more or less into all
human beings; and for practical purposes it is more necessary to know
whose mind is really trustworthy than whose has some accidental taint.
We have therefore reversed the existing method, and people now have to
prove that they are sane. In the first village you entered, the village
constable would notice that you were not wearing on the left lapel of
your coat the small pewter S which is now necessary to any one who walks
about beyond asylum bounds or outside asylum hours."

"You mean to say," said Turnbull, "that this was what the Master of the
asylum urged before the House of Commons?"

Dr. Hutton nodded with gravity.

"And you mean to say," cried Turnbull, with a vibrant snort, "that that
proposal was passed in an assembly that calls itself democratic?"

The doctor showed his whole row of teeth in a smile. "Oh, the assembly
calls itself Socialist now," he said, "But we explained to them that
this was a question for men of science."

Turnbull gave one stamp upon the gravel, then pulled himself together,
and resumed: "But why should your infernal head medicine-man lock us up
in separate cells while he was turning England into a madhouse? I'm not
the Prime Minister; we're not the House of Lords."

"He wasn't afraid of the Prime Minister," replied Dr. Hutton; "he isn't
afraid of the House of Lords. But----"

"Well?" inquired Turnbull, stamping again.

"He is afraid of you," said Hutton, simply. "Why, didn't you know?"

MacIan, who had not spoken yet, made one stride forward and stood with
shaking limbs and shining eyes.

"He was afraid!" began Evan, thickly. "You mean to say that we----"

"I mean to say the plain truth now that the danger is over," said
Hutton, calmly; "most certainly you two were the only people he ever
was afraid of." Then he added in a low but not inaudible voice: "Except
one--whom he feared worse, and has buried deeper."

"Come away," cried MacIan, "this has to be thought about."

Turnbull followed him in silence as he strode away, but just before he
vanished, turned and spoke again to the doctors.

"But what has got hold of people?" he asked, abruptly. "Why should all
England have gone dotty on the mere subject of dottiness?"

Dr. Hutton smiled his open smile once more and bowed slightly. "As to
that also," he replied, "I don't want to make you vain."

Turnbull swung round without a word, and he and his companion were lost
in the lustrous leafage of the gard