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Patty's Suitors

by Carolyn Wells · English · Gutenberg #5631 · 361,909 chars · public domain (US)

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Title: Patty's Suitors

Author: Carolyn Wells


        
Release date: May 1, 2004 [eBook #5631]
                Most recently updated: May 30, 2013

Language: English

Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5631

Credits: Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team


*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PATTY'S SUITORS ***




Produced by Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.









PATTY'S SUITORS

BY CAROLYN WELLS

Author of The Patty Books, The Marjorie Books, etc.


Illustrations by E.C. Caswell




CONTENTS

    I   A VALENTINE PARTY

   II   ON THE TELEPHONE

  III   THE HEPWORTHS AT HOME

   IV   A PERFECTLY GOOD JOKE

    V   THREE PICTURES

   VI   PRINCESS POPPYCHEEK

  VII   SUITORS

 VIII   A HOUSE PARTY

   IX   EDDIE BELL

    X   QUARANTINED

   XI   MEETING IT BRAVELY

  XII   A SURPRISE

 XIII   SISTER BEE

  XIV   KENNETH

   XV   AN INVITATION

  XVI   BELLE HARCOURT

 XVII   MAY-DAY

XVIII   MOONLIGHT

  XIX   IN THE RUNABOUT

   XX   THE RIDE HOME




ILLUSTRATIONS

  "BEWARE, TAKE CARE, SHE IS FOOLING THEE"

  AFTER DINNER THE WHOLE PARTY WENT TO THE OPERA

  "NOW, WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN A CASE LIKE THAT?"

  "BILL!" SHE CRIED, "LITTLE BILLEE!"




CHAPTER I

A VALENTINE PARTY


"It IS a boofy frock, isn't it, Nansome?"

Patty craned her head over her shoulder, as she waited for her
stepmother's response, which was only, "Yes."

"Oh, my gracious, Nan! Enthuse! Don't you know half the fun in life is
enthusiasm?"

"What shall I say?" asked Nan, laughing.

"Oh, say it's a peach! a hummer! a lallapaloosa!"

"Patty, Patty! what language!"

"Oh, yes; I forgot I meant to stop using slang. But when any one is so
lukewarm in her admiration as you are, forcible language is called for."

"Well, it certainly is a lovely gown, and you never looked prettier.
There! since you are fishing for compliments, are you pleased now?"

Patty was far from being conceited over her pretty face, but she
honestly liked admiration, and, indeed, she was accustomed to receive
it from all who knew her. At the present moment, she was standing
before a long mirror in her boudoir, putting the last touches to her
new party toilette. Louise, the maid, stood by, with a fur-trimmed
wrap, and Patty drew on her long gloves with a happy smile of
anticipation.

"I just feel sure I'm going to have a good time to-night," she said;
"it's a presentiment or premonition, or whatever you call it."

"Don't flirt too desperately," said Nan, not without cause, for pretty
Petty was by nature a coquette, and as she had many admirers she
merrily led them a dance.

"But it's so interesting to flirt, Nancy. And the boys like it,--so why
not?"

Why not, indeed? thought Nan. Patty's flirtations were harmless,
roguish affairs, and prompted by mischief and good nature. Patty was a
sweet, true character, and if she teased the young men a bit, it was
because of her irrepressible love of fun.

"And this is St. Valentine's night," went on Nan, "so I suppose you
think yourself privileged to break all the hearts you can."

"Some hearts are so brittle, it's no fun to break them," returned
Patty, carelessly, as she adjusted her headdress.

She was going to a Valentine party, where the guests were requested to
come in appropriate costume.

So Patty's gown was of white lace, softly draped with white chiffon. On
the modish tunic were love-knots of pale blue velvet, and a border of
tiny pink rosebuds. The head-dress, of gold filigree, was a heart
pierced by a dart; and on Patty's left shoulder, a dainty little figure
of Cupid was wobbling rather uncertainly.

"You'll lose that little God of War," said Nan.

"I don't care if I do," Patty answered; "he's a nuisance, anyway, but I
wanted something Valentinish, so I perched him up there. Now, good-bye,
Nancy Dancy, and I expect I'll be out pretty late."

"I shall send Louise for you at twelve, and you must be ready then."

"Oh, make it one. You know a Valentine party is lots of fun."

"Well, half-past twelve," agreed Nan, "and not a minute later!"

Then Louise wrapped Patty in a light blue evening cloak, edged with
white fur, and the happy maiden danced downstairs.

"Good-bye, Popsy-Poppet," she cried, looking in at the library door.

"Bless my soul! what a vision of beauty!" and Mr. Fairfield laid down
his paper to look at his pretty daughter.

"Yes," she said, demurely, "everybody tells me I look exactly like my
father."

"You flatter yourself!" said Nan, who had followed, and who now tucked
her hand through her husband's arm. "My Valentine is the handsomest man
in the world!"

"Oh, you turtle-doves!" said Patty, laughing, as she ran down the steps
to the waiting motor.

Unless going with a chaperon, Patty was always accompanied by the maid,
Louise, who either waited for her young mistress in the dressing-room
or returned for her when the party was over.

"Shall you be late, Miss Patty?" she asked, as they reached their
destination.

"Yes; don't wait for me, Louise. Come back about half-past twelve; I'll
be ready soon after that."

Louise adored Patty, for she was always kind and considerate of the
servants; and she thought Louise might as well have the evening to
herself, as to be cooped up in a dressing-room.

The party was at Marie Homer's, a new friend, with whom Patty had but
recently become acquainted.

The Homers lived in a large apartment house, called The Wimbledon, and
it was Patty's first visit there. Miss Homer and her mother were
receiving their guests in a ballroom, and when Patty greeted them, a
large crowd had already assembled.

"You are a true valentine, my dear," said Mrs. Homer, looking
admiringly at Patty's garlanded gown.

"And this is a true Valentine party," said Patty, as she noted the
decorations of red hearts and gold darts, with Cupids of wax or bisque,
here and there among the floral ornaments.

Marie Homer, who was a pretty brunette, wore a dress of scarlet and
gold, trimmed with hearts and arrows.

"I'm so glad to have you here," she said to Patty; "for now I know my
party will be a success."

"I'm sure your parties always are," returned Patty, kindly, for Marie
was a shy sort of girl, and Patty was glad to encourage her.

As soon as the guests had all arrived St. Valentine appeared in the
doorway.

It was Mr. Homer, but he was scarcely recognisable in his garb of the
good old Saint.

He wore a red gown, trimmed with ermine, and a long white beard and wig.

He carried an enormous letter-bag, from which he distributed valentines
to all. They were of the old-fashioned lace paper variety, and
beautiful of their kind.

Mrs. Homer explained that on the valentine of every young man was a
question, and the girl whose valentine had an answer to rhyme with it,
was his partner for the first dance.

The young men were requested to read their valentines aloud in turn,
and the girls to read their responsive answers.

This proceeding caused much hilarity, for the lines were exceedingly
sentimental, and often affectionate.

When it was Roger Farrington's turn, he read out boldly:

     "Where's the girl I love the best?"

and Marie Homer, who chanced to hold the rhyming valentine, whispered,
shyly:

     "I am sweeter than the rest!"

"You are, indeed!" said Roger, as he offered his arm with his
courtliest bow.

Then Kenneth Harper read:

     "Who's the fairest girl of all?"

and Mona Galbraith read, with twinkling eyes:

     "I'll respond to that sweet call!"

Then it was Philip Van Reypen's turn. He glanced at his valentine, and
asked:

     "Who's a roguish little elf?"

Everybody laughed when a tall, serious-faced girl responded:

     "I guess I am that, myself!"

It was toward the last that Clifford Morse asked:

     "Who's the dearest girl I know?"

and as Patty's line rhymed, she said, demurely:

     "Guess I am,--if YOU think so!"

"I'm in luck," said Clifford, as he led her to the dance. "You're such
a belle, Patty Fairfield, that I seldom get a whole dance with you."

"Faint heart never won fair lady," laughed Patty, shaking her fan at
him. "I always accept invitations."

"Accept mine, then, for the next dance," said Philip Van Reypen, who
overheard her words as he was passing.

"No programmes to-night," returned Patty, smiling at him. "Ask me at
dance time."

As no dances could be engaged ahead, except verbally, Patty was
besieged by partners for every dance.

"Oh, dear," she cried, as, at the fourth dance, five or six eager young
men were bowing before her; "what shall I do? I'd have to be a
centipede to dance with you all! And I can't divide one dance into six
parts. And I can't CHOOSE,-that would be TOO embarrassing! Let's draw
lots. Lend me a coin, somebody."

"Here you are," said Van Reypen, handing her a bright quarter.

Patty took it, and put both hands behind her.

"You may try first, Phil, because you put up the capital. Right or
left?"

"Right," said Philip, promptly.

Patty gaily brought her hands into view, and the quarter lay in her
left palm.

"Next!" she said; "Mr. Downing."

"Left," chose that young man, as Patty again concealed her hands.

But that time she showed the coin in her right hand.

"My turn now," said Ken Harper, "AND, you'll please keep your hands in
front of you! You don't do it right."

"Do you mean that I cheat?" cried Patty, in pretended rage.

"Oh, no, no! nothing like that! Only, this game is always played with
the fists in view."

So Patty held her little gloved fists in front of her, while Kenneth
chose.

"Right!" he said, and her right hand slowly opened and showed the
shining coin.

"Were you going to take me, anyway?" asked Kenneth, as they walked off
together. "And why did you turn down poor Van Reypen? He was awfully
cut up."

"Ken Harper, do you mean to insinuate that I didn't play fair?"

"Yes, my lady, just that. Oh, cheating never prospers. You have to put
up with me, you see!"

"I might do worse," and Patty flashed him a saucy glance.

"I wish you meant that."

"Oh, I do! I DO, Ken. Truly, there are lots of worse people than you in
the world."

"Who?"

"Well,--there's Eddie Perkins."

"Oh, Patty! that fop! Well, I'll bet you can't think of another."

"No; I can't."

"Patty, how dare you! Then you'll sit right here until you can."

Laughingly Kenneth stopped dancing, and led Patty to an alcove where
there were a few chairs. As they sat down, Philip Van Reypen came
toward them.

"Oh, Ken," Patty cried, "I've thought of a man worse than you are! Oh,
EVER so much worse! Here he is! And I simply adore bad men, so I'm
going to dance with him."

Naughty Patty went dancing off with Van Reypen, and Ken looked after
them, a little crestfallen.

"But," he thought, "there's no use being angry or even annoyed at that
butterfly of a girl. She doesn't mean anything anyway. Some day, she'll
wake up and be serious, but now she's only a little bundle of
frivolity."

Kenneth had been friends with Patty for many years; far longer than any
of her other young men acquaintances. He was honestly fond of her, and
had a dawning hope that some time they might be more than friends. But
he was a slow-going chap, and he was inclined to wait until he had a
little more to offer, before he should woo the pretty butterfly.

And, too, Patty would never listen to a word of that sort of thing. She
had often proclaimed in his hearing, that she intended to enjoy several
years of gay society pleasures, before she would be engaged to any one.

So Kenneth idly watched her, as she circled the room with Van Reypen,
and took himself off to find another partner.

"Oh, Valentine, fair Valentine," said Van Reypen to Patty, as they
danced.

"Wilt thou be mine, and I'lt be thine," returned Patty, in mocking
sing-song tones.

"Forever may our hearts entwine," improvised Philip, in tune to the
music.

"Like chickwood round a punkin-vine," Patty finished.

"Pshaw, that's not sentimental. You should have said, Like sturdy oak
and clinging vine."

"But I'm not sentimental. Who could be in a crowded ballroom, in a
glare of light, and in a mad dance?"

"What conditions would make you feel sentimental?"

"Why,--let me see. Moonlight,--on a balcony,--with the right man."

"I'm the right man, all right,--and you know it. And if I'm not greatly
mistaken, here's moonlight and a balcony!"

Sure enough, a long French window had been set slightly ajar to cool
the overheated room, and almost before she knew it, Patty was whisked
outside.

"Oh, Philip! Don't! you mustn't! I'll take cold. I ought to have
something around me."

"You have," said Van Reypen, calmly, and as he had not yet released her
from the dance he held his arms lightly round her shoulders.

Patty was angry. She knew Philip loved her,--several times he had asked
her to marry him,--but this was taking an unfair advantage.

The February wind itself was not colder than the manner with which she
drew away from him, and stepped back into the ballroom.

"My dear, my dear," exclaimed Mrs. Homer, who chanced to be near, "how
imprudent! You should not go out without a wrap."

"I know it, Mrs. Homer," and Patty looked so sweetly penitent that her
hostess could but smile at her. "But, truly, I just stepped out a
single second to get a tiny breath of air. The room IS warm, isn't it?
May I stay here by you a few moments?"

"Yes, indeed," and Mrs. Homer drew the girl down beside her on the
sofa. "You're not robust, my child, and you mustn't run foolish risks."

"You're quite right, and I won't do it again. But on a night not quite
so cold, that balcony, flooded with moonlight, must be a romantic spot."

"It is, indeed," said Mrs. Homer, smiling. "My young people think so;
and I hope you will have many opportunities in the future to see it for
yourself."

"Your young people? Have you other children besides Marie?"

"Yes; I have a daughter who is away at boarding-school. And, also, I
have a nephew, whose home is in this same building."

"Is he here to-night?"

"No; Kit hates dances. Of course, that's because he doesn't dance
himself. He's a musician."

"Kit? What a funny name."

"It's Christopher, really, Christopher Cameron; but he's such a
happy-go-lucky sort of chap, we naturally call him Kit."

"I think I should like him," said Patty. "Would he like me?"

"No," said Mrs. Homer, her eyes twinkling at Patty's look of amazement.
"He detests girls. Even my daughters, his cousins, are nuisances, he
says. Still he likes to come down here and sit on my balcony, and tease
them. He lives with his parents in the apartment just above us."

"He sounds an interesting youth," said Patty, and then, as Roger came
up and asked her for a dance, she promptly forgot the musical nephew.

At supper-time, Patty's crowd of intimates gathered around her, and
they occupied a pleasant corner of the dining-room.

"What'll you have, Patsums?" asked Roger, as a waiter brought a tray
full of dainty viands.

"Sandwiches and bouillon," said Patty, promptly; "I'm honestly hungry."

"The result of exercise in the open air," murmured Philip Van Reypen,
as he took a seat directly behind her.

Patty gave an involuntary giggle, and then turned upon Philip what she
meant to be an icy glare. He grinned back at her, which made her
furious, and she deliberately and ostentatiously ignored him.

"Hello, you two on the outs?" inquired Kenneth, casually.

"Oh, no!" said Philip, with emphasis; "far from it!"

So, as Patty found it impossible to snub such cheerfulness, she
concluded to forgive and forget.

"There's something doing after supper," remarked Roger. "Miss Homer
dropped a hint, and even now they're fixing something in the ballroom."

"What can it be?" said Elise, craning her neck to see through a doorway.

"It's a game," said Marie Homer, who had just joined the group. "I told
mother, you all considered yourselves too grown-up for games, but she
said she didn't want to have the whole evening given over to dancing.
So you will play it, won't you?"

"Sure we will!" declared Kenneth, who admired the shy little girl.

Marie was new in their set, but they all liked her. She was timid only
because she felt unacquainted, and the good-natured crowd did all they
could to put her at ease.

"Games!" exclaimed Philip; "why, I just love 'em! I'll play it,
whatever it is."

"I too," said Patty. "It will be a jolly change from dancing."




CHAPTER II

ON THE TELEPHONE


When the young people returned to the ballroom, it presented a
decidedly changed appearance. Instead of an interior scene, it was a
winter landscape.

The floor was covered with snow-white canvas, not laid on smoothly, but
rumpled over bumps and hillocks, like a real snow field. The numerous
palms and evergreens that had decorated the room, were powdered with
flour and strewn with tufts of cotton, like snow. Also diamond dust had
been lightly sprinkled on them, and glittering crystal icicles hung
from the branches.

At each end of the room, on the wall, hung a beautiful bear-skin rug.

These rugs were for prizes, one for the girls and one for the boys. And
this was the game.

The girls were gathered at one end of the room and the boys at the
other, and one end was called the North Pole, and the other the South
Pole. Each player was given a small flag which they were to plant on
reaching the Pole.

This would have been an easy matter, but each traveller was obliged to
wear snowshoes. These were not the real thing, but smaller affairs made
of pasteboard. But when they were tied on, the wearer felt clumsy
indeed, and many of the girls declared they could not walk in them at
all. And in addition each one was blindfolded.

However, everybody made an attempt, and at a given signal the young
people started from their opposite ends of the room and endeavoured to
make progress toward the goal as they blindly stumbled along.

Patty concluded to move very slowly, thinking this the surest way to
make a successful trip. So she scuffled along among the other laughing
girls, now and then stumbling over a hillock, which was really a
hassock or a sofa cushion under the white floor covering. It was great
fun, and the girls cheered each other on as they pursued their blinded
way. And then about midway of the room they met the boys coming toward
them. Then there was scrambling, indeed, as the explorers tried to get
out of each other's way and follow their own routes.

It was a very long room, and Patty hadn't gone much more than halfway,
when she concluded to give up the race as being too tiresome. She made
her way to the side of the room, and reaching the wall she took off her
blinding handkerchief and kicked off the snowshoes. To her great
surprise she found that many of the other girls and some of the boys
had done the same thing, and not half of the original contestants were
still in the race. And, indeed, it proved to be much greater fun to
watch those who were still blindly groping along, than to stay in the
game.

At last the game was concluded, as Roger Farrington proudly planted his
flag at the very spot that designated the North Pole, and not long
after, Clementine Morse succeeded in safely reaching the South Pole. So
the beautiful rugs were given to these two as prizes, and every one
agreed that they had earned them.

Then, amid much laughter, everybody was unblindfolded, and they all sat
around on the snow mounds waiting for the next game.

A big snow man was brought in and set in the centre of the room. Of
course it was not real snow, but made of white plaster, gleaming all
over with diamond dust. But it was the traditional type of snow man,
with a top hat on, and grotesque features.

In the mouth of the figure was a cigarette, and each guest was
presented with a few snowballs, made of cotton wool. The game was to
knock the cigarette from the snow man's mouth with one of the snowballs.

Of course the cigarette was so arranged that the lightest touch of a
ball would dislodge it, and as one cigarette was displaced, Mr. Homer
supplied another.

The guests had been divided into two parties, and each side strove to
collect the greater number of cigarettes.

Some balls flew very wide of the mark, while others with unerring aim
would hit a cigarette squarely.

The game caused great hilarity, and everybody was anxious to throw
balls. They threw in turn, each having three balls at a time.

Patty was especially deft at this, and with true aim succeeded several
times.

Then when they tired of this play, a few more dances followed before it
was time to go home.

Some attendants came in and whisked away the snow hillocks and floor
covering, leaving the ballroom once again in order for dancing.

"Makes me feel young again, to play those kiddy games," said Kenneth,
as he was dancing with Patty.

"I like them," returned Patty; "I hate to think that my childhood is
over, and I love games of any kind."

"Your childhood will never be over," returned Kenneth; "I think you are
the incarnation of youth, and always will be."

"I'm not so much younger than you."

"Five years,--that's a long time at our age. By the way, when are the
Hepworths coming home?"

"Next week; and we're planning the loveliest reception for them. You
know their apartment is all ready, and we're going to have just a few
people to supper there, the night they return."

"Shall I be one of the few?"

"Well, rather! The best man at the wedding must surely be at the
home-coming. Doesn't it seem funny to think of Christine as mistress of
her own home? She'll be perfectly lovely, I know. My goodness gracious!
Ken, what time is it? I'm afraid I'm staying too late. I promised Nan
I'd leave at half-past twelve."

"It's not much more than that. Can't you stay for another dance?"

"No, I can't possibly. I must run right away, or my motor car will turn
into a pumpkin, and Louise into a white mouse. Take me to Mrs. Homer,
please, and I will say good-night to her."

But as they crossed the room, they met Van Reypen coming toward them.

"Our dance, I think," he said, coolly, as he took Patty's hand.

The music had just started, and its beautiful rhythm was too tempting
for Patty to resist.

"I'm just on my way home," she said, "but we'll go around the room
once, and then I must go."

"Once indeed!" said Philip, gaily; "we won't stop until the music does."

"Yes, we will; I must go now," but somehow or other they circled the
room several times. Patty loved dancing, and Philip was one of the best
of partners.

But at last she laughingly protested that she really must go home, and
they went together to say good-night to their hostess. And then Patty
said good-night to Philip, and ran away to the dressing-room, where
Louise was patiently waiting for her.

And soon, muffled up in her furs, they were rapidly spinning along
toward home.

"I didn't keep you waiting very long, did I, Louise?" said Patty,
kindly.

"No, Miss Patty, you're right on time. I expect you would have liked to
stay longer."

"Yes, I should, but I promised Mrs. Fairfield not to."

When at last Patty reached her own little boudoir, she declared she was
more tired than she had realised. So Louise took off her pretty frock,
and Patty sat in her blue silk dressing gown while the maid brushed her
hair. Then she brought her a cup of hot milk, and left her for the
night.

Patty wasn't sleepy, and she dawdled around her room, now and then
sipping the milk, and then looking over her engagements for the next
day.

"Oh," she thought, suddenly, "I've left my fan at the party. I'm sorry,
for it's my pet fan. Of course it will be safe there, but I think I'll
telephone Marie to look it up and put it away."

Knowing that the Homers would not yet have retired, Patty picked up her
telephone and called the number.

A masculine voice gave back a cheery "Hello!"

"Is this Mr. Homer?" said Patty.

"No, indeed. I'm Kit Cameron. Who are you, please?"

"Isn't this The Wimbledon apartment house?"

"It sure is."

"Isn't this 6483?"

"No, it's 6843. Please tell me who you are?"

A spirit of mischief entered into Patty. She knew this must be Marie
Homer's cousin, who lived on the floor above the Homers, and who, Mrs.
Homer had said, detested girls.

"But I have the wrong number," she said. "I didn't mean to call you."

"But since you did call me, you must tell me who you are."

"I'm a captive princess," said Patty, in rather a melancholy tone. "I'm
imprisoned in the dungeon of a castle."

"How awful! May I get a squad of soldiers and come to your rescue, oh,
fair lady?"

