he had even spoken of the
matter to the doctor, who nodded approvingly, even though there was no
actual thing to which he could give his assent.

"Say, Hu," Theodora asked abruptly, one night; "wouldn't it be funny if
Archie married Hope?"

Hubert stopped whistling and stared at his sister in surprise.

"What an idea, Ted! Your brain must be 'way off, to think of such a
thing."

"Stranger things than that have happened, Hu," Theodora said shrewdly.
"Just wait a few years and see."

"Archie's no fusser," Hubert said, with some scorn.

"Maybe not; but he likes Hope, and she thinks he is perfect. Of course,
they won't do it yet, but they may in time. Here we are. Come in."

For the first time in their lives, the twins were on their way to a
temperance meeting. Dr. McAlister had always felt that such meetings
were no place for impressionable children, that the sensational methods
of oratory were not for young ears; and Hubert and Theodora had
experienced some difficulty in coaxing their father to give his consent
to their hearing a famous young Irish orator who was holding a series of
meetings in the town. It was a new experience for Theodora, who, from
the first moment, was swayed to and fro at the speaker's will, now
laughing at his broad humor, now winking away her tears at his pathos,
now thrilling through all her lithe young body at his stirring appeals
for help to raise the drink-sodden world around him. Hubert was more
sceptical.

"What a fib!" he remarked, at the close of the story which ended the
lecture. "I know things never happened as pat as that. They don't, out
of books, I bet. What are you going to do, Ted?"

Theodora, her face flushed and her eyes like stars, had started forward
to the stage.

"I'm going to sign the pledge, Hu."

"What for? You don't get drunk."

"For my example. Oh, Hu, think of the saloons in the east end of town!
And we've never done anything to help them! It's terrible."

She came back to him with her hands full of pamphlets. Hubert eyed her
askance.

"I say, Ted, what are those?"

"Tracts."

"What for?"

"I am going to take them to some of those people, to-morrow. It may wake
them up to what they are doing."

"They're more likely to wake you up, Ted. Go easy. You know papa never
will let you."

"I sha'n't ask him, then," she said proudly. "If it's right, it's right,
and nobody ought to stop me."

Hubert whistled softly.

"Look out, Ted. Remember the kid you