As the time of departure drew near, Elise began to realise how much she would miss Patty, and lamented accordingly.
“I think you might have arranged to go where we’re going,” she said. “You know you could make your people go wherever you wanted to.”
“But you go to the Adirondacks, Elise; I couldn’t run my motor car much up there.”
“Oh, that motor car! Even if you do get it, Patty, you won’t use it more than a few times. Nobody does.”
“P’raps not. But, somehow, it just seems to me I shall. It just seems to me so. But, Elise, you’ll come down to visit me?”
“Yes; for a few days. But you’ll have Christine there most of the time, I suppose.”
“I’ll have Christine whenever she’ll come,” said Patty, a little sharply; “and, Elise, if you care anything for my friendship, I wish you’d show a little more friendliness toward her.”
“Oh, yes; just because Mr. Hepworth thinks she’s a prodigy, and Mrs. Van Reypen has taken her up socially, you think she’s something great!”
Patty looked at Elise a moment in astonishment at this outburst, and then she broke into a hearty laugh.
“I think you’re something great, Elise! I think you’re a great goose! What kind of talk are you talking? Christine is a dear, sweet, brave girl,—and you know it. Now, drop it, and never, never, never talk like that again.”