"Nay, nay, Sir Knight; and anyway you do not know that I am a fair
lady."

"Your voice tells me that. Surely such musical tones could belong only
to the most beautiful princess in the world."

"Oh, yes, I am THAT," and Patty laughed, roguishly; "but a well-behaved
princess would not be talking to a strange man. So I must say good-bye."

"Oh, no, no! wait a minute; you haven't told me your name yet."

"And I don't intend to. You detest girls, anyway."

"Yes, I always have, but you see I never met a princess before."

"You haven't met me yet."

"But I shall! Don't make any mistake about that."

"How can you? I'm going to ring off now, and you have no way of tracing
me."

"I can find out from Central."

"No, you can't."

"Why can't I?"

"Because I forbid you to do so."

"All right; then I can't find out that way, but I'll find out some
other way. I'll go on a quest."

"Goodness, what is a quest?"

"Oh, it just means that I henceforth devote my whole life to finding
you."

"But you can't find me, when you don't know my name."

"I'll make up a name for you. I'll call you Princess Poppycheek."

"How could you guess I'm a brunette?"

"I can tell it from your voice. You have snapping black eyes and dark
curly hair, and the reddest of red cheeks."

"Exactly right!" exclaimed Patty, giggling to think how far this
description was from her blonde pink-and-white type.

"I knew it was right!" exclaimed the voice, exultantly; "and I shall
find you very soon."

"Then I shall await your coming with interest. You prefer brunettes, do
you?"

"Well, as a matter of fact, I have always admired blondes more, but I'm
quite willing to change my tastes for you. Do you sing?"

For answer, Patty sang softly into the telephone, the little song of
"Beware, take care, she is fooling thee."

Although she did little more than hum it, Mr. Cameron was greatly
impressed with her voice.

"By jove!" he exclaimed. "You CAN sing! Now, I can find you easily.
There are not many voices like that in this wicked world."

"Do you sing yourself? But I don't want to know, I haven't the least
interest in a stranger, and besides, I'm going to ring off now."

"Oh, wait a minute! I don't sing, but I do something better. Don't ring
off, just listen a minute."

Patty listened, and in a moment she heard a violin played softly. It
was played by a master hand, and she heard an exquisite rendition of
the "Spring Song."

"Beautiful!" she exclaimed, as the last notes died away, and then
suddenly realising that she herself was acting in a most unconventional
manner, she said abruptly, "Thank you; good-bye," and quickly hung up
her receiver.

For some time she sat thinking about it. Curled up in a big easy chair,
her blue silk boudoir gown trailing around her, she sat giggling over
her escapade.

"It's all right," she assured herself, "for of course I know who he is,
though he doesn't know me. He is Mrs. Homer's nephew, so it's just the
same as if I had met him properly. And, anyhow, he hasn't an idea who I
am, and he never can find out from the description he has of me!"

Still giggling over the episode, Patty went to bed and to sleep.

The next morning, as she thought it over, she realised that she hadn't
succeeded in securing her fan, and she determined to go around and see
Marie that afternoon, and get it.

So that afternoon she went to make her call.

"It was a beautiful party," she said to Marie, as the two girls chatted
together. "I love games for a change from dancing, and the games you
had were so novel."

"I'm glad to hear you say that," said Marie, "for I was afraid they
would seem too childish."

"No, indeed," returned Patty; "and now put on your hat and come out
with me for a little while. I'm going to a picture exhibition, and I'd
love to have you go too. But first, did I leave my fan here last
evening?"

"There was a beautiful fan left here,--an Empire fan. Is this yours?"

Marie produced the fan and Patty recognised it as her own.

"But I can't go this afternoon," said Marie, "because Cousin Kit is
coming down to practise some new music. Won't you stay and hear him
play? He is really a very good violinist."

Patty considered. She rather wanted to meet this young man, but she was
afraid he would think her forward. So after a little further chat, she
rose, saying she must go. And it was just as she was going out that Mr.
Cameron came in, with his violin under his arm.

Patty was obliged to pause a moment, as Marie presented her cousin, but
the young man, though courteous, showed no interest whatever in Miss
Fairfield. Patty's pretty face was almost invisible through her motor
veil, and as Mr. Cameron had no idea that she was the girl who had
talked to him the night before, and as he really had no interest in
girls in general, he merely made a very polite bow and went directly
toward the piano.

"I wish you'd stay and hear some music," said Marie, but Patty only
murmured a refusal, not wanting Mr. Cameron to hear her voice, lest he
recognise it.

He was an attractive looking man of fine physique and handsome face,
but he looked extremely dignified and not very good-natured.

"All musicians are cross," Patty thought to herself as she went down in
the elevator, "and I wasn't going to have that man think that I went
around to Marie's to see him!"

She decided to call for Elise to go to the art gallery with her, and
she found that young woman ready and glad to go.

"I hadn't a thing to do this afternoon," said Elise, as they started
off, "and I love to go anywhere with you, Patty. Shall we have a cup of
tea afterwards?"

And so it was after they had seen the pictures, and as they were
sitting in a cosy little tea-room, that Elise said suddenly:

"Do you know Mr. Cameron? He's a cousin of Marie Homer's."

"I don't know him," said Patty, smiling, "but I've been introduced to
him. Just as I was leaving Marie's to-day, he came in. But he was very
abstracted in his manner. He merely bowed, and without a word he went
straight on to the piano and began fussing with his music."

"You were just leaving, anyway?"

"Yes; but I would have remained a few moments, if he had been more
sociable. But, of course, I couldn't insist on his talking to me, if he
didn't want to."

"He doesn't like girls," said Elise, but as she spoke she smiled in a
self-conscious way.

"So I've heard," said Patty, smiling herself. "He seems young to be
what they call a woman-hater. I thought only old bachelors were that.
Well, he has no interest for me. There are plenty of boys in our own
set."

"Don't you tell, if I tell you something," and now Elise looked
decidedly important.

"What is it? I won't tell."

"Well, it's the funniest thing! That Mr. Cameron wants to meet me,
though he never has seen me."

"What!" exclaimed Patty, in astonishment. "Why does he want to meet
you?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. But he was at Marie's this morning, and asked
her if she knew any girl who was gay and merry and had a sweet voice,
and had dark hair and eyes and rosy cheeks. And Marie says she knows he
means me, and I think he does too! Isn't it exciting?"

"Yes," said Patty, drily. "But you don't sing much, Elise."

"Oh, of course I don't sing like you do, but I have a fairly decent
voice."

"But how mysterious it is. What does he know about you?"

"I don't know. It IS mysterious. He wouldn't tell Marie anything except
that he wanted to know the name of the girl he described; and he said
she must be friendly enough with Marie to call her up on the telephone
in the middle of the night."

"But did you do that?" asked Patty, who was really shaking with
laughter.

"Yes; I called her up last night after I got home from the party,
because I'd left my spangled scarf there, and I wanted her to put it
away safely for me."

"I always leave things at a party, too," said Patty, looking innocent.
"I left my fan at Marie's last night. So I went there to-day and got
it."

"Well, I thought I'd better telephone, for so many girls leave things
and they get scattered or lost."

"Well, what did your telephoning have to do with Mr. Cameron?"

"I don't know; that's the queer part of it. Perhaps the wires were
crossed and he heard me talking."

"H'm," said Patty, "perhaps he did. When are you going to meet him,
Elise?"

"I don't know; but Marie says she'll have a few friends to tea some day
soon, and she'll ask him. She says it'll have to be a very small tea,
because he hates to meet people."

"Why doesn't she have just you two? I think it would be more romantic."

"Oh, nonsense. This isn't romance. I think Mr. Cameron is a freak,
anyway. But it's all amusing, and I hope you'll be at the tea,
yourself, Patty."

"I will if I'm asked," said Patty.




CHAPTER III

THE HEPWORTHS AT HOME


It was the day of Christine's home-coming, and Patty was busy as a bee
preparing for the great event. The pretty apartment where the Hepworths
were to live was all furnished and equipped, but Patty was looking
after the dainty appointments of a party.

Not a large party, only about a dozen of their own set. Nan was there,
too, and Elise Farrington, and they were arranging flowers in bowls and
jars and vases, till the rooms were a bower of blossoms.

"What time will they arrive?" said Elise.

"We expected them about six o'clock," returned Patty; "but I had a
telegram, and their train is delayed, so they can't get here until
nine. So I want the party all assembled when they come. It's five now,
and everything's about done, so we can scoot home and get some dinner
and get dressed, and be back here before they arrive. I'll be here by
half-past eight, for the caterers are coming then, and I want to see
about the table."

So they all went home to dress, and before half-past eight Patty was
back again.

There were two maids already installed, but Patty found plenty to do in
superintending matters, and she hadn't much more than completed the
decorations of the table, when the guests began to come.

"Isn't the apartment lovely?" exclaimed Mona Galbraith, as she went
through the rooms. "This music-room, or living-room, or whatever you
call it, is just dear! Who selected the furnishings?"

"Oh, Mr. Hepworth and Christine," said Patty; "two artists, you know;
of course the rooms ought to be beautiful. It is a lovely place, and
just the right setting for that darling of a Christine."

The whole merry crowd were assembled in the living-room, when the bride
and groom arrived. A shout of welcome went up from the young people,
and Christine was smothered in girlish embraces, while the men
vigorously shook Mr. Hepworth's hand, or clapped him on the shoulder,
in their masculine way of congratulation.

Christine looked very sweet and smiling, in a pretty travelling gown,
but Patty carried her off at once and insisted that she get into a
house gown.

"The idea," said Patty, "of a hostess in a high-collared frock and all
her guests in evening dress!"

So Christine quickly changed to a little chiffon gown of pale green and
Patty tucked a pink rose in her hair and some more in her belt.

"Now you look like a bride," said Patty, nodding approval at her, and
leading her to a mirror; "look at that vision of beauty! Aren't you
glad I made you change?"

"Yes, ma'am," said Christine, in mock humility; "it's much better so."

The evening was a merry one. They danced and they sang and they chatted
and finally they had the delightful supper that Patty had ordered.

Christine, blushing prettily, took the head of the table, while Gilbert
Hepworth, with a proud air of proprietorship, sat at the other end.

Patty, as guest of honour, sat at the right hand of her host.

"It has always been my aspiration," she said, with a beaming smile at
Christine, "to have a married friend to visit. I warn you, Christine, I
shall spend most of my time here. There's one little nook of a bedroom
I claim as my own and I expect to occupy it very frequently. And,
besides, I have to give you lessons in housekeeping. You're a great
artist, I know, but you must learn to do lots of other things beside
paint."

"I wish you would, Patty," and the little bride looked very much in
earnest; "I truly want to keep house, but being an artist and a
Southern girl both, I don't believe I'm very capable."

"You're a blessed dear, that's what YOU are"; and Patty turned to
Hepworth, saying, "Isn't she?"

"Yes, indeed," he returned; "I've only just begun to realise the
beautiful qualities in her nature. And it is to you, Patty, that I owe
my happiness. I shall never forget what you did in order that Christine
might come to New York."

"And now we are surprised at the result," said Patty, who never could
be serious for long at a time. "Come on, people, you've had enough
supper, let's have one more dance and then we must go home and leave
these turtledoves to their own nest."

But the one dance proved to mean several, until at last Patty said,
"This will never do! Christine is all tired out, and as the
superintendent of this party I order you all to go home at once."

The others laughingly agreed, except Philip Van Reypen, who came near
Patty and murmured, "You haven't danced with me once to-night, and
you've been awful cruel to me lately, anyway. Now let us have one more
dance in honour of the bride's home-coming."

"No," said Patty, firmly, "not another dance to-night."

"Just a part of one, then," begged Philip; but Patty was inexorable.

And so the merry crowd dispersed, Patty lingering a moment to give
Christine a good-night kiss and wish her every blessing and happiness
in her new home.

"And I have you to thank for it all, Patty dear," said Christine, her
blue eyes looking lovingly into Patty's own.

"Nonsense, thank your own sweet self. You well deserve the happiness
that has come to you. And now good-night, dear; I'll be over some time
to-morrow."

The laughing group went away, and as it had been planned, Mona took
Patty home in her car.

"I wish you'd go on home with me, Patsy," said Mona, as they rolled
along toward Patty's house.

"Can't possibly do it. I've a thousand and one things to look after
to-morrow morning."

"But it isn't late; really it's awfully early. And I'll send you home
early to-morrow morning."

"No, I mustn't, really, Mona. I have to look after some things for the
Happy Saturday Club, which it won't do to neglect. And I want to run
over to Christine's to-morrow morning, too. I have some things to take
to her."

"Do you know, Patty, I think they're an awfully humdrum couple."

"Who? The Hepworths? Oh, I don't think humdrum is the right
word,--they're just serious-minded."

"But Mr. Hepworth is so old and prosy, and Christine seems to me just a
little nonentity."

"Now, Mona, that isn't fair. Just because you are a frivolous-headed
butterfly of fashion, you oughtn't to disdain people who happen to have
one or two ideas in their heads."

"Well, the only ideas they have are about pictures."

"Pictures are good ideas."

"Yes, good enough, of course. But there's no fun in them."

"That's the whole trouble with the Hepworths. They haven't any fun in
them. Neither of them has a sense of humour. But that's good, too; for
if one had and the other hadn't, they'd be miserable for life. But as
it is they don't know what they miss."

"No, they don't. Patty, don't ever marry a man without a sense of
humour."

"Trust your Aunt Patty for that. But I don't propose to marry anybody."

"Of course not; he'd propose to you."

"Funny Mona! Don't let your sense of humour run away with you. Well,
this facetious 'he' that you conjured up in your imagination may
propose all he likes; I sha'n't accept him,--at least not for many
years. I mean to have a lot of fun before I get engaged. Can you
imagine me settled down in a little apartment like Christine's,
devoting myself to domestic duties?"

"No; but I can fancy you married to a millionaire with two or three
country houses and yachts and all sorts of things."

"Good gracious, Mona. I don't aspire to all that! Just because YOU're a
millionairess, yourself, you needn't think everybody else longs for
untold wealth. After I get pretty well along in years,--I think I shall
marry a college professor, or a great scientist. I do love brainy men."

"Well, there are no brainy men in our set."

"Oh, Mona, what a libel! Our boys,--somehow I never can think of them
as men,--are quite brainy enough for their age. And at the present day,
I'd rather have fun with Ken or Roger, just talking foolishness, than
to discourse with this wise professor I'm talking about. But of course,
I wouldn't marry Ken or Roger even if they wanted me to, which they
don't."

"Oh, yes, they do, Patty; everybody wants to marry you."

"Don't be a goose, Mona; you know perfectly well that Roger is over
head and ears in love with you. Of course, I'm mortally jealous, for he
was my friend first, and you stole him away from me. But I'll forgive
you if you'll let up on this foolish subject and talk about something
interesting."

"I will, Patty, if you'll tell me one thing. Don't you like Mr. Van
Reypen very much?"

"Phil Van Reypen? Of course I do! I adore him,--I worship the ground he
walks on! I think he's the dearest, sweetest chap I ever knew!"

"Would you marry him?"

"Not on your life! Excuse my French, Mona, but you do make me tired!
NOW will you be good? We're nearly home and I had a lot of things I
wanted to ask you, and here you've been and went and gone and wasted
all our time! Foolish girl! Here we are at my house, and I thank you,
kind lady, for bringing me safely home. If you'll let your statuesque
footman see me in at my own door, I'll promise to dream of you all
night."

The girls exchanged affectionate good-nights, and Patty ran up the
steps and Louise let her in.

"Nobody home?" asked Patty, noting the dim lights in the rooms.

"No, Miss Patty," answered Louise, "Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield are not in
yet."

"Well, I'm not a bit sleepy, Louise, and I'm not going to bed now. I
shall stay in the library for awhile,--perhaps until they come home."

Louise took Patty's wraps and went away, and Patty wandered around the
library selecting a book to read. The girl was a light sleeper, and she
often liked to read a while before retiring.

But after she had selected a book and arranged a cosy corner in a big
easy-chair by a reading light, she still sat idle, with her book
unopened.

"I don't feel a bit like reading," she thought to herself; "I do hate
to come home from a party so early. Of course I could write some
letters, but I don't feel like that, either. I feel like doing
something frisky."

She jumped up and turned on more lights. Then, chancing to see herself
in the long mirror, she bowed profoundly to the pretty reflected
figure, saying: "Good-evening, Miss Fairfield, how well you're looking
this evening. Won't you sing a little for us?"

Then she danced into the music-room, and sitting down at the piano,
sang a gay little song.

Then she sang another, and then looking over some old music she came
across the little song, "Beware," that she had sung over the telephone
to Kit Cameron. Naturally her thoughts turned to that young man, whom
she had almost forgotten, and she wondered if he had met Elise yet.

"That was quite a jolly little escapade," she said to herself; "that
young man certainly thought I was a little black-eyed beauty, and when
he does see Elise, of course he'll think she's the one. I believe I'll
call him up and mystify him a little more. It's all right, because I've
really been introduced to him, and if he doesn't remember me, _I_ can't
help it! Probably he'll be out anyway; but I'll have a try at it."

Returning to the library, Patty sat down at the telephone and called up
Mr. Cameron's number.

His own gay, cheery self answered "Hello," and Patty said in a shy
little voice, "Is this you, Mr. Cameron?"

"Bless my soul! if it isn't my fair Unknown, again!"

"Why do you call me, fair, when you know I'm dark?"

"Oh, fair in this case means bewitching and lovely. It doesn't stand
for tow hair and light blue eyes! and neither do I!"

"But you said you liked blondes."

"I used to, before I knew you."

"But you don't know me."

"Oh, but I do! I know you a whole heap better than lots of people who
have seen you. There's something in a telephone conversation that
discloses the real inner nature. It was dear of you to call me up
to-night. You don't know how it pleases me!"

"Oh, I didn't do it to please you. But I'm all alone in my dungeon
tower--"

"Wait a minute; what IS a dungeon tower?"

"Oh, don't quibble. Anyway, I'm all alone, and I simply had to have
some one to speak to."

"How did you know I'd be here?"

"Be there! Why, I assumed that you sat at your telephone every evening,
waiting to see if I would call you!"

"You little rascal! That's exactly what I have done, but I don't see
how you knew it. Are you still a captive princess?"

"Yes; they keep me on bread and water, and not very much of that."

"Couldn't I come and try to liberate you?"

"No, Sir Knight. Alas, you would but be captured yourself."

"But to be captured in such a cause, would be a glorious fate!"

"Oh, aren't you romantic! I really wish it were the Fifteenth Century,
and you could come on a dashing charger, and rescue me with a rope
ladder! I'm simply dying for an escapade!"

"All right; I'll be there in a few minutes!"

"No, no! it's just five centuries too late. Now, one can only meet
people in humdrum drawing-rooms."

"And do you think there's no romance left in the world?"

"_I_ can't find any." Naughty Patty put a most pathetic inflection in
her voice, which touched Mr. Cameron's heart.

"Look here, my lady," he said, "there IS romance left in this old
world, and we're IT! Now, this telephoning is all very well, but I'm
determined to meet you face to face. And that before long, too."

"Oh, you've been making inquiries about me. You know I forbade that."

"No, you didn't; you only said I mustn't ask Central who telephoned.
There was surely no harm in asking my cousin who called her up the
other night. And very naturally she told me. So she's going to be the
Fairy Godmother who will bring us together by the touch of her magic
wand."

"Oh, if you know who I am, the fun is all gone out of our escapade!"

"Not at all; the fun is only about to begin."

"Then Marie did tell you all about me?" And Patty's tones betokened
disappointment.

"She didn't need to tell me much about you. She told me your name, and
the rest I want to know about you, I either know already or I shall
learn for myself."

"If you know my name, why don't you call me by it?" And Patty had great
difficulty to stifle her laughter.

"May I call you by your first name?"

"Not as a regular thing, of course. But if you know it, you may use it
just once. But you can only use it to say good-night. For this session
is over now."

"But I don't WANT to say good-night. I want to talk to you a long time
yet."

"Alas, that may not be. It is even now time for my jailers to visit my
dungeon, and if they catch me at this foolish trick, they will probably
reduce my allowance of bread and water. And so, if you're going to call
me by name, you must do it quickly, for I'm going to hang up this
receiver, as soon as I say good-night!"

Patty's positive tones apparently carried conviction that she would do
just as she said, for Mr. Cameron sighed deeply and responded, "It is
such a beautiful name it seems a pity to use it only once. But I know
you mean what you say, so as your liege knight, fair lady, I obey.
Good-night--Elise--"

The name came slowly, as if the speaker wished to make the most of it,
and Patty fairly thrust the receiver back on its hook as she burst into
laughter. It surely was a joke on the young man! He had asked Marie who
was her pretty brunette friend, and Marie had honestly thought he must
mean Elise Farrington.

Patty was still giggling when her parents came in from a concert they
had been attending.

"What IS the matter, Patty?" asked Nan. "Why do you sit up here alone,
grinning like a Chessy cat, and giggling like a school-girl? Were the
Hepworths so funny that you can't get over it?"

And then Patty told Nan and her father the whole story of Kit Cameron
and the telephone.

Nan laughed in sympathy, but Mr. Fairfield looked a little dubious.

"And I thought you a well-brought up young woman," he said,--half in
earnest and half in jest. "Do you think it's correct to telephone to
strange young men? I'm shocked! that's what I am,--SHOCKED."

"Fiddlesticks, Fred," said Nan; "it's perfectly all right. In the first
place, the man HAS been introduced to Patty. She met him at Miss
Homer's."

"But she telephoned BEFORE she met him," stormed Mr. Fairfield, for
Patty had told the whole story.

"But she didn't do it purposely," said Nan, impatiently. "She got him
on the wire by mistake. She couldn't help THAT. And, anyway, when he
said he was Miss Homer's cousin, that made it all right. I think it's a
gay little joke, and I'd like to see that young man's face when he
meets Patty!"

"I shan't meet him," said Patty, pretending to look doleful; "he hates
tow-headed girls."

"Well, you're certainly that," said her father, looking at her with
pretended disapproval. "I have to tell you the truth once in awhile,
because everybody else flatters you until you're a spoiled baby."

