Patty's Motor Car

“Not entirely true? How much of it was true? Since you seem to know all about her conversation with me, I suppose she told you.”

“No, she didn’t. Now listen, Ken; I hate, awfully, to talk against Elise, but I’ve simply got to stand up for my own rights in this thing. I did tell her that I only wore that locket once or twice, but I didn’t tell her that I didn’t care anything about it. For I do. I care a great deal about it.”

“Then, why don’t you wear it oftener?”

“I’ll be perfectly frank with you, Ken. It’s just because that locket with your picture in it was too, – well, too personal a sort of present for you to give me, or for me to wear.”

“You took it!”

“Yes; after I’d asked father, and he told me I might, but you know I went away with Elise then, to Paris, and every time she saw it she pretended that it meant a great deal more than it did. Of course, it was only a token of our boy and girl friendship, but she chose to pretend it meant romance and sentiment and all those things.”

“But since it meant and still means our boy and girl friendship, I think you might wear it sometimes.”

“I see I’ll have to tell you the whole story,” said Patty, with a little sigh. “Well, last Christmas Elise bought a seal ring for Roger, and then, at the last minute, she decided she’d like to give it to you, and she asked my advice about it. I told her it was too personal a present for a girl to give a young man, and I didn’t think she ought to do it. It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to give you a nice present, but I didn’t think it looked right for her to give you that kind of a one. I told her to get you books, or something like that.”

“What’s all this got to do with the locket?”

“Why, Elise said that I needn’t talk about personal presents, after I had accepted from you a locket with your picture in it. And so I told her that that was very different, as we were old friends, and, anyhow, I had only worn it once or twice. But I didn’t say I didn’t care anything for it.”

Kenneth’s face cleared, and he turned toward Patty with an honest, beaming smile.

“It’s all right, Patty; I see through it now. Elise did try to make me think you had said something mean, but you didn’t, and I felt sure you hadn’t.”

“You didn’t feel quite sure, Ken.”

“No, I’m ashamed to say I didn’t, at first, but that was because I was so hurt at what I was told you had said. But it’s all right now, and I know you’ll forgive me, like the trump you are. I’d grasp your strong right hand, if I weren’t afraid that would make you steer us both into the ocean.”

“I’ll consider it grasped. And I’m downright glad that we’re good chums again, for I hate to have squabbles with anybody, and I almost never do.”

“I know it, Patty; you’re a sweet-tempered little thing, and I was a mean-spirited coward to believe for a minute that you’d say anything unkind about any of your friends.”

“Especially you, Ken;” and Patty flashed him a glance of comradeship. “But it was Mona who fixed this thing up for us.”

“Isn’t she a queer girl? She’s so blunt, and yet very few girls could have done what she did for you, Patty.”

“I know it; and I do appreciate it, and I shall always love her for it. But, Ken, what can I say to Elise?”

“Don’t say anything, Patty; that’s the best way.”

“And, if she ever tries again to lower me in your esteem, what then?”

“She won’t succeed! I’ve had my little lesson.”

“Good for you, Ken! If you ever have reason to think that I said anything mean about you, you come and ask me about it, – because Mona may not be around next time.”

“I will, indeed, Patty.”

And then, peace being thoroughly established, the trouble passed out of their minds forever, and the old chummy relations were resumed. They had a beautiful drive along the coast, and, when they got back to “The Pebbles,” it was nearly lunch time. They found the whole crowd assembled on the veranda, and Mr. Van Reypen seemed to be spokesman at a very important conference.

“It’ll be the most fun of anything you ever saw!” he declared. “A real old-fashioned picnic! None of your modern country-club affairs. But a tablecloth spread on the ground, and sandwiches and devilled eggs, and a campfire to boil the coffee, and lemonade, and hopper-grasses hopping in the pie, and everything just as it should be! Oh, gorgeous!”

“Why sit on the ground?” asked Christine. “Aren’t there any benches in the picnic place?”

“We’re not going to a picnic grounds, little girl,” Mr. Van Reypen informed her; “we’re going to a real, live woods; to the darksome depths of a dingley dell.”

