CAPTAIN BILL
"It's this," said Farnsworth, looking serious. "I have to go to
Washington."
"Good gracious!" exclaimed Patty, "one would think you were booked for
Kamschatka or Siberia, the way you say it!"
"But I mean, I have to go there to stay."
"How long?"
"Indefinitely. I've no idea how long; also--I may have to go further
yet."
"Over there?"
"Yes. But that's not likely at present. However, it's bad enough to go
to Washington. How can I leave _you_?"
"I'll go, too."
"No, dear, that won't be practicable. I shall be in the University Camp,
drilling engineers, I suppose, but I want to do more and bigger things
than that. I can't tell you all about it, Posy Face, but as soon as I
get further orders I'll know better where I'm at."
"Are you bothered and troubled, my Billee Boy?"
"I am, Patty. I don't want to worry you with it, dearest, and you
couldn't understand it all, anyway, but there is a lot of backbiting and
undermining and wire-pulling in Washington, and it even mixes into Army
and Navy matters."
"Then you'll have to be an undermining engineer, won't you?"
"Patty! You little rogue! You'd make a joke out of anything, I believe."
"'Course I would! Now, Billee, you mustn't look so down-hearted. You've
got me for a joy and a comfort,--not for a burden and a--a millstone
about your neck!"
"I like to have you about my neck, all right,--but you're a
featherweight, not a millstone."
"Where will you be? What's this camp?"
"The Engineering Corps, you mean? Oh, well, there are a lot of
units,--Camouflage, Foresters, Gas and Flame, Wireless, Telephone,----"
"There, there, that'll do! I'm bewildered. Which are you to be in?"
"That's the trouble. It looks to me as if I'd be in the Searchlight
gang----"
"What do you know about searchlights!"
"Nothing. To be sure I've invented one--"
"Oh, Billee, have you? And you never told me!"
"Hadn't time. There's only time enough, when I'm with you, to tell you
what I think of you."
"What do you think of me?"
The lovely face was wistful and sweet, the blue eyes shone with
affection and the scarlet mouth drew down a little at the corners, for
Patty saw by Farnsworth's pained expression, that he was really
disturbed at their coming separation and the uncertainties of his
future.
"I think," the big man spoke, slowly, "I think you're the loveliest
thing God ever made. A thousand times too good for a big brute of a man
like me----"
"You don't treat me like a brute," observed Patty.
"No; I treat you as I think of you,--a lovely rose petal of a girl,--who
ought not to hear of wars or rumours of wars----"
"Nothing of the sort, William Farnsworth! If I were that, I'd deserve to
be put under a glass bell, and left there to die of asphyxiation! I'm
_not_ a silly roseleaf,--I'm a willing, working patriot! Why, I'm as
energetic as--as Molly Pitcher or Barbara Frietchie--or Joan of Arc!"
"That's right, dear, that's the right spirit! But you know, Pattibelle,
you're not physically fitted to go on the rampage, as your flashing eyes
indicate. You're the sort who must 'stay, stay at home my heart and
rest; homekeeping hearts are happiest.'"
"Little Billee, you do quote the beautifullest poetry! Where _do_ you
pick it all up?"
"Oh, I've a store of it somewhere in the top of my head. And I mean no
disparagement of your enthusiasm, Patty, but you can't do hard work, and
so----"
"And so I must knit and knit and knit, I s'pose! Billee, dear, when you
go to Washington why can't I go too, and work in the Canteen
Department?"
Farnsworth smiled at her. "Do you know what the Canteen Department is?"
"Not exactly; but Louise Dempster has gone to it,----"
"Oh, it's the Commissariat Department, but it's no place for you----"
"Why?"
"There, there, don't snap my head off! Only because you're not robust
enough for the work. If you're going in for real help, there's always
the hospital or ambulance work."
"I--I couldn't, Billee! I--I'd faint, I know! Oh, dear, I'm no good, and
never was and never will be!"
"Not so very much good to your Uncle Samuel I admit," and Farnsworth
grinned at her, "but a whole heap of good to one of his humble
citizens."
