Willingly Patty went with him, and he led her to the little room which was her father’s den.
There chanced to be no one there, so Farnsworth closed the door after them, and then gently took her in his arms.
“Dearest,” he said, “you must be careful of my own little Patty girl while I am away.”
“But I don’t want you to go,” she whispered, her lip trembling.
“I know it, dear, and I don’t want to leave you. But we’re always going to obey the call of duty, aren’t we, Patty mine?”
“Then listen, sweetheart. You mustn’t exaggerate our parting. I’m only going to Washington——”
“Don’t cross that bridge until you come to it. Now, my own,—my blessed little girl, I’m going now.”
“Yes, if I stay here you’ll go all to pieces pretty soon. So I’m going now, and I’m going to say good-bye, cheerfully, even calmly,—because it’s better so. Then you go back to the party and be as gay as you like, and forget our case entirely. Trust me, dear little girl,—it’s better so.”
Patty realised the truth of Farnsworth’s words. She was under great nervous strain, and after his departure, she knew she could regain her poise and better conceal and control her feelings.
“You’re right, you dear old Billee. I’m a little fool, but I can’t help it. I oughtn’t to have planned this affair the way I did, but I didn’t realise,——”
“Of course you didn’t, and you overestimated your own power of will. Now, my love, my little sweetheart, kiss me once, for soldier’s luck, and then I’ll go,—and you must bid me good-bye with a smile,—a smile that I’ll carry with me always.”
Silently, solemnly, Patty raised her face to his, and bending down, Farnsworth kissed the sweet lips that quivered beneath his touch.
It almost unnerved him, but, determinedly, he smiled at her, and said, cheerily, “I’ll write often and so must you, and,—why, my goodness, Patty,—I’ll be back soon on leave, and we’ll laugh at this tragic parting.”
“No; we won’t laugh at it my Little Billee,—no, not that,—but,—we’ll try to smile.”
Patty smiled with real cheer, and clasping her quickly, Farnsworth gave her one big, farewell kiss, and rushed out of the door, closing it behind him.
“Oh, it was the best plan, but I did hate to have him run off like that.”
“Of course you did, Pattykins, but you would have flown into forty conniption fits if he had stayed longer. I saw you, and you were getting all nervous and ‘stericky!’”