'Oh!' Lady John smiled significantly; 'if that's what you build on!'
'Why,' he demanded with an effort to convey 'pure logic,' 'why shouldn't a man-hater on your side prove equally open to reason?'
'That aspect of the question has become irrelevant so far as I'm personally concerned,' said Vida, exasperated by Lady John's look of pleased significance. 'I've got to a place where I realize that the first battles of this new campaign must be fought by women alone. The only effective help men could give—amendment of the law—they refuse. The rest is nothing.'
'Don't be ungrateful, Vida. Here is this gentleman ready to face criticism in publicly championing you——'
'Yes, but it's an illusion that I, as an individual, need a champion. I am quite safe in the crowd. Please don't wait for me and don't come for me again.'
The sensitive dark face flushed. 'Of course if you'd rather——'
'And that reminds me,' she went on, unfairly punishing poor Mr. Trent for Lady John's meaning looks, 'I was asked to thank you, and to tell you, too, that they won't need your chairmanship any more—though that, I beg you to believe, has nothing to do with any feeling of mine.'
He was hurt and he showed it. 'Of course I know there must be other men ready—better known men——'
'It isn't that. It's simply that we find a man can't keep a rowdy meeting in order as well as a woman.'