, 1924-02-27

with a man who is free from that bours
geois incubus to modern enterprise
a conscience"
"Is that your estimate OF meT' Fran.
els asked.
"Why not? You practice your pro.
fession in the criminal courts, do you
not?"
THAT is well-kpown," was the brief
reply.
what measure of conscience can
a man have oliver Hilditch argued
blandly, who pleads for the innocent
and guilty alike with the same simu.
lated fervor? Confess, now, Mr.. Led
sam-there is no object in being hypo.
critical in this matter-have you not
often pleaded for the guilty as though
you believed them innocent?"
THAT has sometimes been my duty"
Francis acknowledged.
Hilditch laughed ~scornfully.
ut is all part of the great hypocrisy
of society,"" he proclaimed. you have
an extra glass of champagne for din
ner at night and are congratulated by
your friends because you have helped
some poor devil to cheat the law, while
all the time you know. perfectly well,
and so do your high-minded friends.
that your whole attitude during those
two hours of eloquence has been a lie.
That Is what first attracted me to
you, Mr.. Ledsam."
II am sorry to near It," Francis COM
mented coldly. The ethics Of my pro-
fession-"
His host stopped him with a little
wave of the hand.
Spare me that" he begged. while
we are on the subject, though, have
a question to ask you. My lawyer
told me, directly after he had retained
you, that, although 1t would make no
real difference to your pleading, 1t
would be just as well for me to keep
up my bluff of being innocent, even in
private conversation with you. Why
was that?'
For the very obvious reason" Fran
els told him. that we are not all such
rogues and vagabonds as you seem to
think. There Is more satisfaction to
me, at any rate, in saving an inno-
cent mans life than a guilty ones"
iiiiuitch iauSueu as tnouSH dinuSeu.
Come he threatened, Il am going
to be iI-natured. You have shown
signs of smugness, a quality which /
detest. / am going to rob you of
some part of your dissatisfaction. OF
course l killed Jordan. l killed him
In the very chair in which you are
now sitting"
There was a moments intense 81
lence. The woman WAS still tanning
herself lazily. Francis leaned forward
in his place.
Il do no wish to hear this" he
exclaimed harshly.
Don't be foolish" his host replied,
rising to his feet and strolling across
h room. You know the whole trou-
Die of the prosecution. They couldn't
discover h weapon, or anything like
1t, with which the deed was done.
Now I'll show you something ingcni-
GUS"
France followed the Others move
ments with fascinated eyes The WON
IN scarcely turned her head. HIlditch
paused at the further end of the room.
where there were a couple Of gun
cases, some fishing rods and a bag of
golf clubs. From the latter lie ex-
tracted a very ordinary-looking put
ter, n with 1t In his hands strolled
back to them.
ID you play golf. LedsamT" he
asked. What do you think Of that?"
franc took the putter into his hand
II was a very ordinary club. which had
apparently seen a good deal Of serv-
ice' SO much, indeed. that the leather
wrapping at the top was commencing
10 unroll. The maker's name was on
the back or the blade, also the name
or the professional from whom 1t had
been purchased. Francis swung the
implement m~echoniculi with his