? Wouldn't there always be a suspicion?"

"But you yourself, Brand!" Evelyn exclaimed, in amazement. "Why, you--I
thought you would be the first to resign, after such an escape."

"I have fought all through that, Evelyn," he said, absently. "It was my
first impulse--I confess it. The thought of being associated with such
men sickened me; I despaired; I wished they had never been found out,
and that I had been let blindly go on to the end. Well, I got over the
fit--with a struggle. It was not reasonable, after all. Surely one's
belief in the future of the Society ought to be all the firmer that
these black sheep have been thrust out? As for myself, at all events, I
ought to have more hope, not less. I never did trust Lind, as you know;
I believed in his work, in the usefulness of it, and the prospects of
its success; but I never was at ease in his presence; I was glad to get
away to my own work in the north. And now, with the way clearer, why
should one think of giving up? To tell you the truth, Evelyn, I would
give anything to be in America at the present moment, if only Natalie
and her mother were in safety. There is a chance for us there bigger
than anything Lind ever dreamed about. You know the Granges, the
associations of the 'Patrons of Husbandry,' that were founded by the
Scotchman Saunders? It is an immense social organization; the success of
it has been quite unprecedented; they have an immense power in their
hands. And it isn't only agriculture they deal with; they touch on
politics here and there; they control elections; and the men they choose
are invariably men of integrity. Well, now, don't you see this splendid
instrument ready-made? From what I hear from Philadelphia--"

Lord Evelyn's thoughts were elsewhere than in Philadelphia.

"You must tell me about yourself, Brand!" he exclaimed. "Your life is no
longer in danger, then? How has it happened?"

"Oh," said Brand, somewhat carelessly, "I don't know all the particulars
as yet. What I do know is that Natalie and her mother disappeared from
London; I had no idea whither they had gone. Then Calabressa turned up;
and I heard that Natalie had appealed to the Council. Fancy, she, a
young girl, had had the courage to go and appeal to the Council! Then
Calabressa suspected something, I saw by his questions; then Lind,
Beratinsky, and Reitzei appear to have been summoned to Naples. The
result is in that letter; that is about all I know."

"And these others i