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235 we generally take all that for granted, don't we? My dear chap, you mustn't mind my saying so, but you do preach a good deal over this case."

"I had noticed the same thing myself," said Superintendent Bell, and they both looked curiously at Reggie.

"Why am I so moral? Because the thing's so damned immoral," said Reggie vehemently. "What's most crime? Human. Human greed, human lust, human hostility. But this is diabolical. Sheer evil for evil's sake. Lomas, I'll swear, when we have it all out, we'll find that it still looks unreasonable, futile, pure passion for wrong."

"Meaning Mr. Kimball mad. You do come back to that, sir," Bell said.

"Not legally mad. Probably not medically mad. I mean he has the devil in him."

"Really, my dear Fortune, you do surprise me," Lomas said. "I perceive that in all things you are too superstitious. The right honourable gentleman hath a devil! It isn't done, you know. This is the twentieth century. And you're a scientific man. Consider your reputation—and mine, if you don't mind. What the devil are we to do? Try exorcism?"

"You won't charge Kimball?" Lomas signified an impatient negative. "Very well. You say you don't let a man off because he's in the Government. Suppose you had a prima facie case like this against a nobody. Suppose I brought you as good grounds