"Which one?"
"This one!" and Bill grabbed her in his arms.
"Drop me," Patty murmured, half smothered in his shoulder, "somebody's
coming!"
"Let 'em!" But he set her down and began to speak seriously. "You do all
you can for the Red Cross, dear, and that will be your share. Now, don't
worry over it, or think you ought to get into the game in any other way.
You can't do it, but you can and do accomplish a whole lot,--besides
your knitting. Blossom Girl, remember _I'm_ in this world, as well as
the rest of the U. S. A. and you'll give _me_ of your love and fealty
and----,"
"Do you think I will, Sweet William?"
Patty's very soul looked out of her earnest eyes, and Farnsworth kissed
her reverently, "I know you will, darling. Now, you've helped me a lot
already by your cheery and pleasant attitude about my going away----"
"But I don't know all about it yet."
"I don't know much myself. I'll have further instructions soon----"
"And a uniform?"
"Of course. I'll rank as a Captain, and----"
"Oh, Captain Bill! How I will love you then! Come in the other room, I
must tell of it! Nan, Billee's going to have a uniform!"
"Heavenly!" cried Helen Barlow. "Oh, I adore uniforms! And Mr.
Farnsworth will be stunning in one!"
"You may call him Bill, if you like," said Patty, in the generosity of
her enthusiasm.
"All right," said Helen, "but I don't think it suits him. William is
much more dignified."
"Make it William, then," and Farnsworth smiled at the saucy-faced girl.
"Captain Farnsworth is the best," said Elise. "The title becomes you,
Bill, and I know the uniform will."
"I'm going to have a uniform too," said Van Reypen, "won't it become
me?"
"Me, too," chimed in Channing. "I'm expecting to be ordered to France
any minute."
"Why, Chickering Channing! I didn't know that," cried Patty. "What are
you?"
"I'm an _Officier de liaison_."
"What in the world is that?"
"It's really nothing but an interpreter. But the French term is so much
more impressive."
"Indeed it is. What do you interpret?"
"Words otherwise unintelligible."
"But I don't understand--"
"Then I'll be pleased to interpret for you. You see, if a French soldier
wants to confide a state secret to an English-speaking comrade, and if
he doesn't know a word of English, nor the other chap any
French,--what's to be did?"
"Oh, I see!" cried Helen, "they call you in!"
"Exactly, Miss Barlow. And being conversant with and fluent in all known
tongues,--I'm just a walking Tower of Babel."
"A walking dictionary, you mean," laughed Helen. "I think that's a
pretty fine position you hold. I never heard of it before. What's your
rank?"
"Lieutenant,--very much at your service, Mademoiselle. Shortly, I shall
don my khaki, and then I hope, at last, I'll be respected by my fellow
men."
"That's so, Chick," said Patty, mercilessly, "you've always been such a
cutup--well, of course, you were respected,--but nobody really stood in
awe of you. But a Lieutenant,--oh, I'm proud of my friends!"
"Isn't it glorious!" cried Helen, and she flew to the piano and began
playing patriotic airs. They all joined and a brave chorus of young
voices rang out the avowal that the Yanks were coming over there!
So enthusiastically did Helen pound the keys that her hair shook loose
from its pins and came tumbling round her shoulders.
"Now, now, Bumble," remonstrated Patty, "don't do so,--it isn't done!
Here, I'll fix it for you."
But Helen only laughed, and nimbly twisted up her tousled locks, and
thrust hairpins in to hold them in a hard and unbecoming knot at the
back of her head.
"It doesn't look a bit nice," Elise warned her. "Better let Patty
rearrange it."
"Nope, I don't care," and the wilful girl kept on playing and laughed as
she shook her head. The shaking sent her hair down again, and this time
Patty determinedly went to her and dressed it for her.
"Sit still, you naughty!" she said, herself shaking with laughter. "Oh,
Bumble, you haven't grown up a bit!"
Patty did up her cousin's hair prettily and skewered it firmly into
place with many hairpins, and it didn't come down again.
