"At the Sale last night. Oh, we had wonderful things. Everybody donated, you know, and then came and bought the things. Philip gave us some of Aunty Van Reypen's bronzes and ivory carvings. I think we'll make a lot of money."

"And you ran away the morning after! Didn't you want to know how the funds summed up?"

"Oh, yes; but the house was in such a fearful state! Furniture all moved and things every which way. I was glad to disappear until it gets into shape again."

"And doesn't Mrs. Fairfield or your father know where you are?"

"Well, I left a note for Nan, and I didn't tell her just where I was going, so she could tell people that I hadn't; but I gave her sufficient hints, so she can form a fairly correct notion of my destination."

"All right, Pattykins, I'll look after you, and no one shall learn from me where you are,—least of all, that terrible ogre, Bill Farnsworth!"

Patty smiled, and the two friends went downstairs. Jim Kenerley was beaming with welcomes, and declared that he, too, would keep the secret of Patty's presence under his roof, even at the point of the bayonet.

But, alas, for good intentions!

That afternoon, Kenerley sought his wife, consternation in every line of his good-looking countenance.

"Where's Patty?" he asked, abruptly.

"I sent her off for a nap. She's all tired out. Why?"

"Well, Farnsworth is on his way up here."

"What? Why did you let him come?"

"Couldn't help it. You see it was this way. The clerk, or somebody at his hotel telephoned, and said that Mr. Farnsworth had suddenly decided to run up here, and that he hadn't time to telephone and then get his train. So he instructed the clerk to get me and tell me Bill was on the way. He'll be here a little after seven. What shall we do?"

"Mercy! I don't know. Let me think. Patty is awfully angry with him about something, and I've promised her not to let him know where she is."

"Lovers' quarrel?"

"I don't know. I haven't had a real talk with Patty yet, she's so fagged out. I want her to rest up. But she says she's bothered about Philip Van Reypen."

"Then depend upon it, it's somebody else! Farnsworth, probably."

"She could do a lot worse than to marry Bill."

"Indeed she could! But, all the same, if Patty doesn't want him here, he mustn't come."

"That's all very well, but how will you prevent it?"

"I don't know. Meet him with a shotgun?"

"Now, be serious, Jim. We must protect Patty at any cost. Can't we telegraph him on the train?"

"Not a chance. Do you think he knows she's here?"

"He can't know it. He may suspect it. Well, he'll have to come, and he'll have to stay over night; we can't send him packing, with no decent excuse."

"Tell him Cook has the smallpox."

"Don't be silly! I can manage it, I think. Yes, with your help, it can be done."

"My dear Adele, I offer my help in its entirety, and then some."

"I'll need all that—maybe more. It's no easy job, but I'll try it, rather than have Patty disturbed."

"Might a mere man ask the nature of your plans?"

Adele Kenerley looked affectionately at her husband. "Yes, but you mustn't hoot at them. Yours not to question why, yours not to make objection."

"Mine only to do or die, like those other heroes, I suppose."

"Yes, but you're to do, not die. The die is cast! I've cast it. Now, stop fooling, Jim, and listen to me. Those two people shall be in this house at the same time, and neither will suspect that the other is here."

"Impossible!"

"There was a gentleman once, named Napoleon. He remarked, 'If it is possible, it must be done. If it is impossible, it shall be done!' That's my motto."

"Good for you, General! Go ahead. Command me, Madame!"

"Well, and now listen, Jim, and be serious. We'll have two dinners tonight——"

"Whew! I can't stand everything!"

"Silence, sir! We'll have dinner at six; and then I'll tuck Patty in bed early, to get her rest. Then, Bill will get here about seven, and we'll have another dinner for him. I can look after tomorrow morning,—— Patty will breakfast in her room. Then, about eleven o'clock or noon, you must take Bill for a long motor ride, lunch somewhere on the road. I'll have Patty lunch here with me. Then, I'll put her away for an afternoon nap, and we must then have dinner for Bill and,—make him go home. I couldn't keep it up any longer than that."

"I should say not! Regular Box and Cox game. But it may be we can put it over. I'll do all I can. But s'pose he won't go home tomorrow afternoon?"

"Make him. Even if you have to telephone to his hotel to send a hurry wire for him."

