ive in ease by
their degradation. But you--you who come from a happier age--it is to
you the people look. To you."

He looked at her face. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears. He felt
a rush of emotion. For a moment he forgot this city, he forgot the
race, and all those vague remote voices, in the immediate humanity of
her beauty.

"But what am I to do?" he said with his eyes upon her.

"Rule," she answered, bending towards him and speaking in a low tone.
"Rule the world as it has never been ruled, for the good and happiness of
men. For you might rule it--you could rule it.

"The people are stirring. All over the world the people are stirring. It
wants but a word--but a word from you--to bring them all together. Even
the middle sort of people are restless--unhappy.

"They are not telling you the things that are happening. The people will
not go back to their drudgery--they refuse to be disarmed. Ostrog has
awakened something greater than he dreamt of--he has awakened hopes."

His heart was beating fast. He tried to seem judicial, to weigh
considerations.

"They only want their leader," she said.

"And then?"

"You could do what you would;--the world is yours."

He sat, no longer regarding her. Presently he spoke. "The old dreams, and
the thing I have dreamt, liberty, happiness. Are they dreams? Could one
man--_one man_--?" His voice sank and ceased.

"Not one man, but all men--give them only a leader to speak the desire of
their hearts."

He shook his head, and for a time there was silence.

He looked up suddenly, and their eyes met. "I have not your faith," he
said, "I have not your youth. I am here with power that mocks me. No--let
me speak. I want to do--not right--I have not the strength for that--but
something rather right than wrong. It will bring no millennium, but I am
resolved now, that I will rule. What you have said has awakened me... You
are right. Ostrog must know his place. And I will learn--.... One thing I
promise you. This Labour slavery shall end."

"And you will rule?"

"Yes. Provided--. There is one thing."

"Yes?"

"That you will help me."

"_I_--a girl!"

"Yes. Does it not occur to you I am absolutely alone?"

She started and for an instant her eyes had pity. "Need you ask whether I
will help you?" she said.

There came a tense silence, and then the beating of a clock striking the
hour. Graham rose.

"Even now," he said, "Ostrog will be waiting." He hesitated, facin