Patty's Motor Car

“Forgive us both, Patty,” he said, smiling in spite of himself at the ridiculous situation. “You see, the truth is Kenneth and I are both jealous of your new friend. And you’ll probably find that Roger is in the 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 my friends, 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 about that! But don’t you worry over old Roger. He’s fallen a victim to the charms 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 met her, 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 little pushing, and a little lacking in certain varieties of good taste. But she’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 hands full. I suppose I’m lazy and selfish, but I do hate to take that girl’s bringing-up on my shoulders.”

“I don’t blame you altogether, Patty;” and Gilbert Hepworth smiled at her gravely, yet kindly. “But don’t you exaggerate a little bit? I know what 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 love and care and protection and interested sympathy. Isn’t it your duty to do what you can for this strange girl, thrown so definitely in your way?”

“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 it failed to produce a good effect. I’m very fond of you, Patty, as you know perfectly well; and I cannot bear to see your sunny and generous nature spoiled by indolence or thoughtlessness on your part. Now I’m going to drop this lecture right straight now. I’ve said all that is necessary, and I know it has sunk in your heart deeply, as I intended it to. And I know that you will overcome your dislike and disinclination for the work, but that you will honestly and definitely try to do all you 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: “You are right, Mr. Hepworth, as you always are. I understand all you have said, and all you have meant, and I make you no promises; but I promise myself to do all I can for Mona Galbraith, to help her in the way she needs help.”

“That’s my little trump!” exclaimed Mr. Hepworth, in a voice which betrayed a thrill of real emotion, and then he quickly changed the subject and called Patty’s attention to a picturesque bit of landscape in the middle distance.

The rest of their ride they chatted in a lighter key, with no reference to duty, and, when they reached the Country Club, they were both laughing merrily as they joined the rest of the party.

“I’m as hungry as a hunter!” cried Patty, springing from her car. “I wish I’d brought Mr. Hepworth’s luncheon basket, well filled, along with me.”

“You’ll have luncheon enough, Puss,” said her father, “and, as we’re a little later than I expected, we’ll have it served right away.”

The Country Club House was an elaborate one, with broad verandas and large, high-ceilinged halls and rooms. The walls bore the usual decorations of antlers and other trophies of the chase, and the appointments were luxurious and comfortable.

Patty had never been to just such a place before, and was interested in it all.

“Can’t we become members, father?” she asked, as its plan and scope were explained to her.

“Next year, perhaps, my dear. But this summer we’ll content ourselves with coming over here occasionally, by the courtesy of my friends.”

Luncheon was served in a small dining-room, which they had quite to themselves. The viands were most attractive and proved more than acceptable to the hungry motorists.

After luncheon, they wandered about the beautiful grounds, and some of them went for a row on the lake, while some others had a short game of tennis.

Patty had such a good time that she was sorry when her father called them to go home.

“We just fly from one kind of fun to another!” exclaimed Elise, as they made 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 and Mr. Harper in the roadster, with Mr. Hepworth behind to see that you don’t fall out.”

As usual, Mr. Van Reypen’s audacity carried the day; and, too, Elise had no objections to driving home with Kenneth. This left Roger and Christine to go in the big car with the two elder Fairfields, and the arrangement was fairly satisfactory all around.

But, as Patty and Mr. Van Reypen were about to start, Roger came up to speak to them.

“You must play fair and square, Patty,” he said. “You divvied up the ride, 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 exchange him for me.”

“All right, Roger, I will; it’s only fair that all you boys should have a spin with Camilla in turn.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Philip Van Reypen, as they sped away. “I don’t think you need to change partners on this short trip.”

“’Deed I will!” declared Patty. “I’ve had enough of being scolded because I don’t play fair. Now when we get to that halfway place, you know 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 reach the 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 Patty was 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 it takes away all the pleasure of our conversation.”

“Too bad,” said Patty, demurely; “but do you know I rather like formality, 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 the conversation lagged.

“I want to tell you something,” said Patty, suddenly. “I don’t feel quite 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’t you ashamed of yourself?”

“Yes, I am,” said Patty, hanging her head, and looking like a lovely penitent. “Can you ever forgive me?”

“No, I never can!” Van Reypen’s tone was very stern, and Patty was amazed 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 an expression so savage that it suddenly dawned on Patty that he was fooling, after all!