evolve his little brother into a man of brains and efficiency."

"But Minturn is a power!" cried the girl.

"Not financially," explained Douglas. "Nothing but money counts with his
wife. In telling me of this boy, Minturn confessed that he was forced,
_forced_ mind you, to see his sons ruined, while he is building a street
gamin as he would them, if permitted."

"How sad, Douglas!" cried Leslie. "Your voice is bitter. Can't he do
something?"

"Not a blooming thing!" answered Douglas. "She has the money. She is their
mother. Her character is unimpeachable. If Minturn went to extremes, the
law would give them to her; she would turn them over to ignorant servants
who would corrupt them, and be well paid for doing it. Why Minturn told
me--but I can't repeat that. Anyway, he made me eager to try my ideas on a
lad who would be company for me, when I can't be here and don't wish to be
with other men."

"Are you still going to those Brotherhood meetings?"

"I am. And I always shall be. Nothing in life gives me such big returns
for the time invested. There is a world of talk breaking loose about the
present 'unrest' among women; I happen to know that the 'unrest' is as
deep with men. For each woman I personally know, bitten by 'unrest,' I
know two men in the same condition. As long as men and women are forced to
combine, to uphold society, it is my idea that it would be a good thing if
there were to be a Sisterhood organized; then the two societies frankly
brought together and allowed to clear up the differences between them."