A GARDEN PARTY
During the afternoon, an ocean breeze had the politeness to arrive on
the scene, and it was pleasantly cool when the girls started for the
garden party.
"Let's walk," said Patty, when Mona proposed the motor-car. "It's not
far, and its lovely and cool now."
So the two girls strolled along the boardwalk, and then turned inland
toward the Sayres' place.
Patty wore a white, lacy, frilly frock, with touches of pale yellow
ribbon here and there. Her hat was of the broad-leafed, flapping
variety, circled with a wreath of yellow flowers. Patty could wear any
colour, and the dainty, cool-looking costume was very becoming.
Mona looked very well in light green chiffon, but she hadn't Patty's
liking for simplicity of detail, and her heavy satin sash and profusion
of jingling ornaments detracted from the airiness of her light gown.
Her hat was of triangular shape, with a green cockade, and perched
jauntily on her befrizzed hair, gave her a somewhat stunning effect.
"You'd look a lot better, Mona," said Patty, straightforwardly, "if you
didn't curl your hair so tightly."
"That's all very well for you to say," returned Mona, a little
pettishly, "for your hair is naturally curly, and you don't have to use
hot tongs."
"Some day I'll show you how to wave it more loosely; it'll be prettier
than those kinky frizzes."
"Well, these won't last long. The curl comes out of my hair as soon as
it's in. And it leaves straight wisps sticking out all over."
"That's just it. To-morrow I'll show you a wiser and a better plan of
curling it."
"I wish you would, Patty. There are lots of things I want you to advise
me about, if you will."
This showed an unusually docile spirit in Mona, and Patty began to
think that she might help the girl in many ways during their stay
together.
They turned in at the Sayres' beautiful home, and found the grounds
gaily decked for the garden party. Bunting and banners of various
nations were streaming here and there. Huge Japanese umbrellas shaded
rustic settees, and gay little tents dotted the lawn.
The girls went to the veranda, where Mrs. Sayre and her two daughters
were receiving their guests. There they were introduced to several
out-of-town visitors who were staying with the Sayres.
Captain Sayre, in a most impressive looking white uniform, asked Patty
to walk round the grounds with him.
"For," said he, as they strolled away, "there's nothing to do at a
garden party BUT walk round the grounds, is there?"
"Indeed there is!" cried Patty. "There's lots to do. There's tennis and
croquet and quoits and other games I see already."
"Too hot for such things," declared the captain.
"Then, these tents all about, have interesting inhabitants. There's a
fortune teller in one, I know."
"Fortune tellers are never interesting. They just make up a lot of
stuff with no sense to it."
"But lots of things with no sense to them are interesting," laughed
Patty. "I begin to think, Captain Sayre, that you're blase. I never met
any one before who was really blase. Do tell me how it feels."
"Nonsense, child, you're poking fun at me. I'm not blase at all."
Captain Sayre was not more than five or six years older than Patty, but
he had the air of a man of the world, while Patty's greatest charm was
her simple, unsophisticated manner.
"I wish you were," she said, a little regretfully; "all the boys I know
are nice, enthusiastic young people, like myself, and I'd like some one
to be different, just for a change."
"Well, I can't. I assure you, I'm both nice and enthusiastic, if not so
awfully young."
Patty smiled up at him. "Prove it," she said, gaily.
"All right, I'll prove it by poking an inquisitive nose into every tent
on the place. Come on."
They went the rounds of the gay little festival, and so vivacious and
entertaining did the captain prove, that Patty confessed frankly that
she had misjudged him.
"You're NOT blase," she declared. "I never saw any one less so. If you
fight with as much energy as you enjoy yourself you must be a fine
soldier indeed!"
"Oh, I am!" returned the captain, laughing. "I'm one of Uncle Sam's
noblest heroes! He hasn't realised it yet, because I've not had a real
good chance to prove it, but I shall, some day."
"Perhaps you could show other people, without waiting for Uncle Sam's
turn."
A slight earnestness in Patty's tone made Captain Sayre look at her
quickly.
"I'll show you now," he said. "Give me chance for a brave, heroic deed,
and watch me hit it off!"
"I will!" said Patty, with twinkling eyes. "But it's Secret Service. I
mean Sealed Orders. I'll lead you to it, but you may 'hit it off'
without realising it."
"Lead on, fair lady! From now, you are my superior officer."
But Patty turned the subject then, and the pair went gaily on, stopping
often to chat with groups of young people, or to admire some
decorations.
At last, Patty adroitly managed that they should pause near Mona, who
stood talking with Lora Sayre and Jack Pennington. Patty's quick eyes
saw that Mona was ill at ease, and that the others were including her
in their conversation merely through a perfunctory politeness.
