“Of course I will. Tell me exactly what to do.”
“Go there, as soon as you can, and tell Mrs. Richards who you are. She will take you to my rooms, and from the top drawer of my chiffonier get a large white envelope,—not the blue one,—that’s tucked half under a pile of handkerchiefs. Take it back to Rose’s with you, and I’ll send there for it. See?”
“Yes, my liege lord, and I fly to obey. Oh, I just love to do such things for you, Billy-Boy!”
“Cut along, then, and don’t let the grass grow under your tiny buckled slippers. Bye-bye.”
So Patty “cut along,” Mrs. Barrett being more than willing to lend her car, and soon the house was reached.
Mrs. Richards heard Patty’s request and at once took her up to Farnsworth’s rooms.
“There you are, Miss Fairfield,” she said, “there’s the chiffonier. Help yourself. My, but there’s a lot of secret errand work going on. I don’t know how Captain Farnsworth gets into a day’s work all he has to do! I should think he’d be worn out, and I rather think he is.”
While the lady rattled on, Patty opened the designated drawer and quickly found the envelope in question. About to close the drawer again, her eye was caught by a packet of letters tied with blue ribbon. Struck by the sight of such unofficial-looking documents in Bill’s possession, she glanced curiously at the outside one. It had no envelope and in a feminine handwriting she saw the words, “Oh, you dear, splendid big hero, how I do love you!”
Hastily realising what she was doing, she pushed the drawer shut and declared herself ready to go.
“Got what you want?” asked Mrs. Richards, pleasantly. “Sorry Lena isn’t home. My daughter, you know. She’d so love to see you, she’s just crazy to meet Captain Farnsworth’s lady-love. Lena’s a bit jealous of you, too! She thinks the Captain’s about the most wonderful man on earth! Mind the steps. This hall’s a bit dark.”