riter out of the cloakroom.
Good-day, then, Mr. Dexter!" (_They shake hands and part with mutual
esteem._)

CHAPTER II.

_Extract from 'The Daily Post_.'

"MONDAY TALKS WITH OUR NOVELISTS.--No. MCVI. Mr. ALGERNON DEXTER.

"'And now, Mr. Dexter,' said I, 'what is your opinion of the Higher
Education of Women?'

"The novelist stroked his bronze beard. 'That's a large order, eh?
Isn't it rather late in the day to discuss Women's Education?'
And with a humorous gesture of despair he dropped the poker."

CHAPTER III.

_Tuesday's Letter_.

Sir,--In your issue of to-day I read with interest an account of an
interview with Mr. Dexter, the popular novelist, and I observe that
gentleman thinks it 'rather late in the day' to discuss the Higher
Education of Women. One can only be amused at this flippant dismissal of
a subject dear to the hearts of many of us; a movement consecrated by the
life-energies--I had almost said the life-blood--of a Gladstone, a
Sidgwick, a Fitch, and a Platt-Culpepper. Does Mr. Dexter really imagine
that he can look down on such names as these? Or are we to conclude that
the recent successes of 'educated' women in fiction have got on his
nerves? To suggest professional jealousy would be going too far, no
doubt.

Yours faithfully.
'HIGH SCHOOL'

CHAPTER IV.

_Wednesday's Letters_.

(1) Sir,--I, too, was disgusted with Mr. Algernon Dexter's cheap sneer at
women's education. He has, it seems, 'no opinion' on it. Allow me to
point out that, whatever his opinion may be, Women's Education has come to
stay. The time is past when Women could be relegated to the kitchen or
the nursery, and told, in the words of the poet Byron, that these
constituted her 'whole existence.' Not so; and if Mr. Dexter is inclined
to doubt it let him read the works of George Elliot (Mrs. J. W. Cross) or
Marion Crawford. They will open his eyes to the task he has undertaken.

I am, Sir, yours, etc,
"AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM."

(2) SIR,--Mr. Algernon Dexter thinks women's education 'a large order'--
not a very elegant expression, let me say, _en passant_, for one who
aspires to be known as a 'stylist.' Still a large order it is, and one
that as an imperial race we shall be forced to envisage. If our children
are to be started in life as fit c