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And he rose, smoothing his roughened hair with both hands, while Lorimer in obedience to his request, kept one knee artistically pressed on the recumbent figure of the minister. "Ah! and there is our Phil-eep, and Sandy, and Monsieur Gueldmar! But I do not think," here he beamed all over, "there is much more to be done! He is one bruise, I assure you!
"Your mind is as uncomfortable as a loaded camel. Let it lie down, while you take off its packages, one by one, and reveal their contents. In short, what's up?" Duprez made a rapid, expressive gesture with his hands. "Mon cher, I fear to displease Phil-eep! He has invited these people; they are coming, bien! there is no more to say."
"Still we heard it pretty distinctly, and I think we'd better make for the yacht." "All right!" and Sir Philip sprang gaily into the long-boat to arrange the cushions in the stern for Thelma. Never had he looked handsomer or more high-spirited, and his elation was noticed by all his companions. "Something joyous has happened to our Phil-eep," said Duprez in a half-whisper. "He is in the air!"
And beautiful she is, mon Dieu! . . . beyond all comparison!" Lorimer was silent, so was Macfarlane. After a pause Duprez spoke again. "And do you know, cher Lorimer, when our Phil-eep will marry?" "I haven't the slightest idea," returned Lorimer. "I know he's engaged, that's all." Suddenly Macfarlane broke into a chuckling laugh.
Then turning to Thelma, who stood an amazed spectator of the scene, her flushed cheeks and tear-swollen eyes testifying to the misery of the hours she had passed, he said, "Run, Mademoiselle, run! The little Britta is outside, she has a pony-car she will drive you home. I will stay here till Phil-eep comes. I shall enjoy myself! I will begin Phil-eep with finish! Then we will return to you."
Another welcome visitor was Pierre Duprez, lively and sparkling as ever, he came from Paris to pass a fortnight with his "cher Phil-eep," and make merriment for the whole party.
"I am delighted he gave me this scar, otherwise I am confident he would have put out the eye of Phil-eep. And that would have been a misfortune! For what would the ladies in London say if le beau Errington returned to them with one eye! Mon Dieu! they would all be en desespoir!" Thelma looked up.
"Ha, ha!" exclaimed Duprez slyly, "the dear Phil-eep is in love?" "Something more than that," said Lorimer, looking absently at the cigarette he held between his fingers, "he's an engaged man." "Engaged!" cried Macfarlane excitedly. "Ma certes! He has the deevil's own luck! He's just secured for himself the grandest woman in the warld!"
Errington began to apologize at once for his long absence, giving as a reason for it, the necessity he found himself under of making a call on some persons of importance in the neighborhood, whom he had, till now, forgotten. "My good Phil-eep!" cried Duprez, in his cheery sing song accent, "why apologize? We have amused ourselves! Our dear Sandy has a vein of humor that is astonishing!
"Mais certainement!" he said frankly and emphatically. "Phil-eep is a favorite everywhere! Yet not more so with women than with men. I love him extremely he is a charming boy! Then you see, chere Mademoiselle, he is rich, very rich, and there are so many pretty girls who are very poor, naturally they are enchanted with our Errington voyez-vous?"
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