For a brief instant the young man looked dumfounded, but immediately recovering himself, he turned to Mona and said, gracefully:
"Miss Fairfield has told you of the secret hope I cherish; will you grant it, Miss Galbraith?"
Mona, flattered, and a little flustered at this attention, consented, and the two walked away together.
Jack Pennington gave Patty an understanding glance, but Lora Sayre said, "How funny for Edgar to do that!" Then realising the impolite implication, she added, "He's so infatuated with you, Patty. I'm surprised to see him leave you."
"Soldier men are very fickle," said Patty, assuming a mock woe-begone expression; "but your cousin is a most interesting man, Lora."
"Yes, indeed; Edgar is splendid. He has lived in the Philippines and other queer places, and he tells such funny stories. He is most entertaining. But I see mother beckoning to me; I must go and see what she wants."
Lora ran away, and Jack Pennington remained with Patty.
"You're a brick!" he exclaimed; "to dispose of that marvellous military model, just so you could play with me!"
"That wasn't my only motive," said Patty, gazing after the captain and Mona—as they stood at the door of the fortune teller's tent. "He is such a charming man, I wanted to share him with my friend."
"H'm—you say that to tease me, I suppose. But I remember, before he arrived on the scene, you thought ME such a charming man that you wanted to share ME with your friend."