attempts to destroy the party, which
had so unselfishly devoted itself to the interests of the community,
have fallen to the ground."

"And must this be allowed?" asked Mrs. Bateman.

"No," and the Judge's tones rang firmly. "We will call a mass-meeting in
every district in the city, right away; we,--you, Miss Van Deusen, as
well as I and the others,--must address the people, telling them what we
mean to do, and how."

"I never faced an audience of men in my life," answered Gertrude, "but I
can do it--and I will."

From that time on, there were meetings and caucuses and primaries every
night. _The Atlas_ was the only newspaper that came out openly, "the
ring" sheet villified the "woman-question," while the others remained
discreetly on the fence. But _The Atlas_ had the largest circulation and
its editorial policy had considerable weight with the citizens.

The "Progressive Workers" did everything possible to illustrate their
name. Every woman of the two hundred worked and talked in and out of
season. They attended primaries, they called mass-meetings in every
district in the city, they provided speakers at these "rallies" (some of
the best from their own membership) and they saw, personally, editors
and political leaders wherever they might be found. Gertrude Van Deusen,
herself, appeared on the platform at most of these meetings, attended by
Mrs. Bateman, Mrs. Stillman and others of the leading women of Roma; and
an increasing number of voters were won over to her side, as they
listened to her clear voice giving utterance to calm and judicial
opinions, worthy the daughter of Roma's pet senator. Even her intimate
friends were surprised to note the accuracy with which she comprehended
the city's needs and the insight which she had gained into the existing
state of municipal affairs.

"A long head, that woman's got," remarked one business man to another,
as they left one of the rallies. "If she could get the mayoralty I'm
inclined to think she'd make Roma sit up and take notice. I'm half
inclined to vote for her myself."

"Oh, pshaw!" returned the other, "she's astute enough--like her father
before her. But you can't tell anything about it. Let the women get the
power and they'll soon have a ring and a machine and their bosses as
much as the men. And they'd crowd us right off the earth. No women in
mine."

The other smiled, as he thought of the speaker's household of an
assertive wife and four grown-up daughte