AT DAISY'S DICTATION
At Farnsworth's directions, the "rescuing party" had brought with them
a glazier and his kit of tools and materials. While he fitted a new
pane of glass in place of the broken one, Mona expressed her opinion of
the escapade of the night before.
"It was all your fault, Bill!" she exclaimed. "You ought not to have
driven so fast and so far."
"I know it, ma'am," said Big Bill, looking like a culprit schoolboy.
"I'm awful 'shamed of myself!"
"And well you may be!" chimed in Adele Kenerley. "Suppose this house
hadn't been here, what would you have done?"
"I should have built one," declared Bill, promptly.
"So you would!" agreed Patty, heartily.
"You're equal to any emergency, Little Billee; and it WASN'T all your
fault, anyway. _I_ egged you on, because I love to drive fast,
especially at night."
"Very reprehensible tastes, young woman," said Jim Kenerley, trying to
be severe, but not succeeding very well.
"Oh, you might have known this house was here," said Mona. "It's Mr.
Kemper's house. They've gone away for a month. They're coming back next
week."
"Well, they'll find everything in order," said Patty. "We didn't hurt a
thing, except the window, and we've fixed that. We burned up a lot of
their firewood, though."
"They won't mind that," said Mona, laughing. "They're awfully nice
people. We'll come over and tell them the whole story when they get
home."
"And now, can't we go home?" said Patty. "I'm just about starved."
"You poor dear child," cried Mrs. Kenerley. "You haven't had a bite of
breakfast! Come on, Mona, let's take Patty and Daisy home in one of the
cars; the rest can follow in the other."
Two cars of people had come over to escort the wanderers home, so this
plan was agreed upon.
But somehow, Bill Farnsworth managed to hasten the glazier's task, so
that all were ready to depart at once.
"I'll drive the big car," cried Bill. "Come on, Patty," and before any
one realised it, he had swung the girl up into the front seat of the
big touring car, and had himself climbed to the driver's seat.
"I had to do this," he said to Patty, as they started off. "I must
speak to you alone a minute, and be sure that you forgive me for the
trouble I made you."
"Of course I forgive you," said Patty, gaily. "I'd forgive you a lot
more than that."
"You would? Why?"
"Oh, because I'm such a good forgiver. I'd forgive anybody, anything."
"Huh! then it isn't much of a compliment to have YOUR forgiveness!"
"Well, why should I pay you compliments?"
"That's so! Why SHOULD you? In fact, it ought to be the other way. Let
ME pay them to YOU."
"Oh, I don't care much about them. I get quite a lot, you see--"
"I see you're a spoiled baby, that's what YOU are!"
"Now,--Little Billee!" and Patty's tone was cajoling, and her sideways
glance and smile very provoking.
"And I'd like to do my share of the spoiling!" he continued, looking at
her laughing, dimpled face and wind-tossed curls.
"So you shall! Begin just as soon as you like and spoil me all you
can," said Patty, still in gay fooling, when she suddenly remembered
Daisy's prohibition of this sort of fun.
"Of course I don't mean all this," she said, suddenly speaking in a
matter-of-fact tone.
"But I do, and I shall hold you to it. You know I have your blossom
wreath; I've saved it as a souvenir of last night."
"That forlorn bit of drowned finery! Oh, Little Billee, I thought you
were poetical! No poet could keep such a tawdry old souvenir as that!"
"It isn't tawdry. I dried it carefully, and picked the little petals
all out straight, and it's really lovely."
"Then if it's in such good shape, I wish you'd give it back to me to
wear. I was fond of that wreath."
"No, it's mine now. I claim right of salvage. But I'll give you another
in place of it,--if I may."
Patty didn't answer this, for Daisy, tired of being neglected, leaned
her head over between the two, and commenced chattering.
The two girls were well wrapped up in coats and veils Mona had brought
them, but they were both glad when they came in sight of "Red Chimneys."
Patty went gaily off to her own rooms, saying she was going to have a
bath and a breakfast, and then she was going to sleep for twenty-four
hours.
"I'm not," announced Daisy. "I'm going to make a straight dive for the
breakfast room. Come with me, Bill, and see that I get enough to eat."
