CHAPTER XVI
A CHANGE OF PARTNERS
Their foolish little squabble over, Patty and Kenneth were as good chumsas ever, and they skimmed along in the same satisfied friendliness theyalways felt when together.
All too soon, in Kenneth’s opinion, they had traversed half theirjourney, and reached the place where it had been arranged that Patty wasto change her companion and give Mr. Hepworth his ride.
The big car was waiting for them as they came along, and, though Kennethsaid “Confound it!” to Patty, under his breath, no one else heard it,and he exchanged places with Hepworth with a smiling, agreeablecountenance.
The transfer being effected, the two cars started on again.
Patty drove, and Mr. Hepworth watched her with admiration and interest.
“You’re a wonderful child,” he said; “you can do almost anything youturn your hand to.”
“Indeed, I can’t,” returned Patty; “I can’t paint like Christine.”
“Oh, well, that’s a special talent of hers. Your special talent is yoursinging. But I mean you can do all sorts of other things, like guessingpuzzles and running motor cars.”
“Yes, so I can; but don’t forget that, if you hadn’t guessed that lastcharade for me, and an unfair one at that, I never should have had thiscar. So you see the car is partly yours.”
“Well, I’ll take out my share in going riding with you.”
“Wouldn’t you like to drive it yourself, some day, Mr. Hepworth? Youcould take Christine out.”
“Christine! I’d rather take you.”
“Rather take _me_ than Christine Farley?” Patty’s blue eyes opened wide,and it was plain to be seen that her surprise at this statement wasunfeigned, and by no means a bit of coquetry. But it piqued GilbertHepworth, and he answered, a little shortly:
“You know I would! Why do you pretend otherwise?”
“I don’t know any such thing! Christine is your special friend.”
“And aren’t you my special friend?”
“Why, not exactly;” and Patty’s cheeks dimpled as she smiled. “I’m yourspecial friend’s daughter. Isn’t daddy your special friend?”
“Yes, of course;” and Mr. Hepworth looked decidedly cross, as he alwaysdid when reminded of the difference of age between himself and Patty,—athing which Patty never seemed to forget.
“But just now,” he went on, “you’re so absorbed in your special friend,Van Reypen, that you have no thought of anybody else.”
“For the land’s sake!” exclaimed Patty; “and that’s an expression I useonly on the strongest provocation! But I’ll tell you something, Mr.Hepworth,”—and she looked at him squarely,—“when Kenneth Harper waswith me just now, he held me up on account of what he called myfriendship for Mr. Van Reypen! Now, if you’re going to do the samething, I give you fair warning, I’ll put you out and I’ll take PhilipVan Reypen in this car! So there, now!”
Mr. Hepworth laughed at the flashing eyes, and the rose-flushed cheeksthat faced him, very much like an angry kitten.
“Forgive us both, Patty,” he said, smiling in spite of himself at theridiculous situation. “You see, the truth is Kenneth and I are bothjealous of your new friend. And you’ll probably find that Roger is inthe same unenviable frame of mind.”
“Fiddle-de-dee, and fiddlesticks, and fiddle-strings!” exclaimed Patty;“you people all make me tired, you do. As you know, I adore all myfriends, and I want them all to adore me, and, when I make new friends,they’ve all got to adore each other, too, and that’s all there is aboutthat! But don’t you worry over old Roger. He’s fallen a victim to thecharms of Mona Galbraith. I never was so surprised in my life! You know,I don’t like that girl very much, and last night, as soon as Roger mether, they immediately fell into a deep friendship!”
“Why don’t you like her?”
“Oh, she isn’t exactly our sort. She’s a little forward, a littlepushing, and a little lacking in certain varieties of good taste. Butshe’s warm-hearted and generous, and, if she had had proper training,would have been an awfully nice girl.”
“Can’t you help her, Patty?”
“Yes, Mr. Hepworth, I can; but I don’t want to.”
“Why don’t you want to?”
“Only because I’m a horrid thing! I know that, if I begin to help her,she’ll want to be helped every minute in the day, and I’ll have my handsfull. I suppose I’m lazy and selfish, but I do hate to take that girl’sbringing-up on my shoulders.”