Patty, with her captain in tow, went up to the trio, and all joined in
merry chatter. Then soon, with a gay, challenging glance at him, Patty
said:
"Now Captain Sayre, you have the opportunity you wanted, to ask Miss
Galbraith to go with you to the fortune teller's tent."
For a brief instant the young man looked dumfounded, but immediately
recovering himself, he turned to Mona and said, gracefully:
"Miss Fairfield has told you of the secret hope I cherish; will you
grant it, Miss Galbraith?"
Mona, flattered, and a little flustered at this attention, consented,
and the two walked away together.
Jack Pennington gave Patty an understanding glance, but Lora Sayre
said, "How funny for Edgar to do that!" Then realising the impolite
implication, she added, "He's so infatuated with you, Patty. I'm
surprised to see him leave you."
"Soldier men are very fickle," said Patty, assuming a mock woe-begone
expression; "but your cousin is a most interesting man, Lora."
"Yes, indeed; Edgar is splendid. He has lived in the Philippines and
other queer places, and he tells such funny stories. He is most
entertaining. But I see mother beckoning to me; I must go and see what
she wants."
Lora ran away, and Jack Pennington remained with Patty.
"You're a brick!" he exclaimed; "to dispose of that marvellous military
model, just so you could play with me!"
"That wasn't my only motive," said Patty, gazing after the captain and
Mona--as they stood at the door of the fortune teller's tent. "He is
such a charming man, I wanted to share him with my friend."
"H'm--you say that to tease me, I suppose. But I remember, before he
arrived on the scene, you thought ME such a charming man that you
wanted to share ME with your friend."
"Oh, yes," agreed Patty, lightly, "and you promised that you'd BE
shared. So don't forget it!"
"As if I'd EVER forget anything YOU say to me! By the way, Mona says
she's going to have a house party. What do you s'pose it'll be like?"
"I s'pose it'll be lovely. She hasn't talked to me about it yet, for we
really haven't had time. The new chaperon came to-day."
"Is she a veritable Dragon? Won't she let you girls do anything?"
Patty laughed. "I don't think DRAGON exactly describes her. And she
hasn't denied us anything as yet. But then, she only came this morning."
"I shall call soon, and make friends with her. I'm always liked by
chaperons."
"Yes, Mrs. Hastings, for example," said Patty, laughing at the
recollection of the night before.
"Oh, all chaperons look alike to me," said Jack. "Now, let's go over
and hear the band play."
Across the garden, a fine orchestra was making music, and Patty hummed
in tune, as they strolled over the lawns. As they neared a group of
young people who were eagerly chatting, Guy Martin called out, "Come
on, you two, you're just the ones we want."
"WHAT for?" queried Jack.
"To help plan the Pageant. You'll be in it, won't you, Patty? It's for
charity, you know."
"I can't promise until I know more about it. What would I have to do?"
"Oh, you have to be part of a float. Stand on a high, wabbly pedestal,
you know, and wave your arms about like a classic marble figure."
"But I never saw a classic marble figure wave her arms about," objected
Patty; "indeed, the most classic ones don't have arms to wave. Look at
the Milo Venus."
"I can't look at her, she isn't here. But I look at you, and I see
you're just the one for 'The Spirit of the Sea.' Isn't she, Lora?"
But Lora Sayre had set her heart on that part for herself, so she said,
in a half-absent way, "Yes, I think so."
"You THINK so!" put in Jack Pennington. "I KNOW so! Patty would make a
perfect 'Spirit of the Sea.' I vote for her!"
"I'm not a candidate," said Patty, who had divined Lora's wish. "I
won't agree to take any special part until I know more about the whole
thing."
"Well, you'll soon know all about it," went on Guy. "We're going to
have a meeting soon to arrange for the parts, and plan everything."
"Have that meeting at our house, won't you?" asked Patty, suddenly. "I
mean at 'Red Chimneys.' Won't you all meet there?"
"Why, yes," said Guy. "We'll be very glad to. I tell you, there's lots
to be done."
Patty had made her suggestion because she knew that if the committee
met at "Red Chimneys," they couldn't help giving Mona a good part in
the Pageant, and if not, she couldn't feel sure what might happen.
But Lora didn't look satisfied. "I thought you'd meet here," she said,
"because mother is chairman of the Float Committee."
"I know," returned Guy, "but, for that very reason, she'll have to have
a lot of other meetings here. And as I'm supposed to look after the Sea
Float, I thought it a kindness to your mother to have our meetings
elsewhere."
"Oh, I don't care," said Lora, "have them where you like."
Lora turned to speak to some people passing, and then walked away with
them.
