s it by the mercy of God? No! They got the suffrage by
fighting for it, by going out and hustling for it, just the way men
hustle for what they want. If women had depended on the power of God's
love to give them the suffrage, they wouldn't have got it in a million
years."

Of course, those were not Roberta's exact words, but I am sure I have
given the substance of them, and I cannot exaggerate the defiant
bitterness of her tone. She was a powerful devil's advocate and I saw
that wavering Penelope (if it still was Penelope) was deeply impressed
by this false and wicked reasoning. She looked at me out of her
wonderful eyes--unflinching, cruel, then the balance swung against me.

"I believe you are right, Roberta Vallis," she spoke with raised
forefinger and a show of judicial consideration. "It's a bold speech for
a woman, I never heard the thing put that way before, but--I'm damned if
I see what the answer is except--"

"Oh, Penelope!" I interrupted, trying in vain to reach her with my eyes.

"You shut up," she answered spitefully. "I said I'm _damned_ if I see
what the answer is except your answer, Bobby, that women have always
been fools and dupes--dupes of religious superstition invented by men
for the benefit of men and never accepted by men."

Roberta applauded this. "Bravo! little one! I'll tell that to Kendall
Brown. _Women have always been dupes of religious superstition invented
by men for the benefit of men and never accepted by men!_ Go on! Tell us
some more."

And Penelope went on, flinging aside all restraint, while my heart sank.

"Take my own life. Look at it! I had an ignoble husband. Why didn't I
leave him? Because I was loving, trusting. I thought I could save him. I
said prayers for him. I asked God to strengthen him. And what was the
result? The result was that Julian not only destroyed himself, but he
destroyed what was best in me. Did God interfere? Did God give any
manifestation of His infinite love? Not so that you could notice it."

She paused with heaving bosom and then swept on in her mad discourse.

"And then, when I was left alone in the world, what happened? I went
abroad as a Red Cross nurse. I tried my best to help in the war. I took
care of the wounded--under fire. I bore every hardship. I said my
prayers. And God put a curse upon me--yes He did. He took all chance of
happiness and health and love away from me. He made me do things that I
never meant to do, that I don't remember