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for their visits to Folkestone。
She ran against Madge in the morning； and invited herself to tea。 Her father had returned to Liverpool； and her own rooms； for some reason； depressed her。 Flossie was there with young Halliday。 They were both off the next morning to his people's place in Devonshire； from where they were going to get married； and had come to say good…bye。 Flossie put Sam in the passage and drew…to the door。
〃Have you seen her？〃 she asked。 〃How is she？〃
〃Oh； she's changed a good deal；〃 answered Joan。 〃But I think she'll get over it all right； if she's careful。〃
〃I shall hope for the best；〃 answered Flossie。 〃Poor old soul； she's had a good time。 Don't send me a present； and then I needn't send you onewhen your time comes。 It's a silly custom。 Besides； I've nowhere to put it。 Shall be in a ship for the next six months。 Will let you know when we're back。〃
She gave Joan a hug and a kiss； and was gone。 Joan joined Madge in the kitchen； where she was toasting buns。
〃I suppose she's satisfied herself that he's brainy；〃 she laughed。
〃Oh； brains aren't everything；〃 answered Madge。 〃Some of the worst rotters the world has ever been cursed with have been brainy enoughmen and women。 We make too much fuss about brains； just as once upon a time we did about mere brute strength； thinking that was all that was needed to make a man great。 Brain is only muscle translated into civilization。 That's not going to save us。〃
〃You've been thinking；〃 Joan accused her。 〃What's put all that into your head？〃
Madge laughed。 〃Mixing with so many brainy people； perhaps；〃 she suggested； 〃and wondering what's become of their souls。〃
〃Be good； sweet child。 And let who can be clever；〃 Joan quoted。 〃Would that be your text？〃
Madge finished buttering her buns。 〃Kant； wasn't it；〃 she answered； 〃who marvelled chiefly at two things： the starry firmament above him and the moral law within him。 And they're one and the same； if he'd only thought it out。 It's rather big to be good。〃
They carried their tea into the sitting…room。
〃Do you really think she'll get over it？〃 asked Madge。 〃Or is it one of those things one has to say？〃
〃I think she could；〃 answered Joan； 〃if she would pull herself together。 It's her lack of will…power that's the trouble。〃
Madge did not reply immediately。 She was watching the rooks settling down for the night in the elm trees just beyond the window。 There seemed to be much need of coming and going； of much cawing。
〃I met her pretty often during those months that Helen Lavery was running her round；〃 she said at length。 〃It always seemed to me to have a touch of the heroic； that absurd effort she was making to 'qualify' herself； so that she might be of use to him。 I can see her doing something quite big； if she thought it would help him。〃
The cawing of the rooks grew fainter。 One by one they folded their wings。
Neither spoke for a while。 Later on； they talked about the coming election。 If the Party got back； Phillips would go to the Board of Trade。 It would afford him a better platform for the introduction of his land scheme。
〃What do you gather is the general opinion？〃 Joan asked。 〃That he will succeed？〃
〃The general opinion seems to be that his star is in the ascendant；〃 Madge answered with a smile； 〃that all things are working together for his good。 It's rather a useful atmosphere to have about one； that。 It breeds friendship and support！〃
Joan looked at her watch。 She had an article to finish。 Madge stood on tiptoe and kissed her。
〃Don't think me unsympathetic；〃 she said。 〃No one will rejoice more than I shall if God sees fit to call you to good work。 But I can't help letting fall my little tear of fellowship with the weeping。〃
〃And mind your p's and q's；〃 she added。 〃You're in a difficult position。 And not all the eyes watching you are friendly。〃
Joan bore the germ of worry in her breast as she crossed the Gray's Inn Garden。 It was a hard law； that of the world： knowing only winners and losers。 Of course； the woman was to be pitied。 No one could feel more sorry for her than Joan herself。 But what had Madge exactly meant by those words： that she could 〃see her doing something really big；〃 if she thought it would help him？ There was no doubt about her affection for him。 It was almost dog…like。 And the child； also！ There must be something quite exceptional about him to have won the devotion of two such opposite beings。 Especially Hilda。 It would be hard to imagine any lengths to which Hilda's blind idolatry would not lead her。
She ran down twice to Folkestone during the following week。 Her visits made her mind easier。 Mrs。 Phillips seemed so placid； so contented。 There was no suggestion of suffering； either mental or physical。
She dined with the Greysons the Sunday after； and mooted the question of the coming fight with Carleton。 Greyson thought Phillips would find plenty of journalistic backing。 The concentration of the Press into the hands of a few conscienceless schemers was threatening to reduce the journalist to a mere hireling； and the better…class men were becoming seriously alarmed。 He found in his desk the report of a speech made by a well…known leader writer at a recent dinner of the Press Club。 The man had risen to respond to the toast of his own health and had taken the opportunity to unpack his heart。
〃I am paid a thousand a year；〃 so Greyson read to them； 〃for keeping my own opinions out of my paper。 Some of you； perhaps； earn more； and others less； but you're getting it for writing what you're told。 If I were to be so foolish as to express my honest opinion； I'd be on the street； the next morning； looking for another job。〃
〃The business of the journalist；〃 the man had continued； 〃is to destroy the truth； to lie； to pervert； to vilify； to fawn at the feet of Mammon； to sell his soul for his daily bread。 We are the tools and vassals of rich men behind the scenes。 We are the jumping…jacks。 They pull the strings and we dance。 Our talents； our possibilities； our lives are the property of other men。〃
〃We tried to pretend it was only one of Jack's little jokes；〃 explained Greyson as he folded up the cutting； 〃but it wouldn't work。 It was too near the truth。〃
〃I don't see what you are going to do；〃 commented Mary。 〃So long as men are not afraid to sell their souls； there will always be a Devil's market for them。〃
Greyson did not so much mind there being a Devil's market； provided he could be assured of an honest market alongside； so that a man could take his choice。 What he feared was the Devil's steady encroachment； that could only end by the closing of the independent market altogether。 His remedy was the introduction of the American trust law； forbidding any one man being interested in more than a limited number of journals。
〃But what's the difference；〃 demanded Joan； 〃between a man owning one paper with a circulation of； say； six millions； or owning six with a circulation of a million apiece？ By concentrating all his energies on one； a man with Carleton's organizing genius might easily establish a single journal that would cover the whole field。〃
〃Just all the