women-questions of the present, to do things in a perfectly legal and
parliamentary way."

"Must we tell them about it or not?" asked Mamie, in a wavering voice,
looking up devoutly at Jane, who had held young Ned against the stiff
white linen shirt of her traveling dress just as comfortably as if he
were her own seventh.

"Did they consult you before deciding to refuse your suggestion?" asked
Jane, calmly and thoughtfully.

"They did not," trumpeted Aunt Augusta.

"Then wouldn't it be the most regular way to proceed to get an
acceptance of the invitation from the Commission and then extend them
one to be present?" pronounced Jane, coolly, seemingly totally
unconscious that she was exploding; a bomb shell.

"It would, and we will consider it so settled," answered Aunt Augusta,
dominatingly.

This quick and revolutionary decision gave me a shock. I could see that
a woman doesn't like to feel that there is a stick of dynamite
between her and a man, when she puts her head down under his chin or her
cheek to his, but advanced women must suffer that. Still I'm glad that
the Crag is on our side of the fence. I felt sorry for Mamie and
Caroline--and Sallie looked a tragedy.

In fact, a shade of depression was about to steal over the spirits of
the meeting when Aunt Augusta luckily called for the discussion of plans