"Capital! I'll do that, if I have to. All right, little woman, you act as Patty's jailer, and I'll look after Farnsworth."

And so, at five o'clock, Adele went to Patty's room. She found that young woman, robed in her apple blossom gown, asleep, with her head on a much crumpled pillow. There were traces of tears on the pink cheeks, but the blue eyes were tightly closed.

"Wake up, Pattibelle," said Adele, gently patting her shoulder. "We're to have an early dinner, 'cause Jim has to go off to some meeting or other, and I thought you wouldn't mind."

"Mind? Of course not," and Patty sprang up, very wide-awake. "I won't dress much, Adele."

"No; wear the same frock you had on for lunch. Twist up that yellow mop of yours, and come along down, now. I want you to take a stroll around the domain while there's a scrap of daylight left."

The hour before dinner soon passed, and then, laughing with merriment, the hosts and guest went in to dinner.

The Kenerleys were in specially gay spirits, it seemed to Patty, and she held her own in fun and repartee.

"You must stay a long time, Patty," Jim declared. "You're more fun than a barrel of monkeys! I'm awfully glad you came."

"So'm I," assented Patty; "I wanted to get away from the giddy whirl, and lead the simple life for a few days."

"Sometimes the simple life is very complicated," observed Kenerley, and he glanced at the clock.

Adele took the hint. "You want to get away, don't you, dear?" she said. "And we've been dawdling over dessert! Patty, I shan't give you any coffee tonight. I'm afraid it will keep you awake, and you need sleep. My, but you're hollow-eyed! I suppose you've kept late hours all winter."

"Pretty much. But I sleep a good deal, too. And I feel all right, now. I'm not going to bed before you come back, Jim."

"Indeed you are!" cried Adele. "Now, not a word from you, Miss! I'm your nurse at present, and you will obey my orders!"

Kenerley started off to drive to the station for Farnsworth. He felt sure his wife would have Patty out of the way when they returned, but he didn't know just how she'd manage it.

Nor was it easy. But Adele wandered about the house with her guest, and finally declared the moonlight view was prettier from Patty's windows than anywhere else. She lured the girl upstairs, and then cleverly persuaded her to don a dressing-gown and lie down, while she, Adele, looked after some household matters, and she would then return for a confab.



CHAPTER XX

BLOSSOM GIRL

Such a clever and resourceful housekeeper as Adele Kenerley found no trouble in arranging a second dinner for half-past seven, although one had been served at six. Patty safely out of the way, Adele presided at the board with a light-hearted gaiety that surprised even her husband.

Farnsworth, too, was in good spirits, though both the Kenerleys detected a roving eye and an alert ear that made them think he suspected, or at least hoped, that Patty was there. But he said nothing that indicated his thoughts except to ask on arrival if there were other guests.

"As you see," said Adele. "But I'm flattering myself that you came this time just to visit the Kenerleys."

"What more could one desire?" returned Farnsworth. And the conversation continued in a light and impersonal tone. Patty's name was mentioned, and innocently enough. Adele asked how she was.

"Well, I trust," said Farnsworth. "I was at her house at a Sale affair, last night, and she was all right then. Very much all right. But today, I called up the house, and they said she had gone away. I don't know where."

"And you thought she was up here! Oh, Big Bill, and I thought you came to see us!" Adele looked deeply chagrined.

"I'm jolly glad to see you, Adele, but to be honest, that little Patty person has turned my head."

"Truly, Bill?"

"Very truly, Adele. It's one thing or the other with me now. I must find her and if she says me nay, I go back to Arizona for good and all. No more East for me."

Jim Kenerley, catching the earnest note in Farnsworth's voice, had all he could do to keep from telling him then and there of Patty's presence under that same roof, but a decided head-shake from Adele restrained him.

For Adele felt in honour bound to keep Patty's secret, unless the girl herself released her from her promise.

As soon as she could, Adele excused herself and left the two men to smoke and chat together. She went to Patty's room, determined to find out the true state of affairs. But Patty was asleep, and so profoundly did she slumber that it seemed a shame to waken her.

