to her. So, I must
needs convince her of my superior judgment."

The two went off, laughing, and Philip sat down again beside Patty.

"How happy they are together," he said, musingly.

"Yes; I'm thoroughly glad for them. I never saw a pair better suited
to one another. Roger adores the ground Mona walks on, yet he knows
just how to manage her----"

"Do you think a man ought to 'manage' the woman he loves?"

"If necessary, yes. At least he should know how to."

"And do you think I know how to manage you?"

"I don't want to be managed,--I can manage myself," Patty smiled,
roguishly. "But since you ask me, Phil, no, I don't think you do know
how to manage me,--not the least little mite!"

"Teach me then, dear. I'll do just what you say."

"All right. First, you must not scold me if I like people whom you
don't like."

"Oh, hang! I had forgotten all about those bumptious lumps! Why
remind me?"

"Because it's a case in point. If you care for me, you must care for
the things or people that I care for."

"But, Patty,--since you've brought up the subject, let's have it out.
You _can't_ like those humbugs,--those fake brainsters,--those sap-head
pharisees----"

"Phil, suppose you stop calling them names, which mean nothing, and
tell me just what it is you have against them."

"There's everything against them, Patty, and nothing for them. They
pretend to wisdom, knowledge, and genius that they don't possess. They
fake up a lot of patter talk and pass it off for philosophy, or
psychology, or lord knows what! And there isn't an ounce of brains in
the whole fool bunch of them! That's what makes me mad! They fool you
into believing their drivel is wisdom, and it isn't!"

"How do you know? You haven't such a lot of that sort of knowledge
yourself."

"What sort of knowledge?"

"Soul lore----"

"Patty! Don't you ever use the word _soul_ in the silly way they do!
You have a soul, of course,--an immortal soul. But they don't mean
that. By soul, they mean a puffball of hifalutin ideas, of nonsense
about the occult and psychic, and all that balderdash. Oh, Patty, my
little girl, _don't_ let those idiot people carry away your common
sense and your plain everyday sanity! Don't, I beg of you!"

"Look here, Phil," and Patty stared at him, thoughtfully; "I'm to give
you an answer to a certain question in about a fortnight, I believe."

"You are, my Blessed Darling! To be exact, on the fifteenth of