CHAPTER XI
MEETING IT BRAVELY
"You're the most wonderful girl in the world!" exclaimed Cameron, in aburst of admiration at Patty's speech.
But Kenneth looked steadily at Patty, with a thoughtful gaze.
"You're keyed up," he said to her, gently; "and if you take it likethat, you'll collapse."
"Like what?" Patty snapped out the words, for her nerves were strung toa high tension.
"Doing the hysterical histrionic act," and Kenneth smiled at theexcited girl, not reprovingly, but with gentle sympathy. "Now take itstanding, Patty,--face it squarely,--and you'll be all right. We'rehoused up here,--for how long, Cameron?"
"I--I don't know," said Kit, looking desperate.
"That only means you won't tell," declared his cousin. "Own up, Kit,how long did the doctor say?"
"Three or four weeks."
"Oh!" Patty merely breathed the word, but it sounded like a wail ofdespair. Then she caught Kenneth's eye, and his glance of steadfastcourage nerved her anew.
"It's all right," she said, almost succeeding in keeping a quiver outof her voice. "We can have a real good time. People can send us allsorts of things, and,--I suppose we can't write letters,--but we cantelephone. Oh, that reminds me; may I telephone Mr. Van Reypen at once,that I can't"--Patty blinked her eyes, and swallowed hard--"that Ican't be at my--at his party this evening?"
Mr. Cameron looked a picture of abject grief.
"Miss Fairfield," he began, "if I could only tell you how sorry I am--"
"Please don't," said Patty, kindly; "I've accepted the situation now,and you won't hear a single wail of woe from me. Pooh! what's a theatreparty more or less among me! And a few weeks' rest will do us all good.We'll pretend we're at a rest cure or sanitarium, and go to bed early,and get up late, and all that."
"Oh, of course we must all telephone to our homes," said Marie; "and Imust say, I think girls are selfish creatures! We've never given athought to Mr. Harper's business!"
"Don't give it a thought," said Kenneth, lightly. "I've given it one ortwo already, and I may give it another. That's enough for any oldbusiness."
"That sounds well, Ken," said Patty, "but I know it's going to make youa terrific lot of trouble. And Mr. Cameron, too! A civil engineer--"
"Can't be uncivil, even in a case like this," put in Kit; "or I'd saywhat I really feel about the whole business! It would be worse, ofcourse, if one of our own people were ill; but to be tied up like thisbecause of a servant is, to say the least, exasperating."
"Babette's a nice little thing, and I'm awfully sorry for her," saidPatty.
"So am I," said Marie; "but I'm like Kit. I think it's awful for half adozen of us to be held here, like this, because a maid is ill!"
"But, Marie, what's the use of even thinking about it?" said Patty; "wecan't help ourselves, we're obliged to stay here, so for goodness'sake, let's make the best of it. I shall send home for my pinkchiffon,--that's always a great comfort to me in time of trouble."
"Send for one for me," said Cameron, "if they're so comforting introuble."
"I've only one," returned Patty, "but you can share the benefit of itscomforting qualities. Now we'll have to take turns at the telephone.Suppose I take it first, and break the news to Mr. Van Reypen, forhe'll have to invite somebody in my place."
"You're sure it's positive?" said Kenneth to Cameron; "you're surethere's no hope of a reprieve or a mistaken diagnosis?"
"No," said Kit, positively; "I made sure, before I told you at all."
"Of course you did," said Patty, trying to be cheerful. "I know youwouldn't have told us, until you were sure you had to. Now I'lltelephone to Phil, and then to my home, and then, Marie, you can tellyour people, and after that we'll let the men fix up their businessaffairs. What a comfort it is that we can telephone, for I don'tsuppose we'll be allowed to write letters, unless we fumigate them, andI won't inflict my friends with those horrid odours."
The telephone was in the library, and as Patty crossed the hall, shemet Mrs. Perry coming toward her.
