? ? ? ? 'The information is quite correct,' I answered. 'The two men were murdered.'
? ? ? ? 'And you permitted it!' she cried.
? ? ? ? 'I was unable to prevent it, is a better way of phrasing it,' I replied, still gently.
? ? ? ? 'But you tried to prevent it?' There was an emphasis on the 'tried,' and a pleading little note in her voice. 'Oh, but you didn't!' she hurried on, divining my answer. 'But why didn't you?'
? ? ? ? I shrugged my shoulders.
? ? ? ? 'You must remember, Miss Brewster, that you are a new inhabitant of this little world, and that you do not yet understand the laws which operate within it. You bring with you certain fine conceptions of humanity, manhood, conduct, and such things; but here you will find them misconceptions. I have found it so,' I added, with an involuntary sigh.
? ? ? ? She shook her head incredulously.
? ? ? ? 'What would you advise, then?' I asked. 'That I should take a knife, or a gun, or an ax, and kill this man?'
? ? ? ? She started back.
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