THE SPIRIT OF THE SEA
The night of the Pageant was as beautiful as the most exacting young
person could desire. There was no moon, but there seemed to be an extra
bright scattering of stars to make up for it. A soft, cool ocean breeze
stirred the air, there was no dampness, and everybody pronounced the
evening as perfect as if specially made for the occasion.
An early dinner was served at "Red Chimneys," and then the guests
dispersed to don their carnival costumes.
With her usual promptness, Patty was ready first, and coming down to
the drawing-room, found nobody there. So she took opportunity to admire
her own effects in the multitude of mirrors.
It was an exquisite reflection that faced her. She had not adopted
Daisy's idea of fishnet, as that seemed to her too heavy. Laurence
Cromer had approved of her own suggestions, and together they had
designed her costume. It was of pale green chiffon, trailing away in
long, wavy lines. Over it, hung from the shoulders a tunic-like drapery
of white chiffon. This was frosted, here and there, with broken,
shimmering lines of silver, and the whole effect hinted of moonlight on
the sea.
Patty's wonderful hair fell in curling, tumbling masses over her
shoulders and far down her back. In it were twined a few strands of
seaweed,--beautifully coloured French work, which Laurence Cromer had
procured from somewhere by a very special order. Across the top of her
head a silver band confined the riotous curls, and from it, in the
centre, rose an upright silver star.
Though simple, the whole costume was harmonious and picturesque, and
suited Patty's fair beauty to perfection. Her bare arms and throat were
soft and rounded as a baby's, and her lovely face had a pink glow of
happiness, while her eyes were like two starlit violets.
She peacocked about the room, frankly delighted at her own reflection
in the mirrors, and practised the pose she was to assume on the Float.
In the mirror she saw that a majestic figure was entering the room, and
wheeling swiftly about, she beheld Father Neptune himself smiling at
her.
Farnsworth had sent to a theatrical costumer in the city for his garb,
and very handsome he looked in a dark green velvet robe that hung in
classic folds. He wore a snow-white wig and long white beard, and a
gold and jewelled crown that was dazzlingly regal. He carried a
trident, and in all respects, looked the part as Neptune is so often
pictured. Patty gazed at him a moment in silent admiration, and then
sprang to her pose, lightly poised forward, her weight on one foot, and
her arms gracefully outspread.
Big Bill held his breath. Always lithe and graceful, to-night Patty
looked like a veritable spirit. Her floating draperies, her golden
hair, and her perfect face, crowned with the single silver star, seemed
to belong to some super-human being, not to a mere mortal.
Big Bill walked slowly toward her.
"Patty!" he murmured, almost beneath his breath. "Apple Blossom! I want
you so!"
A lovelier pink rose to Patty's cheeks, for it was impossible to
mistake the earnestness in Bill's voice. She smiled at him, gently for
a moment, and then roguishly, and her dimples flashed into view, as she
danced lightly away from him, calling back over her shoulder, "Catch me
first!"
"You'll say that once too often yet, my lady!" declared Farnsworth, as
he stood with folded arms looking after her, but not following her
dancing footsteps.
At the hall doorway, Patty turned and looked back, down the long room.
Farnsworth stood where she had left him, and his majestic pose, as he
held his gilded trident, suited well his stalwart, magnificent physique.
"Come back here," he said, and his voice was not dictatorial, but
quietly compelling.
Slowly Patty danced down the room, swaying, as if in rhythm with
unheard music. As she came to a pause in front of Farnsworth, she made
him a sweeping, mocking courtesy.
"Father Neptune, god of the Sea!" she said, as if offering homage.
Farnsworth raised his hand, dramatically.
"Spirit of the Sea," he said, "Nymph of the silver-crested waves, kneel
before me!"
Catching his mood, Patty sank gracefully on one knee, bowing her fair
head before the majestic sea-god.
"I crown thee," Neptune went on, "fairest of all nymphs, loveliest of
all goddesses. Spirit of the Sea, but also, maiden of the apple
blossoms."
Patty felt a light touch on her bowed head, but did not move, until a
moment later, Neptune held out his hand.
"Rise, Spirit of the Sea, crowned by Neptune, god of the Ocean!"
Patty rose, and in a nearby mirror saw her crown. It was a slender
wreath of wonderfully fine workmanship. Leaves of fairy-like silver
filigree, and tiny apple blossoms, of pink and white enamel. Light in
weight, soft, yet sparkling in effect, it rested on her fair head, in
no way interfering with the silver star that flashed above it. Indeed,
it seemed the last touch needed to perfect the beauty of Patty's
costume, and her face was more than ever like an apple blossom as she
turned to thank Farnsworth for his gift.
But before she could do so, several people sprang in from the hall,
where they had been watching the coronation ceremony.
"Hooray for you two!" cried Roger. "You show true dramatic genius!
