Patty—Bride

“Well, that’s going some!” and the man laughed. “You see, Miss Fairfield, it’s like a glimpse of another world to a lot of us. It is to me. Why, I come from out West, and I’ve never been in a home like this of yours. Oh, I don’t mean to say we don’t have ’em out West, – lots of our plutes roll in gold and all that. But I didn’t. I’m of the every-day people, and my folks are good and honest, but plain. Not that I’m ashamed of ’em, – Lord, no! But I own up I’m pleased as Punch at this chance to be a guest in a fine house for once!”

“I hope not only for once, Mr. Herron,” said Patty, who liked the frank young fellow. “I’d like to have you come again.”

“You oughtn’t to invite me, – you ought to take a different lot every time, – but, by jingo, if you do ask me, I’m coming! You just bet I am!”

Patty laughed and passed on talking gaily to this one and that, asking questions about things they were interested in and conversant with, and in all, being a charming and sympathetic little hostess.

Entertaining was Patty’s forte, and she loved it. Moreover, she could adapt herself with equal ease to the most aristocratic and high-bred society or to the plainer and more commonplace people.

As for these boys, she loved them, partly because of her patriot spirit, partly from her love of humanity, and largely because now that her own Billee was in the war, all war people were dear to her.

After supper there was still time for a dance or two, and the guests entered into this diversion with zest. Naturally, Patty had many would-be partners, and she divided her dances in an effort to please many.

Helen, too, was a general favourite. The young men liked the jolly girl and pretty Bumble laughed and joked with them, promising to write letters to them and knit comforts for them and to do numberless possible and impossible things when they were back in their camps, or wherever their duty led them.

Chester Wilde was present. He was an urgent suitor of Helen’s, but tonight he tried with all his energies to help Patty in the plan she had undertaken.

At last, when most of the uniformed guests had departed, Wilde noticing the tired expression in Patty’s eyes, led her to a cosy sofa and advised her to rest a little.

“I’ll bring you some hot bouillon,” he said, “and it will do you good. Let the rest of the girls speed the few parting guests, and you sit here and talk to me.”

Patty agreed and soon they were affably chatting. As often, their talk was of Helen.

“Doesn’t she look pretty tonight?” young Wilde asked, his eyes straying to the laughing face across the room.

“Yes, indeed, she always does,” agreed Patty. “She’s a darling thing, too, Mr. Wilde, and you mustn’t be down-hearted because she flouts you sometimes. I know my little old Bumble pretty well and she’s a great little scamp for teasing the people she likes best.”

“It would have been all right, I’m sure,” said the young man, moodily, “if she had stayed in Philadelphia. But here, there are so many men about, – oh, I don’t mean the uniformed men, – but a lot of others who are here at your house now and then, that I can’t help feeling Helen will forget me.”

“Nonsense! I won’t let her. You trust your Aunt Patty! Why my middle name is Tact!”

“I know it, Miss Fairfield, I know all that, and you’re awfully good to me, but, – oh, well, I s’pose I’m jealous.”

“I s’pose you are,” Patty laughed at him. “You wouldn’t be any good if you weren’t! But you know, faint heart and all that. Don’t be faint-hearted, that’s not the thing for a soldier, at all!”

“All right, I’ll cheer up. You’re a good friend, Miss Fairfield – ”

“Oh, call me Patty, I’d rather you would.”

“All right and thank you. First names for us, after this. Now don’t think me silly, but, – won’t you do all you can to – to – ”

“To turn our Helen’s heart in your direction? Indeed I will, Chester, and gladly. But, take my word for it, she likes you better than anybody else, right now.”

“Oh, Patty, do you think so?”

“I know so. Bumble, – Helen, I mean, is a dear, but she isn’t quite sure of her own mind. Oh, don’t you worry, Chester, my friend, all will yet be well.”

“But look at her now. She’s terribly taken with that chap named Herron. See her look at him!”

“The green-eyed monster has you in his grip, for sure! Come on, let’s go and see what they’re talking about.”

Patty rose and Chester followed her to where Helen and Philip Van Reypen were eagerly talking to Mr. Herron.

“Yes,” Herron was saying, “to train a thousand aviators usually means the smashing of more than a thousand machines. Why, every learner breaks up one or two airplanes before he’s a flyer.”

“Really!” said Helen, her eyes big with interest. “And how much do these airplanes cost?”

“Oh, about seven thousand dollars apiece.”

“They do! What a fearful expense for the government!”

“The government does have fearful expenses, Miss Barlow, – or so I’ve heard.”

“But that’s something awful, old man,” put in Van Reypen. “I’m going to be a flyer, and I’ll begin training soon. That’s why I’m so keen on questioning you. Do I go up in the air at once?”

“No, sir. You begin on a machine that stays on terra firma.”

“Then it isn’t a flying machine at all,” observed Patty, as she and Chester joined the others.

“Well, it is, except that it doesn’t fly! But one learns all the motions on it, and the controls and the handling of winds, – and, oh, quite a few things about it. Then later on, one goes up – ”

“What a sensation it must be!” cried Patty; “I’m just crazy to try it. May I go up with you, Phil, as soon as you’ve learned?”

“Not until I have learned. You’ll take no chances with a novice, I can tell you.”

“But I don’t see,” said Helen, “how a machine on the ground is anything like one in the air.”

“It’s difficult to explain,” returned Herron. “But, you see, jets of air are blown through tubes, that simulate the currents of real air that affect the man higher up.”

“Too many for me!” declared Helen, “my little two-cent brain refuses to grasp it!”

“We’ll go down to see Philip perform as soon as he knows enough to show off,” declared Patty. “Won’t that be fun, Helen?”

“Yes; may we, Philip?”

“After I’m ready to show off, yes.”

“Oh, you vainy!” cried Helen. “Never mind, we don’t want to see you when you’re just flying on the floor!”

“I really must fly from here,” laughed Mr. Herron. “Such a gorgeous time, Miss Fairfield. May I come again?”

“Oh, I wish you would! Don’t wait for a special invitation, – come at any time.”

“He will,” Van Reypen said, “I’ll bring him. He and I will be associated, I find, in the Aviation Training Camp, and we’ll often run up together, – mayn’t we, Patty?”

“Yes, indeed; as often as you can manage to!”

CHAPTER VI