Mrs. Perry had her handkerchief to her eyes, and Patty went straight toher and put her arms around her.
"Dear Mrs. Perry," she said, "I am SO sorry for you! To have Babette'sillness, and then to have the burden of four guests at the same time!But, truly, we'll make just as little trouble as we can, and I hopeyou'll let us help in any way possible."
"Oh, Patty," Lora Perry said, in a choked voice, "I feel dreadful aboutmaking you stay here in these circumstances! Just think of all yourengagements,--and all the fun you'll miss. It's perfectly awful!"
"Now don't think of those things at all. Just remember that your fourguests are not complaining a bit. We know you're sorry for us and youknow we're sorry for you, and we're all sorry for poor Babette. Nowthat part's settled, and we're all going to make the best of it. Youdon't go into Babette's room, do you?"
"Oh, no; I couldn't go near the baby, if I did. And the patient has atrained nurse, you know. Honestly, Patty,--you don't mind my callingyou Patty, do you?"
"No, indeed, I like to have you."
"Well, I was going to say, I don't really think there's a bit of dangerof infection for any of us. But, of course, you know what a doctor'sorders are, and how they must be obeyed."
"Of course I know; now don't you think for a moment of any petty littledisappointments we girls may have. Why, they're nothing compared toyour trouble and Mr. Perry's, and the boys'."
Patty telephoned Philip Van Reypen, and that young man was simplyaghast.
"I can't believe it!" he exclaimed. "Do you mean to say that you peopleare to be held up there for weeks? It's preposterous! It's criminal!"
"Don't talk like that, Philip. We can't help it. The Perrys can't helpit. And it isn't a national catastrophe. Honestly, a few weeks' restwill do me good."
"Yes! With that Cameron man dangling at your heels!"
"Well, Philip, if I have to stay here, you ought to be glad I have someone here to amuse me."
"I'm not! I'd rather you were there alone! Patty, I won't stand it! I'mcoming up myself, to dig you out!"
"Don't talk foolishness! If you come up here, you'll have to stay! Theydon't let any one leave the house."
"All right, then, I'll stay! That wouldn't be half bad."
"Philip, behave yourself! Mrs. Perry has all the company she can takecare of."
"I'll help her take care of her company. One of 'em, anyway!"
"I won't talk to you, if you're so silly. Now listen. You go ahead withyour party to-night, and ask some other pretty girl to take my place."
"Take your place!" Philip's growl of disgust nearly broke the telephone.
"Yes," went on Patty, severely, "to take my place. And then, when weget let out, you could have another party for me. Don't you see, itwill be a sort of celebration of my release from captivity."
"I tell you I won't stand it! I'll have the confounded partyto-night,--because I'll HAVE to, but to-morrow I'm coming straight,bang, up to Eastchester!"
"Come if you like, but you won't be admitted to this house. And I thinkyou're acting horrid, Philip. Instead of being sorry for me, you justscold."
"I'm not scolding YOU, Patty, but I won't have you shut up there withthat Cameron!"
"And Kenneth."
"Harper's all right, but that Cameron boy is too fresh,--and I don'twant you to encourage him."
"All right, Philip, I won't encourage him. Good-bye." Patty spoke inher sweetest tones, and hung up the receiver suddenly, leaving Mr. VanReypen in a state of mind bordering on frenzy.
Then Patty called up Nan, and explained the whole situation to her.
"How awful!" said Nan, in deepest sympathy, "both for Mrs. Perry andfor you."
"Yes, it is; but of course there's nothing to do but make the best ofit. Ken is splendid. If it weren't for his strength and courage I don'tknow how I'd bear it. But he won't let me give way. So I'm going to bea heroine and all that sort of thing, a real little Casablanca.Hon
estly, Nan, I feel ashamed of myself to think of my littlebothers,--when the boys have their business matters to consider, andMrs. Perry is in such deep trouble. So I'm going to do my best to becheerful and pleasant. They say we may be here two or three weeks ormore."
