"You tell me you have twice attempted the life of this man, and that he has narrowly escaped; that you have been saved from being a murderer by a miracle." (That was her way of looking at it.) "Do you not think it possible your enemy would be quite willing to obey the order for a truce if he knew you would do the same—especially since he would hardly dare to disobey? Why do you not see this Chief and suggest to him that he put a stop to the feud?"
"Then you would advise me to discontinue my efforts to put an end to a dangerous enemy to society?" I muttered.
"No, my son. I have already advised you to take the matter to the proper authorities, and you have told me that this was something which you could not do and remain true to yourself. So I urge you next, since you cannot protect society with due authority, at least to keep your own hands clean of blood. Might not this be possible?"
I thought hard for a moment.
"Ma Mère," I said finally, "I much doubt that it could be done. This enemy of mine is a human tiger, and I doubt if he knows what real fear is. In this way the man is superhuman—or, perhaps, less than human. For another thing, I doubt if the Chief himself would dare issue such an order; for le Tondeur, after all, is still a member of the association, while I am a renegade and a foreigner. It would be dangerous, I think, for the Chief to at tempt such a thing. It might weaken his influence with his followers; and, besides, Chu-Chu might kill
