bow on her knee, the back of
her hand supporting her chin.

Her husband recounted what Richard had told him, and the latter
proceeded to sketch the projects he had in view.

'My idea is,' he said, 'to make the mines at Wanley the basis of great
industrial undertakings, just as any capitalist might, but to conduct
these undertakings in a way consistent with our views. I would begin by
building furnaces, and in time add engineering works on a large scale.
I would build houses for the men, and in fact make that valley an
industrial settlement conducted on Socialist principles. Practically
I can devote the whole of my income; my personal expenses will not be
worth taking into account. The men must be paid on a just scheme,
and the margin of profit that remains, all that we can spare from the
extension of the works, shall be devoted to the Socialist propaganda. In
fact, I should like to make the executive committee of the Union a sort
of board of directors--and in a very different sense from the usual--for
the Wanley estate. My personal expenditure deducted, I should like such
a committee to have the practical control of funds. All this wealth was
made by plunder of the labouring class, and I shall hold it as trustee
for them. Do these ideas seem to you of a practical colour?'

Mr. Westlake nodded slowly twice. His wife kept her listening attitude
unchanged; her eyes 'dreamed against a distant goal.'

'As I see the scheme,' pursued Richard, who spoke all along somewhat in
the lecture-room tone, the result of a certain embarrassment, 'it will
differ considerably from the Socialist experiments we know of. We shall
be working not only to support ourselves, but every bit as much set on
profit as any capitalist in Belwick. The difference is, that the profit
will benefit no individual, but the Cause. There'll be no attempt
to carry out the idea of every man receiving the just outcome of his
labour; not because I shouldn't be willing to share in that way, but
simply because we have a greater end in view than to enrich ourselves.
Our men must all be members of the Union, and their prime interest must
be the advancement of the principles of the Union. We shall be able to
establish new papers, to hire halls, and to spread ourselves over the
country. It'll be fighting the capitalist manufacturers with their own
weapons. I can see plenty of difficulties, of course. All England 'll be
against us. Never mind, we'll defy them all, and w