"Oh, Patty, you little goose! Bill has always been poor, or at least, he had only a moderate income. I can see how he would be glad if he had good fortune, to offer it to you. Poor Bill! You mistook his meaning, I'm sure."

"No, I didn't, and I hate him, and I never want to hear his name mentioned again!"

"Nor see him?"

"Mercy, no! And now, drop the subject. I tell you I came up here to get away from him! He's in love with Daisy Dow, anyway."

"What makes you think so?"

"Oh, he's always with her. And he gave her some lovely books that he had bought on purpose for me! And, Daisy says things all the time that prove it. I don't want anything to do with another girl's rustic swain. That I don't!"

"Just a minute, Patty. Do you really consider Bill a rustic,--uncultured, and all that, I mean?"

Patty looked serious. "No, Adele, I don't. He hasn't a certain polish, that some men have, but he is a thorough gentleman and a splendid man. I must say that, in all honesty. But he is a domineering, head-strong nature, and he couldn't make any girl happy!"

"Oh, couldn't he!" said Adele, but she said it to herself, not aloud.

The subject was really dropped then, and Patty began to dress for luncheon.

"I'm going to put on this white crepe de chine," she said. "I found it hanging in the wardrobe, left from last summer. I'd almost forgotten I had it. It's a pretty frock, isn't it?"

"Yes. But, I grieve to state, Pattibelle, we'll be alone at lunch, you and I. Jim has gone miles off in the country, and won't be back before six or so."

"Whatever for?"

"Oh,--on some business."

"Business! On Sunday?"

"He's looking at a car he's thinking of buying. The man could only see him today."

"Oh, well, all right. But I'll dress up anyway, for my own self-respect. I like myself better in a pretty gown, and I'm not going to take naps all day today, I can tell you."

Patty flew around, making her toilette, and humming little s.n.a.t.c.hes of song. Adele thought she had never seen her look so pretty. The white frock was soft and filmy; the round neck a trifle low, the frilled sleeves showing her dimpled arms, and a soft sash made of a breadth of palest pink silk, round the waist.

"You're a dream!" declared Adele. "It's a shame to waste such a vision of beauty on me. I believe I'll telephone for Bob Peyton to come over to lunch."

"No, don't. I'd rather not have him. I like to be alone with you much better. Ask him over for dinner, if you like."

So the two lunched alone, and then came the difficult crisis.

Patty flatly rebelled against Adele's suggestion that she take an afternoon nap to be fresh for the evening.

"What's the matter with you, Adele?" she laughed. "Do you think I'm a dormouse? Or a bear who wants to hibernate? I'm as wide-awake as you are!"

"It isn't that, Patty," and poor Adele was at her wits' end, "but you're really run down--er--nerve exhaustion, you know----"

"Well, _your_ nerve isn't exhausted! To make me go to bed by day,--all the whole time!"

"Now, Patsy, don't be stubborn. Give me my way, this once. If you'll go to your room, and stay there and rest quietly till five o'clock, I won't say another word about your resting, while you're here. But you're--really,--you're so improved since you came, that I want to complete the cure. Scoot off, now, and then at five o'clock Jim will be back, and we'll have lots of fun."

"It's nearly half-past two, now. Well, I don't see much else to do, so I'll go. But remember, it's the last of this foolishness."

"I'll remember. Run along now, and don't show your face below stairs till five. Cross your heart?"

"Yep. Cross my heart and hope to never! By-by."

Patty ran upstairs and closed her room door behind her. Never really at a loss to entertain herself, she read some magazines, wrote two or three letters that had been long owing, and then mooned around looking out of her windows at the distant hills, bright with winter sunshine.

She opened the long French window to the balcony and stepped out. It was snappily cold, so she went back long enough to catch up a wrap.

The apple blossom kimono was the first thing she saw, so she slipped into it, and went out on the balcony. The bracing air was delightful, and she walked up and down, drawing long deep breaths of ozone. There was a low railing round the little balcony and Patty sat down on it.

The ground was only about eight feet below her, for the house was built on a side hill, and the slope was abrupt.

"I could almost lean down and pick violets," she mused, "if there were any to pick. But it's nowhere near spring, yet."

She drew her wrap more closely about her and rose to go in the house again.

"Well!" came in an explosive voice, just below her. Patty looked down and saw Farnsworth standing there, his face radiant with glad surprise.

"Little Billee!" she exclaimed, impulsively leaning over the rail.

"What are you here for?"

"_You_! And I can't wait another minute! _Jump_!"

Not pausing to think, impelled by his quick command, Patty stepped over the rail and jumped.

Farnsworth caught her deftly in his arms just as her feet touched the ground, and held her there.

"Look at me," he said, and his always musical voice had a ring in it Patty had never heard before.

The golden head, bowed against his broad chest, lifted a little, and Patty's blue eyes shone into his own. Steadily he looked for a moment, and then said, quietly, but exultantly, "You love me! Oh, my Patty Blossom!"

Patty stood very still. It seemed to her that the end of the world had come--or the beginning,--she wasn't sure which.

"Come," said Farnsworth, still with that glad, exultant note of triumph in his voice. He led her to the house, walking quickly and with springing step.

Adele was in the hall as they entered.

"Good heavens!" she said, helplessly, as she stared at them.

"Adele," Farnsworth's words fairly rang out, "don't stop us. We're just getting engaged, and we want a few minutes alone."

"I should say so!" and half dazed at the suddenness of the news, Adele opened the door of a little reception room, and let them in. Then she closed it, and ran hot haste to find Jim.

A wood fire was blazing and Patty threw off the silk wrap.

"Apple Blossom," said Farnsworth, as he took it from her, and tossed it over a sofa, "my Blossom girl!"

He took the soft, trembling little figure in his arms, the pretty white frock sadly crushed in his strong embrace.