"Tow-headed, am I?" and Patty ran to her father, and rubbed her golden
curls against his own blond head. "And, if you please, where did I
inherit my tow? If I hadn't had a tow-headed father I might have been
the poppy-cheeked brunette that everybody admires. It isn't fair for
YOU to comment on MY tow-head!"

"That's so, Pattikins; and I take it all back," for Mr. Fairfield could
never resist his pretty daughter's cajolery. "You are a pretty little
doll-faced thing, and I expect I'll have to forgive your very
reprehensible behaviour."

"I'm NOT a doll-face," said Patty, pouting; "I shan't let you go until
you take THAT back."

As Patty had her arms tightly round her father's neck, he considered it
the better part of valour to take back his words. "All right," he said,
"rather than be garroted,--I retract! You're a beautiful and dignified
lady, and your notions of convention and etiquette are above reproach."

"They're above YOUR reproaches, anyhow," returned Patty, saucily, and
then she ran away to her own room.




CHAPTER IV

A PERFECTLY GOOD JOKE


Patty decided to do nothing in the matter of meeting Kit Cameron. She
dearly loved a joke, and this seemed to her a good one. But she thought
it would spoil it, if she made any move in the game herself. So she
bided her time, and it was perhaps a week later that Marie Homer came
to call on her.

As Marie hadn't the slightest notion that Patty was the girl her cousin
had in mind, the subject was not mentioned until just before Marie
left, when she asked Patty if she would come to her home the next week
to a little musicale.

"Not a big party," said Miss Homer, "just a dozen or so really musical
people to spend the evening. And I want you to sing, if you will. My
cousin will be there,--the one who plays the violin."

"I thought he detested society," said Patty, her eyes twinkling a
little.

"I don't know what's come over Kit," returned Marie, looking perplexed.
"He's been the funniest thing of late. He has some girl in his mind--"

"A girl!" exclaimed Patty; "I thought he scorned them."

"Well, I can't make this out. It's awfully mysterious. I think I'll
tell you about it."

"Do," said Patty, demurely.

"Two or three weeks ago,--in fact, it was the day after my valentine
party,--Kit asked me which of my friends had telephoned me late the
night before. You know he lives in the apartment just above ours, and
it seems the wires were crossed or something, but he heard this girl's
voice, and now he insists he wants to meet her. I don't think Elise
Farrington has such a fascinating voice, do you?" "Elise!" exclaimed
Patty, in pretended surprise; "what has SHE to do with it?"

"Why," explained Marie, "Elise did call me up that night, to say she
had left her scarf. But how Kit discovered that she was a red-cheeked
brunette, is more than _I_ can understand. You can't know that from a
voice, now, can you?"

"No," said Patty, decidedly, "you CAN'T!"

"Well, then, a week or two went by, and I told Elise about this, but
somehow I couldn't manage to get them together. Every time Elise came
to our house, Kit would be away somewhere. But a few days ago I did
manage to have them meet."

"Did you?" exclaimed Patty; "for gracious sake, WHAT happened?"

Marie looked a little surprised at Patty's excited interest, but she
went on: "Oh, it was AWFULLY funny. Elise looked lovely that day. She
had just come in from skating, and her cheeks were red and her eyes
sparkled, and her furs were SO becoming! I introduced Kit, and I could
see he admired her immensely. There were several people there, so I
left these two together. They were getting on famously, when Kit said
to her, 'Are you still a Captive Princess?'

"I didn't know what he meant, and Elise didn't either, for she looked
perfectly blank, and asked him why he said that. And Kit told her she
knew well enough why he said it, and Elise thought he must be crazy.
However, they got along all right until Kit asked me to get Elise to
sing. Now, you know Elise doesn't sing much; she has a nice little
contralto voice, but she never sings for people. But do you know, she
was perfectly willing, and she sang a little lullaby or something like
that, rather sweetly, _I_ thought. But such a change came over Kit's
manner! I don't know how to express it. He was polite and courteous, of
course; but he seemed to have lost all interest in Elise."

"But your cousin IS a sort of a freak, isn't he?" said Patty, who was
deeply interested in Marie's story.

"Why, no, he isn't a freak. He's a musician, but he's an awfully nice
chap, and real sensible. He hates society as a bunch, but he often
likes an individual here and there, and when he does he can be awfully
nice and friendly. But this whole performance was so QUEER. He wanted
to meet Elise, and when he did, he admired her, I could see that; but
when she sang, the light all went out of his face, and he looked
terribly disappointed. The girl isn't a great singer, but why in the
world should he expect her to be, or care so much because she isn't?"

"It IS strange!" murmured Patty; "how did Elise take it?"

"Oh, I don't think she minded much; she thinks the boy half crazy,
anyway; asking her if she was a captive princess! And, of course, he
didn't let HER see that he was disappointed in her voice. But I know
Kit so well, that I can tell the moment he loses interest in anybody.
I'm awfully fond of Kit,--we've grown up more like brother and sister
than cousins."

"What's he like? Has he any fun in him?"

"Well, he loves practical jokes,--that is, if they're not mean. He
couldn't do a mean or unkind thing to anybody. But he likes anything
out of the ordinary. Escapades or cutting up jinks. He and
Beatrice,--that's my younger sister,--are always playing tricks on us,
when she's at home. But it's always good-natured fun, so we don't mind.
Oh, Kit's a dear; but you never can tell whether he's going to like
people or not. He likes so very few."

"But he liked Elise?"

"Oh, yes; in a general way. But, for some reason I can't make out, he
was terribly disappointed in her."

"And he's going to play at your musicale?"

"Yes; and I want you to sing. We have two or three other musicians, and
it will really be rather worth while."

Patty hesitated. If she went to this party, and met Kit, all the
mystery of her little romance with him would be ended. He would be more
disappointed in her than he had been in Elise, for at least she
conformed to his favourite type of beauty, and Patty was quite the
reverse. She could sing, to be sure, but probably her voice would not
charm him, when robbed of the glamour lent by the telephone.

"Oh, DO say yes," Marie urged; "it will be a nice party, and if I've
left out any people you specially want, I'll invite them."

But Marie's list included all of Patty's set, and as she rather wanted
to go, she finally decided to say yes.

"Good for you!" exclaimed Marie; "now I know the party will be a
success!"

"You always say that to me," said Patty, laughing. "_I_ don't make
parties a success."

"Yes, you do," said Marie, in a tone of firm conviction; "you're so
nice, and pretty, and smiling, and always seem to have such a good
time, that it makes everybody else have a good time."

"What do you want me to sing?"

"I don't care at all. Make your own selections. I like you best, I
think, in some of those sweet, simple ballads."

"I rarely sing anything but ballads or simple music," said Patty, "my
voice isn't strong enough for operatic soaring."

"Well, sing what you like, Patty, if you only come," and Marie went
away, greatly elated at having secured Patty's consent to sing at her
musicale.

Patty at once went to the piano, and began to look over her music. She
smiled as she came across "Beware," but she concluded that would not do
for a regular program, though she might use it as an encore.

She made her selections with care, as she honestly wanted to do credit
to Marie's musicale, and then, taking several pieces of music, she ran
up to Nan's room to ask her final judgment in the matter.

"You'll have a lot of fun out of this, Patty," said Nan, laughing, as
she heard the whole story. "When is it to be?"

"Friday night. Do you know, Nan, I'd like to play a joke on that boy,
between now and then."

"I think you are playing a joke on him,--and, besides, he isn't a boy."

"No; Marie says he's about twenty-four. He's a civil engineer, besides
being a musician. But, anyway, I've got him guessing. I'm glad Elise
didn't take it to heart, that she wasn't the right girl,--but Marie
says Elise thinks he's a freak, anyway. And, too, I believe he's not
very nice to girls as a rule, so of course Elise won't want him. Oh,
_I_'M the only girl in the world for him!"

Patty pirouetted about the room on the tips of her toes, waving a sheet
of music in either hand.

"What a silly you are, Patty, with your foolishness!"

Patty dropped on one knee at her stepmother's side, and clasping her
hands, looked up beseechingly into the smiling face over her.

"But you love silly, foolish little girls, don't you, Nancy Nan?"

"Yes, when they're you," and Nan patted the shining head at her knee.

"Well, very few of them ARE me!"

"Thank goodness for that! I don't know what I'd do if you were a half a
dozen!"

"You'd have just six times as much fun in your life!" and Patty jumped
up and began to sing the songs she had brought.

Then together they decided on the ones she should sing at the musicale.

Although Patty's voice was not very strong, it was sweet and true and
had been carefully cultivated. She sang with much charm, and her music
always gave pleasure. She never attempted anything beyond her powers,
and so her songs, while selected with good taste, were not pretentious.

That evening, while Patty was fluttering around her room, pretending to
get ready for bed, but really dawdling, she was moved to telephone once
again to the young man who was fond of jokes.

"It's you, is it?" he almost growled, in response to her call.

"Yes," said Patty, in a meek little voice; "shall I go away?"

"Great jumping cows! NO! Don't go away, stay right where you are!"

"But I'm going away for ever," said Patty, moved by a dramatic impulse;
"my captors have found out that I'm holding communication with you, and
they're going to take me away to another castle, and imprison me there."

"Stop your fooling; I want to know who you are, and I want to know it
quick! Do you hear THAT?"

"Yes, I hear," returned Patty, saucily, "but I don't have to answer!
And if you talk to me like that, I shall hang up this receiver."

"I won't talk like that any more. But, do you know, I thought I had
found you, and you turned out to be somebody else."

"But I can't be anybody else. I'm only myself."

"Be serious a minute, won't you? I went to my cousin's and met a
beautiful, poppy-cheeked princess; but she wasn't you."

"How do you know she wasn't?"

"Because she couldn't sing a LITTLE bit! And you can."

"I can sing a LITTLE bit! Oh, thank you!"

"Now, I want to ask you something. You know my cousin, don't you?"

"Have you sisters and cousins, whom you reckon up by dozens?"

"It doesn't matter if I have. I mean my cousin, Marie Homer, to whom
you telephoned, or tried to, on the fourteenth of February. But you got
me, instead, and that means we're each other's valentine. See?"

"No, I don't see at all. I only like pretty valentines."

"Oh, I'm as pretty as a picture! That part is all right. Now, I've
tried my best to find out who you are, from Marie. But either she can't
or won't tell. But I've found out one thing, for certain. You're NOT
Miss Farrington."

"No, I'm not; but I never said I was."

"I know you didn't, but you told me you were a pretty brunette, with
poppy cheeks,--and Miss Farrington is that."

"Did I tell you I was PRETTY? Oh, I'm SURE I didn't!"

"You didn't have to. I know that myself. Now, if you'll keep still a
minute, _I_'D like to speak."

"If I can't talk, I may as well hang up this receiver, for I'm sure I
don't want to sit here and listen to you."

"Chatterbox! Now, listen; Marie is having a musicale next Friday night,
and I want you to come."

"Without an invitation!" Patty's voice sounded horrified.

"Yes;" impatiently. "Marie would invite you fast enough if she knew who
you were."

"Perhaps she HAS invited me."

"No, she hasn't; I saw her list. It's a small party, not more than
twenty. And I asked her about each one, and not one of the ladies
seemed to correspond to your description."

"Who's going to sing?" asked Patty, calmly.

"Only two ladies; a Miss Curtiss and a Miss Fairfield."

"Perhaps I'm one of those."

"No; I asked Marie, and she says Miss Fairfield is a pretty little
blonde, and Miss Curtiss is a tall, brown-haired young woman."

"Don't you know either of these ladies?"

"No; that is, I've never seen Miss Curtiss, but Marie says I met Miss
Fairfield one day, for a moment."

"Don't you remember her?"

"Hardly; she seemed an insignificant little thing."

"Pretty?"

"How do I know! She was all wrapped up in motor togs, and acted like a
gawky schoolgirl."

"She did! Why, _I_ know that Fairfield girl, and she isn't gawky a bit!
She's a fascinating blonde."

"No blonde can fascinate ME! MY girl is a poppy-cheeked brunette, and
I'm going to catch her before long. Ah, DO come to Marie's
party,--won't you?"

"I've never yet gone where I wasn't invited, and I don't propose to
begin now. But if you can get Marie to invite me, I'll go."

"Don't be so cruel! I can't do more than I have in the matter. I've
teased Marie to death over this thing, and she can't think who you can
be, unless you're a Miss Galbraith. You're not, are you?"

"Gracious, no! I'm not Mona Galbraith!"

"I knew you weren't; Marie says SHE can't sing. Oh, dear, you're a
perfect torment! Pretty princess,--pretty Princess Poppy-cheek, WON'T
you take pity on your humble slave and adorer, and tell me your name?"

"No; but I'll tell you what I will do. I'll send you my photograph."

"Oh, you heavenly angel! You dear, beautiful princess! When will you
send it? Don't wait for the morning; call a messenger, and send it
to-night!"

"I'll do nothing of the sort. I'll send it to-morrow morning,--by
messenger, if you like,--and if you'll promise not to ask the messenger
who sent it."

"I'll promise that if you so ordain. I guess I can play cricket!"

"All right then; now listen, yourself. I shall send you three pictures.
You pick out the one you think I am, and take it to Marie, and if you
are right, she'll invite me. She knows me well enough, but she can't
recognise me from your description."

"I don't think it's fair for you to play that way; but I'm dead sure I
can pick out your picture from the three."

"All right then; good-night!" And Patty hung up the receiver with a
snap.

Then she lay back in her big chair and indulged in a series of giggles.

"Sam Weller says," she said, to herself, "that the great art of letter
writing is to break off suddenly and make 'em wish they was more,--and
I expect that applies equally well to telephoning."

And she was quite right, for the impatient young man at the other end
of the wire was chagrined indeed when the connection was cut off. He
was too honourable to use any forbidden means of discovering Patty's
identity, and so would not ask to see any telephone records, and was
quite willing to promise not to quiz a messenger boy. And so, he could
do nothing but wait impatiently for the promised photograph.

Meanwhile Miss Patricia Fairfield was looking over her portrait
collection to see what ones to send. She had a box full of old
photographs, but she wanted to select just the right ones.

But at last she tumbled them all on the table in a heap, and wisely
decided to leave the decision till morning.

And so it happened, that when Nan came to Patty's room next morning, as
she often did, she found that coquettish damsel, sitting up in bed,
wrapped in a blue silk nightingale, and with a flower-decked lace cap
somewhat askew on her tumbled curls.

Her breakfast tray sat untouched on its little stand, while on the
counterpane were spread out some twoscore portraits of more or less
beautiful maidens.

"What ARE you doing?" said Nan; "playing photograph solitaire?"

"I'm playing a game of photographs," said Patty, raising a pair of
solemn blue eyes to Nan, "but it isn't exactly solitaire."

"You needn't tell ME! You're cutting up some trick with that new man of
yours." And Nan deliberately brushed away some pictures, and sat down
on the side of the bed.

"You're a wizard!" and Patty gazed at her stepmother. "You could have
made your fortune, Nan, as a clairvoyant, telling people what they knew
already! But since you're here, DO help me out." And Patty told Nan the
scheme of the three photographs.

Now, Nan was only six years older than Patty herself, and she entered
into the joke with almost as much enthusiasm as the younger girl.

"Shall you send one of your own, really?" she inquired.

"No; I think not. But I want to get three different types, just to fool
him."

After much consideration the two conspirators selected a picture of a
dark-eyed actress, who was pretty, but of rather flashy effects. Next
they chose a picture of an intellectual young woman, with no pretension
to beauty or style, and whose tightly drawn black hair and stiff white
collar proclaimed a high brow. It was a picture of one of the girls in
Patty's class, who had been noted for her intellect and her lack of a
sense of humour.

"He'll know that isn't you, Patty," said Nan, objecting.

"No," said Patty, sapiently; "he's pretty clever, that young man, and
probably he'll think I'm just that sort. Now for the third, Nancy."

It took a long time to select a third one, for Nan was in favour of a
pretty girl, while Patty thought it would be more fun to send a plain
one.

At last they agreed on a picture of another of Patty's school friends,
who was of the willowy, die-away kind. She was a blonde, but of a pale,
ashen-haired variety, not at all like Patty's Dresden china type. The
pose was aesthetic, and the girl looked soulful and languishing.

"Just the thing!" cried Patty. "If he thinks I look like THAT, I'll
never speak to him again!"

And so, amid great glee, the three pictures were made into a neat
parcel, and addressed to Mr. Christopher Cameron.

"Now, for goodness' sake, Patty, eat your breakfast! Your chocolate is
stone cold. I'll go down and call a messenger and despatch this
precious bundle of beauty to its destination."

"All right," returned Patty, and, with a feeling of having successfully
accomplished her task, she turned her attention to her breakfast tray.




CHAPTER V

THREE PICTURES


It was Tuesday morning that Patty had sent the pictures, and that same
evening she was invited to dine and go to the opera with Mrs. Van
Reypen.

Patty was a great favourite with the aristocratic old lady, and was
frequently asked to the Van Reypen home. It is needless to say that
Mrs. Van Reypen's nephew, Philip, usually managed to be present at any
of his aunt's affairs that were graced by Patty's presence. And,
indeed, it was an open secret that Mrs. Van Reypen would be greatly
pleased if Patty would smile on the suit of her favourite and beloved
nephew.

But Patty's smiles were uncertain. Sometimes it would suit her caprice
to smile on Philip, and again she would positively snub him to such an
extent that the young man was disgruntled for days at a time.

"But," as Patty remarked to herself, "if I'm nice to him, he takes too
much for granted. So I have to discipline him to keep him where he
belongs."

The dinner at the Van Reypen mansion was, as always, long and
elaborate, and perhaps a trifle dull.

Mrs. Van Reypen's affection for Patty was of a selfish sort, and it
never occurred to her to invite guests of Patty's age, or who could be
entertaining to the girl.

And so to-night the other guests were an elderly couple by the name of
Bellamy and a rather stupid, middle-aged bachelor,--Mr. Crosby. These
with the two Van Reypens and Patty made up the whole party.

Patty found herself assigned to walk out to dinner with Mr. Crosby,
but, as Philip sat on her other side, she had no fear of being too
greatly bored.

But to her surprise the elderly bachelor turned out to be exceedingly
interesting. He had travelled a great deal, and talked well about his
experiences, and it was soon discovered that he and Patty had mutual
friends in Paris, where Patty had spent the winter several years before.

"I do love to hear you talk," Patty declared, ingenuously, after Mr.
Crosby had given her a thrilling and picturesque description of an
incident in his trip to the Orient.

"Oh, thank you," Mr. Crosby returned, a little bewildered by this
outright compliment, for he was unaccustomed to talking to young girls.

"But, you see," Patty went on, "I mustn't monopolise you. You know,
it's etiquette to talk fifteen minutes to your neighbour on one side
and then turn to your neighbour on the other."

"Bless my soul! you're quite right,--quite right!" and Mr. Crosby
stared at Patty over his glasses. "How do you know so much, and you
such a young thing?"

"Oh, I'm out," returned Patty, smiling, "and of course, when a girl
comes out, she has to learn the rules of the game."

So Mr. Crosby turned to talk to the lady on his other side, and Patty
turned to Philip, who looked a trifle sulky.

"Thought you were going to talk to that chap all evening," he growled,
under his breath.

"I should like to," said Patty, sweetly, "he's SO interesting. But I
can't monopolise him, you know. As I don't want to talk to a growly
bear, I think, if you'll excuse me from polite conversation, I'll
meditate for awhile."

"Meditate on your sins; it'll do you good!"

Patty opened her blue eyes wide and stared at the speaker. "Why," she
said, "to meditate, one must have something to meditate on!"

"And you think you haven't any sins! Oh, would some power the giftie
gi'e us!"

"To see ourselves as ithers see us," Patty completed the rhyme. "But
you see, Philip, as I don't see any sins in myself, I can't meditate on
the sins that ithers see in me, if I don't know what they are."

"Well, I'll tell you a big, black one! You simply ignored me for half
an hour, while you jabbered to that duffer on the other side! Now
meditate on THAT!"

Patty obediently cast down her eyes, and assumed a mournful expression.
She continued to sit thus without speaking; until Philip exclaimed:

"Patty, you little goose, stop your nonsense! What's the matter with
you to-night, anyway?"

"Honestly, Philip," said Patty, very low, "your aunt's parties always
make me want to giggle. They're heavenly parties, and I simply ADORE to
be at them, but her friends are so--well, so aged, you know, and they
seem to--well, to be so interested in their dinner."

"_I_'m my aunt's guest, and _I_'m not a bit interested in my dinner."

"Well, you may as well be, for I'm going to talk to Mr. Crosby now."

Seeing that Mr. Crosby's attention was unclaimed for the moment, Patty
turned to him, saying, with great animation: "Oh, Mr. Crosby, MAY I ask
you something? I'm AWFULLY ignorant, you know, and you're so wise."

"Yes, yes, what is it?" And the great Oriental scholar looked benignly
at her over his glasses.

Now naughty Patty hadn't any question to ask, and she had only turned
to her neighbour to tease Philip, so she floundered a little as she
tried to think of some intelligent enquiry.

"What is it. Miss Fairfield?" prompted Mr. Crosby.

Patty cast a fleeting glance toward Philip, as if appealing for help,
and that young man, though engaged in a desultory conversation,
whispered under his breath, "Ask him about the Aztecs."

"Oh, yes, Mr. Crosby," said Patty, "it's about the--the Aztecs,--you
know."

"Ah, yes, the Aztecs,--a most interesting race, MOST interesting,
indeed. And what do you want to know about them, Miss Fairfield?"

Patty was tempted to say ALL about them, for her knowledge of the
ancient people was practically nothing.

"Did they--did they--"

"Eat snails," said Philip, in a whisper.

"Did they eat snails, Mr. Crosby?" And Patty's big blue eyes were
innocent of anything, save an intense desire to know about the Aztec
diet.

"Snails?--snails?--well, bless my soul! I don't believe I know.
Important, too,--most important. I'll look it up, and let you know.
Snails--queer I DON'T know. I made a study of the Aztecs, and they are
most interesting,--but as to snails--"

Apparently Mr. Crosby's mind was wrestling with the question.

"He's gone 'way back and sat down with the Aztecs," Philip murmured to
Patty, "so you ask questions of me."

"You don't know anything that I want to know."

"Then _I_'ll ask a question of YOU."

Philip's voice was full of meaning, so Patty said hastily: "No, no; it
isn't polite to ask questions in society; one should make observations."