So the game went on. Adele went back downstairs, and the three friends spent a pleasant evening together. At bedtime Farnsworth declared his intention of leaving in the morning, and sure that he would do so, Adele hospitably urged him to remain till after dinner. To her surprise, he acquiesced, and said he would go down to New York on a late afternoon train.

"Now, you have done it!" said Kenerley to his wife, after their guest had gone to his room.

"I know it, Jim. It was all my fault! But I never dreamed he'd stay over so easily! Oh, if I'd only let him go on the morning train!"

"We'll have to keep up the hide and seek."

"Yes, and we can do it. Only it would have been so much easier the other way."

"Perhaps Patty will relent."

"Not she! If you had seen her eyes flash, when she spoke of him. She's desperately angry with him, for some reason. But tomorrow morning will be all right. And I'll plan the day. There'll be no trouble."

Adele's clever managing made her words good. Patty had breakfast in her room, of course, and at nine o'clock, Farnsworth and the Kenerleys had their own morning meal. A pleasant affair it was in the sunny dining-room, and, without seeming to do so, Adele tactfully gave her guest an opportunity to depart, by saying that Jim had to go for a long trip in the motor.

But Farnsworth said, "Good! I'll go along. Unless I'm in the way, old chap?"

"Not at all," returned Kenerley, cordially, and that matter was settled.

The two men left about eleven, and Adele went to Patty's room.

"I'm all over my tired-outness," declared a very fresh-looking, rosy young person. "I've had my tub, and now I'm going to dress up and behave like a good citizen. You're a duck, Adele, to put up with a worn-out wreck, as I was yesterday, but now I'm myself again. I want to go for a motor ride, and for a walk, and eat a big luncheon, and come back to life, generally."

"Good for you! And have you settled all the troublesome affairs that were bothering you?"

"How did you know I had any?"

"Now, don't confide in me unless you want to." Wily Adele knew the touch of perversity in Patty's make-up.

"Oh, there's nothing much to confide. I got fearfully mad at Bill Farnsworth, and I ran up here to get away from him. That's the story of my life."

"What was the bone of contention?"

"Well, I suppose I was. Also, he was very rude and unmannerly. Also,—and this is why I hate him so,—he's suddenly grown rich, Adele, and he's terribly ostentatious about it——"

"Bill Farnsworth ostentatious! I don't believe it!"

"Yes, he is. He showed off big rolls of money at the Sale——"

"But, Patty, he was buying things, wasn't he?"

"I don't care if he was. And, besides, Adele, he—well, he implied, if he didn't say it straight out, that now he was rich, maybe I'd marry him! As if I was a fortune-hunter!"

"Oh, Patty, you little goose! Bill has always been poor, or at least, he had only a moderate income. I can see how he would be glad if he had good fortune, to offer it to you. Poor Bill! You mistook his meaning, I'm sure."

"No, I didn't, and I hate him, and I never want to hear his name mentioned again!"

"Nor see him?"

"Mercy, no! And now, drop the subject. I tell you I came up here to get away from him! He's in love with Daisy Dow, anyway."

"What makes you think so?"

"Oh, he's always with her. And he gave her some lovely books that he had bought on purpose for me! And, Daisy says things all the time that prove it. I don't want anything to do with another girl's rustic swain. That I don't!"

"Just a minute, Patty. Do you really consider Bill a rustic,—uncultured, and all that, I mean?"

Patty looked serious. "No, Adele, I don't. He hasn't a certain polish, that some men have, but he is a thorough gentleman and a splendid man. I must say that, in all honesty. But he is a domineering, head-strong nature, and he couldn't make any girl happy!"

"Oh, couldn't he!" said Adele, but she said it to herself, not aloud.

The subject was really dropped then, and Patty began to dress for luncheon.

"I'm going to put on this white crepe de chine," she said. "I found it hanging in the wardrobe, left from last summer. I'd almost forgotten I had it. It's a pretty frock, isn't it?"

"Yes. But, I grieve to state, Pattibelle, we'll be alone at lunch, you and I. Jim has gone miles off in the country, and won't be back before six or so."

"Whatever for?"

"Oh,—on some business."

"Business! On Sunday?"

"He's looking at a car he's thinking of buying. The man could only see him today."

