"Two inspecting committees at once!" cried Philip. "It is well for you, Withers, that you didn't locate the line. My sister and I have already found several unnecessary curves and culverts."
"And we have found a great deal of use and no beauty," Lucy answered.
"Beauty!" exclaimed Madeline. "What is more beautiful than to see one's groceries delivered at one's very door? Or to have the opera and the picture-gallery brought within two hours' distance? How far are we from a lemon, Philip?"
"You were a lemon, Mad, in your vegetable, pre-human state; and you are still acid and agreeable."
"Sweets to the sweet!" she gayly cried. "And what, pray, was Miss Henderson?"
"Don't spare me, Mr. Held," said Lucy, as he looked at her with a little hesitation.
"An apple."
"And Mrs. Hopeton?"
"A date-palm," said Philip, fixing his eyes upon her face.
She did not look up, but an expression which he could not interpret just touched her lips and faded.