But he's a human being none the less," said she.
That answer, and its implied rebuke, took him by surprise.
"Your uncle, the Colonel, is of a different opinion," said he, when he had recovered.

"He regards them as vermin to be left to languish and die of their festering wounds." She caught the irony now more plainly in his voice.

She continued to stare at him.
"Why do you tell me this ?" "To warn you that you may be incurring the Colonel's displeasure.

If he had had his way, I should never have been allowed to dress their wounds." "And you thought, of course, that I must be of my uncle's mind ?" There was a crispness about her voice, an ominous challenging sparkle in her hazel eyes.
"I'd not willingly be rude to a lady even in my thoughts," said he.

"But that you should bestow gifts on them, considering that if your uncle came to hear of it...." He paused, leaving the sentence unfinished.