“I am sure I ought to be very glad, Winifred, to have you religiously inclined.  But I should be extremely sorry to have you get any fanatical ideas.  I never thought you were given to eccentric things, and I hope you will not become so.  It seems to me that you and Hubert”—­she hesitated to include her son in the remark, but ventured it—­“are rather young Christians to decide such things for yourselves in such an extraordinary way.  You should look at older persons.  I suppose I am not an example”—­and her tone was just a trifle icy for such a gentle lady—­“but Mrs. Schoolman will be there with her daughters, and so will many of the most prominent members of our church.  I really cannot approve of such an extraordinary idea!—­extraordinary!” and she repeated the word which usually indicated the high water mark of her well-bred disapproval.

Winifred looked silently at her plate, and Mrs. Gray spoke again, looking at her husband.

“I wish, father,” she said, “that you would try and set Winifred right on this matter.  We cannot let her go on in such a mistake.  Where will it lead to?” and with real distress she considered the calamity of her beautiful daughter’s withdrawal from society, and the dashing her own fond pride to the ground.

Mr. Gray had been listening thoughtfully.  Now, being appealed to, he spoke.

“To tell the truth, mother,” he said, “I do not think the idea quite so extraordinary as you do.  When I was a boy, where I lived, if young people were converted it made all sorts of difference as to the things they did and the places they went to.  We didn’t expect to see them at dances, or at the theater, or any such places.  If we did, everybody reckoned that they had backslidden.  Those things were called ‘worldly.’  We have almost lost the word now, but it must be descriptive of something, I should say.  If Winifred instinctively takes a stand against such things, without being talked to about it, I shall think it is the old sort of religion that she has somehow discovered, and shall not be sorry.  I would really prefer it to be a kind that can be distinguished without reference to the church records.  That variety is scarce enough, in all conscience!”

Winifred was surprised at her father’s defense, and it unnerved her.  Tears sprang to her eyes, and she nearly choked over the coffee with which she sought to hide her quivering lips.  Hubert looked gratefully at his father.  Mrs. Gray looked much depressed.  She expected wise words of reproach that would settle the matter with Winifred and perhaps save much trouble in the future.  And now he really inclined to her view of the case!  It was disappointing.  But men, after all, did not always see social matters as women did.  She was not accustomed to arguing with her husband, but this case required more resistance than usual.