THE PLUME PIRATES 333 



**I believe, Shan," the Feather Man said 

 gravely, ''that there is no more vicious phrase 

 on the lips of any one than that cheap boast *I 

 have the price.' 



* ' Think of it — to boast of being able to pay for 

 the slaughter of birds; the price for cruelty, for 

 barbarism, for massacre ! One might as well ex- 

 cuse murder on the ground that one had the price 

 to pay for it. So long as the ideals of certain 

 people depend — ^whether much or little — on this 

 idea that any wrong can be made right by the pay- 

 ment of money, so long is the presence of such 

 people in a country a menace to its honor and a 

 blot to its citizenship. 



**You know the story of the Egrets," the 

 Feather Man continued. *'You know that the 

 bridal plumage of the Snowy Egret forms the 

 'aigrettes' which women wear on their hats. You 

 know that they are worn by the birds only at the 

 time of nesting, and that every bird killed at that 

 time causes the starvation to death of the young. 

 You know that the National Association of Audu- 

 bon Societies — one of the most valued and honored 

 organizations in all the United States — has spent 

 well on to a million dollars and incredible toil to 

 try and teach the women of America that the wear- 



