"I am confident she is," he agreed. "Some makers of pictures may
consider it beneficial to emphasize good by exhibiting evil, by way of
contrast, but they are doubtless wrong. I've an old-fashioned notion
that young girls should be shielded, as much as possible, from knowledge
of the world's sins and worries, which is sure to be impressed upon them
in later years. We cannot ignore evil, unfortunately, but we can often
avoid it."

"But why, if these pictures are really harmful, does Mr. Welland exhibit
them at his theatre?" asked the girl.

"Mr. Welland is running his theatre to make money," explained the
Colonel," and the surest way to make money is to cater to the tastes of
his patrons, the majority of whom demand picture plays of the more vivid
sort, such as you and I complain of. So the fault lies not with the
exhibitor but with the sensation-loving public. If Mr. Welland showed
only such pictures as have good morals he would gain the patronage of
Miss Stearne's twelve young ladies, and a few others, but the masses
would refuse to support him."

"Then," said Mary Louise, "the masses ought to be educated to desire
better things."

"Many philanthropists have tried to do that, and signally failed. I
believe the world is gradually growing better, my dear, but ages will
pass before mankind attains a really wholesome mental atmosphere.
However, we should each do our humble part toward the moral uplift of
our fellows and one way is not to condone what we know to be wrong."