"And are you going down to Washington, too, Chick?" Daisy Dow asked.
"Sooner or later, yes. That's the road to all war glory."
"And you don't know when?"
"You nor I nor nobody knows. You see, Daisy, in war affairs nobody knows
anything and if they do they're not allowed to tell it."
"But just among us,--we wouldn't tell anybody."
"The walls have ears," said Chick, mock-dramatically.
"And Rumour has a thousand tongues," added Farnsworth, "it's a dangerous
combination."
A week later the two went to Washington. Sent for nearly at the same
time, Farnsworth and Channing were to go to Washington, though their
work there was widely different.
The night before their departure, there was a gathering of the clan at
Patty's home.
Farnsworth begged her not to have others there on their last evening
together, but Patty's wise little head thought it better to have a
party.
"You see," she said to Nan, "if I spend the evening alone with my Billee
Boy, he'll be so sad and blue, and I'll be so weepy and red,--we'll have
an awful time! It's a whole lot better to have the crowd here and let
him go off in a blaze of glory! Patriotism is good for homesickness."
And, too, Patty was trying to entertain Helen pleasantly, and so she
made many little parties for her.
The plan of entertaining the other soldiers was postponed until they
could do no more for their own friends, and the little party to speed
their parting, though small, was gay and festive.
"A dance," Patty decided. "I don't want just a sit-around, woeful,
sighful time. A good, lively dance, and a nice supper, and then----"
Patty choked, and Nan seeing the springing tears, quickly began to
discuss details of the supper.
The evening came, and Patty dressed in white, went to Helen's room to
make sure she was in proper order.
"Why, Helen Barlow!" she exclaimed; "if you're not an apple-pie pink of
perfection! Not a bow coming off, and your hair positively looks as if
it would stay put!"
"Don't tease me, Patty. Truly, I'm trying to do better,----"
"You dear old thing! I was a wretch to seem to tease you. Wait till this
ball is over and you get off that very bewitching frock, and I'll give
you a kiss of forgiveness!"
Helen looked very pretty in her evening dress of soft, thin pink, with
touches of silver lace, and silver slippers.
"You're a fairy," said Patty. "How that frock becomes you. Now, be gay
and festive, won't you, Helen, honey, for I feel as if I should burst
into a flood of tears every minute!"
"Go on down, Patty," said Helen, drawing back, "I hear Billee's voice,
and he'll want you alone."
"No; I can't. If I do, I'll cry. Come along."
So both girls ran down stairs, and shrieked with delight at the sight of
Farnsworth in uniform.
"I knew you'd be stunning," said Helen, "but I didn't know you'd look
like a Herculean statue!"
"He doesn't," cried Patty, "he looks like a--a General! He ought to
be--oh, what do you call it when you have your statue taken?"
"Sculped," said Helen.
"Yes, that's it! He ought to be sculped in marble or bronze or whatever
is most used for statues this year!"
"There, now, kiddies, run away and play," said Farnsworth, towering to
his full height and looking every inch a soldier.
"No sir," declared Patty, "we want to look at you. Turn around."
Then Channing came, and he, too, was resplendent in his new khaki, and
the girls praised his appearance.
"Drink it in, Bill," Chick said. "It'll be a long time before we get any
more of this sort of thing! Somepin tells me the people we're going
amongst won't pay any special attention to our uniforms."
"How can they help it?" cried Helen; "why, I don't believe any of the
United States Army will look half as well as you two! You're--you're
superb!"
A bit embarrassed, Channing tried to turn the subject, but Farnsworth
laughed good-humouredly.
"Let 'em rave, Channing. They enjoy it, and I guess we can stand it----"
"Pooh," Patty said, "you're tickled to death to be so admired! Here
comes Elise, now you'll get more flattery."
And then the other guests came and the party soon was in full swing.
Patty was among the gayest there. Her eyes shone and her smile was merry
and sweet. But a flush showed on each pink cheek, and Farnsworth kept
watch of her as she danced or engaged in light banter with the young
people.
