.'

'Oh, yes; a most encouraging sign. Is it the one in mauve who did that?'

'No, that's--I forget her name--oh, Mrs. Thomas. She's new, too. I'll
have to let her speak if you won't,' she said, a trifle anxiously.

'Mrs. Thomas, by all means,' murmured Borrodaile, as Ernestine, seeing
her plea was hopeless, turned away.

Vida caught her by the coat. 'Where are the others? The rest of your
_good_ speakers?'

'Scattered up and down. Getting ready for the General Election. That's
why we have to break in new people. Oh, she sent me some notes, that
girl did. I must give them back to her.'

Ernestine stooped and opened the portfolio on Miss Levering's lap. She
rummaged through the bulging pockets.

'I thought,' said Miss Levering, with obvious misgiving, 'I thought I
hadn't seen that affected-looking creature before.'

'Oh, she'll get over all that,' Ernestine whispered. 'You haven't much
opinion of our crowds, but they can teach people a lot.'

'Teach them not to hold their heads like a broken lily?'

'Yes, knock all sorts of nonsense out and stiffen them up wonderfully.'

She found the scrap of paper, and shut the portfolio with a snap.

'Now!'

She stood up, took in the fact of the audience having increased and a
policeman in the offing. She summoned her allies.

'It's nearly time for those Army and Navy workers to come out. The men
will come first,' she said, 'and five minutes after, they let the women
out. I'll begin, and then I think you'd better speak next,' she said,
handing the die-away young woman her notes. 'These seem all right.'

'Oh, but, Miss Blunt,' she whispered, 'I'm so nervous. How am I ever to
face all those men?'

'You'll find it quite easy when once you are started,' said Ernestine,
in a quiet undertone.

'But I'm so afraid that, just out of pure nervousness, I'll say the
wrong thing.'

'If you do, I'll be there,' returned the chairman, a little grimly.

'But it's the very first time in my life----'

'Now, look here----'

Ernestine reached out past this person who was luxuriating in her own
emotions, and drew the ample mauve matron into the official group close
to where Miss Levering sat nursing the handbills.

'It's easy enough talking to these little meetings. They're quite good
and quiet--not a bit like Hyde Park.' (One of the young men poked the
other. They exchanged looks.) 'But there are three things we all agree
it's just as well to keep in mind: Not to talk about ours