rely on you!
For anything" Wrayson answered.
with trembling lips. But what can I
doT Tbs wea5 colone1 rs 1nsna smiled cd gently ee
Simply to listen intel1igentfy-
sympathetically II you can." he de-
clared. IT want to make my position
clear to you If can. You heard
what that poor young woman called
me? Probably you would have used
the same word yourself. A mur-
derer!"
"Yes" Wrayson muttered. Il
heard"
when came back from the Sou
dan twelve years ago. I had been in
strumental in killing some thousands
of brave men. I dare say had killed
a score or so with my own hand Was
mo" Wrayson answered. Tt was
a different thing"
"Then killing is not necessarily
murder" the Colonel remarked.
Good! Now take the case of a man
like Morris Barnes. He belonged to
the class of humanity which you can
call by no other name than that OF
vermin Whatever he touched he de-
filed. He was without a single good
instinct. a single passable quality.
Wherever he lived, he bred contami-
nation. Whoever touched him was
the worse for 1t. His influence upon
the world was an unchang'ng one for
evil. Put aside sentiment for one
moment. false sentiment, should say,
and ask yourself what possible sin
can there be in taking the life Of
such q one. If he had gone on four
legs instead Of two. his breed would
have been extermfnated centuries
ago"
began, weakly enough.
"we are. sir" the Colonel thun-
dered. "For what else have we been
given brains. the moral sense. the
knowledge Of good or evil? There
are those amongst US who become de-
cadents, whose presence amongst us
breeds corruption. whose dirty little
lives are like the trail Of foul In
sect across the page Of life. hold it
a Just and moral thing to rid the
world Of such a creature. The sane
tity of human life Is the canting cry
of the falsely sentimental. Human
life Is sacred or not, according to its
achievements Such a one as Morris
Barnes I would brush away like a
poisonous fly"
"Bentham! wrayson fa1tered.
IT killed him. sir!" the Colonel an
swered, land others OF his kidney be-
fore him. Louise knew it. I argued
with her as I am doing with you: but
It was useless. Nevertheless. have
lived as seemed good to me-"
There is the law" Wrayson SAID:
with Mortified glance toward
Louise He understood now.
The Colonel bowed his head.
at am prepared" the Colonel an.
swered. ito pay the penalty Of all re-
formers"
There was a ring at tho bell.
wrayson threw open the door: A
small boy stood there. He held a
piece Of paper in his hand:
'.rhe lidy said" he declared, that
the white-headed gentleman would
give me 'arf crown for this ERE"
wrayson gave him the money, and
stepped back into the room. He gave
the paper to the Colonel. who read it
calmly, first to himself and then
aloud.
Il leave you to your conshens. He
may have been bad, but he was good
to me! AGNES B."
The Colonel's eyes grew very soft.