"I wonder why you think Adderley ought to be hanged." "Because he's a murderer," snapped Sir Beverley.
"Yes; but--" said Piers, and became silent as though he were following out some train of thought.
"Go on, boy! Finish!" commanded Sir Beverley.

"I detest a sentence left in the middle." "I was only thinking," said Piers deliberately, "that hanging in my opinion is much the easier sentence of the two.

I should ask to be hanged if I were Adderley." "Would you indeed ?" Sir Beverley sounded supremely contemptuous.
But Piers did not seem to notice.

"Besides, there are so many murderers in the world," he said, "though it's only the few who get punished.

I'm sorry for the few myself.