“I don’t blame you altogether, Patty;” and Gilbert Hepworth smiled ather gravely, yet kindly. “But don’t you exaggerate a little bit? I knowwhat you mean. I saw last night what insistent ways Miss Galbraith has,and I know her demands on your time and attention would be incessant.But, Patty, think how much you have!—not only worldly goods, but loveand care and protection and interested sympathy. Isn’t it your duty todo what you can for this strange girl, thrown so definitely in yourway?”
“She _is_ in my way,” said Patty, pouting; “very much so!”
“And do you realise,” went on Mr. Hepworth, very seriously now, “that,just because of all this love and praise and appreciation you receive,you run a pretty strong chance of becoming selfish and self-centred?”
“Mr. Hepworth! I do believe you are lecturing me!”
“That’s exactly what I’m doing. I’ve done it before, and never has itfailed to produce a good effect. I’m very fond of you, Patty, as youknow perfectly well; and I cannot bear to see your sunny and generousnature spoiled by indolence or thoughtlessness on your part. Now I’mgoing to drop this lecture right straight now. I’ve said all that isnecessary, and I know it has sunk in your heart deeply, as I intended itto. And I know that you will overcome your dislike and disinclinationfor the work, but that you will honestly and definitely try to do allyou can for that girl, and be all you can to her.”
For a moment Patty was silent, and then she said, in a low voice: “Youare right, Mr. Hepworth, as you always are. I understand all you havesaid, and all you have meant, and I make you no promises; but I promisemyself to do all I can for Mona Galbraith, to help her in the way sheneeds help.”
“That’s my little trump!” exclaimed Mr. Hepworth, in a voice whichbetrayed a thrill of real emotion, and then he quickly changed thesubject and called Patty’s attention to a picturesque bit of landscapein the middle distance.
The rest of their ride they chatted in a lighter key, with no referenceto duty, and, when they reached the Country Club, they were bothlaughing merrily as they joined the rest of the party.
“I’m as hungry as a hunter!” cried Patty, springing from her car. “Iwish I’d brought Mr. Hepworth’s luncheon basket, well filled, along withme.”
“You’ll have luncheon enough, Puss,” said her father, “and, as we’re alittle later than I expected, we’ll have it served right away.”
The Country Club House was an elaborate one, with broad verandas andlarge, high-ceilinged halls and rooms. The walls bore the usualdecorations of antlers and other trophies of the chase, and theappointments were luxurious and comfortable.
Patty had never been to just such a place before, and was interested init all.
“Can’t we become members, father?” she asked, as its plan and scope wereexplained to her.
“Next year, perhaps, my dear. But this summer we’ll content ourselveswith coming over here occasionally, by the courtesy of my friends.”
Luncheon was served in a small dining-room, which they had quite tothemselves. The viands were most attractive and proved more thanacceptable to the hungry motorists.
After luncheon, they wandered about the beautiful grounds, and some ofthem went for a row on the lake, while some others had a short game oftennis.
Patty had such a good time that she was sorry when her father calledthem to go home.
“We just fly from one kind of fun to another!” exclaimed Elise, as theymade ready to start. �
��Mayn’t I ride home with you, Patty?”
“No, no, Miss Farrington,” said Philip Van Reypen, overhearing her;“it’s my turn to ride with Miss Fairfield. We’re going to put you andMr. Harper in the roadster, with Mr. Hepworth behind to see that youdon’t fall out.”
As usual, Mr. Van Reypen’s audacity carried the day; and, too, Elise hadno objections to driving home with Kenneth. This left Roger andChristine to go in the big car with the two elder Fairfields, and thearrangement was fairly satisfactory all around.
But, as Patty and Mr. Van Reypen were about to start, Roger came up tospeak to them.
“You must play fair and square, Patty,” he said. “You divvied up theride, coming over, and you must do the same, going back. You take Mr.Van Reypen as far as that halfway place, and then you’ve got to exchangehim for me.”
“All right, Roger, I will; it’s only fair that all you boys should havea spin with Camilla in turn.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” said Philip Van Reypen, as they sped away. “I don’tthink you need to change partners on this short trip.”
