"I have the honour to name for the highest honour in the gift of the Brotherhood for the regency of the new State of Ventura Comrades Herman and Catherine Wolf." "What's that you say?" old Tom yelled with anger, leaping to his feet, and glaring around the room in a dazed surprise. The old miner was too shrewd a politician to doubt now for a moment the situation. He made the only possible attack on the programme that promised results. "In view of the fact, feller comrades," he shouted, "that half the present members er this here Brotherhood have not been here long enough to vote, I move that in justice to the new members we postpone this election for six months." Joe seconded the motion, and the chairman asked: "Are there any remarks on the motion?" The Bard moved as if to rise, when Diggs snatched him back into his seat. Amid a silence that was ominous the chairman put the question: "All in favour of postponing this election for six months that our new members may be able to vote will say 'Aye.'" The response was feeble. Tom and Joe yelled very loudly, but their effort was obvious. "All in favour say 'No.'" The whole audience seemed to shout in solid trained chorus "No!" Tom hastened to nominate Norman and Barbara. The old miner's speech was couched in plain, uncouth words, but they came from the heart and their rugged eloquence stirred the crowd with surprising power. Diggs glanced over the audience through his flashing glasses, and his perpetual smile faded into a look of uneasiness as a round of applause swept the house. He tiptoed to Wolf's side and whispered: "Any danger?" "Not the slightest. I want him to get some votes. It's better so." The programme went through without a hitch. Wolf and Catherine were elected regents by an overwhelming majority and a new board of governors chosen with not a single one whom Norman knew personally. The young leader sat in sullen silence, and watched the proceedings with contempt. Barbara looked on in increasing wonder and pain. When the result was announced and the cheering had died away she bent her beautiful head close to his and whispered: "This is a complete surprise. You believe me?" "Yes," he quickly answered, "and one touch of your hand will rob defeat of its sting." She pressed his hand with lingering tenderness and sought Catherine with a flash of anger in her brown eyes that boded trouble for the house of Wolf. CHAPTER XXVIII THE NEW MASTER Wolf lost no time in demonstrating that he was complete master of the situation. At nine o'clock next morning two armed guards, whom he had never seen in the house before, entered Norman's room and handed him the first official order of the new regents. The deposed young leader read it with amusement at first, but as his eyes rested on its brief words of command, something of their sinister meaning began to dawn in his mind.