necessities--thieving from the farmer, thieving from the consumer,

thieving from the poor fools who try to play the Eagle's game, and

driving them at will to despair and ruin and death: look whither you

may, men die that the Eagle may grow fat. So the Eagle thrives, and

daily the rich grow richer and the poor grow poorer, and the end----"

Kennaston paused, staring into vacancy. "Eh, well," said he, with a

smile and a snap of his fingers, "the end rests upon the knees of

the gods. But there must need be an end some day. And meanwhile, you

cannot blame us if we cringe to the Eagle that is master of the world.

It is human nature to cringe to its master; and while human nature