"Good," said the minister. "I am going to preach a sermon on the Virtue of Vice." "Red beef versus pale coffee," Howard said, as they stepped out. "And now," he added, "let us get something to eat and then go home." "Home," repeated the preacher. "I have no home—I have lodgings. "I know, and I mean that you must go home with me." Bradley muttered a protest, but was delighted at the thought of seeing Agnes again so soon. He had spent the afternoon at the Judge’s house, had left to unite in marriage a servant girl and a hackman, and now wanted an excuse to return, not that he needed one, for the Judge had urged upon him the freedom of the house; but timid love must show cause, or rather must apologize to appearances. And, though the cause now was not strong, yet he argued that the fact of meeting Howard would make it valid enough. He felt that his secret was not known to the Judge, as if that would have made any difference; and he was sure that the girl did not more than suspect him. He wanted her to suspect him, for there was a sweetness in it, but he wanted it to be as yet only a suspicion. He did not acknowledge that he had quite made up his mind regarding her fitness as a wife; and when a man thus reasons he is hopelessly entangled. When a man decides that a woman is not fitted to be his wife he may have arrived at reason but has stopped short of love. They went to a place that makes a specialty of crabs and sat down in the cool breath of an electric fan. "Quite a difference in our bill of fare," said Bradley, taking up a long card framed in brass edged wood. "And quite as much difference in our company," Howard replied. "The old saying, Howard: ’One half the world doesn’t know how the other half lives.’" "Doesn’t know how the other half dies," said Howard. "You are sententious tonight. I have led you into a place that has sharpened your wits." "But not into a place that sharpened my appetite. But it makes a meal all the more enjoyable afterward. Do you find anything that hits your fancy?" During the meal the preacher talked of the vices of a great city. A truthful farmer could have told him that there are almost as many vices in the country, and an observant moralist could have assured him that the great mass of women parading the sidewalks at night were sent thither by the rural reprobate, proprietor of a horse and buggy. "Vice is in man," said Howard. "Ah, but how are we to eradicate it?" "By educating woman." "I don’t know that I fully comprehend you." "Were you ever in a place where women are shameless?" "No," said the preacher. "The only shameless women I ever met are those who accost me in the street."