"No," corrected Farnsworth, still smiling, "you did mean you are engaged to him _that_ way, but _not_ for this dance." "Well, he hadn't actually asked me," said Patty, doubtfully, "but I know he took it for granted----" "It isn't wise to take too much for granted--there! see, he has just discovered your absence." Sure enough, Van Reypen, who had been engrossed with the mummer's chaff, turned back to where Patty had sat, and his look of amazement at her absence was funny to see. Glancing about, he saw her standing in line, opposite Farnsworth. At first, he looked wrathful, then accepting his position with a good grace, he smiled at them both. "Little deserter!" he said to her, as he sauntered past her, in search of another partner. "Deserter, yourself!" she returned. "You completely forgot my existence!" "I didn't, but I am duly punished for seeming to do so. But I claim you for a supper partner, so make a memorandum of that!" Patty smiled an assent, and the dance began. "Don't you like this better than that smoky, incense-smelly atmosphere of the Studio?" Farnsworth said to Patty, as they walked through the stately figures of the dance. "This is a home of wealth and grandeur," said Patty, "but wealth and grandeur are not the most desirable things in the world." "What are?" "Brains and----" "Yes, brains and breeding. But your high-browed, lowbred----" "Billee, I've stood a lot from you tonight; now, I refuse to stand any more. You will please stop saying things that you know offend me." "Forgive me, Patty, I forgot myself." "Then it's forgive and forget between us. I'll do the forgiving because you did the forgetting. But I've forgiven you all I'm going to. So don't make any more necessary." "I'll try not to," and then the subject of the earlier evening was not mentioned again. The dance concluded, Farnsworth stood for a moment, still holding Patty's hand after their last sweeping curtsey, and he said, "Will you be my supper partner, too? Please do." "I can't," and Patty laughed up at him. "I'm really engaged to Phil." "Oh, are you, Patty?" cried Daisy, who was just passing, with Kit Cameron. "I said you'd announce it tonight! What fun! But why are you telling Big Bill all by himself first? You ought to tell all the crowd at once. I'll do it for you. Come on, Kit, let's spread the news! We've Patty's own word for it." The two ran off, laughing, and Patty looked a bit dismayed. "Kit's such a scamp," she said, ruefully, "he'll tell that all over the room----" "Isn't it true?" "Would you care if it were?" "I care for anything that concerns you or your happiness." "Or any one else or any one else's happiness! Oh, I know you, Bill Farnsworth, you want everybody to be happy." "Of course I do!" and the big man laughed, heartily. "Is that a crime? But most of all I care to have one little foolish, petulant Blossom-girl happy."