Patty, you're a peach to-night! Bill, you're a hummer!"
Only Daisy was unsmiling. A pang of jealousy thrilled her heart, as she
saw the exquisite picture Patty made, and saw, too, the lovely gift
Farnsworth had given her. Daisy's costume was beautiful and exceedingly
artistic, but the grey, misty garb seemed tame beside Patty's clear
coloured draperies and bright, sea-weed tangled hair.
"Patty, you're wonderful!" Mona exclaimed. "If I weren't so weighted
down with this dragging train, I'd hug you!"
Mona looked regal in her Cleopatra costume. She had chosen a rich white
and gold brocaded satin, and the gold lace on the train which hung from
her shoulders, made it heavy indeed. She was loaded with jewels, both
real and paste, and her Egyptian headdress was both gorgeous and
becoming. Mona had never looked so well, and Roger, who was Father
Nile, expressed his admiration frankly.
"I say, Mona," he declared, "if the real Cleo Pat looked like you, I
don't blame old Mark for flirting with her. Maybe I'll flirt with you
before the evening is over."
"Ha! Minion! Methinks thou art presumptuous!" said Mona, marching about
theatrically. But she smiled at Roger, for the two had become good
friends.
Adele and Jim Kenerley were Dutch young people, and in blue and white
cotton costumes, looked as if they had just alighted from an old Delft
platter.
Laurence Cromer took no costume part, as he had to direct the posing of
the characters and the scenic details of the parade.
Mrs. Parsons was enchanted with the gorgeousness of her party of young
people, and when Patty gave her a sprig of seaweed to tuck in her
bodice, she felt as if she belonged to the water carnival.
Motors carried the laughing crowd to the Sayres' house, from where the
floats were to start.
Of course Old Ocean's Float led the parade. Though not very realistic,
it was a theatrical representation of the sea, and the great billows,
made of green muslin crested with cotton batting and stretched over
somewhat wabbly framework, tossed and swayed almost like the Atlantic
breakers. At the back end of the float was a great canopied throne, on
which sat the gold-crowned Neptune holding his firmly planted trident.
Before him seemed to dance the Spirit of the Sea, for Patty, now in one
pose and now in another, was outlined against the dark billows with
charming effect. A bright electric light streaming from a point above
the throne, illuminated both characters and threw into relief the
shells and seaweed that decorated the sides of the float.
The other floats were equally well done,--some even better in artistic
conception. Each received uproarious applause as it rolled slowly along
the line of march. Hotels and cottages were all illuminated, and the
whole population of Spring Beach was out admiring the Pageant.
"Aren't you tired, Patty?" asked Farnsworth, gently, as she changed her
pose.
"Yes, I am," she confessed; "but it isn't the posing,--it's the
jolting. I had no idea the ocean was so rickety!"
"Poor little girlie! I wish I could do something for you. But we have
to go a couple of miles further yet. Can you stand it!"
"Yes; but I'd rather SIT it!"
"Do! Come and sit on this throne beside me. There's plenty of room."
"Oh, nonsense, I couldn't. What would the people think?"
"Do you want to KNOW what they'd think?" returned Farnsworth, promptly.
"They'd think that you were old Neptune's Queen, and that you meant to
sit beside him all the rest of your life. Let them think that,
Patty,--and, let it be true! Will you, my apple blossom girl?"
"No, Bill," said Patty, quietly, and changed her pose so that she did
not face him. His words had startled her. Above the rumbling of the
float, she had heard him clearly, though, of course, they could not be
overheard by the laughing, chattering bystanders.
His earnest tones had left no room for doubt of his meaning, and after
Patty's first shock of surprise, she felt a deep regret that he should
have spoken thus. But in an instant her quick wit told her that she
must not think about it now. She must turn a laughing, careless face to
the passing audience.
"Nay, nay, Neptune," she said, facing him again, "I must play my own
part. If a life on the ocean wave is not as easy as I had hoped, yet
must I brave it out to the end."
Farnsworth took his cue. He knew he ought not to have spoken so
seriously at this time, but it was really involuntary. He had fallen
deeply in love with the Eastern girl, and his Western whole-heartedness
made it difficult for him to conceal his feelings. He flashed a warm,
sunny smile at her and said heartily:
"All right, Sea Sprite! I know your pluck and perseverance. You'll get
there, with bells on! Take the easiest pose you can, and hang on to
that foam-crested wave near you. It sways a bit, but it's firmly
anchored. I looked out for that, before I trusted you to this
ramshackle old hay wagon!"
Patty smiled back, really helped by his hearty sympathy and strong,
ringing voice.
"I HATE to be so,--so unable to stand things!" she exclaimed, pouting a
little.
"You're no Sandow girl," he replied; "but--one can't expect an apple
blossom to be as strong as a--a cabbage!"
