Bindle looked at the
inspector with self-satisfaction, whilst the constables discovered
that their unhappy anticipation of a rough and tumble with women, a
thing they disliked, had been turned into a most delectable comedy.

At the first-floor window Mr. Llewellyn John watched the scene with
keen enjoyment.

For a full minute the women stood gazing from one to the other in a
dazed fashion. Finally one with stouter heart than the rest shouted
"Votes for Women! This is a woman's war!"

But there was no answering cry from the ranks. Slowly it dawned upon
each and every woman that in all probability she was looking just as
ridiculous as those she saw about her. One girl produced a small
looking-glass from a hand-bag. She gave one glance into it, and
incontinently went into hysterics, flopping down where she stood.

The public, conscious that great events were happening in Downing
Street, poured into the narrow thoroughfare, and the laughter denied
the official police by virtue of discipline was heard on every hand.

"Christy Minstrels, ain't they?" enquired one youth of another with
ponderous humour.

It was at the moment that one of them had raised a despairing cry of
"Votes for Women," and had received no support.

"Votes for Women!" remarked one man shrewdly. "Soap for Women! is what
they want."

"Fancy comin' out like that, even in wartime," commented another.

"'Ow'd they get like that?" enquired a third.

"Oh, you never know them suffragettes," remarked a fourth sagely;
"they're always out for doing something different from what's been
done before."

"Well, they done it this time," commented a little man with grey
whiskers. "Enough to make Gawd 'Imself ashamed of us, them women is.
Bah!" and he spat contemptuously.

The inspector felt that the time for action had arrived. Walking up to
the unhappy group of twenty, he remarked in his most official tone:

"You cannot stand about here, you must be moving on."

"Moving on; but where?" They looked into each other's eyes mutely.
Suddenly an idea seemed to strike them and they turned instinctively
to re-enter the van; but Bindle had anticipated this manoeuvre, and
had carefully closed, barred and padlocked the doors.

The inspector nodded approval. He had formed a very high opinion of
Bindle's powers, although greatly puzzled by the whole business. At a
signal from their superior, a number of uniformed constables formed up
behind the forlorn band of femal