“Well, your freshness hasn’t worn off, Bill Farnsworth,” and Patty stood up, her eyes dark with anger at his words. “And I don’t care for any more of your opinions on a subject you know nothing about.”
Big Bill Farnsworth smiled. “Well, was it a little ruffled kitten! Did it hate to be misjudged and misunderstood and all those horrid things! Well, then, Patty, see here. I’ll let you off from your promise to tell me when you think of going on the stage, but you must tell your father. Though I can’t think you would ever take such a step, without consulting him.”
Patty’s sudden blush and a guilty look in her eyes made Bill stare at her sharply, and then he said: “Oh, you were thinking of just that,—were you, Patty Fairfield? I can hardly believe it. You poor little thing, you must be infatuated! Is it all that Maude Kent’s doing? Or, have you—Patty, you haven’t seen Stengel, have you?”
“No,” and Patty looked astounded at Bill’s vehemence. “Why?”
“Thank heaven! I thought for the fraction of a second your infatuation might be for him. All right. You go home and talk to your father and your very sensible stepmother, and I’ll warrant you’ll forget this bee in your bonnet in pretty short order. And I hope you’ll never see Maude Kent again. She has a certain charm and I don’t wonder it appealed to a poor little innocent like you. Promise, Patty, you’ll lay the case before your parents, before you take a further step.”
“Of course I shan’t go against their wishes,” Patty spoke with great dignity, “but I know I can get them to see it as I do.”
“Indeed? And just how do you see it?”
“Why, I see a fine and worthy career opening before me,” Patty scowled as the grin on Bill’s face grew broader, “a more valuable career than you are able to appreciate, a more—more——”
“Patty! Oh, you angel goose, you! Do stop, you’ll finish me!” And Farnsworth threw back his head and roared with laughter. “And does this—er—valuable career shape itself to your clearer vision as being in the front row of the chorus, or farther back——”
Bill paused, stopped by the look of horror on Patty’s face.