MORE MAKING UP
After the sixth dance was over, Patty asked her partner to bring Mr.
Everson to her, and then she awaited his coming on a little sofa in an
alcove.
If Eugene Everson was surprised at the summons, he did not show it,
but advanced courteously, and took a seat by Patty's side. He had a
dance engaged with her much later in the evening, so Patty said,
pleasantly:
"Mr. Everson, don't think my request strange, but won't you exchange
our later dance for this number seven?"
"I would gladly, Miss Fairfield, but I'm engaged for this."
"Yes, I know," and Patty favoured him with one of her most bewitching
smiles; "but the lady is Miss Galbraith, as I happen to know, and Miss
Galbraith is a very dear friend of mine, and,--oh, well, it's a matter
of 'first aid to the injured.' I don't want to tell you all about it,
Mr. Everson, but the truth is, I want Miss Galbraith to dance this
number with another man,--because,--because----"
It was not quite so easy as Patty had anticipated. She didn't want to
go so far as to explain the real situation, and she became suddenly
aware that she was somewhat embarrassed. Her face flushed rosy pink,
and she cast an appealing glance from her violet-blue eyes into the
amused face of the man beside her.
"I haven't an idea of what it is all about, Miss Fairfield, but please
consider me entirely at the orders of yourself and Miss Galbraith. A
man at a party is at best but a puppet to dance at the bidding of any
fair lady. And what better fortune could I ask than to be allowed to
obey your decree?"
Patty was greatly relieved when he took the matter thus lightly. In
whimsical conversation she was on her own ground, and she responded
gaily: "Let it remain a mystery, then; and obey as a noble knight a
lady's decree. Dance with me, and trust it to me that Miss Galbraith
is also obeying a decree of mine."
"For a small person, you seem to issue decrees of surprising number
and rapidity," and Everson, who was a large man, looked down at Patty
with an air of amusement.
"Yes, sir," said Patty, demurely, "I'm accustomed to it. Decrees are
my strong point. I issue them 'most all the time."
"And are they always obeyed?"
"Alas, noble sir, not always. Though I'm not sure that your question
is as flattering as the remarks most young men make to me."
"Perhaps not. But when you know me better, Miss Fairfield, you'll find
out that I'm very different from the common herd."
"Really? How interesting! I hope I shall know you better very soon,
for I adore unusual people."
"And do unusual people adore you?"
"I can't tell; I've never met one before," and after the briefest of
saucy glances, Patty dropped her eyes demurely.
"Aren't you one yourself?"
"Oh, no!" And Patty looked up with an air of greatest surprise; "I'm
just a plain little every-day girl."
"You're a plain little coquette, that's what you are!"
"You are indeed unusual, sir, to call me plain!" and Patty looked
about as indignant as an angry kitten.
"Perhaps, when I know you better, I may change my opinion of your
plainness. Will you dance now?"
The music had been playing for some moments, and signifying her
assent, Patty rose, and they joined the dancers who were circling the
floor. Mr. Everson was a fine dancer, but he was all unprepared for
Patty's exquisite perfection in the art.
"Why, Miss Fairfield," he said, unable to suppress his admiration, "I
didn't know anybody danced like you, except professionals."
"Oh, yes, I'm a good dancer," said Patty, carelessly; "and so are you,
for that matter. Do you think they've made up?"
"Who?"
"Miss Galbraith and Mr. Farrington. See, we're just passing them. Oh,
I'm afraid they haven't!"
It was difficult to judge by the glance they obtained in passing, but
Patty declared that both Mona's and Roger's faces looked like thunder
clouds.
"Give them a little longer," said Mr. Everson, who began to see how
matters stood.
"Perhaps another round, and we will find them smiling into each
other's eyes."
But when they next circled the long room, Mona and Roger were nowhere
to be seen.
"Aha," said Everson, "the conservatory for theirs! It must be all
right! Shall we trail 'em?"
