Four Just Men | Page 2

understand what you are talking about--you speak of governments
and kings and constitutions and causes. If a man does me an injury I
smash his head"--he hesitated--"I do not know how to say it ... but I
mean ... well, you kill people without hating them, men who have not
hurt you. Now, that is not my way.. .." He hesitated again, tried to

collect his thoughts, looked intently at the middle of the roadway,
shook his head, and relapsed into silence.
The others looked at him, then at one another, and each man smiled.
Manfred took a bulky case from his pocket, extracted an untidy
cigarette, re-rolled it deftly and struck a government match on the sole
of his boot.
"Your-way-my-dear-Thery"--he puffed--"is a fool's way. You kill for
benefit; we kill for justice, which lifts us out of the ruck of professional
slayers. When we see an unjust man oppressing his fellows; when we
see an evil thing done against the good God"--Thery crossed him
self--"and against man--and know that by the laws of man this evildoer
may escape punishment--we punish."
"Listen," interrupted the taciturn Poiccart: "once there was a girl, young
and beautiful, up there"--he waved his hand northward with unerring
instinct--"and a priest--a priest, you understand--and the parents winked
at it because it is often done ... but the girl was filled with loathing and
shame, and would not go a second time, so he trapped her and kept her
in a house, and then when the bloom was off turned her out, and I
found her. She was nothing to me, but I said, 'Here is a wrong that the
law cannot adequately right.' So one night I called on the priest with my
hat over my eyes and said that I wanted him to come to a dying
traveller. He would not have come then, but I told him that the dying
man was rich and was a great person. He mounted the horse I had
brought, and we rode to a little house on the mountain... I locked the
door and he turned round--so! Trapped, and he knew it. 'What are you
going to do?' he said with a gasping noise. 'I am going to kill you,
senor,' I said, and he believed me. I told him the story of the girl... He
screamed when I moved towards him, but he might as well have saved
his breath. 'Let me see a priest,' he begged; and I handed him--a
mirror."
Poiccart stopped to sip his coffee.
"They found him on the road next day without a mark to show how he
died," he said simply.

"How?" Thery bent forward eagerly, but Poiccart permitted himself to
smile grimly, and made no response.
Thery bent his brows and looked suspiciously from one to the other.
Government, and there are men whom the Government have never
heard of. You remember one Garcia, Manuel Garcia, leader in the
Carlist movement; he is in England; it is the only country where he is
safe; from England he directs the movement here, the great movement.
You know of what I speak?"
Thery nodded.
"This year as well as last there has been a famine, men have been dying
about the church doors, starving in the public squares; they have
watched corrupt Government succeed corrupt Government; they have
seen millions flow from the public treasury into the pockets of
politicians. This year something will happen; the old regime must go.
The Government know this; they know where the danger lies, they
know their salvation can only come if Garcia is delivered into their
hands before the organisation for revolt is complete. But Garcia is safe
for the present and would be safe for all time were it not for a member
of the English Government, who is about to introduce and pass into law
a Bill. When that is passed, Garcia is as good as dead. You must help
us to prevent that from ever becoming law; that is why we have sent for
you."
Thery looked bewildered. "But how?" he stammered.
Manfred drew a paper from his pocket and handed it to Thery. "This, I
think," he said, speaking deliberately, "is an exact copy of the police
description of yourself." Thery nodded. Manfred leant over and,
pointing to a word that occurred half way down the sheet, "Is that your
trade?" he asked.
Thery looked puzzled. "Yes," he replied.
"Do you really know anything about that trade?" asked Manfred

earnestly; and the other two men leant forward to catch the reply.
"I know," said Thery slowly, "everything there is to be known: had it
not been for a--mistake I might have earned great money."
Manfred heaved a sigh of relief and nodded to his two companions.
"Then," said he briskly, "the English Minister