e, and getting
them at one fell swoop seemed to her more arrogantly opulent than the
purchase of the house and grounds--than even the big shiny victrola. She
had bought that herself, before there was a house to put it in, going on
the principle that all men not professional musicians have a concealed
passion for music that they can create themselves by merely winding up
something. And--to anticipate--she found that as far as Allan was
concerned she was quite right.

"But why do you take this very radical step, my dear?" asked Mrs. De
Guenther gently, as she helped Phyllis choose furniture.

"I am going to try the only thing Allan's mother seems to have
omitted," said Phyllis dauntlessly. "A complete change of surroundings."

"Oh, my dear!" breathed Mrs. De Guenther. "It may help poor Allan more
than we know! And dear Angela did discuss moving often, but she could
never bear to leave the city house, where so many of her dear ones have
passed away."

"Well, none of _my_ dear ones are going to pass away there," said
Phyllis irreverently, "unless Mrs. Clancy wants to. I'm not even taking
any servants but Wallis. The country-house doesn't need any more than a
cook, a chambermaid, and outdoor man. Mrs. Clancy is getting them. I
told her I didn't care what age or color she chose, but they had to be
cheerful. She will stay in the city and keep the others straight, in
something she calls board-wages. I'm starting absolutely fresh."

They were back at Mrs. De Guenther's house by the time Phyllis was done
telling her plans, Phyllis sitting in the identical pluffy chair where
she had made her decision to marry Allan. Mrs. De Guenther sprang from
her own chair, and came over and impulsively kissed her.

"God bless you, dear!" she said. "I believe it was Heaven that inspired
Albert and myself to choose you to carry on poor Angela's work."

Phyllis flushed indignantly.

"I'm undoing a little of it, I hope," she said passionately. "If I can
only make that poor boy forget some of those dreadful years she spent
crying over him, I shan't have lived in vain!"

Mrs. De Guenther looked at Phyllis earnestly--and, most unexpectedly,
burst into a little tinkling laugh.

"My dear," she said mischievously, "what about all the fine things you
were going to do for yourself to make up for being tied to poor Allan?
You should really stop being unselfish, and enjoy yourself a little."

Phyllis felt herself flushing crimson. Elderly people