"You divide yourself into two personalities?"
"How disagreeable!" Elizabeth gave a little shrug. "It’s a kind of vivisection, isn’t it?"
"But something has to be done. What would you have me do?" He sat up and met her, and she shrank from the conflict.
"Oh, don’t ask me! I don’t know anything about it, I’m sure! I know but one criminal, and I don’t wish to dream about him to-night."
"It is strange to be discussing such topics," said Eades. "You must pardon me for being so disagreeable and depressing."
"Oh, I’ll forgive you," she laughed. "I’d really like to know about such things. As I say, I have known but one criminal."
"Yes. Do you ever dream of your criminals?"
"Oh, never! It’s bad enough to be brought into contact with them by day; I put them out of my mind when night comes. Except this Burns--he insists on pursuing me more or less. But now that he has his just deserts, perhaps he’ll let me alone. But tell me about this criminal of yours, this lucky one you dream of. I’d become a criminal myself--"
"You know him already," Elizabeth said hastily, her cheeks coloring.
Eades bent his head and placed his knuckles to his chin.
"Graves, Graves?" he said. "It seems to me--"
"The boy who stole from my father; you had him sent to the penitentiary for a year--and papa--"
"Oh, I remember; that boy! To be sure. His term must be over now."
"At the Charity Bureau, before Christmas."
"Ah, begging, of course." Eades shook his head. "I was in hopes our leniency would do him good; but it seems that it’s never appreciated. I sometimes reproach myself with being too easy with them; but they do disappoint us--almost invariably. Begging! Well, they don’t want to work, that’s all. What became of him?"
"I don’t know," said Elizabeth. "I saw him there, but didn’t recognize him. After I had come away, I recalled him. I’ve reproached myself again and again. I wonder what has become of him!"
"It’s sad, in a way," said Eades, "but I shouldn’t worry. I used to worry, at first, but I soon learned to know them. They’re no good, they won’t work, they have no respect for law, they have no desire but to gratify their idle, vicious natures. The best thing is just to shut them up where they can’t harm any one. This may seem heartless, but I don’t think I’m heartless." He smiled tolerantly for himself. "I have no personal feeling in the matter, but I’ve learned from experience. As for this Graves--I had my doubts at the time. I thought then I was making a mistake in recommending leniency. But, really, your father was so cut up, and I’d rather err on the side of mercy." He paused a moment, and then said: "He’ll turn up in court again some day. You’ll see. I shouldn’t lose any more sleep over him."