r after another issues from the darkness,
producing a supernatural effect upon the assemblage. The nerves of even
the most intrepid are at a high tension.

A gust of wind rattling the iron doors causes the men to start; the
lowest whisper is intensified to what seems a sonorous shout. In this
strange theatre, the actors in what is to be the greatest world-drama,
wait to be assigned their parts and to play the first act.

Nevins is the stage manager; he has chosen the settings; has assembled
the caste. Now it is his duty to give the signal for the curtain to
rise. As with the dramatists of old, he decides to introduce his
production with a prologue.

Advancing to the centre of the semi-circle he begins the explanation of
his plan of salvation.

Is it destined to end as many thousands have done, in miserable failure?

"What I propose will strike you as the ravings of a man who has lost his
last grain of sense," he begins. "Yet I am prepared to demonstrate that
the plan is not only feasible, but that it is the only one which can be
put into execution and carried through to a successful issue. The greed
and the power of the Trust Magnates is insatiable. They will not make
the least concession to the people. The day for arbitration is at an
end; the time for the people to act is at hand.

"Every means of defence against the Trusts has been absorbed by them.
What are we to do, surrender meekly, or fight?

"History shows us how terrible a thing war is--especially revolutionary
war. Now, I have thought out a plan by which war and its attendant
calamity can be averted and the people be reinstated in their power.

"There is not a man here who would not enlist to-day at the call for
troops. Many of you have already proven yourselves patriots by your
service in the field and on the ships of the United States.

"Now, it is not always necessary to be on a battlefield in order to show
courage. Men can be heroes in the humble walks of life.

"What I want of you is a pledge that you will stand by me to put out of
existence the deadly foes of this country. I want you to swear that you
will not flinch when the moment comes for you to fight, even to the
death.

"Are any of you unwilling to swear that you would fight the foes of our
country to the bitter end?"

No one speaks. The excited condition of the speaker impresses the men
strangely. They do not know just how to take him.

"I shall at the next meeting name forty men, e