Evening star., 1924-06-08

tlVes or the people from whom they
had been taken"
But you couldn't bring the mur-
pered people to life again." the Amer
lean protested.
That's the point exastly," said
Carew patiently. "A human life more
or less isn't worth getting excited
about. You can't make these people
regard life as sacred. What religion
they have is against it, and the logic
of the situation is against it, too.
They don't work, SO life has no
labor value. And in other respects
it's about the cheapest, commonest
thing there is. But they have got a
sense of property. and the one hope
of building a civilization for them is
to build it on that. AS they begin to
learn to want things their property
will take other forms than heads
finery and trinkets to begin with.
But one has to go slow, and at pres
ent l respect their property In heads.
l punish head hunting just as I do
any other theft"
II should think, though" objected
the American. that there'd be more
glory in taking a live head than a
dead one"
Not so much" Carew explained
because a man would defend any
head he possessed just as enthusiasts
tically as he would the one that grew
on his shoulders. He'll guard a
grave"
He broke off there with an apollo
getic little glance at Sylvia.
"Oh, yes" she said, smiling readily
tell them about it. They'll be inter-
ested''
CAREw turned and pointed out
through the open window behind
him. 1T comes rather close home"
he said. MY predecessors wife died
out here and is buried there in the
middle of the lawn. He inclosed the
grave in sheet iron and put that big
granite slab on the top of il to make
sure that it wouldn't be rified by
Dyaks. He made me promise, when
I came here to take the post (of
course, he was half mad at the time) :,
to have it watched day and night
See the Sikh out there now? You can
make out his white turban-there,
under the tree
He turned back from the window
again and seated himself at the table.
ut is roSgh on Sylvia" he repeat
ed, "a memento mort like that. But 1
gave the poor chap my word. you see.
And, after all. the moral effect on the
Dyaks is good. must guard my own
theirs. It's one of the things my
prestige depends on. And my pres
tige is practically the only thing I
have to govern with"
The Chinese butler had come in as
he finished and stood in the doorway
awaiting recognition.
"Jalan," said Carew. What is it,"
Come one piece pleeceman," said
the Chinaman.
Carew followed the Chinaman out.
There was silence in the big dining
room for minute or two. The Amer
ican woman had been staring out at
the grave on the lawn. Now she
turned around and looked at Sylvia
with a wide wonder in her eyes-a
look which flashed instantly into an
understanding pity. She wasn't so
very much older than Sylvia herself.
The warm gush Of sympathy, COM
ing Unexpectedly like that. got over
Sylvia's defenses. She gave an ir-
repressible shudder, and pressed her
hands against her eyes, as il, for Just
a moment, to shut out a vision.
Tho man guest, who had risen when
Carew did and had remained stand
ing, moved quickly away to the win
dow and stood there looking out. The
two women might have been alone
together.
You're such a wonder" said the
American woman unevenly. You're
so cool, and perfect, that one can't