"
The inspector paused, and ran his eyes over a fresh slip of paper.
"And all this," said Philip in a low voice, "because of a crime
committed by the law itself. Five men hung, one a suicide, three in
prison and one in an insane asylum--because of a blunder of the law!"
"The king can do no wrong," said MacGregor with gentle irony, "and
neither can the law. Remember that, Philip, as long as you are in the
service. The law may break up homes, ruin states, set itself a Nemesis
on innocent men's heels--but it can do no wrong. It is the Juggernaut
before which we all must bow our heads, even you and I, and when by any
chance it makes a mistake, it is still law, and unassailable. It is the
greatest weapon of the clever and the rich, so it bears a moral. Be
clever, or be rich."
"And William DeBar, the seventh brother--" began Philip.
"Is tremendously clever, but not rich," finished the inspector. "He has
caused us more trouble than any other man in Canada. He is the youngest
of the seven brothers, and you know there are curious superstitions
about seventh brothers. In the first pursuit after the private hanging
he shot two men. He killed a third in an attempt to save his brother at
Moose Factory. Since then, Forbes, Bannock, Fleisham and Gresham have
disappeared, and they all went out after him. They were all good men,
powerful physically, skilled in the ways of the wilderness, and as brave
as tigers.
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