All Roads Lead to Calvary

r designating the event. Flora Lessing, known among her associates as "Flossie," was the girl who at Cambridge had accidentally stumbled upon the explanation of

arket value they had been sedulously cultivated. Editors of the old order had ridiculed the idea of her being of any use to them, when two years previously she had, by combination of cheek and p

snap of his fingers had beckoned to her to follow him. Striding in front of her up to his room, he had pointed to a chair and had left her sitting there for three-quarters of an hour, while he held discussion with a stream of subordinates, managers and edit

ad finished he would ask them questions, still with his attention fixed apparently upon the paper in his hand. Then, looking up for the first time, he would run off curt instructions, much in the tone of a Comma

u been doing?

ut newspaper offices, listening to sil

sm has no use for brains, you come to me," he

e done with a pen an

wing?" he

ed good at asking awkward

I'll give you five minutes

the desk, and, opening her b

iples?" she asked hi

harply across the

at fundamental rule of conduct

"that you had none. That life is all just mere blind chance. Think of the

were pulling my leg, and have shown you the door. As it was, I felt half inclined for the moment to reply with so

e explained. "But it's what people t

hey say?"

y. And your enemies, that they are a

ended your chances. You sized me up at a glance, and knew it would only interest me. And

had listened with wide-open eyes while he, sitting over against her, and smiling benevolently, had laid bare to her all the seeming intricacies of creation, and had explained to her in simple language the necessary alterations and improvements he was hoping to bring about in human nature. He had the

e Daily Dispatch became famous for its piquant interviews;

I'm much different to any of these poor devils." They were walking home in the evening from a theatre. "

One can't always stop oneself just where one wants to when sliding down

earlier so that they could have a ch

lled sitting-room that looked out upon the gardens. Madge shared a set of chambers

mured he

xed Joan in an easy chair before the fire. "I w

m I likely to meet with m

r men and women work together," answered Madg

e continued after a pause, "so far as we men and women

thousand other allurements to distract h

ays told it is the artist-the brain worker, the very men

went on. "It is so splendid the way they enjoy life: just like a dog does, whether it's wet or fine. We are always

we dress. Who was it said that to every woman every man is a potential lover. We can't get it out

ve passed the phase when everything she did was right in our childish eyes. Now we dare to criticize h

e was a note of irritation in her tone. "I suppose you know you are supreme

t," answered Joan. "I'm r

ad not spoken. "It is a weapon like any other-knowledge, intellect

slightly thrown back, her fine hands clasping one another so strongly that the delicate muscles could be traced beneath the smooth

she asked after a pause, apparently rather of

it," expl

nced himself that he is serving God. If I were a fighter I should feel I was serving God trying to down Him. How do I know which of us is right? Torquemada-Calvin," she went on, without giving Joan the chance of a reply. "It's easy enough to see they were wrong now. But at the time millions of people believed in them-felt it was God's voice speaking through them. Joan of Arc! Fancy dying to put a thing like that upo

ment lead to nobody ever doi

them, but by quietly preparing the way for them? You know what I mean. Erasmus always said that Luther had hindered the Reformation by stirring up passion and hate." She broke off suddenly. There wer

I must fight against. Rights that I must never dare to rest till they are won." Her lips

quite a while. "How confident you

ccupied the lower floors, the landlord, a retired butler, and his wife, an excellent cook, confining themselves to the basement and the attics. The remaining floor was tenanted by a shy young man-a poe

fty for dress. Madge was doubtful if this would be sufficient. Joan urged that she was "stock size" and woul

things won't go well on you; and it would be madness, even from a

ing dowdy they'll beat you down. Tell them the price they are offering you won't keep you in gloves for a week and they'll be ashamed of the

for enough to make up two hundred a year," she expla

n. "We cranky young women, with our new-fangled, independen

een her since they had been at Girton together, and was surprised at Flossie's youthful "get

and fifty a year. Then we shall all be able to afford to be noble and high-minded. As it is, nine-tenths of the contemptible

ond dog-collar and the motor car l

and which the goats. At present we're all jumbled together: the ungodly who sin out of mere greed and rapac

ented Madge, who was b

med struck

ould put up my price no end. And I'd be able to get out of this silly job of mine. I can't go on much longer. I'm getting too well k

r existence. I only want to make it a finer existence, more worth the struggle, in which the best man shall rise to t

sms work towards that

e maid's announcement of "Mrs.

the thin firm mouth lurked a suggestion of humour that possibly had not always been there. Joan, waiting to be introduced, towered head and shoulders above her; yet when she took the small proffered hand a

he is come to bring healing to the sad, si

métier; to take the banner from our failing hands, bear it still a little onwa

use in the end it will seem to you that you have

o-morrow morning at my office," she said. "We will fi

one of the most important dailies, besides being the controlling spirit of various social movements. Anyone she "took up" would be assured of steady work. The pay might not be

an's suffrage question, just then coming rapidly to the front. She had heard Joan speak at Cambridge and was eager to secure her adherence, being wishful to surround herself with a group of young and good-looking women who should take the movement out of the hands of

to Madge, "I simply had to bring her. Will explain to you another time." An apology certainly seemed to be needed. The woman was absurdly out of her place. She stood there panting and slightl

cupied the rooms below her in Cowley Street. His name, so the landlady ha

"just the type that sort of man

with her at Girton. Madge had selected those who she knew would be sympathetic, and all promised help: those who could not give it direct undertaking to provide introdu

it, would have cost her five guineas. "Now my chief purpose in life is to tickle silly women into spending twice as much upon their

o a crowd of noisy sparrows. "It's the Advertiser edits half the papers. Write anything that three of them object to, an

wanted it to express his views. A company is only out for profit. Your modern newspaper is just a shop. It's only purpose is to attract customers.

d a letter from Jocelyn only two days ago. He was one of the original staff of the Socialist. He writes me that

ty for the Reformation of the Press," thought

ook Savonarola,

nton ha

e has been given over to the hucksters. You shall place your preaching stool

p of the party. In a short time Joan and Ma

tch doll along with her?" demanded Flossie. "The woman

e Cabinet, and is trying to fit herself by suddenly studying political and social questions. For a month she's been clinging like a lee

a tragedy for the ma

e like?" a

," answered Madge. "Began life as a miner, I

Hall last week," said Floss

ay?" quest

lossie. "Like a volcano com

. It looked as if things we