Her father's presence set Eveena's mind at rest; since she had learned, strangely enough from myself, what she had never known before, the rank he held among the brethren.
"I have summoned you," he said as soon as I joined him, "for more than one reason.

There is but one, however, that I need now explain.
Important questions, are as a rule either settled by the Chiefs alone in Council, or submitted to a general meeting of the Order.

In this case neither course can be adopted.

It would not have occurred to myself that, under present circumstances, you could render material service in either of the two directions in which it may be required.
But those by whom the cause has been prepared have asked that you should be one of the Convent, and such a request is never refused.
Indeed, its refusal would imply either such injustice as would render the whole proceeding utterly incompatible with the first principles of our cohesion, or such distrust of the person summoned as is never felt for a member of the Brotherhood.

I would rather say no more on the subject now.