“No, I wouldn’t. I’m fearfully hungry. Honest I am.”
So Patty had her selection, and though she ate little of each course, she took small portions with decided relish.
“I feel like a new lady!” she declared when she had finished. “Is there dancing? Can I have a turn? I don’t want to go to bed yet.”
“Of course you can dance,” said Maude. “But you must remain M’lle Farini for the evening. Can you remember?”
“’Course I can. It’ll be fun. Besides, I’m only going to have one trot with Chick and then I’ll go by-by, like a good little girl.”
But, as might have been expected, after her one dance, Patty was besieged by would-be partners, clamouring for an introduction. The manager of the hotel was bribed, cajoled, and threatened in the various efforts of his guests to get introductions to Patty and to Miss Kent.
“Just one or two,” Patty whispered to Maude, and so two or three young men won the coveted presentation, and Patty was urged to dance.
But this she refused. She wanted to chat a little with these strangers, but she didn’t care to dance with men so lately made acquainted.
Channing acted as bodyguard, and his close inspection would have barred out any one he did not altogether approve of. But they were a nice class of men, polite and well-bred, and they were entertaining as well. Patty had a right down good time, and not the least part of the fun was the masquerading as another.
“You are staying here long, M’lle Farini?” asked Mr. Gaunt, an attractive man of musical tastes.