"Would they, I wonder?" queried Miss Van Deusen. "From the time of the Nazarene down to today, some of the best people have found it inexpedient to stand by the right when it was presented in strange or new guise; and surely this would be a novel innovation--a woman for mayor." "But you have courage enough," urged Mrs. Mason. "If there was ever a woman with ideals," said Mary Snow, a newspaper woman who had not yet spoken, "her name was--is Gertrude Van Deusen." "Friends," said Miss Van Deusen, "I'm going to stick to my guns. I said in my haste that I'd never let the figure-head of Defeat worry or scare me; that I would put up a fight. Well, I'll make the fight, I'll stand for the nomination and if I get it, for election." "Three cheers for Gertrude Van Deusen," cried Mrs. Mason, and a vigorous round of hand-claps was her answer. Handkerchiefs were waved and there was excitement among the P. W.'s. "My husband has just got to take the stump for you," said the fluffy woman. "I'll make him." "Thank you, Bella," was Miss Van Deusen's reply. "I suppose I shall be emblazoned and lauded and berated in the newspapers, and shall come out at the end of the campaign with scarcely a rag of reputation left, whether I win or lose." "You are going to win, Gertrude," said Mrs. Bateman calmly. "Yes, I'm going to win," answered the younger woman. And as she sat with her handsome head thrown hack and her far-seeing gaze looking out and past the assembled women into the stormy future, not one of them doubted, at the moment, the truth of her confident prophecy. CHAPTER II A Perplexed Reformer The chairman of the Roma Municipal League had just finished dictating his morning's letters and was leaning back in his half-turned swivel chair. At another desk his secretary worked perfunctorily, awaiting orders from his chief. "Anything from Wilkins?" asked the latter. "Worse. Won't live many weeks. Going South tomorrow," answered the secretary. "Or Bateman?--or Mason?" "Mason wouldn't touch politics with a pair of tongs,--so he says," the secretary answered. "As for Judge Bateman,--I tell you, Allingham, if such men as he would do their duty, there'd be some hope of cleaning out the Augean stables. But it's hopeless. There isn't a decent Republican citizen in this town who'll take hold with us,--I mean as candidate for mayor." "The more shame to Roma, then," said Allingham. "Things have come to a pretty state of graft when--" He stopped suddenly, for the door was opening and Mrs. Bateman walked in. With her were two other women, one white-haired and graciously dignified, the other young and tall and handsome. "Good-morning, Mr. Allingham," said Mrs. Bateman, taking the hand which the young man, coming forward, stretched forth. "May I present you to Mrs. Stillman and Miss Van Deusen? And may we have a few minutes' talk with you?" "Certainly," he replied, wondering what these society women could want with the Municipal League, "certainly. Be seated."