"Good gracious, Patty!"
"Yes, I know,--it's all of that! Now, Nan, I mustn't keep thistelephone, for they all want to use it. But I'll call you up to-nightor to-morrow, for a longer talk. I wish you'd send me up some clothes.Pack a suitcase or a steamer trunk with some little house-dresses andtea-gowns and lingerie, and send it along to-morrow. Then I'll tell youlater what else I want. Tell father all about it, and ask him to callme up this evening. Good-bye for now."
Patty hung up the receiver, and Marie took her turn next.
"How did your people take it?" asked Cameron, as Patty came slowly backto the hall fireside, where they had all been sitting when the dreadfulnews was told.
"I told my mother," said Patty, "but I didn't give her a chance to saymuch. She was appalled, of course, at the whole business, but she'sgoing to send me some clothes, and get along without me for a fewweeks,--although I can't help feeling 'they will miss me at home, theywill miss me.'"
Patty sang the line in a high falsetto that made them all laugh.
"Mother's about crazy!" announced Marie, as she came back fromtelephoning. "Not that she minds my staying here, but she's sure I'llhave the diphtheria!"
"No, you won't, Marie," said Kit, earnestly. "I asked the doctorparticularly, and he said there wasn't the least danger that any of uswould develop the disease."
"Then why do we have to stay here?" asked Marie.
"Because the house is quarantined. By order of the Board of Health. Youmay as well make up your mind to it, cousin, and take itphilosophically, as Miss Fairfield does."
Kenneth telephoned to his office, and then Kit shut himself up in thelibrary and telephoned for a long time.
When he returned, he said, with an evident effort at cheerfulness, "Nowlet's pretend that we're not kept here against our will, but that thisis a jolly house party. If we were here for a month, on invitation,we'd expect to have a bang-up time."
"But this is so different," said Patty, dolefully. "A house party wouldmean all kinds of gaiety and fun. But it doesn't seem right to be gay,when Babette is dangerously ill."
"But she isn't dangerously ill," said Kit, earnestly. "It may prove avery light case. But you see the quarantine laws are just as strict fora very light case as for a desperate one. Now, I propose that we try toforget Babette for the present, and go in for a good time."
"But we can't do anything," said Marie; "we can't go to places or haveany company, or see anybody or write any letters--"
"There, there, little girl," said her cousin, "don't make matters worseby complaining. Here are four most attractive young people, in aperfectly lovely house, with all the comforts of home; and if we don'thave a good time, it's our own fault. What shall we do this afternoon?"
"Let's play bridge," said Patty; "that's quiet, and I don't feel likeanything rackety-packety."
"Bridge is good enough for me," said Kenneth, manfully striving toshake off the gloom he felt. He was really very much concerned aboutsome important business matters, but he said nothing of this to any one.
They sat down at the bridge table, but the game dragged. No one seemedinterested, and they dealt the cards in silence.
Cameron tried to keep up a lively flow of conversation, and the otherstried to respond to his efforts. But though they succeeded fairly well,after the third rubber, Patty declared she could not play any longer,and she was going to her room for a nap.
"Come on," said Marie, jumping up, "I'll go with you."
"Yes, do, girlies," said Cameron, kindly. "A little nap will do yougood. Come down for tea, won't you?"
"I don't know," said Patty, doubtfully; "I think we'll have tea in ourrooms, and not come down till dinner time."
"As you like," returned Kit; "if we four have to live together forweeks, it won't do to see TOO much of each other!"
"Then perhaps we won't come down to dinner, either," said Patty, with amomentary flash of her roguish nature.
"Oh, you MUST!" exclaimed Kenneth, who couldn't help taking thingsseriously. "You two girls are the only bright spots in this wholebusiness!"
"Thank you," and Patty smiled at him, as she and Marie went away.
"Come into my room," said Patty, "and let's talk this thing over."
