"No," he replied quickly; "it is you who are about to desert this studio, which for a short time has been brightened by your presence——"
"Well," interrupted Agnes, "since you are not going to leave New York, I hope you will continue to call on us."
"I suppose I shall continue to call on your reception days, if that is what you mean," said Sprague somewhat disconsolately.
"Now that," laughed Agnes, "is not in line with the polite things you have been saying."
"I did not mean to say anything rude, Miss Murdock, but a call on your reception day is a call on your guests. Surrounded as you are on such occasions, one has barely a chance to catch a glimpse of you, much less to speak with you."
"We are always glad to see our friends at other times than on our reception days."
"Do you really mean it?" asked the artist eagerly. "May I call on you sometimes when the crowd is not there?"
"We shall be happy to have you call at any time, Mr. Sprague."
Sprague thought he detected a slight emphasis on the pronoun.
"But it is not we I wish to call on. It is you, Miss Murdock."