Part 32 (1/2)

”I beg your pardon,” said Brand, absently; he was, in truth, recalling the various phrases and sentences in that letter of Ferdinand Lind.

”Dibs, sir--dibs,” said the farmer-agitator, energetically. ”You know what makes the mare go. And you know these are not the best of times; and some of the lads will be thinking they pay enough into their own Union. That's what I want to know, Mr. Brand, before I can advise any one. You need money; how do you get it? What's the damage on joining, and after?”

Brand pulled himself together.

”Oh, money?” said he. ”That need not trouble you. We exact nothing. How could we ask people to buy a pig in a poke? There's not a working-man in the country but would put us down as having invented an ingenious scheme for living on other people's earnings. It is not money we want; it is men.”

”Yes, yes,” said Molyneux, looking rather puzzled. ”But when you've got the machine, you want oil, eh? The basis of everything, sir, is dibs: what can ye do without it?”

”We want money, certainly,” Brand said. ”But we do not touch a farthing that is not volunteered. There are no compulsory subscriptions. We take it that the more a man sees of what we are doing, and of what has to be done, the more he will be willing to give according to his means; and so far there has been no disappointment.”

”H'm!” said Molyneux, doubtfully. ”I reckon you won't get much from our chaps.”

”You don't know. It is wonderful what a touch of enthusiasm will do--and emulation between the local centers. Besides, we are always having accessions of richer folk, and these are expected to make up all deficiencies.”

”Ah!” said the other. ”I see more daylight that way. Now you, Mr. Brand, must have been a good fat prize for them, eh?”

The shrewd inquiring glance that accompanied this remark set George Brand laughing.

”I see, Mr. Molyneux, you want to get at the 'dibs' of everything.

Well, I can't enlighten you any further until you join us: you have not said whether you will or not.”

”I will!” said the other, bringing his fist down on the table, though he still spoke in a loud whisper. ”I'm your man! In for a penny, in for a pound!”

”I beg your pardon,” said Brand, politely, ”but you are in for neither, unless you like. You may be in for a good deal of work, though. You must bring us men, and you will be let off both the penny and the pound. Now, could you run up with me to London to-night, and be admitted to-morrow, and get to know something of what we are doing?”

”Is it necessary?”

”In your case, yes. We want to make you a person of importance.”

So at last Molyneux agreed, and they started for London in the evening; the big, shrew, farmer-looking man being as pleased as a child to have certain signs and pa.s.swords confided to him. Brand made light of these things--and, in fact, they were only such as were used among the outsiders; but Molyneux was keenly interested, and already pictured himself going through Europe and holding this subtle conversation with all the unknown companions whom chance might throw in his way.

But long ere he reached London the motion of the train had sent him to sleep; and George Brand had plenty of time to think over that letter, and to guess at what possible intention might lie under its plausible phrases. He had leisure to think of other things, too. The question of money, for example--about which Molyneux had been so curious with regard to this a.s.sociation--was one on which he himself was but slightly informed, the treasury department being altogether outside his sphere.

He did not even know whether Lind had private means, or was enabled to live as he did by the a.s.sociation, for its own ends. He knew that the Society had numerous paid agents; no doubt, he himself could have claimed a salary, had it been worth his while. But the truth is that ”dibs” concerned him very little. He had never been extravagant; he had always lived well within his income; and his chief satisfaction in being possessed of a liberal fortune lay in the fact that he had not to bother his head about money. There was one worry the less in life.

But then George Brand had been a good deal about the world, and had seen something of human life, and knew very well the power the possession of money gives. Why, this very indifference, this happy carelessness about pecuniary details, was but the consequence of his having a large fund in the background that he could draw on at will. If he did not overvalue his fortune, on the other hand he did not undervalue it; and he was about the last man in the world who could reasonably have been expected to part with it.

CHAPTER XXIII.

A TALISMAN.

Natalie Lind was busy writing at the window of the drawing-room in Curzon Street when Calabressa entered, unannounced. He had outstripped the little Anneli; perhaps he was afraid of being refused. He was much excited.

”Forgive me, signorina, if I startle you,” he said, rapidly, in his native tongue; ”forgive me, little daughter. We go away to-night, I and the man Kirski, whom you saved from madness: we are ordered away; it is possible I may never see you again. Now listen.”

He took a seat beside her; in his hurry and eagerness he had for the moment abandoned his airy manner.

”When I came here I expected to see you a school-girl--some one in safe-keeping--with no troubles to think of. You are a woman; you may have trouble; and it is I, Calabressa, who would then cut off my right hand to help you. I said I would leave you my address; I cannot. I dare not tell any one even where I am going. What of that? Look well at this card.”