ate oneself to his
century; however, this is the problem," and then he read them the
letter.

Hilda was openly pleased. "Why not?" she said. "It seems to me a very
courteous and appreciative note, and I should think you would enjoy
speaking before that kind of an audience, all of them picked men,
trained and scientific and able to take in shades of meaning and
distinctions that are wasted on the laity. Unless you are keeping
something back, I should say, accept by all means. But are you?"

He paused. "In just a moment, Hilda. How does it strike you, Miss
Holland?"

She held out her hand for the note, and read and then reread it, and her
forehead contracted. "I wonder," she said to herself, "whether this is
what Orrin meant when he said the profession would furnish Dr. Earl
enough rope--I meant to ask him what he did mean, but I forgot it."
Aloud she said, "Isn't Dr. Morris one of the directors of this society?
He's a fellow alumnus of yours; it doesn't seem as if he would be likely
to show you an affront, does it?"

"That's just the point," answered Dr. Earl. "Is it a case of 'mine own
familiar friend'?"

His sister looked at him quizzically. "When it comes to literary
allusion, Jack," she said, "New York might permit Shakespeare, but I
assure you it wouldn't stand for the psalmist. Do you really think it is
a plan to get you into some false position or to embarrass you with
criticisms or queries not made in good faith?"

"That is exactly what I want to know," he said.

"And what if it is?" asked Silvia.

He colored. "You mean I ought to be willing to bear testimony to my
beliefs whether they meet with acceptance or not?"

Hilda blew a ring of smoke ceilingwards. "That's the trouble with these
suffragettes," she said reminiscently. "They never question the
advisability of 'casting pearls before swine.'"

Jack laughed and Silvia turned on her reproachfully. "Hilda! That isn't
fair; haven't you just said yourself that this would be a picked
audience? Suppose a little clique of them have arranged the meeting with
the intention of heckling the speaker? The bulk of them will be there in
good faith, anxious to learn, willing to listen to your brother's
account of his experiences, and profit by them. If he can't gain a
respectful hearing there, where will he gain it?"

"Forgive me for being biblical to-night," Hilda answered. "I can't seem
to get away from the suggestion; you know it was the high priests and
the