Roger, Mona, and the Kenerleys were going for an ocean dip, and
Laurence Cromer, who was a late riser, had not yet put in an
appearance. Aunt Adelaide was with Patty, hearing all about the
adventure, so Bill was obliged to accept Daisy's rather peremptory
invitation.
"What's the matter with you, Bill?" asked the girl, as she threw off
her motor coat and sat at the table in her low-necked party gown.
"Nothing. I say, Daisy, why don't you go and get into some togs more
suitable for 9 A.M.?"
"Because I'm hungry. Yes, James, omelet, and some of the fried chicken.
Bill, don't you like me any more?"
"Yes, of course I do. But you ought to act more,--more polite, you
know."
"Oh, fiddlesticks! You mean more finicky,--like that paragon, Patty.
You think she's perfect, because she never raises her voice above a
certain pitch, and she expects all you men to lie down and let her walk
over you."
"She MAY walk over me, if she likes; and I want you to stop speaking of
her in that slighting way, Daisy."
"Oh, you do, do you? And, pray, what right have you to say HOW I shall
speak of her?"
"The right that any man has, to take the part of one who is absent."
"You'd like to have more rights than that, wouldn't you?"
"Maybe I would, but I'm not confiding in you."
"You don't have to. Yours is an open secret. Everybody can see you're
perfectly gone on that little pink and white thing!"
"That will do, Daisy; don't say another word of that sort!" and Bill's
voice was so stern and tense that Daisy stopped, a little frightened at
his demeanour.
What he might have said further, she never knew, for just then Guy
Martin and Lora Sayre came strolling into the room.
"Hello, people!" said Guy. "Where's everybody that belongs to this
chateau? We've come through myriads of empty rooms, but at last we find
the gems of the collection."
"Why, Miss Dow," exclaimed Lora, looking at Daisy's gown, "is this a
DINNER party?"
Daisy laughed, and explained, rather pleased than otherwise to be the
sole narrator of the interesting tale. Needless to say, she and Bill
Farnsworth figured as the principal actors in her dramatic version of
the motor adventure, and, naturally, Bill could not contradict her.
"I congratulate you, Miss Dow," said Guy, "on looking so fit after such
a trying ordeal. Patty is all right, isn't she?"
"Oh, yes; she's all right, but you know, she can't stand much fatigue.
And the whole performance unnerved her, and gave her a chance to insist
on having a beauty sleep."
"Which she doesn't need for THAT purpose," laughed Lora,
good-naturedly. "But I fear we are keeping you, Miss Dow. Don't you
want to get into a morning frock? Wouldn't you feel more comfortable?"
"No, it doesn't matter," and Daisy's manner gave the effect of
sacrificing her comfort to the guests, though really she was of no mind
to run away and lose this call.
"We came to talk about the Pageant," began Guy. "We want to get the
various parts settled."
"Well, of course we can't answer for the others," said Daisy, "but
let's discuss it,--it's such fun, and among us, we may think up some
good ideas. I've had lots of experience with this sort of thing out
West."
"Oh, have you?" said Guy, eagerly. "Then DO help me out. I have to get
up such a lot of characters,--all representative of the sea, you know.
I want Mr. Farnsworth here for Father Neptune, that's certain."
"I'm quite willing," said Bill, good-naturedly. "Do I wear a bathing
suit?"
"No, indeed," replied Lora. "You wear a gorgeous robe, all dark green
muslin, in billowy waves, and cotton wool on it for sea foam. Then
you'll have a stunning crown and a trident and a lot of paraphernalia."
"Lovely," said Bill. "I do think I'll look just sweet! Who is with me
in this misery?"
"Well, the Spirit of the Sea is the next most important figure on this
float. I wanted to be it, but mother thinks I'm not strong enough to
stand it. She refuses to let me try. So I suppose it will be Patty."
"Patty Fairfield!" exclaimed Daisy. "She's not strong enough, either.
Suppose I take that part. I'm used to posing, and I can stand in one
position without getting tired. I'll do it, if you want me to."
"But we've really asked Patty," demurred Guy, "and she hasn't decided
yet."
"Well, leave it to me," said Daisy. "I'll ask her, and if she wants the
part, all right, and if not, I'll take it."
This seemed satisfactory, and the matter was dropped while they
discussed other details of the float.
