Patty Blossom

by Carolyn Wells

  CHAPTER XVIII

  THE HOUSE SALE

  The House Sale was in full swing. It had been well advertised, and theobject was a popular one, and throngs of willing buyers crowded theFairfield house.

  The family belongings had, many of them, been carried to the upperfloors, and the first and second stories given over to the Bazaar.

  The beds had been removed and the bedrooms were veritable stores of allsorts of light and dainty apparel and feminine trinkets. The roomsdownstairs were filled with fine wares and were crowded withpurchasers. The girls, dressed to suit their calling, were brisk andbusy salesladies, and everywhere was laughter and merry chat.

  Daisy, in a stunning new sports suit, looked with satisfaction on herstacks of golf accoutrements, skates, tennis sets, and side lines ofbright caps and sweaters for both sexes. And her wares simply meltedaway. She laughingly put up her prices, but so attractive were thegoods that they sold quickly.

  Elise, too, did a rushing business in the library. She had severalassistants, and they were all kept at work by the kind patrons. Manyworthwhile books had been given the girls, and there were beside,library furnishings, and a few autographed books and letters thatcommanded large prices. A set of Riley's works was on sale, and theseFarnsworth bought, requesting that they remain in their place until hisfurther directions.

  "Whatever are you going to do with them, Bill?" asked Elise, who lookedlike a pretty Portia in her cap and gown.

  "Why not peruse them myself?" he returned.

  "But I chance to know that you have a set of Riley."

  "Well, maybe, I'll give them to somebody as a gift. If I can't findanybody to accept them, I'll turn them over to your girls' library."

  "Oh, I dare say you can give them away. A beautiful set like that!Why, they're Russia bound!"

  "Why, so they are!"

  "As if he didn't know that!" exclaimed one of the girls to Elise, asFarnsworth sauntered away. "Why, he gave that set to the sale!"

  "He did! And then bought them back again!"

  "Yes, that's just what he has done."

  "Oh, well, then, he does mean to give them to somebody,--somebody inparticular."

  And Farnsworth certainly did mean to give them to somebody inparticular. He designed them as a gift for Patty. He knew she wouldenjoy the poems, and he chose the edition with great care. Then, toenhance the value, he made it a present to the Club Sale, and promptlybought it back.

  The big Westerner made his way through the crowds, stopping here andthere to buy a flower or a trinket from the beguiling vendors. Helooked in at the dining-room, and saw the long table set with marvelousconfections, each to be sold with its dish of fine china or crystal.Also, on side tables were center-pieces, doilies, and napkins of allvarieties of embroidery and decoration. A large back veranda had beenarranged as a refreshment room, and here Farnsworth discovered Nan andMr. Fairfield eating ice cream.

  "Join us," they begged, but a smiling headshake was the negative reply.

  "I'm on a still hunt for Patty. I'm told she's upstairs."

  "Yes, in her own rooms," said Nan. "But you can't get in, the place isjammed. Wait till she has sold off a lot of stuff, then there'll be atleast standing room. I've just come down from there and I never sawsuch a crowd."

  "I'm fairly good at stemming crowds,--I think I'll go up."

  Farnsworth squared his broad shoulders and started up the stairway.

  By tactful manoeuvring, rather than by muscular strength, he gained hisgoal, and stood in the doorway of Patty's boudoir.

  She was showing off a boudoir set to a prospective purchaser. It wasof pale blue brocaded satin, edged with swansdown. There was afetching lace cap with blue bows and little yellow rosebuds; alsodainty blue slippers with rosebuds on them. Gaily, Patty donned thelovely garments, over her fluffy white frock, and pirouetted before herown cheval glass.

  "You see," she said, in wheedling, saleslady tones, "it is a work ofart! _Ma foi_! but it is _chic_! _n'est-ce pas_? Excuse my fearfulFrench, but I can't sell this Parisian rig in English!"

  "It is just darling!" declared the lady who was looking at it. "Ofcourse I'll take it. I never saw one I liked so well."

  Farnsworth stood watching the scene, thinking how much Patty's winningpersonality added to the charm of the robe, and wondering if she wouldaccept the books he had bought for her.

  The sale concluded, Patty thanked her patron, and in a moment wascalled upon to repeat the performance, as indeed she had been doingmost of the evening. This time it was not so willing a buyer.

  A gaunt, elderly spinster, with elaborately coiffed white hair andostentatious costume, demanded a kimono that should be just her styleand of embroidered crepe de chine.

