mean-faced American--half arose and pointed an
unwashed finger at Ilse.

"A Government spy," he said distinctly. "Keep your eye on her,
comrades. There seems to be a bunch of them there----"

"Sit down and shut up!" said Shotwell, sharply. "Do you want to start
a riot?"

"You bet I'll start something!" retorted the man, showing his teeth
like a rat. "What the hell did you come here for----"

"Silence!" bawled Bromberg, hoarsely, from the platform. "That woman
is recognised and known. Pay no attention to her, but listen to me. I
tell you that your law is the law of hatred!----"

Palla attempted to rise. Jim tried to restrain her: she pushed his arm
aside, but he managed to retain his grasp on her arm.

"Are you crazy?" he whispered.

"That man lies!" she said excitedly. "Don't you hear him preaching
hatred?"

"Well, it's not your business----"

"It _is_! That man is lying to these ignorant people! He's telling
them a vile untruth! Let me go, Jim----"

"Better keep cool," whispered Brisson, leaning over. "We're all in
dutch already."

Palla said to him excitedly: "I'm afraid to stand up and speak, but
I'm going to! I'd be a coward to sit here and let that man deceive
these poor people----"

"Listen to Bromberg!" motioned Ilse, her blue eyes frosty and her
cheeks deeply flushed.

The orator had come down into the aisle. Every venomous word he was
uttering now he directed straight at the quartette.

"Russia is showing us the way," he said in his growling voice. "Russia
makes no distinctions but takes them all by the throat and wrings
their necks--aristocrats, bourgeoisie, cadets, officers, land owners,
intellectuals--all the vermin, all the parasites! And that is the law,
I tell you! The unfit perish! The strong inherit the earth!----"

Palla sprang to her feet: "Liar!" she said hotly. "Did not Christ
Himself tell us that the meek shall inherit the earth!"

"Christ?" thundered Bromberg. "Have you come here to insult us with
legends and fairy-tales about a god?"

"Who mentioned God?" retorted Palla in a clear voice. "Unless we
ourselves are gods there is none! But Christ did live! And He was as
much a god as we are. And no more. But He was wiser! And what He told
us is the truth! And I shall not sit silent while any man or woman
teaches robbery and murder. That's what you mean when you say that the
law of the stronger is the only law! If it is, then the poor and
ignorant are where they belong----"