But I didn't
mean to interrupt."

"Well, as I say, I found myself rather at a parting of the ways, and
then came my good friend here, and he said, 'What about these farms and
houses of yours, Stairs? They represent an income. What are you going to
do about it?' And--well, you see, that settled it. We just packed our
bags and came over."

"And now that you are here?" said John Crondall.

"Well, you heard what we had to say the other afternoon?"

"I did--every word of it."

"Well, that's what we are here for. Our aim is to take that message to
every man and woman in this country; and we believe God will give us
zest and strength enough to bring it home to them--to make them _feel_
the truth of it. Your aim, naturally, is political and patriotic. I
don't think you can have any warmer sympathizers than Reynolds and
myself. But our part, as you see, is another one, and outside politics.
We believe the folk at Home have lost their bearings; their compasses
want adjusting. I say here what I should not venture to admit to a less
sympathetic and indulgent audience: Reynolds and myself aim at arousing,
by God's will, the sleeping sense of duty in our kinsmen here at Home.
We have no elaborate system, no finesse, no complicated issues to
consider. Our message is simply: 'You have forgotten Duty; and the
Christian life is not possible while Duty remains forgotten or ignored.'
Our purpose is just to give the message; to prove it; make it real; make
it felt."

Crondall had been looking straight at the speaker while he listened, his
face resting between his two hands, his elbows planted squarely on the
table. Now he seemed to pounce down upon Stairs's last words.

"And yet you say your part is another one than ours. But why not the
same? Why not the very essence and soul of our part, Stairs?"

"Gad--he's right!" said Sir Herbert Tate, in an undertone. Reynolds
leaned forward in his chair, his lean, keen face alight.

"Why not the very soul of our part, Stairs--the essential first step
toward our end? Our part is to urge a certain specific duty on them--a
duty we reckon urgent and vital to the nation. But we can't do that
unless we, or you, can first do your part--rousing them to the sense of
duty--Duty itself. Man, but your part is the foundation of our
part--foundation, walls, roof, corner-stone, complete! We only give the
structure a name. Why, I give you my word, Stairs, that that address of
yours on Tuesday was the fin