willow. But he took pains to lay the work he asked Philip to do where that scene would be out of his sight. When Elnora came around the corner with the pitcher, she found herself facing Edith Carr.
"I want a minute with you," said Miss Carr.
"Very well," replied Elnora, walking on.
"Set the pitcher on the bench there," commanded Edith Carr, as if speaking to a servant.
"I prefer not to offer my guests a warm drink," said Elnora. "I'll come back if you really wish to speak with me."
"I came solely for that," said Edith Carr.
"It would be a pity to travel so far in this dust and heat for nothing. I'll only be gone a second."
Elnora set the pitcher before her mother. "Please serve this," she said. "Miss Carr wishes to speak with me."
"Well, don't you pay the least attention to anything she says," cried Polly. "Tom and I didn't come here because we wanted to. We just came to checkmate her. I hoped I'd get the opportunity to say a word to you, and now she has given it to me. I just want to tell you that she threw Phil over in perfectly horrid style. All of us detest her for it, as much as he does. She hasn't any right to lay the ghost of a claim to him, has she, Tom?"
"Nary a claim," said Tom Levering earnestly. "Why, even you, Polly, couldn't serve me as she did Phil, and ever get me back again. If I were you, Miss Comstock, I'd send my mother to talk with her and I'd stay here."