"Yes," said Patty. "I don't care if they see us. Let's walk through
the conservatory."
They did so, and spied Mona and Roger sitting under a group of palms,
engaged in earnest conversation. They were not smiling, but they were
talking very seriously, with no indication of quarrelling.
"I guess it's all right," said Patty, with a little sigh. "It's
awfully nice to have friends, Mr. Everson, but sometimes they're a
great care; aren't they?"
"If you'll let me be your friend, Miss Fairfield, I'll promise never
to be a care, and I'll help you to care for your other cares."
"Goodness, what a complicated offer! If I could straighten all those
cares you speak of, I might decide to take you as a friend. I think I
will, anyway,--you were so nice about giving me this dance."
"I was only too delighted to do so, Miss Fairfield."
"Thank you. You know it is in place of our other one, number sixteen."
"Oh, we must have that also."
"No, it was a fair exchange. You can get another partner for sixteen."
"But I don't want to. If you throw me over, I shall sit in a corner
and mope."
"Oh, don't do that! Well, I'll tell you what, I'll give you half of
sixteen, and you can mope the other half."
And then Patty's next partner claimed her, and Mr. Everson went away.
Having done all she could in the matter of conciliating Mona and
Roger, Patty bethought herself of her own little tiff with Philip Van
Reypen. It did not bother her much, for she had little doubt that she
could soon cajole him back to friendship, and she assured herself that
if she couldn't, she didn't care.
And so, when he came to claim his dance, which was the last before
supper, Patty met him with an air of cool politeness, which greatly
irritated the Van Reypen pride.
He had thought, had even hoped, Patty would be humble and repentant,
but she showed no such attitude, and the young man was slightly at a
loss as to what manner to assume, himself.
But he followed her lead, and with punctilious courtesy asked her to
dance, and they stepped out on to the floor.
For a few rounds they danced in silence, and then Philip said, in a
perfunctory way: "You're enjoying this party?"
"I have been, up to this dance," and Patty smiled pleasantly, as she
spoke.
"And you're not enjoying yourself now?" Philip said, suppressing his
desire to shake her.
"Oh, _no_, sir!" and Patty looked at him with big, round eyes.
"Why not?"
"I don't like to dance with a man who doesn't like me."
"I _do_ like you, you silly child."
"Oh, no, you don't, either! and I'm _not_ a silly child."
"And you're not enjoying this dance with me?"
"Not a bit!"
"Then there's no use going on with it," and releasing her, Philip
tucked one of her hands through his arm, and calmly marched her into
the conservatory. The seat under the palms was vacant, and as she took
her place in one corner of it, he poked one or two cushions deftly
behind her back and made her entirely comfortable. Then he sat down
beside her.
"Now," he commanded, "say you're sorry."
"Sorry for what?"
"That you carried on with that horrid man and spoiled our friendship."
"Didn't carry on, and he isn't a horrid man, and our friendship isn't
spoiled, and I'm not sorry."
"Not sorry that our friendship isn't spoiled?"
"No; 'course I'm not! You don't s'pose I want it to be spoiled, do
you?"
"Well, you certainly did all in your power to spoil it."
"Now, look here, Philip Van Reypen, I've already exhausted myself this
evening patching up one spoiled friendship, and it's just about worn
me out! Now if ours needs any patching up, you'll have to do it
yourself. I shan't raise a finger toward it!"
Patty leaned back among her pillows, looking lovely and provoking. She
tried to scowl at him, but her dimples broke through the scowl and
turned it into a smile. Whereupon, she dropped her eyes, and tried to
assume a look of bored indifference.
Van Reypen looked at her. "So she won't raise a finger, won't she? And
I've got to do it myself, have I? Well, then, I suppose I'll have to
raise her finger for her." Patty's hand was lying idly in her lap, and
he picked up her slender pink forefinger slowly, and with an
abstracted air. "I don't know how raising a finger helps to patch up a
spoiled friendship," he went on, as if to himself, "but she seems to
think it does, and so, of course, it does! Well, now, mademoiselle,
your finger is raised,--is our quarrel all patched up?"
