"Then it's time you gave place to a man of greater wisdom and less sentimental mush in his brain," replied the calm, gray-haired woman. "Thank you," the young leader replied, with chilling politeness, "you may be right--but in the meantime I accept the responsibility. Good day." He had made three enemies whose power he was soon to feel. As they passed through the doorway Catherine greeted them politely and soothed their ruffled spirits with gentle words. CHAPTER XXIV SOME INTERROGATION POINTS The establishment of a police and detective service completed the efficient organization of the colony. Its life now began to move with clock-like regularity. But these changes were not made without provoking fierce debates and bitter prophecies in the general assembly over which Norman presided every Friday night. He began to listen to these endless wrangles, however, with a sense of growing anger. It became clearer each week that they were the source of cliques and factions, of plots and counter-plots, within the colony. His patience reached the limit on the night he announced the completion of the jail. "This is a sad present I am forced to make you to-night, comrades," he said, with a note of weariness in his voice. "But I have no choice in the matter. It was forced on the executive council. Crimes were committed which threatened the existence of our society. We had to meet the issue squarely. We could have begged the question by calling in the authorities of the State of California, acknowledged our defeat, and surrendered. We are not ready to surrender. We haven't begun to fight yet." He had scarcely taken his seat when Diggs, the human interrogation-point, slowly unwound his lank figure, adjusted his eye-glasses, and gazed smilingly at the chairman. Norman squirmed with rage as the glint of light from Diggs's big lenses began to irritate his spirit. Barbara slipped her little hand under the table and found his. He clasped it gratefully and refused to let go. She allowed him to hold it a minute and drew it away laughing. "Comrades," the man of questions slowly began, "we are making rapid progress. Our new building will soon be finished and another colony of two thousand enthusiastic souls will be added to our commonwealth. If we are going to successfully carry on this work we must begin to develop with infinite patience the details of this larger life. "I submit to you some questions that are profoundly interesting to me. "How are we to prevent speculation, wages being unequal? How is one community to exchange products with another? How determine which line of goods each community shall make? "What is to be done with a strong minority who are bitterly opposed to the action of the majority when we assume our permanent democratic form?