He did not return the smile, but looked at her steadily and with a slightly puzzled expression.

When the song was over, Farnsworth crossed the room and stood by Patty’s side.

“Why do you want to take the high road, if I take the low road?” he asked her, abruptly.  He took no pains to lower his tones, and Bob Peyton who stood near heard what he said.

“Because I’m taking the low road, and Miss Fairfield will ride with me, though she won’t with you.”

Peyton’s manner was so light and his smile so gay, that Patty answered in the same key, ignoring Farnsworth’s serious face.

“I like to take the road with Mr. Peyton,” she answered gaily, “because it leads to such pleasant places,” and she smiled at Mrs. Brewster.

“You dear child!  You are perfectly fascinating,” Mrs. Brewster declared.

“There, there, Ethel, you mustn’t tell Miss Fairfield what we all think about her,” Peyton interrupted.

And then Patty was called to the telephone.

“You must come home, Patty,” Adele’s voice said.

“All right, I will, Adele,” Patty replied; “but tell me this, does Kit think I’m lost, or anything?”

“No, Patty, he doesn’t; but all the rest do.  Kit pretends he thinks something has happened to you, but he told me privately that he knew perfectly well that you were all right, and that Jim and I know where you are!  Oh, you can’t fool him.  But Mr. Van Reypen is nearly crazy.  He says he doesn’t think anything dreadful has happened to you, but he thinks you’ve had a breakdown and can’t get home, and he insists on starting out to look for you.  If you don’t come right away, Patty dear, I can’t keep him here much longer!”

“All right, Adele, I’ll start at once; truly, I will!  Don’t send for me.  Somebody here will take me over.  You know your little runabout is here.  I’ll come home in that.”

“Don’t drive it yourself.”

“Of course not.  Somebody will drive me.  I’ll be over in fifteen minutes.  Good-bye.”

Patty hung up the receiver and returned to the drawing-room.

“I must go right straight away,” she said, smiling at her hostess.  “My joke worked a little too well, and unless I appear they’re going to send out a search party after me!  I told Adele her little car was here.  How did it get here, Mr. Peyton?”

“I went after it and brought it here; instead of taking it to Mrs. Hammersmith’s or whatever her name was!”

“You mean Mrs. Hemingway,” said Patty, laughing, “my former mistress, who left me in her car to go in search of help.”

“Yes,” said Peyton.  “Wasn’t it lucky I came along?  You little thought Farnsworth sent me, did you?”

“Indeed I didn’t!” and Patty smiled at him, “and will you take me home in that little car? for I promised Adele I’d go at once.”

“Of course I will,” said Bob Peyton, “if you must go.”

So Patty was made ready for her drive and Mrs. Brewster insisted she should wear the warm coat as the evening had grown chilly.