"Well, come,—oh, come anywhere, where I can speak to you alone a minute!"
"Just one minute," said Patty, "no more!"
"All right, but where can we go?"
"Here!" said Patty, and leading him through the dining-room, she opened the door of the butler's pantry, a spacious and attractive room of itself.
"James won't be in here to-night," she said, "as we are dining out. But
I'll only stay a minute."
"But, Patty, DARLING, I want to tell you,—you know I'm going away, and
I won't see you again,—and I MUST tell you,—I must ASK you—"
"Patty—Pat-ty! Bill! Where ARE you both?"
Mona's voice rose high as she called, and it was joined by others calling the same two names.
"They're calling, we must go!" exclaimed Patty.
"Go! Nothing!" cried Big Bill, savagely. He glanced round,—he saw the dumb-waiter, built large and roomy in accordance with all the plans of "Red Chimneys."