You hesitate." Toole shook his head sadly; he almost wept out the last word, he seemed so heartbroken to see the Colonel hesitate.
"Why hesitate ?" he asked.

"If I were not a stranger in town, as I may say, I should beg you not to hesitate.

I should beg you to act.

I should beg you to think of the lives of poor, helpless women and children.

I should beg you, for humanity's sake, to go to the honorable mayor and city council, and appeal to them to pass an ordinance compelling this Skinner to buy nickel-plated fire-extinguishers.