in future."

An involuntary exclamation of indignant reproach broke from Corinna:
"Oh!" Evan was not displeased at the turn things were taking.
"They're pushing her too far," he thought. "They'll drive her into my
arms."

Dordess resumed: "You got us on board this boat. We look to you as our
head. So we felt we ought to tell you at once how we felt, and leave
it to you to act as you thought best."

Evan was conscious that there was a good deal more in this than
appeared on the surface. He watched them keenly. Dordess' eyes held
Corinna's unflinchingly, and Corinna's were the first to fall. Evan,
seeing this, felt a sinking in his breast. "What hold has he over
her?" he asked himself.

"What do you wish me to do?" asked Corinna in a muffled voice.

Evan was amazed. He had thought these men were Corinna's slaves, and
here was Dordess visibly wielding the whip hand over her.

"Tell him," said Dordess, "that we very much regret it will be
impossible for us to have him with us on future trips of our
Association."

"You are ungenerous!" cried Corinna. "After he has saved us all!"

The six faces changed. Evan imagined that he could feel their hate
like a wave.

Dordess' voice was still smooth. "I can't tell you how sorry we are.
He has put us in a difficult position. But there is no help for it."

"Suppose you address me directly instead of through Miss Playfair,"
said Evan, careful to keep his voice as smooth as the other man's.
"Don't let the trifling service that I am supposed to have done you
trouble you, but tell me what's the nature of your objection to me."

"I think you know that," said Dordess. "You have been pleased to refer
to us jokingly as the 'brotherhood.' All right, we accept that word.
We are a brotherhood working under a certain understood rule. Well,
you've had your chance, and you refuse to be governed by our rule. You
insist on playing your own hand. That's all right. But if every one
of us was working for himself it would make these trips impossible.
Surely you can see that."

"And if I refuse to tell him what you ask me to?" Corinna burst out
angrily.

"Then the rest of us will go," said Dordess instantly. "Our minds are
made up as to that."

"A strike of the brotherhood!" cried Evan mockingly.

Corinna kept her head down, and traced a pattern with the toe of her
slipper.

Evan became anxious at her silence. "Let them go!" he cried. "I'll
undertake to fill th