Laurence Cromer came down while they were talking, and they all
adjourned to the veranda, while the artist gave them the benefit of his
advice as to decorations and scenic effects.
Then the bathers came back from the beach, and all went to work
heartily to make and carry out plans for the Pageant.
Patty had luncheon sent to her room, for she was more affected by the
exposure to the storm and the nerve exhaustion of the adventure than
the others were. However, as Mona and Mrs. Kenerley and Baby May spent
much of the time with her, she did not have a dull day. In the
afternoon Daisy came in. Patty, in a blue silk negligee, sat at her
desk writing letters.
"How sweet you look!" said Daisy, sitting beside her. "When are you
coming downstairs? The boys are moping all over the place. I believe
you're staying up here for coquetry."
The tone was light, but Patty could see that Daisy's words were at
least partly in earnest. But they were untrue, and Patty said, "Oh, I'm
going down for tea. I'm just writing to my father. Then I'll dress and
go downstairs. I'm all right, you know."
"Yes, you look so," said Daisy, glancing at the bright eyes and
roseleaf complexion. "You don't look a bit tired."
"I'm not now; but I was when I reached home this morning. Weren't you?"
"Not very. I'm stronger than you are. Guy Martin and Lora Sayre were
here to talk about the Pageant."
"Were they? Is Lora going to be Spirit of the Sea?"
"No; her mother won't let her. They asked me to take the part, but I
don't want to."
"Why not?" said Patty, looking at her curiously.
"Oh, I think they'd better have a Spring Beach girl. You, for instance."
"They asked me before, but if you'll do it, I'll take something else.
Who's going to be Neptune?"
"Bill. That's another reason why you'd better be the Sea Spirit."
"Nonsense!" and Patty was angry at herself to feel the blush that rose
to her cheek. But Daisy made no comment, and in a moment she said
suddenly:
"Patty, write a note for me, will you? I've run a sliver into my
forefinger and I can't hold a pen."
"A sliver? Oh, Daisy, does it hurt?"
"No, not much now. I got it out. But the tip of my finger is painful if
I write. You've your pen in your hand, so just scribble a line for me.
I can sign it."
"Of course I will. Dictate, please!"
Patty took a fresh sheet of paper, and tried to look like a
professional amanuensis.
"I really would rather not be the Spirit of the Sea," dictated Daisy,
and Patty wrote obediently. "Please try to get some one else for the
part. But may I ask you as a personal favour not to speak of the matter
to me at any time."
"Thank you," said Daisy, taking the paper from Patty and folding it. "I
can sign it, even if I have to use my left hand. I'm going to give it
to Mr. Martin for, somehow, I don't want to talk about the matter to
him."
"I don't see why," said Patty, a little puzzled.
"Never mind, girlie. You know sometimes there are little foolish
reasons we don't like to tell of. Don't say anything about all this to
anybody, will you?"
"No, certainly not," said Patty, wonderingly.
"Don't tell any one I asked you to write the note."
"No."
"You see, I hate to acknowledge a hurt finger. It sounds so silly."
The whole affair seemed silly to Patty, for she could see no reason why
Daisy shouldn't tell Guy that she didn't want to be Spirit of the Sea.
But it was none of her affair, and as Daisy went away she put the whole
matter out of her mind. After making a leisurely toilette, she went
downstairs and found a group of young people having tea on the veranda.
Her appearance was hailed with shouts of joy. Seats were offered her in
every choice position, but the pleading look in Farnsworth's big blue
eyes persuaded her to sit beside him in a broad, red-cushioned swing.
"You're all right, little girl, aren't you?" he said, anxiously, and
Patty laughed gaily up at him as she answered, "Yes, indeed! and all
ready for another adventure, if YOU'LL take care of me!"
"You apple blossom!" whispered Bill. "I won't hold you to your word,
but I'd like to. Do you know, I've promised to be Father Neptune in
this dinky parade they're getting up. Won't I be the gay old Sea Dog! I
hope you'll be the Spirit of the Sea."
"That isn't decided; don't ask me about it yet," said Patty, who had no
mind to commit herself until Guy should ask her definitely to take the
part. Though since Lora couldn't take it, and Daisy wouldn't, she felt
pretty sure it would fall to her.
