se of familiarity.
Only once he spoke. "Know you where you are?"

"In a field," said Adelbert, "recently ploughed."

"Aye, in a field, right enough. But one which sows corruption, and
raises nothing, until perhaps great St. Gabriel calls in his crop."

Then, realizing the meaning of the mounds over which he trod, old
Adelbert crossed himself.

"Only a handful know of this meeting-place," boasted the concierge. "I,
and a few others. Only we may meet with the Committee face to face."

"You must have great influence," observed old Adelbert timidly.

"I control the guilds. He who to-day can sway labor to his will is
powerful, very powerful comrade. Labor is the great beast which tires of
carrying burdens, and is but now learning its strength."

"Aye," said old Adelbert. "Had I been wise, I would have joined a guild.
Then I might have kept my place at the Opera. As it is, I stood alone,
and they put me out."

"You do not stand alone now. Stand by us, and we will support you. The
Republic will not forget its friends."

Thus heartened, old Adelbert brightened up somewhat. Why should he,
an old soldier, sweat at the thought of blood? Great changes required
heroic measures. It was because he was old that he feared change. He
stumped through the passageway without urging, and stood erect and with
shoulders squared while the bandage was removed.

He was rather longer than Olga Loschek had been in comprehending his
surroundings. His old eyes at first saw little but the table and its
candles in their gruesome holders. But when he saw the Committee his
heart failed. Here, embodied before him, was everything he had loathed
during all his upright and loyal years anarchy, murder, treason. His
face worked. The cords in his neck stood out like strings drawn to the
breaking-point.

The concierge was speaking. For all his boasting, he was ill at ease.
His voice had lost its bravado, and had taken on a fawning note.

"This is the man of whom word was sent to the Committee," he said.
"I ventured to ask that he be allowed to come here, because he brings
information of value."

"Step forward, comrade," said the leader. "What is your name and
occupation?"

"Adelbert, Excellency. As to occupation, for years I was connected with
the Opera. Twenty years, Excellency. Then I grew old, and another--"
His voice broke. What with excitement and terror, he was close to tears.
"Now I am reduced to selling tickets for an American contrivanc