A few mornings after, I returned Mr. Jasper’s call, and was delighted with his rare plants and flowers. We then took our seats on the veranda, and he called for tea. In the course of our conversation, I referred to my releasing the girl from the police. I could not forget that screaming cry for help in the night, and the oftener I thought of it, the more indignant I grew. At once he exclaimed “What an outrage! It seems incredible that such things could be possible. It is not only this one case, but all over India such seizures are taking place. Sometimes when I hear of such things, I wish I was God, or given His power for a short time, I would cause lightning to strike the men who organized such a devilish system, and those who carry it on. I would make such a retribution upon them all that they would feel they were in hell. If a daughter of the Queen, or of the Prime Minister, or of a member of Parliament, of the Viceroy or Commander in Chief, should be seized, to be kept as a prisoner to pass a short life in infamy and die of vice disease, what would happen? Why every paper in the United Kingdom would have gory articles on the subject; the whole nation would be aroused, and there would be a question in Parliament. If done in a foreign country it would be a cause for war. It is the old story of whose ox is gored. Admitting that she is an orphan, without friends, an Eurasian, pardon me Mr. Japhet for this word.” “Go on,” I quickly replied, “I have been too often under the lash, or rather through the fire on account of that word to take any offence, for I know just what you mean.” He commenced again. “Suppose this girl and other girls are friendless and weak, are they not the very ones to be protected? What are laws and governments for, if they are not to shield those who need protection the most? Are the laws for the rich, the strong and mighty, who do not need their aid? To whom should we be charitable if not to the poor? To whom shall we show mercy, if not to the weak and erring? These girls have immortal souls, or else Christianity and all human teaching is a lie. Have we not had it drummed into our ears, from our infancy that all souls are precious in the sight of God, and that He is not a respecter of persons; that the poor and helpless are his care? You know the teachings of Christianity and of the Church, but what is the practice? I am old enough to care very little about creeds and theories. I care more to know of a man’s life, what are his daily acts and thoughts. I don’t care to hear a man’s prayers, so much as to see what he does. He may pray for the poor with his lips, but I would rather see him pay for them from his pocket. But what is the practice here?