"All right, observe me. That's what I'm here for. Observe me early and
often, and I'll be only too well pleased."

"But that isn't what _I_'m here for. Your aunt invited me to be a
pleasant dinner guest and so I have to make myself entertaining to my
Aztec friend."

And then Patty turned again to Mr. Crosby, and by a few skilful hints
she soon had him started on another description of his travelling
experiences, and this time it proved so thrilling that all at the table
were glad to listen to it.

After dinner the whole party went to the opera and occupied Mrs. Van
Reypen's box.

Patty was passionately fond of music, and never talked during a
performance. Between the acts, she was a smiling chatterbox, but while
the curtain was up, she behaved in most exemplary fashion. Mrs. Van
Reypen knew this, or she would not have asked her, for that lady was
old-fashioned in her ways, and had no patience with people who
chattered while the great singers were pouring forth their marvellous
notes.

[Illustration: After dinner the whole party went to the opera]

When the final curtain fell, Mrs. Van Reypen invited her guests to
return to her house for supper, but Patty declined.

"Very well, my dear," said her hostess, "I think, myself, you're too
young to be out any later than this. We will set you down at your own
door, and you must hop right into bed and get your beauty sleep. Young
things like you can't stay young unless you take good care of your
pinky cheeks."

"But I don't want Patty to go home," Philip grumbled, to his aunt.

"Your wishes are not consulted, my boy; this is my party. You're merely
my guest, and, if you don't behave yourself, you won't get invited
again."

"That scares me dreadfully," and Philip lightly pinched his aunt's
cheek. "I will be good, so I'll be asked again."

The big limousine stopped at Patty's door, and Philip escorted her up
the steps.

"I think you might have come to supper," he said, reproachfully, as he
touched the bell.

"It's too late," said Patty, decidedly; "and, besides, I have other
plans for the rest of the evening."

And with this enigmatical announcement Philip was forced to be content,
for Patty said good-night and vanished through the doorway.

"And, indeed, I HAVE other plans," Patty said, to herself. "I'm simply
consumed with curiosity to know which of those three beauties that
ridiculous Kit man likes the best. I'm going to call him up and see. I
wish he could call me up,--it would suit me far better. But I suppose
nobody can call anybody else up if nobody knows anybody else's name."

"Do you want any supper, Miss Patty?" asked Louise, as she unhooked
Patty's frock.

"No, thank you, I'm not a bit hungry. You might bring me a cup of milk
and a biscuit, and then give me a kimono. I'm not going to bed just
yet."

So Louise arranged everything just as Patty wanted it, and finally went
away.

"May as well be comfortable," said Patty, as she tucked herself into a
favourite big chair, with the telephone on a little stand beside her.
"I suppose I'll run up a fine bill for extra time, but, after all, it's
less extravagant than a good many other things. Wonder how much they
charge for overtime. I must ask Daddy."

With a smile of anticipation Patty picked up the telephone.

"Hello!" said Mr. Cameron's eager voice. "I thought you'd never come.
I've been waiting since ten."

"I've been to the opera," said Patty, nonchalantly. "And you've NO
reason to sit and wait for me! I'm not a dead certainty, like the
sunrise or the postman."

"You're more welcome than either."

"Now that's a real pretty speech. Are you a poet?"

"Only to you."

"Did you get the pictures?" Patty was unable longer to restrain her
impatience.

"Of course I got the pictures. I knew yours at once! You needn't think
you can fool ME."

"Which was mine? The girl with the black curls?"

"Mercy, no! I know you're not THAT type. She looks like an actress, and
hasn't a brain in her silly head. And you're not that lackadaisical
lily-like one, either. Oh, I know YOU! You're that delightful,
sensible, really brainy girl with the smooth black hair."

"Oh, I AM, am I?"

"Yes; and I'm SO glad you're not a rattle-pated beauty! What's a pretty
face compared to real mind and intellect!"

Patty was furious. She didn't aspire to nor desire this great mind and
intellect, and she was quite satisfied with the amount of brains in her
pretty, curly head.

"I don't think much of your taste!" she exclaimed.

"Why! you don't want me to be disappointed because you're not pretty,
do you?"

"But I AM pretty."

"Yes; as I said, the beauty of deep thought and education shines from
your clear eyes. That is far better than dimples and curls."

Patty shook her curls at the telephone and her dimples came and went
with her varying emotions.

"Why, I shouldn't like you half as well if you were pretty," Mr.
Cameron went on. "The only things I consider worth while are
seriousness and scholarship. These you have in abundance, as I can see
at once from your picture."

"And how do you like the way I dress?"

"It suits your type exactly. That large black-and-white check denotes a
mind far above the frivolities of fashion, and that stiff white collar,
to my mind, indicates a high order of mentality."

"I think you're perfectly horrid!" And this exclamation seemed wrung
from the depths of Patty's soul.

A ringing laugh answered her--a laugh so hearty and so full of absolute
enjoyment that Patty listened in astonishment.

"Poor little Princess Poppycheek! It's a shame to tease her! WAS she
maligned by a bad, horrid man that she doesn't even know? There, Little
Girl, don't cry! I know perfectly well that stiff old schoolmarm isn't
you! Now, will you tell me who you are, and what you really look like?"

Patty had to think quickly. She had supposed that Cameron meant what he
said, but after all he was fooling her. And she had thought she fooled
him!

"Which is me, then?" she said, in a small, low voice.

"None of 'ern! You goosie! To think you could fool ME. In the first
place, I knew you wouldn't send your own photograph; and when I saw
those three charming specimens, in out-of-date clothes, I knew you had
ransacked your album to find them. However, I took the whole bunch down
to Marie, and she vowed she had never laid eyes on one of them before.
So there, now!"

"Then we're just back where we started from," said Patty, cheerfully.

"Yes; but, if you'll come to the musicale on Friday night, we can make
great progress in a short time."

"I told you I'd go, if you would persuade Marie to invite me."

"Nonsense! I believe she HAS invited you. I believe you're Miss
Curtiss. SHE has dark hair."

"Why not that other singer, Miss Fairfield?"

"Oh, Marie says she's a blonde. The 'raving beauty' sort. I detest that
kind. I know she's vain."

"Yes, she is. I hate to speak against another girl, but I know that
Patty Fairfield, and she IS vain."

"Well, never mind about Patty Fairfield She doesn't interest me a bit.
But what about you? Will you come to the party? Oh, DO-ee,
DO-ee,--now,--as my old Scotch nurse used to say. Come to your waiting
knight!"

Kit's voice was very wheedlesome, and Patty was moved to encourage him
a little.

"Do you know,--I almost think--that maybe--possibly--perhaps, I WILL
go."

"Really? Oh, Poppycheek, I'm SO glad! I do want to see My Girl!"

"YOUR girl, indeed!"

"Yes; mine by right of discovery."

"But you haven't discovered me yet."

"But I will,--on Friday night. You'll TRULY come, WON'T you?"

"Honest, I've never been where I wasn't invited--"

"But this is different----"

"Yes,--it IS different----"

"Oh, then you will come! Goody, GOODY! I'm so glad!"

"Don't break the telephone with your gladness! Suppose I DO come, how
will you know me? How will you know that it is I?"

"Oh, I'll know! 'I shall know it, I shall feel it, something subtle
will reveal it, for a glory round thee hovers that will lighten up the
gloom.'"

"Oh, you ARE a poet."

"I am a poet, but I didn't write that. However, it was only because the
other fellow got ahead of me."

"Who was he? Who wrote it?"

"I'll tell you Friday night. Come early, won't you?" "No; I always get
to a party late."

"Don't be too late. I want to play to you. And will you sing?"

"Mercy, gracious! I might go to a party without being invited, but I
can't SING without being asked. You tell Marie I'm coming, will you?"

"You bet I will. What shall you wear?"

"What's your favourite colour?"

"Red."

"Red is becoming to brunettes; but I haven't any red evening gown. How
about yellow?"

"All right, wear yellow. I shall adore you in any colour."

"Well; perhaps I'll come, and perhaps I won't. Good-night."

Patty hung up the receiver with a sudden click, and Mr. Kit Cameron was
left very much in doubt as to whether the whole thing was a joke or not.




CHAPTER VI

PRINCESS POPPYCHEEK


On the night of the musicale at Marie Homer's, her talented cousin
arrived long before any guests were expected.

"I couldn't wait, Aunt Frances," he said, as Mrs. Homer greeted him.
"I'm so impatient to see My Girl."

Kit had told the Homers of the telephone conversations, because he was
so anxious to find out his lady's name. Of course, he had not told all
they said, and from his incoherent ravings about a black-haired beauty
Marie never guessed he could mean Patty.

"You're a foolish boy, Kit," said his Aunt.

"I don't believe that girl is any one we know, but is some mischievous
hoyden who is leading you a dance. You won't see her to-night,--if you
ever do."

"Then I shall think up the easiest death possible, and die it,"
declared Kit, cheerfully. "Why, you know, Aunt Frances, I never took
any interest in a girl before, except of course Marie and Bee, but this
girl is so different from everybody else in the world. Her voice is
like a chime of silver bells,--and her laugh----"

"There, there, Kit, I haven't time to listen to your rhapsodies! You're
here altogether too early, and you'll have to excuse me, for I have
some household matters to look after. Marie isn't quite dressed yet, so
you'll have to amuse yourself for awhile. Play some sentimental music
on your violin, if that fits your mood."

With a kindly smile at her nephew, Mrs. Homer bustled away, and Kit was
left alone in the music-room.

He played some soft, low music for a time, and then Marie came in.

"You're an old goose, Kit," she remarked, affectionately, "to think
that mysterious girl of yours will be here to-night. There isn't
anybody who knows me well enough to come without an invitation, that I
haven't already invited. I've added to my list of invitations until it
now numbers about thirty, and that's all the really musical friends I
have. If this girl of yours sings as well as you say, she's probably a
soubrette or a chorus girl."

"Nothing of the sort!" Kit exclaimed. "She's the sweetest, daintiest,
refinedest, culturedest little thing you ever saw!"

"How do you know? You haven't seen her."

"No, but I've talked with her. I guess I know." And Kit turned
decidedly sulky, for he began to think it WAS rather doubtful about his
seeing his girl that evening.

And then the guests began to arrive, and Mr. Kit put on a smiling face
and made himself agreeable to his cousin's friends.

Patty came among the latest arrivals. She looked her prettiest in a
filmy gown of pale-blue chiffon, with touches of silver embroidery. An
ornament in her hair was of silver filigree, with a wisp of pale-blue
feather, and her cheeks were a little pinker than usual.

Kit glanced at her as she came in, and, though he noticed that she was
an extremely pretty girl, he immediately glanced away again and
continued his watch for the black-eyed girl he expected. The room was
well filled by this time, and Patty took a seat near the front, where
sat a group of her intimate friends. They greeted her gaily, and Kit,
on the other side of the room, paid no attention to them.

The programme began with a duet by Kit on his violin, and his Cousin
Marie at the piano.

The man was really a virtuoso, and his beautiful playing held the
audience spellbound. Patty watched him, enthralled with his music, and
admiring, too, his generally worth-while appearance.

"He does look awfully jolly," she thought, to herself, "and it's plain
to be seen he has brains. I wonder if he will be terribly disappointed
in me, after all. I've a notion to run away."

For the first time in her life Patty felt shy about singing. Usually
she had no trace of self-consciousness, but to-night she experienced a
feeling of embarrassment she had never known before. She realized this,
and scolded herself roundly for it. "You idiot!" she observed,
mentally, to her own soul; "if you want to make a good impression,
you'd better stop feeling like a simpleton. Now brace up, and do the
best you can, and behave yourself!"

Miss Curtiss sang before Patty did. She was a sweet-faced young woman,
with a beautiful and well-trained contralto voice. Patty cast a furtive
glance at Kit Cameron, and found that he was looking intently at the
singer. She knew perfectly well he was wondering whether this might be
the girl of the telephone conversations, and she saw, too, that he
decided in the negative, for he shook his head slightly, but with
conviction.

Suddenly the humour of the whole situation struck Patty. The incident
was not serious, but humorous, and as soon as she realised this her
shyness disappeared, and the spirit of mischief once again took
possession of her. She knew now she would do herself credit when she
sang, and when her turn came she rose and walked slowly and gracefully
to the platform which had been temporarily placed for the musicians.

Marie was to play her accompaniment, and Patty had expected to sing
first a somewhat elaborate aria, using "Beware" as an encore.

But as she reached the platform, and as she noticed Kit Cameron's face,
its expression politely interested, but in no wise enthusiastic, she
suddenly changed her mind. She put the music of "Beware" on the piano
rack, and murmured to Marie, "This one first."

Marie looked puzzled, but of course she couldn't say anything as Patty
stood waiting to begin.

For some reason Patty was always at her prettiest when she sang. She
thoroughly enjoyed singing, and she enjoyed the evident pleasure it
gave to others. She stood gracefully, her hands lightly clasped before
her, and the added excitement of this particular occasion gave a flush
to her cheek and a sparkle to her blue eyes that made her positively
bewitching.

And then she sang the foolish little song, "Beware," just as she had
sung it over the telephone, coquettishly, but without artificiality or
forced effect.

She scarcely dared look at Kit Cameron. A fleeting glance showed her
that he was probably at that moment the most nonplussed young man in
existence.

She looked away quickly, lest her voice should falter from amusement.

Luckily, all the audience were regarding Patty attentively, and had no
eyes for the astonished face of Kit Cameron. He had taken no special
interest in the blonde singer, but when her first notes, rang out he
started in surprise. As the voice continued he knew at once it was the
same voice he had heard over the telephone, but he couldn't reconcile
the facts. He caught the fleeting glance she gave him, he saw the
roguish smile in her eyes, and he was forced to believe that this girl
was his dark-eyed unknown.

"The little rascal!" he said, to himself. "The scamp! the rogue! How
she has tricked me! To think she was Patty Fairfield all the time! No
wonder Marie didn't know whom I was talking about! Well!"

As the song finished no one applauded more enthusiastically than Kit
Cameron.

But Patty would not look toward him, and proceeded to sing as an encore
the aria she had intended to sing first.

She was in her best voice, and she sang this beautifully, and, if the
audience was surprised at the unusual order of the selections, they
were unstinted in their applause.

Leaving the stage, instead of returning to her seat, Patty stepped back
into the next room, which was the library.

Cameron was there to receive her. He had felt sure she would not return
to the audience immediately, and he took the chance.

He held out both hands and Patty laid her hands in his.

"Captive Princess," he murmured.

"My Knight!" Patty whispered, and flashed a smile at him.

"Can you EVER forgive the things I said?" he asked, earnestly, as he
led her across the room and they sat down on a divan.

"There's nothing to forgive," she said, smiling; "you detest blondes, I
know, but I'm thinking seriously of dyeing my hair black."

"Don't! that would be a sacrilege! And you MUST remember that I told
you I always adored blondes, until you told me you were brunette."

"But I didn't," said Patty, laughing. "Somehow you got the notion that
I was dark, and I didn't correct it. Are you TERRIBLY disappointed in
me?"

Naughty Patty raised her heavenly blue eyes and looked so like a fair,
sweet flower that Kit exclaimed:

"Disappointed! You are an angel, straight from heaven!"

"Nonsense! If you talk like that, I shall run away."

"Don't run away! I'll talk any way you like, but now that I have found
you I shall keep you. But I am still in depths of self-abasement.
Didn't I say most unkind things about Miss Fairfield?"

"No unkinder than I did. We both jumped on her, and said she was vain
and horrid."

"_I_ never said such dreadful things! I'm sure I didn't. But, if I did,
I shall spend the rest of my life making up for it. And I called you
Poppycheek!"

Cameron looked at Patty's cheeks in such utter dismay that she laughed
outright.

"But you know," she said, "there are pink poppies as well as scarlet.
Incidentally there are white and there are saffron yellow."

"So there are," said Cameron, delightedly. "How you DO help a fellow
out! Well, yours are just the colour of a soft, dainty pink poppy that
is touched by the sunlight and kissed by a summer breeze."

"I knew you were a poet," said Patty, smiling, "but I don't allow even
a summer breeze to kiss my cheeks."

"I should hope not! A summer breeze is altogether too promiscuous with
its kisses. I hope you don't allow any kisses, except those of your own
particular swansdown powder puff."

"Of course I don't!" laughed Patty, and then she blushed furiously as
she suddenly remembered how Farnsworth had kissed both her cheeks the
night of Christine's wedding.

"I see you're blushing at a memory," said Cameron, coolly; "I suppose
the powder puff was too audacious."

"Yes, that's it," said Patty, her liking for this young man increased
by the pleasantry of his light banter. "And now we must return to the
music-room. I came here a moment to catch my breath after singing; but
how did you happen to be here?"

"I knew you'd come here; ostensibly, of course, to catch your breath,
but really because you knew I'd be here."

"You wretch!" cried Patty. "How dare you say such things! I never
dreamed you'd be here; if I had, I shouldn't have come."

"Of course you wouldn't, you little coquette! It's your nature to be
perverse and capricious. But your sweet good-humour won't let you carry
those other traits too far. Oh, I know you, My Girl!"

"I object to that phrase from you," Patty said, coldly, "and I must ask
you not to use it again."

"But you ARE my girl, by right of discovery. By the way, you're not
anybody else's girl, are you?"

"Just what do you mean by that?"

"Well, in other words, then, are you engaged, betrothed, plighted,
promised, bespoke----"

Patty burst out laughing. "I'm not any of those things," she said,
"but, if ever I am, I shall be bespoke. I think that's the loveliest
word! Fancy being anybody's Bespoke!"

"Of course, it's up to me to give you an immediate opportunity," said
Cameron, sighing. "But somehow I don't quite dare bespeak you on such
short acquaintance."

"Faint heart----"

"Oh, it isn't that! I'm brave enough. But I'm an awfully punctilious
man. If I were going to bespeak you, now, I should think it my duty to
go first to your father and correctly ask his permission to pay my
addresses to his daughter."

"Good gracious! How do you pay addresses? I never had an address paid
to me in my life."

"Shall I show you how?" And Cameron jumped up and fell on one knee
before Patty, with a comical expression of a make-believe love-sick
swain.

Patty dearly loved fooling, and she smiled back at him roguishly, and
just at that moment Philip Van Reypen came into the room.

In the dim half-light he descried Patty on the divan and Cameron
kneeling before her, and, as Mr. Van Reypen was blessed with a quick
temper, he felt a sudden desire to choke the talented Mr. Cameron.

"Patty!" Philip exclaimed, angrily.

"Yes, Philip," said Patty, in a voice of sweet humility.

"Come with me," was the stern command.

"Yes, Philip," and Patty arose and walked away with Van Reypen, leaving
Kit Cameron still on his knee.

"Well, I'll be hammered!" that gentleman remarked, as he rose slowly
and deliberately dusted off his knee with his handkerchief; "that girl
is a wonder! She's full of the dickens, but she's as sweet as a peach.
I always did like blondes best, whether she believes it or not. But if
I hadn't, I should now. There's only one girl in the world for me. I
wonder if she is mixed up with that Van Reypen chap. He had a most
proprietary manner, but all the same, that little witch is quite
capable of scooting off like that, just to tease me. Oh, I'll play her
own game and meet her on her own ground. Little Poppycheek!" With a
nonchalant air, Mr. Cameron sauntered back to the music-room, and
seated himself beside Miss Curtiss, with whom he struck up an animated
conversation, not so much as glancing at Patty.

Patty observed this from the corner of her eye, and she nodded her head
in approval.

"He's worth knowing," she thought; "I'll have a lot of fun with him."

The programme was almost over, but Kit was to play once again. With
Marie, he played a fine selection, and then, as he was tumultuously
encored, he went back to the platform alone. Without accompaniment he
played the little song, "Beware," that Patty had sung, and,
improvising, he made a fantasia of the air. He was clever as well as
skilled, and he turned the simple little melody into thrilling,
rollicking music with trills and roulades until the original theme was
almost lost sight of, only to crop up again with new intensity.

Patty listened, enthralled. She loved this sort of thing, and she knew
he was playing to her and for her. The strains would be now softly
romantic, now grandly triumphant, but ever recurring to the main
motive, until one seemed fairly to see the fickle maiden of the song.

When it was ended, the room rang with applause. Cameron bowed simply,
and laying aside his violin, went straight to Patty and sat down by
her, coolly appropriating the chair which his cousin Marie had just
left.

"I made that for you," he said, simply. "Did you like it?"

"Like it!" exclaimed Patty, her blue eyes dancing; "I revelled in it!
It was wonderful! Was it really impromptu?"

"Of course. It was nothing. Any one can play variations on an old song."

"Variations nothing!" remarked Patty. "It was a work,--a chef
d'oeuvre,--an opus!"

"Yes; Opus One of my new cycle." "What are you two talking about?" said
Marie, returning. "Have you found your girl, Kit? What do you think,
Patty?--Kit's crazy over a black-eyed girl whom he doesn't know!"

"Is he?" said Patty, dropping her eyes demurely.

"I found My Girl, Marie," Cameron announced, calmly; "I find I made a
trifling mistake about her colouring, but that's a mere detail. As it
turns out, the lady of my quest is Miss Fairfield."

"Good gracious, are you, Patty?" said Marie, impetuously; "are you
Kit's girl?"

"Yes; I am," and Patty folded her hands with a ridiculous air of
complacency.

"Patty!" growled Van Reypen, who was sitting behind her.

"Yes, Philip," said Patty, sweetly, turning partly round.

"Behave yourself!"

"I am behaving, Philip," and Patty looked very meek.

"Of course you are," said Marie; "you're behaving beautifully. And you
look like an angel, and you sang like a lark, and if you're Kit's Girl,
I'm glad of it. Now come on, everybody's going to supper."

"You come along with me," said Philip Van Reypen, as he took Patty by
the arm.

"Why?" And Patty looked a little defiant at this command.

"Because I want you to. And I want you to stop making up to that
Cameron man."

"I'm not, Philip; he's making up to me."

"Well, he'd better stop it! What was he doing on his knees before you
in the library?"

"I don't remember," said Patty, innocently. "Oh, yes, he was telling me
my cheeks were red, or some foolishness like that."

"And your eyes were blue, I suppose, and your hair was yellow! Didn't
you know all those things before?"