Philip held her finger in one hand, and clasped her whole hand with
the other, as he smiled into her eyes, awaiting an answer to his
question.
Patty looked up suddenly, and quickly drew her hand away.
"Unhand me, villain!" she laughed, "and don't bother about our
friendship! I'm not worrying over it."
"You needn't, little girl," and Philip's voice rang true. "Nothing can
_ever_ shake it! And I apologise for my foolish anger. If you want to
affect the society of men I don't like,--of course I've no right to
say a word, and I won't. At any rate, not now, for I don't want to
spoil this blessed making-up with even a thought of anything
unpleasant."
"Now, that's real nice of you, Philip," and Patty fairly beamed at
him. "It's so nice to be friends again, after being near-not-friends!"
"Yes, milady, and you made up just in time. Aunty Van is having an
opera party to-morrow night, and she wants you to go."
"Are you going?" and Patty put her fingertip in her mouth, and looked
babyishly at him.
"Oh, don't let that influence you. Decide for yourself."
"Well, since _you_ don't care whether I go or not, I believe I won't
go."
"Foolish child! Of course you'll go. And then, as you know very well,
wild horses couldn't keep me away."
"How do wild horses keep people away? They must be trained to do it.
And _then_, they're not wild horses any more."
"What foolishness you do talk! Well, will you go to the opera with
us?"
"Yes, and thank you kindly, sir. Or, rather, I thank your august aunt
for the invitation."
"No, thank me. As a matter of fact, I made up the party. So it's
really mine, though I accept Aunty Van's box for the occasion."
"'Tis well, fair sir. I thank thee greatly. What may I do for thee in
return?"
Patty clasped her hands and looked a pretty suppliant, begging a
favour.
"Give me half a dozen more dances," replied Philip, taking her card to
look at.
"Not one left," said Patty, calmly.
"And most of them halves!" exclaimed Philip. "What a belle you are,
Patty!"
"All the girls are," she returned, carelessly, which, however, was not
quite true. "But I'll tell you what I will do. I'll give you half of
number sixteen. That's Mr. Everson's, but I'll divide it. I told him I
should."
"You little witch! Did you save it for me?"
"M--m----," and Patty slowly wagged her head up and down.
"That was dear of you! But don't you think for a minute that's all I'm
going to have! There'll be an extra or two, and I claim them all!"
"Hear the man talk!" exclaimed Patty. "Why, I do believe they're
beginning an extra now! Mr. Van Reypen, won't you dance it with me?"
Patty jumped up and stood before him, lightly swaying in time to the
music.
Philip sat looking at her, entranced by the pretty vision; and even
before he could rise, Kenneth Harper came to Patty, and obeying a
sudden coquettish impulse, she put her hand lightly on Kenneth's
shoulder and they danced away.
Philip Van Reypen sat looking after them, smiling.
"What a transparent child she is," he thought to himself. "Her pretty
little coquetries are like the gambols of a kitten. Now, she thinks
I'm going to be annoyed at losing this dance with her. Well,--I
am,--but I don't propose to quarrel with her about it."
And then Patty and Kenneth came dancing back again; and Patty calmly
told Mr. Van Reypen it was his turn now.
Philip took her hand and they started off, and when that dance was
finished it was supper-time.
As usual, Patty and her most especial friends grouped in some pleasant
corner for supper. But, looking about, she missed a familiar face.
"Where is Christine Farley?" she said. "She always has supper with us.
Do you know where she is, Mr. Hepworth?"
Gilbert Hepworth drew near Patty, and spoke in a low voice: "I think
she has gone to the dressing-room," he said. "I wish you'd go up and
see her, Patty."
A little startled at his serious face, Patty ran upstairs, to Elise's
room, where she had taken off her wraps.
