f outside cooeperation in such a matter is a
perfectly sound one, as you doubtless know, a--a sound, advanced
socialistic idea. It's simply the community acknowledging some
responsibility where it already claims the right to regulate ..."

At this point her stare seemed to penetrate him with a doubt, and he
said, with the air of having skipped hastily and turned back:

"I mustn't detain you now to give the full argument, of course, but I
assure you the idea is sound and--mutually beneficial, as I believe.
Unfortunately," he added, with a certain embarrassment, "I don't know
your father."

"Tell me," said Carlisle, feeling an excitement mounting within her,
"how is it that you are always thinking up these plans for doing good to
other people?"

Before Dr. Vivian could meet this poser, the front door opened with a
bang, and a youngish man in a wet yellow raincoat came striding rapidly
across the court toward them. He was a powerfully built man with a
blue-tinged chin, and wore the air of a person of authority.

"Meeting not begun yet?" he demanded, without salutation, apparently
addressing Carlisle. "Thought I was late."

"Ah, Mr. Pond--glad to see you," said Vivian, stepping forward a little
to meet the newcomer. "They've just begun--you'll find an ovation
waiting for you."

"In your office? Aren't you going up, to lead the applause?"

The doctor bowed gravely. "In my office. I'll join you directly."

"I see," said the man, nodding, having never checked his stride.

But all that he had seemed to see with his keen black eyes was the
lovely girl posed on the last step of the ornamental stairway. He almost
brushed against her as he strode by.

The Pond person's footsteps diminished up the long stairs. A moment
later a volley of hand-clapping, sounding very near, indicated his
arrival in the meeting-room. But his interruption and his irritating
stare had accomplished no mollifying purpose down in the court. But one
end, indeed, could justify the proud Miss Heth in lingering in a public
hall with the slanderer of herself and her family.

"Doesn't it occur to you," she said, hardly waiting for the intruder to
get out of earshot, "that so much preaching about other people's
business seems rather--odd, coming from you?"

Dr. Vivian now affected to look troubled.

"There was just that difficulty," said he, slowly, "that you might think
I was preaching. I'm not, this time, really--"

"Don't you know perfectly wel