Evening star., 1924-06-08

| THEY KILLED HIM,
she thrust her chair back from the
| table rather abruptly.
mo" said Sylvia, "it's all right
Sit STILL
At that both men looked around at
her and Carew sprang to his feet.
my dear!" he cried in consterna-
tion. What's the matter?" For her
face had gone as white as flour and
she was clutching the edge of the
table tightly with both hands.
But she shook her head at him and
| said NO" in a half inarticulate plea
that he stay where he was. And, in
a moment, she got command of her
voice.
II just wanted to be sure l Un-
derstand what you mean" she said.
You don't mean that you're going
to punish that woman seriously for
for nothing? Because it was nothing.
They weren't worth anything to us.
We're using wooden rings in the
place we got them for. And-and
perhaps they meant-everything to
her"
Carew answered gently. but it was
as If from a long way Off.
Don't upset yourself about it. my
dear. You've had a pretty hard week,
suspect, and you're badly over
wrought"
Sylvia's color came flooding back
again. He was apologizing for her
70 air cts ha
not got his attention at all.
I'm not tired nor overwrought in
the least" she said. Il don't want
you to think about me. w-want you
to think about that pitiable little
woman. Can't you see? She had to
have those things. That's something
that might happen to-to anybody.
And she was afraid to ask me for
them. That's the heartbreaking part
of it And now her mans dead-that
she took them for. They killed him,
1 suppose, before her eyes. And you
talk of furnishing her,
Now it was Carew whose color
faded out under his coat OF tan.
Their two guests, forgotten, stared at
their empty glasses.
IF you want to debate it as an
abstract proposition" said Carew
slowly, 'Ill say that If the woman is
allowed to keep the spoils she can
probably attract another man who
will suit her just as well. I think
you'd recognize that, il she happened
not to be somebody you knew as an
individual I have had to punish be-
fore in cases that were personal to
me. I've done it because ] knew that
the only hope for beginning to civil
ize these people is the justice that
hold in my hand. There are two or
three hundred thousand of them up
country there, who are beginning to
take my law. They don't know it as
an abstract thing. It's something of
mine. If they don't raid and murder
as much as they did. it's because they
are BEGINNING to take my notion that
it's better to leave another mans
goods alone. And If they see 1 don't
believe it myself
He brought his hands down softly
but solidly on the table
Gwen as a matter of self-preserva-
ton" he went on. "the thing is i'm
portant. Against a quarter of mil
lion of them I've got a hundred and
twenty-five Sikh policemen who
would stand up and be butchered Tor
my word. One of them lost his life
that way tonight"
THERE was silence after that
L The American drew in a long
breath and let it out with rush.
Finally Sylvia spoke, doggedly and
duly. not as one who hopes any
more, but as oneswho plays his last
card.
you're right in general suppose.
I hadn't thought of 1t that way.
But, just for this once, I'm going to
ask a favor-that you don't punish
the woman who stole-the curtain
rings"
fire lighted up Carew's blue eyes and
then it faded. He pressed his lips to-
gether before he spoke.
Wen talk about it in the morn
ing" he said gently. And you won't
ask me that favor again. You will
have seen by then what it means
There's s-something else" said
Sylvia. But Carew had pushed back
his chair and risen from the table
Il think I'd better go down to the
town." he said, addressing his guests,
"and see that it is really quiet. We
don't want any more murders to-
night"
Sylvia said wait" But it was only
in a whisper and he was already gone.
The silence lasted until she had
seen him pass the window and Cross
the lawn Then she spoke. You see,
I an thief. too" said ths Honorable
sylvia
/ you don't mean lfterailyr