it; vicars are dreadfully
provocative at times. Now, if you could only find out for me whether
these two men are divergently for or against--"

"I!" exclaimed Lena; "how am I to find out? I don't know either of them
to speak to."

"Still you might discover, in some roundabout way. Write to them, under
as assumed name of course, for subscriptions to one or other cause--or,
better still, send a stamped type-written reply postcard, with a request
for a declaration for or against vivisection; people who would hesitate
to commit themselves to a subscription will cheerfully write Yes or No on
a prepaid postcard. If you can't manage it that way, try and meet them
at some one's house and get into argument on the subject. I think Milly
occasionally has one or other of them at her at-homes; you might have the
luck to meet both of them there the same evening. Only it must be done
soon. My invitations ought to go out by Wednesday or Thursday at the
latest, and to-day is Friday.

"Milly's at-homes are not very amusing, as a rule," said Lena, "and one
never gets a chance of talking uninterruptedly to any one for a couple of
minutes at a time; Milly is one of those restless hostesses who always
seem to be trying to see how you look in different parts of the room, in
fresh grouping effects. Even if I got to speak to Popham or Atkinson I
couldn't plunge into a topic like vivisection straight away. No, I think
the postcard scheme would be more hopeful and decidedly less tiresome.
How would it be best to word them?"

"Oh, something like this: 'Are you in favour of experiments on living
animals for the purpose of scientific research--Yes or No?' That is
quite simple and unmistakable. If they don't answer it will at least be
an indication that they are indifferent about the subject, and that is
all I want to know."

"All right," said Lena, "I'll get my brother-in-law to let me have them
addressed to his office, and he can telephone the result of the
plebiscite direct to you."

"Thank you ever so much," said Lady Prowche gratefully, "and be sure to
get the cards sent off as soon as possible."

On the following Tuesday the voice of an office clerk, speaking through
the telephone, informed Lady Prowche that the postcard poll showed
unanimous hostility to experiments on living animals.

Lady Prowche thanked the office clerk, and in a louder and more fervent
voice she thanked Heaven. The two invitations, already sealed and