  "Here is a lovely one in heliotrope," said Patty, smiling as shebrought one of the prettiest ones she had.

  "Heliotrope!" the lady almost screamed. "Do I then look so old? Am Iin the sere and yellow? Why do you offer me heliotrope?"

  "Oh, don't you care for it?" said Patty, pleasantly; "it's one of myfavourite colours. What colour do you like best?"

  "I like amber, but, of course, you wouldn't have that. Green, now?"

  "No, we don't seem to have those. We've mostly pink and blue."

  "Old-fashioned! Why don't you have amber or russet?"

  "I wish we had. I'd love to give you what you want. How about white?"

  "Namby pamby! But show me what you have. I'm determined to getsomething."

  "If you only cared for blue," and Patty sighed. "Here's a new box yetunopened, but it says on the end, 'Light Blue.' So that wouldn't do."

  "Oh, well, let me see it."

  Patty opened the Japanese looking box, and out from the tissue papersfell a dream of a kimono. Of palest blue silk, it was covered withembroidered apple blossoms, not in a set design, but powdered over it,as if wafted there by a summer breeze. The conventional Japaneseflowers are cherry blooms, but these were true apple blossoms, softlypink and white, the very loveliest gown Patty had ever seen.

  Farnsworth was looking on, and he, too, caught sight of the exquisitedesign. He looked quickly at Patty, and, in dumb show, begged her notto sell the garment. Nor had she any intention of doing so. Themoment she saw it, she wanted it for herself, and began hastily to foldit back in its box.

  "Wait! Stop!" cried the lady; "I think I want that."

  "It's already sold," said Big Bill, stepping forward. "Isn't that theone I ordered, Miss Fairfield?"

  "Is it?" said Patty, helplessly, wanting to laugh at the way the ladylooked daggers at Bill, yet not knowing quite what to say.

  "It is. Kindly lay it aside for me. Mark it Farnsworth."

  "Do nothing of the sort!" snapped the lady. "You said that was anunopened box. It can't belong to any one then. I will take it. Howmuch is it?"

  Patty thought quickly. She had received a green kimono for Christmas,which she had not worn, and didn't care for. It had been sent her by adistant cousin, who would never know or care what she did with it.

  "All right," she said, "take it if you like. You have the first rightto it."

  Farnsworth looked disturbed, but did not combat Patty's decision.

  "But," Patty went on, "I think I have a green one, after all. I'vejust remembered it. You can take your choice."

  Stepping aside to her own wardrobe, Patty brought out a box and shookout a very pretty green gown. She put it on, and, draping itgracefully, stood, with her head on one side, observing the effect.She then looked doubtfully at the lady, and said, "I dare say you likethe blue one better, after all. This is a very pale green."

  "It's a lovely green! Just the shade I like best. If you're willing,I'll take the green one, by all means."

  "Whichever you choose," and Patty swished the green folds around tocatch the light. Very becoming it was, and on pretty Patty it looked adream of loveliness.

  "It's just bewitching," declared the gratified purchaser, and she paidfor it an
d left her address to have it sent home.

  "Good work!" said Farnsworth, laughing, as the lady passed on to lookat other tempting wares. "You hypnotised her into taking the greenone. I say, Patty, I want to make you a present of that apple-blossomwrap; mayn't I?"

  "It isn't a wrap," said Patty, disdainfully, "it's a kimono, and thevery prettiest one I ever saw."

  "All right. I don't care what the dinky thing's name is. It's themost exquisite colouring, and it suits you down to the ground."

  "It fits me down to the ground, too," laughed Patty, flinging the robeon again, and gathering up its lustrous folds. It was too long forher, but that, of course, could be remedied.

  "Yes, you'll have to take a reef in it. Will you accept it, LittleApple Blossom?"

  "It's very expensive," Patty demurred, looking over her shoulder at thegraceful lines of the garment.

  "That doesn't matter," and Farnsworth pulled out a roll of bills fromhis pocket.

  Patty gave him a scornful look. "Don't be so ostentatious!" sheflouted. "I didn't mean you couldn't afford it. I mean, I don't careto accept a gift of such value. I know,--we all know--you have thewealth of the Indies!"

  Farnsworth looked at her in sheer amazement, a deep red flush stealingover his face. Then, for a moment, he held her eyes with his own,looking steadily at her.

  "Very well," he said, gently, returning his money to his pocket. "Iwon't give it to you, if you don't want me to."

  "Oh, gracious to goodness! what a kimono!" cried Daisy Dow, who cameflying into the room, "I never saw such a beauty! I want it! Is ityours, Patty? No? Oh, you're just trying it on."

