ted and pretty, and--a rose-garden! And here,
apparently, was her wish uncannily fulfilled.

"Well, what are you going to do about it?" inquired the Destinies with
their traditional indifference. "We can't wait all night!"

She lifted her head and cast an almost frightened look at the De
Guenthers, waiting courteously for her decision. In reply to the look,
Mr. De Guenther began giving her details about the money, and the
leisure time, and the business terms of the contract generally. She
listened attentively. All that--for a little guardianship, a little
kindness, and the giving-up of a little piece of life nobody wanted and
a few little hopes and dreams!

Phyllis laughed, as she always did when there were big black problems to
be solved.

"After all, it's fairly usual," she said. "I heard last week of a woman
who left money along with her pet dog, very much the same way."

"Did you? Did you, dear?" asked Mrs. De Guenther, beaming. "Then you
think you will do it?"

The Liberry Teacher rose, and squared her straight young shoulders under
the worn net waist.

"If Mrs. Harrington thinks I'll do for the situation!" she said
gallantly,--and laughed again.

* * * * *

"It feels partly like going into a nunnery and partly like going into a
fairy-story," she said to herself that night as she wound her alarm.
"But--I wonder if anybody's remembered to ask the consent of the
groom!"

V

He looked like a young Crusader on a tomb. That was Phyllis's first
impression of Allan Harrington. He talked and acted, if a moveless man
can be said to act, like a bored, spoiled small boy. That was her
second.

Mrs. Harrington, fragile, flushed, breathlessly intense in her
wheel-chair, had yet a certain resemblance in voice and gesture to Mrs.
De Guenther--a resemblance which puzzled Phyllis till she placed it as
the mark of that far-off ladies' school they had attended together.
There was also a graceful, mincing white wolfhound which, contrary to
the accepted notion of invalids' faithful hounds, didn't seem to care
for his master's darkened sick-room at all, but followed the one sunny
spot in Mrs. Harrington's room with a wistful persistence. It was such a
small spot for such a long wolfhound--that was the principal thing which
impressed itself on Phyllis's frightened mind throughout her visit.

Mrs. De Guenther convoyed her to the Harrington house for inspection a
couple of days after