"Don't think of me, Mr. Philip," exclaimed Eliza hastily. "This is your house."
"My stable, you mean." He smiled. "No, it's yours this afternoon, Eliza. You're to give orders."
"Then you may smoke to your hearts' content," she responded promptly; and she sent an inimical look toward the graceful girl in the drooping hat. Let her smoke! Eliza hoped she would, and let Philip Sidney see what the Fabians were.
"Remove my sister's scruples, won't you, Sidney?" said Edgar, offering his case.
Phil took a cigarette, and Edgar passed them back to Kathleen.
"No, thanks," she replied. She had seen the cool curiosity in the host's eyes as they rested upon her a moment ago.
"Oh, go ahead," urged Edgar.
"I don't like your cigarettes," she returned shortly, annoyed by his persistence. A deep color grew in her cheeks.
"Wait till you know Kath better," said Edgar with a wink toward Philip. "You'll welcome any little human touches about her. She's at the most painful stage of her college career where she knows everything; and she's one of these high-brows; saves money—good money—and buys microscopes with it!" The utter scorn of the speaker's tone, as he offered Phil a light, caused the latter to smile.
"What are you doing with a microscope, Miss Fabian?" he asked.