“Tell us all about it!” cried Patty, as she and Kenneth joined the group.

“Entirely my own invention!” cried Philip; “it’s a picnic I’m arranging for to-morrow, and I’d be honoured if you two would deign to attend.”

“We will that!” exclaimed Patty; “but I heard something about grasshoppers. Do we have to have those?”

“No; if you prefer, you can have ants or spiders. But you can’t have a real picnic without some such attachments. Now listen to what I’ve planned! It’s just too lovely! I’ve engaged three runabouts from the amiable garage man over forninst. Camilla will make four, and, if Mr. and Mrs. Fairfield will lead the parade in their own car, we’ll have an imposing procession.”

“Not I!” cried Nan, gaily. “If you young people want to go on this entomological picnic, I’ve not the slightest objection. And I’ll see that you have enough sandwiches and devilled eggs to feed both yourselves and the grasshoppers, but I’ll have to ask you to excuse my husband and myself from attending.”

“The only regrets I’ve had so far,” said Philip; “anybody else who don’t want to go?”

But the others all declared that the plan was perfect, and they wouldn’t miss the picnic for anything.

“Now, I’ll run the whole show,” went on Philip. “You understand it’s my picnic entirely, and I’m host, and master of ceremonies, and chief engineer. I shall provide the entire luncheon, and, with due respects and thanks to Mrs. Fairfield for her offer of hard-boiled eggs, I must decline it, as I shall get all those things from the pleasant-faced and generously proportioned lady who is queen of the kitchen over at my hotel.”

They all professed themselves satisfied to let Mr. Van Reypen take full charge of his own picnic, and all expressed perfect willingness to be merely passengers. Mona was present, as usual, and was of course included in the invitation. She was enthusiastic in her delight at the prospect, and, quite forgetting to go home to luncheon, she accepted Nan’s invitation to lunch at “The Pebbles.”

The next day proved an ideal one for Philip’s picnic. They were to start about ten o’clock, for he informed them the particular dingley dell he had in mind was a fairly long distance off.

So, promptly at ten o’clock, he came over to “The Pebbles” in a runabout, accompanied by a chauffeur. He was followed by two other runabouts, each in charge of a chauffeur.

The picnic party stood on the veranda, not quite sure what the arrangements were to be, but laughingly declaring they were ready to follow orders.

“First,” said Mr. Van Reypen, “I’ll load up this car;” and into the first runabout he assisted Miss Galbraith, and bade Roger Farrington get in beside her. Needless to say, these two were well satisfied, and went spinning off down the road.

Next, turning to Mr. Hepworth, he asked him if he could drive a car.

“An electric? Yes,” said Mr. Hepworth.

“Because, if you don’t want to drive it, this car will hold three, and you can take a chauffeur,” said Philip, who had provided for every emergency.

“No, I prefer to drive,” said Mr. Hepworth, quietly, and then Philip said: “All right; and I give you Miss Farley for a companion. Don’t quarrel on the way.”

And so, with Christine, Mr. Hepworth drove away, and Philip turned to the others.

“I hardly know how to divide up the rest of us,” he said, stroking his chin, thoughtfully, “but I’ll try it this way. Harper, will you take Miss Farrington in this very pretty-looking new runabout?”

It was an awkward situation, though Philip didn’t know it. Elise was delighted with the plan, and beamed all over her face as she took the seat indicated. Kenneth was not at all pleased, and it was really with difficulty that he refrained from showing it. But Patty gave him a pleading look, as if begging him to make the best of the situation, and so, with what was apparently hearty good-will, he took his seat beside Elise, saying, “All right, here goes for a fine ride!”

Kenneth was fond of driving a car, and, not owning one himself, he rarely had the opportunity; so Patty felt sure he would enjoy the trip quite irrespective of who might be beside him. And, as Patty realised, there was no other way to arrange the couples from Mr. Van Reypen’s viewpoint, for she knew from the beginning that he intended to ride with her.

“I declare, I’m a car short!” exclaimed Philip, as Kenneth and Elise drove away. “I should have ordered four cars, and I only engaged three! We’ll have to stay at home! Shall you mind?”