ched
the subject of the women talking in prayer meeting, Mrs. Graves
listening eagerly. As the pastor's wife she had done the best in her
power; but her power had been weak, and the stronger ones in the
congregation had ridden over her convictions and teachings.

There was Augusta Hall, the beautiful wife of one of the deacons who had
demanded that she be allowed to voice her sentiments in public; and
other women had followed her lead, although it had been absolutely
against the tenets of the church.

This woman was in Mrs. Graves' mind, when the Dominie brought down his
hand upon the table, saying he had decided to stop once and for all the
nonsense in his church, which was keeping the best of his members away.

Mrs. Graves breathed Mrs. Hall's name meekly to her husband.

"She can leave the church," growled Graves. "In my mind it's almost
sacrilegious for women to dare to go so far that some of the best of its
members will leave a well-regulated church. Maria, you must talk to Mrs.
Hall and bring her to reason."

"If you can't succeed," replied Mrs. Graves, "how do you expect me to?
You're her pastor."

"I will go and talk to her first, then you follow close upon my heels,
Maria, and between us both, we will get Bill Hopkins and Carey back
among us. If they come the rest will."

* * * * *

Late in the afternoon Mrs. Graves put on her bonnet, and, with a sigh,
tied the strings under her withered chin. In the very moment when the
congregation had at last become reconciled to the privileges extended to
its female members, another church war was to be fought. But the little
woman dared not refuse her husband's command, so she climbed the long
hill toward the south and timidly rang the bell marked "Hall."

Her husband would have been there and gone, for the afternoon was well
toward its close.

As the servant ushered her in, Mrs. Graves heard loud voices coming from
the drawing-room, and instantly recognized one of them as the
clergyman's.

"It's all very well, Mrs. Hall," he was saying, "for the women to work
if they can do it without showing too much authority, but, my dear lady,
I have been studying into this matter and it is positively against the
Scriptural injunction for women to speak in church."

"Where did you read that?" asked Mrs. Hall, handing the Dominie a Bible,
which he did not take in his half-extended fingers.

"I know, and you know where it is without looking