'You oughtn't to get mix'd up in wot didn't concern you!' 'I--I----' She stumbled and stopped. 'Give the lady a hearing,' said a shabby art-student, magisterially. He seemed not ill-pleased when he had drawn a certain number of eyes to his long hair, picturesque hat, and flowing Byronic tie. 'Wot's the lydy's nyme?' 'I ain't seen this one before.' 'Is she Mrs. or Miss?' 'She's dumb, anyway, like 'e said.' 'Haw! haw!' The anxious chairman was fidgeting in an agony of apprehension. He whispered some kind prompting word after he had flung out-- 'Now, see here, men; fair play, you know.' 'I think I ought----' Vida began. 'No wonder she can't find a word to say for 'em. They're a disgryce, miss--them women behind you. It's the w'y they goes on as mykes the Govermint keep ye from gettin' yer rights.' The chairman had lost his temper. 'It's the way _you_ go on,' he screamed; but the din was now so great, not even he could be heard. He stood there waving his arms and moving his lips while his dark eyes glittered. Miss Levering turned and pantomimed to Ernestine, 'You see it's no use!' Thus appealed to, the girl came forward, and said something in the ear of the frantic chairman. When he stopped gyrating, and nodded, Miss Blunt came to the edge of the platform, and held up her hand as if determined to stem this tide of unfavourable comment upon the dreadful women who were complicating the Election difficulties of both parties. 'Listen,' says Ernestine; 'I've got something to propose.' They waited an instant to hear what this precious proposal might be. 'If the Government withholds the vote because they don't like the way some of us ask for it, let them give it to the quiet ones. Do they want to punish all women because they don't like the manners of a handful? Perhaps that's men's notion of justice. It isn't ours.' 'Haw! haw!' 'Yes'--Miss Levering plucked up courage, seeing her friend sailing along so safely. 'This is the first time I've ever "gone on," as you call it, but they never gave me a vote.' '_No_,' says Miss Ernestine, with energy--'and there are'--she turned briskly, with forefinger uplifted punctuating her count--'there are two, three, four women on this platform. Now, we all want the vote, as you know.' 'Lord, yes, we know _that_.' 'Well, we'd agree to be disfranchised all our lives if they'd give the vote to all the other women.' 'Look here! You made one speech--give the lady a chance.' Miss Blunt made a smiling little bob of triumph. 'That's just what I wanted you to say!' And she retired. Miss Levering came forward again. But the call to 'go on' had come a little suddenly. 'Perhaps you--you don't know--you don't know----' '_How_'re we going to know if you can't tell us?' demanded a sarcastic voice.