"It's not a kindness," said Mrs. Bunting, "it's a duty. If she were only half as charming as she is. You seem to forget"--her voice dropped--"what it is she comes for." "That's what I want to know." "I'm sure in these days, with so much materialism about and such wickedness everywhere, when everybody who has a soul seems trying to lose it, to find any one who hadn't a soul and who is trying to find one----" "But _is_ she trying to get one?" "Mr. Flange comes twice every week. He would come oftener, as you know, if there wasn't so much confirmation about." "And when he comes he sits and touches her hand if he can, and he talks in his lowest voice, and she sits and smiles--she almost laughs outright at the things he says." "Because he has to win his way with her. Surely Mr. Flange may do what he can to make religion attractive?" "I don't believe she believes she will get a soul. I don't believe she wants one a bit." She turned towards the door as if she had done. Mrs. Bunting's pink was now permanent. She had brought up a son and two daughters, and besides she had brought down a husband to "My dear, how was _I_ to know?" and when it was necessary to be firm--even with Adeline Glendower--she knew how to be firm just as well as anybody. "My dear," she began in her very firmest quiet manner, "I am positive you misjudge Miss Waters. Trivial she may be--on the surface at any rate. Perhaps she laughs and makes fun a little. There are different ways of looking at things. But I am sure that at bottom she is just as serious, just as grave, as--any one. You judge her hastily. I am sure if you knew her better--as I do----" Mrs. Bunting left an eloquent pause. Miss Glendower had two little pink flushes in her cheeks. She turned with her hand on the door. "At any rate," she said, "I am sure that Harry will agree with me that she can be no help to our cause. We have our work to do and it is something more than just vulgar electioneering. We have to develop and establish ideas. Harry has views that are new and wide-reaching. We want to put our whole strength into this work. Now especially. And her presence----" She paused for a moment. "It is a digression. She divides things. She puts it all wrong. She has a way of concentrating attention about herself. She alters the values of things. She prevents my being single-minded, she will prevent Harry being single-minded----" "I think, my dear, that you might trust my judgment a little," said Mrs. Bunting and paused. Miss Glendower opened her mouth and shut it again, without speaking. It became evident finality was attained. Nothing remained to be said but the regrettable. The door opened and closed smartly and Mrs. Bunting was alone.