“Oh, wouldn’t I love to study here!”
“Are you going back to Greycliff after this year?”
“I can’t tell. We all love Greycliff so, but Hilary thinks that her people may plan for her to go somewhere else, and if our ‘quartette’ is broken up we may not be so crazy about staying. We are going to have this year together, anyhow.”
“Campbell and I get through college this year. You remember what I said about the war—when we were in the pine grove at camp?”
“Yes, indeed,” said Lilian soberly.
“Well, we have promised the folks to finish this year at college, if possible, or at least not to go without their consent if we do get into the war. And you will write all year to me, won’t you, as you promised?”
“Oh, yes.”
“There is such a lot of us that I thought I’d better make sure to remind you. And, Lilian, did you mind what I said about——”
But Lilian did not hear the rest of this remark, for at this point Mrs. Van Buskirk entered the library and smilingly informed Philip that he would scarcely have time to reach the station before Robert Paget’s train arrived. Philip looked at his watch.
“You’re right, Mother! Excuse me, Lilian. I’m trying to persuade Lilian that she ought to have her voice cultivated right here in New York,” and Philip dashed off.