“Yes, of course, she’s a lovely lady. But Patty oughtn’t to be racing round with her.”
“Patty wasn’t racing! She wouldn’t do such a thing in Poland Spring House. Now, Bill, put it out of your mind. There’s no occasion for you to get stirred up because Patty has made a new acquaintance. And I guess Chick Channing can take care of her, he wouldn’t let her know anybody who wasn’t all right.”
“Chick is thoughtless. He likes Maudie, and so do I. But she’s no fit companion for Patty.”
“Why? Is Patty Fairfield better than us common people? Is she made of finer clay? Wouldn’t you want me to meet the Maudie lady?”
“Oh, you. Why, that wouldn’t matter so much.”
“Bill Farnsworth! What a speech! I guess I’m every bit as good as Patty Fairfield.”
“Of course you are, Daisy. Don’t be silly. But you’re more—more experienced, you know, and a little less—less conventional. Patty has never had half the experience of the world that you have. I don’t want her mixed up with that sort of people, and I won’t have it!”
“Well,” and Daisy spoke coldly, “I don’t see how you can help it. They’ve gone off, and you can’t very well follow them, or have them arrested. Probably Chick and Patty are starting for home. And I’m sure it’s time we did.”
“But I can’t go off and leave Patty here!”
“You can’t do anything else. You’re not Patty’s keeper, Bill, and it’s silly to act as if you were.”