“This,” she began, “is for Dick Selden. Isn’t it a dandy! And this one is for my own Daddy. Won’t he be surprised to get one?”
Lena chuckled happily, and looked up into Bill’s face for a show of approval.
She seemed only a child; her sixteen years sat lightly on her slim little shoulders, and her dark, winsome face was lighted with such a glow of happy anticipation, that good-natured Farnsworth couldn’t bear to speak shortly to her.
“All right, Baby,” he said, good-humouredly, “show me your valentines, and get it over with. Which one is for me?”
“Oh, that I haven’t here! Of course I wouldn’t show you that one!” A merry laugh rippled from the rosy lips. “And you’ll send me one, won’t you, Captain?”
“Why, I hadn’t thought of doing so. In fact, I hadn’t thought of sending any.”
“What! Not to your sweetheart? Not to that lovely angel-faced girl whose pictures are all about here? I’m ashamed of you! What _will_ she think?”
Farnsworth suddenly realised his defection. “But,” he said, “she’ll forgive me. Patty will understand. She knows I’m terribly busy—more than busy,—I’m all in a moil, and working night and day to straighten it out——”
“But, Captain! That isn’t enough to excuse not sending a valentine to the girl of your heart! Whee! If I were engaged to a man, and if he didn’t send me a valentine! I’d break that engagement so quick he wouldn’t know what hit him! Fie, fie, Captain! You’re a peach of a lover, you are!”
Lena had risen and was dancing about the room. A restless elf, she rarely sat still long, and loved to fly about, looking at things here and there, poking and prying curiously into books or papers, and really bothering the life out of Farnsworth. Many times he had concluded to move to other quarters, where he might be free from her interruptions, but this house suited him so well otherwise, and, too, he was so busy, he disliked to take the necessary time to make the change.
But Lena’s accusation gave his big, true heart a thrill. Was he really negligent of Patty? His own Posy-face Patty,—whom he loved with all his great soul! He knew he was not a society man, not much of an observer of the lighter conventions, and he wondered if Patty would expect a valentine from him, and be disappointed at not receiving it.