"I tell you I won't stand it! I'll have the confounded party to-night,—because I'll HAVE to, but to-morrow I'm coming straight, bang, up to Eastchester!"
"Come if you like, but you won't be admitted to this house. And I think you're acting horrid, Philip. Instead of being sorry for me, you just scold."
"I'm not scolding YOU, Patty, but I won't have you shut up there with that Cameron!"
"And Kenneth."
"Harper's all right, but that Cameron boy is too fresh,—and I don't want you to encourage him."
"All right, Philip, I won't encourage him. Good-bye." Patty spoke in her sweetest tones, and hung up the receiver suddenly, leaving Mr. Van Reypen in a state of mind bordering on frenzy.
Then Patty called up Nan, and explained the whole situation to her.
"How awful!" said Nan, in deepest sympathy, "both for Mrs. Perry and for you."
"Yes, it is; but of course there's nothing to do but make the best of it. Ken is splendid. If it weren't for his strength and courage I don't know how I'd bear it. But he won't let me give way. So I'm going to be a heroine and all that sort of thing, a real little Casablanca. Honestly, Nan, I feel ashamed of myself to think of my little bothers,—when the boys have their business matters to consider, and Mrs. Perry is in such deep trouble. So I'm going to do my best to be cheerful and pleasant. They say we may be here two or three weeks or more."
"Good gracious, Patty!"