His gaze had wandered from his sleeping aunt to Patty, now sound asleep in a big armchair.
The crimson velvet made a perfect background for her golden curls, a bit tumbled by her afternoon exertions at being entertaining.
Her posture was one of graceful relaxation, and pretty Patty had never looked prettier than she did then, asleep in the faint firelight.
“By Jove!” exclaimed the young man, but not aloud, “if that isn’t the prettiest sight ever. I believe there’s a tradition that one may kiss a lady whom one finds asleep in her chair, but I won’t. She’s a dear little girl, and she shan’t be teased.”
Then Mr. Philip Van Reypen deliberately, and noiselessly, lifted another large armchair and, carefully disposing his own goodly proportioned frame within it, proceeded to fall asleep himself—or if not really asleep, he gave an exceedingly good imitation of it.
Patty woke first. As she slowly opened her eyes she saw Philip dimly through the now rapidly gathering dusk.
Quick as a flash she took in the situation, and shut her eyes again, though not until Philip had seen her from beneath his own quivering lids.
After a time she peeped again.
“Why play hide-and-seek?” he whispered.
“What about your promise?” she returned, also under her breath.