“What will you do?” asked Diana, curiously.

“Anything!  Everything that is necessary to accomplish my purpose.”

“Be careful,” said she warningly.  “Keep a cool head, Charlie, and don’t do anything foolish.  Still—­”

“Well?”

“If it is necessary to take a few chances, do it.  Arthur Weldon must not marry Louise Merrick!”

CHAPTER IX

THE VON TAER PEARLS

Uncle John really had more fun out of the famous Kermess than anyone else.  The preparations gave him something to do, and he enjoyed doing—­openly, as well as in secret ways.  Having declared that he would stock the flower booth at his own expense, he confided to no one his plans.  The girls may have thought he would merely leave orders with a florist; but that was not the Merrick way of doing things.  Instead, he visited the most famous greenhouses within a radius of many miles, contracting for all the floral blooms that art and skill could produce.  The Kermess was to be a three days’ affair, and each day the floral treasures of the cast were delivered in reckless profusion at the flower booth, which thus became the center of attraction and the marvel of the public.  The girls were delighted to be able to dispense such blooms, and their success as saleswomen was assured at once.  Of course the fair vendors were ignorant of the value of their wares, for Uncle John refused to tell them how extravagant he had been; so they were obliged to guess at the sums to be demanded and in consequence sold priceless orchids and rare hothouse flora at such ridiculous rates that Mr. Merrick chuckled with amusement until he nearly choked.

The public being “cordially invited” Uncle John was present on that first important evening, and—­wonder of wonders—­was arrayed in an immaculate full-dress suit that fitted his chubby form like the skin of a banana.  Mayor Doyle, likewise disguised, locked arms with his brother-in-law and stalked gravely among the throng; but neither ever got to a point in the big room where the flower booth was not in plain sight.  The Major’s pride in “our Patsy” was something superb; Uncle John was proud of all three of his nieces.  As the sale of wares was for the benefit of charity these old fellows purchased liberally—­mostly flowers and had enough parcels sent home to fill a delivery wagon.

One disagreeable incident, only, marred this otherwise successful evening—­successful especially for the three cousins, whose beauty and grace won the hearts of all.

Diana Von Taer was stationed in the “Hindoo Booth,” and the oriental costume she wore exactly fitted her sensuous style of beauty.  To enhance its effect she had worn around her neck the famous string of Von Taer pearls, a collection said to be unmatched in beauty and unequaled in value in all New York.