There was Christine, who had thrown herself on a couch, and buried her
face in the pillows.
"Why, Christine, what is the matter, dear?" and Patty laid her hand
gently on Christine's hair.
"Oh, Patty, don't speak to me! I am not fit to have you touch me!"
"Good gracious, Christine, what _do_ you mean?" and Patty began to
think her friend had suddenly lost her mind.
"I'm a bad, wicked girl! You were my friend, and now I've done an
awful, dreadful thing! But, truly, _truly_, Patty, I didn't mean to!"
"Christine Farley, stop this foolishness! Sit up here this minute, and
tell me what you're talking about! I believe you're crazy."
Christine sat up, her pale hair falling from its bands, and her eyes
full of tears.
"I've--I've--stolen----" she began.
"Oh, you goose! _do_ go on! What have you stolen? A pin from Elise's
pin cushion,--or some powder from her puff-box? Another dab on your
nose would greatly improve your appearance,--if you ask me! It's as
red as a beet!"
"Patty, don't giggle! I'm serious. Oh, Patty, _Patty_, _do_ forgive
me!"
"I'll forgive you _anything_, if you'll tell me what's the matter, and
convince me that you haven't lost your mind. Now, Christine, don't you
_dare_ ask me to forgive you again, until you tell me _what for_!"
"Well, you see, you were away all summer."
"Yes, so I was," agreed Patty, in bewilderment.
"And you have been so busy socially this fall and winter, I haven't
seen much of you."
"No," agreed Patty, still more deeply mystified.
"And--and--Gil--Mr. Hepworth hasn't either----"
"Oh!" cried Patty, a great light breaking in upon her; "oh,--oh!--OH!!
Christine, do you _mean_ it? Oh, how perfectly _lovely_! I'm _so_
glad!"
"You're glad?" and Christine opened her eyes in amazement.
"Why, of _course_ I'm glad, you silly! Did you think _I_ wanted him?
Oh, you Blessed Goose!"
"Oh, Patty, I'm _so_ relieved. You see, I thought you looked upon him
as your especial property. I know he cared a lot for you,--he still
does. But----"
"But he and I are about as well suited as chalk and cheese! Whereas,
he's just the one for you! Oh, Christine, darling, I'm delighted! May
I tell? Can we announce it to-night?"
"Oh, no! You see, he just told me to-night. And I felt guilty at once.
I knew I had stolen him from you."
"Oh, Christine, _don't_! Don't say such things! He wasn't mine to
steal. We've always been friends, but I never cared for him _that_
way."
"That's what he said; but I felt guilty all the same."
"Well, stop it, right now! Mr. Hepworth is lovely; he's one of the
best friends I ever had, and if I have any claim on his interest or
affection, I'm only too glad to hand it over to you. Now, brace up,
powder your nose, and come down to supper. And you needn't think you
can keep this thing secret! I won't tell,--but your two faces will
give it away at once. Don't blame _me_ if people guess it!"
"Don't let them, Patty; not to-night. Keep me by you, and right after
supper I'll go home."
"All right, girlie; just as you like. But don't look at G. H. or
you'll betray your own dear little heart."
However, they reckoned without the other interested party.
When the two girls came downstairs, smiling, and with their arms about
each other, Mr. Hepworth went to meet them, and drew Christine's arm
through his own with an unmistakable air of proprietorship. Christine's
blushes, and Patty's smiles, confirmed Hepworth's attitude, and a shout
of understanding went up from their group of intimates.
"Yes, it's so," said Patty; "but I promised Christine I wouldn't
tell!"
And then there were congratulations and good wishes from everybody,
and the pretty little Southern girl was quite overcome at being so
suddenly the centre of attraction.
"It's perfectly lovely," said Patty, holding out her hand to Hepworth,
"and I'm as glad for you as I can be,--and for Christine, too."
"Thank you, Patty," he returned, and for a moment he held her eyes
with his own. Then he said, "Thank you," again, and turned away.