are at the end of Mrs. Tallboys'
lectures!" said Mrs. Duncombe.

"On what?" asked Rosamond. "Woman's rights, or sanitary measures?
for I can't in the least understand why they should be coupled up
together."

"Nor I!" said Miss Moy. "I don't see why we shouldn't have our own
way, just as well as the men; but what that has to do with drains
and gutters, I can't guess."

"I'm the other way," said Rosamond. "I think houses and streets
ought to be made clean and healthy; but as for woman's rule, I fancy
we get more of it now than we should the other way."

"As an instance," said Mrs. Duncombe, "woman is set on cleansing
Wil'sbro'. Man will not stir. Will it ever be done till woman has
her way?"

"Perhaps, if woman would be patient, man would do it in the right
way, instead of the wrong!" quoth Rosamond.

"Patient! No, indeed! Nothing is to be done by that! Let every
woman strive her utmost to get the work done as far as her powers
go, and the crusade will be accomplished for very shame!"

Just then Tom, looking highly amused, emerged, followed by Mr.
Pettitt, the only enlightened landlord on whom Mrs. Duncombe had
been able to produce the slightest impression. He had owned a few
small tenements in Water Lane, which he was about to rebuild, and
which were evidently the pivot of operations.

At the door they met Cecil, and Rosamond detained her a moment in
the street to say, "My dear Cecil, is _that_ Miss Moy coming on
Wednesday?"

"Of course she is. We greatly want to move her father. He has the
chief house property there."

"It is too late now," said Rosamond; "but do you think it can be
pleasant to Jenny Bowater to meet her?"

"I know nothing of the old countrified animosities and gossipings,
which you have so heartily adopted," replied Cecil, proudly.
"Firstly, I ignore them as beneath me; secondly, I sacrifice them
all to a great cause. If Miss Bowater does not like my guests, let
her stay away."

Here Mrs. Duncombe stood on the step, crying out, "Well, Cecil, how
have you sped with Mrs. Bungay?"

"Horrid woman!" and no more was heard, as Cecil entered Mr.
Pettitt's establishment.

"That might be echoed," said Tom, who was boiling over at the speech
to his sister. "I knew that ape was an intolerable little prig of a
peacock, but I didn't think she could be such a brute to you, Rosie!
Is she often like that, and does your parson stand such treatment of
you?"

"Nonsense, Tom!" said Rosam