"Why, Philip, how cross you are! Yes, I've known those things for
nineteen years. It's no surprise to me."

"Patty, I'd like to shake you! Do you know what you are? You're just a
little, vain, silly, babbling coquette!"

"I think that's a lovely thing to be! Do you want me to babble to you,
Philip, or shall I go and babble to somebody else?"

"Don't babble at all. Here's a chair. You sit right down here, and eat
your supper. Here's another chair. You lay your shawl and bonnet on
that, to keep it for me, and I'll go and forage for some food."

Patty laid her scarf and fan on the chair to reserve it for Philip, but
she was not unduly surprised when Mr. Cameron came along, picked up her
belongings, and seated himself in the chair.

"That's Mr. Van Reypen's chair," said Patty; "if he finds you there,
he'll gently but firmly kill you."

"I know it," said Kit, placidly; "but a Knight is always willing to
brave death for his Lady."

"But I don't want you killed," said Patty, looking sad, "I wouldn't
have anybody to telephone to."

"If I run away then, to save my life, will you telephone me to-night?"

"Indeed I won't! that's all over. But please, Mr. Cameron, run away,
for here comes Philip, with both hands full of soup, and I know he
wouldn't hesitate to scald you with it."

Mr. Cameron arose, as Mr. Van Reypen came in, and with an air of
willingly relinquishing his seat to Philip, he said, "My Girl's 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."

"He's a musician, all right," said Kenneth Harper. "The things he did
to that simple little song must have made some of the eminent composers
turn in their graves!"

"He's awfully clever at that sort of thing," said Marie; "sometimes
when we're here alone, he'll take a simple little air and improvise the
most beautiful melodies from it."

"Is he amiable?" asked Mona, casually.

"Not very; or rather, not always. But he's a dear fellow, and we're all
fond of him. How did you like him, Patty?"

"I thought he was lovely," said Patty, and Van Reypen glared at her.




CHAPTER VII

SUITORS


After supper the whole party went to the large drawing-room to dance.

Kit Cameron made a bee-line for Patty. "You'll give me the first dance,
won't you?" he said, simply, "because I've stayed away from you all
supper time."

Patty hesitated. "I'm willing, Mr. Cameron," she said, "but for one
thing. I'm awfully exacting in the matter of dancing, and if you're not
a good dancer it would go far to spoil our pleasant acquaintance.
Suppose we don't risk it."

Cameron considered. "I am a good dancer," he said, "but Marie has told
me that you're something phenomenal in that line. So I daresay you will
be disappointed in me. All right, suppose we don't risk it."

Cameron half turned away, as if he had relinquished the idea of dancing
with Patty, and that young woman was somewhat taken aback. She had
assumed her new friend would insist on dancing with her, and she had no
mind to let him escape thus. She was just about to say, impulsively,
"Oh well, let's try it, anyway," when she caught a gleam from the
corner of his eye, and she realised in a flash that he felt sure she
would call him back!

This was enough for capricious Patty, and she turned away from him, but
not so quickly but that she saw his face suddenly fall, proving that
she had been quite right in her diagnosis of the case.

She smiled on Van Reypen, who was hovering near, and he came to her at
once.

"Our dance, Patty?" he said, eagerly, holding out his hand.

"Yes, Philip," she answered simply, laying her hand in his, and in a
moment they were circling the room.

"Don't be cross to me, will you, Philip?" said Patty with an appealing
note in her soft voice.

"No; you little torment, you. I'll never be cross to you, if you won't
flirt with other men."

"Philip," and Patty spoke quite seriously, "I'll be cross with you, if
you don't stop taking that attitude with me. It isn't for YOU to say
whether I shall flirt with other men or not!"

"No, I know it;" and Philip was unexpectedly humble. "I wish it was for
me to say, Patty."

"Stop talking nonsense, or I'll stop dancing with you! By the way,
Phil, you're an awfully good dancer."

"I'm glad there's something about me that pleases your ladyship."

"Yes; so am I. It certainly isn't your temper!"

And then Philip smiled into Patty's eyes, and peace was restored, as it
always was after their little squabbles.

The dance over, they sat for a few moments, and then Kenneth Harper
asked to be Patty's next partner.

"All right, Ken," said Patty; "but sit down here just a minute; I want
to watch the others."

What Patty really wanted was to see Mr. Cameron dance; and in a few
moments he went past them with Elise.

"That man's all round clever," commented Kenneth. "He dances just as he
plays the violin, exquisitely. Why, Patty, he's a poem in patent
leathers!"

Sure enough, Kit Cameron was an unusually fine dancer, and Patty felt a
slow blush rising to her cheeks, as she remembered what she had said to
him, and realised he must have thought her vain of her dancing.

For once, Patty felt honestly ashamed of herself. She had implied that
she was such a fine dancer she didn't care to dance with any one
unskilled in the art.

But after all, this was not quite Patty's attitude. When a stranger was
introduced to her, she was quite willing to dance with him, whether he
danced well or not. But as to Mr. Cameron, Patty liked him so much and
so enjoyed his beautiful music, that she really felt it would be a
shock to their friendship if he danced awkwardly.

And, too, she never for a moment supposed he would take her at her
word. She had supposed he would insist upon the dance, even after her
hesitation.

"What's the matter Patty?" said Kenneth; "you look as though you'd lost
your last friend!"

"I'm not sure but I have," said Patty, smiling a little. For certainly
Mr. Cameron was the last friend she had made, and it was very likely
that she had lost him.

"Well, never mind, you still have me left. I'm gentle and I'm kind, and
you'll never, never find a better friend than your old Ken."

"I believe you're right," and Patty smiled at him. "We've been friends
a long time, haven't we, Ken?"

"We sure have. When I look at your gray hair and wrinkled cheeks, I
realise that we are growing old together."

Patty laughed and dimpled at this nonsense, and then declared she was
ready to dance.

All through the evening, Patty was gaily whisked from one partner to
another, but Kit Cameron never came near her.

She was decidedly chagrined at this, even though she knew she had only
herself to blame for it. She had been really rude, and she was reaping
the well-deserved consequences.

Often she passed Cameron in the dance, as he whirled by with another
girl. He always smiled pleasantly as they passed, and the fact that he
was a magnificent dancer only made Patty feel more angry with herself
at having been so silly.

Just before the last dance, Patty stood, gaily chatting with several of
her friends, when the music struck up, and both Kenneth and Philip
claimed the dance.

"You promised it to me, Patty," said Kenneth, reproachfully.

"Why, Ken Harper, I didn't do any such thing!" and Patty's big blue
eyes gazed at him in honest surprise.

"Of course you didn't, you promised it to me," said Van Reypen, equally
mendacious.

"Why, I didn't promise it to anybody!" declared Patty; "I haven't
promised a dance ahead this whole evening."

As she stood, with the two insistent applicants on either side of her,
Cameron walked straight toward her. He said not a word, but held out
his arm, and calmly walking away from her two disappointed suitors,
Patty was at once whirled away.

"Well, Princess Poppycheek,--Princess Pink Poppycheek,--I had to
surrender," Cameron said, as they floated around the room. "After your
cruel aspersion on my dancing, I was so enraged I vowed to myself I'd
never speak to you again. But I'm awful magnanimous, and I forgive you
freely, from the bottom of my heart."

"I haven't asked to be forgiven," and Patty shot him a saucy glance;
"but," she added, shyly, "I'm truly glad you do forgive me. I was a
pig!"

"So you were. A Poppycheeked piggy-wig! But with me, what is forgiven
is forgotten. And, by the way, you dance fairly well."

"So I've been told," returned Patty, demurely. "And I find I can get
along with you."

This sounded like faint praise, but each knew that the other
appreciated how well their steps suited each other and how skilful they
both were.

Van Reypen and Ken Harper stood where Patty had left them, for a
moment, as they watched their hoped-for partner dance away.

"There's no use getting mad at that child," said Ken, patiently; "she
WILL do as she likes."

"Well, after all, why shouldn't she? She's a reigning belle, and she's
a law unto herself. But she has a lot of sense inside that golden curly
head."

"Yes," returned Kenneth, "and not only sense, but a sound, sweet
nature. Patty is growing up a coquette, but it is only because she is
beset by flattery; and, too, she IS full of mischief. She can't help
teasing her suitors, as she calls them."

"She can tease me all she likes," said Van Reypen, somewhat seriously,
and Kenneth answered simply, "Me, too."

Next morning, Patty told Nan all about Mr. Cameron, and that gay little
lady was greatly interested in the story.

"I knew he would be nice," said Nan, "from what you had already told me
about him. Is he good-looking, Patty?"

"Yes,--no,--I don't know," returned Patty; "I don't believe I thought
about it. He has an awfully nice face, and he's tall and big, and yet
he's young-looking. At least, his eyes are. He has dark eyes, and
they're just brimming over with mischief and fun, except when he's
playing his violin."

"Then I suppose he has the regulation 'far away' look," commented Nan.

"Well, he doesn't look like a dying goat, if that's what you mean! but
he looks like a real musician, and he is one."

"And a woman-hater, I believe?"

"Oh, it's rubbish to call him that! He's not crazy over girls, but it's
because he thinks most of them are silly. He likes his two
cousins,--and, Nan, don't breathe it, but I have a faint inkling of a
suspicion of a premonition that he's going to like me!"

"Patty, you're a conceited little goose!"

"Nay, nay, my ducky stepmother, but I'd be a poor stick if I couldn't
fascinate that youth after our romantic introduction."

"That's so; and I think you'll not have much trouble bringing him to
your feet."

"Oh, I don't want him at my feet. And I don't want him to fall in love
with me. I hate that sort of thing! I want him for a nice, chummy,
comrade friend, and if I can't have him that way, I don't want him at
all. There's Philip and Kenneth now; they've always been so nice. But
lately they've taken to making sheep's eyes at me and flinging out bits
of foolishness here and there that make me tired! A debutante's life is
not a happy one!"

Patty drew such a long, deep sigh, that Nan burst into laughter.

"I would feel sorry for you, Patty," she said, "but I can't help
thinking that you're quite able to look out for yourself."

"'Deed I am! When they talk mush, I just giggle at 'em. It brings 'em
down pretty quick from their highfalutin nonsense!"

The two were sitting in Patty's boudoir, which was such a bright, sunny
room that many a morning hour was pleasantly passed together there by
these two friends. Patty was fortunate in having a stepmother so in
sympathy with her pursuits and pleasures, and Nan was equally fortunate
in having warm-hearted, sunny-natured Patty with her.

Jane came in, bringing an enormous box from a florist.

"My prophetic soul!" cried Patty. "My efforts were not in vain! I feel
it in my funnybone that my latest Prince Charming has sent me a posy."

Nor was she wrong. The box contained a bewildering array of spring
flowers. Delicate blossoms of jonquils, hyacinths, lilacs, daffodils,
and other dainty, fragile flowers that breathed of spring.

"Aren't they lovely!" And Patty buried her face in the fragrant mass of
bloom.

"Here's a card," said Nan, picking up a white envelope.

Patty drew out Mr. Cameron's card, and on it was written: "To Princess
Poppycheek; that they may tell all that I may not speak."

"Now that's a real nice sentiment," Patty declared; "you see, it
doesn't commit him to anything, and yet it sounds pretty. Oh, I shall
end by adoring that young man! Bring me some bowls and things, please,
Jane; I want to arrange this flower garden myself."

Jane departed with the box and papers, and returned with a tray, on
which were several bowls and vases filled with water.

Patty always enjoyed arranging flowers, and she massed them in the
bowls, with taste and skill as to color and arrangement.

"There!" she said, as she finished her task; "they do look beautiful,
though I say it as shouldn't. Now, I think I shall sit me down and
write a sweet gushing note of thanks, while I'm in the notion. For I've
a lot on to-day, and I can't devote much time to this particular
suitor."

"Suitor is a slang word, Patty; you oughtn't to use it."

"Fiddle-dee-dee! if I didn't use any slang, I couldn't talk at all! And
suitor isn't exactly slang; it's the word in current fashion for any
pleasant young gentleman who sends flowers, or otherwise favors any
pleasant young lady. Everybody in society knows what it means, so don't
act old fogy,--Nancy Dancy."

Patty dropped a butterfly kiss on Nan's brow, and then pirouetted
across the room to her writing desk.

"Shall I begin, 'My Dear Suitor'?" she said, and then giggled to see
the shocked look on Nan's face.

"It wouldn't matter; he would understand," she said, carelessly, "but I
think I can do better than that."

"Well, I'll leave you to yourself," said Nan; "not out of special
consideration for your comfort, but because it doesn't interest me to
watch anybody write letters."

"By-by," and Patty waved her hand, absentmindedly, as Nan left the room.

Then she applied herself to her task.

"Most Courteous Knight," she began; "The flowers are beautiful,--and
they are saying lovely things to me. They say they are fresh and young
and green. Oh, my goodness! I forgot that you said they were speaking
for you! Well, then, they are saying that they are just the sort I
like, and they are sure of a welcome. With many, many thanks, I am very
sincerely yours, Patricia Poppycheek Fairfield."

And then Patty dismissed her Knight from her mind, and turned her
attention to other matters. That afternoon about five o'clock, Mr.
Cameron called.

"I scarcely hoped to find you at home," he said, as Patty greeted him
in the drawing-room.

"It isn't our day," she returned, "but I chanced to be in, and I'm glad
of it. Nan, may I present Mr. Cameron?" And Nan accorded a pleasant
welcome to the visitor.

"You see, Mrs. Fairfield," Cameron said, "I rarely go into society and
I fear my manners are a bit rusty. So if I have come to call too soon,
please forgive me."

His smile was so frank and his manner so easily correct, that Nan
approved of him at once. She was punctilious in such matters, and she
saw, through Kit's pretence at rustiness, that he was not lacking in
etiquette or courtesy.

"Let's have tea in the library," said Patty; "you see, Mr. Cameron, we
always invite people we like to have tea in there, rather than in this
formal place."

"That suits me; I want to be considered one of the family, and what's
the use of wasting a whole lot of time getting up to that point? Let's
make believe we've always known each other."

So tea was served in the library, and a very pleasant informal feast it
was.

Mr. Fairfield came in, and soon the whole quartette were chatting gaily
as if they had always known each other.

Mr. Cameron was especially interested in Patty's club called "Happy
Saturdays."

"It's the kindest thing I ever heard of," he said, enthusiastically.
"It does good to people who can't be reached by any organised charity.
I don't want to intrude, Miss Fairfield, and I don't want to exploit
myself, but if you ever give your Saturday friends a little musicale or
anything like that, I'd jolly well like to play for you. I'll play
popular stuff, or I'll play my best Sunday-go-to-meeting pieces,
whichever you prefer."

"That's awfully nice of you," said Patty, smiling at him. "I've often
thought I'd get up something of that sort."

"We might have it here," said Nan, "unless you mean to invite more
people than we could take care of."

"I'd like to have it here," said Patty; "the drawing-room would easily
seat sixty or seventy in an audience,--perhaps more. And I don't
believe we could find more than that to invite. Although I know of a
girls' club that I'd like to invite as a whole."

"It's a pretty big thing you're getting up, Pattikins," said Mr.
Fairfield, smiling kindly at his enthusiastic daughter, "but if you
think you can swing it, go ahead. I'll help all I can."

"It would upset the house terribly," said Nan; "but I don't mind that.
I'm with you, Patty. Let's do it."

"If you're shy on the programme, I can get one or two fellows to help
us out," said Cameron. "A chum of mine warbles a good baritone and I'm
dead sure he'd like to help."

"I'm really a perfectly good singer," said Mr. Fairfield, "but my voice
is not appreciated nowadays. So I'm going to decline all requests to
sing, however insistent. But I'll help you out this way, Patsy-Poppet.
I'll set up the supper for the whole crowd."

"Oh, daddy, how good you are!" and Patty leaned over to give her
father's hand an affectionate squeeze. "It will be just lovely! We'll
give those people a real musical treat, and a lovely supper to wind up
with. Really, Mr. Cameron, you are to be thanked for all this, for you
first suggested it. Our club has never done such a big thing before. I
know the girls will be delighted!"

Unable to wait, Patty flew to the telephone and called up Mona, who was
one of the most earnest workers of the club. As she had fore-seen, Mona
was greatly pleased, and they immediately planned a meeting for the
next morning to perfect the arrangements.

"And incidentally, and aside from giving a musical entertainment to
your poor but worthy young friends, won't you go with me next week to
enjoy some music yourself?" said Cameron to Patty, as he was about to
take leave.

"Where?" she asked.

"I want to have a little opera party. Only half a dozen of us. The
Hepworths will be our chaperons, and if you will go, I'll ask my cousin
Marie and Mr. Harper."

"Why not Mr. Van Reypen?" said Patty, mischievously.

"Me deadly rival! never! nevaire! how could you cruelly suggest it?"

"I didn't mean it. Forget it," and Patty smiled at him.

"All right, it's forgotten, but don't EVER let such a thing occur
again!"

And then Mr. Cameron reluctantly took himself off.




CHAPTER VIII

A HOUSE PARTY


Somehow or other Mr. Cameron immediately became a prominent factor in
the Fairfield household. He appeared frequently, and even more
frequently he telephoned or he wrote notes or he sent flowers or
messages, until Patty declared he was everlastingly under foot!

But he was so gay and good-natured, so full of pranks and foolery, that
it was impossible to snub him or to be annoyed with him.

He was a civil engineer, having already built up a good-sized business.
But he seemed to be both able and willing to leave his office at any
hour of the day or night for any occasion where Patty was concerned.

But he apparently fulfilled her wishes as to being her friend and chum
and comrade, without falling in love with her.

"He's a thoroughly nice chap," Mr. Fairfield often said; "good-natured
and right-minded, as well as clever and talented."

So, as he was also a favourite with Nan, he dropped in at the Fairfield
house very often, and Patty grew to like him very much.

The opera party had duly taken place and had been a pleasant success.
The musical entertainment was being planned for some weeks hence, as it
was not easy to find a near-by date which suited all concerned.

One morning, as Patty was fluttering around her boudoir and looking
over her mail, the telephone rang and the familiar "Hello, Princess,"
sounded in her ear.

"Hello, most noble Knight," she responded, "what would'st thou of me?"

"A boon so great that I fear to ask it! Won't you promise it in
advance?"

"What I promise in advance, I never fulfil."

"Don't do it, then! I'll ask you first. You see, it's this way. My
angelic and altogether delightful sister Lora lives in Eastchester with
her stalwart husband and a blossom-bud of a kiddy. Now it seems that
there's a wonderful country-club ball up there, and she thinks it will
be nice if you and I should attend that same."

"And what do YOU think about it?"

"Oh, I don't have any thoughts concerning it, until I know what YOU
think. And then, of course, that's precisely what _I_ think."

"When is it?"

"To-morrow night."

"Mercy me! So soon! Well, I haven't anything on for to-morrow night;
but the next night Mr. Van Reypen is making a theatre party for me that
I wouldn't miss for anything."

"H'm! how LOVELY! Well, Princess, what say you to my humble plea?"

"What are your plans? How do I get there?"

"Why, thusly; my sister will invite you to her home, and incidentally
to the ball. She will also ask my cousin Marie and Mr. Harper, who is
not at all averse, it seems to me, to playing Marie's little lamb!"

"Have you noticed that? So have I. Well, go on."

"Well, then, I thought it would be nice if we four should motor out to
Eastchester to-morrow afternoon, go straight to sister's, do up the
ball business and motor back the next day. There's the whole case in a
nutshell. Now pronounce my doom!"

"It seems to me just the nicest sort of a racket, and if your sister
invites me, I shall most certainly accept."

"Oh, bless you for ever! Princess Poppycheek. I shall telephone Lora at
once, and she will write you an invitation on her best stationery, and
she will also telephone you, and if you wish it she will come and call
on you."

"No, don't bother her to do that. I've met her, you know, and if she
either writes or telephones, it will be all right. What time do we
start?"

"About three, so as to make it easily by tea-time."

"I'll be ready. Count on me. Good-bye."

Patty hung up the telephone suddenly, as she always did. She often said
it was her opinion that more time was wasted in this world by people
who didn't know how to say good-bye, than from any other cause. And her
minutes were too precious to be spent on a telephone, after the main
subject of conversation had been finished.

She danced downstairs to tell Nan all about it.

"Very nice party," Nan approved; "I've met Mrs. Perry, you know, and
she's charming. You'll be home Thursday, of course. You know you've a
theatre party that night."

"Yes, I know; I'll be home," said Patty, abstractedly. "What would you
take for the ball, Nan? My pink chiffon or my yellow satin?"

"They're both so pretty, it's hard to choose. The yellow satin, I
think; it's a dream of a frock."

Mrs. Perry wrote a most cordial invitation and also telephoned, saying
how glad she would be to welcome Patty to her home.

And so, the next afternoon, the young people started on their motor
trip.

It was easily accomplished in two hours, and then Patty found herself a
very much honoured guest in Mrs. Perry's pleasant home.

"It's dear of you to come," said the vivacious little hostess, as she
took Patty and Marie to their rooms upon their arrival.

"It's dear of you to ask me." returned Patty; "I love to go to parties,
and I love to go into new people's houses,--I mean people's new
houses,--oh, well, you know what I mean; I mean HERE!"

"The house IS new," said Mrs. Perry, laughing, "but we're getting to be
old people, and we want you young folks to liven us up."

"Old people!" and Patty smiled at the pretty young matron.

"Yes, wait till you see my baby. She's almost three years old! Fancy my
going to balls, with a big girl like that."

"You're just fishing," said Patty, laughingly, "and I shan't humour
you. I know you young mothers! You go to a party, and you're the
belles, and leave all us wall-flowers green with envy!"

Mrs. Perry's eyes twinkled, and she looked so roguish that Patty
exclaimed, "You're exactly like Mr. Cameron! I can well believe you're
his sister."

"Who's he? Oh, you mean Kit! I don't think I ever heard him called Mr.
Cameron before, and it does sound so funny! Can't we persuade you to
say Kit?"

"I don't mind, if he doesn't," said Patty, carelessly. "What a darling
room this is!"

"Yes; this is one of my pet rooms. I always give it to my favourite
guests."

"I don't wonder," and Patty looked round admiringly at the dainty
draperies and pretty appointments of the chamber.

