"What I can't understand," said Peter, who never remained long in the background, "is why the black-fellows didn't cut Bob down. It was wicked of them."
"That's what I think," said Nesta. "If they left him because they thought it funny, I wish they could be tortured."
"Nesta, Nesta, my darling!" said Mrs. Orban warningly.
"I suppose," said Miss Chase softly, "the poor things have no knowledge of mercy."
"None," said Mr. Cochrane, who was over spending the evening; "and they wouldn't understand it if you showed them any, either."
"No heathens ever do," said Mrs. Orban, "and how should they? They have no Great Example to follow as we have. It is the people who have the chance of knowing better, and still are cruel and heartless, that I would have tortured—if any one."
Mr. Orban gave a soft laugh.
"If any one, indeed, wife," he said. "You know as well as I do that you wouldn't have a spider hurt for torturing a fly."
Every one laughed with him except Mrs. Orban herself. Her tender heart was as good as a fable in the household. But she said quite gravely,—
"You have chosen a bad example for once, Jack. A spider is as ignorant as a heathen. It has only its own nature to follow."