A number of the Spring Beach boys and girls had drifted in, as they
often did at tea time, and the talk of the many small groups was all of
the coming festivity. Beside the Sea Float, there were the various
rivers to be represented. The Nile would be characterised by Egyptian
costumes and effects. The Hudson would be an attempt at a
representation of "The Half Moon." The Tiber was to show gorgeous Roman
citizens; the Thames proudly contemplated a houseboat, and the Seine,
French scenery. Also, there would be floats representing Venice,
Holland, the Panama Canal, Niagara Falls, the Open Polar Sea, and many
others showing some phase or manifestation of water's great kingdom.
Daisy had inveigled Guy Martin into a tete-a-tete corner with her, but
after a polite quarter of an hour, he declared he must move around and
confer with a few people concerning their parts in the carnival.
"How about Patty's being Spirit of the Sea?" he asked.
"Oh," Daisy said, "you'd better not say anything to her about that. I
asked her, and she gave me this note to give you. It isn't signed, nor
addressed, but you see it's her handwriting. She wrote it hastily, but
she said she didn't want to talk about the matter."
Guy looked a little surprised, but took the note and read it. "H'm," he
said, "rather NOT be Spirit of the Sea. Get some one else. And--as a
personal favour, don't speak of the matter to her! Well, Pretty Patty
must have a miff of some sort. Most unlike her! However, her word is
law. I'll never mention the subject to her, since she asks me not to.
But our time is getting short, and most of the girls have their parts.
Miss Dow, won't you be Spirit of the Sea?"
"Why, yes, if you want me to," said Daisy, looking modest and demure.
"I can make the costume easily, because I know just how. It requires
fishnet draperies over green chiffon, and lots of seaweed decorations
and that sort of thing."
"Yes; you have just the right idea. Then I'll put you down for that.
You and Mr. Farnsworth will make a fine pair. I wonder what Patty WOULD
like to be."
"I'll ask her," volunteered Daisy. "I know you're awfully busy, Mr.
Martin, and I want to help you all I can. So leave that matter to me."
"Very well, I will," said Guy, who really had a multitude of cares and
affairs; "but be sure to make her take some good part. It wouldn't be a
Pageant at all with Patty Fairfield left out! If I didn't have to skip
away this very minute to keep an engagement with a scene painter, I'd
ask her what's the matter, anyhow!"
"Oh, Mr. Martin, you forget she asked you, as a personal favour, not to
speak to her about it."
"By Jove! So she did! Wonder what's come over the girlie! If anybody
has offended her, I'll kill him! Well, I must fly, Miss Dow; attend the
rehearsals, won't you? See you tomorrow."
Guy made hasty adieux to Mona, and went off on his errands.
Daisy, in high spirits at the success of her ruse, went straight over
to Patty.
"Patty, dear," she said, sweetly, "I couldn't withstand Mr. Martin's
persuasions, and I've promised him I'll be the Spirit of the Sea. You
know I told you I didn't want to, but he overruled my objections and I
consented."
"All right, Daisy," said Patty, without a trace of regret on her sweet
face. She did feel regret keenly, for Guy had asked her long ago, and
she had only hesitated out of generosity toward Lora, who also wanted
it. But it was not her nature to resent such things, and she concluded
that Guy thought Daisy better adapted for the part than herself.
"What part will you take?" Daisy went on. "Mr. Martin told me to ask
you and arrange for you."
Daisy's manner showed such undue importance and ostentatious authority
that Jack Pennington spoke up.
"Are you assistant chairman, Miss Dow?"
"Mr. Martin didn't call it that," said Daisy, smiling pleasantly; "he
only left it to me to see that Miss Fairfield had a good place in the
Pageant."
"You bet Miss Fairfield will have a good place!" exclaimed Jack. "Don't
you bother about it, Miss Dow. Let me relieve you of that duty. _I_'LL
see to Miss Fairfield's place."
"But Mr. Martin left it in my care," persisted Daisy, getting a little
frightened lest her deceit about the note should be discovered.
"Leave Mr. Martin to me," said Jack, a little curtly. "I'll explain to
him that I relieved you of the responsibility of Patty's place in the
show. I say, Patty, let's you and me be Dutch kiddies on the Holland
Float."
"Shall us?" said Patty, smiling in a whimsical way that meant nothing
at all.