’"Now if you’d only saved the thirteen shillings—­which you wouldn’t and couldn’t have done by yourselves—­it would be well worth the while; but you’ve got the interest as well, and the point I want you to understand is that you can only get that increase by clubbing together and investing the savings as a whole.  You may say fourpence halfpenny isn’t worth having.  Perhaps not, but those of you who’ve learnt arithmetic—­be thankful if our social state allowed you to learn anything—­will remember that there’s such a thing as compound interest.  It’s a trick the capitalists found out.  Interest was a good discovery, but compound interest a good deal better.  Leave your money with me a second year, and it’ll grow more still, I’ll see to that.  You’re all able, I’ve no doubt, to make the calculation for yourselves."’

He paused to see what Adela would say.

’No doubt it will be a very good thing if you can persuade them to save in that way,’ she remarked.

’Good, yes; but I’m not thinking so much of the money.  Don’t you see that it’ll give me a hold over them?  Every man who wants to save on my plan must join the Union.  They’ll come together regularly; I can get at them and make them listen to me.  Why, it’s a magnificent idea!  It’s fighting the capitalists with their own weapons!  You’ll see what the “Tocsin” ’ll say.  Of course they’ll make out that I’m going against Socialist principles.  So I am, but. it’s for the sake of Socialism for all that.  If I make Socialists, it doesn’t much matter how I do it.’

Adela could have contested that point, but did not care to do so.  She said: 

’Are you sure you can persuade the men to trust you with their money?’

’That’s the difficulty, I know; but see if I don’t get over it.  I’ll have a committee, holding themselves responsible for all sums paid to us.  I’ll publish weekly accounts—­just a leaflet, you know.  And do you know what?  I’ll promise that as soon as they’ve trusted me with a hundred pounds, I’ll add another hundred of my own.  See if that won’t fetch them!’

As usual when he saw a prospect of noisy success he became excited beyond measure, and talked incessantly till midnight.

‘Other men don’t have these ideas!’ he exclaimed at one moment.  ’That’s what I meant when I told you I was born to be a leader.  And I’ve the secret of getting people’s confidence.  They’ll trust me, see if they don’t!’

In spite of Adela’s unbroken reserve, he had seldom been other than cordial in his behaviour to her since the recommencement of his prosperity.  His active life gave him no time to brood over suspicions, though his mind was not altogether free from them.  He still occasionally came home at hours when he could not be expected, but Adela was always occupied either with housework or reading, and received him with the cold self-possession which came of her understanding his motives.  Her life was lonely; since a visit