he has to take another woman with her
because it is not thought proper for a woman to be seen going alone
calling at a house, particularly where a young man lives by himself. But
if a woman lives alone and a man wants to see her he does not get some
other man to go with him. No, he goes alone, and it is thought all
right. Now, mother, I will be free, and, therefore, when I return the
books to Penloe I will go alone."

"All right, my dear," said her mother. "I am glad, Stella, you have the
courage to practise your convictions. This talk of woman's rights and
freedom we hear so much about and woman's liberty that we read of in the
newspapers, is just so much evasion. A woman who may have known a good
man for several years dare not call on him if he lives alone. One ounce
of practice, Stella, is worth a thousand tons of big talk. Go ahead, my
daughter, I am proud of you," said Mrs. Wheelwright.

The week after Stella went to the house of Penloe to return the books.
Penloe was in his library writing. When he heard a knock he arose and
went to the door in a mechanical kind of way, his mind being more on the
subject of his writing than upon who might be at the door. When he
opened the door Stella said:

"Good morning, Penloe; I have come to return your books."

Stella's voice seemed to recall Penloe to where he was, and to notice
who had come to see him.

In a soft, musical voice, he said: "Glad to see you, Stella; walk in,"
giving her his hand, and Stella was shown in to the library.

When she was seated Penloe said: "Excuse me for a minute or two," and
Stella was pleased to do so, for she wanted to be in the room alone and
take notes. But no sooner had Penloe left the room when a different
state of mind came over her, and she did not feel like giving her
attention to anything in the room. For such a wave of peace came over
her mind as she had never experienced before, so that the room seemed to
be full of peace. It was not a dead, sleepy peace, nor a dreamy peace,
but a peace that was refreshing, strengthening, and was exactly what her
mind needed. She sat in perfect bliss drinking in all she could, when
Penloe came into the room. He seemed to her to be all peace. This
delightful condition put her mind in a state of equipoise, such as she
had never felt before; for it was a peace that was tinged with a Divine
quality; and it was about to awaken her more than ever to the
possibilities of the real world, the Divine worl