Mrs. Frankland appreciated for the first time the
fact that Phillida could hardly feel the same exultation in slaughtering
her affections and hopes that Mrs. Frankland had felt in advising such a
course of spiritual discipline. Just a little ripple of remorse flecked
the surface of her mind, but she found consolation in a purpose to make
the matter right by seeing Phillida the next day and inquiring more
fully into the matter. Her natural hopefulness came to her rescue, and
Mrs. Frankland slept without disturbance from regrets.

When she awaked in the morning it was with a dull sense that there was
something which needed to be righted. She had to rummage her memory
awhile to discover just what it was. Having placed it at length in
Phillida's affair, she suddenly reflected that perhaps Mrs. Hilbrough
could throw light on it, and she would postpone seeing Phillida until
after her drive with Mrs. Hilbrough in the afternoon. "It is better to
give counsel advisedly," was the phrase with which she ticketed this
decision and sustained it.

The day was fine, and the drive in Mrs. Hilbrough's easy-rolling open
carriage was exhilarating, and in that sort of bird-chatter about
nothing in particular in which two people enjoying motion are prone to
engage Mrs. Frankland was in danger of forgetting her purpose to inquire
about Phillida Callender, until at length, when the carriage was fairly
within the Park, Mrs. Hilbrough, whose businesslike brain never let go
its grasp on a main purpose, said:

"Mrs. Frankland, I wanted to speak to you about Miss Callender."

"The very person I wished to ask your advice about," said Mrs.
Frankland. "She called on me yesterday late in the afternoon."

"Did she?" Mrs. Hilbrough asked this with internal alarm. "Did she say
anything to you about her love affair?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Frankland; "I suppose I ought not to repeat what she
said, but you are her friend and you will be able to advise me in the
matter. I'm afraid I didn't say just the right thing--I mean that I
didn't advise her as fully as I should have done. It's hard to know what
to say about other people's affairs. I felt worried about her, and I
came near going to see her this morning. But I remembered that you were
her friend, and I thought it best to see what you would say. It's always
best to give counsel advisedly, I think."

"May I ask what you said to her?" said Mrs. Hilbrough,
characteristically refusing to be shunted from the