LITMIR.BIZ

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It’s called ‘Red Chimneys,’ and I have a girl friend in there,—at least, she’s an acquaintance,—who makes me a lot of trouble, too.”

      “I don’t make you trouble, Patty, do I?”

      “Well, of course, it’s mostly Elise’s fault, but, if you’ll just ignore it, and stand up for your own rights, you can help me a whole lot.”

      “I will, Patty; indeed, I will!” said Christine, earnestly, and then they arrived at “The Pebbles.”

      Dinner that night was a gay and jolly feast. It was the eve of the birthday, and the house party had already assumed an air of festivity.

      Mr. Van Reypen and Kenneth Harper had come down later than the others, and Philip Van Reypen had established himself at the hotel where Mr. Hepworth was, while Kenneth was a house guest at “The Pebbles.”

      But the men from the hotel came over to dinner, and announced their intention of staying as late as they would be allowed.

      Also, to Patty’s dismay, Mona Galbraith had come over just before dinner, and, as she was still there when dinner was announced, Nan felt herself really obliged to ask the girl to dine with them.

      Patty didn’t like it at all, but there was no help for it, and so Mona stayed. She looked very pretty that night, and was not quite so overdressed as usual. Moreover, she made herself bright and entertaining, without showing any of her less desirable traits of character.

      Seated between Roger and Mr. Van Reypen, she ingratiated herself with both, and, when Patty saw that the boys seemed to like Mona, she felt rather glad she was there.

      After dinner they all drifted out to the verandas, and, as it was a moonlight night and high breakers were dashing in on the beach, there was the usual chorus of admiration for the glories of the seashore.

      There was much gay chatter and laughter, there was some desultory singing of songs, and at last Elise jumped up, saying: “I just can’t stand it any longer! I simply must go down to the beach! Will anybody go with me?”

      “I will,” said Kenneth, gallantly. “I was just thinking about that myself. Anybody else want to go?”

      “I want to go,” said Christine, a little timidly, and Patty looked up in surprise, at the idea of Christine wanting to go with Elise anywhere.

      But Christine was longing to get down to the water, and see the ocean nearer by, for it was about two blocks from “The Pebbles,” though no buildings intervened.

      “Mayn’t I go with you, Christine?” said Mr. Hepworth; and, with a glance of gratitude, Christine said, “Yes, indeed.”

      “Come on, then,” sung out Kenneth. “All ashore that’s going! Let’s all go.”

      But Roger said that the ocean must wait for him until next day, for he was going over to “Red Chimneys” with Miss Galbraith, just then.

      “What for?” asked Patty, in amazement.

      “He wants to see father’s birds,” explained Mona. “You know, my father has a really wonderful collection of stuffed birds,—and he’ll be delighted to show them to Mr. Farrington, who says he is interested in them.”

      “All right,” said Patty; “run along, you two. But don’t stay late, Roger; we keep early hours down here.”

      “All right, Patty, I won’t;” and Roger walked away with Miss Galbraith, while Patty looked after them with a puzzled glance.

      The four who wanted to walk to the beach had already started, leaving the two senior Fairfields and Patty and Mr. Van Reypen on the veranda.

      “It’s perfectly heavenly to get away from the city, and down to this beautiful, quiet, peaceful spot,” said Philip Van Reypen, as he seated himself on the veranda railing, and leaned against a pillar.

      “Is your life in the city so full of strife that you welcome peace?” asked Patty, smiling.

      “Oh, the city itself is full of strife,” returned Van Reypen; “isn’t it, Mr. Fairfield?”

      “Yes; compared to the seashore, it certainly is. This expanse of blue ocean is much more peaceful and calm than a scene in Wall Street, for instance.”

      “Yes, that’s what I mean; and to get down here and just bask in the calmness and peace is a great delight to me. It was awfully good of you people to ask me.”

      “We like to have you here,” said Nan, smiling at the young man’s frank and heartfelt gratitude.

      “And I think it’s good of you to come,” said Patty; “for you must have lots of invitations to grander houses than this.”

      “My child,” said Philip Van Reypen, looking at her, gravely, “it is not the grandeur of a house that attracts me; it’s the grandeur of the people. And I think you people are just grand! But, tell me, how do you like the motor car which you won by such strenuous exertion?”

      “Which you helped me to win,” said Patty. “I never could have won it without your help. And to think you haven’t seen it! Come out to the garage now, and take a look at it. I’ve never seen it by moonlight myself; and I know it must look lovely.”

      Catching up a light wrap, Patty flung it around her, and, with Mr. Van Reypen, walked around the house to the garage. The full moon was so very bright that, when the young man opened the big doors, Patty’s car showed as clearly and plainly as if it had been daylight.

      “Isn’t she a beauty!” said Patty, in a voice almost awestruck, for the moonlight touched up the car with a sort of magic lustre never seen by day.

      “She sure is!” declared young Van Reypen, with emphasis. “Wow! what perfection of detail, and what beautiful finish! Can you run it?”

      “Can I run it? Well, rather! Why, I’ve run it hundreds of miles since I’ve had it!”

      “Let’s get her out now, and just circle the drive once.”

      “Oh, it’s too late now! I’ll take you out in it to-morrow.”

      “Nonsense! it’s only about ten o’clock, and it’s as light as noonday. Come on, let’s do it.”

      “All right, I don’t mind. But just around the drive; we won’t go out of the gate.”

      “All right, then; hop in. Let me drive.”

      “But I want to show off my driving.”

      “Oh, wait until to-morrow for that, Miss Vanity. I know you drive beautifully, but I want to see how this thing works, myself. You know I guessed some few of those puzzles.”

      “Yes, I know you did. All right, then, you drive.”

      Philip assisted Patty in, and then took his own place and grasped the steering-bar and the controller.

      “My, but she is a daisy! All the modern kinks in the way of mechanism!”

      They circled the driveway twice, and, when passing the veranda, Patty turned to wave her hand to her father and Nan, she discovered they were not there. “Why, they must have gone in!” she said, in surprise.

      “Perhaps they went down to the beach,” suggested Van Reypen. “Let’s go and see.”

      They were near the gateway then, and, before Patty knew it, Philip had swung the car through, and they were spinning along the shore road.

      The top of the car was down, and they had an unobstructed view of sea and shore. The night was still, save for the pounding of the surf, and the crested billows frothed and dashed on the white sand. The moon touched everything with its magic, and the sea, the beach, and the inland were alike shining with a silver glory. The smooth, hard road stretched ahead of them like a white ribbon, and it was small wonder that Philip Van Reypen did not

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