Her eyes glowed with the fire of prophecy. Bradley gazed at her with apprehensive eyes. She seemed unwholesomely excited. But she broke into a hearty laugh, and said: "You stare. Well, I won't lecture you any more. What did you do in Washington?" "Nothing," he replied; and there was something silencing in his voice. She glanced at his face sharply. She hesitated an instant, then asked: "Do you go back?" "No, my political career is ended. I was knifed in the convention." "You are young." "I'm not young enough to outgrow such a defeat as that. I'm done." This mood seemed singularly unlike him, as she had known him before. She seized upon the situation. "Come with us. 'There is more wool and flax in the fields,'" she quoted. "I can't. I don't see things as you do--I mean I don't see any cure." She laid her hand on his arm. "I'm going to convert you. Will you attend one more meeting with me?" "I'll go wherever you say," he answered, with an attempt at gallantry. "I want to take you with me to show you what the people are doing, and what my work is. You're to ask no questions, but just make yourself ready to go." Bradley's mind was in a whirl. Ida seemed so different--not at all like that last letter she had written to him. He felt rather than perceived the change in her. She left him at the hotel door and her parting hand-clasp quickened his breath. An indefinite and unreasonable exultation filled his eyes with light. In the privacy of his room he croaked a few notes before he realized that he could not sing. His gloomy sky had let fall a sudden ray of dazzling sunshine. XXXI. IDA SHOWS BRADLEY THE WAY OUT. He did not see her again till the next afternoon. She came out into the ante-room in the hotel looking so lovely he could hardly believe his good fortune. "Now you are in my hands, Mr. Talcott." He noticed that she did not call him "Brother" Talcott. He was as boyish and timid as ever, quite subdued by her presence, and followed her out to the omnibus in a daze of delight. He had forgotten all he knew, but he was very content to listen. She, however, did not seem at all self-conscious. She wore a large cloak and warm gloves, and under the wide rim of her black hat her face was like silver and her eyes like stars. A delicate perfume came from her dress, and reached him across the carriage. "It takes about an hour to go down," she said, as they alighted and stood waiting on the platform, "and then the 'college' is some distance away from the station." It was an unspeakable pleasure to sit beside her in the train and listen to her talk. It was one of the things he had dreamed of so many times, but had really never dared to expect. "The reason I want you to attend this meeting is because the schoolhouse, after all, is the place where a real reform among the farmers must have its base. I'd like to see you working with us," she said, turning suddenly towards him. "I would if I felt as you do about it, but I can't."