"Oh, well, all right. But I'll dress up anyway, for my own self-respect. I like myself better in a pretty gown, and I'm not going to take naps all day today, I can tell you."

Patty flew around, making her toilette, and humming little snatches of song. Adele thought she had never seen her look so pretty. The white frock was soft and filmy; the round neck a trifle low, the frilled sleeves showing her dimpled arms, and a soft sash made of a breadth of palest pink silk, round the waist.

"You're a dream!" declared Adele. "It's a shame to waste such a vision of beauty on me. I believe I'll telephone for Bob Peyton to come over to lunch."

"No, don't. I'd rather not have him. I like to be alone with you much better. Ask him over for dinner, if you like."

So the two lunched alone, and then came the difficult crisis.

Patty flatly rebelled against Adele's suggestion that she take an afternoon nap to be fresh for the evening.

"What's the matter with you, Adele?" she laughed. "Do you think I'm a dormouse? Or a bear who wants to hibernate? I'm as wide-awake as you are!"

"It isn't that, Patty," and poor Adele was at her wits' end, "but you're really run down—er—nerve exhaustion, you know——"

"Well, your nerve isn't exhausted! To make me go to bed by day,—all the whole time!"

"Now, Patsy, don't be stubborn. Give me my way, this once. If you'll go to your room, and stay there and rest quietly till five o'clock, I won't say another word about your resting, while you're here. But you're—really,—you're so improved since you came, that I want to complete the cure. Scoot off, now, and then at five o'clock Jim will be back, and we'll have lots of fun."

"It's nearly half-past two, now. Well, I don't see much else to do, so I'll go. But remember, it's the last of this foolishness."

"I'll remember. Run along now, and don't show your face below stairs till five. Cross your heart?"

"Yep. Cross my heart and hope to never! By-by."

Patty ran upstairs and closed her room door behind her. Never really at a loss to entertain herself, she read some magazines, wrote two or three letters that had been long owing, and then mooned around looking out of her windows at the distant hills, bright with winter sunshine. She opened the long French window to the balcony and stepped out. It was snappily cold, so she went back long enough to catch up a wrap. The apple blossom kimono was the first thing she saw, so she slipped into it, and went out on the balcony. The bracing air was delightful, and she walked up and down, drawing long deep breaths of ozone. There was a low railing round the little balcony and Patty sat down on it. The ground was only about eight feet below her, for the house was built on a side hill, and the slope was abrupt.

"I could almost lean down and pick violets," she mused, "if there were any to pick. But it's nowhere near spring, yet."

She drew her wrap more closely about her and rose to go in the house again.

"Well!" came in an explosive voice, just below her. Patty looked down and saw Farnsworth standing there, his face radiant with glad surprise.

"Little Billee!" she exclaimed, impulsively leaning over the rail. "What are you here for?"

"You! And I can't wait another minute! Jump!"

Not pausing to think, impelled by his quick command, Patty stepped over the rail and jumped.

Farnsworth caught her deftly in his arms just as her feet touched the ground, and held her there.

"Look at me," he said, and his always musical voice had a ring in it Patty had never heard before.

The golden head, bowed against his broad chest, lifted a little, and Patty's blue eyes shone into his own. Steadily he looked for a moment, and then said, quietly, but exultantly, "You love me! Oh, my Patty Blossom!"

Patty stood very still. It seemed to her that the end of the world had come—or the beginning,—she wasn't sure which.

"Come," said Farnsworth, still with that glad, exultant note of triumph in his voice. He led her to the house, walking quickly and with springing step.

Adele was in the hall as they entered.

"Good heavens!" she said, helplessly, as she stared at them.

"Adele," Farnsworth's words fairly rang out, "don't stop us. We're just getting engaged, and we want a few minutes alone."

"I should say so!" and half dazed at the suddenness of the news, Adele opened the door of a little reception room, and let them in. Then she closed it, and ran hot haste to find Jim.

A wood fire was blazing and Patty threw off the silk wrap.

"Apple Blossom," said Farnsworth, as he took it from her, and tossed it over a sofa, "my Blossom girl!"

He took the soft, trembling little figure in his arms, the pretty white frock sadly crushed in his strong embrace.

