"Well, ma'am, I want you to sit down here and tell me things--right now. What am I to expect? Are there _no_ men left in America?" She laughed gaily. "No men! Why, bless you, there are as many men as there are women, and a few more, I believe. Not such an over-plus as there used to be, but some to spare still. We had a million and a half extra in your day, you know." "I'm glad to learn we're allowed to live!" said I. "Now tell me the worst--are the men all doing the housework?" "You call that 'the worst,' do you?" inquired Nellie, cocking her head to one side and looking at me affectionately, and yet quizzically. "Well, I guess it was--pretty near 'the worst!' No dear, men are doing just as many kinds of business as they ever were." I heaved a sigh of relief and chucked my magazine under the chair. "I'd begun to think there weren't any men left. And they still wear trousers, don't they?" She laughed outright. "Oh, yes. They wear just as many trousers as they did before." "And what do the women wear," I demanded suspiciously. "Whatever kind of clothing their work demands," she answered. "Their work? What kind of work do they do?" "All kinds--anything they like." I groaned and shut my eyes. I could see the world as I left it, with only a small proportion of malcontents and a large majority of contented and happy homes; and then I saw this awful place I was coming to, with strange, masculine women and subdued men. "How does it happen that there aren't any on this ship?" I inquired. "Any what?" asked Nellie. "Any of these--New Women?" "Why, there are. They're all new, except Mrs. Talbot. She's older than I am, and rather reactionary." This Mrs. Talbot was a stiff, pious, narrow-minded old lady, and I had liked her the least of any on board. "Do you mean to tell me that pretty Mrs. Exeter is--one of this new kind?" "Mrs. Exeter owns--and manages--a large store, if that is what you mean." "And those pretty Borden girls?" "They do house decorating--have been abroad on business." "And Mrs. Green--and Miss Sandwich?" "One of them is a hat designer, one a teacher. This is toward the end of vacation, and they're all coming home, you see." "And Miss Elwell?" Miss Elwell was quite the prettiest woman on board, and seemed to have plenty of attention--just like the girls I remembered. "Miss Elwell is a civil engineer," said my sister. "It's horrid," I said. "It's perfectly horrid! And aren't there any women left?" "There's Aunt Dorcas," said Nellie, mischievously, "and Cousin Drusilla. You remember Drusilla?" CHAPTER II The day after to-morrow! I was to see it the day after to-morrow--this strange, new, abhorrent world!