"It must be," he sighed, so humbly that she regretted her victory. She would have put out her hand to comfort him, but she saw above them Willie Enslee leaning across the balustrade. She lifted her horse into a jog-trot, and they rode into the court, where a chauffeur waited to take the horses to the stable.
Willie greeted them in his whiniest tone.
"Where on earth were you? We've been home for ages."
"We got off the main road," Persis said, as she climbed the steps, followed by Forbes, "and the horses were tired and—"
"I was awfully anxious. I was about to start out to look for you."
"There was no occasion to be anxious."
"Besides, your father telephoned you."
"My father! Is he back in New York?"
"No; he telephoned from Chicago. He was just leaving on the twenty-hour train. He couldn't wait till you got back."
"What did he have to say?"