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family name would be to her and her children； I won't let my
brother's daughter run the risk of having them at the expense
of being in the grip of a man like you。 There are other
suitors in the world； and other titles： and she is a
beautiful woman； who can well afford to be fastidious。 I
shall let her know at once of these things； and break off the
businessunless you do ONE THING。'
A workman brought up another candle from the vault； and
prepared to let down the slab。 'Well； Mr。 Power； and what is
that one thing？'
'Go to Peru as my agent in a business I have just undertaken
there。'
'And settle there？'
'Of course。 I am soon going over myself； and will bring you
anything you require。'
'How long will you give me to consider？' said Dare。
Power looked at his watch。 'One； two； three； four hours；' he
said。 'I leave Markton by the seven o'clock train this
evening。'
'And if I meet your proposal with a negative？'
'I shall go at once to my niece and tell her the whole
circumstancestell her that； by marrying Sir William； she
allies herself with an unhappy gentleman in the power of a
criminal son who makes his life a burden to him by perpetual
demands upon his purse； who will increase those demands with
his accession to wealth； threaten to degrade her by exposing
her husband's antecedents if she opposes his extortions； and
who will make her miserable by letting her know that her old
lover was shamefully victimized by a youth she is bound to
screen out of respect to her husband's feelings。 Now a man
does not care to let his own flesh and blood incur the danger
of such anguish as that； and I shall do what I say to prevent
it。 Knowing what a lukewarm sentiment hers is for Sir William
at best； I shall not have much difficulty。'
'Well； I don't feel inclined to go to Peru。'
'Neither do I want to break off the match； though I am ready
to do it。 But you care about your personal freedom； and you
might be made to wear the broad arrow for your tricks on
Somerset。'
'Mr。 Power； I see you are a hard man。'
'I am a hard man。 You will find me one。 Well； will you go to
Peru？ Or I don't mind Australia or California as
alternatives。 As long as you choose to remain in either of
those wealth…producing places； so long will Cunningham Haze go
uninformed。'
'Mr。 Power； I am overcome。 Will you allow me to sit down？
Suppose we go into the vestry。 It is more comfortable。'
They entered the vestry； and seated themselves in two chairs；
one at each end of the table。
'In the meantime；' continued Dare； 'to lend a little romance
to stern realities； I'll tell you a singular dream I had just
before you returned to England。' Power looked contemptuous；
but Dare went on： 'I dreamt that once upon a time there were
two brothers； born of a Nonconformist family； one of whom
became a railway…contractor； and the other a mechanical
engineer。'
'A mechanical engineergood；' said Power； beginning to
attend。
'When the first went abroad in his profession； and became
engaged on continental railways； the second； a younger man；
looking round for a start； also betook himself to the
continent。 But though ingenious and scientific； he had not
the business capacity of the elder； whose rebukes led to a
sharp quarrel between them； and they parted in bitter
estrangementnever to meet again as it turned out； owing to
the dogged obstinacy and self…will of the younger man。 He；
after this； seemed to lose his moral ballast altogether； and
after some eccentric doings he was reduced to a state of
poverty； and took lodgings in a court in a back street of a
town we will call Geneva； considerably in doubt as to what
steps he should take to keep body and soul together。'
Abner Power was shooting a narrow ray of eyesight at Dare from
the corner of his nearly closed lids。 'Your dream is so
interesting；' he said； with a hard smile； 'that I could listen
to it all day。'
'Excellent！' said Dare； and went on： 'Now it so happened that
the house opposite to the one taken by the mechanician was
peculiar。 It was a tall narrow building； wholly unornamented；
the walls covered with a layer of white plaster cracked and
soiled by time。 I seem to see that house now！ Six stone
steps led up to the door； with a rusty iron railing on each
side； and under these steps were others which went down to a
cellarin my dream of course。'
'Of coursein your dream；' said Power； nodding
comprehensively。
'Sitting lonely and apathetic without a light； at his own
chamber…window at night time； our mechanician frequently
observed dark figures descending these steps and ultimately
discovered that the house was the meeting…place of a
fraternity of political philosophers； whose object was the
extermination of tyrants and despots； and the overthrow of
established religions。 The discovery was startling enough；
but our hero was not easily startled。 He kept their secret
and lived on as before。 At last the mechanician and his
affairs became known to the society； as the affairs of the
society had become known to the mechanician； and； instead of
shooting him as one who knew too much for their safety； they
were struck with his faculty for silence； and thought they
might be able to make use of him。'
'To be sure；' said Abner Power。
'Next； like friend Bunyan； I saw in my dream that denunciation
was the breath of life to this society。 At an earlier date in
its history； objectionable persons in power had been from time
to time murdered； and curiously enough numbered； that is； upon
the body of each was set a mark or seal； announcing that he
was one of a series。 But at this time the question before the
society related to the substitution for the dagger； which was
vetoed as obsolete； of some explosive machine that would be
both more effectual and less difficult to manage； and in
short； a large reward was offered to our needy Englishman if
he would put their ideas of such a machine into shape。'
Abner Power nodded again； his complexion being peculiarwhich
might partly have been accounted for by the reflection of
window…light from the green…baize table…cloth。
'He agreed； though no politician whatever himself； to exercise
his wits on their account； and brought his machine to such a
pitch of perfection； that it was the identical one used in the
memorable attempt' （Dare whispered the remainder of the
sentence in tones so low that not a mouse in the corner could
have heard。） 'Well； the inventor of that explosive has
naturally been wanted ever since by all the heads of police in
Europe。 But the most curiousor perhaps the most natural
part of my story is； that our hero； after the catastrophe；
grew disgusted with himself and his comrades； acquired； in a
fit of revulsion； quite a conservative taste in politics；
which was strengthened greatly by the news he indirectly
received of the great wealth and respectability of his
brother； who had had no communion with him for years； and
supposed him dead。 He abjured his employers and resolved to
abandon them； but before coming to England he decided to
destroy all trace of his combustible inventions by dropping
them into the neighbouring la