Soon the two girls, in kimonos, were sitting either side of thecheerful wood fire, discussing the outlook.
"It's worse for you than for me, Patty," said Marie, "for you have moresocial engagements, and all that sort of thing, than I do. And besides,these are my relatives. But for you, almost a stranger, to be held uphere like this, it's just awful! I can't tell you how bad I feel aboutit."
"Now, Marie, let up on that sort of talk! It's no more your fault thanit is mine, and the fact of the Perrys being your relatives doesn'tmake a scrap of difference. To be honest, the thing nearly floored meat first, for I never had anything like this happen to me before. Butthat's all the more reason why I should brace up to this firstoccasion,--and from now on, you won't hear another peep of discontentout of ME. If we have to stay here four weeks or eight weeks or twelveweeks, I'm going to behave myself like a desirable citizen. And I'monly sorry that I've acted horrid so far."
"You haven't acted horrid, Patty."
"Yes, I have; when we played bridge I sat around like an old wetblanket. Now I'll tell you what, Marie, let's plan something nice forthis evening. Something that will cheer up Mrs. Perry, and incidentallyourselves. But isn't it strange how we can't make it seem like a houseparty? Really, you know, it IS one, and Babette isn't sick enough,--atleast, not yet,--for us to be gloomy and mournful. And yet, for thelife of me, I can't feel gay and festive. But I'm going to MAKE myselffeel so, if it takes all summer! We've two awfully nice boys toentertain us, and you and I are good congenial chums. Mrs. Perry is adear and the baby is an awful comfort. Now why, Marie, WHY can't we actjust as if there wasn't any Babette? I mean, of course, unless she getsvery much worse."
"It isn't our concern for Babette that makes the trouble," said Marie,slowly; "it's our disappointment at our own inconvenience, and beingkept here against our will."
"You clever little thing! You've put your finger right on the truth.You're right! Our anxiety for Babette is real enough as far as it goes,but it's secondary. The primary cause of our gloom IS pure selfishness!and the amazing part is, that I never realised it until you showed me!Now I have always thought that the sin I abhorred most was selfishness,and here I am giving way to it at the first opportunity. Well, it's gotto stop! Now, then, let's plan something real nice and pleasant forthis evening, and have a good time."
"I don't think anything would be nicer than music," said Marie. "Lorahas a violin, and Kit and I will play, and you can sing--"
"And we'll all sing choruses and things,--real jolly ones, and enterinto it with some spirit."
"Yes; Lora loves to have people sing, and she'll enjoy that."
"And then other nights," Patty went on, bravely, "we'll get up someentertainment. Tableaux, you know, or theatricals."
"Yes, and we can play games and things. Now shall we go down to tea?"
"No," and Patty wagged her head, sagely; "it's perfectly true that wemustn't give those boys too much of our delightful society or theywon't appreciate it! Let them wait for us till dinner time. We'll haveour tea up here, and perhaps Mrs. Perry will be with us. Let the boysshift for themselves till dinner time, and then they'll be all the moreglad to see us."
Nora brought the tea tray up to the girls, and with it a note.
"I thought they'd holler for us," said Patty, laughing as she read thenote; "listen to this: 'Twin stars of light and joy, DO come down andillumine our dark and lonesome tea-table! We pine and languish withoutyou! Oh, come QUICK, ere we fade away! Kit and Ken.' I thought they'dbe lonesome," and Patty nodded her h
ead, with a satisfied air. "Now youknow, Marie, if we've got to take care of these boys for weeks, we mustmake them walk a chalk line."
"Yes, of course, Patty; shall we go down, or send a note?"
"Neither," returned Patty, with a toss of her head. "Nora, please sayto the young gentlemen that the young ladies will be down at dinnertime."
"Yes, Miss Fairfield," said Nora, departing.
A few moments later they heard the wailing strains of a violin, andlistening at their door, heard Kit playing, with exaggerated effect."Come into the Garden, Maud."