ion naturally falls on them.
He was our fifth."

"I had no idea of this," murmured Andrew.

"You see what a bad name does," said the president. "Let this be a
warning to you, Andrew."

"But is this quite fair?"

"As for that, they like it--the leading spirits, I mean. It gives them
a reputation. Besides, they hurt as well as help us. It was after
their appearance that the authorities were taught to be distrustful.
You have little idea of the precautions taken nowadays. There is Sir
William Harcourt, for instance, who is attended by policemen
everywhere. I used to go home from the House behind him nightly, but I
could never get him alone. I have walked in the very shadow of that
man, but always in a company."

"You were never arrested yourself?" asked Andrew.

"I was once, but we substituted a probationer."

"Then did he--was he--"

"Yes, poor fellow."

"Is that often done?"

"Sometimes. You perhaps remember the man who went over the Embankment
the night we met? Well, if I had been charged with that, you would
have had to be hanged."

Andrew took a seat to collect his thoughts.

"Was that why you seemed to take to me so much?" he asked, wistfully.

"It was only one reason," said the president, soothingly. "I liked you
from the first."

"But I don't see," said Andrew, "why I should have suffered for your
action."

For the moment, his veneration for this remarkable man hung in the
balance.

"It would have been for the society's sake," said the president,
simply; "probationers are hardly missed."

His face wore a pained look, but there was no reproach in his voice.

Andrew was touched.

He looked the apology, which, as a Scotchman, he could not go the
length of uttering.

"Before I leave you to-day," said the president, turning to a
pleasanter subject, "I shall give you some money. We do not, you
understand, pay our probationers a fixed salary."

"It is more, is it not," said Andrew, "in nature of a scholarship?"

"Yes, a scholarship--for the endowment of research. You see we do not
tie you down to any particular line of study. Still, I shall be happy
to hear of any programme you may have drawn up."

Andrew hesitated. He did not know that, to the president, he was an
open book.

"I dare say I can read your thoughts," said his companion. "There is
an eminent person whom you would like to make your first?"

Andrew admitted that this was so.

"I do not ask any confidences of