"Nor as strong as a great big Westerner," she returned, looking
admiringly at the stalwart Neptune, and thereby pleasing him greatly,
for Big Bill was honestly proud of his pounds and inches.
At last they reached the Country Club, which was their destination, and
the parade was over; though as the carnival was to conclude with a
supper and a dance for the participators, the best part of the fun was
yet to come. Aunt Adelaide, who had reached the clubhouse a little
earlier, was waiting for her charges, and Bill promptly escorted Patty
to her.
"Look after this little girl, won't you, Mrs. Parsons?" he said.
"She'll be O. K. after a few moments' rest, but a seafaring life is a
hard one, and this little craft is glad to get into port."
Patty gave him a grateful glance, and said:
"Nonsense, Aunt Adelaide, I'm not really tired, but I just want to sit
down a while. My feet have a headache!"
"I don't wonder!" declared Mona. "It was awful for you to perch on one
toe for a hundred million mile ride! And I reclined at ease on a Roman
trident, or whatever you call it!" "Tripod, you mean," said Adele,
laughing, "or is it trireme?"
"Dunno," said Mona, who was arranging Patty in a soft easy-chair in the
dressing-room of the club. "Now, you sit there, you Sea Witch," she
commanded, "and I'll have a maid bring you a hot bouillon or a weak
tea, whichever you prefer. You can't have coffee, it might spoil that
pinky-winky complexion of yours."
"Nothing can spoil that!" said Daisy, and though the remark sounded
complimentary, it was prompted by a spirit of jealousy. Daisy had truly
appreciated Patty's generosity in the matter of the note but she
couldn't gracefully submit to having her own brunette beauty eclipsed
by what she called a doll-face.
Patty's weariness was purely muscular, and so of short duration, and
after ten minutes' rest, she was feeling as fresh as ever.
"Now, what do we do?" she asked, shaking her draperies into place and
adjusting the new wreath on her hair.
"Now comes the supper," said Mona, "and I'm glad of it. Come on, girls."
The long dining hall at the club was a pretty sight. The guests were
all in their Pageant costumes, and as the various float groups mingled,
the contrasts were effective. A Venetian gondolier escorted a fisher
girl of the Seine, or a bold buccaneer from the Spanish Main clanked
his sword in time with the clatter of the wooden sabots of a Holland
lass.
Neptune was waiting to escort the Spirit of the Sea to a table, but as
Patty came through the dressing-room door, Captain Sayre bowed before
her, and asked the honour of taking her to supper. As Farnsworth had
made no engagement with Patty, merely taking it for granted that she
would go with him, she saw no reason to decline Captain Sayre's
invitation, and went gaily away with him.
Farnsworth gazed after her with a look of dazed bewilderment.
"Had you asked her?" said an amused voice, and turning, he saw Mrs.
Parsons at his elbow.
"No! I was too stupid to think of it!"
"Patty is so very popular, you know, it's difficult to secure her
favours. Have you engaged any dances?"
"No! What an idiot I am! You see, Mrs. Parsons, I'm not really a
'society man,' and in these formal affairs, I'm a bit out of my
element. Will you do me the honour to go to supper with me?"
Aunt Adelaide looked at the towering figure in its regal velvet robes.
"I oughtn't to," she said, with a little laugh, "but I can't resist the
temptation. So I will! The idea of MY going with the king of the whole
show!"
"Excepting Miss Fairfield, there's no one I'd rather have," said Big
Bill, honestly, and so Father Neptune strode majestically to his seat
at the head of the table, and at his right sat primly, fluttering Aunt
Adelaide, instead of the witching sprite he had expected to place there.
Patty was really glad, for she didn't wish to appear too exclusively
with Farnsworth, and yet she was a little disappointed, too, for as the
Spirit of the Sea, her place was by Father Neptune.
But Captain Sayre made himself very entertaining, and as Jack
Pennington was on her other side, she soon forgot all about Little
Billee, and gave herself up to the fun of the moment.
"I well remember your beautiful dancing," said the captain. "Will you
give me some waltzes?"
"I don't give them plurally," said Patty, smiling at him. "I'll give
you one, perhaps; a half one, anyway."
"Not enough!" said Captain Sayre, decidedly. "I must have more than
that, by fair means--or otherwise. Where is your card?"
"I haven't any yet; won't it be time enough to get one after supper?"
"Yes, if you let me see it before any one else. I find it's a trick
with the young men here to make dance engagements surreptitiously at
the supper table."
Patty glanced about, and saw more than one tasselled card appearing and
disappearing from hand to hand.
A moment later, she heard a voice behind her chair. "Apple Blossom," it
whispered, "I've brought you a dance card. Say 'Thank you, Bill.'"
"Thank you, Father Neptune," said Patty, flashing a smile at him, as
she took the card, and turned back to the captain.