accept him. Then it would be too late to interfere. We have only a few
days at the most. And what can we do? How can we hope to make him
change his mind?"

Again Ida pondered. "He has never tried what it is to live with a
strong-minded woman," said she. "If we could only get him to realize it
in time. Oh, Clara, I have it; I have it! Such a lovely plan!" She
leaned back in her chair and burst into a fit of laughter so natural and
so hearty that Clara had to forget her troubles and to join in it.

"Oh, it is beautiful!" she gasped at last. "Poor papa! What a time he
will have! But it's all for his own good, as he used to say when we had
to be punished when we were little. Oh, Clara, I do hope your heart
won't fail you."

"I would do anything to save him, dear."

"That's it. You must steel yourself by that thought."

"But what is your plan?"

"Oh, I am so proud of it. We will tire him for ever of the widow, and
of all emancipated women. Let me see, what are Mrs. Westmacott's main
ideas? You have listened to her more than I. Women should attend less
to household duties. That is one, is it not?"

"Yes, if they feel they have capabilities for higher things. Then she
thinks that every woman who has leisure should take up the study of some
branch of science, and that, as far as possible, every woman should
qualify herself for some trade or profession, choosing for preference