They had paused, and stood facing each other, with quickly beating hearts. There were no passers-by, and the sun shone straight down on Patty’s face, as she looked up at his question.
She knew all it meant, all it implied, and with a firm voice that had a glorious, triumphant ring in it, she said, “I do, my Heart’s Dearest, I _do_.”
And right there, in broad daylight, he clasped her in his arms and gave her a kiss that sealed the compact once and for all.
“We must hop around,” he said, laughing for very joy. “Oh, Patty, we must skittle!”
“We will! We can do it. I don’t care for anything but to go with you,—always with you. Are you sure I _may_ go?”
“I hoped, Patty, I only hoped. Now I’ll get you back to Rose’s and you and she fix up the wedding-bells. I’ll breeze in about seven with the minister. Can’t get things fixed before that. Darling! I’m crazy! You _won’t_ change your mind—no, I know you won’t, my true, my loyal Patty Blossom!”
There was some scurrying about when Patty told Rose. That efficient young woman telephoned for caterers, florists and musicians.
She called up friends and invited them. She gave orders right and left, and harangued Patty in the meantime.
“Go for a rest first,” she said. “Go straight to your room and lie down. I’ll be there in a few minutes. Helen will help you dress.”
And right here for about the first time in her life Bumble showed efficiency.
“Yes,” she said, “I will. Come along, Patty, and take it easy. There’s lots of time before seven o’clock, and you’ve nothing to do but dress. Come along with your old reliable,—your standby, the steady-going Bumble.”
Relieved to get away from Rose’s fluster and hurry, Patty went with Helen.
“I’ve got to do it, Bumble,” she said, as if by way of apology. “I _can’t_ stay here and let him go away, so I’m going, too——”
“Sure you are,” and Helen nodded, understandingly. “And, oh, by the way, Patty, where’s your wedding gown?”
“That’s so! Where is it?” and Patty began to look over her frocks in the wardrobe. “This rose-coloured one, I think.”
“Nixy; white, if it’s only a tub frock! Let’s see your white ones. Ah, here we are!” Helen took down a white chiffon, daintily embroidered, and pronounced it the very thing.