"Oh! you know she's an Episcopalian, and Episcopalians don't think it right for women to set up to teach men." "I'm Episcopalian enough, but if a woman sets up as a preacher at all, I don't see why she shouldn't preach to those that need it most. It's only called a 'Bible reading'"--here Charley carefully spread his gloves across his right knee--"there's no law against reading the Bible to men?" he added, looking up with a quick winning smile. "Now you see she turns the scripture topsy-turvy. Instead of women having to inquire of their husbands at home, men are obliged to inquire of their wives and sweethearts. I don't mind that, though. I'd rather hear it from you than from Mrs. Frankland any day." And he gathered up his gloves, and leaned back in his chair. Phillida smiled, and took this for an invitation to repeat to him part of what Mrs. Frankland had said. She related the story of Elizabeth Fry's work in Newgate, as Mrs. Frankland had told it, she retold Mrs. Frankland's version of Florence Nightingale in the hospital, and then she paused. "There, Charley," she said deprecatingly, "I can't tell these things with half the splendid effect that Mrs. Frankland did. But it made a great impression on me. I mean to try to be more useful." "You? I don't see how you can be any better than you are, my dear. That kind of talk is good for other people, but it isn't meant for you." "Don't say that; please don't. But Mrs. Frankland made a deep impression on all the people at Mrs. Van Horne's." "At Mrs. Van Horne's?" he asked, with curiosity mingled with surprise. "Yes; I went with Mrs. Hilbrough." "Whew! Has Mrs. Frankland got in there?" he said, twirling his cane reflectively. "I hadn't heard it." "It isn't quite fair for you to say 'got in there,' is it, Charley? Mrs. Frankland was invited by Mrs. Van Horne to give her readings at her house, and she thought it might do good," said Phillida, unwilling to believe that anybody she liked could be more worldly than she was herself. "I did not mean to speak slightingly of Mrs. Frankland," he said; "I suppose she is a very good woman. But I know she asked Mrs. Hilbrough to let her read in her house. I only guessed that she must have managed Mrs. Van Horne in some way. It is no disgrace for her to seek to give her readings where she thinks they will do good." "Did she ask Mrs. Hilbrough?" said Phillida. "Mrs. Hilbrough told me so, and the Van Horne opening may have been one of Mrs. Hilbrough's clever contrivances. _That_ woman is a perfect general. This reading at Mrs. Van Horne's must be a piece of her fine work."