Patty sat a moment in front of her mirror, talking to herself, as she often did.
"Of course Little Billee is engaged," she said to herself; "he's too nice a man not to be. And I hope his Kitty is a lovely, sweet, charming girl. I don't think, as an engaged man, he had any business to throw flowers in at my window, but I suppose that was because we've always been good friends. I don't see how he could tear himself away from the charming Kitty long enough to come East, but he's always flying across the continent on his business trips."
Daisy came into Patty's room then, and the two girls went downstairs together.
The guests had gathered for the garden party, and were dotted over the lawns or grouped on the veranda.
"Thank goodness it's a warm day," said Patty, as they went down the stairs. "Sometimes on May-day we have to go around in fur coats."
At the foot of the staircase Bill Farnsworth waited to greet Patty.
He came forward with an eager smile and took her two hands in his.
"Little Apple Blossom!" he exclaimed; "Patty Pink-and-White!"
For the life of her, Patty could not be as cordial as she would have been if Adele had not told her what she did. But though she tried to speak a genuine welcome, she only succeeded in saying, "How do you do, Mr. Farnsworth?" in a cool little voice.
Big Bill looked at her in amazement.