"'Certainly, why not? I'd compel him bally quick with this.'
"I couldn't see what the General referred to, but had no doubt that it was the huge wrench that he still carried in his hand.
"'We could gag the fellow,' he went on, 'take him from house to house and make him put everything right.'
"'Ah, but afterwards?' said the Bishop.
"'Afterwards,' answered the General, 'why kill him! Knock him on the head and bury him under the cement in the cellar. Hay and I could easily bury him, or for that matter I imagine one could easily use the furnace itself to dispose of him.'
"I must confess that my blood ran cold as I listened.
"'But do you think it right?' objected the Bishop. 'You will say, of course, that it is only killing a plumber; but yet one asks oneself whether it wouldn't be just a leetle bit unjustifiable.'
"'Nonsense,' said the General. 'You remember that last year, when Hay strangled the income tax collector, you yourself were very keen on it.'
"'Ah, that was different,' said the Bishop, 'one felt there that there was an end to serve, but here——'
"'Nonsense,' repeated the General, 'come along and get Hay. He'll make short work of him.'