Patty's Motor Car

“Yes, he did!” cried Patty, holding out her hand to Mr. Hepworth, with a smile of gratitude; “but you all helped me. Oh, isn’t it splendid! I didn’t so much care for the car, but I wanted to win!”

“Oh, listen to that!” exclaimed Kenneth. “She didn’t care for the car! Oh, Patty, what are you saying? Give me the car, then!”

“Oh, of course I want the car, you goose! But I mean I really cared more for the game, – the winning of it!”

“Of course you did!” declared Van Reypen. “That’s the true sportsman spirit: ‘not the quarry, but the chase!’ I’m proud of you, Miss Fairfield! Your sentiments are the right sort.”

Patty smiled and dimpled, quite her roguish self again, now that the exciting crisis was past.

“Nan,” she cried, “we must celebrate! Will you invite all this hilarious populace to dinner, or give them an impromptu tea-fight right now?”

“Dinner!” cried Philip Van Reypen; and “Dinner!” took up the other voices, in gay insistence.

“Very well,” said Nan; “but, if it’s to be dinner, you must all run away now and come back later. I can’t order a celebration dinner at a moment’s notice.”

“All right, we will.” And obediently the guests went away, to return later for a gala dinner.

And a real celebration it was. Mr. Fairfield himself went out to the florist’s and returned with a centrepiece for the table, consisting of a wicker automobile filled with flowers.

By dint of much telephoning, Nan provided place cards and favours of little motor cars; and the ices were shaped like tiny automobiles; and the cakes like tires. And all the viands were so delicious, and the guests so gay and merry, that the feast was one long to be remembered by all.

“When will you get the car, Patty?” asked Elise.

“I don’t know exactly. In a fortnight, perhaps. But we’ll be down at Spring Beach then, so whoever wants a ride in it will have to come down there.”

“I want a ride in it,” said Philip Van Reypen, “and I will come down there. May I ask you to set the date?”

“You’ll get a notification in due season,” said Patty, smiling at the eager youth. “I’m not sure it’s your turn first. No, Elise must be first.”

“Why, I didn’t help you at all,” said Elise, greatly pleased, however, at Patty’s remark.

“No, but you’re my lady friend, and so you come first. Perhaps your brother will come with you.”

“Perhaps he will!” said Roger, with emphasis.

“And who comes next?” asked Kenneth, with great interest.

“Christine, of course,” said Patty, smiling at the Southern girl, who was enjoying all the fun, though quiet herself.

“Just as I guessed,” said Kenneth. “And, then, who next? Don’t keep me in suspense!”

“Owing to the unexpected number of applicants, decision is delayed for ten days,” said Patty, laughing at Ken’s disappointed face. “We’ll let you know when you’re due, Ken. Don’t you worry.”

“Need I worry?” asked Van Reypen, and then Hepworth said, “Need I?”

“No, you needn’t any of you worry. But I’m not going to take anybody riding until I learn how to manage the frisky steed myself.”

“But I can show you,” said Philip, insinuatingly.

“So can I,” said Roger.

“No, you can’t,” said Patty. “Miller is going to teach me, and then, – well, then, we’ll see about it.”

And, with this somewhat unsatisfactory invitation to “The Pebbles,” they were forced to be content.

After dinner, Kenneth remarked that it looked like a shower.

“What do you mean?” asked Patty. “It’s a still, clear night.”

“You come here, and I’ll show you,” said Kenneth, mysteriously. Then, taking Patty’s hand, he led her to a large davenport sofa, and seated her in the centre of it.

“Now,” he said, “let it shower!”

As if by magic, a half a dozen or more parcels of all shapes and sizes fell into Patty’s lap.

“It’s a shower, for you!” explained Elise, dancing about in glee. “Open them!”

“Oh! I see,” said Patty. “How gorgeous!”

The parcels were in tissue paper, ribbon-tied, and Patty was not long in exposing their contents. One and all, they were gifts selected with reference to her new motor car.

Elise gave her a most fetching blue silk hood, with quaint shirring, and draw-strings, and wide blue ribbon ties.

Christine gave her a lovely motor-veil, of the newest style and flimsiest material.

Roger gave her gauntleted motor-gloves, of new and correct make.

Kenneth gave a motor-clock, of the most approved sort; and Philip Van Reypen presented a clever little “vanity case,” which shut up into small compass, but held many dainty toilette accessories.

Mr. Hepworth’s gift was an exquisite flower vase, of gold and glass, to be attached to her new car.

Patty was more than surprised; she was almost overcome by this “shower” of gifts, and she exclaimed:

“You are the dearest people! And you needn’t wait for invitations. Come down to ‘The Pebbles’ whenever you want to, and I’ll take you all riding at once! I don’t see where you ever found such beautiful things! Nor why you gave them to me!”

“Because we love you, Patty dear,” said Christine, so softly that she thought no one heard.

But Kenneth heard, and he smiled as he looked at Patty, and said, “Yes, that’s why.”

CHAPTER VII

A NEIGHBOUR

Two days later the Fairfields went down to Spring Beach.

The intervening day was a busy one. Mr. Fairfield went with Patty to select her motor car, for some details of equipment and upholstery were left to her choice. As the car had been built especially for the Prize Contest, it was a beautiful specimen of the finisher’s art. It was a Stanhope, of graceful design and fine lines. The body was Royal Blue, with cushions of broadcloth of the same colour.

Patty was informed she could have any other colour if she wished, but she said the blue suited her best.