"But you have had difficulties?"
"Once I had to flog a couple of men. It was not pleasant, and worst of
all it did no good."
"Irrational violence seldom does," grunted Mr. Wishart.
"No, for, as I was going to say, it was a clear case where the men
should have been put to death. They had deserved it, for they had
disobeyed me, and by their disobedience caused the death of several
innocent people. They decamped shortly afterwards, and all but managed
to block our path. I blame myself still for not hanging them."
A deep silence hung over the table. Mr. Wishart and the Andrews stared
with uncomprehending faces. Mr. Stocks studied his plate, and Alice
looked on the speaker with eyes in which unwilling respect strove with
consternation.
Only the culprit was at his ease. The discomfort of these good people
for a moment amused him. Then the sight of Alice's face, which he
wholly misread, brought him back to decent manners.
"I am afraid I have shocked you," he said simply. "If one knocks about
the world one gets a different point of view."
Mr. Wishart restrained a flood of indignation with an effort. "We
won't speak on the subject," he said. "I confess I have my prejudices."
Mr. Stocks assented with a smile and a sigh. In the drawing-room
afterwards Lewis was presented with the olive-branch of peace. He had
to attend Mrs.
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