ying visit, we have decided to remain in
Southern California till two-thirds of its inhabitants are not only
talking of _but living_ the C.I., and we will stay here till we get a
vote of two-thirds from all males over twenty-one, and all women over
eighteen, in favor of woman's suffrage. It does not matter how pressing
the calls to speak elsewhere may be, we shall not accept them till the
work is completely done in Southern California."

CHAPTER XXIV.

OUT OF BONDAGE.

The next day after the meeting Barker and Brookes were busy with the
C.I. Committee of Los Angeles in dividing the work up and organizing, so
that each ward of the city had its committee, whose business it was to
do all it could in enlightening the people of the ward in which the
committee lived.

Penloe and Stella devoted one afternoon and evening to informal talks in
each ward in the city, those present having the privilege of asking
questions. After Penloe and Stella had worked in every ward, they went
with Barker and Brookes to San Diego and spent a week there; then they
worked all the other towns in Southern California, and then returned to
Los Angeles. On their return they were more than satisfied with the
progress of the C.M. What helped the movement very much was the
character which Penloe and Stella gave it. When some of the more
conservative element suggested the impropriety or immodesty of the C.I.,
they were met with the answer: "Look at Penloe and Stella, who live the
idea every day of their lives. Are there any purer-minded persons than
they are? Do not the best people of the city open their houses to
welcome them? Did they not tell how living the life helped them
intellectually and spiritually?" Those replies quieted all opposition
and gave courage to those who were a little timid and fearful, also to
those in doubt whether it was right or not. As the movement was gaining
ground rapidly, persons began to think how very foolish it was to
entertain such thoughts as they had been accustomed to concerning the
sexes. The movement in Southern California showed how the movement would
work elsewhere in this way. It was one of those movements that needed a
few intelligent, courageous spirits in a locality to start it, and when
once it got a going, most of the other members of the community fell in
line, and when it was about universally adopted in one locality, the
people living in the next county soon joined the movement. After three
m