"And nobody could help loving such a girl as you!" exclaimed Philip, drawing her into his arms. "Patty, darling, you know I love you! Patty, _do_ care for me a _little_ bit, won't you?" "Don't, Philip," and Patty drew gently away from him. "_Please_ don't talk to me like that! Oh, I oughtn't to be here! Let me go, Philip,--I _know_ this isn't right." "It _is_ right, Patty, darling; because I love you, and I want you for all my own. Say you love me, and that will make _everything_ all right!" "But I don't, Philip." And Patty's voice carried a hint of tears. "But you will, dear; you _must_, because I love you _so_. Patty, I have always loved you, I think, since I first saw you on the stairs at Aunty Van's that evening. Do you remember?" "Yes, I remember; but please, Philip, let me go now, and _don't_ talk to me this way. I don't _want_ you to!" "You're frightened, Patty, that's all; and perhaps I ought not to have spoken just now; but you looked so sweet, in the moonlight, with that wonderful hair of yours curling about your shoulders, that I just couldn't help it." "I'll forgive you, Philip, if you'll forget this whole occurrence." "Forget it? Why, Patty, what do you mean? I never forget it for a single moment! I was sitting there to-night, dreaming of _you_. I wasn't asleep, you know, I was just thinking about you, and wondering how soon I might tell you my thoughts. You're so young, dear,--I'm half a dozen years older than you are,--but I want you, my little Patty. Mayn't I hope?" "You're quite right, Philip. I _am_ too young to think of such things. So cut it out for a couple of years, and then I'll see about it!" "Patty, you rogue, how _can_ you speak like that? Don't you love me a least little bit?" "Not a teenty weenty speck! And if you don't give me something to eat, I won't even _like_ you." "Well, here's a bargain, then,--if I find something nice for you to eat, will you like me a whole lot?" "I do like you a whole lot, anyway; but I don't love you and I'm not going to love _anybody_, _ever_! I do think being grown-up is a regular nuisance, and I wish I was a little girl again, with my hair down my back!" "Incidentally, your hair _is_ down your back." "Well, I don't care," and Patty shook her curly mane. "I wear it that way in tableaux and things, so what's the difference?" "There _isn't_ any difference. We'll pretend you're a tableau." "All right, I'll be Patience on a Monument, waiting for some supper." "That was Little Tommy Tucker." "No; _he_ sang for his supper. I'm not going to sing." "For Heaven's sake, _don't_! Your top notes would bring the whole crowd down here! Patty, if you'll promise to love me _some time_, I'll stop teasing you _now_." "Oh, Philip, I'd do 'most anything to have you stop teasing me now! But how _can_ I tell who I'm going to love when I get old enough to love anybody?" "Well, you don't love anybody yet, do you?" "I do _not_!" and Patty shook her head with great emphasis.