"In the first place we have to make friends for this bill. Any woman who has influence with any member of the Senate must use it now. I say Senate because it is to be introduced there. It will go to the House later. We want if possible to get personal pledges from every Senator that he will vote for this bill when it comes up. Do you know anybody in the Senate? Your case is so directly in point that it ought to make you a powerful advocate."
"Yes, I have had a number of acquaintances in the Senate. My father was thrown much with public men and was in the habit of having them frequently at his home."
"Then certainly the position in which the present laws have placed his orphaned daughter will appeal to them. Think up every one, my dear, that you could possibly reach. This movement represents five thousand women and to make it a success everybody that can do anything must go to work."
"And these women are doing all this in order to secure a mother's right to her child!" ejaculated Margaret, with a growing sense of her own narrowness of vision.
"Why, bless you, no!" returned Mrs. Greuze. "That is only one item in the bill that we shall present. You couldn't get a bill through on that one point alone. People can't be depended upon to work unless their own personal interests are concerned. It is a selfish world, my dear."
From Mrs. Greuze Margaret went straight to Mrs. Belden.
"I thought you did not understand," that lady said. "But now that you do we will put our shoulders to the wheel together." There was inspiration in the ring of her voice.
"Yes, as Mrs. Greuze has told you," she went on, "our plan is to canvass the Senate thoroughly and systematically, not in any aggressive way that would antagonize—we are not trying to exploit ourselves—but with a quiet persistency that will secure the votes. I am sure you can be of great service to us just here."
"Oh, I wish I could be!" cried Margaret.
"You see your case illustrates so perfectly the atrocious medieval character of some of our laws. Your story will only have to be told to furnish the argument. They cannot say to you as they have said to us, 'Oh, these laws are a dead letter.' In you, my child, we have a living witness to the fact that they are not a dead letter. Soon after the Christmas recess I hope to have the pleasure of taking you with me to call on Senator Southard, whom we are specially anxious to gain."