"When am I going to have any of it?" inquired Edgar. "Is it worth while to be formal here?"
"Oh, he'll be down in one minute," said Kathleen; and indeed Philip soon appeared and they all seated themselves.
"Last offence, really," said the guest gaily, "but one must be granted a little extra license when he's proposing."
The waitress had placed the filled soup-plates before the family sat down; and Edgar promptly choked on his first mouthful. Violet had told him of meeting Phil in Gramercy Park. Where else and how often had the perfidious girl been with him?
Kathleen swallowed her spoonful of soup, but it was not hot enough to account for the strange burning heat which suddenly travelled down her spine.
Mrs. Fabian alone looked up. "Don't take our breath away like that," she protested. "Who is the woman? Violet Manning or Eliza Brewster?"
"I dreamed of her all last night," returned Phil, eating hungrily. "I knew she was coming, and I could hardly wait to learn my fate. Didn't you notice that I merely played with my breakfast this morning?"
"You ate like a hunter. Didn't he, Kathleen?"
Phil laughed and raised his happy eyes to his hostess.
"Well, you'd save a whole lot of dinner this noon, only that she said 'Yes.'"