"Women Awake. It's an ocean all right, with an ocean's possibilities." "I don't think it's women only who are waking, Marie. Women and men, all of us--" "I agree," said Marie. "But it wasn't just natural sleepy-headedness with women. They've been drugged--given knock-out drops, so to speak. They have a long way to wake up." Hagar mused, her eyes upon the drawing. "Yes, a good, long way.... There must have been a lot of pristine strength." "Well, it's coming out. All kinds of things are coming out with an accent on qualities they didn't think she had." "Yes. The world _is_ rather in the position of the hen with the duckling--" "The kind of thing we read and hear at this place emphasizes, of course, the economic and sociological side. It's to be the Century of Fair Distribution, of Social Organization, of Humanism--_ergo_, Woman Also. Which, of course, is all right, but I'd put an infinite plus to that." "And Elizabeth?" "Oh, Elizabeth is a saint! What she thinks of is the sweated woman and the little children, and the girl who goes under--most often is pushed under. It's what we see down here; it's the starved bodies and minds, the slow dying of fatigue, the monstrous wrong of the Things Withheld that's moving her. Of course, we all think of that. How can any thinking woman not think of that? She wants the vote to use as a lever, and so do I, and so do you.... But behind all that, in the place where I myself live," said Marie, with sudden passion, "I am fighting to be myself! I am fighting for that same right for the other woman! I am fighting for plain recognition of an equal humanity!" There was a crowd that night at Cooper Union. Elizabeth spoke; a grave, strong talk, followed with attention, clapped with sincerity. After her there spoke an A. F. of L. man. "Women have got to unionize. They've got to learn to keep step. They've got to learn that the good of one is wrapped up in the good of all. They've got to learn to strike. They've got to learn to strike not only for themselves, but for the others. They've got to get off their little, just-standing-room islands, and think in terms of continents. They've got to get an idea of solidarity--" When he had taken his seat came an announcement, made with evident satisfaction. "We did not know it until a few minutes ago. We thought she was still in the West--but we are so fortunate as to have with us to-night--Rose Darragh!" Applause broke forth at once. CHAPTER XXIX ROSE DARRAGH Rose Darragh's short speech, at once caustic and passionate, ended--the meeting ended. Hagar waited below the platform. Rose Darragh, at last shaking off the crowd, came toward her. "I've been looking at you. I seem, somehow, to know you--" "And I you. And not--which is strange to me--not through another." "Is your name Hagar Ashendyne?" Hagar nodded. "We can't talk well here--"