<SPAN name="XVIII"></SPAN>
<h1 align="center" style="margin-top: 2em;font-variant: small-caps">Chapter XVIII</h1>
<h2 align="center" style="margin-top: 2em;font-variant: small-caps">Gloria’s Work Bears Fruit</h2>
<p>In her efforts towards proselyting the rich, Gloria
had not neglected her immediate family. By arguments
and by bringing to the fore concrete examples to illustrate
them, she had succeeded in awakening within her father
a curious and unhappy frame of mind. That shifting
and illusive thing we call conscience was beginning
to assert itself in divers ways.</p>
<p>The first glimpse that Gloria had of his change of
heart was at a dinner party. The discussion began
by a dyspeptic old banker declaring that before the
business world could bring the laboring classes to
their senses it would be necessary to shut down the
factories for a time and discontinue new enterprises
in order that their dinner buckets and stomachs might
become empty.</p>
<p>Before Gloria could take up the cudgels in behalf
of those seeking a larger share of the profits of
their labor, Mr. Strawn had done so. The debate between
the two did not last long and was not unduly heated,
but Gloria knew that the Rubicon had been crossed
and that in the future she would have a powerful ally
in her father.</p>
<p>Neither had she been without success in other directions,
and she was, therefore, able to report to Philip very
satisfactory progress. In one of their many conferences
she was glad to be able to tell him that in the future
abundant financial backing was assured for any cause
recommended by either of them as being worthy. This
was a long step forward, and Philip congratulated
Gloria upon her efficient work.</p>
<p>“Do you remember, Gloria,” he said, “how
unhappy you were over the thought of laboring among
the rich instead of the poor? And yet, contemplate
the result. You have not only given some part of your
social world an insight into real happiness, but you
are enabling the balance of us to move forward at
a pace that would have been impossible without your
aid.” Gloria flushed with pleasure at his generous
praise and replied: “It is good of you, Philip,
to give me so large a credit, and I will not deny
that I am very happy over the outcome of my endeavors,
unimportant though they be. I am so glad, Philip, that
you have been given the leadership of our side in
the coming struggle, for I shall now feel confident
of success.”</p>
<p>“Do not be too sure, Gloria. We have the right
and a majority of the American people with us; yet,
on the other hand, we have opposed to us not only
resourceful men but the machinery of a great Government
buttressed by unlimited wealth and credit.”</p>
<p>“Why could not I ‘try out’ the sincerity
of my rich converts and get them to help finance your
campaign?”</p>
<p>“Happy thought! If you succeed in doing that,
Gloria, you will become the Joan d’Arc of our
cause, and unborn generations will hold you in grateful
remembrance.”</p>
<p>“How you do enthuse one, Philip. I feel already
as if my name were written high upon the walls of
my country’s Valhalla. Tell me how great a fund
you will require, and I will proceed at once to build
the golden ladder upon which I am to climb to fame.”</p>
<p>“You need not make light of your suggestion
in this matter, Gloria, for the lack of funds with
which to organize is essentially our weakest point.
With money we can overthrow the opposition, without
it I am afraid they may defeat us. As to the amount
needed, I can set no limit. The more you get the more
perfectly can we organize. Do what you can and do
it quickly, and be assured that if the sum is considerable
and if our cause triumphs, you will have been the
most potent factor of us all.”</p>
<p>And then they parted; Gloria full of enthusiasm over
her self-appointed task, and Philip with a silent
prayer for her success.</p>
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