Terrified as they were by this sudden torrent of words, the two

gentlewomen could not but smile at the sight of the fiery, domineering

victim and the big apologetic representative of mankind who sat meekly

bearing all the sins of his sex. The lady struck a match, whipped a

cigarette from a case upon the mantelpiece, and began to draw the smoke

into her lungs.

"I find it very soothing when my nerves are at all ruffled," she

explained. "You don't smoke? Ah, you miss one of the purest of

pleasures--one of the few pleasures which are without a reaction."

Miss Williams smoothed out her silken lap.

"It is a pleasure," she said, with some approach to self-assertion,

"which Bertha and I are rather too old-fashioned to enjoy."

"No doubt, It would probably make you very ill if you attempted it.

By the way, I hope that you will come to some of our Guild meetings. I

shall see that tickets are sent you."

"Your Guild?"

"It is not yet formed, but I shall lose no time in forming a committee.

It is my habit to establish a branch of the Emancipation Guild wherever

I go. There is a Mrs. Sanderson in Anerley who is already one of

the emancipated, so that I have a nucleus. It is only by organized

resistance, Miss Williams, that we can hope to hold our own against the

selfish sex. Must you go, then?"

"Yes, we have one or two other visits to pay," said the elder sister.

"You will, I am sure, excuse us. I hope that you will find Norwood a

pleasant residence."

"All places are to me simply a battle-field," she answered, gripping

first one and then the other with a grip which crumpled up their little

thin fingers. "The days for work and healthful exercise, the evenings

to Browning and high discourse, eh, Charles? Good-bye!" She came to the

door with them, and as they glanced back they saw her still standing

there with the yellow bull pup cuddled up under one forearm, and the

thin blue reek of her cigarette ascending from her lips.

"Oh, what a dreadful, dreadful woman!" whispered sister Bertha, as they

hurried down the street. "Thank goodness that it is over."

"But she'll return the visit," answered the other. "I think that we had

better tell Mary that we are not at home."




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