"Marie always has it when she's here; but, of course, she was glad to
give it up to you, and I put her in the blue room just across the hall.
Come now, powder your nose, we must run down to tea. Don't change your
frock."

Patty had worn a little silk house gown under her motor coat, so after
a brief adjustment of her tumbled curls she was ready to go down.

The Perrys' was a modern house of an elaborate type. There were many
rooms, on varying levels, so that one was continually going up or down
a few broad steps. Often the rooms were separated only by columns or by
railings, which made the whole interior diversified and picturesque.

"Such a gem of a house!" exclaimed Patty, as she entered the tea-room.
"So many cosy, snuggly places,--and so warm and balmy."

She dropped into a lot of silken cushions that were piled in the corner
of an inglenook, and placed her feet daintily on a footstool in front
of the blazing fire.

"Awful dinky!" said Kit, as he pushed aside some cushions and sat down
beside Patty, "but a jolly good house to visit in."

"Yes, it is," said Marie, who was nestled in an easy-chair the other
side of the great fireplace. "And it's so light and pleasant. We never
get any sunlight, home."

"Nonsense, Marie," said Kit, "our apartments are unusually light ones."

"Well, it's a different kind of light," protested Marie. "It only comes
from across the street, and here the light comes clear from the
horizon."

"It does," agreed Mrs. Perry, "but we're getting the very last rays
now. Ring for lights, Kit."

"No, sister, let's just have the firelight. It's more becoming, anyway."

So Mrs. Perry merely turned on one pink-shaded light near the tea table
and let her guests enjoy the twilight and firelight.

"Country life is 'way ahead of city existence," remarked Kenneth, as he
made himself useful in passing the teacups. "The whole atmosphere is
different. When I marry and settle down, I shall be a country
gentleman."

"How interesting!" cried Patty. "I should love to see you, Ken,
superintending your gardener and showing him how to plant cabbages!"

"Dead easy," retorted Kenneth; "I'd have a gardener show me first, and
when the next gardener came I could show him."

"Well, I don't want to live in the country," said Kit; "it's great to
visit here, that's what sisters' houses are for; but I couldn't live so
far away from the busy mart. Back to the stones for mine."

When their host, Dick Perry, arrived he came in with a genial, breezy
manner and warmly welcomed the guests.

"Well, well!" he exclaimed, "this IS a treat! To come home at night and
find a lot of gay and festive young people gathered around! Lora, why
don't we do this oftener? Nothing like a lot of young people to make a
home merry. How are you, Marie? Glad to see you again, Miss Fairfield."

Mr. Perry bustled around, flung off his coat, accepted a cup of tea
from his wife, and then, coming over toward Patty, he ordered Kit
Cameron to vacate, and he took his place.

"You're not to be monopolised by that brother-in-law of mine, Miss
Fairfield," he said, as he sat down beside her. "He's a clever young
chap, I admit, but he can't always get ahead of me."

Patty responded laughingly to this gay banter, and the tea hour passed
all too quickly, and it was time to dress for dinner.

"We'll put on our party frocks before dinner," said Mrs. Perry, as she
went upstairs with the girls; "and then we won't have to dress twice.
I'll send you a maid, Miss Fairfield."

"Thank you," said Patty, "but I can look after myself fairly
well,--until it comes to hooking up. I always do my own hair."

"It can't be much trouble," said Mrs. Perry, looking admiringly at the
golden curls, "for it looks lovely whatever way you do it."

Patty slipped on a kimono and brushed out her shining mass of curls. As
Mrs. Perry had rightly said, Patty's coiffure was not troublesome, for
however she bunched up the gleaming mass it looked exactly right. She
twisted it up with care, however, and added a marvellous ornament of a
bandeau, which circled halfway round her head, and above which a gilt
butterfly was tremblingly poised. It was too early to get into her
frock, so Patty flung herself into a big chair before the crackling
fire, and gave herself up to daydreams. She dearly loved to idle this
way and she fell to thinking, naturally, of the home she was visiting
and the people who lived there.

Patty still sat dreaming these idle fancies, when there was a tap at
the door and, in response to her permission, a maid entered.

"I'm Babette," she said, "and I have come to help you with your gown."

"Thank you," said Patty, jumping up; "it's later than I thought. We
must make haste."

With experienced deftness, the French maid arrayed Patty in the
beautiful evening gown of yellow satin, veiled with a shimmering yellow
gauze.

Although unusual for a blonde, yellow was exceedingly becoming to
Patty, and she looked like an exquisite spring blossom in the soft,
sheath-like jonquil-coloured gown.

Her dainty satin slippers and silk stockings were of the same pale
yellow, as was also the filmy scarf, which she knew how to wear so
gracefully.

Her only ornament was a string of pearls, which had been her mother's.

When she was all ready she went slowly down the winding staircase,
looking about her at the interesting house. A broad landing halfway
down showed an attractive window-seat, and Patty sat down there for a
moment.

There seemed to be no one in the hall below, and Patty concluded that
she was early after all, though she had feared she would be late.

In a moment Kit came down and spied her.

"Hello, Princess!" he cried. "You're a yellow poppy to-night,--and a
gay little blossom, too."

"Not yellow poppyCHEEK!" cried Patty, rubbing her pink cheeks in mock
dismay.

"Well, no; only one who is colour-blind could call those pink cheeks
yellow. May I pose beside you, here, and make a beautiful tableau?"

He sat beside Patty on the window-seat, and they wondered why the rest
were so late.

"Prinking, I suppose," said Kit. "How did you manage to get ready so
soon?"

"Why, just because I thought I was late, and so I hurried."

"Didn't know a girl COULD hurry,--accept my compliments." And Kit rose
and made an exaggerated bow.

"What's going on?" said Dick Perry, gaily, as he came downstairs and
paused on the landing.

"Only homage at the shrine of Beauty," returned Kit.

"Let me homage, too," said Mr. Perry, and they both bowed and scraped,
until Patty went off in a gale of laughter and said: "You ridiculous
boys, you look like popinjays! But here comes Marie; now more homage is
due."

Marie came down the steps slowly and gracefully, looking very pretty in
pale green, with tiny pink rosebuds for trimming.

"Good for you, Marie!" exclaimed her cousin. "Your dress gees with Miss
Fairfield's first-rate. You'll do!"

And then the others came, and the merry group went out to dinner.

After dinner they started at once for the country-club ball. It was to
be a very large affair, and, as Patty knew no one except their own
house party, she declared that she knew she'd be a wall-flower.

"Wall-flower, indeed!" said Kit. "Poppies don't grow on walls. They
grow right in the middle of the field, and sway and dance in the
breeze."

"I always said you were a poet," returned Patty, "and you do have the
prettiest fancies."

"I fancy YOU, if that's what you mean," Kit replied, and Patty gave him
a haughty glance for his impertinence.

Then Babette put on Patty's coat, which was a really gorgeous affair.
It was what is known as a Mandarin coat, of white silk, heavily
embroidered with gold, and very quaint she looked in it.

"That thing must weigh a ton," commented Kit. "Why do you girls want to
wear Chinese togs?"

"It's a beautiful coat," said Mrs. Perry, admiringly. "Have you been to
China, Miss Fairfield?"

"No; I never have. This was a Christmas present, and I'm awfully fond
of it. I'm afraid I'm barbaric in my love of bright, glittering things."

"A very civilised little barbarian," said Mr. Perry, and then they all
went off to the ball.

"How many may I have?" said Kit, as he took Patty's programme from her
hand after they were in the ballroom.

"As I don't know any one else, I shall have to dance them all with you
and Ken," returned Patty, demurely.

"Never mind Harper; give them all to me."

Patty looked at him calmly. "I'll tell you what," she said: "you put
down your initials for every dance; then, if I do find any partners I
like better, I'll give them dances; and, if not, you see I'll have you
to depend on."

Cameron stared at her, but Patty looked at him with an innocent smile,
as if she were not asking anything extraordinary.

"Well, you've got a nerve!" the young man exclaimed.

"Why, it was your own proposition that you have all the dances;" and
Patty looked almost offended.

"Poppycheek, you shall have it your own way! You shall have anything
you want, that _I_ can give you." And Cameron scribbled his initials
against every one of the twenty dances on the programme.

"You might have put K. C. to the first and then ditto after that," said
Patty, as she watched him.

"Nay, nay, Pauline!" and Kit gave her a shrewd glance. "Think what
would happen then. You'd give a dance to some other man, maybe, and
he'd set down his initials, and all the rest of the dittos would refer
to him!"

"Poor man! I never thought of that! But it isn't likely there'll be any
others except Ken."

"Oh, don't you worry! Everybody will want an introduction to you, after
they see you dance."

"I don't think much of that for a compliment! I'd rather be loved for
my sweet self alone."

"Have you never been?"

"Many, many times!" and Patty sighed in mock despair. "But my love
affairs always end tragically."

"Your suitors drown themselves, I suppose?"

"Do you mean if I encourage them?"

"Do you know what a silly you are?"

"Do you know what a goose YOU are?"

"Children, stop quarrelling," and Mrs. Perry smiled at the chattering
pair. "Miss Fairfield, several amiable young men of my acquaintance
desire to be presented to you. May I?"

Patty smilingly acquiesced, and in a moment half a dozen would-be
partners were asking for dances.

They looked rather taken aback at sight of Patty's card, but she calmly
explained to them the true condition of things, and they accepted the
situation with smiles of admiration for a girl who could command such
an arrangement. Patty would not give more than one dance to each, as
she wanted to find out which ones she liked best.

Mr. Perry brought up some of his acquaintances, too, and shortly
Patty's programme showed an astonishing lot of hieroglyphics scribbled
over Kit's initials.

"Here are twelve dances you may have for your other friends," said
Patty, to Mr. Cameron. "Take the numbers as I call them off: one, two,
three----"

"Oh, wait a minute! Have you given them all away?"

"No; only the first twelve, so far. But cheer up! I may be able to
dispose of the others."

"You're a naughty, bad, mean little princess; and I don't love you any
more."

Kit looked reproachfully at Patty, with his eyes so full of
disappointment that she relented.

"I didn't give away the first one, really," she said, softly. "I saved
that for you."

"You blessed, dear, sweet little Princess you! Now, don't give away any
more, will you? I know you'll have thousands of requests."

"I'll see about it," was all Patty would promise, and then the music
began and they stepped out on to the dancing floor.




CHAPTER IX

EDDIE BELL


"Which do you like best of all the boys you've met?" asked Kit, as they
danced.

"What a question! How can I possibly tell, when a dozen well-behaved
and serious-looking young men stand up like a class in school and say,
one after another, 'May I have the honour of a dance, Miss Fairfield?'
They all looked exactly alike to me. Except one. There was one boy, who
looks so much like me he might be my brother. I never had a brother,
and I've a good notion to adopt him as one."

"Don't! There's nothing so dangerous as adopting a young man for a
brother! But I know who you mean,--Eddie Bell. He doesn't look a bit
like you, but he HAS yellow curls and blue eyes."

"And pink cheeks," supplemented Patty.

"Yes, but not poppy cheeks; they're more the pink of a--of
a--horsechestnut!"

"I think pink horsechestnut blooms are beautiful."

"Oh, you do, do you? And I suppose you think Eddie Bell is beautiful!"

"Well, there's no occasion for you to get mad about it if I do. Do you
know, Mr. Cameron, you flare up very easily."

"If you'll call me Kit, I'll promise never to flare up again."

"Certainly, I'll call you Kit. I'd just as lieve as not; anything to
oblige."

"And may I call you Patty?"

"Why, yes, if you like."

"Look here, you're altogether too indifferent about it."

"Oh, what a boy!" And Patty rolled her eyes up in despair. "If I don't
want him to call me Patty, he doesn't like it; and if I do let him call
me Patty, he isn't satisfied! What to do,--what to do!"

"You're a little tease,--THAT'S what you are!"

"And you're a big tease, that's what YOU are! I've heard you're even
fond of practical jokes! Now, I detest practical jokes."

"That's an awful pity, for I mean to play one on you the very first
chance I get."

"You can't do it?"

"Why can't I?"

"Because I'd discover it, and foil you."

"There's no such word as foil in my bright lexicon. I'll lay you a
wager, if you like, that I play a practical joke on you, that you,
yourself, will admit is clever and not unkind. That's the test of a
right kind of a joke,--to be clever and not unkind."

Patty's eyes danced. "You have the right idea about it," she said,
nodding her head approvingly. "I don't so much mind a practical joke,
if it is really a good one, and doesn't make the victim feel hurt or
chagrined. But all the same, Mr. Kit, you can't get one off on me! I'm
a little too wide-awake, as you'll find out."

"Would you take a wager?"

"I'm not in the habit of betting, but I'm willing for once. It's hardly
fair, though, for I'm betting on a dead certainty."

"You mean you THINK you are! And I think _I_ am, so the chances are
even. What are the stakes?"

"I don't care: candy or books or flowers or anything."

"Nonsense, they're too prosaic. If I win, you're to give me a
photograph of yourself."

"Oh, I almost never give my picture to my suitors. It isn't good form."

"But, if you're so sure that you will win, you needn't be afraid to
promise it."

"All right, I promise; and, if I win, you may give me a perfectly
beautiful picture frame, in which I shall put some other man's picture."

"How cruel you can be! But, as I'm sure of winning, I'm not afraid to
take that up. A frame against a picture, then. But there must be a time
limit."

"I'll give you a month; if you can't do it in that time, you can't do
it at all. And, also, I must be the judge,--if you do fool me,--whether
your practical joke is clever and not unkind."

"I'm quite contented that you should be the judge, for I know your
sincere and honest nature will not let you swerve a hair's breadth from
a true and fair judgment."

"That's clever," returned Patty; "for now I shall have to be honest."

The first dance over, Patty went on with a long succession of dances
with her various partners. They were all polite and courteous young
men, some attractive and agreeable, others shy, and some dull and
uninteresting. Patty complacently accorded another dance to any one she
liked, and calmly refused it to less desirable partners,--pleading an
engagement with Cameron as her excuse.

The one she liked best was Eddie Bell. As she had said, this young man
did look a little like Patty herself, though this was mostly due to
their similarity of colouring.

"If I may say anything so impossible, it seems to me that I look like a
comic valentine of you," said Mr. Bell, as they began to dance.

Patty laughed outright at this apt expression of their resemblance, and
said: "I have already told some one that you looked exactly like me.
So, in that case, I'm a comic valentine, too. But, truly, you're enough
like me to be my brother."

"May I be? Not that I want to, in the least, but of course that is the
obvious thing to say. I'd rather be most any relation to you than a
brother."

"Why?"

"Oh, it's such a prosaic relationship. I have three sisters,--and
they're the dearest girls in the world,--but I don't really feel the
need of any more."

"What would you like to be?" And Patty flashed him a dangerous glance
of her pansy-blue eyes.

But Mr. Bell kept his equanimity. "How about second cousin, once
removed?"

"I suppose you'll be removed at the end of this dance."

"Then, may this dance last for ever!"

"Oh, what a pretty speech! Of course, you wouldn't make that to a
sister! I think a second cousinship is very pleasant."

"Then, that's settled. And I may call you Cousin Patty, I suppose?"

"It would seem absurd to say Cousin Miss Fairfield, wouldn't it? And
yet our acquaintance is entirely too short for first names."

"But it's growing longer every minute; and, if you would grant me
another dance after I'm removed from this one, I'm sure we could reach
the stage of first names."

"I will give you one more," said Patty, for she liked Mr. Bell very
much.

So at the end of their dance they agreed upon a number later on the
programme, and Mr. Bell wrote down "Cousin Ed" on Patty's card.

It was just after this that Kit came back for his second dance.

"Naughty girl," he said; "you've kept me waiting three-quarters of the
evening."

"I thought I saw you dancing with several visions of beauty."

"Only killing time till I could get back to you. Come on, don't waste a
minute."

It was a joy to Patty to dance with Cameron, for he was by all odds the
best dancer she had ever met. And many admiring glances followed them
as they circled the great room.

"How did you like your little brother?" Kit enquired.

"He's a ducky-daddles!" declared Patty, enthusiastically. "Just a nice
all-round boy, frank and jolly and good-natured."

"That's what I am."

"Not a bit of it! You're a musician; freakish, temperamental, touchy,
and--a woman-hater."

"Gracious! what a character to live up to,--or down to. But I hate YOU
awfully, don't I?"

"I don't know. I never can feel sure of these temperamental natures."

"Well, don't you worry about feeling sure of me. The longer you live,
the surer you'll feel."

"That sounds like 'the longer she lives the shorter she grows,'" said
Patty, flippantly.

"Yes, the old nursery rhyme. Well, you are my candle,--a beacon,
lighting my pathway with your golden beams----"

"Oh, do stop! That's beautiful talk, but it's such rubbish."

"Haven't you ever noticed that much beautiful talk IS rubbish?"

"Yes, I have. And I'm glad that you think that way, too. Beautiful
thoughts are best expressed by plain, sincere words, and have little
connection with 'beautiful talk.'"

"Patty Fairfield, you're a brick! And, when I've said that, I can't say
anything more."

"A gold brick?"

"Not in the usual acceptance of that term; but you're pure gold, and
I'm jolly well glad I've found a girl like you."

There was such a ring of sincerity in Cameron's tone that Patty looked
up at him suddenly. And the honest look in his eyes made it impossible
for her to return any flippant response.

"And I'm glad, too, that we are friends, Kit," she said, simply.

The next dance was Mr. Bell's, and that rosy-cheeked youth came up
blithely to claim it.

"Come along, Cousin Patty," he said, and Cameron stared at him in
amazement.

"Are you two cousins?" he said.

"Once removed," returned Eddie Bell, gaily; "and this is the removal."
He took Patty's hand and laid it lightly within his own arm as he led
her away.

"Don't let's dance right off," he begged. "Let's rest a minute in this
bosky dell."

The dell was an alcove off the ballroom, which contained several palms
and floral baskets and a deep, cushioned window-seat.

"Let's sit here and watch the moon rise;" and he led Patty toward the
window-seat, where he deftly arranged some cushions for her.

"I believe the moon rises to-morrow afternoon," said Patty.

"Well, I don't mind waiting. Sit here, won't you? These stupid cushions
ought to be of a golden yellow or a pale green. However, this old rose
does fairly well for our blond beauty. Isn't it nice we're of the same
type and harmonise with the same furnishings? When we're married we
won't have to differ about our house decorations." "When we are WHAT?"

"Married, I said. You know, you're not really my second cousin and
there's absolutely no bar to our union."

This was quite the most audacious young man Patty had ever met. But she
was quite equal to the situation.

"Of course there isn't," she said, lightly. "And, when I think of the
economy of our being able to use the same colour scheme, it IS an
inducement."

"And meantime we must get better acquainted, as you said when we were
dancing. May I come to see you in the city? Where do you live?"

"In Seventy-second Street," said Patty, "but I feel it my duty to tell
you that there's already a long line awaiting admission."

"Oh, yes, I've seen that line when I've been passing. It goes clear
round the corner of the block. Do I have to take my place at the end,
or can I have a special favour shown me?"

"I'm sure your sense of justice wouldn't permit that. You take your
place at the end of the line, and when your turn comes I'll be glad to
welcome you."

"Then that's all right," said Mr. Bell, cheerfully, "and you'll be
surprised to see how soon I appear! Now, lady fair, would you rather go
and dance or sit here and listen to me converse?"

"It's pleasant to rest a little," and Patty nestled into her cushions,
"and you really ARE amusing, you know. Let's stay here a little while."

"Now, isn't that nice of you! Do you want to talk, too, or shall I do
it all and give you a complete rest?"

"You do it all," said Patty, indolently. "It will be like going to a
monologue entertainment."

"At your orders. What subject would you like?"

"Yourself."

"Oh, wise beyond your years! You know the subject that most interests a
man."

"That isn't pretty!" And Patty frowned at him. "There ought to be
another subject more interesting to you than that!"

"There is; but I don't dare trust myself with HER!"

Mr. Bell's manner and voice were so exactly the right mixture of
deferential homage and burlesque that Patty laughed in delight.

"You are the DEAREST man!" she cried.

He looked at her reproachfully. "You said I might do all the talking,
and now you're doing it yourself."

"I'll be still now. Avoid that subject you consider dangerous and tell
me all about yourself."

"Well, once upon a time, there was a beautiful young man who rejoiced
in the poetic and musical name of Eddie Bell. I know he was a beautiful
young man, because he was said to resemble the most beautiful girl in
the whole world. Well, one evening he had the supreme good fortune to
meet this girl, and he realised at once that he had met his Fate,--his
Fate with a VERY large F. Incidentally, the F stood for Fairfield,
which made his Fate all the more certain. And so----"

"Patty, are you here?" and Ken Harper came through the palms toward
them. "This is our dance."

"Good gracious, Ken, is this dance the next dance? I mean is this dance
over, or is this dance our dance."

"You seem a little mixed, Patty, but this is our dance and I claim it.
Are you RESTED enough?"

Patty rose and, with a simple word of excuse to Mr. Bell, went away
with Kenneth.

"That's the first time, Ken, in all our friendship that I ever knew you
to say anything horrid," and Patty looked at him with a really hurt
expression.

"I didn't say anything horrid," and Kenneth's fine face wore a sulky
expression.

"You did, too. You asked me if I were RESTED in a horrid, sarcastic
tone; and you meant it for a reproof, because I sat out that dance with
Mr. Bell."

"You had no business to go and hide behind those palms with him."

"We didn't hide! That's only a bay-window alcove,--a part of the
ballroom. I have a perfect right to sit out a dance if I choose."

"That young chap was too familiar, anyway. I heard him calling you
'Cousin Patty.'"

"Oh, fiddlestrings, Ken! Don't be an idiot! We were only joking. And
I'm not so old, yet, but what I can let a boy call me by my first name
if I choose. When I'm twenty I'm going to be Miss Fairfield; but while
I'm nineteen anybody can call me Patty,--if I give him permission."

"You're a flirt, Patty."

"All right, Ken. Flirt with me, won't you?" Patty's roguish blue eyes
looked at Kenneth with such a frank and friendly glance that he
couldn't scold her any more.

"I can't flirt with you, Patty. I'm not that sort. You know very well
I've only a plain, plodding sort of a mind, and I can't keep up with
this repartee and persiflage that you carry on with these other chaps."

"I don't carry on," said Patty, laughing.

