"I can't imagine," Mostyn answered, heartily enjoying her gravity of
tone and manner.

"Why, they are not only holding me to my agreement, but they have
selected a topic for discussion which of all subjects under the sun is
completely beyond me. They are doing it for a joke, and they expect me
to acknowledge defeat. I've been at the point all day of ignoring the
whole business, and yet somehow it nearly kills me to give in. I laugh
when I think about it, for the joke is on me, sure enough."

"But the subject," Mostyn urged her, "what is it?"

"Have women the right to vote?'" dropped from the girl's smiling lips.

"Oh, great! great!" the banker laughed. "I hope you are not going to
let a few silly men back you down."

"I don't really see how I am going to escape going through with it,"
Dolly said. "They have sent notices all up and down the valley, and
the house will be full. Look! there goes a wagon-load now. Two things
are bothering me. I came out here to try to write down a few points,
but not one idea has come in my head. That's the first stumbling-
block, and the other is even more serious. You see, up to this time my
side has generally won because when it was left to the audience the
women all stood up and voted for me. I've seen them so anxious to help
me out that they would force their children to stand on the benches so
their heads would be counted."

"But aren't the women going to-night?" Mostyn inquired.