Patty in Paris | Page 4

you into a
French convent."
[Illustration with caption: "'There never was such a dear, lovely,
beautiful stepmother on the face of the earth!'"]
Patty only laughed at this, but still she had a vague feeling that her
father was not yet quite done with the subject, and that almost anything
might happen.
But as Kenneth Harper came in to see them just then, the question was
laid before him.
"There is no sense in Patty's going to college," he declared. "I'm an
authority on the subject, because I know college and I know Patty, and
they have absolutely nothing in common with each other. Why, Patty
doesn't want the things that colleges teach. You see, she is of an artistic
temperament--"
"Oh, Kenneth," cried Patty reproachfully, "that's the most fearfully
unkind thing I ever had said to me! Why, I would rather be accused of I
don't know WHAT than an artistic temperament! How COULD you

say it? Why, I'm as practical and common sensible and straightforward
as I can be. People who have artistic temperaments are flighty and
weak-minded and not at all capable."
"Why, Patty," cried Nan, laughing, "how can you make such sweeping
assertions? Mr. Hepworth is an artist, and he isn't all those dreadful
things."
"That's different," declared Patty. "Mr. Hepworth is a real artist, and so
you can't tell what his temperament is."
"But that's just what I mean," insisted Kenneth; "Hepworth is a real
artist, and so he didn't have and didn't need a college education. He
specialised and devoted all his study to his art. Then he went to Paris
and stayed there for years, still studying and working. I tell you, it's
specialisation that counts. Now I don't know that Patty wants to
specialise, but she certainly doesn't need the general work of college. I
should think that you would prefer to have her devote herself to her
music, especially her singing; for we all know that Patty's is a voice of
rare promise. I don't know myself exactly what 'rare promise' means,
but it's a phrase that's always applied to voices like Patty's."
"You're just right, Kenneth," said Nan, "and I'm glad you're on our side.
Patty and I entirely agree with you, and though Mr. Fairfield is still
wavering a little, I am sure that by day after to-morrow, or next week at
the latest, he will be quite ready to cast in his lot with ours."
Mr. Fairfield only smiled, for though he had no intention of making
Patty do anything against her will, yet he had not entirely made up his
mind in the matter.
"Anyway, my child," he said, "whatever you do or don't do, will be the
thing that we are entirely agreed upon, even if I have to convince you
that my opinions are right."
And Patty smiled back at her father happily, for there was great
comradeship and sympathy between them.

CHAPTER II
THE DECISION
It was only a few days later that Nan and Patty sat one evening in the
library waiting for Mr. Fairfield to come home to dinner.
The Fairfield library was a most cosey and attractive room. Nan was a
home-maker by nature, and as Patty dearly loved pretty and
comfortable appointments, they had combined their efforts on the
library and the result was a room which they all loved far better than
the more formal drawing-room.
The fall was coming early that year, which gave an excuse for the fire
in the big fireplace. This fire was made of that peculiar kind of
driftwood whose flames show marvellous rainbow tints. Patty never
tired of watching the strange-coloured blaze, and delighted in throwing
on more chips and splinters from time to time.
"I can't see what makes your father so late," said Nan, as she wandered
about the room, now adjusting some flowers in a vase, and now
stopping to look out at the front window; "he's always here by this time,
or earlier."
"Something must have detained him," said Patty, rather absently, as she
poked at a log with the tongs.
"Patty, you're a true Sherlock Holmes! Your father is late, and you
immediately deduce that something has detained him! Truly, you have
a wonderful intellect!"
"I don't wonder it seems so to you," said saucy Patty, smiling at her
pretty stepmother; "people are always impressed by traits they don't
possess themselves."
"But really I'm getting worried. If Fred doesn't come pretty soon I shall
telephone to the office."

"Do; I like to see you enacting the role of anxious young wife. It suits
you perfectly. As for me, I'm starving; if papa doesn't come pretty soon,
he will find an emaciated skeleton in place of the plump daughter he
left behind him."
As Mr. Fairfield arrived at that moment, there was