  "I'm considering its purchase," said Farnsworth, "if I can findsomebody to give it to. Do you like it, Daisy?"

  "Do I _like_ it! It's the loveliest thing in the whole Sale! By theway, just look at the presents I've had!"

  Sure enough, Daisy was adorned with two or three gay-coloured sportsashes, over her arm were two silk sweaters, and she carried a basket,in which was a collection of gloves, ties, handkerchiefs, scarfs, andvarious odds and ends of sport apparel.

  "What are you doing up here, anyway?" demanded Patty. "Who's lookingafter your room?"

  "All sold out! Not a mite of anything left to sell. I came neardisposing of your own pictures that still hang on the wall, and yourtables and chairs. Are you really looking for somebody to buy thatfor, Bill? Well, it might as well be me!"

  Daisy laughed gaily, and held out her hands for the kimono.

  But Patty drew the blue folds around her and shook her yellow curls."Possession is nine points of the law," she laughingly said. "I'mgoing to buy this thing myself."

  "You can't," said Farnsworth, looking amused at the situation. "Firstcome, first served. I asked for it before you thought of buying it.Now, I claim my purchase, and I shall give it to one or other of youtwo girls. I offered it to Patty first, so it is for her to say. Ifshe refuses, I offer it to Daisy."

  So gay was his manner, so light his tone, that Patty couldn't resenthis words, but a twinkle in his eye made her realise that he knew hewas cornering her. He knew how she admired the kimono. It would bedifficult if not impossible to duplicate it. She must accept it fromhim or see Daisy triumphantly walk off with it.

  The latter alternative was surely unthinkable! So Patty said, withexaggerated meekness, "Thank you, Little Billee, I accept it withpleasure. You are very kind."

  Farnsworth burst out laughing at the mild tone and the shy, downcasteyes, whereupon Patty favoured him with an innocent stare, saying,"What is the matter?"

  "A whole lot is the matter!" Daisy answered for him. "I wanted thatrobe, and now you've gone and got it, Patty Fairfield! You're the girlwho gets everything! All right, Bill, just for that, you've got togive me the set of books you bought from Elise, and had saved for you.Will you?"

  "If you say I've got to,--why ask me will I?" he returned,good-naturedly. "I am as wax in the hands of you two. Certainly,Daisy, I'll be honoured if you'll accept the books."

  "What are they?" asked Patty, carelessly, as she still bent herattention to the embroideries of her new acquisition.

  "Oh, it's a set of Riley. A wonderful set,--bound in Russia leather."

  Patty looked up, quickly. She felt a conviction that Farnsworth hadbought these books for her. To be sure she wouldn't want to accept twohandsome presents from him, yet the idea of his so easily passing themover to Daisy annoyed her.

  "Riley!" she exclaimed, involuntarily. "Why didn't you give those tome, instead of this gown?"

  "The books are better suited to Daisy," he returned, "and the gownsuits nobody but you."

  "Oh, because Daisy is more intellectual, I suppose, and I'm----"

  "Yes, and you're just a little piece of vanity, who cares only fordress and finery."

  Farnsworth was having his innings now. Patty had hurt his feelings,and she knew it; and so, he was teasing her in return.

  Daisy laughed at Patty's unmistakable chagrin, and ran away downstairsto claim her books.

  It so chanced that there was no one else in Patty's boudoir at thatmoment. Everybody had flocked to the next room to see a newconsignment of treasures displayed, and Farnsworth and Patty were alone.

  "Yes," he said, looking straight at her, "I did buy the Riley set foryou. But as you're so averse to accepting my ostentatious offerings, Ithought better to give it to Daisy. And I had another reason, too."

  "I'm glad you did," said Patty, coldly; "and I wish you had given herthis also."

  She began to draw off the kimono, but Farnsworth took a step towardher, and with one big swoop, gathered her into his arms.

  "Apple Blossom!" he whispered, "my little Apple Blossom girl!"

  So impulsive and all-embracing was the action, so swift the kiss thatfell on Patty's pink cheek, and so quickly was she released, that shestood, gasping from breathlessness, and astonishment, as others beganto return to the room.

  Van Reypen was among them, and he called out to Patty:

  "We've come for you. If your things aren't all sold, let somebody elselook after them. We're going to supper now, and we want all our crowdtogether."

  Gratefully, Patty turned to him, her head still in a whirl fromFarnsworth's audacity, and with Philip she went downstairs.