The Argosy — page 276: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Winifred Power. 255 had been living all day amid scenes of horror; had seen more than one death, witnessed more than one outburst of tragic despair, and come nearer than she had ever expected to do to the unmarked springs of human feeling. At last some sneer at the people (a sneer very characteristic of the Dallases) stung her to retort. “It is easy to talk,” she flamed out. ‘‘ No doubt they have sinned, and they are punished by failure. I donot defend them, but I cannot understand anyone being triumphant over their expiation. Ignorance, life-long poverty, and grinding toil are very evil counsellors. If ¢hezr class has much to repent of, has ours nothing to expiate? And if they have soiled the sanctity of their cause with crime, is the vengeance of their conquerors one whit less criminal P ” Dick sat quite silent: surprised a little, for Winifred did not often lecture ; and also a little amused. She had looked surprisingly hand- some as she poured out her eager protest. Moreover her grace and the beauty of her voice suited her momentary role. Where another woman must have shrieked and gesticulated, she had all the loveliness of a genuine inspiration. Dick, like all undecided men, was rather attracted by energy in a woman than repelled; and he met Winifred’s flashing eyes with a flicker in his own of suppressed but decided admiration. Nevertheless, partly out of love of teasing, he answered with deliberate contempt : / *‘ Because there is not much to choose between the ruffianism that writes its name at the bottom of a cheque.and the ruffianism that cannot write at all, I fail to see why one should refrain from shooting any number of murderous roughs. They should be treated like the mad dogs they resemble.” ) Winifred closed her eyes to hide her starting tears. Perhaps Dick felt instinctively the reproach of her silence, for he added presently, with a fine air of aristocratic fastidiousness : *T am not particular, but in a world which is composed of swindlers and liars, I confess that I prefer the washed to the unwashed specli- men.” Winifred turned and looked at him. He did not take warning by her glance, but continued airily: ‘‘ Most active people are utterly mischievous ; and passive people, like myself, are useless.” “Tt is a disgrace to your humanity to say such things,” answeréd the girl in low, quiet tones of intense scorn. The dusky colour flushed into Dick’s cheeks. ‘I do not seem able to please you by anything I say to-night,” he remarked a little sullenly, and yet ruefully too. ‘If I thought you really cared, I might be better,” he added, almost in a whisper, and looked straight into her eyes. Chilled by this unexpected obtrusion of personal aims into the midst of her enthusiasm, she pushed back her chair and rose abruptly, saying : “What can keep Dolly? This is one of her evenings for teaching : but she should be home by now.” ECORNICOOOKS EO