“And Rumour has a thousand tongues,” added Farnsworth, “it’s a dangerous combination.”
A week later the two went to Washington. Sent for nearly at the same time, Farnsworth and Channing were to go to Washington, though their work there was widely different.
The night before their departure, there was a gathering of the clan at Patty’s home.
Farnsworth begged her not to have others there on their last evening together, but Patty’s wise little head thought it better to have a party.
“You see,” she said to Nan, “if I spend the evening alone with my Billee Boy, he’ll be so sad and blue, and I’ll be so weepy and red,—we’ll have an awful time! It’s a whole lot better to have the crowd here and let him go off in a blaze of glory! Patriotism is good for homesickness.”
And, too, Patty was trying to entertain Helen pleasantly, and so she made many little parties for her.
The plan of entertaining the other soldiers was postponed until they could do no more for their own friends, and the little party to speed their parting, though small, was gay and festive.
“A dance,” Patty decided. “I don’t want just a sit-around, woeful, sighful time. A good, lively dance, and a nice supper, and then——”
Patty choked, and Nan seeing the springing tears, quickly began to discuss details of the supper.
The evening came, and Patty dressed in white, went to Helen’s room to make sure she was in proper order.