"Archie's no fusser," Hubert said, with some scorn.
"Maybe not; but he likes Hope, and she thinks he is perfect. Of course, they won't do it yet, but they may in time. Here we are. Come in."
For the first time in their lives, the twins were on their way to a temperance meeting. Dr. McAlister had always felt that such meetings were no place for impressionable children, that the sensational methods of oratory were not for young ears; and Hubert and Theodora had experienced some difficulty in coaxing their father to give his consent to their hearing a famous young Irish orator who was holding a series of meetings in the town. It was a new experience for Theodora, who, from the first moment, was swayed to and fro at the speaker's will, now laughing at his broad humor, now winking away her tears at his pathos, now thrilling through all her lithe young body at his stirring appeals for help to raise the drink-sodden world around him. Hubert was more sceptical.
"What a fib!" he remarked, at the close of the story which ended the lecture. "I know things never happened as pat as that. They don't, out of books, I bet. What are you going to do, Ted?"
Theodora, her face flushed and her eyes like stars, had started forward to the stage.
"I'm going to sign the pledge, Hu."
"What for? You don't get drunk."
"For my example. Oh, Hu, think of the saloons in the east end of town! And we've never done anything to help them! It's terrible."
She came back to him with her hands full of pamphlets. Hubert eyed her askance.
"I say, Ted, what are those?"