"I didn't say you carried on," returned Kenneth, who took everything
seriously. "I meant you carried on conversations that are full of wit
and repartee, of a sort that I can't get off."

"Nobody wants you to, you dear old Ken! You wouldn't be half as nice if
you were as foolish and frivolous as these society chatterboxes! You've
got more sterling worth and real intellect in your make-up than they
ever dreamed of. Now, stop your nonsense and come on and dance.
But--don't undertake to lecture Patty Fairfield,--she won't stand for
it!"

"I didn't mean to lecture you, Patty," and Kenneth spoke very humbly.
"But when I saw you tucked away behind those palms, flirting with that
yellow-headed rattle-pate, I felt that I ought to speak to you."

"You SPOKE, all right!" and Patty looked at him severely. "But you know
perfectly well, Kenneth Harper, that I wasn't doing anything I oughtn't
to. You know perfectly well that, though I like what you call
'flirting,' I'm never the least bit unconventional and I never forget
the strictest law of etiquette and propriety. I'd scorn to do such a
thing!"

Patty's blue eyes were blazing now with righteous indignation, for
Kenneth had been unjust, and Patty would not stand injustice. She was
punctilious in matters of etiquette, and she had not overstepped any
bounds by sitting out a dance in that alcove, which was a part of the
ballroom and a refuge for any one weary of dancing.

"And you know perfectly well, Kenneth," she went on, "that you DIDN'T
think I was unconventional, or anything of the sort. You were only----"

Patty paused, for she didn't quite want to say what was in her mind.

"You're right, Little Patty," and Kenneth looked her straight in the
eyes; "you're right. I WAS jealous. Yes, and envious. It always hurts
me to see you laughing and talking in that darling little way of yours,
and to know that _I_ can't make you talk like that. I wish I weren't
such a stupid-head! I wish _I_ could say things that would make you
play your pretty fooleries with ME."

Patty looked at him in amazement. She had never suspected that
serious-minded, hard-working Kenneth had anything but scorn for men of
less mental calibre and quicker wit.

"Why, Kenneth," she said, gently, "don't talk like that. My friendship
for you is worth a dozen of these silly foolery flirtations with men
that I don't care two cents for."

"I don't want your friendship, Patty," and Kenneth's deep voice
trembled a little; "I mean I don't want ONLY your friendship. And yet I
know I can't hope for anything more. I'm too dull and commonplace to
attract a beautiful butterfly like you."

"Kenneth," and Patty gave him a glance, gentle, but a little
bewildered, "you're out of your head. You have a splendid head,
Kenneth, full of wonderful brains, but you're out of it. You get
yourself back into it as quick as you can! And don't let's dance this
dance, please; I am tired. I wish you'd take me to Mrs. Perry."

In silence, Kenneth complied with Patty's wish, and took her to where
Lora Perry was sitting.

Then he went away, leaving Patty much more disturbed by what he had
said than by all the gay fooleries of Eddie Bell or Kit Cameron.




CHAPTER X

QUARANTINED


"Tired?" asked Mrs. Perry, as she welcomed Patty to her side.

"A little; I love to dance, but a long program does weary me. Are we
going home soon?"

"Whenever you like, dear."

"Oh, not until the others are ready. There goes Marie. She's having a
lovely time to-night. Isn't she a pretty thing?--and so popular."

Patty's admiration was sincere and honest, and Marie's dark, glowing
beauty was well worthy of commendation.

But seeing Patty sitting by Mrs. Perry, Marie came to them, when the
dance ended, and declared that she was quite ready to go home, although
the program wasn't finished.

"What's all this about?" inquired Kit Cameron, coming up to them. "Go
home? Not a bit of it! There are a lot of dances yet."

"Well, you stay for them if you like, Kit," said his sister, rising.
"I'm going to take these girls away. They've danced quite enough, and
it's time they went home."

"Whither thou all goest, I will go also," said Cameron. "Where's
Harper?"

Kenneth and Dick Perry came along then, and both men expressed their
willingness to go home.

Patty was rather silent during the homeward way, and indeed, as all
were more or less weary, there was little gay conversation.

As they entered the house, Nora, the parlour-maid, appeared to take
their wraps.

"Where is Babette?" asked Mrs. Perry, surprised to see Nora in place of
her French maid.

"Sure she's sick, Mrs. Perry; she do be feelin' that bad, she had to go
to bed. So she bid me do the best I can for the young ladies."

"I'm sorry to hear Babette is ill; I must go and see her at once." And
Mrs. Perry went away toward the servants' quarters.

She returned shortly, saying Babette had a bad cold and a slight fever,
but that her symptoms were not alarming.

"But I'm sorry you girls can't have her services to-night," Mrs. Perry
went on.

"It doesn't matter a bit," said Patty; "I'd be sorry for myself, if I
couldn't get in and out of my own clothes! Don't think of it, Mrs.
Perry."

They all went up to their rooms, and though Nora did her best to assist
Patty, her unskilful help bothered more than it aided. So she kindly
dismissed the girl, and catching up a kimono went across to Marie's
room.

"You get me out of this frock, won't you, Marie?" she said. "It fidgets
me to have Nora fumbling with the hooks. It's a complicated arrangement
and I know she'd tear the lace."

Marie willingly acquiesced, and then Patty slipped off the pretty
yellow gown, and got into her blue silk kimono.

"Stay here and brush out your hair, Patty," said Marie, "and we can
have a 'kimono chat,' all by ourselves."

So Patty sat down at Marie's toilet table, and began to brush out her
golden curls.

"Did you like the ball, Patty?" asked Marie, as she braided her own
dark hair.

"Lovely! Everybody was so nice to me. And you had a good time yourself,
I know. I saw you breaking hearts, one after another, you little siren."

"Siren, yourself! How did you like that Bell boy?"

"Gracious! That sounds like a hotel attendant! In fact I think
'bellhop,' as I believe they call them, wouldn't be a bad name for
Eddie Bell. I liked him ever so much, but he was a
little,--well,--fresh is the only word that expresses it."

"He is cheeky; but he doesn't mean anything. He's a nice boy; I've
known him for years. He's an awful flirt,--but he admired you like
everything. Though as to that, who doesn't?"

"Oh, I don't think so much of this general admiration. I think if a
young girl isn't admired, it's her own fault. She only has to be gay
and pleasant and good-natured, and people are bound to like her."

"Yes," agreed Marie; "but there are degrees. I'll tell you who likes
you an awful lot,--and that's Mr. Harper."

"Oh, Kenneth;" Patty spoke carelessly, but she couldn't prevent a
rising blush. "Why, Marie, we've been chums for years. I used to know
Ken Harper when I was a little girl and lived in Vernondale. He's a
dear boy, but we're just good friends."

"I like him," and Marie said this so ingenuously, that Patty gave her a
quick look. "Don't you like anybody ESPECIALLY, Patty?"

"No, I don't. All boys look alike to me. I like to have them to dance
with, and to send me flowers and candy; and I don't mind make-believe
flirting with them; but the minute they get serious, I want to run
away."

"Aren't you ever going to be engaged, Patty?"

"Nonsense! Marie, we're too young to think about such things. After a
few years I shall begin to consider the matter; and if I find anybody
that I simply can't live without, I shall proceed to marry him. Now,
curiosity-box, is there anything else you want to know?"

"I didn't mean to be curious," and Marie's pretty face looked troubled;
"but, Patty, I will ask you one more question: Couldn't you,--couldn't
you like,--specially, I mean,--my cousin Kit?"

"Marie, I've a notion to shake you! You little match-maker,--or
mischief-maker,--stop getting notions into your head! In the first
place, I've known your paragon of a cousin only a few weeks; and in the
second place, there's no use going any further than the first place!
Now, you go to sleep, and dream about birds and flowers and sunshine,
and don't fill your pretty head with grown-up notions."

"You're a funny girl, Patty," and Marie looked at her with big, serious
eyes.

"If it's funny to be a common-sense, rational human being, then I AM
funny! Now, good-night, chickabiddy. Mrs. Perry says she'll send up our
breakfast about nine to-morrow morning. Hop into my room and have it
with me, won't you?"

Marie agreed to this arrangement, and gathering up her belongings,
Patty slipped across the hall to her own room.

The wood fire had burnt down to red embers, and lowering the lights,
Patty sat down for a few moments in a big fireside chair to think.

She had told the truth, that she did not want to think seriously of
what Marie called "an especial liking" for anybody; but what Kenneth
had said that evening troubled her.

Her friendship for Kenneth was so firm and strong, her real regard for
him so deep and sincere, that she hated to have it intruded upon by a
question of a more serious feeling. And she had never suspected that
any such question would arise. But she could not mistake the meaning of
Kenneth's spoken wish that he might be capable of the gay conversation
in which Patty delighted.

"Dear old Ken," she said to herself, "he's so nice just as he is, but
when he tries to be funny, he--well, he CAN'T, that's all. It isn't his
fault. All the boys can't be alike. And I s'pose Ken IS the nicest of
them, after all. He's so true and reliable. But I hope to gracious he
isn't going to fall in love with me. That would spoil everything I Oh,
well, I won't cross that bridge until I come to it. And if I have come
to it,--well, I won't cross it, even then. I'll just stand stock-still,
and wait. I believe there's a poem somewhere, that says:

     "'Standing with reluctant feet
     Where the brook and river meet,--
     Womanhood and childhood sweet.'

"I s'pose I HAVE left childhood behind, but I feel a long way off from
womanhood. And yet, in a couple of months I'll be twenty. That does
begin to sound aged! But I know one thing, sure and certain: I'll wait
till I AM twenty, before I think about a serious love affair. Suitors
are all very well, but I wouldn't be engaged to a man for anything!
Why, I don't suppose he'd let me dance with anybody else, or have any
fun at all! No, sir-ee, Patricia Fairfield, you're going to have two or
three years of your present satisfactory existence, before you wear
anybody's diamond ring. And now, my Lady Gay, you'd better skip to bed,
for to-morrow night you have a theatre party in prospect, and you want
to look fairly decent for that."

The fire was burnt out now, and Patty was so sleepy that her head had
scarcely touched the pillow before she fell asleep.

A light tap at her door awakened her the next morning, and Marie
appeared, followed by Nora, with a breakfast tray.

"Wake up, curly-head-sleepy-head," and Marie playfully tweaked Patty's
curls. "Here, I'll be your maid. Here's your nightingale, and here's
your breakfast cap."

Marie deftly arrayed Patty in the pretty trifles, and poked pillows
behind her back until she was comfortable.

"Goodness gracious sakes! Marie," said Patty, rubbing her eyes, "you
waked me out of the soundest sleep I have ever known! WHY bother me
with breakfast?"

"Had to do it," returned Marie, calmly, drawing up a big chair for
herself. "Now keep your eyes open and behave like a lady. Your
chocolate is getting cool and your toast is spoiling."

The two girls were still discussing their breakfast, when Mrs. Perry
came in.

"How are you getting on?" she asked, cheerily; "Babette is still ill,
so I had to send Nora to you."

"Everything is lovely," said Patty, smiling at her hostess. "We're
delightfully looked after. Nora is a jewel. But I hope your maid isn't
seriously ill."

"I'm afraid she is," and Mrs. Perry looked troubled. "She has a bad
sore throat and she's quite feverish. Now you girlies dawdle around as
much as you like. Although I'm commissioned to tell you that there are
two young men downstairs just pining for you, and they asked me to coax
you to come down at once."

"Let them wait," said Patty; "we'll be down after a while. Mayn't we
see the baby?"

"Yes, indeed, if you like. I'll send her in."

Soon a dainty little morsel of fragrant humanity appeared, accompanied
by her nurse.

The tot was a trifle shy, but Patty's merry smile soon put her at her
ease.

"Tell the lady your name, dear," said Marie.

"Pitty Yady!" said the baby, caressing Patty's cheek.

"Yes," said Marie, "now tell the pretty lady your name."

"Baby Boo," said the child.

"Baby Boo! What a dear name!" said Patty.

"Her name is Beulah," Marie explained, "but she always calls herself
Baby Boo, so every one else does."

"It's just the name for her," said Patty, catching up the midget in her
arms and cuddling her.

"Pitty Yady," repeated the baby, gazing at Patty.

"She's struck with your beauty, Patty, like everybody else," said
Marie, laughing.

"It's mutual, then," returned Patty, "for I think she's the prettiest
baby I ever saw. And she does smell so good! I love a violet baby." And
Patty kissed the back of the soft little neck and squeezed the baby up
in her arms.

"Now Baby Boo must go away," said Marie, at last, "for the Pitty Yady
must get dressed and go downstairs."

Patty had brought a morning frock, of pink linen with a black velvet
sash, and she looked very trim and sweet as she at last declared
herself ready.

The two girls went downstairs, and found two very impatient young men
awaiting them.

"Whatever HAVE you girls been doing all the morning?" exclaimed
Cameron; "you CAN'T have been sleeping until this time!"

"Playing with the baby, and exchanging confidences," said Patty,
smiling.

"Both of which you might as well have done down here," Cameron
declared. "I adore my baby niece, and Mr. Harper and I would have been
more than glad to listen to your exchange of confidences."

"Oh, they weren't intended for your ears!" exclaimed Marie, with mock
horror. "Kimono confidences are very, VERY sacred. But it may well be
that your ears burn."

"Which ear?" asked Kenneth, feeling of both of his.

"Fair exchange," said Marie, gaily. "Tell us what you said about us,
and we'll tell you what we said about you."

"We said you were the two prettiest and sweetest girls in the world,"
said Cameron.

"And we said," declared Patty, "that you were the two handsomest and
most delightful men in the world."

"But we said you had some faults," said Kenneth, gravely.

"And we said you had," retorted Marie. "Let's tell each other our
faults. That's always an interesting performance, for it always winds
up with a quarrel."

"I love a quarrel," said Cameron, enthusiastically. "I dare anybody to
tell me my greatest faults!"

"Conceit," said Marie, smiling at her cousin.

"That isn't a fault; it's a virtue," Kit retorted.

"That's so," and Marie nodded her head; "if you didn't have that
virtue, you wouldn't have any."

"That's a facer!" said Kit. "Well, Marie, my dear, as you haven't THAT
virtue, am I to conclude you haven't any?"

"That's very pretty," and Patty nodded, approvingly; "but I want to
stop this game before it's my turn, for I'm too sensitive to have my
faults held up to the public eye."

"But we haven't quarrelled yet," said Kit, who looked disappointed.
"Why do you like to quarrel so much?" asked Patty.

"Because it's such fun to kiss and make up."

"Is it?" asked Patty; "I'd like to see it done, then. You and Ken
quarrel, and then let us see you kiss and make up."

"Harper is too good-natured to quarrel and I'm not good-natured enough
to kiss him," said Kit. "I guess I won't quarrel to-day, after all. I
can't seem to get the right partner. Let's try some other game. Want to
go over to the club and bowl?"

"Yes, indeed," cried Patty; "I'd love to."

So the four young people bundled into fur coats, and motored over to
the country club.

They were all good players and enjoyed their game till Kit reminded
them that it was nearly luncheon time, and they went back to the house.

"How is Babette?" Patty inquired, as their hostess appeared at luncheon.

"She's worse;" and Mrs. Perry looked very anxious. "I don't want to
worry you girls, but I think you would better go home this afternoon,
for I don't know what Babette's case may develop into. The doctor was
here this morning, and he has sent a trained nurse to take care of the
girl. I confess I am worried."

"Oh, we were going this afternoon, anyway," said Patty. "I have to, as
I have an engagement this evening. But I'm sorry for you, Mrs. Perry.
It is awful to have illness in the house. What is it you are afraid of?"

"I hate to mention it, but the doctor fears diphtheria. Now don't be
alarmed, for there is positively no danger, if you go this afternoon.
But I can't risk your staying an hour longer than is necessary. Nora
will help you pack your things. And I'm going to send you off right
after lunch."

After luncheon the doctor came again, and Mrs. Perry went off to confer
with him.

"Excuse me," said Kit Cameron, as his sister left the room, "I must
stand by Lora, and I want to find out from the doctor if there is
really any danger. Perhaps my sister's fears are exaggerated."

It was nearly half an hour before Kit came back, and then he looked
extremely serious.

"I have bad news for you," he said; "Babette's illness is
diphtheria,--a severe case."

"Oh, the poor girl!" said Patty, with impulsive sympathy.

"Yes, indeed, little Babette is pretty sick. And, too, it's awfully
hard on Lora. But that isn't all of it."

"What else?" said Marie, breathless with suspense.

"I hardly know how to tell you," and Cameron's face was very troubled.
"But I suppose the best way is to tell you straight out. The truth is,
we are all quarantined. We can't go away from here."

"Quarantined!" cried Patty, who knew that this meant several weeks'
imprisonment; "oh, NO!"

"Yes," and Kit looked at her with pained eyes; "can you ever forgive
me, Miss Fairfield, for bringing you here? But of course I could not
foresee this awful climax to our pleasant party."

"Of course you couldn't!" cried Patty;--"don't think for a moment that
we blame you, Mr. Cameron. But,--you must excuse me if I feel
rather--rather--"

"Flabbergasted," put in Kenneth; "it's an awful thing, Cameron, but we
must take it philosophically. Brace up, Patty girl, don't let this
thing floor you."

Patty gave one look into Kenneth's eyes, and read there so much
sympathy, courage, and strong helpfulness, that she was ashamed of
herself.

"Forgive me for being so selfish," she said, as the tears came into her
eyes. "Of course we must stay, if the doctor orders; I know how strict
they have to be about these things. And we will stay cheerfully, as
long as we must. It's dreadful to impose on Mrs. Perry so, but we can't
help it, and we must simply make the best of it. We'll help her all we
can, and I'm sure Marie and I can do a lot."

"You're a brick!" and Cameron gave her a look of appreciation. "Poor
Lora is heart-broken at the trouble it makes for you girls, and for
Harper. She quite loses sight of her own anxieties in worrying about
you all."

"Tell her to stop it," said Marie; "I rather think that we can bear our
part of it, considering what Cousin Lora has to suffer. Can Cousin Dick
come home?"

"I hadn't thought of that!" exclaimed Cameron. "Why, no; that is, if he
can't go back to his office again. We'll have to telephone him to stay
in New York until the siege is raised. There are many things to think
of, but as I am responsible for bringing you people up here, naturally
that worries me the most. I'm not to blame for the maid's illness or
for Dick's enforced absence from home. But I AM to blame for bringing
you girls up here at all."

"Don't talk of blame, Mr. Cameron, please," said Patty's soft voice;
"you kindly brought us here to give us pleasure and you did so. The
fact that this emergency has arisen is of no blame to anybody. The only
one to be blamed is the one who cannot meet it bravely!"




CHAPTER XI

MEETING IT BRAVELY


"You're the most wonderful girl in the world!" exclaimed Cameron, in a
burst of admiration at Patty's speech.

But Kenneth looked steadily at Patty, with a thoughtful gaze.

"You're keyed up," he said to her, gently; "and if you take it like
that, you'll collapse."

"Like what?" Patty snapped out the words, for her nerves were strung to
a high tension.

"Doing the hysterical histrionic act," and Kenneth smiled at the
excited girl, not reprovingly, but with gentle sympathy. "Now take it
standing, Patty,--face it squarely,--and you'll be all right. We're
housed up here,--for how long, Cameron?"

"I--I don't know," said Kit, looking desperate.

"That only means you won't tell," declared his cousin. "Own up, Kit,
how long did the doctor say?"

"Three or four weeks."

"Oh!" Patty merely breathed the word, but it sounded like a wail of
despair. Then she caught Kenneth's eye, and his glance of steadfast
courage nerved her anew.

"It's all right," she said, almost succeeding in keeping a quiver out
of her voice. "We can have a real good time. People can send us all
sorts of things, and,--I suppose we can't write letters,--but we can
telephone. Oh, that reminds me; may I telephone Mr. Van Reypen at once,
that I can't"--Patty blinked her eyes, and swallowed hard--"that I
can't be at my--at his party this evening?"

Mr. Cameron looked a picture of abject grief.

"Miss Fairfield," he began, "if I could only tell you how sorry I am--"

"Please don't," said Patty, kindly; "I've accepted the situation now,
and you won't hear a single wail of woe from me. Pooh! what's a theatre
party more or less among me! And a few weeks' rest will do us all good.
We'll pretend we're at a rest cure or sanitarium, and go to bed early,
and get up late, and all that."

"Oh, of course we must all telephone to our homes," said Marie; "and I
must say, I think girls are selfish creatures! We've never given a
thought to Mr. Harper's business!"

"Don't give it a thought," said Kenneth, lightly. "I've given it one or
two already, and I may give it another. That's enough for any old
business."

"That sounds well, Ken," said Patty, "but I know it's going to make you
a terrific lot of trouble. And Mr. Cameron, too! A civil engineer--"

"Can't be uncivil, even in a case like this," put in Kit; "or I'd say
what I really feel about the whole business! It would be worse, of
course, if one of our own people were ill; but to be tied up like this
because of a servant is, to say the least, exasperating."

"Babette's a nice little thing, and I'm awfully sorry for her," said
Patty.

"So am I," said Marie; "but I'm like Kit. I think it's awful for half a
dozen of us to be held here, like this, because a maid is ill!"

"But, Marie, what's the use of even thinking about it?" said Patty; "we
can't help ourselves, we're obliged to stay here, so for goodness'
sake, let's make the best of it. I shall send home for my pink
chiffon,--that's always a great comfort to me in time of trouble."

"Send for one for me," said Cameron, "if they're so comforting in
trouble."

"I've only one," returned Patty, "but you can share the benefit of its
comforting qualities. Now we'll have to take turns at the telephone.
Suppose I take it first, and break the news to Mr. Van Reypen, for
he'll have to invite somebody in my place."

"You're sure it's positive?" said Kenneth to Cameron; "you're sure
there's no hope of a reprieve or a mistaken diagnosis?"

"No," said Kit, positively; "I made sure, before I told you at all."

"Of course you did," said Patty, trying to be cheerful. "I know you
wouldn't have told us, until you were sure you had to. Now I'll
telephone to Phil, and then to my home, and then, Marie, you can tell
your people, and after that we'll let the men fix up their business
affairs. What a comfort it is that we can telephone, for I don't
suppose we'll be allowed to write letters, unless we fumigate them, and
I won't inflict my friends with those horrid odours."

