With many, many thanks for your welcome letter, I am,
Very sincerely yours, CHRISTOPHER CAMERON."
"I knew he"d do it!" cried Patty. "I knew he"d fall for that flattery!
Kit"s a perfect dear, but he IS vain of his music, and I don"t blame him. He"s a wonderful violinist."
"What are you going to do next, Patty?" asked Adele. "Answer that letter?"
"Sure!" returned Patty; "but I"m not running this thing alone. We must all help make up the letter. And, Adele, haven"t you some photograph that will be just right to send?"
As soon as they reached home they hunted over Adele"s collection of photographs, and finally found one that Patty declared just right.
It was a picture of one of Adele"s cousins, a girl of about sixteen, whose sweet young face wore an expression so soulful and languishing that it was almost comical.
"Hester hates that picture," said Adele; "she never looks that way really,--like a sick calf,--but somehow the photographer managed to catch that expression."
"She wouldn"t mind if she knew, would she?" said Patty.
"Oh, mercy, no! She"d think it the best joke in the world. She lives in California, so there"s little chance of Mr. Cameron ever seeing her.
Now let"s write the letter."
After much agony of composition and much gay fooling, the plotters produced this:
"DEAR MR. CHRISTOPHER:
I must modify your more formal name a little,--for it seems now as if I almost knew you. I tremble with fear lest some one should discover that I write to you. But I cannot help writing. I am impelled by a feeling in my soul. I send my picture and I wish it were more beautiful. For I know you love only what is good and beautiful. We must not meet, that would be TOO dangerous. But will you not write me one more precious letter that I may keep it forever?
BELLE."
There had been much discussion over the signature. Adele preferred "Yours devotedly"; Daisy wanted "Yours adoringly"; but Patty stood out for the name alone, saying that it meant more that way.
And so the letter enclosing the picture was despatched to Kit, who received it duly.
CHAPTER XVI
BELLE HARCOURT
As quickly as possible the answer came back.
It was a rainy day, and Adele sent the chauffeur to Maple Bank after it.
The three gathered in Patty"s room to hear it read, and were not surprised that it ran after this manner:
"BELLE:
How could you know the dearest way to sign yourself? Any other word would have spoiled it! But Belle! My beautiful one! I MUST see you! The picture is just what I antic.i.p.ated, only more sweet and soulful. You are an angel, and I must see you or die. Do not make me wait. May I fly to Maple Bank at once? Meet me somewhere. No one will know it,--but I must look once into those dear eyes!
Your own
CHRISTOPHER."
"Oh, Kit, Kit!" exclaimed Patty, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes; "I didn"t know you COULD be such an idiot! Adele, we must have him come up here."
"Oh, of course. How shall we arrange a meeting?"
"I"ll tell you," said Daisy, "write him that Belle will meet him in front of the Maple Bank post-office. Then let Patty meet him, you know, and we"ll sit in the car and see the fun."
"All right," Patty agreed. "WON"T he be mad when he sees ME!"
So they wrote:
"MY CHRISTOPHER:
I knew we were made for each other. I, too, feel that I must see you.
But our meeting must be secret. I cannot risk my people knowing about it. So, will you meet me in front of the Maple Bank post-office at four o"clock on Thursday afternoon? I would like a more secluded place, but I dare not. The post-office is on a beautiful maple-shaded street and we can meet casually, as if we were ordinary pa.s.sersby. You must only speak with me a few moments, and let me look once deep in your eyes, and then you must pa.s.s on,--out of my life forever! But I shall have at least one moment of blissful rapture! You will know me, because I shall wear white, with pink roses in my hat, and a pink parasol. I can hardly wait for Thursday! Come soon to
Your
BELLE."
"I rather guess that"ll fetch him," observed Patty, complacently, as she sealed the envelope. "I knew Kit was a romantic goose, but I didn"t suppose he"d be up to these tricks."
"Of course we"ll bring him home with us, Patty," said Adele.
"Yes, he"ll come fast enough."
"If he isn"t too mad at you," put in Daisy.
"Oh, he won"t be mad," returned Patty; "he"ll be terribly cut up at first, to think I tricked him so, but he"ll get over it. And I warn you, Adele, if he comes here he"ll play some fearful joke on us to get even."
"I don"t mind," said Adele, "I like a joke once in awhile as well as anybody else. Now if he comes Thursday, Patty, will he stay over Sat.u.r.day? That"s May-day, you know, and I"d like to have him here for the celebration."
"He"ll be here if you ask him; even if he has to go back to the city Friday and come up again for Sat.u.r.day. Phil and Roger come Sat.u.r.day, you know."
Van Reypen had gone back to town for a few days, and Hal Ferris was also away on business, which was one reason why the girls had plunged so interestedly into their merry scheme.
Thursday afternoon they started for Maple Bank in time to be at the post-office before four o"clock, and witness the arrival of Mr. Cameron.
Patty looked her dainty best, in a white linen, with a broad-brimmed hat wreathed with pink roses. Her pink parasol was flounced with chiffon and adorned with a bunch of pink roses, and two rose blooms were tucked in her belt.
"Rather summery garb, for the last of April," said Patty, gazing at herself in Adele"s long mirror; "but I said I"d wear white before I thought. However, it"s a lovely day, and with my motor coat I"ll be warm enough going over."
They started off in high spirits, and reached the post-office at quarter before four. Kit was already there, walking calmly up and down the maple-shaded village street, and apparently waiting with properly concealed impatience.
In accordance with directions, the chauffeur drove right past the post-office and around a corner, where the three conspirators might indulge in a burst of laughter.