being that the Forum's card of invitation might have been overlooked
for more important affairs.

"I'll send you another," the great lady had said at once. "You're
just the sort we need," Mrs. Sargent had continued. "We've got
enough widows and single women in now; what we want are the real
mothers, who need shaking out of the groove!"

Mrs. Sargent happened to be President of the Club at that time, so
Mrs. Salisbury had only to ignore graciously the rather offensive
phrasing of the invitation, and to await the news of her election,
which duly and promptly arrived.

And now Justine had been asked to speak at the Forum! It was the
most distasteful bit of information that had come Mrs. Salisbury's
way in a long, long time! She felt in her heart a stinging
resentment against Mrs. Sargent, with her mad notions of equality,
and against Justine, who was so complacently and contentedly
accepting this monstrous state of affairs.

"That is very kind of Mrs. Sargent," said she, fighting for dignity;
"she is very much interested in working girls and their problems,
and I suppose she thinks this might be a good advertisement for the
school, too." This idea had just come to Mrs. Salisbury, and she
found it vaguely soothing. "But I don't like the idea," she ended
firmly; "it--it seems very odd, very--very conspicuous. I should
prefer you not to consider anything of the kind."

"I should prefer" was said in the tone that means "I command," yet
Justine was not satisfied.