As Billee asked this question a dozen times a day for the sheer joy of watching Patty's lovely face smile an affirmative, she didn't think it necessary to enlarge on the subject.
"I do be," she said, succinctly, and Farnsworth believed her.
"Now, I propose," she went on, "that we have a week-end house-party. That's the nicest way to show off the place--"
"Patty! Are you growing proud and ostentatious?"
"I'm proud--very much so, of my home and my family,--but nobody ever called me ostentatious! What _do_ you mean?"
"Nothing. I spoke thoughtlessly. But you are puffed up with pride and vanity,--_I_ think."
Patty swept an arm off toward the acres of their domain, and smiled happily in her delight of ownership.
"Well, anyway," she went on, "we'll ask Elise and Bumble and Phil and Kenneth and Chick and--"
"Don't get too many,--you'll wear yourself all out just talking to them."
"No: a big party entertain themselves better than a few. Well, I'll fix up the list. Anybody you want specially?"
"No, not now. Some time we'll have Mona and Roger, of course; and some time Daisy--"
"Yes, when we have Adèle and Jim. Oh, won't we have lots of jolly parties! Thank goodness we've plenty of guest rooms."
"Not quite. I have to make lace things and fiddle-de-fads for some of them."
"Some I do, but some I like to make. It's no trouble, and they're prettier."
"Let's go back around by the garage, I want to see Larry."
They strolled around through the well-kept vegetable gardens and chicken yards, and came to the garage. Here were the big cars and Patty's own little runabout. Larry, the chauffeur, touched his cap with a respectful smile at Patty, and as Farnsworth talked to the man, Patty stood looking off across the grounds and wondering if any one in the whole world loved a home as she did.
Then they went on, strolling by the flower beds and formal gardens.
"And through the land at eve they went," quoted Bill, softly.
"And on her lover's arm she leant," Patty took up the verse.
"And round her waist she felt it fold," continued he:
"And far across the hills they went To that new world which is the old. And far across the dying day, Beyond its utmost purple rim: Beyond the night, across the day The happy Princess followed him."