Evening star., 1923-07-02
Continued from yesterday

'.Then keep it to yourself, my dear
fellow" he begged. like everything
else l am telling you tonight. have
come out of my experience. changed
in many ways, he continued, Dut,
leaving out that one secret chapter
that is the dominant factor which
looms up before me. / bring lhto
life a new aversion, almost passion,
Andrew, born in a teashop in the
city. and ministered to by all that
has happened since. ] have lost that
sort of Indifference which my pro-
fession engenders toward crime.
am at war with the criminal, some
times. hope, in the courts of justice,
but forever out of them. i am no
longer Indifferent as to whether men
do good or evil so long as they DO not
cross my path. ! am Il hunter OF sin.
l am out to destroy. There's a touch
of melodrama in this for you, An
drew" he concluded. with a little
laugh. but. my God, I'm In earnest"
what does this mean SO far as re-
CARDS the routine of your daily ilfe!
Wilmore asked curiously.
We'll II brings US to the point we
discussed down at Brancaster. Fran :
els replied. 1T will affect my work
to this extent I shall not accept any
brief, unless after reading the eVi-
dence, I feel convinced that the ac-
cused is innocent"
That's all very WELL" Wilmore OBJ
served, but YOU know what it Will
mean, don't you? Lawyers aren't
likely TO single you out for a brief
without ever feeling sure whether
YOU will accept it or not"
THAT doesn't worry me- Francis
declared Il don't need the fees. for
tunately. and I can always pick up
enough work to keep me going by at
tending sessions. one thing | can
promise you'll certainly shall not
sit in my rooms and wait for things
TO happen. Mine is militant spirit
and it needs the outlet OF action.
Action. yes, but howo" Wilmore
uucricd You can't be always hang
ing about the courts. waiting for the
chance of defending some poor devil
who's been Wrongfully accused
there aren't enough of them, for one
thing. On the other hand. you can't
walk down Regent street brandish-
ing a two-edged sword and hunting
for pickpocketS"
Francis smiled
..'Nothing SO f1amboyant. I can as
sure you. Andrew" he replied. NOR
shall ] play the amateur detective,
with his mouth open for mysteries.
But listen" he went on earnestly.
I've had some experience, as you
know, and. Notwithstanding the Oil
yer lIilditcheS Of the world. can gem
orally tell d criminal when l meet
him face to face. There are plenty
of them about. too. Andrew-as many
in this place as any other | am not
going to he content with negative
position as regards eyilGoerS. I am
going 10 set my heel on as many of
the human vermin of this city as l can
find"
"a laudable. a most exhilarating
and delightful pursuit. Human ver-
min,' too. is excellent 1t opens up
70 niy1 Ina icfn 70 J,a
modern sportsman. My congratula-
tionS"'
Il was an interruption of peculiar
and wonderful significance, but
F-ancis did not for the moment ap
preciate the fact. Turning his head.
he simply saw a complete stranger
seated unaccOuntably at the next
table, who had butted into q private
cor1v vcrsation and whose tone of gen
tie sarcasm, therefore, was the more
Who the devil are YOU. sir" he
derfa anded. and where did you come
FROM
The newcomer showed no resent
ment at Francis little outburst R4
simply smiled with deprecating ami
ability tall. spare man. with lean,
hard face, complexion almost un-
naturally white; black hair. plenti-
fully besprinkled with gray: thin.
cynical mouth. Notwithstanding its
distinctly humorous curve. and keen,
almost brilliant, dark eyes. He was
dressed in ordinary dinner garb; his
linen and jewelry were indeed in the
best possible taste. Francis, at his
second glance. was troubled with a
vague sense of familiarity.
Let me answer your last question
first, sir" the intruder begged. II
was seated alone. several tables
away. when the couple next to YOU
went out, and having had pointed
out to me the other evening at
'Iaridge's Hotel, and knowing we'll
by. rcpute the great barrister, Mr..
francis Ledsam and his friend the
world-famed novelist. Mr. Andrew