flirting is no fun, anyway. Forbidden fruit is sweetest.”
“But sour grapes are forbidden fruit. How can sour be sweet?”
“Oh, it’s all according to your nature. If you have a sour nature, the grapes are sour. If a sweet disposition, then all fruits are sweet.”
“Even a lemon?”
“Nobody hands a lemon to sweet people.”
“Then they can’t have any lemonade, and I love it! I guess I’ll stop being so sweet – ”
“Good gracious, Patty, you couldn’t do that if you tried!”
This remark was made by Kit Cameron, who just then put his head in at the doorway and overheard Patty’s laughing decision.
“Hello, you two,” he went on; “you’ll have to stop your introspective conversation, and come and join the dance. Will you, won’t you come and join the dance? We’re only to have one, our dragon chaperon declares, and then we must all go by-by. So come and trip it, Patty of the fairy toes!”
The trio returned to the drawing-room, and after the one dance had been extended to half a dozen, Adele collected her headstrong charges and carried them off to bed.
“And you’re not to have kimono confabs all night, either,” she ordered. “Patty, you’ll be good for nothing tomorrow, if you don’t get some rest. And the others, too.”
But there was more or less chattering and giggling before the girls separated for the night. It seemed natural for them to drift into Patty’s boudoir and in their pretty negligées they dawdled about while Patty brushed her hair.
“What goldilocks!” exclaimed Marie, in admiration. And truly, Patty’s hair was a thing to admire. Thick and curling, it hung well below her waist, and shone with a golden glimmer as the light touched its rippling lengths.
“It’s an awful nuisance,” Patty declared; “there’s such a lot of it, and it does snarl so.”
“Let me help you,” cried Daisy, springing up and taking the brush from Patty’s hand. “Mona, do the other side.”
Mona seized another brush and obeyed, and as the two brushed most vigorously, Patty’s little head was well pulled about.
“Thank you, girls, oh, thank you ever so much, but truly, I don’t mind doing it myself! Oh, honestly, I don’t!”
Patty rescued her brushes, and soon had the rebellious locks in two long pigtails for the night.
“Now, scoot, all of you,” she said, “this is the time I seek repose for my weary limbs, on beds of asphodel – or – whatever I mean.”
“Beds of nothing,” said Mona, “I’m not a bit sleepy. Let us stay a little longer, Patty, dear, – sweet Patty, ah, do now.”
“I can’t,” and Marie started toward the door. “I’m awfully sleepy.”
“You don’t fool me, my infant,” said Patty, wisely. “Your eyes are like stars burned in a blanket! I know what you’re going to do! But don’t be alarmed, I won’t tell.”
Marie blushed and with murmured good-nights, ran away.
“Going to write a letter, of course.” And Daisy wagged her sapient head. “Who is the man, Pat?”
“Fie, Daisy! You heard me say I wouldn’t tell!”
“You only said you wouldn’t tell what she’s going to do. And we know that. Do tell us who he is!”
“I won’t do it. If Marie chooses, she will tell you herself. And anyway, Daisy, it’s no one you know. I don’t think you ever saw him and I doubt if you ever even heard of him.”
“Is he nice?”
“Charming. Full of capers, though. And Marie is so serious. But he’s very attractive.”
“Are they engaged? Oh, Patty, do tell us about it!”
“I can’t. I don’t know so very much about it myself; but what I do know is a sacred trust, and not to be divulged to a horde of rattle-pates. Now, will you make yourselves scarce? Go and write letters, go and darn stockings, – anything, but let me go to bed.”
Finally, Patty shooed the girls away, and locking her door against their possible return, she began to make ready for bed.
She glanced at her watch as she sat at her toilette-table. It was exactly midnight.
And at that moment her telephone rang.
“Those girls!” she thought to herself. “I’ll not answer it!”
But the bell kept ringing, and Patty took down the receiver with a soft “Hello.”
“That you, Patty?” and her astonished ears recognised Philip Van Reypen’s voice.
“For mercy’s sake! Where are you, Phil?”
“Home. In New York. Can you hear me all right?”
“Yes, plainly. How did you know I was here?”
“Learned it from your father. Say, girlie, why didn’t you get me a bid up there, too?”
“Do you want to come?”
“Do I! Aren’t you there!”
“Is that a reason?”
“The best in the world. Do get Farnsworth to invite me.”
“I can’t, Phil. He doesn’t want any – any more than we have here now.”
“You mean he doesn’t want me.”
“Why, doesn’t he like you?” Patty’s voice was full of innocent surprise.
“It isn’t that, but he wants you all to himself.”
“Nonsense! There are a dozen of us up here.”
“Well, I mean he’s afraid to have me there. By Jove, Patty, that’s a sort of a compliment. He’s afraid of me.”
“Don’t be silly, Philip. How’s Lady Van?”
“She’s all right. She’s at Newport, just now. I’m in town for a day or two, so thought I’d call up Spring Beach and maybe run down there to see you. And this is the immediate result. Well, look here, Patty, if I can’t get invited to Farnsworth’s Palace Hotel, for I hear it’s that, I’m going to Poland Spring, and then I can run over and see you anyway.”
“Oh, Philip, don’t do that!”
“Why not? Haven’t I a right to go to Poland Spring, if I like?”
“Yes, but don’t come over here.”
“Why not?”
“I can’t exactly explain it, myself; at least not over the telephone, but I don’t think it would be nice for you to come here when you were not invited.”
“Oh, I was spoken of, then?”
“Well, – yes, – since you will have it.”
“And Farnsworth wouldn’t have me?”
“Well, – I said not to have you.”
“Oh, you did! What a nice friend you are!”
“Now, Phil, don’t talk like that. I said – I said – ”
“Bless your heart, I know just how it was. Or nearly. But you could have had me asked – and you didn’t! Now, my lady, just for that, I am going to Poland Spring – start tomorrow. And, – listen, now, – if you really don’t want me to come over to the Farnsworth House, then you must come over to the Poland Spring House to see me! Get that?”
“Why, Phil, absurd! How could I go alone?”
“You needn’t come alone. Bring a chaperon, or another girl