Helen Barlow was frankly delighted with the party. She was a belle,
indeed, for she was a charming dancer and her never-failing fund of fun
and laughter kept her partners enchanted.
"I like to dance with you," she said to Farnsworth, "'cause you're so
big. It's like dancing with one of the statues in the park."
"Why do you girls look on me as a statue?" he returned, laughing.
"There's nothing statuesque about me."
"No; not that, it's your heroic size----"
"I hope that's not _all_ my heroism!"
"I hope so, too. But are you going to need heroism? Bravery, I mean, and
courage and all that. I thought you were only going to teach the young
engineers how to shoot."
"That's part of my duty, but there may be other work cut out for me."
"That's what Patty thinks. She thinks,--because you can't tell her all
about it,--that you're going to be called to some fearful danger----"
"Oh, come now, Helen, she doesn't think that, does she?"
"Yes she does. She didn't exactly tell me so, but she can't hide it from
me. I can read that girl pretty well."
"So can I."
"Yes, but you don't see her off her guard."
"I know what you mean. Just now, she is trying her best to be gay;
trying so hard, indeed, that she's overdoing it."
"Yes, that's what I mean. You can tell by the way she laughs. A little
hysterical giggle,--that's not like Patty's own hearty chuckle!"
"You're right, Helen; and you're a good friend to Patty. I'm so glad
you're here with her. Can you stay some time?"
"Yes, as long as she wants me."
"Then look out for her, won't you? She's a frail little thing, and her
heart and her energies are too big for her physique."
"That's so, Bill. But I'll look after her,--all she'll let me. She has a
strong will, I can tell you."
"You two are talking about me, I can sense it!" cried Patty herself,
coming up to them.
"We are," said Bill, "and I'm going to talk to you, instead. Helen, I
see your next partner coming hot haste to claim you, so I'm going to
take Pattibelle aside and treat her to a small lecture."
Willingly Patty went with him, and he led her to the little room which
was her father's den.
There chanced to be no one there, so Farnsworth closed the door after
them, and then gently took her in his arms.
"Dearest," he said, "you must be careful of my own little Patty girl
while I am away."
"But I don't want you to go," she whispered, her lip trembling.
"I know it, dear, and I don't want to leave you. But we're always going
to obey the call of duty, aren't we, Patty mine?"
"Y-yes,----"
"Then listen, sweetheart. You mustn't exaggerate our parting. I'm only
going to Washington----"
"I know--but--you may be sent to France----"
"Don't cross that bridge until you come to it. Now, my own,--my blessed
little girl, I'm going now."
"Now?"
"Yes, if I stay here you'll go all to pieces pretty soon. So I'm going
now, and I'm going to say good-bye, cheerfully, even calmly,--because
it's better so. Then you go back to the party and be as gay as you like,
and forget our case entirely. Trust me, dear little girl,--it's better
so."
Patty realised the truth of Farnsworth's words. She was under great
nervous strain, and after his departure, she knew she could regain her
poise and better conceal and control her feelings.
"You're right, you dear old Billee. I'm a little fool, but I can't help
it. I oughtn't to have planned this affair the way I did, but I didn't
realise,----"
"Of course you didn't, and you overestimated your own power of will.
Now, my love, my little sweetheart, kiss me once, for soldier's luck,
and then I'll go,--and you must bid me good-bye with a smile,--a smile
that I'll carry with me always."
Silently, solemnly, Patty raised her face to his, and bending down,
Farnsworth kissed the sweet lips that quivered beneath his touch.
It almost unnerved him, but, determinedly, he smiled at her, and said,
cheerily, "I'll write often and so must you, and,--why, my goodness,
Patty,--I'll be back soon on leave, and we'll laugh at this tragic
parting."
"No; we won't laugh at it my Little Billee,--no, not that,--but,--we'll
try to smile."
"And succeed! Show me how, _now_."
Patty smiled with real cheer, and clasping her quickly, Farnsworth gave
her one big, farewell kiss, and rushed out of the door, closing it
behind him.