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Show 236 RICHARD HURDIS. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE SLAVERY OF GUILT. "Your oaths nre pnst., nnd now subscribe your nnme, Thnl his own hnnd, mny st.-ike his hon.or,.down, Thnt violates the smnl\est brn.nch ~;·:~~~·Labor's Lost. "Unto bnd cnuses, swcrn· Such crentures ns men doubt.."-Julitu 0a?tlar. THE emissary had awaited the end of their long coufercnco with exemplary pat~~nc~~t all in fewer words,'' he said bluntly "I could have to Y . · 1 t "1'hc story to John Hurd is the mom~nt they can~c :n i~tg ~. am compcllc'l . t ld by one wl10 ts accnstomc 0 · IS soon o tl at I go throtwh it now a lmost as a to talk it over to so~~~;~· c:rtain set of '~ords wltich 1 seldom matter of ~emory,~\ I l .L I trust that my brother, here, has have occttswn to c tange. . lvin it in repealing." done no discredit to my skdl, by hall 1 g t 'nly told enough II I fear not" replied Ilurdis. " c l<lS cer aJ • to startle on·~ less confidently assured in ti.s t ownit:n~:~c~~~:·. than myself. He lJaS unfolded a strange lS ory Can it be true 1'' " As gospel ! " lea(J'ucd "And you really have the large number of persons o togct11cr which he mentions 1" "J!"'~ull fifteen hundred." "And for such purposes 1" "Ay !" . d 'OU seek from us 1" "Andwhatisyourobjecthcre1 What _o) " "•ro increase the number. W c seek fnends. b when II 'Vhcrefore 1 Why should you increase your nu~, or, such nn increase must only diminish your resources THE SL,\ YERY OF GUILT. 237 "I don't know that such will be its effect, and it increases om· power. \Ve gain in strength, when we gain in number." "llut wl1y desire an increase of strength, when even now you have enough for all your l)llrposcs 1" u Indeed! but who shall know-who declare-our purI> Oses 1 I, eYen I, know nothing of ll1Ctll nll. I may suspect! may conjectme- but I know them not. They arc kept from us till the proper moment." "Indeed-who should then if you do not 1 Who keeps them from you 1" •• 'l'he grand council. They determine for us, and we execute." " \V ho arc they 1" "That must be a secret from you, yet. You shall know it, and all our secrets, when you shall have taken your several degrees in our brotherhood." "I will take none!" said Hurd is, with more empl1asis than resolution. "You do not say it!" wns the cool reply of the emissary. "You dare not." "How! not dare 1" "It's as mucl1 us yow· life is worth." "You speak boldly." "Because I am confident of strength, my brother," replied the emissary. "You will speak boldly too-more boldly than now-when you become one of us. You will feel your own strength, when you know ours. \Vhen you feel as I do, that there are friends for ever nigh, and watchful of your safety j making your enemies theirs; guarding your footsteps; fighting yolll' battles i making a common cause of your interests, and standing elbow to elbow with you in all your dangers. " ' herefore should I be bold enouglt to seek you l1ere-two of you, Uolh strong men-both, most probably armed-!, alone, having strength of person, not greater, perhaps, thnn either of you, and, possibly, not so well armed-but that I feel myself thus mighty in my connections 1, I know they have taken my footsteps- they know where I am at all seasons, as I know where to find others of our brotherhood, and if I could not call them at a given moment, to save me from a sudden blow, I am at least certain that they kuow where, and wLcn to avenge me. |
