human
What do you think of our new Assistant District Attorney?
gpt
He's a lawyer,
human
A pretty fairly honest one, I think, ventured King.
gpt
His training may be wrong, but his instincts are right.
human
Fat chance anything's got when it mixes up with legalities,
gpt
Nevertheless, remarked Coleman seriously,
human
I believe plain justice has more of a chance with him in charge than with another.
gpt
What sort of justice? queried King.
human
Commercial? He laughed in answer to his own question.
gpt
Criminal? I'd like to think it, gentlemen, but I cannot. You know as well as I do that any of us could this evening go into the streets, select our victim, and shoot him down secure in the knowledge that inconvenience is all the punishment we need expect--if we have money or friends. Am I not right, Coleman?
human
Were Herod for the slaughter of the Innocents brought before a jury of this town, he would be acquitted, he said half-seriously.
gpt
Judas Iscariot would pass unscathed so long as any portion of his thirty pieces of silver remained with him.
human
No man, even exceptionally equipped as this young man seems to be, went on Coleman after a moment,
gpt
--he snapped his fingers--
human
We can't stand this sort of thing forever! cried Hossfros hotly.
gpt
It's getting worse and worse!
human
We probably shall not stand it forever, agreed Coleman equably,
gpt
When the people at large find that _they_ cannot stand it either, then we shall be no longer powerless. A single man can do something then--a single child!
human
What will happen then? asked Munro.
gpt
Vigilantes? '51 again?
human
God forbid! We were then a frontier community. We are now an organized, civilized city. We have rights and powers through the regular channels--at the ballot box for example.
gpt
It must wait, continued Coleman;
human
Well, spoke up King,
gpt
Don't let's lose our sense of humour, cut in Talbot Ward.
human
Can you see Charley Nugent or Mike Rowlee crusading for the right?
gpt
But my point is good, insisted King.
human
An honest, fearless editor, not afraid to call a spade a spade--
gpt
Would be shot,
human
The chances of war,
gpt
They don't grow that kind around here,
human
Well, concluded Coleman,
gpt
deeply impressed the ordinary citizen. As one chronicler of the times puts it, they had
human
--which is an excellent thumbnail sketch. Many of these ex-jailbirds rose to wealth and influence, so that to this day the sound of their names means aristocracy and birth to those ignorant of local history. Their descendants may be seen to-day ruffling it proudly on the strength of their