"My Love, my Patty Blossom!" he murmured, and then, with his first kiss on her quivering, scarlet lips, Patty knew that she "cared for" this big, tender giant, with her whole heart, and she began to realise how he loved her.

"Patty! darling! I have loved you so long, but I had no idea what it would mean to know you love me!"

"What does it mean?" she said, softly.

"It means heaven! Great, blue, sunshiny, cloudless heaven! Oh, my little girl, I can't tell you all it means, there aren't any words big enough. You do love me, don't you? How do you know you do?"

"Because I jumped," and the blue eyes smiled at him. "I jumped because I couldn't help it."

"You jumped because you loved me! I oughtn't to have let you do it; good gracious, Patty, you might have broken yourself to bits! I spoke from impulse."

"And I jumped from impulse. And,—I'm glad I did!"

"You little Love! Are you? Patty, how can you love a great, uncouth man like me?"

"You're not uncouth, Little Billee, and you only said that to be contradicted! But I do contradict it. You're not big and uncouth at all. Well, I s'pose you are big,—but it's a nice, cunning little bigness——"

"There, there, that'll be about all of that! Now, tell me why you ran away from me."

"I didn't know at the time. But I know now."

"You do? Why, then?

"Because I was in love with you, and I was afraid you'd find it out."

"But you didn't know it yourself?"

"N—no; that is, I wouldn't own up to it to myself, and I was awfully afraid myself would find it out."

"You little goose——"

"Blossom goose?"

"Yes. Blossom goose,—Blossom girl,—Oh, Patty Blossom, how can I make you have a glimmer of a gleam of an idea how I love you!"

"Little Billee! if you give me all your kisses now, what shall we do all the rest of our lives?"

"Poor little Apple Blossom! Am I a big bear? Well, sit beside me here on this cosy sofa place, and I'll tell you what we'll do all the rest of our lives."

And so enchanted was Patty with the plans unfolded for her, that it was more than an hour later that she remembered to ask, "Why did you give Daisy the books you bought for me?"

"Shall I tell you, dear? I told you at the time I had a reason. Because, just then, something in your eyes gave me hope, gave me a tiny hint of hope that you would take my set of Riley books and me along with it!"

"Oh, Little Billee! Did I really throw myself at your head?"

"No, Patty; no, my child, never think for a minute you did that! But you gave me a look that made me feel emboldened to throw myself at your feet. Then you ran away before I could do so."

"Yes, I was afraid you would. How did you know I was here?"

"Didn't know it; but I thought it the most likely place. How the Kenerleys fooled me! I owe Jim one for that!"

"No, you don't! They only did what I made them do. I vowed I wouldn't see you, and they must not let you know I was here."

"Did you think you could elude me long, Sweetheart?"

"I don't know what I thought——"

"You were afraid to look in your own heart, weren't you?"

"Yes, I was. But I'm not now."

"No, you don't seem to be! For a newly engaged young person you take to it like a duck to water."

"Only because it's you. I wouldn't with anybody else."

"I should hope not! And you're not afraid of me any more?"

"'Perfect love casteth out fear.'"

"Oh, Blossom, you do say the sweetest things! And do you forgive me my horrid ostentation?"

"You must forgive me for that, Little Billee. I had no business to act so."

"You were all right, dear. I'm not to the money born, you know. And when I was successful, financially, I had no thought but of pleasure it might give you. But I expressed myself unfortunately. I'm not a 'society man,' Patty."

"You're the dearest man in all the world. My big, beautiful Sir Galahad. My own Little Billee."

"Haven't you two got engaged yet?" called Adele, plaintively, through the keyhole. "You've been two hours at it! Come on out, and let us help."

"Run away and play," called back Farnsworth, but Patty released herself from his clasping arms, and said, "It hasn't been two hours, any such thing, Adele; but we will come out now. We've been engaged a long time."

Big Bill rose, towering above his little fiancee.

"You little scrap of loveliness!" he exclaimed, "what have you done to me, to bewitch me so? You were always beautiful, but now you're—you're——"

"Well, what?" and Patty's radiant face looked up lovingly into his own.

"There are no words dear enough," and Farnsworth's voice thrilled with love and reverence, "no terms sweet enough, but just,—my Patty Blossom."

THE END