deed.'

As Ernestine proceeded to show how all this obsolete unfairness had its
roots in political inequality, Lady John dropped her glass with a sigh.

'You are right,' she said to Jean. 'This is Hilda, harnessed to a
purpose. A portent to shake middle-aged nerves.'

With Jean blooming there before him, Stonor had no wish to prove his own
nerves middle-aged.

'I think she's rather fun, myself. Though she ought to be taken home and
well smacked.'

Somebody had interrupted to ask, 'If the House of Commons won't give you
justice, why don't you go to the House of Lords?'

'What?' She hadn't heard, but the question was answered by some one who
had.

'She'd 'ave to 'urry up. Case of early closin'!'

'You'll be allowed to ask any question you like,' she said, 'at the end
of the meeting.'

'Wot's that? Oh, is it question time? I s'y, miss, 'oo killed Cock
Robin?'

'I've got a question, too,' a boy called through his hollowed hands.
'Are--you--married?'

'Ere's your chance. 'E's a bachelor.'

'Here's a man,' says Ernestine, 'asking, "If the women get full
citizenship, and a war is declared, will the women fight?"'

'Haw! haw!'

'Yes.'

'Yes. Just tell us _that_!'

'Well'--she smiled--'you know some say the whole trouble about us is
that we _do_ fight. But it's only hard necessity makes us do that. We
don't want to fight--as men seem to--just for fighting's sake. Women are
for peace.'

'Hear! hear!'

'And when we have a share in public affairs there'll be less likelihood
of war. Wasn't it a woman, the Baroness von Suttner, whose book about
peace was the corner-stone of the Peace Congress? Wasn't it that book
that converted the millionaire maker of armaments of war? Wasn't it the
Baroness von Suttner's book that made Nobel offer those great
international prizes for the Arts of Peace? I'm not saying women can't
fight. But we women know all war is evil, and we're for peace. Our
part--we're proud to remember it--our part has been to go about after
you men in war time and _pick up the pieces_!'

A great shout went up as the truth of that rolled in upon the people.

'Yes; seems funny, doesn't it? You men blow people to bits, and then we
come along and put them together again. If you know anything about
military nursing, you know a good deal of our work has been done in the
face of danger; _but it's always been done_.'

'That's so. That's so.'

'Well, what of it?' said a voice. 'Women must do something fo