“Yes, I know. The principal thing I noticed that seemed strange was that she didn’t knit!”
“My goodness gracious! I never thought of that!” exclaimed Herron.
“At least, she could have made a stab at it, which is what most women do. Oh, you needn’t laugh! I’ve observed them! They spend more time holding their work off and looking at it, or counting stitches, or picking back—whatever that is!—or correcting mistakes, or, just patting and pinching the thing!”
“You’re right, Mr. Herron,” and Patty laughed at his graphic description, which was greatly aided by his dramatic imitation of a nervous knitter. “But Mrs. Doremus didn’t even do that. Nor did she say anything about it,—which was queer, I think.”
“Yes, it was queer,” agreed Helen, “though I hadn’t thought of it before. Oh, Patty! This cream cake is a _dream_!”
“A dream cake?” suggested Philip, “a cream cake dream cake,—well, what I noticed especially about our friend and benefactor, was her shoes.”
“No lady would wear shoes like those!” Van Reypen asserted.
“I didn’t see them,” said Patty, “her dress was so long. Queer, to have such very long skirts, nowadays.”
“No lady would wear such a long skirt,” Van Reypen went on.
“Oh, Phil, don’t be so critical,” and Patty shook her head at him. “Mrs. Doremus wasn’t fashionable, I know, nor even very well posted as to a chaperon’s duties, but she was kind, and she filled what I think is known as a long-felt want.”
“She told me something you haven’t told me, Patty,” and Helen looked reproachfully at her cousin.
“She says your Big Bill is coming to New York in February.”
“She did! A lot she knows about it! She’s a meddlesome Matty,—I think! And, besides, he isn’t,—’cause why? ’cause if he had been he would have told his little Patty person!”
“Dunno. She may have heard some rumours or had inside information from somebody. I thought you’d be glad to hear it, Patty.”
“I am, if it’s true. But, I never believe good news, till I’m pretty positive. It saves disappointment, lots of times.”
“Little philosopher!” and Van Reypen gave her a sympathetic glance. “But I shouldn’t be surprised if that news were true, for I saw something in the paper this morning that looked like it.”
“When I get home, I’ll have a letter,” and Patty blushed a little, “and I rather guess I’ll be told, if there’s anything to tell.”