The telephone was in the library, and as Patty crossed the hall, she
met Mrs. Perry coming toward her.

Mrs. Perry had her handkerchief to her eyes, and Patty went straight to
her and put her arms around her.

"Dear Mrs. Perry," she said, "I am SO sorry for you! To have Babette's
illness, and then to have the burden of four guests at the same time!
But, truly, we'll make just as little trouble as we can, and I hope
you'll let us help in any way possible."

"Oh, Patty," Lora Perry said, in a choked voice, "I feel dreadful about
making you stay here in these circumstances! Just think of all your
engagements,--and all the fun you'll miss. It's perfectly awful!"

"Now don't think of those things at all. Just remember that your four
guests are not complaining a bit. We know you're sorry for us and you
know we're sorry for you, and we're all sorry for poor Babette. Now
that part's settled, and we're all going to make the best of it. You
don't go into Babette's room, do you?"

"Oh, no; I couldn't go near the baby, if I did. And the patient has a
trained nurse, you know. Honestly, Patty,--you don't mind my calling
you Patty, do you?"

"No, indeed, I like to have you."

"Well, I was going to say, I don't really think there's a bit of danger
of infection for any of us. But, of course, you know what a doctor's
orders are, and how they must be obeyed."

"Of course I know; now don't you think for a moment of any petty little
disappointments we girls may have. Why, they're nothing compared to
your trouble and Mr. Perry's, and the boys'."

Patty telephoned Philip Van Reypen, and that young man was simply
aghast.

"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed. "Do you mean to say that you people
are to be held up there for weeks? It's preposterous! It's criminal!"

"Don't talk like that, Philip. We can't help it. The Perrys can't help
it. And it isn't a national catastrophe. Honestly, a few weeks' rest
will do me good."

"Yes! With that Cameron man dangling at your heels!"

"Well, Philip, if I have to stay here, you ought to be glad I have some
one here to amuse me."

"I'm not! I'd rather you were there alone! Patty, I won't stand it! I'm
coming up myself, to dig you out!"

"Don't talk foolishness! If you come up here, you'll have to stay! They
don't let any one leave the house."

"All right, then, I'll stay! That wouldn't be half bad."

"Philip, behave yourself! Mrs. Perry has all the company she can take
care of."

"I'll help her take care of her company. One of 'em, anyway!"

"I won't talk to you, if you're so silly. Now listen. You go ahead with
your party to-night, and ask some other pretty girl to take my place."

"Take your place!" Philip's growl of disgust nearly broke the telephone.

"Yes," went on Patty, severely, "to take my place. And then, when we
get let out, you could have another party for me. Don't you see, it
will be a sort of celebration of my release from captivity."

"I tell you I won't stand it! I'll have the confounded party
to-night,--because I'll HAVE to, but to-morrow I'm coming straight,
bang, up to Eastchester!"

"Come if you like, but you won't be admitted to this house. And I think
you're acting horrid, Philip. Instead of being sorry for me, you just
scold."

"I'm not scolding YOU, Patty, but I won't have you shut up there with
that Cameron!"

"And Kenneth."

"Harper's all right, but that Cameron boy is too fresh,--and I don't
want you to encourage him."

"All right, Philip, I won't encourage him. Good-bye." Patty spoke in
her sweetest tones, and hung up the receiver suddenly, leaving Mr. Van
Reypen in a state of mind bordering on frenzy.

Then Patty called up Nan, and explained the whole situation to her.

"How awful!" said Nan, in deepest sympathy, "both for Mrs. Perry and
for you."

"Yes, it is; but of course there's nothing to do but make the best of
it. Ken is splendid. If it weren't for his strength and courage I don't
know how I'd bear it. But he won't let me give way. So I'm going to be
a heroine and all that sort of thing, a real little Casablanca.
Honestly, Nan, I feel ashamed of myself to think of my little
bothers,--when the boys have their business matters to consider, and
Mrs. Perry is in such deep trouble. So I'm going to do my best to be
cheerful and pleasant. They say we may be here two or three weeks or
more."

"Good gracious, Patty!"

"Yes, I know,--it's all of that! Now, Nan, I mustn't keep this
telephone, for they all want to use it. But I'll call you up to-night
or to-morrow, for a longer talk. I wish you'd send me up some clothes.
Pack a suitcase or a steamer trunk with some little house-dresses and
tea-gowns and lingerie, and send it along to-morrow. Then I'll tell you
later what else I want. Tell father all about it, and ask him to call
me up this evening. Good-bye for now."

Patty hung up the receiver, and Marie took her turn next.

"How did your people take it?" asked Cameron, as Patty came slowly back
to the hall fireside, where they had all been sitting when the dreadful
news was told.

"I told my mother," said Patty, "but I didn't give her a chance to say
much. She was appalled, of course, at the whole business, but she's
going to send me some clothes, and get along without me for a few
weeks,--although I can't help feeling 'they will miss me at home, they
will miss me.'"

Patty sang the line in a high falsetto that made them all laugh.

"Mother's about crazy!" announced Marie, as she came back from
telephoning. "Not that she minds my staying here, but she's sure I'll
have the diphtheria!"

"No, you won't, Marie," said Kit, earnestly. "I asked the doctor
particularly, and he said there wasn't the least danger that any of us
would develop the disease."

"Then why do we have to stay here?" asked Marie.

"Because the house is quarantined. By order of the Board of Health. You
may as well make up your mind to it, cousin, and take it
philosophically, as Miss Fairfield does."

Kenneth telephoned to his office, and then Kit shut himself up in the
library and telephoned for a long time.

When he returned, he said, with an evident effort at cheerfulness, "Now
let's pretend that we're not kept here against our will, but that this
is a jolly house party. If we were here for a month, on invitation,
we'd expect to have a bang-up time."

"But this is so different," said Patty, dolefully. "A house party would
mean all kinds of gaiety and fun. But it doesn't seem right to be gay,
when Babette is dangerously ill."

"But she isn't dangerously ill," said Kit, earnestly. "It may prove a
very light case. But you see the quarantine laws are just as strict for
a very light case as for a desperate one. Now, I propose that we try to
forget Babette for the present, and go in for a good time."

"But we can't do anything," said Marie; "we can't go to places or have
any company, or see anybody or write any letters--"

"There, there, little girl," said her cousin, "don't make matters worse
by complaining. Here are four most attractive young people, in a
perfectly lovely house, with all the comforts of home; and if we don't
have a good time, it's our own fault. What shall we do this afternoon?"

"Let's play bridge," said Patty; "that's quiet, and I don't feel like
anything rackety-packety."

"Bridge is good enough for me," said Kenneth, manfully striving to
shake off the gloom he felt. He was really very much concerned about
some important business matters, but he said nothing of this to any one.

They sat down at the bridge table, but the game dragged. No one seemed
interested, and they dealt the cards in silence.

Cameron tried to keep up a lively flow of conversation, and the others
tried to respond to his efforts. But though they succeeded fairly well,
after the third rubber, Patty declared she could not play any longer,
and she was going to her room for a nap.

"Come on," said Marie, jumping up, "I'll go with you."

"Yes, do, girlies," said Cameron, kindly. "A little nap will do you
good. Come down for tea, won't you?"

"I don't know," said Patty, doubtfully; "I think we'll have tea in our
rooms, and not come down till dinner time."

"As you like," returned Kit; "if we four have to live together for
weeks, it won't do to see TOO much of each other!"

"Then perhaps we won't come down to dinner, either," said Patty, with a
momentary flash of her roguish nature.

"Oh, you MUST!" exclaimed Kenneth, who couldn't help taking things
seriously. "You two girls are the only bright spots in this whole
business!"

"Thank you," and Patty smiled at him, as she and Marie went away.

"Come into my room," said Patty, "and let's talk this thing over."

Soon the two girls, in kimonos, were sitting either side of the
cheerful wood fire, discussing the outlook.

"It's worse for you than for me, Patty," said Marie, "for you have more
social engagements, and all that sort of thing, than I do. And besides,
these are my relatives. But for you, almost a stranger, to be held up
here like this, it's just awful! I can't tell you how bad I feel about
it."

"Now, Marie, let up on that sort of talk! It's no more your fault than
it is mine, and the fact of the Perrys being your relatives doesn't
make a scrap of difference. To be honest, the thing nearly floored me
at first, for I never had anything like this happen to me before. But
that's all the more reason why I should brace up to this first
occasion,--and from now on, you won't hear another peep of discontent
out of ME. If we have to stay here four weeks or eight weeks or twelve
weeks, I'm going to behave myself like a desirable citizen. And I'm
only sorry that I've acted horrid so far."

"You haven't acted horrid, Patty."

"Yes, I have; when we played bridge I sat around like an old wet
blanket. Now I'll tell you what, Marie, let's plan something nice for
this evening. Something that will cheer up Mrs. Perry, and incidentally
ourselves. But isn't it strange how we can't make it seem like a house
party? Really, you know, it IS one, and Babette isn't sick enough,--at
least, not yet,--for us to be gloomy and mournful. And yet, for the
life of me, I can't feel gay and festive. But I'm going to MAKE myself
feel so, if it takes all summer! We've two awfully nice boys to
entertain us, and you and I are good congenial chums. Mrs. Perry is a
dear and the baby is an awful comfort. Now why, Marie, WHY can't we act
just as if there wasn't any Babette? I mean, of course, unless she gets
very much worse."

"It isn't our concern for Babette that makes the trouble," said Marie,
slowly; "it's our disappointment at our own inconvenience, and being
kept here against our will."

"You clever little thing! You've put your finger right on the truth.
You're right! Our anxiety for Babette is real enough as far as it goes,
but it's secondary. The primary cause of our gloom IS pure selfishness!
and the amazing part is, that I never realised it until you showed me!
Now I have always thought that the sin I abhorred most was selfishness,
and here I am giving way to it at the first opportunity. Well, it's got
to stop! Now, then, let's plan something real nice and pleasant for
this evening, and have a good time."

"I don't think anything would be nicer than music," said Marie. "Lora
has a violin, and Kit and I will play, and you can sing--"

"And we'll all sing choruses and things,--real jolly ones, and enter
into it with some spirit."

"Yes; Lora loves to have people sing, and she'll enjoy that."

"And then other nights," Patty went on, bravely, "we'll get up some
entertainment. Tableaux, you know, or theatricals."

"Yes, and we can play games and things. Now shall we go down to tea?"

"No," and Patty wagged her head, sagely; "it's perfectly true that we
mustn't give those boys too much of our delightful society or they
won't appreciate it! Let them wait for us till dinner time. We'll have
our tea up here, and perhaps Mrs. Perry will be with us. Let the boys
shift for themselves till dinner time, and then they'll be all the more
glad to see us."

Nora brought the tea tray up to the girls, and with it a note.

"I thought they'd holler for us," said Patty, laughing as she read the
note; "listen to this: 'Twin stars of light and joy, DO come down and
illumine our dark and lonesome tea-table! We pine and languish without
you! Oh, come QUICK, ere we fade away! Kit and Ken.' I thought they'd
be lonesome," and Patty nodded her head, with a satisfied air. "Now you
know, Marie, if we've got to take care of these boys for weeks, we must
make them walk a chalk line."

"Yes, of course, Patty; shall we go down, or send a note?"

"Neither," returned Patty, with a toss of her head. "Nora, please say
to the young gentlemen that the young ladies will be down at dinner
time."

"Yes, Miss Fairfield," said Nora, departing.

A few moments later they heard the wailing strains of a violin, and
listening at their door, heard Kit playing, with exaggerated effect.
"Come into the Garden, Maud."




CHAPTER XII

A SURPRISE


"Good gracious, Marie!" exclaimed Patty, popping her head in at Marie's
door, just before dinner time, "we haven't any clothes! Are you going
to wear your party frock or the dress you wore up here?"

"'Deed I'm not going to put on my best gown for a little home dinner!
The dresses we wore up here are all right. They're nice and pretty."

"But they're day frocks. I DO like to dress up for dinner."

"I'll help you out," said Lora Perry, who was present. "I've two or
three trunkfuls of old-fashioned clothes, that ought to fit you girls
fairly well. They're not antiques, you know; they're some I had before
I was married,--but they're pretty. Go in the trunk room and rummage."

So the two girls went to inspect the frocks.

"Why, they're beautiful," said Patty; "I really think they're a lot
prettier than the things we wear to-day. Oh, look at these big sleeves."

"Yes, leg o' mutton they used to call them."

"I know, but they're more the size of a side of beef! But these are
street dresses. Where are the evening things?"

"Here are some," said Marie, opening another trunk.

"Oh, how lovely!" And Patty pounced on a white organdy, made with a
full skirt and three narrow, lace-edged frills. There were wide, full
petticoats to go with it, and Patty declared that was her costume.
Marie found a dimity, of a Dresden-flowered pattern, with black velvet
bows, which she appropriated, and they flew back to their rooms in
triumph.

The white dress proved very becoming to Patty, and the square-cut neck
of the bodice suited the lines of her pretty throat and shoulders. She
wore a broad sash of blue ribbon and a knot of blue ribbon in her hair.
Marie's dress was equally pretty, and they laughed heartily at the
full, flaring skirts, so different from the narrow ones of their own
wardrobe.

They went downstairs together, and found waiting for them two
bored-looking young men, in immaculate evening clothes.

"Good-evening," said Patty, dropping a little curtsy; "SO glad to meet
you."

"Thought you'd never come," returned Kit. "What are you, anyway?
Masquerading as old-fashioned girls?"

"Are they old-fashioned togs?" said Kenneth. "I thought they looked
different, but I didn't know what ailed them."

"They're perfectly beautiful evening frocks," Patty declared, "and
you're not to make fun of them."

"Far be it from me to make fun of anything so charming," returned
Cameron. "Come along, Captive Princess, dinner is waiting." He tucked
Patty's hand in his arm, and as they walked to the dining-room, he
murmured: "You really are a Captive Princess now, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am; and if you're my Knight, aren't you going to deliver me
from durance vile?"

"Of course I am. I will be under your window at midnight with a rope
ladder and a white palfrey."

"Well, if I'm awake I'll come down the ladder; but if not, don't expect
me."

"But if you want to be rescued, you must take the opportunity when it
offers."

"Oh, I'm not so sure I want to be rescued. I'm ready now to make the
best of things and I'm planning to have a real good time while we stay
here."

"Nice little Captive Princess! Nice little Princess Poppycheek! And am
I included in these good times?"

"Yes, indeed. It will take the four of us; and Mrs. Perry, whenever we
can get her, to have the good times I'm planning."

All through dinner time Patty was her own gay, merry self. Babette was
not mentioned, nor the fact that they were staying in Eastchester,
under compulsion, and it might have been just a happy party invited
there for pleasure.

Mr. Perry's absence was, of course, painfully noticeable. But Patty
knew that Mrs. Peny had telephoned him all about the case, and she made
no comment. She was determined that she would not be responsible for
any allusion to their trouble.

After dinner Patty informed them all that a musicale would take place.
Everybody agreed to this, and all joined in singing gay choruses and
glees. Patty sang solos, and Kit and Marie played duets. Then Patty
sang to a violin obligato, and altogether the concert was a real
success.

"We ought to go on the road," said Kit, as he laid down his violin at
last. "I think as a musical troupe we'd be a screaming success. Now,
who's for a little dance to wind up with?"

"Do dance," said Mrs. Perry; "I'll play for you."

"Just one, then," said Patty, "for this is a rest-cure, you know; and
I'm going to bed very early. Six weeks in the country is going to do
wonders for me."

Though four weeks had been the extreme possibility of their stay, Patty
whimsically kept calling it six weeks or eight weeks, because, as she
said, that made four weeks seem less.

Cameron turned to Patty, as his sister began to play, and in a moment
they were dancing.

"If we dance every night for twelve weeks," said Patty, "we ought to do
fairly well together."

"When I think of that, I'm entirely reconciled to staying here,"
returned Kit. "Poppycheek, you are a wonderful dancer! You're like a
butterfly skimming over a cobweb!"

"I don't dance a bit better than you do. You're almost like a
professional, except that you're more graceful than they are."

"DON'T, Princess! don't talk to me like that, or I shall faint away
from sheer delight! But as we both are such miraculous steppers, we
might give exhibitions or something."

"Yes, or teach, and make our everlasting fortune."

"Well, I think we won't do either. We'll just reserve our glorious
genius for our own enjoyment. Just think of dancing with you every
night, for goodness knows how long!" said Kit.

"But you won't."

"Won't? Why not?"

"Because before we've been here many days we shall quarrel. I know we
will. Four people can't be shut up inside four walls without
quarrelling sooner or later."

"Well, let's make it later. And, anyway, I'm so good-natured, you
couldn't quarrel with me if you tried."

"I couldn't quarrel with you while I'm dancing with you, anyway. But
now this dance is over and there's not to be another one to-night.
Good-night, everybody. Come, Marie," and taking Marie by the hand,
Patty led her upstairs at once.

"Oh, DON'T go!" cried the two young men, but Patty and Marie only
leaned over the banisters, and called down laughing good-nights, and
ran away to their rooms.

Next morning, Patty declared they must adhere to the policy of keeping
more or less to themselves.

"I can put in a lovely morning," she said; "I shall visit the baby in
the nursery and I shall read for awhile, and I'll have a long telephone
conversation with Nan and perhaps some other people, and I'm not going
downstairs till luncheon time. You do as you like, Marie."

Marie declared her intention of doing whatever Patty did, so the two
girls spent a pleasant morning upstairs.

Mrs. Perry reported that Babette was no worse, and that the doctor had
said nothing further than that.

At luncheon time, the girls went downstairs and were greeted with
reproofs for being so late.

"We'll play with you this afternoon," said Patty, kindly, "but you
can't expect to have our company all day. I've had a lovely time this
morning; Baby Boo is an entertainment in herself."

"Why didn't you let me come up to the nursery?" said Kit. "That
Kiddy-baby loves me."

"She does, indeed," said Patty, serenely; "she's been asking for Uncle
Kit all the morning."

"Cruel Princess!" said Cameron; "you're not a bit nice to your Knight!"

"I'll make up for it this afternoon," and Patty flashed him a glance
that seemed greatly to cheer him.

After lunch they all went into the library. Patty threw herself into a
big arm-chair.

"Now, I want to be entertained," she said; "I'm perfectly amiable and
affable and good-natured, but I wish to be amused. Will you do it, my
Knight?"

"Ay, Princess, that will I!" and Cameron made a flourishing and
obsequious bow before her. "Would it amuse your Royal Highness to learn
that you're going home this afternoon?"

"That is but a cruel jest," said Patty, "and so, not amusing. If it
were the truth, it would be good hearing, indeed."

"But it IS the truth, fair lady." Cameron looked at his watch. "In
about an hour, the speedy motor will convey us all back to the busy
mart and to our homes."

"What do you mean?" cried Patty, starting up; for she saw that it was
not a mere jest.

"May I make a speech?" and Cameron took the middle of the floor, while
his hearers sat in breathless silence.

Mrs. Perry had a twinkle in her eye, Kenneth looked hopeful, but the
girls' faces expressed only blank wonder.

"To begin with," said Mr. Cameron, in a cool, even voice, "we're not
quarantined, and never have been. To proceed, Babette has not the
diphtheria, and never has had. In a word, and I trust I shall not be
flayed alive,--this whole affair is a practical joke, which I have had
the honour to perpetrate on Miss Patricia Fairfield, and for which I
claim the payment of a wager made by the fair lady herself!"

Patty's blue eyes stared at him. At first, a furious wave of anger
swept over her, and then her sense of justice made her realise that she
had no right to be angry. It took her a few moments to realise the
whole situation, and then she began to laugh.

She jumped up and went to Cameron, and with her little fist she pounded
his broad shoulder.

"_I_--THINK--YOU'RE--PERFECTLY--HORRID!!" she exclaimed, emphasising
each word by a pound on his shoulders.

Then she stood back with dignity. "How DARE you do such a thing?" she
cried, stamping her foot at him.

"There, there, little Princess,--little Captive Princess,--don't take
it so hard! Don't let your joy at your escape be marred by your chagrin
at having been caught!"

"Do you mean to say, Cameron," said Kenneth, rather sternly, "that you
trumped up this quarantine business, and it's all a fake?"

"Just exactly that," said Cameron, calmly, and looking Ken steadily in
the eye.

"You've made me a lot of trouble, old man," and Kenneth's voice was
regretful rather than reproachful.

"Oh, not so much," said Cameron, airily. "I took the liberty of
telephoning your office after you did yesterday, and told them that it
was probable you'd be back there this afternoon."

Kenneth stared at him speechlessly, stupefied by this exhibition of
nerve.

"Did you know all about it, Lora?" demanded Marie, turning to Mrs.
Perry.

"Yes," said that lady, between spasms of laughter. "I didn't want to do
it, but Kit just made me! You see, Babette did have an awful sore
throat, and we did call a nurse, but the doctor said, that while it
might turn toward diphtheria, there was small danger of it. And, this
morning, he said even that danger had passed. Truly, girls, I didn't
consent willingly, but Kit coaxed me into it. Of course, I telephoned
Dick the whole story, and he stayed in town last night, but he's coming
home this afternoon. You're not angry, are you, Patty?"

"I don't know whether I am or not. I'm a little bewildered as yet. But
I think, in fairness, I shall have to admit it was a most successful
practical joke,--as such jokes go."

"And it fulfilled all your conditions?" asked Cameron, eagerly.

"I'm not sure of that. We agreed that it must be clever and not unkind.
It was certainly clever, but wasn't it a little unkind to cause trouble
to so many people? Mrs. Homer, for instance?"

"No!" exclaimed Kit, hastily. "I telephoned last evening to auntie, and
told her that there was probability that the quarantine would be lifted
to-day. I telephoned the same thing to Mrs. Fairfield, but I told both
ladies not to mention that to you girls, as I didn't want to raise
false hopes. Oh, I looked out for every point, and you're not angry
with me, are you, Princess?"

He was so wheedlesome and so boyish in his enjoyment of the joke, that
Patty hadn't the heart to scold him, nor was she sure she had any
reason to do so.

"I admit it," she said, "you certainly did play a practical joke on me
successfully, though I didn't think you could. You have won the wager,
and I shall of course pay my debt. But just now, I'm interested in the
fact that we're going home. And yet," she added, turning t

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