ather's news is different. He hears that your party is growing in
Gloria every day, and that the people in power are making themselves
every day more and more odious to the country.'

'That they are likely enough to do,' he said, with a bright look coming
into his eyes, 'and that is one reason why I am quite determined not to
precipitate matters. We can't afford to have revolution after
revolution in a poor and struggling place like Gloria, and so I want
these people to give the full measure of their incapacity and their
baseness so that when they fall they may fall like Lucifer! Hamilton
would be rather for rushing things--I am not.'

'Do you keep in touch with Gloria?' Helena asked almost timidly. She had
lately grown rather shy of asking him questions on political matters, or
of seeming to assume any right to be in his confidence. All the
impulsive courage which she used to have in the days when their
acquaintanceship was but new and slight seemed to have deserted her now
that they were such close and recognised friends, and that random report
occasionally gave them out as engaged lovers.

'Oh, yes,' he answered; 'I thought you knew--I fancied I had told you. I
have constant information from friends on whom I can absolutely rely--in
Gloria.'

'Do they know what your enemies are doing?'

'Yes, I should think they would get to know,' he said with a smile, 'as
far as anything can be known.'

'Would they be likely to know,' she asked again in a timid tone, 'if any
plot were being got up against you?'

'Any plot for my murder?'

'Yes!' Her voice sank to a whisper--she hardly dared to put the
possibility into words. The fear which we allow to occupy our thoughts
seems sometimes too fearful to be put into words. It appears as if by
spoken utterance we conjure up the danger.

'Some hint of the kind might be got,' he said hesitatingly. 'Our enemies
are very crafty, but these things often leak out. Someone loses courage
and asks for advice--or confides to his wife, and she takes fright and
goes for counsel to somebody else. Then two words of a telegram across
the ocean would put me on my guard.'

'If you should get such a message, will you--tell _me_?'

'Oh, yes, certainly,' he said carelessly, 'I can promise you that.'

'And will you promise me one thing more--will you promise to be
careful?'

'What _is_ being careful? How can one take care, not knowing where or
whence the danger threatens?'

'But you need n