reproachful glance passed the question on to Mrs. Ball-
inger.
"Why," said that lady, glancing in turn at the other members,
"as a community I hope it is not too much to say that we
stand for culture."
"For art—" Miss Glyde interjected.
"For art and literature," Mrs. Ballinger emended.
"And for sociology, I trust," snapped Miss Van Vluyck.
"We have a standard," said Mrs. Plinth, feeling herself
suddenly secure on the vast expanse of a generalisa-
tion; and Mrs. Leveret, thinking there must be room for
more than one on so broad a statement, took courage to
murmur: "Oh, certainly; we have a standard."
"The object of our little club," Mrs. Ballinger continued, "is
to concentrate the highest tendencies of Hillbridge—to
centralise and focus its intellectual effort."
This was felt to be so happy that the ladies drew an
almost audible breath of relief.
"We aspire," the President went on, "to be in touch with
whatever is highest in art, literature and ethics."
Osric Dane again turned to her. "What ethics?" she asked.
A tremor of apprehension encircled the room. None of
the ladies required any preparation to pronounce on a
question of morals; but when they were called ethics it was
different. The club, when fresh from the "Encyclopædia
Britannica," the "Reader's Handbook" or Smith's "Clas-
HYLAND
