grievances, I think."

"And you are as much in love with the poor as ever?"

She stiffened at the note of sarcasm, and a retaliatory impulse made her
say:--

"I see a great deal more happiness than I expected."

He laughed.

"How like a woman! A few ill-housed villagers made you a democrat. A few
well-paid London artisans will carry you safely back to your class. Your
people were wise to let you take this work."

"Do you suppose I nurse none but well-paid artisans?" she asked him,
mocking. "And I didn't say 'money' or 'comfort,' did I? but 'happiness.'
As for my 'democracy,' you are not perhaps the best judge."

She stood resting both hands on a little table behind her, in an
attitude touched with the wild freedom which best became her, a gleam of
storm in her great eyes.

"Why are you still a Venturist?" he asked her abruptly.

"Because I have every right to be! I joined a society, pledged to work
'for a better future.' According to my lights, I do what poor work I can
in that spirit."

"_You_ are not a Socialist. Half the things you say, or imply, show it.
And we _are_ Socialists."

She hesitated, looking at him steadily.

"No!--so far as Socialism means a political system--the trampling out of
private enterprise and competition, and all the rest of it--I find
myself slipping away from it more and more. No!--as I go about among
these wage-earners, the emphasis--do what I will--comes to lie less and
less on possession--more and more on character. I go to two tenements in
the same building. One is Hell--the other Heaven. Why? Both belong to
well-paid artisans with equal opportunities. Both, so far as I can see,
might have a decent and pleasant life of it. But one is a man--the
other, with all his belongings, will soon be a vagabond. That is not
all, I know--oh! don't trouble to tell me so!--but it is more than I
thought. No!--my sympathies in this district where I work are not so
much with the Socialists that I know here--saving your presence!
but--with the people, for instance, that slave at Charity Organisation!
and get all the abuse from all sides."

Anthony laughed scornfully.

"It is always the way with a woman," he said; "she invariably prefers
the tinkers to the reformers."

"And as to your Socialism," she went on, unheeding, the thought of many
days finding defiant expression--"it seems to me like all other
interesting and important things--destined to help something else!
Christianity begin