“’Deed I will!” declared Patty. “I’ve had enough of being scoldedbecause I don’t play fair. Now when we get to that halfway place, youknow where I mean, that tumble-down house with the vines all over it,I’m going to put you out and take Roger in.”
“All right,” said Philip, humbly. “But you won’t do it until we do reachthe tumble-down old house, will you?”
“No, I won’t,” agreed Patty.
After a while, Philip asked that he be allowed to drive, and, as Pattywas quite willing to be an idle passenger, they changed seats.
“I’m sorry that I have to call you Miss Fairfield,” said Philip,resignedly, as they were once more spinning along. “It’s so formal ittakes away all the pleasure of our conversation.”
“Too bad,” said Patty, demurely; “but do you know I rather likeformality, Mr. Van Reypen.”
“I’m glad you do, Miss Fairfield. It’s a charming day, isn’t it?”
“Yes, Mr. Van Reypen; delightful,” returned Patty, and then theconversation lagged.
“I want to tell you something,” said Patty, suddenly. “I don’t feelquite honest, and I want to ’fess up.”
“What is it, Miss Fairfield?”
“Why, it’s just this. You know this morning, when Kenneth delayed you,and you lost our race?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I asked him to delay you, on purpose.”
“You did? You little rascal! Why, that was downright dishonesty! Aren’tyou ashamed of yourself?”
“Yes, I am,” said Patty, hanging her head, and looking like a lovelypenitent. “Can you ever forgive me?”
“No, I never can!” Van Reypen’s tone was very stern, and Patty wasamazed at the serious way he took what she thought was a joke.
“Oh, truly! can’t you forgive me?”
“No! I _never_ shall!” and he glared into Patty’s upturned face with anexpression so savage that it suddenly dawned on Patty that he wasfooling, after all!
With a beseeching glance and a drooping curve to her lips, Patty thenmurmured, in low tones, “Can’t you ever forgive me,—Philip?”
“Patty! Of course I can! And there’s nothing to forgive, you littlerogue! But now you’re going to call me Philip, all the time, aren’tyou?”
“I thpothe I am,” said Patty, foolishly, and in an idiotic tone, andthen they both giggled.
“And now can you be entertaining?” asked Patty, briskly; “and not justsit up and remark that it is a charming day?”
“But the day is more charming than ever!” declared Philip. “And I mustemphasise the fact.”
“But, goodness gracious me! wherever is that halfway place? Have wepassed the tumble-down old house with vines clambering all over it?”
“No, we haven’t passed it yet,” said Philip, innocently.
“We ought to reach it soon,—I’m sure it’s time.”
“How complimentary you are! Does the way seem so long?”
“It doesn’t seem so long, but it seems strange. I don’t remember thesehouses. Did we pass them on the way over?”
“You must have been so busy driving the car you didn’t see them.”
“Nonsense! I’ve never been this way before in my life! You’ve taken thewrong road, and you’ve done it on purpose,—Philip!”
“So I have, Patty! At least it’s a different road, but it isn’t a wrongroad. It’s just as direct to ‘The Pebbles’ as the other road, but it hasthe advantage of not passing by the clambering house with thetumble-down vines!”
“Oh, you’ve done it, so we’d slip Roger!”
“Of course I did! Clever of me, wasn’t it? Oh, you haven’t the entiremonopoly of clever ideas, if you _did_ mend your motor car withchocolate!”
Philip was gleefully chuckling at his successful ruse, and, when Pattyrealised that she couldn’t help herself, she laughed, too.
“Roger won’t mind, anyway,” she said; “he’s such a good-natured oldduck. And I’ll make it up to him by taking him out for the whole dayto-morrow, on a picnic with my new lunch basket. I’ve been wanting totry that lovely basket, and see if it will carry a picnic for two.”
Philip’s face suddenly lost its jovial smile. “There’ll _be_ a ‘picnicfor two,’ if you cut up any such trick as that! And you and youngFarrington will see what kind of a picnic I mean! Why, Patty, you’rehostess of this house party of yours. You can’t desert all your otherguests,—and go skylarking off with only one of them.”
“Unless it’s you,” said Patty, with a demure glance at him.
“Yes, unless it’s me,” said Philip, smiling broadly.
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