"So we of this Sisterhood, and hundreds of similar associations all over Europe, are ever on the watch.
"Our allies—the politicians that work openly, that employ the first method—prepare the way for us, loosen the foundations of tyranny in Parliament. Then we come—we that employ the second method, and complete their work.... Now follow me. This will be the result of this new Bill. Unless a landed proprietor have children, his estate will lapse to the State on his death."
She paused, and the eyes of the two women met.
Mary had never before seen such an expression in the bright black eyes of Catherine King. Their pupils were dilated. They blazed with a fierce intensity of purpose, of passionate thought. They were the eyes of a madwoman, but a madwoman with a terrible method in her madness.
She continued in slow, deliberate tones: "Now, after this Act is passed, supposing that the Secret Societies such as ours come in and prevent the landed proprietors from leaving children, what will happen? In a generation or two all the land will be in the hands of the people. Do you follow me?"
"I think so," replied Mary, in a low voice.
Catherine proceeded: "Such a scheme may sound impracticable to you at first, but it is anything but that. We have gone thoroughly into it. It does not, to begin with, necessitate nearly so many removals of heirs as you would imagine. You would be surprised to find what a very large proportion of the land would be recovered by the people in the space of a few years by no more than say thirty well-selected removals. A little study of the pages of Debrett would soon convince you of this. The object of our Society is to assist the working of the coming Act of Parliament by effecting these removals, do you know how?"
Mary had anticipated for many months a revelation of this kind. She was not taken by surprise, but she turned very pale and said: "How, Mrs. King?"
The dreaded moment had come at last, and she felt even as if she was going to die as she listened to her mistress, who spoke again in calm but thrilling tones.