Orders."

Philip didn't hear it, but Patty did, and she blushed, for Cameron's
departure that way showed greater deference to her wishes than if he
had stayed with her.

"What did he say?" Philip asked, as he offered Patty a cup of
bouillon, and then sat down beside her.

"He said you were such a sweet-tempered man, he didn't wonder I
liked you," and Patty beamed pleasantly.

"I would be sweet-tempered, Patty, if you didn't tease the very life
out of me!"

"Now, Philip, you wouldn't be much good if you couldn't stand a
little teasing."

"Go ahead, then; tease me all you like," and Van Reypen looked the
personification of dogged endurance.

"I will!" said Patty, emphatically, and then some others joined
them, and the group began to laugh and talk together.

"Your cousin is stunning, Marie," said Mona Galbraith; "why have we
never met him before?"

"He's a freak," Marie said, laughingly. "I couldn't persuade him to
come to my valentine party, and to-night I couldn't keep him away!
All musicians are freaks, you know."