d; and ran into the hall to receive the
visitor, with both hands held out in hearty welcome. "Oh, I am so glad
to see you!" he cried. "Come in, and tell me all about Tadmor!"

Brother Bawkwell acknowledged the enthusiastic reception offered to him
by a stare of grim surprise. He was a dry, hard old man, with a scrubby
white beard, a narrow wrinkled forehead, and an obstinate lipless mouth;
fitted neither by age nor temperament to be the intimate friend of any
of his younger brethren among the Community. But, at that saddest time
of his life, the heart of Amelius warmed to any one who reminded him of
his tranquil and happy days at Tadmor. Even this frozen old Socialist
now appeared to him, for the first time, under the borrowed aspect of a
welcome friend.

Brother Bawkwell took the chair offered to him, and opened the
proceedings, in solemn silence, by looking at his watch. "Twenty-five
minutes past two," he said to himself--and put the watch back again.

"Are you pressed for time?" Amelius asked.

"Much may be done in ten minutes," Brother Bawkwell answered, in a
Scotch accent which had survived the test of half a lifetime in America.
"I would have you know I am in England on a mission from the Community,
with a list of twenty-seven persons in all, whom I am appointed to
confer with on matters of varying importance. Yours, friend Amelius, is
a matter of minor importance. I can give you ten minutes."

He opened a big black pocket-book, stuffed with a mass of letters; and,
placing two of them on the table before him, addressed Amelius as if he
was making a speech at a public meeting.

"I have to request your attention to certain proceedings of the Council
at Tadmor, bearing date the third of December last; and referring to a
person under sentence of temporary separation from the Community, along
with yourself--"

"Mellicent!" Amelius exclaimed.

"We have no time for interruptions," Brother Bawkwell remarked. "The
person _is_ Sister Mellicent; and the business before the Council was to
consider a letter, under her signature, received December second. Said
letter," he proceeded, taking up one of his papers, "is abridged as
follows by the Secretary to the Council. In substance, the writer states
(first): 'That the married sister under whose protection she has been
living at New York is about to settle in England with her husband,
appointed to manage the branch of his business established in London.
(Second): That sh