are immensely comforted by
that circumstance."

The conversation waxed warmer and more personal. Fred took a
conservative view of the question. He thought that there were instincts
implanted by Nature, which inspired Mrs. Gordon with a yearning for
exactly the sort of existence that fate had assigned to her. Algitha,
who had been the recipient of that lady's tragic confidences, broke into
a shout of laughter.

"Well, Harold Wilkins says----"

This name was also greeted with a yell of derision.

"I don't see why you girls always scoff so at Harold Wilkins," said
Fred, slightly aggrieved, "he is generally thought a lot of by girls.
All Mrs. Gordon's sisters adore him."

"He needs no further worshippers," said Hadria.

Fred was asked to repeat the words of Harold Wilkins, but to soften them
down if too severe.

"He laughs at your pet ideas," said Fred ruthlessly.

"Break it gently, Fred, gently."

"He thinks that a true woman esteems it her highest privilege to--well,
to be like Mrs. Gordon."

"Wise and learned youth!" cried Hadria, resting her chin on her hand,
and peering up into the blue sky, above the temple.

"_Fool!_" exclaimed Algitha.

"He says," continued Fred, determined not to spare those who were so
overbearing in their scorn, "he says that girls who have ideas like
yours will never get any fellow to marry them."

Laughter loud and long greeted this announcement.

"Laughter," observed Fred, when he could make himself heard, "is among
the simplest forms of argument. Does this merry outburst imply that you
don't care a button whether you are able to get some one to marry you or
not?"

"It does," said Algitha.

"Well, so I said to Wilkins, as a matter of fact, with my nose in the air,
on your behalf, and Wilkins replied, 'Oh, it's all very well while girls
are young and good-looking to be so high and mighty, but some day, when
they are left out in the cold, and all their friends married, they may
sing a different tune.' Feeling there was something in this remark,"
Fred continued, "I raised my nose two inches higher, and adopted the
argument that _I_ also resort to _in extremis_. I laughed.
'Well, my dear fellow,' Wilkins observed calmly, 'I mean no offence, but
what on earth is a girl to do with herself if she _doesn't_ marry?'"

"What did you reply?" asked Ernest with curiosity.

"Oh, I said that was an unimportant detail, and changed the subject."

Algitha was still scornful, but Hadria