"What's all this between you and Phyllis?" asked Ethel, coming up.
"There is nothing between her and me," said I.
"Well, there should be," she retorted. "That is the trouble."
My observation was: "I have always held that immediately a woman gets married she makes it her business to see that all old bachelors are lugged out and disposed of to old maids."
"I shall never forgive that," Phyllis declared; "never."
"Then I shall always have the exquisite pleasure of being a supplicant for your pardon. It is delightful to sue pardon of a beautiful woman."
Phyllis sniffed.
"Forgive him at once," said Ethel, "if only for that pretty speech."
Mr. Holland pulled out his watch suggestively.
"Well," I said, "I see that I am keeping you from your lunch. Good-by, then, till dinner, when I shall continue at length on the evils—"