"Now SHE'S mad!" commented Jack. "That's the beautiful part of getting
up a show; all the girls get mad, one after another."
"_I_'M going to get mad!" announced Patty, deliberately.
"You are!" exclaimed Lena Lockwood, in amazement. "I didn't know you
COULD get mad!"
"Patty gets about as mad as a small Angora kitten," said Jack.
"Yes," agreed Patty, "and I can tell you, kittens, like cats, get awful
mad, if they want to. Now I'm going to get mad, if you people don't
tell me all about this show, NOW! I don't want to wait for meetings and
things."
"I'll tell you now," said Guy, speaking very fast. "It's to be a
Pageant, a great and glittering Pageant, made up of floats with
tableaux on 'em, and bands of music playing, and banners streaming, and
coloured fire firing, all over Spring Beach."
"That tells some, but not all," said Patty. "You tell me more, Lena."
"Well, the Floats will represent the Sea and different rivers and all
sorts of things like that. And they are all under different committees,
and every chairman has to look after her own people."
"And whose people are we?" demanded Patty.
"Mrs. Sayre has the general committee of floats under her charge."
"But the Sea Float is my especial care, Patty," broke in Guy Martin,
"and I want you to promise to be Spirit of the Sea. Won't you?"
"Not to-day, thank you. I have to think these matters over slowly. What
do you want Mona Galbraith to be?"
A silence was the response to this question, and then Guy said:
"I hadn't put her name down yet, but I daresay she'll be asked to take
some part."
"I daresay she WILL," returned Patty, "and a GOOD part, too! Why can't
she be Spirit of the Sea?"
"Nonsense, that part requires a sylph-like girl, such as--such as you
or Lora. Mona Galbraith is too heavy for any self-respecting spirit."
"Well, never mind," said Patty, "there must be plenty of other good
parts that require more substantial specimens of humanity. Arrange your
meetings at our house, Guy, and we'll fix it all up then."
They changed the subject then, for Mona and Captain Sayre came walking
toward them.
"Get good fortunes?" asked Jack.
"Very much so," returned the captain. "Miss Galbraith is to become a
Duchess later on, and I am to achieve the rank of a Rear-Admiral. What
more could we ask?"
"Nothing!" exclaimed Patty. "You'll make a gorgeous Duchess, Mona. I
can see you now, prancing around with a jewelled coronet on your noble
brow."
"Can't you see me," said Captain Sayre, "prancing around in Admiral's
regalia?"
"But I've never seen you prance at all. I supposed you were too
dignified."
"You did! Well, you never were more mistaken in your life. Watch me,
now." The orchestra was playing in lively time, and Captain Sayre began
to do a lively dance, which was something between a Sailor's Hornpipe
and a Double Shuffle.
He danced wonderfully well, and as Patty looked at him the spirit of
the music inspired her, and throwing off her hat, she prettily caught
up the sides of her frilled skirt, and danced, facing him. He smiled at
her, changed his step to a more graceful fancy dance, and they danced
an impromptu duet.
Others gathered about to watch the pretty sight, and Patty soon
discovered that, though she was an accomplished dancer, the captain was
far more familiar with the latest styles and steps. But he suited his
mood to hers, and they advanced, retreated, and bowed, almost as if
they had practised together for the purpose. Loud applause greeted them
as the band ceased playing, and they were urged to repeat the dance.
"No," said Captain Sayre, laughing; "you forget it is a summer's day,
and that sort of prancing is better suited to a winter evening. I'm
going to take Miss Fairfield away to the lemonade tent, before she
faints from utter exhaustion."
"I'm not tired," protested Patty, but her cheeks were pink from the
exercise, and she went gladly for the refreshing lemonade.
"You're a wonderful dancer," said Captain Sayre. "Who taught you?"
Patty mentioned the name of the teacher she had had in New York. "But,"
she said, "I haven't had any lessons of late, and I don't know the new
fancy dances."
"Some of them are beautiful; you really ought to know them. Mayn't I
call on you, and teach you a few new steps?"
"I'd love to have you do so. I'm staying with Miss Galbraith, you know.
But you're not here for long, are you?"
"I'll be here about a week, and I may return later for a short time. At
any rate we can have a few dances. I never saw any one so quick to
catch the spirit of the music. You love dancing, don't you?"
"Yes, I do. But I love it more in cooler weather."
"Oh, this hot spell won't last long. And it's so cool mornings. Suppose
I run over to see you to-morrow morning. May I?"
"Do," said Patty, cordially. "Mona and I will be glad to have you."
"But I'm coming to see YOU" said the captain, a little pointedly.
"You're coming to see us both," said Patty, very decidedly.