"My bedspread had slipped down onto the floor, but I never knew when nor did I see it go. All I see was that some of them agreed with me--Mis' Emmons and Mis' Toplady and Mis' Hubbelthwait and Libby and even Mame that had proposed the monument. But some of the others was waiting as usual to see how Mis' Sykes was going to believe, and Mis' Sykes she was just standing there by the piano, her cheeks getting pinker and pinker up high on her face. "'Calliope,' she said, making a gesture. 'Ladies! this is every bit of it out of order. This ain't the subject that we come together to discuss.' "'It kind of seems to me,' says I, 'that it's a subject we was born to discuss.' "Mis' Toplady sort of rolled over in her chair and looked across her glasses to Mis' Sykes. "'Madame President,' says she, 'as I understand it this fits in all right. What we're proposing is to spend Sodality's money on this little boy just the same as though he was dead. I move we do so.' "Two-three of 'em seconded it, but scairt and scattering. "'Mis' Toplady,' says Mis' Sykes. 'Ladies! This is a good deal too headlong. A committee'd ought--' "'Question--question,' demands Mis' Emmons, serene, and she met my eye and smiled some, in that little _we_-understand look that can pierce through a roomful of people like the wind. "'Mis' Emmons,' says Mis' Sykes, wildish. 'Ladies! Sodality has been organized over twenty years, doing the same thing. You can't change so offhand--' You can't help admiring Mis' Sykes, for she simply don't know when she's beat. But this time she had a point with her, too. 'If we want to vote to amend the constitution,' she said, 'you've got to lay down your wishes on the table for one week.' "'I daresay you have,' says Mis' Emmons, looking grave. 'Well, I move that we amend the constitution of this society, and I move that we do it next week at the open annual meeting of the Sodality.' "'Second the motion,' says I, with my feet on my white bedspread. "And somehow the phrase caught Christopher's ear, like a tune might to march by. "'Second a motion--second a motion!' he chants to himself, standing by Mis' Toplady's knee. VIII "I had promised Insley to run in the Cadozas' after the meeting, and see the little boy; and Mis' Emmons having to go home before she started back to the Proudfits', Christopher walked along with me. When we got out to the end of Daphne Street, Insley overtook us on his way out to the Cadozas', too.